Windy Cine Productions is a Chicago video production, film production and post-production company, producing award winning commercials, corporate video and documentary style projects. A mostly serious, somewhat tongue in cheek, guide to help you think about your future marketing or promotional film. Below we have included some common things for you to consider when developing a film or video project.
Who is the audience for this video production? Is your audience already familiar with your work or are you trying to reach a new audience. Is this a one-off screening (for an event) or will this project have a shelf life of several years? Straight to DVD or CD-ROM? 2. What do you wish to accomplish with this video production? It is very hard to create a film that covers everything for all audiences.
While it might seem like a no-brainer to have one film serve multiple masters, our experience shows that it rarely pans out that way. Leave the two-fers to the late night comedians, the film and video production to us.
Who is the audience for this video production? Is your audience already familiar with your work or are you trying to reach a new audience. Is this a one-off screening (for an event) or will this project have a shelf life of several years? Straight to DVD or CD-ROM? 2. What do you wish to accomplish with this video production? It is very hard to create a film that covers everything for all audiences.
While it might seem like a no-brainer to have one film serve multiple masters, our experience shows that it rarely pans out that way. Leave the two-fers to the late night comedians, the film and video production to us.
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8. What video / film format will we shoot with?
No jokes here.
We can shoot any format from digital tape, to film to HDTV.
It all depends on your budget.
We could probably create a pretty effective shadow puppet presentation given ample time and a good flashlight.
9. What about recording sound for this video production?
Really no jokes this time.
We think good audio is perhaps more important than good pictures.
Have you ever seen a poorly dubbed foreign film?
It's unwatchable.
We spend a lot of time and effort recording the best audio on set as we can, then in post-production we focus on the sound design.
No jokes here.
We can shoot any format from digital tape, to film to HDTV.
It all depends on your budget.
We could probably create a pretty effective shadow puppet presentation given ample time and a good flashlight.
9. What about recording sound for this video production?
Really no jokes this time.
We think good audio is perhaps more important than good pictures.
Have you ever seen a poorly dubbed foreign film?
It's unwatchable.
We spend a lot of time and effort recording the best audio on set as we can, then in post-production we focus on the sound design.
Our goal with this serialized production guide is to share with you some of our production experiences while helping you create your own video projects.
We often shoot in hotels.
Conference rooms can work, but they are often in crowded areas.
Last January, we were shooting for two days in Washington D.C.
The day before the shoot, the hotel insisted we change rooms, but wouldn't tell us why.
Finally, the manager told us the whole story.
The President and Bono (an uncommon pairing to say the least) were speaking at the hotel the next morning.
We often shoot in hotels.
Conference rooms can work, but they are often in crowded areas.
Last January, we were shooting for two days in Washington D.C.
The day before the shoot, the hotel insisted we change rooms, but wouldn't tell us why.
Finally, the manager told us the whole story.
The President and Bono (an uncommon pairing to say the least) were speaking at the hotel the next morning.
We had an interview scheduled at the Philadelphia Housing Authority.
We had no scouting time, and there wasn't an available conference room.
So we were forced to shoot in a cramped office.
We made the best of a difficult situation.
We put the camera out in the hallway and shot through the open door.
We moved out interview subject out in front of his desk- so we had some separation from the back wall.
While not ideal- and very hard to control sound (phones ringing, etc.) we made it work.
When you see the finished product you will never know of our production difficulties.
We had no scouting time, and there wasn't an available conference room.
So we were forced to shoot in a cramped office.
We made the best of a difficult situation.
We put the camera out in the hallway and shot through the open door.
We moved out interview subject out in front of his desk- so we had some separation from the back wall.
While not ideal- and very hard to control sound (phones ringing, etc.) we made it work.
When you see the finished product you will never know of our production difficulties.
Set up the monitor close to where the camera will be.
Plug it in and turn it on.
I use an S-Video cable to monitor the camera.
Plug it into the monitor and leave the other end handy to plug into the camera.
Set up the tripod and level the head.
Tip - I usually set the height of the camera slightly above the talent's eye level.
I feel this gives a better look.
Mount the camera to the sliding base plate.
Balance the camera weight front to back until it is neutral, i.e. not front or back heavy.
Power up the camera and set the color temperature switch to "Daylight".
Plug it in and turn it on.
I use an S-Video cable to monitor the camera.
Plug it into the monitor and leave the other end handy to plug into the camera.
Set up the tripod and level the head.
Tip - I usually set the height of the camera slightly above the talent's eye level.
I feel this gives a better look.
Mount the camera to the sliding base plate.
Balance the camera weight front to back until it is neutral, i.e. not front or back heavy.
Power up the camera and set the color temperature switch to "Daylight".
Set up the stand for the boom mic.
We set it slightly to the right of the talent so it doesn't make a shadow from the key light.
We use a Schoeps mic and a boom pole - aim the mic at the talent's heart.
Get it as close as possible to the talent.
Just high enough to be out of frame.
We think the Schoeps or a Sennheiser MKH 416 is the best audio solution in this situation, especially with non-professional talent.
If you use a Lavaliere mic there is a good chance the talent will touch or make some undesirable noise at exactly the wrong moment.
We set it slightly to the right of the talent so it doesn't make a shadow from the key light.
We use a Schoeps mic and a boom pole - aim the mic at the talent's heart.
Get it as close as possible to the talent.
Just high enough to be out of frame.
We think the Schoeps or a Sennheiser MKH 416 is the best audio solution in this situation, especially with non-professional talent.
If you use a Lavaliere mic there is a good chance the talent will touch or make some undesirable noise at exactly the wrong moment.
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