I'm having trouble storyboarding a movie because of covid restrictions.

Bob Hart · January 27th, 2021, 03:37 AM

Greg and Josh. Yes. The choices made in my use of the English language were rather unfortunate in this instance. The connotations attachable to those two words never for one moment entered my brain.

Paul R Johnson · January 27th, 2021, 07:31 AM

Me neither Bob - Alan Bennett rather made one-handers his own for a while. I always find them a bit strange though - Actors breaking the 4th wall and talking to the camera is just a bit odd?

Josh Bass · January 27th, 2021, 08:56 AM

I believe you mean “artistic.”

And dont mind the connotations...I may be in my 40s but my mind is 12.

Brian Drysdale · January 27th, 2021, 11:29 AM

A number of films do have actors talking to the audience. "Annie Hall" does it.in one scene,

They also look at the camera, sometimes with it as as the audience, other times at a character who is represented by the camera

Ryan Elder · January 27th, 2021, 01:36 PM

So as I am storyboarding, I am trying not to give the characters much headroom so a boom mic can be close to them in the mastershots, but is it awkward for me to do draw master shots, where the actors do not have much headroom in order so the boom mic can go closer?

For example, in this movie mastershot here:

Why do they frame the actor so he has so much headroom between him and the boom mic. Wouldn't it just make more sense to frame so the boom mic can get as close in as possible?

Brian Drysdale · January 27th, 2021, 01:56 PM

Storyboards aren't about headroom for the boom, they are visualizing the telling of the story,

Ryan Elder · January 27th, 2021, 02:10 PM

Oh yes for sure, but I figure I might as well keep the boom in mind too though, since I don't want mastershots with two much headroom in though. I thought about framing in 1.85, but now after storyboarding quite a few shots, I feel like that maybe 2.39 might have less headroom, while still being able to have a wide shot with a few actors in it, without having to cut anyone off now...

Brian Drysdale · January 27th, 2021, 03:05 PM

The height of the ceiling is usually the main issue for wide shots. Having a long boom also helps, for drama a 15ft job is part of the kit.

Paul R Johnson · January 27th, 2021, 03:17 PM

You have a huge massive room? If you letterbox too much then in an ordinary room space, the restricted width will cause you problems. I can't quite settle on that being a classic master shot though - it seems to be the primary shot - the framing, the content - and the camera move. I guess it's sort off a master shot, but it seems to be the key shot for most of the scene, till the closer framing comes in? Visually it does look good. Trouble is, the space required might be a snag for you without a very wide angle with no distortion.

Ryan Elder · January 27th, 2021, 04:05 PM

Oh okay, but if I have some distortion, is that okay to live with? My boompole is 16 feet if that will do the job.

Brian Drysdale · January 27th, 2021, 04:32 PM

That length should be fine for drama work.

It depends if distortion is part of the look.

Paul R Johnson · January 27th, 2021, 04:36 PM

I'd say no. If you have bent verticals and horizontals, just to get a really wide screen - I'd say that's a mistake?

You're also not too good with the boom, I seem to remember. It caused you real trouble didn't it?

I found some of my shotguns today in the studio when I opened a flight case. I found an Audio Technica 815 - which is a longer shotgun than the 416's, but I also found my long lost AKG CK-9 - which is a monster long shotgun. Plugged it in and it still works fine - but I cannot find a windshield for it, so indoors only.

Maybe you'd be better with discretely hidden wavs on your actors Ryan - thinking back to the background noise. If you look at that old B&W clip - think how high the boom would have been. Is that feasible at the location you have in mind? A big untreated room will sound pretty horrible at a distance?

Ryan Elder · January 27th, 2021, 05:08 PM

Oh okay but that is why I was thinking of shooting wider because then you can havea few actors in a wide shot but there's not near as much headroom like in that clip. So the goal would be to have a few actors in a shot but no headroom hardly and still get the boom in real close.

I don't seem to remember having trouble with the boom or if I did, what was it?

I'm just trying to save money on labs and I don't want to buy laughs for five actors or more if they can be avoided for a scene, compared to just using a couple of mics on booms.

but it seems to me that headroom in a master shot, is an easy fix, because all you have to do is shoot in a wide aspect ratio, and don't give the actors no more headroom then you would give them in a medium close-up shot.

Brian Drysdale · January 27th, 2021, 05:35 PM

You are letting the tail wag the dog with all this. Wide shots generally have more head room than a MCU.

Ryan Elder · January 27th, 2021, 06:44 PM

Well what I mean is I wouldn't want to give too much head room so I could still use the boom. That is why I thought maybe shooting in 2.39 might be better now because as I am storyboarding in 1.85, the headroom may just be too much maybe if you want multiple actors in a wide shot.

January 27th, 2021, 03:37 AM	#106
Bob Hart Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: PERTH. W.A. AUSTRALIA. Posts: 4,476	Re: I'm having trouble storyboarding a movie because of covid restrictions. Greg and Josh. Yes. The choices made in my use of the English language were rather unfortunate in this instance. The connotations attachable to those two words never for one moment entered my brain. Last edited by Bob Hart; January 27th, 2021 at 03:38 AM. Reason: erased one further freudian slip.

January 27th, 2021, 07:31 AM	#107
Paul R Johnson Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Lowestoft - UK Posts: 4,016	Re: I'm having trouble storyboarding a movie because of covid restrictions. Me neither Bob - Alan Bennett rather made one-handers his own for a while. I always find them a bit strange though - Actors breaking the 4th wall and talking to the camera is just a bit odd?

January 27th, 2021, 08:56 AM	#108
Josh Bass Slash Rules! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 5,472	Re: I'm having trouble storyboarding a movie because of covid restrictions. I believe you mean “artistic.” And dont mind the connotations...I may be in my 40s but my mind is 12. __________________ The Bass' camerawork The Bass on IMDB

January 27th, 2021, 11:29 AM	#109
Brian Drysdale Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Belfast, UK Posts: 6,143	Re: I'm having trouble storyboarding a movie because of covid restrictions. A number of films do have actors talking to the audience. "Annie Hall" does it.in one scene, They also look at the camera, sometimes with it as as the audience, other times at a character who is represented by the camera

January 27th, 2021, 01:36 PM	#110
Ryan Elder also known as Ryan Wray Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Saskatoon, Canada Posts: 2,880	Re: I'm having trouble storyboarding a movie because of covid restrictions. So as I am storyboarding, I am trying not to give the characters much headroom so a boom mic can be close to them in the mastershots, but is it awkward for me to do draw master shots, where the actors do not have much headroom in order so the boom mic can go closer? For example, in this movie mastershot here: Paths of Glory (5/11) Movie CLIP - Closing Argument (1957) HD - YouTube Why do they frame the actor so he has so much headroom between him and the boom mic. Wouldn't it just make more sense to frame so the boom mic can get as close in as possible?

January 27th, 2021, 01:56 PM	#111
Brian Drysdale Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Belfast, UK Posts: 6,143	Re: I'm having trouble storyboarding a movie because of covid restrictions. Storyboards aren't about headroom for the boom, they are visualizing the telling of the story,

January 27th, 2021, 02:10 PM	#112
Ryan Elder also known as Ryan Wray Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Saskatoon, Canada Posts: 2,880	Re: I'm having trouble storyboarding a movie because of covid restrictions. Oh yes for sure, but I figure I might as well keep the boom in mind too though, since I don't want mastershots with two much headroom in though. I thought about framing in 1.85, but now after storyboarding quite a few shots, I feel like that maybe 2.39 might have less headroom, while still being able to have a wide shot with a few actors in it, without having to cut anyone off now...

January 27th, 2021, 03:05 PM	#113
Brian Drysdale Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Belfast, UK Posts: 6,143	Re: I'm having trouble storyboarding a movie because of covid restrictions. The height of the ceiling is usually the main issue for wide shots. Having a long boom also helps, for drama a 15ft job is part of the kit.

January 27th, 2021, 03:17 PM	#114
Paul R Johnson Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Lowestoft - UK Posts: 4,016	Re: I'm having trouble storyboarding a movie because of covid restrictions. You have a huge massive room? If you letterbox too much then in an ordinary room space, the restricted width will cause you problems. I can't quite settle on that being a classic master shot though - it seems to be the primary shot - the framing, the content - and the camera move. I guess it's sort off a master shot, but it seems to be the key shot for most of the scene, till the closer framing comes in? Visually it does look good. Trouble is, the space required might be a snag for you without a very wide angle with no distortion.

January 27th, 2021, 04:05 PM	#115
Ryan Elder also known as Ryan Wray Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Saskatoon, Canada Posts: 2,880	Re: I'm having trouble storyboarding a movie because of covid restrictions. Oh okay, but if I have some distortion, is that okay to live with? My boompole is 16 feet if that will do the job.

January 27th, 2021, 04:32 PM	#116
Brian Drysdale Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Belfast, UK Posts: 6,143	Re: I'm having trouble storyboarding a movie because of covid restrictions. That length should be fine for drama work. It depends if distortion is part of the look.

January 27th, 2021, 04:36 PM	#117
Paul R Johnson Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Lowestoft - UK Posts: 4,016	Re: I'm having trouble storyboarding a movie because of covid restrictions. I'd say no. If you have bent verticals and horizontals, just to get a really wide screen - I'd say that's a mistake? You're also not too good with the boom, I seem to remember. It caused you real trouble didn't it? I found some of my shotguns today in the studio when I opened a flight case. I found an Audio Technica 815 - which is a longer shotgun than the 416's, but I also found my long lost AKG CK-9 - which is a monster long shotgun. Plugged it in and it still works fine - but I cannot find a windshield for it, so indoors only. Maybe you'd be better with discretely hidden wavs on your actors Ryan - thinking back to the background noise. If you look at that old B&W clip - think how high the boom would have been. Is that feasible at the location you have in mind? A big untreated room will sound pretty horrible at a distance?

January 27th, 2021, 05:08 PM	#118
Ryan Elder also known as Ryan Wray Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Saskatoon, Canada Posts: 2,880	Re: I'm having trouble storyboarding a movie because of covid restrictions. Oh okay but that is why I was thinking of shooting wider because then you can havea few actors in a wide shot but there's not near as much headroom like in that clip. So the goal would be to have a few actors in a shot but no headroom hardly and still get the boom in real close. I don't seem to remember having trouble with the boom or if I did, what was it? I'm just trying to save money on labs and I don't want to buy laughs for five actors or more if they can be avoided for a scene, compared to just using a couple of mics on booms. but it seems to me that headroom in a master shot, is an easy fix, because all you have to do is shoot in a wide aspect ratio, and don't give the actors no more headroom then you would give them in a medium close-up shot.

January 27th, 2021, 05:35 PM	#119
Brian Drysdale Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Belfast, UK Posts: 6,143	Re: I'm having trouble storyboarding a movie because of covid restrictions. You are letting the tail wag the dog with all this. Wide shots generally have more head room than a MCU.

January 27th, 2021, 06:44 PM	#120
Ryan Elder also known as Ryan Wray Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Saskatoon, Canada Posts: 2,880	Re: I'm having trouble storyboarding a movie because of covid restrictions. Well what I mean is I wouldn't want to give too much head room so I could still use the boom. That is why I thought maybe shooting in 2.39 might be better now because as I am storyboarding in 1.85, the headroom may just be too much maybe if you want multiple actors in a wide shot.