The Magic of Movies

Think back to when you pitched your chase film. How close is your final product to what you envisioned? Write an in-depth reflection on what went well and what challenges you had while making it. Dig deep! How did you perform on the project? The final product was not to what I was envisioning. I feel like it could've been so much better. Silly, dumb plot. What went well was the weather. It wasn't raining, nor was it windy, it was just really cool and fresh. The complicated part was setting up the Sony EX3 the constant white balancing and checking for the exposure, and whether we needed to use an ND or Gain filter.  I performed well in this project I cooperated and helped with the pre-production and production process. 

What are three ways that television production is different than feature film production? What did you find interesting about this process? Getting a show from script to screen is a fast and furious process. Some not all crews make thirteen episodes of scripted tv in the same amount of time it takes to make a blockbuster movie. First things first in pre-production you and the writers break the story. This means you plot out the major moments of the season. After multiple drafts around 45 pages are created. I find the writing process interesting because it's somewhat different from a blockbuster movie. There are more segments created. You write in a much more collaborative environment.   

What are 3 key pieces of advice this presenter gives about the chain of command? Why is it so important? 3 keys pieces of advice the presenter gives is, expect your crew to communicate with any problems. Have your director of photography have conversation with the head audio engineer, to discuss over the scenes and what they want. Make sure other things are under control. Communicate with the screen supervisor make sure they're taking notes. Chain of Command is so important because you don't want anything to be disturbed or result in conflict. Everything must run smoothly. Time=Money.

Why is the director of photography role so important in a film? What are some of their responsibilities on a film?  A director of photography's responsibilities are reading screenplay with the director, for the look and feel of the film, they also discuss camera movement's and many possibilities of the project's look. They come to the set and set up early with the camera crew.  They discuss any special camera work and lighting that can be used. They decides the exact movements of the actors and the camera. 

Why is the producer's role so important in a film? What are some of their responsibilities on the movie crew?  Producers are at the financial practical level of the film/tv industry. They are the decision makers, producer will come up with ideas and hire the important roles. They decide on the scale of the budget, they solve potential production issues before production. They have ultimate legal responsibilities over the health of the crew. That is some of the main responsibilities of the producer.

Why are there so many different jobs on a movie crew? What is one job that you learned about in this video that you'd never heard of. Why might it seem interesting?  The Director is always yelling action and cut the director overseers the crew, and tells them what to do. There are so many different jobs on and off set. You need a team and you need so many people to put and help build your movie.  A job I've never heard about that was mentioned in the video was the unit production manager. This job is described as someone who takes care of production and regulating the costs. It's interesting to know this job because it tells me about who/what manages production costs. 

What is the role of the final edit in the post production process? How is it different from the assembly and rough cuts? First you want to consider the feedback you receive from others. Then you want to create the final edit of your film, which will make your story clearer and true, explore when and where to add transitions. You want to direct the audience's attention to what you want them to see. Get your point across deliver the final product with clear intentions and meaning. 

What is the role of the script supervisor on a film production? What are their responsibilities?  The script supervisor is also known as the continuity person. During the golden Hollywood age days they used to be called "script girls" since it was considered a woman's job. The script supervisor is consistently writing notes during the recording process and in between takes. They write down what is seen by the camera. The script supervisor watches the scenes with the director through the monitor and takes notes on how it appears and sounds. Notes are also written on which takes the director likes, and possible continuity errors. To sum it up a script supervisor is always cautiously watching the scenes, taking notes of what looks right. 

In your own words, write a paragraph on what needs to be called on set before what and explain why it is so important. Refer to the Production Process slides if needed. What you call out before action can change depending on the production or the crew. In the end the main goal is to get the entire department on the same page. Get everyone ready so there is no interruptions later on. AD calls "lock it up!",  AD calls "quiet everyone!" AD calls "roll sound!". The assistant director makes the call before rolling. It's important because everyone must be prepared when shooting.

What is the main difference between a shot vs. a setup? What is the most important thing to keep in mind when you're going to shoot a scene? A setup is a configuration of lighting, props, set dressing, and actors. Shots are the different angles and points of camera composition. For example two shot, birds eye, cowboy etc. A set of shots. Shooting in order isn't always the best idea, you want to minimize the amount of turnarounds and shoot at an efficient pace. Schedule out a day of when you want to shoot together with your crew, and film scenes that are similar that have less turnarounds. Shooting this way is a much better technique. The difference is shooting by shots is shooting scene by scene. Setup is planned out of order but more quick.

In your own words explain what coverage is. Why is it so important when you are shooting?  They showed how to be cohesive and progressive with your shots and angles. There was so many shots and angles to work with. Doing coverage helps the editor get all the footage they need to make a good edit. This helps the editor in so many ways because having extra scenes helps the editor get the perfect shot.

What is a shot list? Why is it so important? A shot list is kind of a view of the future of what your movie/project will be. It gives you an idea of every shot that you foresee being in your project. To create a shot list all you need to do is go through your video project scene by scene. As you read through it make a list of every single shot that you think should be in that scene. As you write down these shots say whether it's a close up or wide shot, etc. A shot list is important because it helps you be more organized and prepared to shoot. You take a lot less time deciding how you want a certain shot/angle to be or look like in your scene. Overall makes your job a lot easier and it's always a good idea to have a shot list prepared for yourself and your team.

Why are storyboards so important for planning your film? How does the script relate to the storyboards? Storyboards are usually done so you can visualize your film, before you shoot scenes which is so helpful to your project. It's a lot harder to forget a shot or not get coverage or a certain insert shot that you wanted to have or you just forgot. It's really good to have a visual reference on set and you know what the final product needs to look like. On your storyboard you can add notes to remind yourself on how you want the lighting, you can also say the action that's supposed to take place. The script relates to the story board because it's telling you how they want the viewers to perceive the film and what the directors vision is.

In your own words, summarize each act of the three act structure and explain what its role in the story is. Act one is the the setup and how you introduce the screenplay. Explain the dramatic premise, and dramatic situation. You're explaining your logline, synopsis, and summary. Act two is the section that involves the second act of your screenplay. This part of the act you explain the obstacles your character must overcome. Act three is the final act the climax of your story. Narrative closure is involved the characters or situation have found a resolution meaning close to the end/the end.