Blog #2

So week 2 has just passed and I’ve now got a clear style that I want to shoot the film. I don’t think I did a very good job of explaining it in class, but here’s what I what to do: I want to make the film appear to have similar lighting qualities to Dead Crow Comedy, which is very dim, warmly lit, and has lots of contrast. My main inspiration is Rock-Docs (Rock N Roll Documentaries). I’ve watched those for many years and if I was selected to direct, I would’ve made a Rock-Doc. But The History of the Eagles (2013) documentary inspired me with planning the pre-vis for this film. As did Sunset Strip (2012). Very stylized for a simple subject.

As for budgeting, I know it’s mainly a producer’s job on a short film, but I want to do the budget for all of the equipment. I hate to toot my own horn here, but I know more about the equipment than they do, and I’ll be using more of the equipment, so it’s only natural that I work on that part of it. I’ve already made a list of the equipment that I want to use (which is in the Pre-Production folder on Google Drive). Plus I think it’s fair because Aedan and Jack are both in Visions, and I should take some of the load off from them. And I don’t have much to do anyway. I planned to focus more on this project this semester.

I know documentaries don’t require loads of equipment and setting up, but I want to make this film look good. My ultimate goal for myself as a DP is to make each film look better than the last. I try to step up my game with each new project because I’m learning more so I want to use that knowledge more. A semester of 301 will not go to waste!

Other updates? I'm even starting to plan the opening sequence and title card. 'Tis will be fun!

Blog #1

So our group has two options for the overall direction of our documentary. Our main topic is stand up comedy. The first is to go the normal documentary route and conduct interviews, get B-roll, and so on and so forth. I like this option because, as a DP, I get more control over my shots and I was planning on going all out for this project regardless of what I’m filming. The main issue with this direction is that it might not be a 10-15-minute documentary. Even though we have 5 minutes of breathing room, I’d like to shoot for the full 15 minutes just to be 100% sure the film has what it needs.

The second option leans more towards a mockumentary film where we take someone, an actor, and document them making an ass out of themselves while performing stand up comedy for the first time. This would be the funniest thing to see. It would be very enjoyable to watch, but I’m not sure how to feel about making a “Borat” movie. I wouldn’t get to flex my muscles as a DP much since I’m just recording one man in the real world. I like to set up lights and shoot plenty of beautiful B-roll shots. I like applying those skills to every project I work on.

I can see a hybrid between these two ideas. Start off normally and introduce the film as a doc on stand up comedy, interview other stand-up comedians, then introduce our actor who will be performing stand up comedy for the first time. I want to capture a comedian’s process before they go up on stage. It could work…or not.

One thing that makes me work better as a cinematographer is competing with myself. When I DP a film, I want to make the current film I’m working on look better than the last one I made. My last film was my 302 doc Feast Coast and I feel extremely proud of my work in that film. I want to pull out all the stops for my 495 film though.

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