Friday Cocktail

Howdy again blog-heads,

WARNING: SOME INFORMATION BELOW USES FILM LINGO!!!

I have so much to say, but so little space and time so I will keep this one short (this installment includes B-roll reading comments and thoughts with Fridays update). Our team met this Thursday to discuss upcoming interviews, and we will be shooting next week with Dr. B and another member of the school and his family (Matt has already reserved the equipment). We also are doing some B-roll of McDaniel's Farm and the men arriving early. I shot over the break two sessions of the class for our final edit later, but couldn't get it all so we are heading back to do this next week. Also Finney Mathews emailed me and said he will be back in May, so we won't get to see that footage in class, but I plan on shooting it for the final project any way. I am learning quick that either you wait or you spend in this business, because he is such a busy man and in a foreign country that you have to wait on him or spend the money to go to him. Since I am poor right now, I choose to wait, besides I am going to India in 2008. So as for an update of what has been going on and what is going be going on I believe that's up for now.

As for the B-roll article here's what I got...
It was an okay piece the author discussed some different types of B-roll, but not all. It seemed to focus more on the MEM type, which was totally cool and I really dug that info. It actually inspired me to do make sure all my footage is quality and shoot enough and even go out and collect B-roll and make sure at any and all opportunities that require you to use your camera to make sure it is good enough to show and sell (even home videos). I agree that the B-roll is important and helps cover mistakes and I actually love showing it and plan to use it so I don't have a collection of talking heads (spooky). And taking notes and shooting the B-roll after the interview is what Shannon has been teaching too, that a lot of the time if not all the time the subject will tell you what to shoot (but you got to read between the lines as they say). BUT I disagree about one thing the writer of this article said,"Never leave a talking head without hand shots". I don't know if he means every time and all docs that have these type interviews or if he means when you need to cover a mistake or jump shot or ADR. I hate just hand shots, but that's me, if you have a talking head I don't think you have to have hands too. In any case it is a matter of taste and opinion. If I want hand gestures I will shoot a MS, but sometimes I know some people do not want this type shot of themselves, and I wouldn't. In such a case yes you could use hands or other footage. I have seen some bad docs where you could tell the person was uncomfortable with their framing (if they knew I suspect) because they start pulling at their shirt or what not. As a director of a doc we must also read body language at the same time we take notes and make quick adjustments. This is only one example, but we should always before a shoot (or at least I do) run over how I think it will go to weed out and think of all possibilities and problems that may occur. I do this afterward too even if during a break, so I can make a quick recovery. I am no expert, but I am a filmmaker and this is just my own personal tips that I do and find effective for me.

Well that was more than I had planned, but I think typing sometimes relieves my stress, so reader BEWARE.

BTW "Four Eyed Monster" was awesome and Naomi Uman came to our class and she rocked. I love filmmakers who know why they do what they do and you can feel their passion, it's like I click with this total stranger in this one tiny moment in time.

Peace,
TC