Have you ever wanted to change a scene or the ending of a movie you’ve watched because you thought they could have done a better job at directing, lighting, or acting? We bet it’s true! If you’re a regular moviegoer, you may have become a discreet movie critic on the side. However, have you ever wondered how do they do it behind the cameras?
The workshop happened inside the actual studio of Corporate Television.
To sum up what we learned from a Production Process Workshop conducted by Corporate Television’s Work of HeArt: producing films, even the shortest of its kind, is one tough and tedious work of art.
Aside from introducing us to basic terms, elements, the crew, and the process of film production, we also learned several other things from the workshop:
Don’t take rejection too seriously.
We took our note-taking seriously.
Don Carlo Capila, CTV’s Executive Producer, talked about pre-production, including meetings to begin everything and not taking rejection too seriously. Makes sense for life, in general! Don’t get sick of suggesting ideas during your meetings and always be open to new ideas. You may not be able to make everyone like and accept your ideas, but help always matters.
Use camera movements to tell your story better.
A leading man carries his dead leading lady and shouts her name in the air while the camera zooms out and gets a view of everything that happens – sound familiar? This kind of scene and camera movement is always present to add a more dramatic effect in Filipino teleseryes. We learned that this is because shot angles can enhance the viewer’s experiences and tell the story better. Aha, now we know!
Don Carlo adds, “Always start with a still shot, begin the pan, and finish with a still shot. If there is nothing worth seeing, then the pan isn’t worth shooting,”
Cranes are the secret to a bird’s eye view.
Cranes are used by movie directors for street scenes so they can shoot from above the crowd and the traffic, it looks as if the camera is swooping down from above. The speaker says it works and looks similar to a construction crane. It is typically used for high sweeping shots or to follow the action of your subject.
Blocking is like a puzzle.
The workshop was very interactive!
As newbies curious about film production, we learned that blocking a scene is when they are working out the details of an actor’s moves in relation to the camera. We learned that all the elements on the set such as actors, extras, vehicles, crew, and equipment should move in perfect harmony with each other. Of course, the person responsible for this is the director. It’s like a puzzle because the directors need to keep working at it until the whole scene works. Sounds really challenging!
Never sacrifice doing your job for the time.
Our favorite takeaway was the folder system and keeping the files, audio, clips safe with backups, because, as with any other job, it makes a good sense. Katriel Fucoy, their Post Production head, says, “Sometimes, if you’re on set, you may be pressured to be turning cards (memory cards) over very fast, in which case you have to do the spot checks fast; but never sacrifice doing your job right for the time.” This means working smart and efficient while still producing good and organized results in the least amount of time. They also said that it helps if everyone is organized.
(ALSO READ: 5 Tips for Aspiring Artists from a Professional Travel Filmmaker and Photographer)
This was just one of Corporate Television’s series of helpful workshops and seminars for a cause leading to their main event on October 5, 2018 titled “Work of HeArt”, an exhibit and variety show. It includes live music, comedy hour, spoken word presentations and artworks sale from 7PM onwards.
This event aims to help Mano Amiga, a non-government organization that provides high quality, international standard education to underprivileged yet promising students. Here’s a chance to help those kids!
Work of Heart
https://www.facebook.com/WorkOfHeartEvent
