I Should Be Filming

Do you know what your shooting ratio is?

It is the ratio between the total duration of the footage shot for possible use in the project, compared to what actually appears in the final cut. A film with a shooting ratio of 2:1 would have shot twice the amount of footage that was used in the film. The other shooting ratio we need to be aware of is how many pages of script can we shoot in an hour.

During the show I mentioned that I never actually did the math to see what my first shooting ratio was, and I found out the hard way that I needed to know how many pages I could shoot per hour so I wasn’t wasting anyone’s time.

When I was a newbie I was sitting at roughly a page per hour. That meant if the script for the short film we were shooting was four pages long, I could plan on at least a four hour day. It also meant I could create a shooting schedule for the actors and extras. If I didn’t need the extras until page 3, but I was shooting pages 2 and 4 first, I knew I had a two hour window before the extras had to be there.

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When I finished recording this episode curiosity got the better of me so I went through my backup files and did the math to figure out what shooting ratio was for raw footage to final film.

For the film THE BATTLE WITHIN, my shooting ratio was 7:1, which meant I shot seven times more footage than what actually went into the final film.

WINTER’S HUNT has a 9:1 ratio and the short film, THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT GEORGE, came in 15:1. That film had more actors and was 7 pages long. The Battle Within was a 3 page script while the last two screenplays came in at 7 pages each.

So why did one have a much higher shooting ratio?

Both were filmed in one location, one had 2 actors and the other had three. Neither had extras. So on paper the ratios should be practically identical – but how it looks on paper isn’t always what happens when the cameras start rolling.

Sometimes there’s just more angles or there’s more action scenes. Maybe more retakes were needed or maybe I just wasn’t happy with the look of the shot even though the performance was great. Whatever the reason, you can’t always go by past performance to guesstimate what the ratio will be on your next film… but you have to start somewhere so the more films you shoot, the better your “guesstimating” will be.

THE INTERROGATION, a 5-page script with only 1 actor in a single location, should of had a low shooting ratio, but that film came in at 22:1 because we had to re-shoot the entire film.

Our first time through we only used one camera but it was riddled with continuity issues – expecting the actor to do the exact same movements exactly as every other take he did for the different angles was expecting too much, and our plan of giving visual clues to when he should be looking left or right proved to be too awkward. So rather than beating a dead horse, Darren and I decided to just re-shoot the entire film from scratch… only this time we used two cameras. Now those cut on the action of looking back and forth were seamless. The ratio for either one of those days is actually lower but we still shot that first day which increased the final ratio to 22:1.

When you’re shooting digitally and not buying or developing film, that type of ratio doesn’t have a huge impact on your budget when you have a volunteer cast and crew, but knowing the ratio of how many pages you can shoot in an hour does have an impact on the time required to shoot your film, and it has a big impact on the morale of your cast and crew.

Longer shoots means more coffee breaks, more craft services, and more money to pay for it all, especially if you are renting equipment or paying by the hour for a locati...

Over the years I have read a lot of books and tutorials on filmmaking, I’ve help writers rework their screenplays, and I watched countless short films. I noticed there’s a few mistakes that we tend to make when we’re first starting out, I made a few of them myself, so I thought I’d share them with you so you don’t make the same mistakes on your next film. In no particular order they are:

* Having a bloated shot list.

* Not following the shot list or storyboards and just winging it.

* Not getting a master shot.

* Not allowing enough time for setups.

* Not shooting a safety.

* Not getting inserts and close-ups for cutaways.

* Trying to do everything yourself when you’re on set.

* Spending most or all of your budget on a better camera

* Not recording ambient sound for each location.

* Shooting too many close-ups and extreme close-ups.

We break each of these down to help you understand why it’s important that you don’t make these mistakes.

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Filmmaking is not easy. It can be mentally and physically exhausting, but when you watch your final film and you read you fan’s comments, it gives you a feeling like no other. You get an overwhelming sense of accomplishment and a burning desire to do it again. It’s something you have to experience first hand to truly understand.

Mistakes are not uncommon on a film set. Regardless of how much planning you do, something inevitably goes wrong – either on set, or in the editing room when you’re trying to cut your film together. You can’t plan for every possible scenario and often have to make adjustments on the fly, but when you know what some of the more common mistakes are, you’re better equipped to deal with them should they rear their ugly head.

If you enjoyed this podcast, please take a moment to visit us on itunes to rate and review the show. Thank you.

 

 

Every director has his or her own style, and not every actor responds well to Result-Driven directions. Some work better with Playable directions. Knowing the difference between the two can help you get the best performance out of your actors.

So what is Result-Driven directing? If you’re watching a take and you think it should be played with more anger, chances are you will instruct your actor to show more anger. That is Result-Driven directing. You’re attempting to shape the actor’s performance by describing the result you want rather than giving them directions on how they can get to that result.

When you give result-driven directions by using terms like more angrier, happier, more depressed, more thoughtful, or you give non-specific directions like “be more emotional,” you’re asking them to reverse engineer what they are naturally doing in the scene, and to externalize their acting into what they think that have to do to give you what you want.

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The actor then becomes more self-conscious and more analytical of their performance,, and they’re less “in the moment,” which means the performance will suffer because they’re overthinking their acting rather than just being the character.

But when you talk to the character (and not the actor) and give them Playable Direction, you will help them give you a better performance.

Playable direction is when you give them something to do, say or feel to help put them in the right mindset so they can play the scene as the character and not as an actor.

On today’s episode I explore the difference between result-driven and playable directions, I explain how and why you should direct your characters instead of your actors, and I’ll give you some directing tips that’ll help you create the type of film set that actors will want to work on – even if they’re not getting paid.

 

The most important part of any movie is not the actors, the director, the equipment or even the budget… the final movie is the sum of all its parts, and they are all important, but in my opinion the most important part is the screenplay.

Without a story the actors have nothing to do or say, the director doesn’t have anything to direct, the cinematographer doesn’t have anything to light or shoot. It’s the foundation and without a good, solid base, your entire movie will come crashing down. If you don’t have a great story, you’ll never have a great movie.

As indie filmmakers we often wear many hats and the first one we put on is the writer’s hat. We have to come up with ideas, create and develop the characters, the dialog, the plot points… everything. A movie is like a magic trick – as filmmakers we are pulling thoughts and ideas out of thin air. It’s the stuff that only we can see in our mind’s eye, and we turn those ideas into something tangible that everyone else can watch, hear and most importantly, feel.

As filmmaker’s we can bring our audience back in time or transport them into a distant future. We can create a world filled with dinosaurs, aliens, robots… whatever we dare to imagine. We can make people laugh, make them cry, or terrify them and haunt their dreams. We can do all that and so much more, and it all starts with the humble yet oh so important screenplay.

But there’s a lot more to writing a screenplay that putting your ideas down on paper and turning them into a cohesive story. When you’re done writing your screenplay and think its going to be an awesome movie, chances are… it’s not. There’s always room for improvement.

I’ve said many times that to make a great movie you’re screenplay has to be perfect. Not really, really good or just needs a few tweaks. Before you start shooting a single frame it has to be perfect. And there’s a really good chance that the subtle changes that can bring your story from good to great to perfect are things you cannot see because now you are too close to your story. You know it and your characters intimately because you have thought about them, and written and rewritten about them so many times that you cannot see it as a first time viewer who doesn’t have the backstory.

This is where beta readers come into play… They take your great story, and help you make it even better. I often send the stuff that I wrote to several people, and on today’s episode I am joined with two of my very good friends who beta read just about everything I have written to help me fine tune the stories.

I am fortunate to have a few beta readers, but Mark Prestash and Mat Dolton are the two I rely on the most because they are the epitome of what makes a great beta reader – They are well read, enjoy a variety of genres, and are not afraid to tell me when something is not working.

They are not filmmakers but I trust and value their opinion when it comes to my films, which only goes to show you that your beta readers do not have to be filmmakers or writers, but they must feel comfortable enough to be able to honestly tell you what they like, or what they don’t like about your screenplay. Like Mark and Mat, your beta readers must feel comfortable enough to be brutally honest about the screenplay or it’ll never get better than your original draft.

Getting people to read your stuff does take a thick skin, and even if you disagree with their assessment or advice, you should always be thankful for their honesty.

If you want to shoot a great movie you must first write a great script… and you can’t do that without having great beta readers in your corner helping you polish your screenplay.

 

From writer and producer on several small indie projects to acting in award-winning TV series alongside Olympia Dukakis and Sarah Paulson, Craig Layton is no stranger to working on either side of the camera.

Craig shares a lot of interesting tips that cover everything from auditioning and filmmaking, to whether or not being in the actor’s union has helped or hurt his career.

Some of the films we talk about include:

* The Bloody Terror of the Milkman

* The Pulp $5

* Forgive Me

* A Christmas Wedding

* Faults of My Own

While still finding work as an actor in projects like Lizzie Borden Took an Ax, Forgive Me and Haven, Craig switched gears to producing his own web show and creating viral videos, one of which was featured by Anderson Cooper on CNN. Craig has won Faces Magazine‘s Entertainer of the Year and The Coast Magazine‘s Best of Web Series for his web series CRAIGNESS! But through it all Craig has never forgotten his guerrilla filmmaking roots and he jumped at the opportunity to work with and help student filmmakers shoot their short film, Faults of My Own.

During today’s episode you’ll discover why I have a love/hate relationship with Faults of My Own, and Craig explains why if someone asks him to send them something he has appeared in, he would send them that film.

Check out Craig’s YouTube channel here.

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On my very first short film I was fortunate enough to have a lot of help both in front of and behind the camera, including today’s guest, independent filmmaker, Brett Holmes.

From TV work and a web series to shooting short films and music videos, Brett shares a ton of great tips for indie filmmakers as we talk about his work and some of the challenges he’s faced, as well as lenses, how using the right lens can help you shoot better scenes, and his take on the Canon vs. Nikon debate, which DSLR camera he prefers to shoot with… and why.

Brett’s original films include:

* Man of Tar (post production)

* Turned (2017)

* David’s Girlfriend (2015)

* Recollection (2014)

You can watch Brett’s films on his YouTube Channel

One of the areas we didn’t get to cover during the episode was his visual effects skills that Mick MacDonald and I talked about on Episode 2, but Brett and I did talk about Jessica ‘Cyanide’ Chapman and the amazing practical FX makeup she created for Turned and Man of Tar.

Canon or Nikon? It’s still an ongoing debate and there is no right or wrong answer as to which is better, but Brett explains some of the differences he’s found between the two, which DSLR camera he prefers and why.

Looking for a DSLR camera to shoot your movie? On the show we talk about the Canon 5D and the Nikon D7000 – both are excellent cameras and when paired with the right glass (aka Lens) you can capture some amazing footage.

Brett has worked on a variety of projects with some talented people including Hank White, Pasha Ebrahimi, Michael G. MacDonald, Stephanie Steele, Nate O’Brian, Dean Thompson, and many more. Plus, Brett shares some exciting news about his film, Turned. Hint: It involves BodyBag Films.

 

From the Savoy Theatre to Second City and Yuk Yuks, to acting in commercials, TV shows and movies, Darren Andrea has worked in front of and behind the camera honing his craft and learning what it takes to make movies… and how to make it in the movies.

Darren stopped by the I Should Be Filming studio to have a conversation about his decades-long career. We had a lot of fun and he offered a plethora of tips and tricks for actors and for independent filmmakers alike. Darren shared his experiences – the ups, the downs, what to expect when you step on a film set, or when you walk into the casting room to audition.

Darren has worked with many directors over the years including Donald Petrie, John Woo, Bob Giraldi , John Bradshaw, Roman Buchok and many others. 

The list of movies he’s been involved in include:

* How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days

* La Femme Nikita

* Kung Fu: The Legend Continues

* Forever Knight

* Doc

* Leap Years

*  Rin Tin Tin: K-9 Cop

*  Love You to Death.

It was a pleasure chatting with Darren and I look forward to having him back on the show. Darren has worked with me as an actor on a few short films of mine, and he will be taking the reins as the director on one of my screenplays. Click here to join our FREE mailing list to be notified when Darren will be announcing auditions for actors and extras.

Music for the show is provided courtesy of Doug Millaway

 

On today’s episode I sit down with Professor Michael “Mick” MacDonald to talk about filmmaking, acting, and the projects he has been involved in as an actor or producer.

Known for his role as the title character in The Legend of the Psychotic Forest Ranger (2011), over the years Mick has been involved in a number of films including Lord of Chaos (2014), Turned (2016), and other films. He is a professor of communications at Cape Breton University (CBU) and teaches introduction to filmmaking and videography courses.

Mick has been in front of or behind the camera on some of my short films such as: There’s Something About George (actor), Unscheduled Visit (actor) and The Final Goodbye (camera operator)

We talk about his love of LARPing, the films he has been involved in, and some of the actors, directors and crew such as Brad Mills, Pasha Ebrahimi, Michael Melski, Glen Gould, Brett Holmes, Madeline Yakimchuk, Matthew Ingraham , Keith Morrison and Jessica Chapman to name just a few of the people he mentions on the show.

It was a pleasure chatting with Mick and I look forward to having him back on the show and working with him again on future productions.

Some of the films mentioned in this episode:

The Legend of the Psychotic Forest Ranger

Lord of Chaos

Charlie Zone

Turned

Welcome to Cape Breton

There’s Something About George

On the next episode of I Should Be Filming

I sit down with Darren Andrea, an actor who has worked on How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, The Undertaker’s Wedding and La Femme Nikita.

UPDATE: Click here to listen to the episode with Darren Andrea.

Music for the show is provided courtesy of Doug Millaway

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“Stop wanting to be a filmmaker and start calling yourself one, then go out and make your film.” -Robert Rodriquez.

Welcome to episode 1 of I Should Be Filming. My name is Kenn Crawford, I am an author and independent filmmaker from Nova Scotia, Canada. I created this podcast to help you get your filmmaking ideas out of your head and up on the screen where they belong.

In this short introductory episode I talk about what may be keeping you from chasing your filmmaking dreams, with some great advice I learned from filmmakers like Robert Rodriguez and Mark Duplass, as well as discussing the cameras that filmmaker Sean Baker and Directory of Photography Shane Hurlbut, ASC used to shoot Tangerine and Act of Valor.

I studied filmmaking for years but didn’t do anything with it because I was really good at making excuses – I didn’t have a good enough camera, I didn’t have enough money, I didn’t know any actors – excuses, excuses, excuses! When I finally decided to stop making excuses and start making movies, a whole new world opened up to me. In my first year as a filmmaker I shot half a dozen short films, some commercials for local businesses, music videos, and I was hired by the Cape Breton University to shoot footage for the Ethnomusicology workshops they were holding in schools around the island, including an 8-hour live-feed of a performance workshop at the Boardmore Playhouse.

More importantly, I met a lot of talented people interested in filmmaking – everyone from actors, writers and directors to people interested in working behind the scenes as crew members or appearing on camera as an extra. People I would never had met if I continued to let shyness and fear make excuses as to why I wasn’t making movies.

If you want to be a filmmaker – start making films!

My very first short film, The Final Goodbye, was shot over the course of a few weeks using whatever camera I could borrow on the days we were shooting, such as the Nikon D5200, a Nikon D7000 and a Canon T2i.

The built-in camera apps on iPhones and Androids were not designed for filmmaking. Here’s a few apps to put the controls you need back in your hands without breaking the bank:

FiLMiC Pro

FiLMiC Pro v6 is the most advanced video camera for mobile. Ever. FiLMiC Pro has been enhanced with cutting-edge capabilities and the most responsive manual camera interface available on an iPhone, iPod or iPad. Now available on Android – FiLMiC Pro is the gold standard of mobile video and was recently used to film the Sundance hit “TANGERINE”. 

For your iPhone, iPod or iPad (14.99 – price has increased to $20.99)

$12.99 for Androids

Other Good Filmmaking Apps I have used:

MoviePro ($8.