Principle shooting of Sword of Hearts: An Elizabethan Swashbuckler was completed in the Summer of 2000. The film was shot in DV-Cam, using the Sony DSR200A and the DSR300. The small and very dedicated crew usually consisted of: Director David Schmidt (Camera Op as well), Assistant Director Brenda Kelly (usually acting as AC, Line Producer and all-around problem solver), Dir. Of Photography Angie Landessman, and Sound Engineer Kate Miller. If we were lucky, we had a PA to hold the boom or a sound baffle.

In order to get the most film-like image possible, steps were taken to augment the images during shooting. The camera was white-balanced with a light blue gel across the lense in order to give flesh tones a warmer look. Edges were softened by using a #2 Pro-Mist filter. Indoor lighting was done with soft light and frequent use of warm-colored gels.

Principle shooting was done in 15 days; seven weekends and two weekdays at various locations. Keeping in mind the day jobs - and real lives - of our actors and crew, and the fact that 90% of the story took place in daylight, we tried for 8am to 5-6pm shoot days; and for the most part, succeeded in keeping to that schedule. This "commando" shooting style kept everyone's energy up and moved everything along at a highly productive pace.

Editing was complted on the Media 100 by Editor Jim Collins - our associate at Second to None Productions.

Director David Schmidt is currently working on a series of articles on the making of the film, each highlighting a different aspect of production. Please check out the current article and come back for the next installments!