archived-videos Controled Burn Prep Day

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wheatgrinder

Here is my first doc, with sound and score. It was an unplanned opportunity no prep time etc.

I outsourced the score (free of course, but he took it seriously) I really like it and cant wait to work with him on my Last Little Girl project..
The credit music is all me!

Its still processing in youtube so the HD isn't ready as of this posting, but its coming..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=<object width="853" height="505"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/JFiK8uef_F4&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/JFiK8uef_F4&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="853" height="505"></embed></object>
 
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As my computer takes an INTERMINABLE time to load the movie up...:P (That's not your stuff, it's mine-kinda computerish for it's not you, it's me? Maybe? :lol:)


What I am seeing I'm impressed, for a spur of the moment thing to do. The music is beautiful, and fits very nicely!

When I start my doc I'll need to go to you for tips :)
 
Looks great. I know you didn't solicit a review, but....

I thought the first 3/4 felt a lot more like a narrative, especially with the very compelling music. Although I guess it's docu style in that it's very cinema verite :)

In the opening credits it seemed like (I didn't time it though) Dan got a shorter about of screen credit than the production company and the composer. Given that (I assume) it's you, that doesn't pose a problem. But it's worth noting that the timing should be the same for credits (or if not it should be a conscious choice), especially if you ever do something union.

This might be nitpicky but there was one shot that really took me out of it, and I think it's because the cut didn't match. It was at about the 2:23 mark. I dig the constraints of the impromptu and unscripted work (you couldn't very well tell these guys to go back and do it again so you could get a matched shot), but I just thought I'd throw the critique out there. It made me aware of the camera the moment it happened.

Overall I thought it was great for an off-the-cuff project. Nice color grading. Excellent music choice. I liked the shot of the tires spinning up the mud. That would be cooler in super-slow-mode :yes:

One more thing. I LOVED this moment. And your end credits? :lol:
 
The ending credits man....LMFAO, I keep expecting to see Tom Selleck walking out of the fire,in slow mo with a fireman's jacket/helmet on and an axe over his shoulder.

Other than that I really enjoyed it.
 
Seright said:
The ending credits man....LMFAO, I keep expecting to see Tom Selleck walking out of the fire,in slow mo with a fireman's jacket/helmet on and an axe over his shoulder.

Other than that I really enjoyed it.
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hum... fireman, axe.. its not too late.. I might just do that


What do you mean "other than that.." Thats my FAVORITE part :) .. you want to see CHEESE? you should see the DVD menus and EXTRAS I added..

I finished this puppy up last night about 1:00 AM. Threw the DVD in the player, put my feet up in front of the 60" and promptly fell asleep.. I didn't even make it past the 4 min mark.. lol
 
I am not sure I liked the score actually... it was kind of over dramatic, especially when we don't get to see the fire, and don't know why they are burning the place down

I don't know how you would see it but there's a filmmaker named Jason Livingston who made a doc called Under Foot & Overstory that this reminds me of. Here is the summary from his site:
Local environmentalists, the Friends of Hickory Hill Park, work to protect nearly 200 acres of unique urban parkland in Iowa City, Iowa. The organization's mission statement must be produced. The inaugural Hickory Hill Park calendar must be completed. Nature images run parallel, collide or drift beside the demands of group writing, open space and the park's changing boundary. There will be a 6 minute intermission.
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What I love about his film is that all of the audio is recorded from the meeting about the mission statement, but we don't see the meeting. Instead it is dubbed over shots of the park. Yours is kind of the opposite, we see the action but we don't here it. I think it would be cool if instead of the score have the sound of the building being burnt down, or something similar.

Its not my film though! I'd like to hear you talk about it and give us some insight though!

I'm sorry because I know you didn't ask for a critique but besides everything else I said, the visuals are beautiful and I like the idea of watching people coming together to do something, and that I don't readily understand what they are doing or why. Dreadylocks mentioned the color I think and I really liked it too. What camera are you shooting on?
 
Wheatgrinder et al, I've started a Canon HFS100 Appreciation Society group here:

http://www.indietalk.com/group.php?groupid=26

I'm hoping to use it as a mini-forum for us to share tips, clips and settings. I'm wondering if maybe you'd re-post this clip within that group and list your settings? You've got some awesome color happening with this.
 
apinehillproduction said:
I am not sure I liked the score actually... it was kind of over dramatic, especially when we don't get to see the fire, and don't know why they are burning the place down

I don't know how you would see it but there's a filmmaker named Jason Livingston who made a doc called Under Foot & Overstory that this reminds me of. Here is the summary from his site:

What I love about his film is that all of the audio is recorded from the meeting about the mission statement, but we don't see the meeting. Instead it is dubbed over shots of the park. Yours is kind of the opposite, we see the action but we don't here it. I think it would be cool if instead of the score have the sound of the building being burnt down, or something similar.

Its not my film though! I'd like to hear you talk about it and give us some insight though!

I'm sorry because I know you didn't ask for a critique but besides everything else I said, the visuals are beautiful and I like the idea of watching people coming together to do something, and that I don't readily understand what they are doing or why. Dreadylocks mentioned the color I think and I really liked it too. What camera are you shooting on?
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Agree 100%.

This was just my first attempt at getting in another persons face with a camera. Pretty scary. Now I love it, its a rush!

And yes its a bummer that nothing burns..but that building is going up in flames on May 1st.

Im going to do more of a real story about that event. This current effort is about gaining good will with the fire crew (and learning).

For "Burn Day" (working title all rights reserved!) I will be attending some meetings about the burn and filming and interviewing the crew etc. There is a story of the old house, being condemned, bought by the county, maybe unfairly etc. so lots of material for my first official documentary. My wife was part of that crew for a while, so Im going to have her doing interviews. Great fun for the whole family!

This weekend I plan to get some footage from the inside. Might bring some old children toys for effect.. is that cheating?

Anybody want to come along for the ride May 1? North coast of Oregon.
 
Oh,

I tried to be funny and reference a light which would be bigger than your daughter... Backfire.

Wow, you can tell I'm an audio guy, huh?
 
I heard controlled burn and thought 'prairie burn' which is the only kind of controlled burn I've seen a lot of. It's pretty cool, actually some footage of one might come in handy, you never know...

Burning down a house it pretty cool, too though.
 
sounds wonderful! thanks for sharing!

as for bringing children's toys, I wouldn't consider it cheating in the sense that it seems like your film will be really narrative anyway. When you are already blurring the line, then blurring it more can make for an interesting conceptual take.
 
You have some very nice visuals. But you have not made a documentary. I think you know that, as you are planning to conduct a bunch of interviews.

It might be a good idea to have your wife conduct the interviews, as an insider. However, my gut instinct tells me you should scrap that idea. It might be better if the person conducting the interviews is an outsider. That way, the interviewees have to explain stuff that they can't assume the interviewer already knows.

I assume you think you will get more natural conversations if the person conducting the interview is someone they know. Unfortunately, it doesn't matter who is asking the questions -- the presence of a camera changes everyone's personality instantly. You, or someone else who doesn't know them, can get just as good an interview, if not better, but that of course requires preperation.

Everyone on this board knows the extreme importance of pre-production for a narrative. It is no less vital for a documentary. You need to go into each interview with a very specific focus. By that point, you need to know how you want to structure the overrall story, and you need to know what questions you are going to ask (and how you plan to ask them) to get the desired soundbites. This, of course, requires a lot of research and planning.

The methodology I'm talking about is extremely manipulative. Welcome to documentary-making. Every now and then, there is the rare exception, in which we see a documentary made by a person who is active but almost along for the ride, not knowing what is coming next, and yet every step of the path is compelling. "Born into Brothels" comes to mind. Brilliant movie. But that is the exception to the norm. Most documentaries that are worth a damn are made by someone who went into the project with a clear focus -- they knew what they wanted to get, and they excecuted a well thought-out plan to get it.

When it comes time for the interview, try your best to make it more like a conversation. Set it up in a place where the interviewee will be comfortable. Start rolling the camera without even really mentioning it. Make aside comments that have nothing to do with the interview. Hey, that's a nice painting on the wall. Oh, really? You got it in Mexico City? Cool. Now you're in an actual conversation. You must find a way to segue into the interview.

When it comes to asking questions, it's important that you frame the question in a way that does not allow the interviewee to give yes or no answers. You want complete statements. Frame questions in a way that forces complete statements.

When the interviewee seems finished answering the question, wait. Do not just jump right into the next question. Often, this will result in an awkward pause, wherein the interviewee will look at you, as if to say, "uh, why aren't you asking me a question, idiot?". But even more often, this awkward pause will lead to the interviewee continuing to speak. They will go off on a tangent, something you didn't expect, and these moments can be golden. Allow the interviewee time to speak, and then only when you're certain they're done, you move on to the next question, or a follow-up.

I guess that's all the interview advice I've got for now. Best of luck. I hope your interviews will match the gorgeous visuals you've collected. Actually, that reminds me -- get tons of cutaway shots. Anything your interviewee talks about -- get a closeup of it.
 
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