YOUR SECOND BEST FRIEND IN FILMMAKING

KNOW
field guide
to

FILMMAKING

Table of Contents
C H A P T E R 1 - STO R Y
1 - Know Your Voice

12

2 - Developing Your Story

28

3 - YOUR TURN: Beginning, Middle, End

38

4 - Hows and Whys of a Treatment

44

5 - Creating a Bid

50

6 - Location Scouting

68

7 - Storyboarding

78

8 - Roles on a Commercial or Film Set

84

9 - Roles on a Smaller Shoot

94

10 - YOUR TURN: Build a Wedding Story

98

C H A P T E R 2 - LI G H T
1 - Lighting Basics

106

2 - Interview Lighting Setup

122

3 - Types of Lights and Modifiers

126

4 - Working with Natural Light

130

5 - Suggested Lighting Kits

134

6 - YOUR TURN: Light Your Scene

140

CHAPTER 3 - AUDIO
1 - Why Audio Matters

148

2 - Various Audio Capture Methods

156

3 - Recording Audio Wirelessly

168

4 - Eliminating Audio Issues

176

5 - Suggested Audio Kits

180

6 - Commercial Set Recording Tips

190

C HA PT E R 4 - C A M E R A , LE N S E S , M OVE M E NT
1 - Your Decisions Matter

200

2 - The Exposure Triangle

204

3 - Setting Proper Exposure

206

4 - YOUR TURN: Adjust Your Exposure

214

5 - Frame Rates

218

6 - Color

222

7 - Compression & Expansion

230

8 - Elements of Composition

236

9 - YOUR TURN: Compose & Recompose 246

10 - Camera Movement

250

11 - Essential Filmmaking Kit

256

12 - Suggested Commercial Rig

260

13 - Bags

264

14 - YOUR TURN: Director Says

268

C HA P T E R 5 - J E S S & B R I AN
1 - Discovery

274

2 - Ideation

282

3 - Pre-Production

302

4 - Production

310

5 - Telling a Strong Event Story

318

C HA P T E R 6 - O LD S K O O L CA FE
1 - Old Skool Bid

324

2 - Old Skool Treatment

328

3 - Old Skool Call Sheet

332

4 - Old Skool Concept

336

BEGINNING

The
Beginning

Weve entered a new age of visual storytelling.

Gear is smaller and more robust, and its quality has far surpassed our wildest dreams
while becoming more and more affordable. With that, peoples expectations have risen
beyond simply high quality cinema, but to visual stories that truly have an emotional
impact on their viewers.

We, the Stillmotion team, find that a strong story is the essence of what
people crave when watching a film. Everyone loves a good story, and thats
pretty universal across different mediums. Well, we have a good story for you,
and this time, its coming in text form.

T H E STO R Y O F STI LLM OTI O N

Not even five years ago, we easily could have been referred to as a group of wedding
videographers, AKA human tripods (thats our interpretation of the term anyway).
Nowadays, wed find that label to be mildly offensive, considering the amount of
thought we put into our wedding films. We are cinematographers. We make informed
decisions based on the story, and connect our viewer emotionally through these
choices. We feel that our couples deserve a truly personalized experience rather than
the cookie cutter, traditional wedding video that most folk are used to.
When the DSLR revolution began, we were ready to shrink down our physical presence
at an event, while increasing the quality of our films to match that of Hollywood. We
can distinctly remember one wedding that sticks out in our minds, JC and Esthers.
We remember that day like we remember the taste of our hotel breakfast this morning.
But looking back, we realize one thing that we didnt know then: that this wedding day
would shape the rest of our lives, as we now know them.

BEGINNING

It was like any other wedding for us: we approached it from a storytelling perspective,
and as always, we worked hard to make it the best film wed ever made. After the
wedding, their film went online and circulated around to their friends and family.
Fast-forward five months. Its a typical afternoon at the studio, everyones editing at
their computers, and the phone rings.

On the other end of the phone was someone from the NFL Network telling
us that theyd seen JC and Esthers film on Vimeo (holy bologna, the NFLs
on our Vimeo channel?!).
They told us that they appreciated the technical and storytelling aspects of our
wedding films, and wanted to know if we could apply our approach on the football
field. It was one of those moments where time just hangs.

Shy away from a challenge? Stillmotion? Never! We leapt at the opportunity,

full steam ahead.
A week later we were on the field, all access, in front of 70,000 screaming fans while
players smacked their helmets as they ran across the field. The speed of the game
was faster than any wedding wed ever shot, so we were desperately trying to stay two
steps ahead. We all remember, with remarkable accuracy, setting up what we thought
would be the opening shot to the film, focusing in on the number of a players jersey.
Right then, a very specific thought took over the team, as if on cue:

Were about to watch our first football game of our entire lives, on the field.
We smiled at the thought and just took it all in.
It was that call with the NFL that led to everything that followed, including filming for:

t The NCAA Final Four

t Callaway featuring golfing greats such as Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els and Gary Player
Oh, and...

t Winning three Emmys for the feature length documentary A Game Of Honor.

We sometimes catch ourselves casually talking about JC and Esthers wedding and
all the amazing things it led to. If theres one thing we can learn from this its to always
make the best film possible. ALWAYS.

You never know whos watching.

It was that one wedding that changed everything. We never changed our approach, we
never made anything cookie cutter, we always stayed true to ourselves.

Once we found our voice, we never stopped speaking.

In the end we are just a band of wedding filmmakers who, as a rule, always let our
curiosity get the better of us.

M E ET YO U R N E XT B E ST FR I E N D I N FI LM MA K I N G
SMAPP was designed to help make the
process of filmmaking easier, while also
helping you understand how every choice

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Inside SMAPP you'll find both tools and tutorials.

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STORY
CHAPTER 1

KNOW YOUR VOICE

1
Know
Your
Voice

13

Developing your own voice is such an important step in creating your own style,
attracting the right people, and doing work that you love.

Your voice is one of the most important things you can develop.

However, finding what your voice is can often be a tough process to work through,
especially if you are fairly new to the industry. Sometimes, jumping in really fast means
wading through a period of working with the wrong people on shoots you dont really
love, until you figure it out. We want to help prevent that.
Weve looked at our process, studied how we have evolved over the years, and taken
feedback from so many of those that have joined us at educational events over the
years. With that, here is a path to help you to define your voice.

1
I D E NTI F Y C O N N EC TI O N S
Its no secret that people do better work when they feel personally connected to it. So
ask yourself, what kinds of stories do you want to be telling? By knowing what you
want to be communicating with your imagery, youll know when a project isnt the right
fit, and youll be able to make room for the ones that youre really passionate about.

Go ahead. Take a good look at some of your favorite stories, and explore
what makes you connect with them. Is it humor? Maybe you really enjoy
things that are action-packed, silly, or romantic.

T H E 5 Q U A L I T I E S T H AT O U R FAV O R IT E F I L M S AL L HAV E I N C O M M O N AR E :
1. Meaningful
2. Emotional
3. Thoughtful
4. Relevant
5. Diverse

KNOW YOUR VOICE

Now how about you?

M AK E A LI S T O F 5 T YPE S O F Q UA LI T I E S T H AT Y O U R FAV O R I T E FI L M S HAV E I N
COMMON:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
From here, we challenge you to commit to making films that embody these things, the
very facets that you really connect with.

But what are the steps to take that will let you do this? Lets start with the people.

2
B U I LD R E LATI O N S H I P S
Allow yourself to tell the stories you love by finding clients who connect with the same
things you do, or stories that can be told in a way that you connect with.

Finding the perfect client with the perfect story is an art form in itself.

Take a moment and imagine your perfect client or couple. This could be
somebody youve worked with or maybe its a combination of many people!
Give yourself at least 5 minutes to do this. This is so important (and dont
worry, well wait). Ok, got it?

15

Now write down 5 qualities of this person below that youd love to see in all of your
clients. For example, wed say we love wedding couples who like to do things their own
way, and dont stick to tradition because its what you do.

W E LOV E TO W O R K WI TH PE O PLE T H AT AR E :
1. Open
2. True to themselves
3. Intelligent
4. Deep
5. Fun loving

How about you?

M AK E A LI S T O F 5 Q UA LI T I E S T H AT YO U R FAV O R I T E PE O PL E HAV E I N
COMMON:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
By showing work you connect with, youll attract people that connect with it too.
Conversely, if you show work you feel less of a connection with, youll be advertising
that this is the kind of work you do, which will bring in clients that want exactly that.

The best way to attract the right people is by sharing only the work you love,
whether its on your blog, website, or Vimeo channel.

KNOW YOUR VOICE

Take a look at the

work youve done.
W H I C H A R E T H E FI L M S TH AT B E ST R E PR E S E NT T H E T YPE S O F P E O PL E Y O UD
L I K E T O WO R K WI TH AN D TH E ST O R I E S Y O U D LI K E T O T E LL ?

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Weve said it once and well say it again. Make sure these films are on your
blog! And if you ever make a film that doesnt line up with the qualities you
connect with, make sure you keep it off your blog at all costs. Itll only attract
the wrong kinds of people!
But also, take note of what youve written down here and revisit this page in a year.
Pay attention to how your perspectives and tastes may have changed during that time.
Noticing these changes will help you mark your progress as an artist, and reconnect
you with the things that are important to you, then and now.

Another way to attract the right kind of person is by communicating in a way

that theyll respond to.

If your language, graphics, imagery, and brand all match up with the kinds of messages
you want to be sharing with the world, then youll have no problems attracting the
people you crave to work with.

17

Do you have a mission statement on your website or blog, something that clearly
communicates what youre about or why you do this? If so, is it accurate? Does it
represent all the qualities you wrote above about the types of films you connect with
and the types of people you love? Now take a step back and assess the work you
have displayed with your mission statement. Does it match?

Revisit these things often. Remember that youre going to grow and evolve
as an artist, and your statement may need to evolve with you.

Now lets move on

to a blog post.
Pick one that features a film you feel particularly proud of, one that features many of
the qualities weve discussed thus far.

t How does the supporting text youve written relate to it?

t Does the language match the message of the film?
t Does it highlight the very qualities whose importance we keep hammering into you?
Dont forget that language is a storytelling tool too, one that should be
considered carefully whenever its shared with your potential clients, or
anyone for that matter.
If you can draw your viewer into your favorite elements of your film simply by using
language correctly, you have a really great head start at educating and connecting to
your audience.

KNOW YOUR VOICE

Take 5 minutes to
assess the writing
on your blog.
W H I C H Q U A L I T I E S C O M E T H R O U G H I N H OW Y O U W R I TE , AN D WH I C H AR E
B E I N G M I SS E D? TAK E TH E T I M E T O E X P LO R E TH I S, IT WI L L B E H E LPF U L N OW
A N D I T WI L L B E H E LPF U L TO LO O K B AC K O N D OWN T H E R OAD .
R E PR E S E N T E D

M I SS E D

1.

1.

2.

2.

3.

3.

4.

4.

5.

5.
You want to highlight these qualities and illustrate them. Write in a smart and
thoughtful way.

Heres an excerpt from a blog post that was written to match the couple, the day, and
to highlight just how true to themselves Veronica and Dan are. Chances are that an
engaged couple that connects with this text and film are going to be the types to feel
open and true to themselves as well.
Veronica and Dan got a Winnebago. Together they named it Colonel. On the
wedding day, all of the guys prepped Colonel to be as white dress friendly
as they could. This particular Winnebago has a lot of history with Veronica
and Dan, and so he wanted to pick her up in it, and together they would ride
to the ceremony.

19

We made it pretty obvious right from the get go that Veronica and Dan are not your
average couple. Whys that? Because we dont want to be working with average
couples! We want to be attracting people who are open, true to themselves, intelligent,
deep, and fun loving!
Also notice the staccato nature of the writing. Short sentences. Quick transitions. Its
much like their film! Watch the first 30 seconds of their same-day edit and youll get
the same staccato feeling. Coincidence? Me thinks not.

1-1

1- 2

1 -3

1 -4
ht tp:/ /www. K N OWbys ti ll m ot i on. com /Ver onic a Dan

Its all about setting the stage and preparing your audience for what theyre
about to see. Its the power of expectations, and its amazing if you can make
it work for you.

Heres a lifestyle example that really highlights the elements we want our stories to
have.
A very touching story of adoption from Kelly boy, Kelly girl, + Posey. We
were invited to come into their home and tell this story right before Candice,
the birth mother, was set to leave town after Chapel was born. Kelly girl first
shared her very powerful story with us to see what we thought and if there
was a story there.

KNOW YOUR VOICE

We were really drawn in by the idea of being able to get involved with such
an intimate and personal process that includes some pretty remarkable paths
crossing.

1-5

1- 6

1 -7

1 -8
ht tp:/ /www .K N OWbyst il lm ot i on .com / Kell yM o or e

By having our first paragraph convey something meaningful, emotional, smart,

thoughtful, impactful, relevant, and/or diverse, we set the viewer up for a
stronger connection when they watch the piece.

And if they do in fact connect with it strongly, we know that they connect with the
same types of films that we do. And thats a really great start to an enjoyable and
interesting journey!

Getting started
the right way.
When you first start talking with your clients, do your questions get at the core of who
they are or whats really important to them? Are their answers giving you a window
into what it would be like to work with them?

21

H E R ES A N AWE S O M E E XA M PLE O F A Q U E ST I O N T HAT G I VE S G R E AT I N S I G H T

I N T O WH O TH I S C O U P LE I S . M E ET N AN CY A N D V I N C E .
Question:
Whats a typical Sunday like for you?

Answer:
I love Sundays.
In the morning, I get to sleep in and wake to see Nancy either slumbering
peacefully beside me or up quietly playing a game on her iPad.

Shes so geeky, its awesome.

Depending when we get up, breakfast sometimes ends up being brunch.

Nancy will concoct a culinary masterpiece on the spot (shes a Food Network
fangirl), while I make coffee, walk Pucca (our pup), and do the dishes.

We rarely eat at the kitchen table. I think its an unspoken agreement

between us that the kitchen table serves a better purpose as a platformfor-various-artifacts (i.e. place where we throw our stuff), than a place to eat
food. Instead, well sit cross legged on the couch, plop the food dishes and
bowls on the ottoman/coffee table (double-duty radness), and watch some
tv series on dvd (lately its How I Met Your Mother).

Pretty great answer right? This one simple question yielded such a rich answer, full of
windows into their personality. Theres more!

After the delicious and plentiful meal, we go into deep hibernation on the
couch for around an hour.

Again, I love sundays.

KNOW YOUR VOICE

We usually nap on the couch at ninety degree angles, since the couch is made
that way. Its an L-shaped couch, so we make the best of it by putting our
respective pillows perpendicular to each other, and hold hands as we snooze.

When we get up, its either heading out to get some groceries or doing some
work at home. Were pretty low key on Sundays and prefer to spend the day
by ourselves.

Before bed, I almost always heat up this little clay pack that goes into her
beloved stuffed lamb she sleeps with. The stuffy is my partner in trying to keep
my girl warm at night, so Im happy to do it.

The night ends with us telling each other goodnight, giving a smooch, and
ensuring that at least a part of us is touching the other as we dream of our
lives together.

Immediately, you know that working with them is going to be a pleasure, and youre
going to be able to tell the kind of story you feel connected with. From just one
question of many, from your very first email, you can already start to see who the
people are, whether you connect with them, and get amazing ideas for their story!

How much more telling is this than the question what is your wedding venue? Now,
not all of your clients are going to reply with this much detail.

Part of your job is to encourage the sharing process and to set these
expectations early.

But at the same time, you also need to develop the ability to discern who may be
answering very briefly, simply because theyre not really interested in engaging in the
conversation. They simply may not really be open to sharing. Everyone needs to make
their own decision about where theyd go from here, but for us, this is a very important
part of us consistently finding people we connect with.

23

When it comes to documentary or commercial work, youll often get less room for
seemingly random questions. However, we still want to get a sense of who the people
are and find out more about the story were trying to tell. For this type of client we
might ask, why is this (product / service / idea) important to you?

In the first email, wed ask a couple getting married 7-8 questions, while for a
commercial client wed ask 3-5.

Ok. Heres the hard part. What kinds of questions can you ask thatll get you
answers that say a lot about who people are?
You need to find questions that will give you more than just the immediate answer. You
dont want a Yes or No. You want a paragraph. If youre able to ask questions that are
in an area youre interested in, itll give you an easy way to get a dynamic conversation
started. For example, Amina loves dogs, so she often asks about pets.

3
BE CURIOUS
So youve decided that this client is right for you. Now what? Now its time to continue
building the relationship.

Its time to listen to whats important to them, what their story is, but just
as importantly, to read between the lines. Sometimes the most interesting
points are the things that are not said, but can be inferred just by paying a
little extra attention.

If you have an opportunity to talk in person, watch their mannerisms and behaviors.
Actions speak louder than words, right?

KNOW YOUR VOICE

L E T S TAK E A N OT H E R LO O K AT T H E E M AI L R E S P O N S E AB OV E , A N D L ET S S E E
W HAT WE D E D U C E F R O M R E A D I N G B E T WE E N TH E L I N E S.

NANCY & VINCE

MESSY

FRIENDS
CARE

FOOD
SMART

GOOD
DOG
1-9 N anc y & Vince qua lit ies

APPLE
PILLOWS

25

t They appreciate the art of food = They likely appreciate art in general
t They work together on things = They divide & conquer
t Theyre happy to admit they have a mess = They embrace who they are
t Their dog is likely well behaved = If they can keep food out, Pucca is behaving
t Their pillows are perpendicular to each other = They pay attention to detail
t They are humbled by the people who love them = They appreciate what matters
t They use Apple products = They see value in form & function
t He takes care of her = They work together, so chances are she does the same
t Theyre intelligent = Just look at how their e-mail is written

Now, its your turn.

W HAT OT H E R Q UA LI TI E S CAN YO U D E D U C E FR O M R E AD I N G B E T W E E N T H E
L I N E S O F NA N CY AN D VI N C E S E - M AI L T O U S ?

1.
2.

KNOW YOUR VOICE

From this email we would imagine that Nancy and Vince are going to be very open
and interesting. Its going to be a pleasure to keep talking to them and discovering
the quirks and nuances that make them who they are. Thats great motivation to keep
probing and get to know them better, which will give us as filmmakers a great deal of
inspiration when telling their story.

4
Q U E STI O N E X P EC TATI O N S
There are certain industry expectations when it comes to storytelling. But lets ask
ourselves, are these things really important to the story? Lets take a look at a wedding
context - the first kiss. Normally it would be expected to put the first kiss in a couples
wedding film because, after all, it is a cornerstone moment in a wedding. Or is it? Is it
a cornerstone moment in this couples wedding?
If our goal is to tell a unique story every time, we must question everything,
especially whether universal moments are really key moments in this
particular story.

A G R EAT E XAM P L E O F TH I S T YPE O F T H I N K I N G CAN B E S E E N I N ASA AN D

C O R AL I E S F I L M

1-10

1 - 11
htt p: // www. K N OWb ysti llm ot i o n.co m/A sa C ora lie

27

Following a conventional approach would have yielded morning footage of Coralie

having her hair and makeup done. Preparations are another cornerstone of a
traditional wedding film, but because we knew that hair and makeup werent all that
important to either Asa or Coralie, and we had formerly discovered that tomatoes
played a big role in their relationship, we spent the morning at a farmers market
filming the symbolism that exists in cherry red tomatoes. Their film now has a personal
uniqueness that makes it unswappable (that is, you cant swap in another couple in
place of Asa and Coralie and have it feel right).
Had we not made extra time to get to know Asa and Coralie, the story of the
tomatoes may never have emerged, and a huge part of the films narrative
would have never existed.

Similarly, because of our approach with another couple, Stella and Kevin, we got to
know that they count their I Love Yous. In their very first email reply to us, they told
us that that theyve said I Love You 2,906 times so far. How wonderful would it be to
transform a small detail such as counting into an entire theme that dominates their
film? And how much more will that communicate about who they are than showing
their cake cutting, or a mascara brush at Stellas eye?

Lets do a double take for a sec. The very first email back from this couple
gave us an idea for a completely original concept for a wedding film?
Because of the way we communicated with them, we were struck by this idea thatll
now enable us to do something new and exciting, thats also completely unique to
them! From the first email! Many people show up to shoots and they dont know who
their clients are, who their characters are, or who their couples are. But as you develop
your voice, the right people will start hearing you and youll find that the stories will
start to flow so much more naturally.

DEVELOPING YOUR STORY

Developing
Your Story

29

1
D I S C O VE RY
Just as its name suggests, we want to become familiar with every aspect of the story,
as well as the people in it, as much as possible.

What are some

specific goals for
this step?
1 . U S E Y O U R I M AG I NAT I O N
This goes without saying. Its not enough to just think outside the box, find what available
stories there might be, tell the story with highest success rate, or tell the story that may
be best for the client. You need to do a combination of all of the above.

Whether youre shooting a feature film, short film, commercial, documentary,

wedding or event, every story has characters.

This is one of the most important elements to storytelling. When was the last time
you saw a movie in theatres about a tree? Exactly. Trees dont have the personality
traits of a human. We as humans strive for connection. When anyone views a film,
they immediately search for a character they can relate to. They want to identify with
the people on screen desperately. You need to feed their need. Highlight the relatable
human elements in the story. If youre a commercial filmmaker, its up to you to give your
characters the personality needed for the storys success. If youre an event filmmaker,
you need to do your research to find out which traits to highlight in your film to make it
as relatable as possible.

What role does the location or environment play in the overall feel of the
story? You need to ask yourself what will add to the story, and what will
DEVELOPING YOUR STORY

detract from the story?

Are you sure you want to do this? Its a question you should ask yourself before
committing to every job. Think through every aspect of each project before deciding
whether this is something you want to commit to. Making decisions solely for fiscal
reasons is a way to diminish the value of your craft. Of course money is an important
part, but try to find a balance for what is essential and what your desires are.

What are some ways

we can accomplish
the goals above?
2 . LO CAT I O N S C O U T I N G
We cant stress enough the importance of scouting your location before youre in
the heat of battle, A.K.A. your production. Locations always provide some element
of surprise.

Scouting the location will diminish the amount of surprises that can arise
when shooting on location.

If your location is across the country and its not feasible to visit in person, get creative.
Although visiting in person is always the best option for a number of reasons, there
are alternatives. Having someone visit the location for you, having them take detailed
notes, pictures, and possibly a panoramic photo of the location so you can see a
seamless layout can give you a ton of insight. Location scouting is crucial to having a
smooth production. The elements of space, ambient lighting, and ambient sound are
not something you want to leave to chance, come time for production.

31

3 . O P E N TH E LI N E S O F C O M M U N I CAT I O N W IT H T H E M AI N P E O PL E I NV O LV E D I N
TH E P R OJ EC T
Work through ideas with the rest of your team and listen to all feedback. Argue through
the logic of the concepts to ensure your story is solid. And remember, sometimes
ideas that seem fantastic at first dont seem so brilliant after a good nights sleep.
Let people poke holes in your story ideas and see if it can stand the test of what we
like to call movie logic. Sometimes you may have a great story idea and a great way
to develop characters, but they might not fit together well.

Dont marry any idea. Always be open to change and suggestions from others
involved, especially people in front of the camera when it concerns themselves.

4 . G O O G L E I T. S E R I O U S LY
There isnt a thing on this planet that cant be researched in some way, shape, or form.

Try researching elements of your story, or even stories like the one your
telling.

Sometimes looking at successful examples of your story can be inspiring,

and the same goes for looking at unsuccessful examples. It gives you good
insight on what not to do.

The goal here is to try to minimize your time investment while getting a good sense of
the possibilities. In film, preparation can set you apart from your competition.

DEVELOPING YOUR STORY

2
I D EATI O N
Here we are looking to come up with specific ideas for the story.

What are some

specific goals for
this step?
1 . I D E N T I F Y, S T R AT EG I Z E , S I M P LI F Y
Its a phrase that can help you highlight the key people and points in your
story.

First identify the main characters in the story.

Who are they?

What is their level of importance to the overall story?

Strategize about the characters and story elements themselves. Find ways to make
them co-exist and strengthen each other. A tripod has three legs, but if you knock
one off, the entire thing falls down. Your story works the same way. Make sure the
elements fit together.

Simplify. This doesnt mean dream up simple ideas. This means take whatever ideas
you have and find the simplest way you communicate them. Your ideas will eventually
be communicated with clients, crew, talent, and then of course, the world.

Ideas that only make sense to you are not going to work.

33

Dont settle for your first idea right away.

Make sure to develop several ideas and concepts before deciding on a direction for
the story, even if the direction you take ends up being the first path you thought of.
Be familiar enough with your idea that you can create a treatment (a summary
walkthrough of the idea) or a bid if requested. When creating your idea in the form of
text, (bid, treatment, outline) it should be infectious. People should get excited from
just hearing your idea. Well explore both bids and treatments in detail in the following
chapters. The goal here is to make sure its translated properly to any sort of outline
form.

What are some ways

we can go about
achieving these
goals?
2. S H AR E I D EAS WI TH TEAM M E M B E R S
Share ideas with team members. Bouncing ideas is one of the best forms of
creation.

Your team always contributes, even if they bounce your idea back to you with
improvements. Sometimes hearing yourself say an idea out loud is enough to
determine if the idea is solid, or if you need to go in a new direction.

3. R E S E A R C H & PU T PE N T O PA PE R
Watch your past work and others work for inspiration and direction. Art mimics art.
Without Stanley Kubrick, there would have been no David Fincher. Can you imagine
the world without Fight Club (1999)?
Visualizing shots, transitions, key moments or editing styles is a great way to work
through ideas. Make a shot list or even attempt to draw. Stick figures are ok.

Sometimes getting ideas out of your head and onto a paper is the best therapy
for creation.
DEVELOPING YOUR STORY

We want to develop a strong sense of the story. Our goal is to get something
tangible, like treatment or outline to send to a client or start pre-production.
People in Hollywood often look for something called a High Concept Script, one that
can be described in one sentence. If it cant be described as succinctly, it isnt high
concept. Dissecting the meaning of that is helpful for pitching to clients. Sometimes
ideas are best because of their simplicity. Being able to make something in a universal
language so that your client (who is not a filmmaker) understands what youre trying
to create for them, can mean the difference between booking a job or being passed
over altogether.

3
PR E-P R O D U CTI O N
Here we are trying to get as prepared as possible for the production step that follows.
It may seem like pre-production is less related to story development, but as you dive
in, youll see that all of the steps here help clarify our story, plan it out, and see what
is possible. Some of this helps with conceptual development while some of this helps
with logistical development which, make no mistake, is always a factor in the story
that gets told.

What are some

specific goals for
this step?
1 . HAV E A G O O D S E N S E O F T H E S PAC E AN D LI G H TI N G N E E D E D
Be aware that sometimes where you want to place lights, and where its possible to
place lights, may not always be in sync.

35

Thats why its important to location scout. Always remain flexible and adaptable to
any lighting set up. Especially if youre not shooting on a set or in a studio, its going
to help tremendously if you can adapt to any situation.

2 . D EVE LO P A N U N D E R STA N D I N G O F K E Y S H OTS, C O M P O S I T I O N S, AN D

T R AN S I TI O N S
Shot listing will save you time and usually promotes creativity because efficiency
allows for more time to try things that are not on your shot list. It also serves as a tool
to make sure you dont forget key shots youll need for editing. When youre in the
middle of a shoot, things move very quickly and its easy to forget to shoot this shot or
that shot if youre working off the top of your head. Being able to refer to a shot list
is a good safety net. Weve worked to develop a quick and easy shot list tool inside
SMAPP that lets you organize your shots into locations, shooters, or days and then
assign a focal length and camera tool to each shot. If you pull out SMAPP, check your
shot list and see John exiting the room with a wide focal length and a slider selected,
it will make it much quicker to look at the space and get set for your shot. When youre
done, just check it off so you can keep track of whats left to get.

3. C O O R D I N ATE AVAI L AB I L IT Y O F P E O PL E AN D LO C ATI O N S W I T H P R O D U CT I O N

This is very important because the bigger the production, the more schedules youll
need to coordinate. This is one thing that can bring production to a screeching halt.
The best thing to do is have a team member be in charge of this and keep the
scheduling away from the creative people. Sometimes thats not an option, but it
should be a goal to work towards. Kind of like buying a new camera, the cost would
pay for itself.

4 . B AL AN C E TH E TI M E AVAI L A B L E WI TH H O W M U C H Y O U CAN A LLOT F O R E AC H

SHOT OR SCENE
The more you shoot the better youll be able to gauge how long it will take to go
through a shot list.

Even if you have done this a million times, we suggest to always pad your
expected time by about 20%.
DEVELOPING YOUR STORY

You cant account for certain elements that are out of your control. The only thing you
can control is how much time is allotted. The worst thing that can happen is you finish
early. Then youll look like a hero.

5 . G O T H R O U G H YO U R S H O T LI ST WH E N PAC K I N G Y O U R G E A R
Make sure you have every piece of gear needed for any given shot. Then think about
the shots you may try that are not on the list and be prepared for those as well.
Remember the shoot may not go as planned and you want to be well equipped to
change plans if needed.

6 . C R EATE A S H O T LI ST TH AT CATE R S TO YO U R STR E N GTH S

If there is a particular shot you need for your story and you know you need practice,
make sure you get comfortable with it before the shoot. That way youll go in with
confidence, an efficient plan, and youll get great footage without holding up production.

To recap
We need to make sure we can develop our ideas and communicate them in a clear
way that also gets everybody involved excited about our project.
We also need to clearly communicate the resources going into a project in terms of
crew, gear, and time, and be able to offer a solid estimate of what it might cost a client.

This is a bid.
We want to get a good sense of our locations so we can make sure they gel with our
story and we can adapt to any challenges.

This is location scouting.

37

Well want to develop all of these into a visual mock-up of the story to get us organized,
better communicate with the client, and further develop our story.

This is a storyboard.
Each one of these steps is instrumental in the development of your story and well
explore each in its own chapter next.

YOUR
TURN:
Beginning,
Middle, End

YOUR TURN: BEGINNING, MIDDLE, END

39

WO R KS H E ET
Below you will find an example moment taken from several different types of shoots,
both event-based and produced. A constant challenge in storytelling is to think of the
broader context that surrounds a moment. Doing this allows you to build anticipation
in your story as well as follow moments through to stronger conclusions. After all, a
strong story isnt made up of random shots. You need to connect your visuals through
some concept or idea you are trying to communicate. This can be very difficult after
the fact, but if we develop our story before shooting we give ourselves the ability to
tell a story that has more impact, cohesiveness, and depth.

E X AM P LE M O M E N TS
Look at each of moment and come up with three steps before and after that
you could have covered to build out each story. Try not to constrain yourself
to just the wedding day, but follow the story as far back and forward as you
can. If you run out of direct ties to a moment, think of other events that might
be indirectly related to that storyline.
You are shooting a piece for a restaurant. Youve identified a key moment as being
when a server brings one of the establishments signature dishes to a patrons table.
We could follow this story backwards and look at the following moments that led up to it:

t
t
t
t
t
t
t
t
t

Dish picked up in the kitchen

Dish plated by a line cook
Dish prepared by the chef
Ingredients gathered and prepped
Order placed in the kitchen, received by a line cook
Patron places the order
Patron enters the restaurant
Patron leaves home/work for a dinner out
Ingredients arrive at the restaurant

We could also follow the story forwards and look at the moments that happen after it:
YOUR TURN: BEGINNING, MIDDLE, END

t
t
t
t
t

Patron tries the dish

Patron finishes the dish
Server clears the table
Patron receives the check
Patron leaves the restaurant to return home

Now its your turn.

LIST THREE POTENTIALLY RELATED MOMENTS BEFORE AND AFTER EACH MOMENT
LISTED.

1
A W E D D I N G P R E S E NT
You are filming a wedding and, in doing your research, you discovered that the bride will
be receiving a present from the bridesmaids. Youve found out it will be a scrapbook and
you believe it will be important to the story you are putting together. The key moment is
when the bride receives the scrapbook from the bridesmaids with images of all of their
adventures together over the years.
B E FO R E

1.
2.
3.
AF T E R

1.
2.
3.

41

2
A D O C U M E NTAR Y P R OJ EC T
You are doing a short documentary for a new bakery being constructed in your
neighbourhood. Your story is about what goes into opening a new location. The key
moment youve identified is their grand opening party.
B E FO R E

1.
2.
3.
AF T E R

1.
2.
3.

3
A C O M M E R C I AL S H O OT
Youve been asked how you would approach a commercial for a camera bag company
that allows you to shoot with your gear at your side. Youve identified that a key moment
for a filmmaker or photographer is when theyre in the field and switching lenses quickly
because their gear is right there.

B E FO R E

1.
YOUR TURN: BEGINNING, MIDDLE, END

2.
3.
AF T E R

1.
2.
3.
Now lets take this concept and apply it to a shoot you are working on to help build
your story.

1.

Grab a sheet of paper; yes, that old white stuff that you write on. At the top of the

page write the name of the shoot, couple, or project.

2.

Underneath the name, write down five words that you would use to describe how

the people, product, or cause feels to you. These words will help guide you in finding
and choosing the most relevant pieces to cover.

3.

Below the five words, start brainstorming moments or events you could cover that

you feel communicate any of your key words about the person, product, or cause. This
is brainstorming, so write down everything that comes to mind.

4.

Review your keywords and look at the list of all the possible moments. Underline

three key moments that you feel best represent the broad range of words youve listed.

5.

Write out those three key moments across the page, side by side.

6.

Above each moment write out 3-5 related things that you might be able to cover

that happen before. Below each moment write out 3-5 related things that you might
be able to cover after.

43

7.

Again review your key words at the top of the page and this time circle the most

relevant moments you want to try and cover to tell each story. These will become
your shot list.

8.

Pull out SMAPP, fire up the Shot List Tool and enter your answers from 5 and

6. Take this with you on your shoot and get ready to push your storytelling to new
heights. Youll feel more prepared, youll get a much wider story, and you will have
confidence in knowing that you chose to tell the story you are putting together.

DEVELOPING A STORY
TITLE

2. DESCRIPTORS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

1.
3. BRAINSTORMING MOMENTS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

6.

5.

1- 1 2 D ev el op ing a stor y

6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Hows and
Whys of a
Treatment
HOWS AND WHYS OF A TREATMENT

45

Youve got mail!

Or any variation of whatever e-mail chime you have for receiving an e-mail. The sound
of the incoming mail doesnt really concern you, but the contents of the e-mail are
of great importance. This e-mail is an inquiry from a potential client about a short
web film for a new product theyre launching, and they are shopping around for the
best option for them. You give them a call to find out the details: timeline, length, any
information they will give you on the product, etc. (of course you also take time to ask
those questions that get at the type of people and projects you want to work on). The
call ends with them asking you the two most important questions youll hear during
an inquiry phone call:

1. How much will this cost?

2. What is your idea for how to approach our film?

Now What?
We can feel your excitement! The first thing you should do is take a deep breath,
possibly eat a cookie, or whatever calms you down. Right about now you have all kinds
of ideas exploding out of your ears.

Maybe youre not so sure how to reply? You know if you give a solid pitch, the
job is yours for sure, but what if they dont like your approach? This could be
the last time you hear from them. These are the two most important steps in
securing your rent money for this month.

You need to sell them on your vision and plan of attack as well as the price.

Your reply to come is known as a treatment, and a bid.

A treatment is an
important element
in the filmmaking
process.
HOWS AND WHYS OF A TREATMENT

The treatment becomes even more valuable if there is no script required to complete
the job. A treatment is a summary (usually 1-2 pages) of the idea from start to finish.
This is the truest way to translate your idea from your mind to a piece of paper in a
way everyone can understand. This is the ultimate communication tool to ensure you
and your client are on the same page. This allows you to include any research you may
have done on their story, and it gives you the opportunity to differentiate yourself from
the competition by showing your unique idea.

Never approach your client with, dont worry I do this all the time, the idea
is in my head.

While weve mainly talked about creating a treatment in the interests of your potential
client, it also adds huge value to your own understanding of the project upfront. It
allows you to work through your approach and really refine exactly what it is you would
like to do and how you would go about it making your idea a reality. Should you win
the bid, this can put you much further ahead.

As an added benefit, when you present your ideas with a treatment, there is
a much better chance of you taking on more of a creative role as the project
moves forward as opposed to just being a Camera Operator or post house.
You can instantly gain the trust and respect of your client by providing a well thought
out plan.

Once they trust your ideas more than their own, it will allow for more creative
flexibility.

47

Small commercial projects often have several people from the clients side that will
want to be involved, many of which will be more than happy to share their opinion on
what you should do. Assuming this happens and their ideas dont fit well, it will most
likely fall on your shoulders. If you assert your approach early on and show strong
reasoning for your approach, you will bolster your chances of being able to work
through any client-side suggestions that arent in line with your vision.

Here are some components to consider including in your treatment. Always

take the time to evaluate the project and what the client is asking for when
deciding which components to include. Weve included a full treatment for
you to check out in our case study at the back of the book on Old Skool Cafe.
Youre excited, we know, but take the time to look at these elements first and
then identify them in the treatment weve shared.

1
I NTR O D U CTI O N
It is generally a good idea to take a moment and thank the client or agency for the
opportunity to hear your ideas. This is your chance to display your enthusiasm for the
project and mention any reasons why you connect with this project in particular.

If the client feels you have a personal connection with the project, it may give
you an upper hand when they make their final decision.

2
BAC K G R O U N D
HOWS AND WHYS OF A TREATMENT

What experience do you have that might make you a good fit for the project? This is
all about taking your personal experience, and relating it to the situation your current
bid calls for. If the client sees a connection, it will make them feel more comfortable
with you as their choice.

W E, T H E ST I LL M OT I O N T EA M, STAR TE D I N WE D D I N G S.
We always relate our experience with weddings as something that has made
us quicker, more present, and able to adapt on the fly. If we are looking at a
job that requires any of those skills, it can be much more effective to not just
mention our background but how it will very concretely help us on this shoot.
For the series of Callaway spots we created, our background in weddings
was a large part of making us the right choice. The Director wanted a team
who could be low impact in the talents homes as well as getting as much
footage and story as possible in a short window of time. Be creative, think
about your professional, personal, and educational background and how
each may help you on this project, and share that with your client.

3
APP R O AC H
Here is your chance to talk about how you would go about making the piece happen.
Keep in mind that this is still very early in the process and while you may be presented
with an idea or storyboards for the project, you will often be presented with just a
product or service that the company offers and be expected to start from there.

49

You want to find a balance between explaining how you would go about
bringing the piece to life without getting too technical.

This is your time to speak as an artist, and really show them your passion. Most people
reading your treatment wont know what a slider, focal length, or crazy Steadicam
actions are. A treatment is really a time to sell a concept or a story.
If you choose to include examples of specific shots, youll want to spend time making
the language approachable. As the projects youre creating treatments for get more
complex and include things like talent, sets, or complicated shots, youll want to
consider offering some insight into how you would handle each element. This can
greatly help reduce any discomfort the client might feel from any lack of experience
you might have in a particular area.

Dont forget about the research.

There is a ton of value in taking the time to research the product or service, the
company, and their competitors to get a sense of whats been done and what they are
about. See Chapter 6 for a sample treatment on the Old Skool project.

1 -1 3

1- 14

1 -15

1- 16
http:// ww w. K N OWb ystillm oti o n.co m/O ldS ko ol

CREATING A BID

Creating
a Bid

51

Whether youre shooting athletes, fancy suits, or a first kiss, youll need to know how to
put together a quote, or affectionately known in the industry as a bid. Bids are valuable
to you because theyre the first step in profiting from your art. A bid is what you send
to a prospective client inquiring about your service. They call it a bid because it usually
means youre bidding against other people offering similar service. Its a competition.
The bid is a great start to a job, as it requires you to work through all the (possible)
elements to any particular job. How much time will it take? Whats the manpower?
Most importantly, whats the story (concept)? Going through the idea from start to
finish will give you confidence in the numbers youre quoting your future client.
Regardless of your shoot, well break this down into three stages: pre-production,
production, and post-production. A commercial shoot contains a wide range of
elements in each stage, so well use this as an example throughout. As we go through
each section well share items that you want to consider when creating a bid. Well
describe each item with the hope that you become more aware of facets you might
not currently know about, and we hope youll also consider whether there is value in
adding any of these to the productions you are currently doing. You will likely find
yourself looking at some of these and saying Hey, I do that, I just never called it that
and that is an important insight. All the time and resources that go into a project are
something you should account for in a bid. As you read on, try and see what stages
you might already be doing and which ones might help your productions and look to
introduce them on future projects.

The more you can break-down your process in a bid, the easier it is to see
just how much can go into it and this certainly helps validate the overall cost.
There will be some items that certainly dont fit, so feel free to omit anything that
doesnt apply to what youre doing. Now lets look at all the pieces that might go into
typical commercial shoot:

Pre-production

1
C R EATIVE I D EATI O N
This is the time it takes for you, your team, and maybe your client (but hopefully
not) to come up with the idea or concept. This can be the story, and the overall look
and feel, or as we like to call it, style. Remember, as in life, first impressions are
everything. Being able to rattle off good ideas and concepts isnt a requirement to
being successful, but it certainly helps your cause.

CREATING A BID

The moment you give a client an idea they can visualize as being good for
them, chances are youll win the bid.

2
S C O UT I N G
Location scouting is a major step in production. Visit all the locations youve picked
and do a walk through. Be extremely thorough during this step. It may seem tedious
to explore every aspect of a location, but it can be a difference maker when the time
comes for production. For the purposes of a bid, it is important to consider the time
you will spend scouting. Well explore scouting much more in the next section to really
look at all the things we can achieve with an effective scouting trip.

53

3
STO RYB OA R D I N G
A storyboard is important at any level of production. It is a shot by shot drawing of your
production, set in the order that things are to appear in the film. Storyboard artists can
be pretty costly and it can take a good amount of time to create one, but if its within
your means, it will help a great deal. It gives everyone on the set a clear understanding
of your vision and gives the editor a cohesive picture of the original concept for the
order for the shots.

If you dont have a storyboard artist, wed recommend using stick figures.
Believe it or not, it makes a big difference. As you become more advanced, youll want
to plan in advance some of your editing transitions for a more seamless production.
Drawing your own transitions will make your editor a very happy soul.

4
PR O D U C I N G (AR R AN G I N G LO G I S TI C S, TR AVE L)
Producing tasks can be quite time consuming. This is usually one (or a few) peoples
job on a shoot. A Producer is another way of saying, the guy that makes it happen.
Let the artist be the artist and the Producer produce.

W H AT D O E S A P R O D U C E R D O E XACT LY ?

t
t
t
t
t

They secure locations, acquire talent (that doesnt require casting).

Take care of scheduling.
Make sure any release forms are signed.
Ensures that any required insurance is obtained.
Keeps the crew on time during the shoot.

The Producer can sometimes be the liaison to the client by helping to protect the
clients needs and the needs of the Director. Clients sometimes have a hard time
visualizing ideas and it can complicate things to have them communicate directly with
the Director. So the Producer steps in and becomes the guy in-between translating
each thought.

The Producer is the boss, except for on the set.

5
CAS TI N G
You may find that youll need to run a casting session for certain jobs. For most
CREATING A BID

Hollywood films, the lead(s) are secured by the Producer, and then the rest of the
film is found through casting sessions. If your budget allows, consider hiring a casting
Director. Casting Directors offer a few benefits when it comes to securing talent.

1. They usually have relationships with agencies.

2. Theyll save you loads of time.
A casting Director doesnt go as far as to select talent for the project, they just narrow
it down. A typical casting call can produce hundreds, even thousands of prospects.
Having someone dedicated to narrowing it down to the best five or six candidates is
extremely beneficial. You can always count on a casting Director to pick talent with
your story and character desires in mind. If you cant afford a casting Director, make
sure youre choosing talent with careful consideration while keeping in mind the look,
feel, and emotional impact you want your film to have.

55

6
TALE N T
When you assemble a cast, you build around the lead actor(s). When selecting
everyone else, you choose them based on if they fit with the lead well. Beyond the
lead there are supporting characters or roles and these are as important if not more
important as the lead. Sure, the lead has the most screen time but the supporting roles
are supposed to be the ones that give your story a personality. A good supporting
role leaves the viewer wanting more of that particular character. In Hollywood, they
often cast an actor who may not be a household name, and then surround them with
phenomenal supporting actors. Below the supporting roles come extras. Extras are
usually background people, or perhaps someone who has one line in the piece.

Make sure youve budgeted for extras or a crewmember who may be stepping
in to fill the frame.
A lot of beginning filmmakers forget to cast extras. Its easy to become so focused
on the main talent that extras fall to the back burner. You want to avoid that if at
all possible.Without extras, your film will lack what we like to call, the people
element. Weve all seen that indie movie with a great story line, fantastic direction,
cinematography, acting, but wait, where is everyone else?

A film with only main actors and no extras feels secluded from the world.

If youre going for a feeling of seclusion, then leave background people out of the
equation, but if you want your film to feel realistic, then you need the right amount of
extras for any given scene.

Make sure you have the proper release forms and that youve confirmed what
their union status is.

If they are non-union you have nothing to worry about, if they are SAG, you need to
tell your Producer ASAP. The Producer will decide if its worth it for the entire project
to go union. You cannot have a union actor working in a non-union project.

7
WA R D R O B E
Some pieces will require that the clothing worn by the talent is very specific and you
may need to purchase the perfect outfit for them, which we call wardrobe. Sometimes
a costume designer can make a big difference. If youre doing a day shoot and can
spare a $100 or $200 bucks it will be worth it. Some of the best costume designers
CREATING A BID

will be able to source items from the actors existing wardrobe, saving you money. If
you have a color theme to your direction, communicate that to your costume designer
and they can help compliment that with wardrobe.

8
HAI R AN D M AK E-U P
Whether you have a shoot with a small interview or a handful of casted actors, hair
and make-up is always worth considering. We can sometimes assume that hair and
make-up is for drastic changes in appearances and therefore something well rarely
need. For a small commercial film, hair and make-up is much more about preventing
any distractions that could take away from your story. These distractions could be
stray hair, skin blemishes, or the all too common shiny/oily skin. A light session by a
professional make-up artist will make almost any shoot look significantly better and in
most cases shouldnt look like anything at all was changed.

57

9
S ET D E S I G N
This involves bringing in and rearranging elements of the shooting environment.
Larger shoots can have whole departments dedicated to just the look and feel
of the environment. Not all productions are financed well enough to afford a set
designer, but you still want to make a concerted effort to adapt the environment to
your films needs. Every little adjustment counts. Sometimes your costume designer
can assist with this task. He or she may work the wardrobe color scheme in with the
set color scheme and make for a great match. Adding a bowl of fruit here, removing an
unwanted picture frame there, hanging up accent lights, and placing props on the set
can make a huge difference. A big part of set design is lighting. If youre the type of
filmmaker who likes to have all their lighting justified, then youll need to communicate
your lighting desires to your set designer. They may add lamps into the scene to give
you the justification to place lights in that specific spot.

For a great example of this, check out the movie Moneyball (2011). In every
office scene the exact same lamp is in the room. It feels as if they had one
lamp, and took it with them to each room. This is an 80 million dollar movie so
chances are they had two lamps, but its a good lesson because a low budget
production can use the same lamp in multiple scenes and get away with it.

10
S ET C O N STR U CTI O N
Do you need to build any spaces to shoot in? For tighter spaces or locations that are
hard to get access to, it may be more cost effective and easier to work with if you build
the set inside of a shooting stage. Most often you will call a set construction company
and they can handle this from start to finish.

11
LO CATI O N F E E S
Do you have any shooting locations that will require fees to get access? This is a task
for the Producer. When inquiring about the location and all its amenities, make sure
you inquire about the cost.

Youll want to include this in the release form.

12
CREATING A BID

S C R I P T O R C O PY WR ITI N G
Many commercial or documentary projects may require words to be spoken or appear
on screen in a more scripted format. You may be comfortable and feel well equipped
to handle that yourself but you may also want to bring in somebody specifically to
ensure that each word fits perfectly. A good script is the anchor to a well scripted film.

Production

1
S H O OTI N G
This is the time spent actually filming the project. Its often reported in days and by
specific roles (i.e. DP for two days). There is quite a bit to this section and well explore
it further below.

59

2
A N I MATI O N
Does your piece need graphics or animations to finalize the production? You will want
to ensure this is clearly defined before you begin production. What is the complexity
of the animation?
Titles, virtual sets, graphics, intro tags, scene additions, and many more options can add
a wide range of time to your production. This can increase the cost at an exceptionally
large rate. Bigger projects will have storyboards just for the graphical component.
This is really a post-production task, but it is very much a part of production because
you need to have a good sense of what kind of graphics are needed, and where they
should be placed in the frame while shooting.

Make sure you discuss with your client the possible costs that can be
accumulated when entering a film that requires graphics.

3
G E AR / LI G HTI N G
It is standard practice to include a charge for any gear used. Whether this is its own
item or included in your rate for shooting, it is important to account for the value of the
gear you bring along with you. This category is also very important should you need to
rent gear for your shoot. When handing your client an invoice, show them what gear
they are getting access to, and what the day rate is for each item or kit you provide.
This is helpful when explaining the overall cost to a client, and holding your value. If
you are ever in a situation where a client wants to balk at the price, it gives you a great
advantage to be able to reference that list.

For example, if you bid a job for $10,000 and your client claims to only have $9,000
to spend, get the gear list out immediately. You want to try to avoid devaluing yourself
and just agreeing to a reduced rate. Another approach would be to start removing
things from the gear list. Lets say you cross the jib (crane) off your list for a $750 day
rate. This can give you one of two results. The first: they accept the fact that there will
be no crane shot in the film. The second possibility is that they dont accept it and start
to realize the true value in the gear you provide.
Always assume, respectfully, that the client doesnt have a true grasp on what
it will take to make their production a success.

Post-Production
CREATING A BID

1
EDIT
Frequently, the most time consuming part of a production is the time spent editing.
Larger studios will often bill for the space and equipment used, but it is rare to see that
on smaller jobs. When billing for editing you want to charge a rate that encompasses
the estimated time you think it will take to finish the edit, and pad that by 10%. Clearly
state the number of revisions your client will be allowed to have before an additional
charge is applied as well.

The easiest way to feel burnt out on a project, or even start losing money, is
to be revised to death. A common way to protect yourself is to state that the
client will get one or two revisions built in with the estimated cost, and then
charge them an hourly rate, agreed upon in advance, for any revisions beyond
what was stated in the initial agreement. When billing for editing, make sure
you factor in color correction, encoding or compression, DVD duplication, or
any additional steps that may be overlooked in the editing process.

61

2
VO / VO I C E OVE R
There are projects that may require a voice over artist to help narrate or deliver the
message. Youll need to account for the time in finding the right person as well as their
expenses. With voice overs, sometimes its beneficial to go to a recording studio and
use a studio microphone as opposed to the ones used on production. Its important
to have a distinct difference in the fullness of sound in your voice over as opposed to
the on-screen talent. Depending on where you live, recording studios can be costly.
Its important to include this in the original quote if your VO artist needs a recording
space and you dont have one suited for it.

3
S O U N DTR AC K LI C E N S I N G
Nearly all pieces will have some soundtrack element to them, and youll want to make
sure you have the proper rights for the track you want to use. Several years ago,
this was a painstaking process, especially for smaller production houses. Fortunately,
this has changed and there are a number of options available to us nowadays that
have not only made the process simpler, but offer original music from musicians who
write from the same place we craft our films from: the heart. With Etiquette (www.
WithEtiquette.com) and Marmoset (www.MarmosetMusic.com) are our two go-to
resources for finding music for all of our productions. For larger pieces, this can be a
substantial cost but it is often quite small for weddings or non-profit shoots. A lot of
times, in addition to soundtrack, you may be required to obtain an original score. This
is when you deliver your film to a composer who will create a track for any portions
specified.

Its your job to let them know how you would like it to feel and any other guidance
you can offer. Its their job to take that and the visuals and create something thats the
perfect fit. The styles are very different when it comes to score and soundtrack, and
most times bigger productions include both.

Expenses
These are often given as an estimate in the initial stages of the quote. Many will
separate all of the expenses and list those separately (you could list agency fees, gear
rentals, location fees and other expenses youd incur). Often the largest expenses are
travel and you will want to estimate flights, meals, accommodations, and transportation.
Food is often reported as a per diem at a fixed amount in the $50-75 range per day.
Our bids often have travel as the only large expense so we list that separately. In
CREATING A BID

addition to this you may want to calculate how much coffee you and your crew need
to get the job done.
Projects can have a combination of the items above. Make sure you identify each of
these before giving a bid. Also, make sure you have an answer if they ask why you
need certain items, otherwise they can start to drive the cost down. Now lets take a
look at the rather complex category of shooting and break that down further.

Shooting
Lets dig a little deeper into the shooting subheading. Below well tell you the roles
needed for your average shoot. This is also a good chance to identify which role is
best for you if youre part of a team, or which roles youll need to bring in if youre
building one.

A . PR O D U C E R
Youre in charge of all paperwork, client relations, securing locations, acquiring
requested talent, keeping things flowing on set, handling insurance or unions, and
anything business related to the project.

63

B. D I R ECT O R
Its your vision, and its everyone elses job to make it look the way you want. Everyone
lives in the moment while you remain with a birds eye view of the final product. Some of
you may have a team and love to collaborate, which is great. But on a set there needs
to be one Director, one leader, especially if there is on-screen talent. If there is no talent
on screen you may be able to get away with having a few voices. Do all debating and
collaborating before the shoot. During the shoot time its the Directors show.

Under no circumstances should there ever be two people giving direction to

an actor. This can destroy your actors mental involvement in the role.
The Director needs to be working with actors between takes, making sure everyone
is doing their job, and works closely with the DP to ensure the vision is being carried
out as they discussed. A Director may be a visionary, but might have no clue how to
operate a camera. Thats what a DP is for. Or sometimes the Director may be in there
shooting because youre understaffed. As the Director, you need to have the answers.
If you are asked a question and you dont know the answer, you will slowly lose the
faith of your talent, and then your crew. If you work as a team, rotate who the Director
is for every job, but its important that there is one Director per job.

C . D I R ECT O R O F P H O TO G R A P H Y ( D P)
You are in charge of the imagery of the production. Anyone who touches a camera,
or a light reports to you. The DP doesnt always have to be the person operating the
camera; they are just in charge of the shots. The DP and the Director work closely on
the vision of the story.

D . C AM E R A O PE R ATO R
You operate the camera under the control of the DP.

E . G A F FE R
You are in control of the lighting under the direction of the DP. You set up the lights
and sometimes the lighting schemes.

F. AU D I O P E R S O N
Youll be responsible for recording, and sometimes monitoring sound on set. A good
tip for those who are going to record audio: We see a lot of people wearing noise
canceling headphones, understandably so. They are great. We would, however, refrain
from monitoring audio with them on set. Its not a bad thing to have and use, but make
sure you have a pair of flat, low budget headphones around. Most high end noise
canceling headphones have a treated sound. They make the things sound better
than they actually are. Flat speakers, or headphones give you a true sound and let you
hear all the imperfections, pops and frequencies.

G . P R O D U C TI O N ASS I S TAN TS (PA)

Youll take notes, get coffee, grab that gel, hand over that lens, dump this card. Youre
an extra pair of hands. Usually this role is reserved for aspiring filmmakers to be close
CREATING A BID

to the production process and learn.

1
R ATE S
We include descriptions on what gear and lighting is included not because we charge
more if a Steadicam would improve the shoot, but more so to set the right expectations
on what we will bring to the table. This helps immensely if you arrive somewhere and
the situation calls for something you dont have, say an HMI light, and the rental fee
is a couple hundred dollars a day. If it was clear ahead of time that you didnt provide
that, many clients will allow an overage for the right reasons (more on that later).

Now the tough part.

65

You need to come up with a day rate for each task. Shooting time is usually the most
valued, followed by editing, prep, and then travel. Some find it works well to halve their
shooting rate for prep work (such as scouting) and take a quarter of their shooting
rate for travel time. For some of the elements you will likely be bringing in help. If the
project requires things beyond what you offer but you are to include them within your
bid, try to find people you know well, who have work you feel comfortable with, and
ideally people you have collaborated with before. There is nothing worse than having
somebody join your team for a project only to have them leave their end lagging
behind and you needing to take responsibility in front of the client for that.

Build any outsourcing costs you may have into your bid and be sure to include
a markup that accounts for your time in prepping them, communication, and
changes to the project that might increase your costs.

2
OVE R AG E S
Some projects will have room for overages, allowing you to get extra funds as the
scope of the job evolves or additional crew and gear is needed. You will often be
expected to cover these costs if you did not properly outline what you were providing,
so again it pays to be as descriptive as possible. When projects change during a shoot,
some clients may also ask for an actual at the end of the shoot, which is basically a
final version of the initial bid that accurately reflects what was provided. Contracts
nearly always prevent the actual from exceeding the cost of the initial bid (unless
overages were involved) but the cost may come down if things were reduced such
as production time, or the amount of animations needed etc. Another option is to pad
your cost about 10-15% percent.

This gives you the ability to absorb overages, and also the ability to reduce
the cost at the end.

Be very careful when reducting your rates... its a slippery slope.

3
R I G HTS
Lastly, you want and need to consider rights. Who owns the footage you shoot? What
rights, if any, do you retain? Can you share the finished project? Many commercial
clients will require that they own everything you shoot.

Our suggestion is to be clear on the intended use and leave yourself open
for another discussion on compensation should the actual usage become
something much bigger.
CREATING A BID

For example, if you set out to produce a web film for a companys website, you may
want to include a note that additional compensation is needed should the piece be
aired as a TV spot. It gets tricky when you are assigning them all rights to the footage
and it has happened to us more than once where a small project ended up turning
into something that has a much bigger application. Because of this, some people also
assign a value to the rights up front and say that it costs x amount for you to turn
over all rights to the footage.

To recap
As you break down and start assessing all the parts of the crew, all the time required
in each stage, and all of the expenses you are going to encounter, you can very quickly
see how a small 2-3 day production can come with a cost much larger than initially
expected.

67

Outlining each portion of the project helps you budget if the project moves ahead,
and it also helps educate the client on where your numbers came from. It also will
quite likely scare you when you compare your commercial bid to all that you are doing
for one wedding (if youre a wedding filmmaker) and whats included in what is often
such a small price. Weve included a full bid of ours in the case study on Old Skool
in Chapter 6. Now that weve explored some of the most common aspects to look at
putting in a bid, flip on over to that section and see how it can all come together in
the end.

LOCATION SCOUTING

Location
Scouting

69

What makes a good

location?
The goal of location scouting is to find environments that fit best with the particular
story youre trying to tell. Its more than just finding the locations though, it is also
figuring out how to make the most of each location. Below is a list, in order of
importance, of the elements you need to focus on when choosing a location. Well
first look at the main considerations in choosing a location and then well explore the
process of going on a successful scout.

1. D O E S T H E LO CAT I O N FIT WI TH YO U R ST O RY, C O N C E PT AN D ST Y L E?

Of course, if you walk in and say to yourself, this wont work, you already know the
answer. Its also important to manage your excitement if you do think, this is it. Its a
bit tricky and sometimes filmmakers let the locations take over. The best location to
the eye may not be the best location to the film. The wow location may not always
be the best idea. The perfect location fits seamlessly with your story and enhances
the elements of the plot.

You dont want a location to take over your film.

Youll become more skilled with picking locations after youve seen your selections
on film and figure out the proper balance between glitz and glam versus the subtle
enhancement. For example, if we have a scene in a film where two characters are
discussing which coffee chain makes the best brew, wed want the focus on the
conversation itself. These types of moments are very tricky because the scene doesnt
call for something specific. It can really be anywhere. That freedom is dangerous if you
dont have your priorities straight.

1 - 17 Ca sin o l o ca ti on
A Las Vegas casino sounds like a fantastic location. There are fancy lights, psychedelic
sounds, a lot of free extras, and much more eye candy. But this wouldnt be a good
choice for the above mentioned conversation because the location takes over the
scene and becomes a distraction.

LOCATION SCOUTING

1- 18 Re dw o o ds l o c ati on
Maybe you have the greatest redwoods behind your house. The natural light is
beautiful and enchanting, but guess what your audience would say if the scene
happened there? Why are these guys talking about coffee standing in the woods?
Its a different type of distraction but a distraction nonetheless.

1- 19 C of fe e sh op l o ca ti o n
A good location for this scene would be a coffee shop or a diner. Somewhere subtle,
common, and of course they serve coffee. When picking a location, you need to use
logic and reason to find what works best for you.

71

2. C O NT R O L
This is a close second in importance. You may want to ask the person (if any) who
owns the location in question if theyll relinquish control. Lets say you need a bar/pub
as a location, but its not ideal for the place to be open and serving food while youre
shooting.

Make sure theyll give you control of the location prior to committing.
This will sometimes mean shutting off freezers and refrigerators for clean sound
control. A lot of times people think, oh wow, theyre shooting a commercial, thats so
cool. Then the day comes and its not so cool when you have your gear spread out
and youre moving tables around. Make sure youre honest with the people in charge
about what youre planning on doing.

What to bring?
1 . N O TE PA D AN D PE N C I L
Be prepared to take some notes.

1 - 20 N ote b o ok

2 . A CA M E R A
The 24-70mm f/2.8 USM or 24-105mm f/4 IS are great scouting lenses because
of their strong zoom ranges while still offering a good low light ability with a constant
aperture of f2.8.

1- 2 1 Cam er a an d len s

3 . A T R U ST Y LI G H T M ETE R
Bring along a light meter so you can accurately measure the ambient lighting and
get a sense of what youll need. Comparing meter readings with your scouting photos
can let you come up with a solid plan for lighting a location without needing to return.

1- 2 2 Ligh t me ter

3. A S C O U T O R G U I D E WH O K N OWS T H E A R E A WE LL
This could be somebody who works at the company you are filming for or potentially
LOCATION SCOUTING

a local if you are traveling. This person will ensure you are seeing all that is available
to you.

1 - 23 I n for med scou t

4. A COPY OF THE SCRIPT, BRIEF, TREATMENT, OR ANY OTHER STORY MATERIALS

These will help you get a sense of what types of locations you need and which of them
fit with which parts of the story.

1- 2 4 Scr i pt

73

Where to start?

1
WA LK AR O U N D
Start by walking around and seeing what catches your eye. Try to take many photos,
ensuring you get several wide-angle shots to establish context. If you see details or
texture you like, zoom in and grab a shot of that as well (cell phone cameras often
struggle with wider and tighter shots so theyre not really the best option for scouting).
Pay attention to your first impression walking in. Try to visualize an establishing shot.
What kind of feel and context will your audience get from their first impression of this
location?

2
C R O S S MAT C H
Take the locations that stand out to you and cross match them to your story materials
to see which ones are the best fit. Jot down the names of the places you like and any
parts of the story they might fit. This will help later as you try to match up every part
of your story to different environments. A good way to match a location with a specific
story element is to write a brief description of your ideal location before scouting.

Remember to use details. Writing it down will help you focus on the important
elements of what you need.

3
TAK E P H OTO S
Remember to also take photos of areas that you might not like as much so you have
a better record of the entire place. Try to take images representative of angles you
might see (these will be helpful for storyboards) and images of the space around the
areas you like (which will help determine what gear and lighting you can bring).

Dont try and judge a location solely off your eye. Although its a good tool,
its much more helpful to see it through a lens.

If you have a guide taking you location scouting, there is often a tendency
to show you the popular spots. While those can work, asking your guide for
LOCATION SCOUTING

locations off the beaten path often yields some of the most interesting spots.

4
S ET C AM E R A C LO C K
Make sure your cameras clock is set properly so you can refer to the time of day and
the corresponding light conditions. You may also want to consider jotting down the
time you visit each location in your notepad for later reference.

If you have a sense of certain locations you might want or need to shoot in at
certain times, try to scout as close to that time as possible.

75

5
LI G HTI N G
Make sure you have control of lights and that you have enough space for the lights
youd like to bring in. Take lots of pictures, wide and tight, for you and your team to talk
about lighting schemes. Identify any windows in the location and see how much light
comes through them during your planned shooting hours.
See which lights are already a part of the location such as accent lights and overhead
lamps. Be aware of the size of the location in relation to the lighting. If you only own
two Lowel Pro-Lights then lighting a massive 5,000 square foot bar will be mighty
difficult without some extra help. Using ambient light is ok if it fits with your production
but make sure you set yourself up for success. If you have only two lights and plan
on doing a lot of wide shots in a massive location, you may want to pick a smaller and
more manageable space.

If you have a light meter with you, it will be very helpful for measuring how
much light you might need to add to a room and which lights youll need to
turn off or block based on how much they are taking away from your shot.
A light meter can also help you evaluate what time of day might be best to shoot in
a location based on the natural light coming into a room. As an example, we scouted
an interview location which was to be shot in a large Chicago office, with two walls of
floor to ceiling windows overlooking the city skyline. By having a light meter during the
scout we could see what the best time of day was and also very accurately measure
the difference in light intensity outside and inside the room so we knew just how much
lighting we needed to bring. In this case our meter showed a change of less than 3
stops from the skyline to inside the office.

We knew we could accomplish that with our Profoto Daylight Air 800 Watt HMI. Had
our meter shown that we needed to add 7 or 8 stops of light to match the background
we would have had to look for a better time of day to shoot, bring in larger lights, or
shoot the interview with a completely unbalanced background.

Dont worry if some of this lighting talk is a little too much for now, weve got
a whole chapter on lighting just waiting for you.

6
N O TE A U D I O LEVE LS
If you have audio in your piece, youll want to take note of the audio levels in different
parts. If you have dialogue, a script reading, or an interview, you will want to jot down
which locations have a low level of noise. This is also your chance to take the time
LOCATION SCOUTING

to figure out how any lights youll want to bring, which ones can be turned off, and
whether any competing background noise can be eliminated as well. Figuring out
these small details now saves valuable time down the road.

Try to also consider the social and cultural influences that might relate to
your location at the time you plan to shoot it. Certain areas might be too busy
to shoot on a weekend.

7
N OTE YO U R M ATE R IALS
If you really want to make the most of your scout, jot down what props might be
needed for each location, what wardrobe might fit, or any items you may want to move
or rearrange. Art direction on a shoot, big or small, is an important part of conveying
your story. It can help to get into the habit of thinking about how all the elements fit
into a location to convey the right message.

77

Story
Boarding
STORYBOARDING

79

Storyboards help you communicate your visuals before you shoot them. They play a
large role in helping everybody rally around a common vision before production begins.
Working through storyboards often pushes you to clarify your ideas and tighten them
in the process. A single image is called a panel, and a collection of panels comes
together to make a storyboard (or abbreviated to a board).

How much is
enough?
This really depends on your approach and your team. The more you know your team,
the fewer boards you can use to get you all on the same page. The more advanced or
complex the shots get, the more panels you may require.

At a minimum, try to add a panel for each key scene and every key shot
within it.

Is this just for

Produced shoots?
Boards are most often used in produced shoots where you have time to source the
proper locations, talent, and set up your shots. However, they also offer tremendous
value in event shooting by preparing you for the key moments you have identified in
your story. If you are considering a board for an event, start by drawing panels for any
key story moments and then consider how you would ideally cover them.

Youll often find you get much more out of those same moments with
preparation, even if things dont happen exactly the way youve planned.

Different Methods
BY HA N D
Take a stab at drawing yourself and do what you can. Even stick figures can help
communicate an idea.

1 - 25 Stor yb oar d by ha nd

H I R E A N AR TI ST
Often starts around $50 per panel and can provide different styles of drawings. Look
for black and white without shading to keep costs low or go to color boards if the
budget permits.

STORYBOARDING
1- 26 Stor yb o ar d ar tist

81

U S I N G S O F T WA R E
These can be good to get a rough idea, similar to working by hand, but often lack the
touch of an artist or the realism of photos.

1 - 27 Sto r y b oar d S of t w ar e

P H O TO G R AP HY
To keep the budget down while keeping things accurate, consider taking photos with
a stand-in to represent your actual talent. Photos are great when you have access
to all the elements needed (locations, camera, lenses, and somebody to stand-in).
The advantage here is that you can bring along your DSLR and make notes on what
lenses feel right for which shots. Photos becomes very tough if you dont have access
to a location or want to represent a variety of characters in your boards and dont
want to try and have them there for scouting. Adding in elements like graphics are
also much easier with hand-drawn storyboards. As storyboards help you communicate
your vision with your team and the client, there is often a need for one reason or
another to switch a panel for a new idea. If you dont have that photo, you may be out
of luck, but with a storyboard artist it can be a quick fix.

1 - 28 Sto r yb oar d P h oto gr ap hy

Tips
t Use arrows left/right or in/out to suggest a dolly move.

STORYBOARDING

1- 2 9 Stor yb oar d a rr ow s

t If you are looking to hire a storyboard artist, check out at least three options before
making a decision. Of course youll consider their prices, but also ask to see samples
and consider which style best fits the story you are telling.

t The key to strong storyboards is providing your artist, whether that is you or somebody
hired, with a clear idea of what each panel is that you need. This is where a treatment,
scouting photos, and other materials can greatly help in creating a successful storyboard.

t Remember that a storyboard is a large part of communicating your story. Try to be

as involved and prepared as possible to ensure that your vision for key shots and
transitions is coming through.

83

t Try to label your lens choice and camera tool when possible. This way youll have
even more thought behind the shot.

t For longer shots, consider adding a panel for the beginning and end frames.

A SHOT LIST
A shot list provides a tally of all the shots youd like to get done in a specific time,
location, or scene. You can use your storyboard to help you create a comprehensive
shot list before production. Dont have the budget for a storyboard? Perhaps your
shoot isnt a good fit for a storyboard? Try making a shot list to communicate your
visual approach while also getting you organized. Weve created a Shot List tool
in SMAPP to help with this :) Because SMAPP was designed by filmmakers, for
filmmakers, it works in a straightforward way to help you make the most of every
shoot. You can separate your shots by category - which could be a scene, location,
shooter, or day - whatever works for you. As you add a new shot to your list, you can
add in an idea of focal length (wide, medium, tight) and a suggested tool, such as a
monopod or slider. As you get your shots you can quickly check them off in SMAPP
which helps to make sure you arent missing anything.
Wedding

Back

Help

Add Shot List

Preps
Rings
First Kiss

Uncheck All

Home

Tools

Rearrange

Tutorials

1- 3 0 S MA PP sh ot list

Contact

Roles on a
Commercial
or Film Set

ROLES ON A COMMERCIAL OR FILM SET

85

Ever take the time to let the credits of a movie roll down the screen while you take
in all of the names and roles involved? It can be overwhelming to see how many
people come together for even a smaller indie film. In looking at all of the roles its
often common to get lost in what it all means. Lets take a minute to explore some of
the common roles so that you know what each person is responsible for if you find
yourself on a larger set as well as giving you the power to properly communicate who
you need to add to your crew as you grow.

Filmmaking roles on
a commercial set.
A. E X EC U TI VE P R O D U C E R

t Is usually at the top of the film food chain, beneath the studio.
t In film, the Executive Producer is usually in charge of the production from a business
standpoint and is the liaison to the studio. The EP does not handle any technical
aspects of filmmaking. In the studio setting, the EP hires a Producer to develop the
project further and is more responsible for securing the budget and arranging the rest
of the business transactions, like distribution for example. Sometimes things happen
in reverse, where the Producer may try to acquire an A-list actor and a Director before
trying to attract an EP to the project.

t These days its a bit of a messy title. The EP in Hollywood is jokingly referred to as
a no show Producer. The title is given to an A-list actor, A-list Director, or a Producer
that may provide value to the film by having their name listed as an EP. This is very
common in TV now.

t The true original definition of this role is the person who provides the budget to
produce the film or series.

Common phrase - How much more do you need?

B. PR O D U C E R

t Answers to the Executive Producer.

t The most common evolution of a film starts with a Producer obtaining the rights to a
screenplay. Then they attach a Director or a lead actor before trying to secure funding
from an Executive Producer or a studio.

t They prepare the estimated budget for their particular project.

t They watch dailies during production, and usually have approval of the final cut
(unless the Director requires it in their contract). They help the Executive Producer
and studio position it in the marketplace.

t On lower budget productions the Producer may actually have invested their own
money into getting the production off the ground, which makes them Producer and
Executive Producer. This happens quite often in the Sundance circuit. If this is the
case then the Producer is usually paid back their investment before a film goes into
distribution, assuming the distribution deal is mainstream.

ROLES ON A COMMERCIAL OR FILM SET

Many Producers may have come to producing their own projects from being

experienced in another field (directing, screenwriting or acting) and this is a way they
can have control over their own vision.

The Producer role is somebody youll quickly find you need whether you shoot

weddings, docs, or small commercials. There is an incredible amount of logistics that

go into a successful shoot and having somebody dedicated to this role can give you
much more time for the creative process.

C. L I N E P R O D U C E R

t Answers to the Producer.

t Is essential as a manager to the projects budget.
t Their responsibility is to make a detailed budget list. This gets detailed right down to
how many slices of pizza will the crew will eat during day 50 of production.

87

t They make a pre and post line of the films budget costs.
Common phrase - We cant afford that

D. AS S O C I ATE P R O D U C E R

t Answers to the Producer.

t Does any work delegated by the Producer such as actually raising or securing the
financing, further development and packaging of the project, supervising an individual
film unit (like the second unit for example), or supervising post production.

t A lot of movies give Associate Producer credit to someone who may have secured
a named actor or a key location. This credit in the movie business is the thanks for
the hook-up credit.

E. PR O D U CT I O N MA NAG E R

t Answers to the Producer.

t Is essentially the Producers representative and works closely with the first Assistant
Director during shooting.

t Is the expediter who works with all department heads in managing the budget,
arranging and scheduling production elements in the most efficient way possible and
arranging payment afterwards.

t A lot of times the Production Manager will deal with the various unions that are part
of the film.

t Many medium to smaller productions weve been on will collapse the Production
Manager and Producer Role into one person. Its common in commercial or
documentary pieces to find this person is sometimes also the Director, or the Director
will at least take a good share of these duties.

Common phrase - Were behind schedule

F. D I R ECT O R

t Answers to the Producer.

t

Is given full authority and responsibility over the conduct of production by the

Producer.

t Is the one that decides on the cinematic approach, look, and editing of a production.
t Their vision controls the films artistic and dramatic aspects.
t They are in change of choosing actors and overseeing their performances.
t They are in charge of camera movement, shots, and mood.
t They

work with and approve the actions of other department heads (make-up,

wardrobe, camera, art department).

t They are responsible for the final product.

t Having one person responsible for the vision behind a piece is so crucial to giving
ROLES ON A COMMERCIAL OR FILM SET

that piece one strong voice. If a team of people come together to direct a piece, youll
often find the message becomes muddled. With that, we think its a great idea to
assign somebody as Director for every shoot, big or small. Well look at how this might
work in a wedding scenario in the next chapter.

Common phrase - Action

G. AS S I STANT D I R E CT O R

t AKA First Assistant Director (1st AD).

t Answers to the Director.
t Assists the Director in the performance of Directorial duties (both administrative
and production).

89

t Their most important duty is usually coming up with and maintaining the shooting
schedule with the Production Manager. They are technically in charge of running the
set.

t Keeps on top of time and makes the Director aware of how long they have before
they need to move on to the next shot or go into overtime (sometimes the Producer
will do this).

t Works with other departments to sustain the pace of production, such as letting the
camera department know how much time they have to set up for a shot.

Common phrase - Quiet on set

H. FI R S T U N IT D I R EC TO R

t If your production is big enough to have multiple shoots happening at the same time
in different locations, the First Unit Director acts as Director at the other location. This
is usually for pick-up shots or b-roll shoots.

t There can be a Second Unit Director as well. Same idea as the First Unit Director.
Common phrase - Cut

I. D I R EC TO R O F PH O TO G R AP HY / D P / D O P

t Answers to the Director and to some extent the Producer.

t Is effectively the head of both the camera and lighting departments.
t Works with the Director to establish the look and feel of a production image-wise by
reading the script and providing their input based on visual ideas, camera movement,
and lighting. Needs to take the look and feel the Director would like and interpret that
through their lenses, light, composition, and movement. Well have a worksheet on this
in camera and lenses.

t Chooses the camera format, lenses, filters, etc., based on whats best for the
production.

t Works with the Gaffer in the lighting department by communicating what theyre
looking for.

t Can operate the camera if they decide to but on larger union projects usually cannot
replace the Camera Operator.

Common phrase - Camera speed

J. CAM E R A O P E R AT O R

t Answers to the Director of Photography.

t Actually operates the camera and is the one maintaining composition or angles
during the shot.

t Depending on the type, style, or complexity of a film, there may be more than one
Camera Operator shooting a scene at the same time.

t On smaller or quicker productions, the DP and Camera Operator can be the same
person.
ROLES ON A COMMERCIAL OR FILM SET

Common phrase - Mark your spot

K. ASS I S TA NT CA M E R A

t AKA First Assistant Camera (1st AC).

t Answers to the Camera Operator.
t Is the one who sets up and maintains the camera.
t Assists in any technical operation of the camera (changing configurations, setting
menus, changing lenses and filters).

Is the one who actually pulls focus on the lens during a shot, whether by the

assistance of a follow focus, or a remote motor-operated follow focus unit. If youre

pulling focus on a big commercial shoot, a lot of times youll be referred to as a focus
puller.

91

L. P R O D U C TI O N S O U N D M I X E R

t Answers to the Director.

t Is the head of the sound department.
t Is responsible for all sound recording on set.
t Is responsible for all dialogue and incidental sound effects.
t Watches the levels and mix of production sound.
t On smaller or quicker productions the Production Sound Mixer, Recordist, and Boom
Operator can all be the same person.

Common phrase - Sound Speed

M. R EC O R D I S T

t Answers to the Production Sound Mixer.

t Operates and maintains on-set sound recorders.
t Makes sure all connections are properly set up for optimal sound recording.
Common phrase - Can you give me a mic check, counting down from 20?

N. B O O M O P E R AT O R

t Answers to the Production Sound Mixer.

t Operates the boom pole making sure to keep it out of shots and watch its shadows
while still getting the mic as close as possible.

t Attaches wireless microphones to people who need to be micd.

Common phrase - Am I good right here?

O. G AF F E R

t Answers to the DP.

t Is the chief lighting technician and communicates with the DP on the selection,
placement and intensity of various lights and lighting instruments used on a set.

t Manages lighting resources like electrical generators, lights, and manpower.

t Supervises and instructs set lighting personnel while sets are being lit.
t Stands by the DP for light modifying instructions during rehearsals and takes.
t The Gaffers main assistant is the Best Boy Electric.
Common phrase - I need some more gaff tape

P. G R I P

t The head Grip is Key Grip.

t Is responsible to the Gaffer.
ROLES ON A COMMERCIAL OR FILM SET

t The Key Grips main assistant is the Best Boy Grip.

t They are the lighting and rigging technicians and rig lights and dolly tracks.
t A Dolly Grip will operate a dolly during a dolly shot.
Common phrase - I have the gaff tape right here

Q. E L ECT R I C

t AKA Electrical Lighting Technician.

t Answers to the Gaffer or Best Boy Electric if the Gaffer has given the Best Boy
the authority.

t They run cables and make the electrical connections that power things on set, be it
lights, monitors, or cameras.

93

Chain of command

EXECTUTIVE
PRODUCER

PRODUCER

LINE
PRODUCER

DIRECTOR

ASSISTANT
DIRECTOR

PRODUCTION
MANAGER

DIRECTOR OF
PHOTOGRAPHY

GAFFER

CAMERA
OPERATOR

GRIP

ASSISTANT
CAMERA

ASSOCIATE
PRODUCER

PRODUCTION
SOUND
MIXER

RECORDIST

1- 31 F ilm pr o d u cti o n ch ain o f com mand

BOOM
OPERATOR

Roles on
a Smaller
Shoot

ROLES ON A SMALLER SHOOT

95

You may not be making a Hollywood movie where every role is clearly separated and
defined, such as Director, Gaffer, electric, etc, but understanding these roles and their
responsibilities can offer some great insight on how to approach a smaller project,
such as a wedding. These roles categorize the different parts of production and how
you would separate your team(s). You can use these to make your approach to a
smaller shoot much more effective.

Many studios working on smaller shoots, whether that be weddings,

commercials, or something else, tend approach the production with two
or three people in a less structured way. Lets try approach this in a more
traditional nature of production with a Director / Director of Photography
relationship.

T H E D I R ECT O R
The Director, like on any production, is in charge of the overall vision. They take the
birds-eye view, while the rest of the team usually lives in the moment. The Director
decides what youll cover, what youll skip, how the different parts of the story connect,
the tone, the feel, the style, and the story itself. The Director oversees everyones
work.

D I R ECT O R O F P H OT O G R A PH Y
The DP is going to take responsibility for the imagery or look of the shoot. The Director
says, I want it to look this particular way, and its the DPs job to make it look that
way. This job is usually a collaboration, but in the end the vision is up to the Director.

One of the reasons we always leave one person in charge of the overall
vision is because its important for one person to remain in a birds eye view.
This is crucial to having a clear voice come across in a piece.

The Director expresses a vision, and its the DPs job to then take that vision and make
it a reality through their lenses and camera tools.

There is much more to think about besides laying out the vision and the approach.
On a smaller shoot the Director will often absorb the role of the Producer. They will
coordinate logistics, and find out the necessary information for the shoot in addition
to their directing responsibilities. If the Director has to take on an extra role, well, its
only fair that the DP takes on an extra one as well. They usually take on the role of the
Gaffer in addition to their DP responsibilities. It falls right in line with their role given
that a DP makes lighting calls as well.

It can be easy to fall into a rhythm, or a system, where you use the same setup
for each shoot, such as an interview or wedding. Push yourself to approach
each shoot as a new, and unique, situation. In the coming chapters well arm
you with the knowledge to make all of your decisions based on your story.

This will make your work feel less cookie cutter, and spark more creativity. In other
words, dont box yourself in.

An example of how
this can play out
at a wedding.
The Producer / Director sets a meeting with the couple for a little insight on what his
team will be getting into come the big day. The couple has the Producer / Director
ROLES ON A SMALLER SHOOT

meet them at a local arcade that also offers sit-in dining. Before even entering the
meeting the Director is already thinking this meeting is really unique. Its not the
clients house, coffee shop, or normal dining place that usually is the location for a
meet and greet. During the meeting, the couple furthers the Directors assumptions
that the client is funny, playful, bright and outgoing. After dinner and drinks these
two crazy lovebirds want to play a racing game and wager cooking and cleaning
responsibilities for the upcoming week.

97

After the meeting, the Director concludes that these two are funny, and this wedding
most likely wont be a sappy affair. Instead it will be more of a fun party with family and
friends.
After looking over the schedule, the Director highlights a few key moments on the
wedding day where their personalities are bound to shine through. The couples first
dance, some presents they are exchanging, and vows which are written by the couple
themselves, are the things to watch out for. Without giving anything away, the Director
starts to dig deeper and asks specific questions about these moments.

t
t
t

What type of first dance are you planning? What song?

Can you send me an email or text with what you got each other?
Can you both send me the vows youve written?

After all this research the Director sits down with the DP and talks about the vision.
Once the DP is aware of this crazy couples personality, the light bulb goes off and
new ideas emerge that feed right into the Directors vision. Theyll look to use more
wide lenses from in close, such as a 35mm on a 5D Mark III. For the vows, theyll
try to compose the shot to include friends and family behind the couple. For camera
movement, theyll skip the slider, leave it in the car, and go for a Steadicam to add a
little more energy to match the couples personality. As for the lighting, the DP elects
to go for a brighter more ambient setup as opposed to a dramatic, deep shadow look.
Now they have a very solid vision and plan in place. Everyone is on the same page.
They dont have to walk into the event and talk about their plan for the first time
ever and hope it works. Of course, this is a live event so there undoubtedly will be an
element of surprise and spontaneity, but thats okay because you have a plan of action
with flexibility built in so it will be much easier to adjust. Besides, we said leave the
slider in the car, not at home. :)

YOUR TURN: BUILD A WEDDING STORY

10
YOUR
TURN: Build
a Wedding
Story

99

While every couple is different, developing a systematic approach to researching

each of them can help you become more focused and prepared. Below are a
few suggestions to help you get started. As always, be sure to consider your own
filmmaking style and add a little bit of yourself into each film you make. After all, its
your voice that will be telling the story.

1
PR O D U C E R / D I R EC TO R
Meet with the couple. Be a detective. Try to get to know them as best you can with
what little time you have. This is going to be very similar to a first date. Youll meet
them in some romantic setting of their choosing, be on your best behavior, ask a lot
of questions about what interests them, what excites them, and try and find the key
personality traits they posses. Now, while we are comparing this to a first date and it
may feel that way, your intentions are very different. All the information you gather will
be taken into consideration when making their film, as opposed to, well... well leave
it at that.

2
After a thorough meet and greet, taking into account everything you know about the
couple, describe them in five words.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

3
Read over those five words one more time. Think long and hard about whether this
accurately represents the film youre trying to create, and if something is missing, add
it here.

4
Review the schedule and make note of three areas where you believe your coverage
will highlight the qualities listed above. This is where your detailed research and
having a grasp on the days nuances will really help your story.

A.
B.
C.

5
YOUR TURN: BUILD A WEDDING STORY

D P / GA FFE R
After reading the description above, create a plan for how you would approach the
key moments. At the basic level, this could include the lens choice and deciding on
other tools you plan to use. At the more advanced level this could include mapping out
where you will place the cameras and lights.

101

O VE R A LL APPR OAC H:

1. Preferred lenses
2. Lenses to avoid
3. Preferred type of camera movement
4. Tools to avoid
5. The lighting should feel
F O R AR EA A., L I S T AN Y N OT E S O N CAM E R A O R LI G H TI N G PL AC E M E N T

F O R AR EA B ., LI ST AN Y N OT E S O N CA M E R A O R L I G HT I N G PL AC E M E NT

F O R AR EA C. , L I S T AN Y N O T E S O N CAM E R A O R L I G H T I N G P LAC E M E NT

YOUR TURN: BUILD A WEDDING STORY

103

6
Think about your audio. What do your key words and moments suggest about how
you should approach the audio for the shoot? Do you expect it to play a large or small
role and are there certain moments you can highlight where you want to focus more
on sound?

Hopefully youll take the time on your next shoot to try and develop your story further
before you start shooting. Every story we tell is unique and so our approach to
developing that story also becomes customized. What weve shared in this chapter
are many of the ideas that we often employ to push us to develop our story in a step
by step way. If youre interested in a detailed look at how we develop the story for
an actual shoot weve done recently, check out the case study of Jess and Brian in
Chapter 5.

LIGHTING
CHAPTER 2

LIGHTING BASICS

Lighting
Basics

107

Painting with Light.

Painters work with colors to create their images. A chef uses spices (and the
occasional bacon grease) to give food taste. A landscaper uses a lawn mower to give
you those professional looking lines in your yard that make people say, howd he do
that? A filmmaker uses camera movement, composition, audio, and light to tell their
story. These are all tools of the trade. Take light for instance; we often hear that great
image makers can paint with light. Its a phrase for being able to control the light to
enhance the mood of the story.

Before you can control or paint with light you must first understand the
rules (which are meant to be bent, sometimes broken).
Light is how our camera sees. Its a lot like those things below our eyebrows. Less
light means darker, more light means brighter. Exposure is the quantity of light that
reaches your cameras sensor (like your retina). Lets take a look at the three factors
that combine to make an exposure.

1.

The camera sensors sensitivity to light (ISO), or film speed if you are shooting

film, can be quantified: the higher the number, the more sensitive it is. The lower the
number, the less sensitive it is. What this means is that you can manipulate how your
cameras retina reacts to light. If you have it adjusted to a more sensitive setting, it
will register a brighter image when light hits it. But if you lower the sensitivity but keep
everything else constant, youll have a darker image.

2.

Aperture is the size of the opening in the lens that allows light to enter through.

The larger the opening, the more light will be able to pass through to hit the sensor.
Your eye works in very much the same way. Your pupil is the aperture of your eye. On
a bright, sunny day, your pupil will constrict to let in less light, whereas if youre driving
on a dimly lit road at night, your pupil will dilate (the opening will become bigger) to let
in more light to obtain proper exposure.

3. Shutter speed is the length of time the sensor is exposed to light. Your camera has
LIGHTING BASICS

a shutter (much like a curtain) that opens and closes, and whats great is that you can
control how fast it does so. The faster it opens and closes, the shorter time the sensor
is exposed to light, the darker your image will appear. Conversely, if the shutter is open
for a longer while, itll let in more light, contributing more to exposure.
For every lighting setup (or lack thereof) there is a combination, or many combinations,
of ISO, aperture, and shutter speed that will achieve a proper exposure. What
combination you choose all depends on the story, and what mood youre trying to
accomplish with your exposure. When we get to chapter 4 on Camera and Lenses,
well explore this exposure triangle and look at how each setting relates to your story.

What about the

properties of
light?
The feel and perception of your light is even more important to the story than how
much light is available. If you master the 4 characteristics of light, youll have complete
control over the feeling you evoke with your story. Lets take a look at these 4
characteristics; intensity, color, direction, and quality.

1
I NTE N S IT Y
The intensity relates to the amount of light. This is probably the most common factor
when we first get started with light. We can be so consumed with whether we have
enough light (enough intensity) that we can sometimes miss the other qualities that
offer so much story potential. The intensity of light is a largely relative quality, which
means we look at the intensity of one light in relation to another. In looking at the
intensity of light and how lights relate to each other, well need to explore stops.

109

What is a stop of
light?
A stop is a unit used to measure a ratio of light. Each stop represents a factor of 2.

This is important for you non-math-wizards out there, that the number 2 is
the constant in this equation.
When you add a stop of light, there is twice as much light.

Please read that back to yourself for comprehension purposes... well wait.
If I add a stop of light, the amount of light doubles, and in contrast, if I take away a
stop of light what happens? If you said you have half the amount of light then youre
correct. It may seem complex, and you may have chosen filmmaking for a profession
because you thought math would not be involved, but its simple once you get the
hang of it, just think of it in terms of ratios, doubles, and halves.

Now, how does this relate to a stop in aperture, shutter, and ISO?

1 . A PE RT U R E
Aperture is measured in f-stops. Please dont let this next statement confuse you.
F-stop is the ratio of the focal length of the lens to the diameter of the lens

Simple right? Lets make it very simple.

All you need to know is that the larger the opening (aperture), the smaller the
number (f-stop).

Smaller f-stop number means more light is being let into the camera. The larger the
number the less light is being allowed into the camera.

If you recall that the area of a circle is pi*radius^2 and think of light in terms of ratios,
LIGHTING BASICS

you can solve for the ratio of the area as it relates to a stop of light. One stop of light
represents a factor of two, meaning it doubles or halves the light, therefore the ratio
of r1-to-r2 is equal to the square root of 2, or 1.414. What this means is that each
additional stop of light in aperture is achieved through a multiple of 1.414.

1 x 1.414 ~ 1.4
1.414 x 1.414 ~ 2
2 x 1.414 ~ 2.8

r1

r2

r1

r2

r1
2.8 x 1.414 ~ 4.0...

2
2 =1.414

r2

2-1 St op o f ligh t i n aper t ur e t hr ough mult iple o f 1 .41 4

...and so on and so forth.

STOPS

Aperture
F-stop #

1.0

1.4

2.0

2.8

4.0

5.6

11

16

2 - 2 Ap er tu re sto ps

2. SHUTTER SPEED
This is measured in seconds (or fractions of a second) and is much more straight
forward to understand than aperture measurements. The longer a shutter is open, the
more light it lets in. 1/30 shutter speed lets in twice as much light as 1/60, and so
on and so forth.

STOPS
Shutter
Speed

1
1

30

2
1

60

3
1

125

250

5
1

500

2 - 3 S hut t er st ops

6
1

1
1
1
1000 2000 4000 8000

111

3. ISO
This is a number that reflects the sensitivity of the sensor to light as set in-camera (or
film stock) and is purely measured in doubles and halves. So an ISO of 200 is twice
as sensitive as an ISO of 100.

STOPS

ISO
Setting

100

200

400

800

1600

3200 6400 12800 25600

2 - 4 I S O sto ps
The take home message of the ratios above is that aperture, shutter speed, and
sensor sensitivity are linked. They all control exposure and they all have different
effects when leaning on just one setting to achieve your desired exposure. In theory
there are many different combinations of the three settings that could give you the
same exposure in your image.
When youre lighting a scene, its beneficial to know that the wattage of the light is
directly related to the amount of light it provides (as well as heat so wear gloves and
dress light!) meaning if you double the wattage you gain one stop of light.

This is true when all other variables stay the same, as in its the same type
of light, lens, and position. When you compare LEDs, Tungsten, and HMIs,
as an example, you cannot directly compare the wattages. A 400 watt HMI
will output much more light than a 400 watt tungsten light (this is related
to efficiencies but we dont want to get too sidetracked and get into that).
In working with the intensity of light we said that its largely a relative quality. The
intensity of one light compared to the intensity of another light is called a lighting
ratio. This is most often used to compare the key light, or the main light, to the fill light
(opposing light that fills in the shadows). A higher lighting ratio, such as 4:1, would
indicate a large difference between the intensity of the key and fill lights (2 EV /
exposure value) and therefore a more dramatic image.

A great way to objectively measure light is through the use of a light meter. This can
LIGHTING BASICS

be a very useful tool, say, if you want to connect ratios to mood, maintain consistency
in lighting between different sets, locations, or scenes or scout a location and check
for lighting without the use of a camera.

t
ISO reading - 200

t
Shutter speed -1/125th
t Aperture - 8
t Delta
t Lumisphere
t Spot Meter
2 -5 Se k oni c L-75 8 Ligh t M e ter

2-6

2- 7

1:1 ra ti o , 0 EV - an even rati o with flat li ght in g

2: 1 ra ti o , 1 EV - a r at i o w i th j us t a bi t o f sh a pe

a cro ss t he fa c e, ver y obje c tive, t hi nk o f n ew s

broad cas t

2-8
4:1 r at i o, 2 EV - a ra ti o with ev e n m or e s h ape,

2- 9
8:1 ratio, 4 EV - a very dramatic lighting ratio with

su bje ctive f ee l

a clear dark side, more mysterious and subjective

113

Intensity can relate to the mood, personality, environment, or time of day in your film.
Its a storytelling tool just like anything else. We like to think about it this way: its not
about how bright or dark the light is, its about the relative balance. So when youre
lighting a scene, start with your key light and look at it in relation to your other lights.
Compare it to your fill light as well as your background and foreground and think in
terms of ratios.

Keep in mind that if your image is overexposed, it will feel unbalanced,

less produced, and may contribute to potential feelings of disorientation.
Underexposed footage can feel mysterious, scary, and/or lonely.

2
C O LO R
The color of light is measured in temperature, more specifically the Kelvin
temperature scale. The range of temperature most commonly used is tungsten to
daylight, with tungsten being more amber - corresponding to a lower Kelvin number
(2800K-3200K) - and daylight being more blue - corresponding to a higher Kelvin
number (5200K-5600K).
Most cameras have common presets, known as white balance settings, to adjust for
shooting in different light temperatures. These refer to the settings in which a white
card (or anything white) would show up properly as white, without additional tones
or hues.

T YP I CAL C A M E R A WB P R E S ETS :

AWB

AWBAWB
AWB - A ut o White B ala nce

Tun gst en - at rou ghl y 32 00K

KK

Whi te F l uo r e sc e n t
- at roug hl y 4 0 00 K

Something to pay attention to when youre shooting is varying colors of light within
LIGHTING BASICS

the same scene. In general, if you have two different colors of light mixing on the
same subject, it can create an unbalanced or unflattering feeling, pulling the viewer
out of the story. Use the color of your light as a storytelling tool like any other.

2-10

2- 11

Sa me c o l o r ke y , ha ir a nd ba ck groun d li ght

Tu ngst en k ey an d ba ckg roun d, dayl i ght fi l l

2 - 12
Tungste n k ey, da yli ght fill a nd ba ck gr oun d

3
D I R ECT I O N
The direction of light is related to the how it shapes your subject.

When talking about shaping lighting, or light direction, we are essentially

talking about shadows.
Shadows would be the part of the scene, or subject, that is not being directly hit with
light. For example, if I put a light on the left side of your face, there would be a shadow
of your nose on the right side. Your nose is creating a shadow.

115

The darker side is the shadow side and the side the light actually hits would be the
highlight side.
Flat light is when the light is even across the scene or subject. Flat light would have
no shadows whereas directional light will have shadows, giving your scene or subject
more depth and shape.

SUBJECT

CAMERA
LIGHT

2-1 3 D ia gra m o f Ca mer a ne xt to / cl o s e to Ligh t S our ce = FLAT. B i r d s ey e v i ew

SUBJECT

CAMERA

LIGHT

2-1 4 D iag ram o f Ca mer a o ff a x is f ro m Lig ht S ou rc e = S HA P E. B ird s eye v i ew

How does direction

of light relate to
story?
t Draw a line between your camera and subject. In general, the closer your light is to
this line, the flatter your light will be (it will have no shadows or depth). Conversely, the
further from this line it is, the more dramatic (with more shape) your subject will be.

t Think about how dramatic you want the story or character to feel (remember that
your lighting ratio is a big factor here as well).

t The direction and number of lights plays a large role in how believable or natural a
LIGHTING BASICS

shot looks. Whats important is to think about the motivation behind your lighting: for
example, how each light can represent a source in real life. This is not inherently a
good or bad thing, there are many cases in which you want a scene to feel produced
versus natural.

2-15

2 - 16

No sha pe

Wit h s ha pe

4
Q UALIT Y
The quality of light refers to how soft or harsh the light is on your scene or subject.
This is related to the relative size of your light. The larger its apparent size, the softer
the light - a great example is a softbox. The soft box doesnt make the light itself
bigger, it just makes it seem larger, and this increase in apparent size means you also
get softer light. In addition, the closer the light is to the subject, the larger it becomes
in relation to the subject which is also increasing its apparent size and therefore
becomes softer as well.

This may seem counterintuitive to some (it might seem at first like the closer
the light gets the harsher it becomes), but remember that the closer the light
is to the subject, the brighter (not harsher) it will appear. Make sure not to
confuse the two.

117

SUBJECT

SUBJECT

OR
BARE BULB

BARE BULB WITH SOFTBOX

2-17 Th e app ar en t size o f a lig ht so ur ce

how does quality

of light relate to
story?
t Its vital to remember that softer isnt always better.
t Let your story speak to you. Think about the harshness or softness of the scene
or character and let the light match their level of intensity.

t Remember that lighting can also be used to fix or hide perceived problems with
a subject. Soft lighting can hide skin imperfections. Well shaped light can make a
subject look thinner.

2 -18
H a rsh lighting

2- 19
So ft li ght in g

LIGHTING BASICS

2 -2 0

2-21

Ha rs h light ing on sk in

Sof t ligh tin g on ski n

So how can we work

with each quality?
Single / Double Net

Flag - Solid Black

Scrim

Softbox

INTENSITY

QUALITY

Cookie
Diffusion

COLOR

Bulbs
(Tungsten / Daylight)

Reflector (White, Gold, Silver)

Filters / Gels
(Diffusion / CTO / CTB)

2 - 2 2 Ligh t Mo d if ier s

119

1. INTENSITY

t Consider moving the light. If you double the distance, you get 1/4 of the light and
it reduces by 2 stops.

t Cut the wattage. When comparing two lights of the same type and bulb, doubling
the wattage gives you an additional stop of light. Therefore if you can shoot at f/4.0
with two 1000 watt lights, you need to open up to f/2.8 if you only had one 1000
watt light.

t Use a single net (industry standard is green trim) or double net (industry standard is
red trim). The amount of light reduction varies by each manufacturer but in general, a
single net reduces light by 1/2 stop, and a double net by 1 full stop.

t Similarly, you can add a scrim in front of the light, half or full, single or double to get
the same reduction as that of a single or double net, respectively.

t Simply turn the light away from your scene.

2. C O LO R

t Many types of lights will let you switch the bulb to one of a different temperature.
t Add gels to change the color of light that hits your subject or parts of you scene.
Some common gels are CTB and CTO.

t
t

CTB is color temperature blue, and changes tungsten light to daylight

CTO is color temperature orange, and changes a daylight source to

tungsten light.

Both come in multiple weights (1/16, 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, full).

3 . D I R ECTI O N

t See if you can move your camera more off axis of the light source and subject.
t Conversely, instead of moving your camera, see if you can move your light more off
axis of your camera and subject.

t See if you can change the balance of the light sources so that the intensity of one is
LIGHTING BASICS

reduced and another is increased thereby changing the direction of the key.

t You can also consider moving the subject to a different location that works better
for where your lights and camera are located.

4 . Q U A L IT Y

t Move the light closer to change the apparent size of the source, making it softer.
t Add diffusion gel, which is a milky plastic sheet material placed in front of the light,
that softens it by changing the shape of the light coming through, and thereby altering
the focus of the light source. This makes shadows less apparent, much like how
cloud coverage affects the way light comes through to the Earth. Note that diffusion
gel reduces the intensity of light as a side effect. It comes in a variety of types and
strengths as well.

t Add a softbox or other modifier (such as an umbrella or beauty dish) that makes the
apparent size of the light source bigger.

t Try bouncing the light off a reflector, foam core, or a white wall.
t Use a different type of lighting that comes from a larger source. Fluorescent lights
are often much larger and therefore give a softer light.

121

Interview
Lighting
Setup
INTERVIEW LIGHTING SETUP

123

The basics
Lets take a look at some of the common roles that lights play in an interview lighting
setup. This isnt to say that every interview will have or needs all of these lights. We
should also note that while there are more, these are the the most common youll find
and developing an understanding of these will go a long way in your ability to light
an interview.

A . K EY L I G HT
This is your main light source. Generally we start by setting up our key light first and
it becomes the reference, in terms of color, intensity, and direction, and quality for the
other lights you set up.

B . F I LL L I G H T
This is your secondary light source that balances out the key and fills in the shadows.
If you have a high intensity key light and a low intensity fill light (with equal distances
from your subject) youll have an interview with a lot of shadows.

C . HA I R L I G HT

D. B AC K G R O U N D L I G H T

Provides separation between the subject

This is the light or lights you use specifically

and background.

for your backdrop or background.

BACKGROUND

C.

D.

SUBJECT

B.
A.

CAMERA

2-23 Diagr am o f b a sic i nt er v iew light ing setu p

This isnt always the best route and seeing light that is there and working with it can
save you hours at times, but as we look for a workflow you can use from setup to
setup lets assume youve eliminated all of the ambient light.

INTERVIEW LIGHTING SETUP

1
K EY LI G HT AX I S
When you set up your key light, look at the axis between your camera and your talent
and remember that the more off axis you place your light, the more shape and depth
youll have. Think about how dramatic you would like it to be based on your story and
use that to guide where you put it.

2
FI LL LI G HT
Move your fill light next and place that in the opposite position as your key light. So if
your key is 45 degrees to the right of your camera, this places your fill at 45 degrees
to the left of your camera. This will give you a good balance between the two lights.
Youll generally use the same temperature light for your fill and key so that you get
clean skin tones. Look at the intensity of your key light and use that to guide how
bright or dim of a fill light you choose.

This is where your understanding of stops and modifiers can be hugely

beneficial.
If you want a 2:1 lighting ratio, your fill light needs to be half as bright as your key. That
could mean a lower wattage light, placing it further away, or adding a scrim or net. There
will always be many ways to accomplish the same thing so start with how you want it to
feel and then take a moment to think about the most efficient way to achieve it.

125

Every five minutes you spend planning your setup can easily save you 30
minutes of actually setting up and tweaking things.

3
HAI R & B AC K G R O U N D LI G HTS
Now lets start dialing in the look with our hair light and background light. Does the
subject need more separation from the background? If so, try adding a hair light.
In looking at your background, think about how you can add light to it to help your
story. Should the background be dark or bright? What about warm or cool? As you
work through these questions youll come up with a good place to start in lighting
your background. Remember that youve got more room to play around with the
temperature of your hair and background lights as they arent blending with the key
and fill. Use these to make the environment feel warmer, cooler, or any of the other
color options that come with the world of gels.

4
FI NA LI Z E TH E LO O K
Take a second to look at your interview through the camera. Now hopefully your talent
hasnt been waiting in the chair the whole time youve been reading this chapter and
setting up your lights. It is always a great idea to have help when doing an interview
so that you can have somebody sit in for you and make sure you are on the right track
before the talent arrives. Well rarely have an interview where we set everything up and
dont spend another 20-30 minutes tweaking everything to get it just right. Try to build
in enough time to get set up, take it all in, and work on making it better.

Types of
Lights and
Modifiers
TYPES OF LIGHTS AND MODIFIERS

127

1
LI G HT OVE R VI EW
There are a lot of different lights available and theres always more than one way to
light a scene. However, when youre first starting out, looking at lists of hundreds of
lights can be a daunting task. Lets break it down into the different types of lights and
what their advantages and disadvantages are: There are LED, Tungsten, HMI and
Fluorescent lights, and below weve listed some of the ones we recommend.

TYPE OF LIGHT

TEMPERATURE

ADVANTAGES

DISADVANTAGES RECOMMENDATIONS

LED

2800K-5600K

Cool to the touch,

wide range of color
temperatures, battery
power options,
lightweight

Generally lower
intensity

Litepanel
Lowel Blender LED

Tungsten

2800K-3200K

High power, comes in

many sizes, relatively
inexpensive

Hot light, single

temperature light

Profoto Pro Tungsten Air

Lowel Pro-Light

HMI

5200K-5600K

High power, daylight

balanced

Requires separate
ballast, hot light,
relatively expensive

Profoto Daylight Air

Fluorescent

3200K-5600K

Lightweight, different
temperature bulbs,
relatively soft light

Generally lower
intensity

Kino Flo Select /

Divas

2-2 4 Tabl e of v ar i ou s t ype s of li ght

With more advanced cameras comes the ability to shoot off speed, but that also
means the need for more light.
The more slow motion, the more light is needed.

Something to consider when using high powered lights with large ballasts is the
possibility of flicker in the footage, or unwanted banding that can come from
incompatibility between the lights and the frequency of the refresh rate. This is a
function of the cameras shutter speed, frame rate and the light source.

Note that slower shutter speeds may help solve this issue, but its not always the case
and it is recommended that you test it out prior to production and review the footage
in post to ensure the shot is flicker free. Also, because of the amp/voltage difference
in different parts of the world, the same set of lights and camera settings may have
flicker in one continent but be perfectly fine in another. The takeaway here is to be
aware of it so that you can have alternate solutions should it arise on a shoot.

TYPES OF LIGHTS AND MODIFIERS

2
A S E L ECTI O N O F PR O FOTOS LI N E U P
We love the Profoto line of continuous lights because they offer incredible versatility.
We shoot so many different types of films and we care so much about approaching
each one in a way that is relevant to that story. This setup is incredibly powerful in
letting us adapt on location while staying true to our approach. We start with a couple
of the Daylight and ProTungsten Air light fixtures. From there we bring an array of
modifiers and because the light fixtures are of a standard size, all of these modifiers
can work on any of the lights. As we are often on the road for many shoots in a row
without returning to the studio, and many of our shoots move at such a quick pace,
this lighting setup allows us to do more with less and always find the right type of
light for each scenario.

1 . LI G H TS

2. LI G H T M O D I F I E R S

D AYL I G HT A I R

A. C I N E R E FL E CT O R

Bright

daylight

balanced

light

(5600K), dimmable to 50%.

T U N G S TE N A I R
Fully dimmable, interchangeable bulbs
500W or 1000W, Tungsten balanced
(3200K).

A robust reflector that works with

Profotos lenses, scrims, and barn doors
for incredible control over your light
intensity, color, quality, and direction.

129

B . WI D E Z O O M R E F L ECT O R

C. T E LE Z O O M R E F LE CT O R

Quick to mount and offers 40 to 70

Quick to mount and offers a 20 degree

degree adjustment for the angle of light.

to 30 degree adjustment.

D. MAG N U M R E F L EC TO R

E . B E A UT Y D I S H

High output with a normal beam spread.

Gives a soft directional light that is quick

and easy to mount.

F. H R S O F T B OX 2 X 3 R F
Great for travel, nice size for interviews

G . H R S O F T B OX 5 O C TA R F

providing a soft light in a smaller package. A large soft light, slim design, and easy
to transport.

C.
D.
B.

E.

A.

G.

F.

3. WI R E LE SS R E M OTE

CHANNEL

ON
1

MODE

AIR REMOTE
Wireless remote to control the various settings on the Profoto

TEST
TRANSMIT
RECEIVE

HEAD

MODEL

ENERGY

MASTER

GROUP
A

light fixtures.

Working
with
Natural
Light

WORKING WITH NATURAL LIGHT

131

No matter the wattage, the price, or the quantity, light is light. Whether you have
a plethora of lights and modifiers or are simplify running and gunning in the hot
beaming sun, the way you think about light does not change.

Light direction, quality, intensity, and color temperature should always be on

your mind.

Creativity doesnt rely solely on the story or techniques you take with you to a shoot.
Sometimes, being creative means using your situation to achieve the best possible
results. Of course, being in a studio with an unlimited amount of resources is better
than being in the hot sun in broad daylight without a single light, or modifier within
100 miles. The key is to stay focused on the properties of light. Pretend you were
the one who put the sun in the sky. Thats your light source now. Some people think
shooting outside is the easiest thing in the world, when in fact, it can be very difficult.
How do we get the right shape and shadows from our light?
We need to give the light some direction. Now, we have two major problems:

1) We dont have any modifiers.

2) Its a bit hard to put a soft box on the sun.
Heres one option: take cover.
Find an overhang, a tree, something to cover the top of your subject and force the light
in from one side. This is just an example of how to think when approaching an existing
light situation. Find ways to create the light you want.

H E R E A R E S O M E E X AM PL E S O F H O W Y O U CAN W O R K WI T H NATU R AL L I G HT.

t The sun is your light so look at where it is in relation to your camera. The more off
axis your camera is from the direction of the sun, the more shape you will have. So
position the camera accordingly.

t When you have too much light, look for shade or wait for cloud coverage to act as
diffusion.

t Take a look around and see if you can place your subject near a white wall or large
white object to act as a reflector for fill light. There were interviews for A Game of

Honor that had to happen quickly in the middle of the day, outside, with no modifiers.
We used the sun as a hair light and asked one of the field Producers, who was
wearing a white shirt, to stand on a chair close to the talent. This resulted in them
casting a beautiful, soft light back onto the talents face and dramatically changing
the look of the interview.

t If your subject is in the shade and the background is in the sun, this can yield an
overexposed image. Consider shooting into a background that is also in the shade so
that you can expose for both consistently. Or similarly, move your subject into the sun
so that you have a more balanced image.
There are many ways you can work with natural light. The key is to gain a good
WORKING WITH NATURAL LIGHT

understanding of the light properties so that you can find ways to work with it in any
location or situation. It may not always be easy, but the more you understand light, the
better prepared you will be at manipulating it no matter how much or how little
equipment you have available to you.

If you want to get some tips on shooting outside with modifiers, check out the case
study on Old Skool in Chapter 6 which features an outdoor shoot and breaks down
the lighting setup.

133

Suggested
Lighting
Kits

SUGGESTED LIGHTING KITS

135

1
WE D D I N G LI G H TI N G K IT
Here is our suggestion for a great wedding lighting kit, one thats designed to keep
you nimble, easy to travel with, that requires a relatively low overall investment. The
three lights in this kit work well to light dances or toasts. Youll often have enough
lights to use the blender to light the reactions and the Pro-Lights to light the speaker.
The filter pack is a big part of this kit in allowing you to change the temperature of
your Pro-Light. This kit is good for small to medium weddings. In larger spaces youll
need to get more powerful lights or be okay moving them closer to the action. This
setup could also act as a basic interview lighting kit with just a few other additions.
Something like a couple of inexpensive tungsten light dimmers from your local
hardware store are a nice addition to easily change the intensity of the light.

A. 2 x Lowel Pro-Light with barn doors

B. 1 x Low el LE D Ble nder

C . 1 x Lee f il t er pa ck

D . 3 x M anf r ot to L ight St ands

E. 3 x 2 0 Stin ger s

F. 2 x C u betap

G . 1 x 2 Ga ff er s t ape roll

H . 1 x Bla ck fo il r oll

2
I NTE R VI EW LI G HTI N G K IT
Our interview lighting kit is designed to be travel friendly while offering an incredible
diversity in light color, intensity, and quality to give you the utmost control in any
situation you might find yourself needing to do an interview. This kit is powerful
enough to allow you to balance windows in your background without losing detail. This
kit is also a great starter setup for shorts or commercial work as well. When traveling
we pack it all in one to two Tenba Air Cases and source our larger stands, sandbags
and Grip heads locally at a Grip house.

A. 1 x Profoto Daylight Air HMI 800W

B. 1 x Profoto ProTungsten Air 1000W C. 1 x Cinereflector kit w/ barn doors,

lenses, scrims

SUGGESTED LIGHTING KITS

D. 2 x 1x1 Litepanel LED

E. 2 x Kupo C-stands with arms

F. 4 x Manfrotto Light Stands

G. 3 x 2 0 Sti nge rs

H. 1 x Westcott 6-in-1 reflector kit

I. 1 x Westcott 24x36 Fast Flags

J. 2 x Cubet ap

K. 1 x 2 Gaffers tape roll

L. 4 x Pony Grips (small)

M. Gloves

137

M. 1 x 2x3 Softbox or 5 Octobox

N. Roll of 1/2 and full CTB, CTO, + green

O. 1 x Black foil

P. 2 x Tenba Flight Case

3
T R AVE L LI G HTI N G K IT
Over years of traveling weve developed a travel lighting kit where everything you
need - lights, stands, flags, and more - all fits into one suitcase. Check out the lighting
tutorials on SMAPP if youre interested to see whats in there and get a demo of how
we use it to light an interview.

4
O UT D O O R LI G HTI N G K I T
Our outdoor lighting kit is intended to be a low investment while giving you a ton to
work with when shooting outside. The Scrim Jim offers a variety of fabrics and packs
down into a light weight and small package. When paired with the reflector, youll have
the ability to work with the sun by diffusing it, or bounce it back on to your subject.

A. 1 x Westcott Scrim Jim 8x8 kit

B. 1 x Westcott 6-in-1 reflector kit

C. 2 x Manfrotto Light Stand

D. 2 x Kupo C-stands with arms

E. 4 x Manfrotto Grip heads

F. 4 x 15lb sand bags

SUGGESTED LIGHTING KITS

139