Would using a star filter for cinematography be too weird?

[Brian Drysdale]

Reading Ryan's plan for it his proposed multiscreen sequence, it's not fully thought out, since one of the elements is missing - the other cops trying to get to this location and the various delays/cock ups that they meet, possibly preventing them getting there on time. Without that you're just got a cop pacing up and down looking at his watch, which isn't interesting.

[Paul R Johnson]

What we have is the college handbook for movie production, and Ryan is intent on using every technique listed in that book - no matter if the plot needs it!

It would be good to go back to the script for the time machine production and start again. Using the script to drive what we see. Unless Ryan can convert scripts into interesting shots and content - he's making no progress.

[Ryan Elder]

Oh okay, but when you say that the plot doesn't needed, what's wrong with using the split screen technique to try to generate more excitement in the timing. Is that not called for?

Also, the cop doesn't pace around for long, he hears commotion and a scream and decides to investigate the scream, etc. It won't take that long timing wise. As for the cock ups, he hears about it all on his radio, so wouldn't you still have the cock ups since he's communicating with them?

And yes, one person said I should stick to producing only before I do more directing to learn more. But then another said since I want to direct, I should stick to that and have other people do other duties instead of trying to multitask everything. I think I will listen to the second person.

[Brian Drysdale]

You're getting confused, the plot is just the mechanics of how you tell the story. If they're both the same you'll have a superficial film.

I assume you're not making a radio drama, you need to show things. Drama is about overcoming difficulty and conflict, if you don't have any of these it'll be a dull film.

If it doesn't take long, why are you using split screen? This takes time to work effectively, it's not a couple of shots thing.

[Ryan Elder]

Well I wanted to save on actors. Instead of showing hang ups on the other police's end then, I will instead show hang ups on the main cops end instead if that's better.

[Pete Cofrancesco]

I imagine you saw or read about split screen and decided to add it to your movie. Last time I remember seeing it was in the TV show 24 which worked well because of the way it was used. You seem to be too reliant on gimmicks rather than crafting an interesting story.

[Josh Bass]

ryan for realz needs an in person mentor. One of you should jump out of a van, put a bag over his head, kidnap him and take him to Toronto and force him to work in production under you. He’ll be confused and scared at first, but those feelings will soon be replaced by gratitude.

[Ryan Elder]

Originally Posted by Pete Cofrancesco

I imagine you saw or read about split screen and decided to add it to your movie. Last time I remember seeing it was in the TV show 24 which worked well because of the way it was used. You seem to be too reliant on gimmicks rather than crafting an interesting story.

Oh I didn't think I was relying on a gimmick, I just thought that if I show two things timed out simultaneously, it have the maximum effect on trying to generate suspense, timing wise.

[Paul R Johnson]

You want to use it to save on actors? .............. That's the silliest reason to use a technique like this. People have already told you it can be very confusing to watch, UNLESS you need to tell two different elements of the story at the same time. I seem to remember it being done in the Andromeda Strain quite poorly as it just made the story confusing. Airport, around the same time used it to good effect.

Unless the story screams for it - avoid it!

[Ryan Elder]

No I am not using the split screen to save on actors. I just thought that other actors could talk through the radio, so I don't have to change the location. The split screen has nothing do with saving on actors. I didn't intend for you to jump to that conclusion that one had anything to do with the other.

I was told before not to compare to other movies, so perhaps therefore, we shouldn't compare to movies that have done it before then, and just concentrate on my reasons for using it? Plus it was said before not to copy other movies and come up with my own techniques to tell the story, and this is a technique I thought of to tell mine. Shouldn't I be coming up with my own, like I was advised to before, rather than following other movies? So I come up with a technique to tell my story, and now it has said that i am following a 'gimmick'.

[Brian Drysdale]

In this case you haven't come with a good reason for using this technique. To work it really needs to let run, it's not an easy solution, multiscreen is something that needs to be carefully thought out, with some flair in it's use, otherwise it becomes distracting.

It has been used the same way you're talking about, but I doubt your film has the style to pull it off

[Ryan Elder]

Oh okay, so you mean let it run for a longer amount of time? When you say the style to pull it off, what style are you referring to?

[Brian Drysdale]

If you don't know that yourself, no one can give you an answer, it comes from within the director and them having a strong personal vision that drives the film as a whole. Currently, this sounds like a scene bolted onto a bog standard daytime TV cop drama.

[Pete Cofrancesco]

#635

Originally Posted by Ryan Elder

Well I wanted to save on actors...

#640

Originally Posted by Ryan Elder

No I am not using the split screen to save on actors.'.

huh?

When I read your posts it’s like pinball game of random ideas.

[Ryan Elder]

Originally Posted by Brian Drysdale

If you don't know that yourself, no one can give you an answer, it comes from within the director and them having a strong personal vision that drives the film as a whole. Currently, this sounds like a scene bolted onto a bog standard daytime TV cop drama.

Oh okay, well I know the style I want, so I feel it would fit into that style, and just going by what I am interpreting. Well what I ask the question how long does it have to play out for to be effective, would you say? When you say it sounds like the style of a TV cop drama, which TV cop drama were you thinking of? Plus it was never said why it wouldn't work for mine, other than it's probably not shown long enough, and that the film does not have the style to pull it likely. Those aren't very specific reasons though.