Bagels and doughnuts are not the same thing. Not even close. No amount of goo spread on a bagel makes it a doughnut. It’s still a bagel, only now it’s a bagel covered in schmeer. If your crew asks for doughnuts, give them doughnuts.
(more…)If you find extension cords for sale, especially long ones, get a bunch. Use a sharpie and write your name and contact information on each one, at each end. If you can, get a weird color (I have a purple extension cord that I have never lost), but if not, definitely mark them at each end. And it’s probably the case that you can’t have too many.
(more…)Have prize drawings for extras, if you have more than half a dozen. Everybody puts their name in a hat, and at the end of the shoot, draw for prizes. Movies are good prizes. Must be present to win. Helps ’em stick around longer, too.
(more…)Don’t be afraid to get close with the camera. A movie made all out of long shots (because the Director was afraid to get close) is a movie without any emotional context whatsoever. Get in there and get some of that!
(more…)To simulate a full moon, try strapping a 1K Lowell DP, at the end of your longest tripod or C-stand to the top of a fully extended extension ladder. It worked surprisingly well for us. We were able to cut the light through apple trees, which made for even niftier shadows. Gel it if you want. Spooooooky!
(more…)If you’re going to trigger a cue with a countdown and decide to trigger it early to get a better reaction of surprise, you should be confident your actor(s) can handle the unexpected so you don’t have to reshoot the scene should they break character.
(more…)If your actors absolutely cannot act whatsoever, or freak out once the camera’s on, make a big noise about your DP turning the camera off while you run through some off-camera rehearsals. Have the DP filming this secretly (“Just pulling focus, guys — don’t mind me!”). No matter how crappy an actor might be, they can usually be themselves with some reasonably convincing skill.
(more…)If you’re stealing a shot (and we all do it), be quick, quiet, fuss-free, and the bare absolute minimum of crew. Get in, get the shot, and get out.
(more…)It’s probably the case that someone else has done it before, but don’t let that worry you. No one’s done it quite like you plan to, and for each story out there, there are a million variations.
(more…)Making movies is fun. Never forget that. Maybe some folks do it only for the money, but I doubt it. I think they still want to have fun, and making movies is fun. If you’re not having fun, you’re probably not doing it right. Don’t get me wrong — it can be hard work, but the big picture is that it should be fun. Have fun!
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