filming diary

12
Group 9 Emma Irwin

Upload: emmairwinmedia

Post on 27-Jul-2015

85 views

Category:

Education


1 download

TRANSCRIPT

Group 9

Emma Irwin

Today we filmed scene 12. This was the scene where Agnes had been thrown into a cupboard by her parents. We filmed in a classroom in our college, as it was raining and we were unable to go outside.

Shots we used: Wide shot, high angle shot, extreme close up. What went well: We experimented with different shots and angles so

that we had plenty of shots in case we changed our mind. We filmed the scene in night vision as well as the normal camera mode, which gave use more choice when it came around to editing. Also, we were able to block out any unwanted sound with the door. There were a lot of people stood in the corridor outside where we were filming, but we closed the door to block out the sound.

Problems we encountered:

1. The room was full of chairs initially, and it was difficult to fit our equipment in, but we removed the chairs from the room to make it appear empty and isolated.

2. Like I have said, there were quite a lot of people outside on the corridor. We wanted to have the door open a bit to let light in which would create a shadow on the wall. However, the noise threatened our piece having a verisimilitude affect, so we had to close it.

3. When we closed the door, we were faced with the problem that there was no light at all and we couldn’t see the protagonist. We conquered this problem by firstly shooting in night vision. Then to give us more choice, we used the torch on an ‘I Phone,’ and held it from where the door would have been creating light, to give the shot a shadowy/dark effect.

4. We wanted to use an extreme close up when filming to show the protagonist (Agnes) crying. However, I was finding it difficult to make myself cry, so we were faced with a problem. We overcame this problem by using water and dripping it into my eye to create a tear effect. We shot this in night vision and the normal setting to see which looked better.

Today we filmed scene 13. This was set in a police interrogation room, and the location we chose was an office as we could add props to help improve the mise-en scene and increase the suspension of disbelief.

Shots we used: Wide shot, high shot, over the shoulder shot, tracking shot, close up

What went well: We brought in some props to improve the mise-en scene. These props included a lamp, make up, some posters for the wall and a file full of information. I think that these aspects helped our film and will help it look real. We experimented with different camera shots to give us more choice when it came around to editing. We tried to use a tracking shot with a ‘HD Flip Camcorder,’ but it was too jumpy, so we tried to do one with the ‘Sony HD 1000.’ This has given us choice. We brought in a lamp to use as the lighting for this scene as we wanted it to represent the mood. The lamp we used had a yellow light which made the scene appear grim and gloomy, this was what we were wanting to create. We tried placing the lamp on the table but we couldn’t get the lighting right’ so we ended up putting it on the floor which created a dim light around the room and cast a lot of shadows on the wall. I think this added to the affect of the scene and made it look scary and creepy. Ellisha used make up on the parent characters to make them appear like they did drugs, and rough. I think that the make up was affective and made them look scary. The police officer wore a tie that proved her character; we chose to do this as it added to the verisimilitude affect

Problems we encountered:

1. We couldn’t get the lighting right at first, but when we experimented with where we could put the lamp, we got the light affect we wanted. The light cast a lot of shadows, and made the room grim and gloomy.

2. We initially wanted to do the interrogation scene with both of the parent characters together, but when it came around to filming we couldn’t fit them all in the room as it was only small. Therefore, we changed our ideas and decided that they would have an interrogation separately. This also caused problems with the script as the lines didn’t follow on easily so we had to change some. However, we ran through them multiple times so we got the script sorted eventually.

3. We tried to do a tracking shot that was smooth. At first we used a ‘HD Flip Camcorder’ on a swivel chair, but it was too shaky and was a constant canted angle. Then we decided to do it with the ‘Sony HD 1000.’ This was also quite shaky but it might look good as if someone was watching the parent’s. If we decide that it looks to shaky, we will have to film it again which will be quite easy, but we have the choice not to use it if we didn’t include it, the plot would still make sense.

Today we filmed scenes 2 and 5, which were the bedroom and kitchen scenes. The location we used was Alice’s house, as it had big rooms which we could fit all of the equipment and props in. We chose to film a lot of the film in Alice’s house due to the majority of the film is set in a house. We thought that instead of changing locations, and confusing the audience we could keep the location of the house in one place.

Shots we used: Wide shots, close ups/extreme close ups, medium shots, head shots, low angle shot, over the shoulder shot, pan.

What went well: When filming we wanted to create the mise-en scene of a house that is not cared for. Therefore we messed rooms up, and used iconography associated with horror films such as dolls to give the film a creepier atmosphere. I think that this helped make the mise-en scene appear to be scary. We experimented with different shots we could use and how we used them. We used shallow focus to make the “ghosts” in the background look blurred and out of focus, but for the protagonist to be in focus. We also used a focus pull. We were experimenting with how we could use this specific shot and discovered we could use it when Agnes is looking for her mug. I think this will add to the mood of our film and build tension.

Problems we encountered:

1. We found that the sun went in quite fast which could cause some continuity errors to our film. We tried to speed up as quick as we could but the environment meant we had to stop early. If the continuity is disrupted we may have to film some scenes again, but do them earlier in the day.

2. We wanted to have a shot of steam coming out of the kettle as we did an upwards pan, but we were unable to get in on the camera so we had to change our idea.

3. The lighting in the bedroom was originally quite dark. We realised this however, so we opened the curtains to let more light in. Although the protagonist was sleeping we thought we would rather have the shots lit properly than have to worry about whether the curtains were open or closed.

Day Four 27/11/14 Today, we decided to film the garden, the drug taking, the bathroom and the outdoor scene (with

the car.) Again, we used Alice’s house as it was big enough and the rooms could be easily adjusted to look creepy and uncared for.

Shots we used: Establishing shot, CU, medium, wide, long, head and over the shoulder shot.

What went well: Our am for filming today was to do the hanging scene as the weather was gloomy and created a horror effect to our film. We luckily found a low down branch that allowed me to hang from a tree with a noose around my neck without me being any danger what so ever, as my feet were able to touch the floor easily. Also, we got a lot of filming done today as we had the entire day to film. We were able to film four scenes and spend time doing the make up and messing up the rooms and setting to improve the mise-en scene.

Problems we encountered:

1. We ran out of space on the tape. We had previously used the tape to film two days before and proceeded to use the same tape for this day of filming. Once we had filmed the drug taking scene we went on to film the living room scene, but we only had five minutes of recording left so we decided to quickly shoot the bathroom scene and schedule to film the living room scene on a different day.

2. Also, we only realised after filming that we had missed a couple of shots out of the hanging scene; these were Agnes being put down and the noose going around her neck. Also, the shot of the rope being tugged was out of focus so we aim to re-shoot a few parts of the scene again.

We also struggled when it came to creating a noose. We had a couple of pieces of string and tied them together. The end result wasn’t great, but it did what we needed it to do and the audience will be able to tell what it is.

3.

Day four props & characters 27/11/14

Ghost Agnes Agnes’ parents

Day five 04/ 04/02/15

We have been wanting to film for quite some time but there were many weather issues like snow that disrupted our filming on certain days. As some of the scenes we wanted to film carried on from the previous scenes, it would not have looked good or kept up the suspension of disbelief as the mise-en scene had changed. Today we filmed: the hallway scene where Agnes is dragged into a cupboard, the living room scene, the final scene where Agnes fades away and the missing shots from the hanging scene.

Shots we used: Medium shot, wide shot, head shot, CU, low angle shot over the shoulder shot, shallow focus, canted angle.

What went well: We completed what we aimed to do today quickly and precisely. We did research into the hairstyles, props and make up previously used in the hanging scene so that the scene would flow and wouldn’t look strange. We know that the lighting might be different due to the change in the weather, but we tried our best to make it flow. Also, we did a shot of Agnes stood near a door which we will edit so that she will fade away. We did this as a practice shot during production so we feel confident when we have to edit it.

Problems we encountered:1. We struggled to do a shallow focus shot during the living room scene. We

wanted to have Agnes in focus and then the ghost in the background out of focus so that it looks creepier. We struggled to do this, but we had researched how to do this particular shot so I think it looked good in the end.

2. As we needed to add some shots into the hanging scene, we had to film these on a different day. We are worried that the weather will look different which could spoil the mise-en scene and ruin the suspension of disbelief. We could tackle this issue by putting a filter over the shots so that they look the same.

Today we filmed the news report scene as we know it’s an essential part of the plot development for our film. We filmed at Barnsley College as it was where we were all situated and it was where the actor who was playing the news reporter would be able to get to easily. There were no problems for us to get equipment to the location as we used lifts and we did not have to travel far.

Shots we used: Wide shot, medium shot, side shot.

What went well: We were able to move the equipment easily and safely. We were punctual with our filming, and got everything shot fairly quickly. The room we filmed in was sound proof so there will be no other sounds when it comes to editing. The room we filmed in also had a ‘blue screen’ so we aim to edit a studio onto the background to make it appear like the actor was in a news studio. We did many shots to make sure that we got the best possible outcome and shot.

Problems we encountered:

1. At first we struggled to find a place to shoot this scene. We began filming in ‘the pod’ at Barnsley College, but there was litter everywhere and it was quite noisy which would have disrupted the verisimilitude effect to our film. However, we found another room to use which was ‘the TV studio.’ This was a much better location as it was sound proof and looked like a news studio.

2. We initially expected two actors to be in the news report scene and we had written a script to fit them both. However, on the day of filming one of them was ill so we had to go ahead and shoot with just one of the actors. Even though we would have liked to shoot with two people, we had no choice but to continue with one or re-schedule the filming. We did not want to re-schedule so the other actor learnt both parts. This turned out to be okay in the end, as she could learn her lines easily and I think the shooting went okay.

Day seven 19/02/15 Today we filmed the hallway scene, the living room scene and re-

shot the scene outside the house. The aim of filming today, was to wrap up the loose ends in the storyline and to shoot the scene that will help the plot to develop and make sense. We filmed at Alice’s house in Chapel town and although the weather was bleak and we had to film outside, we thought that it contributed to the pathetic fallacy and also the mise-en scene.

What went well: We filmed everything we needed to and we think that it looks okay and can be edited together well. Also as the weather was bleak and dreary the lighting was quite dark which will improve the atmosphere and add to the mise-en scene. Also we had prop boxes this time to represent that the couple are moving into the house and creates the suspension of disbelief.

Problems we encountered:1. Firstly, when we went to college to pick up the camera and

tripod, because it was a half term the equipment office was closed. We had not anticipated that it would be closed, and if we aim to film again in future, we will be sure to double check that it will definitely be open. Luckily, Ellisha owns a Canon photography camera that shoots in HD and also a tripod. We thought that if we used this equipment for the mean time and then if we need to re-film later because the quality doesn’t look right, then we would know what shots work and what don’t, so we would easily be able to film again.

2. Although that the weather helped with our film, by adding to the mise-en scene, we had to film outside so we had to be careful and cautious not to get them wet. We covered the equipment with our coats and umberellas and made sure that if it was outside in the rain, it wasn’t out for long so that it did not become damaged.

Day seven props & characters 19/02/15

Ghosts/new homeowners

Props – boxes, Canon camera and tripod