Studio shoot evaluation

After a few production meetings to discuss what the film would be about, and then our roles in the pre-production process and during the two shooting days. I took the roles of Set Designer and Continuity or Script supervisor. I then went off to do my part as set designer, however the desired outcome the director wanted me to do was not explain properly. I researched what a set designer was to do and did exactly that, but according to the director all she wanted was a Mood Board of sampled wallpaper and colours for the set, with a list of props that would be on the set. Anyway, after the mucking around I finally made mood board for her and scrapped the set design. 
My job was then done till the shoot days so I researched my role for Continuity which I found out was also called Script supervisor. Looking at the things that continuity looked at and for I wrote down notes for myself to remember on the days however, with the fact that our shot didn't contain any lines and we didn't have access to slates I could focus on other things.

I took images of the props if I knew they would change during the take so I could put them back. Same with the outfits as we didn't have the same actor the next day.

We also had to redo the hole wall for the next day so I photographed it for reference for the next day and the same for the back side of the wall.

For the final shot which we tracked the camera through the hole in the wall so I took note of where Laura is as she would be seen in both shots and I also noted which position the camera went through the hole so that it could be matched the next day when we had time for pick up shots. 

Overall I enjoyed this experience however during the 2 shooting days there were a few things that could have been improved, as continuity I got a chance to sit back and observe the set whilst everyone filmed and I noticed a few roles changing, some people didn't keep the roles they were given and adapted others, and others slacked, not doing their jobs properly and not paying attention. I must admit looking back at my role, I could have done a much better job keeping track of everything, but there was so much going on I kept forgetting what was where and what I was doing. Also no one really took notice of my role, before each take I normally had to stop people because I wasn't ready noting everything down and had to keep reminding the Director to tell what shots she preferred and so on. But seeing as that was our first attempt it could have gone a lot worse and now we can look back at our mistakes and improve for next time.

Set Workshop

Sadly I couldn't find the photos I documented as we built the sets but the rest I managed to recover.

To start with, we had a workshop with Chris to teach us how to put flats together to build standing walls. We then had a workshop where we stripped the flats of previous wallpaper and guff that was stuck on there so they were ready to be wallpapered. And the workshop with Jim showed us how use the heavy tools for sawing small and big pieces of wood, sanding properly and safely in case we needed the tools for building.

Panorama of the workshop

What we made in the workshop tutorial

Laura in her beautiful jacket

We all had another tutorial with Chris, who showed us how to use the dolly that lifts the camera up a couple of feet.

No idea why I have a blurry picture of Kat's face

Practice with the camera

Group discussion group

After the tutorial our group (group B) continued to wallpaper and make bricks for our breakable wall. We also painted the bricks red after covering them in clay and roughed them up a little be so they look aged.

The finished look of the brick wall before we wallpapered over it for filming. You can also see the wallpapered wall which was wallpapered with flat white paper then covered in book pages which circled around the hole.

Script Supervising the Studio Shoot

On the day, I prepared with some rough tables ready to jot down the takes taking place, for both camera 1 and camera 2 on both days. 

Notes for myself to refer too:

-Spot watch for duration of shot

the details about the take (position of actors, cameras, movement, important actions or expressions)-

-Directors comments such as: Good or bad, hold take, print take-

-End of the day report: Log actual times that shooting and breaks take place and how long-

Day 1

Day 2

I also made extra tables for anything else, which came in handy, like when the director came up with additional shots on the days, so I jotted them down. I then made a new shot list due to scrapped shots and of course additional ones. 

We also had a schedule on the days of filming. My job was to write what time we took breaks and started shooting again. So I compiled my notes into readable, organised table and compared the times to the schedule.

Researching Studio Shoot Roles

My roles in the studio shoot were too keep continuity in check and gather sample materials for the set. For the set designing part of the pre-production I was told I was the set designer, upon researching what a set designers job is, I got to designing the set as told.

Set design

A designer looks at the details searching for evidence through research to produce conceptual ideas that’s best toward supporting the content and values with visual elements. The subject of, “How do we generate creative ideas?” is a very legitimate question. The most consuming part of expanding our horizons toward scenic concepts is much more than witnessing creativity, and creative people. It starts with us opening our mind to the possibilities. To have an attitude toward learning, seeking, and engaging in creativity and to be willing to be adventurous, inquisitive and curious. Our imagination is highly visual. Whether outside or inside, colorful trees or concerts, star lit skies or the architecture of a great building, scenic design is a process of discovery. Discovering what will best clarify and support the story being told.

I made a list of the things I had to do and got to designing the prison set as close to the directors thoughts using Photoshop and then presented it to her. However she thought a set designer was just collecting sample pieces, like paint or wallpaper samples, for the set design. So I changed it and what she wanted instead and of was left with nothing else to do as that was the only job I was given.

My list:

• basic ground plan showing all stationary elements;
• ground plan showing all moving elements, indicating both onstage and storage positions;
• section of the stage space incorporating all elements

My role during the studio shoot was continuity. Before research I thought continuity was someone who keeps the things that'll be in frame in order, such as props, costumes, and makeup. However after research I found out it was that and much more. 

Continuity

Also known as the continuity person, the Script Supervisor keeps track of what parts of the script have been filmed and makes notes of any deviations between what was actually filmed and what appeared in the script. They make notes on every shot, and keep track of props, blocking, and other details to ensure continuity from shot to shot and scene to scene. The Script Supervisor's notes are given to the Editor to expedite the editing process. The Script Supervisor works very closely with the Director on set.

The role of continuity is sometimes called Script supervisor as they also keep eyes on the shots, script, actor placement, takes, etc. 

• Continuity – The supervisor is responsible for working with all departments to make sure that continuity errors do not happen. The script supervisor takes notes on all the details required to recreate the continuity of a particular scene, location, or action. For every take, the script supervisor will note the duration of the take, meticulously log information about the action of the take, including position of the main actor, screen direction of their movement, important actions performed during the shot, type of lens used, and additional information. When multiple cameras are in use, the script supervisor keeps separate notes on each. These logs also notate a director's comments on any particular take as to whether it is no good, a hold take, or a print take. The shot notes provide the editor information on what the director prefers, any problems with any of the takes and other notes to assist the editing process.
• Axis & Eye lines – The script supervisor is also the go-to person for determining the axis of a scene. The supervisor keeps track of and helps the director and the camera-operator set the camera position and off-camera eye lines ensuring that the coverage of a scene cuts seamlessly and that the characters within a scene always appear, without any confusion on the part of the viewer, to be looking precisely at the intended character or object.
• Slating – The script supervisor interacts with the clapper loader and the production sound mixer to make sure that each take of exposed film has a consistent and meaningful slate, that the sound and picture slates match. The script supervisor also notes the sound roll of each sync take. This ensures that there is proper identification on the film footage in the editing room so the editor can find and use the correct takes.
• Script – The script supervisor is responsible for keeping the most current version of the shooting script. During shooting, the script supervisor notates any changes from the screenplay that are made by the actors, director or others during the actual filming process. If significant changes are made to the script that affect a future day's shooting, the script supervisor is responsible for providing those changes to the assistant director's team who then will distribute those changes to the rest of the crew. The script supervisor's script is also referred to as their lined script because during shooting, a script supervisor draws a vertical line down the page for each different camera setup. Each line designates the start and stop of that setup, a quick note of what the shot description was and whether or not the dialogue was on camera for that setup. This allows the editor to quickly reference which camera setups cover which portion of the dialogue or action.
• Production Reports – At the end of each shooting day, the script supervisor prepares daily reports for the production team. These reports vary in form depending on the studio or production company; however, they generally include a log of the actual times that shooting and breaks started and stopped, and a breakdown of the pages, scenes and minutes that were shot that day, as well as the same information for the previous day, the total script and the amounts remaining to be done. Also included are the number of scenes covered, the number of retakes, and the number of wild tracks. The script supervisor is the official timekeeper on any set.
• Editor's Notes – In addition to the production reports, each shooting day the script supervisor also compiles the continuity logs for the day's shooting as well as the relevant lined script pages for the scenes shot that day. Those notes are sent off to the editorial staff to assist them in the editing process.

Casting

On the 10th I went to Guildford to help Charlie with casting auditions. I stood/sit along side her to help make decisions and comment though-out the auditions and after. We recorded the audio of both auditions and then recorded footage of the actors acting the small part we gave them.

Ryan:
- He works well directors on set
- Prefers direction to freedom
- Okay at good at acting, for the drama in the scene he didn't play up to the part. Didn't really move around, lent forward at one point but that's it.

Ray:
- Half and half, likes the freedom and to be directed as well
- Very good at acting, really spoke out and emphasized when the part called for it. Moved around during his acting, even though he was in a chair and had limited movement.

Set Design Mood Board

My other job was too create a mood board with all the possible props and decorations for the set we are going to design, this way we have a reference for colours and a rough idea for the props we need to get.
Along with video references:

Mood Board:

Prop List and Budget

One of my roles in the preproduction stage was too write out the prop list and find the budget for the props. Looking through the treatment and the synopsis I picked out all the props and costumes, as well as possible decoration. It's still open for changing around as it's all not set in stone yet.

Prop list and budget

Props:

Shitty mattress - Free

Books - Free (get some from Library)

VHS tapes - 3 from charity shops - £1.50 (Nick probably has some but doesn't want them to be ruined)

Boxes - Free (Leanna has some)

Desk - Free (Find a spare table)

Costume:

Straight jacket - Hagrid 'might' have one, £25 from amazon, £29 from Farnham Costume shop

White Trousers - Free or £15

White Shirt - Free (Leanna has one if they don’t)

Plain shoes - £6

Decorations:

Wallpaper - N/A

Textbook pages - Free (Leanna has one)

Paint:- £25 

Studio Shoot - Ideas and Roles

Starting off with studio ideas, after a couple of group meetings we have defined the groups idea with all round help and putting smaller ideas together. Eventually we came up with a brief synopsis of what will be happening in the final piece:

We open in a prison cell type room resembling that of a mental asylum. There is a distinct lack of colour in the room everything being grey or the colour is toned down. The décor of the room hints at this being an unforgiving no creative place heavy. There is no sense of personality or flare around the furniture is basic with textbooks and a few old VHS tapes placed around the room. 

You hear a door being opened and the character being thrown into the cell and the door shuts behind them. The character is wearing a straight jacket. You hear a voice stating “you can’t come out come out until you learn to be less creative”

Not liking the cell in the few seconds they have been in there the character brakes out of the straight jacket and begins to peel away at the wallpaper. As they do this they see a glimpse of light coming through the torn paper. It provokes them to break through the wall where they fall into room full of boxes witch are displaying work from digital film and screen arts. The camera pans up and you see the whole thing is just a set to advertise the course.

After our gathering of initial ideas with discussed roles that everyone wanted to take on. Sadly the people who didn't arrive at the meeting didn't get to choose what they wanted but hey, that's life. Once we had all put our names down for selected roles the producer, Laura, assigned tasks to people so we all had a part in completing the preproduction pack. 

PRE PREP DATES

11/10/14 - Treatment ( To be done by Laura) DONE
13/10/14 - First draft of script ( To be done by nick )
15/10/14 - final draft of script ( To be done by nick )
17/10/14 - Story boards, shot list and floor plans ( To be done by chloe)

21/10/14 - shooting schedule ( To be done by Kat )
21/10/14 - Prop list and Budget ( to be done by Leanna)
21 /10 / 14 - Risk assessment ( to be done by charlie )
21/10/14 - Set design ( to be done by Leanna)
21/10/14 - call sheet/release forms ( to be done by Laura )
22/10/14 - All pre production work from all members emailed to me so i can print it out and put it in a folder
23/10/14 - Pre production pack handed into Rosie for shoot approval