5 Things I've Learned Shooting A Webseries

For several weeks now I've been slap bang in the middle of production of Season 2 of Fools For Hire the comedy webseries that I co-created with actors Nick Harrison and Mike Cavers. We shot 4 episodes last year as sort of a dry-run of the concept and were delighted to see people wanting more and were thrilled when the show was selected by LAWebfest and was nominated for 2 Leo Awards.

As I'm writing this we have close to 6 episodes completed with many more to come in the next month or so. Season 2 is a huge step forward for the show. Before even completing Season 1 we knew we wanted to raise the bar on the kinds of story we were telling, the style of comedy and the overall scale of the show. As Co-Creator, Co-writer, Director, Camera guy and Editor (I'm a glutton for punishment!) on Fools For Hire I've learned a lot in the last year. With more and more folks taking their own stab at making a webseries, here are 5 Things I've Learned Shooting A Webseries.

1. Aim High (and adjust accordingly when it all goes wrong...)

As a director, I thrive on pulling off what seems almost impossible, whether there is a budget in place or not. Committing time and energy, getting numerous people together in one place to shoot something takes a lot of work - so for me, there's nothing to be gained from "good enough". Why go to all that trouble for something that is just average? On a personal level, I'm not interested in doing what is easy or what I've done before, every episode, every scene, every moment needs to have something that challenges me on some level.

So for Season 2 my fellow creators and I, threw caution to the wind!

At every level, despite having no official budget to speak of, we've attempted what others would call crazy and what others with more common sense would strongly advise against. Take our opening sequence for Season 2 which we shot a couple of weeks ago - A large location, 12 characters all in utterly ridiculous costumes. The scene required a certain over-the-top gravitas which then descends into crazy chaos and action. Already on paper this was looking like a whole lot of trouble. Just getting the costumes together was a nightmare... Two weeks before shooting we were the victims of an eBay scam and lost 4 costumes, actor availability meant shifting schedules around which caused three others to no longer be available and on the day of shooting technical problems with a piece of gear meant me having to throw out my shot list and pretty much figure out a solution on the spot...

But you know what? It all worked out. We found alternate costumes which actually worked better, we found new people at the eleventh hour who were willing to brave the heat and wear these costumes and we were even refunded the money lost in the eBay scam. As for the technical issues, I may have had to cut my glorious crane shots but because I'd been visualizing the sequence in my head for months I knew what I needed to do to still get the right feel for the sequence.

The sequence is now mostly edited and I am very proud of what we all pulled off. We made it happen because we refused to do what was easy, what was in our comfort zone and what many would say would be foolish to even attempt.

So shoot for the skies. Don't let restrictions (or fear and uncertainty for that matter!) hold your creativity and imagination hostage. Don't be average be ambitious - just because it's a webseries doesn't mean "lowest common denominator" and/or two actors sitting across from one another chat-chatting with the camera observing passively on a tripod nearby.

This would be so much easier with a crane...

2. Ask And You Shall Receive (sometimes...)!

We live in a hectic world and we're all busy with something so it's understandable that we might not ask someone for help because they're likely too busy. Alternately, we may not ask because we feel guilty about not having money to pay them or because we're just a tiny, insignificant webseries and not "a real movie".

Screw that I say! Ask for help. Say what you want and need for your show and never, ever be an apologist. Webseries are a legitimate form of entertainment and they are growing bigger and gaining more attention day by day as is evidenced by new webseries festivals springing up on a weekly basis. Besides, if you feel like making a webseries is a lesser form of creative pursuit then why are you wasting your time making one? Webseries are awesome and they have an awesome and amazingly supportive community of passionate individuals worldwide - a better question would be why aren't you making a webseries?

In the last year of being a part of Fools For Hire I've been pleasantly surprised by what we've asked for and gotten. Firstly, some incredibly talented people have not only agreed to join us but have been delighted to be a part of our show and have in some cases demanded to be more involved. Secondly, never count something out until you've asked and gotten a definitive no. We had a scene that introduces a new character and when writing it we had a specific location in mind but we didn't write that because we thought "No, we'll never get that location". So we wrote the scene with a non-descript door in a wall... and guess what? In all of Vancouver we couldn't find a door in a wall! So on a whim I called our original dream location, told them about Fools For Hire and what we were needing and they said, "Sure, no problem. I'll even waive the usual fees."

Lesson learned. It never hurts to ask. People can always say "No" but more often than you might expect they'll say "Yes!".

3. Small is good but bigger is better

Unlike those bloated movie sets with hundreds of crew people etc. webseries are often tiny in terms of the people involved. On our first 4 episodes we were extremely self-contained. The result of this was sometimes feeling like we were creating our show in a void. The more people involved in the making of your show the more you have to wrestle with schedules and logistics etc. but the more people you involve the more you build a sense of community around your show. As with "Aim High", don't fear extra work in scheduling etc., open the doors wide and be inclusive. The more people involved in the making of your show, the more people you have available to you as resources for that next time you're struggling to find a "non-descript door".

Since beginning shooting of Season 2, we've involved a lot more people and we've noticed an exponential increase in Likes, Follows etc. across our social media. Strangely, getting bigger has made things easier in a lot of ways. As for wrestling with schedules and the like, well this is all part of production no matter what you are creating. Suck it up and stop being lazy or just go back to shooting 2 actors yabbering on at one another whilst the camera observes from a safe distance on it's locked down tripod.

Our team grows once more

4. Give back and do it with genuine love and support

We've discovered a wonderful and supportive community of fellow webseries creators in Vancouver and beyond. There are legions of people just like you who are going through the same creative struggles on their shows as you are on yours - invite their feedback, learn from them and recognize that they are a very valuable resource in every step of the process. It's important to not forget that it is a 2-way street and that you must try and return favors - when someone invites their Followers to Follow your show, do the same for theirs. When someone responds to a post you've made asking for help, thank them and try to help them when they are next in need.

Having worked in film and TV for close to 18yrs, I can't say I've ever seen such a supportive community as the webseries community. There is a sense that we're all in it together and I hope that this isn't just because we're all in it together with little to no money. Some shows may not look as good as yours, some shows may not have as many fans as yours but their show is just as important to them as yours is to you so show them the love and respect - you never know when you might need them.

Just a typical day on Fools For Hire!

5. Be patient and never stop having fun

What is your show about? Who is it aimed at? What's your brand?

These are vital questions. Since we leapt into the webseries game we've learned a lot and are still learning each and every day - if we weren't we probably wouldn't still be going to all this trouble and effort. When we launched Fools For Hire we thought we had a pretty good game plan and a pretty good understanding of our show. We've tried to carry that over all the various social media platforms etc. with varying degrees of success.

In my personal opinion, the Fools For Hire that currently exists online in the form of our first 4 episodes isn't quite the show we imagined even though it came from our collective imaginations. As much as we've been learning the do's and don'ts of social media etc. we've also been figuring out what we want Fools For Hire to be. Season 2, we hope, will be much closer to that vision - gone are the interviews and mockumentary feel, instead we're going 100% narrative storytelling. We're upping the ante and the stakes for our characters and bringing an edgier form of comedy - at least that's the plan.

We all hope to have a show that explodes and is massively popular but 99% of the time this doesn't happen. Be prepared to spend as much time promoting your show and interacting with people around the world on social media etc. as you do actually making the show. It's a marathon not a sprint, a slow but consistent build of your brand.

It's been very hit and miss for us despite thinking we had a solid plan but since we began shooting Season 2 it's encouraging to see that the posts that get the most Likes and Shares are the ones that are 100% about Fools For Hire and our upcoming Season. This tells me that people are buying into what we're doing and are developing a loyalty and appreciation for the show.

Making Fools For Hire has been a huge challenge for me. It's not been without it's stress. That said, it's also been immense fun! I've gotten to meet some simply amazing people and I've gotten to go places and experience things I never would have been able to had I not sat down with Nick Harrison and Mike Cavers and listened to their original pitch 12 months ago.

Make no mistake, creating anything in any medium takes time and a certain resilience. Be sure that you're going to enjoy the process and grow from the experience. There's no guarantee you'll ever make any money doing it but as long as you're being fulfilled on other levels then it's well worth the effort.

Season 2 of Fools For Hire will be premiering in the Fall on Youtube - I recommend Subscribing to the Fools For Hire Channel for all the latest episodes. Check out the official site, find it the show on Facebook or join the conversation on Twitter.

Until next time, thanks for visiting!

Mulieris Futura: Behind-the-Scenes Part II

With several shots of Melanie's melancholic ambling along the lakeshore now in the bag as well as some random 60fps slo-mo swing-set action we still didn't really have any clue what the story of Mulieris Futura was going to be...

So we packed up the Glidecam HD 2000 and headed over to the small dock jutting out across the water. A truly beautiful location but unfortunately it was so bright and sunny I could barely see the LCD viewfinder of the camera. Winging it and hoping for the best (thank goodness for those great focus marks on the Takumar lenses!), Melanie sat down on the edge of the dock and gazed wistfully out across the water while I fiddled around in the background like a good ole camera geek.

This was the first time I was able to really put my new DSLR rig through it's paces. This goes back to what I was talking about in the last post about the need for stability when shooting and how one needs to expand the camera into something closer to the form factor of a traditional video/film camera.

I used to have one of these Cowboy Rigs available on Amazon for practically nothing...

This is what I used to shoot Twinkle, Twinkle with and it was okay but just wasn't adjustable enough and didn't feel strong enough (those creaking plastic sounds are terrifying when you have $1,500 worth of camera relying on it's grip!). Also, being a former IATSE camera assistant I've been spoiled with the high-end gear and the idea of running around with a cheap plastic rig named after a cowhand just wasn't appealing to me...

Time for an upgrade!

This is my new filmmaking toy and it comes from a company called Lanparte.

So why is this so much better than the poor old Cowboy who's been forced to hang up his creaky, plastic boots? Well, for one thing it's very strong and made completely out of machined metal parts so no more unsettling flexes or rattled nerves when bolting the camera to it. Secondly, it is highly adjustable into many different configurations depending on the needs of the shot whether it's mounted on a tripod or being used hand-held. Finally, it's based off of a standardized 15mm rod system meaning there are many, many other accessories that I can expand the rig with such as a follow focus, matte box, onboard monitor, microphone, etc.

I've attached a second Giottos quick release plate to the rig so switching the camera from the Glidecam to the Lanparte rig can be done quicker than you can say, "Time is money". The baseplate assembly is height adjustable and built like a tank.

The shoulder pad assembly is surprisingly comfortable, is also adjustable and can be expanded to take a  battery accessory pack should you require power for additional accessories. A big problem with DSLRs when shooting video with rigs like this is they tend to be a little front heavy so I may eventually pick up a counterweight that I can attach to the back of the shoulder pad. This is probably the cheapest option available.

The top-handle is a must in my opinion. It makes carrying the camera around so much easier and is strong enough and comfortable enough to make for some very cool low-angle running shots. The top handle connects to a C-bracket that unscrews and can hinge open giving the user easier access to the camera to adjust settings etc., has numerous 1/4" screw holes for additional accessories as well as a hotshoe mount for attaching a microphone, video light or digital sound recorder.

Completing the rig is this great set of handgrips that, like the rest of the rig, is also highly configurable, sturdy and very well made. It's also super comfortable to hold and unlike the cheap handgrips that are available, doesn't leave your hands stained or covered in little flecks of rubber.

I did a lot of research before ordering this rig - there are a staggering amount of choices out there in price ranges from a couple of hundred dollars to literally thousands. Manufacturing quality varies as does expandability, compatibility and general usefulness (such as allowing the user to still access camera menu buttons, switch out batteries and SD cards etc.). Overall I am extremely happy with the Lanparte rig and it made a huge difference in the shots I was able to achieve for Mulieris Futura which we shot in only 4 hours. Hopefully it will last me a very long time.

Photography and filmmaking can be expensive hobbies never mind if you actually intend to make a living at it so do your research and don't go crazy buying gear you don't need. Now that I have the rig I'm much happier and creatively inspired to try new things but that's already tempered with thoughts of "Hmm... I really need a better tripod..." Given the problems I had trying to see what I was shooting on the Canon's tiny, blown-out-by-the-sun LCD screen I think what I really need is an onboard monitor. Time to start saving the pennies...!

Until next time, thanks for reading. I'll wrap up these behind-the-scenes posts in the next few days with some details on the Post-Production side of Mulieris Futura.

Mulieris Futura: Behind-the-Scenes Part I

I hope those of you who took the time to check out the short film Mulieris Futura enjoyed it. We certainly had fun making it and this is how we did it...

My main goal going into this shoot was to test out some newly acquired gear. Do you need this gear to shoot video on a DSLR like the Canon 60D? Absolutely not. Does it make a big difference to the shots you can capture? Hell yes!

Arriving at the location I decided to get the "heavy lifting" out of the way first by getting a bunch of steadicam-like shots. For this I used the awesome Glidecam HD 2000 which is a poor man's version of the $8,000+ pro steadicam rigs used for those smooth-moving, floating shots we see in Hollywood movies.

I love experimenting with camera movement as a director but like smooth, STEADY movement even more. On any kind of a camera this can be challenging never mind on a DSLR. The advantage of shooting video on a DSLR (among other things) is it's small size and weight to image quality ratio. These cameras can capture amazing images if used properly. However, the small size and weight is also one of their big disadvantages too because 99% of the stability of every shot is dependent on how steady your hand and wrist are as opposed to using your arms, shoulders and upper torso to help stabilize as is the case with larger, shoulder-mounted cameras. Adding to the image capture problems are things like moire and aliasing but that's a whole other issue!

The Glidecam is a low-budget solution for taking the shake out of your steps by using a gimbal mechanism that allows the camera to "float". The key to it is a) Balance and b) Operation. There are many Glidecam type stabilizers available on the market (like the Flycam for example) but very few allow micro adjustments for balancing which is crucial in finding that perfect center of gravity.

For a great video tutorial on balancing a Glidecam go here.

In terms of operation it's a very tricky piece of gear and like any instrument requires a LOT of practice! As you can see from my first real attempt shooting with it in Mulieris Futura I have a long, long way to go with it - Standing still I'm fine; Walking backwards or forwards I'm fine (providing I don't have to suddenly stop then move again); Walking sideways and tracking the subject as well as tilting up or down is a whole other challenge... The key is in a very subtle finger-touch of the gimbal - Grab it firmly and you defeat the object of the delicate balance, too light a touch and the rig wants to pendulum on its axis. A lot of the moving/tracking shots in the film I'm not very happy with - the horizon should NOT be swaying from side to side like we're at sea! I have a steep learning curve ahead...

Finally, when loaded up with the camera, battery and lens (in this case the Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5) the rig can be quite heavy. All together it weighs around 5.5 lbs/2.5 Kgs which is a lot of stress on one's wrist. I found a cheap forearm brace (its the pad/velcro thing beside the rig in the picture above) on eBay that makes a huge difference in spreading the weight and allows me to shoot longer shots without grimacing in pain!

To reduce time screwing bolts in and out of my camera between Glidecam and tripod etc. I have a Giottos quick release plate system. The plate's tightening knob didn't quite clear the side of the Glidecam so I added a couple of layers of fabric tape to the bottom which also stops things from loosening and/or spinning off axis.

Mulieris Futura was shot on 3 lenses: The Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 on all the Glidecam shots and the wide shot that closes the film, the Super Takumar 28mm f/3.5 and the SMC Takumar 50mm f/1.4. I've blogged before about the old Pentax Takumar M42 lenses and every time I use them I like them a little more! They are especially good when shooting video because they have a good amount of turn to their focus rings making it much easier to follow the subject and adjust during the shot.

Take a bow fellas - you too trusty fotodiox M42 to Canon-EF lens adaptor!

If you have any questions, fire away, I'd be happy to help!

Until next time folks, I hope I was able to share some useful info here. I'll cover another important new rig element next time as well as touch upon the Post Production side of making Mulieris Futura.

Coming Soon!

2012 is running on nitro it seems... Almost the end of February already!

After the 52 Week photo blog experiment I felt like I needed a little break from here and it's probably just as well since I have been extremely busy. It's time to re-organize, re-focus and re-jig things around here I think. This year I'll be taking a small step back from the photographer hobby and getting back to what I do professionally, namely writing, directing and story consulting.

I have lots to share in the next little while, much of it focused on the on-going projects I'm involved in such as:

- The webseries Libelle which I blogged about back in Week 18.

- The Death of Alec Gray which is the feature I will be directing.

- Writing for Capcom Games Vancouver (as soon as the game I am writing for is officially announced!)

- DSLR filmmaking.

DSLR filmmaking is of particular interest to me since it's a natural progression from exploring the stills side whilst bringing me back to my passion as a filmmaker. Initially I was hoping to shoot a short film every month for this year but work commitments have made this unattainable, at least for now.

However, I did manage to shoot some video on my trusty Canon DSLR and I'll be sharing the results of that soon. Here's a few screen grabs from the work-in-progress edit:

Like the short film from Week 2, there was no script and it started out as more of a "gear test" than a serious effort but I'm pretty happy with how things are shaping up with the piece. For the techno-geeks among you and for those of you wanting to know how you can turn you're DSLR into a filmmaking tool, I'll do a separate blog on some of the gear used, problems encountered and how I approached the Post Production.

Given my work commitments, my blog posting schedule will probably be less frequent than the weekly 2011 posts but I'll do my best to share content as often as I can. Stay tuned for the finished short film.

If you have any questions, requests or comments please do share them below!