Directing Procedure

imageonepictures said:
Brandon,

This is what I would do...

1. Places everyone.

2. Sound ready (replies "Ready")

3. Roll camera

4. DP yells back "Speed"

5. 1 AC slates scene aka 'Scene 5 take 12'

6. I yell "Action".

7. Actors act then I say cut when the take is done or I wanna stop.

Chris

PS: This is an excellent thread and don't feel bad by asking.
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The DP never says speed, that is sound. Sound has to come up to speed.
 
maverickstunts said:
The DP never says speed, that is sound. Sound has to come up to speed.
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Hey,

I thought the DP said "Speed" to indicate that the camera is ready and moving up to speed as there is a 1 - 1/2 seconds where nothing can get recorded.

Anyone here DP call for speed?

Chris
 
the dp usually doesn't say anything except where he wants the lights and discussing camera angles and lenses. the speed is always for the sound guys. Cameras (35mm) are instantly on when the switch is flipped. As I said, "speed, or sound speed" is from the sound department.
I have been working on television and movies for a shade over 23 years now and would know what the dp says.
 
Hmmmmmm....

Hmmmmmm....

Hey guys

Sorry if I come off as a dick, but the following method which I have learned to use and works best, is as follows...

1st AD : Readies set "quiet on set/ready for a take/rehearsal" etc.... Asks if camera is ready, then sound is ready, in that order. Camera is a much more finicky position, and typically the sound (recordist) is standing (sitting) around waiting for the next take.
Now if you are on a FILM/sinc shoot where sound recordist/boom op are separate from camera, then 1st AD first calls out for "Roll Sound"

Sound: "Sound speeds" Typically today, sound is recorded digitally to flash disks, such as on fostex kits, and doesn't really need a "speed time" but says it anyways, and if not for that, to also let 1st AD know that they heard them and are rolling.

1st AD: "Slate" (to the 2nd AC typicaly)

2nd AC or 2nd 2nd: "Roll 1, Scene 2a"apple", take 3" *****PAUSES******

(pay attention, this is where most people get it wrong and lose rediculous amounts of money on film/tape stock etc...)

1st AD: "Roll Camera"

Camera (DP or Cam. Op): " Camera Speeds/rolling! " ( A camera, just cause it is rolling, does NOT mean that it is at its 24fps perfectly. Everything from film tension to power connections can cause a camera to run slightly off speed. Also, with film AND video, it takes about 1 second to hit speed, so most of the time, once camera hits the switch, they say speed, even if they arent paying attention to the sync light, but more to let the AD/crew know that camera is rolling)

2nd AC: *claps sticks* walks out of frame

Camera: Frame (after frame/focus is set to desired set location if it had to be moved to get slate)

Director: ACTIOOOOON! / CUT(depending if they havent changed their mind already in that 30 seconds)

--------
Now the crucial part where I see all the previous responses screwing up is that they call for camera FIRST, when that is the more expensive thing out of everything, ESPECIALLY sound. Now, a Camera that does NOT record sound, does not need to be recording while a 2nd 2nd AC stumbles over reading the slate. By the time action gets called, you have already wasted 30 seconds or so of film and telecine (or if digital, hard drive space with capturing un-needed footage) and ALL that is IFFFFF everything went as planned, as in actors on right marks, booms not in shot, didnt fvck up slate, focus moved etc... etc... ETC.... and director goes ahead with calling action and finishing the take. This small 30 or more or less seconds can add up VERYYYY fast, shooting a short, or a feature. and you cant say that features aren't worried about film costs when more and more productions are shooting 3 perf to save 30% of film costs!!!! (explanation here... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3-perf_and_2-perf_pulldown)

So, there's my rant. However if this is for an auto sync'ed video project where camera is recording sound, then disregard everything I said and just roll until the tape is over, and then switch tapes and keep rolling. OR if your a baller and dont care about film wastage (which is pretty unlikely since even the ballerist directors are on a budget from a studio) then also disregard.

BUT, that is what I have figured to be the most efficient/cost effective/ speedy way to deliver a action ready set. I am NOT saying that this is what they do on "REAL" sets, but it is definately what they should do if they don't. Let me know if any of this doesn't make any sense. Oh, and 1st AD never calls out slate(roll/scene/take).
 
Originally Posted by Dahopafilms
I was also recently visiting on a friend's shoot where the DP for some reason frequently called out "Cut" at the end of a take. By the end of the shoot (and we're talking weeks here, not days), there was smoke coming out of the Director's ears - one of the problems associated with not nipping a headstrong DP in the bud early on ...
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I've been here

This grates.

-

I generally am mellow; rolling, speed, action, cut ........

I'm making the tranny to D.P. ing and directing and wearing the headphones on my films .....
 
CLASSIC! :)


cygnet74 said:
Director: Aaannnd ACTI... wait, no wait... I think I see a boom reflected in that window. (asks DP to look at monitor.)

DP: Yeah... sh*t.

Boom Op: My range of motion is kind of restricted, I can try it like this?

Director: No, I still see it.

DP: Should we cut?

Director: Yeah, let's cut. Cut it!

1st AD: That's a cut!

Boom Op: (to mixer) We're cutting, Jim.
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