Why BEING SOLD wasn’t selected

I had an interesting email today from a film festival in the states. As you know my comedy/drama BEING SOLD is doing the festival rounds. We submitted it to quite a few festivals and we were selected for some (and won some nice awards!) and a few others rejected the film. This can be for a number of reasons… the film is shockingly awful, the film isn’t the right “type” or, in some cases, they didn’t even watch it (there are a few bad festivals out there!). Comedy is a hard sell for festivals. A lot of programmers like the hard hitting vomiting-babies-and-social-comment type dramas instead of films that entertain. Comedy is always seen as “less intelligent” as, say, a thriller or costume drama. The truth is that a good comedy is bloody hard to make.

So, the e-mail. Most festivals just reject you and send you the standard response but some actually send you the notes that the selection committee made when watching the film (which I think all festivals should do… I mean, you’ve paid your $10-$200 submission fee so why not?). I received one of these emails about the reasons why BEING SOLD wasn’t selected and I thought I’d publish it. I think this is from three different people. Brace yourselves…

1. I thought the film’s premise was interesting, “how much is a life worth?”. It did a good job capturing today’s media frenzy and everyone trying to capitalize by any means possible. There were some compelling issues about fame and it’s consequences raised.

2. This was a clever comedy that hit upon many relevant, contemporary themes—unemployment, instant Internet fame and the callousness of the media.  I thought the film was entertaining and the cast was very good. I think more character development and back-story on John would have added to the film’s impact.

3. A high energy British farce about the desperate times we live in, where a depressed unemployed man would try to sell himself on Ebay. I thought the film did a great job showing the power of the media to take what should be insignificant “news” and blow it out of proportion to generate better ratings. The actors did a good job of keeping this unrealistic situation believable as the story ranged from over the top comedy to the deeper question of what is a man worth and the price of fame.

…umm, answers on a postcard?! I just can’t handle all this negativity… ;)

iPad for Directors | Part 3 | Organising References

Previous: iPad for Directors | Part 2 | The Apps

So, we’ve found some useful apps to do a variety of things during pre and production… but what’s the best way or organising images and references that you may want to take into meeting or onto set for quick reference?

I’m currently in early pre-production of my next feature CRASHING WALL STREET which is a period film set in 1929. I’m up to my neck in reference books, images, archive videos and style references. Wouldn’t it be great to have all of these in one place? I’ve had a look at few different apps but none beat the beautifully designed Photos and Videos app built into the iPad. I’ve messed around and come up with a few ways to bring these consumer applications onto our way of thinking.

Images

I’m using the iPad purely as a tool for work. If you’re using it to show off your latest holiday photos as well as store those location pics then you’re going to have a bit more trouble. This method of using Images on iPad as a place to store and organise references takes a little setting up but it’s very easy.

Create a new directory (lets call it ‘References’) on your computer. Anywhere, it doesn’t matter. Now, within the ‘References’ folder, create a few sub folders that you want to organise your images in. For example, I have sub-folders called ‘Recce Photos’, ‘Costume References’, ‘Style/Mood Refs’ etc. Now, drag all of your reference images that you want store onto the iPad into these folders. Organise it how you want… however, as I’ve come to realise, this method only supports one sub-folder eg. you can’t have a folder within ‘Costumes’ for the different characters. Create separate folders for them eg. ‘Costume Refs - Mary’, ‘Costume Ref - Steve’

Still with me? Great…

Now, you don’t want iPad to sync with iPhoto. Steer clear of that… especially if you’ve got all of those drunken iPhone pics synced to it. Keep your iPhone for showing these off. The iPad is for work.

Plug in the iPad to your computer. In iTunes, go to the PHOTOS tab for your iPad. Make sure the tickbox is clicked next to “Sync Photos From:”. In the drop down menu, select “Choose Folder” and then find your References folder. Once that’s done, check that ALL FOLDERS is selected and also INCLUDE VIDEOS.

Yep, that’s right. The Photos app on iPad can also play video! Feel free to save some video references right alongside your images.

Now, hit SYNC/APPLY in the bottom right. Once it’s done, open up your Photos app on the iPad… and look! All your references, organised into clusters and read to use on set at the touch of a button. Video also plays well… just click on the PLAY icon on the image.

Video

“But, the images app plays video!” I hear you cry. Yes, it does… but what if you want to keep them separate or organise them differently? Here’s a few things I figured out.

No doubt, as a director, your showreel or latest bit of work was the first video to go onto your iPad (and doesn’t it look glorious on the screen?). In VIDEOS on the iPad these should have all happily appeared under the Videos tab at the top. If you’ve got a few podcasts on the iPad already you’ll see that this tab has appeared too.

If you’re like me and you shoot music videos and TV shows, why not make use of iTunes’ “Media Kind” function to organise the video properly? This is the way a video tells iTunes where to store it. At present the only Media Kind’s you can select are Movie, Music Video, TV Show, Podcast and iTunesU. These options are what relate to the taps at the top of the Videos app on iPad. Wouldn’t it be amazing if you could create your own custom tabs for your reference videos? Unfortunately, you can’t. I’ve looked.

But, don’t cry. You might as well make use of the Music Video tab to store your toe-tapping videos here. I’ve also got a clever way of organising video references using the TV Shows tap but I’ll get to that…

If you don’t know how to convert a video to optimize one for iPad, there are many sites on it. Have a read of this one for compressor. Don’t have Compressor? (Call yourself a Mac Geek!) Download this tool to convert video.

So, you have a music video. Convert it and drag it to the Movies tab in iTunes. Now, CTRL/(ugh)Right click on the video and select GET INFO. Click on the OPTIONS tab. Under MEDIA KIND select MUSIC VIDEO. Hit OK and sync. On the iPad, check your Videos app - lookie there! Your Music Video is under the correct tab. If you’re as OCD as me (you should be, you’re a director) that will excite you greatly.

Another tip: if you have a load of videos you’d like to change the ‘Media Kind’ of, you can just select them all and then CTRL/Right click on them, select GET INFO and you’ll have a Multiple Item box appear. Change it once and all will be changed.

Lets get back to the references. So, you have a load of video references. I know I do. A couple are stored in the Images app but what about others?  Well, you can trick iTunes to think that your references are TV Shows. Why? Because iTunes will automatically sort multiple episodes (reference videos) under one TV Show (category). It means, in the end, you can have a custom made list of related videos in one place instead of just all over the Videos tab.

To do this, drag a load of references into the Movies tab on iTunes. Select them all, CTRL/Right click, GET INFO, go to OPTIONS, under MEDIA KIND select TV SHOW. Now, go to the VIDEO tab. Next to SHOW, type what kind of reference video these are. For example, Lighting References. Now, click OK.

Ping! Your videos have disappeared. Don’t worry, click on the TV SHOWS link under your Library in iTunes. You’ll see there’s now an icon called your category. Double click on this to see what’s in this category. You’ll find all of your videos there.

Repeat these steps to create your different categories of references. When you’ve done, sync your iPad.

Go to VIDEOS app on the iPad, hit the TV SHOWS tab and look… there are icons relating to the different categories. Tap on one of the images… and look! All of your references organised under the relevant category in a great playlist format. A note: I have no idea why the name of the category doesn’t show up under the TV Shows tab - I’m working on finding that out.

Enjoy! You don’t have to thank me… well do, post a comment. :) Also, don’t forget to share what you’ve found useful on your iPad.

Next: iPad for Directors | Part 3 | More Apps (coming soon…)

iPad for Directors | Part 2 | The Apps

Previous entry: iPad for Directors | Part 1 | Introduction

So, you’ve read the introduction. Let’s get down to iBusiness. I’ve scrolled high and low to find apps that will aid the director on set. Yep, we all know there are lots of great iPhone apps for filmmakers and cinematographers but the iPad is a new beast. Here’s what I’m currently using…

iAnnotate PDF - Read and comment on scripts

I get sent a lot of features scripts and I’m not a big fan of reading them on a screen at my desk. So, I end up printing out all 120 odd pages (or 60 if put two to a page) so I can write on them and make notes as I read. When you’re developing/producing a script, you’ll easily go through six or seven drafts of the same screenplay. Now thats a lot of wasted paper. Typing up notes to email is also really time consuming. iAnnotate PDF allows you to read PDF versions of a script from the comfort of your sofa and actually highlight, scribble and make notes onto the PDF. Then, when you’re done, you can email this script, complete with the notes you’ve just scribbled, straight back to your writer/producer/actor. Job done.

To transfer your script from your computer to the iPad, the designers of the app would like you to download some software for your desktop. I wouldn’t bother with this. Once the app is installed and you’ve synced the iPad back to your computer, have a look at the Apps tab in iTunes for your iPad. Scroll down and you’ll see that the app has been added to the file sharing list. Click on it and select “Add” to transfer the PDF. It’ll now be visible in the app.

Price: £4.99 | Get it here

Adobe Ideas - Sketch ‘em out

I don’t know about you but a lot of time - and randomly - an idea for a shot or image will pop into my head and it’ll need to sketch it somewhere before it runs away. Hundreds of potential shot ideas for a feature film can lead to an untidy desk. Adobe Ideas is perfect for drawing these, collating them and it’s free. It’s really easy to use and you can email them (probably embarrassingly to an actual storyboard artist who doesn’t draw stick men) straight from the app. Another great thing is the ability to import a photo as a layer and draw on top of it. Ideal for making notes on any images, location shots or references.

Price: Free | Get it here

Penultimate - Replace that notebook

A similar scribbler app to Adobe Ideas but this is better tailored for handwriting. Make notes on different subjects/projects/film ideas with appear as different ‘notebooks’. It’s probably a handy thing to have open on set to make quick notes with whilst at the monitor. It’s nicely designed too.

Price: £1.79 | Get it here

Camera for iPad - Take shots

Yep. Seriously. This amazing app allows you to use your iPhone as a remote camera for your iPad over a WiFi or Bluetooth connection. On WiFi the range is pretty impressive. You can see a live feed from the iPhone on the iPad, take a photo and the app will automatically transfer the image into your photo library. Awesome. It even gimmicky can use the iPad as a ‘flash’ but I don’t know why you would. It’s easy to set up. Just have your iPhone and iPad on the same network/paired via bluetooth (which the app does for you) and make sure you have the app loaded on your iPhone. Open them at the same time and hit ‘Connect’. Enjoy!

How would I use it? Have the iPad on and roam around the location on a recce taking photos/lining up shots and have them all sent to my iPad. Open them in Adobe Ideas and start sketching some rough storyboards with them while your DoP gathers around and is either impressed at how you’re able to represent your idea/in different because he or she has an iPad and has being doing it too/bored of your iPad already.

Price: £0.59 | Get it here

Artemis Director’s Viewfinder / Artemis Remote for iPad

We all know (or should know) how good the Artemis director’s viewfinder is on the iPhone. I don’t think it’d ever replace looking through glass on set for me. However, it’s a handy (and pretty accurate) tool to have for recce’s or just to go on a creative wander whilst the crew is setting up another shot and you don’t want to bother the busy camera assistant for a lens on a stick. Well you could, you’re the director, but that’s besides the point. It’s a handy tool to have in your pocket. Using the same idea as Camera for iPad you can use your iPhone running Artemis Director’s viewfinder and send a remote live feed to your iPad. It’ll allow people to see what the iPhone is seeing, change lenses and send images to the iPad. Clever stuff.

Artemis Viewfinder for iPhone | Price: £17.99 (required) | Get it here

Artemis Remote for iPad | Price: £2.99 | Get it here

DropBox

More of a must-have for any iPad owner, DropBox is a brilliant way of transferring files to your iPhone and iPad using a secure space on the internet. You can even ‘favorite’ files on your iPad which will download them so they can be accessed if the iPad is ever offline.

Price: Free | Get it here

Coming Soon

I’ll be no doubt updating this section as I find more useful apps but here’s a few to look out for in the next few weeks. Storyboard Composer is coming to iPad. I’ve never really been a massive user of it but do appreciate the tools it can give to directors - especially new filmmakers. Maybe I’ll change my tune once I see it on the big screen iPad! Also, there’s word that Final Draft for iPad is coming very soon. I wonder whether they’ll have annotation features like iAnnotate PDF? It’ll be perfect if they do. Either way, it’ll be a great app to have just to open those pesky Final Draft files. Okay, not strictly an app for directors but if you do the odd bit of grading at home then keep an eye on Gradiest, an app that turns your iPad into multi-touch control surface for grading. The first version will be for First Light with word on the grapevine that they’re developing a version for Apple’s Color. Woo.

…and finally

If you shoot a lot on the RedCam (like I do) and your regular director of photography is wondering what to get you for a birthday/Christmas/tuesday just suggest this. I already have. When’s it arriving Mike?

Next entry: iPad for Directors | Part 3 | Organising image/video references

iPad for Directors | Part 1 | Introduction

I bought an iPad for two reasons. One, I’m a bit of a Mac geek and (as my partner says) would probably buy anything with an Apple logo on it and, two, I could see the potential for the iPad to be a great tool for Directors on set. I’m always nervous taking my MacBook Pro on set for fear of scratches and damaging it (I told you I was a Mac geek) so the opportunity to have a Mac in the form of a very portable tablet that can be tailored as an invaluable tool to store scripts, storyboards, video references, images, make notes on and (so I’ve discovered) can be used as a portable monitor from the camera is a dream come true. I usually carry my laptop and a large folder on set - basically I have an artificial brain on paper. If I lost it, I’d be in trouble. The iPad allows everything to be stored (and more importantly) backed up in one very mobile device. Goodbye heavy folder.

Well, that was the excuse I gave myself to buy it. Now I’ve got to make that happen.

Having searched around on various sites, I couldn’t really find a place that went into specific detail on how an iPad could be used for Directors. There’s the awesome Hand Held Hollywood that has a great directory and it’s podcast is always a good watch but wasn’t hitting the mark. So, here is iPad for Directors. I’ve been doing the legwork, using apps, reading reviews to see what would be useful for me and I’ve decided to share. As I’m about to start pre-production of my next feature film CRASHING WALL STREET this is very much a baptism of fire for the iPad. I’ll keep updating this section as I find stuff that’s useful to me.

So, without further ado, move onto: iPad for Directors | Part 2 | The Apps

If you find anything, please share in the comments box below.