Are movie trucks really necessary?

I am working on a film video series and I was wondering if it's necessary to have a bunch of trucks with equipment going around from film location to location? Not only am I on a budget for this film project, but I'd like to get by with not create so much attention around us that we would need to depart and arrive with huge trucks that lug around equipment that may replicate what equipement half the size can produce. This seems to be the typical Hollywood approach to arrive with the Kings and Chariots and all!

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I'm not sure I understand your problem.

If you'd rather use a small amount of equipment, and you believe it is adequate for what you need to do... then do that, sure.

The shoot I was on today had dozens of trailers & transports, catering wagons, close to a hundred crew, and 300 extras. Budget in the severals of millions.

The shoot I'm working on this Friday will be me, two friends, and the lights I can squeeze into the back of my SUV. Budget in the severals of ten-dollar bills.

Work with what is reasonable for you and your production.

Thank you for your reply. What I wanted to know is whether I can get that true film look and sound without all those cords and equipment? Are those sound cables the ones that run on the group?

The answer to your first question: no. Second question: yes.

(Hint, fewer locations -- more money available for getting a "film look" for your production. Money spent on trucks, diesel fuel, a bus of grips and Teamsters doesn't show up on the screen very well.)

dorian2786 said:

Thank you for your reply. What I wanted to know is whether I can get that true film look and sound without all those cords and equipment? Are those sound cables the ones that run on the group?

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This idea of a "true film" look is beyond nebulous. Are you saying all movies look the same?

More to the point of the question, no. No you don't necessarily NEED a gigantic crew and all the best equipment to make a film look like "true film", not unless you're doing something incredibly extraviga. However, if you don't HAVE the sort of budget that would AFFORD giant truck, a full crew, and all the best equipment, then why's it matter? Figure out what you DO need and CAN afford, and go make your movie.

The gear inside a single grip\light truck in the hands of an experienced gaffer\grip can rock your set to a whole new level.

Sure can't hurt to have this stuff....

You only need trucks if you have to transport a lot of stuff

Hey guys. I guess I should have said which equipment is necessary to get that non-amature look. And as per the film look I am taking about 24fps.

Would you say it is post-production or the camera that makes each movie look a little different in overall tone?

You need more than 24fps to get that "non-amature" look.

Good lighting and a way to direct and control that lighting is very
important. One of the things that screams out "amateur" is flat
or no lighting. Just because a modern video camera can get an
exposed image that does not mean the image is well lit.

The "professional" look is the result of paid professionals using their talents and skills, and using professional tools. Besides the lighting there is the set & set design, H/MU and wardrobe (to name just a few) and, believe it or not, professional production and post sound. Unless your sound is believable and seamless you will pull your audience out of the film, and everything else that is "wrong" becomes ten times more noticeable.

a truck full of gear like that to rent is not very expensive.. if you can get a good grip\gaffer on your team and can communicate and take advice, you'll have good lighting..

A 1 ton truck with lighting.. about $300 a day.

It's also set design, framing, costuming, lighting, acting, directing, hair and makeup, props, extras. Lighting is very important, but is one little piece of a much larger puzzle. The reason there's huge credit lists on big hollywood films is because they hire a lot of REALLY specialized crew who all do their little piece of the puzzle at the top level. The director and producers have to make it all fit together right to capture the right footage to edit.

If you can do it with a small kit, do it... it's a better way to learn IMHO.

Are movie trucks necessary?

Sure. How else do you transport multiple large lights, stands, cables, frames, scaffolding, generators, dolly and dolly track etc. from location to location? How do you transport multiple camera packages and DIT station?
How will you make enough food for the hundreds of crew without a catering van big enough to provide hot food for everyone on time?
Where will hair, makeup and wardrobe set up on a hot location set? Where will the cast hang out when they're not needed but might be at a moment's notice?
Where will you source last minute props without a standby props truck?

Can you make a film without lots of trucks? Of course. Many do. Simply having trucks on a set does not mean your film will be any better or any worse. It's what you do with the contents of the trucks (in the cases of camera/grip/electrics) or simply making life easier (in the case of HMU trucks/star trailers etc.)

- 'rik...

Your truck picture reminded me of the back of Pink Floyd's album "Umma Gumma." (Circa 1969)

I think you're looking at this situation the wrong way.

You have a couple threads about this, asking if all the big, heavy cables and the production caravans you see in BTS pictures of big-budget productions are necessary for you to make a good picture. This is NOT about power cables and production trucks.

Perhaps, instead, you should start reading up on what different pieces of equipment do, and why they would each be needed. Then, you can start to figure out which ones you actually need, at minimum, to do what you want to do. That allows you to build a basic kit within your means and resources.

Learn how to get a properly-exposed image on a camera. 24p or not, bad exposure is going to kill your image.

Learn how to handle and move the camera. Whether it's a tripod, shoulder rig, dolly, jib, or stabilizer, you need to understand camera movement and when each type of movement might be warranted. The "cinematic" look, again far beyond 24P, has a lot to do with the movement of the images.

Learn about focal length, and how to choose the right lens for any given shot. This, plus camera movement, will define much of your end product.

Learn about lighting, and how adding or removing light impacts your exposure and impacts the look of your image.

Learn about editing, because knowing how to handle things in post will give you a much better grasp on what you need to get when you shoot.

Learn about sound. Bad audio will kill your picture much faster than a slightly over- or under-exposed or slightly out-of-focus image. There are some basic tools to allow for good production sound, assuming the person recording the sound knows what s/he is doing. But it doesn't stop with production sound (which is primarily dialog), as the post-production process is where the soundscape is built by editing the dialog and then adding ambient sounds, FX and Foley, and music. These elements are all layered together and mixed to create a convincing and smooth sound image.

Once you understand all these things (and this isn't everything, either), you can figure out what you need to get the job done and how big a vehicle is needed to transport it all. And the bigger reality? Hire out if you can; it is much more affordable and economical to hire both the gear and the people to run it than it is to buy everything outright.

dorian2786 said:

I am working on a film video series and I was wondering if it's necessary to have a bunch of trucks with equipment going around from film location to location? Not only am I on a budget for this film project, but I'd like to get by with not create so much attention around us that we would need to depart and arrive with huge trucks that lug around equipment that may replicate what equipement half the size can produce. This seems to be the typical Hollywood approach to arrive with the Kings and Chariots and all!

I'd love to hear your input and suggestions. Thanks!

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If you have a lot of gear, then you need trucks. If you don't have a bunch of gear that you can't fit into your car, then skip it. Honestly, if you're asking questions like this, then you don't need a truck. I'm not trying to insult you, it's just that when starting out, you don't need truckloads of equipment. You use the tools that you have to your greatest advantage. And at this point in filmmaking, you should be focusing on how to put a film together and actually getting something made instead of putting emphasis on the professional look and sound of the film, often overemphasized by beginning filmmakers leading to procrastination, complaining over no money, and giving or or waiting for the day when you do have enough money. Right now, instead of focusing on gear, use the gear you can get your hands on, and put it to use. As you feel more comfortable using a camera, you can try using a mic, lighting, etc. etc. etc. Although you should constantly be learning technique, not tool. Know the basics of how to operate a camera, but don't focus too much on purchasing gear, but how you are going to use the gear that you purchase. I see that you are creating a lot of threads on gear, and honestly, stop. I don't want to shut you down, but don't get too focused on gear and such. You're not going to start off creating good looking, well made, Hollywood quality shorts and features. You make professional looking films by collectively gaining experience by making short films, working on sets, talking to filmmakers, watching tutorials and reading books on filmmaking, creating content for others, and trying to absorb as much knowledge then put that knowledge to use by applying techniques and other things that you learn to your own work. Sometimes there's the occasion wunderkind that comes out with something amazing (and it's possible), but truly looking at the film industry right now, that's both difficult and edging on overly ambition. But it's good to have ambition. Keep your ambition. So no, you don't need huge trucks. Huge trucks are only for huge amounts of gear. And since you're on a budget, you have no use for huge amounts of gear. Huge trucks will also attract attention, something that I'm going to assume you don't want. If you're shooting guerrilla, it's especially not a good idea.

Thank you for your reply. What I wanted to know is whether I can get that true film look and sound without all those cords and equipment?

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Yes and no.

No such thing as 'that true film look and sound'. You're not going to get the quality of a Hollywood film, but you don't need to. To create appealing sound and sight, you need to develop interesting characters and an interesting story, then make sure those involved execute those characters and situations effectively, and using the tools (and those operating them) to develop a mood and environment, then tie it all together in post. So to get 'the film look', you really need to decide what you want your film to look like. You'll notice that many of the professional films that you're talking about looked professional because there was motivation behind the way they looked. One of the more famous film looks is "The Matrix", a great example of color grading and camera movement. The Matrix looks like The Matrix for a reason.

http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb...ages/e/e3/The_Matrix_Dodge_this_(HD)_0893.jpg

The image above, if you have not seen the film, is one of the more famous moments from the film. Anyway, the film had a green tone because 1) it emulated the look of green phosphor computer screens from the 80's 2) It gave the film an artificial and fake feel... basically letting us know when we are "The Matrix". The sudden disappearance of green when Neo leaves the Matrix gives us a feeling of knowing the truth behind layers of artificiality. The film also had some incredibly quick and handheld movement, giving the film a sense of action and excitement and kinetic energy that otherwise would have not been there. In addition to that, there is lots of contrast in many of the scenes, giving it a more gritty vibe.

Another one of my favorite examples is Raging Bull, one of my favorite films ever. Raging Bull is the gritty story of a boxer who is falling apart inside and outside the ring. It's a bleak and beautiful masterpiece. Anyway, Scorsese and Chapman (his cinematography, or director of photography) decided to shoot the film in black and white and made many other interesting creative decisions. The black and white imagery gives the film an incredibly nostalgic feel, and since the main character is reminiscing about his past throughout, it's fitting. It also gives a bleak tone to the film, a certain overwhelming melancholia that looms throughout. The film also has a graininess to it, which gives the film a rougher and grittier tone. Slow motion is used to show the intensity of each punch that is thrown, exaggerating and showing the violence in extreme detail. Fog and smoke in the opening scene of the film during the credits isolate the character in the large ring, possibly showing the isolation and sadness within his life, and the fogginess within his mind. Or perhaps the foggy memories of the ring as we see the older Jake La Motta, desperately clinging onto the memories of the past in his fading mind.

Anyway, though. You decide what look your film should have. Are you going to use wide shots? Medium shots? Use a fog machine? Light it with CTB? Use dutch angles? Have movement? Have no movement? Really think about it. Those things really matter. Actually, every element of your film really matters. You should know WHY your film looks the way it does. It's much more important than you can imagine. There should be motivation or reason behind why certain shots look the way they do. So when you're deciding upon the look of your film, ask:

1) What kind of tone should my film have, and what techniques should I use to push forward that tone?
2) How will each of the small things I do really bring the film to life?
3) What are some films that inspire me, and what elements from them can I apply to my work to make my work better
4) What should I avoid, and how is this going to change my film?

Little changes and subtle decisions can change your film as well, by adding a lamp in the background, using a differently colored reflector, etc.

I recommend you study up on:
cameras
camera angles
framing
composition
lenses, why certain lenses are used
lighting, lighting accessories
lighting angles and techniques
color correction & grading

... starting out. You can also learn about many other things. In another thread, I believe I posted some links for you to check out.

Oh, also, wardrobe, props, and set design are important. Often times wardrobe can be incredibly important, and push forward the mood of a film. In the film "Sixth Sense", the color of red is prominent in props, set pieces, and clothing to signify death. Wardrobe can tell us a lot about a character. It can show a character as humdrum, eccentric, quirky, uptight, a mess, etc. etc. etc. A character can be pushed forward with clothing. An environment can become more realistic with clothing as well. We can know what time period, place, and mood of an area in which events are unfolding in. Props are obviously important, because, well, they're needed. Set design is important because it also strongly has to do with the look of a film and is often overlooked by beginning filmmakers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scenic_design
http://www.setdesigner.biz/code/set_des2.shtml

Audio is tough to explain, but to get good audio, the best thing you can do is to find good locations where you can record good sound. Find locations which are quiet and don't require too much post work. Keep all sounds into account, and when looking for a location, consider bringing an audio recorder or listening to hear what noises can interrupt dialogue, the only sound usually recorded on set. Just record clean, straight, crisp, flat audio. It makes it easier to work with in post. You also will want to record room tone. 30 seconds to a minute of your location, the cast and crew not talking or making noise. That means when there are moments of silence, that you can hear the sounds of the place in which you are in, since there is no such thing as pure silence. This is one of the many things that can be done to develop the atmosphere of a film. Later in post, you will want to synch up the dialogue, add in room tone, and begin to bring the audio together for the film. Although much of the audio of a film is created in post. Foley is a reproduction of sounds that are meant to be in your film. For example, if there is a scene when someone is walking, you may want to record high heels or shoes hitting on wood or concrete, then synching that up with the footage within the film to give the illusion that we are hearing the clacking of a character's shoes on the ground. But if you do not have time to things like Foley, you can use sound effects. Although they will be of significantly less quality, and if not done well, will take people out of the film. There is also ADR, Automated Dialogue Replacement. That is basically the actors dubbing their voices back in if the on-set recordings weren't quite there. Although that's a painstaking process and should be avoided at all costs. Then there's audio filters, which are used to create certain effects. Some popular ones are reverb, distortion, echoing, and pitch. There's also a thing called mixing... I'm getting bored, tired, and lazy, so I'm going to just link you up to a wiki article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audio_mixing. Then there's music... watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brStDyPNI7w

Anyway, study up on Foley, sound effects, ADR, filters, editing, and music. Use all of those to create atmosphere. Bring the environment of your film to life by adding in Foley to make the environment sound more real and for the actions of characters that make sound sound realistic, or with sound effects. Fix up poor recordings with ADR if you have to. Use filters to add stylization. Edit sounds to make them flow better, and find royalty-free music or find a composer (there's plenty of ones on this forum that will work for free) that is willing to help out with your film. Study up on these sound techniques within film, their significance, and how to apply them to your work.

Here's an older post I had written that could come in handy to you at some point:

ChimpPhobiaFilms said:

Use a tripod and/or stabilization gear. Handheld can look fine, but usually looks unprofessional on smaller cameras. On a low budget, the "spider steady" can give you great results:

Spider Steady:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBiRDXoGsCs
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...=qKr-u66tAGbjgG9MyPp4xQ&bvm=bv.48705608,d.aWc

Tripods:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQt5-Ns-Bfw
And if you don't want to spend your $$$, then you can always go DIY:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOVswSEXsYk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nAC6ztIUbQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qn9htcBCpJM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fR_-R2bS9ag
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIGLniZoUxw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pUZf-JY6JM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNCwPDXODMs
Make sure you have the right settings on your camera. You should have the quality as high as it can go (1080p, uncompressed), the footage white balanced, sound on, exposed properly, and in focus. Most Hollywood films (and due to the DSLR explosion, in Indie films) use a thing called Shallow Depth of field. Shallow DOF is where a part of the image is in focus, and the rest is blurred. Click the link below to see the difference between Shallow and Deep DOF:

http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=...hzMZ0gqSr0UDzEnhZXLTsPxg&ust=1373608751345453

The image on the left has a shallow DOF, the one on the right has a deep DOF. Notice the deep DOF image doesn't have a blurred background. Now, because of the camera you are using, you cannot get shallow DOF easily. Usually you have to have lenses with low apertures, or 35mm lens adapters (both of which I believe you cannot have on your camera) to get shallow depth of field. You can always get shallow DOF by backing up, and zooming in on the subject if you do not have the money for a 35mm lens adapter. Below is a video explaining depth of field, and a video showing ways to get shallow. DOF

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34jkJoN8qOI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npN1igCJi7w

One thing to remember is that shallow DOF isn't just to get a "movie feel", but also a tool to help guide the audiences eye. For example, if we have a shot of a group of people in an elevator, we don't know who to focus on. But, if we blur out the other people slightly, the audiences attention will be focused (no pun intended) on the person in focus.
I'd recommend not buying a 35mm lens adapter though. They are incredibly expensive, and only worth it if you have lots of money to spend. There are other ways to achieve Shallow DOF, and it is more important to get good audio and lighting equipment.
Good audio is one of the most important things to make your movie look professional. I'd recommend using a mic or handheld recorder. There are also experienced people who know a lot about audio, such as Alcove Audio, who can give you advice, recommendations, and help.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEq5T8fJarM
Always light your scene properly. One of the biggest issues by newbies is not lighting your scene well. If you are doing a no-budget film (which appears to be what you are doing), then you can pick up clamp lights from home depot, and make PVC pipe light stands (for this I recommend the youtube show The Frugal Filmmaker).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwIFtumihFs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6JFVHRwJwc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtT2YzCK1CU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_Sov3xmgwg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJ5rZrNQBXo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSo_bMFT5YI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUsTpUzOhFY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgfeET_W6YE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUSrpcGf3gc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFzIP_TN75A
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqXgw8_pkfA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q87KA4NUEBo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pKdOGWZepk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxN8_0kNJPc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXMI8_o6VTc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0WTzMvJMYQ

In post, there are many things to do to improve your footage. If you are in something like iMovie, or Windows movie maker, I recommend upgrading to Adobe CC, Hitfilm, Sony Vegas Pro 11, or Final Cut Pro X. If you are in iMovie, FCPX is your best choice.

To get a more professional feel: stabilize, enhance audio, add widescreen bars, color correct, and color grade.

Here are some FCPX tutorials that include stabilization, audio, widescreen bars, color correction, and color grading. But you can find color grading tutorials for pretty much any program.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...=RAs_EUMz7M0WzNz4lkcZ1w&bvm=bv.48705608,d.aWc

Here is a color grading website from this cool dude named Denver Riddle.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...=e3nwsCSIsUh3VLc3bJbupQ&bvm=bv.48705608,d.aWc

And add a 35mm overlay from Gorilla Grain.com or Holy Grain.com. They have some free stuff on their site. This gives the look of a Hollywood film because of the fact most mainstream films were shot on film up until the 2000's.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...=2AlVzkn0VeEnbdqzb6HduA&bvm=bv.48705608,d.aWc
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...=gamFc6l6tSRZR0f6qJ2RFQ&bvm=bv.48705608,d.aWc

Music is important as well. Below are some awesome sites with music.
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...=riT9lBau7wKgFKnRFzQNWg&bvm=bv.49478099,d.aWc
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...=1lec3xvpAP9QmGAmMMBbgg&bvm=bv.49478099,d.aWc
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...=taSuL6Wypqknh5sKrOTdcg&bvm=bv.49478099,d.aWc

And you can always ask for a composer on a site like the one you are on right now, IndieTalk

Always export your footage in HD.

To learn more on these topics, I recommend watching as many Film Riot, Indy Mogul, Frugal Filmmaker, Basic Filmmaker, Dan Allen Films, Color Grading Central, and Framlines TV episodes. There is only so much you can learn from a post.

And remember, camera movement and color correction is great, but you have to have a good story, script, and actors. You have to know how to organize the project, and direct everything before getting into all the little goodies. If you don't have a good story, you're basically putting whipped cream on a turd. No matter how much whipped cream you put on that turd, it's still a turd.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAWVRqASoYY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUIZVzElDzc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Si86Au0UbIo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ew5D_DjUG1Q

Other useful tutorials:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRJ0Ei4hLWI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrZtShb1-8E
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XafunNmwtPg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IK2IAEO-FUI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brStDyPNI7w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kD8nXGt91yo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FP3AS_r5jo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ol51d7JekJ4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZszextv6yE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYnsKATCrdw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bu_N1fV_mUQ

EDIT: Good luck, now study up, practice, and make a good short film

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Hope this helps.

In my experience:

"God I wish we had a..."

Happens WAY more often then

"Geez, why did we bring all this gear".

You need one of these