The Film Chronicles - Log Sheets

Ok. So we're in filming mode right now. The next few weeks, we will be in The Film Chronicles. Today's discussion and lesson: The use of log sheets.

I've worked on a few films over the past few years. Never have we used log sheets. I think a part of it was due to the fact that we were generally unorganized, working with a VERY limited crew, and frequently, if not constantly, pressed for time on shoot days.

Today we had our first day of filming (more to come in a post-dated blog about "Casting and Scheduling"), and I decided that I would, for the first time, use a log sheet.

Now, while I was shooting, as again I had a limited crew - me (plus actors when they weren't on camera), I found it slightly time consuming to write out the timecode, scene, and quick description of each shot. It would maybe eat 20-40 seconds a shot. Not much, but when you're pressed for time, it can equal a fair bit. But I carried on, and religiously completed the log sheet for the entire first half of the shoot.

For the second half, we were outside. It was cold. And I forgot my log sheet in the car. Hmmm...What to do. I said "We'll forget it for this scene." So we shot the scene (which, coincidentally also included the most number of takes and angles yet) and didn't log it. Wow! This saves time! I thought to myself. Who needs logging?

Fast forward to now. I have dumped my footage. And I realized, wait. I NEED to log my footage now anyway. SO, I turned to my trusty log sheet, and could enter in the information on each shot, based on the timecode, confident that it would match up. Then I ran out of log sheet. NOW, because of my laziness, I am required to watch each and every scene again (I always watch "the daily's" as I dump), in order to record what is in each shot, and whether it is a good take or not. I am a tool. The 30 seconds a shot now costs at LEAST a few minutes each in Post-production.

In an optimal world, I would have 2 more people. One to monitor sound, (at one point I was trying to watch video, maneuver the boom pole, and record the timecode), and one to record shots on the log sheet and watch for continuity.

Live and learn I guess. At least today was day 1 of shooting. I'm grateful that I learned early.