Week 4 Directing - Blocking a Scene

 

Week 4 - Film Set Rules

Film Set Etiquette is very important on set and having bad  set etiquette can go as far as getting you fired or put on someone’s blacklist. Bad etiquette is something even the most experienced person is guilty of from time to time, but it is most common with people new to film sets.
The problem is that most new, less experienced people especially ones fresh out of film school or kids that have taken online film courses have an uncontrollable desire to show you just how much they know or how good they can be at every job. What they don’t understand is that making those comments and suggestions or doing someone elses job is hurting their career more than doing them good. Soon they will be known for having bad etiquette or being a know it all.
In this blog we will talk about general onset behavior as well as behavior in real on set situations…

General Film Set Etiquette:

• Drug and alcohol use is frowned upon on set.

• Keep you mouth shut and your ears open.

• Respect the chain of command.

• Be polite, say please and thank you.

• Learn people’s names. This is a big one, camera department gets to cheat and tape the actors grid that’s on the call sheet to the camera, others aren’t so lucky.

• Be watchful and respectful of your co-workers. Just because farting is okay on the grip truck doesn’t mean its okay in front of the talent.

• Try to show up a little early. Do some networking, learn where the equipment is, read the call sheet, have a coffee. Do whatever it takes to prepare yourself for the day.

• Arrive on set prepared with the tools you need to do your job.

• At top of day report to your department head, introduce yourself and be respectful.

• When given instructions in person or over the walkie be sure to acknowledge by saying “copy” or “copy that”. Do not copy if you do not fully understand the instructions. Feel free to repeat back, ask questions or do whatever it takes to fully understand what you are being instructed to do.

• When in need of a washroom break be sure to tell your boss! In film school you might have been told to ALWAYS tell the Assistant Director as well, that is great in theory, but on larger sets the AD has so much to deal with that they really don’t need to know which tech is pooping. You are fine as long as your boss knows and someone is around to cover you. Now, that goes for lower level crew mainly, as a Cinematographer or any higher up position the AD must be told.

• Watch your boss and be aware of what is going on in your department and around you.

• Work hard, but don’t over do it. ‘Work smart, not hard’ is a goo motto to follow is a good motto to follow, but that doesn’t mean be lazy. Pace yourself, the days are long and there will be plenty of work.

• Allow others to do their jobs, don’t be a hero. Don’t chirp in about things that have nothing to do with you or your department.

• If you want to help another department ask them if they need it first. A simple “may I?” before moving a camera case or stand can save you a lot of grief later. The bigger the set the less likely you will be allowed to touch anything that doesn’t belong to your department.

• Take a call sheet at the top of the day or print one the night before. In most cases many of your questions can be answered by looking at the call sheet

• Communication. When turning on a light, flying in track, dolly or anything in general call it out. Don’t just walk on to set with a 10 foot chunk of metal, that’s how people get hurt.

• Do not just plug items into any available outlet. Never unplug anything. ALWAYS ask an Electric.

Dealing with people directly below you:

• Learn everyone’s name and be nice to them. Too many gaffers have not cared to learn my name and use it. To them I am expendable (which is true to a certain degree), but that doesn’t mean treat me that way. The nicer you are to me the harder I will work for you.

• Be patient with the less experienced and try to teach as you go. That doesn’t mean take everyone aside and teach them how to set a flag when you’re supposed to be dolly gripping. Pick and choose your moments, it’s as simple as explaining why you bagged a stand a certain way as you do it.

• Don’t be afraid to assign tasks or delegate responsibility, even if someone is working for a lower rate or for free that doesn’t mean baby them. In most cases people working for free are there for the experience and would be willing to do almost anything within reason.

• Appreciate their hard work and thank them graciously. It’s a simple as saying “great morning guys, thanks for the hard work” or “awesome work today, thanks” at the end of the day. Even covering one pitcher sometime and saying “thanks” goes a hell of a long way.

• Look out for your people! Don’t let them get taken advantage of, make sure they are being paid fairly, being well fed and getting their full lunch hours. Why? Because they deserve it, the better paid, well rested and fed they are the better they will make you look and the better you will make your boss look.

• Be assertive when you need to be. Don’t be too nice because you will be walked all over. I recently had this experience…I had hired two guys to finish up a job with me,  it was the last few days of a  four-week feature film and I was being overly nice with them. On the next job I found their work to be sloppy, slow and careless. I let them hear it and suddenly they were working well again, they were working the way they did on the first job. Later I realized that I was so nice on the first one that they thought they could get away with being lazy.

Dealing with Production:

• If you have a question or concern make sure you are bringing it to the right production team member, don’t hassle the director about something the PM should be dealing with and don’t ask the PM something that the AD’s should be dealing with.

• Know the roles of the production staff, it will get your issues dealt with more efficiently.

• When you are asked to reply to an email or phone call try to do it as soon as possible. It makes for a very stressful day if you can’t get in touch with the crew the day before a shoot starts.

• If anything strikes you as odd or concerning on the call sheet let the distributor know as soon as you receive it, don’t wait until you are on set and it might be too late.

• Keep a copy of the call sheet on you at all times, production doesn’t need to be bothered with questions that can be answered if you just read the call sheet.

• Don’t ignore the call sheet, some people think that all they need to know is what time they show up and then act surprised when there is a location move. Production doesn’t spend hours working on them for you not to read them.

Sensitive Locations:

• Respect the home owners wishes. If the home owner is around or you’ve been given instructions to not unplug something or avoid going in a certain room follow those instructions to a T.

• Be cautious with stands and lights. Tennis balls can be attached to each leg or location mats can be placed down.

• Careful when removing tape from painted walls or hardwood floors. Although you should be using 2 inch black paper tape (painter tape essentially) it can still cause some damage, so be gentle.

• Do your best to return the location to the condition it was in when you arrived. Put back any bulbs you’ve replaced etc.

• If you damage or break something tell Production ASAP. Even if it’s something tiny they can easily be doing damage control or figuring out how to repair or replace it.

In conclusion:

Just keep on going to film sets and then you will garner the experience. If you are not interested in going to film sets to help out, you should find another job or another course to do then film school.

 

Week 4 -Blocking a Scene (Directing)

When a first time Director steps on a set, blocking a scene can be one of the most frustrating and terrifying parts of their job.

 

If a director doesn’t understand the concept of blocking and staging, and they also don’t know how to speak the actor’s language, they could end up wasting valuable shooting time.
Every film shoot is divided into five parts:

1. Block – determining where the actors will be on the set and the first camera position
2. Light – time for the DOP to light the set and position the camera for the first shot
3. Rehearse – camera rehearsal of the first set-up with the actors and crew
4. Adjustments – making lighting and other adjustments
5. Shoot – shooting the first scene (then repeat the process)

Blocking a scene is simply “working out the details of an actor’s moves in relation to the camera.”
You can also think of blocking as the choreography of a dance or a ballet: all the elements on the set (actors, extras, vehicles, crew, equipment) should move in perfect harmony with each other.
Here are 5 important blocking tips:

1. Having a shot list will help you during the blocking process. The shot list is like a map: it gives you a path to your destination but you don’t always have to follow it

2. Let the actors show you what they want to do first, then, when you make a suggestion, it is based on something you have already seen

3. Where the camera is placed is determined primarily by what is important in the scene.

4. Blocking is like a puzzle: directors need to keep working at it until the whole scene works.

5. In Television and low budget films, speed is essential, story and block some scenes so that your action takes place in one direction (to avoid turning the camera around for reverses.)

Week 4- What is Directing?

The director's vision shapes the look and feel of a film. He or she is the creative force that pulls a film together, responsible for turning the words of a script into images on the screen. Actors, cinematographers, writers, and editors orbit around the director like planets around the Sun. Despite the director's pivotal role, most Hollywood movies are designed to pull you into the story without being aware of the director's hand. Many talented film directors with long lists of feature film credits are so skilled at being "invisible" that they are little known by the movie-going public.

The Director's Vision
Imagine you're being considered to direct a Hollywood film. You're handed a screenplay that has been "greenlighted" (given approval for production) by a major studio. As you read through it, you begin to imagine how it might play out on screen. You see the characters coming to life. You envision the lighting and hear the sound. You are absorbed in the world of the story until you see the script's final words: Fade Out.

When you're done reading the script, you ask yourself some key questions. What is the main idea or theme of the screenplay? What does the story say about the human condition in general? You also think about the script cinematically. How will the script translate to the visual language of the screen? Who is the audience? As the director, you must feel passionate about this soon-to-be film. Feeling connected and committed to the story will help you do your best work, and there's an enormous amount of work ahead.

If you are hired as the director of this film, you may need to help shape the script for the screen. A good script is the foundation for a good film, but even the best one may need to be developed or molded to work well on the big screen. Sometimes the producer will develop a script and then hand it over to the director. In other cases, the director may work with the writer early on to help develop a script from its infancy. Nowadays, the planning for a film is often underway before there is a script. A director or producer purchases the rights to a story and then hires a screenwriter. Whatever the route from script to screen, the director plays an important role in shaping the way the story is told.

Assembling the Cast and Crew
The people you work with, both the actors and the crew who will make things work behind the scenes, are crucial to the film's success. The right people will understand and respect your vision, work well with one another, and bring their own unique gifts to the filmmaking process. The film's producer normally hires the crew, but the director will have input into crucial hires such as lead actors.

A production designer is responsible for the believability of a film's scenery and sets. In essence, the production designer is the architect of the film, working to make your vision, as director, a reality. The production designer also works closely with the art director and set decorator, making certain all the visual details are accurate and the style and period of the film reflect your wishes.
The cinematographer, or director of photography, helps to translate your vision to film, scene by scene, planning shots and supervising camera operators. Often, cinematographers are artists with experience in painting and photography. Their job is to create and capture the images that best tell the story.

The actors you choose will bring your story to life. Your casting decisions will be based on such factors as availability and whether or not an actor is suitable for lead or ensemble acting, as well as on a healthy dose of intuition. Often a casting director or producer will help you select the cast.

Filming and Post-production
After months or even years of development, delays, and rewrites, the final script is set and the film goes into pre-production. During this phase, budgets are detailed, scenes are planned and designed, and a shooting schedule is prepared. Storyboards—visual representations of every shot—are prepared by a storyboard artist in consultation with the director, director of photography, and designer. Before a single frame is shot, the film is planned from beginning to end on paper. The final stages of pre-production include weeks of rehearsal, set construction, and location scouting.

Once shooting begins, you'll need to continue to communicate your vision of the film to the actors and crew. You'll also need to be able to improvise on the set and troubleshoot if necessary. This flexibility can make the difference between an acceptable production and an exceptional one. On average, you will be able to complete filming for about three script pages per day, or the equivalent of about three minutes of screen time.

Once the shoot is over, hundreds of thousands of feet of film need to be assembled into a coherent story. Days or weeks of shooting result in only a few minutes of screen time. In the editing room, your vision will either come to life or perish. With your guidance, the film and sound editor will complete the detailed technical work required at this stage. Your "director's cut" of the film (the one you work with the editor to create) may not be the final one the audience sees. The film's producers may decide to cut certain scenes or use a different film clip for a certain effect. Editing is a collaborative process, the final step in the difficult work of bringing your vision to life.

Your stature as a director (as well as the terms of your contract with the studio) determines how much say you have in determining what version of the film is released to the public. Occasionally, a director dislikes the final cut and decides not to be listed in the credits. If this happens, the credits list Alan Smithee as the director. Alan Smithee is not a real person, but an alias used as a substitute when a director refuses to be linked to a film.

Week 4- The Film Director

The Film Director

The position of film director is not easy to define concisely. Different film companies and directors have different ideas about exactly what the job entails. However the following duties are fairly standard:

• Interpreting the script and making it into a film. This can involve planning locations, shots, pacing, acting styles and anything else which affects the feel of the movie.
• Overseeing the cinematography and technical aspects.
• Coaching actors and directing them towards the required performances.
• Coordinating staff on set, directing the shooting timetable and ensuring that deadlines are met.

Laypeople sometimes confuse the director with the producer. This is understandable since they are both "bosses" of the film, and indeed their jobs can often overlap. The difference is that the producer is usually responsible for overseeing the entire project, including finance and budgets, hiring staff, managing logistics, etc. The director is more responsible for the creative aspects. The director is usually hired by and answerable to the producer.


How much authority is given to the director depends on many factors, most notably the director's experience and reputation. A first-time director might be given specific instructions on how the film is to be made, but an acclaimed Hollywood director is likely to be given full creative control.

As mentioned, some directors also take on certain duties of the producer. S/he may even do both jobs and be credited as producer/director. This tends to happen at both the bottom end of the budget scale (where many jobs are shared) and the top end (where some directors are given total control).
Directors may or may not be involved in the editing. In some cases there is a separate "director's cut", which means the director's version of the final edit.

Required Skills

A film director must have a comprehensive understanding of all aspects of film production, from acting to lens technology. It goes without saying that this is a senior position — if you want to be a director you will need to gain a lot of experience in other roles first.

Film directing is a vocation which, for most people, is more about creative achievement than financial reward. It is a difficult field to break into and the aspiring director should be prepared for a lot of hard work. Huge salaries are the exception rather than the rule.

Week 3 - Editing - Another Look at Match Cut

Week 3 -Match Cut on Action 2

Week 3- What is a Match Cut?

Match cuts are any cuts that emphasizes spatio-temporal continuity and it is the basis for continuity editing. When we refer to continuity editing, we are referring to editing techniques that are used to help establish a logical flow between disparate shots so as to present a smoother narrative transition that does not end up jarring or confusing the viewer. If you have not already read our post and watched our video from last week on eyeline matching, please do so as it gives a good overview of another common technique for continuity editing. A match cut is one method that directors use in editing to suggest a relationship between two different objects and to create a visual metaphor. It is a cut within a scene that makes sense spatially. 

 

This can be between two different objects, two different spaces, or two different compositions in which an object in two shots graphically match. Even within continuity editing, however, the match cut is a contrast both with cross-cutting between actions in two different locations that are occurring simultaneously, and with parallel editing, which draws parallels or contrasts between two different time-space locations. So, for example, let's say you've got a transition between a scene of your subject driving, to a long scene set inside a local pub. Before you throw your audience into the bar scene, you may want to capture and cut in some shots of the interior or exterior of the bar so that they're not left wondering where they are. Examples of the Match Cut: Match cuts aren’t new to editing and there are plenty of great examples to better illustrate this concept. 

 

Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey contains a famous example of a match cut. After an ape discovers that bones can be used as a tools and weapons, he throws one victoriously into the air. As the bone spins in the air, there is a match cut to a much more advanced weapon, which is an orbiting nuclear weapons satellite. The match cut helps draw a connection between the two objects as examples of primitive and advanced tools, and serves as a neat summary of humanity's technological advancement up to that point. Shooting for the Match Cut There are two important steps to remember when using a match cut. Create the world around your characters Film it in such a way that isn’t jarring to your viewers every time you change shots. You need to plan your shots accordingly so that they make sense within your scene, and more importantly they make sense to your audience. Shooting for the edit doesn’t start on set. If you prepare yourself in pre-production you’ll know exactly what shots you need to make your match cuts work. It’s as simple as that. If you prepare properly, when you get into your editing software, all you have to do is find the right takes, stick them in the sequence in the proper order, and your shots do all the work for you. Understanding match cuts and other editing tricks and techniques are critical to an efficient production and can make your editor (which could be yourself) happy by getting the right shots so everything fits together like a glove in the edit. Match cut can be seen in two ways, cut on object like a shape and cut on action following the object in motion. Below is a sample from the matrix on cut on action.

Week 3 -J- CUT and L- Cut explained

Week 3 - What is an L-CUT? How does it affect sound?

Editing Techniques - What is an L Cut?

Video editing is much more involved and difficult than simply arranging the video clips into a specified order. Instead you have to bring those audio and video tracks together in a way that fits the purpose you want, which is often to let the audience absolve themselves into the work without being focused on the technical choices. This means that often times the audio video blocks will not always match up perfectly as you will need to stagger them in an effort to create a flow. This does not mean that you are going to separate the audio from its source, but instead let it lead or follow in the sequence.

This video editing technique is often called an L cut. 

Using an L Cut The L cut video editing technique is a transition that is used between two clips. Simply put, this is where the audio of a previous clip extends into the video of a second, or the audio of the second occurs on the first clip before the second clip comes into the video. This does not remove the audio sync, but instead simply extends or shortens the audio as it relates to that clip. When you are editing with an L cut you may choose to have a series of video clips between two people talking.

On one clip you will have one person speaking, and the clip after it will be the second person. If you are going to use the L cut video editing technique to provide an editing transition then you may have the first person finish speaking and then provide a little bit of space afterward. Cut the audio from the first clip back to where they finished speaking and start the audio from the second clip here. Let the still space of that person sit for a little bit over that audio before letting it transition over to the video of the second clip. This does not affect the video clips themselves, but can instead simply smooth out the editing transitions between the clips and allow the audience to stay focused.

Week 3 - L - CUTS in film

Week 3 - Types of Film Edits

Week 3 - Editing -What is a montage?

By definition, a montage is "a single pictorial composition made by juxtaposing or superimposing many pictures or designs." In filmmaking, a montage is an editing technique in which shots are juxtaposed in an often fast-paced fashion that compresses time and conveys a lot of information in a relatively short period. Two Contrasting Examples The two clips below epitomize what a montage consists of. I chose these particular examples because they are from major motion pictures, and both illustrate the same topic – a trip – but in two extremely contrasting ways. The montage from 1969 Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid shows a trip from New York City to Bolivia that occurred in the beginning of the century. The second montage is from the 2002 The Rules of Attraction, which narrates a journey across many countries in Europe. The 33-year time gap between both movies is evidence of how styles change over time, especially as they tell stories that took place a hundred years apart (Butch Cassidy traveled to South American in 1901.) They used: Still pictures Sepia tone Slow-paced editing Orchestral music No dialogue They used: Video footage (digital) Fast-paced editing (quick shots, many cuts) House music Narration What to Avoid Montages cannot create strong emotions. Ergo, they are not used to make the audience feel, rather they make the audience know. Montages inform. This is so true that the message inherent to some montages could be replaced by simple text cards. However, this alternative is far less exciting and stimulating… far less cinematic. Think of Rocky (1976) and the now famous training montage. That whole sequence could be replaced by a title card reading "After weeks of training, Rocky improved his stamina and perfected his boxing skills." This short sentence essentially summarizes that 3-minute montage… but which one do you think is more cinematic? Which one would make you have goose bumps? For this reason, it is often said that characters cannot fall in love during montages. The courtship and romance would be too bland or dull. Love deserves a better treatment.

Week 3 -Cuts and Transition 101 -advance editing

Week 3 - Editing (Jump Cuts)

Sample jump cuts

Week 3 - The history of cutting film

Between 1908 and 1913, American filmmaker D. W. Griffith made over 400 movies. Over that time, he, along with his fellow Hollywood directors, developed continuity editing. Using such tools as matching eyelines – cutting so that the actors appear to be looking at each other across different shots – and the 180-degree rule – which keeps the actors from switching places on the screen – Griffith and his cohorts created a visual grammar that let audiences forget the film’s artifice and disappear into the story. By the time Griffith released his hugely influential (and hugely racist) masterwork A Birth of A Nation in 1915, the rules of continuity editing had more or less been worked out. This form of storytelling was so successful, and profitable, that it has been used for just about every Hollywood movie that has come out since. Yet just as these rules were being codified, filmmakers, mostly European, looked for other ways to tell a story. German directors like F. W. Murnau and Robert Wiene experimented with cinematic depictions of the subconscious. French filmmakers like René Clair used camera tricks and odd framing to create works of formal beauty. But it was the filmmakers in the newly formed Soviet Union that really contributed a new way of thinking about film – Soviet Montage. You can watch a video about it above. When the Bolshevik Revolution washed over the country, the number of films in the USSR dried up. One of the few movies available at VGIK, aka The Moscow Film School, was Griffith’s sprawling Intolerance. Lev Kuleshov, a young teacher there, started to take apart the movie and reorder the images. He discovered that the meaning of a scene was radically changed depending on the order of the shots. This led Kuleshov to try an experiment: he juxtaposed the image of a man with a blank expression with a bowl of soup, a young corpse in a coffin and a pretty girl. You can watch it below. Invariably, audiences praised the actor for his subtlety of performance. Of course, there was no performance. The connection between the two images was made entirely within the head of the viewer. This realization would forever be commemorated in film schools everywhere as the Kuleshov Effect. Using the French word for assemble, Kuleshov called this "montage." At the school, however, there was considerable debate over what montage exactly was. One of Kuleshov’s students, Vsevolod Pudovkin envisioned each shot as a brick, one small part that together with other small parts created a cinematic edifice. Another student, Sergei Eisenstein, proposed a far more dynamic, and revolutionary, form of montage. Eisenstein saw it “as an idea that arises from the collision of independent shots.” An intellectual well versed in theory, Eisenstein compared montage to Karl Marx’s vision of history where a thesis smashes into its antithesis and together, from that wreckage, forms its synthesis. Eisenstein’s greatest example of montage, and indeed one of the greatest examples of filmmaking ever, is the Odessa Steps scene from his masterpiece Battleship Potemkin. In it, Czarist soldiers massacre a group of protestors, mostly women and children. You can watch it below.
Battleship “Potemkin”, Odessa Steps excerpt (Sergei Eisenstein, 1925) from Soviet Film, Grinnell on Vimeo.
As you can see, it’s a powerful piece of propaganda. There is no way to come away from this movie and not feel like the Czarists are anything but murderous villains. (Nevermind that the movie is wildly inaccurate, historically speaking.) Shots of a grieving mother juxtaposed with images of bayonet wielding troops result in a surprisingly visceral feeling of injustice. In his writings, Eisenstein outlined the varying types of montage – five kinds in all. The most important, in his eyes, was intellectual montage – a method of placing images together in a way to evoke intellectual concepts. He was inspired by how Japanese and Chinese can create abstract ideas from concrete pictograms. For example, the Japanese symbol for tree is 木. One character for wall is 囗. Put the two together, 困, and you have the character for trouble, because having a tree in your wall is certainly a huge pain in the ass. You can see an example of intellectual montage in the end of the Odessa steps sequence when a stone lion seemingly rises to his feet. Eisenstein decided to push this idea to the limit with his follow up, October. The movie is deeply strange to watch now. In one famous sequence, Eisenstein compares White Russian general Alexander Kerensky to a peacock and to a cheap Napoleon figurine. It’s proved to be an interesting intellectual exercise but one that left audiences, both then and now baffled. And below is another, slightly funnier, certainly more contemporary, example of intellectual montage.

Week 3- Basic Adobe Premiere

Week 3 -Editing Terms

Film Editing Glossary
cut A visual transition created in editing in which one shot is instantaneously replaced on screen by another.
continuity editing
Editing that creates action that flows smoothly across shots and scenes without jarring visual inconsistencies. Establishes a sense of story for the viewer.


cross cutting
Cutting back and forth quickly between two or more lines of action, indicating they are happening simultaneously.
dissolve A gradual scene transition. The editor overlaps the end of one shot with the beginning of the next one.


editing The work of selecting and joining together shots to create a finished film.
errors of continuity Disruptions in the flow of a scene, such as a failure to match action or the placement of props across shots.
establishing shot A shot, normally taken from a great distance or from a "bird's eye view," that establishes where the action is about to occur.


eyeline match The matching of eyelines between two or more characters. For example, if Sam looks to the right in shot A, Jean will look to the left in shot B. This establishes a relationship of proximity and continuity.
fade A visual transition between shots or scenes that appears on screen as a brief interval with no picture. The editor fades one shot to black and then fades in the next. Often used to indicate a change in time and place.
final cut The finished edit of a film, approved by the director and the producer. This is what the audience sees.


iris Visible on screen as a circle closing down over or opening up on a shot. Seldom used in contemporary film, but common during the silent era of Hollywood films.
jump cut A cut that creates a lack of continuity by leaving out parts of the action.

matched cut A cut joining two shots whose compositional elements match, helping to establish strong continuity of action.
montage Scenes whose emotional impact and visual design are achieved through the editing together of many brief shots. The shower scene from Psycho is an example of montage editing.
rough cut The editor's first pass at assembling the shots into a film, before tightening and polishing occurs.
sequence shot A long take that extends for an entire scene or sequence. It is composed of only one shot with no editing.
shot reverse shot cuttingUsually used for conversation scenes, this technique alternates between over-the-shoulder shots showing each character speaking.

 
wipe Visible on screen as a bar travelling across the frame pushing one shot off and pulling the next shot into place. Rarely used in contemporary film, but common in films from the 1930s and 1940s.

Week 3 -Editing tech--What is a CODEC?

Codec. It is a term that sometimes strikes fear into even the most experienced of video editors.

Why? Because there are so darn many of them, and it is more often than not quite difficult to tell the difference between them. To understand those differences (or at least some of them) and which one fits your needs, it might be best to start at the beginning... with a simple definition.
Codec is really the meshing of two words: coder and decoder (co/dec). What do they do? In the simplest explanation, codecs encode and compress streams of data for storage or they decompress for playback or even editing.

A codec is usually a small piece of computer code that performs its magic whenever it's called by a piece of software, but a codec can also be a physical piece of hardware responsible for turning analog video and audio into a digital format. This happens in real time, either at the point of capture or the point of playback. The codec can also perform the reverse function, turning digital video and audio signals into an analog format. If you're not working as a broadcast engineer, however, you will most likely be using a computer codec to compress your video and audio data into a more manageable size for viewing, transfer or storage.

Types of Codecs

Now that you know what codecs do and why they're used, let's look at the variety of codecs that are out there and which ones might best fit your needs.
There are a couple of umbrellas under which to group a variety of codecs. Lossless codecs are just like they sound. They reproduce video exactly as it is without any loss in quality. Lossy codecs, however, lose varying amounts of information but reproduce the compressed material using less data space. Lossy codecs are great for compressing data that needs to be sent via e-mail or uploaded to the internet for streaming.

Transformative codecs cut up the material into manageable chunks before actually compressing it, and predictive codecs compare the data you're compressing with adjacent data and then get rid of unnecessary data in order to maximize space. Overall, these codecs all work toward the same end: putting your data into a manageable file type with as little loss of information as possible.
Many different codecs fall under these four basic codec types. The most widely recognized family of codecs is based on MPEG standards. MPEG is an acronym for Moving Picture Experts Group. This is the organization that sets and codifies the standards. There are three primary MPEG formats and a multitude of derivative types.

MPEG-1 is a data stream which reproduces with incredibly high quality. The MP3 (MPEG-1 Layer 3) standard for audio compression, developed by Fraunhofer, is an application for the MPEG-1 data stream - MPEG-1 video does not always include MP3 audio.
Almost all computers and consumer DVD players support both MPEG-1 and the MP3 digital audio encoding formats. One drawback is that MPEG-1 allows only for progressive scanning. Progressive scanning is a method of storing and displaying moving images where all of the lines of the image are drawn in sequence. This is in contrast to interlaced scanning, where all the odd lines of an image are drawn first, then all of the even lines are drawn. MP3, on the other hand, while lossy and quite small, is the standard for nearly all digital music storage devices, audio players and retail sites. The typical MP3 audio file is created at 128kbits per second, which is around 1/11th of the size of the original audio data that would be on a CD.

MPEG-2 is a very high standard and the only video compression standard used for DVD-video compliant discs. Even though new codecs have been introduced which compress at a higher quality, MPEG-2 is still the standard for DVD production, and it is also an option for Blu-ray Disc creation.
MPEG-4 handles both progressive and interlaced video. It employs better compression techniques than MPEG-2 and, like MPEG-2, it is a widely-accepted compression standard. In fact, there are a number of codecs that are derived from MPEG-4. One of them is the H.264 codec, which is another option for encoding video for Blu-ray Disc, as well as for videos found on the iTunes store. H.264 is a family of standards with great flexibility and a wide variety of applications. H.264 enables compression for high and low bit rates and both high and low video resolutions. Adjusting size allows users to use this same standard for compressing for broadcast, multimedia usage and large file storage.

WMV

Another well known codec or family of codecs is WMV, which stands for Windows Media Video. With the glut of Windows users out there, it's no wonder this codec family is so popular.
Originally designed to compress files for internet streaming, WMV was introduced as a competitor to the RealVideo compression codec. Microsoft's WMV 9 has been around for quite some time at this point, and Microsoft claims that it provides a compression ratio that is two times better than MPEG-4 and three times better than MPEG-2. WMV 9 is also the basis of the SMPTE VC-1 video compression standard, which is another format that can be used for encoding video for Blu-ray Disc.
A widely-used codec is the DV codec, which utilizes both raw video and audio data. The popular Mini DV format uses DV25, which runs at 25 megabits per second. When the video is captured to a computer running Windows, it will typically be written to an AVI file; on a Mac, it will typically be written to a QuickTime file. AVI and QuickTime are "containers". The data inside the container is pretty much the same.
So what is a container? The name says a lot. A container is kind of like the wrapping on a present. It refers to the way in which information is stored, but not necessarily how it is coded. For example, QuickTime is a container that wraps around a variety of compression codecs, like MPEG-4, k3g, skm and others.

Week 2-The Screenplay

The Screenplay 

Humans have an almost unreasonable and insatiable craving for stories. They surround us night and day, every day of the week. The stories. At home, work, school, parties, malls, diners… People are always narrating and listening to anecdotes and chronicles. It may be something as notorious as the Madoff scandal or as trivial as a mean cab driver who refused to give the right change. Regardless of their nature, relevance, or truthfulness, stories have permeated society. And we love them. Movies tell stories, so we love them as well. In filmmaking, the story is first developed in the screenplay. Every movie, short or feature, starts with a script – the blueprint for the construction of the motion picture. The screenplay furnishes the framework for every movie production; it is the basis for the decisions made from the early stages of pre-production to the final phase of post-production.  

The Process 

 Writing a screenplay is no easy task, especially for features. Those blank sheets of paper are intimidating. Characters, locations, plot, genres… The variables are one too many. Attempting to follow a current trend is usually a big mistake and a waste of time. Today’s gold is tomorrow’s trash. Plus, after you take the time to write and sell it, the producers will take from several months to a few years to actually finish the movie. By then, there will be another demand in town. If you have an original story that is remarkably executed, buyers will come sooner or later. Rule #1 is to be true to yourself. Don’t write a screenplay because you think it will sell, and you need money. Write it because you love the story and characters. Write it because you want to entertain or instruct or move an audience.  

The Rules 

Screenwriting has no hard and fast rules, not even the one mentioned above, so ignore it if you want. Writing for the screen is a subjective craft in which anything might work, but probably nothing will. William Goldman said: “Nobody knows anything.” That is the greatest truth in the business. However, in the absence of rules, we’re left with the norm – a set of guidelines that has proved valuable and efficient throughout the years of filmmaking. The main concepts to fathom are: the 3-act structure and character arc. Those two are standard in the industry, followed practically by every movie, both commercial and independent. Another nugget of knowledge is high concept, though those are much rarer to find.

Week 2 - Main Characters in a movie

Movies tell stories about people. In every script, the writer has to create one character (or a set of characters) that the audience will root for or hate. This special character is known as the main character, often referred to as the protagonist. He or she will be the character with most obstacles and normally the one with most screen time.

Creating interesting, realistic characters is an art in itself. To find the right dose of believability and novelty to mix together and form an exciting, plausible character ranks as one of the hardest tasks in screenwriting.

Decades ago, the norm demanded main characters to be good guys on the right side of the law, like James Bond or Will Kane. Nowadays, however, the writer has enormous freedom to use anti-heroes or even crooks as their main characters. Ocean’s Eleven (1960, 2001), for instance, romanticizes the criminals and turns them into the protagonists.

Scripts can be categorized by the number of main characters they present. The next section examines the most common possibilities:

One Main Character

Although most screenplays count dozens of characters, as a general rule, the story revolves around only one character. Even romances, in which the story wouldn’t exist without the significant other, have just one main character. Love Story (1970), for instance, opens with Oliver Barrett IV, alone, mourning the loss of his loved one. He is the character that faces more physical and psychological challenges throughout the movie.

In some films, the main character is quickly noticeable, such as in The Graduate (1967). Both the title of the movie and the first sequences leave no doubt that Ben Braddock (Dustin Hoffman) is the main character in that picture. He is the one returning to LA, dealing with his parents, worrying about his future, and avoiding Mrs. Robison (Anne Bancroft). The story is told from his perspective, and every scene links to him or his objectives or his problems.

In other movies, the true main character is overshadowed by secondary characters until the time comes for the protagonist to reach his intended purpose. This happens in Francis Coppola’s The Godfather (1972), which opens with a frantic pledge to Don Corleone ( Marlon Brandon), one of the heads of the Italian mafia in New York. At the movie’s very beginning, his son, Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) seems like a minor role. In fact, he is considered by other mafia families as a “civilian” disinterest in mob business. Only when Don is murdered, is Michael dragged into his dad’s affairs as a mobster.

Two Main Characters

“Buddy” movies are the ones mostly likely to contain equally important characters. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) is the classic example that tells the story of two outlaws that live, work, run, and die together. They complete each other. Whereas Sundance is deadly with guns, Butch has never shot anyone. Whereas Butch is sociable and talkative, Sundance is unfriendly and laconic. But in spite of their differences, they both share sheer pleasure in exploding train vaults.

Thelma and Louise (1991), labeled by some a modern version of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, is also another great example of a “buddy” movie with two main characters that roughly share the same amount of screen time and story relevance.

Other examples of 2-main character movies are: Lethal Weapon (1987)

Ensemble Cast

Rare movies successfully sell the illusion of having more than two main characters. Little Miss Sunshine (2006) is a great exception to the rule, and one that excels with refreshing artfulness and humor. It tells the story of a dysfunctional family forced together into the family RV as they travel to Redondo Beach for a beauty pageant. The characters are so meticulously elaborated that each one has their own arc. Unity is supplied by the RV bus that takes them to California and family ties.

Oceans 11

Week 2- The 3 act structure

The 3-act structure is a very old maxim widely adhered to in storytelling and fiction writing today. It can be found in plays, poetry, novels, comic books, short stories, video games, and the movies. It waspresent in the novels of Conan Doyle, the plays of Shakespeare, the fables of Aesop, the poetry of Aristotle, and the films of Hitchcock. It’s older than Greek dramaturgy. Hollywood and Broadway use it well. It’s irrefutable and bullet-proof, so to speak.

Though quite simple, the 3-act structure has proven to be a valuable weapon in the arsenal of any screenwriter. Yes, there are alternatives to telling a story. But the 3-act structure is a highly accepted and greatly successful method. Any alternative will cause shock and, quite possibly, disappointment.

The 3 acts are labeled as:

Act I: Setup

Act II: Confrontation 

Act III: Resolution

Act I: The Setup

The first act is where all the major characters of the story are introduced, plus the world where they live in, and the conflict that will move the story forward. In Act I, the writer has the freedom to create any setting and reality that he so wishes. It’s in the first pages of the script that he defines the reasoning and logic of the story. This early in the script, anything is possible. Act 1 ends with inciting incident or a plot point.

Inciting Incident

The inciting incident is the event the changes your character life forever and propels him to act and do something that he does not want to do. At this point the story begins in the film.

Act II: Confrontation

The second act is by far the longest, encompassing half of the movie and taking place between the first and third acts. For some screenwriters, Act II is the hardest one to squeeze out. This happens because after the initial boost of a new story, the writer is left without plot elements to introduce. The story, its characters and conflict are all established. Act 2 sees your character fight his way through obstacles to achieve his wants and goals. In the middle of act 2 is the mid point. Act 2 ends with a plot point called the climax.

Mid Point

The mid point in act 2 is not really in the middle exactly but its basically a point where your character goes through a challenge that will change him or his goals. This point we also see how far he is willing to sacrifice for the cause, the hero is on the fence and do not know what to do, the stakes get higher. This point may also change the course of the story. A decision is critical.

Act III: Resolution

The last act, Act III presents the final confrontation of the movie, followed by the dénouement. This act is usually the shortest in length because quickly after the second turning point of the script, the main character is face to face with the villain or just about. Showdown ensues and then conclusion.

Week 2 - Storytelling in film

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Week 2 - What is a Screenplay?

What is a Screenplay?

In the most basic terms, a screenplay is a 90-120 page document written in Courier 12pt font on 8 1/2" x 11" bright white three-hole punched paper. Wondering why Courier font is used? It's a timing issue. One formatted script page in Courier font equals roughly one minute of screen time. That's why the average page count of a screenplay should come in between 90 and 120 pages. Comedies tend to be on the shorter side (90 pages, or 1 ½ hours) while Dramas run longer (120 pages, or 2 hours).
A screenplay can be an original piece, or based on a true story or previously written piece, like a novel, stage play or newspaper article. At its heart, a screenplay is a blueprint for the film it will one day become. Professionals on the set including the producer, director, set designer and actors all translate the screenwriter's vision using their individual talents. Since the creation of a film is ultimately a collaborative art, the screenwriter must be aware of each person's role and as such, the script should reflect the writer's knowledge.
For example, it's crucial to remember that film is primarily a visual medium. As a screenwriter, you must show what's happening in a story, rather than tell. A 2-page inner monologue may work well for a novel, but is the kiss of death in a script. The very nature of screenwriting is based on how to show a story on a screen, and pivotal moments can be conveyed through something as simple as a look on an actor's face. Let's take a look at what a screenplay's structure looks like.

The First Page of a Screenplay

While screenplay formatting software such as Final Draft, Movie Magic Screenwriter, Movie Outline and Montage frees you from having to learn the nitty-gritty of margins and indents, it's good to have a grasp of the general spacing standards.
The top, bottom and right margins of a screenplay are 1". The left margin is 1.5". The extra half-inch of white space to the left of a script page allows for binding with brads, yet still imparts a feeling of vertical balance of the text on the page. The entire document should be single-spaced.
The very first item on the first page should be the words FADE IN:. Note: the first page is never numbered. Subsequent page numbers appear in the upper right hand corner, 0.5" from the top of the page, flush right to the margin.

Screenplay Elements

Below is a list of items (with definitions) that make up the screenplay format, along with indenting information. Again, screenplay software will automatically format all these elements, but a screenwriter must have a working knowledge of the definitions to know when to use each one.
Scene Heading
Indent: Left: 0.0" Right: 0.0" Width: 6.0"
A scene heading is a one-line description of the location and time of day of a scene, also known as a "slugline." It should always be in CAPS.
Example: EXT. WRITERS STORE - DAY reveals that the action takes place outside The Writers Store during the daytime.
Subheader
Indent: Left: 0.0" Right: 0.0" Width: 6.0"
When a new scene heading is not necessary, but some distinction needs to be made in the action, you can use a subheader. But be sure to use these sparingly, as a script full of subheaders is generally frowned upon. A good example is when there are a series of quick cuts between two locations, you would use the term INTERCUT and the scene locations.
Action
Indent: Left: 0.0" Right: 0.0" Width: 6.0"
The narrative description of the events of a scene, written in the present tense. Also less commonly known as direction, visual exposition, blackstuff, description or scene direction.
Remember - only things that can be seen and heard should be included in the action.
Character
Indent: Left: 2.0" Right: 0.0" Width: 4.0"
When a character is introduced, his name should be capitalized within the action. For example: The door opens and in walks LIAM, a thirty-something hipster with attitude to spare.
A character's name is CAPPED and always listed above his lines of dialogue. Minor characters may be listed without names, for example "TAXI DRIVER" or "CUSTOMER."
Dialogue
Indent: Left: 1.0" Right: 1.5" Width: 3.5"
Lines of speech for each character. Dialogue format is used anytime a character is heard speaking, even for off-screen and voice-overs.
Parenthetical
Indent: Left: 1.5" Right: 2.0" Width: 2.5"
A parenthetical is direction for the character, that is either attitude or action-oriented. With roots in the playwriting genre, today, parentheticals are used very rarely, and only if absolutely necessary. Why? Two reasons. First, if you need to use a parenthetical to convey what's going on with your dialogue, then it probably just needs a good re-write. Second, it's the director's job to instruct an actor on how to deliver a line, and everyone knows not to encroach on the director's turf!
Extension
Placed after the character's name, in parentheses
An abbreviated technical note placed after the character's name to indicate how the voice will be heard onscreen, for example, if the character is speaking as a voice-over, it would appear as LIAM (V.O.).
Transition
Indent: Left: 4.0" Right: 0.0" Width: 2.0"
Transitions are film editing instructions, and generally only appear in a shooting script. Transition verbiage includes:

• CUT TO:
• DISSOLVE TO:
• SMASH CUT:
• QUICK CUT:
• FADE TO:

As a spec script writer, you should avoid using a transition unless there is no other way to indicate a story element. For example, you might need to use DISSOLVE TO: to indicate that a large amount of time has passed.
Shot
Indent: Left: 0.0" Right: 0.0" Width: 6.0"
A shot tells the reader the focal point within a scene has changed. Like a transition, there's rarely a time when a spec screenwriter should insert shot directions. Once again, that's the director's job.

Examples of Shots:

• ANGLE ON --
• EXTREME CLOSE UP --
• PAN TO --
• LIAM'S POV --

Week 2 -Writing Your First Screenplay

You are a video producer, right? So why should you concern yourself with how to write a screenplay? Because a time may come when you have to get your ideas from paper to video, and you need to explain to a financial backer, crew and cast how your idea plays out.

So you've got a great idea for a video project and you want to get some people to help you do it. If it's really simple like “I want to get video of the sun coming up over that hill while the kids drop pumpkins from ladders as the tune of the 1812 Overture plays,” you can just tell someone. But if it was that simple, you wouldn't need any elaborate help. When your ideas get big, you need to write them down. When you need the help of big people, you need to write your ideas down properly.
How you present your script is the equivalent of how you would present yourself for a job interview. I am assuming this is the best you can do or be.

“Formatting, typos, proper cover page (with the title, authorship, date and contact information) all matter to me,” says Sandy King Carpenter, a Hollywood movie producer and former script supervisor whose credits include Sixteen Candles, The Outsiders, They Live, Big Trouble in Little China. “Passion goes into the idea behind the work, but discipline goes into creating it and carrying it forward. How you present your script is the equivalent of how you would present yourself for a job interview. I am assuming this is the best you can do or be.”

Formatting and Software

Nearly all script writing programs like Screenwriter and Final Draft come with templates already installed. There are a number of free applications and a number of not-free applications. As your career advances, you may switch from one to another.
Celtx (link is external) is a free screenplay writing software (the plus version is $15 and includes some extras like clip art and the ability to customize your desktop). Celtx includes a number of templates not just for screenplays, but also A/V scripts and radio plays.
Trelby (link is external) is also free software which includes not only templates but more than 200,000 names from numerous countries which can help if you're stuck for a character name.
Final Draft (link is external) is the best selling screenplay writing software – clocking in at $250, it's not cheap, but it boasts “for the last 20 years, nearly every film and TV show has been scripted with Final Draft software.” There's a free trial version as well as templates for different types of script and even special pricing for non-profit producers.
Movie Magic Screenwriter (link is external) In a similar price bracket is Movie Magic's Screenwriter, with an MSRP of $250. Happy users of Movie Magic Screenwriter include Paul Haggis, the screenwriter of Crash and Million Dollar Baby and also Jon Cassar the director and co-executive producer of many thrilling TV shows including 24.

Length, Structure and Story

Typically one page of script equals one minute of screen time – this is what people will be expecting when they read it; a 60-minute script means a one-hour show. Most dramatic movies and TV shows are based upon the three-act structure – this means that the action can be divided into three parts:

• Act 1 – The Setup
• Act 2 – The Conflict and Confrontation
• Act 3 – The Resolution

Act two will be the longest of the three parts and have the majority of your action in it. Act three might only be a few minutes long.
After years of opening thousands of envelopes and reading thousands of scripts, Carpenter talks of some of the most annoying pitfalls she's seen and warns of not properly following the story structure:
“If you are only writing a script because you have a cool scene you want to shoot, put it back in the drawer unit you have something to say that the scene will fit into because it will have no meaning without context. Three act story structure works, even if you cut it up and toss it in the air and rearrange it to do a flashback movie like Memento. You must have SOMEWHERE in your story a setup, an encounter or conflict and a resolution. Something must happen. Your characters must have an arc. Your story must have an arc. Or not...and no one will care.”

Week 1- Understanding Color Temperature (article + video)

Colour Temperature Chart

Colour temperature is a standard method of describing colours for use in a range of situations and with different equipment. Colour temperatures are normally expressed in units called kelvins (K). Note that the term degrees kelvin is often used but is not technically correct (see below).

Technically speaking...

Colour temperature means the temperature of an ideal black body radiator at which the colour of the light source and the black body are identical. (A black body is a theoretical radiator and absorber of energy at all electromagnetic wavelengths.)

Colour Temperature in Video

For video operations the relevant temperatures range from around 2,000K to 8,000K — these are common lighting conditions. In practical terms this usually means selecting lights, gels and filters which are most appropriate to the prevailing light or to create a particular colour effect. For example, a camera operator will select a "5600K filter" to use outside in the middle of a sunny day.

Terminology

• When referring to the unit kelvin, it is not capitalised unless it is the first word of a sentence. The plural is kelvins (e.g. "The light source is approximately 3200 kelvins").
• The symbol is a capital K (e.g. "The light source is approximately 3200K").
• When referring to the Kelvin scale, it is capitalised (e.g. "The Kelvin scale is named after William Thomson (1824 – 1907), also known as Lord Kelvin".

Degrees kelvin

According to the The International System of Units (SI), colour temperatures are stated in kelvins, not in degrees Kelvin. The "degrees" part of the name was made obsolete in 1967. However, the "degrees" reference has remained in common use in media industries.

 

Week 1- NX5 camera basics (External Video)

Week 1- NX5 camera basics pt.2 (external video)

Week 1- Types of Shots (external video)

Week 1- Camera Shot Sizes (article & video)

 

 

 

Shot size means how much of the scene is included in the picture, and whether it mainly shows the setting, people in the setting, or details of faces and things. It’s important to use different shot sizes in your movie. It’s a way of spelling things out, to make sure that people see exactly the things you want them to see. If you shoot everything in long shot (head to foot) people will probably miss details and expressions which would help them understand the story. Most filmmakers use standard names for shot sizes.

 

Showing the setting

Extreme long shots or wide shots mainly show the setting: if they include people, they’ll be very small. You can use these kinds of shot as establishing shots at the beginning of a film or a sequence to show where the scene is set.

Showing people in an extreme long shot can make them look lost, lonely or insignificant. (Some people use the term very long shot to refer to a wide shot where you can see people).

Introducing people

To show people in the setting, you need to get closer.

Long shots show people from head to toe. These are good for showing people together, and for showing action.

Medium long shots are closer. They’re sometimes called three-quarter shots because that’s how much of the body they include.

Mid shots (or medium shots) show people from their hips to head.

These kinds of shots are easier to use than closeups, particularly for moving subjects, but they don’t have as much impact.

Using closeups

Don’t make the mistake of shooting the whole film with just mid or long shots: take the time and trouble to use closeups as well. This will give it more impact and help your viewers to understand the story.

Closeups let us see expressions and emotions. There are several kinds of closeup, and as you move closer they get more intense.

A medium closeup shows the head and shoulders. It’s fairly loose, so the subject can move a bit. This is a good shot for presentations to camera.

A standard closeup shows the head and maybe a bit of the shoulders.

You can use a big closeup – which just shows the main features of somebody’s face – to show a strong emotion like sadness, or to make somebody look scary.

You can even use extreme closeups, which just show part of somebody’s face like the eyes or the mouth.

For an emotional scene, try starting with fairly loose framing (maybe mid shots) and then use bigger and bigger closeups to build up the intensity.

You can also use closeups of things, to show patterns and details.

An insert is a kind of closeup that shows something important that viewers might miss. So if you show a mid shot of somebody holding an object or reading a note, you would follow it with a closeup insert that shows what they’re holding or reading.

When you film closeups, you need to be very careful about how you frame your shots, and you usually need to keep the camera as still as possible.