Last week was rough. We started principle photography on our film for film class on Wednesday. I am the director of photography which means I work with the director on deciding what the film will look like visually. Then I get with the gaffer, who is in charge of lighting, and work with him on the technical side of making the vision happen.
We started in the early afternoon on Wednesday. We had a professional actor named Jerome Bethea come out to be in our little movie. He will be playing a supporting role, his character's name is 'Mosh.' We went out to our first location which also happens to be our second largest. Our largest being a soccer field with a full game being played. From there I blocked the action with our lead characters and Mosh. This is our big paintball scene.
We took a break and got back together at around nine o'clock. We started shooting right away in a downstairs apartment. This was an emotional scene. It sent chills down my spine seeing a scene which I had written weeks prior being played out in front of lights, camera, sound, crew, and directors. We wrapped that day and went straight to bed after a few hours of filming that night.
The next day we got up bright and early. We went back to the apartment to begin filming another scene which also takes place in the apartment. This shot was fun, the atmosphere on set was laid back and optomistic.
We took a break for lunch and returned to the paintball location.
Once we got it all blocked out we started setting up the shots which the director and I had already decided on during a location scout and blocking trip. We got out the boom mic, and no lighting would be needed for this since it was so bright outside. Normally the gaffer would set up all sorts of lighting with difussion. I checked through the view finder to make sure everything looks good. It's really bright and the film is getting over exposed so I close the iris on the lense a bit.
So, I got behind the camera with my headphones on, totally pumped by the way. The first assistant director shouts out "roll sound!" Then he shouts again "roll camera!" I start rolling film and yell out "camera rolling! Speed!" The director waits a moment and then calls "action!"
The next thing I know, and for the next couple of hours, I am running, ducking, and covering trying to get the best possible shots during this awesome and action packed scene.
We wrapped on the paintball scene and took another break for dinner.
We got back together that night to begin filming a scene which takes place in the student center. As far as lighting goes, this was the most complex scene by far. There were lighting rigs and par cams everywhere. But it really paid off because when we were watching dailies, the shots really looked amazing!
We wrapped on this set and called it the end of a very long day. That was last week, we got several scenes in the bag. And we are only about one eighth of the way through this film.
Stay tuned. ^_^
We started in the early afternoon on Wednesday. We had a professional actor named Jerome Bethea come out to be in our little movie. He will be playing a supporting role, his character's name is 'Mosh.' We went out to our first location which also happens to be our second largest. Our largest being a soccer field with a full game being played. From there I blocked the action with our lead characters and Mosh. This is our big paintball scene.
We took a break and got back together at around nine o'clock. We started shooting right away in a downstairs apartment. This was an emotional scene. It sent chills down my spine seeing a scene which I had written weeks prior being played out in front of lights, camera, sound, crew, and directors. We wrapped that day and went straight to bed after a few hours of filming that night.
The next day we got up bright and early. We went back to the apartment to begin filming another scene which also takes place in the apartment. This shot was fun, the atmosphere on set was laid back and optomistic.
We took a break for lunch and returned to the paintball location.
Once we got it all blocked out we started setting up the shots which the director and I had already decided on during a location scout and blocking trip. We got out the boom mic, and no lighting would be needed for this since it was so bright outside. Normally the gaffer would set up all sorts of lighting with difussion. I checked through the view finder to make sure everything looks good. It's really bright and the film is getting over exposed so I close the iris on the lense a bit.
So, I got behind the camera with my headphones on, totally pumped by the way. The first assistant director shouts out "roll sound!" Then he shouts again "roll camera!" I start rolling film and yell out "camera rolling! Speed!" The director waits a moment and then calls "action!"
The next thing I know, and for the next couple of hours, I am running, ducking, and covering trying to get the best possible shots during this awesome and action packed scene.
We wrapped on the paintball scene and took another break for dinner.
We got back together that night to begin filming a scene which takes place in the student center. As far as lighting goes, this was the most complex scene by far. There were lighting rigs and par cams everywhere. But it really paid off because when we were watching dailies, the shots really looked amazing!
We wrapped on this set and called it the end of a very long day. That was last week, we got several scenes in the bag. And we are only about one eighth of the way through this film.
Stay tuned. ^_^
