Principal photography is over, phew!
We convened at my house pretty much in time yesterday; the idea was to meet at noon, shoot from one, pause early evening till dark then film some more until maybe ten or eleven.
Half past ten we wrapped. There were slight changes to the script in order to speed things up and we decided to save the external shots until daylight.
Everyone was brilliant on set - and patient. We did have enough crew to form a second unit but due to technological constraints (my camera only records directly to a laptop) we could only shoot one set up at a time.
If you ever need an enthusiastic, energetic and competent crew, I can't recommend the following people highly enough for their skill, ingenuity and professionalism:
Actors: Hannah Matthews, Harry Peach
Production Designer: Billy Cessford
Prop Mistress: Rachel Lee
Camera Op.: Peter Suttron
Lighting/Sound: Karl Keenen
Make-up/On Set Photographer: Hannah Prince
I'll be making a rough cut today and hopefully working with Curtis Rowlands next Wednesday on a musical score.
I'm not quite sure if this will cut down to a fully understandable 90-second film; we threw so many ideas into the mix both at the script stage and on set; character motivations evolved and unscripted backstory was filmed too.
The deadline is this Friday. There will be a 90 second cut for that. More exciting s the Directors Cut. There is no time limit in that and as of this morning, there's 63 minutes of tape to choose from!
Next up: breakfast. I didnt eat much on set yesterday; there wasn't really time but moreover, I wanted to 'method direct' - to have that hollow feeling of lost love inside so that I wouldn't stray from the point of the story: a study of a man shredded by his feelings.
Saturday, 15 October 2011
First I was 'Letting Go', now I'm 'Moving On'...
A year ad a half on from my first film making effort, 'Letting Go', comes the companion piece 'Moving On'.
The project had been languishing inside me for a fee weeks when I saw a reminder for another 90-second film competition from writers block, the theme: ghost stories.
The story follows a man who struggles to accept that his girlfriend has left him - but has she really gone for good?
I wrote the first draft in a few hours on Wednesday evening and shared it with students on the Thursday - with a view to shooting this weekend.
Hurried phone calls and emails landed me a tight cast and crew, comprising of graduates of film and tv and a couple of first timers.
The script has seen four revisions and today we shoot what we've got - kick off is in around two hours!
This is my first film for months, a very cathartic piece for me, one that I could only have conceived at this very point in my life.
I think I'll call my next film 'Falling In Love Again'..!
Here's a link to the competition:
http://www.facebook.com/notes/writers-block-north-east/90-second-ghost-story-filmmaking-competition/259851604053510
And here's a link to the first. Film, Letting Go:
http://vimeo.com/m/16980470
Pics and stories tomorrow - it's gonna be a long day!
The project had been languishing inside me for a fee weeks when I saw a reminder for another 90-second film competition from writers block, the theme: ghost stories.
The story follows a man who struggles to accept that his girlfriend has left him - but has she really gone for good?
I wrote the first draft in a few hours on Wednesday evening and shared it with students on the Thursday - with a view to shooting this weekend.
Hurried phone calls and emails landed me a tight cast and crew, comprising of graduates of film and tv and a couple of first timers.
The script has seen four revisions and today we shoot what we've got - kick off is in around two hours!
This is my first film for months, a very cathartic piece for me, one that I could only have conceived at this very point in my life.
I think I'll call my next film 'Falling In Love Again'..!
Here's a link to the competition:
http://www.facebook.com/notes/writers-block-north-east/90-second-ghost-story-filmmaking-competition/259851604053510
And here's a link to the first. Film, Letting Go:
http://vimeo.com/m/16980470
Pics and stories tomorrow - it's gonna be a long day!
Tuesday, 11 October 2011
Thanks Dad, you're Super (8)
Were back at film school now and the projects are beginning to take shape.
The one we're most excited by is the Straight 8 film competition, the winners of which are premiered at the Cannes film festival.
The college has one super-8 camera but no user guide.
Enter my father.
Although my request was to use the projector that's been in the loft for twenty years, he offered me the use if his camera too, and get this: it's the same make and model AND CONES WITH FULL INSTRUCTIONS!!!
We now have the capability to film films and play them back, old school, rather than having them telecinied onto a DVD.
Time will tell how well we do as a competition entry but one things for sure, it's not the technology that'll hold us back.
The one we're most excited by is the Straight 8 film competition, the winners of which are premiered at the Cannes film festival.
The college has one super-8 camera but no user guide.
Enter my father.
Although my request was to use the projector that's been in the loft for twenty years, he offered me the use if his camera too, and get this: it's the same make and model AND CONES WITH FULL INSTRUCTIONS!!!
We now have the capability to film films and play them back, old school, rather than having them telecinied onto a DVD.
Time will tell how well we do as a competition entry but one things for sure, it's not the technology that'll hold us back.
Wednesday, 7 September 2011
It's Early Days but...
I'm entering a piece of work into the RTS Awards!
As silly as it sounds, as my personal interests and pursuits do not generally align with awards assessment criteria, however, it seems my Regent Cinema promotional film has been deemed worthy of the 'free, undergraduate' entry ticket, available to the Film and TV Production course students - we qualified because we are entering sufficient paid for projects from our recent graduates.
As I say, early days... It's not even been posted yet, it's just a really good feeling to be asked to represent the college.
I must confess, I quite fancy winning; there's nothing like taking the stage to receive an award before your peers - thanks to Writer's Block for giving me the first experience of this!
I hope the next blog on this subject says I've been accepted, shortlisted and I can round it off with an 'I've Won It!!!'
Thanks to Di Scott and Mike Boyle, our lecturers on the course, for just considering me at this stage, even this much makes the numerous sleepless nights feel worth it...
Best of luck to all involved and may the best films win!
Links to RTS Awards here:
http://rtsstudentawards.co.uk/events
Links to Regent Cinema promotional film here:
http://vimeo.com/search/videos/search:john%20noble%20regent/st/58ad9158
As silly as it sounds, as my personal interests and pursuits do not generally align with awards assessment criteria, however, it seems my Regent Cinema promotional film has been deemed worthy of the 'free, undergraduate' entry ticket, available to the Film and TV Production course students - we qualified because we are entering sufficient paid for projects from our recent graduates.
As I say, early days... It's not even been posted yet, it's just a really good feeling to be asked to represent the college.
I must confess, I quite fancy winning; there's nothing like taking the stage to receive an award before your peers - thanks to Writer's Block for giving me the first experience of this!
I hope the next blog on this subject says I've been accepted, shortlisted and I can round it off with an 'I've Won It!!!'
Thanks to Di Scott and Mike Boyle, our lecturers on the course, for just considering me at this stage, even this much makes the numerous sleepless nights feel worth it...
Best of luck to all involved and may the best films win!
Links to RTS Awards here:
http://rtsstudentawards.co.uk/events
Links to Regent Cinema promotional film here:
http://vimeo.com/search/videos/search:john%20noble%20regent/st/58ad9158
Sunday, 21 August 2011
Two Steps Back
Impatience is a curse of mine.
A few months ago, whilst feeling disheartened about a lack of access to camcorders out of hours fromthe CCAD stores, I purchased one from eBay.
From Malta!
It arrived safely but had a couple of tiny faults. I out it down to transit and acclimatisation and used the camera happily on a couple of occasions.
Last time out I realised that the xlr inputs didn't work...
Everything else seemed fine, just those inputs, meaning j was limited to use the onboard mics to capture sound.
Ho-hum. At the start of my summer holidays, I decided to have the problem looked at. I sent my camcorder off to a recommended repair centre ad waited.
Quite quickly they got back to me: "we fixed 'the xlr problem with a bit of soldering", "great, thanks, when can j have it back?"
"oh no, we're afraid there was another problem, we can't fix it, it needs to go back to panasonic themselves for investigation".
That was a month ago.
Tomorrow, I was due to film part of an instructional film for a world class blacksmith.
I don't have my camera.
I can't get one from college.
There is no budget so I'm not going to hire one.
As it happens, it appears this enforced postponement is for the best.
I'll try again next month. If the museum is still operational.
In the mean time, does anyone know where my camcorder is?!!
A few months ago, whilst feeling disheartened about a lack of access to camcorders out of hours fromthe CCAD stores, I purchased one from eBay.
From Malta!
It arrived safely but had a couple of tiny faults. I out it down to transit and acclimatisation and used the camera happily on a couple of occasions.
Last time out I realised that the xlr inputs didn't work...
Everything else seemed fine, just those inputs, meaning j was limited to use the onboard mics to capture sound.
Ho-hum. At the start of my summer holidays, I decided to have the problem looked at. I sent my camcorder off to a recommended repair centre ad waited.
Quite quickly they got back to me: "we fixed 'the xlr problem with a bit of soldering", "great, thanks, when can j have it back?"
"oh no, we're afraid there was another problem, we can't fix it, it needs to go back to panasonic themselves for investigation".
That was a month ago.
Tomorrow, I was due to film part of an instructional film for a world class blacksmith.
I don't have my camera.
I can't get one from college.
There is no budget so I'm not going to hire one.
As it happens, it appears this enforced postponement is for the best.
I'll try again next month. If the museum is still operational.
In the mean time, does anyone know where my camcorder is?!!
Sunday, 29 May 2011
Costume Catwalk Show
Last Tuesday was the FdA costume construction and BA Ents catwalk event and I'd Bern asked to film it.
The brief was 'just set up a camera and film it' but, as a tv and film student, that was never going to happen.
I enlisted the help of Jess Shaw, Laura glendenan and Charlotte Mitchell, although Sophie Crawford replaced her at the last minute.
It was a three camera set up; two set up for wide-to-mid-to-close shots and one permanently on wide, taken from the dj booth. Thus last camera was only intended to capture the voices of the compares, Tim Vine and John Archer, buy it was such a good vantage point that it was decided to use it too.
I had been asked to model two outfits on the night; a cowboy shirt and a martial arts costume.
The sense if occasion overwhelmed me and I was soon line dancing and Kai-calling my way up and down the catwalk, luckily my camera ops were doing the actual filming in my absence.
The while evening took the best part if three hours - that's nine hours if footage to log and edit. There'll be no shortcuts either.
I've just got to knuckle down and do it.
The brief was 'just set up a camera and film it' but, as a tv and film student, that was never going to happen.
I enlisted the help of Jess Shaw, Laura glendenan and Charlotte Mitchell, although Sophie Crawford replaced her at the last minute.
It was a three camera set up; two set up for wide-to-mid-to-close shots and one permanently on wide, taken from the dj booth. Thus last camera was only intended to capture the voices of the compares, Tim Vine and John Archer, buy it was such a good vantage point that it was decided to use it too.
I had been asked to model two outfits on the night; a cowboy shirt and a martial arts costume.
The sense if occasion overwhelmed me and I was soon line dancing and Kai-calling my way up and down the catwalk, luckily my camera ops were doing the actual filming in my absence.
The while evening took the best part if three hours - that's nine hours if footage to log and edit. There'll be no shortcuts either.
I've just got to knuckle down and do it.
Monday, 21 March 2011
Another breakthrough!
My Regent cinema project is shaping up on the edit suite now and, although I only seem to work on it in 3-4 hour bursts, there is a definite end in sight... Lucky that, being as the deadline is not far off either!
The breakthrough of the week was in finding a way to record a musical score and VoiceOver track.
I have looked around online for ready made music; I have considered adding a popular 60's track, but I've felt blocked at each turn.
On Saturday night I found enough cables to connect a synthesiser keyboard to the edit suite and, although there's a full seconds time delay, I can play semi-live into the machine.
I was also able to use this new-found knowledge to hook up a microphone and perform an early morning VoiceOver.
Bingo!
I'm still up against it with everything else I have on but j feel like I can at least control every aspect now and the work I hand in will be the truest representation of my abilities.
The breakthrough of the week was in finding a way to record a musical score and VoiceOver track.
I have looked around online for ready made music; I have considered adding a popular 60's track, but I've felt blocked at each turn.
On Saturday night I found enough cables to connect a synthesiser keyboard to the edit suite and, although there's a full seconds time delay, I can play semi-live into the machine.
I was also able to use this new-found knowledge to hook up a microphone and perform an early morning VoiceOver.
Bingo!
I'm still up against it with everything else I have on but j feel like I can at least control every aspect now and the work I hand in will be the truest representation of my abilities.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)