Help For Filming A Very Important Day at Walt Disney World, Please!

[Dean Sensui]

Mike...

One last suggestion. At Disneyland they had something called a "character breakfast" where you get to go in early, have breakfast, meet some of the Disney characters, and get free range over a particular part of the park before the normal opening hours.

It makes for a very pleasant, un-rushed and un-cluttered morning. Perhaps Disneyworld has a similar program?

Good luck! And as Lorinda said, have fun!

Aloha,

[Mike Teutsch]

Originally Posted by Dean Sensui

Mike...

One last suggestion. At Disneyland they had something called a "character breakfast" where you get to go in early, have breakfast, meet some of the Disney characters, and get free range over a particular part of the park before the normal opening hours.

It makes for a very pleasant, un-rushed and un-cluttered morning. Perhaps Disneyworld has a similar program?

Good luck! And as Lorinda said, have fun!

Aloha,

Dean,

Thanks Dean, I'll check on that too. Disney has already arranged for them to meet three characters one on one.

I used to live in Anaheim just one mile from Disneyland for about 8 years, and used to watch the fireworks each night from my back yard. I think the whole area I lived in has now been acquired by Disneyland and has been added to the park.

Thanks again for the advice and it was a true pleasure to meet you at NAB. I hope that I get to the "Islands" someday. I will definitely look you up.

Mike

[Mark Bournes]

Mike I wish I could help, I'm in boynton beach but I'm booked solid the next 2 weeks. I would have offered my services for free on this one. I could have run audio for you. I wish it was another time frame. My only suggestion is to mic her with the wireless lav and an get someone to run a wireless shotgun and follow the others. Just stay close and you'll get all the sound you need, even if it's just off the camera shotgun. As far as the shooting requirements at Disney.
It sounds like you're going through the right channels. They wont require you to have an escort. I have shot there and we we free to shoot throughout the park. They are fairly good about it especially for something like your cause. It's good PR for them. If you need any other help you can contact me. My web site has my contact info. www.sharkvp.com

Mark

[Mike Teutsch]

Mark,

Thanks for the offer. I talked to the mother last night and it gets even more difficult. They have dealt with nothing but the cancer for so long now, that Lisa and the boys want this to be a "cancer free" vacation. In other words, no mention of it. That should make my job easier!!!!

I think that I will mic the mother and her daughter and just get what I can. I think in this situation the visual image is what is important to them. It will definately be an experiance! That's how we learn right?!?!?!?

Mike

[K. Forman]

Mike- Having lost my mother to cancer, I would be willing to help you with this, in whatever fashion I'm able.

[Mike Teutsch]

Originally Posted by Keith Forman

Mike- Having lost my mother to cancer, I would be willing to help you with this, in whatever fashion I'm able.

Keith,

Thanks for the offer, and I'll let you know if I need the help. Right now everything is up in the air, as they want it very low key, so an additional person may even make it worse. I'll find out soon I hope.

Mike

[K. Forman]

I can dig up a flowery tourist shirt, sandles, and black socks, and blend right in with the crowd... ;)

[David McKnight]

Mike,

Best of luck to you. I've been to WDW twice, 3rd time is next month. Were our schedules to align, I would abandon my plans to help out. You are doing a very good thing. I lost my mother to cancer this past August, and one thing I cherish the most is a video I made from our trip to WDW in 2001.

My advice...

1. Pack as light as possible
2. Hydrate
3. Wear comfortable shoes
4. Use wireless lavs or wired lavs into iRivers and sync in post. Having good, clear audio of the mother's voice will be invaluable, no matter what is being said :) Otherwise, don't worry too much about the tech side.
5. Take a few sandwich baggies for waterproofing tapes and other accessories.
6. Have fun.

[Mike Teutsch]

Thanks David will do for sure!

Thank you everyone! I have my reservations for Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday at Port Orleans Riverside, at the Disney Resort. The family has said that they will be going the the different parks on Sunday and Monday, and I booked an extra day just in case.

The people at Disney have been fantastic! I am now doing two days of shooting, Sunday and Monday, and perhaps more. What a great learning experiance. If anyone cares to join me, just let me know. I would prefer a gorgous blonde female, but beggars can't be choosers. Hey, it never hurts to try!?!?!?!?

Thanks for all of your support and information.

Mike

[Mike Teutsch]

Thank you to everyone who has given me support on this shoot and I will do the best I can for the family.

Got the camera set up, the audio set up and put the shoulder strap on it, as I may need that. Here is the camera set-up and ready to go.

http://www.treasurecoastvideo.com/Camera.jpg

Using the stock front mic for ambient sound, and two lavs, one for the mother and one for the daughter. Manual settings for gain on all. Thought I would lower the front mic and concentrate more on the ladies. I'm glad I set the audio up in advance, as I had trouble with that dang little audio monitor button, not the buttons fault, but mine for not understanding it well enough. Chris Hurds excellent post for last year got me straightened out. Thanks Chris.

I may wear a hat and definetly a white shirt to stay cooler, as it is supposed to be 91 degs on Sunday and Monday (it's now a two day shoot). Got gel inserts for my shoes, and I'll be carring a backpack with the extra lens, batteries, camera cover, 35mm digital etc.. I wish I were about 20 years younger right about now, but I'll make it.

In case anyone is interested, I contacted Disney, and they have no problems with me lugging the big XL2 around the park, even though it will stand out. All they said is, "Don't were a shirt that says FILM CREW, or something like that." :) That is certainly no problem, as I am going to try and blend in and stay out of everyones way, especially the family.

Thank you again-----Mike

[Dean Sensui]

Nice setup, Mike.

That's pretty much how I work most of the time. It's a compact and versatile setup.

As for shirts saying "film crew", you could wear a shirt that says "home movies are my life..." and everyone will leave you alone thinking you're an obsessed video hobbyist. :-)

Take care!

[Steven Gotz]

I wish I was going to be available to you. I am traveling next week. But I have a few suggestions.

In the Magic Kingdom, there is a place called "Toon Town" and Mickey can be found as well as many other characters. You can stand in line and about 5 or 6 kids get to go in to each room at one time and there are three characters waiting to hug, and give autographs and take pictures. There are three of these rooms. Mickey has his own area. This is a great place to shoot.

At the beginning of the day at the Magic Kingdom (9AM), there are many characters all around the entrance.

In Frontierland, the saloon has Woody and Jesse from Toy Story available to pose with your group.

I shoot there all the time. Nobody has ever put any restrictions on me except where there is no shooting allowed in some attractions.

The best show at the Animal Kingdom is the Lion King show, and shooting there is encouraged. No camera lights allowed, and the lighting is difficult because it is fairly dark.

If you talk to the cast members at the Animal Kingdom and clue them in, you might be able to arrange a couple of things at the Flights of Wonder bird show. One child is usually chosen to throw a grape up into the air for a bird to catch. Another person (possibly the Mom?) is chosen to hold a dollar bill up for a bird to grab, and return later.

Also in the Animal Kingdom there is entertainment in the village. They hand out instruments to play along. There is also a spot with drums. Get the whole family drumming.

There are some great music groups at Epcot this week. Davy Jones from the Monkees is here and you can get shots of them getting autographs.

Get a shot of her posing with the huge troll in Norway and with the big Nemo characters in from of the Living Seas.

There are so many great opportunities, depending on her energy level.

Good luck to you.

[Mike Teutsch]

[QUOTE=Steven Gotz
There are some great music groups at Epcot this week. Davy Jones from the Monkees is here and you can get shots of them getting autographs.

Good luck to you.[/QUOTE]


Got to find the Monkees, I love them!

Mike

[Mike Teutsch]

Originally Posted by Dean Sensui

Nice setup, Mike.

That's pretty much how I work most of the time. It's a compact and versatile setup.

As for shirts saying "film crew", you could wear a shirt that says "home movies are my life..." and everyone will leave you alone thinking you're an obsessed video hobbyist. :-)

Take care!

That's great! I wish I could wear my DVinfo Challange shirt, but the dang thing shrunk soooo much. Or did I grow?

Mike

[Dylan Couper]

Been too busy to post more in this thread, sorry. But for everything practical you need to know about WDW, go take a look at www.allears.net

http://allearsnet.com/tp/mk/mk.htm