Thursday, February 26, 2009
What topics would you like to see covered in future seminars?
I'm not getting a lot of feedback from the blog! If we offer future seminars, what topics would you like to have covered? Please use the comments to offer suggestions. We want our seminars to be meaningful for you.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Production Tips
When beginning to shoot your video, remember to use 3-point lighting as a minimum. Key light, fill light and back light. The camera can't see the subtle differences in light and shadow that the human eye can.
One thing that we didn't talk about in class is composition. If you can think of the video frame being superimposed with at tic-tac-toe grid, at each point where the lines cross are points where the center of interest should be placed. Always leave room for the actors to have a place to go in the frame. It's kind of like leading the actor. Don't let your subjects "push the edge of the frame."Avoid putting the center of interest of the image in the center of the frame. Watch good movies and television and see how the images are framed and use them as a guide for your own images.
The number one principle of film production is to use a good camera support such as a tripod. Avoid hand-held shots, they are annoying to your audience!
While we're not grading sound quality for this first attempt, do remember that sound is an important part of production. If you can, use a microphone that is closer to the talent so you pickup the dialog rather than all the room ambiance. As demonstrated in class, you can use a fishpole with a shotgun mic, a lapel mic that is hidden under the talent's clothing, or plant a microphone close to the talent and hidden in the set decoration.
I wish you success in your production efforts. Be sure to ask questions here if Brandon or I can help.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Noise Cancelling Headphones
Here is the link for the noise cancelling headphones I told you about.
Noise Cancelling Headphones
I bought a pair last week for $28.97 and they're amazing. They really work. They can be used for monitoring your sound while videotaping, or with your Ipod. I can't wait to try them on an airliner!
Noise Cancelling Headphones
I bought a pair last week for $28.97 and they're amazing. They really work. They can be used for monitoring your sound while videotaping, or with your Ipod. I can't wait to try them on an airliner!
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Film Budgeting
I promised at the second workshop, that I would post a sample budget template that I created. The file is in MS Excel format. If you download it, open in Excel. Each individual department is listed, so if you go through line by line, you can fill in each appropriate line. The front page summary will automatically fill in as you fill in each department. There are several sheets, so be careful and check out each sheet.
Budget Template
Budget Template
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Session 3: Acting
Here's the next session, taught by TJ Johnson, on acting. We seem to have lost just a bit of the presentation at the end, covering TJ's clip from Pirates of the Carribean -- our apologies for that. Everything else is intact!Friday, January 30, 2009
Model Releases
During the last session, a question was asked about getting model releases. I answered that you should always get model releases. There was discussion about us being a church. As I said then and will continue to say, for your principle actors and supporting actors, have them sign a model release. Brandon will post a link to two generic model releases, on for adults and one for minors. If you are going to use actors under the age of 18, Please, have the parents sign a model release!
The reason behind use of model releases. This is a legal question and the courts have held that a person has a right to privacy and that there is an expectation that one's image won't be used without permission. There is a fair body of case law supporting "unauthorized" use of someone's image. Don't put yourself in a position of liability by having one or more of your actors changing their mind and claiming that use of their image is unauthorized.
Minor Release:
Adult Release:
The reason behind use of model releases. This is a legal question and the courts have held that a person has a right to privacy and that there is an expectation that one's image won't be used without permission. There is a fair body of case law supporting "unauthorized" use of someone's image. Don't put yourself in a position of liability by having one or more of your actors changing their mind and claiming that use of their image is unauthorized.
Minor Release:
Adult Release:
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Storyboard to film comparison
Here is the video that I showed this morning, a comparison between storyboards and the finished film of a project I produced this last week.
www.hall-e-woode.com/vinearts/storyboards.wmv
www.hall-e-woode.com/vinearts/storyboards.wmv
Character Sketch Example
Ken was having trouble getting a character sketch example uploaded, so here it is:
www.hall-e-woode.com/vinearts/mcdonald.pdf
www.hall-e-woode.com/vinearts/mcdonald.pdf
Session 2 - Pre-Production
Well, we had another successful session, this time covering the aspects of pre-production.
Remember, your homework this time through is to take your scripts through the pre-production process. Prepare for your shoot. Get things in order. Start thinking about casting. And invite your friends and family to come to the next session, on acting and directing, in two weeks. Cost is $7 for the food (for those who are just wanting to come to the acting session, if you're coming to all of the sessions, don't worry about it, you've already paid), and will feature an actor that I work regularly with, TJ Johnson.
Be sure not to miss the next session, as TJ and I will be discussing the aspect of acting, and directing an actor.
Also, remember to be thinking about a name for this film community. We will christen the community at the conclusion of the workshop, so you still have a few weeks to submit an idea.
The video, along with a few other resources, will be up next week.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Creating a Story Development Notebook.
When I'm working on a script or story, I create a three-ring binder with dividers for my list of characters, my character sketches, the step outline, the synopsis, the treatment, the script, and sections for each version of the script.
The List of Characters:
I try to come up with names for each of my characters (and a few extras) and what roll they will play in the story. Character names often have a way of helping to define the character and, for me, makes writing the character sketches easier.
Character Sketches:
The more I write, the more helpful I find writing character sketches are. Earlier, I spoke about "being the god of your story's universe." The more you know about your characters the better you can write and the better they will respond to the stimuli of your story. So what makes a character sketch? Here is some help:
1. Where does your character live?
Michael Adams ("Anniversaries in the Blood"), the novelist and writing professor, believes that setting is the most important element of any story. It's definitely true that character, if not story, in many ways grows out of a sense of place. What country does your character live in? What region? Does he live alone or with a family? In a trailer park or an estate? How did he end up living there? How does he feel about it?
2. Where is your character from?
In a similar vein, where did your character's life begin? Did she grow up running around the woods in a small Southern town, or learning to conjugate Latin verbs in a London boarding school? Obviously this influences things like the kinds of people your character knows, the words she uses to communicate with them, and the way she feels about a host of things in her external world.
3. How old is your character?
Though this might seem like an obvious question, it's important to make a clear decision about this before you begin writing -- otherwise, it's impossible to get the details right. For instance, would your character have a cell phone, a land line, or both? Does your character drink martinis or cheap beer? Still get money from his parents, or worry about what will happen to his parents as they get old?
4. What is your character called?
Would a rose by any other name smell as sweet? According to novelist Elinor Lipman, absolutely not: "Names have subtext and identity. If your main characters are Kaplans, you've got yourself a Jewish novel, and if your hero is Smedley Winthrop III, you've given him a trust fund. Nomenclature done right contributes to characterization." Your character's name provides a lot of information -- not only about ethnicity -- but about your character's age, background, and social class.
5. What does your character look like?
Is your character tall enough to see over the heads of a crowd at a bar or to notice the dust on the top of his girlfriend's refrigerator? Does she deal with weight issues and avoid looking at herself in the mirror? Though you need not have a crystal clear picture of your character in mind, physical details help your readers believe in the character, and help you imagine how your character moves through the world.
6. What kind of childhood did he or she have?
As with real people, many things about your character's personality will be determined by his background. Did his parents have a good marriage? Was she raised by a single mom? How your character interacts with other people -- whether he's defensive or confident, stable or rootless -- may be influenced by his past.
7. What does your character do for a living?
As with all of these questions, how much information you need depends in some part on the plot, but you'll need some idea of how your character makes money. A dancer will look at the world very differently from an accountant, for instance, and a construction worker will use very different language from either one. How they feel about a host of issues, from money to family, will be in some part dependent on their choice of careers.
8. How does your character deal with conflict and change?
Most stories involve some element of conflict and change -- they're part of what makes a story a story. Is your character passive or active? If someone confronts her, does she change the subject, head for the minibar, stalk off, or do a deep-breathing exercise? When someone insults him, is he more likely to take it, come up with a retort, or excuse himself to find someone else to talk to?
9. Who else is in your character's life?
Relationships -- how people interact with others -- reveal character. They're also excuses for dialogue, which break up exposition, offering another way of providing necessary information. Think about who will best help you convey this information, and what kinds of people would realistically be in your character's world in the first place.
10. What is your character's goal or motivation in this story or scene?
In longer stories or novels, you will have to ask this question repeatedly. Many of your character's actions will result from the intersection of what she's trying to achieve and her personality, which is composed of everything you've invented in answering the above questions. When in doubt about how your character should behave, ask yourself what your character wants from the situation, and think about the answers you've given to all of the above.
Answer these questions and you will be well on your way to understanding your character and how he will react when put under pressure.
I'll talk more about the step outline, synopsis and treatment in future posts.
Happy writing!
The List of Characters:
I try to come up with names for each of my characters (and a few extras) and what roll they will play in the story. Character names often have a way of helping to define the character and, for me, makes writing the character sketches easier.
Character Sketches:
The more I write, the more helpful I find writing character sketches are. Earlier, I spoke about "being the god of your story's universe." The more you know about your characters the better you can write and the better they will respond to the stimuli of your story. So what makes a character sketch? Here is some help:
1. Where does your character live?
Michael Adams ("Anniversaries in the Blood"), the novelist and writing professor, believes that setting is the most important element of any story. It's definitely true that character, if not story, in many ways grows out of a sense of place. What country does your character live in? What region? Does he live alone or with a family? In a trailer park or an estate? How did he end up living there? How does he feel about it?
2. Where is your character from?
In a similar vein, where did your character's life begin? Did she grow up running around the woods in a small Southern town, or learning to conjugate Latin verbs in a London boarding school? Obviously this influences things like the kinds of people your character knows, the words she uses to communicate with them, and the way she feels about a host of things in her external world.
3. How old is your character?
Though this might seem like an obvious question, it's important to make a clear decision about this before you begin writing -- otherwise, it's impossible to get the details right. For instance, would your character have a cell phone, a land line, or both? Does your character drink martinis or cheap beer? Still get money from his parents, or worry about what will happen to his parents as they get old?
4. What is your character called?
Would a rose by any other name smell as sweet? According to novelist Elinor Lipman, absolutely not: "Names have subtext and identity. If your main characters are Kaplans, you've got yourself a Jewish novel, and if your hero is Smedley Winthrop III, you've given him a trust fund. Nomenclature done right contributes to characterization." Your character's name provides a lot of information -- not only about ethnicity -- but about your character's age, background, and social class.
5. What does your character look like?
Is your character tall enough to see over the heads of a crowd at a bar or to notice the dust on the top of his girlfriend's refrigerator? Does she deal with weight issues and avoid looking at herself in the mirror? Though you need not have a crystal clear picture of your character in mind, physical details help your readers believe in the character, and help you imagine how your character moves through the world.
6. What kind of childhood did he or she have?
As with real people, many things about your character's personality will be determined by his background. Did his parents have a good marriage? Was she raised by a single mom? How your character interacts with other people -- whether he's defensive or confident, stable or rootless -- may be influenced by his past.
7. What does your character do for a living?
As with all of these questions, how much information you need depends in some part on the plot, but you'll need some idea of how your character makes money. A dancer will look at the world very differently from an accountant, for instance, and a construction worker will use very different language from either one. How they feel about a host of issues, from money to family, will be in some part dependent on their choice of careers.
8. How does your character deal with conflict and change?
Most stories involve some element of conflict and change -- they're part of what makes a story a story. Is your character passive or active? If someone confronts her, does she change the subject, head for the minibar, stalk off, or do a deep-breathing exercise? When someone insults him, is he more likely to take it, come up with a retort, or excuse himself to find someone else to talk to?
9. Who else is in your character's life?
Relationships -- how people interact with others -- reveal character. They're also excuses for dialogue, which break up exposition, offering another way of providing necessary information. Think about who will best help you convey this information, and what kinds of people would realistically be in your character's world in the first place.
10. What is your character's goal or motivation in this story or scene?
In longer stories or novels, you will have to ask this question repeatedly. Many of your character's actions will result from the intersection of what she's trying to achieve and her personality, which is composed of everything you've invented in answering the above questions. When in doubt about how your character should behave, ask yourself what your character wants from the situation, and think about the answers you've given to all of the above.
Answer these questions and you will be well on your way to understanding your character and how he will react when put under pressure.
I'll talk more about the step outline, synopsis and treatment in future posts.
Happy writing!
Antagonism
The principle of antagonism: A protagonist and his story can only be as intellectually fascinating and emotionally compelling as the forces of antagonism make them. Robert McKee in "Story."
The antagonist is the force that comes against the protagonist and tries to stop what the protagonist is doing or trying to do. In characterization, the obstacles that the protagonist has to overcome help to expose the true character of the protagonist. Human nature is mostly conservative. We're all prone to "doing it the easy way." Providing conflict through antagonism adds depth to a story. The more powerful the forces of antagonism opposing the character, the more completely realized the story and character must become. Pouring energy into the negative side of the story won't just bring the protagonist and other characters to full realization, but also take the story to a powerful and fulfilling climax.
Antagonism doesn't necessarily have to be a character. There are many other sources of antagonistic power to befall your protagonist.
Experiment with forces of antagonism in your story. Remember to make it probable and believable.
The antagonist is the force that comes against the protagonist and tries to stop what the protagonist is doing or trying to do. In characterization, the obstacles that the protagonist has to overcome help to expose the true character of the protagonist. Human nature is mostly conservative. We're all prone to "doing it the easy way." Providing conflict through antagonism adds depth to a story. The more powerful the forces of antagonism opposing the character, the more completely realized the story and character must become. Pouring energy into the negative side of the story won't just bring the protagonist and other characters to full realization, but also take the story to a powerful and fulfilling climax.
Antagonism doesn't necessarily have to be a character. There are many other sources of antagonistic power to befall your protagonist.
Experiment with forces of antagonism in your story. Remember to make it probable and believable.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Robert McKee's Common Script Report
The question was asked in class and went unanswered, about rejection notices. Here is the quote I was going to share with you.
Robert McKee, author of "Story," says the following is the most common report he wrote about individual scripts, while he was employed as a Hollywood Story Analyst:
"Nice description, actable dialogue. Some amusing moments; some sensitive moments. All-in-all a script of well-chosen words. the story, however, sucks. The first thirty pages crawl on a fat belly of exposition; the rest never gets to their feet. The main plot, what there is of it, is riddled with convenient coincidences and weak motivation. No discernible protagonist. Unrelated tensions that could shape into subplots never do. Characters are never revealed to be more than they seem. Not a moment's insight into the inner lives of these people, or their society. It's a lifeless collection of predictable, ill-told, and cliched episodes that wander off into a pointless haze. PASS ON IT."
As I tried to impart, if you have a good story, strong characters, good conflict and a strong story arc, you won't see a story analysis such as this!
Robert McKee, author of "Story," says the following is the most common report he wrote about individual scripts, while he was employed as a Hollywood Story Analyst:
"Nice description, actable dialogue. Some amusing moments; some sensitive moments. All-in-all a script of well-chosen words. the story, however, sucks. The first thirty pages crawl on a fat belly of exposition; the rest never gets to their feet. The main plot, what there is of it, is riddled with convenient coincidences and weak motivation. No discernible protagonist. Unrelated tensions that could shape into subplots never do. Characters are never revealed to be more than they seem. Not a moment's insight into the inner lives of these people, or their society. It's a lifeless collection of predictable, ill-told, and cliched episodes that wander off into a pointless haze. PASS ON IT."
As I tried to impart, if you have a good story, strong characters, good conflict and a strong story arc, you won't see a story analysis such as this!
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Session 2 writing assignment
Filmmaking is a collaborative effort. That means we work together to produce a final product. No one person can do it alone! Please, as you start writing your story for Session 2, (January 24), don't be tempted to have one person write the script. Get together and everyone on your team contribute.
Remember, story is primary. I'm not worried about the proper format YET! If you have a good story, it will work. Trust me, it will take everyone on each team participating to generate a good story. We're only looking for a 5 to 10 minute story. Tell your story in one act, with one climax. You can put a couple of turning points in and don't forget conflict. It's the conflict that drives the story forward.
For this assignment, conflict can be interpersonal, or environmental. What keeps your protagonist from getting what he wants? You're going to have to get your protagonist up the tree on the first page or so, throw rocks at him from page 2 to 5ish, and get him down in the last page(s).
Let it flow. The more people collaborating together will stimulate your creative juices.
Remember, story is primary. I'm not worried about the proper format YET! If you have a good story, it will work. Trust me, it will take everyone on each team participating to generate a good story. We're only looking for a 5 to 10 minute story. Tell your story in one act, with one climax. You can put a couple of turning points in and don't forget conflict. It's the conflict that drives the story forward.
For this assignment, conflict can be interpersonal, or environmental. What keeps your protagonist from getting what he wants? You're going to have to get your protagonist up the tree on the first page or so, throw rocks at him from page 2 to 5ish, and get him down in the last page(s).
Let it flow. The more people collaborating together will stimulate your creative juices.
A little off-topic, but not
Hey, all, this isn't quite related to the Workshop, but I figure this would be cool for those interested in helping out.
I've got a film shoot coming up. Still working on tying down locations, but it's gonna need to be shot quick. Pastor Tri wants to do a short film for next Sunday (not this, but next) that shows the "Please Forgive James" T-shirt in action. I was hoping to get to planning this sooner, but, well, if you know this church, you know how it is.
I'm working on the script as we speak, but I already know I need a few things, and if you can help, that'd be rad.
I need a woman in her mid-20s to play Ellie, the woman who will be ministered to. My writer's imagination is picturing her as blond right now, but don't let that stop you from askin'.
I need another woman, the PFJ "superstar". Ha, not really a superstar. I'm thinkin' she's mid-30s.
I need the voice of a gruff older man, Ellie's father (we only hear him on the phone).
I need two vehicles, one for each character. They will wreck, but not really (Ellie rear-ends the other woman's car -- we'll just hear the sound of it).
An apartment with a bedroom, bathroom, small kitchen.
Grocery store willing to let us shoot in and around their property. Maybe the Boise Co-op -- I'll be calling them today as they've been very kind to me in the past.
If you're interested, hit me back and let me know. I'll most likely need to shoot this Saturday (ha, nothing like a little pressure), so get back to me soon if you want to be a part of this. If you know someone who would be good for the roles described, you know what to do (get them in touch with me).
If there's a lot of interest in the roles, I will unfortunately have to just pick who I think best fits each role, and those who aren't picked to act will be more than welcomed (in fact, pleaded with) to help out behind the scenes.
That's all I can think of right now. Gotta finish the script! Ack!
I've got a film shoot coming up. Still working on tying down locations, but it's gonna need to be shot quick. Pastor Tri wants to do a short film for next Sunday (not this, but next) that shows the "Please Forgive James" T-shirt in action. I was hoping to get to planning this sooner, but, well, if you know this church, you know how it is.
I'm working on the script as we speak, but I already know I need a few things, and if you can help, that'd be rad.
I need a woman in her mid-20s to play Ellie, the woman who will be ministered to. My writer's imagination is picturing her as blond right now, but don't let that stop you from askin'.
I need another woman, the PFJ "superstar". Ha, not really a superstar. I'm thinkin' she's mid-30s.
I need the voice of a gruff older man, Ellie's father (we only hear him on the phone).
I need two vehicles, one for each character. They will wreck, but not really (Ellie rear-ends the other woman's car -- we'll just hear the sound of it).
An apartment with a bedroom, bathroom, small kitchen.
Grocery store willing to let us shoot in and around their property. Maybe the Boise Co-op -- I'll be calling them today as they've been very kind to me in the past.
If you're interested, hit me back and let me know. I'll most likely need to shoot this Saturday (ha, nothing like a little pressure), so get back to me soon if you want to be a part of this. If you know someone who would be good for the roles described, you know what to do (get them in touch with me).
If there's a lot of interest in the roles, I will unfortunately have to just pick who I think best fits each role, and those who aren't picked to act will be more than welcomed (in fact, pleaded with) to help out behind the scenes.
That's all I can think of right now. Gotta finish the script! Ack!
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Video of first session
Okay, here's the first session. It's about two hours (unfortunately we have to edit out the film clips due to copyright issues).
www.hall-e-woode.com/vinearts/concept_to_script_web.wmv
www.hall-e-woode.com/vinearts/concept_to_script_web.wmv
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Thanks
Thanks to all who attended the first workshop of the Vine Arts Filmmakers. I hope you learned something about story and that you will continue to explore and learn the craft of story. This four-session workshop should be fun.
The first day - a success!
A big thanks to everyone who came out for our first session, Concept to Script. Ken Malgren did a great job teaching, and everyone in attendance had excellent questions. We split into four groups and the homework has begun!Remember:
The teams' homework is to (1) develop a concept and script for a short film 1-10 pages in length, and (2) submit possible names for this film community within Vineyard Boise.
Click here for the .pdf of Ken's notes. The video will be uploaded later on this week, so be sure to check back!
We'll see you in two weeks, on Saturday, January 24th, 10 AM in the Youth Garage at Vineyard Boise.
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