Round Table - Film Etiquette

Okay, I think this might end up being a fairly long entry as I have a lot to talk about. This evening I had the privilege of sitting in on the monthly(?) round table at the FTI, focused on the topic of 'Film Etiquette'.

'How do you look professional and ensure that you'll be hired again? Everyone else knows that you should turn your cell phone off, but what else is there that you need to consider?' - Excerpt from the FTI website.

I discovered a lot of useful information from this small talk ('Bout 20 people turned up), there were three key speakers though who had been asked to come along in order to give their experience and what they believe is good film etiquette. Two of them were people mainly in film while another was an animator who was in one of the first Animation Diploma groups at FTI. I was surprised to find how much more loud the two film people were compared to the animator, the archetype really does stand for the two different mediums. Strange. Anyway, I'll stop being stupid now and reveal the key speakers names. Primarily there was Producer Susie Campbell, a lady who'd certainly fought for her spot in the industry; she had some interesting stories to tell of how her career almost came to a sprawling end, it's scary really as all the issue revolved around was a pair of tap dance shoes (It brings me up to a topic I want to bring up personally later on in this post). I quickly noted down bits of her career, primarily the big piece of information that she let everyone know about. that being her 350 hours of broadcast for children’s television; she originally began her career after searching for a connection to film in WA. She discovered PIFT (Perth Institute for Film and Television, now better know as the Film and Television Institute [FTI]) joining to find some opening and obtaining a job, her observations and quick thinking (translating all of this from what came across a little braggy, but entertaining the way she spoke) left what people would consider a decent impression in the industry.

Second, and this speaker was the primary person for us Animators (Who all turned up mind you!), was Chris Toovey (Note: I originally misspelled it as Tubee, don't make that mistake again), a 3D artist and student of TACA 2; the second group of Diploma Animators from the FTI. He worked alongside Ebbie, our Facilitator, in the 26 weeks but ended up working on the opposite final project, titled Grotters, than her own chosen pitch. With this immediate connection between Chris and Ebbie made conversation a lot easier, it wasn't until Graeme actually introduced him and explained he was an ex-student that I sank in my seat that I was in the presence of success. Sure Susie made it to the top with a pitchfork and tire iron, but Chris had actually been in the same program as I, albeit likely much different, and made a huge success from it. This was someone all us animators could relate to and learn from; I can't help but think there was a greater force (Watson of Graonimus) who purposefully asked Chris to attend in his spare time and share his knowledge; it makes me really happy that all of the animation students came along. Anyway; enough glorifying. Primarily after Chris finished his Diploma he made his way into the industry, the beginnings are a little hazy for me to recall but it's more or less a leap from the FTI to 2D Millipede. I must have blacked out a bit here, sitting right next to the guy and I can't remember anything about 2D Millipede. I did a search but it just lead back to the FTI website and a newsletter about Elspeth Brooks joining 3D Millipede, (Note: Learn more of these two entities), so I'm going to assume it was 3D Millipede. It makes sense as Chris ended up falling into 3D modeling visualization for architecture in housing and industrial sectors. Chris too worked for Excalibur connected with FTI before moving onto Last Pixel; Last Pixel creates 3D architecture both locally and abroad, in the economic lull though they've recently branched into TV and commercials; the team of 10 or so also do their best to help out beginner or emerging film makers with their movies if they request 3D animation.

Finally, the third speaker of the evening was Karen Farmer. Now she wasn't a former FTI film student as far as I know, she attended a university (the name eludes me) attending a particular course for 3 years before getting into the prototype of the film course the institute was firing up. What was important about Karen's presence is she was a familiar face to me, Graeme had introduced a handful of us Animators to her at the WASA's several weekends earlier I'm sure; this was a milestone as it was a face I'd recalled meaning my networking is ending up successful. Continuing. Karen ended up being a 'Guinea Pig' as she preferred to call it, for her institute when they first started the film course. It ended up being a year of just, "Do what you want and such", for her and a number of other students. At the end of a year they'd all created a short film together. Sounds like a dream come true to be honest, or at least the right place at the right time.

My networking went out further than just the 3 key speakers though, I met yet another former FTI Animation student called Ooman (I was seriously dyslexic when it came to names this evening, I hope to god I got the guys name right plus I didn't learn his sir name) who was a part of the Animation group before mine, T0807 (Sounds like a Terminator or something). He worked on the chosen pitch called Patience which Tim had been kind enough to show us weeks ago meaning I wasn't ignorant, plus he also worked on Tifficate and Sir Loin which I was able to relate to a lot more considering its connection to video gaming; we ended up having a fairly decent chat on that behalf.

Hokay, soh, I should probably get onto the actual 'Film Etiquette' part now. Bare with me, these notes were being jotted down as fast as possible:


"Nobody tells you what to do. You already know what your job is," - Susie Campbell

- Primarily Susie started off with using your observation skills, not considering your environment is the greatest sin; asides from not turning your mobile off. If you take patterns and everything from the big picture into considering then you can keep up or stay one step ahead of everyone else on set.

- Prioritization, this wastes thousands of dollars if not taken into account according to Susie. If you ask to go to the toilet when everyone is on set you'll be told no, it's something you should have done during break time. A figure of 70,000 was used for dollars per minute by Susie, whether that's exaggeration is beyond me but I'm guessing it's fairly close to the real figure; or how Producers look at it anyway. Time is money, Film and Television commandment No.1.

- Susie said that if someone barks at you, bark back. I didn't quite grasp this part as it could potentially get you nicked in the rear. Might just be another addition to the dyslexia buildup tonight.

- Let people know if you can't do something. One interestingly obscene story Susie told the group was of this one girl she had asked to photocopy a phone list(? [darn my note taking skills]) for everyone else involved with the project; catch is she'd never used a photocopier before but took up the job regardless so she didn't sound stupid. The photocopied image came out wrong, somehow, so she used liquid paper to cover up a particular part of the original phone list to make the copies stand out better. It came out worse afterwards, so she resorted to using more liquid paper. She resulted in destroying the original, and building up a pile of useless copies. Needless to say Susie exploded at the situation causing the girl to panic, otherwise bottled in. The lists were supposed to be mailed out; Susie received a call from another co-worker explaining how there was nothing in the envelope he'd received. It turned out that Susie had freaked the poor girl so far that she'd forgotten to place the photocopies into the envelopes she listed stamped and mailed the same day. Consider this an exercise in honesty.

- No phone on, period. On set primarily. Apparently with every phone that goes off on set approximately $54 dollars are lost in the process; money that would have been preferred well spent.

- Closed in shoes on set only. I wanted to ask what the operation was if there was a particular scene requesting an actor/tress to have bare feet, but even with my professional social skills I wasn't able to find the perfect window of opportunity to chime in and ask. You don't raise hands here, you literally have to butt in; something I've been conditioned not to do. Yeah, don't judge me if I keep my mouth shut.

- Keep an eye on the weather up and coming, if it's bad and you aren't prepared someone on set will ask you whether you want to step out from the conditions. You say no when really you're wet and miserable. Not sure how this refers to etiquette, more of be sure you're the one to keep an eye out for others who are wet and miserable.

- Don't hover around people. Susie explained how a lot of the time people like to buzz around the monitor as the Director views for specific things which is off putting. Strange especially when you have the real thing right in front of you.

- Get out of the actors eye line when they're acting, it can be off putting and could get you in serious trouble from them. Susie shared how she literally dropped to the floor and tucked her head between her legs just to get straight out of an actors eye line.

- Don't touch equipment that isn't a part of your job, if something has been knocked then leave it to the art department. Touching or moving things could leave you liable for it.

- Being on time, show up.

- Actors are precious and can crack easily. Treat them with respect and don't buzz around them. Susie explained how there had been plenty of child actors running off crying after being shouted at for mucking about on set; and hour and a half of money goes down the drain as they calm down and get makeup reset.

- NO Drugs.
- NO Stealing.
- Find better ways to do things


"Not washing your coffee mug," - Chris Toovey

- Chris started off by tell us how all animators have a specific lighting for them to work effectively. Some prefer dark, some prefer bright, some prefer dim. Take into consideration of everyone and their preferred environment.

- Not being able to take proper criticism, being thick or a know-it-all ego. It gives you a bad impression and isn't how studios work.

- Thinking that your department is better than another, speaking so. Every department is equal in the project, without it it's similar to an unfinished jigsaw puzzle.

- Manner of communication, speaking politely makes things go much farther.

- Good planning/storyboard for green screen is a necessity; keep a dummy role in mind, keep on your feet. If you forget where something is on green screen then time and money will be wasted.

- If the client isn't clear, guess.

- Computers: Big one; take care of what you put on or take off the working server for your job. Anything from copyright infringement could occur or if information from a project is leaked onto the net then it'll lead back to you and bad things will follow.


The night was wrapped up with a little mingling and food. Everyone except for Evangeline left at 8:30 for the sake of getting home, but otherwise I feel it was an excellent evening of learning and networking.

Aaawkwaaard
This is a part I thought might be fun to add into each of my industry posts just for some humor, whether sour I don't know. Tonight’s awkward moment was when I introduced myself to Ooman, there was a distinct lack of dialogue for several seconds before he began talking. I'm not sure whether it was my selfish side for the networking unit, but I had to quickly ask "And your name?" before feeling like I was speaking to the invisible man. Regardless, we had a good chat about Tifficate and Loin otherwise over writing the bad moment before.

That's it from me at the moment; I'll have to follow up with another SPAA Log seeing as how much I've been lagging on it recently. Definitely slacking off in the research sector.

Ciao!

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It's clear that animation doesn't have as much to take into consideration than film which is something, after tonight, is what makes me feel sorry for the Film students; they certainly have their work cut out for them. It's ridiculous how on edge you would constantly have to be in order to hold onto your career. Susie potentially had a break down when she couldn't get a pair of tap dancing shoes because of store closing time! What the hell? This part really placed a hole inside of me; all of the small things are blown right out of proportions. Give it a couple of hours in the morning to get the shoes; but it turns out those hours are thousands of dollars. Why? I wish I'd asked to be honest. But really, there's this stupid, morbid battlefield which is the film industry which goes on every day. I'd prefer boot camp and warfare over tackling anything in film.

You have employers who are next to the crankiest beings on the face of the planet, and employees who cry themselves to sleep at night that they could be out of the job in the morning.

By no means take my interpretation to heart; this is merely as I see it.

I feel that it comes from the lack of training, really. It's not until tertiary education that you actually have the opportunity to fire up in it; you could be a froufrou up to this stage only learning mathematics, English and science through school while you eagerly wait to attend that film course you've been dying for. No one's been prepared, save for a handful of talented geniuses, and those who make it to the top seriously have to improvise. The shit they're put through on the way turns them into trolls who snatch at those make their way through their own career.

If children were educated in subjects such as this, creative subjects that they're given plenty of time in to really evolve their minds into some new, then this process would be less grueling. Eventually you'd have a generation of super genetic humans who don't have panic attacks from fuckups on set because their employees don't fuckup because they've been prepared. Currently it's all a game of luck, even the most adlib winging nut can crash and burn. This is ruining opportunities and destroying potential talent.

I salute those film students who keep up their positive demeanor: when they step into a room of film executives, they're stepping into a room woven from the cords of sourness itself.