First Short Film - Please Help

DallasDKnight said:

Greetings –

My name is Dallas and I am a young amateur film-maker from Canada. This summer I will be shooting my first short film, using my Canon XL1 Camcorder.

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Fellow Canuck, welcome! Where you from? Montreal?

This film is mostly intended for television/youtube viewing so I have decided to use a 4:3 perspective.
Beyond just shooting this as an experience in film-making and to get some practice under my belt, I am curious - Do short film festivals usually accept digital films shot and presented in a 4:3 perspective?

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4:3 is fine, and festivals will accept them. I'd say it depends on the project itself- widescreen tends to make things a little more "cinematic", whereas 4:3 is better for reality/docs/tv-shows, etc... some festivals might be picky, but I haven't found many of them. Use your format to aid the needs of the story.

Also can anyone suggest a good Boom Microphone that I will be purchasing for use during this production, something that will record quality sounds and are about an equivalent production value to that of my XL1.

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Something from either Sennheiser or Audio Technica. I'd say start with a Shotgun mic and eventually get lavalieres (little wireless clipons).

Any suggestions on a lighting kit? I would like to fetch both these items for the 1500 range, Canadian dollars – but I might be willing to pitch more as I recognize they will be used again in my future productions, also I might upgrade my Camera in the future. So please keep all that in mind if you suggest possibilities.
The film will 90% be shot inside during the day. There are some shots outside, one of which is at night-time (I am hoping headlights and streetlamps do the job), and one of which is during the day.

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You'll want to get the standard KEY, FILL, BACKLIGHT, and maybe a couple extras. Search through the forums here, because there's a lot of good resources on types of lights, and potential kits. You can always check out sites like Ebay, B&H, or such sites. Definitely search through the lighting sub-forum here. Also, Knightly knows more stuff on those matters. He'll probably pipe in soon enough.

I have already cast the film, and I am using actors I am familiar with and who are familiar with one another. Can you please help me, I am somewhat of a stubborn and passionate person. I would really like however to be a Director in the soft-spoken style of François Truffaut or Fellini. How can I go about getting that sort of performance out of my actors?

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You're directing style is what YOU bring to the table. I would suggest using the friends to start, and experiment with different techniques. Once you get more comfortable directing your buddies, start bringing in new people to change the dynamic. The key is to get out there and learn by doing. Don't expect your first film to be Fellini... it probably won't make it into festivals... but it will be the best learning tool for you to LEARN your own style.

What sort of crew would you suggest I try and maintain on set at all times. I was hoping I could find friends so it will always be the actors, hair and make-up, lighting, camera. If it was a possibility to get more bodies on set what sort of titles would you suggest I give them e.t.c?

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I'd suggest starting small, so you don't overwhelm yourself. Until you're comfortable barking orders and knowing what you're doing, keeping it small and tight-knit will be easier to manage. Have people try multiple things- if no one needs make-up, have the make-up hold the boom mic, and such. This is, of course, assuming that you're JUST starting out. If you and your crew have already got SOME experience, assign "department heads"- DOP/Camera/Lighting, Audio, Script-Supervisor/Ass.Dir/Production-co-ordination, Makeup/Hair/Catering?... once the films start getting better and more complex, you can divide those duties further.

What I've been doing, is concentrating on a different skill or area for each film- visuals, audio, planning (very important, lol), etc... each film I've done gets better and better in all areas, as the crew and cast develop with me. Since they're also all of my friends, it's been a blast. I've also recently started bringing in new people, and assigning new responsibilities... soon enough, I'll do auditions and bring in some new talent to shake things up... or shake it up with the format or style... you really have to experiment like that before you start tackling the million dollar budgets.

My script is strong, I understand the shots in my mind, and I will storyboard them weeks before the shootings.

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Good call.

What program would you suggest I edit this on? I would like a system that can operate quickly although I can pick up how to operate the system quite quickly even if complex with a good help manual.

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Final Cut Pro is pretty good. I use Adobe Premiere myself, but it crashes a lot. Avid is what we'll be switching to. I'd suggest learning FCP first.

In fact, I'd suggest getting to know an editor. More often than not, they can add PERSPECTIVE to your project when it comes time to mercilessly slaughter scenes/shots in post to save the overall flow. But still, it helps a lot for the director to know what the Editor does, to help him plan shots on set and such.

Well I am sure I will have lots more questions if any of you bite to help me out.

Thanks so much for listening to my ramblings; I just want to make sure I get as much of this right the first time for the highest quality picture possible.

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Don't worry about making the first short perfect; worry about making it ENJOYABLE. Most people don't nail it on the first few shorts- in fact, I'd go so far to say that your script is more terrible than you think, your movie will cost more than you'd imagine, and you'll be rejected from festivals you thought you had a shoe-in... but don't worry! That's what the first movies are all about! So, fuck perfection- just have a GOOD TIME doing it, and make sure your cast and crew has a good time! Then you won't have to worry about paying them, because they'll just do it for the fun of it! And when the critiques come in, learn and adapt. Start small, stay focussed, and keep truckin'.

Good luck!

-DLogan
toronto, CA

I'll chime in sometime tonight, just a quick welcome now...Just got off Jury duty...4 hours of deliberation on a criminal case...I'm drained.

DallasDKnight, welcome!!

Welcome to the site. Spat gave some nice feedback there. I'd offer my two cents... but I'm a hack! You will certainly find other answers to these same questions by searching through the archives. Good luck on your project, and feel free to keep us updated on your work. The members here tend to be more supportive than critical.

John@Bophe said:

Welcome to the site. Spat gave some nice feedback there. I'd offer my two cents... but I'm a hack!

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Hack? Like I'm not?

The members here tend to be more supportive than critical.

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People here are like bras- they'll hold you up when you sag, which will make you perky; but if you wear them to bed, you'll most likely develop a rash, or become incredibly uncomfortable.

Spatula said:

People here are like bras- they'll hold you up when you sag, which will make you perky; but if you wear them to bed, you'll most likely develop a rash, or become incredibly uncomfortable.

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Denis -- I'm going to be really mad at you if I think of YOU and this statement the next time I see someone take off a bra.

EDIt: Crap. Now I know its going to happen...

I've infested your sex life. Great. I'm capable of wonders even I know not of...

Thank-you everyone, quite a nice welcome.

I am writing down all the advice I have received, thank-you for the very constructive advice. Perhaps I will upload some scenes from the film on here when it is finished for critique.

Can someone explain to me how you would light a tracking shot that is on a circle, going through hallways again and again. The track will be laid through the hallways of a house. How can I focus this effectively besides turning all the lights in the house on, and opening the blinds. I will have a three or four light lighting kit, is there anyway to effectively light a subject running through the halls?

Depends on what the scene is supposed to convey...what is the context?

My main focus for the shot is conveying a subject that is in focus the entire time. I find that my XL1 has a lot of out of focus seconds if everything isn't lit properly the entire time.

Sounds like you are using auto focus...I would switch the camera to manual focus and use enough light that you can stop the camera down a bit...

Sharp focus is a function of distance to the lens. if you keep the lens the same distance from the subject as you move them or the camera, the focus will never change. If you add light to the set, you will be forced to stop down the lens (bigger aperture numbers = smaller iris = less light gets through). This will lengthen the Acceptable Focus range (Depth of Field - DOF). Using a longer DoF will help you not have to focus as much...see the initial shot in my short "Death Bed".

The set was at exactly the wrong light level for my camera, too little light to use my ND filter (Polarizer was at home )...too much light to keep the iris open like I normally do to get narrower DoF...the result was that after achieving focus on the opening shot, I had no problem keeping shot as we didn't really change distance to the wheelchair at all.

Great thanks Knightly, you are super helpful.

Also you have a cool name

no worries...and thanks, you too...for lighting, I started a thread a while back on lighting by example, look through there and contribute if you can...I'll be doing so as well as I've done more lighting since then. If you have specific scenes you'd like advice on, post sketches of the set and blocking or pictures of the set and indicate where you'd like the subjects placed and the context of the scene and piece taht you're doing. I'm sure plenty of people would chime in with lighting ideas.

Awesome. Thanks so much for all the help.

In my film, under an indian rug, and some drywall and wallpaper, one of my characters stabs the the one under the mess. I am planning to it so the actor is stabbing into something underneath to make it appear like there is a person. But when he stabs the mess for the first time, and second time I want streams of blood to spurt out. Currently I was thinking of using a tube connected to a storage device, connected to another tube where I will blow hard to make the blood splurt the way I want it to. Do you think this will work? Do you have any better suggestions?

We did the same thing (plastic tube with corn-syrup blood solution) for our feature film, Macbeth 3000. We ran it through a dummy and out the neck, so when I (macduff) chopped off Bill's (Macbeth) head, a NICe spurt of blood popped out. We had a guy just blowing hard. I think it'll work just fine. Go for it!

Don't worry about a "storage device" though- just get a long tube, and have it curve, so the blood sits at the bottom of a "J" shape inside the rug, and the other end is just below the slit facing up.

we tried something like that on death bed...the blood we used was too thick to blow through...make sure you test before using it on set, you'll be happier and not have to make up something on the spot like we did (ours ended up over the top).

I start production this Thursday on my short film. Any last minute advice or general tips are very much appreciated! Things you wish you knew when you did your first short film, but learned the hard way - so I don't have to.

We will be editing with Final Cut Pro.

We are shooting on an XL1.

Audio will be done with - Azden SGM-1X, ProStudioTools SM420, ProStudioTools BP1069.

I still need to buy my lighting kit, please make suggestions! There is a Vistek where I live if you want to be very specific and helpful. I don't think I want to pay to ship a lighting kit to me. I have about 1000 dollars to spend on one but it could be more if the value will be seen on the final product, and my future films to come. I am considering this an investment.

Thanks everyone again I appreciate all your help so far.

-Dallas

Give yourself more time on set than you think you'll need...it'll be better to be ahead of schedule than behind...rushing will lead to mistakes. Make a schedule per day...this scene has to be done today, this one this day. Stick to it aggressively!

Knightly maybe you can help the new guy out some more.

Is there an ideal Iris setting for my camera, or one you would suggest? Like if I am controlling the light a lot, would I rather have the iris open or closed? This is all indoors, I am going to have lots of lights to manipulate it - should I try and always keep the iris a certain size for consistancy in the image?

Also frame rate? What is the automatic setting for it on manual? Is it going to be fine that way? Sorry just nervous I will make an amateur mistake that will ruin the whole project.