Question Two: How do I create a motion picture feature?
A feature these days is 84 minutes minimum. AND if your $4k feature is longer than 90 minutes, you need to go back to the editing room. A fast edit pace and snappy plot pace will get you a long ways, but that means lots of shots, which take time.
To get started, break this down into six categories:
1) what's in front of the camera -- casting, acting, locations, props, vehicles
2) the camera -- lenses, exposure, framing, angles, movement, supports, lighting, hard drives, monitors
3) what's behind the camera -- director, camera person, shoot/equipment logistics, catering, equipment upkeep, data storage, production notes
4) sound -- microphones, production sound, ADR, sound libraries, ambient layers
5) editing -- the place where you begin when answering this second question -- logging, trimming, selecting in and outs, match cuts, edls, credits, final mix, mastering, color grade, digital fx
6) scoring -- in the current feature market, you must have music either original or recordings
You will spend the most time and most of your $4k answering this question, so make yourself familiar with its component parts.
A suggestion for surviving Question Two:
Find a partner.
You will run out of money, or energy, or concern about the project multiple times (if you don't you aren't trying hard enough) so consider finding a partner who does something you don't. In my case, the least likely thing that will ever happen is that I will act on camera, so my partner was an actor. Worse case scenario I still had me, a camera, and an actor to shoot, no matter what. Fortunately for me, he also knows a lot more about film making
More things to consider from a friend who makes a lot of studio pictures:
a) It's a marathon, not a sprint, so deal with that if you want to keep control of your project all the way to the end.
b) Make sure the audience knows where your characters are.
c) If your opening doesn't grab the audience, your f***ed.
d) Begin the shooting process from the editing room.
Monday, November 30, 2015
Monday, November 23, 2015
What is Your Story? Part Four
Moving Image Storytelling
Feature projects ultimately are about moving images. At this level, if you are not planning, creating, working with, or selling, moving images you are wasting money/time you don't have. You need to be making images, not figuring out the most elegant way of conveying the emotional state of the character without saying too much, and what should she say here, at this moment? I mean . . . Forget all that.
Write the minimum you need--you are a feature film producer/director, not a writer. You will need to work on your story so you know how to record it. Even if you think you have everything you need, at this level losing locations and just-in-time dialogue writing is common, so know your story. Map it out. Map out the territory with whatever plot and character markers you want.
The result is not a screenplay, but a well-structured story via a detailed outline and character rubric. More on this later.
For today, start with what you see right in front of you, right now (beyond the screen you are reading this on--get in the world). Get present to the present. Not what would be cool to have, or cool to build, or cool to shoot in. You have access to none of that. What can you count on? I am going to repeat this phrase often: Maximize what shows up in front of the camera each day.
I knew, for example, that every April in Venice, California moisture builds in the air near the coast. As June approaches the mists become heavier and eventually we get "June Gloom"--the locals name for a thick marine layer that rolls in almost every afternoon until late July. So I knew I could shoot April through May and get the same afternoon sun for weeks. On top of that, the light was diffused by the moisture in the air. This meant I could shoot outdoors without serious over-exposure issues. Even when my highlights did flare out, the light was soft and flattering on the actors' faces. I also used a February storm and the June marine layer for contrasting looks. All three of these were very predictable, just not certain.
Start with what you see everyday--especially what you see everyday--predictability is the key. Build your story from there.
Stop reading and turn on your camera.
Feature projects ultimately are about moving images. At this level, if you are not planning, creating, working with, or selling, moving images you are wasting money/time you don't have. You need to be making images, not figuring out the most elegant way of conveying the emotional state of the character without saying too much, and what should she say here, at this moment? I mean . . . Forget all that.
Write the minimum you need--you are a feature film producer/director, not a writer. You will need to work on your story so you know how to record it. Even if you think you have everything you need, at this level losing locations and just-in-time dialogue writing is common, so know your story. Map it out. Map out the territory with whatever plot and character markers you want.
The result is not a screenplay, but a well-structured story via a detailed outline and character rubric. More on this later.
For today, start with what you see right in front of you, right now (beyond the screen you are reading this on--get in the world). Get present to the present. Not what would be cool to have, or cool to build, or cool to shoot in. You have access to none of that. What can you count on? I am going to repeat this phrase often: Maximize what shows up in front of the camera each day.
I knew, for example, that every April in Venice, California moisture builds in the air near the coast. As June approaches the mists become heavier and eventually we get "June Gloom"--the locals name for a thick marine layer that rolls in almost every afternoon until late July. So I knew I could shoot April through May and get the same afternoon sun for weeks. On top of that, the light was diffused by the moisture in the air. This meant I could shoot outdoors without serious over-exposure issues. Even when my highlights did flare out, the light was soft and flattering on the actors' faces. I also used a February storm and the June marine layer for contrasting looks. All three of these were very predictable, just not certain.
Start with what you see everyday--especially what you see everyday--predictability is the key. Build your story from there.
Stop reading and turn on your camera.
Saturday, November 21, 2015
What is Your Story? Part Three
To complete the screenplay scenarios to avoid:
2) If you have a minimal dialogue, action heavy script--
Most of the things you thought of to put in your script, like cool locations and tight dialogue, mean nothing unless you have unlimited access to those very specific props, places, and characters. At this level, many times you will not know what your location looks like until you get there.
And without a doubt you'll need to be able to come back six months later to your one of your main locations in order to shoot those two connecting shots you didn't think of and need to include for your edit to make sense. Can you be sure of that for all locations and characters in your script?
Maybe, maybe you could get away with your action script if you can visit and shoot a picture of every location you need for the entire story within the next three days. If you can't get access to every place you need just to shoot a photograph, you are setting up downstream problems for yourself. And remember action stories require lots and lots of shots. Which take time and money--two things you don't have any of to spare.
3) Most importantly, don't sit down and write a screenplay. Why? No one is going to read it or care about it if they do, and it's a lot of work. Don't bother writing scenes you will never shoot. You don't get paid until your project is sold. Can you afford six weeks to six months mulling over nouns and verbs?
A screenplay is a communication of visuals and performed words translated into written form which is then translated back into images during pre-production. All I'm suggesting is skip the translation into words step. You're still not off the hook for story development, even if you are not writing a formal screenplay.
You should already be thinking in terms of how to visualize your story. Start making an image catalog of locations you would like to use and could get access to. What sort of story begins to emerge from those images?
On Holiday, since I was directing and shooting not having a screenplay was not a disadvantage. The only people I had to communicate with was the actors and they only needed to know who they needed to be in that moment. We did write out dialogue for all the scenes where characters speak, but none of it was written until the part was cast and we knew what we were dealing with on camera.
So don't start with a script. If you have one already, if it's that good, you can sell it for good money once you make your $4k movie and get noticed. Otherwise, to make a $4k movie:
Start with an outline. Preferably, images.
2) If you have a minimal dialogue, action heavy script--
Most of the things you thought of to put in your script, like cool locations and tight dialogue, mean nothing unless you have unlimited access to those very specific props, places, and characters. At this level, many times you will not know what your location looks like until you get there.
And without a doubt you'll need to be able to come back six months later to your one of your main locations in order to shoot those two connecting shots you didn't think of and need to include for your edit to make sense. Can you be sure of that for all locations and characters in your script?
Maybe, maybe you could get away with your action script if you can visit and shoot a picture of every location you need for the entire story within the next three days. If you can't get access to every place you need just to shoot a photograph, you are setting up downstream problems for yourself. And remember action stories require lots and lots of shots. Which take time and money--two things you don't have any of to spare.
3) Most importantly, don't sit down and write a screenplay. Why? No one is going to read it or care about it if they do, and it's a lot of work. Don't bother writing scenes you will never shoot. You don't get paid until your project is sold. Can you afford six weeks to six months mulling over nouns and verbs?
A screenplay is a communication of visuals and performed words translated into written form which is then translated back into images during pre-production. All I'm suggesting is skip the translation into words step. You're still not off the hook for story development, even if you are not writing a formal screenplay.
You should already be thinking in terms of how to visualize your story. Start making an image catalog of locations you would like to use and could get access to. What sort of story begins to emerge from those images?
On Holiday, since I was directing and shooting not having a screenplay was not a disadvantage. The only people I had to communicate with was the actors and they only needed to know who they needed to be in that moment. We did write out dialogue for all the scenes where characters speak, but none of it was written until the part was cast and we knew what we were dealing with on camera.
So don't start with a script. If you have one already, if it's that good, you can sell it for good money once you make your $4k movie and get noticed. Otherwise, to make a $4k movie:
Start with an outline. Preferably, images.
Thursday, November 19, 2015
What is Your Story? Part Two (more still)
Your role in the project
You should choose early which side of the camera you want to be on, then dance with the one that brung ya for the duration. No matter how bad things get, resist the temptation to take over the other side and thus avoid a mutiny before you even finish shooting--incomplete projects do not sell.
If you choose to be in front of the camera, you can work until you give your best performance, but you cede a massive amount of creative control to the person holding the camera. How much do you trust the person behind the camera to know if you are ready to move on to the next shot? If you give a great performance, but all the shots are out of focus . . . all there is in $4k film making is what the camera records.
If you choose to be behind the camera, even if you can shoot great angles you only have available what shows up in front of your camera. Can you create a two minute scene that plays? Try it. You can never shoot too much--hard drive space is cheap. If you are going to direct and shoot--which is very likely at this level--do you shoot interesting shots?
You should choose early which side of the camera you want to be on, then dance with the one that brung ya for the duration. No matter how bad things get, resist the temptation to take over the other side and thus avoid a mutiny before you even finish shooting--incomplete projects do not sell.
If you choose to be in front of the camera, you can work until you give your best performance, but you cede a massive amount of creative control to the person holding the camera. How much do you trust the person behind the camera to know if you are ready to move on to the next shot? If you give a great performance, but all the shots are out of focus . . . all there is in $4k film making is what the camera records.
If you choose to be behind the camera, even if you can shoot great angles you only have available what shows up in front of your camera. Can you create a two minute scene that plays? Try it. You can never shoot too much--hard drive space is cheap. If you are going to direct and shoot--which is very likely at this level--do you shoot interesting shots?
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
What is Your Story? Part Two (more)
You and the camera
If you've never acted on camera, take an acting class while prepping your $4k project. I worked with a producer once who would not let me direct her project until I took an acting class. It was humiliating because I was terrible. But it forever changed how I related to actors as a director and how/what I wrote for them to say. Before you get behind a camera and start telling actors what to do you need to stand on stage in their shoes.
And if you are good on camera--if you've never directed someone else on camera, try shooting a scene between two other actors you imagine might be part of your story. Giving a good on-camera performance has little to do with eliciting a good on-camera performance out of someone else. My experience has been, the less direction you give your actors, the more natural their performance will be.
Unless you hang with an entourage of actors who will put up with your $4k production, you should shelve your dialogue heavy script, even if it all takes place one afternoon in a living room.
If you've never acted on camera, take an acting class while prepping your $4k project. I worked with a producer once who would not let me direct her project until I took an acting class. It was humiliating because I was terrible. But it forever changed how I related to actors as a director and how/what I wrote for them to say. Before you get behind a camera and start telling actors what to do you need to stand on stage in their shoes.
And if you are good on camera--if you've never directed someone else on camera, try shooting a scene between two other actors you imagine might be part of your story. Giving a good on-camera performance has little to do with eliciting a good on-camera performance out of someone else. My experience has been, the less direction you give your actors, the more natural their performance will be.
Unless you hang with an entourage of actors who will put up with your $4k production, you should shelve your dialogue heavy script, even if it all takes place one afternoon in a living room.
Tuesday, November 17, 2015
What is Your Story? Part Two
Last post I suggested you not bother writing a screenplay and/or toss your already written script. Here's the first scenario of why:
If you have written a single location dialogue heavy script--
Bad acting will kill your project. You do not have access to and/or cannot afford actors who can deliver dialogue in a convincing manner. Unless you hang with movie stars (which if you do, why do you only have $4k to spend on your feature?), unless you are part of a posse, an entourage of those few who are really good in front of a camera--this has nothing to do with theater acting--unless you are hanging with those folks, you need to focus on a story you can tell in images, not actors talking. And I don't mean using lots of long, filling-time-because-you-didn't-write-enough-story shots of actors gazing into the distance.
Delivering dialogue on camera and not looking like you're acting is really, really hard for a lot of reasons, but mainly because a camera is relentless. Some people photograph well, others don't, regardless of how stunning they may be in person. But even if you have someone who looks good on camera, what happens when they open their mouths? Can they speak naturally? Can they deliver scripted dialogue naturally?
In my experience, some actors are good at being on camera, but most are not much better than non-actors no matter how famous they are. Let me repeat: Bad acting will kill your project. But you really only need one actor to follow around. You can fill in the rest with non-actors, or semi-professionals.
If you covered yourself shooting you can edit around a modest performance. But you can't do that with your hero(ine)--the person your camera will follow the most. Find the best on-camera person you can--it may be a professional actor or it may not--the question is, can they look natural on camera? Once you identify that actor, talk them into doing the lead and find out what they are planning for the next year--no kidding. You need a lot of access to the actor you make your lead. And don't take for granted what they are bringing to the project.
If you have written a single location dialogue heavy script--
Bad acting will kill your project. You do not have access to and/or cannot afford actors who can deliver dialogue in a convincing manner. Unless you hang with movie stars (which if you do, why do you only have $4k to spend on your feature?), unless you are part of a posse, an entourage of those few who are really good in front of a camera--this has nothing to do with theater acting--unless you are hanging with those folks, you need to focus on a story you can tell in images, not actors talking. And I don't mean using lots of long, filling-time-because-you-didn't-write-enough-story shots of actors gazing into the distance.
Delivering dialogue on camera and not looking like you're acting is really, really hard for a lot of reasons, but mainly because a camera is relentless. Some people photograph well, others don't, regardless of how stunning they may be in person. But even if you have someone who looks good on camera, what happens when they open their mouths? Can they speak naturally? Can they deliver scripted dialogue naturally?
In my experience, some actors are good at being on camera, but most are not much better than non-actors no matter how famous they are. Let me repeat: Bad acting will kill your project. But you really only need one actor to follow around. You can fill in the rest with non-actors, or semi-professionals.
If you covered yourself shooting you can edit around a modest performance. But you can't do that with your hero(ine)--the person your camera will follow the most. Find the best on-camera person you can--it may be a professional actor or it may not--the question is, can they look natural on camera? Once you identify that actor, talk them into doing the lead and find out what they are planning for the next year--no kidding. You need a lot of access to the actor you make your lead. And don't take for granted what they are bringing to the project.
Sunday, November 15, 2015
What is Your Story? Part One
So a few posts on generalities of question one:
What is the story you want to tell?
At first this can be very brief--"a revenge abduction story" is where I started and built from there. But as I said, you need macro and micro answers so you'll eventually develop a detailed, structured outline of your plot--that is, your hero's actions. This plot in all its details will not be truly complete until you actually have picture lock at the end of the editing process. Start big, then drill down "What sort of revenge abduction story?", "Where does it take place?", "Who is involved?", etc.
To know how/what your characters might do in any given situation, you need a rubric, guidelines, and nothing more. If you try to define the characters too much--especially with specific locations and dialogue--your project's success will depend on factors that may or may not be in your control. Using a rubric allows you as director to make the most out of what is going on in front of your camera and make adjustments without interrupting the flow of the scene for the actor (especially important when using non-actors).
In Holiday, I developed a detailed plot outline and character rubric based on my co-producer's thoughts on the core characters and various plot points. We also wrote dialogue--on the page, on the spot, and in post. All of the dialogue was re-recorded in post because on-set sound recording will not be your friend on a $4k project. More on all this later.
What you want, in as much detail as possible, is a plot outline, and a character rubric. If you create/write anything more, you are most likely wasting your time.
What I'm saying is that if you are going to direct/produce a $4k feature do not write a screenplay. And if even/especially if your brilliant screenplay you already have is perfect--dump your screenplay. I hold a MFA in Screenwriting, so I'm allowed to say that.
However, this doesn't mean you won't need to write--quite the contrary.
First, a few thoughts on this no screenplay mandate.
What is the story you want to tell?
At first this can be very brief--"a revenge abduction story" is where I started and built from there. But as I said, you need macro and micro answers so you'll eventually develop a detailed, structured outline of your plot--that is, your hero's actions. This plot in all its details will not be truly complete until you actually have picture lock at the end of the editing process. Start big, then drill down "What sort of revenge abduction story?", "Where does it take place?", "Who is involved?", etc.
To know how/what your characters might do in any given situation, you need a rubric, guidelines, and nothing more. If you try to define the characters too much--especially with specific locations and dialogue--your project's success will depend on factors that may or may not be in your control. Using a rubric allows you as director to make the most out of what is going on in front of your camera and make adjustments without interrupting the flow of the scene for the actor (especially important when using non-actors).
In Holiday, I developed a detailed plot outline and character rubric based on my co-producer's thoughts on the core characters and various plot points. We also wrote dialogue--on the page, on the spot, and in post. All of the dialogue was re-recorded in post because on-set sound recording will not be your friend on a $4k project. More on all this later.
What you want, in as much detail as possible, is a plot outline, and a character rubric. If you create/write anything more, you are most likely wasting your time.
What I'm saying is that if you are going to direct/produce a $4k feature do not write a screenplay. And if even/especially if your brilliant screenplay you already have is perfect--dump your screenplay. I hold a MFA in Screenwriting, so I'm allowed to say that.
However, this doesn't mean you won't need to write--quite the contrary.
First, a few thoughts on this no screenplay mandate.
Friday, November 13, 2015
What is your Story? Intro (more)
What do you want to say?
I believe that instead of justice, revenge leads to the death of innocents and collateral damage. That, however, is not a particularly popular position. There is an empathetic charge we all experience watching a story of revenge as justice served up hot and vicious by someone wronged (Liam in Taken(s), Bronson in Death Wish(es), Stallone in everything . . .).
All of those franchises were built on "Revenge over a woman lost", a myth as old as the abduction of Helen. But unlike the Greek stories, our modern day revenge stories catharsis depend on clear knowledge by the end of the story of who was good and who was evil. In the Greek myth good and evil were not defined as such and thus revenge as justice often remained ambiguous.
The ambiguity of good and evil in the old Greek myth undermines the catharsis we've come to expect from modern day versions--A man's daughter is kidnapped to be sold into the sex trade forcing him to kick ass and kill with impunity until his little girl is free. Awesome.
Helen, in the Greek myth, it turns out, was either abducted and/or was a willing accomplice depending on who tells the tale. Furthermore, Helen was collateral damage herself, a prize given Paris by the goddess Athena as a bribe to ensure he picked Athena as the most beautiful goddess in Olympus.
And never mind Helen was already married to someone else (well, okay someone else purchased her from her father for more gold than anyone else could offer--this is the heritage of the institution of marriage, mind you). Truthfully, Helen's abduction was simply an excuse for the Greeks to tell the story of a glorious ten year war.
In the end (spoiler alert), the king seeking revenge tricks Helen's abductor with a ruse, a gift, a Trojan Horse, literally, as it were. Holiday is an updated version of Helen's abduction with all its ambiguity. More on that another time.
I believe that instead of justice, revenge leads to the death of innocents and collateral damage. That, however, is not a particularly popular position. There is an empathetic charge we all experience watching a story of revenge as justice served up hot and vicious by someone wronged (Liam in Taken(s), Bronson in Death Wish(es), Stallone in everything . . .).
All of those franchises were built on "Revenge over a woman lost", a myth as old as the abduction of Helen. But unlike the Greek stories, our modern day revenge stories catharsis depend on clear knowledge by the end of the story of who was good and who was evil. In the Greek myth good and evil were not defined as such and thus revenge as justice often remained ambiguous.
The ambiguity of good and evil in the old Greek myth undermines the catharsis we've come to expect from modern day versions--A man's daughter is kidnapped to be sold into the sex trade forcing him to kick ass and kill with impunity until his little girl is free. Awesome.
Helen, in the Greek myth, it turns out, was either abducted and/or was a willing accomplice depending on who tells the tale. Furthermore, Helen was collateral damage herself, a prize given Paris by the goddess Athena as a bribe to ensure he picked Athena as the most beautiful goddess in Olympus.
And never mind Helen was already married to someone else (well, okay someone else purchased her from her father for more gold than anyone else could offer--this is the heritage of the institution of marriage, mind you). Truthfully, Helen's abduction was simply an excuse for the Greeks to tell the story of a glorious ten year war.
In the end (spoiler alert), the king seeking revenge tricks Helen's abductor with a ruse, a gift, a Trojan Horse, literally, as it were. Holiday is an updated version of Helen's abduction with all its ambiguity. More on that another time.
Thursday, November 12, 2015
What is Your Story? Intro
All you need to make a movie is a guy, a girl, and a machete
I believe this, as a general rule--yes . . . that and a smartphone, laptop, and $4k, but you get the point. Gender is not relevant--I just like saying "a guy, a girl, and a machete" because it has a better rhythm than "two humans and a large knife". Bottom line: it's all about the triangulation of desire (based on either a lack or excess, doesn't really matter). If you can't make a plot out of two humans and a deadly weapon, you need to work on your story basics. Anytime two humans desire the same thing, especially something dangerous, you have the opportunity for conflict that can be dramatized.
And believe me, at this level you need as much conflict that can be visually dramatized as possible.
What kind of guy, girl, machete, story is it?
Now, although Holiday is a movie about a guy, a girl and a machete, the actual story, as I mentioned earlier, is one of revenge. With a guy a girl and a machete you could write a rom-com, a thriller, a love story, a slasher story, almost anything.
I chose revenge for reasons I'll get into later. The action is driven by the abductor, Graham, and his conflict with The Russian. The young abducted girl, Anne, and the phantasma Helen, the Tattooed Woman the men dream of, are both only collateral damage in a conflict between The Russian and Graham. Yet I use the emotional state of the abducted girl to control the style of the storytelling: at first her world is sunny and beautiful, then foggy, druggy, and frightening, then finally real, brutal, and horrifying.
The point is, there are infinite stories within any genre, so don't get caught up in the "uniqueness of your vision"--that's just annoying to everyone around you. Try working on these questions: Do you know how you want to visually tell your story? What is readily available to you? Do you know what the end result of editing those images together might be? What do you want to say?
I believe this, as a general rule--yes . . . that and a smartphone, laptop, and $4k, but you get the point. Gender is not relevant--I just like saying "a guy, a girl, and a machete" because it has a better rhythm than "two humans and a large knife". Bottom line: it's all about the triangulation of desire (based on either a lack or excess, doesn't really matter). If you can't make a plot out of two humans and a deadly weapon, you need to work on your story basics. Anytime two humans desire the same thing, especially something dangerous, you have the opportunity for conflict that can be dramatized.
And believe me, at this level you need as much conflict that can be visually dramatized as possible.
What kind of guy, girl, machete, story is it?
Now, although Holiday is a movie about a guy, a girl and a machete, the actual story, as I mentioned earlier, is one of revenge. With a guy a girl and a machete you could write a rom-com, a thriller, a love story, a slasher story, almost anything.
I chose revenge for reasons I'll get into later. The action is driven by the abductor, Graham, and his conflict with The Russian. The young abducted girl, Anne, and the phantasma Helen, the Tattooed Woman the men dream of, are both only collateral damage in a conflict between The Russian and Graham. Yet I use the emotional state of the abducted girl to control the style of the storytelling: at first her world is sunny and beautiful, then foggy, druggy, and frightening, then finally real, brutal, and horrifying.
The point is, there are infinite stories within any genre, so don't get caught up in the "uniqueness of your vision"--that's just annoying to everyone around you. Try working on these questions: Do you know how you want to visually tell your story? What is readily available to you? Do you know what the end result of editing those images together might be? What do you want to say?
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