A week ago, we asked you to send across any questions and queries you have for us. The reason being that we want this blog to not only feature our work but also to be a resource of information and inspiration for budding filmmakers. We love what we do and it is always a joy to watch a bride’s or a groom’s face light up when they watch their wedding films. But we also understand that there are only so many weddings that we can cover! And since everybody’s wedding is special, and they deserve a memory just as good, we want to share our expertise with other filmmakers out there who can capture that for them.
Here are the most asked questions for the first edition of AskTWF:
1) Does The Wedding Filmer hire interns?
Yes, we do. A passion for films is a must, experience and knowledge would be an addition but it’s not a necessity. Since we can’t take interns for shoots, their primary work profile would be in the studio; either editing or with production management! April through September would ideally be the best months for an intern to grab the most out of us, since we would be in the studio for most of the time. Since our base is currently in Mumbai, another thing for aspiring interns to consider is feasibility of living here. All in all, we are open to talent from all across the world, and talent is open for you!
2) How do I streamline my work from storyboard to edit?
Documentary filmmaking is not one where shots and edits can be pre-conceived all the time, but that does not mean it does not have a process or a certain level of planning. For a maker, the storyboarding process begins right at the time of meeting the client. Understanding their background completely will help you decide the theme of the final product. This encompasses pre-production. For production, one needs to have a plan too in terms of how many cameras should be there and how many hours of footage you roll in. This is subjective as well because no two weddings will ever be the same. Planning these logistics and getting a tentative structure in mind before the shoot will make the post-production much smoother. Above and beyond that, use your vision to the fullest!
3) What is color grading and what should be the approach to it?
(answered by Neil B Sadwelkar, Post Black Box)
And, it can be used creatively too, to give a certain ‘look’ which makes the film look unique. Colour correction creates a mood for a certain emotion that one seeks to evoke in the viewer. It corrects colour casts that happen when one shoots in artificial light like tube lights, lights in public places, street lights, even ordinary light bulbs. And, it can be used creatively too, to give a certain ‘look’ which makes the film look unique. Like a cold bluish look for a sinister scene, a warm golden look for a wedding or birthday, a cosy glow for an intimate dinner and so on. Colour correction makes the film look ‘expensive’ and ‘professional’, so if you’re going to do colour correction/grading, charge fees accordingly.
4) Could you suggest a learning portal or a resource for color grading?
(answered by Neil B Sadwelkar, Post Black Box)
To colour correct your film, if you’re working in Final Cut Pro X, then there is the built-in ‘Colour Board’ to adjust/correct colours and exposure. Or there are presets or looks that one can apply with a click.
For more advanced looks one can explore plug-ins like Colour Finale Pro X, Magic Bullet Suite, Rocket Rooster, Koji, and many others featured here…
http://www.fcp.co/component/tortags/tag/Grading
If you’re using Adobe Premiere Pro, then the built-in Lumetri colour engine provides very advanced colour correction.
More on colour correction within Premiere Pro here…
https://helpx.adobe.com/premiere-pro/how-to/lumetri-color-overview.html
http://nofilmschool.com/2015/08/how-grade-shot-start-finish-new-lumetri-color-panel-premiere-pro
and some free ‘looks’
http://www.premiumbeat.com/blog/free-premiere-pro-lumetri-looks/
There are many plugins for Premiere Pro which do colour correction with presets and more.
FXFactory makes great colour correction plugins for Premiere Pro, and they are all here…
https://fxfactory.com/colorcorrection/?host=premierepro
And for even more advanced colour correction there is Blackmagic DaVinci Resolve which is an edit system of its own right, or it can import finished sequences or edits from Final Cut Pro X, or Adobe Premiere Pro. Resolve is free to download. Forever.
More on DaVinci Resolve here…
https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/davinciresolve
To learn Resolve there are many free resources on YouTube, or free and paid courses like this one…
http://filmsimplified.com
If you are an Avid editor, and Media Composer is your tool of choice, then built in to Media Composer is the entire Symphony Colour Correction software. This is available only for the monthly subscription version of Avid Media Composer. If you have no idea what Avid Media Composer is, (and no desire to find out) then stick to Final Cut Pro X or Premiere Pro.
5) If I use a song at my wedding or for my wedding film, do I require copyright?
If there is a DJ at your wedding parties who is playing songs, that wouldn’t be a breach of any policies since a DJ has the license to play them on a public platform. Now, if dance performances on these songs were to be recorded, that would be alright as long as the video is for personal home viewing only. But since we also use certain film trailers and other footage on our website and video sharing sites, it becomes essential to have a copyright or written permission. Any kind of distribution would require you to gain copyrights to another artist’s work if it is being used. In short, if you’re planning to make money off your film, then pay the artist or choose from lots of royalty-free music available online!
If you have any more questions, write to us and we will answer them in the next one. To read more from Neil, check out his blog here: neilsadwelkar.blogspot.com