Shooting with one cam advice?

What you do is, you put the camera on a tripod on the angle you want on the person, then you have them do the entire scene but only their "side" (someone else reads the other person's lines for the person to react to, preferably the other actor). Then you do vice versa. Even though it's doing the scene twice, it saves time I think.

EDIT: On the subject of noise continuity, it's fixed in post since I'm pretty sure most films do coverage like this, considering in most coverage if you were shooting with two cameras you'd see the other camera.
 
Actualy, Resevoir, "most" is correct at least 50% anyway and its done so well you never notice it. In almost every hollywood movie outdoor scenes are ADR and even big hangar sets because the sound is so hollow. Check out MIX magazine or some of the other pro audio publications. There is a reason why ADR is one the tech awards given out at the oscars and goldenreels and such.

Just to add: To get around that right now I'm just shooting continuous takes. Gotta work with what you can afford, you know?
 
Thanks for the info Ian. It looks like doing multiple takes and then overlapping ambience with the fade in, fade out trick looks like the best way to go for getting high quality continuity. Until I can afford to shoot with two or more cams and mics I'll just have to make due. But this brings me to a whole other round of questions. What is the *best* way to do ADR for us indie guys that don't have a 10,000 dollar protools studio in our basement. This may end up being more important to me that getting synchronous sound and ambience. Any suggestions as to how any one else does it? Thanx!! ~reservoir~
 
find a large closet (large enough for somebody to stand in). You have to soundproof this closet. It's relatively easy; use heavy quilts and such to dampen all the noise. Then you get headphones for the actor and connect them to the T.V. from which you'll be playing the tape for the actor to speak over. You hook them up with a mic and let them watch the tape two or three times so they can get their exact speaking rhythm down (easier than it sounds) and then do one final take where the actor actually gets recorded.
 
The only time that you really need a second camera is when you are doing action sequences, and then not for all of them. Adding an additional camera for dialogue scenes is sometimes a good idea, but really what you want to do is light each individual in the scene for their dialogue.
I have been working on movies and television for over 20 years and that is how every movie is shot. Master, coverage, coverage and more coverage.
 
I've been shooting these bar scenes for a short I'm doing where three people are sitting in a booth. I've got one 100a, one sanken short shotgun going right into the 100a and a good array of lights. I'll set the lights and mic and do the whole scene with as many times as myself and the actors feel is needed (why not take advantage of the cheapness of DV media, right?). I find continuous takes get a great result from the actors and I don't mind trading that for a static shot. Just make your static shot good. Good sound, good lighting and good story and nobody will notice that the camera angle hasn't moved for a bit. Of course this doesn't fit every shooting style or scene but I write my own stuff to the means I know I can produce. To break up longer shots around the table (there's three in the script) I've been thinking of getting close-ups while the actors are rehearsing around the table, reaction shots, so to speak, where the actors not speaking so the sound isn't needed. There's other ways too. A cut to one of the actors fingers tapping nervously on the table during a tense scene. A close up on the characters eyes that betray some type of emotion but all silent so you can still use the sound from the continous take and have no matching problems. Simply effects such as tapping fingers or the clunk of a glass hitting a table are easy to foley in. Getting your actors to ADR when they've never had to do it before and are used to feeding off other actors can be much tougher (I'd assume anyway since I've never tried it).
 
maverickprods said:
The only time that you really need a second camera is when you are doing action sequences, and then not for all of them. Adding an additional camera for dialogue scenes is sometimes a good idea, but really what you want to do is light each individual in the scene for their dialogue.
I have been working on movies and television for over 20 years and that is how every movie is shot. Master, coverage, coverage and more coverage.
Click to expand...

Tis true plus all other great advice.
People expect you to shoot one camera for drama, covering explosions with as many cameras as you can get (can we afford to shoot this six times?)
I have worked indie and with a recordist/boom. I also edit and do lots of sound work. My 2cents.
If you have a good recordist/mixer who booms your lucky. If you have two people your rich in crew (be thankful) they will spot anything that you cannot cover and cut. They will also hopefully get enough room tone/ambience (though not always , make a note that it gets recorded) and maybe pick up some foleys (wandering off) then if your also lucky you know someone who likes messing around with sound design. They can also add music and your piece will come alive.
If it's any good in the first place.
I have been in that position but I'm trying to get noticed so I still shoot and not always have an operator. Then I always record from above and as close as I can get. I can level it out in the edit. I listen to a room/space and try and figure out any glaring problems. If it echoes I would look at the lines to heighten the fact not hide it. If the room was dry, I would figure a way to punch the words up. Luckily I work with a very talented sound designer. Who always reminds me that in video/film it is the only other sense your audience relies on.
If you cant control your space - outside - Get someone to boom and wear headphones (if you are directing you will miss something) invest in a good mic (mines been a godsend allowing me to do corporate + drama + foleys + dubbing in post) plus a good Billy and a long boom. Then your set to make that movie.
Good luck.
J.P.
 
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