Filming Plans and Uploading 'Rushes'

We have decided to film in our double period on Friday 4th March as we had problems filming in half term. Here is the permission to do this from Andrew...

 The weather for friday is looking promising...

We have uploaded our footage we have filmed so far and hoping to finish it on Friday. Here is some evidence of doing this....

Filming Part 2

• Today was the day when we were supposed to finish filming our footage. However, the battery run out and the replacement battery had not been charged.
• We managed to film some of the footage. But in order to complete this we will now hopefully  film in our double period on Friday 4th March if we get permission from our Supervisor, Andrew. 

Filming Postponed

Filming is postponed today (Wednesday 23rd) due to bad weather. This is also coupled with bad visibility.

So hopefully we will film on Friday (25th February)... The Met Office/BBC Weather seems unsure whether it will rain in the daytime or not...

The overall view for the day is light rain.

The daytime view appears to be dry.

Filming Shots By Becky

Today we filmed the 'mob leader' scene and here are a couple of photos to show what we got up to!

Problems and Decisions

• Our original idea to use underlighting didn't work in practice so in the end we decided to use side lighting.
• Problems with Cigarette: We were going to use a cigarette, but we realised that Alex would not be able to hold it along with the glass of whiskey and the telephone. Therefore, we made the whiskey the main focus.

Here Nathan is on lighting duty whilst Shona is filming.

In this picture we can see Alex acting!

 

Filiming Timetable and Plans

We plan to film on the Wednesday (23rd February) of Half Term (Friday as back up day), this will be the outside section.

Nathan will get the 10.17 train from Hassocks to Three Bridges...

Shona will also pick up this train  at 10.21 from Burgess Hill...

• Alex will pick up a slightly later bus and meet us at the location. Becky will hopefully be able to pick Nathan and Shona up from Three Bridges.

• The other scene, in the Mob Managers headquarters will be filmed in college on Wednesday 16th, this is also the same day we will pick up the equipment for the other filming day!

Pre- Production Planning (Lighting)

By Shona

• During our scene in which we film our mob leader sitting in his office we will be using low key lighting to create a sinister effect to show that this character is not to be trusted. This should create a tense mood in the audience. 
• We will also use underlighting in this sequence, this will disfigure the mob leaders body making him shady and a threat.
• We will be using portable lights for this part of our opening.

By Becky (photography), Alex (the subject) and Nathan (Lighting operator). We have tested different lighting techniques. This is what we found:

Backlit Lighting makes him look slightly angelic, which wouldn't be appropriate for our thriller. 

Side lighting. This is a possibility because it shows a dual personality. 

Under lighting. We are most probably going to use this because it disfigures the face making Alex look sinister.

• For this exercise we only used 1 portable light but for the main practical we hope to use a couple of lights.
• Because the camera we used was on our phone we were unable to get the framing exactly as we would of liked.

Pre-Production Planning (animatic) by Shona and Nathan

• Majority of credit here has to go to Shona who illustrated all of the storyboard and edited the most. Nathan narrated the animatic.
• We have made sure to make shots shorter to demonstrate the cross cutting we are going to using.

Here are some storyboard planning pictures...

Pre-Production Planning (Prop Research) by Becky and Alex

A list of props we will be using

• Mobile Phone x2 (We will use our own phones)
• Cigarette (possibly a cigar. We will be able to buy this). To make the mob leader seem shady and distrustful, as if he has to hide behind the 'smoke'.
• Whiskey (Cold Tea and not real whiskey!). This will show the Mob Leader to be corrupt but also that he is calm as he sips this whilst Stan is panicking down the phone to him.

Costume

• Shirt (Use from home). To convey a proffesional job.
• Black Trousers (From home)
• Sovereign Ring (borrow from a friend). The Mob Manager has money and appears to what to spend it on expensive items such as jewellery.
• Hoodie (Use from home). Not the main focus of our piece, only used to protect the mystery mans identity.
•  Black shoes and trainers (Use from home)

Pre-Production Planning (Health and Safety) by Nathan

1. Footwear on Bridle path- We will need to wear suitable footwear with strong grip on the bridle path to prevent slipping over.
2. Use of Equipment- To prevent cameras from being damaged or getting muddy we will have to make sure that the exact point on the bridlepath in which we film is firm. This may restrict the places we can film but this is better than damaging equipment and not being able to film at all! When not using equipment we will need to make sure this is on firm and ground that is not dirty.
3. Public Notification- We will need to make sure we put signs up because this is of course a PUBLIC bridlepath. We will have to stop filming to allow people through.

4. 

   

    We would definetley not be able to film here!
   
   

   • 4.Prop Safety (The Phone)- At one point in our story, Stan (The Main Protagonist) throws down a phone. To prevent damage to somebodys own phone we need to think of a suitable alternative. Some of our options include...Using an old phone that no longer works, Use of Foley effects to suggest this or Pad the impact by using a soft material.
   • After testing this out on the grass in college, we are happy that it will pad the fall.

   
   

   Prop Safety (Cigarette)- We will be using real cigarettes for authenticity, but because of this we will have to be extra careful so we do not get burnt or burn other things.

   
   
   
   
   
   

Pre-Production Planning (Setting Shots) by Becky and Alex



The bridge.

Risk Assessment:  We have to watch out for the bridge might be slippy if it has rained,  we will overcome this by wearing suitable footwear.

We must be careful of the uneven parts in the middle of the bridge when placing the tripod. We will just place the tripod on the flat parts. 



Worth Way

Risk Assessment: We have got to be careful if the path if it is muddy. By wearing suitable footwear for the conditions. 

 

Coming up to the bridge

Risk Assessment: If were filming here we don't want to endanger wildlife. To overcome this we will carefully put down equipment and watch our step. 

Below the Bridge

Risk Assesment: Will definetley not be able to film here if path is this muddy.Equipment would be damaged and very slippery underfoot.

Overcome by: We will overcome this by finding a suitable place to film if this is not available.

The Path

• We have chosen these shots to convey a dark eery setting
• It is fairly isolated and the countryside is a commonly used setting in a thriller e.g. The Disappearance of Alice Creed.

Mob Manager location

We currently have a few ideas on this location but we haven't finalised anything yet.

Some ideas that we have....
We were thinking of using a room in a stables but the people who own this do not want us to film there.

In the end we have gone for interview room in college to film our scene....

The interview room here will be good because it appears isolated.

Risk Assessment

Problem: Equipment falling down
How We Will Over Come This: Make sure the place we are placing equipment is flat and make sure all equipment screws are in tightly.

Problem: Light burning.
How We Will Solve This: Not put the lights near materials or close to ground when they are on.

Problem: Cold Tea (Whisky) spilling onto things.
How We Will Solve This: Keep a firm hold of the tea when using and when not using put it on a firm surface away from where it can be knocked.

Pre-Production Planning (List Of Roles) - By Alex

Director - Becky Baker
Camerawoman - Shona White
Locations Manager - Becky Baker
Storyboard Artist - Shona White and Becky Baker
Prop Manager - Nathan Packham
MOB Leader - Alex Pippard
Stan - Nathan Packham
Mystery Man - Becky's brother

Pre- Production Planning (The Script) by Nathan

Here is our script....

• We've decided the man in the bridlepath will be called Stan.
• The other 2 characters will have no name to create enigma.

Stan: Well,Where the hell is he?
Mob Leader: He said he's going to be late
Stan: 'Late? Man? Late?
Mob Leader: Just relax it will be fine, get the stuff and get out
Stan: If this goes wrong, Im out man, I'm out!
Mob Leader: You know there is no way out
Stan: Its all your fault
Mob Leader: No, its all YOUR fault (Hangs up phone)
Stan: (Narration): Its all his fault, Its all his damn fault!

• There is no dialogue for the 3rd 'Mystery' Man to develop his enigmatic persona.

Other things we did today 2/2/2011

• Began to draw our storyboard, this will later be put on the blog as an animatic.
• Decided that, unless we have to change due to extreme circumstances, that the bridlepath in Crawley will be our location.