Producing a risk assessment
As part of the planning process we needed to produce a risk assessment. We used this template to think of all the possible risks that could occur when filming on location.
Planning Autumn Veil
During the script making process we decided that we needed 3 locations in total, all based near the main one: the greenhouse. We needed a house and somewhere outside where James had supposedly slept for the night. This took a lot of planning, especially with the outside locations because we needed to know where we were going to get out electricity and how we were going to work if the weather conditions were bad.
Once we had a decent plan, we worked more on creating a shot list that the crew would need to stick to on set. This helped us to help picture the film without actually shooting. It took a long time to do this as a lot of people had conflicting ideas about how they wanted the scene to look e.g. mid shot of close up and from what angle etc. I personally found this really hard because I had my own ideas about how I wanted specific scenes to look like, and as one of the Directors, I just wanted to use my own ideas rather than take someone else’s. However, the film was supposed to be a team effort and so I took other people’s ideas and included them because a good working relationship between everyone is really important. Furthermore, some people had some really good ideas which would have worked better than mine and so it is was really helpful and productive to hear their ideas.
I met mainly with people working in the cinematography and camera departments and with the other directors in order to create the best shot list. I had never thought of doing a ‘master shot’ where the shot was done in aerial view until someone mentioned it. Although this was a good idea, it would have been really hard to do on out budget and we had to stick to a specific time schedule, which meant that a shot that complex would have meant the sacrifice of time on other equally important scenes.
We also needed to talk about how the characters looked, as well as the film in general. We decided in another meeting that we wanted the old man (Hobie, 70) to look confused and innocent, so we thought about putting him in the greenhouse in nightwear to highlight his confusion. We also talked about James and how we wanted him to wear a hoodie as a metaphorical mask in order to ‘hide’ his troubles and vulnerable side, which we eventually see later in the film when he no longer wears his hoodie.
We went on several casting agency websites to look at potential actors to play James and Hobie. When looking at the actors on the website’s we were looking for someone who reminded us of the nature and personality of the characters we had created together in our minds. We needed a convincing actor who looked like we wanted our character to look like as we wanted the audience to be able to empathize with them we wanted to make the characters believable.
Agree production requirements within the film production team
In the production meetings we had before the shoot, we discussed several things that needed to be addressed and agreed between everyone: Location, actors, camera shots, roles, costumes.
The location was the one thing that took us a while to decide on because the location needed to help bring our story to life- it is arguably one of the most important factors in the film. We eventually decided on a location in Ulverston at a community garden where we agreed looked like where we would want our film to take place.
In another meeting, we decided on what we wanted in our script. https://ruthpostlethwaite.wordpress.com/2014/12/31/301014/
We also discussed character: https://ruthpostlethwaite.wordpress.com/2015/01/06/081114/ Here, we decided on James (17) and Hobie (70) to be our two characters. After this we spent a lot of time deciding on the specifics on the characters e.g. what they wear, what their personality is like etc.
We also debated on the actual structure of the film- do we work chronologically in a linear narrative or do we do something different e.g. flashbacks. We thought that it would be a good idea to have flashbacks to highlight the confusion of both the characters- James has been drinking and so flashbacks would help create a muddled up story, like James’ memory.
( INSERT PIC OF STORY PLANNING- PIECE OF PAPER FROM BOARD)
The final thing we needed to discuss was the script and our roles. We Facetimed Matt in one of our sessions to talk about how we felt about the first draft of the script as a group. We had lots of feedback to give e.g. the dialogue at the beginning, which we wanted to change. https://ruthpostlethwaite.wordpress.com/2015/01/08/151114/
We then discussed which roles we wanted to do on set. I wanted to be the director because I wanted to have an input in all of the departments and I wanted to experience having control over the shoot. I am also interested in behind the scenes as I really like doing things independently with a camera, and so I wanted to do some behind the scenes shooting. I also like asking people interview questions, which is something you can do behind the scenes.
FACT Liverpool
After we had finished editing the film, we met up with the other BFI members to view each other’s films in FACT Liverpool.
My favorite film was called ‘Perfect’ where the story was about a male who tried to create the ideal woman. In doing so, he created a someone so far from the woman he once knew that we could barely recognize her. He managed to change her hair color, her clothes etc by a scrap book where he put different pictures of girls in magazines. He combined the pictures to make a ‘perfect’ woman, to which he included his new girlfriend. When he realized he wanted to change her back, he couldn’t find the right pieces again.
I really liked the story line because it the meaning was really personal to me as a woman. It made you think about what the word ‘perfect’ really means.
When we watched our film, it was the first time we’d seen it as a group. I really enjoyed seeing it, especially when I saw all of our names roll on the credits. The only time I’d seen bits of it before was when we were viewing the rushes and viewing the first draft without sound. Being on the big screen with the surround sound made it a really special experience to properly view our film for the first time.
British Film review- Skyfall
Synopsis: When James Bond’s (Daniel Craig) latest assignment goes terribly wrong, it leads to a huge turn of events: Undercover agents around the world are exposed, and MI6 is attacked, forcing M (Judi Dench) to relocate the agency. With MI6 now compromised inside and out, M turns to the one man she can trust: Bond. Aided by only a field agent (Naomie Harris), Bond takes to the shadows and follows a trail to Silva (Javier Bardem), a man from M’s past who wants to settle an old score.
Intro: The film begins with a blurry figure, presumably Bond, walking towards the camera with a stealth stance, holding a gun. When he gets near to the camera, he comes into focus with the only strip of light shining on his eyes. I think this scene is really cleverly directed as it gives the feel that not everything is what it seems- sometimes a little light needs to come in to make things clear again.
Next, we see that Bond is actually on a mission to receive a pen drive holding the information of agents in MI6. M and male character are talking to bond through his headset from different locations, suggesting the complexity of the mission. When M tells bond to “leave” one of the wounded agents, it further highlights the complexity of the mission and brings home the nature of working for a secret government agency.
The film them progresses into the first chase, involving Bond and a female agent perusing the enemy down narrow streets in a car chase. This then progresses into a bike sequence where Bond and the enemy are riding over rooftops; a sequence typical of bond films- highly unrealistic, but nonetheless still full of adrenaline.
The bike scene ends up with Bond chasing the enemy with the pen drive onto a train where Bond must use his skill and wit to move from one carriage to the other whilst using no weapon. So, naturally, Bond uses his environment and utilities the on-board digger to work his way to his target. After making it onto the roof and fighting for some time with the enemy, the female agent is ordered by M to “take the shot”. When she tells M it isn’t a “clean” shot, M tells her to take it anyway; resulting in the shooting of Bond, rather than the intended target.
Here, the title sequences come onto the screen performed by Adele.
Title sequence: The title sequence of the bond films are one of their most iconic traits, with symmetry and limited color schemes being the key features. This particular sequences has the theme of water, a mansion and the shooting of Bond in it, some of the coming themes of the film. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IimY1KP5dR4
Favorite Scene: My favorite scene in the film is the court scene in which Silva tries to attack M in court. The line which kicks it off is when M says “How safe do you feel”, followed by the poem:
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield
Whilst M is reciting this to the court in order to make her point, we see Bond running down the streets of London, clearly trying to get to her as quickly as he can. The music helps to raise the tension of the scene until we see Silva walk into the lobby of the building, shooting the security guard, and we realize that M is in danger. The constant switching of the three events: M reciting, Bond running through London, and Silva marching (dressed as a police officer) through the building, really created tension and anticipation for the viewer.
This scene shortly results in Silva storming into the court room and shooting the first person he sees, insinuating to the audience that he is out for blood. When M stands up to face him, we see Silva hesitate until we see that he isn’t so ready to pull the trigger on her yet. Instead, he shoots her body guard as he reaches to touch M.
As the shootout continues, Bond reaches the building and is precariously searching to find the room where the action is taking place. The uplifting Bond music begins to play and we get a sense that things could be okay. Quickly, Bond begins to shoot at Silva, realizing that he needs to get everyone out. So, he shoots the fire extinguisher, whilst winking at the officer he just saved. This really makes this scene an iconic one for Bond as he uses his unique thinking skills to get out of danger, rather than just bullet power. As the extinguishers are going off, it creates a cover for Bond and the female agent to get everybody out and away from Silva.
Film Review- FOR NO EYES ONLY
We watched this German film when we went to Glasgow film festival with the other members of the BFI Academy’s.
Written and directed by Tali Barde, For No Eyes Only takes the idea of surveillance in the 21st century and applying it to a modern thriller.
Story: After a sports hockey leaves Sam Anders him at home in recovery, he quickly finds himself bored, desperate to find something to do. The computer genius soon finds how to hack people’s webcams in order to watch them, doing do more than one person at a time. He begins by spying on females, especially his crush Livia. Sam then moves onto spying on the teen who he doesn’t like, Ramond. The strange goings on in Ramond’s house quickly leads to Sam investigating, convincing himself and Livia that Ramond has murdered his father. Sam and Livia begin a plot to find out the truth, planting camera’s in his house and sending Livia to spend time with him.
The character’s are easily to relate to as they are school teens who get joy out of spying on their classmates. When things get interesting, they choose to take it on themselves, rather than telling the police. Their humor and relationship as childhood friends instantly makes them likable, wanting them to succeed in their mission to expose their classmate who we, as an audience, also believe the theory that he murdered his father.
Favorite Scene: My favorite scene in the film is when Livia is in the basement of the house, and finds the place where we suspect Ramond murdered his father. The basement is covered in plastic sheet and blood with weapons everywhere e.g. butchers knife. It is really dark and we can’t see much until Livia flashes the camera. On the final flash, Ramond appears behind Livia and the screen goes black. The suspense reaches the climax and we don’t know what has happened, leaving you on the edge of your seat.
We later find out that he had only killed his dog and chained Livia up to stop her from telling anyone before he had a chance to explain.
Technical skills and equipment required
Behind the scenes
When I was working behind the scenes on the shoot days, I needed to use:
- Camera
- Microphone
- Clipboard
- Pen and paper
- Lights
Me and Jade carried out numerous interviews so we needed to know how to use a camera and microphone in order to carry them out on our own. We were shown how to use the camera and mic and we went to work interviewing people in different locations about their time on and off set.
We needed to think of questions to ask people and so we used a clipboard, pen and paper to write down ideas as we went along, as people came up with more in depth responses for certain types of questions than they did for others. This meant we were constantly adjusting our questions to make the interviews as effective as possible.
After it went dark, we needed to use the lights to see the person we were interviewing on the camera. This was really difficult as we needed to keep moving around, so we didn’t get in the way of people who were working on set filming.
On Set- Director
- Camera viewing screen
- Script
- Pen
When I was the on set director with Matt, I needed to use the small screen connected to the camera to see what was going on as we were shooting in a really small space so I couldn’t see what the camera was pointing at. I also had to help set up the lights and the boom mic as the really small space in the house meant that everything had to be out of view from the camera.
I also always had a script in my hand so that I could refer back to it whenever I needed. This was important so that we didn’t waver to far from the original ideas on the script. If we didn’t keep looking back at the script, I might have missed small details that we needed to include e.g. the tone in someone’s voice or how far the door was cracked open to create a specific effect.
Review own technical skills and use of equipment
Behind the scenes- I really enjoyed using the camera. I got the hang of using it really quickly, with me and Jade moving around making videos constantly. I found using lighting the most difficult because we needed to make the lighting look natural when shooting the behind the scenes in the dark. However, the lights were really harsh on the faces of people we were interviewing, making their faces look really bright and white. We had a hard time correcting this, having to put colored plastic over the light and moving it further away.
Director on set- I found using the camera screen really easy because it showed a really clear picture so that I could direct the camera operator easier. The only difficulty we really faced was when we were shooting outside when the actor had to walk really quickly in front of the moving camera. The camera operator had to move quickly, whilst walking backwards which was really challenging to direct and help with.
Film industry to the wider media sector
After a film has been made, it needs to make it’s way into the public eye. For this to happen, the film must be marketed so that it’s well advertised and then the cinemas buy the film to play for a certain number of days. If a film doesn’t make it to the cinema, it can be put somewhere else for the public to watch e.g Netflix.
After the cinema viewings have ceased, the film can be put onto DVD and sold in shops. If a film hasn’t been shown in the cinema, it can still be put onto DVD and sold. However, these are unlikely to sell as well as those films who were in the cinema as they aren’t as well advertised and people are less likely to buy a film they’ve never heard of before.
BFI Ruth Postlethwaite 