Showing posts with label I. Single Camera. Show all posts
Showing posts with label I. Single Camera. Show all posts
Tuesday, 18 March 2014
Monday, 17 March 2014
Single Camera Sequence Evaluations
Developing the Script
In the first stages of production, we began developing Shauna's screen play into a script that would work with a micro budget. Johnny volunteered to work on the original script altering a number of elements that would cause us problems on our small budget. We had to remove both grandparents as their roles were very short and not needed in the short. We also changed the title of the screen play from "Thanks Giving" to "Possessed". The original screen play was set in America hence the name "Thanks Giving". We got rid of the Thanks Giving theme and focused more on the Possessed Doll that haunts the children. After a number of discussions we finished the developed script and began our Pre Production.Shooting Manually on DSLR's
I myself have a DSLR and have enough experience and knowledge to shoot comfortably. This helped me significantly during shooting as I had little to no issue setting up shots with the correct aperture, ISO and shutter speed. As I was capable of shooting without issues, I was able to shoot creatively for not only myself but for the less experienced members of the group such as Lewis and Shauna. I shot Lewis's scenes for him (under his guidance) and helped out with other scenes were I could. I tried my best to use creative shots and lighting such as focus pulls, tracking shots and the basic close ups. I particularly pushed the use of shallow depth of fields, something we were not able to use with the camcorders. I made sue through out the shoots that the cameras aperture was as low as possible; for instance I shot 90% of my scenes with the aperture set at 3.5 on my 18-55mm lens. I often wished I could have used a better lens for the dark scenes as it was difficult to shoot at a consistent exposure. If we had access to a lens with a lower aperture then the dark scenes would have looked less grainy as we had to compensate with a high ISO of around 800 for most of our shots.
Obtaining Adequate Coverage
We had very little issues collecting adequate coverage. When shooting on location at Ellie's house and in W16, we were sometimes rushed with our shots but we were always able to shoot from as many angles and vary those shots effectively. The only issue we found was that the rushed shots had small but noticeable errors that forced us to re-shoot.
Shooting and Editing My Own Sequence
In the Pre Production stages we individually created shot lists and storyboards for the scenes that we would be in charge of shooting. I created around 30 shot variations for my three scenes and prepared my own camera to shoot. When it was my turn to shoot I used my shot list as guidance but mostly my gut instincts when shooting to capture the most creative and professional shot. Setting up the camera was easy as I have enough experience shooting with a DSLR. I have a very good knowledge of shooting in Manual and could alter each shooting setting on the camera to create the shot I wanted to. I was able to shoot a variety of shots effectively using pull focuses, tracking shots and the use of shallow depth of field. I also have experience using the adobe software and found the editing process fairly easy. I was able to comfortably edit the shots together and add a number of aesthetically pleasing elements such as colour correction, fades, dissolves and L cuts.
Mise-en-scene
One of the issues we faced early on, in the pre production stages was finding a location for the house scenes. At first we thought we could shoot at Shauna's house, but due to building going on we had to look elsewhere. Luckily, Ellie was kind enough to let us shoot at her house. In terms of Mise-en-scene, Ellie's house was perfect and very easy to shoot in. The houses large windows allowed plenty of light into the dining room were most of the opening shoots took place. The dinning room itself was very well positioned and gave us more than enough space to shoot. The bedrooms also worked really well and on a whole the location was brilliant. The final couple of scenes were shot in W16 and gave us far more problems. We had to try and create a basement like atmosphere in what is a classroom. We decided that lighting was key and soon found that the studio lights would to bright for the scenes. We decided to close of the blinds and use a couple of desk lamps which created a very spooky dark orange light. We were very clever in making sure that we always shot facing the black wall. We also used a number of props such as boxes and clutter to create a dust ridden basement. The feedback we received was very positive, most of the viewers did not recognize the room to be W16 so on a whole I am very happy about the scenes.
Camera
Looking back at the final copy of "Possessed" I have mixed views on some of the scenes. For most of the scenes the majority of the framing and focal lengths worked really well, however I feel we let ourselves down a little with some of the shots being out of focus, shaky or just unnecessary. These few errors let down the scenes on occasions and have frustrated us a little. Negatives aside, we also shot some very effective scenes. I especially like a number of shots including Johnny's mirror shot, my pull focus on the lamp and the tracking shot of Lewis walking out of the house. Looking back we should have been far more creative with our shots and shown off our talent a little better. We were more interested in finishing in time and worrying about the settings on the camera that we lost our creative touch. However we did show moments of real quality that reflect what we are really capable of. The suspense that we created in the final scene and then the last shot of the doll appearing was very well received by the audience so overall I'm content with our short. We found some issues with the exposure of the dark shots. We found ourselves having to compensate with a higher ISO which created an ugly grainy effect on some shots. This is very disappointing to see and something that we will most defiantly re-shoot.
Editing & Sound
Throughout the editing stages of production, we all individually took turns at editing. I feel as though for a group with limited experience in editing to a high level, we learnt a number of new skills, such as: L cutting, colour correcting, effective use of artificial sounds and creating titles/credits. Our use of sound helped create a very suspenseful atmosphere which is highlighted in the final shot of the doll appearing. The build up of creepy sound that cuts to silence and then the sudden scream of the doll made myself jump as well as the audience. The only issue with the sound is that its inconsistent in areas and it can be a little overly loud in certain scenes.
Conclusion
The final scene of our short, worked far better than I first thought it would. I was pleasantly surprised by the final outcome and the feedback/response from the audience as the doll appeared was very positive as it seemed to scare a number of people. The audio in that scene was so suspenseful that it alone was enough to make me jump. The darkness of some of the shots caused us the most issues. We found ourselves having to compensate with a high grainy ISO due to the darkness. The grainy look of the shots looks awful, and so we tried adding lights but the outcome never seemed to be as good it should have. We were rather disappointed with these shots but we had no choice but to include them in the final copy as the structure of the shorts narrative would become confusing and jumpy. Over the process of pre-production to editing the final copy, I have learnt to be far more prepared when shooting on location. We were far to laid back on our first couple of shoots which left us rushing shoots later on. The fact that we weren't able to re-shoot some scenes that were very disappointing, meant that some of shots in the final copy look rushed and unprofessional. We should have been stricter with ourselves in terms of time management as we often went back to location spending 30 minuted of our allocated 2 hours re-shooting shots that were either underexposed or shaky. If we were able to start a fresh, then I would defiantly look at alternate locations for the dark basement scenes as W16 was far to difficult to shoot in for a number of reasons such the temperature of the room and the lack of mise-en-scene. I would also look at using a different lens, one that give us a shallower depth of field such as a prime lens. The lens would not only give us a very cinematic,professional look, but it would also allow us to shoot better in the dark rooms. The larger aperture or low F stop number such as 1.4 would mean that we would have to compensate less with the ISO. The less we have to compensate with the ISO, the better the overall image will look.
Feedback
Feedback from Ellie:
Possessed
Overall, this is a competent piece of film making which demonstrates an adequate level of skill in video production. Grades are subject to moderation from Sean but I believe that all group members who were here to plan, film and edit will achieve at least a M for the video but some will get higher as they put more work into the video. This is by far the best piece of video work you have all worked on, so well done!
Specific comments made at screening:
• There are some very long takes which need to be shortened / tightened.
• There are inconsistencies in sound levels and some sound comes in or cuts out jarringly.
• Some lovely acting but Mikey, why have you got gum when trying to deliver dialogue?!
• The music is too loud over dialogue in places.
• There are lighting inconsistencies.
• Another angle is needed on the Ouija board to show it moving and the characters watching it move.
• Not seeing enough skill in DSLR use and there is very little evidence of shallow focus / pulling focus etc.
• The jump audio at the end is slightly too loud.
Feedback from Sean:
• Titles at the end poor and sound disappears.
• Feels Unfinished (Credits).
• Some scenes need more shot variety.
• Good, creepy face at the end.
Tuesday, 11 February 2014
Production Diary
27/01/2014
Today we began by choosing the script that we would shoot. After a lengthy discussion, we decided to choose Shauna's horror short about a possessed doll that haunts a young teenage girl (main character) and her younger brother. We read through the script discussing certain elements such as the characters, locations and viability.
28/01/2014
Today we began completing the pre production paperwork. I read through the script once more before completing a detailed list of the Props, costumes and equipment that would be used in the short. Lewis completed the Risk Assessment paper work; Mikey created a Budget Sheet, while Johnny and Shauna read through the script discussing possible changes and shot lists. We were also given the sections of the script that we would be story boarding. The scene that we individually storyboard will be our responsibility to shoot. We have also decided to shoot at Shauna's house, so she has agreed to complete the Location recce/release forms in her own time.
29/01/2014
Today I began creating the storyboards. I have at least 28 shots to storyboard spreading over 3 scenes. I have roughly finished half of the shot list. I hope to finish by tomorrow ready to shoot next week. We had some slight issues with locations but we were able to resolve them. I also began posting the Pre Production paper work onto my personal blog.
30/01/2014 & 31/01/2014
We have decided to shoot at Ellie's house on Monday. We went to her house and completed both Location Recces and release forms. Today we also began looking at the talent release forms and completing the budget sheet. The prop/costume/equipment lists are all completed. My other team mates are completing their storyboards and refining certain aspects of the script that will allow us to shoot more efficiently and without any issues arising.
03/02/2014
Today we went to the shoot location (Ellie's house) and began shooting the first couple of scenes. Johnny was in the directors chair for the first few scenes and by the end of the day we were ready for Lewis to take charge of his scenes. We were on location for roughly 2 hours. The first couple of shots consisted of establishing shots of the house to the Father discovering and giving the doll to Rachel. We ended the day with the 3rd or 4th scene in which Rachel begins to notice how creepy the doll is. I feel as though for our first shoot, we were a little slow in shooting and setting up shots/equipment. I personally feel that we need to improve out time management and grind through scenes more efficiently.
04/02/2014
Today we began editing the first couple scenes that we shot yesterday. We began going through shot by shot deciding which would work best and entered them into Premiere Po CS6. We began arranging the clips and editing them around the dark horror theme. This included adding dark color effects to the shot. We want to try and create a slow short that shows subtle changes from the beginning. For example, we intend to edit the clips, with the shots slowly darkening to create a dreary,cold effect. We were unable to shoot today as Shauna was ill will be for the remainder of the week. Myself and Johnny are also attending a Media trip on Thursday and we return late Friday. Shooting is most likely going to take place next week, which is frustrating for all of us but unavoidable none the less. We have also discussed today shooting the basement scene at college. Its something that we have been talking about a lot recently as the room W12 has all black walls allowing us to create the dark scary atmosphere of a basement.
05/02/2014
Today we began experimenting with light in the w16 room. We have an important basement scene and as Ellie's house only has an attic, we decided as a group to look into creating a dark dreary basement in a college room. Using low lighting and careful camera trickery, we hope to create the basement effect. We shot a number of different clips using a range of angles, zoom lengths and lighting effects. Our findings were very positive. The main issue is the brightness of the lights, we found that using the desk lamps create the scariest effect. We intend to bring in a number of torches to help with the main shoot. We also found that close ups look particularly good, as you can control the shadows on the face, which allows us to create altering moods and feelings effectively.
10/02/2014
Today we again headed to Ellie's house and began shooting Johnny's final few shots. Once he had finished, myself and Lewis began shooting his scenes. I was helping Lewis shoot as he was acting in his scenes. Before each shot he directed me in terms of the shot angle etc. My job was to simply set the camera up, correctly expose the shot and then press record. Overall, we worked really well together, he was clear with his instructions and lead the team very well. Once our time was up, we headed back to college and uploaded the footage into Premiere Pro. Johnny's footage had some initial problems as most of the shots were a little under exposed. However after editing the raw footage, most of the shots are usable. We also agreed that the darkness of the shots suits the genre of our short. Overall another very productive shoot. We have agreed with Ellie to shoot again on Wednesday in order to hopefully wrap up Lewis's scenes. We also improved on our time management; each shot was set up far more efficiently than before and it's mainly due to the fact that we were more organised this time.
11/02/2014
Today we continued editing the footage from yesterday. The problems with some of the shots being under exposed have been sorted, however we may decide to re-shoot the few unusable shots. Once Johnny finished editing, Lewis and myself began editing the scenes we shot. The shoots look rather good, one in particular caught my attention. Lewis wanted a slick pan upwards to Mikey walking down the stairs. The outcome was very pleasing, as I wasn't sure if it would look any good in the editing stages. We also liked the close ups that were shot, again we were not sure of the shots would look any good in Premiere but we were happy with the outcome. Tomorrow we head to Ellie's house to continue shooting and hopefully we can grind out a number of Lewis's scenes before it's my turn to take charge and shoot my own scenes.
12/02/2014
Today we went to Ellie's house and continued to shoot Lewis's final scenes. Johnny also re-shot a number of his scenes that were under exposed on the first shoot. I also began shooting my own scenes. I began shooting the bedroom scene in which max is found crying in his room. I continued to refer back to my shot list and the script. Overall I feel as though my first shoot was very successful. We also intend to shoot again tomorrow at Ellie's house, but if not, I intend to shoot in W16 for the basement scene in which Max and Rachael search for the Ouija board.
13/02/2014
Today I spent the majority of my time in W16 shooting the main basement scene. It is the 3rd and final scene in my lot. I feel as though the shoot went fairly well. I was able to create a dark and spooky atmosphere with the use of lamps. I began shooting the first 5-6 shots consisting of mostly medium to close up shots. I feel as though both Mikey and Shauna acted really well in this scene. Lewis worked with me to create the correct lighting and shots. Shooting was a struggle today due to the heat of the room. We found ourselves getting a little frustrated if a shot was taking a while to get correct. However we pulled through and the overall shoot was very productive and I am very happy with the results.
14/02/2014
Today I began editing the footage that I shot on the 12th. I began by converting the files onto the computer and then arranged the footage in Premiere pro ready to be cut and edited. I then placed rough cuts into the timeline trying to create a basic sequence of clips in order to gain an understanding of what will need to be re shot or added to the scene. Once I was happy with the rough copy I began fine tuning the individual clips, adding colour correction were needed. I also fine tuned the cuts in order to create the seamless flow and to avoid continuity issues.
17/02/2014
Today I finished fine tuning the rough copy of last Wednesday's shoot and then began editing Thursdays Shoot. I went through the same stages as before and ended up with a rough copy of the basement that I am fairly happy with. However i did notice that I was missing a couple of close ups of Mikey and Shauna, so i have arranged with my group to shoot them in tomorrows lessons.
18/02/2014
Today I re shot a few clips from last Thursdays shoot. I shot a number of close ups and transition shots in order to fill gaps and fix continuity issues in the rough copy edit. Once I was finished re-shooting I went back to editing the rough copy of the basement scene adding the re shot clips into the timeline. I also finished fine tuning the original clips.
19/02/2014
Today I finished my editing work and we began shooting Shauna's scenes in W16. I helped frame shots, must mostly worked alongside Lewis in lighting the shots. We used my candelabra and candles to create a spooky atmosphere. As Shauna was acting in the short, Johnny shot the scenes under Shauna's Guidance. Lewis and myself found lighting the shots difficult as we were using small lamps due to the studio lights being overly bright and also white. The small lamps create the orange light and help create the scary atmosphere however the lamps were awful at lighting Shauna and Mikey's faces.
20 & 21/02/2014
We spent the last two days shooting Shauna's three scenes and editing them. Lewis and myself continued to help with setting up frames and lighting up shots. Johnny continued to shoot under Shauna's guidance. After each shoot we edited the clips in Premiere pro.Overall the past few shoots have been very productive.
24/02/2014
Today we continued shooting Shauna's last couple of scenes in which Rachael and Max use the Ouija board to summon the Dolls spirit. These couple of scenes are meant to create the most suspense and are therefore very important. We have spent a long time on these shots in order to create the most gripping horror short possible.
25/02/2014
Today we finished the second scene of Shauna's three scenes and began editing the clips. The editing is going very well and we are happy with most of the shots. We have only had to re shoot a few clips due to small errors but mostly as transition shots and fill gaps in the timeline. We then began shooting Shauna's final scene in which Max and Rachael make contact with the Dolls spirit.
26/02/2014
Today we finished shooting Shauna's final scene and then began finishing off her editing in Premiere pro. We also began shooting Mikey's work.
28/02/2014
Today we continued to shoot Mikey's first couple of scenes. His scenes consist of low light shots and so it was up to Lewis and Myself to try and create the dark scary atmosphere of a basement. We used a mixture of lamps and studio lights. Overall the shoot today was very productive, we shot most of Mikey's first scene and hope to try and complete the next one on Monday.
03/03/2014
Today we began shooting the second scene of Mikey's three. The first shoot really well and so did this one. The scene we did today continues in the basement and is one of the most important in terms of creating the fear factor of the entire short. In this scene, the doll reveals its self to Max and Rachael. From then, weird and spooky things begin to happen. Shooting was really good today; we have seen the rough copy of the scene in Premiere pro and we are really happy and excited to show the rest of the group our work.
04/03/2014
Today we shot our final scene of the entire shoot. This scene was great to shoot as it allowed us to be really creative and use all the techniques that we have learnt of the past year. The scene was shot with the same gloomy atmosphere as the rest of the basement scenes. Once finished we began editing the past couple of scenes we shot including all of Mikey's scenes.
05/03/2014
We continued editing Mikey's work today sorting clips into the timeline and cutting them in accordance to other clips. The editing process today was a little slow as these scenes are particularly important and must be edited without fault. Mikey to charge from most of the process with the rest of the group watching on, giving advice or working on their own scenes working out if we needed any final re-shoots before we begin to edit the final cut.
06/03/2014
Today we continued the editing process for our short. We intend to have a final rough copy of the entire shoot, which will be watched by Sean. He will then give us feedback on Monday, giving us the week to either re-shoot and edit or just simply tweak a few clips here and there.
Today we began by choosing the script that we would shoot. After a lengthy discussion, we decided to choose Shauna's horror short about a possessed doll that haunts a young teenage girl (main character) and her younger brother. We read through the script discussing certain elements such as the characters, locations and viability.
28/01/2014
Today we began completing the pre production paperwork. I read through the script once more before completing a detailed list of the Props, costumes and equipment that would be used in the short. Lewis completed the Risk Assessment paper work; Mikey created a Budget Sheet, while Johnny and Shauna read through the script discussing possible changes and shot lists. We were also given the sections of the script that we would be story boarding. The scene that we individually storyboard will be our responsibility to shoot. We have also decided to shoot at Shauna's house, so she has agreed to complete the Location recce/release forms in her own time.
29/01/2014
Today I began creating the storyboards. I have at least 28 shots to storyboard spreading over 3 scenes. I have roughly finished half of the shot list. I hope to finish by tomorrow ready to shoot next week. We had some slight issues with locations but we were able to resolve them. I also began posting the Pre Production paper work onto my personal blog.
30/01/2014 & 31/01/2014
We have decided to shoot at Ellie's house on Monday. We went to her house and completed both Location Recces and release forms. Today we also began looking at the talent release forms and completing the budget sheet. The prop/costume/equipment lists are all completed. My other team mates are completing their storyboards and refining certain aspects of the script that will allow us to shoot more efficiently and without any issues arising.
03/02/2014
Today we went to the shoot location (Ellie's house) and began shooting the first couple of scenes. Johnny was in the directors chair for the first few scenes and by the end of the day we were ready for Lewis to take charge of his scenes. We were on location for roughly 2 hours. The first couple of shots consisted of establishing shots of the house to the Father discovering and giving the doll to Rachel. We ended the day with the 3rd or 4th scene in which Rachel begins to notice how creepy the doll is. I feel as though for our first shoot, we were a little slow in shooting and setting up shots/equipment. I personally feel that we need to improve out time management and grind through scenes more efficiently.
04/02/2014
Today we began editing the first couple scenes that we shot yesterday. We began going through shot by shot deciding which would work best and entered them into Premiere Po CS6. We began arranging the clips and editing them around the dark horror theme. This included adding dark color effects to the shot. We want to try and create a slow short that shows subtle changes from the beginning. For example, we intend to edit the clips, with the shots slowly darkening to create a dreary,cold effect. We were unable to shoot today as Shauna was ill will be for the remainder of the week. Myself and Johnny are also attending a Media trip on Thursday and we return late Friday. Shooting is most likely going to take place next week, which is frustrating for all of us but unavoidable none the less. We have also discussed today shooting the basement scene at college. Its something that we have been talking about a lot recently as the room W12 has all black walls allowing us to create the dark scary atmosphere of a basement.
05/02/2014
Today we began experimenting with light in the w16 room. We have an important basement scene and as Ellie's house only has an attic, we decided as a group to look into creating a dark dreary basement in a college room. Using low lighting and careful camera trickery, we hope to create the basement effect. We shot a number of different clips using a range of angles, zoom lengths and lighting effects. Our findings were very positive. The main issue is the brightness of the lights, we found that using the desk lamps create the scariest effect. We intend to bring in a number of torches to help with the main shoot. We also found that close ups look particularly good, as you can control the shadows on the face, which allows us to create altering moods and feelings effectively.
10/02/2014
Today we again headed to Ellie's house and began shooting Johnny's final few shots. Once he had finished, myself and Lewis began shooting his scenes. I was helping Lewis shoot as he was acting in his scenes. Before each shot he directed me in terms of the shot angle etc. My job was to simply set the camera up, correctly expose the shot and then press record. Overall, we worked really well together, he was clear with his instructions and lead the team very well. Once our time was up, we headed back to college and uploaded the footage into Premiere Pro. Johnny's footage had some initial problems as most of the shots were a little under exposed. However after editing the raw footage, most of the shots are usable. We also agreed that the darkness of the shots suits the genre of our short. Overall another very productive shoot. We have agreed with Ellie to shoot again on Wednesday in order to hopefully wrap up Lewis's scenes. We also improved on our time management; each shot was set up far more efficiently than before and it's mainly due to the fact that we were more organised this time.
11/02/2014
Today we continued editing the footage from yesterday. The problems with some of the shots being under exposed have been sorted, however we may decide to re-shoot the few unusable shots. Once Johnny finished editing, Lewis and myself began editing the scenes we shot. The shoots look rather good, one in particular caught my attention. Lewis wanted a slick pan upwards to Mikey walking down the stairs. The outcome was very pleasing, as I wasn't sure if it would look any good in the editing stages. We also liked the close ups that were shot, again we were not sure of the shots would look any good in Premiere but we were happy with the outcome. Tomorrow we head to Ellie's house to continue shooting and hopefully we can grind out a number of Lewis's scenes before it's my turn to take charge and shoot my own scenes.
12/02/2014
Today we went to Ellie's house and continued to shoot Lewis's final scenes. Johnny also re-shot a number of his scenes that were under exposed on the first shoot. I also began shooting my own scenes. I began shooting the bedroom scene in which max is found crying in his room. I continued to refer back to my shot list and the script. Overall I feel as though my first shoot was very successful. We also intend to shoot again tomorrow at Ellie's house, but if not, I intend to shoot in W16 for the basement scene in which Max and Rachael search for the Ouija board.
13/02/2014
Today I spent the majority of my time in W16 shooting the main basement scene. It is the 3rd and final scene in my lot. I feel as though the shoot went fairly well. I was able to create a dark and spooky atmosphere with the use of lamps. I began shooting the first 5-6 shots consisting of mostly medium to close up shots. I feel as though both Mikey and Shauna acted really well in this scene. Lewis worked with me to create the correct lighting and shots. Shooting was a struggle today due to the heat of the room. We found ourselves getting a little frustrated if a shot was taking a while to get correct. However we pulled through and the overall shoot was very productive and I am very happy with the results.
14/02/2014
Today I began editing the footage that I shot on the 12th. I began by converting the files onto the computer and then arranged the footage in Premiere pro ready to be cut and edited. I then placed rough cuts into the timeline trying to create a basic sequence of clips in order to gain an understanding of what will need to be re shot or added to the scene. Once I was happy with the rough copy I began fine tuning the individual clips, adding colour correction were needed. I also fine tuned the cuts in order to create the seamless flow and to avoid continuity issues.
17/02/2014
Today I finished fine tuning the rough copy of last Wednesday's shoot and then began editing Thursdays Shoot. I went through the same stages as before and ended up with a rough copy of the basement that I am fairly happy with. However i did notice that I was missing a couple of close ups of Mikey and Shauna, so i have arranged with my group to shoot them in tomorrows lessons.
18/02/2014
Today I re shot a few clips from last Thursdays shoot. I shot a number of close ups and transition shots in order to fill gaps and fix continuity issues in the rough copy edit. Once I was finished re-shooting I went back to editing the rough copy of the basement scene adding the re shot clips into the timeline. I also finished fine tuning the original clips.
19/02/2014
Today I finished my editing work and we began shooting Shauna's scenes in W16. I helped frame shots, must mostly worked alongside Lewis in lighting the shots. We used my candelabra and candles to create a spooky atmosphere. As Shauna was acting in the short, Johnny shot the scenes under Shauna's Guidance. Lewis and myself found lighting the shots difficult as we were using small lamps due to the studio lights being overly bright and also white. The small lamps create the orange light and help create the scary atmosphere however the lamps were awful at lighting Shauna and Mikey's faces.
20 & 21/02/2014
We spent the last two days shooting Shauna's three scenes and editing them. Lewis and myself continued to help with setting up frames and lighting up shots. Johnny continued to shoot under Shauna's guidance. After each shoot we edited the clips in Premiere pro.Overall the past few shoots have been very productive.
24/02/2014
Today we continued shooting Shauna's last couple of scenes in which Rachael and Max use the Ouija board to summon the Dolls spirit. These couple of scenes are meant to create the most suspense and are therefore very important. We have spent a long time on these shots in order to create the most gripping horror short possible.
25/02/2014
Today we finished the second scene of Shauna's three scenes and began editing the clips. The editing is going very well and we are happy with most of the shots. We have only had to re shoot a few clips due to small errors but mostly as transition shots and fill gaps in the timeline. We then began shooting Shauna's final scene in which Max and Rachael make contact with the Dolls spirit.
26/02/2014
Today we finished shooting Shauna's final scene and then began finishing off her editing in Premiere pro. We also began shooting Mikey's work.
28/02/2014
Today we continued to shoot Mikey's first couple of scenes. His scenes consist of low light shots and so it was up to Lewis and Myself to try and create the dark scary atmosphere of a basement. We used a mixture of lamps and studio lights. Overall the shoot today was very productive, we shot most of Mikey's first scene and hope to try and complete the next one on Monday.
03/03/2014
Today we began shooting the second scene of Mikey's three. The first shoot really well and so did this one. The scene we did today continues in the basement and is one of the most important in terms of creating the fear factor of the entire short. In this scene, the doll reveals its self to Max and Rachael. From then, weird and spooky things begin to happen. Shooting was really good today; we have seen the rough copy of the scene in Premiere pro and we are really happy and excited to show the rest of the group our work.
04/03/2014
Today we shot our final scene of the entire shoot. This scene was great to shoot as it allowed us to be really creative and use all the techniques that we have learnt of the past year. The scene was shot with the same gloomy atmosphere as the rest of the basement scenes. Once finished we began editing the past couple of scenes we shot including all of Mikey's scenes.
05/03/2014
We continued editing Mikey's work today sorting clips into the timeline and cutting them in accordance to other clips. The editing process today was a little slow as these scenes are particularly important and must be edited without fault. Mikey to charge from most of the process with the rest of the group watching on, giving advice or working on their own scenes working out if we needed any final re-shoots before we begin to edit the final cut.
06/03/2014
Today we continued the editing process for our short. We intend to have a final rough copy of the entire shoot, which will be watched by Sean. He will then give us feedback on Monday, giving us the week to either re-shoot and edit or just simply tweak a few clips here and there.
Tuesday, 4 February 2014
Friday, 17 January 2014
Research Texts - Silent Witness
What happened in the opening episode?
In the opening episode of Silent Witness, it begins with the introduction of Ainsley Modest proposing to his girlfriend. To celebrate their engagement they head to Modest's club were they
In the opening episode of Silent Witness, it begins with the introduction of Ainsley Modest proposing to his girlfriend. To celebrate their engagement they head to Modest's club were they
Thursday, 16 January 2014
Monday, 13 January 2014
Single Camera Techniques
Single Camera Production
Single camera production has risen in popularity in the past decade, due to the increase in television channels some of which will be produced with a single camera. These channels are often dedicated to particular genres that work well shooting with one camera, examples include drama's and sitcoms.
In this post, we will look at a number of aspects of single camera production such as the skills needed to film, edit, light and create settings/locations. We shall take an in depth look at each aspect making references to commissioned work. Each role in single camera production differs to multi camera production, so I shall make sure that I point out the differences were necessary.
Camera
Single camera production in its simplest form uses one camera for the entire shoot, only in certain scenes were heavy dialogue occurs will more than one camera be used. Single camera productions are often used in dramas as the style of SCP's creates a realistic view of characters. The viewer sees a scene or shot from a single point of view creating a personal effect that helps to involve the audience and allow them to learn more about the characters.
One of the biggest pros of shooting with a single camera is that the director is able to have complete control of the shot. Directors are able to film specific scenes controlling every aspect of the shot which ultimately allows them to shoot to their exact personal preferences. Their styles of shooting become much easier to control and the outcome is often far better detailed
Using a single camera to shoot a large number of scenes can be rather time consuming. A scene in itself may need to be shot multiple times from a variety of angles and shot lengths. It's also very costly to shoot with a single camera. Having to shot for a long period of time on set and at locations will see costs increase dramatically. Shooting on film will also be expensive when shooting with single camera as the more you shoot the more rolls of film will be needed.
Single Camera Set-up:
Multiple Camera Set-up:
Lighting
Setting up the lighting for multiple cameras can be a rather difficult in comparison to setting up the lighting for a single camera. When shooting with a single camera, each shot can be specifically set to create a certain mood and feel. However when using multiple cameras, the lighting has to be set for each and every camera. This takes away some of the creative element to the scene lighting and can create a toneless and monotonous feel to the lighting.
Example: Low key lighting in the film "The Godfather".
Audio should always overlay the visuals in order to avoid jumpy and cut off audio. To avoid audio issues, start the audio recording a few seconds before you start shooting the scene, then wait a few seconds after the scene has ended to stop the audio recording. The audio files can then be edited alongside the visuals in post production.
Single camera productions are often seen in crime thrillers such as Breaking Bad. The use of a single camera not only allows the actors to develop their characters roles but it also allows the director to capture the characters emotions more effectively with the use of low key lighting.
Horror
Single camera production has risen in popularity in the past decade, due to the increase in television channels some of which will be produced with a single camera. These channels are often dedicated to particular genres that work well shooting with one camera, examples include drama's and sitcoms.
In this post, we will look at a number of aspects of single camera production such as the skills needed to film, edit, light and create settings/locations. We shall take an in depth look at each aspect making references to commissioned work. Each role in single camera production differs to multi camera production, so I shall make sure that I point out the differences were necessary.
Camera
Single camera production in its simplest form uses one camera for the entire shoot, only in certain scenes were heavy dialogue occurs will more than one camera be used. Single camera productions are often used in dramas as the style of SCP's creates a realistic view of characters. The viewer sees a scene or shot from a single point of view creating a personal effect that helps to involve the audience and allow them to learn more about the characters.
One of the biggest pros of shooting with a single camera is that the director is able to have complete control of the shot. Directors are able to film specific scenes controlling every aspect of the shot which ultimately allows them to shoot to their exact personal preferences. Their styles of shooting become much easier to control and the outcome is often far better detailed
Using a single camera to shoot a large number of scenes can be rather time consuming. A scene in itself may need to be shot multiple times from a variety of angles and shot lengths. It's also very costly to shoot with a single camera. Having to shot for a long period of time on set and at locations will see costs increase dramatically. Shooting on film will also be expensive when shooting with single camera as the more you shoot the more rolls of film will be needed.
Single Camera Set-up:
Multiple Camera Set-up:
Lighting
Setting up the lighting for multiple cameras can be a rather difficult in comparison to setting up the lighting for a single camera. When shooting with a single camera, each shot can be specifically set to create a certain mood and feel. However when using multiple cameras, the lighting has to be set for each and every camera. This takes away some of the creative element to the scene lighting and can create a toneless and monotonous feel to the lighting.
Example: Low key lighting in the film "The Godfather".
Sound
The quality of sound when shooting in general is very important as it can often be difference between a well received piece of work and a badly received piece of work. Using the basic camera mic can give poor quality in scenes with important dialog. Using multiple high quality microphones can enhance a video effect on the audience.
Audio should always overlay the visuals in order to avoid jumpy and cut off audio. To avoid audio issues, start the audio recording a few seconds before you start shooting the scene, then wait a few seconds after the scene has ended to stop the audio recording. The audio files can then be edited alongside the visuals in post production.
In single camera production, a single stationary or controlled microphone will be sufficient to capture the audio for the scene. Multiple camera productions will often use hidden mics that are worn by the characters in order to avoid multiple pieces of equipment being visible in shot. The audio equipment increases the chances of boom mics being visible in scenes. Single camera productions will often add another camera in scenes with a large amount of dialog, so that the scene is less monotonous. Will all productions, audio effects are often added in the post production stages.
Film makers will often use a higher quality audio file from a different take to the one that fits the shots visuals. The audio from the on screen visuals will be removed from the shot in post production and switched with a higher quality version captured during a different take of the same shot. In some shots, the audio will be mixed with a different visual. Shots such as narrations and cut-aways allow high quality audio to be selected.
Coverage
The term "coverage" relates to the amount footage you have. Having a substantial amount of high quality footage means that you have a good coverage. Coverage is something that has become much easier to obtain with the ever evolving technology. Digital cameras and storage devices (hard-drives, SD cards) have allowed low budget productions to obtain good coverage. Shooting with film can be expensive and so good coverage becomes harder and more costly to obtain. Having poor coverage can cause issues during the post production stages. If a particular scene has continuity errors then good coverage will often be able to solve the issue. Poor coverage will result in these errors being unsolvable and the overall scene can be ruined.
Single camera productions particularly need good coverage as you are relying on the one camera to shoot entire scenes. If you have poor coverage with a lack of shot variation and techniques then it can often lead to a flat looking film. Scenes should always be shot numerous times in order to avoid issues in the first place. Being experimental with your shots will give you multiple options during the editing stages of your production.
Master-shots should always be obtained before you begin varying your shots.The master-shot is often shot at a wide angle in order to include all of the action and characters. The master-shot should be used as a platform when editing as it introduces the scenes location and characters to the audience. Single camera productions allow time for the talent to check their lines in between shots. This is a often overlooked by young directors but it allows new and inexperienced talent to learn their lines in a less daunting and pressured situation. In multiple camera productions, scene are often simultaneously which means that the talent has to learn large proportions of lines with little to no time to check them before shooting.
Editing
The editing process of any production can take a long period of time to complete. Certain productions will need more time for editing than others depending on the genre and style of the production. Good coverage is a good thing to have but can be a long process to look through. Multiple camera productions will often not use a large amount of footage and so this can be expensive if shooting with film. Multiple camera productions will spend less time shooting than single camera productions so both productions have their pros and cons. Using a single camera will generally mean that the shooting period is longer. Sets and locations are expensive to hire and will therefore effect your budget dramatically. Multiple camera productions that shoot with film will also see an effect in their budget as film is expensive. Single camera productions will often take advantage of locations and shoot entire scenes in those locations. This is very cost effective and an efficient way to shoot with a limited budget.
Using multiple cameras for live events such as the X Factor allows the producer to mix shots in real time. This would not be possible with a single camera as each shot would have to be edited together in post production. The producer will have a live feed to the individual cameras as they record the event. He/she will choose which shots the audience will see. The multiple cameras make for a more engaging experience for the viewer. The shot variation of close ups, tracking shots etc, allow the audience to view the entire event in detail.
Shooting large productions such as feature films with a single camera can leave an editor with a mountain of footage to look through. This process of post production is arguably the most tedious and least enjoyable. Particular shots could have at least three other variations from a different angle or length. The editor will have to work alongside the director in choosing which shot will be chosen. The process of simply choosing the shots to edit can be a tedious process for the post production team. Most directors will use a shot log that keeps an account of which shot variations were successful and which were not. Shot logs can save the editor a lot of time as he would usually have to search through each shot.
Genres
Many films and television programmes use single cameras. These productions are used for a number of purposes. The three most popular genres that use a single camera are listed below.
Period Dramas
Period dramas, otherwise known as Costume dramas are period pieces in which elaborate costumes and sets are designed to generate an aura of a particular era in time. Time periods including the 1920s and 1940s are particularly common with British period dramas as they focus on the effects of both Word War I and World War II. Most period dramas include romantic elements such as Downtown Abbey and Pride and Prejudice.
Period dramas, otherwise known as Costume dramas are period pieces in which elaborate costumes and sets are designed to generate an aura of a particular era in time. Time periods including the 1920s and 1940s are particularly common with British period dramas as they focus on the effects of both Word War I and World War II. Most period dramas include romantic elements such as Downtown Abbey and Pride and Prejudice.
Crime
Single camera productions are often seen in crime thrillers such as Breaking Bad. The use of a single camera not only allows the actors to develop their characters roles but it also allows the director to capture the characters emotions more effectively with the use of low key lighting.
Horror
Horror films use single camera productions as a tool to create a realistic feel to the film. The best horror films utilize the single camera and use its an effective tool to create the scare factor. Horror films such as Paranormal activity use a single camera to capture that horror in a first person experience. The camera acts as viewpoint for the characters so what they are seeing, is what the audience sees.
Comedy
Single camera productions in comedy are generally less popular to multiple camera productions as the reactions to comedic elements feel more natural. Single camera productions have to shoot the reactions to jokes individually. These reactions can often seem artificial and detract from the purpose of comedic films. In my opinion, the best comedies often use improvised jokes and reactions as they feel genuine. In the film "This is 40" there is scene including the hilarious Melissa McCarthy, who plays a furious mother who's called into a meeting with her sons headteacher to solve an issue with another students parents. In the scene, she abuses not only the headteacher but the other parents. When is was watching this scene, I noticed that it felt very improvised. In the end credits, it shows alternative variations of the same scene which also seem improvised. The improvisation in the scene is in my eyes, the main catalyst for the effectiveness of the comedy.
Soap Opera
Soap operas such as EastEnders use multiple cameras as they are usually produced at a frequent rate. The multiple use of cameras allows them to produce the episodes at a high rate. Single camera productions take far more time to produce due to the amount of various shots that need to be captured. Sets are usually created to house the amount of cameras needed. Single cameras are used in some Soap Operas as in some cases locations such as actual houses can not house the large quantity of equipment.
Formats
Series
"Lost "
This TV show has a main plot through each series but has sub narratives within each episode, some running over more than one episode.
Serial
A serial such as Boardwalk Empire has a continuous plot that slowly unfolds and evolves as each episode is watched. Series usually form from story arcs and transform into entire seasons. As the story evolves, knew characters are included and removed from the main story.
Single Drama
A single drama is the equivalent of a television film. In a period of a single episode which can be as long as a 90 minute film, will follow an entire story. Single dramas are usually very immersive as they follow the main character through a part of their lives.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)