Depth
of Information
As you can tell from the description in the Comprehension
section there is a whole ocean of depth in this DVD series.
It'll take time to absorb all of the elements of this DVD
series, but it's time very well spent.
The
first two DVDs are all dedicated to the stationary camera
setup. The next two DVDs are dedicated to moving cameras,
as those created through dollies, cranes, and jibs. The
final two DVDs combine all the information shown in the
first four and help you to see sequences and chains that
you might set up shots in during an actual shoot. They actually
go from the script to blocking to the final shoot in these,
which is very helpful. (To practice later, you can even
download scripts and blocking charts from the Hollywood
Camerawork website!)
The
things presented in these DVDs are the sort of things too
many filmmakers never think through and then can't understand
their problems with continuity and/or coverage after the
fact.
While
two person dialogue shots are
not terribly difficult to compose...
...multiple
people in a single
conversation can be very complex.
Interest
Level
Because of the density of material, it is not always the
easiest material to keep one's interest. This can be helped
a lot by watching it in smaller chunks that won't overwhelm
you.
However,
from a production stand point, a lot could have been done
to improve the interest level by providing actual dialogue
for the mannequins and having voice actors earlier in the
DVD training. In the early training, a single woman narrates
the different techniques crisply and cleanly. However, where
it gets choppy is when she's describing certain scenes and
using generic descriptors in lieu of dialogue. For example,
one sequence went something like, "And so we cut to
the blonde woman who says something, then back to medium
shot of the brown man who says something...then back to
the blonde woman who says something...then back to the brown
man, who finishes the conversation."
All
of that may have been technically accurate, but it makes
a dense subject that much more difficult to follow and that
much more difficult to stay interested in. This is especially
crucial in the beginning, since the beginning is where you
need to be paying attention the most.
As
they get into later training, especially the last two disks,
they do a great job of bringing in voice talent and actually
having scripts. (As I mentioned earlier, you can actually
download the scripts from their website.) However, I
think it would have helped out a lot if they had brought
in that scripting and talent earlier.
In
the grand scheme of things, this is a minor problem and
doesn't take away from the simple fact that they have managed
to make Hollywood Camera Work interesting enough
to sit through in the first place! To do so with this much
information is a major achievement!
Reusability
Reusability is clearly one of the main points for why this
entire series was created.
I
took just a few moments and came up with just a handful
of examples of some the reusable applications. For example,
they are:
For
microfilmmakers to learn the technique and concepts that
have already been mastered in the field of cinematography.
How are we going to push the envelope of new techniques
if we're not really sure what's in the envelope already?
To
be watched and practiced in lieu of an overpriced blocking
class at a college that wouldn't cover 1/4 of these techniques
despite it's much greater price tag.
For
directors and writers to watch with their camera people
and cinematographers, so that they're all on the same
page for maximum efficiency.
As
a moving chapter-listed encyclopedia of the art of blocking
and shot layout that can be referenced again and again
by anyone in the motion picture industry at virtually
any level.
Reflection
issues in shooting are
brought up in this series...
...as
are more advanced
group blocking issues.
Value
vs. Cost
Considering the depth of information and the amount of time
it took Per to collate all this stuff, I think $399.99 is
probably drastically underpriced. And with the Microfilmmaker
Discount for readers, you
get a 30% discount.
Go
and try pricing this sort of training at any qualified trade
or film school and see how many thousands of dollars they
would charge for anywhere near this amount of information!
Overall
Comment
This is a great series of DVDs that excellently presents
the most important elements of film blocking and camera
work. While we as microfilmmakers have to stretch every
dime to make our films, this is 2800 dimes very well spent.
These DVDs will help make our films truly noteworthy and
should be in every microfilmmaker's collection.
