i'm trying to avoid any houses of mirrors and trying to get started. it's hard to shoot good video when you're a night owl.

I built some adapters for mounting gear that will make shooting easier. This weekend is going to be nonstop shooting / birthday partying (Saturday's my 19th birthday - the legal drinking age here...). I basically need to have everything shot by Monday night or I'm screwed.

question for the veterans, in one of my scenes, I have the news playing in the background, audio only for about 10 secs. Am I screwed or is this considered fair use?

Is the dialogue all that understandable or more like background noise?

We had this discussion about a year ago. Basically, if the you use something that enhances your video and it's copyrighted material (which includes the news), you should get permission. Given that, if you're concerned about it, maybe call the local station, tell them what you're doing, and get someone's okay.

In one of my little movies I didn't notice until it was too late that one of the actors was wearing a T-shirt that said "American Eagle" plain as day. I sent an email to the company--never heard back, of course--then submitted the movie anyway.

It's very audible. Whether or not it enhances it, is up for debate. It really could be anything that he's watching, he is apathetically watching tv. What the audio is, is not important to the scene. it's just the weather.

Problem is, I don't even remember which channel it was. hahaha. ehhh...

I guess i have to watch all the 10 oclock news and see if I can recognize the voice.

Normally I wouldn't care, but I just got done reading this comic about copywrite law

http://www.law.duke.edu/cspd/comics/

now it has me looking at everything in my scenes.

I guess in the worst case, they could make me pull it. But in the comic they site a couple of instances in which filmakers used news scenes that were important to the movie and didn't clear it and didn't get in trouble. hmmmm.....

And the laws seem to very lienent on use for educational purposes, which i'm guessing the challenge qualifies for.

Lol, Michael. What an angle! I never thought of it like that.

Because some argue that there is no gray area in this issue, if I were in your place I suppose I'd try my best to cover the bases by singling out the station (NYC--could be lots, huh?), and give them a call. Or you can take your chances. :)

Why not just record a friend reading the weather and use your own audio?

On the subject of copyright issues, does anyone know if lyrics are okay to be sang without playing the song? I might have a shot of a character singing along to a song with headphones on.

Might do that. I emailed all of the news stations about clearing the audio, since it was quicker than finding the one I have. who ever responds with a positive gets used.

You are in the same boat i'm in. Lyrics in a song are copyrighted. Actually mine is kind of incidental which I can almost get away with. Yours on the other hand would not be incidental. I'd make up some lyrics and a melody. unless we take the educational defense.

my footage is shot

the movement is flawless.

does it resonate reflections?


it DOES have a mirror in it.

What is a reflection anyways.

Mereym- I have schlepped around
 

Am pleased to announce that on Monday, I schlepped for 12 hours. Secretly hoping that I would be able to conclude all of these wild activities in one day...alas, I was unable to do so as the wind picked up and was beat to a pulp.

Weather was bad again Tuesday-Thursday, so did what editing I could.

Today was the last window on the weather so, another 6 hours of shooting. Am ready to edit this madness together. Hopefully it will work out.

On another note: I'm really excited to see everyone's work! Watching your short films is more fun for me than wasting away on the couch veiwing boring TV.

Best wishes everyone~
Bradley

I got 3 scenes left to shoot that we'll probably knock out tonight. Spent the morning finishing up all the exterior shots. VERY windy but still workable. Hopefully get this wrapped up tomorrow and online shortly thereafter. Woohoo!

Now, it's time for a wine break.....

I had wind issues too
 

I wouldn't have minded much except that it made all the water in the reflecting pools choppy and not so reflective. I was also using this as an excuse to practice with the Steadicam Merlin that work bought. I'm bad enough at it to begin with, wind made it really hard. No time to reshoot though because I've been putting in 60 hour weeks on a documentary for work. So it is what it is. It's not going to turn out as good as I wanted when I started, but it will be finished one way or another. Darn it.

Jump up and spit, i'm finished. I sat in this uncomfortable chair all day today and now i'm done.

Finished shooting a few hours ago. Major marathon, I'm beat. Still need to cut and record music/foley.

Well, I am *D O N E ! Think I'll take the rest of the night off. Gonna lose an hour's sleep (don't forget folks). I'll make space on the server tomorrow to upload. What a day.....