Writing Apps to keep you Focused

Links to app mentioned in the video

Trello - http://trello.com

Flux - http://justgetflux.com

Rainy Mood - http://rainymood.com

Script Speaker - https://scriptspeaker.com/

If you're anything like us, when you sit down to write you need to make sure you are sitting in the perfect location. You need your notebook with your favourite pen. All your notes need to be set out correctly, and you can not start writing without a cup of tea.

We can’t help you find out what you need to start writing, but here are a few apps to keep you focused when you get passed the hurdle of sitting down to start.

Trello

Trello is a website and app which allows you to organise projects. It is built so you can add lists, and in those lists you can add cards. In each card you can add notes, photos, videos, create checklists, set deadlines, and sync Google Drive documents.

When writing you can make a list for your characters and make individual cards for each person. In each card you can make notes for each of your characters, attach photos of the type of person you would cast or even costume choices.

The list can also be used to help organise the structure of your story. You can have a list for Act 1, 2, and 3. In those lists you can treat each card as a scene, the same way you would use index cards.

By using Trello you can quickly and easily move the cards around if the structure changes in your film or if a scene works better elsewhere. Adding notes to each scene card will help you keep organised and each card can be customised with its own colour to help identify it.

Basically Trello works like using post it notes, but you can quickly move them around, and attach more information.

Trello has many other features that you might like, the ones we have mentioned are just the ones we use the most. It’s great if you are working as a team as many people can have access to the same board.

This is what we use to help organise The Film Look YouTube channel.

Flux

Flux is a program which adapts the color of your computer's display. During the day your screen will be running at a cool temperature of 5500k. When the sun starts to set, night mode will gradually change the colour temperature of your screen to a warm 2300k.

If you are a night owl and do most of your writing when everyone else has gone to bed, get flux.

Your eyes will adjust to the colour change without you noticing. Reducing the blue light coming from your screen will protect your eyes from light strain and will allow you to write more comfortably.

RainyMood

We find white noise can help distract us from what is happening around us and the best white noise out there is Rainy Mood. Rainy Mood is exactly that; it plays the sounds of rain and thunder.

When you’ve been listening to rainymood for over an hour you become very relaxed, and it definitely feels weird when you take off your headphones and you can’t hear it anymore.

Music

Alternatively, put on a soundtrack to a film or TV show similar to the idea you are wanting to write.

If you’re writing a horror, listening to horror music will help you get in the mood. In the past we have listened to the song Time from the Inception Soundtrack on repeat for hours and played rainy mood alongside it.

This combination can help you to immerse yourself into your writing.

Script Speaker

If you are writing scripts you should also be reading them. Finding the time to do this can be difficult, but if you listen to podcasts or audiobooks whilst you are walking or on your daily commute there is an app called Script Speaker which turns a script into an audio book.

If you sign up to Script Speaker you can upload your first 3 scripts for free, and after that it is $0.99 each. All you have to do is upload your script and review any changes the app makes. Normally this is just changing INT and EXT to Interior and Exterior.

Then you can choose between Laura, Sharon, Peter, or Will to narrate your script. We’ve found Peter to have the least robotic voice.

A 15 page script took around 1 minute to convert. After that you can download it onto your phone and listen to it on the go. It does take a little while to get used to.

Don’t just use Script Speaker to listen to other peoples scripts, use it to listen to yours too. Listening back will allow to approach your work from a different angle and allow you to be independently critical. When writing any script you can become so familiar it is easy to miss mistakes in the story, so listening back rather than reading can help you identify any issues.

If you have any suggestions for programs you use to help you write let us know in the comments below...and stop wasting your time reading this blog post and go and write!

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Learning False Colour | Behind The Scenes

This weeks Behind the Scenes at The Film Look Rob tests out a new wireless follow focus and learns about False Colour.

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Understanding White Balance

White balance can be confusing. You've got all these different settings to choose from; degrees, kelvin, tints, gels, temperature. So when, what, and why do you choose certain settings?

It becomes a lot more clear once you wrap your head around a few simple things. Today we’re going to try to understand white balance. 

The Starting Point: Sunlight

Sunlight is pure white, the whitest of white. It's the global standard for all things light and colour because that big shiny ball in the sky is what illuminates our world.

So this is our starting position - our default, and we can compare all other light to sunlight.

Cameras measure colour temperature in Degrees Kelvin. The colour of sunlight is 5500K. Everything up the scale is cooler and everything down the scale is warmer. You can go across the scale, but for today we are concentrating on the essentials.

Fooling Your Camera

The pre-made white balance settings in your camera are there to trick the camera into believing a different colour is white.

 Tungsten lights AKA household bulbs, for example, are naturally warmer than sunlight. They appear, compared to the white of sunlight, quite orange. On the Kelvin scale, they sit at 3200k.

This is where the trick comes in. You can fool the camera into believing these warmer lights are white.

If you were shooting a scene indoors and needed to add white light but only had tungsten lights, you can tell the camera to turn those white.

But be warned, once you start fooling the camera, you are sliding the entire Kelvin scale in that direction too.

If you tell the camera warm is white, that means everything the camera sees becomes colder. The warm light becomes white, white becomes cold and blue-ish, and all colour gets adjusted in that direction.

Sticking to Daylight Balance

If you are shooting a night scene indoors beside a desk with a warm desk lamp, you might think you have to set this lamp to white, because...white balance. But what if you want it warm? What if the warm, orange evening look is what you are going for? Then keep the white balance to daylight.

There is no law that says the light HAS to be white.

Shoot the image as close to the intentional final image. If you want it warm, shoot it warm. But shooting it safe, and shooting it white, then adding a little warmth in post isn't a bad decision either.It's customary to provide some white light into the warm scene to see the colour contrast between the warm and cold tones. It helps the warmth stand out and prevent it from becoming muddy.

Sunlight must be white

It’s fair to say that if you have sunlight in your scene, it needs to be white.

If you have a scene with a warm lamp in it but also have a window with daylight pouring in, you will want to set the white balance back to daylight. If you set the warm light to daylight balance, the sunlight coming through the window will turn very blue which will make the scene look really strange. This is a clear sign of the ameuter look.

Simulating moonlight is a whole different ball game, but if it's supposed to be sunlight, it should really be white.

Gels

Gels are there to adjust the white balance of a light directly from its source, rather than in camera. It's very similar to adjusting the settings on the camera, but instead of fooling the camera from inside, you are fooling the source of light. 

Let's go back to the warm desk lamp during the day. You might not want the desk lamp to be so warm, but changing the camera settings to fool the warm light to look white will mess up the colour of the sunlight. By adding a blue gel to the warm lamp, and keeping the camera's settings to daylight balance, the sunlight will be white, and the lamp will be significantly cooled down. 

So that’s the very basics of white balance! 

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2 Stories in Less Than 10 Minutes | Story in a Can

In each can there are 20 locations, 20 objects, 20 characters, and 20 scenarios. We pick one from each of the cans and try to come up with a film idea on the spot. Sometimes they are bad, but sometimes we turn the idea into a film.

This week we created 2 film ideas from the location of a City Bridge, object of a Toy Car, character who is a Teacher, and the scenario of Just lost your job. One film is called "Flash Mob" and another titled "Young Blood". 

Watch the video to see what stories were made.

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How to Tell Better Vlog Stories

One of our subscribers asked us how they can tell better stories in their vlogs.

Well with a little filmmaking knowledge and some basic storytelling techniques, we can help YOU make your vlogs more entertaining, informative, and engaging - all without spending a single penny more!

First, let's define what a vlog actually is! It’s a broad term, so lets put down some ground rules: a vlog is a piece of video content posted by a creator who features AS themselves in front of the camera and shares their thoughts and knowledge on something.

To put it simply, vlogs are videos of people sharing their world.

“My camera isn’t good enough”

Let’s get this first one out of the way. Your kit is the last thing you have to worry about when making vlogs. You don’t need a fancy camera, cool lights, and a top of the line microphone.

As long as the footage isn’t blurry and we can hear you clearly, it’s perfectly good enough for a vlog. Most smartphones are more than good enough for shooting content. So don’t blame your tools!

“I’m not interesting”

When something isn’t quite right with your vlogs, the first thing you’ll probably do is blame yourself. “I’m not interesting in front of the camera” you might say. WRONG. It’s not that you aren’t INTERESTING, it’s that you are not INTERESTED.

Successful vlogs are about people who love what they do. They have a passion.

Whatever subject it is you are talking about, you must be invested in it. This is your core subject, and it’s this single core subject which will help give your vlog some structure. More on structure in a bit.

Cody’s Lab is a prime example of being interesting by being interested. He makes videos about mining ore, smelting, and science experiments. He even has a series about Beekeeping. Until I watched his videos, I had literally no interest in Beekeeping, but because Cody is so passionate about his core subject I kept watching.

You don’t have to be the most charismatic and exciting person in the world, but by simply having a real interest in what you are talking about, you will automatically shine on screen.

Have a plan

A mistake a lot of new vloggers make is hitting record on the camera and waiting for something interesting to happen in front of them. Unless you are a rich superstar rapper who ends up in crazy situations every single day, you’ll need to plan your vlog to make it more entertaining.

Write down some subjects, places, things, or topics you want to cover in your vlog; just make sure they are things that interest YOU.

Before you go out for the day, you should have an idea of the type of video you want to make. This will give you a stronger backbone when you shoot, it will give you a focused subject, and it will help you craft the story as you go along.

Storytelling 101

“Character -> Conflict -> Goal” is an essential storytelling technique. Every great story follows this rule and your vlog should too if you want to stand out from the crowd.

Who is the character? YOU are! Interesting characters have strengths AND weaknesses, so don’t be afraid to show what you are AFRAID OF, CAN’T DO, AND DON’T LIKE, as well as the positives.

What is your goal? Tell us about what you want to achieve inside the vlog. In the filmmaking world this is called exposition. It’s the information the audience needs to know in order to follow along with the plot.

For example, in the movie Inception, they need to explain the whole thing about dreams, implanting memories, and stealing thoughts in order for the audience to be able to follow along.

So tell your audience your goal, document your journey, and show us the obstacles that get in your way.

Arrive Late - Leave Early

In filmmaking there is a term called “Arrive Late - Leave Early”. You see this executed in film and TV all the time. It’s that cut between the Police Officer grabbing his jacket off his chair and arriving at the scene.

You don’t need to see everything in between to understand the change of time and location - your brain works it all out.  YOU can use this technique to help improve the pace of your vlogs.

If you want to show the passage of time, for example, you can actually do this in very few shots. End your scene by picking up your jacket, insert a quick shot of your watch, then close the door at the next location.

We understand in just a few seconds that you’ve left one place and arrived at another without masses of filler material. Your shots give the audience visual information, so don’t give them too much useless information just to fill up the timeline. Use your time wisely, and try to cut the fat from your edit.

If you are simply telling the audience that you’re moving location, you don’t need to show: tying your shoes, grabbing your food, closing the door, shots of your feet, getting in the car, putting on your seat belt, a timelapse of you driving, parking, getting out…

This is not very entertaining, nor is it informing the audience to further the plot of the film.

Some people might not agree with what I’m saying. Some people might prefer the organic, no-format, whimsical style of a vlog. And that’s totally fine! But if you want to compete with the best, using some storytelling and filmmaking techniques will certainly help you stand out.

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Palette Gear Review

In the last 2 years we have uploaded around 200 videos to this channel. This means we have spent a lot of time editing so any new shortcut we find to make the process quicker is like winning the jackpot.

The team over at Palette have sent over their Palette gear to try,  and see if it can improve our editing workflow. 

What is the Palette Gear

Palette is a modular hardware device that allows you to set program shortcuts by using the buttons, sliders, and dials.

For example, instead of using the mouse to click on the volume and move it up and down, you can use the slider or dial to do this.

Using a physical button is quicker, easier, and it just feels much nicer to carry out such a task.

The Palette Gear can do much more than just change the volume of your computer’s sound, but we will get into that later on in the video.

There are a few different kits you can buy, and the one we have is the expert kit which goes for $300.

How to Set Up

I am not going to go into all of the details of how to set up the Palette as there are lot of videos already on YouTube from Palette that explain that, and also it is super easy to do.

It’s really just plug and play. Dive into the functions and work out what layout works for you.

If you are used to using programs like Adobe Premiere, Photoshop, or Lightroom, this will be a breeze to set up. It just takes time to get used to it.

The Design

You will not be disappointed with the design of the of the Palette Gear, it’s actually made filming the b-roll for this video very easy because it looks so cool.

The arcade style buttons feel like arcade buttons, the sliders are smooth but have a nice hard stop, the dials turn with ease and have a nice click when you press them down.

The LEDs come in handy to customise your setup, and it helps you colour code your setup.

For my editing profile in Premiere Pro I have them set to purple, with the two buttons set to green as they control something else.

When I switch to my colour correction profile I have the buttons set to red, and when I am using Spotify I have the two controls set to green.

And the rest are black out as they have no controls assigned to them, which was my choice.

Changing the colours is super easy and there are thousand different design and workflow combinations.

I have the Palette setup right above my keyboard. I did have it to the side at first but that meant I could only really use one hand to access it, and having it above the keyboard means I can work with the buttons from left to right which feels a lot more natural.

Everyone's desk setup will be different, you just need to spend a little bit of time to work out what is best for you, and like I said earlier it’s easy to change the setup.

At first I selected one of the many pre built profile which are supplied with the Palette, but you can also download other user profiles from their website.

Start with these and learn what you do and don’t need, then it’s time to customise.

This is my setup.

The first two buttons are set to simply skip forwards and backwards between the different profiles, this will be come clear in a minute.

I have a number of different profiles installed with my most used being for Adobe Premiere Pro where I have 5 different profiles.

The first profile is for when I am just editing a project together, with controls to zoom in and out of the timeline, jog through the timeline, and change the audio track height which makes doing this simple task much easier.

The next two profiles are for when I am using the Lumetri colour grading plug in. I have it set up so grade 1 can change the temperature, tint, exposure, contrast controls.

Then grade 2 has the controls for highlights, shadows, whites, blacks, and saturation just like the basic colour correction in the Lumetri panel.

This is why I have the first two buttons set to switch forwards and backwards between the profiles so I can quickly access all of the setting I use the most.

You can just use one of these buttons to skip through the profiles, but it does mean you can only skip forwards until you get back to the start.

Other profiles I have for Premiere Pro are controls for the creative tab in Lumetri to change the percentage of the LUT, add a film fade, and change the vibrance.

Then a profile to change the scale, X and Y position of a clip.

I did try to use the Palette to edit audio as there is a profile already setup which has all of the shortcuts to add keyframes and edit, but I felt it was slowing me down.

Using the mouse and keyboard shortcuts does this same task a lot quicker.

The other profiles i use are for Lightroom, which has a similar set as the colour grading options from Premiere Pro, and also for Spotify which is a nice bonus to have as I use it every day.

You can also use the Palette for other programs like After Effects, Audition, InDesign and many others are being added.

My Recommendations

Like I said we have the Expert Kit which is the middle kit, but what's good about the Palette gear is that you can buy everything separately.

So if you find out that you need more buttons you can just buy the buttons.

For my current workflow which is mainly using the Palette for colour, I think I would get rid off the sliders completely and add more of the dials.

The reason is because the dials can perform 3 actions, they can dail left and right which can change a number value higher or lower, and you can also press them down to perform a different action, like reset the setting it controls.

Also if the slider is not in the center when you start to move it, the controlling value jumps to where the slider is so you have to move it back to the center to start from 0. The dials always start from 0.

Final Thoughts

So, should you get a Palette Gear?

If you are like me and use Lumetri to colour correct and colour grade or use lightroom to do the same with your photos on a daily basis, I think it is a must.

You can definitely do all of this without the Palette, but it does make it a lot easier and quicker.

The Palette is not a replacement for your mouse and keyboard, it is an extension and helps you fine tune your control over your workflow to allow you to be more creative.

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Equipment Links

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https://palettegear.com/

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Some of these links are affiliate links, if you purchase gear via these links The Film Look will receive a small commission, but there will be no additional cost to you. Thank you!

Creating a Production Plan | Behind The Scenes

We are well into production for our new short film THE ASYLUM GROOVE. Today we map out the production and figure out what else we need to do in order to be ready to shoot!

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Tangle Free Cable Magic Trick

Cables: not the most exciting bit of kit, but still super important. Knowing how to wrap them correctly is crucial if you want them to last a long time and have them unravel without knots or tangles.

Let me show you the first common mistake.

Don’t wrap your cables like this ^. This will tangle it all up and twist the inside of the cable which will eventually cause it to break.

And definitely don’t wrap your cables like this ^. All you’re doing is stretching the cable, and again, it’s gonna break.

To prevent your cables from internally twisting and breaking, slow yourself down and try this:

Instead of forcing the cable into loops, let it do the work. All you need to do is hold the cable out in front of you, give it a gentle twist with one hand, then bring your hands together. This will loop the cable without twisting the inside.

Let me tell you how and why this works. Imagine you’ve just jumped inside the cable and it’s now hollow like a tunnel. You’re inside the tunnel and it has a floor to stand on. You can walk along to the other end in a straight line no problem because of the floor. But what if the cable winds around and down and loops like a winding staircase? You still want the floor of the tunnel to remain on the ground.

By adding a gentle twist and letting the cable loop itself when you bring your hands together, you are keeping the floor to the ground.

If you did it like this ^ the floor will eventually ride up the wall and onto the ceiling. This will twist and break the inside of the cable.

Okay, that’s part one! Your cables will now last a lot longer. Now for a tangle-free method!

You might notice that even with this gentle-twist technique your cables will still get a bit tangled after you pull them out of storage. This is because the loops will not always stack in perfect sequence. In storage, they will likely fall into each other and start to tie up the loops.

The trick here is to add a reverse loop on every other loop. This will make the cable unravel completely tangle free by creating a stop-gap between the loops, preventing them from accidentally hooking into each other.

So begin with a gentle-twist and let the cable loop. Then on the second loop, bring the cable into itself to create a loop which will stack inside itself rather than on top. You will want to do this with every other loop. It’s ridiculous but it honestly works.

It’s time to stop treating your cables like rope and give them some care. It takes a little more time and care when you wrap them, but it means ultra-fast deployment when you need them quickly.

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"Young Blood" | Story in a Can | The Film Look

In each can there are 20 locations, 20 objects, 20 characters, and 20 scenarios. We pick one from each of the cans and try to come up with a film idea on the spot. Sometimes they are bad, but sometimes we turn the idea into a film.

This week we created 2 film ideas on the fly, one called "Flash Mob" and another titled "Young Blood". 

Watch the video to see what stories were made.

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DISCLAIMERS:

Some of these links are affiliate links, if you purchase gear via these links The Film Look will receive a small commission, but there will be no additional cost to you. Thank you!

SmallHD Focus Alternative? | AndyCine A6 5.7 inch Monitor Review

We’ve used a bunch of budget camera monitors, mainly 7 inch monitors. But there are times when a 7 inch monitor attached to your camera is just too bulky.

The guys over at ANDYCINE sent us their 5.7 inch field monitor to try out. So let's find out if a 5.7 inch monitor is the Goldilocks-size we’ve been looking for!

BUILD QUALITY

The ANDYCINE A6 field monitor has a tough plastic construction. Don’t expect this to survive too many drops, but on the bright side, it’s really lightweight which is great for smaller rig setups.

In the twist test it does a good job with hardly any flex.

The included articulating arm is of full metal construction and is very smooth when changing the angle. It’s not perfect; there is a bit of play when you slack off the monitor, but once you tighten it back up, it’s going nowhere. It also comes with a cold shoe mount for adding a small on-board microphone.

It includes 8 buttons on the top for on/off, navigating menus, and some act as function buttons which you can set from a list of features. More on features soon.

The monitor includes ¼ 20 threading on the top and bottom as well as the right-hand side, so you can attach the monitor in a hanging position and a standing position with something like a magic arm if you prefer.

This magic arm is not included but I will add it into the description below.

I/O

The monitor features HDMI input with support of up to 4K UHD recording. It has a DC 12 volt input for power from a wall socket, and even includes a DV output of 8 volts so, with the correct DC coupler and dummy battery, you can power your camera with the battery from the monitor.

It includes a port for a USB upgrade for firmware updates, and it even has a headphone jack; just don’t expect to accurately monitor audio from the headphone jack as the latency is just slightly too late for comfortable use. But for video playback, it’s totally fine.

SCREEN

The best thing about this monitor is the screen. The resolution is a solid 1920x1200, which will give you full 1080p at 5.7 inches which means this monitor is really sharp. Great for nailing focus, even without zooming in to double check.

The screen is bright and the colour accuracy is much better than most budget monitors. Everything looks like it should from out of the box. It’s not winning colour accuracy awards, but white is white, black is black, and skin isn’t green.

LATENCY

This isn’t the fastest monitor in terms of latency, but certainly not the slowest. There is a slight delay as you would expect from a budget monitor. But honestly, once you get the monitor on the camera and begin shooting with it, you forget about the latency and it really doesn’t affect shooting.

SOFTWARE FEATURES

For a full list, check the item link below. As for the ones I think are useful, here it goes:

It includes image flip which is a great addition if you are using the articulating arm. Simply programme image flip to a function button and you can hot swap to a tilted view.

This monitor includes false color for managing exposure and lighting ratios which is a huge plus for aspiring cinematographers.

It has an on-screen histogram, a 3 step zoom feature, up to 16x, and all of the display markers you need including centre markers, aspect ratios, and safe frames.

This monitor also includes zebras for monitoring over-exposure, and it even has a battery gauge!

POWER

The monitor can be plugged into the wall with a DC 12 volt plug, sold separately, but I’ll put a link down below if you want to buy one.

It also takes Sony NPF batteries, which is a massive plus. We use Sony NPF batteries for pretty much every battery powered device we have, so kudos to ANDYCINE for using a common power device. Again, sold separately, but i’ve put a link if you want to buy some.

ACCESSORIES

The ANDYCINE A6 comes with a few accessories. The articulating arm is a huge plus in my eyes. It makes configuring the monitor really easy, its built very well, and has a cold shoe for a small on-board microphone.

You also get an HDMI to mini HDMI cable. No use to me as the Sony a7s uses Micro HDMI, but still a nice addition. It includes a sunshade which velcros on, super lightweight and really handy. And the whole package comes with a reasonably tough shelled zip bag.

WHO IS THIS FOR?

Firstly you’ve got vloggers and self-shooters. Because of the way it’s designed, with the easy flip screen and function buttons, it’s a great tool to frame yourself up and check focus.

Then you’ve got camera operators, especially those on the DIY and independent level. The monitor is cheap, does the job, it’s lightweight, and it’s a brilliant stepping stone to something a bit more expensive down the line.

PRICE

It’s currently priced at £180 and $180 US. It’s a little bit more expensive than some other monitors we’ve used like the Feelworld 759 and Pergear A7s, but i’d have to say it’s totally worth the money.

It has a fantastic screen, some great functions for exposure and framing, and I prefer the size to some of the more bulky 7 inch monitors. All in all, this is a great budget 5.7 inch monitor. And if you squint hard enough, if almost looks like a Small HD focus.

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Equipment Links

🎥 This episode's kit/gear/equipment:

US links:

Monitor - http://amzn.to/2GdOgEg
Magic Arm - http://amzn.to/2rICQ8G
DC 12 volt plug - http://amzn.to/2E8O5JL
Sony NPF750 + Charger - http://amzn.to/2FdEX62

UK links:

Monitor - http://amzn.to/2E7kD6U
Magic Arm - http://amzn.to/2FeEH70
DC 12 volt plug - http://amzn.to/2FeNRQW
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Some of these links are affiliate links, if you purchase gear via these links The Film Look will receive a small commission, but there will be no additional cost to you. Thank you!

Tackling the First Hurdle of our New Short Film | Behind The Scenes

Production on our newest short film 'The Asylum Groove' has started! This week we head to the main location and tackle the first hurdles; cleaning the room, utilising the space, set dressing, and lighting the scene.

Our channel and another YouTube filmmaker, Nate from Nate's Film Tutorials, have set each other a filmmaking challenge: he has tasks us with making a film with only a SINGLE WORD of dialogue. We have challenge him with a conversation scene which the first line must be "What do you mean you don't have the money!?". 

Check out Nate's channel for some awesome filmmaking videos:

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DISCLAIMERS:

Some of these links are affiliate links, if you purchase gear via these links The Film Look will receive a small commission, but there will be no additional cost to you. Thank you!

Boom Pole Quick Release | Triad Orbit IO-R Review

You wouldn’t believe how many times I’ve chewed the threading on my shock mount and boom pole trying to screw it in on-set. I found a solution: it’s a quick-change coupler, and it’s a wicked bit of kit. 

I’m a DIY sound recordist, and because of this, no knowledge has been passed down generation after generation. If this WAS the case, I imagine I’d have discovered one of these many years ago: the Triad-Orbit IO-R quick-change coupler. Let me show you how it works.

I use a Rode micro boom pole and a Rode Blimp. The problem I have with this equipment is the fact they are made of 2 different types of metal, so one contact is naturally softer than the other which makes it prone to chewing up and destroying the screw unless you are super slow and careful putting it together.

So instead of risking damage to your equipment every time you want to attach a shock mount, you can use a coupler. You simply screw each part to the boom pole and the shock mount and when you want to attach it, you pull the release back, slot it into place, let go, and it grips it tight.

It’s essentially the same as a quick release plate on a tripod and camera.

You can buy quick-change couplers with a bunch of different sizes heads and mounts. They even do a light stand version which is really handy. And they also sell multipacks in case you wanted to kit out all of your audio equipment for fast and easy use.

This might not be a groundbreaking discovery for some, but i had no idea something like this even existed. It’s going to save a lot of time tediously trying to screw the shock mount onto the boom without it breaking, and it will save all of the money that I was dumping into replacement parts.

If you are just starting out in sound, take a look at our Indie Film Sound Guide. We run through all the basics of recording sound for micro-budget and small indie level productions.

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Equipment Links

🎥 This episode's kit/gear/equipment:

US links: 

Triad Orbit IO-R: http://amzn.to/2ruIrPH
3/8-inch Mounting Head: http://amzn.to/2E1nsqp

UK links:

Triad Orbit IO-R: http://bit.ly/2DrRQcf
3/8-inch Mounting Head: https://goo.gl/m3JYuJ

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Behind The Scenes at The Film Look | BTS #40

We changed the name of The Film Look vlogs to Behind The Scenes at The Film Look, and we are on the Young Filmmakers Podcast hosted By Max from Valley Films, check it out via the link below.

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DIY Light Skirting

90% of our short film Backstage is set in a locker room, and the location we had for this scene was in an old disused school. We spoke about how we dressed the set in a previous video if you want to check it out:

INT. LOCKER ROOM - NIGHT

The room was 5.7 meters by 3.7 meters and had 7 windows. To make sure we could keep the light consistent, as we were going to shoot a night scene during the day, we decided to block all of the windows which also helps to sell the effect that this is a run down venue.

The room had 4 fluorescent lights which were 36 watts each and had a colour temperature of around 3200 Kelvin. They were the only lights we used to light up the scene. We did this because lighting people from above is not the most flattering lighting setup, which fit the grimy tone of the film, and this type of room would have these type of lights.

Since this type of lighting setup creates a very even look throughout the room, we added DIY skirts to each of the lights. By blocking the light from hitting every where, it now creates a vignette around our subjects. As they are standing directly below the light, and the walls are not being hit with as much intensity as our subject. To help bounce more light downwards we painted the inside of the skirts white.

Our white balance on the camera was set to Fluorescent Warm White, the tube lights had a green tint to them so we adjusted the colour gamut in our white balance setting to take away the green tint, and make sure the whites were white.

In the final grade we did add some of this green tint back into the final image, but because we had strong colours coming from the walls and one of our characters costumes, it was important to shoot everything as clean as possible.

By only using the ceiling strip lights it allowed us to move quickly whilst shooting as we did not had to change the lighting setup after each shot. The only lighting change we made on the day was to either add a little bit of bounce light to bring up the dark shadows of the costumes and under our actors chin.

Also, we had to flag the light from hitting one of ours characters bright shiny costume as it become overexposed when shooting at different angles in the room.

EXT. CAR PARK - NIGHT

This was the only exterior scene in our film and it was at night. By using a Sony A7s we did not have to worry about our ISO being too high and creating noise, but we still needed to light the scene. We chose a car park which had floodlights which we could use to light the scene.

The tracking shot was filmed by our friend who is a wicked glide-cam operator, and to light this shot we simply boomed a 160 LED other head whilst he was walking. We placed a Aputure HR672c LED panel in the back seat so when the car door opened and used the remote which comes with the light to turn it on, simulating the in car light.

Just as we were setting up for the next shot in this scene which was a over the shoulder shot of our character whilst people walked passed, the floods light in the car park went off. At this point we only had two shots left to shoot for the entire film, we had a prop car, and extra cast members, so we had to find a way to shoot the last two shots.

The over the shoulder shot shows the rest of the car park which is now in darkness, but luckily we had 4 cars so we turned on everyone's car lights to light up the car park.

INT. BACKSTAGE - NIGHT

The final scene of the film was set behind the backstage curtain. On the other side of the curtain would be a wrestling ring and the crowd. We could not afford to show this so we faked it with sound. The location we shot this scene already had large blackout curtains, and we just needed to block up the other walls with more of the black backdrops.

For the main angle in this scene we used the Aputure HR672c LED set to 5500K as a key light for our subjects, and we also used disco lights which would be used at an event like this. When speaking to our 1st AC Rob before the shoot he said he already had a set of disco lights we could us, and the definitely helped to set the scene.

We did not use many lights in this film, and in our main scene we only used what was already in the room. For us finding this main location with everything we needed saved us time when shooting, but also saved us money as we did not need to buy or rent any lights.

So for the next film you make think about how you will light your scene with the things you currently have access to, you already might have what you need to make your film.

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DISCLAIMERS:

Some of these links are affiliate links, if you purchase gear via these links The Film Look will receive a small commission, but there will be no additional cost to you. Thank you!

1 Essential Tripod Trick | a Filmmaker's Review

A tripod is one of the most important pieces of camera equipment. I am going to show simple tripod trick you might not of realised you needed to know. 

Let’s start off with your tripod at its lowest position. On most tripods, when you want to raise them you unclip one of the legs and extend it. Then if you want to make it even taller you extend the next leg.

Here is where the trick comes in:

When you extend the first leg, make sure you release the clip which is the closest to the ground. Now the tripod legs look like this...

...and the next clips are halfway up the tripod, meaning you can stand and easily access the clips in arm’s reach to further extend the height of your tripod legs.

Lets reverse back and release the top clip at the start instead of the bottom one. Now the tripod clips are at the bottom of the tripod, meaning you have to kneel right down to release the tripod legs which are no longer in arm’s reach.

So that is the trick, and you might not think it is a big deal and you might already do this, but compared to all of the other tripod tricks this is the one you will use every time you use your tripod.

This tip works when your tripod is at it highest and you want to lower it, but you do everything in reverse order. Release the clip which is in the highest position to lower your tripod, now all of the clips are in the middle of tripod.

This is a simple tip but once you start using it, you will soon realise how much easier it is to extend the height of your tripod by choosing the correct clip. It will save you a few seconds of time every time you do it, but over time it will save your knees and back.

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Equipment Links

🎥 This episode's kit/gear/equipment:

US links:

Head: http://amzn.to/2GKojMi
Levelling Base: http://amzn.to/2EVbHoX
Legs (newer model): http://amzn.to/2EVRc7u

UK links:

Head: http://amzn.to/2F84P6U
Levelling Base: http://amzn.to/2ozTdPN
Legs (newer model): http://amzn.to/2FAkSsc

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DISCLAIMERS:

Some of these links are affiliate links, if you purchase gear via these links The Film Look will receive a small commission, but there will be no additional cost to you. Thank you!

How to Block a Scene

So you’ve got a script in your hand, a camera on standby, and a bunch of actors at the ready. But before you start shooting, you need to figure out where everyone is going to be throughout the scene. Today we’re going to talk about blocking.

Where are the actors in the scene? Do they move? Where do they move? How does the camera show this? Is it static? Is it panning or tracking?

Blocking is the process of working out the all of this out. It’s like dance choreography, but instead of dancers performing dance moves on musical beats, you have the actors and the camera performing actions on script beats.

This is our method for blocking:

We usually start by choosing marks for the actors. These are static positions where the actors will stand during moments in the scene. You can cue an actor to then travel from one mark to another mark creating a movement in the scene.

One quick note: People rarely stay completely static. So if you want a simple way to help achieve a more cinematic look, or the film look, get your actors on their feet and moving around during the scene. And if they are stood still or sitting, have them move in another way, such as eating, putting on makeup, or drinking a cup of tea.

Once you are happy with how the actors are moving in the scene you can bring in the camera.

We start off by plonking the camera in front of an actor’s mark and framing it up. If they are positioned here for the majority of the scene, this is a good starting point for coverage.

Then think about how to cover the movement in the scene. You want the audience to know where everyone and everything is to each other in the scene, so make sure to cover their movement so the audience can understand the geography of the room. Cutting back to a wide shot is arguably the easiest method to achieve it.

Once you have this all thought out, you can make adjustments to the blocking of the actors and the camera to help: light the scene better, cover the room easier, and reduce or increase movement.

All of your choices will determine how the film feels. The movement of the actors, their body language, where they are standing or sitting, the lighting at each of their marks; this is all up to you to decide, and each decision will be necessary to convey the story you want to tell.

We used blocking to give the audience information about the character, in replace of dialogue. For example, in our latest film Backstage The Medium slowly walks over to the stall to convey reluctancy in his character. He doesn’t really want to help The Flyswatter.

Jenny the Stage Manager storms into the room to convey she is in a state of power. She even blocks the way out with her arm to further identify that “Hey, I’m the boss. You’ll leave when I let you leave”.

You can also use blocking to make adjustments and tailor the set to make it more dynamic. We had the problem of where to place The Medium’s mirror on set.

We needed it positioned in front of him in order to achieve the first shot in one take, but it was too tall on the counter when The Medium gives The Flyswatter a lecture at the end of the scene.

So we made the change to have The Medium pack it away, completely solving the problem AND giving The Medium an activity to perform while The Flyswatter rambles on in the toilet cubicle.

It might not be a fancy light, or a super expensive camera, but something like well thought out blocking can create dynamic, realistic, and a cinematic image, getting you one step closer to achieving the film look.

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Some of these links are affiliate links, if you purchase gear via these links The Film Look will receive a small commission, but there will be no additional cost to you. Thank you!

10k Subscribers Celebration | Live Stream AMA

To celebrate hitting 10,000 subscribers we asnwered your questions!

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How to Shoot Faster on Set

A way you can work faster on set is by being organised and knowing what you need to shoot before day 1 of principle photography. So what is the process of turning the pages of your script into a production plan?

In a previous episode we spoke about the process of breaking down your script and extracting all of the different props, costumes, locations, cast, and any other things you need in order to make your film.

The process of working out which shots you need is very similar, but instead of extracting this information you need to add it.

Shot List

This is the script for our short film Backstage and once it was complete we went through the script and started to note down some of the shots we thought we needed.

A wide shot then a close up here, over the shoulder shot here. You can start to create a shot list, for now pen and paper will work, or even Word, but if you have access to something like shot lister, it’ll keep you more organised.

Test Shooting

Now you have a brief list of what you need, test shoot these shots.

If you can go to the location you will be shooting in, this will help you work out if you the shots you have written down will give you enough coverage, and if you need to add some extra shots.

During the test shooting at the location you can work out the blocking and test the lighting:

Storyboards

For our short film Backstage we went to the main location and walked through the script, working out where each actor would stand, where the camera would be, and taking stills to create our story boards. Storyboards do not need to be detailed pieces of art, especially if you can not draw like us, but you now have something visual to show the cast and crew. Here is an example:

For the storyboard Richard stood in place where The Medium would be, looked in the correct direction, and since we did not take a tripod I put my hand in front of the camera to create the Over the shoulder shot.

If you can not use the location before you shoot, the next best thing is to test out your shots in your living room or bedroom. We also did this for the last scene in our short film, as the location would be not ready to shoot until the day, but we still wanted to be prepared.

So me and Rich worked out which shots we would need, setup the camera with the correct focal length, and we just stood in place. It may not look fancy, but on the day we knew the types of shots we needed to film.

Lining a Script

Once you have gone through your script you can now create your final shot list. We use shot lister to do this, but there are many other programs out there and a lot of people just use word. From your final shot list and storyboards you can now go back to your script and line it.

Lining your script means putting a line through a section of your script which indicates when each shot should start and when it should cut. Here is an example: 

Shot 1P is at the end of scene 1, and is when The Medium is talking face to face with the Flyswatter for the first time as he has just come out of the toilet cubicle. There would be no point filming this shot of The Medium before this point, so on the script write down when this shot should start.

1P starts with The Medium delivering the line ‘Who Rocky Johnson’, The Flyswatter will pack up his stuff, walk out of the cubicle, The Medium will start to deliver his line, the toilet door will open, King Tonga and Bobby Jazzler enter the room, The Medium will finishes his lines, then shot cuts.

Shot 1J K L M N and O of the film is the same section of the script as shot 1P, all covering different angles.

One piece of advice would be to get your actors to start a couple of lines before each shot would start, this helps them lead back into the role, in terms of dialogue and actions.

Another reason lining a script is important is because it lets you know how long each shot should last, and from this information you can work out it will take to shoot each shot.

Shot 3C, a WS of Jenny the stage manager which goes through a full page, you will know that the shot will take longer to shoot than 3D which only goes through only a paragraph. With this information you can schedule your shot list in a order that works best for you.

Now you have the information from your test shooting about the shots you need, your storyboards are created, and your script is lined, you should have a clear understanding of what you need to shoot, helping you shoot faster on set.

The script for our short film Backstage was 7 pages long, these techniques will work if your script is 1 or 90 pages long.

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🚀http://bit.ly/illuminate-pack - RocketStock’s light leak pack, "Illuminate", is sure to impress your viewers. Shot using digital cinema cameras in 4K, it’s an unbeatable way to lift your video to new, cinematic heights.

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Some of these links are affiliate links, if you purchase gear via these links The Film Look will receive a small commission, but there will be no additional cost to you. Thank you!

2018 Studio Tour!

In celebration of hitting 10,000 subscribers, we thought we'd give you a tour of our micro-studio!

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Tracks used in this episode

🎵 Tracks used in this episode:

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http://bit.ly/pbtrack-shafty

http://bit.ly/pbtrack-finestimports

http://bit.ly/pbtrack-royalflush

http://bit.ly/pbtrack-blackjackhero

http://bit.ly/pbtrack-badboysclub

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