How did they do this on set before latops were invented?

H

harmonica44

When you shoot footage on a DSLR on set, then play it back to see if it recorded well, the footage coming through the DSLR screen will look very different then when you play it back through a computer or TV later on. It's hard to tell if the quality is good therefore.

Same with sound recording too, it will sound different being played back through the recorder, then later through the computer speakers. I guess I could get a laptop and bring it with me on set, to play it through afterwords, however how were filmmakers able to tell in the past? Did they just bring a projector and speakers with you, to play it back or what?
 
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They didn't know, they had no idea what they had just shot looked like until they got the dailies. That's why you had to be a highly skilled professional. The DP had to use his light meter. know the qualities of different film stocks, be an expert with lights etc... He had to know what it was going to look like without being able to see the result. The same is true of 35mm still film photography.

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The biggest change in what you actually see on screen probably came with the advent of non-linear digital editing. When an edit required someone to physically cut the film and tape the two pieces together, when "could you hold that shot for about 2 more seconds" required digging in the waste can to retrieve the film you cut earlier so you could tape it back into the edit, editing tended to be more deliberate, and shots got held for a lot longer.
 
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harmonica44 said:
When you shoot footage on a DSLR on set, then play it back to see if it recorded well, the footage coming through the DSLR screen will look very different then when you play it back through a computer or TV later on. It's hard to tell if the quality is good therefore.

Same with sound recording too, it will sound different being played back through the recorder, then later through the computer speakers. I guess I could get a laptop and bring it with me on set, to play it through afterwords, however how were filmmakers able to tell in the past? Did they just bring a projector and speakers with you, to play it back or what?
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I dont think film makes had that option to "play back" I may be wrong though.
because wasn't it all edited in camera? there were no computers, so thats why there were no effects.
 
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It was done by people who had slowly and steadily worked their way up the system, being mentored by others with knowledge and practical experience as they gained their own knowledge and practical experience. It was done by people who would expend the time and effort to experiment with new and old processes and materials.

A DP, after having spent years observing and working with an accomplished DP as a PA, a loader, a focus puller and several other camera related jobs knows instinctively that if you are using XXX film stock in XXX camera and you light a dark interior with XXX and YYY and ZZZ lights will get a specific look - 95% of the time.

A PSM and/or boom-op also knows from years of practical experience and knowledge that VVV shotgun mic will sound better than WWW shotgun mic on a group of pre-teen girls, or that TTT hypercardioid plus UUU lavs is the only way to go for a scene in a warehouse with three guys.

There comes a point and time, Harmonica, that you have to get your nose out of the book, your eyes off the computer screen and your ass out of your chair and get out there and DO SOMETHING. The gulf between book learning and practical experience is like the Grand Canyon. Once you actually make your first short about 20% of everything you have been asking (and fighting against) will fall into place. With your second short another 10% will sink in. Eventually you'll start making informed educated guesses that will work a fairly large percentage of the time.
 
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I can't imagine how someone like harmonica could have made a movie
the way I had to learn. I shot on film from the age of 12. I did not have
the knowledge and practical experience to know what I was shooting so
I shot and waited three or four days before I could see it. At that level
we didn't have dalies - I felt lucky to see the footage in under a week.

And I could only shoot three minutes of footage at a time.

Astounding, isn't it? We actually made films before laptops were invented.
We had to learn by doing - no forums like this existed and only about
four books on the subject. I had to actually leave my room with my camera
and roll film in order to learn.
 
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harmonica44 said:
When you shoot footage on a DSLR on set, then play it back to see if it recorded well, the footage coming through the DSLR screen will look very different then when you play it back through a computer or TV later on. It's hard to tell if the quality is good therefore.

Same with sound recording too, it will sound different being played back through the recorder, then later through the computer speakers. I guess I could get a laptop and bring it with me on set, to play it through afterwords, however how were filmmakers able to tell in the past? Did they just bring a projector and speakers with you, to play it back or what?
Click to expand...

The blunt answer to your question is simple:

They didn't do "playback" at all. Dailies were on (at best) a 24hr turnaround usually. The concept of fine tuning during the shot using a monitor simply didn't exist.

Video taps didn't even exist until the late 60s or 70s, IIRC. And the phrase "hold for playback" probably came around much later.
 
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I haven't edited it yet. I was going to when I got adobe but that was before I found out I need the license of the previous owner to use it. So I canceled the order before I got it. I have been trying to be very careful about which software package to buy, since I don't want to pay for any nasty surprises like that, and get the right one, that won't be have any rip offs. I have been so busy casting the short I wanna shoot and getting everything ready, that I put that on hold but I will get on that and pic which package to order, as soon as I can.
 
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Yeah I keep forgetting about the free trial, but I don't have a lot of time for that right now, cause of all the casting. I will try to make some time next week. Thanks for reminding me. I will also see if I can get a sound editing program trial as well after it's edited. I know casting doesn't take up every minute but my non film job, plus all the casting and getting everything ready, and trying to find a venue to hold auditions, has taken up a lot lately. And my friends wedding which was a couple of weeks ago. I have a venue now, and the dates are set, so I can make time next week to try this free trial.
 
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