[MacDV] Re: shooting a movie correctly

[doug lauber]

Charles Martin wrote:

> > From: digitalx169 at mac.com
> > Did it not occur to you we do not all have the pro tools not the pocket
> > book to go with it?
>
> If you don't have the money to do a project correctly, why bother?
>

There's a certain amount of truth to that. (doing it 'correctly')
Look at it this way: 'Art' requires doing the best you can, and
creating the best art object possible. Being pragmatic requires
making compromises. This is true even with a big budget
project.  So it becomes a creative task to make decisions about
what qualities you are willing to cut or sacrifice.  I've seen
really bad quality films or videos with tons of grain and distortion
that were great films because other elements were way above
average. Lynch's Amputee comes to mind. Shot twice, using two
different videotape types, this film doesn't look very clear, but
the creative concept raises it to the level of being unique and exceptional.

Shooting DV will give you something that is relatively fuzzy compared
with the resolution of 16 or 35mm film. To balance that, MAKE SURE
the other elements are EXCEPTIONALLY GOOD. (Please excuse
my yelling.) The DV short I'm working on will have an exceptionally
good musical soundtrack. I can see that already. It has to have that,
to counter-balance the bad fuzzy imagery. Lighting? Make darn sure
that the lighting is dramatic, moody, and not bland. You see, all of the
elements add up to a good or a bad film. Lo-res imagery can be balanced by
the other elements, to the point of achieving excellence.
Just to add to the 'elements' idea, consider the script and the
actor's performances, and the editing, to name a few more.

For practice, write a polished scene, film it, and edit it. Add music.
That will give you a clue for determining what aspects need improvement.  -doug