Shooting a DV Feature:
Part 4 - "Movie's Finished! Now What?"
Article by Steve Saylor (4/1/2000)
PART 1 | PART 2 | PART 3 | PART 4 |
Well, it'd be nice if somebody wanted to watch it. Maybe your "little baby" will... find its audience! And make some money! At least re-coup a portion of the budget. But how?
Let's talk about this first. Then we'll get into that "film-look" process. That's technical stuff. Kind of boring. Put that off as long as we can.
More fun to daydream!
* * * *
When your video-editing-computer-system appeared on the horizon, you went off to war, figured to be in the heat of battle 3 or 4 months, at which point you would return home triumphant with the final cut tucked underneath your arm.
At last, you're almost there! And it's only taken... What?! A year?! No way.
A whole year has come and gone? Had there been a major fluctuation in the Time-Space-Continuum. A disturbance in the Force? A rupture in my disk?
Only one way to explain it. Time stands still in the Editing Zone.
* * * *
Allow me to share just one daydream that reoccurred on a regular basis during those long months of staring bug-eyed into the monitor. Goes like this...
I would lure a dozen or so unsuspecting computer wizards into my home, then down to my basement, where they would be held prisoner until my movie was finished.
But they wouldn't really mind, because my basement had been outfitted with an equal number of brand-spankin' new, really shiny, state-of-the-art workstations.
And all of these dreary details and digital dilemmas (which I found so terribly tedious) would fill them with delight as they tinkered and toiled into the night, fine-tuning each and every shot.
My "assistants" remained cheerful throughout the ordeal. "We like it here," they would assure me. "Really! We don't feel like prisoners." Still, I would keep their legs shackled. Just in case.
Now and then I'd shuffle on down to my Cyber Sweat Shop, see how things were coming along. "What if we tried it this way," I might remark. Or, "No, I'm afraid that doesn't quite do it for me." Then I'd go back outside, into the sunshine and fresh air, and practice my River-Dancing.
* * * *
Anyway, it takes awhile. Because it's just you. You and these tools of the trade. Tools that can get a little cranky. I mean, a plumber doesn't spend half his day pondering why the plyers won't ply. But you might have to.
Then there's that "blessing and curse" of shooting video.
It's a blessing that the tape costs next-to-nothing. So let the good times roll. And roll. Shoot the sucker till it's dead. And spend countless hours sifting through the evidence. Too much choice.
Film's expensive. You don't pull the trigger unless you really mean it.
And after the painstaking process of pasting hundreds of little strips into one big ball of yarn... That's it! For better or worse. You've got your cut, and that's Final! Get on with your life.
Not with video. It's never finished until they've locked you away. This non-linear editing makes it so easy to shuffle these clips around. Then deal another hand.
You finish a scene. A few days go by. Watch it again. And begin to wonder, "if I took a little off in the front, trimmed just a bit over here, I bet it would look... stunning!"
So you put together different versions. Again, too much choice. Which is okay this time. This is where the curse becomes a blessing again. Because you're going to want more than one version.
* * * *
Final Cut #1 -- No musical soundtrack. No film-effects on your footage.
You've worked with the audio for the dialogue. Matched the volumes. Taken out that low rumble and the high hiss. Added a touch of reverb. Room Tone. Sound effects. Holy Foley! Everything's here but the music. Leave that option open.
Your movie still has a "video look". That's okay. You want a version without the film-effects.
If you (or better yet, distributors) decide to shell out 40 or 50 grand to transfer your digital movie to film, you'll use this "video version". Just by transferring it to celluloid, it'll look like film. Using your "film-look" version would be overkill.
Make a few copies of this bare-bones cut. Two Mini-DV tapes (60 min. each) should do the job. Maybe twenty bucks a copy.
* * * *
Cut #2 -- Give it the film-look, as best you can. This'll create a more favorable impression with distributors and anyone else with a checkbook.
Cut #3 -- Add a killer soundtrack to your "film". Your favorite bands. Of course, you can't show this one to paying audiences, but it'll sound impressive to your friends (and buyers).
Cut #4 -- An original soundtrack. Some of these avenues which lead to the marketplace (the Film Festival route, for instance), require you to carry proof of ownership. You'll need the rights to ALL the music. To EVERYTHING in your movie.
Maybe you have musician-friends who've recorded original material. Or you could buy some CD's from companies offering a variety of "theme music" for this purpose.
I found a site (cinecall.com) which produces "soundtrack options" for the indie filmmaker. In addition to their catalog, they work with artists who can tailor some tunage to your footage, even write songs (with lyrics) to fit your story or situations.
* * * *
Cut #5 -- Opening and closing credits. This won't take much time. We're just talking a few minutes here.
Let's say it was just you and a couple cohorts at the controls. Then tell the truth in your credits. If you're submitting to festivals, this looks good.
But if you're approaching distributors, you might want to "blur" the fact that it was just you... financed by your piggy bank. Inflate your budget to tens of thousands, or whatever figure you can spit out with a straight face. Then, somewhere down the line during negotiations, you get to say, "Hell, I just wanna make back my budget!"
Expand your crew to 40 or 50. Add your friends and relatives to the final credits. Probably shouldn't get carried away with this, but slip in a few for fun. Just to amuse yourself.
Production Manager NOAH GENDAH
Transportation RICK SHAW
Dialogue Coach BOB LOBLAW
Production Coordinator JUSTIN THYME
Executive Producer HUGH GENTRY
* * * *
So, how will it all end?
It's a shaky Ladder of Opportunity in the creative field. But let's fantasize ourselves standing tiptoe on the top rung. Then we'll work our way down. Try to get our feet back on the ground.
THE HAPPY ENDING!
You've somehow managed to make a movie that has mass appeal. The Major Studios (also known as The Major Distributors) could make some real money by "picking up" your movie. They don't have to invest 50 million for the budget. Just some prints, advertising.
You'll need an agent to strike the deal. Don't worry. If a deal's about to strike, an agent will magically appear.
Negotiations move from six figures to seven. All this "major heat" makes you lightheaded and giddy. People stand in line for the opportunity to tell you to your face, "Wow, you're great!"
Hey, when the bandwagon gets rolling, the seats fill up fast!
You try to pen that Oscar speech for Best Writer. Having trouble holding onto a thought these days, except for the one, "Am I really this great?" Oh well, at least now you have enough money to... hire a writer!
* * * *
Let me bring you down a little. Watch your step. It can be a nasty fall from way up here.
PRETTY GOOD ENDING
The big fish aren't biting. But the pond's well-stocked.
Okay, your movie won't be a Major Studio release. And the agents aren't returning your calls.
There are other distributors. And they need product. They'll watch your movie. If they see green, they'll make a couple prints, get it into a few theaters, hope for a return in the video market.
You can hire an entertainment lawyer to handle the contracts. Dollar amounts will seldom exceed five figures. Pat yourself on the back, though. You're a success. It's not easy making it to this step.
AT LEAST IT HAD AN ENDING
The other "opportunity" in this theatrical-release-category: The small distributors.
They'll ship your movie to a theater owner in Wakana Mandu, who'll return it in a couple months, along with a check for $150 dollars. No kidding. Your cut may eventually run into four figures.
In this case, the exploitation elements are a must! Make sure your movie is either rated PG (for "Plenty o'Guns") or TA (for "excessive T and A").
* * * *
These theatrical-release-distributors will eventually mine the video fields. They may go straight to video.
You can go straight to video yourself. Not to video stores, of course. But to TV. Movie channels.
HBO, Showtime, and the other "Premiums" make deals now and then with independent producers. Some decent money, too. If the product's good. And has commercial appeal.
Maybe your movie's not that commercial, but it's really artsy... There's an Independent Film Channel on the (satellite) airwaves. And the Sundance Channel. Not much gold at the end of this rainbow. But from what they tell me, real "Art" has never been that profitable. Until the artist croaks, anyway.
Maybe your movie's not Film Festival Fodder. You never intended it to be. Put in a call to the syndicated networks. The ones that favor your genre.
Vampire Sluts From Outer Space party down at the USA Network on weekends. Could be the launching pad for your future-camp-classic!
"Hello, mom...dad, my movie's on cable tonight. Look in your TV Guide for 'Blood Sucking Alien Jailbait'. Yeah, I knew you'd be proud."
* * * *
You've got your Film Festivals, which we've touched upon. Not much Dough for Ray and Me, but you can gain some exposure. Maybe a little prestige. And a solid step up to the next rung.
The Internet? It's being touted as Mecca for the indie flicker. "It's the Future, man!" Yeah, but still in the future, dude, as a viable film MARKET.
Don't get me wrong. It's DEFINITELY the Future. Even now, it's a pretty snazzy vehicle to at least... GET YOUR WORK SEEN. A small segment of a limited audience might access your movie. And that's a big break for the little guy.
But we'll have to wait until the masses have installed all the gadgetry with which to stream quality video into their homes -- AND display it on a big TV -- before the audience becomes... massive. At that point, or soon afterward, it will become the ONLY marketplace. At least, the point where it all originates.
But what will they be watching when every web site has become its own broadcast network? No... I mean, AFTER they tire of watching sex?
With regards to this noble endeavor of creative filmmaking, I hate to use the word "glut". But there'll be lots of 'em. Oh yes, a hefty bunch indeed, now that digital video has made it so accessible for bozos like me to project their ego-trip onto a videocassette...
(excuse me, I meant...) for artists like us to illuminate a dark corner of the human condition, which leads to an uplifting of the spirit, an enrichment of the soul, and a Three Picture Deal at Fox.
* * * *
Can't ignore this technical stuff any longer. Come on, stick with me.
Yeah, I know. Lots of numbers and facts and stuff can make a person grow... sleepy... and apathetic.
Tell you what. If you hang in there, I'll make this whole next section build up to... some really hot sex! Yeah, you heard me right. I'm talkin' some of the hottest sex my wife and I have ever experienced in the recent past.
(When all else fails...)
* * * *
Film! Video! And the difference is...!
Keep in mind that I've yet to be designated the official Answer Man. But here's what I think I know.
Setting aside the aesthetic debate, let's delve into the basic elements, the main ingredients. Starting with the peskiest little bugger. Shutter Speed.
When Edison & His Pioneers were exploring this new frontier, they tried running 18 "pictures" through the projector in one second. Then 20. But the motion still had a jerkiness to it. When they got to 24, they said, "fine, works for me, round up the wagons, let's get some sleep."
The motion wasn't quite perfect, but the jitters were gone. Had more of a "fluid quality", sort of a "slur" in the motion. Not quite real. But that's what WE LIKE about it.
On the tube, the National Television Standards Commission (NTSC - the standard in most of the Americas and Canada) decided to go with 30 pictures a second. The slur was gone. It looked so real. Darn. That's what WE DON'T LIKE about it.
Europe, Australia, and a few others agreed on 25, and they chose a benevolent-sounding and brotherly-like name for their system. PAL. Okay, some people say it stands for Phased Alternating Line, but don't bring me down, pal!
25 is pretty close to 24. Hmmm. Don't get any ideas yet. First, the other two factors in the equation. Color and Grain.
* * * *
Video uses an electronic language to record an image onto a tape via these "chips", or CCD's. Stands for Charged Coupled Device, whatever that means. Sounds like a marital-aid to me. I prefer to think of it as that Computer Chip Deal behind the lens.
Throw this system in reverse. Plays it right back. No nonsense. No extra processing. Works just like a mirror. There's your image. Stark reality. Too real. No likeee.
But film doesn't look like reality. How could it? What's it made of? Let's cook up a batch.
Layer into one long strip: 3 flavors of acetate-base (red, green, and blue). Add a gelatin-emulsion topping. Mix in heaping spoonfuls of metallic-silver sprinkles. Let sit in the dark.
Suddenly, for just a fraction of a second, our little confection is EXPOSED TO THE LIGHT! All hell breaks loose! The silver particles dive for cover. Huddle in groups. The emulsion runs. When the dust settles, and after our dessert has been processed and refined...
Well, what we have here is... a remarkable "representation" of reality. Definitely not the electronic reproduction of video.
* * * *
And the grain? Simplified (the way I like it), those silver particles become grouped in random patterns. Microscopic. Take a step back, however, and we perceive a grainy surface. Most obvious with 8mm. Apparent with 16.
You don't really notice that much grain with 35 (if it's been done right). So, if that's the "look" you want, there are ways to add just a touch. In fact, by the time you get to tape, and down a generation, you may have all the grain you need.
Color? Certain film stock favors certain hues (or a "representation" of those hues). Again, not quite reality. But a nice place to visit. Wouldn't mind living there.
In post-production, these hues can be tweaked and man-handled and day-glowed to the point of Bad Flashback. Don't even want to visit there.
You can do the same thing in your computer with DV. Play with the "Color Balance" filter. Adjust the "Hue and Saturation". Take it anywhere from black & white to the Wizard Of Oz.
I've been experimenting with the "Cinelook" software from DigiEffects. Lots of "pre-sets" to simulate various film-stocks. Many color options. Also simulates the random clusters that form the grain. (Avoid using the "Noise" filter in Adobe for this purpose -- just looks like "interference" or bad TV reception)
"Cinelook" really comes in handy when you need to replicate 8 and 16mm. Or aging celluloid. Or film damage. Lots of pre-sets for these, too. You can select your own amounts of scratches, dust, or even "trapped hairs" in the projector, if you're into that sort of thing.
* * * *
All rightie then. We can deal with Color and Grain. But that "Shutter Factor" -- ay, there's the rub. That subtle difference in the "flow of motion".
One way to get closer to that film-look can be found in your camera. When you turn on these Mini-DV Camcorders, they're set to shoot at the 60 shutter speed. That's the default. But you can adjust this manually. Turn it upwards to a thousand frames a second, or down to 30, 15, 8.
Try shooting on the 30 shutter speed. You're only taking half as many pictures per second, which gives the image a slight blur, which looks more like film...
Hey, wait just a second. Isn't 30 the standard shutter speed, not 60?
Time Out! You see, video cameras actually shoot 60 "half-frames" a second. And this is how we see it on TV. Half of the picture pops on in the first 60th of a second. The other half in the next. (Long story, won't go into it) The human eye doesn't notice, can't keep up.
Are we seeing the top half of the picture, then the bottom half? No. Each half of the picture (or each frame) consists of thin, horizontal sections.
Easiest to grasp this concept by picturing venetian blinds. Do you see those "strips" of light that alternate with the dark slats? Well, that's what we see in the first frame. Then it switches. The second frame exposes the other half of the image (the slats). And back and forth.
* * * *
Wake up! Hang in there, baby! You're gaining knowledge at an alarming rate. It's intoxicating. You love it! You know you do! And we're almost to the real hot sex.
Now then, these horizontal strips are called "Fields". And the fields in frame 1 are somehow "tied together" with the fields in frame 2. They call it "interlacing". Frame 3 is interlaced with frame 4, and so on.
Have you seen these cameras advertise their "Progressive Scan" or "Movie Mode" feature. This shoots in the full-frame mode. 30 whole frames per second. If you're taking "photos" with your camcorder, you might want to use this setting.
But you won't need it for your video because -- getting back to the computer -- we can do the SAME THING with our editing software. We can de-interlace the fields and make them whole frames.
Just select "Clip" on the Menu, then "Video", then "Field Options", and check the box for "Always De-Interlace". Gives it that touch-of-blur, similar to turning your camera's shutter speed down from 60 to 30.
While you're at it, turn your camera down another notch to 15. Gets trippy. Like a strawberry alarm clock. You'll see trails. Great for dream-sequences, music videos, shots with little-to-no motion.
Right next to the "De-Interlace" option is one called "Flicker Removal". Sometimes this can noticeably smooth the images, help achieve that fluid-feeling of film.
* * * *
Let's back out one level, to where we selected "Field Options". Next to that is something called "Frame Hold". Click on it. Now there's a box you can check for "Frame Blending".
When you've finished doctoring your clips -- applying filters, transitions, field options, etc. -- and it's time to "print out" or "process" your footage ("compile" or "render" would be the more proper term), your computer then works through the scene, frame by frame, carrying out your orders.
If you've checked "Frame Blending", it will magically "blend in" a small percentage of the previous frame. Again, this smoothes the motion.
A note: If you've applied the "Speed" filter to any clips for "slow motion" (which means "repeating frames" with video), you'll definitely want to select "Frame Blending". Without it, you'll have the jitters again.
* * * *
With this subject, one more thing deserves a mention.
In order to convert film-to-video and vice versa, they wrote a little number called the "3-2 Pulldown". Kind of like the Hokey-Pokey, but not nearly as much fun. Here's how that works. (In this case, we're thinking video-to-film-look)
Our final product must be output to tape at 30 frames per second (NTSC), but we want it to appear as if it's 24. That's a difference of 6 frames per second.
So we need to "remove" 6 frames from 30. And preferably, spread them out evenly over those 30 frames. Okay, 6 goes into 30 = 5 times.
Imagine 6 groups. Each group consists of 5 frames. We'll label those frames, w,w,w,s,s. The w stands for "whole frames". The s for "split-field frames".
3 w, 2 s. This is the 3-2. Ready for pull-down.
What if we could take those "split-frames", and combine them into one whole-frame? Then we'd have 6 groups of 4 frames. Voila! 24! And you shake it all about.
* * * *
Of course, it's not that easy. It's never that easy when a computer's involved. "Doubling-up" those frames brings back that obnoxious jerk.
You really become aware of the movement in each of your scenes when you're working on this process. If there's very little movement, no problemo.
But most of the time, there's movement. We need to iron out the wrinkles again.
Another note: The "3-2 Pulldown" isn't part of the Premiere editing package at this time. It is, however, featured in Adobe "After Effects".
Oh, and by the way, the "Cinelook" program only works as a plug-in to "After Effects". So if you're interested in using that one, you'll have to buy the other one, too. Yeah, I know...
When you're rendering in After Effects, "Frame Blending" is again an option. Also, Cinelook offers their own remedy for the shakes, something called "Time Slur". This blends in a percentage of the previous four frames. They suggest settings of 16 - 8 - 4 - 2.
* * * *
My, oh my. You see what I mean about the Shutter Factor? It's a bitch! But THERE IS A WAY to avoid these migraines...
That's right, PAL! Buy a Mini-DV Camcorder in the PAL format. If you're definitely going for the film-look, this is what I'd recommend.
Of course, you'll need to buy a TV monitor that plays PAL. And a VCR. You can get a VCR that converts PAL to NTSC. You'll still have that "25 frames per second look" of your original footage...
"Hey, check that out! Oh my God... do you see that?"
"What?" my wife replied in a whisper, opening her eyes.
"Look over there, ... in that window across the way..."
"Oh, wow, uh-huh, yes..."
"Now THAT is what I call... some real hot sex."
"Oh yeah. Sweet Jesus, God Almighty..."
"We'll have to try that sometime."
"Mother of God, Yes! Hey, did you pack the kid's lunches for school..."
"They're in the fridge. You can go back to sleep now. Just thought you might enjoy some really hot sex."
"Thanks for thinking of me."
"Sure thing. Now get some sleep. I'll just finish working on this scene..."
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