THE PHOTO

[Ckulakov]

I have just finished writting a short 5 page script for a film I will direct and photograph. it is mainly music and cinematography motivated story with no dialogue. Please read and let me know if you have any interesting suggestions on what kind of lighting setups i can use to motivate the story or a visual style that will make it look original.

 

I will shoot B&W with a consumer DV camera that lets me control exposure, focus, shutter, and zoom, with a steady tripod. I will use some barndoored 500 and 250 watt photofloods for lighting.

 

I will use my focus as a advantage and compose with foregraound elements that motivate the story.

 

CLICK HERE AND SCROLL DOWN

 

THEN CLICK "THE PHOTO"

 

http://russianmagic.tripod.com/id11.html

 

 

COMMENTS SUGGESTIONS?

[Greg Gross]

ckulakov,

I enjoyed your post very much. I am a student cinematographer but a professional

photographer of many years. I read your script quickly as I have limited time today.

I plan to read it later and develop some story boards and a shooting schedule which

I will post here. I consider the one photo(flower) as a crirtical event in your story. I

will come back and post more as I continue to read your script. I am enjoying this very

much as you have an original story here. I'm assuming that you do not want a hard look

to your story but shadow making may apply here in some scenes to set the mood. I will

come back and post soon. Thank you for your great post.

 

Greg Gross

[Dickson Sorensen]

Very nice, a chance to shoot very touching situations. One question:

 

INT. ? CARL?S APARTMENT, KITCHEN ? EVENING ? B&W 4

 

SIDE SHOT-

 

Carl is standing bent down at the refrigerator. A soft light pours onto Carl as he stares into the fridge. He is holding a small crystal vase containing a yellow daisy similar to the one in the photograph.

 

 

If your are shooting Black and White how does the audience know that the daisy is yellow?

[Greg Gross]

Is it of any great significance as to color of daisy? Shape texture of daisy identifies it as

a certain flower. Close up with tonal consideration in b&w,show shape,texture.

 

Greg Gross

[Ckulakov]

Mr. Gross

 

Thank you very much, this is a great help.

 

About the daisy I wrote that it would be yellow because I wanted to describe it more. I guess i should get rid of that.

 

Here is a quick pic of the type of daisy i whant in b&w:

 

http://creative.gettyimages.com/source/cla...kRoyaltyFree=on

 

 

 

 

I will really need some serious ideas on making the daisy pop out better in that scene. Although it should show up in the shot filmed from inside the fridge.

[Greg Gross]

In my mind I'm visualizing the daisy in relation to zones,tone. The white portion of the

daisy has a certain reflectance which will register on film, the center of the daisy again

has a certain reflectance which will register on film. Correct me if I'm wrong,only one

flower looks like a daisy? So the viewer will probably see it as a daisy in a close-up.Ob-

viously you cannot use zone system when shooting 200',400' etc.. So you will have to

light the daisy in my eyes as having life,zest,happy,bright,show its texture. I think I would

try some kind of side light first,take a look at that and then see where I would want to go.

I went to link and viewed daisy and I could see it in my mind as having tones and texture

in b&w. If you are shooting in DV/HD you have post-production options if they fit your bud-

get. If you are shooting film you have some filtration options,also choice of film stock and

also post-production options. Of course I know you have your budget to consider. I would

like to see how far one could go with good film stock,filters,creative lighting. Please contin-

ue to post as you shoot and inform us on your progress.

[Greg Gross]

Hello ckulakov,

I was going to go away this weekend to Montreal but wheather is not good. My girlfriend is

away shooting on location and she's all excited due first time she is shooting with Panaflex

camera. I've been studying your script and thinking about how I would light it. One of the

films I viewed was "Coffee and Cigarettes" by Jim Jarmusch in B&W. I believe I could light

your film with just two 5K's(called seniors) both of them on dimmers,reflectors,diffusion sc-

reens,black pro mist filter,and some practicals with photofloods at say 40,50,75. I'm not sure

about one scene where you have him in dim light and then he turns light on bed-side stand on.

Could place dim light outside throwing light into window or have light falling inside room from a

doorway. Godard once said-" all you need for a film is a girl and a gun". Well you don't have a girl

and a gun but you have a daisy. Another way to light which was a trademark of Raoul Coutard AFC,

would be to place 500 watt photofloods in the ceiling(tape up or hang) and use aluminum foil on the

ceiling to reflect the light. I'm just bringing this up as I'm not sure of your budget here. Most of your

scenes could be shot with a 5K behind the camera as fill looking into a white reflector board and a 5K

as key looking into diffusion screen or bouncing off of a white reflector board. By using dimmers with

the 5K's you could lessen the intensity as needed. Your mood will be determined by your key/fill ratio

say at 10:1,5:1. Your fill can show details in the shadows a lot or less depending on your desired look,

contrast. I'm going to Kodak site to look at b&w films(16mm) and I will return and post on how I would

light each one of your scenes. You need to think about showing your actor's eyes if you desire as the

eyes will reveal his/her character.

 

Greg Gross

[Greg Gross]

ckulakov,

After some research and thought I believe film to use for your film(16mm)-7222 available

EI200T,250D. You could also consult with Kodak for more advice. Please see lighting for each

scene.

 

OPENING SCENE- Out of focus tattered,washed out photo held by a quivering hand.

Lighting- De-focus lens or use diffusion filter for soft focus effect.

Side light from 5K on dimmer bounced off of white reflector board. Show

texture of quivering hand. Close-up shot. Key would be directional(side).

May need barn doors.

 

INT. Peter's Apartment, silver spoon swiftly stirring a cup of black coffee. Close-Up

Lighting- Could light much as I would a product shot. Not sure if you want hard quality

light and shadows or softer. Could shoot with 5K & barn doors make some

shadows on the table and add some fill if desired. Could vary intensity of the

5K.

 

PROFILE- Silhouette of Carl,he's seated drinking a mug of coffee in his elegantly furnished

living room(large vases in foreground).

Lighting- 5K bounced off of white reflector board to light area behind Carl. 5K behind camera

bounced off a white reflector board. Ratio of key/fill set for profile/silhouette.You could

place a practical in here as table lamp etc. if you desire. I'm assuming Medium close-up.

 

FULL SHOT- (subjective) Carl lit from side,soft.

Lighting- Practical to one side of Carl and 5K bounced from white reflector board to opposite side,

with intensity adjusted by dimmer. 5K fill behind camera and bounced from white reflect-

or board.

 

CLOSE-UP- Carl looks at an electronic clock that displays 4:30 pm;empty blank picture frame next

to clock.

Lighting- Assuming there is some light in room from window due time is 4:30pm. Light room through

window with 5K to simulate light at 4:30pm. 5K behind camera bounced from white reflector

board.

 

FULL SHOT- Carl(thinking) picks up a small box, stares at it and reaches for a light switch.

Lighting- Key 5K bounced off of white reflector board. Lit practicals in room if you so desire.

5K bounced off of white reflector board behind camera.

 

PROFILE- Carl turns on light(lampshade),his silhouette is filled with dim soft light.

Lighting- 75 watt photoflood in practical with lampshade. 5K behind camera bounced off of white re-

flector board. Area behind Carl in shadows,light falls off drastically.

 

POV- Carl opens box,discovers photos,picks one up;a picture of a waterfall.

Lighting- When Carl Picks up box-5k key bounced off white reflector board and 5k fill behind camera

bounced off of white reflector board. Close-Up of waterfall picture,5K key bounced off of a

white reflector board.

 

FULL SHOT- Carl looks through box,drops waterfall photo on the floor. Continues looking through box,

as if on a mission.

Lighting- 5K key bounced off of a white reflector board,lit practicals in room if you so desire,5K fill

behind camera bounced off a white reflector board.

 

CLOSE-UP- Carpet,montage of photos dropping to and lying on the floor. photos of landscapes,beaches,

landmarks.

Lighting- 5K key bounced off of a white reflector board.

 

FULL SHOT- Carl suddenly stops while searching through photos in box. He stares at one particular photo

in his hand. His expression is that of beauty.

Lighting- Lit practicals in room if you desire. 5K key bounced off a white reflector board. 5K fill behind

the camera bounced off a white reflector board.

 

OVER THE SHOULDER- POV, We are looking over Carl's left shoulder through a Panavision prime. We see

the left side of Carl's head in the last 1/3 of the frame to the right. Carl's head is slightly out of

focus. 5K key as side light to one side of photo in carl's quivering hand. We zoomed in to hand

and photo.

 

EXT.- Lush Vegetated Park- Carl is walking through a sunny park. He's excited and he appears to be

younger and wearing a leather jacket.

Lighting- Key available daylight and fill from large white reflectors as required. Must be careful with black

pro mist filter here.

 

OVER THE SHOULDER- We see Carl's head(left side) slightly out of focus in last 1/3 of frame to right of

frame. We are looking over Carl's left shoulder through a Panavision Prime at a beautiful

young woman("beaming") streaming towards him lovingly.She is wearing a light blue coat.

Available light and large white reflectors as required.

 

TWO SHOT- Woman clutches onto Carl's elbow, leaning on him. They are both holding yellow daisies.

They are compatible. Available light,can use some slight diffusion(filter) here if you desire.

Large white reflectors as required.

 

SFX- Refigerator door opens. We see door open,FADE TO BLACK.

Lighting- 5K key bounced off white reflector board,5K fill behind camera bounced off of a white re-

flector board. CLOSE-UP.

 

SFX- BLACK SCREEN- We hear the hum of a refigerator motor.

 

INT.- Carl's Apartment,Kitchen-Evening

Carl Is looking into refrigerator. He's lit by soft light,as he stares into refigerator. He is holding

a small vase containing a yellow daisy,same as in photo of daisy.

Lighting- Construct a prop of a refrigerator,or use old refigerator(junk) with back of refigerator cut a way

to reveal inside of refigerator. Camera will shoot from behind open back of refigerator. Soft di-

ffused 75 watt photoflood on camera. Small practical light used to represent a refigerator light.

 

INSERT- CLOSE-UP- Clock,displaying time of 4:35, A.M.,P.M. ??

Low wattage photoflood on camera.

 

INT.- INSIDE REFIGERATOR- With the daisy below his face(Carl looking into the refigerator with the

daisy below his face) He's reaching for a bottle of water. He shows no emotion no expression

on his face. Blank stare??

Lighting- Again we shoot from POV of behind refigerator with its back cut away,looking in to the refiger-

ator. 75 watt photoflood on camera and practical for refigerator light. Camera angle down a

little looking up at Carl.

 

FADE OUT- FADE TO BLACK

 

THE END

 

Greg Gross