(This post references iSundae II: Attack of the Cones, part 8. You may want to view the movie before reading this post.)

One of the trials of being an aspiring filmmaker is the small amount of people you have available to work with. We watch movies with casts that seem to rival the population of a small country and sigh. These big productions can put more people in the line behind a main character waiting to buy a box of Tic-Tacs than we have in our entire cast and crew combined!

Maybe our budget doesn’t allow for more people, or we simply can’t find anyone willing to help out. But however it comes about, we find ourselves faced with a dilemma. How can we make the best out of a bad situation? [Read more →]

Tags: Blog, Tips and Tricks by Rebekah
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A new movie. A new script. A whole cast of characters clamouring to be costumed. For me, this is the funnest part of design work. I can suspend the trivial details of time and available cash and make an idea come to life on paper. Ah, the bliss of it all! Then reality sets in and I have to either change the designs, compromise, or both.

Have you ever been slammed that way? The perfect costume design has to be thrown out because it would cost too much to make. The detailed beadwork that you absolutely loved goes away or becomes fabric paint. The ornate helmet has to be scratched and replaced with a hat. A felt one. With a bright red feather. Situations like this are depressing, annoying, and even downright ugly. [Read more →]

Tags: Blog, Movies, Props and Costumes, Tips and Tricks by Rebekah
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I’d like you to meet a little voice. He’s not a very good friend of mine, but he does serve a useful purpose. He is the Voice of Realism and he pops up everywhere. Trouble is, he’s easy to ignore. He asked me to tell you something for him. It is, quite simply, “Listen.” When you’re reading a script, listen for him. When you’re getting ready to film something, listen! Can you hear him now?

“Sure, a sea-faring adventure movie is great, but if all you have is two plastic ships and a bathtub, you might want to reconsider.”

“Crashing through a window? Nice touch for an action sequence, but if it’s done wrong it looks really cheesy.” (iSundae anybody?)

“Spaceships whooshing past the camera would look cool, but not if the animation is poorly done, or the blue screen gets fuzzy.”

Does he sound familiar? The Voice that warns us when we’re getting in over our heads. Why is it so easy to block him out? [Read more →]

Tags: Blog, Tips and Tricks by Rebekah
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You’re on location. The cameras are rolling. The actors are in place. The camera operator looks to the director. “Where do you want me to put the camera?” The director puts his glasses back on and gets out of position. “Uh. . . Well, just sort of film the scene.” The camera operator folds his arms. “I was looking for something more specific.” For the next ten minutes the actors sit around waiting while the director tries to decide what angles he wants. Sound familiar? I hope not. There is a simple remedy for this terrible disease. An antidote for the dreaded “Nobody knows what we’re doing” is available to anyone who needs it. It’s called storyboarding.

[Read more →]

Tags: Blog, Tips and Tricks, Video by Rebekah
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Remote locations. Lots of movies have them. Whether it’s going to New Zealand to film (I wish) or the park a few minutes away; be it in a European castle or a friend’s basement, getting from Point A to Point B (and back) in one piece can be a hassle. Not to mention the actual filming. Here are a few tips to help your next remote… adventure. [Read more →]

Tags: Blog, Tips and Tricks by Rebekah
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