N.2 | "The Piano" (thinking of the piano scene), experience in movies vs. movie experience plus more

JOURNAL ENTRY

Aug 24, 2014: Tomorrow, Sunday, I’ll meet with my friend Alexy to do some tests for my upcoming short (micro) film. I want to test as much as possible. I want to test my camera (Sony a7 IV) with a Samyang 35mm f/2.8, the lighting and sound. We have some tungsten lights and a pro sound recorder (all Alexy’s stuff). The film is inspired by a scene of Leon: The Professional.

I want to do a good job this time. My last (and first) film was a disaster. I was sloppy as the director, the sound, lighting and footage were totally off. Everything was horrible. So much so that I’m not even making that public on YouTube. It’s set to unlisted.

But hey, in Rebel Without a Crew, Robert Rodriguez says that “…everyone has at least a dozen or so bad movies in them…”. So even if this one is another shitty one, it’s ok.

FILM STORYTELLING

The Piano (thinking of the piano scene)

I watched The Piano again this week. I lost count of how many times I watched this work of art. I’ve loved this film since I was a teenager.

The director, Jane Campion, is a great inspiration. The cinematography by Stuart Dryburgh is simply beautiful. The score by Michael Nyman adds to the masterpiece’s beauty.

There’s this scene shot with a crane that’s really interesting. We start from above, where the shot looks as beautiful like a painting. From there we slowly go down to a closeup of Ada’s face. She’s sad thinking of the piano left on the beach.

TIDBIT I’M PONDERING

In the book Rebel Without a Crew, Robert Rodriguez says something interesting. I’m not sure I agree with him 100% but I like to contemplate contrarian takes that make me think. He says:

Source: From Rebel Without a Crew by Robert Rodriguez.

PODCAST HIGHLIGHTS

Team Deakins: Episode 3: Location Scouting

Show up early

The earlier scouts are important because you want time with the director and the production designer talking about how the scene is going to work in the space you’re looking at in relation to the script.

There’s nothing like standing in a room, discussing it and talking about the blocking, the mood of the space (for the production designer) and more. Even if the location(s) doesn’t work at all for the film it’s key to be there and be discussing it.

It’s the cinematographer’s job

Location scouting is a key part of the creative process of the cinematographer. The idea of showing up to a location that’s been chosen by others and you’ve never seen before is not ideal. It can work, but it’s not ideal.

You should be prepared to get creative with the director and other people because it could change the vision of the film. It’s also important to be flexible and open and be prepared to have new ideas when looking at the location.

Be pragmatic

You have to be practical early on with things like location accessibility, natural and artificial lighting sources etc. The scout should also help you make an idea of the money involved with renting the location. All productions have a limited budget by nature and you need to let the producers know the cost involved.

Talk, talk, talk

Roger Deakins mentions he used to carry the viewfinder to scouts in the past, but now uses the app on his phone. Everybody can use the viewfinder app today, and this makes the location scout more open to discussions early on and fewer surprises down the line.

It’s ok to dream

It’s ok to imagine the sets as you want them to be while you storyboard. Then, you should go out there and see if you can find something to give you ideas and hone in slowly to create the look of the film.

It’s a jigsaw puzzle

When you’re choosing your location, you also want to think about the following: location cost, location place, actors’ and location’s availability. If all these pieces don’t fit together, you might as well build a set in a studio.

Weather and hotels

In case you have exteriors, you should think about cover sets (weather covers) in case of bad weather on your exteriors. This is an aspect that gets overlooked sometimes.

Don’t choose the “perfect” location without enough hotels for the entire crew.

Scouting’s crucial for small films

Location scouting is even more crucial for small productions. Small film productions don’t have enough money to throw at problems. You have to make sure the location you choose will work.

Source: From Episode 3: LOCATION SCOUTING of The Team Deakins podcast.

FILM STORYTELLING

The master shot

The master shot (or "master") confirms the location and geography of the scene.

It also frames what characters are in the scene and where they are in relation to each other.

The master captures the scene playing out in its entirety.