Thursday, September 12, 2013

Shooting for post, a checklist (work in progress)

A few notes for my fellow directors, cameramen and other camera and sound operators out there.  Can you please take into consideration your fellow editor needs, who is working hard with your wonderful footage.
Below is a non-exclusive check list to make our film better.  It will look and sound better and we will achieve a higher level of quality, making you look better.  And I know that it's not always possible to do it that way nor desirable, still, it makes my job easier.

1- Roll camera and sound with synced time code. Check and jump sync regularly to avoid drifting.

2- For cameras that cannot be jam-synced, run Time Of Day separately, but as close as possible. So each device is in the same ballpark. That helps a lot, searching for elements is much faster. Watch out for am/pm discrepancy.

3- If possible, slate every take with SC/TK info and rolling time code and make the announce for sound, and please frame and focus on the board so I can read it.

4- Let it roll for a second before calling Rolling, another second before calling Set and another second before calling Action. Or even more if you dare! Each one of you take 3 deep breaths, that will give me wonderful handles.

5- Similarly, let it roll for a few seconds before calling Cut. Heck let it roll for a few seconds AFTER Cut is asked. Hmm! More handles.

6- Brief your actors on the necessity to not overlap dialog with their fellow actors. Tough one, I know, try it anyway. Overlapping dialog, especially with actors improvising their lines is a big limitation in editing. I can always overlap them in post.  It's easier to condense time with editing than it is to expand.

7- Always record reaction shots - make sure that the director and actors know you MUST record them in addition to the scripted talking shots.  Actors listening, looking at someone/something, nodding, standing there, noticing something, sitting, standing, hands, cutaways... the list is endless - Use your judgement! I need these shots constantly and they are a huge asset to make the cut better, richer and more natural.  Ironic, yes I know, well we are manipulators.


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