Portable Lights

Minus the small LED's that are available I have decided to research some more forms of portable lighting and find out how much they would be to hire or buy. I will be looking mostly at their brightness and battery life.

 To Buy Option:

This is small but a relatively strong light considering its size and lasts 4 hours which is a long enough time to find it useful on set. Its small size also means its a good size to put in a car with the other equipment. An all round good choice considering the price tag. Buying the light also means we can use if if we need to take any shots again at a later date or decide we need it for another part of the project completely.

To Rent Option:

This very small LED is meant to add a nice amount but small amount of light to a shot. Although it is super portable and would be good for our shoot in the sense that it would not over light or add too much of a flood, but could instead be used for precise highlighting, the battery life is too short as 1 hour is no where near enough time for one shoot. Also looking at the prices this is the more expensive option, £20 for the day is more expensive than buying the previous light and any this means any reshoots would be even more pricey.

The third option is to look for a generator to power a larger light we already have access too, this is something I will most likely be doing if I can source a generator inside the university.

Test Shoot Videos

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OAS6Ad13Kk

This is a youtube link to the edited footage from the equipment tests.

Fourth Production Meeting

Despite not being able to use the smoke machine at all the the second equipment test, it went well and everyone is now comfortable with the techniques practiced and the equipment we each need to use. I now can use the slider and shoulder rig and have ides how these two pieces of equipment can be effectively applied to the shorts in appropriate ways. I will need to provide a shot list and annotate storyboards for the first shoot which will be The Babysitter.

Third Production Meeting

From the third production meeting of the project I know that I need to plan for and attend the next equipment rehearsal in which I can learn more about the shoulder rig and the slider, this time we will also be testing the smoke machine and I am looking forward to testing out different coloured lighting effects on the smoke. We will also be doing some test shots from the scripts to see how they can be improved by different types of shots or lighting, meaning we will be more prepared on the days of filming

CV Planning

For my CV I have been looking at all the experiences over the years that have developed me as a person while still at the same time being at least slightly relevant to work or our work industry. Writing a paragraph to myself about each has meant that I am sure that I can recall the experience properly and can list the things I have learned from them, I doubt that I will be using anywhere near all this in my final CV but it has helped me get more positive about my own qualities

Experiences & Employment

National Citizen Service

Over a period of four weeks in the summer of 2013 I spent time developing my team work skills and doing work for charities. As a team we were tasked to raise money for charities doing a range of activates that involved problem solving, a lot of hard work and communication skills. We raises a sum of money in the hundreds, mainly for the charity Small Steps and developed greatly as a team as we had to co-ordinate a coffee morning. In addition to raising money we also helped out at a local farm/ petting zoo, to do this effectively we had to communicate and consider our own strengths and weaknesses within the team and play to them.  

Youth Arts Exhibition 2011

This was a collaborative arts projects between my school and a school for the disabled. The four canvases we produced was displayed in the art gallery in the Sunderland City Library. The experience not only was a fun project for both schools who created new social links but was also a good outlet for creativity. We considered and researched colours and objects associated with the four seasons which was our theme. I learned to not only work in a team with people who have a range of abilities but I also learned to adapt myself to help those who struggle and help them develop their confidence in their skills. Having work that I helped produce in a gallery was also a good experience as it was amazing to see how far work can develop and change before it is finally shown to the world.

Cobweb Orchestra

For their annual final performance in the Sage Gateshead I assisted in the recording of the Cobweb orchestra. Our team of three recorded the performance mainly with a Canon C100 camera but also two other canon cameras and sound recorded and mixed with a Zoom H6 Handheld Recorder. I mainly used the Zoom H6 and adjusted the sound levels during the main show but I also got to use the C100 during the rehearsals to collect an archive of close ups. I not only got to familiarise with new equipment during this experience but also got to experience a very professional environment with a live audience which increased my professional standards.

Live Show

As a part of my degree I was involved in a production team tasked with producing a piece of content that could be live streamed onto an internet platform. To complete the brief with produced a 3 episode (each of a 10 minute length) sitcom based on the human incarnations of the five stages of grief. The production was very difficult to create and the experience was a good learning tool. I developed my leadership skills as I ended up taking charge of motivating and organising the group to ensure that things got done. This encouraged the development of my ability to work under pressure which came both with the tight pre- production schedule and having to floor manage, camera operate and direct all on one project. As a team we had to come with a lot of creative solutions to a lot of issues we had, this helped me further my skills to think on my feet and think outside the box to overcome problems.

Dragons Den Goes Back to School

This was a once in a life time opportunity which me and small team was part of, the team had to produce and present a pitch to a specific brief in the Dragon’s Den. The project first and foremost greatly pushed our business, finance and time management skills as the pitch had to include a calculated business plan with accurate financial predictions and had to be produced in a short amount of time. It also challenged the team’s ability to work together to overcome problems as we encountered so many issues in the creative department along the way but adapted and overcame these hurdles with effective communication and advanced problem solving skills. Our pitching skills also had to blossom in this project as we were pitching in a very intense situation, in front of very experienced business people. Completing the pitch greatly improved my confidence as I made it through this intense experience. During this time I also first-hand experienced being in a studio environment, both in front of and behind the camera line. I experienced being ‘miked up’, being under intense pressure in a timing aspect and watching how the film procedure happened.

Johnston Press

A very large scale project that I participated in during university time, we were commissioned by Johnston Press to create a promotion video of the North East of England to be displayed at the National Media Awards. The project involved a vast amount of planning due to the wide variety of locations that needed to be found and it really tested all of our organisation and time management skills. The tight schedule also increased our efficiency as both individuals and a team. Despite the speed in which this project has to be produced we also had to ensure we controlled the quality of our work to ensure we were still producing to the highest standard as to please a professional client for the first time.  

First Equipment Test

 The first equipment test involved looking into using new equipment but included mostly looking at different lighting techniques that we could play around with and use later on the production. I set up lighting to try and silhouette a figure, looking at how far a person could move in and out of the shadow before it looses effect, this could possibly be used for the killer at some point during production but it isn't an easy effect to produce if the subject of the shot is moving so it will most likely be used in something static. We also looked into how well lit we could make something look only using the small LED's, although it looked well lit enough for close up shots in which the background is almost pitch black, to use it for wider shot such as the car scene Hook Man would be very difficult so we will have to source other larger portable lights or a generator.
During this test we also looked at using coloured lights or gels to create an atmosphere. For our purposes we found blues for a more cool or cold tone and reds to show danger or panic. These could be applied in a variety of places in the shorts which we will look at further into production.

Horror Styles

When looking for tips for filming a horror I found a lot of useful websites containing some tips on how to achieve a good style.

http://www.premiumbeat.com/blog/cinematography-tips-for-horror-filmmakers/

This website had a list of good tips. One of which I have discussed before, coloured gels, this is something I will definitely be using in some form during production as it is so easy yet so effective. Another one of these points I have already thought about using a lot in number two, under exposing, this is good way of creating a lot of shadows and darkness without going too 'under board' with lighting and is a good way to highlight things in a frame such as important objects or characters expressions and movement. For the point of using haze we are considering using a smoke machine on one of the outdoor shots to create a fog effect, however this is something we will have to test the effectiveness of in an equipment test.


http://nofilmschool.com/2013/10/tips-concepts-as-you-make-your-horror-flm

This website recommends using more point of view shots at tense moments within the films to make the audiences more scared, this is because they are put in the place of the character to see what they are seeing and this may cause them to care more for the character or just generally become more scared of whats around them because of the restricted vision.I could use this in our shorts however it is something I will have to discuss with the director as it is a bold choice to make and may not fit into our script as we only once ever see the murder happening.

http://www.tasteofcinema.com/2014/the-20-best-atmospheric-horror-movies-of-all-time/

For further research I have decided to watch a few films from the above list. Looking at the most atmospheric horrors should give me a look into how a horror should be lit and shot and can help me plan lighting arrangements for this project assuming they are relevant to the script. I will be looking at horrors that focus on both indoors and out and will mostly be making notes on the scenes that are set during the night (which will most likely be a lot). I will also especially be looking out for uses of coloured lighting.

Coloured Lighting

Looking back at my visual culture I decided it would be interesting to use colour to my advantage when lighting a scene in one or more of the shorts. The most obvious option for a colour tint inside the horro genre is of course red “Surrounding accompaniments of this colour have always a grave and magnificent effect" (Goethe J, Theory of Colours (BLTC Press 2008)  p. 172) This is exactly what I would need within these shorts. There are senses of dread in many scenes that I feel could be amplified well by a red light. To do this I would only need to get a red gel for the main light or the smaller fill lights depending on how saturated I feel the scene should be.

http://filmmakermagazine.com/95481-watch-red-lighting-in-the-films-of-martin-scorsese/#.VywO5EeLHC8

The above link is a great exmaple of shots from films by Martin Scorsese that use red or red lighting, mostly to show panic or violence which is exactly what I am looking for, these further reinforce my idea to use red lighting somewhere within our project. It would be difficult however to make the red light look digetic so I will have to look into that in the future.

On the contrasting side, we could also use a blue light instead, often used as a calm colour, used in the right way it cold also be used to reflect cold “blue gives us an impression of cold” (Goethe J, Theory of Colours (BLTC Press 2008) p.17). The cold could make the audience feel more uncomfortable or get more of a sense that something bad is going to happen however I would have to be very careful. I could mask the blue as moonlight rather than just a blue light, making it ideal for on of the outdoor scenes.

CV

 A CV must open with a strong statement that sums up the qualities of the person. After looking at a list of keywords and working together with peers I came up with this.

A confident hands- on individual when making practical decisions and overcoming problems with quick thinking and resourcefulness. Handles all production situations with an energetic vibe and is incredibly resilient when it comes to any form of bump in the road on the way to achieving a goal, either technical or creative. Finally, when it comes to a team or cooperative situation it is easy to be supportive of ideas while at the same time being analytical, encouraging a team to adapt and communicate to suit the situation.

Saying that I am hands-on expresses my knowledge of technical equipment while I the same time showing I am willing to take on practical work, this forms a good combination with the resourcefulness as it shows that I can solve problems using my smarts and get solutions that are favourable. The second sentence expresses my determination to reach a goal which is a good thing to show to employers as they will know that you will strive to get your role on a team to be a prosperous one. The final sentence shows that I can work within a team of people effectively which is needed in this industry as most of the work is within a crew or group, however, I also point out that I am analytical and encourage other to adapt, this could communicate that I try to develop as a person and as a team to create a better end product

Intro to Professional Studies

For this module, we will be writing a report, a CV and creating a digital archive.

I plan to write my report on camera work and cinematography, partially focussing more on TV than film, looking into how to get into the industry and the support we have as professionals once inside. I will also be creating a public survey.

Festivals

Dead by Dawn - This festival is purely for horror, it looks at the style and story of a piece as well as if it is different or challenging to the genre. Submissions are free and can be sent in in a multitude of ways including online links or via DVD. Available awards are Best Feature, Best Short, Best Animation and the winner of the Cutting Edge short film competition for debut and emerging film-makers.
Edinburgh Short Film Festival - Is an any genre short film festival which costs £15 to enter. The film must not be longer than 20 minutes including credits and must be submitted as a h264/ mp4 or DVD format to be accepted. Entrants aim for  the rising star award win at the end of the festival.
Freakshow Film Festival -  Another horror based festival this time in Calfornia. Entry is $20 however this is a much more large scale festival than the first horror festival and contains awards such as Jury Award, Best Feature, Best Short, Best Actor and Best Actress

First Production Meeting

Today was the first production meeting of the project currently under the working title 'Urban Legends'.
From my first set goals I will have to practice with the P2s and understand the cameras limits in darkness so I can effectively use it on night shoots. We will also be following this meeting up with an equipment test day to look at both sound equipment and practice with different styles of lighting. It will be a good way to get to crew motivated and will be a good practice for everyone to get used to techinques before filming.

Live 2 role

For my role on my Live 2 production I will be the camera operator and lighting designer for a four episode series of short films. I will have to look at what styles we would like to employ into our production as well as create a production diary.