Documentary and Cinematogrphy

Seattle
FILM AND LIFE
By: Angelina Chavez

DOCUMENTARY AND CINEMATOGRAPHY

Introduction

Why hasn't anyone ever told me that there is a treacherous headache that is involved with documentary work? I received my Associates in Documentary from SFCC, but I never knew that it could be this complicated. Lets face it. I love the complication that goes along with every film set. This is no film set. The amount of people you have to get through just for an interview is not easy. The amount of footage you record that you never use is ridiculous. Documentary is not easy by any means. It is more on the go than I thought.

I did two different spectrums of the "Film" world. A short documentary and a short drama. I worked as D.P. on both of them. It usually comes easy to me. This time we were on a tighter schedule. Quick set up, quick questions, quick wrap and go. There is not much room for lighting design. Boo! I never said I wasn't a fan of documentary work because I quite enjoy how beautiful documentaries can be. I am just shocked at how different they are from everything I have already learned. This is unknown territory.

I am content where I know more about the situation. I know what I love most and it shows.

The D.P's Playlist

This quarter I didn't just focus on Documentary. I focused on another project. This project was dark and light and all kinds of cinematic. It is about a boy losing his mom to cancer and befriending a girl with a more sorrowful and dark past. Both are lost in their world of pain and music is a way to find release. Lighting and camera are fun because they allow you to create anything. There are no limitations unless you limit yourself. 

This time I was not multitasking like I prefer to do. I like operating the camera and directing the light. This time I had a camera operator. This was a big challenge for me because I had to communicate exactly what I wanted in very fine detail. It was problematic because I would get frustrated when it wasn't coming out exactly the way I wanted. I learned that your camera operator has to be in sync with the D.P. If no one is on the same page then they are not working together. 

 I love the playing of light. For example, I had to make day for night. How? Neutral density widow gels... duh. Oh yeah, and a touch of CTB. I just admire the process it takes to go from bland to AMAZING! This project gave me a little more freedom to be more creative. The Director wanted it to be specific and I made it happen.

He didn't tell me to just throw a light up in the corner and that's it. No. He gave me complication. A thing in which I love. I like problem solving. I like finding those creative solutions. And when your director shouts yes in an excited scream you know you did right.

Like I say every time. There are always problems happening on set. Our Dolly got messed up on set so we had to improvise. I found a new passion for racing in a wheel chair. They are so much fun. And when push comes to shove they make a great dolly. Sure there are limitations but for what we needed for it worked.

If ever you have a fast pace action film... keep in mind that you can make faster turns in a wheelchair than a J.L. Fisher. Just a thought. It was an interesting experiment and it was wonderful. The only thing that I have to complain about now that I remembered. Why the heck would you design the on and off switch as the record button as well RED? If you push a second too long when you are trying to record you shut the camera off. CUT! Not on purpose of course but what the holy Jesus were you thinking?

Doc vs. Film

There were perks and warranted rage that go with both of these forms of storytelling. Like I said, documentary is still a new learning process for me, but it was fun to explore and research into the story while I was in the story. You are living it not just telling it. It's a different feeling. Sometimes you are more afraid of getting caught because you don't always have the A'Okay to record something. It's an adrenaline rush. Sometimes you incorporate scripted stories and then sometimes you have to lug loads of equipment with just two people through a University campus. Anyone ever heard of pack mules? Where can I get one of those for a documentary?

Filming has a different pre-production process than documentary. It takes longer to prepare for stories you plan over years rather than prepare for something you are following on the spot. You have a bigger crew to lend a hand. have a bigger crew to lend a hand. You don't have to wait for your interviewee to decide on the most complicated spot for a shoot. You can build it anywhere. Documentary, you go where the action is. Film, you create it in a closed off space where no by-standards can get in your frame and make stupid faces. 

But there isn't as much spontaneity like a documentary has. More complexity, and more problem solving go a long way with documentaries. You learn how to be even more organized. Camera Logs will be your best friend. When you decide to start a documentary be prepared to have a long and loving relationship with time codes and logs. If you treat them right they'll make your life easier.

Final Destination

The closer I get towards my final days here at SFI the more aware I am of what kind of filmmaker I really am. I think by next quarter everyone will see what my true film colors are. I can say I am a filmmaker but that is a vague description of me. I know who I am and who I want to be. In a way I always knew but I was too afraid because I was a little uncertain. Now I am more confident in my decision. Where I started to where I am now I have to say I am glad that I took that step forward. Everything that led me to this point... the struggles, the heartache, the long hours were all worth it.

The Perspective of the D.P.

Seattle
FILM AND LIFE
By: Angelina Chavez

THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE D.P.

Introduction

As a student, you want the best production value for your film. We have big dreams and big ideas with no clue on how we are going to accomplish them. But through this process I realized that if you want to make something amazing you have to do amazing things.

It started out as an idea, "We should make a western horror!" A couple of my friends created an ambitious but very intriguing script. Sure, it had your prairies, grasslands and tumbleweeds just like any western we know of today. However, we are students in the state of Washington where we are surrounded with green canopies of moss and lush ferns covering every inch of the ground. It doesn't exactly resemble your well known Clint Eastwood films.

Seattle Film Institute was all about us taking risks but, I think the school board got a little nervous about what we had in mind for this script. We ended up traveling to a semi-close location. Shaniko, Oregon is a small little western town made for tourists as they pass by route 97. We arrived there at maybe one or two in the morning, and it was freezing. Did I mention the cast and crew had to bunk in this small little town?

The cast bunked in the warm cozy cabins, some crew slept in the RV and then the rest of us, including me, slept in the cold drafty saloon. There was a fireplace but, it didn't exactly work because the heat just went out with the draft from the door. Under mountains of sleeping bags and hand warmers, we were still human popsicles. Burr...

First Day on Set

I had two hours of sleep... kind of. I mean I tried but I was too cold to sleep comfortably. It was six in the morning and everyone was still asleep. I put on a strong cup of coffee thinking the aroma would wake the crew up. No one budged from under the covers. So I started a fire thinking it would warm the saloon up just a little bit to get them up. I was getting impatient. I had a lot to do.

I had to stabilize the Steadicam with the SONY Cinealta F900. Now that is not a light camera, but it was one of the better options made to us that I was determined to make work. Maximum weight for the Steadicam is about 18lbs and the camera was just above that, but we made it work by removing the viewfinder and some other non-essential attachments. This means I had to set the settings prior because through the viewfinder is the only way you could see the menu and presets. I was also facing another complication because I haven't touched a Steadicam in over a year. Santa Fe Community College taught me how to use it but in this shoot I really learned how to hold it and how to move with it.

I was starting to rethink my choice of camera after the first hour. Man was it heavy. My stomach muscles and my back were starting to hurt at the end of the day. I didn't know how much I could take. I was also nervous with the F900. It is an 80,000 dollar camera and that alone made me so scared to even breathe on it. It was all worth the nerves though because the color was astounding. It really picked up on your red, green, and blues. Looking at the footage after a day of shooting proved that this was the best choice we made for this project.This was what the director wanted. I was happy that she was pleased with how amazing everything turned out. It didn't matter how heavy the camera was, or how complicated the shot was, or how limited we were on crew because we made it happen.

When we finally finished for the day we ate dinner and then sat around the campfire to sing and enjoy the rest of the night in this small western tourist attraction. Or at least until the cops came. We were all set for freezing through the night one more time until someone found out that there was an extra cabin. We could have slept warm the night before? I didn't know what to say but all I could think was thank God for heat! There was no way we were going to freeze that night. We were sleeping in a small ten by ten cabin with four crew members crammed up for heat. I was lucky enough to not have to share my cot. But the other crew members were practically neck to neck. However, once we hit those pillows we were out cold.

That's A Wrap

If it wasn't an issue with sound or an issue with wardrobe it was an issue with the weather. Rain, rain go away and screw up someone else's shooting day. When we had an outdoor set it was so annoying to stabilize the Steadicam. The wind just hated me that day. Just when I thought I had it perfect the wind would come and topple it sideways. I would dial it back just a smidgen and I would create an avalanche with the camera. Eventually, I got it, and I was ready to get this shot done. The last shot of this project needed to be amazing. 


It was the kissing scene. This scene made this character seem more horrid because of their romance. It had to be back lit, it had to look beautiful, it had to be romantic, but it also had to seem uncomfortable. Because this scene had a lot of movement with the camera our audio person had to become one with the brush around us. She hid uncomfortably in the wet pokey brush behind a tree. Poor thing. This is why you wear closed toe shoes on set. Student lesson number one.

Finally we got the shot down perfect. Now, I noticed that when I like a shot, or if I nail it I do a happy dance. It isn't like I have moves that will land me on Dancing With the Stars, so essentially my dancing isn't good. So picture a fighting rabbit jumping up and down and then you have what I call... "Lina's happy dance." Lets not forget the high pitched squeal of excitement that escapes from my mouth when I'm thrilled. So basically I'm a combination of a jumping bunny and an Orca during mating season. Isn't that quite something? All in all we finished the shot and we were wrapped. It wasn't exactly an exciting wrap party because we were all so tiered and drained of energy. But, It was worth the 'whoot, whoot' at the end because everything was a challenge and we got through it.

The Final Thought

I never realized that these experiences would teach you survival lessons as well. Now I can't imagine what I wouldn't do if something didn't go to hell on set. I learn most in these situations. For example, don't make extremely strong coffee because then the director gets wired and shakes like she's on drugs. Caffeine affects everyone differently. I learned that on this set. But realistically, I learned that there is a solution to everything.


When we ran out of mafer clamps we rigged stands from the grid instead. We needed a light in the corner and it had to be done fast. It sounds really bad, but we basically put a stand across two beams and bagged it so it wouldn't move. We needed something with a baby spud, and the stands were all we had left. Talk about your ghetto rigs? There is never anything you can't do because there is always a solution. I love those nerve wracking situations.

I feel more myself on set than I do anywhere else. Sure, we found out that some of us sing off key, and some of us kick in their sleep. But we are students learning a very particular form of art. It's not just art, it's a mathematical equation, an experiment, and a marathon all in one. You have to be fit, you have to be diligent, you have to be a quick thinker, and you have to love what you do. We are all here to do something amazing in an industry where you need to be the best of the best. As students with a big dream, I'd say we are getting pretty darn close.

Shooting Super 16 Film

Seattle
FILM AND LIFE
By: Angelina Chavez

SHOOTING SUPER 16 FILM

Introduction

This quarter has been a trying and exhausting one. At Seattle Film Institute we were given the quarter to write a four minute silent film. Out of more than twenty scripts, only six were voted to be produced. My project "Shutout," was a one of the lucky ones. I was lucky to have this opportunity, but then not so lucky when I got sick on set.

Shot by Sebastian Teagan However, doing what you love always outweighs any bad things that might happen. On set anything can go wrong, especially while shooting with film. From having your stomach turn inside out about fifteen times to having your camera malfunction and eat up film.

It's those chaotic moments that make problem solving critical. You have to rely on your pre-production, because it is in that process that you prepare for these situations. Maybe you aren’t always prepared to get sick with food poisoning, but you are prepared for filming in any scenario

Pre-Production

Four minutes seems like an easy thing to accomplish. Four minute shorts are nothing compared to feature films, but it is still a challenge. I have a four minute movie, two magazines each consisting of four hundred feet of film, and two days of shooting. Now... where is my first problem? I have to create a four minute short. I have an extra sixteen minutes to spare. Minus the time the slate takes up and the amount of time it takes for everyone to get into position so I can call Action. There is not much room for mistakes.

How do we solve these issues? Luckily for me, I got some pre-production experience at Santa Fe Community College. The class called "How to Direct and Produce the Independent Film" helped me out so much. That class taught me how to break down scripts. I learned to organize everything from your location to your actors, extras, the time of day, and even the weather. There is so much that has to be considered before you shoot.

I thought it was a breeze in the beginning because I love pre-production. However, that was when I was shooting on digital cameras where you can do take after take with no worries of running out of film. Time is always a thing to worry about too, but that is nothing compared to worrying about running out of footage. So my challenge with film was trying to figure out what my most complicated shots were going to be and how long they were going to take.

So I had to prioritize my shots between the ones I needed vs. the ones I wanted. This way if i had to cut out some shots I knew which ones they would be in advance. I had to prep my actors, my crew, and myself. I had to make sure everyone was on the same page that I was on. I know that there is always going to be situations on set. Situations like having your actor late because he got a flat tire, or getting sick and passing out inside a closet. So I had to make a plan A,B, and C. Pre-production doesn't sound so easy now, does it?

Production

Yes, I passed out in a dark cool closet on set. My point is, you can prepare for just about anything but you are never prepared for everything. I can tell you that, that one production was horrific. I had to take several ten minute breaks. Food poisoning is just so much fun. So fun in fact that it put us behind schedule, and it’s not like we can call up our production manager and say, “Hey, we need a replacement ASAP.”

I felt so bad working on that project, but I felt bad for the fact that I was the one delaying the production. When my project came around I was worried that everyone was going to get sick on my set as well. So I talked to my cinematographer and we set up the day before just in case. When it came to shooting, it was a breeze. I was glad that we were so prepared. We rehearsed several times with blocking. That made my crew and actors more comfortable so when we took the shot they were on top of it. They mostly got it down in one take.

Collaboration was easy here and there. It was complicated sometimes because going to a school where the majority of students want to be directors or producers, everyone has an opinion. So yes, this was a group project, but it was still my story. So how do you make things work when your crew starts to get tense? I am still learning to control the little monster inside that wants to make everyone listen and get along. But that little monster also knows that I was the director.

Knowing your role is a big rule. I learned that at Santa Fe Community College. You can’t direct the director. However, I was breaking that rule too. Directors shouldn’t touch lights or camera. We are still students and all of us are still learning. I got to learn to let things go sometimes, to allow others to learn as well.

My background is in lighting and camera. Here I am learning to be director and producer, and it is not easy. I’m not used to sitting back and letting others take over. But I have to trust my crew, and trust that they know what they are doing. So again, You can be prepared for anything, but there is still going to be situations that you don’t expect.

Overall this production on “Shutout” was a very successful one. I have my crew, actors, and teachers to thank for it. I am still learning every single day and I hope that I am prepared for whatever the future brings, but let’s be realistic. I am going to have to figure out everything as I go, because that’s the fun part. That is what makes film fun too. Figuring it out with the imagination and creativity that is going to make the result amazing.