Dumba** Question...

M

MistaDobalina

If I'm shooting a conversation between two people, how do I maintain consistency? In other words, if in the conversation I want two views and I have only one camera, do I need to film the entire conversation with the camera focused on one actor and then film the entire conversation again with focus on the other actor? Two cameras would obviously be easiest but I don't have two cameras. It just seems that it's hard to film say a VERY intense conversation and have a finished film with good consistency between the two actors.

Let me answer my own question...it's the directors responsibility huh? So since that is answered...do you have any advice on maintaining consistency in your actors? Do you often playback the film for them to watch?

Go ahead and rip me apart for sounding dumb...but I'd rather get ripped here than embarrassed on set.

PS. I'm a perfectionist.

Thanks!
 
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There are two ways to accomplish this with one camera.

a) You can, like you said, film one side of the conversation and then film the other. This is actually the responsibility of the director and the actors. The actors should be able to react and pretend like they are having a real conversation even if they aren't. That's their job.

b) You can film one line of the conversation, stop, turn the camera around, film the reaction/comeback line. Continue doing this until the end of the conversation. If your actors are inexperienced, this would probably be the better way to go.


Best of Luck,
Adam
 
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AGP said:
b) You can film one line of the conversation, stop, turn the camera around, film the reaction/comeback line. Continue doing this until the end of the conversation. If your actors are inexperienced, this would probably be the better way to go.
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This would be a colossal waste of everyone's time, on the set.

Moving the camera, resetting lighting, actors getting back into the moment, continuity for all kinds of things.

Your editor would probably hang him/herself, too. :weird:

Just shoot from one side 'til happy, then switch. :)
 
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I like the idea of having the other actor react, even if not on film-it prepares him/her for when they are filmed, and it gives the person who's being filmed something to work with in their own reactions...just take care and remember to watch the positioning- keeping that "continuity"-which I am learning about all too well right now*L*
 
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Generally, you'll put the other actor right where they'd normally be and run the scene in full. When the camera is on actor A, so is the microphone... and vice versa.

You can shoot a 3rd angle that has both of them in the shot (never cross the line - 180 degree rule - google it, it'll save your life!) allowing you to cut between the 3 angles.

I've shot 2 cameras, ended up with a colossal amount of footage, don't do it unless you have someone else logging footage for you - and you're cruel and hate them or really pressed for time on set.

Shoot each "Side" all the way through, it takes about a half an hour to reset the lighting and camera each time (if you've practiced it a lot!). If your scene has 20 lines in it, that's 10 hours of setup where the actors are primarily just sitting around doing nothing, they won't work for you again.
 
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Most of the movies you have seen were shot with one camera. The VERY intense
conversations you have seen made by directors like Stanley Kubrick (who was known
as a perfectionist), Danny Boyle, Quentin Tarentino, David Lynch all were made
using one camera.

It's the actors job to maintain consistency. You can guide them and if they need to
watch a play back, then do it.

I never allow actors to watch a playback. Never. I've seen too many actor adjust
their performance based on what they THINK they are seeing.
 
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directorik said:
Most of the movies you have seen were shot with one camera. The VERY intense
conversations you have seen made by directors like Stanley Kubrick (who was known
as a perfectionist), Danny Boyle, Quentin Tarentino, David Lynch all were made
using one camera.

It's the actors job to maintain consistency. You can guide them and if they need to
watch a play back, then do it.

I never allow actors to watch a playback. Never. I've seen too many actor adjust
their performance based on what they THINK they are seeing.
Click to expand...

I can see the reasoning in that. Having been on both sides of the camera, I know you get yourself into a character, and should be going with the character you develop-letting them watch playback, they adjust, maybe without knowing it, what they were originally doing, changing the character without knowing it(and changing what you are seeing)

When I'm on that side of the camera, I don't WANT to watch playback until it's all done and the project is finished(and even then I'm hesitant*l*)
 
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Others have already nailed the big truths
* shoot the whole scene in two shot (both characters A and B)
* then shoot all one character A,
* then all the other character B

Two other ways to cover yourself ("Coverage" having both meanings: you "cover" everything in the scene, and you "cover" your a** when you realize you missed something you needed)

CONTINUITY: make sure the actors ARE trying to be "consistant" as you said! Not just consistancy in ACTING, but in PROPS and LIGHTING and SOUND.

If character A is wearing glasses in one shot, TRY to have her still wearing glasses in other shots! (trust me: even if YOU see her take them off, you'll hit a spot wear you're editing and suddenly they're OFF and the AUDIENCE didn't see her take them off -- and it's a continuity problem)

Which suggests you should

SHOOT INSERTS or CUT-AWAYS (not sure which term is exactly right) ...

It gives you something to cut away to, so the "jolt" of a break in continuity can be covered up (someone warned you against "crossing a 180 degree line? Having a few cut aways can hide it if you accidently do it)

Your characters are speaking across the table? No harm in having one glance to the window while listening, then shoot a cut away to whatever he looked away to. Then ... anything, any action you suddenly are MISSING? You insert the glance away to the window ... instead of what otherwise would be a glaring gap in action or logic.

Anyway ... telling you what you may already know! but worth a reminder.

"Coverage" doesn't take that much longer, but can save you during editing!
 
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definately. this is all great advice. I had heard it all but it's good to be reminded. Going off the cut-aways, I just did a video contest where after I filmed everybody I went back through all the video and made sure i had everything. Of course I missed one single line and by that time everyone was tired so i just had the actress speak the line. So in the final video, it's just a black screen with her voice saying the line. It actually worked out better than if I captured any video of it!

Oh and @ Directorik...you're right Kubrick was a megolomaniac perfectionist. but that's why i love him. This is a really funny video on him i just watched : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-kOPsQwnao
 
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MistaDobalina said:
If I'm shooting a conversation between two people, how do I maintain consistency?
Click to expand...

There is only one truly dumba** question.....and this is not it...this is a pretty valid one....
I can suggest several things, one of them being using 3-D previsualization to determine how you want to shoot your scene....
I personally prefer the two-shot for shooting conversations as opposed to the five point coverage, but remember, your style is just that, your style...some will love it, some will hate it...as long as you are true to yourself, it's all good....
in the two-shot, just for reference, both actors are in a 3/4 turn to the camera facing each other...this allows them both to react to the audience as well as to allow the audience so see their expression....it also means you can use the single camera to it's best advantage...the down side is they really need to know that scene well as any breaks for lines will be very apparent...you can still use cut aways and closeups as needed
The film His Girl Friday as well as Roman Holiday used this technique if you want a reference point.

Can I just say, that this method creates a bigger dependence on having very good actors...less-talented actors can frustrate you doing this....
best of success
Q
 
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Yep, I love it, I can watch it over and over and where as most films upon repeated watching you can say the lines with the characters (think Clerks, Sixteen Candles, Star Wars, Breakfast Club...etc)...with HGF you just get whiplash trying to keep up....
Q
 
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