Final Course Reflection

I was wet behind the ears coming into this class. I had a basic knowledge of what makes a good shot and how to shoot it, but this class gave me so much insight to the creative and also technical side of film making. I learned how to light a scene for certain types of genres. I learned how to use multiple cameras for multiple purposes and how to use motivated movement of the camera to evoke a feeling in the audience. I learned a little more about post-production but have a long way to improve on that. I learned how important pre-production is and how lost you can be without it. Most of the lessons I have learned have come from mistakes I've made, but that's how all real lessons are learned. I learned professional terminology that will help communicate with others in the future. This class has taught me an abundance of knowledge from behind the camera work to being able to do multiple crew positions. I learned a little bit of what my style is all about and I am so glad I took this course because the amount of knowledge I acquired was equal to the amount of fun I had and that is rare for me.

A good demo reel

I think a good demo reel creates a feel for whatever mood you want to set for whatever work you are trying to get. A slow, emotional reel would be best for getting work on a dramatic tv series. Where as a fast-moving, energy filled reel would get you a job on the set of an action movie. A good reel has to include all of your best shots that are relevant to what kind of reel you are making.

What have I been learning?

The biggest part of what I've learned this year is about lighting and different cameras. I had no previous knowledge about good lighting, but now understand important concepts about lighting and how to use it to your advantage to creat the look and feel you want in your work. Working with some of the nicer, more expensive cameras was a nice change from the PD 150's and JVC's. Learning the differences and pros and cons of the cameras will help me decide in the future which camera will be best for which situation.

DSLR cameras

One of the good things about shooting on a DSLR camera is the amount of interchangeable lenses you can put on it. From wide angle to telephoto lenses, the possiblities are endless. Fast shutter speed and great image quality allow you to shoot fast action shots and sharp images. Some disadvantages include cost and weight. They are very expensive and are much heavier than your standard point and shoot cameras. These cameras can also be complex and the learning curve for new users can be high. Noise from the shutter can also be a con.

Money Shot

I think a money shot is any shot that an impartial bystander would look at and say "hey that looks really cool". Time lapses, shallow depths of field, and shots with good composition and framing would all fall under this category. Having a distant object in focus and slowly racking focus to reveal a closer obejct would also be a good example.

Directing a Scene

First, I had to decide what I wanted to do my scene on. I wanted it to be something I was interested in and could invest the time I needed into it. I chose a scene from The Big Lebowski and began to work on what kind of look I wanted to achieve. I wanted a fairly dimlit scene with hard shadows on Mr. Lebowski and soft light on The Dude. I rewrote the scene, changing a couple lines, and started to map out what kind of shots I wanted and where I wanted to place cameras and lights. This plays an extremely important role and without this kind of pre-production you will be lost when you get on set. I chose an easily accessible location and talked to my DP about how we would light the two actors opposite a desk and what kind of camera angles we would use to portray the feel we wanted. Directing the actual scene was no stressful. My DP and I knew what we wanted. The hard part was moving lights until we were satisfied and trying to get enough takes to where the dialogue would flow coherently.

favorite short film

My favorite online short film is "How They Get There" by Spike Jonze. It opens with a close up of a shoe and it starts tapping as he opens a milk carton until he sees a girl walking by and tries to act cool. He starts to walk alongside her and starts to imitate his moves. This goes back and forth until he gets hit by a car and his shoe goes flying. A track shot follows the shoe down the curb to another shoe to reveal how all of the lone shoes end up on the street. The feel of this short is very light and funny and the beginning and quickly turns dark. The reveal at the end makes the whole short make sense. I enjoy guessing until the end. There seems to be a very high production value for a short. Jonze uses movement of the camera to reveal the car and the shock on the girls face when she sees he is about to be hit. The music also helps the light hearted feel throughout.