Shoot day reflection

To summarise how the shot day went i wrote the positive and negatives of the whole experience and how what i have learnt for the experience. 

Shoot day reflection

Our shoot I believe went very successful as we achieved all the shots we needed and maintain on our time frame so we finished with time to spare.

This efficiency was mainly due to preparation as all of our group met at our classroom earliest we could so around 8 to add extra details to props such as blood and dents and also to go over the schedule once more so we know when to start. The props we already had prepared included  weapons(axe), a bloody bucket, mugshots of our classmates for set, handkerchiefs and fake barbed wire. Once all was finished with the preparation we had to start clearing out our location of the container which as a group we cleared out very quickly which was very useful as while the rest of the group were clearing the set Alice was doing makeup and costume so when everyone was ready we could start filming immediately.     

Another reason our shoot went well because we kept to our roles and helped when needed so that every second we were doing something of use and we didn’t have to wait around, our communication was an important part of this process as well as we all knew what we were doing and where we needed to be and I feel that as a group we really stayed in loop and on track. We first guided through the footage we wanted in the set with just the crew and the help of a teacher as this was our first time. Elias was in charge of the camera, Raif the director and me and Alice switching between sound. There were some issues with camera setup as
it could have been more efficient but with time we eventually got used to the set and we were able to work in the space much easier, the container didn’t offer much space so it was difficult to fit all cast and crew but we got around duties problem by only having the people that were necessary during the shooting time present.

My research came in handy when we were working with the fake blood as I had to manipulate it to work with certain materials such as mixing it with water or tea bags to create the effect wanted on the t-shirt. Throughout shooting one thing we did very well was following our shot list and completing everything so quickly and thoroughly that our shot was over before lunch. Sticking to the shot-list was very important to our group as we wanted the whole group idea of what we were making to be reflected and this was the most successful way we found to achieve this. As for language and skills we learnt, I found that a director has to call out each role like camera and sound to be prepared during filming and only then can you call action. We

also found a way to direct the actors by showing and talking them through everything you want for them so it can all go through smoothly and there is a good form of communication between all people. We also learnt how to set up the LEDS which was fairly easy once we were shown, we used around 7 LEDS and we would replace them when we wanted more/less intense coloured lighting, it also wasn’t too complicated as we were only using one colour(green). My favourite part of the day was the last couple shots of filming as all of us knew what we wanted and we were able to fully participate. It was also very relaxed as we had so much time so we knew we could accomplish everything we really wanted so we were all enjoying the moment. A specific moment I really enjoyed while filming the scene where the main character leaves the container as it was the last shot we filmed with the actors and everyone was very hyped about how the scene looked, it was a very fulfilling moment as we captured exactly what we wanted and what better way to end a shoot with he actors. After all the filming was done it was us as a crew’s job to clean out the container of our props and clean it up which was easy enough with everyone's help and that marked the end of the shoot. On set we thought about b-role by filming things like a bag full of money being picked up, a CU of a radio being switched one and on, a CU of a security camera and CU of weapons.

We did this so that editing the sequence was easier so we have content to cut back to and reference while keeping the audience engaged. We also never broke the 180 degree rule which is something that we also always kept in mind when filming. If we were to re-do the shoot i would definitely have cleaned the container out a previous day so that our actors didn't have to wait a bit and another point on efficiency would be that i would have the fake blood applied on a day before the shot just for the same reason of us having more time for other tasks. I didn't really have any problems with the shot day so i believe that i wouldn't change anything other than the last minute preparation. At the end of the day I am extremely happy with the footage we got as it went exactly as we had planned, we got more footage than we actually needed which will be good for the days of editing. The footage we got i also believe to be very good quality as we got many interesting angles

that resonate with the vibe we want and we were all able to communicate ideas on different shots we saw and we could do as on the day we found areas we could film that we hadn't realised before, such as the shot we had of the mirror reflection. From this filming experience i have learned how a set works under a strict time constraint and how to work and handle a crew and cast, also the experience of filming in a container has expanded my knowledge on woking in tight spaces and not having that setting control or impact the way and what you will film. The experience has also given the task of working in a group meaning major compromise and throughout working with our group we have worked well and i think that showed in how we worked on the shoot day.