Dv Challenge #2 Theme Announcment - Go! Go! Go!
 

As I announced last night, today's theme is getting posted early. Use the extra time to your advantage.

THE THEME FOR DV CHALLENGE #2 IS:


SECRETS


And the technical award will go to:

Best Cinematography

This award will be presented to whoever produces the best camera work in their video. Yes, you could write your script to focus on strong camera moves in order to have a better shot at this prize. Anything goes!

IMPORTANT
You must now email us at thedvchallenge@hotmail.com to complete your participation. Simply put "Challenge 2" followed by your real name as the subject. This will help in case I need to mass email everyone with updates. Feel free to direct questions towards that email, but please put "question" in the subject.


You now have until midnight PST, next Friday night, to email me the link to your video online at thedvchallenge@hotmail.com Remember, a time limit of three minutes, but no penalty for shorter. If in doubt, re-read the rules.

Oh, and yes, you can still enter! It isn't too late. Just email me as stated above.

Challenge Update
 

We finished our script last night and shot all day today. I'm glad to report that principal videography is complete!

Now, tonight I start logging and capturing footage and begin the rough cut.

Also, working on a few animations and background scenics that will render while I'm sleeping.

I hope everyone else is hard at work. We had a ball today!

As we finished shooting this afternoon, I wondered how many minutes of film/video are shot on an average afternoon of shooting a feature film? How many total minutes of film/video are shot and out of that, how many are actually used on an average day?

Does any one know?

We shot slightly more than an hour of video over about a seven hour period. Out of that hour, about 2 minutes 30 seconds will be used! That's 24 minutes of video for ever one minute used.

How does that compare with big budget movies?

Poorly. :)
Most features would try to maintain around a 5-1 ratio. Maybe more, maybe less. 24-1 would get you fired by lunch.

So, I'm only off by a factor of roughly five.

I guess it's good that I'm starting out with a (less than) three minute movie! :)

I'm around 8 to 1, not bad not bad.

I have yet to shoot but I did practice a bit with the crane today. I researched and got rights to 3 pieces of music for the soundtrack, laid them in, recorded two VOs (may redo one) and have the timeline all set up in the NLE.

Script is mostly set, shot list is ready, talent lined up. Should be done mid week.

This is fun.

Sean McHenry

how 'bout a prize for best video shot while simultaneously taking care of an active pre-schooler?

"sweetie, you need to be quiet and color while mommy works on this voice-over with Auntie Louise, okay?"

anyone else working under these conditions?

completed principle shoot this morning at 3:00AM. Rough cut in progress.

Glad you guys are doing good and having fun!
The hardest part is getting started.

You're right Dylan.... I'm just doing that now.

I've have been developing our piece with my four and a half year old daughter Matilda. We did all of our shooting this weekend.

She kind of changed the concept after the first scene, so I am trying to adapt the script. I'm just about to start the editing. I have no idea how this is going to work out....

I disagree. Starting is easy- keeping myself from collapsing into a sobbing heap after the first four hours on the set- that was difficult.

You should try a 24 hour competition sometime, where you have only one full day to write/shoot/edit a 5-7 minute piece. I've done a couple of those. Usually you are too tired to cry. :)