How To Shoot A Film At 3 Different Budget Levels

In Depth Cine
21 Jul 202008:51
EducationalLearning
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TLDRThe video analyzes 3 black and white feature films shot at different budget levels to examine how cinematography choices are shaped by resources. With no budget, one must embrace minimal gear and lighting through blocking. At an indie budget, basic gear and some simple lighting shapes the look. With an industry budget, the cinematographer has full creative control - choosing format, custom building lights, and utilizing advanced camera movement. Ultimately, while more money provides more cinematic options, a talented cinematographer is key to execute the vision, regardless of budget constraints.

Takeaways
  • 😀 Making films requires money to have control over creating visuals and lighting
  • 😮 It's possible to make films with little or no budget by embracing what you have
  • 🎥 The 'No Budget' film Relics was shot on a Canon 550D DSLR with a 24mm lens in B&W
  • 🌆 Natural lighting was used for Relics by carefully selecting locations and blocking characters
  • 👍 Blue Jay had an indie budget which allowed basic gear, paying actors and controlling locations
  • 🎞 Blue Jay was shot on 2 Canon ME20 cameras simultaneously in B&W to speed up shooting
  • 💡 Some lighting like LEDs and Christmas lights were used in Blue Jay for exposure and glow
  • 🏭 The Lighthouse had an industry budget allowing extensive gear, crew, sets and time
  • 🎞 The Lighthouse was shot on vintage 1940s lenses and orthochromatic Kodak film stock
  • 💡 Large, bounced HMIs and 18Ks were used in The Lighthouse for soft, bright day interiors
Q & A

  • What are the three budget levels discussed for making black and white feature films?

    -The three budget levels discussed are no budget, indie budget, and industry budget.

  • What camera and lens were used to shoot the no budget film Relics?

    -Relics was shot on a Canon 550D DSLR with a 24mm f/2.8 Nikkor prime lens.

  • How did the director of Blue Jay enhance the look by using a full frame sensor?

    -The director chose a camera with a full frame 35mm sensor to create a different sense of space and shoot very close up to the characters without wide-angle distortion.

  • What film stock and vintage lenses were used for The Lighthouse?

    -The Lighthouse was shot on Kodak's Eastman Double-X black-and-white 5222 film stock using 1940s Bausch & Lomb Baltar lenses.

  • How did the cinematographer create soft lighting for day interiors in The Lighthouse?

    -He bounced 2 HMI M-90s and 2 18Ks off white muslin textile rigged above the windows to bring up exposure and create soft, natural light.

  • How does having a higher budget impact the cinematographer's control and flexibility?

    -A larger budget allows the cinematographer to make any technical choices necessary to best tell the story visually and have more control over lighting, camera, and grips.

  • What are some strategies for shooting with no budget?

    -Strategies include using natural light, finding locations with interesting practical lights, shooting with minimal gear, and focusing on variables you can control like framing and camera movement.

  • How did shooting in black and white visually simplify the indie film Blue Jay?

    -Removing color removed visual distractions so the characters and dialogue remained the focus.

  • How did the custom orthochromatic filter give an old-fashioned look to The Lighthouse?

    -The filter made the skies bright and blank while emphasizing blemishes and textures on skin, evoking a 19th century photographic look.

  • Does more budget necessarily lead to better cinematography?

    -No, having more budget provides more control but the visuals always rely on getting a talented cinematographer to execute the vision.

Outlines
00:00
🎥 No Budget Filmmaking Requires Embracing Limitations

With no budget, the film 'Relics' was made with an old DSLR camera, a wide 24mm lens, and natural lighting. Shooting was documentary-style in public locations. Black and white filming allowed controlling the visual palette. Lighting relied on placing characters near windows or interesting practical lights at night.

05:06
🎥 Indie Budget Allows Some Gear and Basic Lighting

The indie film 'Blue Jay' used a high ISO video camera for low light capability and shallower depth of field. Simultaneous two-camera shooting increased coverage. Black and white visually simplified the image. Small LED lights provided basic exposure control. The camera's dynamic range helped preserve highlight and shadow details.

🎥 Large Industry Budget Allows Total Creative Control

The film 'The Lighthouse' used vintage lenses, custom filters, and slow film stock to achieve a textured, antique look. Powerful HMIs bounced into muslin softened the light. A dolly and technocrane enabled polished movement. More money provides more cinematic control through gear, lighting, and shooting time.

Mindmap
Keywords
💡Cinematography
Cinematography refers to the art and technology of motion picture photography. It involves the composition of shots, lighting, and the overall visual aesthetic of a film. The video script emphasizes the importance of cinematography in storytelling, illustrating how filmmakers at various budget levels manage to create compelling visuals despite financial constraints. Examples include the use of natural light and specific lenses to achieve a desired look, showcasing how creativity and resourcefulness can compensate for budget limitations.
💡Budget Levels
Budget levels in filmmaking can significantly impact the resources available for a project, including equipment, locations, and personnel. The video script categorizes films into three budget levels: no budget, indie budget, and industry budget. Each category demonstrates varying degrees of financial capability, from virtually no funding, where filmmakers rely on minimal resources and personal networks, to substantial industry funding, allowing for advanced technical gear and a professional crew. This classification is crucial for understanding the constraints and freedoms filmmakers face at different stages of their careers.
💡No Budget Filmmaking
No Budget Filmmaking is characterized by extremely limited or nonexistent financial resources. The video script describes a no-budget film project where creativity and ingenuity were paramount in overcoming financial constraints. Utilizing available equipment like a Canon 550D DSLR and shooting in natural light, the filmmakers were able to produce a feature film. This example highlights how no-budget films often rely on the filmmakers' ability to innovate and make the most of their surroundings and personal networks.
💡Black and White
Shooting films in black and white is a stylistic choice that can influence the visual tone and thematic depth of a project. The video script mentions choosing black and white to control the film's palette and pay homage to French New Wave cinema. This choice also served practical purposes, such as compensating for the limited dynamic range of the camera used in the no-budget film. Black and white cinematography can simplify the visual complexity, focusing attention on composition, lighting, and narrative.
💡Dynamic Range
Dynamic range in cinematography refers to the camera's ability to capture details in both the darkest and brightest parts of an image. The video script discusses the challenges of working with a camera with limited dynamic range, particularly in a no-budget scenario, and how choosing to shoot in locations with optimal natural light was a strategy to mitigate this limitation. Conversely, in higher budget contexts, cameras with higher dynamic ranges allow for more nuanced lighting setups and image quality.
💡Natural Light
Natural light usage is a key consideration in filmmaking, especially in projects with limited access to professional lighting equipment. The video script outlines how filmmakers leveraged natural light to achieve aesthetically pleasing visuals, by carefully selecting shooting times and locations. This approach is particularly evident in the no-budget and indie budget film examples, where natural light not only serves a practical purpose but also adds to the authenticity and mood of the scenes.
💡Indie Budget Filmmaking
Indie Budget Filmmaking occupies the middle ground between no budget and industry budget filmmaking, offering filmmakers more resources to rent equipment, pay actors, and access locations. The video script uses the film "Blue Jay" as an example, where the director could afford a camera suited for low-light conditions and basic lighting equipment, enabling a higher quality of cinematography while still emphasizing the importance of story and character over visual effects.
💡Industry Budget Filmmaking
Industry Budget Filmmaking refers to projects with significant funding, allowing for the selection of specialized technical gear, construction of sets, and employment of a full professional crew. The video script discusses "The Lighthouse" as an example, where ample resources facilitated the use of vintage lenses, custom filters, and large lighting setups to create a specific look. This level of budget provides filmmakers with the greatest level of control over the technical and artistic aspects of a film.
💡Lighting Techniques
Lighting techniques play a crucial role in cinematography, affecting the mood, tone, and visual clarity of a film. The video script describes various strategies filmmakers employ to light their scenes, from using natural light and practicals in low-budget scenarios to sophisticated setups involving LEDs and powerful HMI lights in higher-budget films. These techniques illustrate the adaptability required in filmmaking, where lighting conditions must be carefully managed to support the narrative and visual style.
💡Visual Storytelling
Visual storytelling is the practice of conveying a narrative through visual elements such as composition, lighting, and movement rather than solely through dialogue or text. The video script emphasizes how filmmakers, regardless of their budget, strive to tell their stories through the visuals they craft. It showcases how the choice of camera, lens, lighting, and even the decision to shoot in black and white can significantly impact the storytelling process, highlighting the creative decisions behind visual storytelling.
Highlights

First significant research finding on topic X

Introduction of innovative statistical method Y

Notable contribution to theory Z in section 3

Transcripts

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