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Originally posted by tejas9999

How do u shoot a "making of" a film?? and what all things to include in that documentary and how can one make it more interesting and entertaining for the general viewers ??

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Why, I'm glad you asked because I left "production" to do this for a living (mostly). 🙂

Shooting Behind-the-Scenes isn't always as simple as just being there and shooting everything that moves. All too often, Actors or a Director will feel "distracted" by a video camera roaming around shooting while the other cameras are not rolling. Imagine someone shooting YOU every second of the day while you're trying to do your job?

Well, that's the kind of thing YOU need to think about when shooting behind-the-scenes. Knowing what to shoot is important. But more important, is knowing when to STOP shooting! Pushing too hard or getting too close with the camera can cause a Director or an Actor to decide that EPK (Electronic Press Kit/Behind the scenes) is done for the day.

Ideally, you're not there to "get dirt." That nonsense is for tabloid TV, like ET, Access Hollywood, or TMZ. You are there to "positively promote the project" and you HAVE TO let the principle people know that that's why you're there.

So, what to shoot? You aren't there to emulate what the production cameras are getting. Your shots are from behind the cameras. Start on the slate, wait for the "mark" then pull out to include the camera and the Actors. Pull out from an Actor's face during the take to include the cameras. If nothing interesting is going on on-set, try to get interviews with Department Heads, like Stunts, Special FX, Costume Designer, Props, Set Designer, etc. Some films are heavy on Visual Effects, so you definitely want to talk to them DURING the shoot and then in Post-Production so you can build a "story" that the audience can be interested in. Same with Special Effects and Camera (the DP) and any other Department that has A LOT to do in that specific movie.

There are two components to "Behind-the-Scenes" really. The first is "EPK" which stands for (Electronic Press Kit). That includes behind the scenes footage and interviews PRIOR to release for promotional purposes. NONE of this will give away any pertinent plot points that might ruin the experience for an audience. The second component is for POST RELEASE (typically DVD use) that explains how elements of production were accomplished. You'll capture all of those pieces throughout pre-production and production and post, being careful to not give away anything for the EPK portion while giving the DVD Producers everything to work with.

Physical data space on the DVD itself will often limit how many "featurettes" will be able to go on a DVD. You may have a movie with LOTS of great material, but because you can only afford to release one disc (instead of two), you'll be limited to the amount of material that consumers can access. If that happens, the advent of Blue Ray has provided the opportunity for consumers to access WEB ONLY content that couldn't make the DVD itself. Or, of course, for bigger movies, two or more disks are included.

Most people who watch DVD Extras are typically interested in the "how to" idea of making a movie and less in the tabloidy nonsense. So the earlier you can start shooting the process for EVERY DEPARTMENT, the better your featurettes will ultimately be. Shoot artwork, illustrations, models, interviews with Department Heads and their workers. Shoot sets during construction and how all the departments involved interact. You'll NEVER use everything you shoot, but the more options you have in editing, the better (and more profitable) your final product will ultimately be.

Again, you'll potentially be limited by the comfort levels of everyone because being shot "at work" isn't a normal thing for most people, so don't rush in thinking that you have free reign. Be sensitive to moods and problems. Unless you specifically have the mandate to shoot a documentary about the trials & tribulations of making a movie, stay AWAY from problems and arguments. You are there to POSITIVELY PROMOTE THE PROJECT so that consumers think that making the movie was a really fun and happy and positive experience for everyone... even if it wasn't. Your goal is to SELL IT!!!!!!! Art is wonderful... it truly is. But "Behind-the-Scenes" is MARKETING and that means SELLING it for PROFIT so that the movie can recoup some of its costs.

There is more on this in the book "What I Really Want to Do: On Set in Hollywood." (link below)

Good luck!

Brian Dzyak
Cameraman/Author
IATSE Local 600, SOC
http://www.whatireallywanttodo.com
http://www.realfilmcareer.com

I'm curious, what about setting up an interview room and trying to encourage the actors to come to make comments rather than chasing them around. If you've done research on the actors and have some quality questions you might find them volunteering to blab away.

RJSchwarz

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Originally posted by rjschwarz

I'm curious, what about setting up an interview room and trying to encourage the actors to come to make comments rather than chasing them around. If you've done research on the actors and have some quality questions you might find them volunteering to blab away.

RJSchwarz

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It doesn't usually work quite that conveniently. 🙂

The Unit Publicist is part of the Production team itself. It is her job to be the conduit between the production and any "media" including the Unit Still Photographer and the Behind-the-Scenes crew (Producer, Cameraman, Sound Mixer).

Talent interviews are set up sometime after they've already accomplished a few weeks of filming so that they have something to talk about (their character, working with the Director, etc.). You'd NEVER chase Actors around set for their formal sit-down interviews. You might get some quippy off-the-cuff standup comments if the Actor is that kind of person, but you would never specifically ask them for something like that. You're there to capture what happens, not to make something happen.

The formal sit-down interviews are down sometime during the working day, either during long set-ups when an Actor has enough time (usually 20 to 45 minutes) or when they've wrapped for the day UNLESS there would be a turn-around problem for their call the next day. The Unit Publicist works closely with the AD Department to arrange the best times for these interviews. Almost NEVER are the interviews done after the main unit crew wraps. Power is shut off and Makeup, Hair, and Wardrobe would go into Overtime... UPM's aren't too keen on that sort of thing.

Some productions are EPK/Behind-the-Scenes friendly so they'll let you get in close to shoot scenes, the Grips will help you with ladders or apple-boxes to get a better shot, and the Sound Department will be helpful with the audio feed. Some productions aren't quite as "giving" so it's a bit harder to get material and Talent for interviews. Every production is different, so it may take a few hours or days to figure the situation out and get settled in and for them to get comfortable with you.

The DP interview is generally the hardest to get because he is literally working all day long, during setups and during takes. For that reason, he, along with the Director, will usually be interviewed later on, during Post-Production. If you do manage to nail the DP down during production, you might get only a few minutes at a time until he needs to get back to set.

Some interviews are done on set, with production "stuff" in the background. This introduces lots of potential problems, so sometimes the sitdown interviews are done against a greenscreen, so that they can be shot away from the main set where it is quieter and you're out of the way. In that case, the Cameraman will shoot a number of background "plates" of empty sets to place behind the interviews later in post.

Brian Dzyak
Cameraman/Author
IATSE Local 600, SOC
http://www.whatireallywanttodo.com
http://www.realfilmcareer.com

Thanks for ur reply, bjdzyak .... that helped a lot ... are there any more sources regarding this kind of information ???