Guys like this are the ones that are pulling the camera market down

[shashbugu]

Most directors in the past have spoken about getting spontaneous and realistic performance using multiple cameras to shoot two opposing actors at the same time. There is also the situation where you get two angles of the same performance with one take for extra coverage during editing. In large continuous action sequences it's also a plus to have five to six cameras. As well as in science where to have reactionary crowds and onlookers.

Here is the thing though, film directing 101, an actors performance is only as credible or as good as a directors performance or ability to draw out the perfect performance. You can't rely on spontaneity and neo realism all the time. It will work in some instances but come back to bite you in others. Directors who rely on spontaneity are often pulling their own focus and worrying about exposure on a take, technical stuff as opposed to worrying about performance. The are many one man band productions, and you can tell from the resulting cuts what they missed or couldn't capture. Why take this risk? There are many really cool looking tv commercials with all the biggest vfx, but very flat acting, only because getting the actor in the right timing is of utmost importance. These are not feature length narratives so it does not really matter. But the are many tricks to the trade and shooting single camera is one of them. Seasoned and non seasoned actors alike can deliver poor performances at the early or beginning stages of every shoot. It's always smart to shoot non linearly by shooting the middle scenes of a script for a few days before coming to the beginning. Actors get comfortable by this time and are forced to dig deep into their characters at this point. It's a psychological and transpersonal mind space that audiences are very quick to pick up on if it's no believable. This will kill your whole production, because as the actors get better you would have already lost your audiences who have already relegated your film to C movie status in their minds. The magic in the movies and off the movies is to keep your audiences fully immersed in a two hour long cinematic piece of art that transcends uber reality into the imaginative emotional dream dimension, such as you would get from reading a book. In movies seeing is believing, in cinema we want you believe in what you are emotionally feeling, even if the screen is blank...

 

[Elsie N]

Most directors in the past have spoken about getting spontaneous and realistic performance using multiple cameras to shoot two opposing actors at the same time. There is also the situation where you get two angles of the same performance with one take for extra coverage during editing. In large continuous action sequences it's also a plus to have five to six cameras. As well as in science where to have reactionary crowds and onlookers.

Here is the thing though, film directing 101, an actors performance is only as credible or as good as a directors performance or ability to draw out the perfect performance. You can't rely on spontaneity and neo realism all the time. It will work in some instances but come back to bite you in others. Directors who rely on spontaneity are often pulling their own focus and worrying about exposure on a take, technical stuff as opposed to worrying about performance. The are many one man band productions, and you can tell from the resulting cuts what they missed or couldn't capture. Why take this risk? There are many really cool looking tv commercials with all the biggest vfx, but very flat acting, only because getting the actor in the right timing is of utmost importance. These are not feature length narratives so it does not really matter. But the are many tricks to the trade and shooting single camera is one of them. Seasoned and non seasoned actors alike can deliver poor performances at the early or beginning stages of every shoot. It's always smart to shoot non linearly by shooting the middle scenes of a script for a few days before coming to the beginning. Actors get comfortable by this time and are forced to dig deep into their characters at this point. It's a psychological and transpersonal mind space that audiences are very quick to pick up on if it's no believable. This will kill your whole production, because as the actors get better you would have already lost your audiences who have already relegated your film to C movie status in their minds. The magic in the movies and off the movies is to keep your audiences fully immersed in a two hour long cinematic piece of art that transcends uber reality into the imaginative emotional dream dimension, such as you would get from reading a book. In movies seeing is believing, in cinema we want you believe in what you are emotionally feeling, even if the screen is blank...

Hey Shash, what you've stated would make a good class lecture for film making 101 as a blue print for young minds to absorb.

For me, however, that Rosetta Stone scene I alluded to in a previous post will be the scene I shoot first. Reason is, if the actor in question can't carry that scene then that actor will have to be replaced in that role because that scene is the key to the movie. And by replacing the actor early, there is no previous footage made moot.

As to keeping the audience fully immersed throughout the movie, I agree if you mean attentive. But I believe it is possible to have an audience that questions this or that during the movie to stay engaged and satisfied with the story as long as the questions are resolved in a plausible way. It is my belief that audiences are becoming more analytical than emotional. So I aim to satisfy both kinds of audience.

 

[Scott Crawley]

if the actor in question can't carry that scene then that actor will have to be replaced in that role because that scene is the key to the movie. And by replacing the actor early, there is no previous footage made moot.

You decide what is best for your production. He may sense that you lack confidence in him. I hope he responds well to the additional difficulty and pressure. You are aware of these things and that puts you in a position where you can best support him. Best wishes to you both.

 

[Leroy Jackson]

This should be a policy here. If you're complaining about "degrading the camera market" or "you're not selling it high enough, it's a scam," you should be warned. If it continues, you should be banned.

I Co-Sign that.