| Subject | Date Asked |
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| oscars | 11/21/2009 |
Q: I don't know if this is really your field of expertize, but I was just wondering if you could clear ...
A: Good questions Kaylee. "A Beautiful Mind" won the Oscar for Best Picture in 2001. On the Wikipedia ...
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| regarding some special effects. | 11/15/2009 |
Q: I was hoping you would help be with some of the technical questions I have regarding special effects ...
A: Well, I can see you've really been thinking hard about this stuff. Sometimes there are multiple ...
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| Digital archiving via seperations | 8/27/2009 |
Q: I'm currently working on a project for a digital cinema studio making ycm separations from digital ...
A: Interesting paper. Most of it makes sense. The part about SEYCM's makes me cringe. The presenters ...
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| two questions | 8/27/2009 |
Q: I just have two questions: 1.) When is an indoor set more favorable than a soundstage and ...
A: A soundstage IS an indoor set so I assume that you are talking about an existing interior compared ...
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| Digital archiving via seperations | 8/26/2009 |
Q: I'm currently working on a project for a digital cinema studio making ycm separations from digital ...
A: The key thing here, Baron, is to put yourself in the shoes of the archivist 100 years from now. If ...
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| Lenses | 8/3/2009 |
Q: Just wanted to ask your professional opinion on something. I'll be shooting a music video in an ...
A: Yes, Rich, I think wide will work best. When doing moving shots, the wider the lens, the smoother ...
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| puzzled | 6/23/2009 |
Q: I'm just wondering, how can directors yell out instructions to their actors while the camera and ...
A: Most of the time, directors don't yell out instructions to the actors. When they do, it is edited ...
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| Career in Film with Physics? | 6/21/2009 |
Q: I am 19 and currently studying physics at university. I have always wanted to work in the film ...
A: This a really tough question, Jay. You mention your fascination with the history and technique of ...
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| Dream Job | 5/11/2009 |
Q: I love to be around cameras and working with them! And I love to make small videos or more like ...
A: Your are a really lucky guy to be 16 and already know what you love! I think being in Indiana is a ...
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| Timelines for big pictures | 5/9/2009 |
Q: I am writing a novel about a singer that gets pulled in at the last minutes to play a singer in a ...
A: Three months for principal photography is rational for a big budget film. One take is very unusual. ...
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| How can I do this? | 4/8/2009 |
Q: Here is my idea. I would like to narrate a river trip with myself in a television set, that is ...
A: In that video, there are clues that tell me that they used an actual video image. ie: When the TV is ...
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| Film Colleges | 1/4/2009 |
Q: Whenever I go online and look up good film schools I always get different answers, so I was ...
A: I think that no matter where you go to film school, it's a good start. The more you learn, the more ...
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| Role of production manager | 1/3/2009 |
Q: A specificCan you recommend a book or a website which reviews the responsibilities of a film ...
A: There are several books on the subject, Michael. This one... ...
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| Film festival question | 12/22/2008 |
Q: I am an aspiring US filmmaker and I am thinking about buying a camera. Do you think it is possible ...
A: John, not only do I think it's possible to enter a film festival, I am sure it is possible to win a ...
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| Filming 'old graining' footage | 12/19/2008 |
Q: I am trying to make short snowboarding/skiing movies and want to intermix normal footage and ...
A: I'm not familiar with amateur editing software but consider this. Even if the software you end up ...
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| Filming 'old graining' footage | 12/17/2008 |
Q: I am trying to make short snowboarding/skiing movies and want to intermix normal footage and ...
A: Well, Kim, we used to do it by walking on the film, using sandpaper, splashing it with camera oil ...
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| Silent Shooting | 8/8/2008 |
Q: Could you please tell me the name of the box that houses your camera that enables you to shoot ...
A: It's called a "Blimp" Lisa. The part of your comment "shoot while they shoot" confused me a bit. ...
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| advise for son | 6/30/2008 |
Q: I was wondering if you could give me some advise for my son who is moving to LA in August. He is ...
A: Sorry for the delay in answering, my DSL died for a couple of days. Well, Barbara, I'm probably one ...
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| Film and science as a career? How? | 4/6/2008 |
Q: I'm really interested in knowing how the filmmaking process relates to applied science, particularly ...
A: Wow Marlen, you are the first to ask that question! I never wanted to be in the movie business. My ...
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| Digital Intermediates | 1/27/2008 |
Q: Can you tell me, what percentage of Hollywood feature films made today use DI as the post production ...
A: Impossible to put exact numbers to these things since everything is changing so fast, so the ...
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| film transfer | 1/24/2008 |
Q: 2-partWould a movie/recording made on a home HD cam/video cam be able to transfer to reels for ...
A: Absolutely, yes. Any digital or video image can be "film recorded" or "filmed out". These days, ...
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| For the future | 1/5/2008 |
Q: I'm 19 years old. I want to be assigned to an occupation to make a movie in the future. Therefore ...
A: Movie making is not just one occupation, it is hundreds of occupations. You must first decide what ...
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| Carbon fibre boom for photography | 12/27/2007 |
Q: I am trying to locate a manufacturer of a carbon fibre boom arm or a photography rig for automotive ...
A: Well, Ray, most of the mounts I've seen are black anodized aluminum, and most don't actually mount ...
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| Colourized Version | 12/24/2007 |
Q: I've just watched the colourized version of the greatest Christmas film ever, "Scrooge" 1951. The ...
A: Well, Mark, the film was shot in black & white and the version that you watched was a computer ...
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| movies,film and stage | 12/19/2007 |
Q: what is the name of the object that a person closes together right when a director shouts "action !"
A: Good question Adam. That's the slate. Actually, it has many names including, sticks, marker, ...
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| film/video | 9/28/2007 |
Q: I see a new credit at the end of films/videos--Avid DS Artist. What is an Avid DS Artist and what ...
A: Well Sheila, Avid is a software company that developed the first digital editorial system, replacing ...
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| Filming red objects on the set | 7/31/2007 |
Q: just got through working in the art dept on a low budget feature and we were asked to avoid red in ...
A: Well, Richard, somebody may be being overly-cautious. Obviously, there are lots of red things in the ...
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| TV mystery | 6/2/2007 |
Q: Mr. Bushman, I hope you can solve this mystery for me. Why is it that some brief shots in classic ...
A: Wow Jane, you are a very astute observer! Those shots are "opticals" or "dupes". That means that ...
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| Editing Software | 4/20/2007 |
Q: I am having trouble decided between two schools for video production. The only big difference ...
A: Avid is the only system that you hear much about around Hollywood. I'd say that it's about 20:1. I ...
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| Fitting a music score into the film... | 4/15/2007 |
Q: I've always wondered how a film is put together.. what comes first the scenes or the score? i.e. ...
A: All the sound stuff happens after the picture is finalized, Howard. Originally an orchestra was ...
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| education | 2/3/2007 |
Q: Hey Mr. Bushman, my dream job is to just shoot and edit short videos all day, shoots some pictures, ...
A: Well, Robert, it seems to me that since you "like it all" you have a major focus issue to deal with. ...
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| 35mm film | 1/30/2007 |
Q: If movie films can be made on 35mm film, and still pictures are taken on the same size film ... how ...
A: Excellent question, Lena! Two answers; persistence of vision and point of view. Actually the ...
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| black blip | 1/30/2007 |
Q: What is the the black oval blip that often appears in the top right corner of films called? Why ...
A: Good question, May. It's called a "changeover cue". In older theaters there are always two ...
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| 16mm emulsion | 1/24/2007 |
Q: I am dabbling in film with an antique 16mm cine camera. Sadly, Kodak no longer make double ...
A: Accurately slitting and perforating requires highly specialized equipment. With the proper slitters ...
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| 16mm emulsion | 1/23/2007 |
Q: I am dabbling in film with an antique 16mm cine camera. Sadly, Kodak no longer make double ...
A: Wow, do you ever have big ideas! Sure, it's possible but very difficult and expensive. Back at ...
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| GreenScreen | 12/23/2006 |
Q: I have been working with animation software recently. I would like to make a movie creating my ...
A: Your results will depend on your technique and skill, not necessarily on cost. There were animated ...
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| Matte glass credits | 12/15/2006 |
Q: I have many original matte glass credits (11X15) in clear with black lettering and black with white. ...
A: Yes, Janus, some can be VERY valuable. "Football Thrills" and "The End" might only bring a couple of ...
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| Still Photography in Movies | 12/11/2006 |
Q: Besides taking stills for marketing what else does a still photographer do on set?
A: The stills that the photographer shoots are not just for marketing but also for documentation and ...
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| Legal Issues to take note of when making videos | 11/14/2006 |
Q: I am a student who is currently trying to make his on film/video. I was wondering about what kind of ...
A: Well, Wei Ting, please don't take my answer as the complete legal answer, but here are a few tips. ...
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| Frame rates | 10/29/2006 |
Q: I was hoping you could help me. What different kinds of film looks can one achieve when they shoot ...
A: What you're talking about, Joe, is "overcranking" or "slow motion". Not very fancy stuff, but good ...
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| Which degree or no degree? | 10/25/2006 |
Q: I've been doing lots of research about film schools, and I am pretty confused on a few things. ...
A: Well, Chris, I've been in the business for 35 years and I have a BS Degree and nobody has ever ...
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| Unions | 10/4/2006 |
Q: I wanted to ask you about joining a union for the film industry. How do I go about finding one and ...
A: Well Joe, the way it normally works is you get a job in the industry and when you have 90 days work ...
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| Old File Titles/Credits | 7/30/2006 |
Q: I have a short question. How were film titles and credits made in the days before computers? I was ...
A: In the REALLY old days, titles were painted on large sheets of glass and just held in front of the ...
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| director with no directing | 6/30/2006 |
Q: I've always wanted to be a film director, or at least hopping to be one. Problem is, I'm not so ...
A: The storyline can come from anywhere. The writer ultimately crafts it into a screenplay but it may ...
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| Actor | 6/8/2006 |
Q: Hey man I thank you for trying to throw me some type of feedback on the subject. I live in NY, and ...
A: Trevor, there is no such thing as a "dumb dream". If it's really your passion, it can happen. You ...
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| Shooting MiniDV at dusk/sunrise | 2/17/2006 |
Q: I asked the guy at the production company if he would have a problem lighting at this time. He said ...
A: That 1K light they speak of would do very little to act as fill light except in closeups. Probably ...
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| Shooting MiniDV at dusk/sunrise | 2/10/2006 |
Q: I plan to shoot a sample music video in a couple of months. Just something I can show around to try ...
A: Well, Rico, without trying to give you an entire course on lighting let me share the basic idea. The ...
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| Can this be helped? | 1/30/2006 |
Q: Bushman, I was quite thrilled to find out you were a firefighter. Earlier in my life I ...
A: My grandfather was an actor in the silent era and I really wanted to buy a film print of one of his ...
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| Plane propellor - optical effect | 1/22/2006 |
Q: my question is about an "optical effect" which is not created, but observed. If an airplane ...
A: You are certainly right about the effect being a function of the frame rate of the camera. It's ...
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| edit decision list. | 1/16/2006 |
Q: May seem a silly question, but im sure you can help me. Im just wondering, are edit decision lists ...
A: Not such a silly question Patrick. Actually they're roughly the same thing but an edit decision list ...
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| projection | 12/18/2005 |
Q: For nostalia can you tell me how movies are now projected in the big theatres?I was a projetionist ...
A: Well Bill, you'll be happy to know that film is still the King. All movies released today are still ...
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| What Camera | 11/28/2005 |
Q: How are you I am a beginner to film-making, and i was wondering what would be the best type of ...
A: I'm assuming that you are talking about buying a Video Camera rather than a Film Camera. That is the ...
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| I'm from poorest ex-communist... | 11/23/2005 |
Q: I'm from poorest ex-communist country in Europe. I have an Idea for deaf people.Is there in US ...
A: I think what you mean is what we call "subtitled" or "close captioned for the hearing impaired". ...
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| Equipment | 10/12/2005 |
Q: I would like to set out and make a short in the near future. It is really important to me that my ...
A: Well, Rico, the difference between a feature motion picture and a home movie is mostly technique, ...
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| chroma key | 8/24/2005 |
Q: When movie producers produce a movie with a blue screen or green screen, generaly what software ...
A: Well, Ben, there are probably hundreds of different software platforms for doing blue/green screen ...
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| tric film tecnique | 7/14/2005 |
Q: In the movie The Competition, which starred Aming Erving and Richard Dryfuss, one could see entire ...
A: Guess we fooled you, David! If you look carefully, especially when Heidi performs Prokofiev's 3rd, ...
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| gamma curve and prop stuff. | 7/10/2005 |
Q: Mr. Bushman, I've been looking for a way to make my digital video look more like film since DV is ...
A: The "Film Look" is very elusive. Many have tried, but I've never seen much success. Some use ...
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| Producers | 6/30/2005 |
Q: I am confused about what exactly a producer does in the making of a movie--and what is the ...
A: Wow Jean, I'm glad somebody wonders about these things! Yes, it is confusing. An Executive Producer ...
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| Video Types | 6/21/2005 |
Q: Sorry to bother you. I have a question about videos. I hope you know the answer because, you've been ...
A: An experimental video is pretty much just like it sounds. It's like unstructured artwork. There are ...
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| Digitial cinematography vs. Traditional Filmmaking | 5/29/2005 |
Q: What are the benefits of traditional filmmaking, as opposed to digital filmmaking? I am writing a ...
A: Well Jenn, it's an interesting phenomenon at work here. Eventually, everything will be digital but ...
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| Remote Microphone | 5/20/2005 |
Q: I'm looking for some technical advice. Have you seen the cop shows where they line up suspects in ...
A: If you are looking for quality sound you need to get the mic as close to the subject as possible. ...
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| career | 5/10/2005 |
Q: What exactly is your career? What do you do?
A: Well, Taylor, I'm not too sure anymore! I'm a technical film guy. In the last 5 years the "Digital ...
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| formats | 5/2/2005 |
Q: are there any other formats besides dvd and vhs that movies come out on maybe film ?
A: Most movies in theaters are still released on 35mm film, often with 4 separate soundtrack systems. A ...
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| Getting started | 3/21/2005 |
Q: I guess my question may be hard to answer (it is more practical than technical) and it's probably ...
A: Yeah, Oren, I HAVE been asked similar questions a thousand times. In the movie business, formal ...
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| Converting home videos | 2/2/2005 |
Q: Mr. Bushman, I've just started operating a small tape conversion business and my very first client ...
A: Well, Jimmy, I'm not exactly sure of your question. Since your business is tape conversion, I think ...
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| Hi I'm Keenan I'm a Cass city... | 1/18/2005 |
Q: We are researching careers in my class. I think that I would like to make movies one day. Could you ...
A: Well Keenan, the Movie Business is very diverse so the more you learn about everything in the world, ...
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| Hello Chris, I had a questionreguarding... | 11/26/2004 |
Q: I had a questionreguarding the security of an individual in the film industry. What I mean is, is it ...
A: Well, Pat, the Movie business is huge and diverse and the rules vary from one segemet to the next. ...
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| weapon props in film | 8/24/2004 |
Q: How do filmmakers get guns in movies to shoot and move like real guns but fire no bullet and still ...
A: Good question, Greg. Things are not always as they seem. You're assuming that the gunshot sound ...
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| distance from camera | 7/26/2004 |
Q: I am doing a short film with some friends and would like to know the distance from camera to actor ...
A: Hey Rick, The distance from camera is not the important part, it's the focal length of the lens. ...
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| computer animator | 7/6/2004 |
Q: Hi Chris I am very interested in going to school for computer graphics in multimedia and I was ...
A: There's a very broad spectrum of wages in this new and changing business. About 5 years ago, if the ...
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| camera to car | 5/9/2004 |
Q: how would I attatch a camera to my car in order to keep it on there but not so tight that shot is so ...
A: The way it's normally done is a system called SteadiCam. It's a special rig that uses gyros and ...
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| Optical illusion? | 4/16/2004 |
Q: When I view commercials of moving vehicles, I notice that the wheels appear to be turning backwards. ...
A: You got it Bruce!!! Motion picture frame rate is 24 frames per second. It's sort of like a strobe ...
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| Video Editing | 4/15/2004 |
Q: Sir i saw the film "TWIN BROTHERS" of "Jackichan (HERO)yesterday. I could not understand how they ...
A: The "Double Role" trick is called "Bluescreen" or "Greenscreen". First the actor is shot in the ...
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| Titles | 3/22/2004 |
Q: What does C.S.A. stand for? I see it after the names of people in the credits? Also, what is an ...
A: It sure is a business of initials, isn't it Evan! CSA stands for "Casting Society of America" - ...
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| Coloring black and whites | 1/18/2004 |
Q: My name is Naglaa , I am recently intrested in Cinema technology , I am intrested in a very ...
A: Well, Naglaa, I think the only thing between you and your answer is what the process is actually ...
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| fstops | 6/3/2003 |
Q: i have taken a film workshop and came away from it a bit confused as to what fstops are and how they ...
A: Great question Mark! F-stops are the ratio of the focal length of the lens and the size of the ...
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| Movie Preview Production | 5/6/2003 |
Q: I would like to know what the "title" is of the person who narrates all of the previews at the ...
A: Interesting question. First of all, the “previews at the beginning of a movie” are called ...
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