the power of film

the power of

film an introduction into the vast world of filmmaking fall 2017 edition

an inside look into mise en scène and the filmmaking process

filmmakers’ inspiration importance of sound film culture

contents

about the magazine

technique industry standard 18

letter from the editors 3 shining the spotlight 22 about the authors 4 highest grossing films 26

austin

mise en scène 34

framing & psychology 38

local film festivals 8 a close up on austin 10

inspiring innovation 40

featured filming 14

the power of film 44

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dear readers, F

ilm has had an integral role in impacting the lives of many, and impacted ours especially throughout the making of this magazine. Our group included people who had little to a lot of experience in film, and we had to work with our strengths and around our weaknesses. No matter your age or experience level, we learned that it’s never too late to get into filmmaking and that no matter what level of filmmaking you’re at, there is always something to learn. Whether you want to write a creative script behind the scenes or balance the volume levels of the audio, in film there is a role for everyone.

If you’re curious about the minute details that are involved in creating a film then you might want to check out “Industry Standard” by Logan Poore on page 18. If you are wondering more about the vibrant filmmaking culture in Austin then turn to page 10 to read “Close-Up on Austin” by Valeria Ortiz. On page 28 you can find specific details on all the work that goes behind producing the sound for films in “Listening for Clarity” by Paul Springer. These are just few of a wide selection of stories in this publication.

This experience has been valuable to all of us involved. From the beginning when we got to know each other to when the final product was being printed, our journey has been challenging and wonderful and has taught us many valuable lessons.

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“No matter your age or experience level, we learned that it is never too late to get into filmmaking and that no matter what level of filmmaking you’re at, there is always something to learn.”

Sincerely,

about

An inside look at the lives of your authors and editors

Paul Springer

Logan Poore

Logan Poore is the graphics editor. He has lots of experience with creating films. From when he first started at age seven, to now, his technology and techniques have matured.

A fun fact about himself is that he shaves his legs for mountain biking.

Paul Springer is the fact check editor for this magazine. He has been involved in film for the past several years and enjoys playing his instrument and watching television. He has eaten a whole head of lettuce twice, stem included.

It is his proudest accomplishment.

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Alec Lippman

Alec Lippman is the ASF editor who edited the minor stories. He has taken film classes and made short films with others. In his free time he plays soccer and hangs out with his friends. His favorite place to travel is Colorado for the mountains.

the authors Sofia Buntz

Sofia Buntz enjoys acting and theatre. She is the photo editor for this publication and is very interested in filmmaking.

She has taken filmmaking classes in the past at school. She is also very good at making pasta from scratch.

Valeria Ortiz

Matthew Winkler

Matthew Winkler is the copy editor. He started working on this magazine with no prior experience in film. He learned alot about what happens behind the scenes of film. He once swallowed a cupcake whole.

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Valeria Ortiz is the content editor. She knew nothing about film but she has lots of past photography experience.

She knows many very funny jokes and has memorized the words to almost every disney song ever.

welcome to

austin

stories about filmmaking in austin

a comparison: south by southwest by: alec lippman Austin has many film festivals every year that offer various experiences to the audience.

South By Southwest is a unique festival that captures the essence of our Austin culture every spring all over the city. It is not just a festival that celebrates film but also a festival that has musical components and things that are just for fun! Specifically focusing on the film festival, South By Southwest provides the local community with Hollywood films all the way to newly discovered independent films.

An interesting event at this festival is its virtual reality cinema. This VR experience can last anywhere from five to forty minutes. Another interesting aspect of South By Southwest is its emphasis on making the festival very interactive and fun for the festival goers.

Anything from a fun wall to take pictures with to a creative use of technology makes SXSW a very enjoyable festival. South By Southwest is, along with film, a comedic and musical festival. If you are someone who enjoys film but also wants to enjoy numerous other enjoyable activities, South By southwest is the perfect festival. The festival offers deeper exposure than any movie theatre can to film by providing cinematic experiences that have more meaning than it’s rotten tomato score or it’s profit in theatres. Find out more at sxsw.com.

austin film festival The Austin Film Festival gives anyone who attends a different experience to the world of filmmaking. This festival is solely for film, and it is during late October and early November. The Austin Film Festival is perfect for anyone interested in film because of how much it emphasizes all aspects of film: acting, directing, producing, screenwriting, editing, sound mixing, and every crucial aspect in the filmmaking process. With an array of films that each represent a different genre of films across eight days, this festival has something for anyone. The AFF is an amazing place to search for inspiration for your own filmmaking. The festivals

entry is a single payment of around one hundred dollars which is considerably cheaper than South By Southwest for just as high quality film. Austin Film Festival also offers competitions and programs for young aspiring filmmakers and a place for others to acknowledge their passion and skill in filmography. This festival offers programs that will help teens get involved with filmmaking and exposure in this area of expertise. Going to the Austin Film Festival is an opportunity that could change how you view film, and it may set you on a road you never imagined going down. Find out more at austinfilmfestival.com.

close-up on austin

the culture that surrounds austin filmmaking written by: valeria ortiz

university of texas clock tower at the ut austin campus

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nighttime skyline of austin as viewed across lady bird lake from the ann and roy butler hike and bike trail

photo by: Valeria Ortiz

W

hile filmmaking may be a huge industry all over the United States and even the world, Austin’s opportunities and culture surrounding film separate it from the rest. A welcoming community is vital to the communication and teamwork that is required for great filmmaking.

Ya’ke Smith, an associate professor at UT Austin, said that “you need to find a supportive community you wanna be a part of, a community that will allow you to experiment with your voice, make

“A filmmaker is only as good as the community that supports them” - Ya’ke Smith

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mistakes, and just make films and be supportive of those films because a filmmaker, or really any artist, is only as good as the community that supports them.”

Smith moved back to Austin after eight years of living in Arlington.

“North Texas doesn’t have as robust of a community as far as filmmaking is concerned” said Smith when comparing it to that of Austin.

Associate screenwriting professor at UT Austin, Cynthia McCreery, also compared other cities with more intimidating reputations: “Austin is such a small town that it’s much less overwhelming compared to LA or other bigger cities… Filmmakers are extremely open, collaborative, and welcoming here.”

One major contributor to the filmmaking environment is

LASA audio/video productions students take a field trip to the 2017 austin film festival

photo by: Megan Otnes

the teachers and students of the film school at the University of Texas in Austin, one of the top 10 in the country. McCreery shared an inside look at her perspective from the outside watching students collaborate.

“Filmmakers and students are very warm and supportive in my observations,” said McCreery, “it’s an amazing opportunity to hear the process of writers and development of ideas.”

Smith spoke of the way the professors contribute to the environment:

“[they] are supportive of their students in everything they do and create and really want their students to do the best they can.”

When Professor Smith moved back to Austin this past July, he noticed that Austin had completely trans-

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formed since the last time he lived here. Over the course of the past decade the film industry has grown tremendously in Austin. Smith said that now there are “many different resources like Austin film studies and festivals like south by southwest, and Austin revolution.”

“I feel like there’s just a lot of places for filmmakers to showcase their work and meet other filmmakers,” he said.

In order to be a successful filmmaker in Austin, Smith said that you need to “seek out those opportunities where the actors are, where the directors are, where the writers are meeting, and seek their help”.

Filming locations are yet another plus to this city. When Ya’ke Smith was

visiting locations around Austin, he visited the Hope outdoor gallery graffiti park. “I got to climb up to the top and look at the city and I thought that it was such an interesting place to film because it has a lot of different cool little nooks and crannies that you can hide in. I think if you find a story that is appropriate for the location, it can really help bring

the story to life� Smith said.

It’s evident that Austin is a vibrant community that thrives on the creative inspiration of others. This city provides opportunities for any level of filmmaker.

hope outdoor graffiti gallery in austin, texas, a popular filming location

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photo credit to AISD

a quick look at featured locations in austin where famous movies were filmed or set

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film techniques

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industry standard the economic, visual and technica aspects of film written by: logan poore What technical aspects go into the largest media industry in the world? First assistant camera Sebastian Vega, and Austin filmmakers, Andrew Yates, and David Butler, explore the field as they know it.

“Industry Standard” investigates the film genre through its economic, visual, and technical aspects. Three professionals discuss their takes and roles within the filmmaking process. Ideas clash between film and digital, Hollywood and Indie, and the expiration date of motion picture.

Sebastian Vega, filling the role of First Assistant Camera man, or Focus puller, goes in depth about the technical aspects and importance of his job.

“I can single handedly undo everybody else’s work.” Vega said.

Andrew Yates, stills photographer turned Director of Photography, discusses the creativity behind his job, and skills needed to succeed. David Butler, local commercial filmmaker and stills photographer, shares stories from his years of experience, and gives suggestions on getting the job.

Though some view the evolving digital film society to be advantageous, Sebastian Vega,

first assistant cameraman, sees it otherwise.

Having been in the industry for over 27 years, Sebastian Vega has pioneered film into what it is today.

“When I entered filmmaking, as a working professional, all movies are shot on film, and almost every movie was based out of Hollywood. The equipment was quite inaccessible very expensive and esoteric” His role on film is known professionally as the first assistant cameraman, and more commonly known as the focus puller.

“As the camera focus puller. I’m responsible for making sure that all the proper equipment to execute whatever the work we’re doing is on hand and fully functional.

It’s also to manage the camera crew. An important part of my work is shot execution. My role in shot execution is to keep the camera

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running condition, and then most importantly, keep the shot in focus.” “I’m in the category of crew that’s classified as below the line. What that means in filmmaking is all the set workers the editors; the people that work in the office. They’re considered below the line, which is to say, they don’t have a stake in the success of the project.”

Through his experience as a technical employee, Sebastian Vega has had multiple unique opportunities and experiences. Those include the earliest days of digital cinema, an experience with both pros and cons. “The introduction of the Panavision Genesis camera, was the first single sensor,

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Photo of Imperial Debonair made in Chigago Cira 1950 by Logan Poore single chip, Super 35 movie camera. We shot one of the first movies shot on that camera with Rodriguez” Vega said.

The market changed with the introduction of digital cameras.

“Digital cameras were creating images that were just subpar to what film was creating,”he said.

He respected their (digital cameras)

ease of use and cheap cost of production, but despised the image quality produced, and ultimately preferred the film look.

“The big switch was the Red One, which I don’t care for.

I think it is a terrible camera, but regardless of that, it was affordable and accessible, and it delivered HD digital content, at a price that could be afforded.

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Then what happened was the same thing that has happened to lots of other media segments of the economy.

Graphic arts, web publication and video editing is all of the sudden good, non-linear digital revolution filmmaking.”

Sebastian’s first hand experience with cameras such as the Red One, Sony F35, and the original Panavision Genesis have allowed him to form an educated position against digital film; a position that is often debated by independent filmmakers, whose businesses benefit from the cheap production cost of purely digital films.

Andrew Yates, director of photography from Beef and Pie productions, says he prefers Red’s wide selection of digital cameras over the expensive Arri line of digital cameras, and Panavision’s line of film cameras. His independent company, Beef and Pie productions, uses the Red Epic Dragon for most projects, and favor the digital to digital format conversion.

Yates’s job, widely know as a DP, represents the artistic aspect.

“One of the fundamentals of being a DP is having the ability to compose a scene so that it looks good.” with his preferred style being “A lighter (warmer) foreground coming out of a darker (cooler) background.”

The modernization of film greatly benefits Andrew and his company. Technology such as gimbals, sliders, and Red’s Mini-Mag greatly increase the production of video, spreading its accessibility.

Sebastian combats this, stating, “There was a great loss of discipline in the discipline of filmmaking, where creators were getting much more slack because they didn’t have to worry about how much film is running through the camera, or they didn’t have to craft a perfect take before starting the film.”

He claims this as a disruptor and a direct effect from the digital democratiza-

tion of film and editing.

“Skipping, choosing and picking exactly what you are going to watch, which I think is satisfying for the viewer, creates a viewing society that doesn’t have anything in common with each other.” He says.

On the contrast, commercial director, pho-

“Someday film volume is going to get down to a level where the market collapses and it’s gone.”

- Sebastian Vega tographer and editor, David Butler, appreciates the digital wave that had swept the industry.

“The turn times (between production and post production) are so much faster that the team has to all be in sync.”

David uses all forms of cameras, ranging from dedicated video cameras, to his DSLR (digital single-lens reflex) collection, and prefers quality of the performances and edits be held at a higher standard, than quality of equipment. He believes that the quicker flow between camera and computer brings a more efficient and effective filmmaking society, raising the standard.

The difference between the indie and mainstream filmmaking brings a drastic contrast of opinions. While independent and commercial filmmakers may prefer the rapid change in technology and style, larger-crew organizations may find the cheapening in equipment to cause a cheapening of skill and practice needed for true cinematography. Both find their business and keep the genre alive; truly defining, the Industry Standard.

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shining the spotlight on lighting applications and their uses and techniques

by: paul springer

Reflectors Lighting reflectors are used to do exactly what the name implies: reflect light. If you’re filming something in the shade or in some sort of shadow, you can use a reflector to reflect sunlight onto your preferred target, eliminating the need for traditional light.

Softboxes Softboxes are a light, effecient, and all around helpful tool in the lighting world. They help minimize harsh shadows, creating a pleasent and calm ambience. You can attatch them to most current light producing products you already own.

Cinefoil Cinefoil is a black matte foil used to limit the amount of light on the intended target. It’s an easy-to-use, effecient, and effective product that will help get rid of unneeded light and shadows. Not only do they block the light, the foil’s unique material and color

Gels Gels are used for an interesting part of the lighting industry. They are used by putting them existing lights, and turning the color into whichever one you wish. There are red gels, blue gels, even purple gels. They are great for futuristic scenes or scenes in an odd setting.

Black Backdrops Black backdrops in lighting are extremely important for shooting night scenes. If you don’t want to or can’t leave your home or studio when shooting a scene at night, you can easily use a black backdrop to simulate the dark. Black backdrops may seem simple and useless, but they are quite the opposite.

“we love films and storytelling as a people. it’s just a human compulsion to listen to and tell stories.”

-mychael danna

highest grossing films taking a look at the highest grossing films from 1995-2017 written by: matthew winkler

notes

trends Warner Brothers has the highest number of highest grossing films at four.

Disney, Pixar, and Fox are very close behind, all tied with three total films.

16 out of the 23 films in the list are either sequels or films in an already established universe, instead of being an original idea.

Even though this was after the original Star Wars movies were made, the Star Wars franchise still has the most times one franchise makes it in the list, with 3 movies.

In the entire list only four animation movies make it, with the rest being live action.

Avatar and Titanic, which are both in the top 6, are both written and directed

by James Cameron.

For the majority of the highest grossing films, they seem to have been successful because of nostalgia or hype.

Within the top six films only two of them are in an original universe, and the Titanic being based on a somewhat true story, you could argue there is five of six in an unoriginal universe For three out of the four films in an already established universe, they regenerate a previously thought to be dead series, playing further on nostalgia.

While these films were also very well made, its obvious that films make a lot of money off of nostalgia and hype, as shown by two of the three star wars prequels being in the list of highest grossing films, the first one beating films like the Matrix and Toy Story 2.

top six highest grossing films from 1995-2017 Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Avatar

The Avengers

Disney: $936,662,225 (2015)

Fox: $749,766,139 (2009)

Marvel: $623,357,910 (2012)

all images are from wikimedia commons

Year

Film

Domestic Gross

Studio

2017

Beauty and the Beast

$504,014,165

Disney

2016

Finding Dory

$486,295,561

Pixar

2015

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

$936,662,225

Disney

2014

American Sniper

$350,126,372

Warner Brothers

2013

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

$424,668,047

Color Force

2012

Marvel’s the Avengers

$623,357,910

Marvel Studios

2011

Deathly Hallows Part 2

$381,011,219

Warner Brothers

2010

Toy Story 3

$415,004,880

Pixar

2009

Avatar

$749,766,139

Fox

2008

The Dark Knight

$533,345,358

Warner Brothers

2007

Spider-Man 3

$336,530,303

Columbia Pictures

2006

Pirates: Dead Man’s Chest

$423,315,812

Disney

2005

Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith

$380,270,577

Fox

2004

Shrek 2

$441,226,247

Dreamworks

2003

LOTR: The Return of the King

$377,027,325

New Line Cinema

2002

Spider-Man

$403,706,375

Columbia Pictures

2001

Harry Potter: Sorceres Stone

$317,575,550

Warner Brothers

2000

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

$260,044,825

Imagine Entertainment

1999

Star Wars: The Phantom Menace

$431,088,295

Fox

1998

Saving Private Ryan

$216,540,909

Amblin

1997

Titanic

$600,788,188

Paramount

1996

Independence Day

$306,169,268

Centropolis Entertainment

1995

Toy Story

$191,796,233

Pixar

Titanic

The Dark Knight

Finding Dory

Paramount: $600,788,188 (1997)

WB: $533,345,358 (2008)

Pixar: $486,295,561 (2016)

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listening for clarity the undiscovered importance of sound written by: paul springer

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photo by wikimedia commons

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Even though most of us don’t pay much attention to it, without sound film would feel empty. The audio industry is often viewed as different than other industries in the world of film, going unnoticed in many movies and television. It forms the necessary base for visual elements and even goes beyond that to deem it an art in itself.

Marcelo Tesón is a professional sound designer who has worked on movies and television such as Arrested Development and Psych. Although it may seem very technical, sound is more than that; It requires great creativity and effort, both on set and behind the scenes.

The sound industry is often viewed as different from the rest of technical aspects, having to do with audio while everything else has to do with visual aspects of the film.

When asked about other’s opinions on the sound industry, Tesón replied:“...sound is a very looked down upon part of the industry…

Directors often put priority on other parts of the film.” Sound is also very unique in the sense that it is behind the scenes art, while lighting and cinematography is an on-set work; the mixing and syncing is all done backstage for sound. Because of this, many producers and directors put priority on other aspects, seeing how most of it will be done in post-production. This by no means suggests that sound is only done backstage; work still needs to be done on set to give editors and mixers backstage something to work with.

Charlie Rall, a producer for Storywear Inc.,

“Sound is definitely more of a stand alone thing...Not a lot of people know what to do, so they pay you to do it.”

also believes this is true: “Most people in my line of work, even though it’s very important, its very low priority. Like when your location is bad, for instance, directors put more priority on like the cinematography, what your cinematographer wants.”

Another crucial reason for producers and directors to focus on visual elements

the dead cat is put on a boom mic to help muffle background sound. photo by wikimedia commons

of film is that that is what most films are known for, and win praise for. Most movies are remembered by people for their acting and cinematography; they are almost never remembered for sound: “I don’t think sound or the art of audio is respected as it should be; I think a lot of people focus or praise on sort of like the sexier aspects of filmmaking, which is usually the acting, the cinematography, the filmmaking,” says Rall.

Because of this divide between the visual and audio industry, not a lot of people take the time to understand sound or incorporate it as much into the screenplay process.

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In sound editing, Tesón views the sound industry as “free, but at the same time, very difficult to work with.” According to him, directors don’t put as much thought into sound as they do to other elements. This causes sound designers and editors to have more freedom in their work. At the same time, it is also more difficult to work in sound because it just isn’t given as much priority.

And with most of it happening backstage, it develops more of a contrast between visual and audio designers such as Mr. Tesón: “In my experience, I think that people who aren’t in sound as a career have a lot more freedom, because in sound you have to have a lot of technical skill, and a lot of people are afraid because they’re not sure how it works..

Sound is definitely more of a standalone thing...Not a lot of people know what to do, so they pay you to do it.”

This explains why other industries in film view sound as different than others. The important question remains, however: Why is sound relevant if people don’t pay much attention to it? And the answer is simple: It just isn’t noticed by the human conscious.

According to Rall, “Sound isn’t something that is the story; it supplements the story crucially.” Sound takes what is on screen, and gives it texture: “An outdoor scene with verbs can be warm, it could be treacherous, it could be cold, it could feel temperature cold,” Marcelo states. “Because the thing about sound, that is not true about picture, is that sound hits at a very visceral level.” This is something that disassociates sound with the rest of the film whilst giving it more of a role:

“The thing about sound, that is not true about picture, is that sound hits at a very visceral level.”

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on set recording is still holds as much importance as backstage sound editing. They are codependent on eachother to make the audio sound well. photo by paul springer

Sound is something that hits people in their brain stem.

According to studies, such as the Effects of Sound Bandwidth on fMRI Activation in Human Auditory Brainstem Nuclei, show that sound isn’t something as superficial as lighting or cinematography. This study shows that sound is taken in at a more subconscious level. It affects the brain deeply, where it’s not noticed unless it’s paid much much attention to. This is why if one watches a movie without any sound effects or music, it feels empty.

It doesn’t necessarily affect the plot as bad cinematography or bad lighting would, which also explains the little attention given to sound.

This is why sound isn’t given as much attention as other industries, and why its capabilities are almost never used by directors.

It hits the right-hand-side of a human’s brain, rendering it confusing and something many filmmakers are afraid to touch upon.

The combination of being unnoticed and underappreciated causes sound to seem like a relatively unimportant part of the industry. Hopefully, in the near future, directors and screenwriters can take the chance to start giving sound the spotlight and let it grow into it’s full potential.

The picture above is from Eastbound and Down The graph below chart below illistrates the use of sertain cameras in the industry. It represents four cameras, and their alike comanies, Arri, Red, Sony, and Panavision. Keep in mind this is representing all digital cameras, a format used more often redently.

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digital realm what cameras are used in the industry written by: logan poore

arri alexa 48%

The Arri Alexa is the go-to digital cenimatic camera that took the industry by storm. Being far easier to manage that film, and holding a softer image than other digital cameras, the Alexa is the industry standard.

red epic 19%

The Epic is one of many, in the Red camera franchise. Having the most dynamic colors, extreme picture quality, and cheap price, the Red Epic is a stron contender in the digital race

sony cinealta 15%

The Sony F65 is a strong camera under the sony line of cinematic cameras. With an 8k downscaled image the CInealta holds it’s ground.

panavision genisis 12%

The Panavision Genisis known for having a soft, human feel.

Being a trun from panavision’s traditional lign of film cameras, the grenisis becamse very popular, very quick.

0

10

20

30

40

50

digital cameras used on top 100 grossing films from 2002-2015

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mise en scène how elements of film impact the meaning of a movie written by: alec lippman

Framing someone tightly and using high levels of contrast as seen in this photo contribute to mise en scènes elements. Photo by Alec Lippman

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Every film has a theme, a point to get across the audience. But few may know how filmmakers use certain techniques to convey this theme. Many aspects of film that you may have never noticed can be even more important than the dialogue of a film to employ the theme.

Mise en scène, a word derived from French, is a phrase that explains everything that composes a certain shot in film. Anything that makes a film sad, joyful or even scary is determined not just by the story, but by mise en scène. To be a successful director, understanding this term and the many factors of it are crucial to quality of a film. This story will explore the aspects of mise en scène, and how they contribute to the theme of a movie along with addressing the crucial steps in the filmmaking process.

Frank Webster, a film and English teacher at Kealing Middle School in Austin, Texas has his own view of mise en scène:

“Mise en scène is a term that literally means placement on the stage and as far as filmmaking and understanding how film works it basically holds the concept that there’s a lot of meaning that comes in how something is framed.” Webster said.

Using mise en scène is just as important as having a good screenplay, a good director and a good editor.

Webster said just a few aspects of mise en scène are the placement of things in a frame, the angle of a shot, the closeness of characters, and depth within the shot.

Micah Barber, a director in Austin, wrote and directed a feature film called “Into the Who Knows!” understands the importance of film composition.

“Composition of a shot is a fundamental tool for filmmakers.” Barber Said. “The lens that you choose

Every single element of a shot from a single camera picture can be analyzed for meaning and can be examined to uncover a deeper meaning.

Photo from Pexels

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or placement of the camera or the camera angle. Those are kind of the fundamentals and they are all very important to the psychology.”

Every small detail of the way a shot is filmed, and every aspect of that shot contributes to the meaning of the film. Camera angles can be used to make the audience uncomfortable with an oblique angle, and a tight shot can represent few options left for a character.

Miguel Alvarez, a lecturer at the University of Texas for the Department of Radio-Television-Film and and an award winning filmmaker for his short stories is very knowledgeable about the importance of mise en scène.

“In well made movies there aren’t any accidents, and if there’s a picture hanging on the wall that picture was put there for a reason.

If there’s an angle that angle is there for a reason.”

Frank Webster

“How you shoot each scene is how you convey that emotion to the audience.

The placement of the camera can show if a character is scared, lonely, or even powerful.

Once as a director when you master it you can become very good at conveying emotion to the audience.” Alvarez said.

Mise en scène incorporates a variety of elements that could not be fully listed from one shot. Alvarez uses some of these methods in his own films.

“One shot I love to use is a type of handheld shot. You almost feel that if you’re

the camera which gives a deeper connection between the audience and the film.” Alvarez Said. “I also like having a camera that moves slowly closer to the subject. This shows that what they are saying is very important, as you are getting ‘zoned into’ the subject.”

Mise en scène is crucial to a film’s success, but before mise en scène is applied to the film, there are other significant filmmaking processes at work. Barber underwent many challenges while he directed his first feature film.

“Visualising the story is key because a director must characterize the vision of the film from the beginning to the end of the movie. From the first time you think you’re going to put the movie on screen all the way until you have edited the movie, a director needs to know what is the core of the story.”

Barber said.

Another necessity of film is writing a screenplay that doesn’t say how an actor feels, but rather reveals the actor’s feelings through action.

“The rule of thumb is to show don’t tell.” Barber said. “One of the most important thing you can do starts at a screenplay stage. Because for the screenwriter it’s really important that they rather than writing things that happen inside the character’s head we can only get to know the character by the actions that they take.”

Even after receiving a good screenplay, directors encounter their biggest challenge in production.

“The most challenging moment of directing are when you are working with an actor and the actor is not not able to give you exactly what you’re looking for.” Barber said.

Miguel Alvarez has similar thoughts as well.

“I think the most challenging moment of directing is trying to communicate why something isn’t working.” Alvarez said.

Aside from the challenges and specifics of filmmaking, it is meant to bring joy to its audience and those who make it.

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“Filmmaking is such a collaborative effort. We seem to think that directors know and do almost everything in the movie. But really, there are a lot of other people that help make things happen.” Alvarez said.

“The intentionality of film and the collaborative nature of it as well makes it so wonderful. When a producer and a director and editor are all on the same page they can really make magic happen.” Webster said.

Mise en scène teaches a more practical and analytical way to watch films to pull out deeper meaning from the screen. The process of filmmaking is very complex and difficult to master, but the process is one anyone could love.

Local Austin Filmmaker Micah Barber communitcates with actor Bryce Gheisar about what he needs to do for a certain scene in the movie Into the Who Knows! showing the collabaration in filmmaking. Photo from Into the Who Knows! website

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framing and psychology framing and shot compostion have huge effects on the viewer’s perception of the film. this is a short visual guide that portrays how film techniques affect the psychology of the viewer written by: sofia buntz

Using tight framing on a character can portray a sense of stress or limited options. .

Using loose framing can show a character’s sense of calm and the variety of choice they can make.

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Shooting a character from a low angle helps the audience understand that the character has power.

Shooting from a high angle can portray a character as weak or feeble

A character on the right side of the screen conveys to the audience that they have completed their journey and is comfortable.

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Since we read from left to right, a character on the left side of the screen translates in our minds as someone who feels uncomfortable.

inspiring innovation taking a look at the stories of three women in the industry written by: matthew winkler

Reinhardt is pctured above photo by LinkedIn

Filmmakers try to make it in a competitive industry. Sean Smith a film student at USC, Kate Graves a high school student in Seattle, and Michelle Reinhardt the director of marketing at Lakatoo explore different ways to advance the film industry and to keep their projects new and innovative.

Inspiring Innovation focuses on the creative process Michelle Reinhardt, Sean Smith, and Kate Graves go through to create film.

Kate Graves is a high school senior in Seattle, Sean Smith is a college student at the USC, and Michelle Reinhardt is the Director of Marketing of Lakatoo, in Austin Texas. They strive to prove women are better or equal to men in the heavily dominated male filmmaking industry.

Currently the filmmaking industry is extremely competitive with very few creative jobs available. Michelle Reinhardt is an example of how someone has found a job that allows her to explore all aspects of filmmaking from live action with adults or kids to a completely animated projects. Reinhardt is the Director of Marketing at Lakatoo, a company that has been around for about five years that helps broadcasters move video files quickly and help them get them into editing systems and play out systems really fast. One of Lakatoo’s clients is NBC Nightly News. For the coverage of Hurricane Harvey, Lakatoo provided them with almost all of the footage. Reinhardt started as a TV reporter from there she moved on to be a freelance TV producer and director and after that she was the Director of Video Production at Dimensional Fund Advisors which brought her to where she is now. So in terms of film and TV production she has done a little bit of everything from being the

one in front of the camera to being the lead role behind creating video projects. However Reinhardt did not always plan on being behind the camera.

“Initially I really wanted to be a journalist. Journalism was the path I wanted to take and video was just a neat way to get the word out, to do stories with” explains Reinhardt. Due to Reinhardt’s start as a journalist her projects have more of a focus on a documentary educational-based style. But her roots do not change the fact that she continues to push her style of videos to advance the industry.

Rather than a more typical type of film production where the director creates his own vision,

“I think in person your eye reads people’s faces so much better than a camera does.

So a camera has to get really close to pick up on the same emotion” -Reinhardt Reinhardt caters to her clients, with people coming to her with requests for Lakatoo to make certain videos. The client comes first, then her own touches comes last.

“It starts with talking with the clients – whoever wants the video. It starts from talking to the client – what do they need? Are they wanting to raise money with this video? Are they wanting to educate their audience? Are they wanting to show how they’re different from their competition? You have to define the goal of the video first and then you can start thinking

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pictured above is Jammie Smith photo by the USC of ideas and approaches – how you might shoot it, what kind of camera you would use, whether it would be scripted, documentary style, interview – all of that flows from the goal of what are you trying to accomplish”. According to Reinhardt.

Reinhardt specifically focuses on the framing of shots in her videos. For example a camera might go really close in on a character’s face to make them feel certain emotions.

“Because I think in person your eye reads that people’s faces so much better than a camera does. So a camera has to get really close to pick up on the same emotion” says Reinhardt.

Reinhardt also hosts and leads live web seminars. In these Reinhardt has to focus more on a marketing standpoint, than a creative standpoint.

According to Reinhardt “[Live webinars are] more about marketing. A lot of it is really more of a presentation. I ask what does the person who’s coming want to know, can we get it in a bite-size piece, and can they get something here that they didn’t know before. I look at it like producing a television show.”

From starting as a TV reporter shooting

film on tape where she would literally cut and splice the film to having created a film with a mix of animation and live action in 4K resolution, Reinhardt has the time and experience to know about the business.

Now to take a less traditional look at the film industry, Sean Smith continues to defy the standard of filmmaking by proving women can do just as much if not more in a heavily male dominated industry.

Similar to Reinhardt, Smith started her filmmaking career making documentaries. Her very first project she did was a documentary called “Hidden” about the homelessness in the community she was living in. Since then Smith made films for her school projects whenever a professor would let her.

“It is not something I would recommend because it was a lot of work, but I did learn a lot of technical things.” says Smith. Smith always had a specific interest in fantasy though, but she noticed one shocking problem.

“I really liked the Spielberg stuff – Goonies, ET. I like George Lucas stuff. But there was never a place I could identify with those types of films because men were the

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protagonists and the women would play the damsel in distress.”

As Smith transitioned from documentaries to making her own fantasy shorts, Smith actively tries to give women more opportunities over men. A problem Smith noticed is “I think that [the difference] between men and women in society is obvious with the pay rate. In the film industry, as a women, I have to say it 5 times to get my point across. I’m always questioned.

To create the footage for her film Graves used various short videos of fun moments with friends that are her memories, and she uses them to help people evoke their own.

Graves used these random clips because “It would have been hard to recreate [the memories] but also I had all that footage of me going out with friends and I wanted to do something with that, so I created ‘The Art of Memories” by going back and looking at those memories.”

The song that is featured in her film is “Master and a Hound”. The choice of this “I really liked the Spielberg stuff – song was more of a powerful mistake, “I was Goonies, ET. I like George Lucas walking home from the bus one day and I had Pandora on and that song came on. stuff. But there was never a place I could identify with those types of films And something clicked.”

She has been interested in creating her because men were the protagonists own films for a while now but it was not until and the women would play the damsel recently that she was able to. in distress.” -Smith “I had wanted to make the film for a long time but I didn’t have the tools or mentorship until taking the Advanced Filmmaking I’ve experienced this on set, but I think we are class. One of the things that inspired me was making strides to make things better.” that I would go out with friends and take ran Strides Smith takes to fixing this gap dom film clips just to remember the moment. is “I wanted to put all races, and gender in my And then Junior year when I was looking back films. The way I do that is every time I create at those memories, it made me feel different these roles, I have [only] girls. There’s a poem things about the times I really enjoyed and that’s very empowering and I have girls audiI wanted to bring that to life in a film. And I tioning to read it. I had 25 girls [audition] and it represent myself is through art and I wanted to was so powerful. So even with that I’ve created incorporate my feelings with art.” something to empower them even if they didn’t Graves may be considered to be an amget the part, so I think it’s moving that agenda ateaur based on the amount of time she’s been forward.” in the industry this by no means means that she

Smith stays true to herself and contincan’t stun her viewers with new innovative projues to close the gender gap in the filmmaking ects. industry.

Reinhardt, Smith, and Graves may be at

Kate Graves a high school senior in Seat- very different points in their filmmaking careers, tle has recently won the future wave film festival but there is one line connecting them all. They with her short film the Art of Memories. are all women pushing the standard in a heav“[Filmmaking is] something I’ve been interested ily male dominated industry. Whether it be an in for a long time, but I hadn’t had the opportuinstructional video on how to use CPR or a short nity to exercise my passion in film until this past fantasy thriller, it is clear that the world can not year when I got the opportunity to be in a film wait to see what these women will make next. class at school” says Graves. Her first and only

film is the Art of Memories, a short 2 minute film with no words. The point of the film was to evoke certain emotions and memories as various visuals and music played.

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above is how Graves starts her short film; “The Art of Memories”

above is how Graves closes her short film; “The Art of Memories”

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the power of

FILM using film as a medium in which to create change written by: sofia buntz

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“I wanted to change the world.”

These are the words of Andrew Garrison, winner of the Audience Award for Best Feature Documentary at the AFI Film Festival and the Full Frame Film Festival for his 2012 film, Trash Dance. He is also a filmmaking professor at the University of Texas at Austin. He, like so many filmmakers, harnesses the power of film and has seen it at work.

Film is a medium that can accomplish an incredible variety of tasks. It is an extremely influential art form, and since its creation, it has been used effectively to bring about change. From horror films to comedies to documentaries, films function by evoking emotions from the audience.

These emotions that film conveys give it power.

There are many factors that contribute to the power film can hold over the viewer. Examples include psychological techniques used in shot framing, color, movement, composition, and many more.

Some of the most important components are audio; sound and music, and post-production; editing the material.

Sandra Adair is an editor and director. She has edited films such as Boyhood, Dazed and Confused and School of Rock. She has also recently directed her own documentary about a local collage artist called The Secret Life of Lance Letcher.

She shares how she believes editing can bring the story to life. “People can respond to all of the different senses that are presented, like music and cinematic visuals and sound. I think editors do have a big part in crafting a film and in crafting a story and in crafting an experience that the audience has.”

However, film in itself is a medium that is perfect for getting an audience to sympathize. “It’s really good for transmitting feeling and conveying emotions,” Garrsion says. “ It’s a way of getting us to connect on an emotional level and empathize. It’s an emotional medium.”

Filmmaker Kat Candler is a filmmaker whose film Hellion, was nominated for Grand Jury Prize at Sundance Film festival. Hellion is a drama about a young boy seeking to win a motocross contest

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in the midst of a crumbling family. She says she believes that a reason why film is so important is because it can connect with audiences.“We can bring voices and experiences to the screen that audiences can see themselves in. Audiences can be empowered by being represented with humanity, understanding and respect.”

The main way films connect to audience members is through the way the characters are portrayed. Though characters are obviously a main component in fictions, one might be surprised to learn that in documentaries, character plays just as big a role.

Paul Stekler is a professor of documentary filmmaking at the University of Texas at Austin and a nationally recognized political documentary filmmaker. He describes the casting process for a documentary film: “You want to find a couple of characters that are compelling, that people can identify with or understand,” says Stekler. “Just the way all films work, they have good stories and good characters and I think that sometimes people don’t realize that good documentaries work the same way.”

Every film is a learning experience for those involved. Candler describes how making her films has changed her. “The work on my own films and even in the world of television where I’ve been living the last two years has allowed me to open up to other stories from my own. I get to take a journalistic approach to the stories I tell. I get to research, learn and be a student to humanity. I want to put authenticity on screen and that takes listening.”

Each filmmaker has a voice and a message they want to share. Film has the power to spread that message, and the power to create change in the world. Garrison notes, “I want people to remember that most of what is really messed up in the world is created by people. People can make the world a really beautiful place and they can make it a really ugly place. We do this to each other; we have

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that power. You can make change.”

Film difficult to succeed in because of high competition in the field. But another reason why it is so difficult to rise above is because of the many challenges filmmakers have to face during their project. “You can’t take rejection personally, you can’t get negative. It’s your job to always to always be positive about your project, as much as it hurts sometimes,” Stekler advises. “You’ve got to be passionate and positive about your project because the person that doesn’t treat you well today may fund you tomorrow.”

Filmmaking is a magical and powerful medium able to transport voices and messages around the globe. It is able to convey an incredible array of emotions and its combination of audio and visuals are able to deeply affect and stir up thought, discussion and lastly, change.

sandra adair has recently directed a documentary on a local collage artist named lance letscher. here is one of his works on display in the central library in austin.

photo taken by Sofia Buntz

“We can bring voices and experiences to the screen that audiences can see themselves in. Audiences can be empowered by being represented with humanity, understanding and respect.�

-Kat Candler

the university of texas at austin has an high ranking film program and professors who have made awrd-winning films.

photo credit to wikimedia ommons

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