Persistence of Vision

by Gaspard, John; Newton, Dale

• ISBN13: 9780941188234
• ISBN10: 094118823X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1995-10-01
• Publisher: Michael Wiese Productions

Summary

The ultimate low budget "how-to" film book on the market.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	p. xiv
Introduction	p. 1
The Dream: Taking A Leap	p. 9
The Script: If It Ain't On The Page ...	p. 15
The Basics	p. 15
Story	p. 16
Three-Act Structure	p. 16
Writing For A Tiny Budget	p. 17
Creating Unique Characters	p. 18
Mystery	p. 18
Twists	p. 18
Dramatic Tension	p. 19
Testing Your Story	p. 19
Number of Characters	p. 20
Number of Locations	p. 22
Write What You Own	p. 24
Night vs. Day and Big vs. Small	p. 26
Other Constraints	p. 27
Finding The Write Stuff	p. 28
The Budget: And How To Budge It	p. 33
Essentials	p. 34
Almost Essentials	p. 35
Luxuries	p. 36
"Beyond Bob" Budget Breakdown	p. 37
Pinching The Pennies (Until Abraham Yells)	p. 40
Squeezing The Budget	p. 43
Story and Rights	p. 43
Cast and Crew	p. 43
Set Construction	p. 46
Model Building	p. 47
Wardrobe	p. 47
Makeup and Hair	p. 51
Lighting and Lighting Supplies	p. 52
Camera Equipment	p. 54
Sound Equipment	p. 58
Vehicles	p. 59
Meals	p. 60
Locations	p. 61
Film Stock	p. 62
Processing and One-Light Work Print	p. 65
Production Stills	p. 66
Sound Transfers	p. 67
Film Vault Rental	p. 67
Film and Fullcoat Edge Numbering	p. 68
Flatbed Editing Table	p. 68
Video Dubs	p. 69
Slug For Editing	p. 69
Music, Sound Effects, Dialogue Looping	p. 70
Transfer of Post-Production Sound	p. 70
Post-Production Sound Mix	p. 70
Titles	p. 71
Negative Cutting To 16mm A/B Rolls	p. 71
Black Leader For A/B Rolls	p. 71
Answer Print, Video Transfer	p. 72
Sneak Preview	p. 73
Preview Cassettes and Shipping	p. 74
Publicity Photos and Packets	p. 74
Photocopying Scripts, Miscellaneous Photocopying	p. 75
Postage For Publicity and Preview Tapes	p. 76
How To Shoot It For $12,000	p. 77
The Business: Ultra-Low Budget, Inc.	p. 79
Business Decisions	p. 80
Money	p. 81
Professional Help	p. 81
Insurance	p. 83
Employees	p. 85
Rights	p. 87
Legal Liability	p. 89
Incorporation	p. 90
Liability Waivers	p. 95
Copyright	p. 97
Tax Obligations	p. 99
The Money: "Hello, Uncle Burt? You Don't Remember Me, But ..."	p. 105
Investors	p. 106
Grants	p. 109
Credit Cards	p. 111
Scrimping	p. 113
Borrowing	p. 115
Favors	p. 116
Found Money	p. 116
Pre-Production: "Being Compulsive Is Not A Bad Thing. I Know. I Double-Checked	p. 119
Film or Video	p. 120
Film Formats	p. 121
Shooting Ratio	p. 122
Publicity	p. 123
Time For A Breakdown	p. 124
Marking Script Segments	p. 125
Script Breakdown Pages	p. 128
Making The Strips and The Production Board	p. 130
Sorting The Strips	p. 137
Laying Out The Shooting Days	p. 138
Props, Action Props, Locations, and Assistance	p. 142
Choosing a Look	p. 144
Technical Preparation	p. 146
Casting The Cast: To Be Or Not To Be For Free	p. 153
Finding Actors	p. 153
Talent Agencies	p. 154
Local Theaters	p. 155
Cattle Calls (a.k.a. Open Auditions)	p. 155
Auditioning Actors	p. 156
A Place To Audition	p. 156
A Traffic Manager	p. 157
Sides	p. 157
A Schedule-Conflict Sheet	p. 159
Video Camera and Operator	p. 159
The Audition	p. 159
Casting The Cast	p. 170
Asking People To "Work For Free"	p. 171
Corralling the Crew: Assembling The Dream Team	p. 173
Finding Crew People	p. 173
Interviewing The Crew	p. 176
Desired Characteristics and Attitudes	p. 177
Specialized Skills or Attitudes	p. 178
Choosing The Crew	p. 180
Selecting A Director And Producer	p. 181
Letting Your Crew Do Its Best	p. 184
Production: Lights, Camera, Chaos	p. 185
Training	p. 185
20 (Thousand) Questions	p. 187
The Big Lie	p. 188
Read-Through and Rehearsals	p. 189
The Read-Through	p. 190
Rehearsals	p. 191
Shot Lists	p. 193
Long Takes	p. 194
Abandoning Your Shot List	p. 196
Continuity	p. 197
Touch Ups	p. 199
"Action," "Cut," and Slating Scenes	p. 200
Where To Begin ...And Where To End	p. 201
The Geography Lesson	p. 202
Directors vs. Producers	p. 203
The Information Chain	p. 205
Sound Advice	p. 207
Grain, Grain, Go Away	p. 209
Throw A Little Light On The Subject	p. 210
Fades and Dissolves (And Why You Should Avoid Them)	p. 211
You've Been Framed	p. 212
Feeding The Masses	p. 214
Extra! Extra!	p. 214
Photo Opportunity	p. 216
Action and Stunts	p. 217
Intimate Scenes	p. 220
Viewing Dailies and Weeklies	p. 221
Special Effects: Please Pass The Construction Paper	p. 223
Miniatures	p. 224
Mini-Sets	p. 226
Replacement Shots and Continuity Tricks	p. 227
Poor-Person's Process Shots	p. 229
Specialty Costumes	p. 231
Specialty Props	p. 233
Animation and In-Camera Effects	p. 236
Titles	p. 240
Camera Rigs and Effects Gear	p. 242
Chemistry Effects	p. 246
Don't-Try-This-At-Home Effects	p. 246
Post-Production: The Light At The End Of The Tunnel: Completion Or An Oncoming Train?	p. 249
Editing	p. 249
Finding Your Editor	p. 251
Editing Equipment	p. 253
Working With Your Editor	p. 255
The Rough Cut	p. 255
The Fine Cut	p. 257
Sound-Effects Editing	p. 259
Looping	p. 263
Music	p. 265
Using Existing Music	p. 265
Finding A Composer	p. 268
What To Give Your Composer	p. 270
Working With Your Composer	p. 271
The Final Mix	p. 273
Conforming	p. 277
Striking A Print	p. 279
Video Transfer	p. 281
Keeping In Touch	p. 283
Distribution: Read This Chapter First	p. 285
The Distribution Stream	p. 287
When Should You Approach Distributors?	p. 287
How To Find Them / How To Be Found	p. 288
Film Markets	p. 289
Festivals	p. 291
The Direct Approach	p. 292
Getting Someone Else To Do It	p. 294
The Budget Question	p. 295
Lying	p. 296
An Alternate Truth	p. 296
Skirting The Issue	p. 296
The Truth	p. 296
The Deal and Other Details	p. 297
What You'll Need To Provide	p. 300
Self-Distribution and Self-Flagellation: How To Tell Them Apart	p. 304
Theatrical	p. 305
Home Video	p. 305
Hindsight: It's 20/20	p. 309
Script	p. 310
Pre-Production	p. 310
Production	p. 311
Post-Production	p. 311
Change Is Good	p. 314
Other Films / Other Approaches	p. 317
Good Grief: Richard Glatzer On The Making Of "Grief"	p. 317
What's Black And White And Made On A Shoestring?: "All The Love In The World" and "The Usual"	p. 324
To Boldly Film Where No One Has Filmed Before: "Slack Trek: The X Generation" and "Plan 10 From Outer Space"	p. 341
Life As We Know It: "Someone Special" and "World And Time Enough"	p. 352
Hit The Road: "Highways" and Criminals"	p. 363
Afterword	p. 375
Enlarged Appendix	p. 377
Group Release	p. 377
Location Release	p. 378
Equipment Rental List	p. 379
Press Kits	p. 380
"Beyond Bob"	p. 380
Camera Report	p. 384
Sound Report	p. 385
Film Commissions	p. 386
Distributor List	p. 397
Television List	p. 405
Festivals List	p. 407
Film Labs List	p. 413
Other Resources	p. 415
Independent Feature Project Offices	p. 415
Educational Resources	p. 416
Film Suppliers	p. 416
New Film	p. 416
Film Stock Exchanges	p. 417
Audio and Video Tape Suppliers	p. 417
New Tapes	p. 417
Recycled Videotape	p. 418
Evaluated Videotape	p. 418
Tape-To-Film Transfers	p. 418
Video and Sound Services	p. 418
Where To Buy Movie Scripts	p. 419
Publications	p. 419
Edge Numbering	p. 419
Copyright and Script Registration	p. 420
Photo Processing	p. 420
Incorporating In Delaware	p. 420
Bibliography	p. 421
The Films In This Book	p. 424
About The Authors	p. 426
MWP Books	p. 428
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