ASK & DISCUSS INDEX

9 years, 10 months ago - John Lubran

Just to clarify the camera I am referring to is the Sony PXW-FS5 not A5S. Just a senior moment!

9 years, 10 months ago - Daniel Lane

Dear shooting peps,

Thank you very much for your comments. The being ill thing has come up lots and lots! I didn't really think about it because I produced Shakespeare in India for over 10 years with uk actors and yes I had some ill people but no one ever missed a performance there are ways to contain it fast and easy. So apart from the DOP everyone else has been going to India for many years. But thank you I will keep that in mind, because people will be ill! Dan Selakovich thank you, yes that's exactly what I was asking how to keep quality with such a small crew. I have kept two central characters for a lot of the scenes and we will have a two week rehearsal before the shoot. Anymore comments are welcome, but maybe no more ill comments please. Cheers.

9 years, 10 months ago - John Lubran

The new A5S looks very interesting; basically a smaller and lighter development of the A7S. You can take camera and lenses as hand luggage. Low profile can be a major blessing. The easy functionality, integrated high quality sound together with flexible run and gun operation when you need it is blinking wonderful. Also provides super low light capability with virtually noiseless gain as well. Reminds of another recent discussion where I suggested that these new cameras on offer from several manufacturers are allowing shooters to be more artists than technicians. They can actually teach shooters in real time how shoot and light at cinematic quality just by using them! What you see and hear is what you get! Great for small multitasking crews and low budgets. Your 'sets' sound like they might actually be sufficiently lit with reflectors. Take a couple of folding Lastolites. Mood lighting from candles, gas/oil lamps and 'domestic' location lighting may very easily negate the need to carry or hire professional lighting with these new cameras.

Don't say you're shooting fiction, call it a private travel documentary for the visa and carnet. Your kit should be pretty minimal. One or two compact cameras with a couple of lenses, a light weight tripod or two a couple of mics, a portable mixer and tails, batteries and charger, Lastolights; they'll hardly know your there!

9 years, 10 months ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin

Even out in Cairo, even with 5* hotels, people got the lurgi and it took days out of our schedule. Allow for it, as it'll happen, guaranteed. If it's not the food, or water, it's the air.

People will get bored of local catering after a while, so think of ways to head that off.

Crew need to drink a lot of water, so budget for it and the logistics of it.

Buy bulk rehydration salts - get the ones that make up a litre (they are cheap) as the 200ml ones are ineffective when you're drinking litres a day. They taste salty-sweet as opposed to ghastly 'blackcurrant' and 'cherry' synthetic flavoured ones too.

Three T's - Toilets, Tea, Transport. Tea includes liquids and meals, naturally. These are the three easily overlooked but critical costs. Laundry is not expensive, but needs consideration - cast costumes will need regular washing as will crew.

India - can you get a local production company on side? Their contacts, understanding, knowing who to pay off and when, etc will be valuable!

9 years, 10 months ago - Ben Bate

On a visual camera level, I would only take one or two cams if possible, firstly if you can get the A7s ii and the A7r ii you will be set. I love black magic cameras, however if you take the Sony's and use old Nikon primes with them you will get a fantastic film look / feel. Plus I find them far easier to use, in regards to set up and sharing of batteries and accessories. Just my two pence worth.

9 years, 10 months ago - Dan Selakovich

OH! Shit, thanks, John. I started reading up on the A5S (I'm a digital camera neophyte). I have lots of those moments. It's starting to become a problem!

9 years, 10 months ago - John Lubran

Sorry for the confusion folks. If anyone has been able to check out the Sony PXW-FS5 though I'm sure we'f all love to hear about it. Seems to have all of the attributes of the the Sony PXW-FS7 but being smaller and cheaper.

9 years, 10 months ago - Paul Barker

This isn't specific to India, but I did the same thing in the UK and in Denmark with the same size crew as you're planning, it was actually simpler than I had thought because less people to manage. I took a 5D and a Canon 600D. We did a whole feature for under £200 and it got picked up for distribution...later it got dropped but that's another story. We made it our goal to shoot as quick as poss - with a decent/speedy DOP this shouldn't be a prob. Having worked on two 'rogue' features not sure I'd do another. Although India does sound interesting - good luck.

9 years, 10 months ago - Marlom Tander

Assuming you are confident re dealing with local police etc (I assume that you have a budget to get them onside) your main issues are logistics and health.

Logistics - land with all that kit and you won't look like tourists. Make sure you have every i dotted and t crossed re visa's, work permits and carnets etc.

Health - it's India. You need to know how to look after yourself, esp re food and drink. You need to know that all your crew know it as well. No ice. Always brush your teeth with bottled water. No salad. NOTHING not cooked to within an inch of it's life. You know the score.

But someone, or two, will slip up or just be unlucky, so have a shooting schedule that is very relaxed, maybe 6 hours a day, so that you can work faster while people are good, and be able to slow down or even stop a few days without writing off the entire project.

Math, the math that matters basically says the odds of everyone staying healthy are not good enough to want to risk the entire budget on.

9 years, 10 months ago - Marlom Tander

Actually if the probability of getting too ill to work is 1% per day then each person has a 73% chance of being healthy for the whole month.

So if 5 people, then the chances of everyone staying healthy for the month is 20%

So that math assumes a bunch of stuff, but the key point stands - solo travellers can get lucky, but groups, almost always, someone gets sick.

9 years, 10 months ago - Alève Mine

John, Dan: consider yourselves lucky. I was born with those moments.

9 years, 10 months ago - Dan Selakovich

A director/camera op isn't impossible, but be really sure on who you hire. When I was a cameraman, I thought of nothing but the frame. Nothing. I can't imagine directing and shooting both. But, there's Luc Besson who does both. But damn, I think he's pretty brilliant. So if you do that, make sure there is tons of rehearsal time that includes blocking as well as performance.