So what?

I never realized the importance of each position on a film crew. It's no winder some of those people are a bit eccentric and crazy. Successfully completing a film must be so rewarding, but at what cost? It takes a dedicated soul to be a part of a film crew. It's not to be taken lightly. Eric's hope at the beginning of the semester was that the class will at least stay and watch the credits after a film. Mission accomplished. Each person in the credits played a vital role and shed blood, sweat and tears to make the film go through. They need to be appreciated as much as the actors are appreciated.

Post-production research

Richard Briggs

Comm 2660

Post-Production Research

The movie “Alvin and the Chipmunks” that was released in 2008 was completely dependent on compositing in order to bring the chipmunks to life.

One of the challenges the producers talked about in this brief “making of” scene, found at hulu.com, was that they needed to make the chipmunks look real, but at the same time be loyal to the looks of the chipmunks from the cartoons.

Once the look of the chipmunks was chosen, the post-production crew then worked diligently at their computers in order place the chipmunks into a live-action world that was shot previously. “The obstacles are all about creating a reality where reality doesn’t exist.” That was a quote taken from the brief documentary about the film. Jason Lee, the actor who played Dave Seville, had to rehearse with stuffed animals. Lee even joked that he preferred the stuffed animals than when actual shooting took place because in shooting all he had to look at was tape on a stump. He said he and the stuffed animals became close friends.

The majority of the film is the development of his relationship with the chipmunks, but how can you develop a relationship with something that doesn’t exist? Thus the difficulty of “Alvin and the Chipmunks” and any other hybrid movie that combines CGI and live action.

The CG crew changed the look of the chipmunks from the cartoons. In the cartoons the chipmunks look more human than chipmunk, but with the movie, the CG crew wanted the chipmunks to be actual chipmunks. So the CG crew went forward from chipmunk bodies and gave Alvin, Simon and Theodore the personalities and facial features audiences could relate to from the cartoons.

The producers made sure the CG animators got the specific details down pat from the original characters. They wanted Alvin to have strong confidence in his body language. They wanted Theodore to cower when he’s nervous and Simon to squint without his glasses. Those details were important in the development of the characters.

The challenge was to make the audience believe the chipmunks were actually in the room with Dave Seville. The CG animators pulled it off.

REFERENCES

Making a scene: Alvin and the chipmunks. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://www.hulu.com/watch/13639/making-a-scene-alvin-and-the-chipmunks

Camera Operators

Richard Briggs

Comm 2660

Paper No. 2

Camera Operators

Film crews are lined with unsung heroes, and camera operators fit right into that category. There’s no glory for shooting a scene in a movie, yet camera operators are not only responsible for the artistic look of a film, but also making sure the film is shown at all. These individuals handle expensive equipment, and must therefore be responsible.

The camera operator is like the drummer in a band. The skillset of camera operators has to be high with little praise outside the film crew. “Camera Operators perform a vital role within the camera department on feature films. They support the Director of Photography (DoP or DP), and the Director, by accurately carrying out their instructions regarding shot composition and development. The seamless ease with which the camera moves is key to the narrative flow of feature films, and is the Camera Operators' responsibility. They are usually the first people to use the camera's eye piece to assess how all the elements of performance, art direction, lighting, composition and camera movement come together to create the cinematic experience” (www.creativeskillset.org).

Camera operators are expected to know video terms, manually function all aspects of the camera, know different shots, know how to adjust the frame, “and understanding of colour temperature and how this affects white balance and filter selection,” video editing, and proper care for camera equipment (www.mediacollege.com).

The job market is versatile for camera operators. From news to film, camera operators will get opportunities to work. Much like left-handed relief pitchers in baseball, there’s always a need for camera operators in film. “There are various career possibilities that camera operators can choose from. There are news camera operators who shoot newsworthy events for various news channels. There are others who work as videographers, responsible for filming special events. Some videographers also shoot videos to be posted on the World Wide Web” (www.jobdiagnosis.com).

The artistic design of a film first needs good camera operators to make shots happen. Without good camera operators, the directors and producers of films are left with little choice in how to present their films. They need the different angles and clarity. Just like the band drummer sets up the tempo in a song, the camera operator can make or break a scene in a movie with how well he or she shot that scene.

References

http://www.creativeskillset.org/film/jobs/camera/article_4688_1.asp

http://www.mediacollege.com/employment/television/camera.html

http://www.jobdiagnosis.com/myblog/camera-operator.htm

The Screenwriter

Screenwriting­ is the foundation of all feature filmmaking. Without the script what is there? Directors, producers, and all other members of the filmmaking process can launch themselves right into work when the script is in hand.

An email conversation I had with screenwriter Brian Strasmann showed me the unique position screenwriters have. They are the only people who get to see the making of the movie from the very beginning. Their role is very intricate and precise when crafting scenes and characters, yet they must also be broad and have social skills when dealing with producers, directors and studios.

When writing the script itself, Brian said crafting the second act is the most difficult part. He said things can often fall apart in a writer’s story when writing the second act because the characters are supposed to progress and gradually change. But this isn’t the only difficulty when writing the screenplay.

“Another difficulty is trying to second guess the market. It is sometimes hard to stick to a vision when we see the market changing over the course of a summer” (Strasmann).

Brian said he’s been on both ends of the spectrum when seeing his screenplay progress through pre-production and production. He said producers, directors and executives are always trying to improve a script, but there are times when that process is hard to pin down.

“The unfortunate truth is that no one really knows why some great scripts make poor movies and why some mediocre scripts make great movies” (Strasmann).

Brian has had the opportunity to write production polishes for studios rather than writing the original screenplay as well. He said this involves daily contact with directors, producers and executives to make sure the script is adjusted slightly to meet certain needs as production goes forth.

“I have always recognized that creating a motion picture is a collaborative force and that has allowed me to create good friendships with the creative people involved” (Strasmann).

The collaboration part of filmmaking might end up being frustrating for a screenwriter. It’s the balance between money and art. Screenwriters are often caught between a rock and a hard place when developing the screenplay.

“Screenwriters have described the double-edged sword of having a project in development. On the one hand, writers want to be paid to write; on the other hand, what one ends up writing during the development process may have little relationship to the script one wanted to write. In general, if the screenwriter sold an original idea or piece of material, it is now the property of the buyer for the term specified and the writer has neither legal rights to prevent it from being changed nor control over how it will be marketed, unless that has been specifically negotiated into the contract. A writer is paid for a specific number of ‘drafts’ of the screenplay. If the buyer is dissatisfied, that person or company will hire another writer to work with the material. The goal of the new writer is not only to be paid for the work, but also to be credited for that work onscreen, which requires changes to at least 50% of the existing material for at least partial credit. Receiving credit is important to raise one’s status and pay as a writer and is sometimes considered a primary motivator once the process has begun” (Ferguson, 2009).

When I took Screenwriting from Strasmann at Dixie State College two years ago he said there are so many different ways to try and squeeze your way into screenwriting as a career. He took the route of moving to Los Angeles and building up contacts. He would go around and meet others who were trying to crack into the business as well. He attended parties, was part of a rock band, and other things until he finally was able to get somebody to look at his work. He said that’s what worked for him, but that isn’t the only way to break in.

“Many people are under the incorrect belief that one must attend film school or have a degree in creative writing to be a successful screenwriter. While in fact, most screenwriters initially started out in other disciplines whether it be an advertising executive like Lawrence Kasdan or a history teacher like Steve Faber. There are numerous creative writing courses that you can take that will help you develop your craft, but the fastest way to becoming a good writer is by writing. In writing screenplays, the simple act of writing a script from beginning to end is like taking a class” (about.com).

Screenwriting is the very essence of pre-production because without the script there is no movie. The screenwriter kicks off the creative process with the screenplay, setting the stage for the other members of the crew to explore their creative options.

References

Ferguson, B. (2009). Creativity and integrity: Marketing the “in development” screenplay. Psychology & Marketing, 26(5), 421-444.

Strasmann, B. (2012, February 15). Interview by Richard Briggs [Web Based Recording].

about.com. (n.d.). Screenwriter - screenwriting as a career. Retrieved from http://filmtvcareers.about.com/od/basics/p/CP_Screenwriter.htm