About DavideAndrew Papa Expertise DavideAndrew Papa is able to answer specific questions relating to Acting, Script wiriting,production,directing and Producing 35 mm motion Pictures for International distribution,based on AMPAS protocols,and personal opionions based on experience.
Experience
Past/Present clients Have dealt with Los angeles biggest talent agencies,and hollywoods biggest distribution companies...too numerous to mention here(due to confidentiality clauses)
Expert: DavideAndrew Papa Date: 9/21/2002 Subject: shooting schedule
Question Is there a good method for lining up scenes to shoot first, then second, etc.? For example, is it generally easier to shoot crowd scenes first, then principal photography, then establishment shots, etc.?
Answer Dear Rodney,
Good question and one of general confusion...It really depends on a few factors..Are you filming on live location,closed studio sets..a bit of both..Are you a one man operation working as an independent producer/Director..?(see www.sicaplanet.freeservers.com on last page re:STUDY PAGE)..For me the question is clear cut,for many reasons a few of which I will explain here..
(1)Principal Photography involves the greatest part of any film project expense especially if you are going to use Leading Actors..Where establishings shot and subsequest re establishing shots and crowd scenes can be done anytime even using a video camera (16:9)
The Pricipal photography is where the whole project heart beats...Your filming ratio will have to support a high cutting ratio,the expense of sets,performers,the expense of stock and developments...the equipment especially the hiring or buying of a 35 mm camera...etc..etc..makes it critical that Principal Photography is done right from the start..Hence storyboarding using a out of sequence shooting schedule which is well defined is also a critical factor in ensuring that the required shots are in the can...The opening shot of a sequence,which establishes location,but can also establish mood to give the viewer information concerning time and general situation are generally long shots,or even extreme long shots,using moving or panning to give the viewer a different perspective to that of principal photography...In other words the set up times are far less for establishing shots,and crowd scenes than that involved for Principal
Photography...If that's you above..then get the pricipal photography over and done with ASAP...and build around the base you have..You or yu second unit can work on the other scenes at anytime...even long after the Pricipal shots have been taken...
(2)With the way imagen editors work,and the huge amount of technique involved and available today,get the principal shots in the can first,then build around to fill in the sequences for the desired effect... at you own time..Editors today can do magic with computers..
(3)If you are working on a shoe string,Using a video camera,get the older camera's they have superior lens than the current gagety hand held models...Many older JVC or Panasonic camera's (VHSC) incorporate T.V lens as well as the ability to film in analogue mode,which allows the photographer to really use his skill to set the scenes...that will also produce superb images for video remastering...(if needed)In most cases the quality of the images when displayed on todays Digital T.V's are fantastic...and the ability to mass copy onto tape for Video rental markets are equal in quality to many products currently on the peripetetic video rental market shelf..But there is a price..You have to get as much material as possible on tape,ven it it means takes of 8,10 or 20 times for any single scene,even crowd scenes..
(4)In which case if you are going to make your Film as per (3) above..then forget about the Principal shots as being your primary objectives..start from the very first page of your film,and build on it scene by scene following the protocol of a a highly defined scene by scene story board,much more defined than the standard storyboard requirements for 35 mm filming...You have to use what you have and make it the best you can to compensate for your low budget..A well defined script and storyboard involes time,not money..so get these right from the start..,what's critical in this situation are the "Cuta-ways"concentrate on the Cuta-ways,There is nothing more worse than getting to the editing room only fo find that many of the required Cut-aways haven't been recordered...,don't cross the 180 degree rule,and use the light camera as an extension of your arm,look for the background scenes that are very different,eg (The sun setting behind a row of buildings,capturing the sun's rays between such buildings...etc...)concentrate on everything irrelevant..."A person eating"..intercut- to the plate,show the food on the plate,get the colour of the the glass of wine next to the plate...etc..etc..I cannot emphasis this too much.. concentrate heavily on all the "Small and insignificant stuff"...A crow sits on a power pole,get a sinster representation of many power poles from a distance as th crow harks..,bring a long shot in,to follow the power poles holding the crow...,lets hear the crow hark again,this time its louder are we are gewtting closer...follow the cables until finally we see the crow..etc..etc..Hold intercut-BCU,CUT BACK-CUT;Many Fil makers simply intercut such scenes with a quick pan to the crow..others like to dwell on the image of a harking crow...You represented the crow, and a whole lot more support by the way of background images(which later could easily be used for re-establishing shots as well ..)and when your'e finished..,then go and make your Principal shots,to the simplest basic form...Tie up your video to a monitor screen(directors screen/assist) and make the shots the best you can,in directives and image quality..but keep it simple..Remember you are not working out of sequence you are working linear,but laterally at the same time,giving you greater artist freedom to get everything right,alas at a much greater filming times..The editor with the assistance of the director,will have a great deal of "Good"space fillers to lift the Dramatic events displayed in the Principal shots,so long as the principal shots are indeed good and clear.Back up your sound with a Boom Mic connected to both the video for direction,and ear piece extension and a feed going into the Dat tape recorder..another failing of many Video rental films,is that many have very poor quality sound recording..Use Sound a s second tool,in being able to dynamically lift a low budget film..don't think of it as a requirment,but another "cheap" tool,that can do great things to a good film. As a guide,to give you an idea of the amount of material needed,work on a cutting ratio of at least 10/1...as a minimum,thus a mini cam tape (C-VHS) generally holds 35 minutes of clear images..so every single mini cam tape,should take care of at least 3 minutes of actual on screen time,after cutting...For a one hour on screen time,you will need at least 20 mini cam tapes full of images ...That's 700 minutes worth of Filming to get 50 or 60 miutes of on screen time..Expect to take at least 80 hours plus of actual film work..and that's if you are pretty good..No need for rushes,and the work can be done over a period of time...hence if you are going to make your film in summer then you have about 3 months of Summer conditions and light to complete your film...etc..etc..
I hope tha above advice helps..It's the kind advice they don't elaborate on at film school..or in books,and is basd on past personal experience..Good luck on your project..DavideAndrew Papa SICA
