Long-time WIFV member Stephen Ames recently completed work on the feature film SAFE SPACE starring Nicole Ari Parker, Drea De Matteo and Mack Astin. Stephen, a member of IA-487, provided scene playback of every recorded take. Most of the film was shot in a large, old, city house. Many scenes were filmed in parts on different days. A scene might have action that moved along hallways, and by stairs to other floors. Part of the house was also recreated on a sound stage for the final week of production. In addition to matching for continuity of prop placement, decor, lighting, costumes and makeup, as a home invasion story there are a lot of action scenes. Being able to review preferred takes from different days was essential to matching action. Also, the director, Boris Kodjoe, was an actor in the film. So immediate playback after each take was required.
Stephen also worked on the WALKING DEAD spinoff WORLD BEYOND which just wrapped in Richmond. Strict NDA’s limit what can be said, but he provided playback on televisions, computer monitors, and other displays. Some were animations on computer monitors, carefully revealed as actors appear to be working. For a scene that takes place many years ago a large old style analog tv had to display video not at its normal 30fps, but tightly synced with modern movie cameras at 24fps. It required some gear I had not used in many years. But I could variably sync the tv at 24 frames plus or minus three decimal points per second.
