Voice & Vision, 3rd Edition

Voice & Vision, 3rd Edition

by Mick Hurbis-Cherrier
Released July 2018
Publisher(s): Routledge
ISBN: 9781317808930

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Book description

Develop your creative voice while acquiring the practical skills and confidence to use it with this new and fully updated edition of Mick Hurbis-Cherrier’s filmmaking bible, Voice & Vision. Written for independent filmmakers and film students who want a solid grounding in the tools, techniques, and processes of narrative film, this comprehensive manual covers all of the essentials while keeping artistic vision front and center. Hurbis-Cherrier walks the reader through every step of the process—from the transformation of an idea into a cinematic story, to the intricacies of promotion and distribution—and every detail in between.

Features of this book include:

  • Comprehensive technical information on video production and postproduction tools, allowing filmmakers to express themselves with any camera, in any format, and on any budget

  • An emphasis on the collaborative filmmaking process, including the responsibilities and creative contributions of every principal member of the crew and cast

  • A focus on learning to work successfully with available resources (time, equipment, budget, personnel, etc.) in order to turn limitations into opportunities

  • Updated digital filmmaking workflow breakdowns for Rec. 709 HD, Log Format, and D-Cinema productions

  • Substantial coverage of the sound tools and techniques used in film production and the creative impact of postproduction sound design

  • An extensive discussion of digital cinematography fundamentals, including essential lighting and exposure control tools, common gamma profiles, the use of LUTs, and the role of color grading

  • Abundant examples referencing contemporary and classic films from around the world

  • Indispensible information on production safety, team etiquette, and set procedures.

The third edition also features a robust companion website that includes eight award-winning example short films; interactive and high-resolution figures; downloadable raw footage; production forms and logs for preproduction, production, and postproduction; video examples that illustrate key concepts found within the book, and more.

Whether you are using it in the classroom or are looking for a comprehensive reference to learn everything you need to know about the filmmaking process, Voice & Vision delivers all of the details in an accessible and reader-friendly format.

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Half Title
  3. Title Page
  4. Copyright Page
  5. Dedication
  6. Dedication
  7. Table of Contents
  8. Companion Website Contents
  9. Acknowledgments
  10. Introduction
    1. Film is a Collaborative Art Form
    2. Teaching and Learning Filmmaking
  11. What’s New in the Third Edition
    1. Celluloid Film Information is Relocated to the Website
    2. Changes in Voice & Vision Third Edition
  12. Part I ■ Developing Your Film on Paper
    1. Chapter 1: From Idea to Cinematic Story
      1. Finding an Idea
      2. From an Idea to a Story
      3. Narrative Basics I: Essential Story Elements
        1. The Central Character
        2. The Dramatic Situation: Conflict, Action, and the Central Question
        3. Story Dynamism: Action, Change, and Development
        4. The Stakes
        5. Resolution and Meaning
        6. Story Essentials in Practice
        7. Making Specific Choices
      4. Narrative Basics II: Goal and Conflict-Driven Stories
      5. Narrative Basics III: Other Dramatic Story Concepts
        1. A Final Note on Essential Dramatic Principles
      6. Ideas within Limitations
        1. Story Scale and Film Length
        2. Production Time
        3. Financial Resources
        4. Equipment, Location, Props, and Other Resources
        5. Cast and Crew
        6. Keep It Manageable
    2. Chapter 2: The Screenplay
      1. Stages of Script Development
        1. Concept
        2. Treatment
        3. Author’s Draft to Final Draft
        4. Shooting Script
      2. Formatting the Author’s Draft Screenplay
        1. Elements of an Author’s Draft Script
      3. Screenplay Language and Style
        1. Visual Writing, Character, and Action
        2. Working with Dialogue: Revealing Emotions, Not Announcing Them
      4. Reworking and Rewriting
    3. Chapter 3: The Visual Language and Aesthetics of Cinema
      1. Shots, Sequences, and Scenes
      2. The Frame and Composition
        1. Dimensions of the Frame
        2. Shot Composition and the Graphic Qualities of the Frame
        3. Shot Size
        4. Camera Angles
      3. The Moving Frame
        1. Camera Moves
        2. The Moving Frame and Perspective
        3. Motivation and the Moving Camera
      4. Rate of Motion
        1. Slow Motion
        2. Fast Motion
      5. Conclusion
    4. Chapter 4: Organizing Cinematic time and Space
      1. Single-Camera Production and the Continuity System
      2. Principles of Continuity Style
        1. Continuity of Mise-en-Scène
        2. Continuity of Sound
        3. Continuity of Performance, Actions, and Placement
        4. Spatial Continuity and the 180° Principle
        5. 20mm/30° Rule
        6. Cutting on Action
      3. Scene Strategies: Putting Continuity to Use
        1. Two-Person and Person/Object Interactions
        2. Changing the Line of Action
        3. Creating Visual Point of View
        4. Group Interactions
        5. Moving a Person through Space
        6. Moving People through Space: Following or Converging
        7. Parallel Action Sequence
        8. Cheating on Film
      4. Style Outside the Continuity System
        1. Jump Cut Technique
        2. Long Take Technique
    5. Chapter 5: From Screenplay to Visual Plan
      1. Three Tools for Previsualization
        1. The Shooting Script
        2. Overhead Diagrams
        3. Storyboards
        4. It’s Only on Paper, Not Written in Stone
      2. The Director and Previsualizing: A Method
        1. The Big Picture
        2. The Details: How to Cover Scenes
        3. Back to the Big Picture
      3. Previsualization and Collaboration
        1. Director and Cinematographer
        2. Director and Actors
        3. Director and Production Team
      4. The Shot List: From Visual Plan to Production Plan
        1. Creating a Shot List
      5. Day-to-Day Production Scheduling
  13. Part II ■ Preparing for Production
    1. Chapter 6: Preparing for Production
      1. Line Producing and the Creative Process
        1. How Much is Enough?
        2. Production Design
        3. Locations and Set Dressing
        4. Location Scouting
        5. The Location Technical Survey
        6. Wardrobe and Props
        7. The Script Breakdown
      2. Budgeting Your Film
        1. Shooting Days: Film Length, Scale, and Shooting Ratio
        2. Workflow and Budgeting
        3. Department Structure
        4. Equipment and Facilities
        5. Supplies, Materials, and Expendables
        6. Location Expenses
        7. Personnel (Cast and Crew)
        8. Legal and Insurance
        9. Hidden Costs and Contingency
        10. Feature-Film Budgets
      3. Summary: Preproduction Paperwork
    2. Chapter 7: The Cast and Crew
      1. The Production Crew
        1. Production Department Structure
      2. Departments and Department Heads: The Creative Core
        1. The Producing Team
        2. The Director, Assistant Director, and Script Supervisor
        3. The Camera and Electric Departments
        4. The Art Department
        5. The Sound Department
        6. The Appropriate Crew Size
      3. Crew Meetings and Communication
      4. Being a Crewmember
      5. On-Camera Talent
        1. Finding an Actor
        2. Auditions
        3. Callbacks
        4. Releases, Minors, and Unions
        5. Actors Unions
      6. Working with Actors I: Before the Camera Rolls
        1. The Actor as Creative Collaborator
        2. Rehearsals
        3. Working with Trained Actors
        4. Working with Nonactors
        5. Working with Extras
        6. The Contact Sheet
  14. Part III ■ Tools and Techniques: Production
    1. Chapter 8: The Digital Video System
      1. Film: A Mechanical and Photochemical Medium
      2. Video: An Electronic Medium
        1. Analog versus Digital Video
        2. Video Formats
      3. Broadcast Standards
        1. Scanning and Frame Rate
        2. Aspect Ratio
        3. Resolution
        4. Color Encoding: Rec. 709 and Rec. 2020
        5. Timecode
      4. Other Broadcast Standards Worldwide
      5. DCI Standards for Theatrical Projection
      6. A Final Note on Video Standards
    2. Chapter 9: The Digital Video Camera
      1. Digital Video Camera Essentials: Exterior
        1. The Body
        2. Function Buttons and Switches
        3. The Lens
        4. Servo Zoom Control
        5. Viewfinders and LCD Viewscreens
        6. Media Bay
        7. Video, Audio, Data-In and Out
        8. DC Power
      2. Digital Video Camera Essentials: Interior
        1. The Image Sensor
        2. Analog-to-Digital Converter
        3. The Digital Signal Processor
        4. Compression and Codecs
        5. Chroma Subsampling
        6. Data Rate
      3. Camera Settings
        1. Format Settings
        2. Image Control Settings
      4. Digital Video Cameras Today
        1. The Camcorder
        2. DSLRs and Mirrorless Cameras
        3. Hybrid Large Sensor Cameras
        4. Action Cams
        5. The Ultra High End: D-Cinema, UHD, and Beyond
        6. How Much Camera Do You Actually Need?
        7. The Future
    3. Chapter 10: The Camera Lens
      1. Basic Lens Optics
      2. Focal Length
        1. Prime and Zoom Lenses
        2. Crop Factor: Focal Length and Sensor Size
        3. Lens Perspective
      3. Focus
        1. Selective Focus
        2. Methods for Finding Focus
      4. Aperture
        1. F-stops and T-stops
        2. Aperture and Exposure Control
        3. Lens Speed
        4. Automatic versus Manual Lens Functions
      5. Depth of Field
        1. Controlling Depth of Field
        2. DOF Range Distribution
        3. Circle of Confusion
    4. Chapter 11: Camera Support
      1. The Handheld Camera
        1. Shoulder Mounts
      2. The Tripod
        1. Tripod Head
        2. Tripod Legs
      3. The Dolly
      4. Sliders
      5. Jib Arms
      6. Stabilizing Systems
      7. Jerry-Rigged or Improvised Support Systems
      8. Drones
      9. Aesthetic and Practical Considerations
        1. Camera Moves versus Camera Adjustments
    5. Chapter 12: Basics of Exposure
      1. Image Exposure
        1. Elements of Exposure
      2. Finding Exposures with In-Camera Meters
        1. The Run ‘n’ Gun Exposure Method
        2. The Gray Card Exposure Method
        3. Zoom versus Spot Meter Function
        4. Which Exposure?
        5. More Metering Options
        6. Black, White, and Middle Gray: A Waveform Monitor Introduction
        7. Zebras
        8. Using Field Monitors
    6. Chapter 13: Basics of Light and Lighting
      1. The Fundamental Objectives of Lighting
      2. The Fundamental Sources of Light
      3. Three Essential Properties of Light
        1. Intensity
        2. Quality
        3. Color Temperature
      4. Light and Directionality
      5. Fundamental Lighting Setups and Principles
        1. Key Light
        2. Fill Light
        3. Backlight
        4. Set Lights
        5. Specials and Practicals
        6. Three-Point Lighting
        7. Lighting Order and Exposures
        8. Lighting Ratios
        9. Background-to-Subject Ratio
      6. Exterior Lighting
        1. Location Scouting and Scheduling
        2. Check the Weather
        3. Subject and Camera Positions
        4. Sun Plus Bounced Light
        5. Shade Plus Bounced Light
        6. Diffusing Sunlight
        7. Dusk-for-Night
        8. Shooting at Night
        9. Magic Hour
      7. Altering Light with Gels and Filters
        1. Lighting Gels
        2. Camera Filters
      8. Basic Lighting and Grip Equipment
        1. Lighting Units
        2. Basic Grip Gear
    7. Chapter 14: Lighting and Exposure: Beyond the Basics
      1. Contrast Range and Dynamic Range
        1. Contrast Range
        2. Dynamic Range
      2. Video Gamma
        1. Gamma Options
        2. Dynamic Range versus Useable Dynamic Range
      3. Advanced Exposure Tools
        1. Handheld Light Meters
        2. The Waveform Monitor
        3. Putting Dynamic Range, Exposures, and Lighting to Work
        4. Reflectance and Exposure Range
        5. Camera Tests
        6. Don’t Forget What It’s All About
      4. Lighting Approaches and Styles
        1. Naturalism and Lighting
        2. Stylized Lighting
        3. Not an Either/or Choice
      5. Finding the Appropriate Lighting Strategy
        1. The Overall Look
        2. Visual Research
        3. Other Considerations
        4. A Final Word on Cinematography
    8. Chapter 15: Sound for Production
      1. What is Production Audio?
      2. Understanding Sound
        1. Frequency (Pitch)
        2. Amplitude (Loudness)
        3. Quality (Timbre)
        4. Velocity
      3. Production Sound
        1. Location Audio: Sync Sound, Wild Sound, and Ambient Sound
        2. Location Acoustics
      4. Double-System and Single-System Recording
        1. Why Double-System for Narrative Projects?
        2. The Slate in Double-System Recording
      5. Digital Sound Recording
        1. The Basic Signal Path
        2. Digital Audio: Quality Matters
        3. Sampling, Bit Depth, and File Formats
      6. Production Sound Tools
        1. The Digital Sound Recorder
        2. Sound Recording Direct to Camera
        3. Portable Field Mixers
      7. Microphones
        1. Dynamic, Condenser, and Electret Condenser
        2. Microphone Frequency Response
        3. Microphone Directionality
        4. The XLR Connector
        5. Wireless and On-Board Microphones
        6. What’s Really Important
    9. Chapter 16: Location Sound Techniques
      1. The Sound Team
      2. Sound Preproduction
      3. Recording Technique
        1. Setting Levels
        2. Reference Tone and Calibration
        3. Manual versus Automatic Functions
        4. Headphone Monitoring
      4. Microphone Technique
        1. Selecting the Right Microphone
        2. Balance, Consistency, and Being On-Axis
        3. Booms and Boom Technique
        4. Using Lavaliere Mics
        5. Miking and Perspective
        6. Using Multiple Microphones
        7. Ambient Sound and Audio Continuity
        8. Miscellaneous Recording Challenges
    10. Chapter 17: On-Set Procedures
      1. Walking Onto the Set
      2. Who Does What, When
        1. Dressing the Set
        2. Loading In
        3. Prepping the Gear and Rough Setup
        4. Tech Rehearsal
        5. Setup
        6. Final Run-Throughs
      3. Shooting a Take
        1. Slate Protocol
        2. Evaluating the Take
      4. Additional Shooting Procedures
        1. Time Management
        2. The Script Supervisor’s Report
      5. Data Management
        1. File-Based Media Management on the Set
        2. The Data Wrangler’s Kit
        3. The Data Backup Process
        4. Data Organization
      6. After the Shoot
        1. Striking the Set
        2. That’s a Wrap!
      7. The Director and Actors On the Set
        1. Tech Rehearsals
        2. Setup
        3. Run-throughs
        4. Takes
        5. Flexibility and Opportunities
    11. Chapter 18: Set Etiquette and Production Safety
      1. Set Etiquette: Respect, Courtesy, and Good Work
        1. Food and Breaks
        2. Courtesy on Public Locations
        3. Respect and Protect the Locations, Props, and Costumes
        4. Respect Your Equipment
      2. Production Safety and Security
        1. Prepare for Safety
        2. Production Insurance
        3. Common Sense
        4. Locations and Permits
        5. Rest and Health
        6. Weather
        7. Risky Locations
        8. Picture Vehicles and Drones
        9. Weapons and Violence
        10. Fire and Open Flames
        11. Water
        12. Physical Stunts
        13. Security
      3. Electricity and Safety
        1. How Much Electricity?
        2. Electrical Loads and Time
        3. Lighting and Grip Safety Tips
  15. Part IV ■ Tools and Techniques: Postproduction
    1. Chapter 19: Postproduction Overview: Workflow and the Editing Stages
      1. The Postproduction Team
      2. Technical Workflow: From Start to Finish
        1. Low-Budget Workflows
        2. Format Workflow: Codecs and Containers
        3. LUTs and Workflow
        4. High-End Workflow
        5. Any Film Can Distribute as a DCP
      3. The Editing Stages
        1. Edit Process Overview
        2. Viewing Dailies
        3. First Assembly Edit
        4. Rough Cuts
        5. Fresh Eyes and Review Screenings
        6. Cutting Dialogue
        7. The Fine Cut and Picture Lock
        8. Finishing
        9. Mastering
    2. Chapter 20: Digital Editing Fundamentals
      1. Too Much of a Good Thing?
      2. How to Approach Surplus Technology
      3. The Basic NLE System
        1. The Hardware Setup
        2. The Software Interface
      4. Editing Essentials I: Getting Started
        1. Setting Up Your NLE Project
        2. Importing Video and Audio Assets
        3. Syncing Footage
        4. Organizing Your Footage
        5. Using Bins to Organize
      5. Editing Essentials II: Making Simple Edits
        1. Basic Edit Types
        2. Basic Cutting
        3. Think!
    3. Chapter 21: The Art and Technique of Editing
      1. The Golden Rule of Postproduction
      2. Why We Edit I: Narrative Order and Emphasis
        1. Editing for Story Order
        2. Editing for Dramatic Emphasis
      3. Fundamental Image-to-Image Transitions
        1. The Cut
        2. The Dissolve
        3. The Fade
      4. Why We Edit II: Extra-Narrative Considerations
        1. Temporal Editing: Condensing and Expanding Time
        2. Timing, Rhythm, and Pace
        3. Associative Editing
        4. Emotion
    4. Chapter 22: The Sound Design in Film
      1. Sound Design Overview
      2. Sound Design I: Sounds, Sync, and Source
        1. Movie Sounds: Speech, Sound Effects, Ambience, and Music
        2. Synchronous, Nonsynchronous, and Postsynchronous Audio
        3. Source
      3. Sound Design II: The Sound Elements in Detail
        1. Speech
        2. Sound Effects—Hard and Soft
        3. Ambient Sound, Room Tone, and Walla
        4. Music
        5. Common Music Pitfalls
      4. Sound Design Strategies
        1. From Realism to Stylized Approaches
    5. Chapter 23: Cutting Sound and Working with Multiple Tracks
      1. Working with Multiple Tracks
        1. Building Your Essential Audio Tracks
        2. Refining Your Sound Design
        3. Tweaking Sound and Using Workspaces
        4. Sound Track Labels by Type
      2. Basic Sound Design: Analysis of a Simple Scene
        1. Dialogue Tracks
        2. Room Tone Track
        3. Sound Effects Track
        4. Ambience Track
        5. Music Track
      3. The Sound Mix
        1. The Sound Mixing Steps
        2. Step 1: Final Sound Selection, Placement, and Splitting Tracks
        3. Step 2: Audio Sweetening
        4. Step 3: Creating Audio Transitions
        5. Step 4: Audio Level Balancing
        6. Step 5: The Mix Down
      4. Advanced Sound Mixing Programs
        1. Why Go Pro?
    6. Chapter 24: Grading, Mastering, and Distribution
      1. Color Correction versus Color Grading
      2. Basic Color Correction in Your NLE
        1. Adjusting Luminance Values
        2. Adjusting Chrominance Values
        3. The Color Workspace and Tools
        4. Grading Log Footage From Scratch
        5. Applying LUTs to Log Footage
        6. Advice from the Color Grading Trenches
      3. Titles and Credits
      4. Mastering and Distribution Copies
        1. Output Formats for Distribution
        2. DVD and Blu-Ray
      5. Distributing Your Film
        1. Self-Distribution
        2. Distributors
        3. Film Festivals
        4. Traditional Theatrical
        5. Crowdsource Theatrical
        6. Digital: Video Hosting/Sharing
        7. Digital: Video on Demand
  16. Recommended Readings
  17. Recommended Filmmaking Apps For Mobile Devices
  18. Bibliography
  19. Filmography
  20. Photo And Illustration Credits
  21. Index

Product information

  • Title: Voice & Vision, 3rd Edition
  • Author(s): Mick Hurbis-Cherrier
  • Release date: July 2018
  • Publisher(s): Routledge
  • ISBN: 9781317808930