Kwesi Collisson is one of those guys who seems to do
everything — he's a producer who understands money, but also a crack
editor and compositor who likes to get hands-on with his projects.
Final Cut Pro, Photoshop and After Effects and a raft of plugins
constitute his essential toolset for feature-film work. And his latest
picture, Conversations With Other
Women, offered an unusual challenge: the entire
narrative plays out in split-screen. Film &
Video asked him to share some of the details.
everything — he's a producer who understands money, but also a crack
editor and compositor who likes to get hands-on with his projects.
Final Cut Pro, Photoshop and After Effects and a raft of plugins
constitute his essential toolset for feature-film work. And his latest
picture, Conversations With Other
Women, offered an unusual challenge: the entire
narrative plays out in split-screen. Film &
Video asked him to share some of the details.
Explain the use of split-screen for the entirety of
Conversations with Other Women. Do we see one
character on either side of the screen all the way through the
film?
Conversations with Other Women. Do we see one
character on either side of the screen all the way through the
film?
Most of the time you see Helena [Bonham Carter] on one side and Aaron
[Eckhart] on the other, in the same space ‘ a hotel room, for example.
But they occasionally switch sides with different edits, or if one
actor walks to the other side. There are also two shots on one side
with flashbacks of themselves in their previous relationship together
on the other side. We also play around with each character’s perception
of reality at that particular moment in the script. You might see
Helena answer Aaron in several different ways, using several different
takes from the shoot — happy, sad, glib — or even different blocking.
[Eckhart] on the other, in the same space ‘ a hotel room, for example.
But they occasionally switch sides with different edits, or if one
actor walks to the other side. There are also two shots on one side
with flashbacks of themselves in their previous relationship together
on the other side. We also play around with each character’s perception
of reality at that particular moment in the script. You might see
Helena answer Aaron in several different ways, using several different
takes from the shoot — happy, sad, glib — or even different blocking.
What aspect ratio did you use?
We had a framing overlay in the HDCAM monitor display and viewfinder of
1.20 for each camera. But the final aspect ratio with the two sides
together is 2.35.
1.20 for each camera. But the final aspect ratio with the two sides
together is 2.35.
Why did you choose Final Cut Pro?
We set out to do some ambitious tasks, especially for the budget. Final
Cut Pro was the editing software that I was most familiar with and I
knew it was capable of handling the unique problems of the dual-frame
format. Cost was also a factor. I already owned the latest version of
Final Cut Pro as well as the dual G5 on which we did all of the
offline, online and visual effects. Actually, I did borrow a friend’s
G5 for a few weeks when the director and I had some overlap in visual
effects and editing work. It was amazing that we could do everything on
two machines for a feature length film.
Cut Pro was the editing software that I was most familiar with and I
knew it was capable of handling the unique problems of the dual-frame
format. Cost was also a factor. I already owned the latest version of
Final Cut Pro as well as the dual G5 on which we did all of the
offline, online and visual effects. Actually, I did borrow a friend’s
G5 for a few weeks when the director and I had some overlap in visual
effects and editing work. It was amazing that we could do everything on
two machines for a feature length film.
Animating Storyboards and Timing Background Plates
How does technology influence the way you work?
We have reached a period in the history of feature filmmaking where you
can set out to do almost anything because of the advancement of the
technology/tools at a very low cost. It’s also important to understand
that there are more producers entering the game, like myself, who have
the skills of an editor, compositor and animator. Learning these skills
has become a necessity in order to get tasks done more quickly and at a
low cost.
can set out to do almost anything because of the advancement of the
technology/tools at a very low cost. It’s also important to understand
that there are more producers entering the game, like myself, who have
the skills of an editor, compositor and animator. Learning these skills
has become a necessity in order to get tasks done more quickly and at a
low cost.
A great example of this is the creation an animatic or
pre-visualization in the pre-production process. For
Conversations, we hired a storyboard artist to
illustrate the dual-frame boards. I scanned the boards into the
computer with Photoshop and then animated them in Final Cut for timing.
If there was a more complex scene that needed more explanation for the
director of photography, I would animate the frames in After Effects,
to give a better sense of camera position or depth of field. This
helped us problem-solve on issues that would not have come up until the
day of shooting.
pre-visualization in the pre-production process. For
Conversations, we hired a storyboard artist to
illustrate the dual-frame boards. I scanned the boards into the
computer with Photoshop and then animated them in Final Cut for timing.
If there was a more complex scene that needed more explanation for the
director of photography, I would animate the frames in After Effects,
to give a better sense of camera position or depth of field. This
helped us problem-solve on issues that would not have come up until the
day of shooting.
What was the biggest challenge on Conversations specifically?
Spoiler info: In the last shot of the movie Helena Bonham Carter gets
into a cab on the right side of the screen, and a few beats later the
Aaron Eckhart character gets into the cab on the left side. We see both
of them in separate cabs with different background plates of New York
City. Finally, both cabs come to a stop. As we see both characters
waiting in their own cabs for the light to change, we see the profile
of another cab and truck pass behind them from screen left to right.
Now the background plate is a single plate — and both characters are
in the same cab together.
into a cab on the right side of the screen, and a few beats later the
Aaron Eckhart character gets into the cab on the left side. We see both
of them in separate cabs with different background plates of New York
City. Finally, both cabs come to a stop. As we see both characters
waiting in their own cabs for the light to change, we see the profile
of another cab and truck pass behind them from screen left to right.
Now the background plate is a single plate — and both characters are
in the same cab together.
We shot Helena and Aaron together in the same cab on green screen the
entire time but it was the background plate that I split up to give the
appearance of being in a different cab. I originally shot some mini-DV
footage for the background as a way of giving me something to test for
timing as a placeholder. I used After Effects to slow down or speed up
the placeholder footage in order to better prepare us for the actual
high-definition shoot that would take place months later.
entire time but it was the background plate that I split up to give the
appearance of being in a different cab. I originally shot some mini-DV
footage for the background as a way of giving me something to test for
timing as a placeholder. I used After Effects to slow down or speed up
the placeholder footage in order to better prepare us for the actual
high-definition shoot that would take place months later.
For the final HD shoot of the plates I actually had my PowerBook with
me in the front passenger seat of the SUV. We played the QuickTime
movie of the test shot as I drove around the upper east side of New
York. As the QuickTime played, I knew when to take a turn around a
corner or when to come to a stop because I was matching to the timing
of the movie. All of this plus the DP, director and AC in the back of
the SUV recording the plates to the HDW-F900 camera. When I did the
final composite of the HD backgrounds I noticed that the Met Life logo
from the midtown building needed to rotoscoped out of the shots.
Lastly, the HD background plates seemed a little too bouncy in certain
places, so I used After Effects to stabilize the shot and then add back
the movement — but at a much more subdued amount.
me in the front passenger seat of the SUV. We played the QuickTime
movie of the test shot as I drove around the upper east side of New
York. As the QuickTime played, I knew when to take a turn around a
corner or when to come to a stop because I was matching to the timing
of the movie. All of this plus the DP, director and AC in the back of
the SUV recording the plates to the HDW-F900 camera. When I did the
final composite of the HD backgrounds I noticed that the Met Life logo
from the midtown building needed to rotoscoped out of the shots.
Lastly, the HD background plates seemed a little too bouncy in certain
places, so I used After Effects to stabilize the shot and then add back
the movement — but at a much more subdued amount.
How do you get on the same page, creatively, with a director?
Do you discuss influences? Do you select other films or works of art as
reference?
Do you discuss influences? Do you select other films or works of art as
reference?
The simplest way to understand the vision of the director is to use
examples or references of other work. Our director had very strong
ideas about how he wanted certain scenes to look and flow and with his
encyclopedic knowledge of films he had very specific examples to use.
As an example, the sex scene in Conversations was
heavily influenced by John Boorman’s 1967 Point
Blank. Pierre Uytterhoeven’s 1966 A Man and A
Woman was another film reference that the director used
regarding the timing or pace of the film.
examples or references of other work. Our director had very strong
ideas about how he wanted certain scenes to look and flow and with his
encyclopedic knowledge of films he had very specific examples to use.
As an example, the sex scene in Conversations was
heavily influenced by John Boorman’s 1967 Point
Blank. Pierre Uytterhoeven’s 1966 A Man and A
Woman was another film reference that the director used
regarding the timing or pace of the film.
And what are your creative influences? Have you seen anything lately that really knocked you out?
My influences start with the classics like Orson Welles’
Citizen Kane. This movie might be taken for granted
but look at the other movies being released in the same time period (or
even 15 years later) and then compare them to Kane.
Welles was so far ahead of his time with almost every aspect of
filmmaking, including camera shots, lighting and certainly editing.
Kubrick is another major influence for me as well as Spielberg.
Jaws is my number one favorite, if I had to choose.
I would obsessively watch this movie as a younger kid and learn
something new about story telling or camera shots with every pass.
Crash was one of the few movies I’ve seen lately
that I really enjoyed, but it’s an emotional ride. It’s impressive that
this movie is Paul Haggis’ first directing gig.
Crash also shares a producer, Mark R. Harris, with
Conversations With Other Women.
Citizen Kane. This movie might be taken for granted
but look at the other movies being released in the same time period (or
even 15 years later) and then compare them to Kane.
Welles was so far ahead of his time with almost every aspect of
filmmaking, including camera shots, lighting and certainly editing.
Kubrick is another major influence for me as well as Spielberg.
Jaws is my number one favorite, if I had to choose.
I would obsessively watch this movie as a younger kid and learn
something new about story telling or camera shots with every pass.
Crash was one of the few movies I’ve seen lately
that I really enjoyed, but it’s an emotional ride. It’s impressive that
this movie is Paul Haggis’ first directing gig.
Crash also shares a producer, Mark R. Harris, with
Conversations With Other Women.
Changing Hats and Learning the Ropes
You did visual effects on this film as well as editing. Is that becoming more typical?
When you are doing a film with a budget as small as this one it’s a
necessity to wear as many hats as I did. Many producers are rising
through the ranks with all of these skills because they have to better
understand the entire process and problem-solve at any stage, from the
storyboards to luminance value of the green screen to the last pixel
pushed. Many editors need to have the skills of compositing to be
competent throughout the post process. Most editorial tools do some
form of compositing and animating as well.
necessity to wear as many hats as I did. Many producers are rising
through the ranks with all of these skills because they have to better
understand the entire process and problem-solve at any stage, from the
storyboards to luminance value of the green screen to the last pixel
pushed. Many editors need to have the skills of compositing to be
competent throughout the post process. Most editorial tools do some
form of compositing and animating as well.
How did you learn your craft?
I started out in the commercial and broadcast design world in New York
City as an After Effects compositor and animator and designer. Early in
my career I worked alongside a more experienced editor or animator in
an apprentice type of role. I started out editing on Avid and Media 100
until Final Cut Pro was released by Apple. I am primarily self-taught
on all the software that I use, but as I produced more jobs I would
work alongside my freelancers, some of whom had awesome speed, skills
and knew hundreds of little tricks on how better to do things. Most
producers didn’t, or still don’t, have the actual hands-on experience
of working with the software and the machines. This is what
differentiates me from other producers. Producers with these multiple
skills are becoming more and more a necessity.
City as an After Effects compositor and animator and designer. Early in
my career I worked alongside a more experienced editor or animator in
an apprentice type of role. I started out editing on Avid and Media 100
until Final Cut Pro was released by Apple. I am primarily self-taught
on all the software that I use, but as I produced more jobs I would
work alongside my freelancers, some of whom had awesome speed, skills
and knew hundreds of little tricks on how better to do things. Most
producers didn’t, or still don’t, have the actual hands-on experience
of working with the software and the machines. This is what
differentiates me from other producers. Producers with these multiple
skills are becoming more and more a necessity.
Is the apprenticeship system, where aspiring editors begin as
assistants and move up the ranks as part of a long process, still valid
today?
assistants and move up the ranks as part of a long process, still valid
today?
I believe that it is still valid but it’s not a long process anymore.
Younger people are starting out with more skills coming out of
university. So, right out of the gate they can do much more than the
same assistant five to eight years ago. The apprenticeship is important
because it teaches you real-world skills. It’s difficult to gain the
practical skills from a class or book. The best opportunities for me to
learn came when I was actually working on a job. I had the pressure of
time, the clients, surprise technical problems and then some. Your
brain can come up with amazing survival, technical and creative
solutions when it’s submersed in the context of a feast-or-famine job
situation.
Younger people are starting out with more skills coming out of
university. So, right out of the gate they can do much more than the
same assistant five to eight years ago. The apprenticeship is important
because it teaches you real-world skills. It’s difficult to gain the
practical skills from a class or book. The best opportunities for me to
learn came when I was actually working on a job. I had the pressure of
time, the clients, surprise technical problems and then some. Your
brain can come up with amazing survival, technical and creative
solutions when it’s submersed in the context of a feast-or-famine job
situation.
Do you have any advice for young editors?
Never stop learning. It sounds clichà©d or oversimplified, but it’s very
true. I have a daily regimen of technical Web sites that I forage
through just to keep up with the latest in software and hardware. You
can’t be an expert at everything, but it’s still important to have
options on solving creative or technical issues by having additional
skills with different tools. Also, with every generation of kids
graduating from University, it gets more and more competitive.
true. I have a daily regimen of technical Web sites that I forage
through just to keep up with the latest in software and hardware. You
can’t be an expert at everything, but it’s still important to have
options on solving creative or technical issues by having additional
skills with different tools. Also, with every generation of kids
graduating from University, it gets more and more competitive.
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