8/3 2021- For the past 8 weeks I've been working with a client creating content for a mobile app they want to launch in August. I'm running the entire production by myself with minimal help. I'm creating the set, lighting the set and subject, making sure the audio is clean, camera set up is correct, framing up the shot, checking my exposure, adding any camera movement needed for the shot, and running a two camera setup. I'm also editing the content for the app and some producing.
My setup a lot of the time
On location framing up the" over the shoulder" shot
Designed an office/classroom feel for a scene
Eat, sleep, shoot, edit... repeat
"The content being made is nonstop, a lot of hours and energy creating".
As the launch for the mobile app nears I look back at the entire process of the production. One thing that I've learned about doing a production by myself is that it takes a heavy toll mentally and physically working anywhere from 10 - 15 hours a day. The content being made is nonstop, a lot of hours and energy creating. I've realized that clients that don't understand how my industry works or how production works can be challenging when drawing out and explaining structure. For example, when starting the project I reiterated multiple times that we should create a weekly shooting schedule and try to hit targets for having a certain amount of videos done for that week. I explained when starting the day unprepared and coming up with the videos the day of will only slow us down and won't be as efficient. About one month into the project I was starting to get a little worried that we weren't going to have the ideal amount of videos done for the app because we were just shooting what we were coming up with the day of. I had to explain multiply times the importance of having an idea what we were shooting at least the day before. Especially as a DP I need to know what my shots are going to be so I can light appropriately for the specific video. I knew that if we didn't hit our goal of content that a big part of it would fall on me as I'm the content creator of this project. About 6 weeks in we finally drew out a calendar and schedule for what videos we wanted to shoot and when. It worked out great because we had an idea of what we were shooting and what needed to get done as it may of been considered a priority for any particular reason. I believe some clients don't want to go through the preproduction process because it can be a little time consuming and I understand they have busy schedules but preproduction is so important when having any kind of production done. If preproduction is not done correctly production will sometimes be drawn out due to not being prepared and when production days are drawn out that cost more money. If corners are cut to save time on production it will result in a lower quality final product which then falls on filmmaker. I kept saying to myself what if this was a large scale production with multiple crew members. I don't think production would have made it to the end because of going over the budget. Anyhow, that wasn't the case. I was able to put on my superhero cape and get shit done.
A look from the monitor
Craig and Mike recording voice overs for the app
Craig shooting content for the app