U, S, and Toby - useful articles and tutorials

Aloha!


My name is Toby, I'm a 23-year old filmmaker from Austria and live in LA now. I started visual arts when I was 14, and discovered film three years ago. Since then, I've been writing a blog entitled U, S, and Toby.

It starts with studying at Santa Monica College and how to do cool stuff while you are in film school etc. - most of them written in German so I could criticize teachers and other people without immediate repercussions, since understanding of the criticism would be lost in translation

Anyway, here's a few resources and Tutorials that I wrote in English... hope they prove to be helpful:




For the beginning filmmaker, autodidact, student filmmaker, advanced director, producer, cinematographer, gaffer, writer, editor, sounddesigner, colorist or VFX artist - this list will provide an overview of filmmaking by sourcing from related knowledge that is freely available online. It should supplement existing knowledge, provide a one-stop-shop for tutorials, basic paperwork and catalogs, and make the learning aspects of film making a bit easier. Kind of like a course outline for a class, but all online, all free, and without a teacher or rules.

The Film LTK - Links, Tutorials and Knowledge


This is a 35-page publication about moving to a different country and getting a life there while fulfilling a higher purpose, and how to go abroad instead of serving in the Austrian military. Your responsibilities, fun, life necessities, and all sorts of things you never experienced before will await you abroad - which was also the case with me, and since it was difficult at times and I had to figure out a lot of things, I want to share this information in a comprehensive guide with anyone planning to do something similar. The guide is called "Gedenkdiener's Survival Kit" because it was primarily written for Austrian Holocaust Memorial Servants - but can easily be translated to international students, becoming global citizens, travelers or professionals moving abroad. The publication has a heavy focus on North America.

The Gedenkdiener’s Survival Kit






Life is a complicated thing and many of us get lost in its depth and tasks. I got lost myself as a 20-year-old, in 2009, when I had no idea what to do with my life, and a decision had to be made that would determine the future course of my life. I imposed a deadline on myself, and a return from America to Europe seemed imminent - if I was not able to come up with a smart solution within a month. This blog article tells you about the discovery I made that changed my life and will help yoy to organize your own life, make complex decisions and read your own brain on paper - a simple notebook with a special purpose.

Making your Life more efficient than ever before: The Notebook / Battleplan





This article (English) is a comprehensive tutorial for building a DIY shoulder mount for $20-$30. Parts consist mostly of plumbing pipes and a big old sweater - the result is a stable rig that can be used for quite smooth hand-held filming while standing and/or walking. This instruction is geared towards Video-DSLR users who want a comfortable, cheap and sturdy (let's call it indestructible and easily replaceable) shoulder rig.
Tutorial: Building a Shoulder Mount for DSLR Filming, $20-$30





$30 Noise Cancelling Headphones in DIY mode, incl. Spectrogram Analysis


A $30 solution to getting noise-cancelling headphones; Monitoring Audio on set can be difficult when you can't tell if the sound is coming from the microphone or bleeding through your headphones. By utilizing construction worker earmuffs, the problem can be solved - and was scientifically tested with spectrogram analysis.



This article tells you the whole story about how Prodigium Pictures came about, how we met and what lead us to found our own film and commercial production company.

How everything began: Prodigium Pictures





Gentle

Judging focus on the back display of a DSLR can be difficult to impossible. Clunky on-board monitors that are mounted on the flash shoe can cause unwanted wiggle, instability and inertia in high-speed environments. There is a new solution now, with a DIY rig: An Android Application named "DSLR Controller" that lets you control the camera via a USB connection. Adding to that, I devised a way to rig the tablet to the camera with minimal inertia and wiggle, as well as an appropriate $2 sunshade for the 7" tablet that displays my camera image in HD with peaking functionalities and 2.35:1 overlay. Let me take you on a tour through this relatively new technology...

Monitoring a Canon DSLR on set with an Android Tablet; HD on-camera with Peaking for $215! "DSLR Controller" in a Real-Life film product environment.










Gentle

The U, S, and Toby Blog is back - after a long hiatus. There is nine articles available in the new, temporary space. Now, all articles will be written in uncensored English language.

If you want to stay absolutely up-to-date, join the U, S, and Toby facebook page - now transitioned to English; the page houses the most recent and even additional, supplemental content.

The Blog's new Name is:
"U, S, and Toby: Filmmaking and Research in Berkeley"

Obviously, the title has a few implications; let's get started!

A Very Quick Introduction
Short history of the blog series (which is now 5 years old), and an introduction what this new Edition of the Blog will be about.

2012 Cinematography Reel
For all those that missed it - and the reason that the blog got so quiet in 2012.

What the Hell happened between Summer 2012 and Spring 2013?

I didn't expect this to happen - but the article details how I went from being an independent filmmaker in LA with a big dedication to hunting after the O1 visa and living in a comfortably big room in Culver City, constantly working on projects, to a student at UC Berkeley, conducting and participating in research, living in a tiny shared room for the same price, and spending half my time philosophizing with geniuses.




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The Film LTK (2013 Edition)
Obviosuly, since I started a new chapter, this continuous article had to move with it. If you don't know about the Film LTK, it's a curated collection of 200+ Links, Tutorials and Knowledge in all areas of filmmaking.



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Early Impressions of UC Berkeley
I had all sorts of things in mind when moving to Berkeley (which is next to San Francisco and Silicon Valley by the way), but in many ways I got surprised: People had a different way of speaking here, a different mix of characters than in LA, highly interesting research projects at your literal fingertip, and a massive, beautiful campus that needs to be exploited in film location senses.





That's good for now.


Gentle

These are really great! Thanks for sharing

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Glad you like them Steve!


Finally, the first semester is over and I have time to recap...:


Work in Progress: Global Collective Intelligence

A new, quite complex article.
We have been innovating for thousands of years and had significant technological and social progress. In the next 100 years, we will be faced with enormous challenges like overpopulation, a worldwide energy crises and water wars. The only way to solve this is to modify and improve our tool of innovation: Our brains.
And we can't just stop at improving our own tool, we need to improve the global potential to intelligence.



Secrets of the Entertainment Industry - Speaker Panel at Berkeley
new article with beautiful bullet-point aesthetics...:



The Cal Film RUB - Filmmaking Resources at UC Berkeley

For all filmmakers and film students at UC Berkeley: I felt like there was a need for some sort of collection of information about filmmaking here, so I created the "Cal Film RUB" - Filmmaking Resources at UC Berkeley.
This includes everything from studio spaces to equipment on campus, to permit applications, the Berkeley Film Office and so on and so forth. Let's transform Berkeley into a legitimate production space!



Location Scouting and Writing for a Chaplin-Inspired Short Film at Berkeley


Finally - the semester is over and I can finish the first blog post about writing my latest short "All I Want Is Silence". A dozen location scouting photos, intimate details, the impressions I had, what drove the project, and why Berkeley can output ambitious shorts.



Getting Chaplin's Film Crew togther - in a world of Theory at UC Berkeley

A closer look behind the Scenes: Using Facebook and Google Docs to getting the film crew for "All I Want Is Silence" together. Managing about 1000 facebook messages, setting up real time spreadsheet collaboration, facebook group - executing what our UC Berkeley film studies program shall inspires us to do.



Making your first short film is hard, especially when you have no credentials. In this article, I explain everything you should know if you have all the right intentions and passion but not the knowledge to go forward.
The article talks about how to get a crew, get good actors, get good locations, set a budget, get your preproduction done, write a script and make sure it is good -
and in the end, how to make your First Serious Short Film.
Making Your First Serious Short Film at UC Berkeley or Anywhere Else: Bootstrapping






greetings from Berkeley,
Gentle

Lots of great stuff here!

Berkeley summer break - new articles!

Guest Article: What To Do At Cannes If Your Short Got In

Thales Correa went to the Cannes Festival (Short Film Corner) with his short film "Parents". Being there for a week taught him a lot about what to prepare for next time, and how to take the most advantage of a big film festival like Cannes. He shares the lessons he learned in this article!


Film 105 – Senior Seminar on Silent Film. A course with Prof. Kaes at UC Berkeley

Early Cinema and Modern Pop Culture - the 100 year gap seems ridiculously arbitrary once you start drawing parallels. In Film 105, a class with Prof. Kaes at UC Berkeley, we learn to learn from the past, and interpret the present as historians of the future. At least that is what I took away from the class. The article explains how early Cinema (1895-1920) is being repeated, and modern problems in the film industry already happened way back when...




Gentle

Harry, a student at Berkeley, got to be Production Assistant on American Idol. How he got the job, what he learned there, and what tips and advice he can distill out of his experience can be read here.
Make sure to check out his "PA Survival Kit", a list of 20 handy items when you go to a set where it's in your best interest to make a good impression on Day 1.
Guest Article: PA-ing on "American Idol" with the Right Attitude



Through two different activities, I have the honor of seeing Facebook and Google's headquarters from the inside. Amazing tech companies that I use every day, that know more about my life than I can rememer myself. I got to snap a few photos of their insides, and that's what you can find in this new article.
Experiencing the Headquarters of Facebook and Google




Gentle

Gentle said:

Click to expand...

Haha, yeah - I love that meme, it's so incredibly fitting to our generation



Behind the Scenes of Day 1: An article and video detailing what happened on the first day of shooting "All I Want Is Silence". A visit from an Academy Award winner, costume improvisation without killing the quality of the film, and beard-jacking were probably the highlights of the day.

Behind the Scenes Video and Article of "All I Want Is Silence", Day 1

In the article above, you can read the details - here you can watch the Behind The Scenes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhXW8JXl7Go




It was time to add a FAQ to the Blog and make it easier to answer questions. Like...:

"I want to move to America and study film there. What do I need to know?"
"I want to work in the US Film Industry. Tomorrow. How can I do that?"
"How much does it cost to study in the US as an International Student? How do you afford this?"
"How much does it cost to live in LA?"
"Where would you recommend to study film making?"

Let me know if the answers are comprehensive, or if there is other questions I should add.

Also, after a massive visual overhaul, the Blog is also to be seen in a new light
The design is not fully complete yet, but getting there.

Frequently Asked Questions on U, S, and Toby


Gentle

Ace Salvador just wrote a great guest article that is - no doubt - a must-read for every budding filmmaker. In "Sitting In The Director's Chair", he describes the path a director can and should take to slip into various sections of the entertainment industry, be that now the Commercial, Feature, TV or Music Video expression of being a Film Director.

This article is pure career advice, told from a young filmmaker who is now working full-time as a director in LA... a magnificent guest article you shouldn't miss - it will soon be part of the Film LTK.

Guest Article: Sitting in the Director's Chair




Have fun reading!

Gentle

Sorry for the long abstinence, there was a lot going on this semester.
I am teaching a Cinematography DeCal class at Berkeley, and some of the students wrote an article on each class, to practice the knowledge they absorbed. Hope the articles are helpful to some of you!

Guest Article: Cinematography DeCal @ Cal: First Meeting
The first (out of 16) article about the Cinematography DeCal class I am teaching this semester in Berkeley. Hao - one of the students - put together a short article about his personal impression and tasks in the first week of the class. More about the class on the Facebook Group.


Guest Article: Cinematography DeCal #2 – Film, Purpose, The Meaning of Life, etc.
Sheila wrote a great article about Week 2 of the DeCal, which was about Purpose - finding a true motivation in life, a goal, a drive - and how to make tough decisions as an artist.


Guest Article: Cinematography DeCal Week 3, Camera is Rolling!
Adam wrote a great Guest Article on the third week of the Cinematography DeCal, with the issue "Cameras". He discusses all sorts of camera principles (like Aperture, ISO, Shutter Speed & White Balance) and gives you a very nicely illustrated insight - slides from class and pictures he found - in how these properties relate, and what role they play in Cinematography.

Guest Article: Cinematograhy Decal Week 4 – Productivity
Ryan wrote a cool piece on "Productivity", topic of the Cinematography DeCal's Week 4. He talks about planning ahead, usage of calendars and Battle Plans, and how Notebooks and lists can structure daily activity and working with a crew. All that information, sprinkled with Ryan's humor.

Guest Article: Cinematography DeCal, CREATIVITY – Exploration and Reinterpretation
Shelbie authored a great documentation of Week 5, Creativity. The class was all about inspiration, research and development of ideas and new concepts, and Shelbie wraps it up with lots of good photos from inside the classroom, links to further resources and adds her own interpretation of the concepts.


Guest Article: Cinematography DeCal Week 6 – Ethics
Christopher recaps class #6 of the Cinematography DeCal, which is about "Ethics". As an artist and Cinematographer, your career will depend on your sense for ethics and fairness, so it's an integral part of this class. Chris touches on areas such as credit theft, striking, treating crew members and producers fairly, valuing friendships more than clients and much more in this informative and fun article:

Guest Article: Cinematography DeCal Week 7 – Quality Control
Dana pens an entertaining article about an artistic principle that is often overlooked, and topic of the Cinematography DeCal, Week 7: Quality Control. Artists need to be able to know their skills and find areas of improvement, surround themselves with people who give honest feedback and become part of an artistic community.


Guest Article: Cinematography DeCal #8 – Types of Light
In Week #8 we talked about "Types of Light" - meaning, Tungsten Fresnels, KinoFlos, HMIs, Lekolites and LEDs. Ellian recaps the content in this article.
As part of it, she filmed our 45 minute long Q&A session with Second Unit Cinematography Veteran Mark Vargo, ASC. He shares anecdotes, techniques and lessons learned from his decades-long career path.
If you want to learn more about lighting types and the career path of Cinematographer, this is an article for you.




A fantastic new guest article from Ace Salvador, on the philosophy of what it means to be a Film Director in the Post-2000s, Post-DSLR-Revolution, Post 2008-Recession era. An artist must be an entrepreneur at the same time, live two merged lives of creativity and building a personal brand. Ace brings in a lot of literature on the topic of artistic survival instinct and how he personally manages the demons of the industry.
An absolutely worthwhile read for anyone wanting to pick up a career in film.
Guest Article: “On Directing” Philosophy



Sorry again for the quick burst of links, hope they are helpful!

Gentle

Aaaaand we're back, a lot of new content, instructions, tutorials, experiences and insight in what the film world at UC Berkeley looks like.

Simona wrote an entertaining yet informative article on the DeCal class, week 9: "Rigging".
She talks about Grip gear - all sorts of clamps, stands, and the various infinite possibilities of combining them for an endless rigging fest. If you're not quite there yet with the mindset of Grip Equipment being Heavy Metal Lego for adults, or you want to get some personally filmed advice from the secret pockets of Jonathan Williams (DP&Gaffer) or Jeanna Kim (1st AC), then this article will be interesting to you.

Guest Article of the Cinematography DeCal - Week 9: RIGGING




This is an extensive combination of powers - it took five members of the DeCal to create this content. First, Vineeth wrote an article that covers three days of activity, then Suhaib edited video shot by Vineeth, and Beau edited video that was shot by Carlos.
The topic: A 2.5 day long Lighting Workshop for the UC Berkeley Cinematography DeCal. On the first day, we built reflectors, diffusers and Sandbags which we then donated to UC Berkeley, sponsored by GIANT Filmmakers.
On Day 1 of the actual Workshop, it was all about set protocol, safety, crew structure, and different kinds of light.
On Day 2, it was about giving light color and shape, rigging it up and creating more complex setups.
Vineeth sums this all up in the article, gives incredibly helpful links to a variety of topics, and the two videos will give you a great way of having insight into what happened on said weekend.
Enjoy this rich content - Berkeley filmmaking at its core.

Guest Article at the Cinematography DeCal: LIGHTING WORKSHOP WEEKEND





A great new guest article from David Leidy, an up-and-coming filmmaker in Los Angeles. He details the making of his work Atonia - Short Film by giving you all the details in instructional and well-explained terms:
From the ideation through the writing, tedious rewriting, preproduction and budgeting, all the way through shooting, dealing with insurance and permits, and finishing in the post stage. A great article for all those heading out to do their first serious film, especially if you want to transcend the "Student Film" and make a "Short Film".

Guest Article: A Filmmaker's Odyssee: Part 1





When people decide if they want to go to UC Berkeley to study film and advance their filmmaking abilities, they are often interested in what has been done in the past. I saw a strong lack in publicly accessible, organized, centralized and play-as-you-go archival of films, so I created the Cal Student Film Archive.
It's inofficial, organized by year of creation and in alphabetical order, and sources every single listed film through an embedded frame into the archive. Currently, there are 22 films listed, from the period of 2009-2014. You can watch every single one of them directly in the online archive, 24/7.

The Cal Student Film Archive: Student Films made at UC Berkeley






More to come soon.
Gentle

This is probably the most detailed article on U, S, and Toby: Film & USA on any film BTS so far: A DP and Director's Diaries entry, it discusses the 14-day shoot I did a month ago in Utah and Nevada with French Photographer Jean-Paul Bourdier.

Not just shooting naked people in bodypaint in front of amazing landscapes, but venturing to a deeper self-reflection and a philosophical level of art, ending in myself being in one of the bodypainting photos. The article includes exclusive screenshots from the film "JP Bourdier: Desert Bodies" that is going to be released towards the end of the year.

If you've ever wanted to shoot in the desert or know what it's like to work in the space of nudity and nature, this article will hopefully give you a lot of insight.

http://berkeley-film.tobiasdeml.com/2014/08/05/14-days-of-desert-life-and-bodypaint






Gentle

Working with models is usually fun. Understanding that work as an interaction with performance art and seeing the human behind the "performance of beauty" makes it a nearly enlightening experience.
Seeing past ideas of "pretty girl, pretty pictures" and digging deeper in the visual language with concepts like Photogenie and people like Jean Epstein and Marina Abramovic, I try to make sense of experiencing the "Jeff's Jacket" fashion film series I am currently working on.

http://berkeley-film.tobiasdeml.com...mply-be-eye-candy-and-models-arent-mannequins




Gentle