A simple request from an editor...

PerroneFord

PerroneFord

Deals in Lead
I've worked with a few first time directors, but for those of you new to this I have but a simple request. Actually 2.

1. PLEASE tell your actors that they are still in character until you say cut. The scene is not over just because they've finished the last dialog on the page.

2. For the love of all things dear, do NOT yell cut as the the actors are finishing up their last word of dialog on the page. As editors we'd actually like to have a way to make a transition after the scene...

Thank you and good luck with your films.
 
Handles on your shots? Surely you jest. Yes, please roll a bit at the end of the take. IME, some of the best reaction shots happen after the dialogue on the page is done. I guess that even those who come from the days of film and videotape are padding their shots less and less in the world of instant recording and solid-state media.
 
You know it's funny you say that. The way I organize my bins is to create my storyboard in basic terms from the available shots... alternate takes are placed vertically under the selected takes, and then I watch those. Anything that I unusable, I pull down to the bottom of the bin to keep it out of my way.

In cutting last night, the director either stepped on the dialog, or the actor did a restart from the MIDDLE of the dialog, so there was no clean master to use at all. So I was hiding cuts left and right. I was stuck for a transition from one master to a reverse without it look silly. Having exhausted my options, I went looking through the "garbage" and found just the look I needed... once the clip was played in reverse.

But getting good coverage and takes is only part of the battle. Continuity mistakes and other basic issues, like not leaving handles, is just so basic to filmmaking, but probably not discussed enough.
 
That's the first thing I taught my 7th grade filmmaking students... what Padding means and why we do it. Funny they understood and performed well, yet the newsanchors I work with and other directors I work with on indie projects have zero concept of this. At the news its 3,2,1 and immediate rapid fire dialogue which gets cut off on the air all the time, whether it be by a commercial or by an audio op who just happens to be human(oh yeah sorry about that, anchor, we're human). and on an indy project its just hubris, impatience and mainly no-formal training.
 
I shot a film last summer and the director thought his only job was yelling action and cut. UGH! I tried to gently tell him "to give his film some room to breathe". He looked at me like I was speaking Martian.

This film was well funded too.
 
^^^ LMAO.... doesn't he know Martian is a required foreign language prerequisite for filmmaking... I prefer working with Martian directors.. no miscommunicatio...CUT!
 
perroneford said:
i've worked with a few first time directors, but for those of you new to this i have but a simple request. Actually 2.

1. Please tell your actors that they are still in character until you say cut. The scene is not over just because they've finished the last dialog on the page.

2. For the love of all things dear, do not yell cut as the the actors are finishing up their last word of dialog on the page. As editors we'd actually like to have a way to make a transition after the scene...

Thank you and good luck with your films.
Click to expand...

lol
 
On the commentary for Serenity, Joss Whedon mentioned that they didn't intend for the soldiers at the end to stand down, they planned to cut away just beforehand. During the edit they realized we needed to see them lower their weapons, so they dubbed a commander saying "stand down" and they included the leftover handles of all the actors lowering their weapons after the director had yelled "cut". If the cameraman had hit 'stop' two seconds sooner, we'd never have that shot. True story.
 
What I remember from film school 10 years ago was a teacher saying off hand at some point, "oh and remember never say 'cut'. say 'aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand cut' allowing for some space"
 
On occasion we let a shot roll after the scene is over - for as long as the actors hold it. The longest an actor has let us go is about a minute. There are too many potentially interesting things to not let most shots linger after the scene is run.
 
Having done a bit of editing has really helped me as a director. Picturing the potential issues later on including handles and audio has paid off. I never had the benefit of film school but trying my hand at all the jobs needed to complete a film has certainly opened my eyes.
I also really value the benefit of you on this site and others. Learning any little tips and tricks has reflected in my approach on set.
Thanks!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top