Blog
Meet Dedi Felman
You may not know this, but one of the interesting things about LAPPG is that it is not just for post production professionals. Case in point, we’d like to introduce you to the super talented writer turned director, Dedi Felman, who has been a longtime LAPPG member. We spoke with Dedi about how she got interested in directing, what her experience was like winning some prestigious and exciting fellowships, and why she joined LAPPG.
Los Angeles Post Production Group: Thank you so much for sharing your time with us. Can you tell us about your work as a writer and how you got interested in filmmaking?
Dedi Felman: I’ve spent my entire life working in story and with storytellers. I just happened to spend the first part of it in the publishing industry, eventually as a senior editor at Simon & Schuster.
I’ve always loved filmmaking. My Dad and I used to go to the movies together. He was deeply emotional yet also very Silent Generation. Getting him talk about his trauma-filled past was impossible. Yet, the movies opened him up. We’d see a film, then spend hours discussing the characters’ choices and dilemmas. As an immigrant, he also loved picking apart even the biggest summer blockbuster for what we could learn from it about American culture. The movies became our way to communicate, to assimilate, and an indestructible bond.
At university, I’d skip whatever I was supposed to be working on to attend the weekly auteur film series. I adored Scorsese—how he captured the sounds and silences of his deeply emotional NY tribe, including their rage, anger, humiliation—and love. Spike Lee also knocked me off my feet. His trailblazing, stylized storytelling in Do the Right Thing brought the streets alive. In full color. His stories were uproarious and pointed; and you couldn’t look away. And then there was Hitchcock, the master. I toted that Hitchcock / Truffaut book everywhere!
So, I did have this vague idea what directors did. But I knew no one in the industry. And back then, a career as a female writer/director just didn’t seem truly viable. So, I shelved that thought and went off to publishing.
LAPPG: I understand you were part of the inaugural class of the HBO Access Writing Fellowship. How did that come about and what did you learn from that experience?
DF: It was an incredible experience. It was effing HBO (can I say that?!)
Kelly Edwards, an ultra-wise, gifted woman was our mentor. (Read her book, The Executive Chair, if you want to share in her wisdom.) HBO’s top writers, directors, and development folk all gave us advice, which was thrilling. But it was a most unexpected meeting that changed my life. Two of my fellow fellows had arranged to meet Jay Roewe, HBO’s head of production. Game of Thrones was going full throttle then, but Jay generously made time for us. At first, I was honestly a bit baffled. Why were we there? We were writers, not filmmakers. But when, after over an hour of some of the best advice I’ve ever received, Jay told us that if we ever wanted to write for HBO, we needed to understand production, a light bulb went off. I wanted to know what the best filmmakers knew. I wanted to learn production. And I wanted to direct. There it was. The path I’d always dreamed of.
I immediately signed up for a UCLA extension course in directing and Adrienne Weiss’s invaluable course on Directing Actors. I was going to do this. Come hell or high water.
LAPPG: What is your favorite part of the directing process?
DF: That’s like asking a parent to identify their favorite child! I cannot choose. I love every piece of the process from pre-pro to post. Being able to collaborate with so many talented, creative artists at every stage, is exactly where the joy of directing lies. I’m currently shadowing a friend on a treatment process and learning how 3D artists, illustrators, and designers collab to create the visual language for cinematically intriguing, unique worlds—and it’s been mindblowing.
I love working with my cinematographer(s) to figure out how to frame and tell the story. My DP is my true partner and collaborator at every step. The actors bring all the magic. They also have highly honed bullshit detectors and always help me identify the truthful and untruthful moments. I’m simply in awe of their ability to completely inhabit their characters—and to give us different, brilliant options that allow us to truly feel all the feelings. I always wish I had more money for my production and costume designers, but have marveled at their ability to create rich, believable worlds from next-to-nothing. And I love working with everyone on set from AD to gaffer et al, to create this incredibly special world that we get to step into and live in for all too brief moments. Working with stunt coordinators and grips and Steadicam ops to inject movement and action is its own special joy. And well, I’m not going to tell a post person such as yourself anything new about just how crucial what they do is. Or how they save our stories from dying on screen. But they do. And it’s awe-inspiring. Like when my editor brings me a cut with elements or a solution I never even dreamed of and I’m like, damn, THAT. That wasn’t what was in my head, but THAT is it. Or the composer dreams up a motif for a character that perfectly suits them. Or the sound designer changes the whole feel of a scene for the better by supplying that perfect missing sound. And our incredibly talented colorist just makes the whole thing POP with their painting. Etc, etc. (And this isn’t even everyone!) Collaborating with every single person in the filmmaking process is beyond exciting.
LAPPG: What are the biggest challenges you’ve faced creating your short films?
DF: Money. Especially post-pandemic and with the current inflation rates. I believe in paying my crew. It’s short film rates; it’s not even what they deserve. But everything: locations, insurance, has gone sky-high lately. And it’s beyond stressful.
LAPPG: As a director, what made you join a post production group like LAPPG?
DF: As I mentioned, I came to all this late. And I certainly didn’t have the money for film school. So I’m always feeling a bit beyond the curve and always looking for opportunities to learn. Weirdly, enough it was an actor who told me about you. He was hoping to add some editing skills on the side, had learned about the group, and encouraged me to come too. It was way back when, when the group still met in the Community Room at Crossroads. There was delicious cake and coffee on the side and a talk on NAB and assistant editing in scripted TV. There were even lottery tix (though I’ve never won–ahem!) I understood maybe about 10% of what was going on that night, but I was hooked.
LAPPG is simply an amazing educational resource for someone like me. It’s BEEN my film school. Even better than film school, it’s been a concrete, on-the-ground, this is how the sausage-gets-made and it’s-so-cool learning experience. The group is also led by and filled with the most creative, inspirational, and kind people. As far as I know, nothing else like it exists in LA, except maybe Blackmagic Collective, which I also belong to, but which has a different focus. I can’t express enough how appreciative I am that LAPPG exists. You (Wendy) and Woody are a gift to the community.
LAPPG: What have you gotten out of the group or learned from the group?
DF: Yikes, what haven’t I learned? The breadth and depth of the seminars has been incredible.
Highlights for me include Dan Kneece’s presentation on shooting short schedule features. Dan was such an inspiration to so many of us. He exemplified the kind of fun, creative, collaborative, beautiful, generous filmmaking I try for, even within all the constraints of indie films.
Debbie Berman, who edits Marvel films, was another absolutely inspiring speaker. I remember her describing The Final Girls edit and how they used both black and white and bright, bright color to time shift (the characters end up in the main character’s mother’s movie). Those bright, bold yellows and greens and reds of the movie-within-the-movie also help heighten the comedy in this comedy-horror film. It was an eye-opening solution that has just stuck with me!
More recently, the session at ZEISS led to an all-afternoon camera-test for me and a fellow female director, which was illuminating in all senses of the word. We learned so much about different lenses and their uses that day. Yet another valuable connection formed thanks to LAPPG!
LAPPG: Aw, thank you for your incredibly kind words. Woody and I truely appreciate that. So, I know you were a Blackmagic Collective Directing Actors Fellow in 2022. What was that experience like?
DF: Blackmagic is another educational group that I’ve belonged to for years. The Directing Actors program was a unique opportunity for us to put up scenes every month with a troupe of wonderfully talented actors. Selected sessions included invaluable advice from guest working TV directors. Jenn Page, who runs it, is a powerhouse. She would give us these exercises that pushed us way beyond our comfort zone (my first time dp’ing, ack!) but that really helped us grow. Also, as directors we are often in our own silos. To be able to interact with other directors and view how they approach a scene and the choices they make was invaluable. I miss all those folks greatly and wish I could do it all over again!
LAPPG: Do you still do any writing or teaching?
DF: Yes, I still collaboratively write for my day job. I’m also rewriting two features that I hope to direct next. Hollie Overton, a co-ep on All American: Homecoming, and I also teach TV, novel, and screenwriting at Genre Masters. Check us out at www.genre-masters.com.
LAPPG: What projects or topics are you interested in exploring next?
DF: My short film, TAKE GOOD CARE, which will debut at Hollyshorts, and has also been selected for Burbank International Film Festival, is a deeply personal story about aging, ambition, family, and love. The logline is: In a world where older people are expected to quietly die at 65, a single-minded scientist, desperate for more time, needs her long-neglected artist daughter to take good care–of her.
I wrote it for all the men and women who, willingly or unwillingly, ended up as caretakers, and know how emotionally complicated an endeavour that is. There’s definitely a dystopian edge (as a youth-obsessed country, we are so unprepared for and unrealistic about an aging citizenry!), yet, ultimately, it’s a love story. As I discovered taking care of my mother: it’s never too late to communicate the true care we feel for one another.
I’ve got a draft of the feature version for that. In addition, I have another feature I will pitch to anyone willing to listen. It’s a female-forward heist movie. Two estranged sisters on opposite sides of the economic divide in Kentucky must come together for the heist of a lifetime. It’s a total romp and I can’t wait to make it. Let me know if you’re interested. (wink!) And thank you for these amazing questions. I’ve learned lots too!
Meet Shaley Brooks
We are excited to introduce you to Shaley Brooks, a colorist and workflow specialist based in Los Angeles. He works in episodic television, advertising, music videos, and feature films and has recently restored the 2003 feature film, Perth.
Los Angeles Post Production Group: It sounds like you grew up with a father that was a broadcast engineer. How did that influence you and can you talk about the path you took that got you interested in pursuing a career as a colorist?
Shaley Brooks: I did grow up with a father in broadcast engineering. One of my earliest memories in life is walking into Studio 6A at KRLN (now KLRU) in Austin, Texas. This was the original stage for Austin City Limits. ACL was a new show at the time and we had no idea it would become the event it is today. But it wasn’t the music that intrigued me, although Willie Nelson is a national treasure! The video cameras on large pedestals and a master control room with a switcher and about a million buttons hooked me. I spent the next decade imagining myself operating master control and sending TV programming out to the city of Austin. My dad moved to California in the early 80’s. I followed him after I finished high school and started to navigate my way towards being a colorist, although I had no idea that was where I was headed. I also had a lot of exposure (pun intended) to photography. We had a dark room at home and could process black and white film. I got my first 35mm SLR at age 8. I photographed anything I could whenever I could get my hands on an unexposed roll of film. When I found myself working in the engineering department at Anderson Video building telecine bays I figured out what I was going to be when I grew up. Film and video together was a dream come true. It didn’t hurt that I love movies and TV too! It has been an incredible experience watching our industry evolve. The most exciting aspect is how technology has developed and now allows individuals to create incredible programming with off the shelf equipment. Accessibility to tools like Blackmagic’s DaVinci Resolve allow the next generation of filmmakers to create content unlike any other time in history. It is an exciting time to be in the post services business.
LAPPG: How long have you had Iris Digital Post and what services do you offer?
SB: I have been doing small projects in a bay I built at home since 2009. My first system was built using Final Cut Studio 2. This was always a research and development endeavor and allowed me to keep my education going and help independent filmmakers at the same time. In 2020 I got the opportunity to finish ABC’s Home Economics and Iris Digital Post was formed. We provide all of your post needs. We have finished many independent films and a lot of short form work. I think of it as “concierge post services” supporting productions throughout the entire process. IDP supports filmmakers from pre-production to dailies, conform, color, and deliverables. For Home Economics I provided final color services and collaborated with DigitalFilm Tree. DFT provided the rest of the post production services including dailies, conform, and VFX. This relatively new approach to providing color services is a wonderful way to go in my opinion. By separating color from the rest of your post services we can focus on the creative aspect of color. This allows the EPs and DPs more access than ever and ensures the images look brilliant all the way through the chain. At IDP we work closely with the editorial team and the above the line creatives to deliver a look that exceeds your expectations. We follow that up by working with the finishing house to guarantee a successful delivery.
LAPPG: It sounds like you are also a workflow specialist. How do you stay on top of the latest workflows since the technology is always changing so fast?
SB: I am indeed a workflow specialist. My experience in this business gives me a unique perspective that allows me to bridge the analog world with the digital world. I am constantly reading about new products and trying out anything I can get my hands on. One of the most important tools I have is my vast network of colleagues that I have worked with over the years. Sharing information with each other and discussing new ideas is a key component to keeping fresh in our industry. Fortunately the information available via the Internet is vast. When I started working in telecine I had the good fortune to join the Telecine Internet Group, created by Rob Lingelbach, one of our industry’s pioneers. I was one of the original 100 members. Having access to the world’s top post professionals via the TIG was crucial in my early education. My years spent reading the posts from that group formed my continued approach to educating myself.
LAPPG: A look at your IMDB reveals that you’ve worked on so many great shows. Do you have one in particular that you are most proud of and what about the work or your experience on it made it so special?
SB: I have worked on many top shows! It is hard to choose one but my experience on Now Apocalypse was a stand out. Working with Sandra Valde-Hansen is a professional treat. Sandra is an incredible photographer and human. Sandra is Gregg Araki’s DP and working with Gregg is an incredible experience. This was a creative team that set the bar high. We finished 10 episodes but treated it more like a giant feature film. Using a RED camera we embraced the IPP2 color management system to allow for consistency from our on-set monitoring through dailies. I really appreciate what RED did with IPP2 and feel like it gives filmmakers a framework to control your images from the beginning. Ultimately the bold contrast and color on Now Apocalypse is something I am very proud of. This is a collaborative field so I am really aware that none of us do this alone. When we all come together under strong leadership we can make some really cool stuff!
LAPPG: You have had a collaborative relationship with the director Djiinn who directed the feature film Perth in 2003. Can you tell us what you were up against when restoring this film that was originally shot on Super 16mm film?
SB: Perth was a challenge. The elements available for restoration were limited. We only had a 35mm answer print. This was created from a 2K scan of the 16mm footage. This was not the best place to start for a restoration! We were immediately limited by the print. This lacked detail and had a lot of dirt and scratches. Using the color tools in Resolve I was able to keep the detail in the blacks and minimize the contrasty nature of an answer print. I used ACES for my color pipeline and feel like this helped me get more detail in the lowlights. We were very limited due to our nonexistent budget. The tools inside of DaVinci Resolve made this work possible. We did our best considering the source that was available. Ultimately this film has a new life in our new digital delivery system we use today.
LAPPG: Can you elaborate on the tools and workflow you utilized for this project?
SB: I used DaVinci Resolve for the entire project. I also used the Blackmagic Cintel Scanner! With the help of my friends at DigitalFilm Tree I was able to scan the 35mm print to files. I used the .CRI image stack to create an intermediate DPX stack. I did DRS, noise reduction, and some Fusion paint work at this stage. I also converted the image into an ACES format when this was rendered. This became the “clean-ish” archival master. Using the DPX stack I then color corrected the feature. Once I had things ready to review, Djinn came in and added the parts that are the most important in my opinion. We adjusted color to make sure the original intention was satisfied. We improved it when possible. Restoration projects are neat because when the filmmaker comes in for the final review I get to participate in the discovery of an old cherished artifact. It is like when you go through a box of stuff and find an object that brings you joy. All of the memories that go with finding items like this reminds me of watching a filmmaker view their film after two decades. The pain and joy of filmmaking brings a lot of emotion and the people that create these works carry these memories with them. Viewing a film you made 20 years ago is like reuniting with an old friend. There is so much to say and feel! I always like my work more after the storyteller gives their input and directs the images to look like the world they see in their minds.
LAPPG: Did your knowledge of Fusion inside DaVinci Resolve come in handy?
SB: Invaluable! I started really using Fusion about 2 years ago. I am very happy to have Fusion in my toolbox now. I use Fusion in TV to do light VFX work like painting out actor’s marks on the ground or easy object removal. For Perth I used Fusion paint to paint out the scratches too large for the Dust Buster and Automatic Dirt Removal. It was a thoughtful blend of all of these tools together that got us to a finished product that was acceptable.
LAPPG: How has the evolution of DaVinci Resolve impacted your work?
SB: This is a great question. I have used DaVinci products since they were da Vinci products! The early tape to tape systems were incredible works of engineering. When Blackmagic purchased da Vinci Systems, Resolve was already a product but it wasn’t anywhere near what it has become under the ownership of Blackmagic. Resolve allows me to provide post services at a level equal to large facilities of the past with a much smaller crew of people. With this software you can support any type of production. The skills required to use Resolve comprehensively include what used to be 6 or 7 separate jobs in a world that used videotape. The tape room, telecine bay, online edit bay, tape to tape color correction suite, titling system, and video effects all live in one place. This is truly remarkable in my opinion. Notice I am not even touching on audio because I am a picture guy but it does that too!
LAPPG: What advice would you give to colorists just starting out?
SB: Download DaVinci Resolve today and start using it. I also like using Photoshop, it inspires me to try new things. You can always use GIMP for free and it will definitely help you build skills that a colorist uses. Also, learn as much about lighting and photography as possible. You need to communicate with DPs and in order to do that you need to understand their job. There are a lot of good books and websites out there that can help you educate yourself. I would also add always keep learning. It never ends and honestly, learning new things is the most exciting part of my job.
LAPPG: Living in LA and working on so may different projects there is always the need to create work/ life balance. How do you best do that? Are there any hobbies or activities you like doing when you have some downtime?
SB: My family is my rock. We are very close and my wife and two sons love to travel, near and far. I also love to hike and take advantage of the hiking trails in Southern California as often as possible. Making sure you have some time away from the console is a must!
Meet Juliane Grosso
Get ready to meet Juliane Grosso, co-founder and CEO of Cine Gear Expo, the premier event for the technology, entertainment and media industry now in its 27th year. In this interview you’ll learn about how this legendary event got started, their key relationship with Paramount Studios, and what you can expect at this year’s LA event from June 1-4, 2023.
Los Angeles Post Production Group: How did Cine Gear Expo first get started?
Juliane Grosso: I’m excited to tell you about an event that’s really close to my heart. Cine Gear Expo is an annual gathering for all the incredible professionals in the film and entertainment industry. The first one happened way back in 1996, when my late husband and co-founder Karl Kresser and I were working with Otto Nemenz. We officially incorporated it as Cine Gear Expo in 1998. Our first expo was held at Paramount Studios in Hollywood, California, and it featured just six exhibitors. But wow, have we grown since then! Now we attract over 300 exhibitors and thousands of attendees from all over the world. It’s become an amazing hub of education and collaboration, dedicated to the art and technology of filmmaking. We hold it every year in Los Angeles, California, and we’ve even expanded to include events in other locations like Atlanta and New York.
LAPPG: For years, the show has been at the Paramount backlot and then went to the LA Convention Center. Are you excited about returning to Paramount this year?
JG: Cine Gear Expo and Paramount Studios have a long-standing partnership that dates back to the early years of the expo. The partnership between Cine Gear Expo and Paramount Studios has been a mutually beneficial one. It has helped to cement the show’s reputation as a must-attend event for anyone involved in film and video production. Paramount Studios, on the other hand, benefits from the exposure and publicity that comes with hosting such a large and prestigious event on their lot. The expo provides an opportunity for industry professionals to see the latest technology and equipment in action, while also providing a platform for companies to showcase their products to potential customers. We are very excited to be back at our favorite location.
LAPPG: How will this year be different from last year?
JG: Our exhibit space grew to FIVE areas which currently includes indoor locations on three stages with more adding on and outdoor exhibits which take place on the beautiful NY Streets and the B Tank at the gateway to NY Streets. We have several new exhibitors, higher attendance, several groundbreaking equipment announcements, and a packed seminar program to take place during the expo.
LAPPG: What are you most looking forward to for Cine Gear Expo LA 2023?
JG: Cine Gear has a unique vibe and DNA. There is no other show where you have so many production professionals in the same place at the same time – even people who are working come after their shift. We anticipate a greater turnout than ever before and have already seen an increase in the number of exhibitors. Additionally, we are excited about the educational and festival features of this year’s event, including brand-new premier seminars as well as our annual masterclass and the student film competition. And of course, we always look forward to seeing old friends and making new ones.
LAPPG: How has the show changed from how it was pre-pandemic?
JG: The show has expanded in all areas. The LA event is expected to be bigger than ever; we have continued our annual show in Atlanta and most recently returned to NY with a successful show and great reviews. The festival side is certainly going to expand going forward, and thanks to our On-Air events, where we host webinars and live event recordings, we are looking to attract a completely different group of people from the production side; film buyers, executive producers, and production companies.
LAPPG: It sounds like you added a day to the schedule this year. Can you tell us why and how the schedule will be different this year?
JG: After careful consideration and feedback from exhibitors and attendees we decided to go back to a 2-day exhibit event for 2023 and will address adding another scheduled exhibit day in 2024.
LAPPG: Can you tell us about some of the Masterclass highlights for this year?
JG: Sure! Every year, we offer master classes on specific industry skills and highlights current technological advancements. As virtual production continues to rapidly evolve, filmmakers are discovering new ways to create cinematic virtual scenes with greater creative control and on-set collaboration. Given the significance of this emerging field of production, Cine Gear Expo has decided to introduce a new master class focused on virtual production. This will premiere alongside the annual and always in-demand lighting master class, which is taught by top experts in the industry. This new addition is expected to generate significant interest and provide valuable insights into this exciting new area of filmmaking. Be sure to visit our website for most up to date information and schedule of the 2023 educational program.
LAPPG: What type of companies are we going to be seeing this year?
JG: CineGear Expo offers artists and technicians the opportunity to discover state-of–the-art technology and techniques including content capture hardware, workflow software, support equipment, and the processes. Latest and greatest tech has always been our main theme for all our shows. As always, the show will feature wide range of exhibits and demonstrations of the technology and equipment for cinematography, lighting and sound, including ARRI, Blackmagic, Canon, Sony, Cooke, Zeiss, Duclos, Brompton Technology, Planar, Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment, Cinemoves, Astera, Aputure, Kinoflo, MBS, Warner Bros, NBC Universal and many more.
LAPPG: What would surprise people that they may not know in terms of the work you do to put a show this big on?
JG: One of the most unexpected things may be my level of involvement in every aspect of the show, as well as the size of our team. Despite having a compact team to run the show, we have managed to consistently make it larger and more impressive each year. We take care to preserve the show’s history and ambiance by paying attention to every detail, while also continually evolving and improving with each event.
LAPPG: With shows also now in Atlanta and NYC, do you plan to expand beyond these markets?
JG: We are always open and on the look for opportunities around the world and are proud that Cine Gear Expo has grown to become one of the largest and most important events for film and video professionals and is known worldwide.
LAPPG: What do you want people to know who will be coming to the Expo this year?
JG: Cine Gear Expo is all about in-person networking, and reconnection with colleagues and friends from across the world. Attendees get hands-on training, gain knowledge and skills from world technology leaders, and network with peers all within a professional and comfortable studio environment with food and drinks at hand.
LAPPG: Where can folks go to register and learn more?
JG: On our website: https://www.cinegearexpo.com/la-expo/.
Meet Jamee Ranta
It is a pleasure to have the opportunity to introduce you to Executive Producer Jamee Ranta, an award winning film producer, and the CEO of Artifact Content. Her recent successes include producing Halsey’s “If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power” film with international theatrical release via AMC Theaters and a streaming release on HBOMax. She’s most notably recognized for her work as a music video producer working with artists such as Justin Bieber, Cardi B, Selena Gomez, Kendrick Lamar, Halsey, Jennifer Lopez and Demi Lovato.
Los Angeles Post Production Group: You’ve executive produced so many well-known music videos and worked with many of music’s biggest stars. What part of the work gets you most excited?
Jamee Ranta: I am most excited about the initial ideation phase and the ‘why’ factor for each concept we bring into production. There are a lot of concepts that don’t make it to production, but when you find an idea that has a purpose, an intention, or a storyline that aligns with the product or tone and lyrics of a song, it fuels the creative vision and translates for all crew members both above and below the line, bringing unity and collaboration.
LAPPG: How is the role of the Executive Producer different for a music video versus say for a feature film?
JR: I’ve done both. They are very similar when I executive produce, as I am very involved with every shoot creatively. I realize some executive producers on films are more-so investors, but that is not always the case. On the music video side, it’s typically a representative of the company and the EP takes on the financial and legal liabilities and contracts with the label/agency.
LAPPG: What are the three most important qualities someone should have to become a successful Executive Producer and why?
JR: 1. The number one most important quality is having an understanding that structure and culture are separate, yet they are both equally important to a successful production. On the structural side, there are some fundamental business responsibilities & liabilities. A lot of younger producers want to start companies because of the cultural aspects, but they don’t want the responsibilities of what that entails, such as a robust and supportive cashflow, understanding insurance policies, financial planning with a finance team on staff, having a legal team and a sense of reading and understanding legal terms and contracts, preparing for taxes, and understanding union/labor laws and safety regulations. Having this knowledge is fundamental to the longevity of your career, your employees and your company.
2. The second most important quality of an EP is having knowledge of budgeting, project planning, and overall personal & social skills on how to manage a team. I find that quality staff and longevity of creating healthy sustainable relationships are just as valuable than the artwork itself.
3. The third most important quality is having an understanding of the complete filmmaking process from ideation to delivery. Understanding the storytelling process, character arcs and cycles, understanding how to visually and audibly create emotional pulls, understanding the psychology and the juxtaposition of shots linked together and the message it portrays is critical to the filmmaking process. Also having an understanding of focal lengths, and framing as well as light and shadow to tell a story or idea, helps you to be a better filmmaker, which can help in the decision making process when it comes to hiring crew, moving money from line to line and putting it where it matters on a per project basis.
LAPPG: What obstacles did you face in the early part of your career?
JR: One of the fundamental obstacles I faced was my naivety and lack of discernment in my business relationships. I trusted everyone and never watched my blind side. While this is an ideal way to view things, it’s not always how life and business works. This industry is so exciting, and it can be full of positive and healthy environments and transactions, but it’s also full of fraud and false promises. Having a focus on a goal and a strong discernment of character before making business commitments is invaluable.
LAPPG: I’ve heard you speak about a producer having a responsibility as well as performing a service to society. Can you share an example of this with us from your career?
JR: A lot of producers agree to jobs based on budget or on the subject matter of a project.
I won’t get into specifics, but overall, it’s important to pay attention to the messages you are sending, and just like any piece of artwork, others may interpret it with their own perspective and their own lens and not necessarily as the artist intends. One thing we can do in the production phase, is to consider all perspectives on how others may receive the information displayed and do your best to create art that is mindful of the artist’s intention and express it with as much intention as possible. I strive to communicate with the artists I’m working with to make sure I’m following their vision within the constraints of budget and time.
LAPPG: You said, “I failed my way to the top,” in an article I read. Can you share an example of that and also how you use your failures to grow?
JR: Life is what you make it. Unfortunate things happen, and how you handle it is what builds character. I have failed many times and at many things in order to get where I am at today. Everything is either a blessing or a lesson. If you view life in this way, rather than good or bad, you’ll start to experience it differently. Failures are lessons intended to teach you something, and opportunities to grow.
LAPPG: I believe you mentioned that you didn’t necessarily have a mentor, but you work with Filmmakers Academy teaching production and serving as a mentor. Can you tell us why this is important for you to do?
JR: I had to learn a lot of hard lessons through trial and error and distant observations, and it was a painful process. While experience is how you grow, it’s also beneficial to start the growth process by learning under someone who has the previous experience and knowledge of the craft of producing. Having a solid mentor is a cheat code. Looking back on my experience, I wish I had a better understanding of the industry and business aspects of filmmaking. I have joined the team at Filmmakers Academy hoping to provide mentorship to up-and-coming filmmakers, offering them knowledge and tools to help ease the process.
LAPPG: What are some of the benefits to membership in an online learning platform like Filmmakers Academy?
JR: There are many benefits to online learning platforms. Some of the benefits are having the flexibility to learn on your own time, the opportunity to review the information over and over instead of a one-time opportunity, and there’s also the option to ask questions and receive feedback through online platforms.
LAPPG: What do you enjoy doing or bring your life balance outside of work?
JR: Spending time with my family and friends. At the end of the day, relationships and the human connection is why we live.
Meet Peter J. Devlin
Cinema Audio Society‘s 2023 Career Achievement Award winner and Oscar® nominated production sound mixer, Peter J. Devlin spent time with us answering some questions about his long and successful career. With over 70 films to date, Devlin has worked closely with some of the top directors, including Michael Bay, Ron Howard, and Patty Jenkins. We had the chance to speak with Devlin about his work on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever from earlier this year.
Los Angeles Post Production Group: You’ve spent your career on sets mixing sound, have the changes in technology made things better and easier, or faster and more intensive, or both?
Peter Devlin: The changes in technology has given production sound mixers advantages regarding preserving actors performance, in difficult on set situations. This has certainly allowed our colleagues in editorial to keep that performance as recorded, through post production, and thereby minimizing ADR, which is always our end goal.
Being able to record multiple tracks and the evolution of radio mic technology has been the most significant change for my workflow on set. Having all the tools that today’s technology offers can only take you so far. It’s the experience of your fellow team members of boom operators, utilities,1st assistant sound, and 2nd assistant sound that make a huge difference.
LAPPG: Tell us about the dynamics of working closely with a cinematographer, during a shoot.
PD: I’ll give you an early example here from 1999, working with cinematographer Sal Totino on the Oliver Stone film Any Given Sunday which was incredibly rewarding. This was Sal’s first time working with Oliver. Despite the pressures of that, each and every time where camera choices could negatively impact the work that we had to do as a sound department, Sal would understand and work with us to effect a solution. That’s true collaboration.
In pre-production for my most current project Atlas, our DP John Schwartzman was talking about the physical FX on set that could impact the soundtrack. He was looking for solutions well ahead of time. That concern and consideration allows us all to do so much better work.
LAPPG: You’ve worked on some of the biggest movies to come out of Hollywood, it looks like Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is another huge hit, were there particular challenges recording that film?
PD: Every on set environment was noisy. Having worked on the first Black Panther, I knew we would be dealing with the same obtrusive backgrounds. Our main location was next to Atlanta’s I-85, so traffic noise was always a concern on exteriors. The location certainly didn’t give the aural signature of Wakanda! Our main priority was always signal to noise and to record our actors at a level that gave our colleagues in post a chance to use every noise reduction system available to preserve even the quietest of scenes.
The funeral sequence for T’Challa was emotional for all those that knew Chadwick and had worked on the first film. We had a large sound crew so that we could provide music playback and also record live vocals from Senegal singer Baba Malla. It was one of those scenes that you carry with you long after you recorded it, and now as I watch how it impacts an audience in the finished film, it speaks to the truth in performance that can be captured on set.
LAPPG: Congrats on receiving the Cinema Audio Society’s Career Achievement Award! How does a career spanning award like this make you feel?
PD: I’ve been amazed at how the last 20 years have flown by, and that I’ve worked on films that have been well received by audiences and critics alike. I’m incredibly appreciative of being chosen by the CAS, and very aware of the great work that the CAS has done from those early days in the 60’s to the organization it is today.
LAPPG: Can you share with us some of your career highlights – projects or scenes that were particularly meaningful?
PD: There are so many meaningful scenes that I have loved recording over the years, but I will say that I was a Star Trek fan as a kid, watching those movies and the TV show at home in Belfast. Meeting Leonard Nimoy and recording his last scenes as Spock was something that will always be incredibly significant.
LAPPG: Do you have any advice for the novice just starting out?
PD: Find your passion in the arts whether it be in movies, television or theatre. Find that area you want to specialize in and learn as much as you can about it. The internet can be a great tool and allow you to reach out to those whose work you admire. It was a letter that I wrote to Michael Mann in 1987 asking to visit the set of Miami Vice that changed the course of my life.
For more information, read the Cinema Audio Society announcement at: https://cinemaaudiosociety.org/oscar-nominated-production-sound-mixer-peter-j-devlin-cas-to-be-honored-with-cinema-audio-society-career-achievement-award/
![Square_300_CAS logo stack[1]](https://lappg.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/Square_300_CAS-logo-stack1-pjuk2rb4jj70cmdx39p9knwya65kyly0zzlojjw6vk.jpg "Square_300_CAS logo stack[1]"){kind=logo}
Free Membership Sign Up
News
Job Opportunitites
Check out our jobs board and find your next opportunity!