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Filed under: Cameras •Lighting •Pre-Production •Tips •Training •

A Tale of Forbidden Love, Shot on RED

A short schedule, minimal crew, no budget, a RED with an untried software build, and a trained dog in nearly every shot. What could go wrong?

AUTHOR’S NOTE: I’ve gotten some complaints from people who have found this short film offensive. I get that it’s not everyone’s sense of humor, but I’m proud of my work on it and I’m not ashamed to show it off.

Just for the record, this film took Grand Prize at the 2009 Goodby, Silverstein & Partners Annual Film Festival.

Once in a while a project comes along that makes me say “How could I NOT do this?” This short film was such a project. The director and producer found me on the Internet and asked me to meet them for coffee and a chat. We got on very well and six weeks later (August of 2009) we started a two day shoot with a borrowed RED, a bunch of free lights, and a dedicated cast of very talented actors.

This was a study in lighting quickly and moving fast, two things that happen regularly on low-budget projects and anything containing animals. By embracing what’s available, and framing pretty shots, the lack of equipment and crew can be largely overcome. Simply placing the camera in the right place, with the right lens, is probably the most powerful tool we have as cinematographers: the frame is the conduit through which the story is told, so finding the right perspective is extremely important. It’s also the easiest thing to do.

Lighting is extraordinarily important as well, but as lighting tools can be limited on low-budget productions it’s important to prioritize. The best of both worlds is finding a lighting setup that works for the entire space, or most of the space, and then focusing on finding good shots that work within that lighting setup. If most of your lighting is set up in advance, and coverage merely requires moving the camera around, you’re going to be very popular with the director, producer and cast.

We shot this on a privately-owned RED ONE camera. This was the first time I’d used Build 20 to shoot a project, and I very much liked the new color science, even though I shot this entire project using daylight-balanced lights. The color was prettier and more accurate, and the noise—when it cropped up—was no longer tinged with blue speckles. I did learn that, up until now, I’d led a charmed RED life as I’d never had any significant problems with the camera. On this one project, though, we had times when the white balance would change for no apparent reason and the camera would shut off when moved, requiring a lengthy reboot. We didn’t lose any footage or any appreciable amount of time but it was definitely a different experience.

WARNING: The second half of the film contains graphic images that some may consider offensive. If you are easily offended and/or don’t have a sense of humor, please don’t watch the end credits.

I’ll start at the beginning of the film and work my way through, although this is not the order in which the film was shot. Watch the film and then turn the page…

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The Best of Stunning Good Looks Art Adams | 08/30 A directory of my best articles, sorted by topic. This entry is a guide to my best articles, sorted by topic. Enjoy!

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I very much enjoy reading these Art.  Thanks for taking the time to post them.  Someday I hope to be as good at lighting as you are.

Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)  on  01/16  at  02:22 PM

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I enjoyed reading about the production, but I can’t say I enjoyed watching the video.

Sorry Art, not my cup of tea….

Posted by Daniel Weber  on  01/17  at  05:52 AM

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Mitch, you’re quite welcome. Thanks for the compliment. And if you’re as into lighting as I am, and it appears you are… you will be.

Daniel, no problem, I didn’t really post the film as entertainment but as a learning exercise. I know it’s not everyone’s taste.

Posted by Art Adams  on  01/17  at  04:32 PM

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Nick Drake sighting!

That was inspired Art, as was the short.  Always appreciate your lessons…they’re both educational and motivational.  Worth their weight in cellulose acetate.

Posted by Steve Madsen  on  09/19  at  03:23 AM

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