Packing Light: Camera, Sound and Edit To-Go

In less than a week, we are leaving for two months in Southeast Asia. Among the myriad of preparations for the trip, packing our film gear lightly and efficiently is most important.  We will be traveling through four countries and moving often, so light and compact is key. Here’s what we’re bringing:

1. Mac Book Pro. We debated bringing this Cadillac of a computer. It weighs a whopping 5 pounds and is valuable, so at considerable risk of theft. We’re going to bring along a cable lock, along with a lock on the sleeve and take the chance of keeping it in our guesthouse while we’re out for the day.  It’s a risk but we can’t edit, design and write without the Mac.

2. Mac Book Pro Charger. Oh boy do I wish the computer didn’t have the added weight of this brick!

3. Lumix 14-140 Lens. This is a great lens for wide angle and telephoto stills and video shots.

4. Hyper-cardioid Mic with Wind Muff & Handle. We debated bringing this along since we’re already bringing a wireless lavalier microphone and I didn’t want to add more weight to our kit.  But the sounds of Asia – crashing waves, chanting monks and the sounds of the street market — are just too salivating to pass on.

5. Gaffer’s Tape. Needs no explanation. It’s a must-have when filming anywhere.

6. Joby Gorillapod. We need a tripod but we’re not inclined to lug around something bulky and heavy, so we’re going to bring this little guy. It’s cheap, light, latches onto the camera bag, and serves as both tripod and make-shift Steadicam.

7. Wireless Lavalier Microphone.  This will be easy to clip onto an interview subject and get great sound.

8. Marantz Audio Recorder. With two audio inputs, this little compact high quality recorder can easily support a wireless lav and the hypercardioid mic.

9. Panasonic Gh1. This itty bitty micro 4/3rds camera shoots some spectacular images both still and video, especially with the addition of a Lumix 20 mm F 1.7.  It doesn’t hurt that this camera is ultra compact and light-weight.

10. Memory Cards. Not pictured is a slim profile memory card reader that makes image and video downloads from the cards a snap.

11. Rechargeable Batteries. I love these Sanyo Eneloop rechargeable batteries.  A set in the wireless mics or in the sound recorder can pretty much last a full day of non-stop shooting. And after an overnight charge, they’re ready to go for another whole day.

12. Mini Mouse.  With a contractible USB cord and slim profile, this low-cost iHome mouse is great for traveling and saves the aggravation of trying to edit on a laptop’s track pad.

13. Camera Battery Charger. If only there was one battery charger that accommodated all electronics.  Unfortunately there’s none and so I have no choice but to lug this around.

** Not pictured is a small hard-drive to store and edit footage.

All packed up!

New docs streaming on Netflix

Still from "October Country"

A couple of months ago, I blogged about great documentaries streaming on Netflix.  Since then, Netflix has added a few more of my favorite non-fiction flicks:

October Country: October Country is a beautifully rendered portrait of an American family struggling for stability while haunted by the ghosts of war, teen pregnancy, foster care and child abuse. A collaboration between filmmaker Michael Palmieri and photographer and family member Donal Mosher, this vibrant and penetrating documentary examines the forces that unsettle the working poor and the violence that lurks beneath the surface of American life (Summary from film website).

**Read my Q&A with the Directors during the 2009 Silverdocs Film Festival.

A Film Unfinished: At the end of WWII, 60 minutes of raw film, having sat undisturbed in an East German archive, was discovered. Shot by the Nazis in Warsaw in May 1942, and labeled simply “Ghetto,” this footage quickly became a resource for historians seeking an authentic record of the Warsaw Ghetto. However, the later discovery of a long-missing reel, inclusive of multiple takes and cameraman staging scenes, complicated earlier readings of the footage.  A FILM UNFINISHED presents the raw footage in its entirety, carefully noting fictionalized sequences (including a staged dinner party) falsely showing “the good life” enjoyed by Jewish urbanites, and probes deep into the making of a now-infamous Nazi propaganda film (Summary from film website).

**Read my review of the film.

The Betrayal: Filmed over 23 years, The Betrayal is the Academy Award-nominated directorial debut of renowned cinematographer Ellen Kuras in a unique collaboration with the film’s subject and co-director, Thavisouk (“Thavi”) Phrasavath. After the U.S. government waged a secret war in Laos during the Vietnam War, Thavi’s father and thousands of other Laotians who had fought alongside American forces were abandoned and left to face imprisonment or execution. Hoping to find safety, Thavi’s family made a harrowing escape to America, where they discovered a different kind of war. Weaving ancient prophecy with personal testimony and stunning imagery, The Betrayal is a story of survival and the resilient bonds of family (Summary by PBS).

March of the Penguins: Experience a journey like no other on the planet—one that spans hundreds of miles across a frozen continent. Braving icy winds, freezing temperatures and starvation, this is the incredible true story of a family’s quest to bring new life into the world (Summary by National Geographic).

There are many more great documentaries on Netflix which I have yet to see or yet to find thanks to Netflix’s knack for burying movies in their coffers. But I’ll post again with more recommendations. Stay tuned!

Micro Doc on Regina Holliday’s “The Walking Gallery”

Last night we documented Regina Holliday‘s Walking Gallery of health care stories and advocacy at Kaiser Permanente’s new Center for Total Health.  Above is the “micro doc” we put together about the event.  We’ve been filming Regina since she lost her beloved husband Fred to kidney cancer in 2009. Since then, she has been using her paintbrushes to advocate for better access, more transparency and safety in our health care system. Her art advocacy first began with a rice paper mural placed at 4 in the morning on the wall of a DC deli. Next was a gas station, where over months of tireless work she painted a massive mural titled 73 Cents.  She’s painted canvases in plain air and even the backs of business jackets worn by activists.  It’s this last surface that has inspired her latest project: The Walking Gallery.  That’s right, a gallery of moving art!  Best of all, it can go wherever the wearer goes.  You know how much we love art that says something. Well, Regina’s art sings it aloud, shouts it from the rooftops, and stops you in your tracks.  She reminds us that our work as artists can indeed make a difference and so it’s been our absolute pleasure to share her story.

The challenge of profiting from social issue films

"Waiting For Superman"

The New York Times recently published an article about Participant Media‘s struggle to profit from films they distribute about the important issues of our time. It’s no secret that social-issue docs and thoughtful fiction indies sell significantly worse than major blockbuster thrillers in 3D.  Yet Participant’s efforts are compelling. They continue to work to distribute films and develop social action campaigns that go along with them. The challenge is not only making this distribution sustainable but being able to reach beyond the crowd of people who already support your cause.  How to make a do-gooder film self-sustaining?  Below are a few general suggestions:

• Help from the Community: Films like Waiting For Superman or The Cove need to be supported by more than just movie ticket sales. Screenings need to be supported by non-profit organizations and community groups whose work is aligned with the issues presented in the film.  Marketing films is really expensive and so we need the activist networks already reaching to the wider world to spread the word.

• Help from Theaters: This may be controversial but let’s encourage theaters to support films with do-gooder messages to get a better cut of ticket sales.  Many for-profit companies have a percentage of their profits go to philanthropic organizations. Why not encourage theaters who are profiting from films to support those that help to make our world a more open place?

• Help from Corporations: Do-gooder films need to rely on funding not just from non-profits and grants, but also from for-profit organizations.  This funding model needs to work in a way that there is not conflict of interest; that underwriting is made without the organization having a say in the vision and voice of the film.

What are your ideas for making do-gooder films more sustainable?

Tech Thursdays: Micro 4/3rds Lenses for the AF100

Along with Art Tuesdays we are also going to be posting “Tech Thursdays.”  Each week I will post about a piece of technology, camera gear, computer software or the like and how we have used it at Eidolon in our work.  For the first post, let’s take a look at using Micro 4/3rds lenses on the AF100.

Why m4/3?

Why use a m4/3 lens on the AF100 out of the nearly endless possibilities of lenses available (thanks to the m4/3 format being incredibly adaptable)?  For me there are two main reasons: size and camera integration.  There are a few other advantages as well, but I’ll focus on these two big ones.

Size

AF100 with Lumix 20mm Lens.

Micro 4/3rds is a relatively new format sensor designed for photography and video.  It is about half as large as “full frame” sensors like the Canon 5D mkII, yet only slightly smaller than Academy 35mm motion picture film.  This makes it a great size for video, especially for those with a film background.  The “crop factor” with lenses is minimal when compared to 35mm motion picture film.  M4/3 also lacks a mirror when implemented in a DSLR body, allowing the cameras to be much smaller than a true DSLR.  All of this means that lenses for m4/3 can be built smaller than lenses of the past made for full frame and APS-C DSLRs (that’s some alphabet soup.)  Take the Panasonic Lumix 20mm f1.7 pancake lens.  They don’t call it pancake for nothing!  It is tiny.  When put on a m4/3 DSLR it doesn’t look too silly, but stick it on the AF100 and the combination looks like it was run over by a steamroller.  Looks aside, the lens is incredibly sharp wide open, pretty fast and a joy to use.  Focusing can be a little tricky in manual mode on the AF100 because the focus ring is electronic and is so close to the body that those with larger hands may have trouble.  But the total weight of the lens & camera is so low that hand holding is easy and can be done with little fatigue.  The 20mm gives an equivalent field of view of 40mm on a full frame sensor, great for walking around taking photos or close proximity filming.

Taken with the Lumix 20mm in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

It is the lens that probably spends the most time on our AF100.  Another great m4/3 lens is the Panasonic 7-14mm f4.0.  This equates to a 14-28mm field of view on full frame, so this is a super wide angle lens.  Yet it remains rectilinear, meaning lines stay straight and not distorted like on a fisheye lens.  Again, this lens is also tiny.  Not as small as the pancake, but when compared to its full frame equivalent from Nikon it is nearly a third of the weight and half the size (and half the price.)  Yes it’s made of plastic, but most of the size difference comes from the smaller sensor and shorter flange distance (because of no mirror) of the format.  This lens is extremely fun to use and sharp wide open.  The last lens with a great size to feature ratio is the Lumix 14-140mm.  This is a 10x zoom, and while it only opens up to f4.0 and quickly falls to f5.6, it is also tack sharp, light, and comes with OIS, something that is a huge benefit for video.  We use this lens often when running around during the day because it is so versatile when there is enough light.  It practically turns the AF100 into an upgraded HVX200.

Camera Connectivity

All of the Panasonic Lumix lenses interact with the AF100 body, meaning iris and focus information are passed through and electronically controlled, and the lenses correct for chromatic aberration and distortion.  For video, the camera connectivity is essential.  These are not cinema lenses, so they don’t have focus marks on their electronic focus rings, making it nearly impossible to rack focus or hit focus repeatedly and reliably.  But having a focus readout in feet helps alleviate the issue.  In our shooting so far, I’ve found the focus readout to be very accurate.  It can tend to jump quickly from .7 feet to say 5, 6 or event 30ft, but turning the ring slowly will allow for smoother focusing.  This is not unlike shooting with other camcorders like the Canon XHA1 which also had an electronic focusing ring and distance readout.  The iris control is also essential for video.  Non m4/3 lenses need adapters for iris control if they aren’t fully manual, and this tends to be a hit or miss proposition.  We have some non m4/3 lenses with adapters, and the iris control is just a ring that opens and closes the iris, but doesn’t provide any information as to what f-stop you might be at.  3rd party solutions to adapt lenses and retain electronic control of the iris are coming to market, but they are expensive and not for all lens manufacturers.  Lastly, the CA and distortion correction in the Lumix lenses, while not essential, is a nice extra feature.  It’s not something you would necessary notice if no one told you about it, but it makes the images better overall.

Video Still with the Lumix 7-14 at Georgetown University.

M4/3 lenses are a great option for shooting with on the AF100.  They are light, sharp and tend to be cheaper than their full frame counterparts.  They aren’t a total solution however.  Prime lenses from Nikon, Canon, Zeiss and other manufacturers can offer much higher build quality, manual focusing and image quality.  And then there is the cinema glass for those that need it and can afford it.  But having at least a couple m4/3 lenses in your bag is a must when shooting with the AF100.

Great documentaries now streaming on Netflix

Still from "Babies"

For those of you with Netflix streaming, there are some great documentaries now available.  Check out my recommendations below!

Marwencol: A festival favorite this year, Marwencol is a documentary about the fantasy world of Mark Hogancamp.  After being beaten into a brain-damaging coma by five men outside a bar, Mark builds a 1/6th scale World War II-era town in his backyard. Mark populates the town he dubs “Marwencol” with dolls representing his friends and family and creates life-like photographs detailing the town’s many relationships and dramas. Playing in the town and photographing the action helps Mark to recover his hand-eye coordination and deal with the psychic wounds of the attack. When Mark and his photographs are discovered, a prestigious New York gallery sets up an art show. Suddenly Mark’s homemade therapy is deemed “art”, forcing him to choose between the safety of his fantasy life in Marwencol and the real world that he’s avoided since the attack (summary from film website). Trailer is available here.

Food Inc.: In Food, Inc., filmmaker Robert Kenner lifts the veil on our nation’s food industry, exposing the highly mechanized underbelly that has been hidden from the American consumer with the consent of our government’s regulatory agencies, USDA and FDA. Our nation’s food supply is now controlled by a handful of corporations that often put profit ahead of consumer health, the livelihood of the American farmer, the safety of workers and our own environment. We have bigger-breasted chickens, the perfect pork chop, herbicide-resistant soybean seeds, even tomatoes that won’t go bad, but we also have new strains of E. coli—the harmful bacteria that causes illness for an estimated 73,000 Americans annually. We are riddled with widespread obesity, particularly among children, and an epidemic level of diabetes among adults (summary from film website).  Trailer is available here.

My Flesh & Blood: MY FLESH AND BLOOD is a feature length verite documentary about the Tom family – eleven special needs children adopted by Fairfield, California mother Susan Tom – and the story of Susan’s battle with her emotionally disturbed teenage son. With limited help from the state, Susan cares for a bustling and often chaotic house of children with conditions ranging from genetic skin disease to missing limbs.  Encouraged by Susan to feel a sense of self-acceptance, most of the children thrive despite their disabilities. But Susan’s limits are tested when her enraged 15-year old son threatens to kill one of his siblings. And when one child unexpectedly dies, the Tom family must come to understand death at an early age.  MY FLESH AND BLOOD follows the Tom family in what turns out to be the most tumultuous year of their lives (summary from Chaiken Films).  Trailer is available here

Sound and Fury: SOUND AND FURY documents one family’s struggle over whether or not to provide two deaf children with cochlear implants, devices that can stimulate hearing. As the Artinians of Long Island, New York debate what is the right choice for the two deaf cousins, Heather, 6, and Peter, 1 1/2, viewers are introduced to one of the most controversial issues affecting the deaf community today. Cochlear implants may provide easier access to the hearing world, but what do the devices mean for a person’s sense of identity with deaf culture? Can durable bridges be built between the deaf and hearing worlds? Find out. (Summary from pbs.org).  Trailer is available here.

Exit Through the Gift Shop: This is the inside story of Street Art – a brutal and revealing account of what happens when fame, money and vandalism collide. Exit Through the Gift Shop follows an eccentric shop-keeper turned amateur film-maker as he attempts to capture many of the world’s most infamous vandals on camera, only to have a British stencil artist named Banksy turn the camcorder back on its owner
with wildly unexpected results.  (Summary from banksyfilm.com). Trailer is available here.

Babies: Directed by award-winning filmmaker Thomas Balmès, from an original idea by producer Alain Chabat, Babies simultaneously follows four babies around the world – from birth to first steps. The children are, respectively, in order of on-screen introduction: Ponijao, who lives with her family near Opuwo, Namibia; Bayarjargal, who resides with his family in Mongolia, near Bayanchandmani; Mari, who lives with her family in Tokyo, Japan; and Hattie, who resides with her family in the United States, in San Francisco (Summary from focusfeatures.com). Trailer is available here.

Jesus Camp: A growing number of Evangelical Christians believe there is a revival underway in America that requires Christian youth to assume leadership roles in advocating the causes of their religious movement.  JESUS CAMP, directed by Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady, directors of the critically acclaimed The Boys of Baraka, follows Levi, Rachael, and Tory to Pastor Becky Fischer’s “Kids on Fire” summer camp in Devil’s Lake, North Dakota, where kids as young as 6 years-old are taught to become dedicated Christian soldiers in “God’s army.” The film follows these children at camp as they hone their “prophetic gifts” and are schooled in how to “take back America for Christ.” The film is a first-ever look into an intense training ground that recruits born-again Christian children to become an active part of America’s political future (Summary from magpictures.com).  Trailer is available here.

Between The Folds: Between the Folds chronicles the stories of ten fine artists and intrepid theoretical scientists who have abandoned careers and scoffed at hard–earned graduate degrees—all to forge unconventional lives as modern–day paperfolders. As they converge on the unlikely medium of origami, these artists and scientists reinterpret the world in paper, and bring forth a bold mix of sensibilities towards art, expressiveness, creativity and meaning. And, together these offbeat and provocative minds demonstrate the innumerable ways that art and science come to bear as we struggle to understand and honor the world around us—as artists, scientists, creators, collaborators, preservers, and simply curious beings.  (Summary from greenfusefilms.com). Trailer is available here.

Not so easy listening: Film scores that move and inspire

Film still from the movie Amelie

I was listening to Pandora the other day and came across this fantastic Italian pianist, Ludovico Einaudi, whose moving compositions could make for a great film score.  The song, A Fuoco, conjures feelings of mystery and mourning yet a bit of promise and is ever-so romantic.  I imagine it could compliment a story of war and lost love. It seems my favorite film scores come from those type of stories.

On Love:

The score in the stunning French film Amelie comes to mind. When listening to L’Valse D’Amelie, I’m immediately transported to Paris, France, where I’m working in eccentric cafe in Montmarte, wearing polka dotted dresses and scheming ways to bring happiness to others . The bitter loss of a loved one and the path to understanding death is so beautifully told through Clint Mansell’s Death is the Road to Awe from Darren Aronofsky’s artful film the The Fountain. It’s notable to mention that Mansell is also the genius behind the Requiem for a Dream score.

On War:

And on the subject of war, there’s Erroll Morris’ beautiful film Fog of War, which is ever-so perfectly highlighted by the compositions of the prolific and talented Phillip Glass. 67 Cities expresses the complexities of war yet also the profound loss of life in Vietnam. Glass’ Metamorphosis 1 may just be my favorite song of all time.  The Betrayal (Nerkhoon) is the most meaningful documentary I’ve seen on the human condition and the lasting effects of war.  The film’s score by Howard Shore is as layered and moving as the subject it carries.

This year’s Oscar-nominated scores:

This clip has a collection of this year’s Oscar nominated film scores from How to Train Your Dragon, 127 Hours, Inception, The King’s Speech, and The Social Network, whose score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross ultimately took home the Oscar.

It has to be said that music, just like movies, has the ability to transport you to another place, to move you and inspire you, explaining human emotions that words often fail to do. When images and music are working in tandem, the result is profound. What are your favorite film scores?

My Life List

It was a slow day at Eidolon and it was making me anxious, as idle days often do. I felt this massive creative block that rendered me useless – sitting with my second cup of coffee watching the 4th hour of the Today Show.  When Hoda and Kathy Lee became grating, I shut off the television and grabbed my moleskin notebook. The moleskin is only dedicated to important tasks; all others are relegated to a stack of reporter’s notebooks.  So I sat in the quiet of my home office with a pen and my moleskin to do what became a surprisingly productive and enriching task. I made a life list.

It was pure luxury to sit and write a list without abandon.  Whether ostentatious or commonplace, I wrote down my every desire.  For travel, for adventure, for financial, for my career, for giving back to the community and for my family.  Every desire I wrote down. I didn’t edit, I didn’t censor, I just jotted it down.

Sure I’d spoken aloud about my dreams and goals before, but the process of writing it down was different. It made the goals real and tangible. And it made me accountable for reaching them.  As I wrote down the list, I had to fight with myself to be ambitious, to think big. In my career category I would stop myself from writing things like “Get nominated for an Academy Award.” How dare I have the audacity to say I could achieve that! But I pushed by the doubts and my own self-imposed limitations. And I wrote it all, albeit in pencil. When I’m a more confident person, I’ll try pen!

If I allow myself to believe that I can accomplish it all, I have a lot to look forward to: raising children, owning a townhouse in DC with a backyard garden, teaching at my alma mater, living abroad again, joining the Peace Corps after age sixty, being a life-long mentor, regularly raising my charitable donations, hiking the top ten treks in the world, riding the Trans-Siberian railway, screening my films on Capitol Hill, winning an Emmy, getting my writing published in the NYTimes…. the list goes on.  My goals are ambitious and so my actions have to be, too.  Instead of making excuses for why it’s too much money or why I don’t have the time, I booked a trip to Southeast Asia for 8 weeks.  Just like that. It’s going to take a lot of saving, a lot of penny pinching while we’re there, a lot of creativity and schedule-maneuvering, but in the end… Thailand, check! Vietnam, check! Laos, check! Cambodia, check!. While the rejections have been numerous, I continue to fight for an audience for Keeping the Kibbutz.  When one person said no, I went to the next. So this Fall, it will screen on individual affiliate PBS stations and a Video on Demand channel. It will take a lot of time and effort to market it to each station with a zero budget — a lot of aggravation for not much financial profit. But a national broadcast? A million potential viewers? Check!

Steps to making a list and sticking to it:

Rule #1: Write it down.  The exercise is moot if you don’t write it down. You need to have a visual log of what you want to do before it can become a tangible goal.  Write it in a special notebook because it is a special task.

Rule #2: Categorize.  I broke up my life goals into six categories: Travel, Financial, Career, Giving Back, Family, and Adventure. Customize your categories to fit your desires and lifestyle. At times in your life, one category may have more weight than others. Right now, I’m focusing on my career, travel and giving back to my community, but in time, I know raising a family and my financial welfare will begin to take more precedence.  Writing goals for every facet of your life, now or in the future, can be helpful so that you don’t exclude things that are important to you, even if they’re not so pressing at the moment.

Rule #3: Revisit your list. Our life goals are ever-evolving. For example, just last year, I discovered a passion for trekking.  So revisit and revise your list. Add goals, demote others. Check off goals that you have accomplished. See what’s left and adjust your steps to getting there.

Rule #4: Devise an action plan.  For each goal, set a plan for achieving that goal.  This has been the hardest thing for me to do. Some goals it’s hard for me to even envision how I’d get there, like going to Sundance with one of my films.  The chance of doing that is less than 1% and is dependent on so many uncontrollable factors. So instead, I’ve set a goal for when I want to finish my next non-fiction film, with the ultimate plan of submitting to Sundance.  Other goals are much easier to set action plans for. For travel, I simply save my money, set aside time every year to take a trip and pick a destination or group of destinations from my master list.  The more detailed and specific the better. Like, I will save $5 a day every day for a year, which will amount to my plane ticket. When you look at it in those terms, it’s rather easy. It’s simply cutting out a daily Latte, maybe cutting cable television (who needs Real Housewives anyway), or even replacing the gym with runs outdoors. Goals are nothing without plans to getting there.

Rule #5: Make quarterly assessments. Write into your electronic or paper calendar a date four times a year during which you examine your life goals and evaluate whether you’ve stuck to your action plans.  If you haven’t, ask yourself, what is getting in my way? What challenges am I facing to meeting that goal? What can I do differently?

Rule #6: Give yourself a break! Failure is part of the plan, believe it or not. If you’re not failing, well then, your goals aren’t that damn ambitious! So when you fail to reach one goal, try again next year. That’s why we call this thing, a “life list”, ’cause well, it may take a lifetime. And how exciting is that!

Hello Large Sensor, Nice to Meet You.

By Ben Crosbie

With the Panasonic AF100 having just been released, and Sony having announced two new S35 video cameras, how does an indie film-maker decide on what camera to use for their next project?  DSLR, AF100, NXCAM, F3 (if you can afford it) – such a wide array of choices that many of us would have never imagined could exist 5 years ago.  Now instead of struggling with clunky 35mm adapters for your 1/3″ camcorder, you can simply pick up a DSLR or the forth coming Panasonic/Sony camera, attach a SLR lens and hit record.  You’ll be rewarded with a filmic depth of field, expanded dynamic range, and incredible low light capabilities (previously you only gained 35mm DOF with the adapters.)  So which camera do you choose?

Our Choice

We just got the new Panasonic AF100, and had picked up a Panasonic GH1 a month ago as a B-camera and to use in the gap prior to the AF100’s release.  In a previous blog I had said that we were not going to use a DSLR for film-making, but obviously we have reneged on that decision.  We were all set to shoot our new projects on the AF100, but a few had to begin a couple months prior to its release.  As a result, we decided we would try out the GH1.

While the Canon 5D MkII was one of the first DSLRs used to shoot video, and remains king of hyper shallow DOF (thanks to its massive full frame sensor), we decided against using it for a few reasons.  We opted for the GH1 because it’s cheaper ($1000 for body and video optimized lens vs. $2400 for the 5D body alone), and because we would easily be able to share lenses between the GH1 and the AF100, and the two would cut together much more easily.  Additionally, older models of the GH1 can be hacked to improve the bit-rate (and perhaps one day the newer models as well), and even without the hack, the GH1 works much better for shooting video.  It has no limit on recording times, includes typical video frame-rates and a good articulating LCD screen and high quality view finder that can be used while recording video (unlike the other DSLRs that have mirrors preventing the use of the viewfinder during recording.)  The 5D (and 7D, 60D etc.) all offer some advantages over the GH1 for certain users and purposes, but for us, the net advantage went to the GH1.

Shooting with the GH1

Our GH1 is unhacked due to it’s build date, so we are only seriously considering using it for sit down interviews and staged B-Roll/artistic scenes.  I have no real desire or plan to use the GH1 for any run & gun action, fast-moving subjects, wide shots or the like.  That is what the AF100 will be for.  So how did the GH1 work out on our recent shoot?  As a video camera, the GH1 is not perfect.  Like any DSLR, it is not meant to shoot video, so it lacks some essential features found on “real” camcorders.  Exposure tools like zebras, waveforms, XLR audio, and timecode are all absent from the GH1.  It also lacks a video out port that you can connect to a pro monitor.  So judging exposure with the GH1 can be scary to say the least.  You have to really trust your eyes and have enough experience with it to know what you will end up with.  All that said, the images it produces can be spectacular.  We shot 12 sit down interviews with the GH1, and all of them looked gorgeous.  We were able to get some shots that we were physically incapable of filming just one year ago with an XHA1 in the exact same shooting locations.  We shot a 2nd camera with an HVX200, and the side by side difference is actually quite stunning:

The lower quality AVCHD of the GH1 didn’t really present any problems with these types of shots.  In underexposed areas there were some artifacts, but the GH1 still outshines the HVX200 in pure aesthetic quality.

The AF100

We pre-ordered the AF100 a couple days after it went on pre-order.  “How can you buy a camera sight unseen?” you may ask.  Well, the last camera we bought (Canon XH-A1) we purchased without ever having used it, and I would venture to say most people never get to touch, let alone test extensively, any camera they are buying.  You have to make the decision based on reviews and specs.  The AF100 doesn’t have any reviews really, aside from pre-production model tests which have sent some into a tizzy about highlight clipping, lack of dynamic range and a “video-look.”  The footage I’ve seen from the test shots look amazing, and the earlier testers are all in love with the camera, so I stand firm in my decision to pre-order.

The AF100 offers everything the DSLR users have come to love, but leaves behind all of their short comings.  I consider this a game changer, but many do not.  Many are expecting this camera to deliver some amazing new “never-before-seen” imagery, but that is just unrealistic.  I’m not sure what that would even look like.  The AF100 will give us the same filmic image we have come to expect from DSLRs, but without moire, aliasing, skew, and with the addition of proper video features such as long recording times, proper audio, proper monitoring, outputs and lots of buttons to control all the functions.  This is exactly what we need.  We need a camera that works like a real video camera, that can be trusted in a variety of situations, and doesn’t need a multitude of accessories to function properly.  The AF100 promises to fit that bill.

First Test Shoot

Today I was able to take out the AF100 for a test shoot.  This was my first time using the camera, so I still have many things to learn about it.  But my first impressions are very high.  The camera is a dream to use.  Functionally, it works just as any prosumer camcorder should.  It has all the right tools, knobs, and functions for creating good looking video, and allows you to do it easily.  That is the key thing I noticed from the test shoot.  I never found myself once wishing that I had some extra feature.  I had all the tools I needed at my disposal.  This is how using a video camera should be.  The LCD is quite large and sharp, and I rarely had focusing issues due to the handy focus-in-red feature.  The built in waveform also helped enormously in judging tricky exposures.

The footage the AF100 produces is also very, very nice.  It resembles the GH1, but has the much better broadcast version of AVCHD.  This means it has a higher bitrate and many more compression key frames which allow the codec to withstand more challenging situations in which the GH1’s codec would fall apart.  The AF100 also has variable frame rates up to 60fps at full 1080p.  This is huge feature for a camera in this price range, and let me tell you, the 60fps stuff looks awesome.  I have many more tests and shoots to do with the AF100 before I can really comment on the quality of the footage, but so far I am impressed, and you can judge for yourself:

http://vimeo.com/18326382

Hindsight is 20/20 When Using Marketing Goggles

Keeping the Kibbutz is now beginning to screen at festivals, community centers, synagogues, universities and museums across the US and abroad.  It’s a wonderful feeling to see our work screened before audiences and to hear their feedback.   Yet what is most interesting about this stage in the life of the film is that it is providing us incredible insight into what worked and what didn’t in the making of this film. The editing process resulted in many Homer Simpson ‘doh’ moments as we noticed a mic muff in the frame, a dirty lens, a missed opportunity. But it’s in the marketing, outreach and engagement stage that we’ve really begun to realize what connects a film with engaged audiences – the ultimate goal of producing a documentary. Here are some of the lessons we learned for the next time around. Hopefully these reflections will be helpful to other filmmakers.

1. Identify core audiences immediately and solicit their support right away.

We were so focused on the creation of the film that we neglected to seriously think about audience. While we had a rough idea of who our core audience was, we never surveyed these communities to get a sense of their desires and needs with respect to the topic of the kibbutz experience.  I think their questions could have provided us a more refined direction while making the film. We also would have been well served by developing early on the personal relationships necessary to connect the film to the public.

2. Funding matters and not just for money

We made a few small efforts to obtain formal funding for Keeping the Kibbutz but once turned-down we failed to search for less competitive funding opportunities or evaluate our application and submit again (which is common for many filmmakers). We had the stubborn and naiive attitude that we would finish the film with or without funding and hopefully make some return on our investment. In retrospect, while helpful, it isn’t the money that we most missed out on. Rather, it’s the outreach support and connection to key communities that a large funder could have provided us. While we have a wonderful film on our hands, we are no match to the organizations with clout to connect their films to audiences. The lesson is that funding matters, and not just for money.

3. Hire an executive producer

Never create in a vacuum. We knew this as a fundamental truth in filmmaking but I’m not sure we understood the extent of outside support we needed.  We utilized works-in-progress screenings and employed the feedback these screenings produced. But perhaps that support wasn’t quite enough. We needed a skilled, experienced and well-connected executive producer to come in with fresh eyes and help us sculpt the film into something that would be well-marketed.

4. Make more than one version of the film – one 70 minute and one 50 minute.

Our film ended up being 54 minutes, the length we felt best told the story. The length is perfect for television and community and university screenings as it allows plenty of time for discussion and Q&A without being exhaustive or extending beyond a classroom period. However, it’s a nearly impossible length for film festivals. In fact some festivals won’t even accept a film of that length. It can only be realistically programmed with two other shorts, and many festivals favor screening short films in a group, rather than at the front or tail end of an ‘essay length’ film.  Most advisable is to film enough strong content to warrant a 70-90 minute film for festival and theatrical screening, then cut down to a 56 minute film that can be used in TV and educational screenings as well as marketing for television.

5. Take excellent photographs!

Taking excellent photos of the characters and setting of your film seems like an extraneous measure but it’s just as important as your cinematography. These photographs will ultimately be used to market and sell your film on your website, posters and postcards, and DVD cover. Think about flipping through a film festival catalogue or through the independent section of the video rental store. It is the jacket cover images that make you want read the synopsis.  While the video equipment of late makes for excellent stills, it’s rare that in the run and gun of verite, you’ll capture that iconic image that will say everything you want to say about the film.  After filming or even throughout the production process, leave time for taking phenomenal photos of your characters, the setting, and even symbolic items – such as a flag, a typewriter, or paintbrush – whatever will help to portray your film. And don’t forget to have someone taking pictures of you at work, especially behind the camera. You can use these pics for the “about the director” section of your website and press kit.  We did a very poor job of taking photographs and so we ultimately had to utilize stills from the film that did not necessarily have the clearest resolution.

6. Keep a production journal

This is one of the actions we did do right. We kept a thorough production journal, which at the time helped us sort through our thoughts and experiences while filming. Later on, we were able to re-post these blog entries on our Keeping the Kibbutz website blog. We’ve also used some of the anecdotal stories, which may have been otherwise forgotten over time, to provide audiences with some insight into the “making of” during post-screening discussions.

7. Film Extras!

While it’s very important to have a distinct focus when filming a documentary film, your deep exploration of a topic may lead you to many interesting stories you never imagined. And while these stories may not exactly fit into the narrative trajectory of your film, they can be integrated into featurettes that can be included in your DVD ‘extras’.  They lend additional insight into the topic and are viewable at the discretion of the home viewer. For example, one of our characters’ Francois and his wife Esther cared for wounded birds, turning their backyard into an eclectic bird hospital and sanctuary replete with a massive turquoise cage and a 20 ft. tall bird home for “Craw” the friendly crow. This footage was ultimately made into a 5 minute featurette entitled “The Birds.” We also filmed elements of Ben’s grandmother’s life: entertaining friends, exercising, going to the salon, eating lunch in the dining room, riding around on her little golf cart. This footage ultimately became a featurette entitled “Savta”.

8. Gather email addresses early

This wasn’t something we would have necessarily thought of gathering in the production stage, but it could have been easily done by adding one more prominent line on our appearance releases: add your email address if you want to be updated on the progress of the film. We had over 60 appearance releases, so that could have been 60 additional people on our newsletter, on facebook and ultimately spreading the word. An additional email sign-up could be in your hand if you are in a crowd that is not being filmed but is still interested in the film.