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    Digital Cinema Production 1

    What makes someone a good collaborator?

    1. Good listener
    2. Responding quickly to group members
    3. Clear communication, or asking for clarification
    4. Open minded / flexible
    5. Do what you commit to when you say you'll do it
    6. Being prepared
    7. Conflict resolution → have a safe word!
    8. Don't procrastinate
    9. Respect
    10. Be responsible, on time, responsive, etc.
    11. Proactive
    12. Minimizes dependencies
    13. Kind
    14. Patient
    15. Positive attitude

    Departments and Roles 🤝

    Directors vs Producers

    Producers handle logistics and oversee the entire film from the beginning to end, even before a director is on board, whom hires a director early on in the process to oversee the actual implementation of the film. In a nutshell, producers handle a film logically, directors handle it practically.

    Production Department

    Producers
    They're like managers!

    Camera Department

    Director of Photogrpahy (DP)

    Other camera department jobs include Continuity Stills, Production Stills, Documentary Videographer, Second Unit Photography, Steadicam operator, jib operator, gimbal operator, drone operator, etc.

    Electrical Department

    Gaffer

    Grip Department

    Everything but the lights. Except rigging. Light rigging 👍
    Key grip

    Production Sound Department

    Mixer / Recordists / Location Sound Recordist

    Learn more about sound here!

    Art Department

    Production designer

    Also includes makeup, costume, props (anything actors handle), set decorator's (anything actors don't handle), painters, carpenters, etc.

    Post production

    PP Staff: Editorial

    Post Production Supervisor

    PP Staff: Compositing

    Lead compositor / VFX Supervisor

    PP Staff: Sound/Music

    Sound Designer

    Phases of development 📚

    Development 📝

    First up is Development, which is the longest phase of a film project. So, what happens in development?

    1. Brainstorming: Narrowing down and picking a topic or idea for a film. If the producer has a script in mind that they really want produced, they might commission a screenwriter; otherwise they can skip this step and find a pre-written script to purchase.
    2. Screenwriting: Write out a pilot script or concept story for a film, after a script is picked it's purchased so that the screenwriter can't pitch it to other filmmakers.
    3. Funding: Take the script around to find funding for the idea, it can come from independent investors or larger studios. If it comes from independent investors, the film is considered independent while if it comes from a studio it's considered a studio film. Also finalize your budget!
    4. Organizing: At this point the producer will look for and bring on a director 🎥 and actors 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 to both offer reassurance to the investors and build notoriety with the public if well-known actors in involved bringing an audience into theaters
    5. Locations: Illinois has a 30% tax rebate for film development, which is why studios are located here specifically. Prices are everything, so it's helpful to compare tax-incentives between states and municipalities in order to get the most bang for your buck. It's also currently more advantageous to film in Europe than in the US, leading to a lot of LA based film companies moving their production and post-production to Europe.

    Overall, you'll need:

    Known actor tiers

    Actors are divided into different tiers depending on how well known they are, ranging from

    1. A list, the most well known
    2. B list, somewhat known
    3. C list, lesser known
    4. N/a, will not go as well if you're trying to get your film into theaters but works if you're just pushig your film out to streaming services or local markets

    Pre-production 🧊

    At this point you transition from on paper logistics... to more logistics... Real world logistics!

    Pre-production ends when a film begins recording

    Production 🌩️

    At this point, the producer hands things over to the Director and the creative vision is their's to realize. However, the producer still keeps an eye on things in case the Director goes off track or causes problems. The assistant director will also act as a producer for the set to ensure everything is configured as it should be, as a producer may not be on set every day working on multiple projects. As such, they manage the stage and crew, also running interference for the director to answer common questions for the director.

    Production ends

    Post-production 🖌️

    Post production ends when the film is released, jokingly, if films didn't have a release date post-production would never end—editors are never satisfied.

    Marketing, Distribution, and Exhibition

    Film done? Marketing set? Cool! Now it's time to MARKET IT EVEN HARDER!!! At this point the actors do interviews.

    After this, marketing doesn't necessarily stop (see "FILM IS OUT ON STREAMING SERVICE NOW!" and "FILM IS BACK IN THEATERS AFTER 30 YEARS!") but things do slow down considerably and the crew is more or less free to move on.

    Non-linear-editing
    Can refer to editing clips out of order YTP style, or actually editing asynchronously/
    NLE is less helpful for working with people but very powerful for working quickly independently.

    Short film example

    You'll be working on short films with some of your classmates. Here's an example.
    Doodlebug by Chris Nolan

    Meritocracy? Democracy?

    At the end of the day, a film set is a very collaborative dictatorship.

    • There is a set hierarchy in place due to union regulations and creative decision making that allows power to rest at every level, but you should do what your boss tells you...
    • Unless there is a safety concern. If there is a safety concern, or you are asked to do something unsafe, in which case you should push back.

    Brian Andrews is head of virtual production, and vfx and virtual production (inside the vfx track) certifies you for the display.

    Safety & Authorizations 🛑

    Production Rules

    Never permitted on set:

    1. No fire in any set, Birthday candles or one cigarette is okay but NOT AT the studio.
    2. Moving vehicles are NOT permitted to be in any films, including Automobiles, Buses, Bicycles, Motorcycles, Skateboards, Roller Skates, Water or Snow Skis, or Hoverboards. If you do include a stationary car, insurance will not cover your equipment during that shot.
    3. Large bodies of water can be in your shot, but people are not allowed to go into water. No moving vehicles, and no boats. If you film at the beach, you must take extra precaution to ensure sand does not get into the equipment. If it is damaged due to sand, you may be held liable.
    4. No animals permitted.
    5. No (real) weapons. If you chose to have a fake gun, you need to sign paperwork indicating that you're handling it safely and provide photos. You must have a faculty member sign off on it and notify the local police jurisdiction and permit number. Make sure people in the area are aware of the filming + prop weapons.
    6. Drugs and alcohol are prohibited. Fake drugs and fake alcohol are allowed.
    7. If you have an intimate scene or fight scene, you'll need to get a separate rating and approval from SCA. A letter A grade means a coordinator is mandatory for your project.
    8. Open-toed shoes are a safety hazard
      A workday should never be longer than 12 hours (10 is standard), make sure you've eaten before coming to set. Exhaustion is the number one cause of injury on set.
    Safety Precautions & Protocols

    Sets should ALWAYS be accessed in advance for water, heat exposure, ventilation, uneven flooring, etc, for risk assessment, followed by risk management or mitigation to ensure a safe working environment. Research crime reports, and put safety info such as location concerns and the nearest hospital on the call sheets.

    Secondary or backup sets should also be kept in mind in case of inclement weather, especially in Chicago.

    Equipment should NEVER be left unattended in a vehicle, or unlocked / accessible environment overnight, or in general. When set up and in use, equipment and cabling should not disturb the environment or others, and should be clearly marked to avoid tripping.

    Camera operators should be trained on their rigs, aware of surroundings and camera placement, and have a camera spotter for moving shots.

    For films involving minors, a legal guardian must be present and aware of all filming.

    A four foot fire lane MUST be kept clear around all sets. These are marked in the studio by a yellow line.

    Non-university visitors must be sent for approval at least 24 hours in advance.

    Overnight gear must be approved beforehand by DCS. DCS will turn on house lights no sooner than 30 minutes before the set wrap time.

    Public Safety must be notified at least 72 hours before using indoor spaces on campus to get approval to use a given space.

    If an incident does occur, including injury, illness, theft or damage to property, the filmmaker must FIRST call 911 if emergency care is needed, and in all cases they must:

    1. Call 911 (if needed)
    2. Call and notify the office of public safety
    3. Make a note on the daily production report and submit it to the production office
    Clocking out early

    If at any point you feel unsafe or unwell, you can leave after speaking to the Set Safety officer or otherwise the 1st AD

    Stunts

    For any extreme or potentially dangerous actions for an actor, an insured, contracted stunt coordinator will be required and need to coordinate with the 1st AD and Producer to ensure proper safety measures are taken in production. Actors can refuse any stunt they don't feel comfortable doing. university and SCA can prohibit any Minors from participating in or being close to any stunt activity on any student set. Stunts must be submitted to the SCA office through the production packet prior to filming.

    Authorization and Resoures

    Every year you'll need to review SCA safety and process guidelines available on D2L. If you're working on a small project, you won't need approval, however for larger projects you'll need faculty sponsorship from a professor you're currently enrolled with, you can do this on smartsheet, which is also where you'll input crew and set information for your projects day-to-day.

    If you're carrying extended equipment such as a dolly or ladder, say "points" or "hot points" to let others know to clear the path.

    Phrases like "on your left", corner, and "behind" can help prevent accidents

    Anytime people are behind you or busy, stay clear of their path.

    Camera Operation 🎥

    The basics: Brightness

    The three main pieces to keep track of are the ISO / Gain, or sensitivity to light, Shutter Speed, or how frequently the camera captures data which is not to be confused with frame rate in the final product, and Aperture, how open or shut the lens is (think of the aperture like an iris).

    Camera Function Description / Setup
    ISO Each camera has an ISO that is native to that camera. As you increase ISO, grain goes up. For the Sony cameras we're using here, the base ISO is 800.
    Shutter Speed Your Shutter speed should be twice your frame rate to achieve smooth motion. To have things look natural and get the "film look" you should shoot at 24 frames per second with a shutter speed of 1/48.
    Aperture Controlled on the lens, determines how much light you physically let through the lens measured in F-Stops. The more open your aperture is, the more pronounced your DoF (depth of field) will be.
    At 1.4, your aperture is all the way open, and at 22 it's all the way closed. If you can remember 1.4 and 2, the remaining numbers are just doubles of those values in alternating order up to 22.

    As you look through the brightness of your environment, you'll need to light your scene and set exposure such that things look right. If you're outdoors ⛅ and things are still too bright, you can use an ND filter to turn things down. You can think of ND filters like sunglasses for camera lenses.

    Lenses

    There's two types of lenses, primes and zooms. Prime lenses don't change their focal length, so if it's 50mm, it's not going anywhere; on the other hand zoom lenses can change their focal length.

    There's three general categories of lenses, Wide Angle Lenses (10mm-40mm), Medium lenses (40mm-50mm), and Long/Telephoto lenses (55mm+). 50mm is the closest to the human eye, as your lens approaches focal lengths further from 50mm distortion will become more noticeable.

    Depth of Field

    In addition to the Aperture affecting Depth of Field, longer focal lengths on a camera create a shallower depth of field. If your DoF is narrow it's often referred to as a shallow depth of field, while a wide DoF is known as deep.

    White Balance

    White balance is measured in degrees kelvin from 1,000 to 10,000. Lower is warmer, higher is cooler.

    Environment Kelvin Value
    Heavily Overcast Sky 9,000-10,000
    Cloudy and shades 6500-8000
    Daylight 5500-6500
    Sunlight and Flash 5000-5500
    Sunrise and Sunset 3000-4000
    Household Lighting 2500-3500
    Candle Flame 1000-2000

    Focus

    Unlike with real life, the DP / Camera gets the say in what the audience can and can't see, as well as what they're focusing on. It's important to not overly restrict the audience, while also not overwhelming them with information.

    Peaking

    Peaking lines show you clearly what is in focus in magenta compared to what is out of focus in black and white. They won't show up on the final footage,

    Blocking & Shot composition

    How do we know what we want to include? How does the number of things affect the mood of the shot?

    Blocking is the idea of framing your actors such that the mood and power they're portraying is communicated by the angle, are they tall and powerful, or low and weak?

    Composition Tricks
    Lines, or leading lines are used to guide the viewer and can do a lot, so it's also helpful to keep them in mind

    The rule of thirds can also help a lot, framing things like the horizon and sky or a multiple people's faces can help create movement

    Camera Movements & Positions

    Camera Positions

    Camera Movements

    Shot Scale

    Organization of clips

    Film Editing

    It's where a motion picture takes its final shape, editors are like the final writers of a project. If there isn't a script, often editors will be included as a writer.

    Why do we cut?

    Fades and disolves
    Used to illustrate the passage of time

    Super imposition
    Two shots on top of each other at the same time

    Montage
    A compilation of shots that show the passage of time

    Tips to shoot for editing

    Master shot
    Run the entire scene from one camera to establish geography, characters, props, lighting sources, etc.

    Cutting with action
    Repeating action and switching shots during an action helps hide the cut.
    You can also cut on action or cut with overlapping action

    The 30 degree rule
    You should (generally) move the camera at least 30° from it's initial point between shots.

    Change shot scale
    A change in shot size can help make an edit smoother

    L and J cuts
    Cut early, before someone leaves a frame for example, or late, after someone enters to condense time

    The 180 degree rule
    To maintain continuity between characters in a discussion, the best way to approach it is to stay on one side of the characters, for example, one character would look screen right, while the other would look screen left.

    Flash forward
    A flash forward cuts into a future shot before it formally begins..

    Note

    If you want the audience to pay attention or notice a small detail, you need to do it through a close-up

    Pre-Visualization & Setup

    Pre-vis materials help you think through the visuals and edits before you shoot.

    Storyboards

    Help you understand angle, framing, and movement

    Shotlist

    More or less another format of your storyboard, more focused on text. Your storyboards and shotlists should always match.
    Format:

    1. Shot number / letter
    2. Shot scale (cu, med, wide)
    3. Motion
    4. Action
    5. Notes
    6. Clean / n/a (means without other character)

    Slate: Role calls

    If you're on slate:

    1. Wait until the 1st AD calls for slate
    2. Put the slate in the middle of the frame
    3. Once sound is rolling, call the scene and take "Scene 1A, Take One"
    4. Once the camera rolls, call out "Mark!" And clap the sticks together. If you need to be quiet, call out "soft sticks", and if you need to re-clap, call "second sticks"
    5. Call out "Set" once you're out of frame

    Overall (not just from the 2nd / 1st AD perspective)

    1. "Back to one." - 1st AD
    2. "QUIET ON SET " - 1st AD and all keys
    3. "Roll sound" - 1st AD
    4. "Sound speeding" - sound mixer
    5. "Roll camera" - 1st AD
    6. "Camera speeding" - Camera operator
    7. "Slate" - someone
    8. "Scene 1 A, take one, mark" - 2nd AC, although sometimes the first call-out is done before the camera starts, then the 1 AD calls roll camera and the 2 AC calls mark.
    9. "Set" - 2ac
    10. "Action" - director
    11. "cut" - director
    12. "That's a cut" - 1st AD and keys echo call
    What is MOS?

    🔇 Mos stands for Mixed Out Sound, in other words, the shot is silent.
    🔁 Sync should be used when double system (camera and audio) shots are recorded.

    Sound Design 🔈

    ^cf9ca5
    Sound is a disturbance of air molecules represented as a wave. The height of the wave is called amplitude and measured in decibels, which is perceived as volume.

    What does sound do for a story?

    Categories of Sound
    • Room tone 🏚 is for establishing the environment of a shot and noise control,
    • Ambience 🎶 is for world building, not just controlling for sound in a room.
    • Music 🎺 and Sound effects 🗄 are used for story telling, setting the mood, or communicating the actions of characters on screen.

    SFX

    Sound Recording

    ADR records over an actor's lines in a studio environment and lip syncing it. Unfortunately, sometimes you're locked into low quality audio.

    The dynamic range is the range a recorder / ear can distinguish (1-10 trillion db)

    The number of times a wave cycles in one second is called frequency, which is measured in hertz (Hz) and perceived as pitch. An average human hears between 20 and 20,000 Hz.

    Single system recording is when the audio comes directly into the camera and is recorded on the video, which is faster, but often picks up unwanted noise from camera operators. In cinema we use double system recording in which sound is handled by a separate system and processed via the Slate 🎬, or another kind of audible visual sync mark such as a clap.

    Record healthy levels! Too low and you'll add in unwanted noise boosting the frequency in post, too high and you'll end up with clipping. ✔ To avoid this, set the level to the mid range and increase it gradually until things are even.

    Types of Mics

    Condensor mics Dynamic Mics Lavalier Mics
    Requires a power source No power source needed Usually a condenser mic under the hood
    Sound reverberates between metal plates (capacitor) and a diaphram changing an electrical signal Current (mic signal) produced by air current within a magnetic field bowoshoboshshshshs "huh" bjosjosjfslfkjs
    More sensitive, cleaner, crisper Smooth and warm sound quality Let's just say, in theater you only get one of these if it's not getting turned on.
    Typically used for dialogue Used fro recording concerts and events Used for picking up actors' speech from short range

    Shotgun Mics (booms)

    Shotgun microphones are tube-shaped and ideal for recording dialog because they accept sound directly on axis with the microphone, ignoring sounds coming from the sides. 🪡 Requires precision to keep actors in the zone. You must point mic at their mouth directly, and avoid moving to keep volume steady.
    - Rock the boom pole between your index finger and thumb to avoid unwanted noise, and if you have a spare hand hold the coiled cable in place. Do not wrap it as that can create unwanted noise.
    - Get a clear position and look at the wall behind the shot—You'll want to look for a line and hold the boom at or above that line.
    - The further back you are, the longer your boom pole will be and the harder it will be to hold it in place. You may want to get an apple box.
    - There's times when you may opt to boom from below the shot, however pointing up towards an air vent or the sky is much more likely to introduce unwanted noise.