Lights, Camera, Action! (Page 2)

(Continued from page 1) I was at a filmmakers reception recently and watched a trailer that a guy hoped to show investors to try and raise capital. I was amazed that he would waste an investor’s time when it was obvious he hadn’t invested any of his own time in trying to make the trailer look good. The thing was under-lit and non-lit and just showed a total lack of respect for the art. I hope each investor he meets gives him as much time as he spent lighting each scene. (Sorry but I get all tyrannical when I see perfectly good Gravy Trains lying wrecked and twisted because someone took them down the wrong track)

The second word in the famous phrase is Camera. Here, you must have the eye of an artist. There are so many films being made that I’m sure you don’t want horrible camera work to be what separates yours from the others. USE A TRIPOD EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE!!! Sure you got steady-shot and anti-jitter and spasm-smoother, but if the scene needs a nice, slow zoom in on an intimate conversation; a tripod with a fluid head will allow your camera work to enhance the scene and not detract from it. And that’s the point. If anyone notices the camera work, you’ve done something wrong. Either your actors have bored the viewer, (or the script has) or the camera work is begging for its own attention.

Finally, let’s talk about Action: the last word in the phrase.  NO! Don’t talk about it! DO IT! They are called moving pictures so make them move. Even in a heavy dialogue scene get your actors to move, make your camera move, change angles, get a wheel chair and (god forbid) hand-hold a slow dolly shot around the subjects. Be always thinking of a better way to portray your story with Lights, Camera and Action.

A footnote on my very first article: I’d like to say bravo to the director of “Beyond the Mat” the film about Pro-Wrestling. It was a 3 year long project that capitalized on a hot trend, but the guy released a mostly 16mm film, (a documentary no less) and got nationwide major theatrical release. I have no liking for the pseudo-sport myself, but was researching it for a video my company was doing and at the end I noticed a soft shadow fall across the screen. I looked back and saw a 16mm film leader flopping in front of the lens. They hadn’t even bumped it to 35mm! There, crowded into the small free window of the projection booth was a 16mm projector…. I got all misty eyed and thought, “Wow, the little film that could.”

Anyway, through several twists and turns I’m back in the freelance market again so if any of you folks need a good shooter and he’s not available, give ME a call. Till next time… I’m still behind the camera.

Bill Johns is a seasoned veteran cameraman, filmmaker and digital video commentator. Send him a note with your comments, or take a look at his Web site.

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