Larry Jordan – Page 2

Episode 15: Solving Production Problems

Shooting your film is a time of constant problem-solving. But how do you decide how to solve a particular production problem? Back in Episode 4 we discussed how to adjust resources based on People – Facilities – Time – and Money. Is that the best criteria to use?

In this episode of the 2 Reel Guys, hosts Larry Jordan and Norman Hollyn look at how problems can be solved by looking at them from the perspective of the story you are telling. Plus, they supplement this with a few stories of their own.

Episode 14: Dancers

In Episode 6 we acknowledged that many filmmakers are afraid to work with actors. And we learned that this is often because they don’t know how to talk with them. The same is even more true when you’re working with dancers. Yet a good set of dancers, working with a good choreographer, can have just as much impact on your story as actors.

In this episode of the 2 Reel Guys, hosts Larry Jordan and Norman Hollyn look at how different stories can demand different discussions with your dancers — and help you to see that working with dancers is no different than working with any other collaborator. It all tracks back to your story.

Episode 13: Camera Angles

There’s an expression that there is only one correct camera position for a shot. We don’t actually believe that, but what IS true is that an understanding of what different camera angles, positions, and the blocking of the actors within the frame, can help bring your story to a deeper level.

In this episode of the 2 Reel Guys, hosts Larry Jordan and Norman Hollyn look at the implications on your story of your choices of where to place your camera when you shoot.

Episode 12: Color

Color may not tell your story, but it certainly reinforces it. Color tells the audience what to expect in a scene before the first word of dialog is even spoken. And, as you might expect, different colors have different meanings.

In this episode of the 2 Reel Guys, hosts Norman Hollyn and Larry Jordan look at the impact of color in a scene.

Episode 11: Costume Design

The first time a director really gets to see a character is when they first walk on the set. What that character looks like is, more often than not, the responsibility of the costume designer. How does a costume designer decide what an actor should look like? In this episode, we find out.

Hope Hanafin, vice president of the Costume Designers Guild, joins hosts Norman Hollyn and Larry Jordan for this episode of the 2 Reel Guys. In it, we discuss the process of costuming; and what caught our attention is that it doesn’t really start with clothes!

Episode 10: What Not to Shoot

Real-life shooting issues like tight schedules, actor and camera problems, tightening budgets, and natural catastrophes, all conspire to limit the number and variety of shots that we are able to shoot for a scene, despite our best plans. (These shots are what we call “coverage.”); When push comes to shove, how do you decide which shots you absolutely MUST have?

In this episode of 2 Reel Guys, hosts Norman Hollyn and Larry Jordan show how to use a storyboard to convey what you want to shoot, then illustrate a great technique to help you determine those shots that are critical for your scene.

Episode 9: Production Audio

Every year, hundreds of films that are well shot, well directed, well finished and well acted fall by the distribution wayside because their poor audio makes it impossible for an audience to understand and enjoy them. Poor microphone choices, combined with poor techniques, create large roadblocks which prevent the audience from watching your story.

In this episode of 2 Reel Guys, hosts Norman Hollyn and Larry Jordan discuss the basics of sound recording, including helping you to make good choices in microphones, in order to capture the emotions and content that are conveyed through well-recorded audio performances.

Episode 8: Telling Stories with Editing

The heart of editing isn’t technology; not even the software you use to edit your masterpiece. Instead, the essential part of editing is storytelling. A good editor combines all the different audio and video elements so deftly that the audience is captivated by the story, totally oblivious to the technology and craft involved.

In this episode of 2 Reel Guys, hosts Norman Hollyn and Larry Jordan discuss the basics of editing, including deconstructing a short scene from a student film to illustrate how the editing decisions help the audience understand what is going on in the character’s mind.

Episode 7: Lighting

Lighting does more than illuminate your actors, it illuminates your story. Properly used, lighting can start telling your story before your actors speak a word. However, far too many beginning filmmakers are willing to accept the light as it is, rather than adjust the lighting for their benefit.

In this episode of 2 Reel Guys, hosts Norman Hollyn and Larry Jordan discuss the basics of lighting, and provide some examples of how a simple change in lighting can have a dramatic effect on the viewer’s emotions.

Episode 6: Working with Actors

Actors can be frightening, especially to new filmmakers. This is because actors live in a world of emotions — experiencing them, then projecting these emotions through their characters into a film. Because of this, many directors don’t know how to work with them. But they’re really not so scary when you realize that they are trying to do the same thing that everyone else on your project is doing — tell the story through the most effective use of their tools.

In this episode of 2 Reel Guys, hosts Norman Hollyn and Larry Jordan discuss how to work with actors and provide some simple techniques you can use to solve, or avoid, problems.