Life on Set of a Feature Film

Brian Drysdale · September 23rd, 2008, 07:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Montgomery

Well let's just say the editor is a couple of days behind the shooting but we expect a rough cut of the movie and finished trailer by the wrap party.

This happened/s on feature films that were/are cut on film, the editor would be working away as the dailies came in, cutting the film. Some major features had an incredibly quick turn around after the shooting was finished.

Joshua Csehak · September 23rd, 2008, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Montgomery

The crew is tired of hearing "That was great, let's do it again"

I was watching Robert Duvall talk about one of his proudest moments in acting -- the scene where as Tom Hagen, he tells the Don about Sonny. It's something like take #4. Apparently take 3 was great, nothing wrong with it at all, but Coppola was like, "let's just do one more for the heck of it," and it was just magical. Like, maybe, knowing that it was already in the can let Duvall just totally relax and nail it? However it is, I have to agree -- the way he delivers the line is just amazing.

Charles Papert · September 23rd, 2008, 01:34 PM

I've been on both sides of this equation--believe me it's no fun to shlep 70 lbs of Steadicam through a scene 12 times for a particular director when the next one might be happy with 3 takes (couple years ago on "In the Valley of Elah" I had to do a very fast move something like 50 times, between rehearsals and takes). However having directed I am sensitive to the need to make sure the performance is there before moving on, and it may be all but invisible to the crew what the director is specifically looking for. That said, a less experienced director may just be doing more takes than they need to out of insecurity, ego or frankly lack of talent (knowing when you have the shot is a skill like any other).

In a low-budget situation, compromises have to be made somewhere (usually everywhere). A director who does not look at the big picture, i.e. the workload for the day and tailor the amount of takes is being irresponsible. There are many tricks to working around this such as keeping the camera rolling and going right into another take (minimizes the downtime between takes and keeps energy up) or asking the actors to pick up from a certain point. I've worked for directors who will only cover certain parts of a scene, even as extreme as just a few lines, if they are able to commit to not needing anything else from that angle.

Jim Montgomery · September 23rd, 2008, 08:59 PM

It was some afternoon.

Mathieu Ghekiere · September 25th, 2008, 11:46 AM

Nice to hear, Jim, you are not shying away from the difficulty and blood and sweat that is called movie making.
Also great to hear very interesting tips and hints from people with experience how to minimize difficult circumstances.

Jim Montgomery · October 5th, 2008, 09:35 AM

Left of principle photography. Everyone is burnt to a crisp. Last Monday was the record, 22 setups for the crew.

I will leave with a healthy respect for everyone involve in the making of a movie. From the director who has to insure a significant performance, the producer who deals with at times inept, inexperienced crew. The crew with the former two.

It all became very clear when the key scene was filmed. 3 hour setup in a 8' x 10' x 5' room, 18 takes, but the last two were powerful. The ladies on the set were sobbing, the crew broke out in spontaneous applause for the performances. The director was visibly affected.

For all who embark on this adventure, my hats off to you. It is one in which you will be excited, demoralized, angry, confused, and have a fulfillment of which you have never experienced.

4 more days....

Jim Montgomery · October 21st, 2008, 11:33 AM

Finished a week ago but have not had the energy to do much of anything. Was never so happy to get out of a place yet so reluctant to leave.

I did secure permission to post a production photo gallery if ya'll want to take a look.

MobileMe Gallery

Jim

Jim Montgomery · November 8th, 2008, 05:30 PM

For those who care to take a look. 6 weeks of my life and I'm impressed.

A LONELY PLACE FOR DYING - Sizzle on Vimeo

Jim

Charles Papert · November 8th, 2008, 05:53 PM

mmm--with all due respect to the filmmakers who have gotten this far (no easy task), I found that clip pretty self-indulgent. To duplicate the glad-handing of a major film's EPK for an unsold indie creates a somewhat self-important impression. But then again, I'm not a film buyer. I wish them well.

Dylan Couper · November 8th, 2008, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charles Papert

mmm--with all due respect to the filmmakers who have gotten this far (no easy task), I found that clip pretty self-indulgent. To duplicate the glad-handing of a major film's EPK for an unsold indie creates a somewhat self-important impression. But then again, I'm not a film buyer. I wish them well.

For a long time, I've been looking for the right words to sum up my thoughts on a lot of "making of/behind the scenes" clips for low(er) budget movies. This sums it up perfectly.

I'd just put out a great trailer and keep the BTS stuff to myself until it is sold.

Jim Montgomery · November 8th, 2008, 08:57 PM

I believe the intent was to create something for the AFM. I wish them well too, maybe I can get paid!

Jim

Meryem Ersoz · November 9th, 2008, 11:55 AM

Hi Jim: I enjoyed following your experiences very much. Thanks for posting this...

A bit of a departure from what I'm used to seeing you do, heh.

Dick Mays · November 10th, 2008, 08:03 AM

Jim,

I also enjoyed the day-in-the-life-on-a-set story. Makes me feel like I'm not the only inexperienced @#$%^& director out there. I can identify with a grumbly crew at odds with great artistic vision... :)

But I am glad to have made the move behind the camera. That method acting was tough. Sometimes I'd get stuck for days "in character" wrecking my home life and professional career. Never come straight from an all night gig playing a mobster into a work review covering your C++ coding accomplishments...

Dick

Nick Flowers · November 16th, 2008, 05:34 AM

Jim, very many thanks for a fascinating insight into movie making as it is now. It's a long time since I was on a feature film set (4 Weddings & a Funeral...14 years ago!) and I'm wondering whether things have changed in the relationships within the crew. Bickering between the sound crew and the camera crew, sometimes surly electricians, lordly contempt from the shooting technicians for the 'armchair army' (make up, hairdressing etc). All these were by no means common in the films I worked on, but were still discernible.

Jim Montgomery · November 16th, 2008, 08:09 PM

Nick

Fortunately we were not that big a crew. The electricians did camera, camera did lights and so on. There were 10 people at all times + or - a couple of PAs. Over 6 weeks of working and living together it got pretty stinky, in both ways, at times.

Looking back on it now there were some slackers and some guys that really busted butt. The work was hard but I really learned a lot and made some great friends.

September 23rd, 2008, 01:34 PM	#33
Charles Papert Wrangler Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 6,810	I've been on both sides of this equation--believe me it's no fun to shlep 70 lbs of Steadicam through a scene 12 times for a particular director when the next one might be happy with 3 takes (couple years ago on "In the Valley of Elah" I had to do a very fast move something like 50 times, between rehearsals and takes). However having directed I am sensitive to the need to make sure the performance is there before moving on, and it may be all but invisible to the crew what the director is specifically looking for. That said, a less experienced director may just be doing more takes than they need to out of insecurity, ego or frankly lack of talent (knowing when you have the shot is a skill like any other). In a low-budget situation, compromises have to be made somewhere (usually everywhere). A director who does not look at the big picture, i.e. the workload for the day and tailor the amount of takes is being irresponsible. There are many tricks to working around this such as keeping the camera rolling and going right into another take (minimizes the downtime between takes and keeps energy up) or asking the actors to pick up from a certain point. I've worked for directors who will only cover certain parts of a scene, even as extreme as just a few lines, if they are able to commit to not needing anything else from that angle. __________________ Charles Papert www.charlespapert.com

September 23rd, 2008, 08:59 PM	#34
Jim Montgomery Major Player Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Vero Beach Posts: 392	Location, Location, Location It was some afternoon. Attached Thumbnails __________________ http://www.billfishadventures.com \| http://www.sfgmedia.com \| http://vimeo.com/2015915

September 25th, 2008, 11:46 AM	#35
Mathieu Ghekiere Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Belgium Posts: 2,195	Nice to hear, Jim, you are not shying away from the difficulty and blood and sweat that is called movie making. Also great to hear very interesting tips and hints from people with experience how to minimize difficult circumstances. __________________ http://productionsofthe3rdkind.com http://pr3k.com

October 5th, 2008, 09:35 AM	#36
Jim Montgomery Major Player Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Vero Beach Posts: 392	4 more days Left of principle photography. Everyone is burnt to a crisp. Last Monday was the record, 22 setups for the crew. I will leave with a healthy respect for everyone involve in the making of a movie. From the director who has to insure a significant performance, the producer who deals with at times inept, inexperienced crew. The crew with the former two. It all became very clear when the key scene was filmed. 3 hour setup in a 8' x 10' x 5' room, 18 takes, but the last two were powerful. The ladies on the set were sobbing, the crew broke out in spontaneous applause for the performances. The director was visibly affected. For all who embark on this adventure, my hats off to you. It is one in which you will be excited, demoralized, angry, confused, and have a fulfillment of which you have never experienced. 4 more days.... Attached Thumbnails __________________ http://www.billfishadventures.com \| http://www.sfgmedia.com \| http://vimeo.com/2015915

October 21st, 2008, 11:33 AM	#37
Jim Montgomery Major Player Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Vero Beach Posts: 392	Its a wrap ! Finished a week ago but have not had the energy to do much of anything. Was never so happy to get out of a place yet so reluctant to leave. I did secure permission to post a production photo gallery if ya'll want to take a look. MobileMe Gallery Jim __________________ http://www.billfishadventures.com \| http://www.sfgmedia.com \| http://vimeo.com/2015915

November 8th, 2008, 05:30 PM	#38
Jim Montgomery Major Player Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Vero Beach Posts: 392	The Promotional Video is up For those who care to take a look. 6 weeks of my life and I'm impressed. A LONELY PLACE FOR DYING - Sizzle on Vimeo Jim __________________ http://www.billfishadventures.com \| http://www.sfgmedia.com \| http://vimeo.com/2015915

November 8th, 2008, 05:53 PM	#39
Charles Papert Wrangler Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 6,810	mmm--with all due respect to the filmmakers who have gotten this far (no easy task), I found that clip pretty self-indulgent. To duplicate the glad-handing of a major film's EPK for an unsold indie creates a somewhat self-important impression. But then again, I'm not a film buyer. I wish them well. __________________ Charles Papert www.charlespapert.com

November 8th, 2008, 08:57 PM	#41
Jim Montgomery Major Player Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Vero Beach Posts: 392	I believe the intent was to create something for the AFM. I wish them well too, maybe I can get paid! Jim __________________ http://www.billfishadventures.com \| http://www.sfgmedia.com \| http://vimeo.com/2015915

November 9th, 2008, 11:55 AM	#42
Meryem Ersoz Wrangler Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 3,015	Hi Jim: I enjoyed following your experiences very much. Thanks for posting this... A bit of a departure from what I'm used to seeing you do, heh.

November 10th, 2008, 08:03 AM	#43
Dick Mays Major Player Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 690	Jim, I also enjoyed the day-in-the-life-on-a-set story. Makes me feel like I'm not the only inexperienced @#$%^& director out there. I can identify with a grumbly crew at odds with great artistic vision... :) But I am glad to have made the move behind the camera. That method acting was tough. Sometimes I'd get stuck for days "in character" wrecking my home life and professional career. Never come straight from an all night gig playing a mobster into a work review covering your C++ coding accomplishments... Dick

November 16th, 2008, 05:34 AM	#44
Nick Flowers Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Chichester UK Posts: 167	Jim, very many thanks for a fascinating insight into movie making as it is now. It's a long time since I was on a feature film set (4 Weddings & a Funeral...14 years ago!) and I'm wondering whether things have changed in the relationships within the crew. Bickering between the sound crew and the camera crew, sometimes surly electricians, lordly contempt from the shooting technicians for the 'armchair army' (make up, hairdressing etc). All these were by no means common in the films I worked on, but were still discernible.

November 16th, 2008, 08:09 PM	#45
Jim Montgomery Major Player Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Vero Beach Posts: 392	Nick Fortunately we were not that big a crew. The electricians did camera, camera did lights and so on. There were 10 people at all times + or - a couple of PAs. Over 6 weeks of working and living together it got pretty stinky, in both ways, at times. Looking back on it now there were some slackers and some guys that really busted butt. The work was hard but I really learned a lot and made some great friends. __________________ http://www.billfishadventures.com \| http://www.sfgmedia.com \| http://vimeo.com/2015915