CraigTarry

Thanks a lot I appreciate the input. I'll call around in my area and get some quotes - Craig

Hello, I’m developing a 90min. character driven feature to be shot at one location, a farmhouse, about 45miles from San Francisco. Although actual production is a long ways out, I’m trying to get some ballpark budget figures down. Lighting/Grip is not my dept, but I can tell you it's at least two-thirds interior, day and night, some day and night exteriors, and minimal dolly and steady-cam, but no crane or special effect shots. Can any of you give me an idea of monthly rates for an electric/grip truck, loaded with the basic package? Like I said, at this point ballpark figures will do. Thanks - Craig

Hello, I've heard some comments about the cost savings of post production using the Red Camera vs. using film. Can anyone give me some details as to where those savings actually are found? Also, can anyone point me to a good post production house in San Francisco that handles Red Camera post at good rates? I've got a 90min. character driven script and I'm trying to do some budget estimates. Thanks - Craig Tarry

My experience has been that most don't want to hear it. If you got your actors from a website, like www.castingnetwork.com, you can post a results notice. Some will want to keep in touch with you for your next project - some might be right for your next project. Still others audition so often that they can't remember your project, so I wouldn't sweat it too much. The real go getters will keep coming back no matter what - Craig

Ridley's a great Director. When I saw, Alien it was the last time I was scared in a movie theater. It pushed all my "what's in the closet" buttons. He's got great taste, great judgement in choosing his scripts - Craig

I don't know. Wouldn't you need the Copyrights? Either way, I heard the 7million figure from Hedges' DVD commentary. He said "This movie sat up and fell apart 3 times on a budget of 7million, and finally the fourth time we called Gary Winnick at Indigent and they green lit it right away." Hedges doesn't go on to say what they green lit it for. That's why I think whoever came up with the 7million got a reality check from someone. That's quite an adjustment.

Thanks Steve, I noticed that at the end of Hedges commentary, he says that they made it for a fraction of what they had expected. Maybe the $7million price tag they originally had was a projected cost proposed by someone with a different vision for the script? It as Hedges first directing effort and probably his first budget. Reality has a way of changing things. Thanks for your reply - Craig

Hello, I was watching Pieces of April, directed by Peter Hedges. The movie is a character driven drama, shot in 16 days, with two Sony DSR-PD150's, transferred to 35mm and cost, according to Hedges commentary for $7million. It stared Katie Holmes, Oliver Platt, and Patricia Clarkson. Hedges talks about this movie being so small, and how the actors all wanted to be in it for reasons other than money. It looks very low budget, so why would it cost 7million? I'd really like to know the inside story or see the budgets of films like these and I’d like to find a website that lists the budgets of independent movies. Can any of you direct me? Thanks Craig Tarry

Yeah, I'm probably a little more conservative. I'm also a hard sell when it comes to comedy. One of my favorite comedies was I Heart Huckabees. Seeing Mark Walberg get hit in the face repeatedly with a big rubber balloon had me in stitches. Anyway, glad to see my post got so much great feedback. Thanks guys! Craig

Hello, the camera work on TV shows like The Office drives me crazy and I'd like you guys learned opinion. Steve Carell is one of my favorite comedic actors, but I don’t get the appeal of The Office. My main problem with it is the camera work. I can’t stand the documentary style and all the sudden zoom-ins. It drives me nuts! I did manage to watch it for a while one night and I was thinking that if you took away the camera tricks, that the material is really weak. It just wouldn’t be very interesting or funny. MTV’s Cribs was the first time I watched a program with this shooting style. I know why they used it. They figured, “our viewers have the attention span of a fly, so we’ve gotta keep things quick!” TMZ has taken this style to the extreme. The kids in their office are really more interesting than the Celebs they shoot, but the camera style is so buggin’ that I can’t stand it more than a couple of minutes. Do they think they’re more appealing that way? Your two cents, please - Craig Visit My Website

Great, thanks! I've been wondering "how big is too big" of a screen for showing it like that. So, thanks a lot! Craig Thanks, good point - Craig

Hello, I'm about to shoot a 10min. short film on the DVX100A using wirdsreen format (can't afford an anamorphic adapter). The short isn't going to film, but I would like to have a party at a local bar that has an 8ft. pulldown screen (they show football games on it). I'm giving everyone DVD's of the work to shown on a TV screen. Should I up rez it to HD for this 8ft screen? If so can you direct me to a source for UP-REz? Thanks Craig

Hello, I'm going to shoot a ten min. DV short soon. It probably will not go to film, but I may submit it to several online sites that show short films. Should I get releases from my actors for this? THey'll be acting for DVD copy, credit and food Thanks - Craig

Hello, I'm going to be making a 10min. short using the DVX100A and a Sennhauser M66 shotgun mic. The entire short is at a round table, white table cloth, wine glasses candles and a copper fondue pot in the center. The location is a living room with hardwood flooring. I can mic the dialogue ok, but I'm concerned about the proper way to record things like forks clacking against plates, wine being poured, etc. I want it all to mix right, so if there's things best added later I want to plan for it. Shots will be from a few feet away to close in. There'll be some music space at intervals along the way. Thanks for any suggestions - Craig

Hello, I'm going to be making a 10min. short using the DVX100A and a Sennhauser M66 shotgun mic. The entire short is at a round table, white table cloth, wine glasses candles and a copper fondue pot in the center. The location is a living room with hardwood flooring. I can mic the dialogue ok, but I'm concerned about the proper way to record things like forks clacking against plates, wine being poured, etc. I want it all to mix right, so if there's things best added later I want to plan for it. Shots will be from a few feet away to close in. There'll be some music space at intervals along the way. Thanks for any suggestions - Craig

Hello, I'm trying to create a short slow motion sequence using the Panasonic DVX100A. In his book "The DVX Book", Barry Green says to use 30P fottage in a 24P timeline and slow it down to 80% to make it smooth. For slower footage, he recommends using 60i footage in a 24p timeline, slowed down to 40%. So, how do you slow down the 24p timeline? Thanks - Craig

Yeah, That was pretty much what I was thinking. I;m getting a city permit for the park area site. I think I could have everyone sign a waiver sayng they won't hold me reponsible and all that. One more question if you don't mind. Did you have a professsional make up/hair person on set all the time, or did one of the crew do it? Thanks Craig

Thanks Preston - I think I talked to you before about focus pulling. I've seen some of "Radio Mechanics" footage before. You sent me a link with a moving camera shot around the news guy's desk. I checked out your website. Very informative production notes. I discovered the Panasonic preset the other day - how convienient! I'm curious to know how much you paid for insurance. I'm tempted to do without it, since my short is basically three people talking in a park. No heavy equipment, no running or jumping. I already did a work shop of the second half. Seem pretty safe. Any thoughts? Thanks again - Craig

Thanks guys - I'll probably use the 24pa setting. Priemere Pro seems to handle it quite well. The pulldown tech jargon is confusing to me. Just trying to plan ahead. Don't want to finish filming and say Oh! I should have used the other setting! Thanks for your tips - Craig

Hello, I'm going to be shooting a 20min short film soon. I've already workshopped the scenes using 24p and edited with Premier Pro 1.5 with good results and made DVDs of the footage. There might be a possibility of submitting this film somewhere, either in HD or as film out. Are there problems related to 24pa that I sould consider both in production and post? If the film just goes to DVD is 24pa a problem? Please clue me in - Thanks Craig

Ok, duhhh, there's a volume control on the top of the camera. I'm an idiot...

Hello, I have a DVX100A and I've used it toworkshop a couple of scenes from a short film I'm going to make with success. But now, although it records sound fine with either shotgun mike or on camera mike, I get no sound through the headphone jack or through the pin jacks ( I can out put to tape and view it on a TV, but the camera doesn't output the sound to the TV. I've looked through the manual, duhh, Help please! Craig

Hi Oscar, The area is about 30ft. in diameter. There's a hillside and shrubs and vines in the background. The tree canopy is about 15-20ft high. I've tried standing under an umbrella and it took care of the shadows on my face. I'll need to buy or build a sun block device big enough for three people to stand and move around under. We'll be shooting early to mid morning and mid to late afternoon. When I workshopped the scenes I found trying to bounce sunlight into the actors faces to be tedious, so that's why I want the lights. I'll check out your 575 HMI pocket pars. Thanks for your thoughts - Craig

Hello, I'm going to be shooting a conversation between three people outdoors under a tree canopy. I'm planning to have them stand under some sort of large umbrella to block the contrasty leaf shadows from their faces. I want to use a portable light or two to bounce light off a reflector onto their faces. Can you recommend a small portable light for this? Thanks Craig

Hello, I'm wanting to burn some footage onto DVD. My burner supports: DVD-RW, DVD+RW, and dvd-RAM I heard some talk that some homemade DVD's will not play on all DVD players. Will one of the formats above play on all DVD players? Thanks - Craig