Roles On Set

As a result of Storm Eunice on the 14th of February and the destruction it caused, all water and electricity was not working at school until Wednesday this week, meaning my group had to work online whilst preparing for our filming day. Despite the storm and the complications it caused, we made an abundance of progress this week. The group decided on what roles we would be adopting on set this week and collectively decided that I will be the director, Lola will be our camera person, Olly will be our editor and Jemma is going to be our art director. As a team, we will all fulfil the role of producer overseeing the organisation and any other aspects of the shoot. The team will ensure the shoot will run smoothly and that we will be able to create the opening scene that we envision. 

I will be directing our opening scene so I have spent time researching the role of a director, identifying exactly what they do. The director coordinates the content, instructing the actors and leading the creative vision. Before filming has begun, a director will plan camera shots with the director of photography and rehearse with the actors ensuring the final product is a success. Without the director, the actors and crew would be unable to achieve a meaningful and captivating scene as the director pulls all departments together. There are many famous directors in the industry. However, in this example I will be focusing on Quentin Tarantino. Tarantino is one of the most successful directors of the last 30 years, with a total box office gross of over 1.95 billion. His films have been awarded 7 Academy Awards and 8 Golden Globes establishing him as a widely acclaimed director. 

The following video shows Tarantino making his film 'Inglorious Bastards' (2009) which highlights how hands on the directorial job is. 

I have previous experience in a similar role, in 2021 I directed a play that I written during lockdown. So, I am hoping to bring some of that experience when we film. It is essential that I know the scene inside out and work with the actor to create a believable character that the audience can connect with. On the day of the shoot I will take the shot list with me along with the group storyboard so I can help the actor achieve the appropriate emotions for the crew to capture on screen. On the day, I anticipate shooting an entire scene will be quite difficult so it is important that I have prepared myself to lead the team and create a successful opening scene. 

My Shot List

Shot List 

To prepare for our A level Media Coursework, we will be making an opening scene for a film. After devising a narrative and creating a storyboard. The next necessary section of our coursework in order to create the best possible opening scene was to create a shot list. As you can see on my section of the shot list below, the shot list features the: location we are shooting at; the costumes the actors will be wearing; the actors themselves; any props in the shot; a description of the scene and the shots we will be shooting on our filming day to allow a range of shots to choose from when we finally edit the scene. 

Shooting Schedule

 Today, the group collectively made a shooting schedule to organise the shoot giving us an idea of what the day will be like. It is important for the cast and crew to have an understanding of where we will be at what time on our shoot day (Friday the 11th of March).  Below is our shooting schedule. We plan for the shooting day to begin at 8:30 and finish at 4:15 having completed every part of necessary filming.

 Call Sheet

In order to prepare for our test shoot, I devised a call sheet with the details of each crew and cast member.  The call sheet will help us to communicate with each other and inform each member of the team what time they are needed. 

 Foley Sound

Foley Sound is named after Jack Foley who reproduced everyday household sound to enhance audio quality and adding familiarity to a soundtrack. Often, Foley sound layers a soundtrack to create a wider spectrum of sound and add a sense of reality to a film. In addition, Foley sound can be used to block out unwanted sound unintentionally recorded during filming. 

To demonstrate Foley Sound and how it can be made, I created my own Foley Soundtrack to the first 30 second of this scene from Jurassic Park using items in my home. 

I used this door to make the sound of the character opening and then slamming the door. After recording the door, I used these switches to make the sound of the character turning the lights off and then ran through the hallway mimicking the character once more. 

 

In order to create the breathing sounds of the dinosaur, I wanted something that sounded authentic therefore I used my dog as it sounds like a real creature and recorded this on my phone. To record the blast of air on the glass, I used a hot water tap to mimic the explosive sound of the dinosaur. Finally, to record the sound of the dinosaur I used my voice!

 Our Group Storyboard

Here is our group storyboard: 

As a group, we split up to create our group storyboard which helped us to form an overall visual impression. The process of making a storyboard allowed each group member creative span during this devising process. 

My Storyboard

My Storyboard 

Here is my section of the group storyboard. I have sent these images to the group in order to collate a group storyboard. 

Making Of A Storyboard

The Making Of A Storyboard

 

Storyboards

 Storyboards

Casting: Communication

 After deciding which potential actors could perform in our opening scene, we emailed them to confirm their availability. 

Here is my email to Doug Quinn:

Here is his reply: 

Initially, we were unsure when our shoot day would be so we informed him this information would be available that same week. 

Then, we also emailed our backup actor in case Doug was not available. 

He replied: 

Finally, here is a picture of Mike's dog who would be cast alongside him: 

Casting

 For our opening scene, the quality of the actor is really important as it will compliment the technical creation of the scene. We plan to use many close up shots of the actor and so, they need to be a confident actor with experience in this film. In the time of Covid-19, having various options is really important as it is uncertain whether an actor may be self-isolating. 

We discussed as a group which actors would be best for the role. Our first choice is Doug Quinn who is Head of Performing Arts at Hurtwood House. Doug is our first choice actor as he has a rich history in acting. Doug has directed shows at Hurtwood for over 13 years after a professional career in acting and directing. Doug studied at Guildford School of Acting and has since performed and directed in various shows. In addition, Doug has experience in opening scenes so he would be an excellent choice. 

Mike Niland is our second choice actor and also an excellent option for our scene. Mike has worked in the film industry and has performed in many opening scenes previously. 

In our scene, we need a dog as the main character is a dog walker. Both of our prospective actors have dogs and we feel that this would work perfectly, as the dogs would be comfortable with the actors. 

In order to secure our actors, we emailed them informing them of the project and are awaiting their response. 

Our New Step By Step Outline

 

In class today, my group and I created a revised step by step outline in order to solidify our vision. Then for our future storyboard, we decided who would draw which shots using the key.