Disposable Media

When I was brainstorming about disposable media movie ideas, I wasn't liking my ideas that followed a storyline. Originally, that was what I thought I wanted to do for this project. My idea path changed however when I started fidgeting around with my feet while contemplating my next move. It hit me that feet would be a good idea for my disposable media movie. Paige did different people dancing for her video. When people were dancing, I found myself watching their feet. I watched the Footloose opening with the dancing feet which gave me some inspiration. I wasn't trying to recreate the exact same thing but, the end product did come out similarly. I started looking for people wearing interesting shoes so I would have a variety of different styles in my video. Overall, I think I succeeded in having diversity, but if I were to do the video again, I would include less sneakers and expand to an even larger variety (sandals, boots). Another thing I would do differently is I would prep myself by looking at different foot dances online that people could do. Some people I asked to do a dance with their feet for my video weren't sure what to do. Through my research, I could give them some tips. I would also scout out more backgrounds. Muench helped me edit the video so that the feet were always moving at the beginning of each frame.  The transitions were clunky when there was a pause in movement. I like my song choice. Not only does it talk about feet, but it also brings a light, fun sound which works well with the vibe I was going for. I also think that the camera perspective is good for this kind of video. If the camera had been from above, the video would not have had the same effect. 

Tripod Parts

Shoe: holds the camera in place on the tripod. 

Tripod head: Keeps the camera steady

Leg locks: Keeps the tripod legs in locked position so they do not move or change sizes. 

Pan-handle: Controls the panning/movement of the camera. 

Disposable media: Media filmed on a phone or iPad. 

Lighting: Important in having a good film. Adds dimensions to things on camera. 

Key light: the light in a person's eyes when on camera. 

fill light: Fills the empty space in the frame. 

story board: written outline of a movie before it is filmed. 

cold opening: opening with no introduction or explanation. It goes right into the action. 

XLR cable: Extender cord that connect the camera to the mic. 

Lav mic: clip on mic used for interviews to get good sound. 

LED Light: Battery powered, very bright. 

Soft box: More natural and warm. Has a filter to control harshness. 

SD Card: Stores all of the footage on the camera.

• Hold phone sideways for a wider and more inclusive frame. For my film in particular, the wide frame was much more effective than the tall frame. 

• When a light is close, the background will be dark.

• Snapchat is disposable media

• With creativity, you can make awesome movies. (low budget, bad filming) - Matt Harding video

• "If you could have done it, why didn't you?" (Splatter paint is fine art)

• To control exposure on the iPhone, press down on the screen. (Avoid being too white/bright)

• As always, don't cut too quickly. You might get the best part of your movie when you weren't intending on including it.

Helping with the first shoot of BBA News:

• Always keep a checklist

• Have a team meeting before getting equipment or going off site for a shoot. (Some of the crew didn't get the equipment that Muench specifically set up for them).

• Be ready for hiccups and last minute changes. (The camera and teleprompter that we originally planned to use did not work).

• Weather can effect a shoot. (We shot outside on the coldest morning of the fall). Be prepared with blankets and space heaters.

• If shooting outside in the morning, be aware that the lighting will change as the sun rises. 

• Every person on set has an important job to do. 

• Get footage or images of the process of filming to show how it was done. (Maybe to be shown during credits)

1. Weak Story

• If you want a good story, you need a character with a clear goal. Audience will get confused and bored if the character is underdeveloped.

2. Undercooked Scripts

• Don’t rush writing the script. Rewrite the scripts many times and get feedback to make sure that the one end up using is as strong as possible. Really strong story = good movie   

3. Bad Sound

• Having bad sound will make you look like an amateur. Audiences will not tolerate bad sound. If you create an amazing movie with great actors, an interesting story, beautiful shots, nice lighting, and bad sound, the audience probably will get hung up on the bad sound, overlooking everything that was good. Sound is extremely important.
• Mics as close to the actors as possible. 

4. Poor Casting Choices

•  Don’t write a role if you don’t have someone in mind who can play it. (Especially if the character needs to be a specific age. A high schooler should not be playing the mother of another high schooler.
• 90% of directing is casting. If you have good actors who are professional, a lot of trust can be given to them to do what they are supposed to do, making the director’s job easier. 
• Take your time when casting. "Cast with care"

5. Poor Shot Composition

• Beginner work often has dead space. 
• Avoid including empty/wasted space in shots. 
• Use the rule of thirds and really think about how the space will look on camera
• Make sure shots have depth (do not include shots with people against walls or corners) — BORING AND FLAT
• Include shots with layers (foreground and background)
• Shooting through doorways adds depth

6. Production Design

• NO WHITE WALLS (too plain)
• If you have to use a white wall for a shot, put a picture up or include something in the shot to add interest. 

7. Poor Lighting

• If people can’t see what’s happening in the film, they will lose interest or get confused. 
• Under lit shots are not interesting
• With good lighting, a cheap movie can look expensive

 Unnecessary Insert Shots

• Don't include a close up if what you're showing isn't actually important. 

8. Lingering

• People doing uninteresting things that don’t add anything ti the story. Beginners often make the mistake of adding many of these shots
•  Keep pacing fast and “snappy"

9. Too Many Pauses

• Pauses can help build tension in a conversation or show that your character is thinking. 
• Too many pauses slows down the scene and take your audience out of the movie.
• Dramatic movies do not have to filled with pauses to build tension.
• Be selective on where you include moments of silence. 

10. No Blocking

• Beginner movies have a lot of standing around 
• Motion should help tell the story, Professionals move. 
• Movement keeps actors alive and energized. 

11. Too Much Chit Chat

• Too much dialogue = boring 
• Replace chatter with action 

12. Action for the Sake of Action

• Too much action is boring.The action needs to have a purpose
• Be creative when planning action packed scenes. 

13. Cliches

• Avoid doing overused film techniques. (Starting a movie with someone getting out of bed)
• Comb through script for cliches because sometimes, we don’t even know that we included one
• If you are going to use a cliche, make it unique so it’s fresh

14. Weak Starts

• Start should have a hook. The first few moments of film are very important.   

15. Generic Music

• Music needs to fit the scene. 
• Avoid making music too dramatic for your film
• The easiest musical choices are not usually the best choices.\
• Scene may not even need music