Production BLOG

Day 1:

The first day on a project is always the toughest.  We have a new crew that is a mix of experienced personnel and first timers that really started to hit their stride around mid morning.

The day's schedule had many small clips and only a few long scenes that would have improved the overall productivity.  Unfortunately we only managed to complete around three quarters of what was scheduled.  Adding insult to injury was a bug in the Red One camera's software that tricked the crew into lowering the camera sound sensitivity to an unacceptable level.  The editor and producer are now taking a look at what can be used, what can be fixed with ADR and Foley, and what will need to be re-shot.

On the positive side the day was a valuable learning experience and has yielded some very impressive imagery.  We are confident that this team will be able to improve overall productivity.

Many of the tools we are using are cutting (or in some cases bleeding) edge for independent filmmaking.  The Red One camera has been out for over a year now and we are using #5107.  Director of Photography Dutch Adkins sporting our home-made shoulder mount rig.

Due to a three plus year working relationship with Birger Engineering we were able to acquire a mount for the camera and an early production Impero controller.  The Birger mount allows Canon still lenses to be mounted on the Red One while the Impero serves as the Bluetooth connected control surface.  1^st AC Jeff 'Blute' Brown working with the Impero.

Great tools can be whipped together if you have the definition of what is needed and the skills to build it.  Our camera cart serves as a stand for the directors monitor and sports pneumatic knobby tires for outdoor work.

John South and Betsey Berry covering the sound with a battery of tools.  We are feeding sound through a Sound Devices 302 and into the Red One.

Not every tool needs to be high tech.  Cory Paul working an old fashioned slate.

There are a myriad of lighting solutions out there, and many of these solutions are becoming more affordable.  The overhead practical fixtures have been fitted with daylight balanced high CRI Sylvania bulbs that are now available from Lowes.  We are also using a mix of HMI and fluorescent  lamps from Coollights and even a few simple bulbs from Full Spectrum Solutions.   

And what retail setting would be complete without customers...