#ContinuityProbs

So because I am a sucker for any movie with cool dancing in it, over fall break I watched the second installment of the every growing Step Up movie series; Step Up 2: The Streets. The final scene of the film is a super long and I will admit, super cool dance scene that takes place outside and in the rain. After the heroic team finishes their awesome rain dance, one of the characters, Moose, goes to talk to the girl he likes, Sophia. However it seems like in each cut in the scene of them talking, Moose's hat is turned a different way, even though you are never shown him actually switching his hat.

Okay so here we are in the first part, and Moose's hat is on frontways

Then as soon as we cut to a two shot of the back of him, his hat is backwards

Then we cut to a closer shot of the same exact scene where they are talking and once again, his hat has switched.

And then, as all teen movies go, Sophia kisses Moose in this closeup and yayy!! His hat is still on frontways

Okay, okay awesome, some consistency, lets see if we can cut to a wider shot of this kiss 

Damn! All we did was cut to a little bit wider and once again, his stupid hat is switched again, and I think we all can agree that he did not switch his hat based on that claw grip he has on Sophia's arm.

Anyway, my point is, while you are shooting you may not think that continuity is that important and that you can remember how the actors did each of the scenes, it is an incredibly important part of making a good and consistent film so make sure you get a dope script supervisor.

Binception: The Post Production Struggle.

I am a very organized person. My room is impeccable, my backpack is laboriously and strategically packed to optimize convenience, my calendar is color-coded, and I always know what is on my schedule for at least the next few days in advance. This organization carries over into my post production work, which is one of the reasons I think I initially gravitated towards the post process. 

I edit out of Premiere, which allows for an immense amount of organization as well as customization. You can arrange the window panels in any conceivable way, customizing the size and location of every window and tool imaginable. and don't even get me started on the bins. I LOVE bins. I have bins for everything. I have bins for my clips. I have bins for my sequences. I have bins for my bins. My Premiere projects are complete Binception.

So far, I have only found use for my obsessive organization within the post production process, however, in this class I am trying to push myself and  be involved more with the pre prodoction and production aspects of our projects. At first I wasn't sure if I could find a role that suited my organizational skill set, however, on Monday we watched a short interview that described the Script Supervisor/Continuity position, and I think I found what I've been looking for. Having never been a script supervisor on a project before, I cannot say whether I would actually  like this position, but just from the short clip we watched, I could see a lot of overlap from my post production skills.

Notes from a 'scripty'

Basically, the script supervisor is responsible for keeping the project alive during the production process, which involves a significant amount of work in pre production through script breakdowns, which ensures that the production, which is often filmed out-of-sequence, always makes verbal and visual sense. It also requires an intense attention to detail, making sure that actors motion and wardrobe stay continuous throughout different shots, ensuring nothing will break the moment of the film. The script supervisor gets to work with many different departments on set, making sure each is doing their job correctly and consistently between takes. 


 That being said, I will be working as the Assistant Director during our project for this class, but I still think my organization and attention to detail will certainly come into play, whether it is from script breakdowns,scheduling, or general on set management. Either way, I am excited to take a step out of the dark editing room and into the light during the production process.

Life, sleep deprivation, and the pursuit of editing

There are many jobs on a crew that are not valued enough—script supervisor and assistant editor being two significant ones. Script supervisor keeps a written track of which takes were best, along with a description of what went on, while assistant editor goes through all of the footage and describes what’s going on in the frame, type of shot, etcetera.

Blank sample of script supervisor's daily log.

Blank sample of editor's log.

This summer I did just that—I spent a great deal of time logging footage for a professor’s reality-esque TV show. While doing so, I came to understand something truly important: there is no insignificant role when it comes to production. I went through hours of footage and mark the funny and controversial points between the couples; a very tedious task that took many hours at a time. This job is usually bestowed upon the assistant editor, as they are the ones that do the initial read of the script supervisor’s notes and choose which clips are correct. I also helped to add more detail to the script sup’s notes so my professor could use it to teach in the future.

~me~ most of the time I edit

Going into the process I thought I would like it because I enjoy editing, but I forgot about the many hours that are spent staring at a screen. A certain professor told me that when you start in the real world of post-production, logging is where you initially start. But it truly makes editing so much easier when you have a guide as to what clips are the best.

While it is not my preference, I definitely learned a lot about how to make the process of editing easier. I have great respect for those who regularly script super & log the footage.

Just for funsies, I shall leave you with a related video some of you may have already seen and can relate to:

"The Assistant Editor Song"

Assistant Cameraperson-ing for Dummies!

Hello and welcome back! I hope everyone's weekends were filled with splendor and fascination. Keeping up with our century-long tradition, today I'll go into infinitely specific detail of a film crew position. Bet you can't guess what position it is! Can you? You can?! Wow, you're smart! Here's a cookie.

Last week, we discussed the importance of the 1st and 2nd Assistant Directors. Today, we'll be discussing a very similar topic. Like the director, the director of photography has two assistants. Can you guess what those assistants are called?...You're right! They're the 1st and 2nd Assistant Camerapersons.

The camera assistants' main responsibilities involve assisting the Director of Photography in camera operation and maintenance. They essentially help the DP with the execution of their (hopefully) well-planned shots. They assist. It's what they do. It's what they've always meant to do. It's their destiny.

More specifically, in helping the DP in camera operation and maintenance, the 1st Assistant Cameraperson's duties include:

      -Operation of cameras

      -Slating and loading

      -Focus marking and pulling

      -Preparation, maintenance and management of camera equipment

Where their responsibilities really differ from the 2nd AC is in the physical operation of the camera. A person may think, "Oh, they're just an assistant, what could they possibly be allowed to do?" Well, frankly, that's a very silly question. While 'assistant' is in their title, an AC is really anything but an assistant. They're practically part-time director of photography.

What about the 2nd AC? Where do they come into all of this madness? It turns out that the 2nd AC actually shares many of the responsibilities of the 1st AC. It'd be too much to do for one person, so the film industry thought it'd be good to get a second! The 2nd AC is responsible for:

      -Slating and loading

      -Preparation maintenance and management of camera equipment

      -Maintenance, labeling, logging, and safekeeping of reels and tapes

The last point is where the 2nd AC stands out from other AC's. Basically, they work in coordination with the script supervisor to make sure all the reels and tapes are labeled and organized so those who work with them later know what they're messing with. The process of digitizing the film would be a much more grueling process without this step.

So who are AC's? What do they do? Why are they here on Earth with us? What is their purpose in life? In layman's terms, they do everything the DP has to do but doesn't have the time for. While the DP is setting up the perfect shot, the 1st and 2nd AC's are busy doing everything else camera related. Thank you, AC's!