The Frozen Lense - Tips for Surviving Shooting Outdoors

At 3PennyFilms we strive to capture what we call 'moments' - moments unique to people,

moments unique to places, moments that will ultimately resonate in the stories that we tell. I am Madison Murr, a filmmaker in my fifth year with 3 Penny Films, and the photo of me shooting in Fenway Park captured a unique moment in my own life.  It was my second day of shooting inside the historic stadium, the ground crews were feverishly shoveling to clear the latest snowfall, and I was pushing through drifts, navigating ice patches and battling wind to get the last scenics needed before the Frozen Fenway event. I am smiling in the photo, joyous that I had finally gathered shots of which I was proud, because initially the cold of that outdoor hockey shoot had presented some serious setbacks. I most often shoot in Miami, FL, overseeing our content for The U, and the chill of South Bend & Boston that week bluntly emphasized the challenges of filmmaking in the cold.

These are the 5 Cold Weather Shooting Facts now 'frozen' in my mind:

1. Clothing gear - not camera gear - comes first. - If you're shivering - your camera is shivering - and that will detract from your shot. I've taken a couple of trips where I was so cold I eventually put on everything I packed in my suitcase all at once, and I'm over that approach! Search what boots the mail delivery workers wear in the snow, ask the outerwear store cashier which hats block out the wind, and when in doubt - add more layers!

2. Shot clarity is challenged. - My viewfinder would fog with the warmth from my face, then that condensation would freeze, inhibiting my vision through the camera… this happened multiple times a minute so I spent a lot of time wiping my viewfinder clear. Also, lenses fog extensively when entering & exiting buildings, then snow harasses your lens which is of course crucial to keep clean… all of this combines to extend the time needed to execute each shot well.

3. Batteries die absurdly fast. - I calculated some of mine at 1/12th of the usual performance. I use camera batteries for my Canon & GoPro, plus 9 Volts & AAs for audio, so my outside pockets were stocked with extras! I also had a stash nearby in a warmer place to preserve their power from draining in the harsh temperatures.

2. Focusing your lens & especially rack focusing is hard.  -  Despite my research I still haven't been able to fully keep my hands heated, sacrificing some glove warmth for dexterity. Navigating the lens with layered, numb fingers isn't as fluid and automatic as in warmer temperatures. I was often over or under-compensating when rotating the lens and so I had to often try multiple takes to get the shot right.

5. Suck it up. - Realize everyone else is cold too, whether you're from Boston or Miami you still feel that chill! It's best to embrace the challenge as an opportunity to prove your shots can stand out regardless, you can execute in diverse environments, and then happily realize you'll never again take for granted how effortlessly you can work your camera in South Florida!

- Madison

Revisiting History: The Story Behind 88 and 1

Revisiting History - by Joe Schreiber

The older I get, the more I want to tell stories about the past.  At 53, I’m old enough to remember watching Notre Dame end UCLA’s 88 game winning streak on January 19, 1974.  Back then I never imagined I’d have the privilege of meeting some of the participants of the event to tell their story.

I'm thrilled to share that through our partnership with Fighting Irish Digital Media, we produced a one-hour special presenation titled 88 and 1 that gives an inside look at the University of Notre Dame's stunning victory over UCLA's national powerhouse men's basketball team. And in celebration of the 40-year anniversary of the game, 88 and 1, presented by Coca Cola will premier this Sunday, January 19 on ESPN2 at 8 p.m. EST.

At 3Penny Films, we focus on documenting events in real time, then revisiting those moments through reflective interviews. When we decided to collaborate with Notre Dame Fighting Irish Digital Media on 88 and 1, the story of the day the Fighting Irish ended UCLA’s dynasty, we embarked on a whole new challenge of telling an historical story. That’s something I had done during my 23 year run with NBC’s George Michael Sports Machine, but different from our recent 3 Penny Films productions.  It’s an entirely different challenge since we’re limited to existing historical resources of pictures and sound. By contrast, nowadays we have access to rapidly improving technology that allows us to document a cornucopia of images and sound during current events, which foster a different, kind of pacing and feel of a story.

Our film represents the vision of directors Jess Atkinson (3 Penny Films) and Ted Mandel (University of Notre Dame.) Ted had discovered the original scoreboard from the event sitting in a warehouse and a wealth of photos in the archives. The challenge for us was getting cooperation from those participants from the event. One of the main figures, and one of my heroes, UCLA coach John Wooden passed away in 2010.  Although 40 years have passed, UCLA’s Bill Walton still finds it painful to talk about the event. It wasn’t until the 11th hour that Walton finally agreed to sit down with us at his home. He was as candid and dramatic as ever, and we’re so appreciative for his hospitality.

The broadcaster of that game was Dick Enberg, a dignified man and decorated broadcaster who’s called the play by play of just about every major sporting event. Enberg isn’t slowing down much at the age of 75 and has a vivid recollection of the events of that game and the UCLA era. Enberg spoke to us for over an hour, recalling moments with a touch of humor and perspective. He was also quite poignant in talking about John Wooden, a man whom he adored.

While Bill Walton’s UCLA teams won two national championships, his Notre Dame contemporaries never won a championship.  But ending UCLA’s dynasty became their national championship. After 40 years, John Shumate, Gary Brokaw and Dwight Clay were more than willing to share some untold stories about what really happened on the day that Coach Digger Phelps got his team to believe they could make history. As for Digger, he never gets tired of talking about that day. One of my favorite parts of the film is a sequence of reflections of Digger and Walton, as if they are giving each other some good-natured ribbing.

Be sure to tune in on January 19 at 8 pm and join the conversation using the hashtag #88and1. I do hope you enjoy the film as much as we did making it! Here is a sneak peak at the film: http://bit.ly/1d6ADzd

Leading into the premier, Notre Dame will recognize Phelps on Jan. 19, 2014, at halftime of the Notre Dame men’s basketball game versus Virginia Tech by inducting him into the Notre Dame Ring of Honor. Members of the 1974 team that knocked off UCLA will join Phelps on the Purcell Pavilion court for the ceremony. ESPNU will televise the game at 6 p.m. EST. and will re-air 88 and 1 at the following times:

•  Jan 19 – 10pm ET
• Jan 21 – 4pm ET
• Jan 24 – 6pm ET
• Jan 30 – 1am ET

Full film description:

88 AND 1, presented by Coca-Cola tells the story of that fateful day, Jan. 19,1974, when UCLA's unfathomable three-year winning streak came to a shocking end at the hands of the Notre Dame basketball squad.  It was the greatest dynasty the college basketball world has ever known, but in three minutes and twenty-two seconds, it all came crumbling down.  Dick Enberg, Bill Walton, John Shumate and others re-live that pre-ESPN era when TVS Sports owned the airwaves, John Wooden owned the hardwood, and Irish coach Digger Phelps engineered the greatest upset in college basketball history.