Why do a lot of filmmakers seem to hate deep focus cinematography?

[Ryan Elder]

Originally Posted by Paul R Johnson

If the location is critical, then it's an early decision. If you can't find the location your DP cannot light it. When you wrote it, did you not have a location in mind?

I wrote it with almost all the locations in mind, accept for one of the big ones being the police station, and certain rooms in the station, which is still up in the air to find.

Originally Posted by Brian Drysdale

You can spend weeks looking for the right location, find that first. As a DP I've usually been brought on board after the location has been selected, then go on the recce. DPs can change because of circumstances, so don't hold off on decisions because of them. I've been rung up the day before the shoot because the original DP wasn't available for the film.

The state/local film commission etc may have a list of places that are available as locations, it's worth checking. I know lots of shorts here have used locations on our local database, you'll probably have to negotiate lower location fees with the owner, if they're used to bigger productions.

It can also involve driving around possible locations and checking with estate agents who handle commercial properties or empty houses that might be slow movers.

You have to be extremely proactive, nothing will happen unless you make it happen. On your budget, you can't turn down a great location because the walls aren't brown or blue, you have to be flexible and go with the best you can find.

Oh okay, I just thought the movie might turn out bad and people will notice if the locations are not the best. But hopefully the acting, story and everything else will shine through.

I thought about getting a DP first, because in my experience, location owners have changed their minds a lot, so when you get one, I have to shoot their quickly, before any mindchanging in the past.

[Brian Drysdale]

On a feature film you can be at your main location for a number of days, so you have to ensure that you can stay for the full period. You'll also need the full paperwork with location releases, this will be required by the distributors etc . The only way you can get the best locations is to be ahead of the game, that means you can have A, B & C locations in case things do go pear shaped.

DPs will work with whatever is handed to them, however, knowing the locations in advance will allow them to plan better.

[Ryan Elder]

Okay thanks. In past experience, location owners didn't like the idea of being a B or C. They wanted their location to be used, and not just be a what if. Is there anything I can do to get a B or C more successfully for next time?

[Paul R Johnson]

Why tell them they are third choice at all? If you go to the third because first and second bombed out, don't mention it to them. Just get confirmation in writing or at least an email .

[Ryan Elder]

Yeah I thought of that too, but does it look bad if you don't show up and then later say, 'oh you were only a back up'? plus is it worth paying for renting for two back ups though, when budget is tight, if you're paying?

[Brian Drysdale]

If you've paid for the location, it's less likely that the A location is going to drop out. You will have looked at B & C, but don't book them, If A does break their contract with you, demand a refund and get the production people to book either B or C fire fighting like this happens during a production.

Just don't lie to them about what you're going to be filming at location A, so they don't have a reason to ask you to go.

If you've paid rent to B & C I doubt they'd worry about you not using them, they've got their money and don't have an emotional attachment to your film

[Ryan Elder]

Yeah that makes sense. Do you think it would be weird if I wanted that brown wall look for some scenes like in Seven?

I mean I don't think you can even light walls, brown, cause I don't think there are brown gels, unless I need to look harder.

[Brian Drysdale]

You should check the lighting filter links given earlier: https://www.leefilters.com/lighting/...#746&filter=cf

Brown only works if it's an old building, modern police stations tend to have different colour schemes.

[Paul R Johnson]

Brown gel is available, BUT Lee 746, Brown - is a terrible colour, as only 1.5% of the light actually makes it out the other side, so to colour something like a wall brown will take some very high intensity lights - Forget LED sources, we're talking large discharge lights and probably lots of them.

I think you don't meanbrown at all - you'r thinking nicotine stain colour? Maybe?

[Ryan Elder]

Oh yes, I just checked it. So those filters are gels then?

Yeah the two police stations I've been in both had white walls, in the rooms I was in.

[Josh Bass]

I think he's looking for something that doesn't exist, a gel that will make a white wall look like a dingy brown wall like in Seven.

[Brian Drysdale]

Yes, the brown gel would give a grimy light. If you're telling a story set in a modern town/city and not the rundown part of a city, why would there be brown walls in the police station offices? Quite a few locations in "Seven" are seedy, so the brown walls fit in.

Unless you can write a paragraph on why these walls should be brown and how it fits into your story, forget about it.

[Ryan Elder]

Oh yeah I would definitely have to match the look with other locations, and not just have one scene lit brown, and not the rest, right?

I just thought I would use light to give the scenes a seedy atmosphere, rather than have the locations come off as realistic modern color,if that makes sense?

[Paul R Johnson]

Surely 'seedy' is the kind of lighting that comes from limited light sources in real life? So not just the dirt, but the single light in the centre off the room, casting shadows everywhere? Add one 4-6 for fluorescent fixture and seedy vanishes to reveal just dirty - which isn't the same.

[Ryan Elder]

Oh okay. I can talk to a DP about all that. I just like knowing as much as I can to get the look I want on my budget as well. Perhaps what we could do is have brown gels on some lights, and blue on others.