Camera - Tips and Tricks for Film Production (cinematography)

Tips and Tricks to keep in mind while filming

As with any film production, you need a cinematographer. Whether you use a good one or a bad one, the tips in this video will help develop your filming skills even further. If you are filming a character walking from right to left, the next scene should keep that same direction to not confuse the audience.  That same rule applies to the 180 degree rule when doing interviews, so that you don't switch sides and confuse the audience. If you don't have a camera, you can always use your surroundings to steady your shot. Another very important tip I learned was that if you are filming someone at a window and they fall black into the background while the natural light outside overpowers the frame, put new/extra light on the person to reverse this camera effect. I was very interested in becoming a better cinematographer, and this video gave me tips to do so. 

Short Film "The Elevator"

Review

This short film is designed to be a comedy. It uses a boring scenario such as riding an elevator, and makes it entertaining and funny. The short begins with a man on the first floor who needs a ride to the top floor. As he goes floor by floor, each floor contains more people until the elevator is full. The man notices the weight limit of the elevator and uses his phone as a calculator to guess each persons weight to see if it is safe to still take the elevator. Eventually a very big man is walking towards the elevator and he freaks out and gets off. He gets on a different elevator which he later discovers everyone on it is sick with the swine flu. There is no actual talking in this sort, but a story is well told and it achieved its comedic goal.

Things to Know About Making Short Films

What people don't know:

The interesting thing about the video I watched was how these following tips are not rules and are not cliché like be prepared and storyboard your shots before you shoot them. This video goes in depth with specifically short films and how to make them cinematic. A good short film should be max 15 min and have an optimal 10 min length. When telling a story inside the short film, try to keep it short and simple. Don't drag out the story for so long, tell it quick. Short films are actually a great way to jump start a feature. If you make a good short film that has a long enough storyline, it would be a good idea to try and transform it into a good feature. For example the movie Napoleon Dynamite was primarily a short before it was a feature. All of these tips are incredible useful and you should keep these in mind next time you make a short film.

How to get Smooth Camera Shots

What I learned from this video

I watched a YouTube video that was 8:41 long that taught me a lot about how to take smooth, cinematic shots.
I enjoyed this video as it compares a hand held shot to a warp stabilizer, which is a very important tool in order to take careful and stable shots. I also learned that if in your footage, the shots are blurred or have motion blur, you are going to have to use a higher shutter speed. By using slow motion, camera shots can be stable and look very clean! If your camera can't shoot in slow motion, try 4k and then using the post production technique during the editing stage to pan and zoom the shot in the editing to make it seem as if the camera was zooming and panning. Finally, by using just a simple stabilizer, you can film a very long, fast, and smooth shot. All of these techniques are almost essential in the making of a film to have smooth shots.

Becoming a Video Editor

Before Research

I would consider myself an experienced video editor at the moment. I've been editing for about 2 years now. During and before the summer I ran a successful YouTube channel that gained over 250 subscribers. Today I edit videos for the 3rd best violinist in Europe that came to the US for college and is a part time vlogger. I also edit for school projects, and what a video editor means to me is someone that creates the vision of the director by piecing together video clips, adding color correction, and music. Despite my knowledge, I could always learn more.

After Research

Video editing is the process of manipulation and rearranging video shots to create a new work. When editing there are certain goals that video editors are expected to achieve. These goals include removing unwanted footage, choosing the best footage, create a purpose from the clips, add effects, alter the style, pace or mood of the video. All of this takes place in the post-production phase. There are many reasons to edit a video and your editing approach will depend on the desired outcome. This is what it means to become a video editor.

Source: http://www.mediacollege.com/video/editing/tutorial/definition.html

Becoming a Costume Designer

Before Research

For my menu items, I chose that during the production phase, I would like to learn more about becoming a costume designer. To my knowledge, being a costume designer means choosing out the appropriate clothing for the actors to wear, in order to fit the scene. It also means doing the hair of the actor. As I am very interested in the current and modern style, I feel like I would fit this position.

After Research

After completing my research about becoming a costume designer, I have learned new things. Not only do costume designers dress the actor in the way they feel looks best, but also to balance the scenes with texture and color. The costume designer may also collaborate with hair stylist, wig master, or makeup artist. They also typically seek to enhance the actors personality through the color and clothing choice. There are 3 main kinds of designers including freelance designers, residential designers, and academic designers. After researching about Costume Designers, I have learned so much about them and their positions, and they will be included the next time I'm taking on the role of a costume designer.

Source: https://www.theartcareerproject.com/become/costume-designer/

Short Film Blog

The Stalker

For this specific short film, we used Jackson Chein's script. The concept of the script was about a guy who goes on a hike by himself through the woods. Inevitably, a stalker is watching him, getting ready to take him out. The hiker comes equipped with a little self defense, and ends up winning the fight and surviving after all.

In the film, I was primarily the costume designer. During the production phase I made sure the actors were wearing the appropriate clothes for their role in the film. In the post-production phase, I was the co-editor. I helped sequence and order the clips in a certain way that would make the film run smoothly.

Technically,we needed a camera to film (obviously). We also needed a boom to record solid audio quality. Finally, we needed to get a hold of a computer with a good processor in order to edit the video to its potential.

When our group began this project, we had a solid idea for a short film. The idea was great and we set up all the dates, but when it came to the film date, our actors were busy or working, and we could not film what we needed. After we changed the script, we used our technical skills to film and edit the film. Second, we used our communication skills to figure out a film date and get new actors, willing to film at our designated time. Third, I used my leadership skills to set the film date and location for where we were going to film. As a group we all had to collaborate to think together of a new script when the last film fell through. Finally, I used my project management skill, despite all the obstacles, edit and turn in the short film on the due date and well on time.

Next time, I would definitely get more reliable actors that could show up when and where we wanted. That's what I would change or focus more attention to next time I will create a short film.

I would like to keep the same film crew together for our next film, because we all feel comfortable with each other which helps keep things from being awkward. I would also keep the same cinematic effects that we have.

I am going to make sure the actors have a free schedule on the filming date in order to avoid the catastrophe that happened during the making of this short film.

Although it was stressful and pressuring to start over on a new script, filming this short film was fun and exciting. Overall I am impressed and grateful for how the film came out despite all the complications we had to overcome.