Directing and Performance - FILM A Evaluation - 17th February - BAFI104

Wednesday 17th February 2016        Module: Directing and Performance     Lecture: Andy and Lucy

Evaluation for Directing and Performance Film A - Including the classwork - BAFI104 

We began the module off by meeting the actors and familiarising ourselves with the Marjons University Campus, getting to grips with the kinds of locations that we could use which were on site, most of which we filmed at for our test shot films, of which we created two, my groups were called "The Mirror" which was about voices being overheard inside a teenager boys head, messing with his mind talking about that they know what he has done. this film itself received great feedback, I was the editor and the sound tech for this specific film, I wanted to get to grips with testing out the equipment and try out a different role which I thoroughly enjoyed being a part of, the team were working hard, generating new ideas.

Here is the film that I managed to edit together with the footage and sound, syncing it up with a loud clap at the start, great way to introduce the short film, filmed at Marjons in the toilets.

 
There is a Mirror (Short Film) - Directing and Performance from Luke Curno on Vimeo.

Another film that I created with a different group was generated through the script that a group member had written whilst listening to his housemates playing a game of FIFA, we took this to a whole new level as we got the actors to act as if they were spectators of a match out on the pitch, I was the cinematographer, helped with sound as well for this film, unfortunately the editor hasn't managed to finish the edit for this. Anyway we received great feedback for this film, they way that we used the spectator sign in the shot to annotate where the actors were, also everyone liked the idea of a few member of the group running up and down on the pitch with a ball as it gave the actors something to track as they watched us run up and down, constantly moving and even shooting the ball in time with their chants and screams from the side of the goal.

Film A Brief and Exeter Visit

Shortly after these films were created, in lesson we were given the brief for our first practical assessed film with the Marjon students of campus. We were told asked to get into groups based around the people on our table, the boys went together and the girls, we were then told that we would be travelling to Exeter City Centre for the next session, we would be set the task of collecting as much footage from the place, including a range of camera angles, picking the footage carefully as it was to be featured in the background of our studio footage. I gave full consideration to the sound design whilst out in Exeter, point the sound tech in the right direction in order to collect sound that would match the filming I had shot whilst out on location, I took a variety of camera anglesWhilst in Exeter we went to visit the Bill Douglas Museum where we would be shown different types of cameras, films, actors, genres and just a lot of interesting information about filmmaking, how it has progressed, advantages, downfalls and being able too see the types of antiques, books, comics, cameras, artifacts, work that others within the industry have created over time, helped to learn some of the techniques that have been used over time and about how they could be achieved, you just need a concrete idea and the drive to get on with it. The idea of visiting the museum was so as too learn the basics of using a device/mechanism to help create meaning / tell the story, something that we could think about using for our own project, we have chosen green screen.

Here is a link to my blogpost that I created when I was out on Exeter, shooting on location as well as noting the visit to the Bill Douglas museum. (INSERT BLOG LINK). 

http://lukecurnopca.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/directing-and-performance-18th.html

Job role

For this module I had the job of the cinematographer where I shot external and internal footage, in Exeter as I mentioned as well as the green screen footage at Plymouth College of Art in the green screen studio. However, my role expanded throughout this module as I took on a lot more job roles due to the lack of attitude from other group members, they didn't turn turn up to the majority of shoots, lessons or weren't on hand to help whilst out on location.

Here is a link to my blogpost from the green screen shoot, we just need to film one more scene which we will be planning to finish over the next few days, I feel like this blog post details my job roles and the extra work that myself and Janusz took on throughout the project.

Blogpost from first shoot too note the job role I had as well as the extra roles that I took on for this module. 

http://lukecurnopca.blogspot.co.uk/2016/02/directing-and-performance-12th-feb.html

What I liked about Film A

Planning

I think that myself and Janusz worked really well together, myself researching the type of camera angles, locations to shoot before we actually went out to exteter, looking at existing film noir, watching films, annotating the script, constantly blogging about the progress of us two and the work that we were doing behind the scenes. I thought that Janusz had created a brilliant script, I thought that we had developed a short shot list but it was something and through the module I started to test out the camera, types of framing that I could create, researched into the lighting, types of lighting equipment that we were using and how to operate them, helped myself towards the shoot as I was able to set them up quickly which gave more time for the shoot and this was vital as it was only myself and Janusz who had turned up for the main shoot.

Filming

Firstly I liked the visit to Exeter, enjoyed filming out on location, experimenting with the camera to achieve different angles, pans and lots of cut away shots. I really pleased with the look of the Exeter footage, 3/6 people turned up to this shoot, we worked well as a team, directing each other what we wanted and started to think about how we would achieve, where the actors could be positioned in front of the frame for when we start to film the green screen footage. I think that it was a great idea of mine to run a few tests, i came up with the idea for the test shoot in the green screen room, from that session myself and Janusz were able to set up the lighting, green screen, laptop, camera, sound mic and any extra equipment that was required. Also I feel that by deciding to go out to the train station for some shooting, I was able to practice with the framing of shots, I think that I achieved many great camera shots from this shoot, myself and Janusz had the idea of these shots being used as cutaways for the green screen footage, help to establish a scene relating to the interview in our script, helping to drive the narrative forward.

I thought that despite all the complications, myself and Janusz worked well to inform the actors on what was going on and I think that we copped well with the amount of added pressure from all the extra roles that we took on.

I thought that the actors were really good, listened to what we told them, worked efficiently to achieve the product that we wanted, despite only having two of us on the main shoot. I thought that they learnt their lines well and it was good the way that they kept asking for us to critque them on their performances, if they wanted to re-shoot they let myself and Janusz know clearly which was good.

Here's a link to my blogpost from the first shoot that we carried out (INSERT BLOGLINK HERE).

http://lukecurnopca.blogspot.co.uk/2016/02/directing-and-performance-12th-feb.html

Edit

I thought that I worked well, it wasn't my job but I went through the footage and labelled the clips that myself and Janusz wanted to use for the edit, I feel like this made it a lot easier for the editor to cut and chop the footage together, we already knew from the test shots which shots that we wanted too use, the types of camera angles and of course by looking at the script, myself and Janusz were able to order the shots. I thought that once the editor finally came in, he cracked on with it straight away and it started to come together, the clips worked well together and he knew what he was doing, myself and Janusz helped of course too show where we wanted the scripts, Dan wasn't too familiar with how we wanted the piece edited together, where we wanted the clips and whether we wanted anything cropped, or the duration shortened or perhaps exploring the possibility of colour correction to make the clips a little brighter.

What I didn't like 

Planning

There was nothing that I didn't like from the planning at all other than the fact that not everyone was present, which meant that it was only myself and Janusz who had contribution and research on hand to create something out off.

Filming

I didn't like the fact that not everyone was present at the filming, giving myself and Janusz a lot more to think about, having to get everywhere earlier to prepare, the fact that we had to take on extra roles which messed around with the time that we had but we just got on with it.

Edit

I didn't like the fact that the editing was left to the last minute, when editing we decided that we would shoot another scene for the ending of the film, otherwise the narrative might not come across clearly which was a really annoyance on my part, we filmed everything early and got the script and everything done, all they had to do was start editing and collect the footage, this meant that we now have to rush the filming for the last scene which we plan to do throughout the next few days, had to cancel plans that I had in place for filming my project outside of University.

What I think could be improved for future work

Planning

I think that the other members of the group should have contributions too the group work as well, I think that there should be someone else to arrange the actors, book the equipment out, do research on lighting, come up with sound effects and music for the background etc. I think that the booking should be put in place a lot earlier but it has been extremely difficult to arrange a time to film with the actors, they are in at different times than us, the group chats worked well though that we had with them on FB and the fact that we exchanged numbers at the start so as to ask them when they are available and let them know about the availability for booking out rooms and equipment.

Filming

I think that all of the members of the group should turn up too the lessons to understand how everything is going to work and I think that they should have a read of the script to get an understanding of the type of project we are trying to achieve.

Edit

I think that they should make a start as early as possible so as too leave the rest of the group and actors with plenty of time to re-shoot instead of leaving it to the last minute and then because the rooms are fully booked, the rest of the group have to work out an alternative for the location to shoot at.

Overall

Overall I liked my job role and working with Janusz in the group I feel like we came up with a great idea, executed the filming on the shoot well with the aid of Dan in Exeter for some of the filming, I feel like the actors were great on shoot as well as off shoot, it was hard to plan dates around them but we got through it, it would just be nice to have a lot more contribution, people to turn up to the shoot to lend a hand, and the whole crew to muscle together instead of leaving it to the last minute.