Compilation of info/tweets from Andrew Bikichky

Things we have learnt from Andrew Bikichky



JOB & PERSONAL INFORMATION

Question: What do you do exactly?
Answer: Camera operator

Question: Are you in A or in B unit?
Answer: I work on 1st unit (9th Aug)

Question: Are there plenty or few female camera operators?
Answer: Compared to male operators, few, but it has been changing (8th Aug)

Question: Do you film all of the episodes?
Answer: Yes. (7th Aug)

Question: How long have you been an operator? And are you Union (I think it's IATSE 600)?
Answer: Yes, this is a iaste show. (7th Aug)

Question: When you watch #Castle Do you believe the story they tell?
Answer: I can still enjoy it, if that's what u mean (8th Aug)

Question: Do you love your job?
Answer: How could I not? I have the best seat in the house (10th Aug)







FILMING FACTS

Question: How many cameras working on Castle this season?
Answer: 2 cameras at least every day (7th Aug)

Question: How many cameras do you use?
Answer: At least 2 every day (9th Aug)

Question: Do the dual camera's always take shots at same angle/viewpoint?
Answer: Sometimes, but not always (10th Aug)

Question: Why have them at same angle/viewpoint? What's the benefit?
Answer: Different frame sizes (10th Aug)


Question: How much footage is filmed on average for each episode?
Answer: Around 100,000 feet. (7th Aug)

Question: How many hours of footage do you film for each hour long episode?
Answer: 100,000 feet of film (3perf). You can use that to calculate (10th Aug)


Question: 100,000 ft of film shot per epi. How much actually used for finished cut?
Answer: Ep without commercials is 43 mins (10th Aug)
Question: 43 minutes, but how many feet of film?
Answer: It's finished in the digital world, on a HDCAM SR cassette (10th Aug)

Question: What happens to the films of unused footage? Like after editing, where do they go?
Answer: To the vault (10th Aug)
Question: Do they ever release any of it's contents?
Answer: Not likely. It would be like a band releasing every song outtake. (10th Aug)


Question: how many days to shoot one episode ?
Answer: 8 days of principal photography (8th Aug)

Question: How many hours shooting per day/week?
Answer: Crew generally work between 60-70 hours/week (9th Aug)






FILMING

Actors marks colours:

Nathan = red
Stana = blue
Jon = green
Seamus = orange
Molly =white
(Montgomery WAS white)
Susan = yellow
(Yellow also used for day players & guest stars)
Penny = neon yellow
Tamala = fluorescent pink

Sometimes the actors exchange marks with each other during a scene for lighting and compositional purposes. (4th Aug)

When a tape colour is retired, it goes back into the general mix until it "becomes" another characters colour. (4th Aug)

Question: In scenes where we can see their feet and floor, how do they know were to stand without the colored marks?
Answer: It’s a part of their craft to know


Scenes/Rehearsal/setup/hours

Question: I'm curious and very interested. How many hours do u spend working on a scene until it is recorded? Placement, lighting...
Answer: It varies greatly depending on the size of the scene and complexity of the shots. This morning: 6 hours for 5 pages of script. (6th Aug)

Question: What time does filming usually get done for the day?
Answer: All sorts of times. Sometimes very very late. (7th Aug)


Question: Which scenes are more difficult to shot? Indoors or outdoors?
Answer: The part that can be harder about exteriors is extreme weather- hot, cold, raining... Other than that, it's more about the scene (7th Aug)

Question: Before shooting a scene do you have a script to know what kind of shots you have to do?
Answer: The script is written before shooting. The actors rehearse and the director blocks the scene, which becomes a plan for the shots (7th Aug)

Question: How long do the actors have to rehearse a scene?
Answer: perhaps a few times, depending on the scene

Question: How many times do you usually shoot the same scene until it’s okay?
Answer: We do anywhere from one take to a few for each shot. The length of scene, how many actors and angles, determine how many shots. (7th Aug)

Question: What is usually the problem that involves making the scene many times? actors mistakes or technical issues?”
Answer: Everyone is human (7th Aug)

Question: Is it awkward filming love scenes or nude scenes?
Answer: Extra care is taken to protect the actors from 2 many eyes during those times




FILM VERSUS DIGITAL

Question: is shooting in film less expensive than digital? which do you prefer?
Answer: Most of us prefer film. Digital has many$ (7th Aug)

Regarding digital vs. film queries: let me answer in parts and examples. It's a huge topic and hard to sum up in 128 characters. Gimme time
Dvs.F: an electronic eyepiece is beaming a partial resolution image with square pixels into my eye at a very close distance with small delay
Dvs.F: an optical eyepiece is like looking thru a widely variable telescope, illuminated only by the light coming in thru the lens. Organic
Dvs.F: optical eyepiece has no delay, I see everything only thru glass, no digitization and degraded reproduction. Looking at real life. (10th Aug)
Question: Are the background plates used in the driving shots digital or film?
Answer: Digital (10th Aug)











X FILES REFERENCES

Question: Noticed you are also an #xfiles fan. Do you know about the "X"s purposely placed in #Castle episodes over the years?
Answer: oh yeah, the "X"s are here and there. There are #xfiles alum working on #castle, and the truth is in the episodes (7th Aug)

X"s are not in most episodes for sure, but tend to appear in scenes that are dark and moody (almost said Spooky (7th Aug)
Question: I can't help to notice similarities in lighting between some eps of X Files and Castle. Coincidence?
Answer: It's us, what can I say (10th Aug)






LOST REFERENCES

Any #Lost fans out there too? Wait until episode 5x2 airs this season and I'll point out something for #Lost fans.(7th Aug)





COLOUR ON CASTLE

Been a few questions regarding colors on #Castle. As far as photography goes, we color the lights more than color the image at the camera. (21st Aug)

The Gaffer Jono gels the lights to correct color and to ad specific colors. At the camera we only correct the light to match the film type (21st Aug)

Final look of ep is done by a colorist at post production house. Tony Smith works with Rob & Bill on the final color timing. There is more. (21st Aug)

But before the shooting, color is addressed by @CastleArtDept and @RedCarpetLuke in how the sets are designed and by wardrobe selection. (21st Aug)

So the striking colors of #Castle are the result of a range of individual dept head contributions under the guidance of Rob & Andrew. (21st Aug)




CREW

Question: How mant people work behind the scenes on Castle?
Answer: 130 or so
Question: You've said 130! That's a lot of people! Out of curiosity,apart from the cameramen,who have their place behind?
Answer: Besides a camera crew, there are sound, lighting, grip, makeup, hair, wardrobe, props, art dept, production dept, drivers, etc (7th Aug)

Question: How do you guys pull off Fall/Winter in NY? Does it create issues?
Answer: We have great location and art departments (9th Aug)

Question: Do you have a part in the creativity?
Answer: Everyone follows the directors vision, but our individual contributions can be creative. (9th Aug)

Question: Who’s handwriting is on the murder boards?
Answer: Patrick Smith does with some mad dry-erase marker skills. (10th Aug)






CAST/CHARACTERS

Penny is a joy to work with. Tune in this season for some great stuff with her. (4th Aug)

Question: What is your fave Ryan/Espo (Jon/Seamus) moment?
Answer: Probably when Ryan went on a cleanse diet (8th Aug)

Question: What's your favourite Martha & Castle moment? Alexis & Castle?
Answer: Bank robbery/hostage episode (8th Aug)

Question: Favourite Castle & Alexis moment?
Answer: Alexis' big confession to castle about jumping the turnstile in the subway (8th Aug)


Question: Did you work on the scenes with S.J.Cannell, J.Patterson, M. Connelly?
Answer: Surreal. Gentlemen. Kings sitting across from Kings (8th Aug)







Nathan Fillion

Nathan is a lot of fun to work with. (6th Aug)

Question: What's the hardest part of your job?”
Answer: Not laughing too loud behind the camera when shooting funny stuff with @NathanFillion

Question: Who is the funniest actor/actress on set?
Answer: All have great senses of humor, but @NathanFillion has an edge in physical comedy

Question: Any fun anecdote with @NathanFillion?
Answer: a highlight for me was beckett's apartment blowing up and @NathanFillion diving at my lens (8th Aug)

Question: what's @NathanFillion like in person? He's one of my favorite actors?
Answer: He's really great (8th Aug)

Question: Is Nathan as funny as it seems? Does he break from script & come up with new things?
Answer: Oh yes, he brings many good ideas (10th Aug)





Stana Katic

Question: How is it to work with the beautiful Stana Katic?
Answer: Very delightful (7th Aug)

Question: What about your favorite Stana moment?
Answer: whenever she would blow the hair out of her face before kicking down a door in a scene (8th Aug)

Question: Is it true that Stana sometimes regales the cast & crew with an impromptu song?
Answer: She's a lot of fun and energetic (10th Aug)

Question: But does she sing on set?
Answer: She has a wonderful singing voice





PROMOTIONAL MATERIAL

Question: The same crew that works on the episodes also film the promos?
Answer: Generally no. Network does We did a couple, like a holiday promo. (7th Aug)



BLOOPERS


Question: Do you see a lot of flubs or bloopers?”
Answer: Sometimes. They can be quite fun too. We love the blooper reels (7th Aug)




POST PRODUCTION

Question: How long does it take to assemble a episode, after all the scenes have been filmed?
Answer: That depends on how soon the episode has to air but I think post has cranked one out in 10 days in before. 2-3 weeks average (7th Aug)



EPISODE SPECIFIC


Question: 4x08 of #Castle How was shooting with cast dressed up as Elvis? fun?
Answer: that was a very fun shoot. A few hangovers the next day (9th Aug)

Comment: Blue Butterfly is one of my favourite episodes
Reply: was fun shooting different time period. Cool costumes. Scene around radio was fav (10th Aug)