S8 Cities: Exeter

[npcoombs]

Have just finished for fourth roll of v2-200T and filming seems to be going well. This is a lighter, more fun and spontaneous film than anything I have done before and it is something of a refreshing experience to shoot something without any too-grand ambitions; thematically or cinematographically.

I have been shooting the scenes where my wife explores Exeter for the first time, as she strolls between different places in the city. Very simple stationary shots held at eye level as she walks about different places.

The next shooting sequence will be - boredom. With her stationary in different places, perhaps on a more cloudy day than today, with its dazzling sunlight.

Anyone else shooting their films post how its going.

[steve hyde]

...Sounds fun Nathan. I'm looking forward to seeing your film since I haven't been to Exeter since the 1980s. I spent a summer there when I was a little kid while my mother was studying at the University there.

momories of childhood aside - I have the visual design and atmosphere that I want for my piece figured out, but I still have more work to do since I am planning to try something that I have never done before: tracking photography and choreographed movements.

Steve

[npcoombs]

...Sounds fun Nathan. I'm looking forward to seeing your film since I haven't been to Exeter since the 1980s. I spent a summer there when I was a little kid while my mother was studying at the University there.

momories of childhood aside - I have the visual design and atmosphere that I want for my piece figured out, but I still have more work to do since I am planning to try something that I have never done before: tracking photography and choreographed movements.

Steve

Inetresting coincidence! What do you mean by tracking photography?

oh and btw: Sean Martin is now on board the project. Look him up!
http://folieadeuxmovie.blogspot.com/

[steve hyde]

Sean sounds like an interesting fellow. I'll look for his book. That is great that there is so much interest in the cities project. Hopefully there will be a high rate of follow-through from the participants.

....I meant to write tracking shots not tracking photography. I am planning to do an invisible camera sort of thing where the camera moves through spaces where human activities are going on. As I said above, I have never done this before so it will be a learning experience for me. I also plan to block and choreograph simple mundane movements. For visual consistancy I plan to "track" the shots on a dolly, wheelchair etc at the same pace for every shot.
I am also going to use one fixed-focus, normal-wide 5.9mm lens for a deep-focus look on every shot.

I'm going to try to get started on shooting next week, but I'm currently burried in other graduate school work...

[npcoombs]

Sean sounds like an interesting fellow. I'll look for his book. That is great that there is so much interest in the cities project. Hopefully there will be a high rate of follow-through from the participants.

I hope so. The project seems to have captured people's imagination to a surprising extent - considering how prescriptive the rules are.

Your cinematography sounds very ambitious. I found i hard to point my camera anywhere without people stopping so to not get in the shot or looking suspiciously into the lens of the camera.

I have been doing some pretty basic choreography myself - it sounds like our films may have something in common.

[steve hyde]

Sean sounds like an interesting fellow. I'll look for his book. That is great that there is so much interest in the cities project. Hopefully there will be a high rate of follow-through from the participants.

I hope so. The project seems to have captured people's imagination to a surprising extent - considering how prescriptive the rules are.

Your cinematography sounds very ambitious. I found i hard to point my camera anywhere without people stopping so to not get in the shot or looking suspiciously into the lens of the camera.

I have been doing some pretty basic choreography myself - it sounds like our films may have something in common.

I'm planning to film in controlled spaces as much as possible instead of being a maverick with a super 8 camera. That way I can make long takes without having someone wave at the camera and ruin the whole shot. My film might be four takes on four rolls. However, I imagine I will shoot more than four. It will be a selection of the four best ones. I have created other rules for myself on top of the ones you put forth. I may need to create even more to reel this thing in.


Steve

[npcoombs]

My film might be four takes on four rolls. However, I imagine I will shoot more than four. It will be a selection of the four best ones. I have created other rules for myself on top of the ones you put forth. I may need to create even more to reel this thing in.

Very audacious. 2.5 minute shots are very difficult to pull off - you will be amazed at how long they seem when you cut them together. How are you going to handle mixing that with the voiceover?

[steve hyde]

My film might be four takes on four rolls. However, I imagine I will shoot more than four. It will be a selection of the four best ones. I have created other rules for myself on top of the ones you put forth. I may need to create even more to reel this thing in.

Very audacious. 2.5 minute shots are very difficult to pull off - you will be amazed at how long they seem when you cut them together. How are you going to handle mixing that with the voiceover?

...I just noticed two things about the super 8 cities website that references this project. 1) the link to my picture is broken. 2) and more importantly, there are no clear "rules" on sound other than a slightly vague reference to the voice over needing to be done by "you" (meaning the filmmaker) We might want to set some more technical rules for sound.

From the beginning of this project I have envisioned the use of intertitles. (a bit like the old silents) but rather than dialogue intertitles I will be referencing spatial proceses (spatial ideas) from Lefebvre. I will leave the voice over method out of preproduction and if I decide I need it, I'll use it in the final film. Otherwise I am planning on creating a sound-scape with the help of some of my music recording friends. (not music - environmental sound)

RE: long takes

This is my fascination right now and it turns my filmmaking experience into an exercise in cineamtic choreography. I have to bring the action to the camera, not take the camera to the action..

I think it will be good fun,

Steve