What would you do to get the shot?

When it comes down to it, it's not about what camera is used to obtain a shot but what the actual shot is of. Many filmmakers go the distance by sending their cameras into the air, under water, or even attaching it to their pet. But this filmmaker has to take the cake. Having stumbled upon a rattlesnake pit, they attached their GoPro to a stick and dove in to receive some amazing footage. 

As you can see these reptilian beasts reacted surprisingly well to camera for a bit, but eventually started to strike. I've never seen any sort of footage of the sorts.

It felt like a horror film as they began to attack the camera, but nonetheless the technology that we have at our fingertips these days is what enables this sort of filming making. A camera attached to a stick is all it took to enter this rattler nest and that hockey stick is what also enable the filmmaker to get it out after it fell off its mount.

It's because of the accessibility of this sort of technology that results with these immersive videos. It makes you not only wonder if the camera operator is crazy but also how you can take a simple set up and capture something brilliant. You won't be finding me near a snake pit like this anytime soon but I definitely will take the concept of this video and apply it to my work. Live the moment and think outside the box because this may just be the reason you walk away from a day of filming with a viral video.

Movie Making On A Budget

Our first projects have been screened and submitted. Now without a blink of an eye our final films start frolicking into our field of vision. While we all viciously scramble for an idea or a crew, allow me to address the real question, is this all even possible? Perhaps I shall rephrase the concern.

Is this all even possible, on a budget?

I've asked a few of our fellow peers how they're affording their projects and... the response?
"My parents gave me five hundred dollars and the assistant directors parents gave us five hundred dollars."

I don't know about you folks, but my folks, aren't wealthy folks. I had to fight every fiber of my being not to throw my hands in the air and say, "WELL OK, THERE GOES THAT." How can I compete with that? How on Earth can no dollars make a better film than, I don't know, 1,000 of them!?
Certainly there are ways to gather green rectangles rather than calling mom and dad.

Well, well, well for those of you who's fiscal status is mutually not as trust fund-friendly let's embark on a quest entitled: "Film Making With Minimal Financing"
(Brought to you by the various movie making books I've collected and consumed throughout the years and a grand Google search.)

             DO: 

• Host A House Party
• Apply For Grants
• Have A Yard Sale
• Ask Wealthy Friends With Puppy Dog Eyes If They Truly Believe In Cinema

                                               

DON'T:

• Shoot By Yourself/Dysfunctional Crew
• Compare Your Film To Other Films In Preproduction
• I break this rule all of the time though I've read it EVERYWHERE online AND just as much in the books. It's the toughest one, I admit, but it makes perfect sense if you stop and think about it. Dig deeper and attempt to explain your specific vision. (Stay strong)
• Attempt To Do It For Free/Neglect To Fundraise

My own personal plan?

• Neglect to purchase groceries as often as possible - donate funds to feed friends who sacrificed their weekend to slave away behind viewfinders and omni-peppers
• Ask strangers if they have any change for stamps so you can mail a very important letter (this letter is a lie), repeat on multiple subjects over a course of many days - cash in coins for props
• Bike More - donate saved funds to gas money for crew (This is what I get for choosing to shoot in Philadelphia, PA)

All I can say is, I came here to make movies and I'm going to do whatever it takes to do just that. I didn't let $50,000 (or whatever repulsive amount we spend to go here) stop me from furthering my education in filmmaking, I'm not going to let a fraction of that stop me from actually filmmaking itself. So saddle up crew...

we're making a movie. 

I also stumbled upon a couple of other helpful resources of sorts that might assist others on their own "babies first movie." I shall link those below for your eyeball browsing pleasure:

Feeding Your Crew - TIPS

PreProduction Templates

Film Production "Checklist"

Glidecam HD-2000

  This past month I was given the opportunity to use a Glidecam HD-2000 camera stabilizers to mount my camera and shoot handheld.  I just wanted to explain some tips I learned while using the stabilizer and talk about my experience.

  The Glidecam was suggested to me by one of my friends who owns one because he said it would aid in stabilizing shots and take out natural shakiness of simply shooting handheld.  I took his advice and he allowed me to borrow his Glidecam.  Upon first getting the Glidecam I had to recalibrate the stand for my own camera.  I found that since I only have a zoom lens for my DSLR I needed to extend the lengthen the main rod in order to counter balance the extra weight of my camera(this could also be achieved by adding extra weight to the stabilizers and keeping the stand the same weight, however it would make the rig heavier and more difficult to use).  After that I had to calibrate the rig to perfectly balance my camera so the rig would stay right side up.

  Once I finished calibrating I began to practice.  To properly use a Glidecam you must use two hands.  One hand to hold the handle which holds the majority of the rigs weight, and the other hand to lightly and delicately hold the main rod of the rig and point the camera.  After an extreme amount of practicing I went out to the shoot and used the rig.  I can honestly say that the camera not only increased perceived  the production value of the project, it substantially improved the quality of the work by allowing for fluid movements unattainable using simply a handheld camera.  Although our film encompassed both Glidcam and handheld shots (depending on motivation) I personally enjoyed watching back the shots taken on the Glidecam substantially more.  After using the Glidecam for only a short time I am convinced that this tool may be worth the investment in order to improve the quality of my projects.

Advice From Joseph Gordon-Levitt

I recently started watching interviews on makingof.com, a website I didn't know about until Arturo mentioned it in class. In an interview with Joseph Gordon-Levitt, he is asked about his company hitrecord.com and gives advice that I believe is the main focus and goal for Park students and should be my mindset. JGL says his advice starting at the 2:50 mark. He basically says that in order to be known, you don't have to move to LA, get an agent, and know people. He believes that you need to create an idea, go out and make something, and try to get it out to people. He uses the example of someone who had no agents, created a film, and was able to show it at Sundance. I think this interview with JGL is extremely valuable in terms of advice and insight into the movie industry. I've been saving up for a camera, possibly the Canon T2i, and I've been writing short skits and stories that I plan to create. Honestly, I've been slacking and like Arturo said, there's no reason why we shouldn't be creating something new every week or so. I'm also working on a script for a mockumentary that I want to film over Thanksgiving or Winter break. I used to make movies every week when I was younger with my friend Jason, a BU communications student, and we're collaborating again and hope to create the mockumentary.

CLICK THIS LINK TO WATCH JGL'S MAKINGOF.COM INTERVIEW


Also, check out www.hitrecord.org; JGL's website that features work from artists, filmmakers, and beyond. Maybe you can sign up and share your work there.
(P.S: Go out and see Looper. It's one of the better movies I've seen in years.)

3D for the rest of us!

I still don't know where I fall on the issue of 3D films, even after writing quite a few posts about them. However, the more knowledgeable I get about the topic, the more clear the future seems regarding them. One very important step in the future of 3D films is getting it to the masses. I wrote last week on the rigs the pros are using, but they can become incredibly expensive and unwieldy. So, after some digging, I found an article that goes through the steps of how anyone can make their own 3D film. Check it out here!

Really, the process is incredibly simple. Just set up two cameras 2 1/2 inches across from each other. Shoot your material, and edit the film with one video feed. Once your done, match up the other side's footage, superimpose it, and color one red, the other blue. This will work fine for anaglyph glasses, which is the old-school flavor of 3D films. If you are interested in polarized 3D, then you are looking at much more expensive equipment, but the process is the same.

The hard part is in mastering the technicalities and subtleties of the format, and using it as part of the story telling rather than the ticket margins. It is increasingly obvious that this is where the industry will be focusing on for quite some time, so it is well worth it to get immersed now. Movie making has always favored the innovators, and there is still a great deal of innovating to do in this medium.

The Guide to DIY Filmmaking

Although most of us love to make movies, we (obviously) don't have big budgets to get awesome gear and large crews. I found this image online of things you can use or make to get more professional-looking shots with minimal money paid. It's pretty cool! It has stuff like using a wheelchair as a dolly, some pipes as a steadicam, Chinese paper lanters for lighting (who woulda thought!), and how to make cool sound effects at home. Some examples of those are slapping a pair of leather gloves for a bird's flapping wings and sliding the top off a toilet for a stone coffin opening. So cool! I wasn't into filmmaking before I came to Ithaca, and now I feel like a whole world is being opened to me. Huzzah!

Here's the website with the picture I found if you're interested in learning more.