Thread: Anchor Baby

Originally Posted by Village-Boi

True that! But once you get an interest in the techie bit of filmmaking or become a filmmaker it is soooooo hard to watch a film ever again with the same eyes as the 'normal' audience.
We can try our best to just kick back and watch a film for the enjoyment of it but every other shot will still see the 'little-filmmaking-devil-on-your-shoulder' shouting out "Oh this & Oh that" - had to batter mine with a fly-swat lol

My brother soft shots jump off the screen and slap me in the face!

I always wonder how they make it into the film. Were all the shots from the scene soft or was that the best take and they live with the soft focus?....

It always bothers me... Especially when it is done by supposed "western" filmmakers. I know many Nigerian filmmakers who almost NEVER have soft shots... So being from the west, does not automatically indicate great quality.

Originally Posted by sidney

My brother soft shots jump off the screen and slap me in the face!

I always wonder how they make it into the film. Were all the shots from the scene soft or was that the best take and they live with the soft focus?....

It always bothers me... Especially when it is done by supposed "western" filmmakers. I know many Nigerian filmmakers who almost NEVER have soft shots... So being from the west, does not automatically indicate great quality.

Na "film look" when it is done abroad. Na una no open eye.

Originally Posted by Sola

Na "film look" when it is done abroad. Na una no open eye.

Bros, I have seen the works of Robert Peters, former Nollywood actor turned director, and Katung Aduwak, big brother Nigeria 1 winner turned director, and their work is always tight!! Not a soft shot ever... Then I saw a film with a relatively working American DP from NY. He worked on many Hollywood low budget projects and soft shots FULL ground! I don't know if the guy felt that whatever he does would be better than the average Nollywood movie or he is just not as good as advertised. However I am inclined to believe the former.

Glad this film was great! But we don't need to look to foreigners for behind the camera expertise.

Originally Posted by sidney

My brother soft shots jump off the screen and slap me in the face!

I always wonder how they make it into the film. Were all the shots from the scene soft or was that the best take and they live with the soft focus?....

It always bothers me... Especially when it is done by supposed "western" filmmakers. I know many Nigerian filmmakers who almost NEVER have soft shots... So being from the west, does not automatically indicate great quality.

I know bro, the only downer was those 'soft' shots, how in the world did that happen?? It couldn't have been every take so why? Did they have a busted prime lens? That happened to my Zeiss 50mm and it's soft at 15 inches or less - Ouch!

Originally Posted by Village-Boi

I know bro, the only downer was those 'soft' shots, how in the world did that happen?? It couldn't have been every take so why? Did they have a busted prime lens? That happened to my Zeiss 50mm and it's soft at 15 inches or less - Ouch!

Sometimes I think it not paying close attention to detail either during filming or editing... Something, somewhere, goes amiss.

Make una no laugh me o, but wetin be soft shot?

Originally Posted by sidney

Sometimes I think it not paying close attention to detail either during filming or editing... Something, somewhere, goes amiss.

Well one of the first things one is taught is 'anything that can go wrong WILL go wrong' so double & tripple check. Attention to detail is always a little devil innit? Having said that they had a FULL CREW and good monitors... no idea what went wrong with those shots. All in all still a damn good film and very high in my 'little black book' of Naija films.

Originally Posted by Abike

Make una no laugh me o, but wetin be soft shot?

A shot that is out of focus by mistake

Thanks!

Originally Posted by Village-Boi

A shot that is out of focus by mistake

Originally Posted by Abike

Make una no laugh me o, but wetin be soft shot?

Me to am wondering.

Originally Posted by Village-Boi

I know bro, the only downer was those 'soft' shots, how in the world did that happen?? It couldn't have been every take so why? Did they have a busted prime lens? That happened to my Zeiss 50mm and it's soft at 15 inches or less - Ouch!

I haven't seen the movie.....in EVERY TAKE?? Wow!! That is a bummer! Perhaps the DOP has bad eye sight?? And what was blurry seemed sharp to him? ...Am just saying....cos how all takes go dey dat soft? Dem no dey stop and review shots after takes? Shuo!

Originally Posted by Abike

Thanks!

You're welcome.

Originally Posted by Beautiful_Soul

Me to am wondering.

Shall I say a blurry shot that wasn't meant to be blurry.

Originally Posted by ssergit

I haven't seen the movie.....in EVERY TAKE?? Wow!! That is a bummer! Perhaps the DOP has bad eye sight?? And what was blurry seemed sharp to him? ...Am just saying....cos how all takes go dey dat soft? Dem no dey stop and review shots after takes? Shuo!

Seriously see the movie... it is AMAZING! I love it, love it, love it! Yeah there were 3 or 4 shots that made one go 'Oops that was a mistake.' It does not kill the film and it really is no biggie at all mistakes being IN films - everyone does it! I just finished shooting a Naija short and it is riddled with mistakes (so I might never post it here), who cares? Hollywood is notorious for crappy mistakes lol.

Bottom line - such a good story - The awards it's picked up dey blow the trumpet well, well and rightfully so.

I watched the movie and maybe the soft shots are maybe 2 or 3 which is normal with any other movie. I guess it's a matter of it being the best shots out of a bunch for the filmmakers. Sometimes, editors and directors will take a soft shot over a focused shot if the soft shot has better acting in it. There is a saying in filmmaking that says "You only edit what you have in the can". You can't edit what you wish you have. If any of you have done a short film, you will see that just about anything can go wrong and sometimes with the rush to meet deadline, you miss a few things. But the key is turning whatever you have in the can not a godmine. Shooting a feature length film is no cakewalk and anyone who has done even a 5 minutes shortfilm will tell you that. Just from watching Anchor Baby twice in cinemas, one can tell that a lot of thought went into the story and film in general and the awards like someone said are very well deserved.