Live Cinema and Its Techniques
Page 13
Maybe Craig Weiss could help me develop that method. Maybe I could set up such a pre-visualization lag in Stage 22? Maybe John Lasseter could advise me.
Dear George,
I just concluded 18 days in Oklahoma City, at a small community college (OCCC), which has a trade-school–type program in film. We made an experimental project as a class I conducted with 74 students—and I took their single sound stage, drove the Silverfish there, and made an experiment in what I call LIVE CINEMA. Live Cinema is a medium which is performed live, but uses the movie-style “shot” as its basis, and not like live TV, which uses the “event” coverage as its basis. Nor is it merely a play (Peter Pan) with a lot of cameras panning around to “cover it.” Live TV is always lit from the grid above, with lots of light because they use zoom lenses to avoid seeing the camera, which are notoriously slow.
I used half-and-half flat lenses with some quality zooms, lit from the floor (rolling LED battery-powered lights) and made more movie-style—yet the whole piece was performed live, including the music score.
Everyone, including actors, were local from Oklahoma City, aside from me and my team from Napa, a local theater stage manager, and about three TV professionals to help the students, who were all kids from my class and got college credits. All is LIVE other than obvious stock footage. Weird arty cutting was done live with the help of those EVS machines that are used in football game replays. Over the concluding CREDITS you see a high view of the stage, which is amazingly empty and sparse: a few chairs, a mattress, some tables and a door and window. My personal assignment was to see how all the stuff developed for modern television (sports) could be applied to storytelling. I hope I have piqued your interest, dear George—you know me, always jumping over cliffs! which this experience certainly was: it was seen live in five theaters with small audiences of colleagues and friends: Paris, NYC, LA, SF, and NAPA.
If your home screening room has connection to internet (Apple TV or computer), which I’m sure it does, you can see it there. It’s a bit shabby, with some mistakes, but what the hell!
AFTERTHOUGHT
I confess I’ve been curious how practitioners or “cinemawrights” (movie makers) could get in on the ludicrous art market where a piece of “something” could be valued at tens if not hundreds of millions of dollars and offered by a gallery, as this would need be something one could “own,” not withstanding Matthew Barney’s good fortune of selling his five Cremaster movie DVD sets for over $100,000 per set. A thought that popped into my mind was this: create a “box” that would sell for extraordinary amounts in limited edition. This box would be numbered and signed and contain a sealed hard drive, and would connect to the internet in a way that would enable it to receive a live-streamed broadcast of an original cinematic work. Only these few boxes would receive the live performance, and it could not be reproduced. Its only function is that it could be owned (and thus sold) and screened as often as wished, for its owner and guests, paralleling an owned painting or other work of art.
*The names mentioned throughout can be found in the Credits, p. 165.
†Nadia Boulanger was a great French composition teacher. Gershwin studied with her. My father always wanted to.
‡Italian: I wish.
GLOSSARY
analog An electrical signal that continuously varies as it records where the output is proportional to the input.
Appia effect Developed by Adolphe Appia (1862–1928) a Swiss theatrical designer and writer, an Appia effect is a stage lighting effect that uses shadow against light to create depth between performers and the stage.
associate director (AD) The AD assists the director with major creative decisions and helps with the camera setups and shot selection.
backlot An outdoor space on a movie studio lot where sets are built and used for exterior shots.
bandwidth A range of frequencies used to transmit electronic signals.
cathode ray tube (CRT) A focused beam of electrons used to display images on a screen by use of a vacuum tube.
chroma key The method of using blue or green screens as backdrops so that the given color can be isolated and removed from the video signal in order to add special effects in post-production.
coverage Every individual shot for a particular scene, which the editor will use to assemble the final cut.
crew A group of film technicians and other behind-the-camera individuals involved in the making of a production.
dailies The best takes from a day’s shooting, typically viewed the following day and used to check the quality of the footage.
director of photography (DP) The DP oversees the overall image of the picture, including lighting and framing the compositions of the shots, and ensuring an even balance between them.
dolly A mobile platform that typically carries the camera and its operator to allow for smooth moving shots, sometimes rolling on tracks or a level floor and pushed by a crew member.
dress rehearsal A full-scale and final rehearsal before a live performance in which the actors are fully dressed in wardrobe and makeup.
EVS replay server A machine used in live video broadcast productions that enables the instant playback of edited audio and video feeds.
foley Commonplace synchronized sound effects added to a film in post-production.
4K and 8K cameras The resolution of digital television and cinematography; 8K is currently the highest frame size with regard to horizontal pixel count, while 4K is the current standard.
frame rate The rate per second at which a shutter opens and closes, capturing images called frames.
frame rate converter A device used to change the frame rate, often used to match mismatched frame rates between cameras/equipment.
gaffer The chief electrician responsible for the lighting of the production, who takes direction from the DP.
genlock Short for “generator locking,” can be achieved by using a common reference signal to synchronize multiple video sources.
handheld A technique utilized by camera operators to handhold a camera during shooting rather than mount it to a tripod/base.
helical scan tape recorder A magnetic tape recorder used to record high-frequency signals.
IP control Short for Internet Protocol, IP control is a web-based interface that allows electronic devices to be controlled over a network.
Kinescope The recording of a television production through the lens of a film camera situated directly in front of the monitor or television screen. At one time, this was the only method for recording and preserving live television.
master shot The single, continuous shot encompassing an entire scene from start to finish, oftentimes a long shot that will later be intercut with middle shots and close-ups.
matrix board A piece of equipment that allows multiple input signals to be routed to a variety of outputs.
mixing board A device with multiple audio inputs used to adjust levels and equalize and affect each audio input signal, primarily used to create a “mixdown” of all available audio signals.
montage An assembly of footage edited and pieced together to produce a consistent, fluid sequence.
motion control An electronically programmed camera system with repeatable movements, often used to capture different elements of a scene with the same camera movement so that they can be more easily composited into a single special effects shot.
multiviewer A single display capable of showing multiple video sources, often in a grid pattern (2x2, 3x3, 4x4, etc.).
nonlinear editing The temporary digital editing of a video production that can be used for live television but does not permanently alter the source material.
practical Any normal functioning part of the set that does not need to be hidden from the camera, such as a visible desk lamp providing the light for the scene.
pre-visualization The method of foreseeing an entire scene or complete work, shot by shot, by use of physical materials such as storyboards and sound recordings.
&nb
sp; prime (flat) lens A camera lens with a fixed focal length. Although less versatile than a zoom, prime lenses often provide superior optical quality and wider apertures.
rear projection The projection of a pre-filmed still or moving picture set against the backdrop so that the live action and background can be filmed as a single image.
run-through A full-scale rehearsal that is not filmed.
scenic panel Movable panels used for background scenic walls/decorations.
second unit A team of film technicians responsible for additional footage not requiring the principal actors.
snoot An attachment used on lighting fixtures to restrict illumination and prevent glare.
Steadicam A device often comprised of an arm, vest, and sled that enables the operator to stabilize the camera during handheld shots, ensuring smooth movement.
storyboard A representation of a scene, shot by shot, through the use of drawings that provide a clear and concise visual plan for production.
sync Short for synchronization, sync refers to properly lining up sound with the picture.
tally light A small signal light attached to the front of a camera to notify actors and crew when that camera is live.
technical director (TD) The TD is responsible for the operations of the video mixing panel and for ensuring that all members of the crew are ready and in place prior to broadcast.
Translight An illuminated film backing used as a backdrop so that issues such as weather and time of day do not impede production.
video mixing panel A control surface with a multitude of buttons and “t-handles” that communicates directly with the video switcher, used by the TD to choose between camera feeds during the production.
video switcher A device with multiple video inputs that allows the switching between the video sources, creating a single picture as seen by the audience or viewer.
zoom lens A camera lens with a variable focal length that allows the shot to move toward or away from its subject while the camera itself remains stationary.
CREDITS OF THE LIVE BROADCASTS
Distant Vision
presented by Live Cinema LLC
in association with Oklahoma City Community College
Oklahoma City, OK
BROADCAST LIVE ON JUNE 5, 2015
Written and Directed by
Francis Ford Coppola
Producer
Jenny Gersten
Executive Producer
Anahid Nazarian
Technical Producer
Masa Tsuyuki
Consulting Producer
Gray Frederickson
Stage Manager
Steve Emerson
First Assistant Stage Manager
Daniel Leeman Smith
Second Assistant Stage Manager
Corey Morgan
Director of Photography
Mihai Malaimare, Jr.
Composer
Brian W. Tidwell
Editor
Robert Schafer
Technical Director
Teri Rozic
Associate Director
Wendy Garrett
Television Consultant
Mike Denney
Camera Technical Supervisor
Stacy Mize
Directing Consultant
Owen Renfroe
Costumes
Lloyd Cracknell
Costume Associates
Kelsey Godfrey
Christopher Harris
Tiffany Keith
Jessie Mahon
Hair/Wigs/Makeup
Steven Bryant
Sound Director
Kini Kay
Sound Mixer
James Russell
Mic Czar
Grant Provence
QLab Czar
Eli Mapes
Key Gaffer
Sean Lynch
Prop Master
Peggy Hoshall
Scenic Director
Brent Noel
Wardrobe Supervisor
Jenava Burguriere
Fight Director
Tom Huston Orr
Director, Film and Video Department
Greg Mellott
CAST (IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE)
Darryl
Darryl Cox
Tony
Brady McInnes
Alison
Jennifer Laine Williams
Young Chiara/Lia
Nani Barton
Passersby
Mark Fairchild
Daraja Stewart
Policeman
Patrick Martino
Willy/Boy on Bike
Hayden Marino
Chiara
Chandler Ryan
Filomena
Thesa Loving
Archie
Jeffrey Schmidt
Nicky
Colin Morrow
Young Tony
Alex Irwin
Shadow Girl
Kelsey Godfrey
Vincenzo
Mike Kimmel
Midwife/Poker Player
Miranda LoPresti
Young Filomena
Anna Miller
Toscanini
Aidino Cassar
Warden
Stephen Morrow
Charlotte
Cait Brasel
RCMH Musicians
Lemuel Bardeguez
Richard Charnay
Brian W. Tidwell
Flutist
Anahid Nazarian
Pianist
Brian W. Tidwell
Camera Operators
Reese Baker
Alejandro Carreno
Mitch R. Cruse
Johnathon Cunningham
Fransua Durazo
Pat Flanagan
Sarah Hoch
Jason Hyman
Lanchi Le
Cray McDaniel
Stacy Mize
Scott Morris
John Nation
Sunday Omopariola
Sam Pemberton
Jim Ritchey
David Santos
Clay Taylor
Ryan Rockwell Thomas
Haden Tolbert
Carlos Torres
Agnes Wright
Grip
Ford Austin
Technical Assistant
Brandon Wakely
Production Crew
LaShawna Collins
Tyler Frederickson
Terry Joiner
Karen Martinez
Stephen Morrow
Taylor Tyree
Subrouter Technical Director
Eugene Ticzon, Jr.
3Play Operators
Grant Horoho
Zachary West
VT AD
Joshua L. Buzzard
Ron Huff
Lizeth Melendez
Keegan Parrish
Video Operator
Troy Braghini
Tech Manager Assistant
Noble Banks
Stage Management Crew
Logan Conyers
Pedro Ivo Diniz
Nichole Harwell
Nathan Larrinaga II
Landon Morgan
Joseph Mwangi
Sound Crew
Derek Biggers
Lauren Bumgarner
Rhett Chanley
Charles K. Golden
Colby Kopel
Grip & Electric Crew
Paul T. Chambers
Ken Cole
Whitson Crynes
C. S. Giles
Shae Rody Orcutt
Keith Eric Parks
Brooke Shackleford
Art Department
Bailey Hartman
Isaac Herrera
Nathan Larrinaga
Josef McGee
Quinton Mountain
Kathy Do Nguyen
Documentary Crew
Cait Brasel
Jonathan Shahan
Additional Documentary Filming
> Ford Austin
Agnes Wright
Director’s Assistant
Rachel Petillo
Actor Handlers
Roman Alcantara
Cheyenne Clawson
Mark Fairchild
Miranda LoPresti
Anna Miller
Taylor Reich
Tiffane Shorter
Daraja Stewart
Second Unit/NYC
Director of Photography
Rob Brink
Driver
Gerard Dervan
Special Thanks:
Major League Baseball
Corey Parker and Brady Belavek, VER
Mike Denney
EMSA, John Graham
Annette Insdorf
Tom Kaplan
Tom Huston Orr
Oklahoma University Theater Department
Oklahoma City Repertory Theatre
Cathy from OCCC IT
Randy Hodge
The Rink Gallery
Very Special Thanks:
Ruth Charnay Dean of Arts
Oklahoma City Community College
and the entire Oklahoma City Community
College Staff, Faculty and Facilities Crew
Filmed live entirely at the Visual and Performing Arts Center
of Oklahoma City Community College