Garrett Adams's Lounge Discussions

There are two forms of auteurs: the writer-director, the other type who takes another's script and brings it to screen. In either case, the director must first & foremost be a visionary with creative interpretation for both visuals and performance. Obviously a basic knowledge of all of the production aspects is needed in order to recognize when & where problems may arise. The Director must be organized to make sure everything and everyone is in the right place, doing the right thing at the right time. A director must be diplomatic with the cast and crew about how to get them to perform their very best. Its the Director's job to make everybody else look great. And lastly, humility is required to make it all work.

Please think about what is being said in these videos. Does the technique being shown make sense for the stated artistic goal? Is it the best way of doing things? Is it repeatable? Is it even effective? Use your eyes, your brain, your experience, and your imagination to evaluate what is being said. Don’t just believe somebody saying this is how to get some specific result, that they then say was achieved. Use your eyes; is the result you see what you are being repeatedly told it is? Did the methodology actually make sense in terms of what the desired outcome was, the ease of doing it, and the accuracy achieved? Does the internet renaming a method somehow make it better? Content versus presentation. Please think.

I always expect Directors to know enough to make decisions that are correct for their vision of the producers story. All of the associated creative contributors on a picture will have suggestions but the Director needs to decide if they fit the vision and do that in a timely fashion. That decision can only come quickly IF the Director KNOWS the story and the approach they will take and is sure of their choices. There should be no egos involved when making suggestions, as contributors we offer up options and the reasons they may help. The Director has to make the decisions. Any other acquired first hand knowledge in any specific areas that the Director brings to the project is all a bonus for everybody on the project. The Director understanding the problems to be solved by everyone is really helpful.

Scariest statement I’ve heard from a Director in the last decade was on a big multi-camera shoot. We hadn’t really had a chance to talk until the set-up day. As I went through the look and options, what I was told was “I can’t imagine what it will look like, I have to see it”. That shoot had over 100 fixtures and 7 cameras. We were scheduled to start shooting 5 hours after arriving, If the Director didn’t like what I created, there would be no time to change it. And of course, it would be my fault if it was not what was wanted. No imagination working in a creative industry… made for yet another glamour filled industry moment.

The #1 skill an effective director should have is Leadership. Leadership requires excellent communication, both in terms of listening and speaking (emphasis on the former). It requires empathy, flexibility, and providing different elements to people with different needs.

I like to equate a director to the conductor of an orchestra. They set the pace, the mood, the volume, delegating certain tasks to the concert master (first chair violin), and ensuring that everyone plays together in harmony. The director doesn't play an instrument, but ultimately they are responsible for the final success or failure of the performance.

I love that, @Jeremy! I had an instance when I was invited to direct and took that leadership role very seriously, including when to stop and celebrate to ensure there was time to reflect and bond. It's a beautiful thing when you're given the opportunity to help others be their best!

Don't you LOVE evergreen posts? Bumping this to see if any newcomers have some fresh perspectives. HOLLA!

Buying more film stock is out of the question? Do you have a DP who know how to get a "filmic" look from a digital camera? Really it's a fools errand.

Crisis averted, my producer round up some more money + Kodak gave us a big discount so we got all the stock we need!

You don't shoot on film to save money, you shoot on film to get a certain look to your finished work. DP's that regularly shoot film have already done the math showing how film is not prohibitively more expensive. Editing can actually be easier as you don't have all the foolishness of shooting every blocking and rehearsal "in case". You also tend to shoot the angles and takes you need instead of absolutely everything. Digital can be an editor's nightmare.

People tend to shoot film for the aesthetic. Everything has a cost. People tend to choose where to spend their own money on their own film. What JD said about overshooting is absolutely correct. People who learn filmmaking on a budget shooting negative tend to get much more precise footage then people trained in the digital era. There is a forced work style that has a distinct benefit. Overshooting and coverage for the sake of coverage are one of my biggest pet peeves. Which is why I try to bring a film disciplined workstyle to digital projects. In any case there are many reasons to shoot film other than money or lack thereof.

Thanks for the input everyone! I knew ahead of time the cost of shooting on film and I knew I wouldn't be saving any money by doing that. I just figured if anyone had the equipment personally I could save the money on rentals and instead be able to put the money towards more stock. Its all worked out tho we got a good deal on an sr3 rental.

Very cool, Garrett!! I would very much like to see how it turns out, as well as get some of your feedback on your experience shooting on 16mm. I have always been interested in shooting a feature on 16mm.

I assume you've resolved this in the time since you posted but if in the future you're looking for someone who owns a film camera in your area who might rent it to you cheaper than a rental house, check out the listings people have on KitSplit. Most stuff listed is in New York and LA but there's plenty elsewhere. I just sourced some stuff in Philly for a shoot I'm producing there:

https://kitsplit.com/rentals/Film-Cameras/?utm_source=forums&utm_medium=...