A couple days ago an artist named Justyna Kelley released a music video shot on the Canon 5D Mark III in 3 hours in low light.

Here’s another test by Justyna Kelley in better conditions.  Unlike so many of the other tests, the subject is actually lit. There’s a 2K with white diffusion and 1/4 CTB by the window, and 40 mini LED lights glued on a strip for backlight.

What are your thoughts?

Check out Planet5D and No Film School for their excellent coverage.

1. There are a lot of books, DVDs and articles on making independent films.  What separates Make Movies Without Money from the rest?

Alexander Fox: Most of the information out there is written by people who work with large crews and high-end equipment. From their point of view, if you want to shoot a decent short film, commercial, or music video, you need a big budget. For someone who’s just getting started, that can be very discouraging. My book – in fact, my whole career thus far – is focused on delivering maximum quality, no matter how little you have to work with. Even if you’re working completely by yourself, with minimal gear, you can do really cool projects. You may have to scale down the complexity, but you don’t have to compromise the quality. In Make Movies Without Money I try to teach the reader how to do that.

2. Now that the Scarlet X and Canon c300 are here, with a new possibly game changing Super35mm 4K RAW camera coming from the Chinese-owned KineFinity — are you going to stick with DSLRs?

The new Canon c300

AF: I am not a DSLR fanboy. I think they deliver amazing quality for the price, but I have never liked the form factor, the aliasing, or the need for audio workarounds. I’m not about to take out a second mortgage to buy a RED or an ARRI, but I did buy the Panasonic AF100, and have been using that with Canon FD lenses, with excellent results. Often, I’ll mix AF100 footage with 5D2 footage on the same project: using the 5D2 for b-roll and the AF100 for interviews, for example.

3. If you were running a film school, other than of course reading your book, what would your curriculum look like?  What unique teaching methods would you implement?  How would you teach students to watch film, life, art, etc.?  How long would it take?

AF: The technology in this industry changes rapidly, so it’s very important to gain a solid grounding in the principles and techniques that remain constant, whether you’re shooting 35mm film, DSLR video, or 3-D 4K. For example, the processes of breaking a script down into specific shots, lighting a scene effectively, and capturing clean audio are going to be essentially identical, regardless of the camera you’re using. I think a brief demonstration, followed by the opportunity for students to try each aspect of the filmmaking process for themselves, would be the best format for a workshop or film program.

When I was in film school, I really didn’t believe that filmmakers selected certain lenses for certain reasons. Now that I’ve been doing this for over a decade, I have much more appreciation for all the decisions that go into creating a motion picture. I think developing that sort of a critical eye has been a big benefit to me professionally, and I would encourage students to do the same. I think there’s a sense among beginners that they won’t be able to enjoy watching films if they’re paying attention to the cuts, the angles, or the sound design, but I’ve found that becoming aware of all the things going on behind the scenes actually allows me to enjoy movies in a deeper and more meaningful way. Not only do I become invested in the story, but in the artistry and craftsmanship that went into telling that story.

4. What about marketing materials for filmmakers and DPs.  Now that the barriers of entry have gotten lower and the quality of affordable cameras continues to get better every year, there are so many more talented directors and DPs with impressive demo reels popping up from all over the place.  How do you stand out?

No Film School's Ryan Koo raised over $125,000 on Kickstarter for his feature film Man-Child

AF: When I graduated film school in 1999, you basically sent off your VHS demo reel, and prayed that someone would recognize your potential for greatness. The process is essentially the same now, except it’s Vimeo instead of VHS. The problem with that whole approach is this: your greatness is probably not going to be recognized. Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez were the heroes for my generation, because they were the two guys who beat the odds and made it big. But they’re STILL the only two guys who’ve done it! I think that aspiring filmmakers should stop wasting time and energy trying to get noticed, and focus instead on just doing whatever it is they want to do, in whatever way they can. Ryan Koo of NoFilmSchool just raised $125,000 on Kickstarter to make his movie. The folks at ProjectLondonMovie are creating a full-length, giant-robots-attacks-Earth film entirely with volunteers and open-source software. There are a number of people on YouTube that make very good money just by creating short films and then allowing ads to be placed in front of them. THAT kind of thing is the future. Hollywood doesn’t need aspiring filmmakers, and that’s fine, because aspiring filmmakers no longer need Hollywood.

At some point, I’d like to follow my own advice on this and shoot a sci-fi web series that I’ve been thinking about for a while.

5. On your web site you list the 24-70mm 2.8 as your favorite lens.  What’s your favorite prime lens?

AF: My favorite prime lens is probably the 20mm f/2.8. On the 5D2, the 20mm lens is perfect for dramatic wide shots, interiors, and handheld work. Anytime I shoot handheld, I’m probably using the 20mm.

6. What’s next?

AF: The eBook Make Movies Without Money covered everything I wish I’d known when I was starting out. Now that it’s done, I’ve been doing a lot more blogging. On my blog – http://CrewOfOne.com – I write about the TV commercials and web videos I shoot, often completely by myself, with an absolute minimum of gear. I think that students and aspiring filmmakers can learn a lot by seeing how somebody who’s been doing this for a while gets it done, and I think that I’m easier to relate to than the guys who are always talking about high-dollar gadgets and elaborate setups.

You don’t need a ton of gear or a big crew to do great work; you just need to know what you’re doing. That’s what I try to share with people.

Check out Alexander’s recommended gear for the crew of one.

Check out our panel discussion on filmmaking for the web:

 This is a busy time for the aspiring TV writer.  The deadlines for the prestigious ABC and Warner Bros. writing mentor programs are only a few months away, with staff season heating up just after that.  It’s time to polish your spec scripts, get notes from trusted friends and mentors, or if you haven’t started, begin by picking which show you want to spec.

Just like Idiotscreen guest’s Ellen Sandler’s best-selling TV Writer’s Workbook worked so well for writing a comedy series spec (and drama, too), you’ll want to check out Pamela Douglas’ Writing the TV Drama Series for tips on how to land a writing position on a drama series. Pamela is the creator of the acclaimed PBS series Ghostwriter, Story Editor of the Emmy-winning CBS series Frank’s Place and a professor at the USC School of Cinematic Arts.  She’s also been a member of the Board of Directors of the Writers Guild of America, West.

Pamela was nice enough to answer a few questions about which show to pick for your spec, writing a drama web series, and the steps a young writer needs to take to land a writing gig.

 1.     If you were an aspiring TV drama series writer and working on your first spec, what shows would you focus on?  

 Pamela Douglas: In alphabetical order: Breaking Bad, Dexter, House, Mad Men, The Good Wife, The Walking Dead.

When it was on the air, I used to highly recommend Friday Night Lights, but most writing contests (as well as agents and producers) request samples of shows that are currently in production.

However, beginning writers need to feel their show is accessible and not too difficult, so if a clearly-structured procedural like CSI or a simple teen romance like some that air on the CW, or even a mid-level show like Bones feels more familiar, it might be better to start with something like that. The more challenging shows in my list above ask for sophistication that might be difficult outside of a supportive workshop or class environment.

2.     We constantly hear stories about networks and production companies finding comedy talent online, but we don’t hear much about the drama side.  Is drama series unaffected by Internet content and social media?

 PD: As of this date, most Internet fare is short and funny. In fact, 3-minute YouTube videos (and other mini forms including mobisodes and tweets) are poor predictors of what a writer can accomplish in a half-hour broadcast sitcom, but they may demonstrate talent for comedy that can be matched with more experienced writer-producers. In drama, there are plenty of full-length webisodes of existing drama series now running, but those are crafted by the staffs of the broadcast shows and are intended as added value or auxiliary material not as free-standing original series. The day may well come when longer and more serious material is able to hold people’s attention on mobile devices and computers, but it’s not here yet.

3.     Do you recommend aspiring drama series writers to produce an original web series?

PD:  If a writer happens to be skilled with production equipment, and has the money to engage in all the phases of production, sure, why not give it a try?  It’s always enlightening to discover how written words play on screen. So as a learning experience it’s useful. It’s also a fun way to share your writing with friends, and maybe make new friends online. In the unlikely but fortuitous event that a web post goes viral or attracts media attention, the creator might get a meeting with an agent or producer if he doesn’t otherwise have a way in. As a break-in tool for someone who does not have other professional means of launching a career, it’s one of many ways around the traditional methods.

But agents, producers, studios, networks look for writers who can write. Most of them will not even view a produced reel. You need a professionally written script.

4.     Let’s say a writer has recently graduated and moved to Los Angeles. What steps should the writer take to earn a staff position on a drama series?

PD:  First, what kind of school is the writer from? If she or he graduated from a good film school with several spec scripts in hand and perhaps some awards for writing, or at least some well-reviewed print materials (such as a published novel), then that well-prepared person should contact agents, managers and production companies to see who will look at the work, or to apply for entry-level jobs. The well-qualified writer could also contact shows for entry-level positions as a Writer’s Assistant, which is an excellent position that’s hard to get. Even higher up the ladder would be Researcher. People in those jobs often have a chance to work into a beginning staff position. Even a lower level entry such as p.a. or secretary is an opportunity to meet people who might help later.

If the school is a general college and the degree is not in film, or the person has few (or weak) script samples, then I would suggest applying to an MFA program at one of the few top film schools. For a less expensive alternative, UCLA offers extension classes open to the general public.

The question is not about turning up in LA after college, but what do you have in your portfolio to offer the LA industry.

5.     What’s the most overrated advice an aspiring TV writer typically hears?

 PD: All advice is overrated because it really comes down to talent, craft and stamina. There really are not gimmicks. But I guess people can go wrong believing it’s all about who you know. Yes, sure, relationships are important. And a few lucky people have family and friends who promote them into positions they don’t deserve purely because they’re so-and-so’s son or girlfriend or whatever. But in truth those people often flame out when they can’t do the work. The other troubling advice is to aim low, to aim for shows that would seem “easy” because they’re superficial or low quality. Actually you just damage your own chops by doing that and you won’t get the job anyway because everyone thinks they deserve the best writers.

6.     What’s next for you?

PD:  I’m proud of the Third Edition of WRITING THE TV DRAMA SERIES, which has just been published. It’s probably my final version of this book. A completely different book of mine, BACK TO LIFE: A Journey of Transformation Through Back Surgery was published this summer and is available in bookstores and on amazon. I have an art show each summer at TAG Gallery at Bergamot Station in Santa Monica (www.PamDouglasArt.com for my paintings). I’m very busy with the start of the teaching year at the USC School of Cinematic Arts. And on top of all that I’ve created a new TV series that’s about to make the network rounds, but it’s too early to tell you about it. Keep tuned!

www.PamDouglasBooks.com

Check out our video panel discussion on Writing the Comedy Series with the writers of Community, The Cleveland Show and Everybody Loves Raymond:

Created by  comediva | @comediva

Before every NBA game, every team participates in a Morning Shootaround, a routine shooting practice.  These practice sessions give NBA players an opportunity to practice their jumpers and warm up for that night’s game.  We filmmakers, I believe, can do the same thing.  Martin Scorsese once advised young filmmakers to study other filmmakers’ shot selection and note when the angles change, and why.

That is why Idiotscreen is introducing the MORNING SHOTAROUND, a feature where we’ll post screen-shots of every angle/shot from a scene in a movie or TV show.  The scenes can be pivotal scenes in classic movies, or a non-eventful exposition scene in a contemporary comedy, or a shot breakdown of aSaturday Night Live sketch.  We’ll highlight when and why the camera moves and maybe even break down the beats of the scene.  Mostly, we’ll just look at each shot and file it away somewhere. It’s practice. We’re just practicing our jumpers. We’re studying the game film. If Peyton Manning were a filmmaker, he’d do the same thing.

Today’s Shot-Around focuses on the famous aria scene from Philadelphia.  Tom Hanks won the Oscar for this scene alone, playing Andrew Beckett, a dying man with Aids suing his former law firm for wrongful termination and discrmination. Denzel Washington plays his homophobic trial attorney, Joe Miller. The scene takes place just minutes after Andrew’s costume party. Andrew and Joe are meeting to discuss tomorrow’s testimony, but Andrew gets distracted by thinking about life and asking Joe if he prays.  Then Andrew begins explaining the story of one of his favorite arias, “La Momma Morta.”

Director Jonathan Demme shoots the scene with traditional medium close-ups at first, then once the scene becomes more intimate when Andy asks Joe if he prays, Demme moves in tighter on Joe and Andy. When Andy gets into the aria, Demme switches to shots looking down at Andy from above and employs stylized lighting (motivated by firelight) to help us (and Joe) enter Andy and the opera’s world. For the first time, Joe sees the humanity in Andy. For the first time, he sees him as a man.

Once the song ends, the life is taken out of Andy and Demme switches back to the realistic lighting.

The scene is framed by two master shots, one in the beginning to establish the geography of the apartment, the last being the last shot of the scene when Joe walks out of the apartment.

Here’s the second half of the scene:

Before every NBA game, every team participates in a Morning Shootaround, a routine shooting practice.  These practice sessions give NBA players an opportunity to practice their jumpers and warm up for that night’s game.  We filmmakers, I believe, can do the same thing.  Martin Scorsese once advised young filmmakers to study other filmmakers’ shot selection and note when the angles change, and why.

That is why Idiotscreen is introducing the MORNING SHOTAROUND, a feature where we’ll post screen-shots of every angle/shot from a scene in a movie or TV show.  The scenes can be pivotal scenes in classic movies, or a non-eventful exposition scene in a contemporary comedy, or a shot breakdown of a Saturday Night Live sketch.  We’ll highlight when and why the camera moves and maybe even break down the beats of the scene.  Mostly, we’ll just look at each shot and file it away somewhere. It’s practice. We’re just practicing our jumpers. We’re studying the game film. If Peyton Manning were a filmmaker, he’d do the same thing.

Today we look at an early scene from the new drama A BETTER LIFE, directed by Chris Weitz (About a Boy, In Good Company). The scene is a standard “talking-heads” scene between “Carlos,” an illegal immigrant gardener, and “Blasco,” a friend who always hires him. Blasco is trying to sell Carlos his truck, because, if Carlos has a truck, he reasons, he won’t have to depend on standing outside of Home Depot and begging for work.  He’ll be able to earn enough money to hire a good lawyer who can help him avoid immigrant away enforcement agents. Carlos, on the other hand, doesn’t have the money and has been burned by a lawyer. It’s a simple intention exercise.

Weitz opens with a master shot, then cuts into a wide two-shot, then goes in for medium close-ups. As Blasco sells Carlos on his dream, Weitz slowly and subtly moves in on Carlos as he lets Blasco’s words affect him.

Shot 1: Master Shot, slowly moving in on the action

Shot 2: Wide Two Shot of "Carlos" and "Blasco"

Shot 3: Medium CU of "Carlos"

Shot 4: Medium CU of "Blasco"

Shot 5: Medium CU of "Carlos"

Shot 6: Medium CU of "Blasco"

Shot 7: Medium CU of "Carlos"

Shot 8: Wide Two-Shot of "Carlos" and "Blasco"

Shot 9: Medium CU of "Blasco"

Shot 10: Wide Two-Shot of "Carlos" and "Blasco"

Shot 11: Medium CU of "Carlos"

Shot 12: Medium CU of "Blasco"

Shot 13: Medium CU of "Carlos"...the camera slowly moves in closer on "Carlos" as "Blasco" sells him

Shot 13 (Extended): CU of "Carlos"

Shot 14: Medium CU of "Blasco". We slowly zoom in on Blasco's face.

Shot 15: CU of "Carlos". We slowly zoom in a little closer on his face.

Shot 16: CU of "Blasco"

Shot 17: CU of "Carlos"

Shot 18: CU of "Blaco"

Shot 19: CU of "Carlos"

Shot 20: CU of "Blasco"

Shot 21: CU of "Carlos"

Shot 21 (Extended): "Carlos" gets up and exits frame

End scene.

This is definitely Carlos’ scene.  Although he shares the same number of closeups with Blasco, the closeups on Carlos are far longer. Weitz tends to linger on Carlos’ coverage. And as I mentioned above, notice that Carlos and Blasco are in the center of the frame in the second Two-Shot.

Here’s the specific coverage:

Establishing Master Shot

Wide Two-Shot (2 versions: 1 centered, 1 angled…could be from the same take)

Medium CU of Carlos

Medium CU of Blasco

CU of Blasco

CU of Carlos

The close-ups could be from the same take as the medium close-ups. Weitz could have instructed his camera operator to zoom in near the end of the scene, because once he goes closer on Carlos and Blasco, he never zooms out again.

I recommend checking out A Better Life if you haven’t seen it. It’s now available on DVD from Netflix, Redbox, and Blockbuster.

More later!

Christopher Kenworthy

1. Please tell us about Master Shots Volume 2: Shooting Great Dialogue Scenes.  How did it and its predecessor, Master Shots: 100 Advanced Camera Techniques to Get an Expensive Look on Your Low-Budget Movie, come about?

Christopher Kenworthy: Dialogue scenes should be beautiful to watch, but so often, the director just stops the camera and hopes the actors can sustain the piece. The result is that many dialogue scenes are nothing more than talking heads. I’ve tried to show how the best directors do so much more than this. They use setups and moves to echo the meaning and emotion of the scene. Master Shots Volume 2 gives 100 examples of great dialogue scenes, and all the techniques can be achieved on a low budget.

This second book in the series came about because readers of Master Shots Volume 1 asked for more. I get fan mail from all over the world, and people kept asking for more. Although the books are meant to teach a way of seeing – so that you can create your own shots from scratch – people are always hungry for new examples.

I wrote the original Master Shots while I was preparing for my first feature, to ensure that I knew exactly what the best directors were doing. It became clear that there are some core techniques, but more importantly, there is a way of seeing how movement and framing affects emotion and meaning. You don’t just point the camera at actors and hope for the best.

2. Why should filmmakers read it?

 Christopher Kenworthy: Somebody else has probably solved your problem already. You might be wondering how to get the most emotion or intensity out of a scene, and the good news is that somebody else’s talent can be your inspiration. There are truly wonderful filmmakers out there, who’ve come up with countless ways of getting the best out of a scene. Once you’ve seen how they do it, you can apply that technique to your film. Better still, you can combine techniques to create truly unique shots.

Filmmakers tell me that reading the Master Shots books has opened their eyes, and they get thousands of ideas for shots. If you’ve got talent, these books give your ideas an outlet, and give you ways to make the most of your imagination.

3. What’s the biggest mistake filmmakers make when creating a shot list?

Christopher Kenworthy: The biggest and most common mistake is to create a list of shots that have little or no relevance to the scene. You’re telling a story, so your shots should be created to tell that story, and to reflect the mood, changes and plot points that occur. The dullest directors will create a shot list that covers the basic angles. At the other extreme, you get show-offs who try to make every angle and move extreme, with the result that it just won’t cut together well. The solution is to find the core of the scene, think about how that might be blocked, and create shots that will capture the intention of the scene. Don’t be boring, but don’t try to look clever for the sake of being flash. The best directors use amazing, complicated setups, but not to prove a point; they are always trying to get to the core of the story.

4. What’s your favorite master shot from volume 2?

Christopher Kenworthy: With Master Shots 2 I made sure I used shots that I absolutely love, wither for their imaginative scope or their astounding simplicity. My favorite is probably Expanding Group, from Spielberg’s Munich. The film was less than perfect, but some of the shots are beyond belief in the way they communicate the underlying story, without ramming it down your throat. The Expanding Group shot is nothing more than a simple backward dolly, but the staging of the actors within the frame makes this a truly beautiful and powerful shot.

5. What’s next for you?

Christopher Kenworthy: I’m mostly writing these days. Screenwriting is taking up most of my time. Earlier this year I finally shot something that I’m proud of – a music video called Dreaming Light for the band Anathema. The sense of satisfaction I got from that has given me space to take a break from directing that may last forever.

Composer/Actor Gavin Leighton

I was asked at the end of last year to score Perv: The Cat by writer and director, Brad Hansen.  I was impressed with Brad’s work on his previous feature film, Driver’s Ed Mutiny, and saw this as an opportunity to work with someone I respect creatively.  I also saw this as an opportunity to learn a new digital audio workstation (DAW), Logic Pro.  In the past, I used Sonar and Reason as my go to programs for film scoring and song writing.  I used both programs when I composed the music to Barackula the Musical and 50 Million.  I was a PC user for most of my life but, out of circumstance, needed to start using a Mac.  I was a little reluctant at first to switch over to a new DAW since I was use to what I was using on PC, but after experimenting with some new sound libraries and discovering some of the great tools in Logic, I quickly appreciated the change.

Brad was very specific with what he wanted regarding the music, which is something I can relate to as I’m the same way when working on projects.  Brad wanted a David Arnold-esque score; particularly a Hot Fuzz type sound.  This was a surprising request since Arnold often scores big action films and this was a film about a cat that keeps interrupting the protagonist’s attempts to score on a date.

The way the music started for me is very much the way it starts when I’m writing anything.  I heard a small melody in my head that I knew belonged in the score somehow.  That initial melody is what you hear in the middle of the big getaway scene which I use as a musical motif throughout.  I also heard a lot of string pizzicato sounds, which, for me, represented Perv’s presence–his “catwalk” if you will.  I spent a little time listening to the Hot Fuzz soundtrack and a couple recent James Bond scores and got to work.  To capture that big cinematic sound I used a lot of EastWest Quantum Leap’s libraries, particularly Stormdrum and Colossus. These are incredible libraries with some huge, beautiful sounds.  For the strings I used LA Scoring Strings.  LA Scoring Strings sounds rich, warm and unbelievably realistic.  They’re probably the best string sounds on the market and I see myself using that as my go-to for a while.  I put all of these sound libraries in the Kontakt 4 engine which was then routed into Logic Pro.  The keyboard I use is the M-Audio Keystation 88es.  I also enjoyed using Toontrack’s EZ Drummer Jazz kit for the jazz pieces in the film.  This was pretty much my entire setup for Perv: The Cat.

What I enjoyed most about this project was discovering new sounds and getting to write different styles of music.  There’s both loungey jazz songs and big cinematic pieces in the film.  Out of necessity I gave myself a crash course in using Logic Pro, which is a really great DAW, and discovered what I’ll be using for a long time.

Watch Gavin in HITTING THE FAN