Directing a HD shoot!

Just do it, and you'll figure it all out as you go. Hire a good AD. Good luck.

macminialacool said:

Hey,

I am a first time Director that will soon (eventually) direct a short film shot in High Definition! Any tips for the first time director? Like things like when you say action, cut? Place everyone... roll camera... blocking the scene and camera blocking?? I am pretty sure on most of this stuff but want to be 100% sure if you know what I mean.

Chris

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Indietalk is right, get a good AD, they can show you all that stuff. Only way to really learn is to do it. Your job at this stage is to hire the right team for the project (in addition to having a good script of course ) and to absorb a bit of their knowledge/experience..

Also, get a good DP too. They can really help you out. Being a DP, I've helped many first timers work out the kinks.

Scott

Also, get a good DP too.

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That goes double if you shoot on HD. It doesn't handle the same way as regular DV, you'll need someone with HD experience on the camera you choose.

This is slightly OT but I would strongly recommend you get some practice shooting a low budgeted DV short.

If there is a budget involved and actors present, the time to learn is not on set, that makes you look unprofessional and your crew and actors most likely wont appreciate that.

There is so much to learn about the basics, I dont even know where to start. In essence, you block the scene, get everyone on the same page, spend a moment or however long is necessary to get them ready and blocked. Call for places, quiet on the set (AD will do this usually), speed (sound), rolling (camera, marker (clapper), and action... then when they are done call cut.

But like I said thats just the easy stuff. Do you know what a clapper is, why its used? Are you using a shotgun mic to record sound? Are you the gaffer or do you already have one? Do you have a DP?

WideShot,

You just gave me the info I could not find in my production/cinematography/directing books. I figured you'd block the scenes with the actors first and then do the camera blocking (as it is dependent on the actor blocking). I figured as Director you'd call for places (where the actors position themselves within the scene according to the blocking) and then yell for quiet! Roll camera... and the DP yells back camera rolling! Right? What are you communicating when you call out speed? Is this only relevant for shoots on 16mm/35mm or DV too. When you yell out sound is this for the boom operator to position himself? I know then the slate is started... 77 take one or whatever. You then yell action to begin the take and cut to end it... this are the things I wanted to confirm. When do you do rehearsals? During blocking? There's a lot I am wanting/needing to learn... and yes I know what a slate is and why it is used.

Chris

PS: My project will be a short. I do have a DP.

I agree with WideShot big time. There's alot that needs to be understood before you get into it (not saying that you don't know) but just be sure that when you walk on set that you at least have an understanding of what you're supposed to appear as. I have an awesome job in the IT world but when I first got the job I didn't know shit. I got this job by "playing the role" and everything else panned out. lol

I figured as Director you'd call for places (where the actors position themselves within the scene according to the blocking) and then yell for quiet! Roll camera... and the DP yells back camera rolling! Right? What are you communicating when you call out speed? Is this only relevant for shoots on 16mm/35mm or DV too.

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The 1st AD calls "Positions please, we're going for a take." Once everyone is in position s/he will follow that with "Quiet on set" (which is relayed by handset to the whole shoot), then "Camera Rolling," at which point the DP will turn the camera over (regardless of format) and reply "Speed" to let the 1st AD know that the camera is ready, the sound recordist will follow with "Sound rolling" (Or some variation, our sound guy grunts and gives us the thumbs up" then the 1st AD calls "Action" and that cues the actors.

The director isn't involved at all in this process as s/he is stuck on the monitor, doing their main job, quality control.
The director get's to call "Cut" if the sound recordist or DP don't call it first because of a problem (Bad sound, boom mic in shot, weird reflections or a thousand other things.)

The other thing is that you should try to do as much planing prior to being on location as possible. You should have the blocking for the scene on paper before you bring the actors on set. Sure, it's going to change in performance, but your basic movements and positions should be reasonable clear in your mind, as should your camera positions for the scene. That's what floorplans and storyboards are for. If your prep is sound your DP can be setting up the camera for the first set up whilst you're blocking the scene with the actors. The floorplan tells them where to set up and the storyboard tells them the shot that you're looking for. The last thing you want to be doing on set is deciding where the camera should be and how you're going to shot the scene. Personally I do most of that work in rehearsal. During production, time is money and that's doubly true on an indie shoot.

clive said:

The director get's to call "Cut" if the sound recordist or DP don't call it first because of a problem (Bad sound, boom mic in shot, weird reflections or a thousand other things.)

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Good post Clive, except I believe the director should always be the one to call cut in those situations. If there's a sound problem you will hear it through the monitors, and you can see any visual problems on the video tap. If you are not using either, someone will tell you about the problem. As the director, you should be the one to decide if the shot should continue or be cut. Of course there are times when the DP can yell cut, like if the film runs out.

Good post Clive, except I believe the director should always be the one to call cut in those situations. If there's a sound problem you will hear it through the monitors, and you can see any visual problems on the video tap. If you are not using either, someone will tell you about the problem. As the director, you should be the one to decide if the shot should continue or be cut. Of course there are times when the DP can yell cut, like if the film runs out.

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In general I agree, but I've got partial hearing loss on a small range of frequencies which means there are some things I just can't hear, I've got used to depending on my sound team to pick up on that for me.

I think I've always been lucky in that I've had sensitive DOP's and sound teams that pretty much always knew when to let a take run and when to scrap it.

I think the other thing for me is that directing requires such incredible levels of concentration. You got to watch the performance, the framing, potential picture problems, and listen to the sound for all the acoustic versions of the previous list, all at the same time. It's easy to miss something that only makes itself plain when you're watching/listening to the rushes, when it's too late. From my POV it's really vital that everyone on set shoulders some of that responsibility, so that the director's back is covered at all times.

However, I'm also very aware that every director has their own slant on the job, that plays to their own strenghts.

I agree Clive. It really has nothing to do with taking away from concentrating on the performance, as that's what you will be doing. Would you rather have the sound recordist call cut because a loud truck drove by, or have him/her tell you over the monitors that it's a bad take for sound, and you can decide to call cut, or keep rolling in case you are getting something great visually? If the director always calls cut you'll never be mad at one of the crew for ruining a take. That's all.

clive said:

However, I'm also very aware that every director has their own slant on the job, that plays to their own strenghts.

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Agreed.

Hey,

Only one question when shooting digital (HDV, 24p etc.) would you really call out "Sound!"? I mean if you don't have a sound recordist and only a boom operator sound man). Something I was just wondering...

Chris

The way I see it - call what you need. If you can do just fine without it - well, no harms been done.

Protocol depends on the set, some crews expect different things, and if there's no DAT deck then don't really need to call "speed"
In Seattle the crew I worked with goes:

Director/DP block the shots
DP works with lighting crew to set up the shot
Director goes *somewhere else* with the actors to rehearse (preferably not in the way of the DP and lighting crew!)
Director finishes rehearsing with actors and waits for lighting crew (or vice versa)
Art dept touches up set


1AD pays close attention to progress of director's rehearsal and lighting crew / art dept progress. Biggest sin for 1AD at this point is to have each dept think that they are waiting on someone else, when in fact everyone is just waiting. (The 1AD must know when everything is ready to go and what specifically is being waited on when the director asks). Usually the director will just be working with the actors and relying on the AD to know when lighting/art is ready.. The 1AD then gets the director and talent to set.

Director approves or nixes what lighting and production design have done

Director: "picture" or "rehearsing" to 1AD (Director kicks AD butt to go)
OR
1AD: "this is picture!" (or "let's do this!") (or "rehearsing") (1AD kicks director butt to go)

Director: "here we go!" or just nods to 1AD (director says go)

1AD: "quiet please, here we go, roll sound" (1AD says go to crew)
OR
1AD: "quiet please, here we go, we are rolling" (if there's no DAT deck)

Sound: "Speed" (if there's a DAT deck) (sound is recording)
2nd AC: "This is 6-Apple Take 1" (slating for sync)
1st AC: "Marker" (1st AC is ready to have sticks clapped)
2nd AC claps sticks - sound is synced
1st AC: "Set" (focus is set)

Director gives last minute instructions to actors
Director: "Action"

Actors act..

Director: "Cut"
1AD: "Cutting.."

Director decides if take is good, works with actors, etc. and then tells 1AD "going again" or "moving on"
1AD: "Going again!" or "Moving on!". If a take is stopped early - "Resetting!"

Moving on --> 1AD yells "Checking!" --> 1AC checks film gate --> 1AC yells "good gate" or "dirty gate"
Going again --> repeat above

There are variations on this in different countries.
For an HD shoot I will hopefully be finding out the new protocol soon! (Because you don't have a 2nd AC, etc.)

Would you rather have the sound recordist call cut because a loud truck drove by, or have him/her tell you over the monitors that it's a bad take for sound, and you can decide to call cut, or keep rolling in case you are getting something great visually? If the director always calls cut you'll never be mad at one of the crew for ruining a take.

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That's a really good point. I'm so used working the way that I do that I hadn't considered it as a possibility. I'll think about it.

I think one of the reasons that I've allowed this is production practice is that I really like to use the sound that I got with the take rather than fixing it in post. I'm probably more extreme in my views on that than most directors, because I place a greater than 50% emphasis on sound over the pictures, probably 70/30 in favour of sound. This is becoming more so with each film I do. In fact, the whole thesis for my MA is about decreasing the importance of the camera in production and concentrating on the needs of sound and performance. This is possibly a discussion for a future thread though, as it's a radical departure from mainstream production practices.

If the director always calls cut you'll never be mad at one of the crew for ruining a take

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There is another way of looking at this situation. If the sound recordist knows the sound is bad, by calling cut they have actually saved valuable production time which would have been wasted on a take I couldn't use. Over the course of a four or five week shoot that could save me a couple of hours and they might be the couple of hours that I desperately need at the end of the last day, the difference between getting the feature in the can or having an expensive overun.

This is only a query arising from your statement of the practicalities of hearing certain frequencies, so please take no offence as none is intended. Does your sound guy also keep an electronically-assisted earlobe flexed for vocal variety from your actors? Yes, in part it is their responsibility, though performance habits can turn up of their own volition and need attention. Does your sound guy alert you to this if you're not within a natural listening distance (as opposed to electronic assistance).

samurai said:

This is only a query arising from your statement of the practicalities of hearing certain frequencies, so please take no offence as none is intended. Does your sound guy also keep an electronically-assisted earlobe flexed for vocal variety from your actors? Yes, in part it is their responsibility, though performance habits can turn up of their own volition and need attention. Does your sound guy alert you to this if you're not within a natural listening distance (as opposed to electronic assistance).

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Headphones are a good idea.

HD shot on Varicam

Here is something else off topic: I am shooting Varicam in October and was looking for a film on DVD that I could buy now, from Amazon, that was shot on Varicam, with well-done cinematography.

Does your sound guy also keep an electronically-assisted earlobe flexed for vocal variety from your actors? Yes, in part it is their responsibility, though performance habits can turn up of their own volition and need attention. Does your sound guy alert you to this if you're not within a natural listening distance (as opposed to electronic assistance).

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The sound guy monitors on headphones and then has a radio feed to my headphones, so I'm hearing exactly what's going through the mixer. I would never expect the sound team to take responsibility for performance and the my frequency loss isn't within the vocal range, it just happens to exactly coincide with the clicking sound a digital recording device makes when it's topping out (on headphones). This effectively means that I can't hear digital distortion until it comes through speakers and I that means I can't cover the sound team's back on levels.

My basic production philosophy is to have more than one person on the crew monitoring each particular aspect. So both myself and the sound recordist listen to the sound, both myself and the DOP watch the picture, everyone on set watches for potential continuity problems etc, etc.

The reason for this is that as dorector on an indie shoot I more often than not pull eighteen hour days, for anything upto twenty-eight days in a row. Under those kinds of working conditions focus is always 100% and you need people to watch your back.