Christian Film Production Tips :

Hello everyone, hope you had a great weekend? I really bless the Lord for His provisions and loving kindness for the movie titled " The Prime Suspect ", I also want to appreciate all those who took part in the production,  and I want to say that you are blessed indeed and I appreciate you all. For those who have been asking the question as to when the movie will be in the market, I am not sure if it will get to market next year but it should get to cinema next year if God wants it there. 80 percent of the editing has been done, but because we shot raw,  the post production work has just began.

I promised two weeks ago that I will go into post production. Post production simply means what happens after the production? But post production work should start from the planning stage, a great production company must start the post production from the pre production stage. Perfect preparation prevents poor performance, for a good opening graphics you need to have planned it from the time you lay your hands on the script. Post production is very wide and I don't think I know up to 50% of post production works. If you call yourself a specialist in post production you are only insulting yourself because you are simply telling the whole world that you know nothing about film production.

I got this from raindance.com which is a company that host film festivals and run trainings/seminars.

The 13 Steps of Post-Production
1. Pick an editing format

There are two ways of doing post-production. One is the old way -- the film way. Shoot film and edit, or splice film on film editing equipment. There are few filmmakers who edit this way today.

The second is the digital way. Two is the new way -- the electronic way. Get all your rushes digitised (if shot on film you will need them telecined, or scanned to a digital format).  The steps are pretty much the same in either format.

2. Hire a picture editor

Your cinematographer is probably a good person to ask for recommendations for an editor. An editor's job is to create an Edit Decision List (EDL). The editor will read your script and look at the rushes, and from this information, cut the film according to their opinion of what makes the story better. Given this huge creative responsibility, I always like to get an editor well before the project goes into production. A good editor will advise on the types of shots they will need, and advise on tricky post-production issues before the film starts.

The normal schedule for editing a feature is 8 - 10 weeks. During this time, your editor will create different drafts of your film. The first is called the Rough Cut, and last is the Answer Print. There are two conclusions to an edit: the first when you are happy with the visual images (locking picture) and the second when you are happy with the sound (sound lock).

3. Hire a sound editor

Now, about two months later, the picture film is tight but you need to enhance the look with sound. Thus, hire a sound editor and an assistant for five to six weeks to (a) cut dialogue tracks, (b) re-create sound effects, and (c) get cue sheets ready for simplifying Step 7, The Mix.

4. Do ADR

This stands for Automatic Dialogue Replacement. What it actually is, is a large hollow room with a projector that projects your most recent picture draft from Step 2 and has the actors come back and lip sync and loop dialogue that wasn't sharp and clear.

5. Do Foley

Go to a room that looks like (or could very well be) the ADR room and this time, without actors, have sound people called Foley Artists - or sometimes 'walkers' - put the noise of footsteps and certain other sound effects into your film.

6. Secure music

First, for your musical score here's what not to do. Don't use any popular old song that you haven't purchased the rights to. Don't even think about public domain or classical music either, because it'll either get expensive or it'll stink. Don't use any pre-cleared CD-ROM music because it won't be good enough quality. What you should do is simply this: hire a musician with his or her own studio to compose brand new original songs and tunes that you have the rights to.

7. Do re-recording/the mix

Now that you have 20-40 tracks of sound (dialogue, ADR, Foley, music) you must layer them on top of each other to artificially create a feeling of sound with depth. This is called the re-recording session or the Mix.

8. Get an M&E

Somewhere in the not-too-distant future you will be selling the rights to your film to foreign nations. The distributor/buyer in that nation wants a sound track without English dialogue so they can dub the dialogue. Thus the M&E stands for only Music and Effects.

In the movie I just made, we waited until we had a sale where they demanded an M&E track - in our case to Germany. Then we used part of the proceeds to pay for it (about £3,000/$5,000).

9. Get your titles

Your editing is now done. Now what is left is to get the final pieces needed for the answer print. The first three pieces to get are your six-to-eight Opening Title Cards and then the Rear Title Crawl. These title files are then added to the master track.

10. Get a DCP

In order to deliver the film you will need to create a Digital Cinema Package - a hard drive which contains the final copy of your film encoded so it can play in cinemas.

11. Get a dialogue script

In order for foreign territories to dub or subtitle your film you will need to create a dialogue script which has the precise time code for each piece of dialogue so the subtitler or dubbing artist knows exactly where to place their dialogue.

12. Get a campaign image

A picture says a thousand words. Your campaign image is likely the first thing a prospective distributor or festival programmer will see of your film. The image (with titles and credits) should let the viewer know exactly what your film is about.

13. Get a trailer

Create a 90-120 second trailer that conveys the mood and atmosphere of your movie. Often programming and distribution decisions will be based on the strength of your trailer.

I copied the 13 points from that website I mentioned, there are few more stages they didn't mention which I will add to it next Monday. After this, I will start to break down in a much more explanatory way. For those who are following my post in Cameroun,  I am presently at RCCG national headquarters in yaounde, and will be there for one more week.

Thanks for your time. Feel free to share and ask your questions. If you have missed any of my past post please visit Christian Film Institute page and like our page. Or you check my blog xtianmovie.blogspot.com, till next week Monday when I shall be coming your way again, keep your God-given dreams alive and remain blessed.

Christian Film Production Tips :

Hello everyone, hope you had a great day? We eventually finished the last phase of Prime Suspect film location yesterday to the glory of God. There are few short clips to be taken in foreign lands, I will have opportunity to shoot one of them next week. I really appreciate the living God and it has been a long journey so far. We started the shoot last year July, it has not been easy but to God be all the praise. I have mentioned it that I wrote that script nine years ago, we eventually started the shoot last year. I waited for help from fellow Christian but was disappointed, but I appreciate those who have been praying for the success of the shoot, thanks to those who disappointed, thanks to those who fulfilled their promises and sorry to those whom I have disappointed unknowingly one way or the other, please accept my apologies. To those who disappointed me, I forgive you because I know God knew you would disappoint me and He allowed it all to His glory.

Concerning my last week post, I want to appreciate those who have contributed through their comments and this really made me happy. The day a mad man discovers his madness then he is no longer mad. From those comments I got, it shows how passionate some of us are towards the kingdom of God. I read among the comments the offers that came to some drama ministers which they blew with greed and the philanthropist ran away from the sponsorship of gospel film.

Another point someone rightly made was about our stories. No matter the technicalities, the richness of the story matters a lot. The lady mentioned and asked if we actually have people who can write great story that can be professionally shot. In my opinion, people who write those series and foreign serials are doing it full time and they are well paid which give them the courage to be totally devoted to the work. Moreover, their stories are jointly screen played by a group of professionals which help them to come up with great ideas. If you seem not to understand what I am addressing here, then check my last week post.

There are lots of problems in the Christian fold. Most of us need to visit heaven in our revelations to see what God require of us. Maybe if that happens, we will have people who will be devoted to give for the gospel and kingdom expansion. Imagine a pastor who is a millionaire but go to him for a small change, he will always find a story to tell you, at that moment let a senior pastor who could influence something for him in the high places visit him, he will give four times what you asked for as money for fuel but the bible says such has obtained their reward already. Eye service is very common among us, spiritual sensitivity will help us to know when we are actually sowing or showing. Let us unanimously stand for our God at this end time, western world is influencing the church as a whole, we dance any dancing step giving to us on television, many choir leaders or singers will rather listen to worldly music for inspiration to compose worship songs. I pray we have great sponsors for gospel filmmakers in the western world, since the world of media flows from them to the outermost part of the world.

What type of story will sell at this end time? We need to realise that most of our films that people see are been seen by serious and elderly Christians. What about the youth and teenagers? How many of them will sit down to watch our movies, that is why we need some prolific writers who will write with a open heart having it at the back of their minds that this story must catch the youth and seriously worldly unbelievers before releasing your sermon. You should be ready to cleverly entertain them and subtly preach to them.

Lastly, our faithfulness to what God has committed into our hands is very important, knowing fully well that there is no addition in heaven. Any level you are when you get to heaven is permanent, there is no promotion in heaven, if your work on earth earns you a boys quarter that is where you will be living forever and ever, if you don't work in holiness, humility and love, you may be labouring in vain. You will not labour in vain in Jesus name.

Thank you for your time. Feel free to ask your questions and pass your comment. If you have missed any of my past post please visit xtianmovie.blogspot.com, you may also visit Christian Film Institute page and like our page. Till next week Monday when I shall be coming your way again, keep your God-given dreams alive and remain blessed.

Christian Film Production Tips :

Hello everyone, hope you had a great weekend?

Have you noticed the numbers of satanically inspired TV series all over the world? Most of the contents on TV all over the world are from the western world. Lucifer, supernatural, the vampire diaries, dracula, the originals, grimm, under the dome, and other series I can't remember the name are all satanically inspired in my opinion. Satan sponsor his products, I don't know what happened to series like highway to heaven or angels on assignment that bring to the people the acts of God? Probably the sponsor has backed out while there are lots of satanists willing to sponsor any program that can sing the name of Satan loudest.

I watched these movies for exposure purposes and technical reasons. But if an immatured mind should see it he may nurse fear or desire to have a taste of satanic powers. Availability of the evil and the absence of good TV series is really helping Satan to populate his Kingdom. What's your opinion on this? Nigeria drama ministers are trying to get the best they have to Christian stations. But how many Christian are even watching it let alone unbelievers? Moreover, they can only write from their worldview most of the times. Are we to neglect the unbelievers who don't watch Christian stations?

Can't we have a genuine Christian open a secular TV stations with the aim of winning souls in the secular world? Can't we have great writers who will be able to write powerful series to showcase the beauty of our God? I know I'm not alone with this passion for our God. Those who have money are not willing to let it go for the gospel and little did they know that God counts what may not count, and there is reward for all things done for God.

Satan is more than willing to win more souls by encouraging his children to help his work. Holy Spirit is doing the same to us but how many are willing to obey? May God help us to see the light.

I don't know if we have people in the western world who are making efforts to ensure that we have Christian movies that are strong enough to neutralise the effect of these secular stories. I will go into post production from next week Monday. Please brethren pray along with us as we finish the shooting of our movie The Prime Suspect, it has been God since last year July. That picture is from our just concluded training and film location in Akwa Ibom.

You can visit our blog for more. Xtianmovie.blogspot.com

If you have missed any of my past post please go to Christian Film Institute page and like our page. Till next week Monday when I shall be coming your way again, keep your God-given dreams alive and remain blessed.

Christian Film Production Tips :

Hello everyone, hope you had a great day? You have heard about dynamic range in camera which is simply the ability of the camera to interpret bright and the dark part of the set otherwise called the highlights and shadows. Same thing goes for microphone, the quality of the microphone can be determined by its interpretation of the sound wave in high frequency and low frequency. I am not really using too much technical terminologies because I want a layman to understand this. The microphone converts sound to electric wave which it sends to the amplifier to amplify it. Imagine a scenario where you speak like whispering and you then yell at that same person, that is where the quality of the microphone will be known because it maybe terrible.

I must also point out the fact that it is not the microphone alone that needs to have a good dynamic range for good sound, the sound mixer also have a very big role to play. Sound device, is the best field mixer for film while shoeps microphones are the industry standard in US and it is the best. Both of them are very costly, but there are other good ones. What makes sound device different from other field mixer is analogue/digital effect it possessed which makes it to prevent peaking with a powerful dynamic range.

If you want the best you need to be ready to pay for it. You can watch a film that has a bad picture but you cannot manage to see a movie with a terrible sound. Try as much as possible to spend good money for great sound. There is field mixer which was  released by zoom, it is called zoom F8, it cost a thousand dollars, if you add shipping it maybe 1300 dollars, if you buy it you will really enjoy good sound with great microphone like sennheiser mkh 416, or ME 66 or ME 67, rode NTG 3.

I know you must have seen some movies where you hear sound like kra kra, shu shu, and so on. Usually they must have used lapel microphone on that set. At the same time there are some fish poles that also generate sound through the swinging of the boom swinger. All these should be avoided. Now, I promised last week that I will talk about how to properly make use of lapel microphone for film. Since it must be hidden from the audience, you can get a bandage, those soft ones, carefully rap it a little around the head of the microphone not the tip, and tape it to the underwear of your cast as close as possible to the jaw. You as a sound man can then listen to your cast talk and scream, I mean to basically rehearse all her movements and dialogues. With this you can then regulate it, but if you are going to have any problem along the line, you will inform the director to correct it before shooting. God will help us to do it right, He will provide for us to do good jobs for Him to His glory.

Sorry I need to say this, no matter the equipments and technicalities, the strength of your story matters most. Please take time to write unique stories, it is not compulsory for you to be the writer of your film, you can buy story, and produce it.

Thanks for your time. Remember, you can share and feel free to ask your questions. If you have missed any of my past post please visit Christian Film Institute page and like our page or go to xtianmovie.blogspot.com, till next week Monday when I shall be coming your way again, keep your God-given dreams alive and remain blessed.