First Shoot

[PannyDeters]

I'm shooting my first Super 8 short. The film is in the mail. I have a few things I'm not sure of.

1. I need an object to sparkle. You know when someone smiles and their tooth sparkles and you hear "TING!" I need that sparkle on a red metal object.
My camera doesn't take filters. So I thought maybe I could just adhesive a small piece of aluminum on the object and have someone hit it with a light until it reflects into the lens.

2. I'm shooting indoors and out, both day. I want the color to match up. So what kind of bulbs should I get? This is ultra cheap. I was going to use either regular light bulbs or some 250-watt 3200 kelvin bulbs. Will this match the exterior shots?

3. I'm shooting a guy watching TV in one scene. Am I going to get any flicker or other odd looking effects?

4. If I were to buy some negative film and shoot titles that were black ink on white paper, could I splice that footage into the reversal film and get white text on a black background?

5. I'm going to cut the film and send it to Wal-Mart to be put on VHS. They're cheap. I'm poor. Has anyone dealt with them on this service? I just need to know if they'll take a 5-minute reel or if it has to be in 3-minute reels.

Thanks.

-DannyOKC

[Greg Crawford]

Somebody needs to respond to your post, even if you don't like what you read!

1. I need an object to sparkle. You know when someone smiles and their tooth sparkles and you hear "TING!" I need that sparkle on a red metal object. My camera doesn't take filters. So I thought maybe I could just adhesive a small piece of aluminum on the object and have someone hit it with a light until it reflects into the lens.

A. Most of what you see, is done in the computer. Plan your project to have the film transferred and edited on video. And add the special effects at this state.

{footnote} Some time you can make in camera effects work...again you will need to run tests. The head turning around scene from the " Excorcest," was done with a two way mirror, a Lynda Blair look alike in a duplicate set and identical lighting....and a light dimmer. It took a whole day to get that one shot right.

[img]graemlins/idea.gif[/img] IDEA ....A double side mirror at a 45 degree angel with a light sources superimposed might work.

2. I'm shooting indoors and out, both day. I want the color to match up. So what kind of bulbs should I get? This is ultra cheap. I was going to use either regular light bulbs or some 250-watt 3200 kelvin bulbs. Will this match the exterior shots?

A. This questions is one that calls for a very long answer and knowing much more about the room, available light your resources...etc. Try reading over old post on this and the two other super 8 boards for answered posted over the last year. Or find a DP to shoot your project. Don't wimp out....do the research...get a budget and use the right equipment and hire the right talent....even if they are working for free.

[img]graemlins/idea.gif[/img] IDEA....In major citys you can usually rent lighting and grip equipment. for less that $100 you could get a lighting kit, c-stands, silks, flags and cutters to do the job. 3. I'm shooting a guy watching TV in one scene. Am I going to get any flicker or other odd looking effects?

3. QUESTONS ABOUT SHOOTING A TV SCREEN.

A. Run a test, a lot of factors come into play... '"XL" cameras have a wider shutter and can possibly do a better job. Test It.

4. If I were to buy some negative film and shoot titles that were black ink on white paper, could I splice that footage into the reversal film and get white text on a black background?

A. Generate your tittles on the computer, in the end you will be pleased. Or get stick on letters placed on assitate and shoot through a gel at a blackground scene from your movie.

[img]graemlins/idea.gif[/img] IDEA For more on this get a an older edition of Rick Schmit's book, "FEATURE FILMMAKING AT USED -CAR PRICES.. he outlines this approach to tittles. New editions of this book focus more on DV filmmaking than shooting on real film.

5. I'm going to cut the film and send it to Wal-Mart to be put on VHS. They're cheap. I'm poor. Has anyone dealt with them on this service? I just need to know if they'll take a 5-minute reel or if it has to be in 3-minute reels.

A. Forget about it! Contact Roger at Moviestuff...or get a Rank transfer..

Good Luck [img]graemlins/film.gif[/img]

[eidde]

Hello heres my two pennies:


I'm shooting my first Super 8 short. The film is in the mail. I have a few things I'm not sure of.
1. I need an object to sparkle. You know when someone smiles and their tooth sparkles and you hear "TING!" I need that sparkle on a red metal object.
My camera doesn't take filters. So I thought maybe I could just adhesive a small piece of aluminum on the object and have someone hit it with a light until it reflects into the lens.

Yes, Id try it with a mirror. Try and set up an angle where you cant see the mirror, wave a bright light at it and see if you can see the flash, before filming. Or scratch the film afterwards with a sharp pair of scissors or something, or do it in post - Any video editing program will let you do that. OR if the object is stationary and your action allows for this why not animate it. Ive done something similar like this:
Film object from tripod/locked down camera.
Stop filming.
glue a small white star cut from paper onto object.
Shoot a couple of frames, 5, or 6.
Glue a slighlty larger white star onto object over the first star.
Shoot a few frames, 5 or 6 more.
Remove stars.
Film object normally.

OK that wont exactly leap out like a light caught in a mirror, but it did work for me when I tried it.


2. I'm shooting indoors and out, both day. I want the color to match up. So what kind of bulbs should I get? This is ultra cheap. I was going to use either regular light bulbs or some 250-watt 3200 kelvin bulbs. Will this match the exterior shots?

Hard to say, I dont generally notice this sort of thing much, since outdoors is outdoors, and looks different to indoors anyway.
You may find that yoru indoor stuff looks more rosy because of the artificial lighting.
You could try getting a couple of builders 500 Watt halogen lamps, and light the indoors with those, thats a cheap source of lighting.
Film outdoors on a sunny day.

3. I'm shooting a guy watching TV in one scene. Am I going to get any flicker or other odd looking effects?

You may, the only way to be sure is by testing (as the previous guy said). By try it anyway :-)

4. If I were to buy some negative film and shoot titles that were black ink on white paper, could I splice that footage into the reversal film and get white text on a black background?

I really wouldnt try and do this. Just get some black paper and put your titles on in white :-)

Or put your titles on using a video editing program, as suggested above. Ive found that video titles are MUCH nicer to look at even if the rest of your film is shot on film.

5. I'm going to cut the film and send it to Wal-Mart to be put on VHS. They're cheap. I'm poor. Has anyone dealt with them on this service? I just need to know if they'll take a 5-minute reel or if it has to be in 3-minute reels.

Dont know Im in the UK, but no harm trying. Any other solution is going to cost more.
Try this, if the footage is good enough to warrant a more expensive conversion then try another method (such as those mentioned above)

Good luck!

[PannyDeters]

Thanks for the tips guys.

Perhaps I should have given some more details.

None of this is going into a computer. I'm doing this on a $100 budget. I have 16 minutes of stock which gives me about a 3:1 ratio.

I'll let you know how it turns out.

-DannyOKC