Building a set

sfoster

sfoster

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I have this ambitious film which involves filming, taking a break for a year, and then filming again after a body transformation.

I'm terrified that what location(s) I choose will alter or become available the next year. This has really been a road block for me.

Last night I began thinking maybe I just need to build a set? This way I can break it down and store it. Then rebuild it anywhere (if need be) the next year.

Basically the two locations for this would both be lobby of a business, one of which needs to have a hallway + office for the characters to enter. The other of which needs to appear to have an elevator.

I wouldn't even know where to start or how much it would cost.
I am not the most handy of people. I can DIY with explicit instructions but that's where my skills end.
 
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Does the body alteration happen very quickly? Then I guess that you may have a problem! If the passage of time is NOT important then don't worry about location changes.

I'm terrified that what location(s) I choose will alter or become available the next year.
Click to expand...

I've found that most businesses and public places don't change all that much from year to year, but I understand your concerns.
 
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Yes I definitely have a problem.
I could try filming the same thing at three locations and then odds are one of them will stay the same.

But even finding one location has proven to be a challenge so far.
Hence.. maybe a set? Ugh.
 
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sfoster said:
Last night I began thinking maybe I just need to build a set? This way I can break it down and store it. Then rebuild it anywhere (if need be) the next year.

Basically the two locations for this would both be lobby of a business, one of which needs to have a hallway + office for the characters to enter. The other of which needs to appear to have an elevator.

I wouldn't even know where to start or how much it would cost.
I am not the most handy of people. I can DIY with explicit instructions but that's where my skills end.
Click to expand...
If you have the space to build it's actually pretty easy. A "set" is simply
walls. These walls can be made out of lauan (a thin, light plywood) or
masonite framed by 1x2's or 1x3's. These are called "flats". At a
standard 4x8 you can make as many flats as you need to get the exact
size lobby you want.

Then you need to "dress" it. A lobby isn't just walls. I've done this many,
many times. Not simple but not terribly difficult either.
 
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Yes, building a set is not overly difficult though it does consume time and a little bit of money. It also depends how detailed and how large-scale you want to be. I've shot a few films where we've built sets - most times we've hired someone to build them, but you could do it yourself.

What sort of body transformation needs to happen? Does it need to be an entire year? Can you 'fake' the transformation?
 
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why not film it somewhere and take a butt-load of pictures for continuity purposes and then when you need to film again, rearrange the location to look the way it did before.
 
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OR, have a few key features at this location (such as paintings, a certain TV set, some cluttered laundry baskets or a cluttered desk) that you would have to put there by yourself. That way, even if it does change a little over the year, noone should be able to tell because those features will be there the next time and that's all the mind needs to maintain continuity
 
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Thanks guys I'm wrapping my head around this I think.

jax_rox said:
What sort of body transformation needs to happen? Does it need to be an entire year? Can you 'fake' the transformation?
Click to expand...

I'd rather not fake it because then it's less spectacular.
Transformation into a superhero.

For one I need to be a lot more flexible to do some stunts and that's going to take time
 
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Do you have a place where you can build flats? Do you have a place
to build a set? Do you have a place to store the flats and all the set
dressing and set decoration for the year?

Just "spitballing" here; most businesses that have a lobby, a hallway
and an elevator don't change much year to year. Seem a pretty safe
bet to shoot now and return in a year if you pick a local location that
has been in place for a number of years.
 
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sfoster said:
I'd rather not fake it because then it's less spectacular.
Transformation into a superhero.

For one I need to be a lot more flexible to do some stunts and that's going to take time
Click to expand...

Interesting - you couldn't shoot the 'transformed' version first, and then fake the 'before'? i.e. fake not being as flexible, wear a fat suit etc.?

Most lobbies don't change that drastically. You could find a rather generic looking place that you could dress and then you just need to keep your set dressings.
 
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directorik said:
Do you have a place where you can build flats? Do you have a place
to build a set? Do you have a place to store the flats and all the set
dressing and set decoration for the year?

Just "spitballing" here; most businesses that have a lobby, a hallway
and an elevator don't change much year to year. Seem a pretty safe
bet to shoot now and return in a year if you pick a local location that
has been in place for a number of years.
Click to expand...

Yes for storage for a year, that's not a problem for me.
I'll measure the exact dimensions of the rooms I have available to me and get back to this thread with more information.

jax_rox said:
Interesting - you couldn't shoot the 'transformed' version first, and then fake the 'before'? i.e. fake not being as flexible, wear a fat suit etc.?

Most lobbies don't change that drastically. You could find a rather generic looking place that you could dress and then you just need to keep your set dressings.
Click to expand...

I'm not flexible right now and I already gained the weight. Basically going to spend that year practicing martial arts and fight choreography and stretching to get superhero status. Seems to me this is the most direct path, although it is riskier with a longer break between filming it's where I'm at now and it's not going to change. Already gained the weight. And I shoved off my hair and i've been growing a cop mustache. I used to look so much better :lol:
 
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sfoster said:
I'm not flexible right now and I already gained the weight. Basically going to spend that year practicing martial arts and fight choreography and stretching to get superhero status. Seems to me this is the most direct path, although it is riskier with a longer break between filming it's where I'm at now and it's not going to change. Already gained the weight. And I shoved off my hair and i've been growing a cop mustache. I used to look so much better :lol:
Click to expand...

I didn't realise the character was being played by yourself :P

However, if you're that stressed about it, would it not be easier to put it off for a while, film the 'transformed' scenes first, then fake the 'before' stuff? Fat suits, fake hair etc. It's not too difficult, I've worked on many films with great makeup jobs to do just that.

Even if you wanted to do it for real, surely it's easier/quicker to put weight on than take it off? ;)
 
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jax_rox said:
I didn't realise the character was being played by yourself :P

However, if you're that stressed about it, would it not be easier to put it off for a while, film the 'transformed' scenes first, then fake the 'before' stuff? Fat suits, fake hair etc. It's not too difficult, I've worked on many films with great makeup jobs to do just that.

Even if you wanted to do it for real, surely it's easier/quicker to put weight on than take it off? ;)
Click to expand...

Weight isn't the slow part, it's the flexibility and fighting training.
But the path is already set, I've gained this weight it's not going to be for nothing ;)

Just gotta figure out the sets and all will be okay.
Also I'll be losing 80lbs lol. Never been this fat before
 
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If you prepared to carefully plan the scene in advance, you can shoot the "after" backgrounds this year, and the foreground (actor) plates next year (over green screen).

If you aren't experienced with this type of work, you should shoot the "after" plates as lock-offs. It takes careful photography, detailed notes & precise measurements for this to look seamless, but it can be done.

- Thomas
 
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This thread has helped a lot and I'm starting to think this is really the best solution for me! Especially since one of these places I want to film an action scene. It would be great to take as much time as is needed to get it perfect and not worry about losing a location or burning through money.

directorik said:
If you have the space to build it's actually pretty easy. A "set" is simply
walls. These walls can be made out of lauan (a thin, light plywood) or
masonite framed by 1x2's or 1x3's. These are called "flats". At a
standard 4x8 you can make as many flats as you need to get the exact
size lobby you want.

Then you need to "dress" it. A lobby isn't just walls. I've done this many,
many times. Not simple but not terribly difficult either.
Click to expand...

My measured areas are
Basement area with tile floor
21' x 17'

4-car garage with concrete floor
44' x 20'

These are a couple of quick images I dug up on google image search for a business lobby and business front desk. Front desk also needs to lead to someone's office.

Front desk:

1-Modern-Reception-Front-Desk-Design.jpg



2-front-desk-sit-down.jpg


Lobby:

4-1157507cdmssabrevfm_img_pho_000_nc__710622_Lobby___H.jpg


It seems like the key to selling a set as part of a larger building is to build false hallways and false doors or windows.

For example in that first photo I linked, there is an archway that leads to a great effect.

In the last photo maybe I could put a door behind the dude at the desk.

Is there a good book or instructions on how to approach these sort of custom designs or is it out of my league?
 
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_Rok_ said:
If you prepared to carefully plan the scene in advance, you can shoot the "after" backgrounds this year, and the foreground (actor) plates next year (over green screen).

If you aren't experienced with this type of work, you should shoot the "after" plates as lock-offs. It takes careful photography, detailed notes & precise measurements for this to look seamless, but it can be done.

- Thomas
Click to expand...

I'm scared of green screen because I notice it so much in films with huge budgets. If these professionals can't sell it half the time then I don't have a lot of confidence I could pull it off as a novice at the technique.
 
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sfoster said:
1-Modern-Reception-Front-Desk-Design.jpg


Is there a good book or instructions on how to approach these sort of custom designs or is it out of my league?
Click to expand...
Easy to do this one. I don't know of any specific books but building flats is easy.
Then you set them up, paint them, add the set dressing and floor and this type
of lobby with hallway is simple. A little work to get the doorway, but nothing
out of your league.

The standard flat is 4x8. You can cut the wood to smaller sizes to make smaller
flats.

I built a space ship bridge in a 2-car garage when I was 22/23 using standard
flats covered in styrofoam packing crates used for motorcycle parts.

set1.jpg

set4.jpg

set5.jpg


I've got some pics of a livingroom set I built in the same garage a year later.
We had a bloody battle in the room so I couldn't use the real room. I'll find them
and post some pics.
 
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Awesome.

I went to youtube and I found this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3GxSo-de0w

The flats don't look so hard, although their jack is permanently attached with nails and that would sure complicate storage. Nothing insurmountable.

It sounds like this is a creative problem now about set design.
 
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sfoster said:
The flats don't look so hard, although their jack is permanently attached with nails and that would sure complicate storage. Nothing insurmountable.
Click to expand...
Use wood screws. Zip in and zip out.

I got my time-line wrong. This was the first set I built in the garage:

GarageSet-1.jpg


We built a little model
GarageSet-2.jpg


Okay, I'm not ashamed of those pants...
GarageSet-3.jpg
 
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