Yesterday's Interview and last nights live event at StaffsTV

Documentary Interview

Yesterday, I got everything prepared for my upcoming interviews. The studio was set up and the paperwork was up to date. I was expecting two interviews and one turned up. I told him what the documentary was about and what sort of questions I was going to ask. He was really interested in taking part. Unfortunately he was 15 minutes late but the interview itself didn't take as long as I thought it would. The interview itself, I thought, went very well. I took two takes of it so I can choose which take to have.

I then took a shot of the interviewee reading a Stephen King book I borrowed from the library. This is for a quick action shot for the documentary.

I met the second interviewee after I completed the first interview. He apologized for not coming because he didn't have any update on what was going on. This I blame myself because I didn't ask him for his email address. So we exchanged mobile numbers. This way, I can keep in contact to give him updates.


Last night's live event with StaffsTV

Last night, I joined the StaffsTV group at the uni campus. We had to film a live show that was being aired at many parts of the country. So this was a bigger show and this time there were two sets to film at. I was at the Legend's Lounge set which is just next door to the studio. The Legend's Lounge was where we had to film live bands and solo artists. My role for the night was to be camera assistant. I was at the front of the stage where there was a crew member doing tracking shots. I was next to him and I had to help clear the track of cables. I kept hold of them and tracked with him so that we can have a smooth tracking shot.

There were a few hiccups with the event, for example, one of the live streams at another uni in the country went down, so we had to have that live stream aswell and bad signal with our live feed etc. But other than that, I think it was a successful night.

Production Scheduled tweaked and tomorrows tasks

Because of differences of days of filming my documentary, I have just re written my production schedule so now its updated.

Tomorrow I am filming two interviews in the late afternoon. I do feel prepared. Equipment is booked and in the morning I'll print off my question sheet and shot list. Also, If I have time, I'll record my dialogue for the commentary.

Studio Prep Sorted and 2 interviewees down and one to go on King Fans

On friday, My tasks for the day were to sort out the studio and lighting I need for the interviews and collecting interviewees for next week Wednesday.

With a helping hand, I sorted out what lighting is needed and what percentage of the brightness was needed.

To begin with, this was a challenge because lighting is my weakness through out filming. So I asked my lecturer for a little help on how the lighting looked to begin with. He gave very constructive criticism on how it should look. He suggested to use the three point lighting method, which is the key light, fill light and the back light. He also suggested where to move some of the lighting gear in position. I then moved the lighting and I asked a friend of mine to sit down infront of it, so I know how it looked. He even helped me move the lights aswell. It took me some tine to figure out what percentages I needed for the brightness. I then figured it out and now this is how it looks:

  
I also took images on my camera, of when I started sorting out the lighting. So I know how it looked. I used my friend for this. Here's two of them for example:

After the lighting was sorted. I used a small camcorder to see how it looked on camera. I used myself for this by turning the view finding screen. I didn't take any photo's of this but I did take one of the camera infront of the desk:

Collecting interviewees

Also, during that day, I went around a couple of classrooms and asked a few students if they were fans of Stephen King and were interested. I needed three people. One gained interest but the rest of them didn't know Stephen King. I was happy that I gained one interviewee but I needed more. The one interviewee suggested asking someone he know, who is in the college. That person he knew is someone I know aswell. So I then messaged him on Facebook to ask if he was interested. He said he was up for it which is great. So now I have two interviews booked for Wednesday and I'll need one more for Friday. I just need to ask if I can book the studio for then and then I'll ask a friend if they are up for an interview.

Equipment is booked and I'm now prepared for Wednesday.

My little location scout for my short film and the next stage of my documentary

Short Film
During this morning, while taking my dog out for a walk, I took my camera and taken snap shots of the locations I'm planning to use for my film. I thought these locations would work because they are very normal and something you would see everyday.

I'm not sure if I mentioned it, but my film is going to be about a young boy, on the way home from his friends, being stalked by a hooded figure. A lot of the inspiration came from the film Halloween, with the stalking idea. For this piece, I mostly want to focus more on the cinematography and create suspense without too much dialogue. This will be also for some action shots for my documentary. Here are the images I have taken:

Documentary
The next stage is that during tomorrow (if the weather doesn't worsen) I'm going to go around the college and ask students and lecturers if they are interested in being in my documentary and give them all the details of where I'm planning to interview them, filming extra shots of them reading their books and the dates of the interviews. So hopefully this should work. If it doesn't, I'm planning on going to the uni to the StaffsTv group, which I'm a member of. I will ask some of the students there if they're interested.

Date change for documentary filming and the finishing of my short film for the editing exam

Documentary 
On Friday, I had to take a day off uni because of the snow. So, next week, my plan is to try and ask a few students (Stephen King fans) from classes if they are interested in being part of the documentary. All my other paper work for the production is done. I'll have a check through just in case.

Editing Exam short film
For this small project, I will be making a very short film for my editing exam. It has to be very short so I can edit it in a day. I came with an idea about a young boy, being chased by a stalker. Simple I know, but I really focus more on the cinematography and the suspense.

I have just finished writing the script. It does sound very good but I want to check it with a family member by having a read through tomorrow. Fingers crossed lets see if I can go ahead. I have a thought in mind to film it next weekend but lets see what the feedback is first.

Shot list for the scrip is done. Also the explanation of filming order for the documentary

During today, I have written out my shot list for my documentary. I only added in shots of the interviews, shots of my book collection and fans with their books etc. I didn't add in the archive footage or the rein acted scenes I'm planning on filming.

For this documentary, I'm planning on filming the interviews first because I think they are the most important. After the interviews and the extra shots with the fans are done, I will head on preparing the action shots.

Also, during today, I filmed a small test shot on my new digital camera that I got from my mum. I have to say, it does look pretty good. I might possibly use it for the shots of my King books, films and collectibles

My next step now is to write up the production schedule.

Script Done!! and the message for interviewees sent!

During today, I looked over my documentary script and written the amendments to make it work. I had one or tow read throughs and I really think it would work.

I have also sent out a large message on Facebook about wanting interviewees at Stafford College next week.

If I never get replies, I will ask students at the college and see where I can go from there.

Fingers crossed I hopefully will get responses

Feedback on documentary idea, location scouting and the next task

Feedback
I have recently spoken to my lecturer about my documetary idea. He really liked it but he suggested to add more action shots than just using book images. He said the first 90% of the idea is really good but the next 10% of the idea needed improving. He asked how I could improve this which was very challenging to think about but then he suggested to film people reinacting a scene from one of Stephen King's books or films. This I think would really work. I also suggested to create a scene that's just related to the horror genre. This would also help with my upcoming editing exam.

Location Scouting and the next task

After the feeback, I went for a short location scout for interviewees and found some reasonable looking locations. Most of them were around the nearest church opposite the college. Here are a few images of the locations:

This is my bedroom, where I'm planning on shooting footage of my King collection and collectibles for the opening sequence.

If the weather is good enough, I would possibly like to use these settings because I think they give out a certain Gothic feeling. This I think will match the subject this documentary is about.

These are the locations I would like to use for people that aren't fans because they are just ordinary settings. The Gothic ones I don't think will work because the subject will be about why some people don't like King or they might not like the horror genre in general.

Here is the studio where I would initially like to shoot the fan interviews. I will set it up using the black curtains and to use the lighting. I want to learn more about how to use the lighting and controls before I use it for shooting.

My studio module role

Other than documentary, our second module for the end of this year is multy camera studio module.

This is where we all work in a large group. I've just recently discussed with one of the group members, who's in charge of thinking of an idea of a show. He told us he wants to do a music show and get 5 or 6 different solo artists or bands together and play live.

I asked my role for this module is camera oporator which I'm perfectly happy with.

First steps towards documentary: Action plan and script writing

Now that my previous projects are finished, I am now on the Documentary and Studio Production modules.

I have made a start on my Documentary module. I have explained my idea on previous pages. Before Christmas, I created the mood board for it, explaining what type of shots, lighting, clothing to wear etc. Here is the image of the mood board I created in a program I have called Inspiration:

I have also, recently began writing my script of the documentary. I haven't finished it yet but its a work in progress. Here is an image of a page:

But then I realized, before carrying on with my script, I wrote a action plan of what tasks I'm intending to do for this module. So I thought of all the tasks, for example, taking photos of the locations, sending out the advertisements for interviewees of Stephen King fans etc. So here is an image of the action plan I wrote:

This, I think will really help through out the module because then what I've done and what else I have to do.

Tweaking my Corporate Video

Recently, I have finished making a corporate video, promoting my course I'm on now.

After it was viewed, I had some really good feedback but somebody recognized that the colours needed tweaking slightly and the phone number I said at the end, I've written some of the numbers the wrong way round. So I took these amendments on board.

So today, I have gone back to the video and completed the amendments. I have deleted the old video off Youtube and now uploading the new one on now :D

Idea of Documentary set in stone and my proposal written

Recently, I have been thinking about my upcoming project, which is, making my documentary.

I have an idea for quite a while, which is piece about fans of Stephen King. It is about their favorite books and films, by King, why they like them and how much do they mean to them. I did ask my lecturer and my mum of what they thought of the idea. They approve and think that it would work.

My main inspiration from the idea is by a documentary I've seen and enjoyed called 'Metal A Headbanger's Journey'. It is about an Anthropologist, who is a big fan of metal music. He travels to America, England, Germany and Norway and interviews fans, band members, record labels, writers etc. The question the Anthropologist wanted to ask is why the genre is most of the time stereotyped, dismissed and condemned. He interviewed the fans about the huge passions in the genre. He had shots of music festivals, bands playing live and the fans having a great time.

He also mentioned the different types of metal music (there are loads!). He and band members have explained histories about the genre. Basically, anything you need to know about metal, its there.

I enjoyed it that much, I felt that I wanted to make one on the horror genre. This, I think will be difficult at the moment because I have to find out about clubs, societies etc. But I will have it in mind. So then I went onto Stephen King and I think it will be appropriate because it'll be easier. 

I have recently created a mood board of shots, lighting, clothing, angles etc. I then thought of what locations to use for filming. I asked my family of what locations I could use. i suggested the studio for one of them and they like the idea

Today, I have written my proposal and asked about more locations. My mum agrees with my other ideas. My next step is to write the script.