For those of you who weren't in class, I have a few announcements.
I will not be at the lab this Saturday, but Brady will be, so feel free to stop by if you would like to work on your projects. It will be open from noon until 2pm
Next class will be Tuesday the 27th from 7-9. Please remember to bring whatever you shot video on, as well as the proper cable to connect to the computer. USB should work for everyone.
Please remember to bring headphones so you can listen to your audio.
Below is the first assignment I gave, and a second one as well.
Assignment #1
1. Videotape something being opened. It can be a candy bar, a window, a book, anything that can be opened.
2. Be sure that you videotape several different angles so that you have a variety of choices when you are editing.
3. Write a paragraph describing the best thing that happened to you today. It should have nothing to do with the thing that you opened. Then, record your audio.
Assignment #2
You will be creating a video without any dialogue that shares a narrative expressing a certain idea that you find interesting.
Think of a theme that you wish to explore with video. It can be family, nature, greed, anything at all, just as long as it is something that you feel passionate about exploring.
Create a shot list and/or a storyboard of all of the different points of view you would like to capture. If you want to make a video about 'longing' for instance, and you decide to video tape your dog watching his master eat a ham sandwich, explore all of the different ways you can tell that story. My shot list for this video might look like this:
1. Dude is spreading mustard on a piece of bread. Close up of the mustard on the bread, with out-of-focus background, then switch focus to dog panting in the background.
2. Camera at dog's perspective from the floor, watches his master lick his fingers.
3. Shot of dude slouched on a crappy futon eating his sandwich, oblivious as the dog looks on...etc, ect.
If you are still working on the first project which I suspect you all are since only one of you came to class tonight, then bring your shot list with you next Tuesday so we can discuss your ideas together.
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Documentaries
Hey guys, Princess was asking about documentary style filmmaking in class today, so I thought I would share some things with you that we spoke about.
First rule when you are making a documentary is that you must shoot shoot shoot as much footage as possible. It's always better to have more. When you are filming real life, you come to realize that it can be kind of mundane so you must shoot as much video as possible so that you can use the few golden moments that will make your movie effective.
Another thing about documentaries is that often times, the story you tell emerges from the footage. Perhaps you thought going into a project that it will turn out one way, but then the footage ends up taking you in another direction. Since it is unscripted the aforementioned golden moments become the focal point.
Some things that you can control are the interviews you set up and the questions you ask. It can be great fun to find or create an interesting location to interview your subjects. The audio you collect from these interviews can then be used to lay over some of your B-Roll (B-Roll is a term for the extraneous shots in a movie that you can use to cut into voice over so that your movie is not just talking heads). Likewise you can also record your own voice over, or have someone with a voice that you like read a script you have prepared. Think Morgan Freeman in Shawshank Redemption, as one example.
You can also go the other way and do a mockumentary a la Christopher Guest, who has created such fine works as Waiting For Guffman, Spinal Tap, and Best in Show(currently on Netflix instant). See a clip below:
Or you can go super serious and take inspiration from the divine Werner Herzog who made Encounters at the End of the World(currently on Netflix instant), Grizzly Man(currently on Netflix instant), and Burden of Dreams. A little back story on Burden of Dreams: Werner was making a film called Fitzcarraldo in South America, and this is the documentary of the making of said film. It was a pretty difficult process as you will see in this clip:
First rule when you are making a documentary is that you must shoot shoot shoot as much footage as possible. It's always better to have more. When you are filming real life, you come to realize that it can be kind of mundane so you must shoot as much video as possible so that you can use the few golden moments that will make your movie effective.
Another thing about documentaries is that often times, the story you tell emerges from the footage. Perhaps you thought going into a project that it will turn out one way, but then the footage ends up taking you in another direction. Since it is unscripted the aforementioned golden moments become the focal point.
Some things that you can control are the interviews you set up and the questions you ask. It can be great fun to find or create an interesting location to interview your subjects. The audio you collect from these interviews can then be used to lay over some of your B-Roll (B-Roll is a term for the extraneous shots in a movie that you can use to cut into voice over so that your movie is not just talking heads). Likewise you can also record your own voice over, or have someone with a voice that you like read a script you have prepared. Think Morgan Freeman in Shawshank Redemption, as one example.
You can also go the other way and do a mockumentary a la Christopher Guest, who has created such fine works as Waiting For Guffman, Spinal Tap, and Best in Show(currently on Netflix instant). See a clip below:
Or you can go super serious and take inspiration from the divine Werner Herzog who made Encounters at the End of the World(currently on Netflix instant), Grizzly Man(currently on Netflix instant), and Burden of Dreams. A little back story on Burden of Dreams: Werner was making a film called Fitzcarraldo in South America, and this is the documentary of the making of said film. It was a pretty difficult process as you will see in this clip:
Story Telling without Words
There are many ways to tell a story without using words. Part of the magic of filmmaking is that the information one gets from the imagery is often leagues beyond what one receives through dialogue or voice over. Just as in life we get most information from each other through body language, so it is in movie making.
A great way to start planning any sort of movie you are about to make is to first write it down. Write down a theme or idea you are trying to convey, and then translate that into a Shot List. A shot list is a play by play of all of the different angles you want to record so that later in the editing room, you may allow for a lot of different possibilities in your cut. A shot list may look like this:
1. girl running down the street towards the camera. camera is on the ground. girl runs past.
2. girl running down the street shot from an above fire escape.
3. hand held camera running down the street as the view point of the girl.
4. shot from behind some bushes for a voyeuristic effect to create suspense.
Below are some examples of scenes/movies that have little to no dialogue.
This Point Break Chase Scene is one of my favorite chase scenes. It's action packed and entertaining, and you feel like you're in a maze. Sorry Youtube wouldn't let me embed it here so you'll have to link to it.
Here is the trailer for the beautiful film Treplets of Bellville. This is an animated movie, but I feel there is certainly much to learn that can be applied to real world footage. The entire movie is sans talking, and it's just great, I highly recommend it.
And finally the classic Red Balloon. This film is only about 30 minutes long, and it is also silent. Check it out it's a delight.
A great way to start planning any sort of movie you are about to make is to first write it down. Write down a theme or idea you are trying to convey, and then translate that into a Shot List. A shot list is a play by play of all of the different angles you want to record so that later in the editing room, you may allow for a lot of different possibilities in your cut. A shot list may look like this:
1. girl running down the street towards the camera. camera is on the ground. girl runs past.
2. girl running down the street shot from an above fire escape.
3. hand held camera running down the street as the view point of the girl.
4. shot from behind some bushes for a voyeuristic effect to create suspense.
Below are some examples of scenes/movies that have little to no dialogue.
This Point Break Chase Scene is one of my favorite chase scenes. It's action packed and entertaining, and you feel like you're in a maze. Sorry Youtube wouldn't let me embed it here so you'll have to link to it.
Here is the trailer for the beautiful film Treplets of Bellville. This is an animated movie, but I feel there is certainly much to learn that can be applied to real world footage. The entire movie is sans talking, and it's just great, I highly recommend it.
And finally the classic Red Balloon. This film is only about 30 minutes long, and it is also silent. Check it out it's a delight.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
News
Hi Everyone,
Welcome to the class blog. I spoke with Brady tonight and we have established a lab time for you guys to come in and work on your videos should you chose. It is not required but I highly recommend coming. I will be there so you can use me as a resource for any questions you have.
Lab will be Saturdays at 1:00
Below are some video clips for you to watch to give you some ideas to think about as you move forward with your own projects. See you soon!
Lab will be Saturdays at 1:00
Below are some video clips for you to watch to give you some ideas to think about as you move forward with your own projects. See you soon!
Dream Like Story Telling
Below is a clip from the movie Buffalo 66. In this movie, Vincent Gallo takes Christina Ricci with him by semi-force. He takes her to a few different places, one of which is a bowling alley, reflected in the video below.
This is a good example of how showing a literal interpretation of someone's headspace can turn a mundane action (like tap dancing) into a dream like interpretation of the emotional state of the subject at hand.
Ricci's character is not doing any fancy tap dance moves, but with the soft blue spot light, and in the context of the bowling alley, the scene transforms from being hostile and anxious into something melancholy and sensual.
Likewise in this opening scene from David Lynch's wonderful film Wild At Heart, he uses music to emphasize the violence that is taking place. It wrenches you as a viewer out of the snappy atmosphere of the hotel and into the outrageous and volatile psyche of Sailor (Nic Cages' character). Changing the sound scape transforms this scene, and it establishes in your mind an understanding of who Sailer is. So a very simple sound editing choice can be very powerful as you are telling your story.
Lastly, here is the video I was talking about on Tuesday. This was made by Kat Sotelo, a New Orleans based artist. I think it's a great example of how to make something very simple and fun and entertaining. The objects themselves never move, but their voices and individual neurosis make them come alive and also quite identifiable. Coming to terms with the idea that you are a ceramic lamb sounds just as mind boggling as coming to terms with the idea of being a flesh and blood human.
This is a good example of how showing a literal interpretation of someone's headspace can turn a mundane action (like tap dancing) into a dream like interpretation of the emotional state of the subject at hand.
Ricci's character is not doing any fancy tap dance moves, but with the soft blue spot light, and in the context of the bowling alley, the scene transforms from being hostile and anxious into something melancholy and sensual.
Likewise in this opening scene from David Lynch's wonderful film Wild At Heart, he uses music to emphasize the violence that is taking place. It wrenches you as a viewer out of the snappy atmosphere of the hotel and into the outrageous and volatile psyche of Sailor (Nic Cages' character). Changing the sound scape transforms this scene, and it establishes in your mind an understanding of who Sailer is. So a very simple sound editing choice can be very powerful as you are telling your story.
Lastly, here is the video I was talking about on Tuesday. This was made by Kat Sotelo, a New Orleans based artist. I think it's a great example of how to make something very simple and fun and entertaining. The objects themselves never move, but their voices and individual neurosis make them come alive and also quite identifiable. Coming to terms with the idea that you are a ceramic lamb sounds just as mind boggling as coming to terms with the idea of being a flesh and blood human.
The Existential Meltdown from kat sotelo on Vimeo.
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