Film Production 101

Rory was eager to begin and for once in his life early to class. If one could call it a class. It looked more like a television studio with a large green screen two monitors on either side where the chalk board normally was. The lecture hall seating where the students sat kind of reminded him of studio audience. Rory grabbed a seat up front and not long after Frankie came in and joined him and he gave her a fist bump. The rest of the class came as well as the professor who looked to be dressed man in a ponytail as well as a good looking girl who was handing him a piece of paper. A teachers assistant maybe. She wasn't bad looking at all but maybe a little nerdy. Rory generally didn't like nerdy shy girls. Sure he flirt with them but he never saw himself hooking up with one. They were just to meek. He liked them with some spunk. The bell rang and the class settled in and the professor came out.

“Welcome students to film production 101. I am Professor Croft. You have decided to enter a carrier where you will work in all kinds of weather conditions, different seasons and climates, long hours, and tight deadlines recording entitled primadonnas who may never bother learning your name. So my question to all of you all is what the hell were you all thinking. Get out while you still can.” He smiled and the class laughed. He clapped his hands together and looked around. “No takers. Well don't say I didn't warn you later.”

“They say never work with children or animals and here I am teaching college students. You will learn everything in this class from changing light-bulbs to scene decoration. If you were in a high school you would be a janitor only slightly better paid with longer hours. The best line in a movie to describe what we do is from the Wizard of Oz. Pay no attention to the man behind the current. That is what you are aspiring to become.” The professor smiled and looked around.

“Now for those of you who brought your textbook. I commend you and say you should read that on your own time because I do not teach from a book. You will be tested on it still but what is in there can not tell you everything you will need to know up here. First and foremost you will be down here on the sound stage during class hours. You will work everything from spot lights and cameras to the broom keeping the stage clean.” He held out his arm toward the sound stage. “Now lets get into it shall we. Who here can tell me what negative space is?” A small number of hands went up. Clearly most had not cracked there books yet.

“You young lady give me your name and the answer?” The professor pointed to Frankie as he walked to his desk and crossed his arms sitting back on it. He had a cool casual demeanor.

“Nightingale. It is the empty space around the actor, actress or object that is being filmed.” Frankie smiled.

“And how is it used for effect in filming?”

“Keeping the subject center of a frame keeps the viewers eye on them. Filling in the negative space by doing a close up can show the emotions of a character in a scene such as fear or contemplation or draw attention to a key object in a story that the audience may miss otherwise. While pulling away from the actors and filling a scene with negative space can give a scope of scale or isolation in a scene by making the subject feel small or alone.” Frankie nodded. She didn't look it but Frankie was a huge film nerd.

The Professor picked up a jar off his desk and walked over “Very good. Have a chocolate chip cookie young lady.”

“Ooh. Don't mind if I do.” Frankie said as she stood up and leaned over the desk in front of her. Sticking her ass up and out and making her nice small yet full breasts hang under her. Rory couldn't help but admire her firm tight ass. She took the cookie and sat back down and took a bit and her face turned to a pout.

“Problem?”

“It's oatmeal raisin.” She smirked but kept chewing. “Still good though.”

“One of the first things you will learn in this business is nothing is what it seems. Fake sets, fake props, even many parts of the actresses might be fake.” He said getting a few laugh.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a chuck of something black. “Take this lump of coal for example. Catch.” He threw it into the middle of the class drawing a few gasp. “Relax it's foam. You really think I would keep a lump of coal in my pocket in this nice suit. Now that I know I have all your attentions and you are worried I might throw something at the next person I think is not we are going to be covering negative space today.” He walked back over setting the cookie jar down.

“Who has camera experience?” He looked back and every hand shot up. “Okay now how many of you have experience not using handhelds but actual studio cameras.” He walked over putting his hand on the big boy. Only a few hands went up as Rory raised his own.

“You pretty boy. Name?” He pointed to Rory.

“Rory Chase sir.”

“What is your experience Chase?” The professor asked.

“News broadcast over the spring break and summer. I did mostly handheld but got to be second cameraman in the studio if someone was sick.” Which was twice but Rory had done a lot of camera set ups before the broadcast and knew the basics.

“That will do. Come up here and have at it. Point it at Miss Frost my teaching assistant in front of the green screen. Be sure to get her good side because she is the one who will be grading your papers this term.” The Professor smiled as Ms. Frost moved in front of the green screen.

“Not sure she has a bad one.” Rory grinned as he came down heading for the camera.

“I assure you you do not want to find out.” The professor shook his head. Rory got behind the camera and lifted it up. They had already set the zoom to a proper distance but it probably never got changed in the studio here. He centered her as she looked at the camera.

“Lets set the scene. Somewhere tropical where she can work on her tan.” The professor hit a button on a laptop on his desk and the screens to the side of the room showed her standing in front of a tropical beach with ocean blue waters instead of the green behind her Rory was seeing through the camera. Rory could hear the class behind him talking. “Perfect. I see they taught you something at that studio.” The Professor said as he looked at the picture. Rory smiled at the compliment.

“See how she takes up most of the scene. There is room above her head but not to much that would show a microphone or a boom. The sides are evenly spaced on either side. This will be the shot you will use ninety percent of the time when shooting people. Most of movies are just people talking and this is what you want. A clear image where you can see the actor and read there body language.”

“Now lets break the rules shall we from what the text book says about proper framing and play with negative space. Give me to the left of her putting her to the side of the frame Mister Chase.” The professor looked at Rory. Rory went to move the camera to the left and then quickly turned right realizing he had said to the left of her. Not Rory's left.

“Almost had you didn't I?” He professor smiled.

“Yes sir.” Rory nodded as he was sure many a student had went for their left and not the assistants. He seemed to be the type who would keep the class on there toes.

“Now the scene is off center and she is still the focus of the scene in the foreground but the viewers eye is drawn to the background. This is a key shot in that it can break the rule for a reason. Say there is a shark attack in the background creating horror.” The professor hit a button on his computer and a still image of people running from the water appeared. Ms. Frost turned around to look at the green screen. The professor hit another button and the image changed on the screens as there was an old sailing vessel in the background. “A pirate ship coming over the coastline creating a sense of action.” He changed it to children building a sand castle. “A group of kids playing on the beach creating a family movie.” Then he changed it to a picture of a hunky guy coming out of the water with a surf board as he sleeked back his hair. “A sexy man walking toward her out of the water for a romance.” Rory shook his head as he heard Frankie whistle.

“Same scene, same shot but change one thing in it and you have a completely different picture. The techniques you learn here you can use no matter what kind of film you want to make. Rather it is big budget films on the big screen to small scale close up advertising for product placement.” The professor smiled.

“Now Mister Chase. How do you think you would do with a tracking shot if she moved unlike in a news studio where everyone sits behind the desk.

“Okay sir.” Rory shrugged.

“Confident, but remember you wouldn't be shooting just her. In our business you have to not only worry about what is in front of the camera that the viewer can see but what is going on behind the camera. The boom guy walking behind her. The person moving in front of her with the fan blowing wind on her to create wind. You have to know where your spotlight operator is to get the best lighting to simulate sunlight. You have to know in advance which way she is going and coordinate with your team as a whole while keeping them out of a shot. More goes on off camera sometimes then on screen. A simple conversation in a film could involve a handful of people behind the scenes to film just two people talking. That is what I will be teaching you this year more then anything. How to work together while also giving you room to shin individually.” The professor said.

“So now that we have our cameraman. Who has stage production experience and can work a spot light?” The Professor smiled and began to get people up and working filling various positions. The teachers assistant got a little hotter as she took off her glasses as the spotlight lite her and took down her hair as the fan came on. The professor was right that keeping the others out of the shot was harder then keeping her in frame. Rory almost didn't want to give up his seat after he had done a few passes watching the young woman walk back and forth but he gave Frankie a quick rundown of how to operate the camera before handing it to her. The three hour class seemed to fly by and the professor gave them an assignment to read the chapter and film clips around campus using negative space.

“Well that was fun.” Rory said to Frankie as they left.

“Indeed.” Frankie stretched out.

“So you buying lunch since I bought breakfast.” Rory teased.

“Nope. I played your wing man earlier so you could talk to the girls so we are even on that one pal.” Frankie shook her head. “Then you even bailed on me for another girl.”

“Fair enough.” Rory shook his head then looked over to see Jake heading somewhere in a hurry.

“Jake.” Rory yelled and waved and Jake waved back.

“Who is that?” Frankie asked.

“My room mate.” Rory shrugged.

“Kind of cute.” Frankie looked over.

“You want him have at him.” Rory shook his head. “You be doing me and him a favor both. Boy needs to loosen up and get laid.”

“Don't really do nerds. Don't get me wrong he is cute and I would probably fuck him. Just not date him.” Frankie grinned.

“I am fine with that. You would be doing me a favor.” Rory smiled. Jake was a good guy but a bit moody.

“Okay. I will do him for you since you insist. In your bed, on your desk, and in your desk chair. Do you have a beanbag chair or other furniture by the way so I know what all my options are.” Frankie teased as she bit her tongue.

“This is why you are never setting foot in my dorm room. Ever.” Rory smirked. Though if Jake didn't get over his ex soon Rory might consider it. Maybe a good fucking one night stand was what he needed to get over it.