SPECIAL EFFECTS ON THE CHEAP

Here’s a confession. I love special effects. I think I really fell in love with effects when I was a kid and received the book Industrial Light and Magic: The Art of Special Effects by Thomas G. Smith. You all know the one: that big, black, heavy book with beautiful full color glossy pictures. In college I took a course on effects—I watchedBlade Runner, Tron, Star Wars and saw these films in a whole new light. Then, I got a chance to work with Industrial Light and Magic (ILM) on the film The Mask.

Back then, making an effects laden film was expensive (and still can be), but a lot of things have happened to help democratize the process. Enter Apple and the Macintosh computer. Their early Mac, the IIci enabled ILM to do digital mattes inexpensively for the first time on the film Die Hard 2. And things have trickled down from the high end ever since.

I like to be at the bleeding edge of technology, so even making a short film; I try to add some effects, if the story calls for it, (see my film A Family X-mas as an example). I don’t throw them in frivolously like many a Hollywood producer and director does in most films today—effects for effects sake. Remember the cardinal rule of filmmaking. It’s the story, and everything has to propel that story forward, not just propel things through the air because it looks cool.

Okay, back to SFX on the cheap. The other big innovation in low budget effects came about because of a program, originally put out by CoSa and eventually bought my Adobe, called After Effects. After Effects, uses a time base metaphor, (you key frame and animate or manipulate the various elements over time), allowing you to manipulate moving images, 3D elements, stills, graphics and EPS files, even a virtual camera and lights to create effects. You can also output as SGI files, TIFFS, QuickTime, and many other formats (DV resolution up to film rez). And with the built in 2D motion tracker (or 2d3’s Boujou program) you don’t have to use very costly motion control rigs if you plan your shots correctly.

Then there are the various plug-ins you can add to After Effects that take some of the drudgery away and allow you to concentrate on the art. I won’t get into specific plug-ins but a hop over to The Plugin Site to give you an idea of what’s out there.

So where is all this going? With the DV revolution, anyone with a camera became a filmmaker. And these tools keep getting better. When DV was first introduced with its 4:1:1 color space, it was very hard to pull a key using green screen or blue screen, but this has changed with DV Matte Pro—especially designed for pulling keys with DV footage. And now we have HD and HDV, and the prices keep dropping, as the resolution gets higher.

In the 3D world this is also becoming true as the price of the tools keep getting cheaper. Once costing upwards of $7000.00 or more, these tools can now be had for a fraction of that: Newtek’s LightWave, or Autodesk’s Maya to name two.

Okay, so I’ve laid the groundwork for what’s out there and why things are cheaper. It is the do it yourself mentality. But how do you do it yourself? The attention to the details is what is important. I don’t always mean what looks the most realistic, but what makes a shot look real?

What if I wanted to say… put Reindeer on a rooftop. Sure I could get real deer and a deer wrangler, but wouldn’t it be easier to use 3D reindeer and a compositing program? So how do you sell a shot like that? The trick is realism. Make the deer move realistically and people won’t notice if they aren’t the most detailed models. The idea is to fool them into believing they are reel I mean real. What if you have two left thumbs when it comes to 3D? Well, a quick search on the web and you can find royalty free 3D models ranging in a variety of prices and quality.

One caveat of SFX is everything must be planned well in advanced. It is not something you just say, “I’ll wing it.” If you are going to do motion tracking, you have to plan what the camera move will be or how you want to photograph the image. Something’s are better done in camera than in post—planning and preparation is paramount. On the day you’re shooting, make sure you get exact measurements of everything, from room dimensions, to camera distance from subject and height from ground. The inclination in degrees of the camera, the lens you are using as well as f-stop. Make a lighting diagram of the lighting set up is you can recreate it in your 3D program if you are adding 3D elements.

When it comes to blue/green screen work, always make a diagram of your set up (so if something goes wrong it’ll be easier to go back and reshoot). Also remember that spill can be the kiss of death when pulling a key. Spill is when light reflecting off the blue / green screen spills on to the subject being photographed and contaminates the subject with the screen’s color. Always make sure there is adequate distance between the subject and the screen. And remember the screen is never big enough. Another trick with blue screen is to put yellow gel on the backlight to help cancel or negate any spill. Yellow is a complimentary color to blue.

With blue/green screen the screen must also be very evenly lit. There shouldn’t be any variations in the lighting so make sure to measure the screen with a light meter. If there are shadows on the screen this equates to different densities of the screen color and makes for a harder key to pull.

For miniatures, try a red screen lit with black light. When you have human’s there is a pink hue to skin color, which negates the use of a red screen. But if there is no red in the model, the red screen works great. And it doesn’t matter if the blacklight spills on the subject, the camera won’t pick it up!

Which brings us to the most obvious question. When do you use blue vs. green screen? Generally, the rule of thumb is if you are photographing a subject that has blue, whether because of make-up or costume, use green screen and vice versa for green. If the subject has green on, use blue screen. Here’s the headache inducer; there are variations of each color—digital blue and green, chroma blue and green, etc. So be prepared to do some testing and some research before you shoot.

Working with SFX also comes down to proper planning and common sense. Even if you don’t storyboard a movie, you should story board the effects shots so everyone is on the same page—from the director of photography to the visual effects supervisor (if there is one). On bigger productions they go so far as to previsualize the shot using 3D programs. Sometimes this can be quite elaborate and almost finished shot not far removed from the final film. Of course most of us don’t have the budget to do this, unless you are pretty crafty in a 3D program. One trick is to A) storyboard or B) take a small video camera and try to make a makeshift model of the set and film the SFX—a poor man’s previz.

I’ve only really just scraped the surface of doing effects work on the cheap. Low cost equipment and software are the new great equalizer. But using the tools and using them well will set your work apart from others. If you have questions or comments, write in the The Filmlot and I’d be more than happy to address them in future articles.

WORKING WITH ACTORS

Making movies is a collaborative effort. This is not some epiphany I’ve had or discovered all by myself. It is an axiom that has been going on for the last 100 years or so in the history of filmmaking; unless of course, you truly make films as a one-man crew with no actors.

But if you are making or plan on making a feature or short film you have to learn to collaborate, especially if you are going to be directing actors. Actors are the one necessary evil in any production. I say this fondly of course.

So how does one go about eliciting a performance from an actor, whether a well trained and seasoned professional, or a first time novice? I learned early on that you are not allowed to hit them or prod them like cattle. As it turns out, actors tend to be rather sensitive and some actually have very good instincts. All kidding aside, if you are working with an actor, chances are they’ve done their homework and know their character inside and out. They tend to think in character so as you’re directing you may hear, “I don’t think my character would say/or do that.” Listen to them. Hear what they have to say because their instincts are kicking in. Of course you can always over rule their instincts but give them a chance. This is a collaborative medium.

So back to the question: How do you learn to work with actors? How do you get that right performance? The real secret here as I mentioned above is to listen to them. Working with actors is learning to deal with people—it’s just that these people are playing a character. If you come to set with too many preconceived ideas you will lose spontaneity in the performance. It won’t be fresh or new each take. Actors like to experiment, so let them. You can always pick what works later in the editing room. But if you let them do their thing, you might just capture some magic.

I like to rehearse my actors. This can be a simple table read before you ever get to set. It also allows you to hear the characters and to try things out. This is different from rehearsing with the crew and camera. That is a technical exercise for lighting, camera and blocking. But if you can rehearse the actors in preproduction you might be able to help the actors find the character you are looking for as well as help refine the scenes.

I like to break down the characters into archetypes or paradigms, (maternal, paternal, vindictive, etc.) and then when rehearsing the scene, give these instructions to the actors, while they are “in character.” This helps direct them in the direction you want to go and allows them to try the performance a different way. This then carries over to the set when you are shooting. If they start to go another way, you can steer them or guide them in the direction you, as the director want the performance to go.

The mood on set is also a contributing factor to performance. If you are doing comedy, it is important to keep things light. If the scene turns to drama, a jocular mood is probably not appropriate, especially if the actor is staying in character between takes. I don’t mean to say you need to have a dark cloud over the set, be refrain from loud noise or talk. It really does help the performance.

It also helps to be in tune with your actors. You should see if they are struggling or have questions. An open dialogue is always important. Actors also respond to praise. I know this might sound trite, but if you see something you like let them know, so they know they are on the right track with the performance. This is positive reinforcement and it goes along way.

The opposite side of the spectrum is the new or novice actors. Here you tend to see over performances— over acting. Or perhaps the actor is theatrically trained. They are used to making sure the person in the last row of a large auditorium gets the same nuances as the person front row center. It helps to let them rehearse. I find that if you explain to them that they are in this tiny box, the size of a 35 mm frame of film, they can learn to tone down their performance. They don’t have to over gesture. Less is truly more in cinema.

What about improvisation or improv on set? As a writer – director this can be a touchy subject. Many time there is a reason I wrote a line a of dialogue or turn of phrase a certain way. However, I am not opposed to improv if it really will improve a scene. When we are rehearsing on set the actors my stumble upon something instinctively in their character and a scene can take on a whole new meaning. If it improves the scene then we go for it, but if it changes the nuance of the script too much, I will rein it back in. There are no bad ideas out there, but as director it is your job to sift through them all.

Improv will help the actor find that inner voice of the character so it is a good rehearsal exercise, even if you never use it in the film. It allows the actor to become the character and it can be a fun game to play. Ask your actor questions and have them answer in character. It is also in an exercise such as this that you can really help the actor understand what you want out of the character, out of the performance.

I mentioned earlier that I break down the character into archetypes. It is at the rehearsal stage that we go through the script and discuss these character beats. Where are they “paternal,” “mad at the world,” “suicidal,” etc. These are the beats I want out of the performance. Once filming begins, I can hit upon those beats top help the actor stay in character throughout the scene.

An example, I put up a film on my website a film called A Family X-mas. The film is about a Mafioso played by veteran actor Robert Costanzo. When we rehearsed the scenes I kept telling Bobby that I wanted him to play the character like a spoiled little child that is used to always getting his way. I wanted to start the confrontation scene as if “Aha! I got you” no matter what transpires, he has to be on top of the cat and mouse game. Then the scene down shifts and Bobby’s character becomes the little boy, then the spoiled little boy who must get his way at any and all expense. On the receiving end is another veteran actor, John Capodice playing Santa Claus. My instructions to John were simple. “No matter what happens to you, no matter how dire, you must stay Paternal and sympathetic throughout the scene.” And I think it paid off.

Every director will have their own style of dealing with actors. I am a people person so this helps a lot. I like to collaborate and this collaboration translates to some great performances. But I never forget I am steering the ship. I don’t have to be a taskmaster. The simplest suggestion or reminder does go along way. If you are really serious about your profession as a director or filmmaker, I’d suggest taking an acting class. By learning a bit about the craft of an actor, it will help you in your craft of dealing with people.

CREATING A SUCCESSFUL SHORT FILM

I thought I'd start my blogging by reposting a series of articles I wrote for "The Filmlot."

CREATING A SUCCESSFUL SHORT FILM is the first of three. Then it's back to the regularly scheduled blogging.

What makes a successful short film? This is something I’ve been asked many times over the last couple of years as I traveled from film festival to film festival with my short films “A Family X-mas,” (19 festivals to date, domestic and international) and “Knit Wits,” (6 festivals domestic and international, and growing).

So what makes a successful short film? What makes a successful film for that matter? The answer is simple… a good story and a well crafted script. Even if the film is two minutes or two hours, you have to start with a solid blueprint— the script. If you spend the time perfecting the final draft, production can go a lot more smoothly. It is easier to edit on the page, than spend the time and money to shoot something you really don’t need. And in film production time is money. So cut it out before you shoot. I would also suggest keeping the script short. Don’t go out and make a 30 or 40-minute opus.

Try to have one or two locations at the most—don’t have a million company moves, (moving to multiple locations on a shoot day). When I did “A Family X-mas,” and “Knit Wits,”, I had one location that I managed to get for free. But the location was no accident; I designed the script around planning to shoot at one location. It just made sense logistically and economically. But of course if you have the budget, go for it.

The other thing to think about at the location is space. Do you have the room to move the camera and dolly around, plus have room for the crew to be out of the way when you are shooting? It is easier to make a space look small than to shoot in a “closet” and have any room to operate. Also, find a location that meets the requirements of the script. Don’t shoot in your dorm room for a location that calls for:

INT. PALATIAL MANSION – DAY

If you cannot get the location you want, you may want to think about editing your script to fit the locations you can get.

One thing I consider important as a filmmaker is paying attention to detail. I spent a week dressing the set for “A Family X-mas” because I wanted to be able to look anywhere in the room and be able to film in that direction. The scene is supposed to take place in a room, post Christmas party so the set is dressed accordingly—dirty plates, empty beer bottles and wine glasses, etc. I also did the same for the costumes. All the characters have appropriate attire and jewelry, even if you don’t notice it, it is there.

Don’t have a ton of characters, keep the cast small. Try and keep it simple and entertain. Remember the idea is to showcase your talent and show that you can tell a story with a beginning, middle and an end. I think where most comedy shorts fail is they forget this and make a Saturday Night Live Skit that’s a one joke wonder. And the drama shorts either spend too much time setting up the characters and forget about the story or vice versa.

With any type of film you want to have a great cast, because at the end of the day, the actors are whom your audience will identify with in some way, shape or form. So how do you get great actors? A great script. When I was casting my short “A Family X-mas,”, I really had a specific character in mind for the lead. I also wanted to get a recognizable actor, as I figured, more people will want to watch a project with actors they know or are familiar with. I got lucky when I landed veteran actors Robert Costanzo to play mob boss Johnny Guccianno and John Capodice to play Santa Claus.

As chance would have it, I saw the film “With Friends Like These” on HBO one Saturday night while I was in pre-production. The film starred Robert Costanzo, who played a character named Johnny DiMartino, fate? He was absolutely perfect, so I called the Screen Actor’s Guide (SAG) that Monday to find out who his agent was. I then called his agent and faxed over the script. That evening Robert called me and said he’d love to do the project. It turns out he loved the script and thought it would be a fun character to play. And through Robert, I got John Capodice, best friend since “Dog Day Afternoon,” because he wanted to do a project with John.

Now that the hardest part of pre-production is done— casting the film, the next most important step is getting prepared. There are so many things that can go wrong in film production, that it is almost impossible to just wing it, though sometimes you’ll find yourself doing just that, but only if you know your material cold. At this stage you have to break down the script and plan out every shot, whether you storyboard or not is up to you. I prefer not to only because it tends to lock you into a corner and possibly force your actors to do something that may not feel natural for them. I do, however, storyboard effects shots because these really do have to be locked down long before you roll a frame of film. I also make comprehensive shot lists so if I have to cut something out I know where I’m going in the scene. The shot list is almost like pre-editing on paper. It is a written description of what you will be shooting.

It is much easier to make a feature film than it is to make a short film. I know this may sound a bit odd, but it’s true. When making a feature film you usually have money—the great problem solver. When you are making a short film, you have to beg borrow and steal. Plus you may have to call in a lot of favors. This is most true when trying to get a crew together. At this stage, make a list of everyone you know and try to find “connections” to crew members you need. You might discover that a friend’s, brother’s friend’s aunt is a costume designer or your cousin knows a director of photography. Never be afraid to ask for something. The worse thing that can happen is they say no. And they can always say yes. But if you cannot get crew people to work for free, there are tech agencies that represent below the line creatives, (DP’s, Set Designers, Editors, etc.). If you have a great script and they aren’t doing anything that weekend, they might help out in exchange for new material for their reels. Again it never hurts to ask. The worst-case scenario is part of your budget goes to the crew. Another place to get crew is to approach someone who is ready to make the move upwards, say a 1st camera assistant or a camera operator who is looking to shoot, or a set decorator that wants to design. Leave no stone unturned, everyone wants to make a great film and if you give some of these people a chance, they will go the extra mile to deliver a great product.

Finally we come to your shoot date. You’ve got your cast. You have your shot list and you are ready. Don’t forget to enjoy the moment. Let the ideas flow, and listen to those around you who have more experience. There is no such thing as bad ideas. And you, as the director, ultimately decide what to shoot and what advice to do heed. Also remember to keep your cool. Most of your crew is probably working for free—they’re doing you a favor, so don’t blow a gasket or have a screaming fit. I’ve seen this happen and it isn’t pretty nor is it professional.

So what makes a great short film? Well, art is subjective. Not everyone is going to like your work. Hey it even happens to Spielberg! So just put your best effort forward. With a great script and the proper planning, we can all make great films.