Filmed in Exile

On Exile’s newest movie, smalltown, we shot with the Red camera. The Red is a truly revolutionary tool that is promising to bring the cinema revolution in a big way.  With a low cost we were able to get a look comparable to that of a Hollywood feature.  The images were gorgeous and well worth the boost in cost.  We rented from Film Star Rentals and found they were incredibly accommodating and helpful, as well as affordable.

Here is our trailer which will show you a highly compressed version of what we shot.  The Red gives a beautiful quality to your images and is relatively inexpensive.  However, before jumping into using the Red, the HD filmmaker needs to be prepared.

There are a few things anyone moving to Red from an HVX or Sony Ex should know.  These things will result in some hidden costs, so be prepared:

• The Red is big and will require a few people to operate.  Do not expect to pick it up and handhold for a day.  It will wipe your cameraman out.  Make sure the cameraman has support and help from a good team.
• The Red requires a lot of light.  Much more than working with a typical video camera.  We needed to rent several HMIs and a couple of generators to get a decent exposure.  Make sure to budget in the cost of lights and generator or you may be shooting in the dark.
• Occasionally, we had problems with the Red freezing up and lost a shot or two.  This was not a big deal, as it only happened three times in an entire 34 day shoot.  The image is well worth the loss of an occassional shot and we figured it out right away and reshot immediately.  Still, you should be aware.
• The Red gives gorgeously shallow Depth of field.   While this gives great film-like image, it also means that keeping everything in focus is a challenge and you will need to invest in renting a good follow focus system.  You may want to add a wireless focus system such as the Bartech.

Overall, the camera gives amazing results and in my experience, is much easier to use than film.  I highly recommend it as THE tool that will bring about the inevitable cinema revolution.

After years of using Final Draft I recently discovered Celtx. I have little use for it as the copy of Final Draft I purchased ten years ago more than does the job for me, however, as a screenwriting teacher at Grub Street, as well as Bishop Hendricken High School, I need to be able to get my students to use correct format without asking them to spend a couple hundred bucks. In that search I found Celtx. The students rave about Celtx and the little I have worked with it shows it will do the job and even has a few nice features. For anyone just beginning in screenwriting, getting used to the format is essential. Celtx will let you do just that without spending money you could use on shooting your movie.