The Filmmaker’s Handbook

Title Page......Page 3
Copyright......Page 4
Dedication......Page 6
Contents......Page 7
Preface......Page 11
1. Introduction to Digital and Film Systems......Page 13
Digital Video Systems......Page 18
The Video Format......Page 22
What Is Compression?......Page 35
Comparing Video Formats......Page 37
High Definition Digital Formats......Page 40
Digital Cinematography Systems......Page 45
Standard Definition Digital Formats......Page 48
Standard Definition Analog Formats......Page 50
Recording to Memory Cards, Drives, and Discs......Page 51
Sound Recording for Video......Page 53
Video Editing......Page 55
Film Systems......Page 58
Comparing Film Formats......Page 62
Sound Recording for Film......Page 68
Film Editing......Page 69
Shooting Digital Versus Shooting Film......Page 73
Getting Your Movie Off the Ground......Page 77
Formats for the Big Screen and the Small(er) Screen......Page 85
The “Look” of the Movie......Page 91
The Impact of Sensor Size and Film Gauge......Page 92
Color and Sensitivity to Light......Page 94
Sharpness and Focus......Page 97
Aspect Ratio Choices......Page 101
Frame Rate and Scanning Choices......Page 111
Choosing a Camera......Page 117
Planning Your Workflow......Page 120
Managing Data in Production and Post......Page 121
The Importance of Sound......Page 129
Coping with Technology......Page 132
3. The Video Camcorder......Page 136
Initial Settings......Page 138
Viewfinder and Monitor Setup......Page 140
Picture Controls......Page 143
Types of Media......Page 152
Managing Data on the Shoot......Page 154
Recording to Digital Tape......Page 159
Operating the Camcorder......Page 164
Batteries and Power Supplies......Page 166
Camera Sensitivity......Page 172
Other Camera Features......Page 181
Focal Length and Perspective......Page 184
The Light-Gathering Power of the Lens......Page 197
Focusing the Image......Page 199
Choosing a Zoom Lens......Page 210
Prime Lenses......Page 217
Close Focusing......Page 219
Lens Quality and Condition......Page 220
The Lens Mount......Page 227
Lens Seating Problems......Page 231
Care of the Lens......Page 235
The Digital Video Camera’s Response to Light......Page 238
Understanding and Controlling Contrast......Page 245
What Is Gamma?......Page 247
Gamma Options When Shooting......Page 250
Video Color Systems......Page 265
Some Image Manipulations and Artifacts......Page 270
Video Monitors and Projectors......Page 275
Timecode......Page 283
Digital Video Recording—How It Works......Page 289
Pixels and Resolution......Page 292
Working with Digital Data......Page 299
Digital Connections......Page 300
Hard Drive Storage......Page 302
RAIDs......Page 305
File Formats and Data Exchange......Page 307
Digital Compression......Page 310
Compression Methods......Page 311
A Few Common Codecs......Page 316
6. The Film Camera......Page 323
The Film Gate and Shutter......Page 324
Camera Speed and Motors......Page 327
The Reflex Viewfinder......Page 329
Camera Film Capacity......Page 333
Other Camera Features......Page 339
Camera Tests and Maintenance......Page 341
Properties of the Film Stock......Page 345
Contrast of the Image......Page 351
Sharpness......Page 354
Choosing a Raw Stock......Page 355
Packaging, Handling, and Purchasing......Page 357
The Light Meter and Exposure Control......Page 363
Light Meters......Page 364
Taking Readings......Page 368
Exposure and Film Stocks......Page 375
The Film Lab During Production......Page 378
Screening the Rushes......Page 380
Color......Page 384
Color Temperature......Page 389
Filters......Page 393
Matte Boxes and Lens Shades......Page 400
The Goals of Production......Page 404
Composition and Shot Selection......Page 406
The Moving Camera......Page 413
Dramatic Films......Page 417
Documentaries......Page 434
Preparing for Production......Page 443
Preparing the Script and Approach......Page 444
Scheduling and Planning......Page 448
Organizing the Production......Page 452
The Equipment Package......Page 458
In Production......Page 461
Logging......Page 470
Supporting the Camera......Page 473
Slow Motion......Page 487
Fast Motion......Page 490
Judder or Strobing......Page 492
Shooting TVs and Video Monitors......Page 493
Shooting in 3D......Page 495
Sound......Page 504
Analog Audio Recording......Page 507
Digital Audio Recording......Page 509
Digital Audio Recorders......Page 513
Audio in the Video Camera......Page 522
The Analog Tape Recorder......Page 524
The Microphone......Page 525
Audio Connections......Page 540
Gathering Gear......Page 545
The Sound Recordist’s Role......Page 552
Recording Technique......Page 554
Setting the Recording Level......Page 559
Music, Narration, and Effects......Page 570
Other Recording Issues......Page 574
Recording Double System for Video and Film......Page 581
Syncing Audio and Picture......Page 582
Operating a Double-System Recorder......Page 588
12. Lighting......Page 590
Light......Page 591
Lighting Equipment......Page 599
Bulbs......Page 600
Types of Lighting Instruments......Page 608
Lighting Styles......Page 622
Positioning Lights......Page 623
Controlling Lighting Contrast......Page 640
Lighting and Color......Page 643
Special Lighting Effects......Page 645
Location Lighting......Page 647
Some Film Theory......Page 651
Approaches to Editing......Page 654
Dialogue Editing......Page 663
The Editing Process......Page 667
Titles......Page 676
14. Editing Digital Video......Page 680
Components of a Nonlinear Editing System......Page 681
How the NLE Plays and Edits Media......Page 690
Postproduction Workflow......Page 691
What Format or Resolution to Edit In?......Page 695
Importing and Organizing Your Material......Page 701
Importing Files......Page 706
Capturing from Tape......Page 709
Creating and Editing Sequences......Page 712
Basic Sound Editing......Page 728
Working with Double-System Sound......Page 733
Basic Video Effects......Page 735
Titles, Graphics, and Stills......Page 739
Mixing and Converting Formats......Page 743
Working with 24p and Pulldown......Page 747
Editing 24p Footage......Page 754
Finishing and Output......Page 755
Managing Media......Page 757
Exporting a File......Page 763
Output to Tape......Page 769
Creating a DVD or Blu-ray......Page 773
Creating a Digital Cinema Package......Page 776
Color Correction......Page 777
Tape Editing......Page 783
The EDL and Online Editing......Page 785
15. Sound Editing and Mixing......Page 790
The Sound Editing Process......Page 792
Sound Editing Tools......Page 795
Sound Editing Technique......Page 799
Music......Page 803
Some Sound Editing Issues......Page 807
Preparing for the Mix......Page 809
The Sound Mix......Page 818
Level and Dynamic Range......Page 820
Frequency Range and EQ......Page 827
Other Sound Processing......Page 829
Mix Formats......Page 832
Deliverables......Page 837
Overview of Film-Video Transfers......Page 841
Some Film-Digital Workflows......Page 843
Film-to-Digital Transfer Devices......Page 851
Telecine Options and Controls......Page 853
Recording Format and Scanning Options......Page 854
Image Control......Page 856
Audio Options......Page 858
Film Transfer Data......Page 860
Booking a Transfer......Page 863
Editing Film Digitally......Page 867
Preparing to Edit......Page 868
Editing Considerations for Traditional Film Finish......Page 871
When You’re Done with the Offline Edit......Page 872
From Digital to Film......Page 874
Preparing for the Digital-to-Film Transfer......Page 875
Preparing the Original for Printing......Page 879
Blowups......Page 881
Printing Basics......Page 882
Answer Prints......Page 883
Intermediates......Page 884
Release Prints......Page 886
Analog Optical Tracks......Page 887
Digital Sound Tracks......Page 889
Film Projection......Page 891
Developing the Project......Page 893
Funding Sources......Page 899
Budgets......Page 904
Business Arrangements......Page 910
Legal and Copyright Issues......Page 917
Protecting Your Work......Page 918
Releases for Real People, Places, and Things......Page 920
Using Copyrighted Material......Page 923
Distribution and Marketing......Page 930
A Last Word......Page 952
A. Adjusting a Video Monitor......Page 955
B. Data Rates and Storage Needs for Various Digital Formats......Page 965
C. Depth of Field Tables......Page 973
D. Hyperfocal Distance Table......Page 977
E. Angle of View in Different Formats......Page 978
Bibliography......Page 981
Websites......Page 985
Index......Page 989