{"id":5716,"date":"2018-09-28T09:41:50","date_gmt":"2018-09-28T16:41:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.movingpicture.com\/?p=1748"},"modified":"2018-09-28T09:41:50","modified_gmt":"2018-09-28T16:41:50","slug":"4-common-problems-on-set-in-florida-and-how-to-fix-them","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/movingpicture.com\/4-common-problems-on-set-in-florida-and-how-to-fix-them\/","title":{"rendered":"4 Common Problems on Set in Florida \u2013 and How to Fix Them"},"content":{"rendered":"

Here’s something you’re going to learn in film if you haven’t already: \"\"NOTHING goes as planned. If things go 80% according to plan, you may just be working in a big-budget Hollywood studio! Or not; things don’t go as planned for the “big wigs” either — consider Apocalypse Now.\u00a0Now factor in that Florida is a unique geographical region, with its own set of particular problems. If you’re directing, producing, shooting, and looking for equipment and camera rentals in Miami and South Florida, here are some things you should know.<\/p>\n

\"camera<\/p>\n

Be Realistic About it<\/h3>\n

The truth is, there’s always something which will make things difficult. Traffic. Art Basel. Winter Music Conference. WMC. Raves. Airplanes–for the love of all that is holy, airplanes. The truth is, one of the essential skills a filmmaker can have is the ability to improvise solutions on the fly.<\/p>\n

Control what you can, so when things arise which you cannot control, you’re enabled to improvise your way into success. Don’t be afraid of things going a bit awry. Sometimes that which you didn’t plan ends up being some of the best footage you could have shot. With such a perspective, following are four common issues you’re going to face on set in Florida (and sometimes in other states), and how to deal with them:<\/p>\n

\u2022 Uncooperative Weather (Hello, hurricanes and tropical storms!)
\n\u2022 Condensation, Humidity – Keep Equipment Above Dew Point When Moving from Exterior to Interior Shots
\n\u2022 Power Requirements: Resources, Batteries, Generators – Plan in Advance!
\n\u2022 Mobility: Have a Travel and Parking Plan<\/p>\n

\"camera<\/p>\n

Uncooperative Weather<\/h3>\n

The weather will often impact Florida. Hot, cold, rain or hurricane, Florida may be a quasi-tropical paradise, but it’s not independent of surprising weather changes. If you’ve got a daytime shot, and it starts pouring rain, you’ve got an issue. Well, what’s the solution? Firstly, does the daytime shot have to be dry, or could you make a take in the “rain” work? Often, you cannot see the rain in the shot. So, keep shooting! Sometimes this may lend an air of melancholy to your finished product, and sometimes it gives it grace.<\/p>\n

One trick of the trade is having plenty of plastic tarps, spring clamps, pop-up tents, and umbrellas standing by ready to deploy in case of rain. Factor in harsh shadows created by the sun, or darkness created by clouds and you’ll also need additional lights standing by. Although you’ll likely not use this gear and it’ll undoubtedly cost you money, you definitely don’t want to get caught without the ability save a shot. Many a shoot has seen thousands of rental dollars spent on lights that never were used.\u00a0 But they are an insurance policy. Better to have lights, than not have them, is the adage we’ve heard for years from smart filmmakers.<\/p>\n

Condensation – Keep Equipment Above Dew Point When Moving from Exterior to Interior<\/h3>\n

The “dew point” is the temperature at which humidity in the atmosphere condenses, becoming liquid. Florida is incredibly humid. If your equipment is more cool than the exterior temperature, bringing it from the indoors to the outdoors will create condensation across the lens at the dew point for that day. Depending on how hot it is outside, you’ve got several strategies here.<\/p>\n