26th September 2011
Matt and I have had our 1st assignment today and we decided to work together, so all together we have 6 films to produce of our Understanding the media project.
We have planned 4 of the films, the faux slo-mo films and the One question project.
We have both written our treatments for faux slo- mo and have planned our ideas for the One question- yet to do our treatments.
I am looking forward to actually making these films as it is a nice project to get started, I am also happy that I have somebody to work with too, but on the other hand I am extremely worried about putting all of my work on my blog, I would really prefer to actually have a paper based portfolio.
It took us quite a while to come up with the ideas because of the films we had researched were based a lot around anger, so if we had of had a few films to look at that didn’t have such a close theme then it would have been easier to come up with ideas for ours.
We have done as much as we could have done today in the planning stage, so over the next few days matt and I will plan further for our other projects and will hopefully film within this week.
30th September
Matt and i had to write our treatments for the 'on question' projects today. we went briefly over the proposals because it is such a simple idea.
i had an idea earlier on in the morning in which involves the music that we will include in one of the films- it will fit extremely well due to the long intro of the song which we can play almost all the way through the film.
we had also planned that we was going to do our filming on Monday and Wednesday next week- we will have to book out the kit on Monday and then keep it out until Friday so we can fit the other films in too.
today was a positive day in the terms as matt and i had planned all of our project filming together, but i'm still unsure to whether we will be using actors or filming ourselves.
the bad point of today is that matt had to go home due to illness so we couldn't discuss deeper into if we was going to have actors or not- i will have to get into contact over the weekend to plan this problem.
We were also going to draw our storyboards today but due to the colleges terms if use of the printers, because i haven't yet set up my printer credits i was unable to print my storyboards off- but i got around this by coming up with the idea of i could draw the storyboards on the computer so i don't have to scan in the paper based document. i will be setting up my printer credits soon though, so this problem doesn't pop up again.
over the weekend i will be completing all the pre-production paper work ready for filming on Monday.
3rd october
matt and i started filming today, we had to do a lot of preproduction in the morning so that halved our filming time, we only had until 1pm to film because we had to go back to lesson to learn about harvard referencing.
at about half 11 we walked to matts house to start filming. it took us around half an hour to get to his house.
the difficulties we encountered when we got to matts house was that
- his hall way was a bit too small to film in (set the camera equipment up)
- we only had a short amount of time to film 2 of the 'slo-mo videos'
we had to film regardless of the obstacles we approached.
when i was filming matt for the gain video, i had to do a zoom so i had to scrap the shots that i wanted to do for example;
-i wanted to do a mid shot, but i had to do a close up zoom out because it wasn't possible.
- the over the shoulder view was a bit shaky because matt is a lot taller than me and i couldn't set up the tripod in that bit because it would have been on a tilt.
im not really happy with the footage we got because i feel asif i could've done a lot better, in the terms as plan ahead for these unforeseen events that were to arise.
i felt asif matt and i could've done a lot better with the filming today, if we had planned it more in depth and planned different shots just incase things such as what happened today.
if any of these problems arise again, the only solution is to prevent not cure, so in future i will analyse every possible outcome of the filming days.
5th october
matt and i were scheduled to film today, our 'one question' projects, but we couldn't do it due to the weather, it was pouring it down at 8 this morning and it was extremely windy too.
i had to text matt on what we should do. we had planned to film outside for our 'one question' films but if we did:
-we would've risked the camera getting wet and causing technical problems
-the wind was too blustery and we would've picked the sound of the wind up on the boom (as we were filming interviews)
we could have filmed inside but, i wanted to keep it as dull as possible (burton as being the dull bit) so i could ask the question 'what do you love?' so that would contrast brilliantly to the dull streets of burton.
we wouldn't have been able to find a place to film anyway that was inside attracted lots of people and still showed the dullness of burton, plus we wouldn't have been allowed to film in any of the shopping centres due to the law.
i feel as matt and i have encountered a lot of obstacles over these few days and it seems hard to keep positive about getting all of our work in to a high standard.
I'm quite worried that the work will not be as good as i had 1st hoped due to the unforeseen circumstances.
matt and i have planned to film the main 3 things on friday;
- slo mo
- one question x2
but for the next couple of days i will be planning and researching in depth about my other project too, 'film homage' and what film i want to do.
i have had a few ideas, and a friend said that she would act in one of them for me, so that is a bit of a relief, because i was worried i wouldn't be able to find an actor at short notice and that i would had to do it myself!
the issue that matt and i have had with the rain today we could not have done anything about it, all we can do is reschedule and keep looking at the weather forecasts over the next few days, even if we had of filmed today with an umbrella over the camera, not many people would've been willing to stand in the rain to do an interview anyway.
fingers crossed the weather stays fine over the next few days.
7th October 2011
today matt and i went filming in Burton town centre near coopers square. We started filming about half 11 due to some technical hitches-
-the battery for the camera had ran out
-the boom wasn't working either.
Its a good job that we were still in Burton and not doing an out of town shoot because i had to run back to college to get another battery and find out how to use the boom.
Filming went extremely well, even though a lot of people turned us down when we asked them if they would help us make a documentary, but we got over 20 people to help us out.
Matt even decided to change his question too whilst filming, which i didn't think was a good idea, because the 'what makes you smile question' would make people think bit more in depth and they would have probably given a lot longer answer than to those we got for Matts new question 'whats the 1 thing you can not live without?'.
Later on in the afternoon, Matt and i had to edit our footage, and my mind went completely blank when it came to importing the footage, i felt really stupid because i should know how to do it, but paul came to the rescue and reminded me how to do it.
I have edited a few short clips and have done the sound on them too, so they are completed to put into the film.
I have also sorted out the song that i want to put with it, i feel that it will compliment the film.
Paul and richard looked at what we filmed and said that it was basically rubbish, because matt and i decided that we had to film in a corner because the wind was very bad and it was spitting with rain, so we found a corner in a brick wall by coopers square- it was sheltered and wind proof and i liked the fact that it was a brick wall- a dull brick wall.
Then they suggested other places we could film, that would have never popped into my head ever, i wish they did though.
After hearing the comments about our film, i really want to film it again, to be honest, i didn't really think it was relevant where we filmed, all i was thinking about was if it was going to be busy or not. If we went to these places that were suggested then not many people will walk by and if they did they would probably have said no to us anyway, but i wish i had of thought about it before, plan before i went out on the shoot.
The good part about today was that Matt and i managed to get a lot of interesting answers (some more than others) to our questions, we wanted people not to know the question so we put them on the spot a bit. to be honest, today bought my love back for filming.
Before Matt and i went out filming we should have checked the battery and that the camera was in the HD setting, this was obviously going to happen due to me not being able to remember how to use a camera and because Matt hasn't used these cameras before, but next time before we go out on a shoot we will check to see if everything is how it should be.
On monday we are going to film the cut aways to both of the 'one question' films, film our slo-mo and plan to do our film homage.
10th october
Today matt and i had to film the other one of our 'Slo-Mo' videos, because we didn't have time last week to film it. i had decided that the one that we had filmed last week i wanted to film again because it was technically wrong, i used a zoom in and out because the space we were filming in was too small for all of the equipment.
during the morning i was planning my film homage video, i have decided to do the wizard of oz because its an extremely iconic film.
i came up with a few ideas that dorothy runs for the bus, but it drives straight past her and then she clicks her heals and ends up at home but obviously not that vague.
Paul said that it needed something else, because in the wizard of oz there is a lot of magic but my film didn't have that fantasy element to it. I had a mental block for a very long time whilst trying to think of a way that we could incorporate that 'magic'.
Then paul and i had came up with the idea of a car with the fairy in it and picks dorothy up, i have also planned to film with my friend who said that she would be the fairy for me.
We spent the morning doing paperwork for the projects that we needed, and filmed in the afternoon (after break).
I had a few moments of loss concentration and thought i had filmed over the footage we had filmed previously, its hard when you can't remember how to use the cameras and i accidentally turned the mac off whilst i was trying to capture the footage, but luckily for me the footage was still capturing!!! (lucky).
I really wasn't in the mood to film today because i haven't been too well, during the day, but when i got into filming i started to enjoy myself (it always happens).
Matt and i also decided that we couldn't use a letter in this film because we were filming in college and there wasn't any letter boxes or anything, so we decided that we would use a phone instead to show that the person has gained/lost the job.
I really need a refresher course to help me remember all the basics of a camera, because i am making a lot of mistakes that i shouldn't, this will make me feel a lot more confident in my work as well.
Today was quite mixed in the terms i have been completely stressed with my work, i am now realising what i always used to think on the national, i need to get the majority of the filming done within the 1st week so i have the rest of the time to finish off my paperwork, edit and so forth.
Over the next few days i am planning to get my paperwork for all the projects done.
14th october
All of us went out filming today, paul had given us the option, if we wanted to swap one of our other projects and we could use this one day project instead.
So i chose to go with this dreams idea because i felt my slo-mo wasn't as good as i hoped for, so i thought that this one day project was a blessing in disguise for me.
i had an extremely good day filming even though we had a few problems with the flip cam, it ran out of battery around 15 mins into filming, and we hadn't filmed all of the interview, so we had to go back to college to go and find a battery or get a new flip cam to use.
When we went back to college, we had to go and see Vinnie to ask him if we could possibly swap cameras and so forth. I understand that he had a lot of work on because Andy was at training, but Vinnie was extremely rude to me especially, he told us that we needed to go and buy some batteries for the flip cam, that is understandable, but he wouldn't help me to get another camera out for my weekend shoot, he wouldn't tell me the name of the camera and he was basically taking the p out of me, i felt as if he wasn't maintaining his professional attitude, it made me feel really angry because i only wanted to book a camera out for the weekend, i am never going to take Andy for-granted ever again!
Later on that day i started editing my footage too, i couldn't download the song that i wanted, i needed it before i started putting clips together because it wouldn't fit to the beat of the music.
I had chosen to use the foals big big love(fig 2) but it was difficult for me to fit the footage to the beat of the song, because it has a fast beat and i couldn't find that 'natural' beat and i found that quite difficult to find.
What was good about today was that we got to work in a group and we all got on amazingly and got some really cool shots that i have also used in my one question production, i feel that i could use them because they were the shots that i was going to film anyway.
what was bad about the experience is that the flip camera ran out of battery, and the Vinnie situation but in terms of editing i feel as if it went quite well.
I wish i had of got alot more shots for establishing my one question project, i wanted to get some shots of people holding hands and so forth.
if the camera was to run out of battery, what we need to do is check the battery before we take the camera out and also buy some batteries just incase they do run out on the flip cam.
15th october
today i went filming in Derby with my friends and sister, they came along with me to help me film:
-Tom - Camera
- Charlotte - sound
- Marie- Actor
I had to be Dorothy out of the wizard of oz and i had to act within my film. Im not very good at acting but i felt comfortable in doing it, its quite weird.
We didn't have many problems at all today, filming went really well.
We were filming for quite a long time, because we had to wait for my friend marie to turn up so we got on with filming all the other shots that we didn't need her in.
When marie turned up we had to film her driving around in her car, she nearly crashed a few times due to the busy streets of Derby.
Im quite worried that im not going to have enough footage for it, i've filmed all the shots that i need but im scared that they wont go together.
I filmed around 3 versions of each shot, so i made sure i got it absolutely correct.
I am a bit worried about the footage too, because i didn't film it, i set the camera up, and left it to tom to press record and so forth, so hopefully he didn't put his own twist on it....heres hoping.
17th october
I had to edit my one question film today, but it was quite difficult for me to find the beat in Big Big Love (Fig.2) The Foals but sam helped me and i think my footage ran a lot more smother.
I also captured my footage that i filmed on saturday, my film homage, wizard of oz. Whilst it was capturing all of the footage had sound, accept for the main part, i was so disappointed, the only reason that this could've happened is that i disconnected the boom and put the internal mic on, in the right place too, but obviously the camera didn't pick up the sound, i was really disappointed because i thought that i got it right this time, i have only just got the hang of filming back and i had to mess up to that extent.
I couldn't use the footage, because i wasn't prepared to record the sound again because it would just look silly, so i thought about how i dropped my slo-mo for the dream description and that ill have to submit the slo-mo instead because it was in a better 'condition' than the film homage.
i captured my slo-mo but i didn't have time to edit it, i had also filmed a few more establishing shots for my one question project too, and they turned out pretty good, so i was pleased with them.
I had a few problems with my one question, for a start i didn't have enough footage, interview footage because we only took 10 release forms each out with us, matt and i, but i had filmed 2 couples within mine, so they both had to use separate forms but were filmed together, so i only had 8 interviews instead of 10.
The answers that people gave too were basically the same for example: dog- i didn't want to have everyone saying dog in my film so i decided to scrap them and put 2 of the people who said that answer in. I had to use a few of matts footage too, but i think i only used 1 interview of his and he said that he didn't mind.
The bad part of today was that the footage i had captured was completely unusable and that i didn't have enough footage to fill up the space on the one question project, but i am extremely pleased i actually got it finished and uploaded on to youtube and i think that it looks quite good too.
Next time i go out filming i am going to put my headphones in even if it is the internal mic, and i am going to film everything 5 times, just so I'm sure that i have a few so i have a choice between a few good shots.
There is nothing i can do about the sound not being on the footage in such a short space of time, because all of our work is in this friday.
I wish i could go back to the start of this project and start again, i have so many ideas that would've been way better than the ideas i have used to film. i feel now as well that i am able to use the camera and i feel a lot more confident with my shots, it has taken me a month to get back into the swing of things and remember how to use a camera and edit.
For any of my other projects i am going to receive i am going to do all of the pre-pro and filming in the 1st week, so i have time to edit and if anything goes wrong i have a few weeks to film again.
4rd November
Today i have been extremely ill so all i could do is join LoveFilm and rent a few Horror films to watch, because i am not really 'into' horror films because i feel that they are all really cringeworthy, i don't think i have watched a scary film that i have enjoyed- ever.
I have rented out Halloween (in series order), the lost boys- but i can only rent 2 films out at a time, so i will be going to the library in the week and taking out some other films to watch.
I have also started planning my questions i am going to ask people about the genre of horror.
In someways i am quite pleased i have been given horror, but in others i am not for example, i really don't like watching horror films because they are cringe worthy, but on the other hand the 3 minute video i have to make could show horror through my eyes and a taster of a film that i would like to watch.
Eventhough i haven't received my rented films yet through the post i have been thinking of what kind of film i would like to make, i want the sub genre to be psychological. i don't want blood or guts or anything like that, i want it to mess with the audiences mind.
I have a question though, on love film Pans labyrinth was classed as a horror, i would class it as a fantasy with horror as a sub genre, what do you think?
11th november
Today i have watched a few films that include lost boys and jacobs ladder- the lost boys was part of my bulk research and jacob's ladder for the fine tuned research that goes with my film.
i decided to watch jacob's ladder because it has a lot to due with drug induced hallucinations, and it alters the mind- even though the person who is doing this is unaware of how it is going to affect them.
I have seen this film before, but i decided to refresh my memory on it and watch it again.
in some aspects this film could tie in with my film because it is all in the guys mind.
I also watched the lost boys too, this film is part of the horror films that i am going to watch for the bulk of my research.
I am still in the planning stages (and research) of my film, i am finding it quite difficult to explain and get onto paper what i want to do.
over the next few days, i am going to build up my horror film knowledge and hopefully, my film will come together. At this moment in time all i can do is research.
13th november
i have watched silent hill today as part of my bulk research... this film is one of my favourites, so i know it quite well. I am finding the idea of my film a little to vague and i dont know how i could expand on it and make it into a film.
I have been doing quite well with my research and have planned the questions out for my primary research, i have also booked a book out of the library of the horror genre so that will help me with the research side of things.
I am feeling as i have let myself get behind, i am finding it really hard to get more ideas for my film, and i only have a few weeks to film pre-pro etc plus an essay- i am going to try and get on top of it all this week and get started on planning my film next week- hopefully i will get inspiration from all the films i am watching.
16th november
i have watched a few more films today, including awake, a nightmare on elm street and have tried to watch the borrowed copy of scream from the library but unfortunately the disk did not work- i did not break it.
Awake is the main film i wanted to watch because of the 'sleep paralysis' scene- this ties in with my film ideas extremely well and i feel i have got inspiration from it...
I feel as if things are coming together now, and the ideas are forming in my head, i am going to write every single idea down so i can pick and chose them from the list.
My plan for next week is to finish the research i have started and to print off my questionaires, and research sleep paralysis in more depth, and to book a camera out to film.
18th november
Today i have had a few ideas towards my film, i have decided that i don't want my film to have an obvious storyline to it, i want it to be a dream state- because my film is about sleep paralysis, i don't want it to be in linear order either, i want it to be like a sort of a messed up dream.
It has been quite hard for me to come up with ideas for this film, because i don't really want to make my film similar to other horror films, i want to make my own interpretation of a horror film, this could be quite difficult due to the short running time we have been given by the brief.
i am quite pleased that i have managed to sort a few ideas in my head, better late than never, but i am extremely worried about the amount of time i have left to film and edit and do all my other work in.
over the next few days i plan to watch a bulk load of films and start writing up the pre-production paper work for my film.
22nd November
I have written up questions for my questionnaire and i have also written up the research of the films that i needed to finish. i have also made a plan of what i need to complete before filming, i will be sticking to this plan to get me through the next few weeks, i have also planned i will be filming on 25th november, this friday. I have to get the majority of my paperwork done by then.
I have also watched the devils backbone today- this is part of my bulk research, and i have to analyse it today and the rest of the films i have watched to.
The devil's backbone dvd that i have rented out from love film was scratched and i couldn't watch some of the film, good job i have watched it before and can remember it.
I have yet to give out my questionnaires for people to fill in, i think i will give them out on friday and then on saturday top up all the answers and make it into a graph.
i have also been reading through Horror, the film reader, i have found this book extremely useful and think i will be using it for quoting in my essay.
I need to also print off storyboards whilst at college, due to me not having a printer at home, i also want to try and get all the outstanding paperwork finished on friday for my film.
25th November
Today i didn't go into col due to illness, and i was meant to film today after college with my friend liam, as he is the main character- i actually couldn't go to college, i felt so ill! So today i decided that i will would watch Tideland as part of my bulk research, this film does not at all in any way shape or form tie in with my film- but this is a truly interesting film in the way that it is so surreal.
I have also completed some paperwork today towards my film and have also sent out some questionnaires via email to a few people that agreed to do them for me. i have also decided i want to send out around 20 questionnaires, a mix of young and old people to compare the answers that i will receive.
I am extremely disappointed and worried about not filming today, but i have worked out with my friend (the actor) that we are going to film on tuesday and wednesday, this may seem as if i am cutting it short, but i have come up with a plan.
In future i want to come up with a plan before i start a project of how things are going to be done, in which weeks and i have to stick to them, i feel this plan will help me with my time management as this is a great issue i have with myself at the moment.
1st December
I had started my filming today due to unforeseen circumstances that had arose on wednesday (family related issues). I had filmed my actor in the bath today for some of my 'Dream' scenes.
I felt really let down by myself today because i wanted to get more scenes done and out of the way but i didnt think about how long it would take to walk to the actors house and so forth, so this took a giant chunk out of our filming schedule time.
The bath scene went okay, but i wanted it to be a bit more dramatic than it was, and it was hard to film it due to the lighting that was in the bathroom, it was extremely bright and when ever i moved it caused a shadow over the actor, we tried everything possible to diminish the problem but there wasn't anything that we could do accept angle the camera so it doesnt pick up on any shadows or harsh lighting, we even turned the light off but then it was far too dark- there wasn't anything we could've done about it, not even book a lighting kit from college because there aren't any plugs in a bathroom.
Tomorrow i want to try and get 2 more scenes done, i want the forest scene and the main bulk of it- the bed scene- i would like to try and get all the paperwork done and put onto my blog too tomorrow morning and film in the afternoon.
I want to get all of my research of films finished and out of the way by sunday, so then i can start editing and so forth on monday morning when i go into college. i also need to have a voice over to my film, so i will have to get my actor to come into college and read a script that i have written.
I hope tomorrow is a more productive day in the terms i get the majority of the filming done and a lot of the paperwork.
3rd December
Today i filmed another few scenes to my film, this included the the bedroom scenes. Filming went extremely well and i got more shots than i hoped to get, but i am worried that the lighting wasn't right.
I am really worried that the footage that i got isn't going to look right, so if it doesn't i am going to have to colour correct it via the editing suite, this is going to add more on to what i have already got to do, this is extremely worrying for me.
What i should've done is booked out the lighting kit, but i was concerned that the lights would be too bright as you can not turn them down- i wanted it to look like a night time scene.
In future i think i should always have a practice run at filming to see whether the lights are going to be to bright or too dark, this will help me with future projects too.
I am extremely pleased with the amount of footage i had managed to film so that is the main part and there is always the options of brightening it up via editing, so overall a good day of filming.
What i will be doing tomorrow is starting my essay and also collecting the results from the questionnaires i had given out to people.
11th december
Today didn't go so well in the terms of filming, we were unable to film because of the weather- like so many days this week. This was extremely disheartening and i felt as if everything was against me in the terms of filming throughout of this project. I have had to change a lot of things that i wanted to for my film, for example the scene in the bath where it fills up with blood, this would've been doable if only i had enough time to have done it. I feel as if i have done a lot of research for this project in the terms of watching films and trying to find out other peoples experiences of sleep paralysis, but in a way i feel that the research side of it took up all of my time- the time that i needed to plan and film my horror short, i know that i should next time try and manage my time a lot better:
-plan within the 1st week and paperwork
-Film within the second
This will give me a lot of time to change things if i need to, or film more footage or edit it in a particular way.
Today i have also started my essay, and have written 530 words, i am struggling with how it is meant to be structured so i will ask a tutor tomorrow.
All in all this has been a bad day in the terms of filming, but a good day because i started my essay.
Tomorrow i will film the rest of my film and hopefully get a few bits of outstanding paperwork done.
12th december
Today i have edited the 1st bit of my film and i have also filmed the rest of my film and captured the footage too.
I am feeling a bit rushed for time, as i need to colour grade all the 'dream scene' parts, this is going to be quite time consuming because i have picked a custom colour that i have made myself via the editing suite.
I have also changed my mind on the soundtrack that i want to have, it was going to be 'in your house, the cure' but i don't feel as if it is dramatic enough, even though it has the linking of the lyrics to my film (see film ideas). I also want an instrumental soundtrack, because i am also having a voiceover and if there is someone singing in the background then it will get all muddled up with the voiceover, so this is another downfall in my film.
In future to avoid this happening i will choose a range of songs with lyrics and without, so i have a choice between a few songs rather than rushing last minute to find a suitable song.
It is all down to the planning stage that i find quite hard, but over the christmas holidays i will learn a few techniques on how to plan my work.
- TAKEN FROM MY OWN HAND WRITTEN RLJ.
9th January 2012
Today we where given an assignment to produce 2 short films of the titles city in minutes, and real short stories. initially before paul explained the brief to us, i had already thought of an idea that i thought would've been suitable for the real short stories film, i wanted to film a 'hansel and gretel' fairy tale, stop motion video, but then paul explained it had to be about a person you knew or know of that has an interesting life or a hobby. i could not think of anyone at all! i do not know many interesting people!
-
I am extremely worried about the real short stories assignment, because i do not know any of that is interesting at all! for my city in a minute assignment i have decided to film derby, as it is close and i know my way round, so it should be easy to think of the places where i would like to film.
i am going to have to think hard into the people i know for the short stories assignment over the next few days.
17th January 2012
i have decided to film my city in minutes in lichfield rather than derby, because it is easier for me to get to, i have also thought of a person who i could base my real stories film on, his name is Dan, he is an 18 year old morris dancer and he also plays the accordion, i feel that this film will now have a quirky edge to it, its quite fun and unusual. I am happy to have thought of an idea finally for my short stories film, because i have been completely worried over the past few days, even though the idea was right in front of my face.
I have also started my paper work for the city in minutes as i will be filming this 1st as Dan has to get back to me about getting permission to film him dancing in his local group on a sunday morning.
i have researched into the city in minutes films and have decided i don't want to go with the same time lapse theme, because i feel lichfield as a city would not fit into that kind of filming technique, maybe i am wrong and probably be proven wrong, but i feel it is for the bigger cities, i want to keep lich as slow paced as possible.
Within the next few days i want to have filmed my city in minutes and start filming my short stories film. i will be filming tomorrow in lichfield.
18th January
Today i had filmed in lichfield but encountered a few problems, by the time i got out it was 3pm, and started getting dull, this really effected my shoot as it looked dark and dingy- not the effect i want! The A1e also started playing up, it said it had no battery left, even though i had charged both batteries last night.
i feel disappointed and angry because i thought i would've got all my shots done today and be filming the short stories by the weekend.
I am also worried about editing both films because we only have a monday to come and and edit, not fridays because we are going to tamworth to help out, i don't know how i am going to possibly do all of this work.
Dan still hasn't replied to my emails.
over the next few days i will get all my paper work done and out of the way so i have time to edit and finish off writing my essay.
25th January 2012
i have been poorly over the weekend with tonsillitis so i couldn't film, so today i had to go and get a camera and go out and film in lich, i tried to make it as nearer the time of the last shoot as possible, but it was absolutely beautiful today, comparing to the last shoot of dull and musty, i don't know what todo, this film is meant to be city in a minute of a 1 day shoot, i have a 2 day shoot and its really obvious! i am going to have to put the dull clips 1st and gradually colour grade them up to look as if the day has turned into a sunny day.
Dan still hasn't replied to my email, i will have to talk to paul about it on friday, because i am extremely worried that i won't be able to film.
6th February
i have been ill for a week now and have finally gone into college to edit my film, i am quite pleased with the overall look of my film, it is slow paced, but shows lichfield how i wanted it too. the different shoot days are extremely obvious though, and probably to the audience as well, but this couldn't of been helped.
Dan still hasn't messaged me back, and i have had to ask paul if i could just film the city in minutes, i feel extremely let down and stressed out by this whole project, i just hope next time i can be a little bit more organised and not ill!
24th February
We where given an assignment to make an advert for chevrolet, matt and i have decided to work together on it. today i have been planning to make an upbeat inspirational video that will motivate people, because when i think of make it happen, it gives me inspiration and i feel that this will also give other people inspiration too. I had to go home early today due to feeling really poorly, so i will continue trying to think of ideas for the advert tonight, if i am feeling better.
27th February
Matt has come up with an idea, but because I've been ill and off college he has had to do it, i would've liked some input in the idea, but it looks as if we are going with that now. I suppose i feel quite angry, because i wanted consulted, we are meant to be working together, I'm not looking forward to the filming because i know i will be TOLD what to do instead of us both having equal input, its as if i am being penalised for being ill.
Even though Matt and i are working together i am still going to develop my own idea and get the paperwork sorted, just in case.
16th March
I have been diagnosed with Glandular Fever and was given a Doctors note, i gave this note to paul, i am apparently not allowed to be on the premises until i am fit to be there, this has caused me to panic, matt and i had to decide on a date to film and stick to it, i have had to get final cut 7 for my own mac at home so i am able to edit outside of uni, i am panicking!! i hardly know the idea and i am having to work on my own, i don't even know what kind of edit matt wants out of it... maybe it is time to start thinking about producing my own idea now...
I have also finished the storyboards tonight and wrote the proposal for matts project and my own (just in case).
I am thinking i will have to ask for an extension from staffordshire uni, i didn't want to have to do this, but i feel it is much needed if i am going to start to make my own film, but i don't think i can at the moment because of feeling so ill.
I have applied for an extension and i am waiting to hear back from staffordshire uni for the go ahead.
19th March
Today i met matt at lunch time out side of uni, and i arranged for an actor to come and film with us too. SOO many problems occurred today it was stupid! Matt hadnt arranged for the young actors to come out and film, and he didn't have a woman actress, so i had to act instead, i felt this was really disorganised of him, i was out of college sick and i still managed to get an actor, if he had of asked me i am sure i could've sorted the other actors out for the film too, but once again NO COMMUNICATION.
The shoot went ok-ish, the battery had ran out on the camera, so we had to make a trip back to uni so Matt could go and get one, and then back to his to start the shoot.
I thought he would've been more organised on the shoot, knowing what shots he wanted and how he wanted it to look, but he didnt, i had to film the majority of it, even though i was acting in it as well.
I have also been trying to contact matt throughout the week trying to sort the filming out and if he could send me the copy of the script and shot list so i can have my own copy's, this was like banging your head against a brick wall, i am NOT working with him again.
26th march
I have been given a doctors note to say i am allowed back into uni for today. i was hoping to see Matt at uni and get the footage off of him and do a quick edit on it, eventhough the deadline was for today and put it on DVD etc... Matt didnt turn up today so i text him asking if i could have the footage, he said he would meet me at lunch and bring it on a USB, then it turns out that Matt has emailed paul and said he has lost the footage, it would've been nice for him to tell his partner!!!!!!!!!
So i have decided to make my own advert in the 2 week extension i have been granted, i already have the idea i want and the treatment is typed up all i have to do is the rest of the paperwork and the essay, i am so worried i will not have it done by the end of the holidays, but i am going to try my hardest, at least i have my own editing software at home now.
3rd april
Today, My friend Liam and i filmed in birmingham, despite the weather and it being a mainly outdoor shoot it went quite well and i will get my sister to be in it in a few days time. when i came back home from filming today i put all the footage on the computer and edited it to the best i could with the footage i had, its looking ok-ish, but i still have loads to film, I need to take the camera back to uni on friday, so i hope i have it all filmed by then.
I also finished off the pre- production paperwork today, but i need to get risk assessment forms!! i do not have a printer at home and am unable to go out and print them off, i am also missing a risk assessment form from matts film too!!!
6th April
I was meant to take the camera back to uni today, but it is good friday and is a bank holiday, i hope i dont get into trouble for this, but i have filmed the rest of my advert even though the battery died and i can not film anymore, i am stuck because there was a few much needed shots, but there isn't anything i can do about it, my friend lent me a battery too, but its for a Nikon camera! worst day ever, i am going to get on with the camera log sheets and start my essay today so it is out of the way for editing tomorrow!
I can't take the camera back on monday either because that is a bank holiday too!! i will have to ring andy on tuesday.
9th April
The film is edited and im not very pleased with it, i had a few problems with drop frames during the editing process and have had to learn from scratch what to do! but i have done it and i suppose my advert is quite good considering the time i have had to film it in and being ill and so forth...
being ill during this term at college has cost me alot in time and in money due to having to do everything at home, but i know one thing for sure, i am not going to work with anyone else again on a project, only that of people i can rely on!!
RECAP OF THE YEAR.
30th September
Matt and i had to write our treatments for the 'on question' projects today. we went briefly over the proposals because it is such a simple idea.
i had an idea earlier on in the morning in which involves the music that we will include in one of the films- it will fit extremely well due to the long intro of the song which we can play almost all the way through the film.
we had also planned that we was going to do our filming on Monday and Wednesday next week- we will have to book out the kit on Monday and then keep it out until Friday so we can fit the other films in too.
today was a positive day in the terms as matt and i had planned all of our project filming together, but i'm still unsure to whether we will be using actors or filming ourselves.
the bad point of today is that matt had to go home due to illness so we couldn't discuss deeper into if we was going to have actors or not- i will have to get into contact over the weekend to plan this problem.
We were also going to draw our storyboards today but due to the colleges terms if use of the printers, because i haven't yet set up my printer credits i was unable to print my storyboards off- but i got around this by coming up with the idea of i could draw the storyboards on the computer so i don't have to scan in the paper based document. i will be setting up my printer credits soon though, so this problem doesn't pop up again.
over the weekend i will be completing all the pre-production paper work ready for filming on Monday.
3rd october
matt and i started filming today, we had to do a lot of preproduction in the morning so that halved our filming time, we only had until 1pm to film because we had to go back to lesson to learn about harvard referencing.
at about half 11 we walked to matts house to start filming. it took us around half an hour to get to his house.
the difficulties we encountered when we got to matts house was that
- his hall way was a bit too small to film in (set the camera equipment up)
- we only had a short amount of time to film 2 of the 'slo-mo videos'
we had to film regardless of the obstacles we approached.
when i was filming matt for the gain video, i had to do a zoom so i had to scrap the shots that i wanted to do for example;
-i wanted to do a mid shot, but i had to do a close up zoom out because it wasn't possible.
- the over the shoulder view was a bit shaky because matt is a lot taller than me and i couldn't set up the tripod in that bit because it would have been on a tilt.
im not really happy with the footage we got because i feel asif i could've done a lot better, in the terms as plan ahead for these unforeseen events that were to arise.
i felt asif matt and i could've done a lot better with the filming today, if we had planned it more in depth and planned different shots just incase things such as what happened today.
if any of these problems arise again, the only solution is to prevent not cure, so in future i will analyse every possible outcome of the filming days.
5th october
matt and i were scheduled to film today, our 'one question' projects, but we couldn't do it due to the weather, it was pouring it down at 8 this morning and it was extremely windy too.
i had to text matt on what we should do. we had planned to film outside for our 'one question' films but if we did:
-we would've risked the camera getting wet and causing technical problems
-the wind was too blustery and we would've picked the sound of the wind up on the boom (as we were filming interviews)
we could have filmed inside but, i wanted to keep it as dull as possible (burton as being the dull bit) so i could ask the question 'what do you love?' so that would contrast brilliantly to the dull streets of burton.
we wouldn't have been able to find a place to film anyway that was inside attracted lots of people and still showed the dullness of burton, plus we wouldn't have been allowed to film in any of the shopping centres due to the law.
i feel as matt and i have encountered a lot of obstacles over these few days and it seems hard to keep positive about getting all of our work in to a high standard.
I'm quite worried that the work will not be as good as i had 1st hoped due to the unforeseen circumstances.
matt and i have planned to film the main 3 things on friday;
- slo mo
- one question x2
but for the next couple of days i will be planning and researching in depth about my other project too, 'film homage' and what film i want to do.
i have had a few ideas, and a friend said that she would act in one of them for me, so that is a bit of a relief, because i was worried i wouldn't be able to find an actor at short notice and that i would had to do it myself!
the issue that matt and i have had with the rain today we could not have done anything about it, all we can do is reschedule and keep looking at the weather forecasts over the next few days, even if we had of filmed today with an umbrella over the camera, not many people would've been willing to stand in the rain to do an interview anyway.
fingers crossed the weather stays fine over the next few days.
7th October 2011
today matt and i went filming in Burton town centre near coopers square. We started filming about half 11 due to some technical hitches-
-the battery for the camera had ran out
-the boom wasn't working either.
Its a good job that we were still in Burton and not doing an out of town shoot because i had to run back to college to get another battery and find out how to use the boom.
Filming went extremely well, even though a lot of people turned us down when we asked them if they would help us make a documentary, but we got over 20 people to help us out.
Matt even decided to change his question too whilst filming, which i didn't think was a good idea, because the 'what makes you smile question' would make people think bit more in depth and they would have probably given a lot longer answer than to those we got for Matts new question 'whats the 1 thing you can not live without?'.
Later on in the afternoon, Matt and i had to edit our footage, and my mind went completely blank when it came to importing the footage, i felt really stupid because i should know how to do it, but paul came to the rescue and reminded me how to do it.
I have edited a few short clips and have done the sound on them too, so they are completed to put into the film.
I have also sorted out the song that i want to put with it, i feel that it will compliment the film.
Paul and richard looked at what we filmed and said that it was basically rubbish, because matt and i decided that we had to film in a corner because the wind was very bad and it was spitting with rain, so we found a corner in a brick wall by coopers square- it was sheltered and wind proof and i liked the fact that it was a brick wall- a dull brick wall.
Then they suggested other places we could film, that would have never popped into my head ever, i wish they did though.
After hearing the comments about our film, i really want to film it again, to be honest, i didn't really think it was relevant where we filmed, all i was thinking about was if it was going to be busy or not. If we went to these places that were suggested then not many people will walk by and if they did they would probably have said no to us anyway, but i wish i had of thought about it before, plan before i went out on the shoot.
The good part about today was that Matt and i managed to get a lot of interesting answers (some more than others) to our questions, we wanted people not to know the question so we put them on the spot a bit. to be honest, today bought my love back for filming.
Before Matt and i went out filming we should have checked the battery and that the camera was in the HD setting, this was obviously going to happen due to me not being able to remember how to use a camera and because Matt hasn't used these cameras before, but next time before we go out on a shoot we will check to see if everything is how it should be.
On monday we are going to film the cut aways to both of the 'one question' films, film our slo-mo and plan to do our film homage.
10th october
Today matt and i had to film the other one of our 'Slo-Mo' videos, because we didn't have time last week to film it. i had decided that the one that we had filmed last week i wanted to film again because it was technically wrong, i used a zoom in and out because the space we were filming in was too small for all of the equipment.
during the morning i was planning my film homage video, i have decided to do the wizard of oz because its an extremely iconic film.
i came up with a few ideas that dorothy runs for the bus, but it drives straight past her and then she clicks her heals and ends up at home but obviously not that vague.
Paul said that it needed something else, because in the wizard of oz there is a lot of magic but my film didn't have that fantasy element to it. I had a mental block for a very long time whilst trying to think of a way that we could incorporate that 'magic'.
Then paul and i had came up with the idea of a car with the fairy in it and picks dorothy up, i have also planned to film with my friend who said that she would be the fairy for me.
We spent the morning doing paperwork for the projects that we needed, and filmed in the afternoon (after break).
I had a few moments of loss concentration and thought i had filmed over the footage we had filmed previously, its hard when you can't remember how to use the cameras and i accidentally turned the mac off whilst i was trying to capture the footage, but luckily for me the footage was still capturing!!! (lucky).
I really wasn't in the mood to film today because i haven't been too well, during the day, but when i got into filming i started to enjoy myself (it always happens).
Matt and i also decided that we couldn't use a letter in this film because we were filming in college and there wasn't any letter boxes or anything, so we decided that we would use a phone instead to show that the person has gained/lost the job.
I really need a refresher course to help me remember all the basics of a camera, because i am making a lot of mistakes that i shouldn't, this will make me feel a lot more confident in my work as well.
Today was quite mixed in the terms i have been completely stressed with my work, i am now realising what i always used to think on the national, i need to get the majority of the filming done within the 1st week so i have the rest of the time to finish off my paperwork, edit and so forth.
Over the next few days i am planning to get my paperwork for all the projects done.
14th october
All of us went out filming today, paul had given us the option, if we wanted to swap one of our other projects and we could use this one day project instead.
So i chose to go with this dreams idea because i felt my slo-mo wasn't as good as i hoped for, so i thought that this one day project was a blessing in disguise for me.
i had an extremely good day filming even though we had a few problems with the flip cam, it ran out of battery around 15 mins into filming, and we hadn't filmed all of the interview, so we had to go back to college to go and find a battery or get a new flip cam to use.
When we went back to college, we had to go and see Vinnie to ask him if we could possibly swap cameras and so forth. I understand that he had a lot of work on because Andy was at training, but Vinnie was extremely rude to me especially, he told us that we needed to go and buy some batteries for the flip cam, that is understandable, but he wouldn't help me to get another camera out for my weekend shoot, he wouldn't tell me the name of the camera and he was basically taking the p out of me, i felt as if he wasn't maintaining his professional attitude, it made me feel really angry because i only wanted to book a camera out for the weekend, i am never going to take Andy for-granted ever again!
Later on that day i started editing my footage too, i couldn't download the song that i wanted, i needed it before i started putting clips together because it wouldn't fit to the beat of the music.
I had chosen to use the foals big big love(fig 2) but it was difficult for me to fit the footage to the beat of the song, because it has a fast beat and i couldn't find that 'natural' beat and i found that quite difficult to find.
What was good about today was that we got to work in a group and we all got on amazingly and got some really cool shots that i have also used in my one question production, i feel that i could use them because they were the shots that i was going to film anyway.
what was bad about the experience is that the flip camera ran out of battery, and the Vinnie situation but in terms of editing i feel as if it went quite well.
I wish i had of got alot more shots for establishing my one question project, i wanted to get some shots of people holding hands and so forth.
if the camera was to run out of battery, what we need to do is check the battery before we take the camera out and also buy some batteries just incase they do run out on the flip cam.
15th october
today i went filming in Derby with my friends and sister, they came along with me to help me film:
-Tom - Camera
- Charlotte - sound
- Marie- Actor
I had to be Dorothy out of the wizard of oz and i had to act within my film. Im not very good at acting but i felt comfortable in doing it, its quite weird.
We didn't have many problems at all today, filming went really well.
We were filming for quite a long time, because we had to wait for my friend marie to turn up so we got on with filming all the other shots that we didn't need her in.
When marie turned up we had to film her driving around in her car, she nearly crashed a few times due to the busy streets of Derby.
Im quite worried that im not going to have enough footage for it, i've filmed all the shots that i need but im scared that they wont go together.
I filmed around 3 versions of each shot, so i made sure i got it absolutely correct.
I am a bit worried about the footage too, because i didn't film it, i set the camera up, and left it to tom to press record and so forth, so hopefully he didn't put his own twist on it....heres hoping.
17th october
I had to edit my one question film today, but it was quite difficult for me to find the beat in Big Big Love (Fig.2) The Foals but sam helped me and i think my footage ran a lot more smother.
I also captured my footage that i filmed on saturday, my film homage, wizard of oz. Whilst it was capturing all of the footage had sound, accept for the main part, i was so disappointed, the only reason that this could've happened is that i disconnected the boom and put the internal mic on, in the right place too, but obviously the camera didn't pick up the sound, i was really disappointed because i thought that i got it right this time, i have only just got the hang of filming back and i had to mess up to that extent.
I couldn't use the footage, because i wasn't prepared to record the sound again because it would just look silly, so i thought about how i dropped my slo-mo for the dream description and that ill have to submit the slo-mo instead because it was in a better 'condition' than the film homage.
i captured my slo-mo but i didn't have time to edit it, i had also filmed a few more establishing shots for my one question project too, and they turned out pretty good, so i was pleased with them.
I had a few problems with my one question, for a start i didn't have enough footage, interview footage because we only took 10 release forms each out with us, matt and i, but i had filmed 2 couples within mine, so they both had to use separate forms but were filmed together, so i only had 8 interviews instead of 10.
The answers that people gave too were basically the same for example: dog- i didn't want to have everyone saying dog in my film so i decided to scrap them and put 2 of the people who said that answer in. I had to use a few of matts footage too, but i think i only used 1 interview of his and he said that he didn't mind.
The bad part of today was that the footage i had captured was completely unusable and that i didn't have enough footage to fill up the space on the one question project, but i am extremely pleased i actually got it finished and uploaded on to youtube and i think that it looks quite good too.
Next time i go out filming i am going to put my headphones in even if it is the internal mic, and i am going to film everything 5 times, just so I'm sure that i have a few so i have a choice between a few good shots.
There is nothing i can do about the sound not being on the footage in such a short space of time, because all of our work is in this friday.
I wish i could go back to the start of this project and start again, i have so many ideas that would've been way better than the ideas i have used to film. i feel now as well that i am able to use the camera and i feel a lot more confident with my shots, it has taken me a month to get back into the swing of things and remember how to use a camera and edit.
For any of my other projects i am going to receive i am going to do all of the pre-pro and filming in the 1st week, so i have time to edit and if anything goes wrong i have a few weeks to film again.
4rd November
Today i have been extremely ill so all i could do is join LoveFilm and rent a few Horror films to watch, because i am not really 'into' horror films because i feel that they are all really cringeworthy, i don't think i have watched a scary film that i have enjoyed- ever.
I have rented out Halloween (in series order), the lost boys- but i can only rent 2 films out at a time, so i will be going to the library in the week and taking out some other films to watch.
I have also started planning my questions i am going to ask people about the genre of horror.
In someways i am quite pleased i have been given horror, but in others i am not for example, i really don't like watching horror films because they are cringe worthy, but on the other hand the 3 minute video i have to make could show horror through my eyes and a taster of a film that i would like to watch.
Eventhough i haven't received my rented films yet through the post i have been thinking of what kind of film i would like to make, i want the sub genre to be psychological. i don't want blood or guts or anything like that, i want it to mess with the audiences mind.
I have a question though, on love film Pans labyrinth was classed as a horror, i would class it as a fantasy with horror as a sub genre, what do you think?
11th november
Today i have watched a few films that include lost boys and jacobs ladder- the lost boys was part of my bulk research and jacob's ladder for the fine tuned research that goes with my film.
i decided to watch jacob's ladder because it has a lot to due with drug induced hallucinations, and it alters the mind- even though the person who is doing this is unaware of how it is going to affect them.
I have seen this film before, but i decided to refresh my memory on it and watch it again.
in some aspects this film could tie in with my film because it is all in the guys mind.
I also watched the lost boys too, this film is part of the horror films that i am going to watch for the bulk of my research.
I am still in the planning stages (and research) of my film, i am finding it quite difficult to explain and get onto paper what i want to do.
over the next few days, i am going to build up my horror film knowledge and hopefully, my film will come together. At this moment in time all i can do is research.
13th november
i have watched silent hill today as part of my bulk research... this film is one of my favourites, so i know it quite well. I am finding the idea of my film a little to vague and i dont know how i could expand on it and make it into a film.
I have been doing quite well with my research and have planned the questions out for my primary research, i have also booked a book out of the library of the horror genre so that will help me with the research side of things.
I am feeling as i have let myself get behind, i am finding it really hard to get more ideas for my film, and i only have a few weeks to film pre-pro etc plus an essay- i am going to try and get on top of it all this week and get started on planning my film next week- hopefully i will get inspiration from all the films i am watching.
16th november
i have watched a few more films today, including awake, a nightmare on elm street and have tried to watch the borrowed copy of scream from the library but unfortunately the disk did not work- i did not break it.
Awake is the main film i wanted to watch because of the 'sleep paralysis' scene- this ties in with my film ideas extremely well and i feel i have got inspiration from it...
I feel as if things are coming together now, and the ideas are forming in my head, i am going to write every single idea down so i can pick and chose them from the list.
My plan for next week is to finish the research i have started and to print off my questionaires, and research sleep paralysis in more depth, and to book a camera out to film.
18th november
Today i have had a few ideas towards my film, i have decided that i don't want my film to have an obvious storyline to it, i want it to be a dream state- because my film is about sleep paralysis, i don't want it to be in linear order either, i want it to be like a sort of a messed up dream.
It has been quite hard for me to come up with ideas for this film, because i don't really want to make my film similar to other horror films, i want to make my own interpretation of a horror film, this could be quite difficult due to the short running time we have been given by the brief.
i am quite pleased that i have managed to sort a few ideas in my head, better late than never, but i am extremely worried about the amount of time i have left to film and edit and do all my other work in.
over the next few days i plan to watch a bulk load of films and start writing up the pre-production paper work for my film.
22nd November
I have written up questions for my questionnaire and i have also written up the research of the films that i needed to finish. i have also made a plan of what i need to complete before filming, i will be sticking to this plan to get me through the next few weeks, i have also planned i will be filming on 25th november, this friday. I have to get the majority of my paperwork done by then.
I have also watched the devils backbone today- this is part of my bulk research, and i have to analyse it today and the rest of the films i have watched to.
The devil's backbone dvd that i have rented out from love film was scratched and i couldn't watch some of the film, good job i have watched it before and can remember it.
I have yet to give out my questionnaires for people to fill in, i think i will give them out on friday and then on saturday top up all the answers and make it into a graph.
i have also been reading through Horror, the film reader, i have found this book extremely useful and think i will be using it for quoting in my essay.
I need to also print off storyboards whilst at college, due to me not having a printer at home, i also want to try and get all the outstanding paperwork finished on friday for my film.
25th November
Today i didn't go into col due to illness, and i was meant to film today after college with my friend liam, as he is the main character- i actually couldn't go to college, i felt so ill! So today i decided that i will would watch Tideland as part of my bulk research, this film does not at all in any way shape or form tie in with my film- but this is a truly interesting film in the way that it is so surreal.
I have also completed some paperwork today towards my film and have also sent out some questionnaires via email to a few people that agreed to do them for me. i have also decided i want to send out around 20 questionnaires, a mix of young and old people to compare the answers that i will receive.
I am extremely disappointed and worried about not filming today, but i have worked out with my friend (the actor) that we are going to film on tuesday and wednesday, this may seem as if i am cutting it short, but i have come up with a plan.
In future i want to come up with a plan before i start a project of how things are going to be done, in which weeks and i have to stick to them, i feel this plan will help me with my time management as this is a great issue i have with myself at the moment.
1st December
I had started my filming today due to unforeseen circumstances that had arose on wednesday (family related issues). I had filmed my actor in the bath today for some of my 'Dream' scenes.
I felt really let down by myself today because i wanted to get more scenes done and out of the way but i didnt think about how long it would take to walk to the actors house and so forth, so this took a giant chunk out of our filming schedule time.
The bath scene went okay, but i wanted it to be a bit more dramatic than it was, and it was hard to film it due to the lighting that was in the bathroom, it was extremely bright and when ever i moved it caused a shadow over the actor, we tried everything possible to diminish the problem but there wasn't anything that we could do accept angle the camera so it doesnt pick up on any shadows or harsh lighting, we even turned the light off but then it was far too dark- there wasn't anything we could've done about it, not even book a lighting kit from college because there aren't any plugs in a bathroom.
Tomorrow i want to try and get 2 more scenes done, i want the forest scene and the main bulk of it- the bed scene- i would like to try and get all the paperwork done and put onto my blog too tomorrow morning and film in the afternoon.
I want to get all of my research of films finished and out of the way by sunday, so then i can start editing and so forth on monday morning when i go into college. i also need to have a voice over to my film, so i will have to get my actor to come into college and read a script that i have written.
I hope tomorrow is a more productive day in the terms i get the majority of the filming done and a lot of the paperwork.
3rd December
Today i filmed another few scenes to my film, this included the the bedroom scenes. Filming went extremely well and i got more shots than i hoped to get, but i am worried that the lighting wasn't right.
I am really worried that the footage that i got isn't going to look right, so if it doesn't i am going to have to colour correct it via the editing suite, this is going to add more on to what i have already got to do, this is extremely worrying for me.
What i should've done is booked out the lighting kit, but i was concerned that the lights would be too bright as you can not turn them down- i wanted it to look like a night time scene.
In future i think i should always have a practice run at filming to see whether the lights are going to be to bright or too dark, this will help me with future projects too.
I am extremely pleased with the amount of footage i had managed to film so that is the main part and there is always the options of brightening it up via editing, so overall a good day of filming.
What i will be doing tomorrow is starting my essay and also collecting the results from the questionnaires i had given out to people.
11th december
Today didn't go so well in the terms of filming, we were unable to film because of the weather- like so many days this week. This was extremely disheartening and i felt as if everything was against me in the terms of filming throughout of this project. I have had to change a lot of things that i wanted to for my film, for example the scene in the bath where it fills up with blood, this would've been doable if only i had enough time to have done it. I feel as if i have done a lot of research for this project in the terms of watching films and trying to find out other peoples experiences of sleep paralysis, but in a way i feel that the research side of it took up all of my time- the time that i needed to plan and film my horror short, i know that i should next time try and manage my time a lot better:
-plan within the 1st week and paperwork
-Film within the second
This will give me a lot of time to change things if i need to, or film more footage or edit it in a particular way.
Today i have also started my essay, and have written 530 words, i am struggling with how it is meant to be structured so i will ask a tutor tomorrow.
All in all this has been a bad day in the terms of filming, but a good day because i started my essay.
Tomorrow i will film the rest of my film and hopefully get a few bits of outstanding paperwork done.
12th december
Today i have edited the 1st bit of my film and i have also filmed the rest of my film and captured the footage too.
I am feeling a bit rushed for time, as i need to colour grade all the 'dream scene' parts, this is going to be quite time consuming because i have picked a custom colour that i have made myself via the editing suite.
I have also changed my mind on the soundtrack that i want to have, it was going to be 'in your house, the cure' but i don't feel as if it is dramatic enough, even though it has the linking of the lyrics to my film (see film ideas). I also want an instrumental soundtrack, because i am also having a voiceover and if there is someone singing in the background then it will get all muddled up with the voiceover, so this is another downfall in my film.
In future to avoid this happening i will choose a range of songs with lyrics and without, so i have a choice between a few songs rather than rushing last minute to find a suitable song.
It is all down to the planning stage that i find quite hard, but over the christmas holidays i will learn a few techniques on how to plan my work.
- TAKEN FROM MY OWN HAND WRITTEN RLJ.
9th January 2012
Today we where given an assignment to produce 2 short films of the titles city in minutes, and real short stories. initially before paul explained the brief to us, i had already thought of an idea that i thought would've been suitable for the real short stories film, i wanted to film a 'hansel and gretel' fairy tale, stop motion video, but then paul explained it had to be about a person you knew or know of that has an interesting life or a hobby. i could not think of anyone at all! i do not know many interesting people!
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I am extremely worried about the real short stories assignment, because i do not know any of that is interesting at all! for my city in a minute assignment i have decided to film derby, as it is close and i know my way round, so it should be easy to think of the places where i would like to film.
i am going to have to think hard into the people i know for the short stories assignment over the next few days.
17th January 2012
i have decided to film my city in minutes in lichfield rather than derby, because it is easier for me to get to, i have also thought of a person who i could base my real stories film on, his name is Dan, he is an 18 year old morris dancer and he also plays the accordion, i feel that this film will now have a quirky edge to it, its quite fun and unusual. I am happy to have thought of an idea finally for my short stories film, because i have been completely worried over the past few days, even though the idea was right in front of my face.
I have also started my paper work for the city in minutes as i will be filming this 1st as Dan has to get back to me about getting permission to film him dancing in his local group on a sunday morning.
i have researched into the city in minutes films and have decided i don't want to go with the same time lapse theme, because i feel lichfield as a city would not fit into that kind of filming technique, maybe i am wrong and probably be proven wrong, but i feel it is for the bigger cities, i want to keep lich as slow paced as possible.
Within the next few days i want to have filmed my city in minutes and start filming my short stories film. i will be filming tomorrow in lichfield.
18th January
Today i had filmed in lichfield but encountered a few problems, by the time i got out it was 3pm, and started getting dull, this really effected my shoot as it looked dark and dingy- not the effect i want! The A1e also started playing up, it said it had no battery left, even though i had charged both batteries last night.
i feel disappointed and angry because i thought i would've got all my shots done today and be filming the short stories by the weekend.
I am also worried about editing both films because we only have a monday to come and and edit, not fridays because we are going to tamworth to help out, i don't know how i am going to possibly do all of this work.
Dan still hasn't replied to my emails.
over the next few days i will get all my paper work done and out of the way so i have time to edit and finish off writing my essay.
25th January 2012
i have been poorly over the weekend with tonsillitis so i couldn't film, so today i had to go and get a camera and go out and film in lich, i tried to make it as nearer the time of the last shoot as possible, but it was absolutely beautiful today, comparing to the last shoot of dull and musty, i don't know what todo, this film is meant to be city in a minute of a 1 day shoot, i have a 2 day shoot and its really obvious! i am going to have to put the dull clips 1st and gradually colour grade them up to look as if the day has turned into a sunny day.
Dan still hasn't replied to my email, i will have to talk to paul about it on friday, because i am extremely worried that i won't be able to film.
6th February
i have been ill for a week now and have finally gone into college to edit my film, i am quite pleased with the overall look of my film, it is slow paced, but shows lichfield how i wanted it too. the different shoot days are extremely obvious though, and probably to the audience as well, but this couldn't of been helped.
Dan still hasn't messaged me back, and i have had to ask paul if i could just film the city in minutes, i feel extremely let down and stressed out by this whole project, i just hope next time i can be a little bit more organised and not ill!
24th February
We where given an assignment to make an advert for chevrolet, matt and i have decided to work together on it. today i have been planning to make an upbeat inspirational video that will motivate people, because when i think of make it happen, it gives me inspiration and i feel that this will also give other people inspiration too. I had to go home early today due to feeling really poorly, so i will continue trying to think of ideas for the advert tonight, if i am feeling better.
27th February
Matt has come up with an idea, but because I've been ill and off college he has had to do it, i would've liked some input in the idea, but it looks as if we are going with that now. I suppose i feel quite angry, because i wanted consulted, we are meant to be working together, I'm not looking forward to the filming because i know i will be TOLD what to do instead of us both having equal input, its as if i am being penalised for being ill.
Even though Matt and i are working together i am still going to develop my own idea and get the paperwork sorted, just in case.
16th March
I have been diagnosed with Glandular Fever and was given a Doctors note, i gave this note to paul, i am apparently not allowed to be on the premises until i am fit to be there, this has caused me to panic, matt and i had to decide on a date to film and stick to it, i have had to get final cut 7 for my own mac at home so i am able to edit outside of uni, i am panicking!! i hardly know the idea and i am having to work on my own, i don't even know what kind of edit matt wants out of it... maybe it is time to start thinking about producing my own idea now...
I have also finished the storyboards tonight and wrote the proposal for matts project and my own (just in case).
I am thinking i will have to ask for an extension from staffordshire uni, i didn't want to have to do this, but i feel it is much needed if i am going to start to make my own film, but i don't think i can at the moment because of feeling so ill.
I have applied for an extension and i am waiting to hear back from staffordshire uni for the go ahead.
19th March
Today i met matt at lunch time out side of uni, and i arranged for an actor to come and film with us too. SOO many problems occurred today it was stupid! Matt hadnt arranged for the young actors to come out and film, and he didn't have a woman actress, so i had to act instead, i felt this was really disorganised of him, i was out of college sick and i still managed to get an actor, if he had of asked me i am sure i could've sorted the other actors out for the film too, but once again NO COMMUNICATION.
The shoot went ok-ish, the battery had ran out on the camera, so we had to make a trip back to uni so Matt could go and get one, and then back to his to start the shoot.
I thought he would've been more organised on the shoot, knowing what shots he wanted and how he wanted it to look, but he didnt, i had to film the majority of it, even though i was acting in it as well.
I have also been trying to contact matt throughout the week trying to sort the filming out and if he could send me the copy of the script and shot list so i can have my own copy's, this was like banging your head against a brick wall, i am NOT working with him again.
26th march
I have been given a doctors note to say i am allowed back into uni for today. i was hoping to see Matt at uni and get the footage off of him and do a quick edit on it, eventhough the deadline was for today and put it on DVD etc... Matt didnt turn up today so i text him asking if i could have the footage, he said he would meet me at lunch and bring it on a USB, then it turns out that Matt has emailed paul and said he has lost the footage, it would've been nice for him to tell his partner!!!!!!!!!
So i have decided to make my own advert in the 2 week extension i have been granted, i already have the idea i want and the treatment is typed up all i have to do is the rest of the paperwork and the essay, i am so worried i will not have it done by the end of the holidays, but i am going to try my hardest, at least i have my own editing software at home now.
3rd april
Today, My friend Liam and i filmed in birmingham, despite the weather and it being a mainly outdoor shoot it went quite well and i will get my sister to be in it in a few days time. when i came back home from filming today i put all the footage on the computer and edited it to the best i could with the footage i had, its looking ok-ish, but i still have loads to film, I need to take the camera back to uni on friday, so i hope i have it all filmed by then.
I also finished off the pre- production paperwork today, but i need to get risk assessment forms!! i do not have a printer at home and am unable to go out and print them off, i am also missing a risk assessment form from matts film too!!!
6th April
I was meant to take the camera back to uni today, but it is good friday and is a bank holiday, i hope i dont get into trouble for this, but i have filmed the rest of my advert even though the battery died and i can not film anymore, i am stuck because there was a few much needed shots, but there isn't anything i can do about it, my friend lent me a battery too, but its for a Nikon camera! worst day ever, i am going to get on with the camera log sheets and start my essay today so it is out of the way for editing tomorrow!
I can't take the camera back on monday either because that is a bank holiday too!! i will have to ring andy on tuesday.
9th April
The film is edited and im not very pleased with it, i had a few problems with drop frames during the editing process and have had to learn from scratch what to do! but i have done it and i suppose my advert is quite good considering the time i have had to film it in and being ill and so forth...
being ill during this term at college has cost me alot in time and in money due to having to do everything at home, but i know one thing for sure, i am not going to work with anyone else again on a project, only that of people i can rely on!!
RECAP OF THE YEAR.
27th May 2012.
Looking back over the past year of
this course I feel that I have hit some real struggles but have gotten through
them because I was determined to get all my work done at a standard I felt was
best at the time. Nothing ran smoothly for me and in other cases Matt when we
worked together, but in the end everything came together. The 1st
project that we were given we worked together on because I had taken the year
before off and felt a bit uneasy using the equipment again, and Matt was unsure
of the equipment as well. This project proved to be difficult in which our
timings were completely off and at the last minute we rushed to do everything, because
of this we faced a lot of problems when it came to filming our films, technical
problems with the camera, the weather- (filming interviews outside in gusty
winds), miscalculation of the interviews meaning not enough footage to fill the
time that was on the brief… everything you could imagine to go wrong did! When
it came to editing the footage, I was completely anxious, I couldn’t even
remember how to capture the footage, but after about 5 minutes I got the hang
of it again and it felt like I never had a years break from it, that really
pleased me because I loved editing when I was studying on the national diploma.
Even though the problems we faced during the shoot, my footage in my eyes
looked quite good and I was pleased with it, even though the little films
weren’t technically good, I felt I had gained more confidence within myself and
that I can set myself goals to do even better with my editing!
The most scariest assignment I’ve had
on the course was the Chevrolet assignment Matt and I decided to work together,
I was poorly throughout the 7 weeks we were given, and had to leave the idea of
the script to matt, I wasn’t allowed in college for a few weeks and this made
matt and I panic, how was I going to edit the footage etc.
Matt and I filmed the advert to an
okish standard (I didn’t understand the script properly, so this made it even
harder to film) and planned to meet matt for him to give me the footage to edit
in the next week. When it came to the day, matt had lost all of the footage and
the deadline was the Monday after… this was the scariest moment of my life, I
was convinced I was going to fail.
I had just been given a two week
extension from Staffordshire university, so I booked a DSLR out and went
filming, I had to re-do all of my paperwork, change everything.
I was extremely pleased with the
outcome, even though I didn’t have enough footage due to the battery running
out half way through filming, I felt I had achieved greatly after something so disastrous.
I would’ve liked to have entered my advert into the Chevrolet competition, I know
it wouldn’t of got very far, but it would’ve been nice to have been apart of
such a big competition.
Over the last year I would say my
biggest downfall was my time keeping, working and attendance, even though I was
poorly, I feel this is something I need to work on fast for the next year of
this course.
I can see a big difference with my
work and I have become a lot more confident in what I am doing, I am also
having fun on this course, I actually love going into university and planning
films and talking about films, this was already a passion of mine, but now its
growing!
Recently I have been trying to steer clear of
my comfort zone and using a photography camera to film on, and I actually can
say I prefer using a DSLR, to a film camera, for a start I always used to lend
the A1E from the college because it was small, but a photography camera is
smallish too, you also don’t have to buy tapes all the time, the shots are deep
and defined and in my view are probably easier to film on.
Next year I would like to hopefully
like to progress even more with my filming and editing, but the main area I
would like to be a lot stronger in is my theory work as I am not sure of myself
when I am writing, I could easily speak an essay from my brain, but writing it
down on paper seems a bit of a challenge for me, so, over the summer I am going
to be looking into a few techniques on how to say what I want to say and write
it in an essay format.
Overall I feel my 1st year
has gone well, and I hope to progress further next year and receive a place at
a good university for my third year.
