Filming Log

As a group, we have left our filming quite late and mainly focused on research. Our reasons for this is because didn't want to do our filming in dregs, as we'd experience continuity errors and a lack of creativity as we started too early!

As a result, I drew up this 9 week filming plan, that should end about 2 weeks before final hand in. We will be shooting the studio scenes as soon as this blog entry is published so we're determined to stick to it. Unfortunately, there is a school holiday that sets us back a week- but this is a perfect opportunity to catch up on filming logs and any extra research.

Click to enlarge :)

*Studio = The 'Studio' scenes, where Kira is on her own on a white backdrop, singing to the camera. We will also use this as an opportunity to take pictures for the ancillary tasks.

*Research= This is time we will use to dedicate to our blogs.

*Geek= The scenes were Kira is being wooed by a bespectacled genius.

*Hunk= _____________________________ hunky gym fanatic.

*Bohemian- _________________________ an artistic gent who is the one taking pictures of her in the studio.

*Rough cut= In this week we will assemble the main rough cut of footage.

*Final tweaks= If a scene isn't working, this week is dedicated to sorting it out.

*Final edit= Editing the final piece.

*Evaluation= Time to tie up any loose ends and work on our evaluations.

CASE STUDY: Documentary shoot with MA Film and TV Production students at the University of Bristol

In my AS year- we didn't really work as a production company or have separate roles, however for A2, it's detrimental to our project to know exactly what we're doing when creating a media production.

Last year, I assisted a group of MA students film a 3 minute documentary focusing on the questions 'What did you want to be when you grew up?' and 'What do you do now?'. Though I obviously didn't get involved in the technical side of filming and directing- it was my job to stroll about with a sign and encourage people to be a part of the film. However simple my job was that day, watching the others certainly gave me a great insight into what goes into producing good footage and how to get the best shots possible. Prior to the shoot that day- the students I worked with visited all the locations with a camera and took a picture of the exact shots that they wanted to get, just how it would look on film. I realise that this prevented them from wasting precious time and I should certainly employ this technique when it comes to making our film opening.

Something else I learned was incorporating the use of masking tape to make sure everyone who was in the shot was positioned properly, ensuring they weren't cut off or with light on their faces. This also made each shot look consistent- creating a very professional feel overall. Also, I got a feel of what it was like to work in a team, where each person had their own job; director, editor, producer, sound operator...rather than just using whoever is available at the time. On the more technical side, I encountered some of the most advanced equipment I've ever seen close up such as boom microphones and professional cameras. Also, I had the chance to meet the tutor of the course and take a look around the the Drama department of the University of Bristol!

I believe my time spent with the Film & TV Production students was a very worthwhile experience as I have learnt some particularly good skills in both film and organisation. Furthermore, just meeting and getting to know these people (apart from my manager, who I am already quite acquainted with, as he got me in on the task) was particularly beneficial as I have a network of people to talk to when it comes to making our music video. Despite that they were making a documentary- which is completely different to our project, I learnt a wealth of valuable and transferable skills that will Parisienne Records.