Seeking Advice. First Project. 48hr-film contest.

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Mannie Bothans

This year I wanted to join a team in a 48hr film project competition, and the nearest one to me is about two hours from where I live. It starts July 25th.

Then my 12 year old son found out about it and wanted to have a major role in doing one. I have always wanted to produce something that I could show to this community. I have learned so much from every here. Everyone has been so helpful to me. I feel like I take and take… and never give anything back. I want to finally learn by doing and share what I’ve learned. So I decided to take the plunge and form my own team so that my son and I can do this as a father and son experience.

So now, I need to assemble a cast and crew from scratch, with no experience doing any filmmaking before. Yes, I’m crazy. (My wife has already established that.) I need to find an editor, some sound people, a music person, actors, everything.

So-- what advice would you have for such a total newb?

Any advice at all, about any step in the pre-prod-or-post process of a 48 hr competition is welcome.

I know that if I can’t find an experienced editor (or even if I can) I need to get more experience with workflow to know exactly how long a finished short will take to cut render and burn, etc. Did I mention I need to find a good editor?

I know I want to try to do everything in one location that can double for many locations-- the only problem is, the competition dropoff (and all of the actors I have thus-far recruited) are in Louisville-- and I live 1.5 hours away in Lexington. I don’t know as many location options in Louisville as I do in Lexington.

I know I need to do as much planning and prepwork as I can (as much as rules allow) in advance. Locations, cast crew, equipment, etc.

I know I need to plan backup contingency plans and need to be flexible.

I’d like to start editing while still in production. Did I mention I need to find a good editor?

My wife is going to handle all of the food for us because I know I need to feed my cast and crew regularly. Lots of coffee, soft drinks, water, protein, nutrients, etc. She is also going to handle all of the requisite paperwork.

I need to find someone with a good audio track-record. Right now I don’t even have anyone who can swing boom on set, let alone mix music, dialogue, foley/sfx, etc. I don’t have a composer, or even anyone who could DAW-up enough with royalty-free stuff. Did I mention I need to find a great audio team?

I’d like to plan well enough that different people can be doing different things at different times, so that some members of the team could get a few winks-o-nappage.

Multi-camera is only an option for me if I plan for it way in advance and find and order one just like the one I have early on.

I know some people cheat and write scripts for each genre ahead of time and tweak them with the prop/dialogue a go-time, but I am really proud of the integrity of my son. He said, “Where’s the fun in that. I want to see what we can do within the rules. We’re beginners, it’s gonna look like crap anyway. Let’s just have fun and do our best.” He’s 12 years old. Did I mention I was proud of my son?

The possible genres are:
Comedy
Dark Comedy
Drama
Film Noir
Film de Femme
Fish Out of Water
Horror
Musical or Western
Road Movie
Romance
Sci Fi
Silent Film
Thriller/Suspense
Time Travel

My 12 year-old will help write the script/improv scenario outlines and maybe appear on camera. My wife would function as 2ndAD, craft service, and HMA. I have a 6-year-old daughter that would be happy if we called her production assistant. :) I have two actors that have some experience in the industry.

I also own a small smattering of gear, including a Canon XF100 home video camera, which is all I have really ever had experience with. I have a cheap Proaim Mattebox (but no filters to use in it yet), a cheap little opteka steadyvid thing for going handheld. I have a Manfrotto 504 head on 546BK sticks. I will probably want to rent a little slider and some grip gear, but I haven’t even looked into the possibility of renting stuff around here. I don’t have a dolly, jib, or anything else really. I need to buy lots more batteries for everything, as well as more CF cards, etc.

For audio I own a Sennheiser MKH 50 hypercardiod mic for indoor shooting, a Rode NTG-3 mic for outdoors, a 9′ boompole, a rode blimp with wombat cover, and a pair of Sony MDR-7506 headphones. The XF100 also has XLRs, but I also have a SoundDevices 702.

For extremely soft light I own a "CowboyStudio 4500 Watt Photo Studio Lighting Softbox Video Light Kit" (each of the 15 bulbs is an 85W CFL... 300W equiv w/ 5,600 lumens... and each of the three fixtures support five bulbs each-- so each softbox is a 1500W-equivalent source with really short throw)... and I also acquired an OLD, used, tungsten set that included a junior2k, a baby650, and a mini200-- all mole-richardson fresnels, but I need to switch out the plugs before I can even test them to see if they work, and I don't yet have ANY c-stands, sandbags, flags, scrims, cutters, silks, barn doors, or other support grip gear that we'd need to make good use of or even mount the heavy fresnels.

For editing my home computer is getting more dated every second. It is a Windows 7 64bit, with Intel i7 4.5GHz processor, and 32 Gig DDR3, a 240GB SSD, four Western Digital 1TB 7200rpm SATAs in 2 Raid 0 config, GeForce GTX 670 card, w/a Blackmagic Design Intensity Shuttle Capture Device, a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 for audio, one Asus PA248Q 24" video monitor, with two KRK RP8 speakers, and the Adobe Premiere Pro CS6, with After Effects, Audition, SpeedGrade, etc., and RedGiant TrapCode Suite.

I have been collecting all of this equipment every birthday, Christmas, etc for I-don’t-know-how-long… but I don't really know how to use any of it well. This crash course will be a recipe for disaster, but we are gonna give it a go.

I will probably end up functioning as UPM, Line Producer, Director, and if we couldn't find anyone else to do it, also the DP, Camera Operator, Focus Puller, etc.

I’d like to find more actors who are flexible and willing to be a part of the organic process from the
beginning, and jump in and play grip/sparky etc. I also need to secure some wicked cool location (or different location possibilities for different genres) that would streamlines the set design-- just didn't look like someone's house, or a busy public park. I also need an editor. Did I mention I need to find someone who knows how to swing a boom and someone to monitor the sound, mix, design, edit, compose, etc.?

Is anyone available to help our team from near or afar? Did I mention I needed an editor? Have any of you ever used Sony Ci?

So, back to my original question… I am so totally new at this, so do you have any advice for a total newb (including, but not limited to, advice like “Forget it, join someone else’s team, you don’t know jack so how can you expect to jump in and call the shots if you don’t know what you’re doing.”)
 
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Am I the only one who read the following sentence? CF was clearly referring only to the mechanical skills necessary with that line, not the creative aspects
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It's not how I read it, but if that's the case, so be it.

I've recruited a great sound guy, but a paying gig came along
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I've heard that tune so many times. I feel for you. I went out of my way to learn enough skills (and gather the appropriate equipment) to be a soundie just for that reason and the fact they are rather painful to get.
 
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Thanks, IDOM. :)

Yeah, I thought I was being clear by differentiating between skill and art, but hey, misunderstandings happen, nobody's fault. I was only talking about the bare-minimum skill required to edit video. You could probably train a chimp to do it, but that doesn't mean it'll be any good. That's where the art comes into play.

Anyway, it's a moo point, cuz the OP's son doesn't want that job. I hate to say it, Mannie Bros, but you might wanna start brushing up on your editing skills. That's not to say that you shouldn't continue seeking someone who is more passionate about it, but you gotta have a backup plan.
 
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as a composer, and as a composer who does the 48 (this will be my 5th year!) I almost feel dirty about saying this, but don't be afraid to use royalty-free stock music if you can't find a composer. If it's your first time on the horse, you've got a ton to do and you need to get it done quick, so taking one worry out of the equation might not be the worst idea! Here in Pittsburgh, less than half the films use a composer making original music.

The first time I did it, the team I was working with was more or less in your shoes. None of them had done anything before, but they worked hard and got it done.

Best of luck and have fun!
 
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Thanks Josh. I have been struggling with the "keep it simple" advice. If I couldn't find a local composer, I was even thinking of trying to collaborate long distance.

JoshL said:
as a composer, and as a composer who does the 48 (this will be my 5th year!) I almost feel dirty about saying this, but don't be afraid to use royalty-free stock music if you can't find a composer. If it's your first time on the horse, you've got a ton to do and you need to get it done quick, so taking one worry out of the equation might not be the worst idea! Here in Pittsburgh, less than half the films use a composer making original music.

The first time I did it, the team I was working with was more or less in your shoes. None of them had done anything before, but they worked hard and got it done.

Best of luck and have fun!
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We've used both pre-recorded and original compositions in our films, and both work well - but over time we've moved more towards pre-recorded.

The biggest challenge with composition is that in the normal production flow the composer would work with a close-to-final cut to create the music - but in a 48 hour competition that often doesn't exist until you're down to just a few hours left. What's worked best for us is to give the composer the early script outline and let them come up with some ideas. We'll listen to their ideas and pick the one we like best, then have them produce a variety of cues based on it - full theme version, minimal ones, etc. We then choose from these to build the final soundtrack. This project is an example of where we did that:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aa1FZIwfw8U

For pre-recorded music I tend to stay away from the typical royalty-free stock music sources. We use mostly CC-licensed music from Jamendo (http://www.jamendo.com/). They have music from thousands of independent artists around the world in all genres. If you use the advanced search and select a CC-license without the "no-derivatives" clause then you can generally use the music in your projects. I often find it difficult to find the right music after the film is underway, so I tend to listen to Jamendo's radios or top lists on a regular basis. When I hear something I like that is licensed appropriately I download the album and add it to my collection, and check out other albums from the same artist as well. Over the years I've built up a collection of a couple hundred albums of music that I know and can use, so I'll often have particular tracks in mind by the time we start shooting. That way by the time I get to the edit I've already got a soundtrack that I can edit to.

Jamendo also has a commercial licensing option that a lot of the artists participate in, so if you do want to use the music commercially you can often get a license quickly and affordably - I've used several tracks from there in projects for corporate clients that way.

I also generally reach out to the artists once we've used their tracks and send them a link to the film - I've gotten to know a couple of them this way. We're probably going to do Project 21 this year (http://www.projecttwenty1.com/) and since it's a longer competition I'm hoping to have one of the artists I know from Jamendo compose an original score for the project.
 
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For music, you can also just hit up local bands. Pre-recorded music is allowed, after all, and many bands would love the exposure. Plus, they might show up to the screening and cheer loudly! :)
 
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Bumping an old thread. I just did one of these a few weeks ago for my first time and it was one of the greatest experiences of my life. Do your best to get the film completed, but do it as a practice for the next one. My team learned a TON of lessons that we will apply to the next 48HFP that we do (and we will most definitely do one, maybe more, in the next year).

Speaking from my own experience, know your limitations and take advantage of whatever you can. My team pulled "Silent Film" and we were very tempted to throw it back and pull something different. We didn't though, and as a result we didn't have any technical problems with microphones, etc, and we have been nominated for four awards (including best use of genre!).

At the most you'll win some awards. At the least, you'll have a fantastic weekend with your family.
 
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Congrats on the nominations! As you said, worst comes to worst, you have a fun weekend, but it's awesome that you got some recognition!

I just did mine this weekend; our screening is next Saturday, but I think the film is really good (well, one of the films. I ended up doing two this weekend, long story I'll tell later)
 
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I love your concept and execution 6o3. Wow. We just turned in our project (on time) last night in Louisville, KY.

Bob, Jeff, and anyone on the team who reads this-- if I lived to be 100 years old and did something every day of my life to show you how truly thankful I am for all you did and taught me this weekend, it would not be enough to show you how grateful I am at this moment for your work and sacrifice to make this happen.

We filmed in at least four different locations in three cities eighty miles apart.
 
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Mannie Bothans said:
We just turned in our project (on time) last night in Louisville, KY.
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Congratulations!! I heard that on average, 20% of teams worldwide either miss the deadline or don't turn in their film at all. In my screening group one team fell apart due to creative differences the first night.

I know you're not allowed to post the movie online yet, but please do link it here after the Louisville screenings are over. I'd love to check it out.
 
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Congrats and good job! Crossing the finish line is an achievement to be sure, and it must have been a challenge coordinating people so far apart! Seconding 603, make sure you post it when you can so we can see it!

My best-of is tonight (and one of the films is in!) so hopefully they'll be posted later this week.
 
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Awesome. :)

Well, this was my first ever forray into filmmaking, and I made EVERY mistake in the book (didn't I, Bob).

Two of my awesome locations (a mansion from the 1860s and a Church in the same city) all fell through all at the last minute, and my only backups were 4 different locations in 3 different cities 80 miles apart. Cardinal sin in 48HFP cometitions.

They say never to work with children and animals. We used both.

We lost our 1st AD and scripty so no one slated properly for us or took any notes about which take was good or what audio track was what.

Now I know how some of my equipment works (and I didn't two days ago).

We used two or three cameras at a time and our DP had them all on different settings.

Our hair and makeup artist never showed.

The only positions we did not have a backup for was our writer and our editor. My 12 year old son wanted to write and no one else could help him so the person who volunteered to help his was our only editor, and yep, she had the flu. But she soldiered on. Luckily my son's youth director from Church also volunteered to help him write and the three of them wrote a full script between 7pm and 3am, and then The most experienced person on our team advised making changes to the script and I let him and our DP re-write my son's script in one hour while our DP during the time we had previously budgeted for the shotlist. For the first shot of the day, our DP was not able to be on-site for the jib shot he had written because he had to take his dad to the airport.

I had to drive 80 miles to get to our first shooting location, so I did not even get to read the script before we started shooting.

And that was all just before photography began.
 
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