Filmmaking Field Notes

Actor techniques destroy non-actor performances. The system that works is the opposite of everything film school teaches: action directions, physical tasks, and editing the performance during the take.

Every great shot was designed before the camera rolled. The shot list, the tech scout, the blocking diagram, these are not paperwork. They are the film.

Bad sound cannot be fixed in post. The audio your sound mixer captures on set is the foundation of every editorial and design decision that follows. Understanding that is the difference between a DP who helps production and one who creates problems.

A deep dive into the nine shot sizes that form the visual vocabulary of every film ever made. From establishing shots to extreme close-ups, each is a tool with a specific purpose.