Estimate of film needed

[Miguel Bunster]

Hi,

Just a basic question. How do you calculate the amount of film you need for a movie so you can order it to the manufacturer?

I have a method which is basic. I estimate the scene and the amount of shots and then get an idea.

Now I am working with a kid in every single shot!

Any good experience is well come!

Best

Miguel

[rik carter]

Is 10:1 too high? Seems like a good start anyway.

 

-rik

[Miguel Bunster]

Yea,

Thats what I thought.

Thanks!

[David Mullen ASC]

10:1 is a good idea and easy to calculate -- about a 1000' can of 35mm per script page. Of course, scenes with more coverage because of more characters will burn more footage, while other scenes may burn less, but 10:1 is a good place to start. Of course, you may have to shave off 10% or more all-around if you can't afford 10:1.

[Miguel Bunster]

Thanks!

Miguel

[Laurent Andrieux]

I second a 10 : 1 in this situation. sometimes you can go down to 7 : 1 on cheap productions, but even though you plan to nly do 5 takes per shot in average, you always need more.

 

One thing is that you can order more than what you need. If you don't open the cans that you don't use, your seller can take them back. Make sure first.

 

But don't try to get taking back cans that you would have opened for loading a mag that you actually didn't use and then recaned because the guys at Kodak and Fuji have tricks to determine this, you defenetly can't fool them...

 

If you have loaded/unloaded and short ends, you can sell them to indie production for low price anyway afterwards...

[Brendan Fish]

Hi,

You can also pop on to kodak.com, Go to their cinematography section and in it they have a film calculator, which lets you put in the estimated running time of yr film and gives you how many feet will be in it. I think they calculate it at a 1:1 ratio, but then maybe you can just work from there.

 

Hope it helps, but then i may be telling you something you already know.

 

Brendan.