My Student Film – Part 3

You work in 4-man teams with three other students – they help you & you help them – camera, sound, & lighting – we each do a few 2-minute films during the year – practicing as we learn.  

LIGHTS – today they often use Klieg lights to flood the whole set – very homogenized look – we use 3-point lighting – key light, back light, fill light – we use the lighting effects to add flavor and tone to each scene.

I’m going to shoot this dark – to set a dark mood – like the opening sequence in The Godfather – in Don Corleone’s office with the undertaker, the baker, Luca Brasi, and Johnny Fontaine.

CAMERA – we use 16 mm film – no digital cameras – no monitor to see what you’re shooting – so it’s all on the cameraman – if he sets the aperture too wide – everything’s washed out – too narrow and everything’s blacked out – he has to set the camera just right for every shot.

DAILY – you develop film every day – to see what you have – if some of the shots stink – you hafta reshoot them.

FOOTAGE – you always shoot more footage than you think you need – a lot can happen between shooting and editing – so extra footage can make up for mistakes.

Not shooting enough footage can give you a film like AT CLOSE RANGE – where they had to use the same couple shots over and over again because they didn’t shoot enough to cover mistakes.

ACTION – The establishing shot is the church exterior – we shoot out of plumb at a 45-degree angle – a hint something out of the ordinary is coming – and here comes our T-and-A girl walking into frame in the slinky dress – she climbs the steps & enters the church.

Interior shot – magnificent old Catholic church – a few classmates scattered in the pews – the T-and-A girl blesses herself & genuflects as she takes a seat in a pew near the confessional.

A man’s waiting in line – a woman exits the booth, the man enters, and the T-and-A girl gets in line.

A quick dissolve – the man exits, our girl enters, and now we’re in the wheelhouse.

Remember, we’re shooting this sequence in my studio apartment in the homemade confessional booth – we introduce the priest – he slides open the door – we alternate back and forth – thru one side of the screen & the other – to save setup time we do the priest first and the girl second – and same thing with the overhead shots.

For the sex scene – we lug our equipment and actors up 30 floors – down a long hall – the Mexican kid opens the door and leads us into the bedroom – we set up the equipment – actors are ready – time to shoot the nude sex scene.

Like I said – directing a movie is the one of the most difficult jobs in the world because shit always goes wrong – but we’re almost done – what could go wrong now?

Lights are set – camera’s ready to roll – the T-and-A girl’s on the bed ready to get undressed – the priest is standing next to the bed – still in his priest outfit – but now the shit really hits the fan.

The Mexican kid tells me his parents just arrived – an unexpected trip – they’re downstairs in the lobby – they’re very devout Catholics – his mother’s gonna freak – we gotta leave – I beg him for 10 minutes – so he goes down to the lobby to get their suitcases & stall them.

But I gotta make changes on the fly – the sex scene on the bed’s out – not enough time – gotta do something to salvage the movie – and do it fast – otherwise time & money are down the drain – plus we hafta find another location and start over.

I got it – priest, you lean back against the wall – T-and-A girl, take your top off and get down on your knees in front of the priest – simulate giving him a blow-job.

Now we shoot from behind – we get the back of her head – bobbing for apples – and the priest standing against the wall – changing his expression as if he’s really getting the blowie.

Now I raise my arms to signal him – extending them straight out to the side & parallel to the floor – he gets the hint – slowly he raises his arms until it looks like he’s nailed to a cross – and he drops his head at an angle – hold it – hold it – cut – and that’s a wrap.

We pack up our shit and haul ass – we’re waiting for the elevator when the kid and his parents get off – we all pretend not to know the Mexican kid – I took care of him later with food and beverages.

Coming Soon – Part 4 – In the Can

Click for Part 1 – Strike a Nerve

Click for Part 2 – Man of Many Hats

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Directing a movie is one of the most difficult jobs in the world – as I discovered when I attended the New York Film Academy in 1991-92.

This is what it takes.

I’m America’s Best Crime Writer and I approve this message.

Warner Books published Born to Be Wild in 1992 & it still sells every day at Amazon & Kindle. True story about certain members of the Warlocks motorcycle gang.

The story takes 21 years to play out – with many twists & turns – an amalgam of Sons of Anarchy & Breaking Bad – but these outlaw bikers make the Sons look like Cub Scouts.

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