AboutTroy Smith Expertise I can answer questions on professional or amateur filmmaking and questions on Final Cut Pro, video cameras, lighting, sound recording, scriptwriting, storytelling, directing, producing, editing, multi-camera productions, shooting sports, picture to video, using DTE hard drives, using video cameras and editing in a very creative way and some 16mm filmmaking. I can't answer too many questions on 35mm filmmaking.
Experience I have been a professional filmmaker since 1995 and a film teacher since 2000. I am publishing a textbook for beginning filmmakers called "the New Filmmaker's Adventure". I have experience in the area of low-budget feature filmmaking, Iam the co-owner of the production company called Imminent Entertainment LLC, I have worked on hundreds of videos, TV shows, multi-camera events and low budget, professional productions, corporate and consumer videos, Final Cut Pro, scriptwriting, directing, videography and cinematography, sound, lighting, editing, and producing.
Organizations Independent Feature Project - Chicago
Education/Credentials Western Michigan University '95 BS in film production Magna cum Laude
Maine Media Workshops '02-07
Expert: Troy Smith Date: 5/27/2008 Subject: DVD creation
Question I have no idea where to find the answer to my question, so I apologize for simply tossing it in your lap.
What do you call the person who puts together the disparate information to create those special features on movie DVDs that we've all grown to love? It must involve researching film archives, editing, a vast knowledge of films, and a certain amount of technical ability. Thank you, Mr. Smith, for any information.
Answer Thanks for the question. I must admit that I'm not sure about what types of movies have special features with old footage and things like that... Are you talking about documentaries, or maybe the vignettes for the Oscars?
Anyway, the answer is something like this. The producer of the special feature segment (which may be different from the producer of the movie) works with low-paid or intern research assistants and production assistants to develop the special feature.
In the case that you are talking about, the research assistants do a lot of work. With the Internet, there is a lot more access to old, cataloged footage on line. Researchers also would go to film archive locations and look at catalogs and footage reels to find what they need. It can be a long and tedious job to find something very short. Sometimes they need to contact personal sources that may have films/photos, etc. All the rights to the material used also has to be be cleared to use for copyright protection and fees will, in most cases, have to be paid.
The editors take the material and, with the producer, create the special feature. It is very helpful when the producer already has specific footage ideas in mind, such as wanting the shot of the original King Kong swatting planes from the Empire State building, but it doesn't always happen that way.
Basically, it's that producers have a specific idea of the type of old footage they want, the research assistants locate it, releases for the footage must be obtained, and then the editor and producer create the finished product.
