Well week three adds another layer to the onion that is BDFI, suddenly and urgently only 3 weeks in we find that much is due for our first project, locations, casting notices need to be prepared, scheduling of 10 shoots in a 9 day period. All this and more needs to be figured out yesterday. So the pressure is on but the BDFI faculty is helping out every step of the way. That mix of fear excitement and support, is allowing me along with other students to feel that our first projects will be successes. Still much is yet to be done.

Monday
Ad infinitum
Patrick’s analogy of the day stuck with me…maybe because he was describing something I never actually had the chance to see. When we started talking about the first holograms and how they were made, my imagination went crazy. Let me explain. Back in the days, rigid holograms apparently had a structure that gave them a peculiar property: if you looked at the hologram plate, you would see whatever image was represented on it, but if you broke the plate in half, the image would remain intact. And as you broke another piece, the image still remained. Break down, break down, break down…and at the end, you would still have the whole image represented on the littlest piece of the hologram.

Ideally, the process of script writing, of storytelling, emulates these holograms: each act, each scene, each dialogue (each word!) should contain the entirety of a feature. Every instant should reflect the whole and lead to the ending. So that when the ending comes, we can all believe in it.

Tuesday

At the beginning of class, Allan took us through the process of calibrating a TV monitor. It was a good brush up for me, because for some reason, I can never remember the exact order in which to do it. In fact, most people don’t event bother. I suppose the process of calibrating a CRT monitor will eventually disappear along with the monitors, and as LCDs take over, new, more “user-friendly” methods of calibrating will become the norm. But until then, let us remember!…Chroma & Phase, then Brightness, then Contrast….once again….Chroma & Phase, then Brightness, then Contrast…repeat after me…
Allan also got us ready for some field trials with the Panasonic HVX-200. I think the exercise helped everyone better grasp the concepts of focal length, proper framing, etc… It’s really nice to start seeing how each class informs the other. Yesterday, Patrick talked of “the sweet spot”….the spot where camera distance to subject and lens choice perfectly match to give you the closest perspective to what you see (or to what you want your audience to see). Today, Allan’s exercise is all about understanding this relationship between camera distance to subject and focal length. Complementarity…yeah baby!

Wednesday

First round
Oooohhh the pain. After hours of pushing back the time to sit down and do it, and a few more hours trying to give birth to something I can be approximately proud of, in the end, I gave birth to a monster of a script. Seriously. Instead of a 3-page scene with dialogue, it was more like a compilation of everything not to do when you right a script: I started writing without a clear idea of who my characters were, or where they were going, or where I was going to take them. I started the scene too early, and got out of it too late. I got bogged down in the words when I didn’t even have the ideas. I talked about “it” rather than showing “it”… the whole thing sounded more like government propaganda, than two people having a human discussion…
So when my turn came to pass out my script to the class, it was hard to hear it read aloud. I’m just happy most students are straight shooters and that I got real, constructive feedback from everyone. I knew what was wrong, I just needed to hear it. First round is over…next draft!

Thursday

Editing! Huuummmm that’s gooooood. Maybe it’s the frame-by-frame accuracy of this craft that I just love? Maybe it’s having the possibility of creating a world according to my own rules? I don’t know, but I just love it.
Our instructor Sheriff (did I misspell your name?) is the man. He gave everyone a fast-forward tutorial about all the actions and matching keys you need to know to operate Final Cut Pro without the mouse. Don’t use the mouse! Otherwise…”MOUSE SYNDROME”! That’s right, you better watch out when you’re spending hours in from of that timeline…don’t let the evil mouse get a hold of your hand. Plus, it makes you a much more efficient editor.
Afterwards, we moved out from the edit suite to go see Patrick for what he called “probably the most important lesson you will ever have in your life”… He pulled out a board, a black marker, and started drawing a canon. And out of it came the canon ball…. if you were there, you know the rest…and if you weren’t, then it’s time you come learn about “ballistics”….

Friday

I have an announcement to make: our Improv instructor Melissa kicks $#@! She is hilarious. Having a 3-hour class with her is like attending live comedy. Melissa cracks jokes without even noticing it, she’s such a character. But beyond the laughter, it’s really encouraging to feel her experience and ease at improv: we’re in good hands. She, like all the other instructors, knows what she’s talking about. It’s clear.
When we started an exercise of improv to develop relationships (where each pair of students picked a place and a type of relationship to act out, and had to have the rest of the class guess what they were), Melissa’s knowledge came right out. After each of our little gigs, she would expand on the many other ways our improvs could’ve gone, she would just invent crazy scenarios on the spot, go from one possibility to another, and make the improbable seem tangible.
Melissa is making me miss theater. It’s been 6 years that I haven’t acted, but she makes me just want to get up, dance, and improv!

Tuesday, January 22

The holiday Monday pushed back our Producing-Directing class to Tuesday this week and bumped Cinematography out of the schedule. The first shoots approach ever more rapidly it feels and Patrick cleared up a lot of our questions about location and casting in today’s lecture. With a few horror stories to illustrate his points, Patrick gave us a laundry list of what to think about while we hunt for the perfect location to film our booth scenes. Is there access to enough power outlets? Is there a secure space for the equipment to be stored? Are there clean bathrooms for the crew and cast? Do you have a backup location in case you run into problems (and you will)? A backup for the backup?
Peter Burns from the “big kids” (as the student senior to our class are sometimes referred) had prepared a guest lecture for the second half of class. He talked about the casting process and filled us in on some great secrets for how to get the most out of auditions. He talked about the reputation BDFI students have for being very respectful and appreciative of actors and wonderful to work with. He also elaborated on the roles each of us will play for each other during the casting process. There will be someone to be the Producer, another to tape the auditions for screen tests, another will usher the actors in and out of the audition room and help them to warm up for the audition, and another to greet them at the door and guide them to the audition room. I’m very much looking forward to casting and am certain that I will love working with whichever actors get the parts. I’m also looking forward to repeating the audition process (good practice) with my other classmates.

Wednesday, January 23

We began screenwriting class an hour early again this week. For the first hour, we discussed our Top Ten lists: our favorite films, the most important films. I kept a list of films to see based on what everyone was recommending and it filled an entire page by the end! I’ve got a lot of them all queued up in Netflix now!
My heart rate skyrocketed as I passed around the first draft of my script for everyone to read silently before I asked Joel, Margaux, and Nicholas to read it out loud. Happily, the tone seemed to flow nicely and there weren’t too many sentences that sounded out of character at this point. As we went around the table commenting on my script, one thing emerged. “The ending is a little trite,” said Joel. This was echoed by Fred, our teacher. I agreed but recognized that I will have a hard time parting from that original idea that I had. Maybe it is just a problem with how it is written? Maybe the story can stay the same and just the way it is written needs to change? I will mull over it during the weekend and find a better way to express my theme. I am determined!
We went on with reviewing other scripts: Shy’s, Valerie’s, Joel’s, Franco’s. There were some real gems in the ideas they had written into the page and of course, each of us have a different problem to work out for draft 2.

Thursday, January 24, 2008

I was so excited to see everyone’s first editing assignment. I hoped for a better-than-beginner-level of editing from everyone so that we could skip over the basics of how to operate Final Cut Pro and get right to the more interesting editing techniques, editing theory, and elaborate edits—the expressiveness of editing. I was not disappointed. Everyone seemed to a have a decent grasp on media management and a willingness to dive in and learn to cut up footage according to the principles of ballistics that we had been introduced to the week previous.
Interestingly, each of us already expressed a certain aesthetic and style. The challenge will be to develop perfect control over the edit suite so that what we create is not the product of what comes ‘naturally’ to us, our first instincts, but what we envision prior to any of the technology and tools that come into filmmaking.
Sharif is so entertaining. He just oozes his own personality and style. He is very humble too. And I get the sense that he is giving us nibbles of criticism and information so that we will digest well and won’t lose our confidence to try new things and really challenge ourselves in our edits. The work of my classmates also challenges me to “try harder” and really create things that I’m proud because of their technical level. That will be quite a few more editing assignments down the line, I’m sure.

Friday, January 25, 2008

Melissa started Improv Acting class by going around the table asking us what issues we were having with our respective scripts. She took notes of what problems we could use our class time and collective brainpower to work out. I was really excited to hear Melissa, “a real actress,” act out some of our scripts. I thought it would really help us get a sense of the possibilities our scripts held for our talent.
After working through Nikko’s script for tone and speakability, Melissa asked me what bothered me about mine. A read through and she was nodding her head agreeing. “I see what you mean,” she said. She had a few suggestions and then said, “I feel like you are happy with this and you don’t actually want to change it.” In a way she was right. I liked the way the characters were speaking and it felt genuine to me. However, Fred had made the excellent point that sometimes as a screenwriter you have to think seriously on altering something if multiple people raise it as a problem in your script. Many of my classmates had raised the same issue with my script. I thought hard about how to fix it.
Now, a few days later while I write this blog, I think I have come with a solution. I am rethinking my original ideas about the characters and I want them to be more quirky so that the words they say and the things they talk about feel authentic in their world, a world where I set the rules. Sharif talked a lot about this idea with regards to editing on Thursday but I see how it applies to filmmaking generally. The creators of the film make a universe with whatever rules they want. The only important thing about these rules is that once they are set, the film follows them.

I remain deeply grateful for this experience, and excited to submerge myself even deeper into the world of digital media. Patrick, you are a brilliant man, and so knowledgeable, kind and considerate. Thank you for this opportunity! This semester we are introduced to protools for audio editing, advanced scriptwriting, advanced editing, advanced camera work, and I know there will be so much more! Most lucky are we!
I often lose myself in the editing room, so absorbed in the magic of the edit. If only life were that easy; there are so many moments I want to slow down, or put to the right music to share what is in my heart. Thank you ALL!!!

Week 2 at BDFI was like adding the second layer to the cake. While the first layer was light and fluffy- “hey lets get to know each other.” This second layer was more dense, and really a sign of things to come. First assignments were due, and first full class lectures happened, no “getting to know you” stuff, it was the first raw dose of what I anticipate will be the BDFI experience. I am sure that as the weeks progress things will get more and more intense with each passing week. But at the same time everyone is very agreeable and seem ready to get down to the business of making movies. I also appreciate that all of the faculty seem to want to impart the fullness of what they have learned in their years in the The Business. No secrets seem to be withheld, and no questions are avoided.

Monday, January 14, 2008
In our second Producing/Directing class, we gained more technical knowledge that will help us in our approaching shoots. We also watched a series of clips from directors who did the booth scene well in their films. Patrick evaluated our pitches on his scale of one to three, all of us striving for that three, and no one there yet. He gave us lots of very constructive feedback and helped to ask the questions of us that will get our scripts up to par (maybe even up to a three!).

Tuesday, January 14, 2008
Moving into a new classroom, we reviewed our lab footage from last week with Allen. The camera helps put us ahead as even the most bland images have redeeming aspects when shot through the HVX 200. Allen carefully critiqued our explorations in cinematography, if they deserve being called that, and imagined with us the various scenarios in which one might shoot this way or that way.
Following our class, our lab assignment was to find the “sweet spot” on the HVX 200. We set out to get footage of our classmates every distance from 30 feet to 30 inches from their faces, asking them to sit still all the while. We skip our cinematography class next week due to MLK Day, so we’ll review that footage the week after that.

Wednesday, January 15, 2008
In Screenwriting, we reviewed approximately half of the classes scripts. I had so much fun imagining the scenarios my classmates had constructed and I was impressed by the level of intelligent criticism that everyone had to offer each other. I go next week and I’m sure I’ll be very nervous and the harshest critic of myself.

Thursday, January 16, 2008
In Editing, we had our first introduction to what I am most excited to learn: the BDFI editing style “Ballistics.” We watched some clips of previous student work to see Ballistics in action and were given an assignment to cut up some of our favorite footage according to the principles we had learned. I think we all were excited to have an editing assignment that had such simple requirements (1 minute long to music, any footage) so that we could really work on everything we’ve been learning.

Friday, January 17, 2008
In Improv Acting we worked on establishing relationships. Two of us would take two cards: one giving us a scenario and the other a relationship. We would then have to act out the scenario with our classmates guessing the type of relationship between the two of us. We saw that lovers were very easy to convey, while siblings, particularly older siblings, could be hard to differentiate from friends (or enemies!). Overall, I think we all were a lot more relaxed and at ease and felt less pressure to try to be funny in this game and instead just tried to act well.

The only way I can describe my first week at BDFI is surreal. Ever get the feeling that you’re living someone else’s life? That’s how I felt all week. I think it could have a little to do with the fact that it was very much an uphill battle to get here or maybe it’s because not enough of my dreams have come true that when something good happens it feels as if it should be happening to someone else. I’m so used to struggle and complication that the reality of actually going to Berkeley just seemed like it wasn’t going to happen but people surprise you and remind you that not everyone sucks. I finally got there and even though my luggage was lost they found it very quickly. It’s my first time actually living on my own away from home, I’ve lived in other countries for months at a time but I’d always had family and knew people but coming to Berkeley was almost like starting over. I choose BDFI because it reminded me of my favorite classes from high school, video production and screenwriting. Those were the classes I never missed and was always excited to go to. Patrick also reminds me of one of my favorite teachers, who actually taught those two classes, Mr. Carmen. Patrick also reminds me of Tim Gunn but I’ll save that for another blog. I was so nervous and stressed out for my first day because I came in a week late and kind of felt like I was crashing the party but everyone was really accommodating especially when I got that group hug  and it help put all those nervous feelings to rest. Producing and Directing reminded me of an extended version of my screenwriting class from high school and that sense familiarity really helped and within minutes of everyone pitching their ideas I had my screenplay idea and just couldn’t wait to go home and start writing. Cinematography is really way more technical than I thought it was going to be. Before I got to school I thought it might be something that I’d want to do because I love photography and movies, why not merge them together? I was wrong. It is too technical for my brain and by the end of class I was so relieved because I was getting a headache. I LOVE SCREENWRITING WITH FREDDY!!! I didn’t want class to end it is hands down my favorite class. Freddy has so much insight and I think he’s just overall really awesome. I pitched my idea to him and I was afraid it might come off a little lifetime-y but he seemed to really like it and he assigned us to come up with our top ten lists, since then it has literally consumed hours of my life. Oy with the editing, I’ve edited before and I don’t mind editing I think skilled editors can do crazy things in post but I’m scared that my editing job is not going to look as cool as I want it. Sharif defiantly gave some good shortcuts that I didn’t know about on final cut and I’m really digging the editing assignment I just hope I can pull it off like I see it in my head. It’s been a little while since I’ve been back to school so Friday I accidently overslept but what I caught of Melissa’s class was very helpful. We went over casting websites and how your posting should sound, scouting locations all the things you really don’t think of. How do I feel about my first week at BDFI, I think I’m going to like it here.

I love the editing class because we learn everything step by step and
all the keys which I didn’t know before- always wanted to learn how
to rip a video to edit it (I need to do this for my demo :)- thanks a
lot!
Every day I am looking forward to the next class- there is so much to
learn! I am going to the two birthday parties today- that’s a great
opportunity to get to know each other better.
Classes are very motivating- I only wished I had a little bit more
time to focus but I will get there! Now I need to start looking for
locations and actors- I hope my friends from SF can help me with the
location at least, I will talk with them tomorrow. If anyone knows an
apartment with a view on the ocean let me know!!!

Wow! I’ve had the best time here at Berkeley Digital. Teachers and students have became both good friends and great mentors. I just want to thank everyone here for all of there help and if I can help with anything I will be happy to. I’m so excited to see what’s next!

First week at BDFI was very exciting, meeting classmates and upper-level students that I will be working with over the course of the next 16 months. I was very pleased to find that most if not all of the people I met were very serious about the prospect of making films, and yet they were very relaxed and not uptight or fearful of the process. Though I anticipate struggles and much hard work it is good to know going in that I will be surrounded by peers and faculty who want the best of what I can give and yet seem knowing enough that I will do things differently than they would, and that acceptance of difference is key. Another thing that I am finding key to the BDFI experience is the general lack of competitiveness at the school, Patrick and the other faculty seem to want the best out of everyone, and not just a select few.