general tip on shooting my new short - 35mm

Lav Bodnaruk · February 28, 2007

Hey all,

currently working on a short film which we are to shoot mid March on 35mm. I am still locking of the locations, should be done in the next two days, and will post pics as soon as I can. Meantime, I know we are using Aaton 35III, MK2 full kit and pretty much I should be able to get any light.

The budget for this is not great, but we can definitely squeeze a lights package that is decent.

The stock has not yet been decided on either as we are waiting till those locations are locked off.

Its not a James Bond rip off or parody, actually it has nothing to do with JB, but the world it is set in reminds me of Jame's world. The lead male is wearing a taxido and all the pretty girls (and I mean, pretty!) are wearing fancy evening dresses.

One of the venue in mind is a Jazz bar, with mahogany colours, rather dark and the other is Ice bar, completely opposite... white ICE bar, with the actual bar that glows and looks like water is flowing through it?! Two very different locations but both could do that whole James Bond thing...

Either way blues will be pumped up in the background (along the lines of Mr Tom Waits - we got an artists that just is amazing and very similar style)

2nd scene is the bedroom scene.

It could end up being a normal every day bedroom or maybe (just maybe) a nice hotel room with a view of the CBD through the window. Our lead makes love to an attractive woman here.

Ok, so with this limited info before you, any tips in how to best get the James Bond feel out of it?

I am particularly interested in lighting suggestions?

If we do the hotel bedroom scene and we are on 10th floor, it might be difficult on our limited budget to do anything else then place small lights around the room.. hidden. Ultimately i wanted that scene to have them silhouetted but that might be difficult if there is no balcony outside and only 10 stories high drop. The CBD lights may not be strong enough to do that? If we however shoot in a suburban home on ground level, we can get lights shining in through the windows...

the bar scene, any tips on lighting the MCU. Most of the stuff is the lead talking to the camera (guy off camera actually) with folks mingling behind him in suits and fancy dresses....

Any tips on female CUs? Want to make sure they stay pretty :)

Soon I should have venue locked off... and that will allow for pics to be posted;

thanks!

Tony Brown · February 28, 2007

. Our lead makes love to an attractive woman here.

Ok, so with this limited info before you, any tips in how to best get the James Bond feel out of it?

I am particularly interested in lighting suggestions?

This is easy. Dump some lights and get more women in the bedroom. sorted

G McMahon · February 28, 2007

Hello there,

I have seen you on the forums and you look pretty cute. Only kidding, I live in Bris myself, I have never seen you around. You care to catch up for a beer or coffee. I have just finished shooting a scene at the Bowerey bar. May be able to help you. Also, I like shooting good looking women.

Lav Bodnaruk · March 1, 2007

Lol when did this forum turn into a dating site >! LOL

Yo G, we can definitely meet up mate. What do you and who do you work for in Brissy? Just trying to see why I haven't run into you before... (I don't do too many TVCs). Which Gaffer do you work with? DPs?

You can email me at lav @ translation the movie . com (all 1 word) and we can arrange to meet up. At the moment I am flat out with locking in locations and then auditioning these fine woman, then of course rehearsals and then the shoot (10th and 11th of March).

If anyone sees pass the 'woman in bed' line can you post any tips on how to make this film look more James Bond-ish?! :D (somehow i am starting to doubt this thread will work out)

Cheers,

G McMahon · March 1, 2007

Early bond or late bond?

Lav Bodnaruk · March 1, 2007

Hey bud, thats a tough question... one that can set of a two hour discussion between my DP and myself :)

To best answer, I have posted some pictures - shots I think would work for this short;

http://www.jamesbondmm.co.uk/images/bond-girls/ltk/cl007.jpg

http://www.jamesbondmm.co.uk/images/james-...nnery/sc001.jpg

http://www.jamesbondmm.co.uk/images/bond-girls/tnd/th010.jpg

http://www.jamesbondmm.co.uk/images/bond-girls/tnd/th008.jpg

Thanks mate!

PS. we might shoot at Chill on Queen (ICE BAR) as one of the Venues in question in which case Die Another Day might be what we try and do (only in the case of this venue tho):

http://www.jamesbondmm.co.uk/images/bond-girls/dad/hb013.jpg

http://www.jamesbondmm.co.uk/images/bond-girls/dad/hb010.jpg

G McMahon · March 1, 2007

I can't open links, forbidden M's orders.

Lav Bodnaruk · March 2, 2007

I can't open links, forbidden M's orders.

wow that sucks. all that work of hunting through images to show you the style and no one can even open them... darn! I might have to copy some of the images onto my server and link them up from there;

here is a direct question mean time.

the two figures making 'love' in the bed with the CBD view through the window. I would like to silhouette them and have the lights soft in background stand out. I presume that I would have to light the bed and the two figures rather 'dark'. Any tips on which lights would be the right tool for the job?

Ill get onto the stills for explaining the style of bond :)

cheers,

Lav Bodnaruk · March 2, 2007

Ok, hope this works:

http://www.translationthemovie.com/Bond%20WEB/index.htm

Pictures (from the top down): 2, 4 & last 4;

Also, 12 & 13 - hale berry - in case we shoot at the ice bar;

G McMahon · March 2, 2007

Where to start. Firstly, all the bond films have different looks, especially the latter ones, besides from changes in stocks etc over the years. What I do know is that it tends to be more unobtrusive, static camera, on sticks shooting. More classic compositions, and minimal camera moves, I don't even think they go tighter then a medium close up, unless it is of JB's watch. The lighting, also unobtrusive, isn't too stylistic. The earlier films, allot of hard lights, fresnels, the latter, softer fills with some hard sources. But that all differs in the latter films, from film to film.

You can be surprised, some good looking people don't look good on camera, and some ordinary people look spectacular. The women in Bond film are stunning, but they have the properties, good facial structure, feminine lines and posture, from domino in thunderball to Halle Berry. Do tests.

There is allot to say about the production design, you can't polish a turd. Good to see you?re chasing good locations. Also the costumes.

I am concerned for a director that you are getting to involved in the procedure of actually lighting. It may be taking time and effort away from what you need to be doing in pre.

Another concern or what is confusing me, is the silhouette shot. If the FG is the actors and there dark, and you want only to see detail outside the window, then you do not need to light them at all. Infact, just expose for exterior. If needed, have some practicles in the BG, inside the room. Consider the fact the windows may be tinted, that can stuff things around.

Lav Bodnaruk · March 3, 2007

Hey G, thanks for the reply!

I am contemplating keeping the camera as static as possible and doing minimal amount of moves. I also might steer from using too many CUs which I am a big fan off, and keep it most in MCU (although we are making this for DVD). The shot list reads weird at the moment, with the amount of MCUs in there;

Regarding your lighting point, that the latter films had softer fills with some hard sources, I might try and aim for that myself, studying certain scenes from JB films that I am doing too (restaurant/bar/bedroom) keeping the style consistent

I am a director, but wish to DP this too.

That is to say, the main reason I got involved with this short is so that I can do dp/dir. I did that on my last s16mm short and really enjoyed it (although it was all exterior shoot - CSI Miami meets Traffic's Mexican scene)

My actors are polished off, actions are ready, dialog is memorized... basically I will only be worrying about the shots on the day. No doubt this is to be my biggest learning curve to date in regards to dp-ing. A good friend will operate, who DPs often, and even more often focus pulls on TVCs etc... so I should have some good advice from him (i.e. "dude, that's under exposed")

I am still chasing down a good gaffer that wont mind me being such a noob and will have advice to pass on... Interested? :)

I am yet to put the lighting package together but want to still wait for that ultimate location (that has us waiting) to confirm or deny us using their space. Like you said, a lot will be up to location and art department!

Oh and re: the silhouette shot, you are right, that is what I was going to do... not light the FG at all and expose to the city lights in the BG. The practical lights that I place in the room should make the silhouette shape stand out a bit. On the off chance that the practical lights may not be enough to give me nice edge lighting I was considering placing a keno tube between the actors and the window... the scene is not just that master shot of them in silhouette but few MCUs of body bits as well... which have to match;

Thanks again for the great post G.

cheers

Lav

lav (at) translation the movie (dot) com