Michael Hardy's Lounge Discussions

Four (4) year old zombie thread guys......

So let me get this straight. Your Dad can deal with you killing someone but making love to someone on screen he can't? I understand as a father that would be a bitter pill to swallow but damn! I notice folks have no problems with violence but if you do a movie with sex and nudity it's like you started World War III. Sigh.

So...in a professional shoot, you should know from the breakdown that there's nudity and/or a sex scene. If that's not for you, then you shouldn't submit or audition, and your agent should make sure she knows your comfort level. You are required to be told before your first audition if you're union. If you're not, it's still the professional thing, and no director should ever be like "So today, it's your nude scene!" when you show up to the set, without your far prior knowledge. I always put it in the breakdown, actors know before they even submit to be considered, we talk about it in the first interview, there's a nudity rider for their deal memo, etc. There's no question about the specifics, and they know pretty much what's going on before I even meet them the first time.

There are tons of roles that have nudity, there are tons of roles that don't. Do what you're comfortable with, and don't worry about it.

and wow this post is freakin' old... ;)

Exactly! No one is forcing the actors to be nude. If there's nudity it's usually listed in the casting call. If you don't want to do nude, don't audition for the role.

Instead of asking the question " should I do nudity scenes?" Ask you're self this question "what roles am I unsuitable for and what roles would I be suitable for? Now as you list them out you will see that there may be many roles you are not suited for, and of course you will see there are also many that you are not suited for. My list might touch on my fear of heights, snakes, and my inability to pronounce certain words. Now when considering a part I would consider how much into my uncomfortable zone would I have to go, and whether there was any room for negotiation. I guess what I'm saying is that we all have places where we do not want to go. If nudity is yours, and you are not comfortable with it, and you can't negotiate changes, move on, there are plenty of roles to apply for that don't involve taking your clothes off.

No such camera currently in the marketplace. The GH4 can create some good 4K work in high light situations ( just did pickups for an EPIC-lensed feature with it; impressive ) but it's a weak still camera. Funny you mention 60D- I have retained 2 of those and they can do quite nicely for web-targeted interviews and photo shoots that do not go beyond a computer screen in size... I shot b-roll on a multi-cam broadcast shoot with one a mere 2 weeks ago. I rarely do any existing light work so the 5d MKIII is unnecessary. A note about 4k- almost nothing shot in 4K finishes in 4K. If you are targeting a UHD release, you are likely shooting on REDs or Alexa.

There is the a7s from Sony. Its low light capabilities beat anything on the market. Even RED. It doesn't shoot 4k internally, but it can if you attach an external recorder. Even so, the HD image is really sharp anyway, so if you cropped in for any reason, it wouldn't be that noticeable. It even has an aps-c mode. It is quite small so I would suggest rigging it at all times if you want handheld.

The a7s is great for motion, as long as nothing is moving. Worst rolling shutter yet. Try a lock off shot of dancers at 24 fps and you will be cured of it's attractive low light abilities.

Some great suggestions her for you Stephanie and the cautions about low light capability, rolling shutter are well-placed. You mention full frame for stills, but a lot of the mirrorless cameras are in the m4/3 format. It also might help to know what type of still or video work you want to produce to weed out the camera's that may not suit. The 60D is pretty capable. Where is it letting you down at the moment? Have you thought about the ML hacks?

This project is moving along and we've just had an offer of a pledge of $1000 to match the first $1000 of other pledges. We're almost there and just a few dollars / pounds / bitcoin / yen from each person would get us there! You get karma and credits!!!!

Hey Michael, this is Julie from the Stage 32 team. I just wanted to let you know I moved your post from Financing / Crowdfunding to the Your Stage Lounge, as it fits much better there. The Financing/Crowdfunding lounge is to discuss the business & craft. Let me know if you have any questions, and all the best to you!

Try Wefund, good website, easy to sign up but make sure you tell the world you are on there. There is a deadline for how long you stay 'live', use it to its full.

crowdfunding works best when you have a community or email list to market to. Trying to do it without having a list first is a tough go. In an online world...communities and affinity groups are everything. Work on building your list and community and you will have more chances at a successful crowdfunding campaign.

Well I'd like to think that we could show that Stage 32 is part of a successful crowdfunding campaign... For just $10 you could get credited in a film, get an online copy of the film .... and help fight cancer. I'm doing a fundraising rally for cancer research. It's sanctioned by the Cancer Council and we are going to be driving 3600kms (2250 miles) from Canberra to Townsville via some of the most rugged but beautiful outback scenery in Australia, including the Simpson desert and Birdsville track .... in a $1000 car. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to film it, so we are making a mockumentry about the preparations, the journey and the people we meet along the way. Proceeds from sales or prizes for the mockumentry will also go to the Cancer Council. We have a crowdfunding campaign at Pozible http://pozi.be/mocko?ra=315202 While $10 will get you credited in the film and access to an online copy, there are also other options. Thank you in advance if you are able to help. Michael.

Hi Brian -- I used Indiegogo [igg.me/at/aloveundefined] just a few months ago and was successfully funded. It's a lot of work, but honestly, worth it as audience members have the opp to be more involved in the overall feel of entire production; it also gives the creator a chance to show their stuff, creatively that is. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have other detailed questions, would be happy to help/answer where I can! Cheers :)