Anyone ever notice that sometimes what seems to be the easiest shots end up taking the longest time during a shoot?
A simple camera tracking shot following a character from one room to the next, opening a draw and loading a gun took over an hour to get right. It should have been a simple 10-15min shot.
I had a whole list of scenes to do and two major effects that I never got a chance to do. The night just flew by. But at least we got something done.
Re: CSN
Yeah I've done that shit before. If I do a master, I do it like twice then take 30 minutes trying to get a 'push in' correct on a close up.
Any of you guys ever been on a no budget movie set where there's over a dozen crew members all standing around doing nothing? I can't stand having non essentual's around. Shit I can't stand seeing people standing around doing nothing. There's always something to do and if there isn't your just making noise. Last short I was asked to operate camera on was like that. It's not like they were doing camera intensive dolly shots and blocking.
Or how about when your setting up light and actually have to tell your "help" to run you a cord...er...sorry 'stinger'. I'm not letting anyone say call an extension cord a stinger on my set damn it. This ain't Hollywood and I didn't go to film school so it's a damn 'cord' not a 'stinger'.
I guess I'm lucky because I have a surplus of people who wanna help on set and I can be picky. Even if I'm directing, if you see me grab a light be there with damn cord. I hate that shit and it never happens on my set.
That's why I like visiting other peoples sets. You can see where there fuckin' up and fix it.
Re: CSN
I don't like having too many people around either. I'll usually only invite about 5 people max to help on a big effects shoot. Right now, using this equpiment, that's all I need behind the scenes.
I have this habit of running around doing everything myself even when I have plenty of help. I usually have people asking me what can they do?
I have to stop and go, oh yeah...can you do this....
Decaying Corpse
Posts: 192
(4/13/06 7:10 pm) Reply
Re: CSN
Having too many people sucks, but so does having too few. Trying to have someone do double duty can be one of the most stressful things to encounter on a shoot. And forget about asking actors to help with anything when they aren't on screen (actually, some actors are really helpful, but some have heads too big for small budget shoots) because half the time they feel it's beneath them or not in their job description. Any crew I work with is generally 3-5 people. 1 camera, 1 audio (sometimes 2), 1-2 guys lighting, holding bounce cards and running cables/cords. Then I have myself, and whatever talent I'm using (which is sometimes the same people making the movie on my super low key shoots). I prefer to be streamlined, just as long as I don't scrimp too much.
Re: CSN
damn...filming while on pain medication from having a tooth pulled do not mix.
I worked on effects all day today for a shoot where I wanted to film all the remaining effects I had left. After about an hour and a half my brain went to mush. I could not concentrate and I had to call it a night. Pissed me off, but I could not go on. I didn't want to risk screwing up these important effects shots.
This the 1st time I experienced that. Sucks.
Filmmaking
Sorry about the tooth trouble Morb, believe me I know about tooth problems( Ive had two pulled not counting all the wisdom teeth).
I can't really bitch as Im not a "real" filmmaker but the biggest gripe I have is the same as its always been. Getting people together. Im lucky if I can even get them on the phone, then even in one place for the actual shooting much less rehearsing. Then when you get them its amazing how long it takes to just shoot a single scene and there like "its getting late; how much longer is this gonna take?"
Also the sad truth is some people just drift away as the years go by; one actress I had (the lead in TMG) wont return my calls after a falling out with a mutual friend and another is just so busy with work we can rarely ever hook up to even hang. Its so frustrating as Im a busy motherF'er too but I still want to stay in touch with my friends and have fun but were all in our thirties now..oh well. Id be married too if life was kinder..
Another problem Im having is trying to supress my accent for a classic style werewolf short I wanna have done by Halloween. Its supposed to be a period piece(sorta) in B&W and take place in that nebulous sorta Europe you saw in the old Universal movies. I tape myself reciting dialogue and my accent comes out too much(like that fucking joe Dellasandro in those Warhol horror movies). Im the only guy I can get for this and its gonna require some fancy editing to even get others in this little thing.
Its gonna be challenging thats for sure.
Re: Filmmaking
You may not consider yourself a "real" filmmaker but there are plenty of ego maniacs out there that consider themselves one and don't get as much done as you have. They just sit around talking about what they are going to do.
I'm not a real filmmaker. I shoot on video! I know what you mean about people drifting away. Filming is actually the only thing that kept alot of us together the past few years. But now all my friends have had babies and I never see them anymore. I've just finally managed to get Rich G. to show up for 2 nights of filming on Fetus.
Last night I shot some big effects shots and I only had 1 person here helping me. No one else was available. But we got everything done and it came out great.
Just keep pushing Dmattero and don't give up.
Re: The Filmakers thread to bitch and problem solve
My first film was an hour long with an ensemble cast of almost 25 highschool students having major roles. What a nightmare of scheduling. Some kids were there every time. Others of course, would show up 20 minutes late for a 30 minute shoot; or not at all. I learned my lesson and scaled back to a short with cast of 3 leads for the next project. That worked quite nicely. At least in terms of everyone always being there.
It's funny cause a guy thinks; man if only I could pay these blokes. Then they'd show up every time. Somehow I have a feeling that when people are getting paid they will come up with a whole new barrage of challenges to throw at you in the most inopportune situations. Learning to deal with the challenges seems to be the essence of film-making.
Re: The Filmakers thread to bitch and problem solve
Okey Dokey. That was one of the first times I posted on any forum. I meant to respond to the posts about casting and the reliability of some actors. I guess I missed the boat on that one. This is a cool forum though. Hopefully next time I'll be more on the ball.
Bitching
Hey just the other night I was doing a test shot of a flashback when my werewolf protagonist was buried alive after trying to kill himself(serves him right the pussy!). I used a cardboard coffin and unfortunately everything i shot sucked ass..( I might need "nonexistant at the moment" help with someone holding the camera). Anybody have any ideas thay may be better?
Oh yeah and soon Headbanger and I are gonna figure out how to shoot this urban zombie short in his hood! I will not give up on this idea.
Shit and I forgot to give Arc my compilation tape of the four horror videos I did so far..Damn!! Some day!
Re
Arc to be honest Im sure you would fucking hate it but I swear thats not why I forgot to give you the tape(like cold feet or something).
I feel like Im losing that filmmaking bug all of a sudden..dunno if its the weather and how busy I am. When autumn comes it ll come back BUT thats when the shit is supposed to be fucking done..
re:
dolly shots were our problem.....we didn't have one and had to think of new and interesting ways to make one each time we needed that shot. it was quite a learning experience but also took longer than it should have. but at least now we know for next time.
I know what you mean about people drifting away. Filming is actually the only thing that kept alot of us together the past few years. But now all my friends have had babies and I never see them anymore. I've just finally managed to get Rich G. to show up for 2 nights of filming on Fetus. 
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