TV Play Episode

As part of the course we have to take part in at least one of the episodes for TV Play.
TV Play is our digital TV channel for the course. I planned my episode in the last couple of weeks and had Josh and jack help me with filming due to the tight schedule.
My episode is on Halloween with a bit of history where it began, how people celebrate it in the UK compared to USA and what they dress up as. It is educational but also funny. I wanted to show people how it has all changed over the years.

I did some research and had help from Helen to make my script as I needed to do a A/V script to be detailed with what is being said next to what is being shown (room, shot size, what is happening). I had PTC (piece to camera) introducing and presenting throughout with short vox pox montage after each piece to get answers from people.
Josh filmed the vox pox as I was unavailable. Jack filmed me presenting in my flat as I didn't have enough time to go back to the base room and film there. The lighting wasn't brilliant as I was using the light in my flat, I added some brightness to the edit. The sound was a slight issue as I used my own camera (more convenient) and used the mic on the camera. The sound was not great quality but it was still clear enough to hear what people were saying.
I think it went well as I wanted to keep it simple and concentrate on the content. I edited it straight after on my mac and then uploaded it for Helen to check. Once I had the all clear I gave it to Ferg to upload to the TVP channel ready for broadcast at 1pm.

The Episode:

I enjoyed making the episode and I will do another one at some point. Next time I will plan further ahead and make it more entertaining like having a set of challenges for people to do. I will also have different camera shots and angles.

Last editing workshop

Today was our last editing workshop on Adobe Premiere Pro.
Over the past weeks Fergus has been teaching us the different tools in the software.
The tools are important as it makes the editing process easier and simpler especially for complicated projects. We also learn't shortcuts which again, makes the editing much faster for deadlines when working with clients.
Some of he tools we learn't;

• Selection tool
• Ripple edit
• Rolling edit
• Razor
• Hand tool

Shortcuts:

• I -Mark in 
• O- Mark out
• Shift 1 -Clip Library 
• Shift 2- Clip Preview window
• Shift 3- Timeline 
• Shift 4- Live view window
• Cmd S- Save project
• Cmd Z- Undo 

It has been an interesting few weeks as I have learn't a lot from the software. I will continue to practise using it and learn further. 

This is the video I edited in the workshop last week. I liked editing the clips together. Today we had a look at sound, text and colour which I am already familiar with. 

CBBC Ultimate brain Runner

Yesterday I had the amazing opportunity to be a runner on a production being filmed at the studios.
Zig Zag productions needed some runners to help with the filming of a children's programme,'Ultimate Brain' which is broadcast on CBBC.

I was excited when I found out I would be working on this as it would be great experience to put on my CV and help me next year when working on studio modules.

What is a runner?

A runner is someone who runs around making sure small but important jobs get done, hence 'Runner'. A runner is an entry level position in the industry with tasks often being simple but they need doing as other crew are busy getting the show filmed.

What I did:

I started off taking the scripts and call sheets from the office down to the studio and gallery handing them out making sure everyone has one. I then went around taking a drinks order. Crew around the studio get very busy so it is important for me to make sure they have a drink and bottles of water. I went into the gallery to give water as they get thirsty very quickly. I checked the lighting and sound crew as they are separated from the main gallery, I didn't want to leave anyone out!

It was quite often that I wasn't doing any jobs, I kept walking around cleaning up and trying to keep myself busy. I kept watching them film each segment of the show, a lot of the time 'pick ups' had to be done. - A 'pick up' is re-recording a line usually because of episode time going over and to cut out any ab-lib. The show has children on the teams and sometimes they are not enthusiastic enough when responding to the characters on the show. I enjoyed watching the crew like floor manager and camera ops. A lot of the time I kept going to the diner to help there as that is where the contestants go during breaks. Some parents stay there and watch the show on the TV. I checked on everyone making sure they are okay and providing drinks and snacks if they requested them.
I went up to the office to help with the scripts for the next recording, filing them together and making sure there is enough. Before lunchtime I was asked to give out lunch vouchers to crew, again making sure everyone who needed one had one!

After lunch I had more jobs to do. I first had to sort out the cue cards, cutting out printed questions and sticking them onto the cards. This didn't take long which was good as they used them shortly after I finished them! The segments on the afternoon recording were messy with the character sliding down a slide with oil and washing up liquid. Soon as they stopped recording I was on hand to clean this up. Later on the contestants had to hit the jelly as fast as they can. I helped clean this up. Floor manager called 'That's a wrap' and we cleaned up.

Being a runner was a great experience especially on a show like this as they really do need the helping hand. I enjoyed watching the crew and going into the gallery. At times it was fast paced but I like the thrill and adrenaline to get jobs done on time. I hope to have more experience like this in the future. 

Script surgery

Yesterday I had a script surgery appointment with Simon.

I have been writing my script for a couple of week going over different parts and seeing how it flows. The workshops really helped as I now know how to write it correctly using the final draft software, which is very simple to use. At first I didn't have much action or scene descriptions, I was finding this difficult trying to establish what was happening in each scene and writing it on paper. I was also telling the story rather than showing it. Simon told me I need to write only what we (the audience) see on screen.

He also suggested that I should add some more drama and be creative. My initial idea was to have my character (Neal) being late for work. Simon pointed out that it would be much more dramatic if 'Neal' was heading for a job interview or he was on a warning and could risk losing his job if he was to be late again. I like the suggestion as it really shows the change in the story when he is met with 'Linda'. I changed the script to Neal being late for a important job interview. This creates a big decision for Neal for him to choose between helping out Linda or trying to get to the interview on time.

I have finished my first draft ready to submit tomorrow. It is printed and stapled ready to hand in. I know that I will have plenty of re-writing to do like Steve told us, the majority of the process comes down to re-writing. It is the first script I have ever written so I know it won't be perfect.
I look forward to filming the first two minutes of the story.

Crossing the line video

In our last camera workshop our task was to combine all our skills that we learn't over the last few workshops and use them to make a video about crossing the line - 180 degree rule.

Here is my edit, I was directing and on camera.

I think that if I had more time I could have perfected the camera work and have more shots. It was difficult as I had to direct everyone at the same time, the boom was entering the frame a lot so the footage was limited. Continuity played a big role in this task and I tried my best to keep the video in flow. After carefully cutting the shots together I think this went well.

Last camera workshop

Today was our last workshop.

We had to make a sequence using all the techniques and elements that we have learn't in the previous workshops. We were given a brief which gave us instruction as to what we have to do. We had to be in groups of at least 4 (director/camera, boom pole and two characters) and follow a script with some dialogue taking turns to be on camera.

180 degree rule

We also had to follow the 180 degree rule. This is keeping the camera in the same section of action if cutting between people talking. Going outside the 180 degrees it will distract the audience as the viewer will find it difficult to understand. See the diagram.

I grouped with Josh, Leo and Sam. Sam started on camera while I was on screen being a character. Sam had difficulty being on camera using the correct settings, Fergus helped and got us off to a start. I suggested a few things to Sam but he was directing so it was his role to decide on what happens.
I enjoyed being on screen and thought I did well being a character. Josh was next on camera while I was boom operator. I have done this before so I felt confident doing this, I enjoyed it and got a good crisp sound. I kept asking Josh if the boom was in frame which he said it wasn't. The end result showed that majority of the shots the boom could be seen at some point. Both Josh and I was annoyed by this but I kept checking during production. After a break it was my turn to direct and be on camera. I took time setting up my shot and going through the script with the characters. Josh was on boom and I directed him to hold it over the characters to get clear enough sound. I found it challenging directing as sometimes people were not listening, I was on camera too so I found it hard to do both. The end result looked quite good but if we had more time it would have been much better.
Overall I think it was a great workshop combining all of what we have learn't but we also had a few problems which was unfortunate.

The video will be uploaded shortly.

Great news!

I have just received an email in regards to my application to film in Chatham by the Kent film office.
There is no issues and everything is clear for me to film my project.

Email from Kent film office

 I just need to be aware of the location and ensure we follow the highway code whilst filming.


I have written my first 3 pages of my script. I will continue this week to write the rest and format it all on Final draft next week.

Sound workshop

Yesterday we had a camera workshop with Fergus. In this workshop we mainly covered sound.

In projects at college I have used different types of microphones and have a understanding of the ways to record sound.

In the workshop we went through the main mic that was in the equipment store which is a rode mic. This is a directional mic that can be attached to the side of the camera and plugged in using a XLR cable. The camera powers the mic but you must ensure that you change the control to 48v to power the mic. The control on the camera changes the sound from the camera mic to any external mic. The Sony EX cameras have two input XLR sockets for external mics. I like this feature as it means the sound is synced to the visual, in my previous projects I have had to sync audio and visual up in post-production.

Directional microphones are good as these pick up sound in the direction that the mic is pointing, hence the name. The mic is also known as a shotgun mic as when attached to the grip it is shaped like a shotgun.

We looked at the monitor as the sound being picked up is displayed on the monitor giving a clear indication to how loud the sound is. It has a reading of decibels so the sound recordist knows how much noise is being recorded. it is not as clear as having Headphones on so Ferg asked us to wear headphones and try recording sound at different positions moving back from the mic. I could hear how the sound changes when the action goes away from the mic, the sound gets distorted and is not as crisp.

We went on to looking at boom poles and wind protection. I have used a boom pole before so was familiar with how to set it up and how to position it correctly. The wind protection is important as it stops any unwanted noise like wind from ruining the recording. We looked at a 'dead cat' protector. Named dead cat as it is fluffy and looks like a cats tail, this piece of kit allows protection over the mic for outdoor filming. Fergus introduced us to blimp. This is also a protector against unwanted noise but also balances out the mic on the handle, making it easier for the boom operator to hold steadily without it being unbalanced. It is crucial that the boom is set up correctly otherwise the sound may not be as direct and will not be as crisp.

Ferg also told us about health and safety with the equipment and how to work on location. He gave us a briefing of the important rules that we should be aware of when filming on location. These include:

• Knowing the area- Doing a run through with both crew and cast to make all aware of any dangers or hazards that may happen. Risk assessment should be filled out before any filming.
• Safety first- Before any production can begin, think first and do simple but very important checks.
• Wear high-visibility jackets when on location at any uncontrolled area (roads, street etc.).
• Have contact details for everyone involved and inform others detailing the location and time expected to return back to base. 

The workshop was fun and interesting. Having known majority of what we went through it was good to recap on it all. I am confident with the sound equipment and know the different types. 

Storyboard task

Today we also had a look at storyboards.

A Storybaord is important as it visually shows how you want a film to look like. Storyboard artists are hired to sketch out the story to make it look very detailed and graphic. This type of storyboard is useful if there is a lot going on in a scene. Storyboards show the camera shot and any movement, descriptions are given to tell us any more information that may not be clear in the sketch. Storyboards don't have to be artistic and can simply show the story in a form of stick figures. productions don't always need a storyboard however, they do need an idea of what type of shots are to be used in a scene so a shot list will be needed on the set. Mulitcam shows like Eastenders for example will have a shot list as the story is often clear enough. Music videos rely on storyboards as a lot of action happens in a scene. Sometimes a storyboard can be just a 'birds eye view' of the location or set, this is common where multiple cameras are used for an action sequence for example. This is a map of where the characters will be and where crew/cameras are to be set up.

Our task was to storyboard a scene from one of our favourite shows, I chose a scene from Inbetweeners. 'Simon passes his driving test' is a scene I selected for 'my moment' for Steve.

Here is the scene:

My storyboard:

My drawing is not the best but I wanted to try and sketch more detail than just doing a stick figure. I added outlines of the characters and objects in a black pen to make them stand out. I put a short description below of what is happening in each shot.
The whole scene is filmed with a handheld camera otherwise I would have added arrows to indicate camera movement etc.  I put frame markers for the shot that is being used.

When planning for my own project I will just use stick figure sketches as I will fill out a detailed shot list for my production.

Camera workshop 3

Today we had our camera workshop with both Fergus and Simon.

The day started with Simon looking at Shot sizes, camera movements and trailers. We looked at the different types of shots used by the correct language.

Camera shots:

Camera shots

Above is some of the standard references to camera shots.

Extreme long shot is much further away getting a lot of action in the frame. Wide shot is as shown above (establish the scene or follow action) following a Mid shot from waist above.  Medium shot/medium close-up is from arms above, this is often used in drama and for news reporters. Close-up is from the shoulders up (to focus on a person or object) and extreme close-up is framed tight into the face or object.  There is two shot (2 people in frame),  point of view (from the characters perspective) and Over the shoulder (often used in drama when two people are talking).

Camera angles:

There is a variety of camera angles like low angle (facing up to someone), high angle (facing down) and birds eye view (arial/crane shot).

Camera movement:

We looked at camera movement. There is pan (panning from either left to the right or opposite), tilt (tilting up or down to reveal something), track (tracking from either left to the right or opposite parallel to the action), dolly (dollying in or out of a person or object, often mistaken for tracking in or out but the correct term is dolly. I thought it was tracking), Stedicam (handheld but a steady and smooth shot, can do shots like track or dolly without the need to attach to a track or wheels) and jib or crane (can pan across over action and tilt up or down whilst keeping the same lens size, good to open or close a scene or to reveal something exciting.

Trailers:

We then went onto looking at trailers. Trailers show key elements to a story to persuade people to go and watch the film or TV show. Interestingly I learn't that trailers started out after a film had finished but the audience left and did not see the trailers, they decided to show them before a film so people would see them. Trailers are short (around 2mins) to give enough action to make people consider seeing it. They have appropriate music, dialogue, and titles detailing the name of the film and when it is to be released, if a trailer for TV it will have the time of when the show is to be broadcast. Teasers are similar to a trailer but are much shorter and don't reveal much, hence 'Teaser'. Teasers are usually shown when the release of the film or TV show is very near, making sure people are aware of it.

Simon gave us a task to edit the short film 'Soft' that we watched early in the project. We was told to edit the footage into a trailer. Simon saw my first edit and gave feedback on how I had too much of the thugs and the fight scene, I did not have enough shots of the Son which is the key element of the film. I took on the feedback and edited further. Simon had another look and said it was an improvement. I had more of the Father and Son relationship but I still had a number of shots that were not as relevant such as when the father gets out of the car, this shot was on for a long time. Also the shot of him going out to get the milk. I edited it some more to make the trailer stand out and sell.

Here is my trailer for 'Soft'.

Last screenwriting workshop

Yesterday was our last screenwriting workshop with Steve Coombes.

Steve showed us a video clip of Trey Parker and Matt Stone (creators of South Park) explaining how to put a story together. They say use 'This happens therefor this happens but then this happens'. This makes a story whereas 'and this happens and this happens' don't work and it will be difficult to make a story. When I talk about my ideas I often say 'and this happens' which doesn't really help.
Steve told us that we 'want buts in our story', stories need 'buts'.

We went onto learning about irony and how it is used in screenwriting. It is important to have irony a we enjoy it. E.g. 'A doctor who is a drug addict' and 'Police man robs banks'. We looked at the types of irony.

• Situation irony- Irony involving a situation where actions have an effect that is opposite to what was intended. Like 'Wizard of oz' which the situation turns out that Dorothy could have gone back home all along. 
• Dramatic irony- A device of giving the audience an item of information about a character they not aware of. The audience knows more than the story itself.
• Tragic irony- This is the 'holy grail' in screenwriting. Making a tragic event unfold that the audience will feel guilt. 'Romeo and Juliet' for example, Romeo thinks Juliet is dead so he decides to kill himself but she is not dead. When Juliet finds this out she also takes her life, a tragic irony making the audience feel pure guilt as we know she wasn't dead. 
• Comic irony- Comic irony is set-up as a distraction tool, taking the audience another way before the punchline.

Irony is important in screenwriting as it keeps the audience one step ahead. Structured like a joke giving suspicion and resolution but the audience don't see it coming. 

A coincidence is shown in the beginning of the story. 

Other tools used include cliche's and pleasure. We as an audience enjoy seeing cliche's that we are grown up with as we can relate. We get pleasure from other peoples pain. 

Steve finished with a summary of what we have gone through adding in "A story is like a shark, it needs to keep moving forward". 

We need moments as people remember these. 'If's and buts' are great, don't use 'ands'. 

I enjoyed the workshop as we learn't some important tools that we need to use in order to have a successful story. Steve gave us a summary going over what he has told us over his sessions so it refreshed us even more.  I have got quite a few key words stuck in my head as Steve repeated them a lot. This is helpful as I now know what I need to include in my story. I am looking at irony and what I could set up in my story. I am still looking at moments and planning what to feature in my script. I constantly think SHOW DON'T SAY, so I am confident now on what to describe in my script. I look forward to writing my script and putting my story into a moving image. 

Script feedback from Simon

Before we left today, we received our scripts back from Simon that we did on Monday.

Simon gave some verbal feedback to Jack and I about the script.

Positive comments were that the title page was formatted well and that we have some good content in the script. What we need to improve on is the actions and descriptions. Simon told us that we need to remember to write what we [the audience] see on the screen. Add more detail and atmosphere to what we are seeing.

I agree with the feedback. I think I did quite well as this is my first attempt at writing a properly formatted script. I now know that I need to write more of what is seen on screen and set the atmosphere. I need to be a little more descriptive.

I can now use the feedback to assist with my screenwriting.

Screenwriting layout workshop

Yesterday we had our screenwriting workshop with Simon, looking at how to layout and properly format a script.

We started off by watching a clip from the film, Michael Clayton. Simon gave us a script to look at while watching the film to see how the story is made on screen. We looked at each part of a script such as the title page, scene headings, actions and dialogue.
We were told the basic rules of writing a properly formatted script -

• Use Courier font in size 12pt.
• Words need to be in present tense as if the story is happening right now.
• Only describe as much as you really need too, don't over describe or over complicate things.
• Don't tell the story, show the story. A screen play is what we can see and hear, nothing else.
• Keep the reader hooked. Like a book, readers want to know what is going to happen next so for someone to read your script make it exciting. Add moments at the bottom of a page for them to turn to the next page.
• Use active words and make the writing flow. 

Title page:  

This needs to be in the centre of the page showing the name of the screenplay followed by the author. If it is adapted it needs to say 'adapted from'. Underneath this must be the draft date, many drafts are made so to keep everyone informed a draft date is crucial.
In the bottom left corner we need to see the address and contact number of the screenwriter otherwise they can not be contacted if the script needs changes/go into production.

Scene headings:

Scene headings are displayed at the top of the page in capital letters. They are straight to the point informing us about the scene. They will have the setting such as INT (Interior), EXT (Exterior) or I/E (Both Interior and Exterior shots used -a scene with a car for example). Then the actual set like BEDROOM followed by either DAY or NIGHT. Other words can be used like MORNING, EVENING, DUSK, DAWN etc. It is best to be simple and only use words like these if essential to the story/scene.
A scene heading should look like this:  INT. BEDROOM, FLAT -DAY.

If a film has a flashback it needs to be shown in the scene heading after DAY or NIGHT in brackets.
INT. BEDROOM, FLAT -DAY (FLASHBACK).
If a specific time period is in the story then this needs to be put in brackets where FLASHBACK is written.

Scene headings are used for each new location used. If a character goes to a new location it is now a new scene, even if the character is just walking from a street into a shop for example.

Action:

Action tells us what is happening in the scene,  what we are seeing and who is in it. Action needs to be short but descriptive enough for us to imagine the scene. When watching Michael Clayton we had the script to  look through. The action on the script enabled us to think of what is happening in the film. Descriptive words are used to make us feel the story. On the script Simon gave us it started the scene off with ' The big room. Bright. Teeming.' Teeming being underlined to emphasise that word, the room, bright teeming and continues to tell us more about the scene.
Action needs to be descriptive but not overly descriptive for a word by word list of actions to follow. It needs to be fairly short that we can understand. Characters being introduced for the first time will be in capital letters. Camera shots and movements shouldn't be used unless essential to the scene, the script is telling the story not directing it. The word 'we' is used to indicate the audience point of view replacing the word 'camera'.

Characters:

Characters names are aligned down the middle of the page in capital letters. If we can hear them talking but don't see them this means they are off-screen. e.g. They could be in another room.  In a script a characters name must show in brackets O.S. (off-screen) like this:   JOHN (O.S)  We can see that John is saying something but he is not visually shown on screen. Sometimes we see and hear a character but they don't talk directly in the scene, it could be going into a flash back or generally hearing what the character is thinking. This is a V/O (voice over). Displayed in brackets like this: JOHN (V.O).

Dialogue:

Under the character name indented from the left is the dialogue of what the character is saying. This should not be too long as it will become boring. It needs to feel real, would the character actually say that?  It doesn't have to be correct grammar, it can be how the character is saying it. Words can be in capitals or underlined to emphasise them and make them stand out. Directions can be placed before the dialogue in brackets to tell us how the character is feeling, like this:
(Sarcastically)
No, really?

It is best to avoid character directions as the action should point out what is happening in the scene. Directions should be used to make it clear if not obvious.

Reflection:

The workshop was interesting as I learn't how to format a script properly, something I have never done before. I did not know how specific a script layout has to be. I knew some aspects of a script such as the scene headings and the abbreviations (V.O, O.S) etc. I think the layout of a script is easy enough to understand, it is broken down into each section. We was set a task to practice using Final Draft. I teamed up with Jack. We had to write a script formatted correctly of our journey to the studios and then print it off for Simon. I think this went really well as Final Draft is very easy to use. We took time thinking of the content and then writing it making sure it is interesting as well as in the correct format. I think I will use Final Draft for my screenwriting as it is simple to do and it is preset to the correct settings for text. I had a look at other software I could use but I want to make sure it is done correctly.
I now have an understanding on the script layout and ready to begin writing.

Screenwriter Steven Moffat

As part of our screenwriting module we were asked to research Dramas and Screen Writers.
I decided to research Steven Moffat.

About Steven: 

Steven is quite a well known writer as he writes popular programmes such as Doctor Who and Sherlock. He started writing for a television series in 1989 on 'Press Gang', it led to winning a BAFTA. He then went on to writing episodes for 'Joking Apart' and 'Chalk'. In 1999, Steven wrote the Comic Relief special episode of Doctor Who, 'The curse of fatal death'. Steven was successfully writing many series of episodes for TV and writing special short episodes like 'Time Crash' Doctor Who for Children in Need (2007). His major career highlight was finally getting to write series of episodes of Doctor Who from 2012. He has always been a fan and waited all his life for this moment. He began writing for Sherlock at around the same time.

Screenwriting style:

http://guru.bafta.org/steven-moffat-interview

I had a search on IMDB and looked for interviews to learn more about his style Steven writes for different programmes and genres but he sticks with his own style of writing from personal experience. I learn't that Steven was once a teacher and when he started writing for 'Press gang' and 'chalk' he used that experience in his screenplay, having a story about school life and teaching. In an interview I found Steven talks about how Chalk didn't work out that well, the series was soon sinking. "Writing comedy is a tricky business" he says. After chalk came 'Coupling', another comedy programme. Steven mentions how this was more successful but at the same time tricky in getting it right. 'Joking Apart' tells the story of a marriage between a screenwriter and his wife but they soon separate and divorce. This series is about Steven and his first wife. He wanted to screenplay another series similar to Chalk but it was suggested by his producer to write about his marriage break up.

Steven changed genres and began writing episodes for Doctor Who.
One of the first major episodes Steven wrote was 'Blink'. I personally think this is one of the best episodes Steven has wrote. It hardly has the doctor in this episode but it works so well. Steven said how he saw a grave yard with big gates and he saw a statue of an angel, this is how his idea developed for the episode, it went on to winning a BAFTA.

Review:

I enjoy watching Steven's screenplays. I have only watched Doctor Who but each episode tells a different story so It is amazing to see the progress Steven makes when putting his ideas into moving image. He has wrote great short episodes and specials to writing new and exciting dramatic shows today. Having said that some of his work I don't like, I feel that he overpowers the story in some episodes especially more recent ones. In my opinion his early work on Doctor Who in 2007 was far better than what it is today. When watching the series last year some of the episodes had too many characters in, having nearly all the villains in one episode. The latest series is poor with story having too much jokes that are not funny, and the actor Peter Capaldi not fitting the character any more. 

I think that Steven is a great screen writer but he can often go overboard. Maybe he is targeting the show at a more younger audience. 

Influence:

Steven has somewhat influenced me with the initial stages of generating ideas. Most of his ideas are from his personal experience, a great way to develop a story. I have got my idea developed already but Steven has influenced me for my future projects with having ideas from a personal background. His storylines are often energetic which I don't want to have in my story. Especially as it is a 10 page screenplay I want to take my time building the story into the moments. 

The Meeting development

I have spent time over the last week developing my idea and pre-writing my story.

I have changed the title of my story to 'Ripple'. After comments made at the development lab I decided to change the title as  'Weak' had a more negative meaning to it. I think Ripple sounds better as the film is set next to the River.

I changed the pitch slightly:

Neal, a young working man who is met with a stressed woman, attempting to jump of a bridge and end her life.

I have kept the characters and location same. I have been scouting for a specific location on the River Medway and planning to set the location near the bus station at Chatham (pending permission). Neal misses his bus and has to start walking to work when he is met with the woman, Linda. They meet near the bus station at the side of the River. See picture below, red circle indicates main location of set. 

Filming location

I need to find 2 people who can play the characters Neal and Linda. I will be having auditions at the base room and selecting people who fit the character description.

I will be selecting a few people to help crew the production - Sound and AD. I plan to be D.O.P.

Planning the shoot days to be Monday 9th Nov and Tuesday 10th Nov - Day shoot both Int/Ext. Wednesday 11th Nov a contingency day.  Filming the first 2 minutes of the story.

Story:

Story begins with Neal out of his daily routine and waking up late for work, he rushes to get ready and leaves his flat running for the bus. Neal is running down the high street when he sees his bus pulling away. He now starts walking quite fast to work, walking past the river. He spots some unusual activity, a woman about to jump over into the river. Neal goes over and speaks to the woman, trying to stop her and calm her down. The woman is nervous but responds to Neal, they then talk. Neal comforts the woman getting her a coffee. He is late for work and leaves Linda, he turns around to say good bye but she is gone.

The Chair

I have edited the video from the camera workshop - The Chair. Filming a sequence of a variety of shots on Leo walking from A to B.

I used 7 different camera shots at 4 angles.

Here is the video, enjoy!

Editing workshop

Today was our first editing workshop with Fergus.

We are learning how to edit using the Adobe Premiere Pro software. I have used this a few times already this year so I understand some of the basic tools in the package. I prefer Final Cut Pro as I have used it a lot at college and own it myself. Adobe is a great software and is near industry standard, being quite similar to very professional software like Avid.

Fergus showed us around the software taking his time explaining as at a first glance it can look quite daunting if you have never used it before. It was difficult trying to be patient as I wanted to get on and edit some footage but I waited and listened searching along with Fergus through the menu and options. We made sure the project file was saved somewhere we could find it. We made sure the footage was next to the project file and captured correctly as on Premiere pro it is not really importing but capturing the footage from the source it is saved at. When we edit our projects it is important that we don't just capture the footage from the camera but actually save it on the computer at an appropriate location otherwise it could end up being a catastrophe and losing all the footage.

We then checked the settings like frame rate, resolution and duration etc. Fergus then introduced us to some handy shortcuts, ideal to be more faster with the project. Having only using Premier a few times I didn't know about these short cuts. Today I learn't using keyboard shortcuts for selecting a window within the software like the source, time line, preview and playback. This made it much easier for editing as I can switch to another window while working on something else, meaning much more is being done at a quicker speed. I also learn't that instead of putting a whole clip onto the timeline I can mark the start and end of a clip to check how the material is. Start marking the clip pressing 'I' for in, then pressing 'O' for out. I can monitor the clip frame by frame to check for mistakes and any material I may not want to use. Once done I can drag onto timeline and continue with the project, simple.

Today was a very basic introduction to Premiere but I still enjoyed it and learn't a few things too. I am not sure whether I will use Adobe for my project as I prefer Final Cut. I have not seen the full range of what Adobe can do so I look forward to the future workshops.

2nd camera workshop

Today was our second workshop with Fergus and it was in the exciting studio 5, with the Jools holland set!

Fergus firstly showed us the display and went through the information showed on the screen. We learnt more on the focus and the indicator that is at the bottom of the screen, this indicates the amount of focus used and is a good tool especially for complex focus shots. Fergus showed us how to change the aperture and the other useful controls like gain, zebra and of course, white balance.

I have never heard of zebra before and found that it is useful. I learn't that Zebra helps the operator to see where the light is coming in too much and is burning over the skin tone of a person or object. It shows 'zebra' marks on the screen to assist finding if it is too much light, then the user can control the iris and make sure the picture is not over exposed.

Task:

Filming a sequence

 Our task today was to film a sequence of different shots that will cut together once edited. We was in pairs, I paired with Leo and took turns being on camera and on screen. Gathering shots of Leo walking from A to B where he then sits down.
I started on camera first and planned with Leo on the type of shots I will do and where I wanted him to walk. After planning I set up the camera starting with a wide shot. I took time getting familiar with the controls and ensuring that the light and colour was right. We was in the studio but we had natural light coming in, it made a nice backlight as Leo walked to the chair. I then had a mid shot panning and following Leo. Next I had a close up of Leo's shoes, for this I zoomed in and used expanded focus to make sure the focus was sharp enough, as Leo was walking closer to camera I had to focus along with panning. I used the indicator on the screen to change the focus from where Leo starts to where he finishes, this was much easier as I knew exactly to focus the camera. I moved over to where Leo starts the sequence and went handheld to follow him, I had to change the iris slightly to adjust with the natural light and turned on zebra to help with the right iris level. Leo suggested to have a POV shot which was a great idea, we did this before finishing the sequence with a MCU of Leo as he walks around and sits down. I did a pull focus, pulling focus from Leo to the chair just before he sits down. Again I used the indicator on the screen to help me.

The workshop was fun and exciting, using the camera and being in a nice big space. I also learn't a couple of things like zebra which I have mentioned and also the display, using the indicator and focus assist. All great tools to help when it comes to filming our projects.
I am certain that the Sony is the ideal camera for my project and I will book it out very soon once I schedule my shoot.
                                                                  

research - Short film

I have started to feel unwell but wanted to get some more work done. Today I have watched a short film to research the story and how the moving image portrays it. 

I watched Requiem. It is a 10 minute film following the last moments of a suicidal teenager. 

The film was interesting to watch, following the character through flash backs as he remembers the pain he has had and then coming back to reality to see the teen end his life. The film had no dialogue apart from the slight muffed voices in the flashback, but no real direct dialogue that is clear in the story. very little sound effects used, the whole 10 minute short is mainly music. The camera work is worked nicely with appropriate use of shots and angels. Colour fits well into the story with dark contrast to the picture, along with amazing exposure control. It is great.

I enjoyed watching it, a simple story following this one character with flashbacks. It is not too confusing despite there being a few characters and locations, it works brilliantly. 

I have mixed feelings on the film in regards to my project. I have been thinking about my characters and the dialogue they use, I don't want to use too much dialogue as I want to make sure I show the story not say it. With my story it will have 2 main characters and they have a short conversation. 

This story follows a character who soon ends his life. My story follows a character who stops someone ending their life. I want to have a more positive approach. 

I think Requiem has influenced me with the camera shots and sound. I have an idea on what type of shots I want and the sort of sound to add to it. 

I am not influenced with the locations as I want to keep my story simple without adding confusion. 

Camera workshop

Today was our first camera workshop with Fergus. 

It was a great day learning about the Sony EX cameras.
I have never used one of these before so was interested in finding out more about them.
Fergus went through the controls and options on them, this was great as I didn't know the amount of options that were available on them like focus assist, time-lapse and stop frame. Today we mainly learnt how to operate the camera, camera frames/shot sizes, focus, gain and shutter.

Pull focus 

Keeping the same frame 

We had a couple of tasks, the first being a pull focus exercise. I was teamed up with Sam and Matt, fun to work with!  We each took turns using the camera and being in front to complete the task. I enjoyed using the camera and think I managed to do a good pull focus. Fergus stepped the challenge up by asking us to ease out and follow the person keeping the same shot/frame. This I found slightly difficult as I have never done this before along with being new to the camera. I switched the zoom control from ring to button, and used manual focus on the ring. I did quite well surprisingly apart from being out of focus at the end as the subject walked forward close to the camera. You can see from the photos how we did the tasks.



After lunch Fergus set us another task of filming a small scene using a camera 'bag' and using 5 different camera shots and angles to create the scene. It was decided that Sam was on camera for this as he wanted more experience. Plus Matt and I did not mind being on screen. We started our scene as a bag with headphones in and Matt gives me the bag, I then put on the headphones and it turns into an advert, like beats by Dre.

I think this went well, I enjoyed being on screen and helped Sam get the shots. We all saw everyones raw footage before going back to base room and capturing the footage onto a mac. We edited in the group and after putting it into Adobe I put footage into Final Cut to see if I could make a good edit. Sam and Matt decided to help with me and edit on Final cut, as we found it much easier and quicker. I quickly cut all the clips together, added music and title.

It was a fun and exciting task, Sam was on camera and I feel the shots were a little off. We made good progress overall but some of the shots could have been better, and one of the shots on me was darker than rest. I added a little colour correction in final cut but did not spend a lot of time fixing it.

Here is the video:

After trying out the Sony camera I feel that I may use it for my screenplay project. The options and controls on the Sony are great, quite user friendly and easy enough to use. I want to practice some more before deciding whether to use the Sony or not. I often use a DSLR for making films/shorts due to the nice picture, depth of field and ease of use. Sony will be great to use for the zoom (smother than a DSLR) but also the time lapse and stop frame features. Another advantage with the Sony is the audio input, meaning I won't have to sync the audio to visual like I have done when using a DSLR.

I enjoyed using the Sony and really think it will be a fantastic tool to use for my drama. I am looking forward to the next workshops.

The Meeting research

I have started researching for my story. I have watched a couple of documentaries on Suicide .
Firstly I watched 'The stranger on the bridge' a channel 4 doc focusing on Johnny who nearly jumped off Waterloo Bridge in 2008. He was stopped by a random stranger and that stranger saved his life. Johnny is now on a mission to find that stranger, to say thank you.
This story became popular and was trending on the internet and social media, a campaign for people to find 'Mike', the stranger in question. Many people claimed to be Mike so it was difficult for Johnny to find who the real person is, especially as he was distressed at the time of the incident and blocked out everything.

This is a documentary and not a drama but it still helps me with my screen play as how I should treat the subject of Suicide. The doc has more positives than negatives and the words used by people are delicate and calm. In my drama I will make sure I treat the subject peacefully and ensure the character fits the part of someone who has suicide feelings. I want to make sure I don't have disturbing scenes or any neglect that could cause distress.

I also watched BBC 'Life after Suicide' 2014 documentary. This doc is focused on Angela who talks about life after her partners suicidal death 11years ago. She travels around the country to find other people who have similar experiences. Angela wants to learn more about why people wish to end there life so suddenly and how it has a massive impact on loved ones close to their loss.
This doc is really inspiring as it shows Angela talking about her experience, she quotes "We have to talk about this". A great quote on the subject. Angela doesn't just talk about her self but visits other people and finds out other experience people have.

This doc has really inspired my story on how I should end it. The doc focuses on the impact suicide has to family members, with my drama I am planning on having the character die, I am thinking how the impact it will have with other people. The doc starts with a negative but turns into a positive as Angela now shares what has happened to her and shares to other people, going to groups set up for this subject. The family is brought much closer together and feel more approachable and able to talk openly. Angela doesn't want to hide anything, she wants to say something.

I feel that this doc doesn't influence my story that much in terms of a 'happy ending or positive to negative'. This documentary is mostly research of what suicide is and how I should portray it in my drama ensuring I do it correctly. I still have more research to do but I feel this is helping me have more knowledge on showing suicide in my film.

The Meeting 'Weak'

My pitch 25 words:


Short drama of a young, working man who is met with a weak, stressed woman, attempting to jump of a bridge and end her life.

Characters:


Neal:

• Male

  

  Neal

• 22 years old
• Smart/casual dressed 
• working in an office job, doing well but lonely

Linda:

Linda

• Female
• 20years old
• Casual dressed
• She is a full time student with part time employment. She is over working, failing and underachieving.

Location:

River 

River Medway (main location)
House/flat








Story idea:


The story is about Neal, a young man in an office job doing well at his job. He wants to live his life in the same routine being quite simple. One day his routine has broken. Neal is running late for work, he has missed the bus so he decides to walk. Walking past the river he notices a woman acting really strange, realising she is attempting to jump off the bridge. Neal tries to take control of the situation and after much determination she is calm and able to talk. Already late for work Neal offers to comfort the woman and stay with her. They both chat and have a coffee. Linda is nervous and is hiding the real reason she is depressed. They both leave and Neal goes to work while Linda decides enough is enough and jumps. Neal learns a few days later in the newspaper the real reason behind it all. 

Pitch Day

Today we had our pitches for our screenplay ideas.

It was great seeing other people's ideas and I am excited to see the productions. Today was mostly about feedback and how we can develop our ideas further. The pitch was the start up to the idea and it is important to have a good pitch so we can sell our ideas to programme and studio executives who can then help make it happen.

I gave plenty of feedback to other people as I know people need the feedback to work on there ideas, it all helps towards improving it.
It was now time for my pitch.

My feedback started from Simon with positive comments on the pitch saying it was to the point and fairly clear. I then had comments from other students like Nicky asking where the conflict is. I answered with that the conflict was the women stopping Neal in his routine trying to get to work.

More feedback was given on how intense my idea is but how it could work great, just need to work on how the characters connect and where the ending leads to. Simon said I need to do plenty of research as my story involves mental health and suicide, something that needs delicate attention to. My working title is 'Weak', this could cause controversy as those with mental health issues don't wish to be identified as weak. I really need to develop further and research before progressing any further. My idea could cause a lot of distress if not planned correctly.

I want my story to be a dramatic piece that is entertaining to watch and for people to enjoy without having negative thoughts. I am paying close attention to the ending as I am now planning to have the women die. I had opinions with my group before the pitch and it was suggested to have a ending on a sad note instead of having a happy ending, which i feel would be boring.

Moving forward:

Today has made me feel I need to work a lot harder on my idea but at the same time determined as I really want to keep to it and make it happen. Over the next couple of weeks I am going to research on mental health and suicide, how it could affect my film and what I need to do to make sure nothing controversial will happen. I have already had a suggestion by Rosie on watching a documentary. I will look further into my characters and how they could connect, look at actors who fit the character description. Begin pre-writing and also check out my locations, take photos and confirm if they are the right settings.

Character and Dialogue -Steve Coombes

Yesterday we had another lecture with Steve, this time focusing on character and dialogue in a screen play.

Character:

I learn't that any character can be interesting if it has some kind of crisis and we see that clearly. Characters have to be big and have a meaning, otherwise they become boring. Need to show the transition in their life, like first job or university etc. Actions tell you important information in a character, the way they talk, walk and look. Steve told us about how characters can be different stereotypes.
 monsters, being interesting and conflicted. Basil Fawlty from Fawlty towers, he is a 'monster' as he is always getting into conflict and being loud. The characters need to be tense and the same, once we see a character on screen you can't change them.
Heroin - we see these as fraudulent, people who don't know who they really are. like a existential hero, not sure what they want to be.
Women are usually making big choices, the characters have to make big decisions in the story.

We watched The Sopranos to find the characters in the screen play. Steve gave us a script from the opening lines of the drama. This was great to look at as I could see what was said in the drama. TV shows can afford around 10-12 speaking characters in an hour show. Exterior location shots at night are expensive so it is rare to see these on TV, usually they are filmed in a studio. However watching The Sopranos they filmed at night on location. They used 15 exterior locations and a studio set.

Dialogue:

We then went on to learning about dialogue. Steve told us not to have pointless dialogue, it has to have a meaning. He reminded us from what he said on Monday which is not to say it but to show it. Having characters speaking about a subject that can be clearly shown or obvious is pointless and is not entertaining at all. Dialogue needs to mean something that leads up to the plot or to a moment.
Dialogue should not be too clear or too direct. Steve also pointed out to us that characters can be informal with how they speak, not to worry about grammar. A character should be him/herself with an accent and appropriate slang/street talk etc. A character needs to have a rhythm when speaking, pausing at the right time or generally talking at an appropriate speed for that character. A final word from Steve on this was not to make speech for longer than 3 lines as it can get too long for the audience.

Final Draft:

Steve briefly went through Final Draft with us. Final draft is a software for creating scripts in the right format and is a professional tool that most screen writers use. It is quite straight forward with options on what text to be inputted like heading, character, dialogue, transition and action. We were given a copy of the first few lines on The Sopranos and I could clearly see what each text was for. Here is a picture I found showing this.

script 

At the top it has the title of the screen play along with series and date etc.  It follows to the scene name and number displayed with FADE IN (transition), INT (Interior set) name of scene and then DAY which is the time of day that is filmed.

Inspired:

From what Steve said it has inspired me with my idea and story. Steve has made me think more about my characters and I am now planning on what they look, walk and talk. The dialogue that they say and the accent/grammar. I am thinking what my characters should say and how they talk. Steve has inspired me to explore with my characters and to make sure I pick the right one. If the dialogue doesn't fit my character I need to think differently and use something else. I need to think about a big moment with my character. When I start writing my script I now know how to format it and make it look appropriate. I am already planning on what to include and the way I can direct my actors/actresses simply without using many words on the script. Steve told us to keep text short and straight to the point with important and key parts in capital text. He mentioned about transitions and camera angles/movements and that we should not put much of these down unless it is appropriate. I have been planning on what camera movements I am wanting in my story so if it is important and the cast needs to know then I will include it in my script.