Peter Burns writes:
Mark began his lecture where he left off previously - source music. He used the film Playing By Heart as an example of source music. He showed two versions of the film: the director’s cut and the Miramax-released studio cut. As a class we analyzed both versions and then Mark spoke on the director’s justification and the studio’s justification.

As a Producer-Director, it is important to know that new directors tend not to trust their actors and dialog during the sound mix. They tend to over score because they have forgotten their first reactions to their material during pre-viz and shooting. He added that even experienced Directors can make this mistake.

Good scoring should accent specific events.

I realized during this lecture that I should have a keen understanding of music theory, types of instruments and some history of music - as well as the psychology of music. The importance of clear articulation to sound crew has been mentioned by every one of our sound design instructors. The proper use of descriptors, the ability to accurately reference films, film history and music composition greatly enhances the sound editing/mixing sessions.

He then discussed effects: this included background effects, foreground (hard & sync) effects, Foley effects and the various ways each of them can be used to impact a scene (why and how they are used). Mark’s examples are dynamic in that they are entertaining, informative, directly support the lesson and end toward a clearer understanding of filmmaking as a whole.

Mark is a natural instructor and he clearly likes students. You can tell he is learning from us as he interacts with us.

Mark Berger, a genius in his own right, gave a phenomenal lecture yesterday. We focused on the ways music can elicit emotions during particular scenes. We watched clips from Touch of Evil and Playing by Heart, and we discussed the politics behind the director’s creative control and the studio’s forceful hand “trying to make things better.” The class was very engaging because we individually explained our personal reactions to a scene based on its music. Questions like: “How does this scene make you feel?” rarely are asked in practical production courses. It was refreshing to analyze the theoretical elements of these films.

Mark treated us by passing around a deck of cards used in Apocalypse Now! The students really got a kick out of that. Not only is Mark a fabulous instructor, but he is also a very warm and personable guy. His jokes about his experiences in the industry keep the classes enjoyable and fun. Each week my appreciation for Sound in film increases immensely. This is no doubt one of my favorite classes!

Peter Burns writes:
My kids are growing us with me immersed is filmmaking. They are often inquisitive about how movies are made and why. During one family discussion, my wife told my 5-year old daughter that our life is like a movie. My daughter asked, “Who watches us?”

Peter Burns writes:
Much of what Patrick described in his February 25 primer lecture on music videos is terrific fuel for the Q&A part of Chris Milk’s upcoming visit. Check out Chris Milk’s stuff at www.chrismilk.com.

Peter Burns writes:
Patrick introduced us to music video history starting with the U.K. and ending up in New York at MTV and their fight to provide MTV access across America. He talked about how at the time, MTV as a new medium was an untapped way into the film industry, but all of corporate America was adamant that it would amount to nothing – how most of the older generation did not think of singer-songwriters as artist that should be seen at all. He ended with Michael Jackson’s shrewd move to break the mold and use American directors and not Brit directors. He then segued into how to get started in music videos and proceeded to break down how to work with bands, what types of bands to seek out, band dynamics and what to watch out for or what to plan for. He gave a creative process to writing a treatment and how to behave in meetings or what to demand regarding treatments. A key part of the treatment development process is breaking a given song down into its key parts and aligning that with visual images. He referred us to www.nigeldick.com for treatment samples. While there is much more to being a music video Director/Producer, this was an inspiring insight into how BDFI student, with our knowledge of coverage and production, can become music video players. I’m looking forward to subsequent lectures on this segment of the industry. Also of note is that there are basically two types of music videos: [1] the classic narrative (ala Chris Milk or David Fincher) and [2] the quirky, off the wall, art-direction oriented stuff (ala Michael Gondry or Spike Jonze).

Peter Burns writes:
Create assets while in film school. It’s the only time the student will have the time and gear and other resources to do so along with the support to make assets that are 100% in his or her own voice. Once we’re out working in the industry, there is limited time. We will often have to shoot in spare time, on weekends when others want to influence the work. While in film school, we have the luxury and actually get strokes for producing assets in our own voice. We can package assets that have the flavor of our essential idea without needing funding to do so. As production savvy students, we can express an idea that someone might by into.

Peter Burns writes:
I returned to Mike’s Berkeley Hills location and ran into Pascal Faivre (lead actor) as he was leaving on his way to Jim Jarrett’s Meisner class in San Francisco. I asked Pascal how it went and he was tired but pleased, “it went very well, really very well.” He and Ted Barker (lead actor) had fun. Everyone on the crew seemed pleased – Mike especially. We were 3-4 months on this story and it was very gratifying to have it “in the can.” Rob Witt told me about the shooting – one shot in particular which Mike and I had kicked around a week prior. It was a dolly push that transitioned to a crane-up, but we did not have a jib arm in the budget. Mike and I discussed hand holding on a doorway dolly. Rob ended up executing exactly that way, except what he did differently was to cradle the camera in his arms while it was still on a collapsed tripod. The length of the closed tripod legs gave him more to handle like a rifle. Rob also pulled focus on the shoot, something he’s getting really good at. Rob’ll be DP-ing for Chirae on her next project as well. Ted Barker (actor) returned my call and left a message about how well the shoot went from his perspective. He said that it was an efficient shoot and Mike seemed to be getting everything he wanted. Ted’s looking forward to the final product. He and Pascal are clear to work with me on the pick-ups for my third project.

Peter Burns writes:
A first semester student, Chirae Cannon, came to me with a problem 2 days prior to her first shoot. One of her lead actors had only just let her know that she was a member of SAG (Screen Actors Guild). This happens occasionally because new SAG actors want to work but are worried that SAG will not allow them to work on non-union projects. In short, Chirae’s actor was afraid of being sued by SAG. While this might have been possible in years past, it is no longer the case. The wonderful truth is that SAG is encouraging its actor members to work with serious and mature students because they know that student filmmakers are the pro-filmmakers of the future. SAG also wants their actors to work and only get better. I knew that if available, our local San Francisco SAG/AFTRA Rep Fatna Sallak-Williams would make it work. I called Fatna on the spot with Chirae in the room - and in short, Fatna made it all possible. BUT it was also due to the responsible and diligent action of Chirae that it all got pushed through: she had to fill out and fax preliminary paperwork to SAG, go to the S.F. SAG office and pick up the Student Short Film SAG Agreement package on the same day, complete it and then have the Berkeley Digital Dean and her SAG actor sign the docs. Chirae met with Fatna again two days later to go over the final paperwork. That meeting ended up as an opportunity for Chirae to participate on a feature film project (which will be invaluable experience so early in her career). Chirae is only the third Berkeley Digital student to work through the SAG office in order to shoot one of their member actors.

Peter Burns writes:
“An Actor wants to have faith in the Director, BUT also in the Producer. An actor wants to know that all forces are being harnessed by a Producer that will support and have faith in the Director and in the actors. An Actor wants to have faith that their Producer will overcome all the hurdles and obstacles that the making of a film inevitably brings.”

- Ralph Fienes (Actor: “The English Patient”)

Peter Burns writes:
CAREERS AND PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIPS ARE LONG-TERM THINGS. TYPICALLY, YOUNG NORTH AMERICANS CAN BE BAD AT DEALING WITH THIS IN A FORMAL WAY. WE TEND TOWARD BEING REBELLIOUS, INDEPENDENT, COCKY, PRIDEFUL BECAUSE OF BELONGING TO A CULTURE STEEPED IN THESE SENSIBILITIES. OLD HANDS HAVE LEARNED HOW TO RELATIONSHIP-BUILD THE HARD WAY. IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT ONE’S REPUTATION HAS TO BE CONSTRUCTED A BIT EVERY DAY WHICH MEANS NEVER DOING/SAYING ANYTHING THAT CAN EVENTUALLY HURT US. JUST DOING/SAYING THE RIGHT THING CONSTANTLY, AS PROFESSIONALS, CAN PAY BACK YEARS LATER WHEN LEAST EXPECTED. THIS IS NOT JUST BEING POLITICAL, IT IS SELF-PRESERVATION. MARTY PISTONE (PRODUCING INSTRUCTOR) MENTIONED SELF-PRESERVATION IN OUR FIRST SEMESTER. IF YOU HAVE A HAND TO PLAY OR A PRODUCT TO SELL, SET YOURSELF UP TO DO IT. BE COOL, BE SMART, BE STRATEGIC, SUPPORT OTHER PEOPLE’S DREAMS - REMEMBER “THE GOLDEN RULE.” YOU CAN DO ALL THESE THINGS AND STILL MAINTAIN INTEGRITY. WE ARE IN A BUSINESS WORLD AS WELL AS AN ARTISTIC WORLD. DON’T COMPROMISE YOUR VISION, BUT REMEMBER THAT THIS IS “SHOW-BIZ.” CREATE A STRONG BUZZ ABOUT YOUR BIZ OFFERINGS AND YOU CAN MAKE YOUR ART MORE EASILY. ONLY THOSE PEOPLE WHO THINK THAT THEY HAVE NOTHING TO OFFER END UP BROWN-NOSING OR RIDING ANOTHER’S COAT TAILS OR SELLING THIER SOULS IN A WAY. OR WORSE, THEY CHASTIZE THOSE OF US WHO DO BELIEVE IN OUR OWN OFFERINGS. FIND YOUR STRENGTHS AND OFFER THEM TO OTHERS OCCASIONALLY, BE EASY TO WORK WITH, LISTEN, SUPORT OTHER’S VISIONS AS MUCH AS YOU CAN. WE ALL NEED OTHER PEOPLE TO MAKE OUR OWN FILMS; WE ALL NEED OTHERS TO DISTRIBUTE OUR OWN FILMS. START BUILDING THE RELATINSHIPS, RELATIONSHIP SKILLS AND REPUTATIONS NOW WHILE IN FILM SCHOOL.