How To Make A Great Movie

Die Another Day

Last night I had the interesting experience of watching Die Another Day....in French.

OK, it's Pierce Brosnan, but it does have Halle Berry.

Being in French, and my French being so bad, I was a bit concerned that I would miss most of the movie.

No need to worry.

When you barely speak the langauge and the prospect of watching an entire film in French brings back memories of entering into an 8th grade French test for which you have not adequately studied, you become deeply focused on 'trying to keep up' with the dialogue and story.

The funny thing is that as I watched the movie, cognizant of the dialogue the whole time, I suddenly came to realize that there actually was very little in the way of dialogue.

What there was a great deal of was action.

And more specifically, there was a great deal of people 'going somewhere' - most in an Aston Martin DB9 - which is a big improvement from the movies in which Bond used to drive a little BMW, product placement or not.

In any event, it was that experience which motivates me to write today's blog - which is all about shooting your characters in motion.

This is not to be confused with moving the camera, which as we all know is a very big no no.

(For a great example of ' not moving the camera', take a look at this clip from Quantum of Solace, a far more recent Bond film (with Daniel Craig, a much better Bond).

You can't get more 'action' that that - or move fast moving, fast paced adventure.

But if you take the time to really look at it, frame by frame, you will notice that there is actually very little camera 'movement' in that killer opening sequeunce.

What there is is lots of great close ups, all strung together in a series of lighting fast edits.

Oh, there are few moves - but nothing compared to the effect that the editing delivers of the 'sense of motion'.

So it is this 'sense' of motion that I want to talk about today.

As you can see from both Bond movies, there is a whole lot of driving around in the films - most of it, going almost nowhere and with little 'editorial' point.

But that's fine.

People like to see people moving.

Motion gives people a sense that the movie or the video is 'going somewhere', and they are along for the ride.

This is critical stuff.

Take a look at this trailer from the movie version of Miami Vice (for those who don't remember the TV show, which was the same)

Look at how much moving around there is -

cars. boats. planes. helicopters. trucks. motorcycles.

This could have been produced by the US Department of Transportation.

In the TV show, Crockett and Tubbs would always jump into a Cigarette speedboat and take off across Miami Harbor at 60 miles and hour.  They would drive the boat for the length of an entire Phil Collins song. At that speed they would have been a good distance out into the Atlantic, but instead they get off the boat in downtown Miami, 2,000 yards away.

Why do they do it?  To get somewhere?

Nope.

They do it to give the viewer the sense that they (that is, the viewer and the subject of the story) are going somewhere. That is, that the story is progressing forward.

It doesnt' actually have to, and in most of those scenes it doesn't really go anwhere at all, but the sense that the viewer gets is 'hey, we're really getting somewhere now!"

As with all that Hollywood has learned over the past 60 years, we are more than happy to tag along and learn from the best.

So that is why it is critically important to include a sense of 'forward motion' in your videos and films whenever you get the opportunity. And if you don't get the opportunity, make one.

Think about it.

What is more compelling to watch - a sit down interview with a CEO of a corporation as a well lit talking head, or exactly the same interview with the CEO except this time, leaving his office, getting in his car (with you rolling tape), driving to the plant, getting out of the car, walking into the plant and walking around the plant.

It gives the video a sense of 'destination'. It gives the viewer a sense that we are 'getting somewhere' and that when you get there that a 'goal has been achieved', even if it's just pulling into the parking lot.

You can even see hints of this on shows like 60 Minutes, which are, for the most part, almost all talking heads.  Yet even in these (and moreso these days) there is always someone 'going somewhere' (so we went to Iraq to find out... blah blah blah).

And even if they are dominated by a 'star' (more on this another time), how many times have you seen the 'reporter' walking aimlessly with the interview subject - going.. where.. exactly?

Motion for the sake of moving - for the sake of moving the story along.

So now we come to your videos - whether it's a music video or a profile of a person or a story about an NGO in Nicaragua or your kids at home.  Movement - the notion of getting from A to B to C is intrinsic to giving a sense of the film or video 'taking' the viewer for a great trip. 

And, of course, when you shoot the movement - don't move the camera!

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