rayortiz313
Active member
Hey guys, shot this one-man crew style with a Steadytracker and Canon T3i. I accomplished alot of my creative goals, but feel short on alot of others. Oh well. Learning from your mistakes is painful, but such is life. Subscribe to the channel if you're interested in grindhouse-style cinema,; we'll be making more like these (a crime-exploitation one next, likely). If you're in NYC, PM me with your goals and plans if you want to join our merry band.
If anyone has any questions, shoot! If you have critiques don't bother being nice. I care more about learning from my intended audience than about making movies to stroke my ego.
1. Don't try to do (even simple) makeup with a one-man crew. Really awkward putting the camera aside so you can whip out a bruise wheel to do a black eye. Robert Rodgriguez pulled off squibs on El Mariachi but maybe we can't all be him. The next one I do with makeup of any kind, I want a makeup person on set.
2. Careful location selection is key on outdoor shoots. We managed to get gorgeous low-key lighting by shooting under an overpass, which basically turned the entire world into a softbox lighting our actors from the side. If only I could do this for every single movie I ever make in my life.
3. I started with detailed storyboards, but I learned you can't expect the storyboards to always work out. The actors are not puppets. Very often their ideas will be more effective than yours. You may have to go from following the storyboards (constructive editing) to letting the actors figure things out and getting coverage (aster shot technique- getting your long shot, then mediums, then closeups). You need to know BOTH techniques.
4. If any of you guys have any interest in action or horror filmmaking, BUY A STEADYTRACKER or any other fake-steadicam device. No, its not as smooth as a real steadicam. Who cares. You can hold it on your shoulders for a fake-crane/overhead shot. The possibilities are endless. I kiss and hug mine before I go to bed at night.
I'll add to this post as I remember things.
The short:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HG8kFCH1V5E
If anyone has any questions, shoot! If you have critiques don't bother being nice. I care more about learning from my intended audience than about making movies to stroke my ego.
1. Don't try to do (even simple) makeup with a one-man crew. Really awkward putting the camera aside so you can whip out a bruise wheel to do a black eye. Robert Rodgriguez pulled off squibs on El Mariachi but maybe we can't all be him. The next one I do with makeup of any kind, I want a makeup person on set.
2. Careful location selection is key on outdoor shoots. We managed to get gorgeous low-key lighting by shooting under an overpass, which basically turned the entire world into a softbox lighting our actors from the side. If only I could do this for every single movie I ever make in my life.
3. I started with detailed storyboards, but I learned you can't expect the storyboards to always work out. The actors are not puppets. Very often their ideas will be more effective than yours. You may have to go from following the storyboards (constructive editing) to letting the actors figure things out and getting coverage (aster shot technique- getting your long shot, then mediums, then closeups). You need to know BOTH techniques.
4. If any of you guys have any interest in action or horror filmmaking, BUY A STEADYTRACKER or any other fake-steadicam device. No, its not as smooth as a real steadicam. Who cares. You can hold it on your shoulders for a fake-crane/overhead shot. The possibilities are endless. I kiss and hug mine before I go to bed at night.
I'll add to this post as I remember things.
The short:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HG8kFCH1V5E
Last edited:
