Documentary making on film

Matt Wells · June 22, 2004

Can anyone tell me how documentary makers using film slate their shots conveniently?

Take, as an example, the popular series from a few years ago here in the UK Around the World in 80 Days where Michael Palin travelled around the world in 80 days, shot on Std. 16mm.

What system does the sound recordist use to slate where all the footage is shot off the hip?

Matt

Phil Rhodes · June 22, 2004

Hi,

When they're doing sound, they slate as normal. Palin talks about it in the book accompanying the series.

However, I think it's worth mentioning here that I think anyone who chooses to shoot film on that kind of gig needs their head examined!

Phil

John Pytlak RIP · June 22, 2004

However, I think it's worth mentioning here that I think anyone who chooses to shoot film on that kind of gig needs their head examined!

Film has served these situations well for decades.

K Borowski · June 22, 2004

I can understand using tape for televised documentaries, and film is quite expensive with the high shooting ratios necessary for a documentary application. Surely though for a documentary such as Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11 that is getting theatrical distribution, film is clearly the best choice. 16mm equipment is compact and affordable and has been the standard for documentary and in the past newsgathering work. Synch sound isn't always necessary if one has access to an old Auricon camera with the capability of recording sound on film (optical or magnetic).

Regards.

Phil Rhodes · June 22, 2004

Hi,

Sure, it's been done. I just don't see the purpose in lugging all the kit - and they must miss shot after shot reloading. Quite how you deal with getting stuff back to the lab, sans X-ray, in a timely manner I don't know.

Phil

Mark Lyon IMPOSTOR · June 23, 2004

One convenient way to go is to use a camera that records timecode on the film. Then sync the camera to your DAT. We use the Aaton timecode system, but I think Arri has a good one as well. The procedure is simple: when you want to shoot, you give the sound man a second to roll, then roll camera, without slating at all. Then you use a telecine equipped with timecode reading capability to sync the DAT with your picture in the transfer. It works well. You just need to have someone logging the shots.

I hope this helps,

Mark Lyon

wwww.mightymaxfilms.com

Eric Steelberg ASC · June 23, 2004

I can give you the opinion of someone who is actually doing a documentary on film right now. We have shot about 25,000' in 35mm, 14,000' in super 16, and about 12 hours on DVCPro50. The film is clearly the best looking however since the executive producer has seen the SDX-900 footage he has pretty much comitted to finishing it on it. I was hired after the production had already shot a week with another DP so I can't say why they decided to shot as much on film, but no one regrets it. It's beautiful and it does NOT require more gear than the video. Actually when using the A Minima we're incredibly small...much smaller than our video package.

Matt Wells · June 23, 2004

Thanks everyone for these insights.

Phil - I must have a read of the book - I am sure it is a great read.

The reason that I am interested in this, and why I cited this particular series, is because I liked the look so much - especially being std.16, it has such a great texture and the ability of the film to handle such a wide latitude just gives the finished product, in my own personal opinion, and much more attractive and more life like look.

I was curious about the slating because this must be a pain to keep on doing. Unfortunately I would not be able to afford a time code system.

Someone has suggested to me the use of the "blooper" slating device from the film group - does anyone have any experience of this?

Matt

Marty Hamrick · June 23, 2004

I can understand using tape for televised documentaries, and film is quite expensive with the high shooting ratios necessary for a documentary application. Surely though for a documentary such as Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11 that is getting theatrical distribution, film is clearly the best choice. 16mm equipment is compact and affordable and has been the standard for documentary and in the past newsgathering work. Synch sound isn't always necessary if one has access to an old Auricon camera with the capability of recording sound on film (optical or magnetic).

Regards.

Optical sound on film quality is quite poor and magneticly striped film is no longer made.Also,ever tried to go portable with an Auricon?Nothing portable about them,they're boat anchors.

Marty

Eric Steelberg ASC · June 23, 2004

Just slate it as you would normally. I met a filmmaker years ago who used to do alot of 16 docs in places like Borneo in the 60s including the Jane Fonda Vietnam piece. I got to see some orgiginal uncut footage and....no joke....they would just clap their hands infront of the camera so you would be able to get a "clap" to sync to.

These days the best thing to do for sound in a doc in 16 is to rent an Aaton because most of them have a built iin aaton code time code system which exposes a machine readable timecode on the edge of the film which matches the sound code so when you go into telecine they can sync the sound to the film as easily as syncing sound to video. It saves time too because the equipment syncs the two automatically while the operator watches. Very efficient. Been around for years. I think there is s description of it on the Aaton site.