filmmaking – DANGER VISION PRODUCTIONS

Throwback Thursdays are the perfect time to reflect on past projects, successes and maybe even a few flops. This Thursday is the perfect time to talk about a project I was the director of photography on with a great crew shot in and around Moorhead, MN: “Sadie Breaks the Silents”.

“Sadie”, as we like to call it, is a short film set in the 1920s about a woman who does what it takes to get the job done and save a motion picture, and her job, from ruin.
Danger Vision is also doing the post production on this piece and we are scheduled to have “Sadie” ready for festivals this fall!

Any creative project can be a lot of fun, but to shoot a period piece with such excellent locations and art direction was a real treat.

The director was my long time collaborator and mentor, Tom Brandau. This project is even more meaningful since this is the last thing we worked on together before he passed away. Tom even has a role in the film as the drunk director that Sadie has to save the production from. He will be so dearly missed, and it’s an honor to be able to finish the film for him and carry on his legacy.

Because Tom was a professor of Film Studies, our projects always had a great crew of eager young film school grads. I was so confident in my camera crew that by the last few days of production I would just direct them from afar and watch their work from the monitor. Maybe a shocking sight to some cinematographers and directors, but they were there to learn and I was happy to give them as much experience as I could offer.

On the technical side of things, we kept it pretty simple. Shooting on a Sony A7S M2 with an Atmos recorder and my set of Rokinon primes. We opted to shoot wide, often on a 24mm lens to give the piece a western feel and to really take advantage of the wonderful sets and decoration.

During this shoot I also go to work with another one of my favorite collaborators: gaffer, Jason Bedard. Jason brought the truck and the expertise to create the natural look throughout the whole film. I love working with Jason not only because he’s a great at lights but also because he keeps me honest. Film sets can get hectic and disorganized and I always welcome someone willing to call me out if I’m slipping away from the vision or about to do something stupid… It happens to the best of us folks, let’s be real.

The technology used to create videos and films has changed drastically, especially over the last 20 years, making the possibilities seem limitless. But just because you can doesn’t mean you should.

I want to write a little bit today about one of our other key principles.

I’ve got a shoot coming up where a scene takes place in a hockey arena and you bet I’m going to use a drone for a few shots. Am I going to use it anywhere else during the shoot? Probably not. The project calls for a lot of sweeping, dynamic shots, but the majority of them will be in more confined spaces. I’m including the drone shot to match the rest of the footage, to move with the message and serve the scale.

I’m not including it for the “cool factor” or “because I can”. These things tend to be a waste of precious time. (I’m going to owe you a blog post about how budgeting your time should be a priority.)

Here at Danger Vision we LOVE new technology, new cameras and equipment and could and have spend hours (maybe days) reading specs and watching videos about all the new video products hitting the market. We ogle new, flashy cameras and equipment just like (we assume) everyone else does who works in this biz. BUT like a good, trusted mechanic, we aren’t going to up-sell you on a brand new engine when all you need is an oil change. (OK, maybe I should leave the auto mechanics metaphors to Nick… but you get the point.)

In video terms: we aren’t going to insist we NEED to shoot on a RED camera (and for our customers to pay for that rental) for a social media video. Is it sometimes necessary to choose a more robust camera to achieve certain effects or overcome certain obstacles? Oh heck yes, but as we work through our process those details will arise and be discussed. The choice of camera should not be top of mind at the onset of a project.

As someone who is just as comfortable working as a one-(wo)man-band as leading a big beautiful crew, I know what it takes to be successful in any environment. It’s not a question of whether or not we will get the job done well, it’s more important to me that we have clearly defined the problem our clients are looking to solve and/or their marketing goals, developed a creative and effective story and message and then brought together the right resources to knock it out of the park.

I would also be remiss to not mention how gear or technology can sometimes present limitations. This is again why I emphasize figuring out goals and messages before you move forward. Let me explain: Once you know the story you are trying to tell you can properly identify the means to tell it. The story serves as your compass through the rest of the process and I firmly believe that as long as you have that locked down you can shoot on a cell phone and still create compelling content.

At Danger Vision every project begins with a little research, learning about our clients, their brand, their competitors and their audience. We integrate with the company and take a sincere look at how our work can best serve the company and the message.

xoxo,
DANGER

Tag: filmmaking

Throwback Thursday 04/08