How many resources exist for filmmakers? Surely after I had found 100 Resources and then 100 More Resources, there wouldn’t be anything left. At least, that’s what I kept telling myself.
But that’s the beautiful thing about the Internet and the film community — it’s growing and not slowing down anytime soon.
So I’ve reached back into the well and found another 100 resources perfect for filmmakers, cinematographers, camera assistants, and just about anyone who has ever stepped on a film set.
photo credit: Kevin McShane
How long is 3 years in Internet years? It’s hard to say.
For some of you, this website is fresh, new, and there’s a lot left to discover — the fact it’s been around for 3 years is irrelevant. You’ve stumbled upon 3 years worth of posts and articles, sure, but the site might as well have been born yesterday for you.
Meanwhile, many of you’ve been following for awhile and 3 years feels like a long time. I know it does for me. You may not even remember how you originally came across The Black and Blue.
But both new and old readers — and everyone in between — all share one thing: they come here to read, talk, learn, breathe, and explore the craft of filmmaking.
So forgive me while, for a brief moment, we take the time to reflect on The Black and Blue — what it’s become and where it’s going — and wish it a Happy 3rd Birthday!
So we survived the impending doom that was alluded by the Mayans (hooray!).
And it turns out all of us have to keep on keepin’ on. That means new films to be made, career challenges to tackle, and an onslaught of digital cinema cameras to learn.
It also means another amazing year for The Black and Blue!
But before we move forward through 2013, I’d like to go backwards into 2012 and reflect on the most popular posts from The Black and Blue this year — chosen by you based on your visits.
Exactly one year ago, I published Becoming the Reel Deal: How to Launch Your Film Career in the Camera Department and gave it away for free.
Today, I’m releasing the 2nd edition (still free, of course).
I’ve added even more great info – to the tune of 6,744 words – about establishing yourself in the film industry. I’ve also added two new resume templates (for five total) as well as ePub and Kindle formatted versions of the ebook to make it easy to read on a tablet or Amazon Kindle.
Click to continue reading
photo credit: Vancouver Film School
It’s not easy being a production assistant (PA).
You’re constantly pulled in dozens of different directions and expected to adapt quickly to any number of tasks assigned to you. In the course of one day, a PA may play the parts of barista, set security, rat wrangler, cup holder, or a combination of them all.
PA’s undoubtedly have the most unenviable position on the set: they are expected to be able to do everything asked of them while being treated as if they lack the knowledge to do any of it at all.
Further, they have to toe a fine line between respecting a crew’s space and not being too enthusiastic while also taking initiative to help crew and the production work harder and faster.
This is what I call “The PA Paradox.”
Is it really worth my time to give Roger Deakins an introduction?
Surely you already know him as the talented cinematographer behind films like The Shawshank Redemption, A Beautiful Mind, and almost every Coen Brothers film since Fargo.
And by now, as a fan of filmmaking and a filmmaker, you’ve discovered that when Deakins talks, what comes out is a treasure trove of wisdom — only overshadowed by answers so candid and honest that his responses are more engaging than many movies themselves.
No — Roger Deakins needs very little introduction as a master of cinematography.
Instead, it’s best we just get to the point: 25 pieces of filmmaking advice from Roger Deakins himself, pulled from his website RogerDeakins.com where he interacts with fans and filmmakers on all topics from careers to cinematography basics.
You want to make sure you know what you’re doing when you use a camera. Or, at least, you want to have essential info about the camera you’re using in case something goes wrong.
The digital cinema pocket guides that I launched last month help you do just that. And today I’ve unleashed a major update to them that you don’t want to miss:
Note: If you previously downloaded the guides, you should’ve received an email with an updated download link. You don’t need to re-download the guides from the page above.
This was another massive update for the pocket guides. Curious what’s new? I’d love to tell you…
You want to be a slate superstar? A champion of the clapperboard? A maestro of the marker?
If you want to be a slating pro, reading about it is only going to take you so far. What will help you learn the most is doing it — putting marker to board and stepping in front of the lens.
But right now, you’re not on a shoot. And you want to be prepared ahead of time to dodge mistakes.
So the next best thing is to look at examples of real-world film slates and discuss what’s written on them, why they’re written that way, and you’ll have a better idea of not just the theory of slating, but the practicalities of it.
Now that you generally know what to write on a film slate, it’s time to get specific.
The film slate hasn’t existed for so many years — adapting to the ever-changing filmmaking landscape — without developing nuances and best practices for a few non-conventional situations.
For instance, how do you slate if a shot has no sound? Should you still clap the sticks? Or what if you’re recording sound in camera but want to get some wild lines or room tone — how should you slate those clips? Do reshoots slate the same way? Or pickups?
These are all questions that are important to answer before you encounter them. Slating well is all about consistency and if you try to tackle these issues as they crop up, you risk compromising the steady foundation you’ve built for the editor.
So I want to help you navigate these grey areas.
The 5 different slating scenarios covered below may not arise on every shot, but they’re common enough that you need to know how to handle them.
photo credit: tanjila
Slating: it’s a staple of filmmaking, it’s an art, and it requires a certain amount of subtlety.
It’s also one of the most recognizable duties a 2nd Assistant Camera (AC) is expected to fulfill. There’s a reason why a 2nd AC is also known as the “clapper/loader.”
When we think about slating, we tend to focus on the clapping aspect of it or the protocol that leads up to the slamming of the sticks. But just as important as hitting the sticks is getting the correct information on the front of the slateboard — things like scene, take, roll, and the production’s name.
If the information on the slate is incorrect, it could anger an editor (which you don’t want) or it could be mistaken as correct and cause confusion in post-production (which you definitely don’t want).
So before you ever step in front of the camera to slate, you need know how to fill it out properly.
A site for camera assistants, cinematographers and film professionals to gather and discuss tips, tricks, and techniques.
It is run by Evan Luzi, a camera assistant with a passion for sharing his knowledge and helping you become a better filmmaker along the way.
Read more about Evan or contact him.
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