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1.1 Describe areas for development in your current knowledge, understanding and skills

What is your current knowledge and understanding of film? (For example: watching film, reviewing, photography, making your own films, Youtube channel, film or media course, work experience)

I have some knowledge and experience with screenwriting and creating scripts; I've created some for drama clubs I have been a part of in the past and writing is one of my hobbies which I do in my free time.

Do you have specific areas of interest or skills in filmmaking? Include links to film work, photos, music etc.

My main interests are in screenwriting and directing, seeing how my idea turns into a script and then how I can make it actually work to fit the image in my head.

What role(s) would you see yourself taking on your Academy film? What do you hope to gain from the BFI Film Academy?

I would like to try the roles of screenwriter, director, actor and maybe cinematography. I'm hoping to gain some knowledge of film production as that is a fairly new field to me.

How would you like to improve your skills or knowledge of film? Give reasons. Do you have plans to further study and work in film?

I want to practice and hone my skills of screenwriting and directing films, however I have no specific plans to go into the industry.

1.2 Take a role in the production of a short film

What is your production role?

Director and Producer

What planning will you do?

How I wanted the acts to act, how to get the vision I wanted and the feelings of the production

What will you do in pre-production, production and post-production? What specific skills do you need?

Discuss my ideas with the group and how I want the actors to act and feel. In production I reviewed the scenes and made adjustments so it looks and feels believable.

What equipment will you use?

Director’s IPad

What documents will you use and how?

I created a call sheet to inform actors of what they needed, scene breakdowns to give specific details of what is needed in each scene and a shoot schedule to make sure each scene is filmed.

What other resources are needed to make a film?
Include any planning and pre-production work you have been involved with.

Storyboards, shot lists, risk assessments and a script

What other resources are needed in your film production? (For example locations, actors and anything else you will need)

Location (Redcar Beach and TunedIn), actors, extras, props, set designers

1.3 Gain feedback on how you performed your role and share the feedback

Ask tutors and/or other Academy participants the questions below, you can write your answers, film them or record the audio

Can you tell me what I did well?

We filmed everything and my direction helped turn our idea to life. They were all very thankful that I did all the paperwork like Call Sheets.

Ava is a leader and an excellent producer and production manager. She works brilliantly as part of a team, keen to help and to elevate the people around her.

She is nurturing and encouraging. She gave a presentation about her production experience which was passionate and informative and incredibly impressive for somebody so young.

Ava is organised and 100% reliable. She produced key production documents including a shooting schedule and a call sheet that showed initiative and commitment. She was always totally across the brief.

On set she was a confident 1st AD.

What were the challenges and how did I deal with them? How did I work within my team?

I worked well with my team and managed to get through filming without any issues. A challenge was that we were pressed for time when filming our last few shots, however with teamwork we managed to create the set and film those scenes in the end.

Two important scenes were left to the last hour of the day and Ava was able to calmly coordinate the group to ensure the scenes were shot with time to spare.

There were issues syncing the sound and the images during the first edit day. Ava offered to dedicate hours to dealing with the issues, never complaining, so that her team had time to be creative.

Do you have any advice or areas for my development?

Making a shoot schedule is very important, especially to get through everything with more complex shots.

Ava sometimes lacks confidence to move out of her comfort zone. We recommend that she embraces every opportunity, even those that feel daunting, as we feel sure that she has the talent and perseverance to excel.

1.4 Review own technical skills and use of equipment

What did you do in your role?
Do you agree with the feedback? Give reasons for your answers.

I was a producer, director and 1st AD. I agree with the feedback but I think my directing skills need some work.

How well do you think you carried out your role in production? What were your strengths and what were your challenges?

I think I carried out my role effectively, one of my strengths was the role call but a challenge was the time management.

In what ways did your technical filmmaking skills develop over the course of film production?

I became more skilled at making call sheets, creating schedules and learning more about how the camera and sound work.

How far has your knowledge and understanding of film production developed?

I have became more knowledgable of how the camer and sound work and also all of the work that needs to be done pre-production so that shoot day works effectively.

Give examples (consider your knowledge of: technical equipment, on-set processes, production documents, post-production)

I learnt how the create a call sheet and scene breakdowns. This allowed everyone to know what/who was needed where and when.

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3.1 Be able to develop effective working relationships with film production team members

What are the different teams in your production?

Directors (including script writers and secretaries)

camera and sound.

How do they work together? For example, how did your team work together to prepare for the shoot? Also, during production and post-production?

All teams need to be aware of each other and work together. All work together from the start, with directors and script writers creating a script and storyboards, and camera and sound figuring out what shots to use. In production, directors run the whole procedure and make any executive decisions while camera and sound record it. In post-production, they all work together to edit it together.

Why is it important that production teams work well together?

A production team working well together allows for a smooth shoot and production

Give an example of when your production team/s worked well together.

Since we all had a clear idea, we were all prepared before shoot day despite having one less week.

What can happen if there isn’t good teamwork?

Bad teamwork can make it hard to get everything done (scripts, storyboards, etc) before shoot day, and can cause arguments on shoot day which can slow shooting down and potentially not get through everything.

Was there an example of when teamwork could have been better on your film production? How did this affect the production process?

We could have used better communication so that we could have moved into filming the indoor scenes just a little faster than before.

3.2 Identify the qualities needed to work well with others

What are the most important qualities for working well as part of a film production team?

Teamwork, honesty and understanding for each other.

How did you show the following, give examples:

Good timekeeping: Creating a schedule and keeping in mind what's left to film and how long
Being reliable: I did the work that I said I would do before hand and worked my hardest on set
Sharing ideas: I always asked what others thought before making a final decision

Good communication: I talked to my team throughout the day so everything went smoothly

Safe working: Created a risk assessment and kept people away from hazards like the sea

3.3 Describe how you worked with others collaboratively on your film production

How did you work with others in the crew?
Give an example of when you worked well with your team.

We worked well together so the day went very smoothly and was fun.

Were there any problems you needed to overcome? Give examples: How could you improve your ability to work with others?

The kite broke before filming so we communicated and decided to tape it back together but be careful when we were filming those scenes.

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Understand film industry working practices and legislation

4.1 Demonstrate good health and safety practice when working on film productions

Why is health and safety important when working on film productions? What are some of the key safety issues relating to film production?

Keeping in mind everyone's safety allows everyone on set to not be hurt and for the production to go smoothly. Some key safety issues can be drowning (if near water), falling objects or falling (if on a high up from the ground)

How did you apply good health and safety practice when making your film? Include your risk assessment and explain why this is important.

We created a risk assessment and kept everyone away from dangers like the sea when filming. A risk assessment is important as it lays out all of the potential dangers possible while on set and allow for the people on set to keep people safe.

4.2 Explain why copyright is important in the film industry

What is Copyright?

Copyright is a type of intellectual property that gives the creator(s) the sole right to distribute it.

Why does copyright law exist?

It protects work and prevents offers from using it

What kind of work is covered by copyright?

It applies to original literary, dramatic or musical (sound of films included) works

What might happen if you were to use copyrighted material in your film? How can you make sure not to infringe copyright law in your film?

The film could get a copyright infringement and potentially be sued or taken down. A good way to make sure that a work is copyrighted is to use free-to-use or completely original works.

How has copyright law and other IP regulation affected your film production?

It has potentially made finding free-to-use music that fit our film hard, however copyright didn't affect our production too much.

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Be able to review film productions

5.1 Review and critique at least one short film production

'Mixtape' directed by Luke Snellin, won the 2009 Virgin Media Shorts competition. It is the story of a young boy, Ben played by Bill Milner, trying to impress the girl next door, played by Charlotte Beaumont, with mixtapes he created from his dad's vinyls. While a simple premise, it leaves a heartwarming on an audience while watching that love and connections can still be found through music, even with what might be considered slightly out-dated technology.

The cinematography of this short film, done by Ollie Downey, is very unique, mimicking that of a music video to emphasis the importance of music. There are multiple repeated close-up shots of Ben and Lily, putting focus on their joy at something so simple as a mixtape but plays on the common shot in music video of the singer singing the song. Additionally, earlier on in the short film as Ben walks down the street to his neighbours house, the wide shot used their (alongside the slow down in editing) makes reference to the classic Beatles album cover of them crossing the road at a similar static wide shot. This again puts focus on the impact of music in Ben's life, especially older music at that. While some of these shots may seem odd, or perhaps even uncomfortably close on a first watch, the symbolism in each of them makes the story even more heartwarming.

With a short film so focused on music, it's hard to ignore the use of music in the editing. When Ben is handing the mixtape to Lily's mum, played by Kate Miles, the music becomes silent to create sympathy with Ben's awkwardness at having to hand over the mixtape he was going to impress Lily with to her mum instead. The editing also emphasises this feeling, as it switches between two different mid-shots, one of Ben and one of the mum making it seem more nerve-wracking for him. The contrast, however, when Lily is listening to the mixtape makes it a very energetic scene; with the music playing and quick cuts between mirrored shots of Ben and Lily dancing and singing expressing the shared unmeasurable joy that the mixtape brought to them both.

'Mixtape' is a very brief short film, but it's vibrant and light-hearted experience playing on very human emotions makes it stand out in a genre so filled with horror. While no film is to everyone's tastes, I would suggest a watch or two of this short for a heart-warming pick me up.

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After each session answer these questions and include any photos taken:

Date: 18/11/23

1. What did you do?

I was a Director and First AD. I helped agree on shots, directed the actors in how to act and did the role call.

2. What have you learnt?

That filming is a very slow process, particularly scenes with multiple shots which require multiple takes.

3. How have you worked with others?

I think I worked well with others and listened to their thoughts on shots and the scene

4. What do you need to develop?

My confidence as we could have saved some time if I had been more certain in my decisions. I also need to make sure that we have shot lists and storyboards ready before the shoot.

OR Write or film your SHOOT DIARY for your portfolios.

Please include production photos, any behind the scenes footage, scripts, storyboards and other key production documents and a link to the finished film.

What was your role in pre-production and what did you do?

I was the producer who helped with the script and created the call sheet and scene breakdowns.

What was your role on the shoot?

I was a director and 1st AD

Briefly explain what happened each day of shoot.

What equipment and skills did you need to apply to your role?

I helped agree on shots and how the actors should act. I used a director's Ipad to review the footage and make any changes.

How well prepared do you feel we were for the shoot?

I think we were well prepared as we had everything planned and a strong collective idea.

Explain. What changes had to be made and why?

We had to change where we could build our set so we had to construct and deconstruct on the fly.

Did you have any feedback or advice from tutors / others on set? In what ways did you improve your own knowledge and skills?

My own knowledge improved as I learnt how to create call sheets and scene breakdowns, and I got some positive feedback that I did those well.

Who did you work with on set? How do you feel you worked with others on set?

I worked with nearly everyone, from sound and camera crews, since I was a director and I think I worked well with everyone.

What did you learn about how a film crew work together on a shoot?

A film crew needs to work together for a successful and fun film shoot. All of them need to be understanding and aware of all the other crews.

Briefly explain how you followed good working practices for filmmaking? (Time management, health and safety, being reliable and coping with on set demands.)

I created a risk assessment and kept people away from hazards like the sea. I managed our time and set demands well and got everything filmed by the end of the day.

Overall – How do you feel the shoot went? What went well/ didn’t go well? What would you improve on?

I think the shoot went really well and it was fun, our only problem was that we were a little pushed for time so my time management and directing skills could use some more work.

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Recce. The kite inspired us for a story idea, so we focused on that once we got back

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2.1 Understand professional development opportunities within the film industry

Explain the working culture of the film industry

What is it like working in the film industry?
(Consider hours, travel, freelance, working on set and budget. What are the pressures? What are the positives and negatives?)
Most people in the film industry are freelancers, who work long hours whether on set, editing or writing. It can be quite pressuring since they are a lot of deadlines and guidelines to work around, but it is a very creative industry that allows you to connect with many people with the same dream as you.

What qualities do you need to work in the film industry? (E.g. Showing initiative, taking responsibility, good time management, knowing your specialism, having good communication skills)
Give reasons for your answers.
Showing initiative is incredibly important as it puts you and your work out there, allowing you to make more connections and find more opportunities. Flexibility is equally important as every part of a film crew (both pre, in and post production) need to be aware of everyone else and be willing to make sacrifices for the artistic vision, time or safety.

What have you learned about the working culture of the industry from masterclasses and working on your own film production?
Putting yourself out there and making connections is key because it leads to more opportunities because they like your work.

2.2 Describe a range of key job roles and responsibilities in the film industry

Research 5 different roles in the production department and summarise them. Explain how the roles work together.

Writers take and add to the idea from the producer and turn it into words, actions and settings to be used in the production.

The director needs to keep in mind the script and give feedback to the actors/crew so that filming goes smoothly and stays in track with the original script.

Camera operators and sound operators record the film and sound respectively, and need to keep in mind safety and each other so that the film can be recorded.

The editor acts as the final stage of a production and put shots into order so that they can be easily interpreted by an audience, they need to keep in mind both the director’s and writer’s vision and ideas  so that they aren’t lost in the final cut.

2.3 Outline the potential progression routes into the film industry and wider sector

What have you learned about potential progression routes into film and connected creative industries? Research the following routes:

Apprenticeships
Candle and Bell
Sea and Sky
Smoggie Productions
Wander Films
Superkrush
Twenty Six 03
Blast Furnace
Freya Films

Entry-level jobs
Floor running
Production running
Camera trainee
Extra/background artist work

Studying at university
BA (Hons) Film, Television & Theatre Production degree at The Northern School of Art
Also Acting, Model Making & Visual FX, Costume Design and
Production Design Courses.
Film and TV Production, BA (Hons), Teesside University

Online opportunities (e.g. entering competitions, sharing work, networking)
DepicT! Festival competition
Northern Exposure short film night
ARC filmmakers
FilmHubNorth.org.uk
NE Screen Crew Academy

Film festivals
Search Film Freeway
Women X Film Festival, Darlington
Tees Valley International Film Festival, Stockton-on-Tees.
Sunderland Shorts Film Festival
Aesthetica Film Festival, York
Edinburgh International Film Festival
Encounters Film Festival, Bristol (with a particular emphasis on DepicT!)
London Short Film Festival/BFI Film Academy progression (residential courses, BAFIA mentoring and Future Skills)
Leeds Young Film Festival
Watersprite – Cambridge Student Film Festival

BFI Film Academy progression (residential courses, BAFTA mentoring and Future Skills)
BFI Film Academy Plus Programme give more opportunities and inspiration with like DIY filmmaking challenges. Furthermore there are shadowing opportunities with:
Scott Coulter, DoP
Kiri Nicholetts, Gaffer
Phil Quinton, Sound Recordist
John Noble, Production Designer
Maxy Bianco, Director

Personal Progression Plan

What areas/ specialisms in creative media would you like to work in?
I would like to be a producer or a director, editing has also caught my interest.

Would you like to further study film / creative media?
Probably not, I'd prefer to keep this as a hobby and I don't know how feasible a job in film is for me. I can still express my creativity and passion in a hobby.

What courses interest you? Give reasons

Which local media companies would you be interested in working with? Give reasons

For both of these questions, I’m not interested in following film into university or into the industry. Although I enjoy making films and have learnt a lot from the BFI course, there are other things that I would prefer to further study and potentially follow into the industry

What are the options for making your own content
Many editing and writing software are free, and an iPhone camera has decent quality so all I need is an idea and it can be put onto platforms like YouTube and Vimeo.

What would you make and how?
Short films, with maybe some friends I could wrangle in and whatever set I can make.

What are the options for funding and distribution? What networks will you join?
Many short film competitions offer funding, more so for winning. It’s also possible to minimise the budget as much as possible, by reusing or borrowing items, so it’s not too impactful.

What do you hope to gain from these networks? Are there other opportunities you are interested in? What are your next steps?
My next steps are to keep producing films for fun. It’s a hobby that allows me to put my creativity into motion, but I don’t think it’s where I hold the most passion in my life and not something I would particularly want to turn into a job. I might try enter some competitions, which many networks put on, so I can keep honing these new set of skills.

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Learning from Master Classes: Laura Degnan

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Learning from Master Classes: Laura Degnan

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What is their job? What does it involve?

She is a freelance writers/directors

How did they start working in film/media?

Laura started as a runner for Kudos Film and TV, who did script reports which showed initiative and created connections.

What have they done in their career?

Laura has been a runner, script reporter, screenwriter, director and freelancer.

What have you learnt about working in film/media?

Resilience is key and you need to be constantly making connections. Say yes to every opportunity you find as people always want creativity.

What opportunities for your own progression have you found out about?

It is possible to make it in the industry through hard work but communication and resilience is very important. Submitting work to competitions or even posting them online helps you to be seen.

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Learning from Master Classes: John Noble

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Learning from Master Classes: John Noble

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What is their job? What does it involve?

He is a freelance production designer, art director and prop maker

How did they start working in film/media?

He started making films with friends in his spare time and went through university education

What have they done in their career?

He had worked in many departments, from production design to art department and prop standby. He has worked on ‘The Wilds’ and ‘Batman 1997’

What have you learnt about working in film/media?

You need to photograph sets before and after dressing. A lot of planning is involved for continuity and for the shoot to go smoothly while staying flexible.

What opportunities for your own progression have you found out about?

There’s nothing wrong with going back to university to study something else, and also to consider nearly every part of crew when designing a set.

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Learning from Master classes: James Harris

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Learning from Master classes: James Harris

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What is their job? What does it involve?

He is a freelance writer/director and a children’s author

How did they start working in film/media?

James started creating short films with friends and submitted them around, and made connections at film festivals which lead to jobs.

What have they done in their career?

James had been a screenwriter and director and is now a children’s author.

What have you learnt about working in film/media?

Resilience is key and you need to be constantly making connections. Say yes to every opportunity you find as people always want creativity.

What opportunities for your own progression have you found out about?

It is possible to make it in the industry through hard work but communication and resilience is very important. Submitting work to competitions or even posting them online helps you to be seen.

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With some help from John Noble, we started to consider how to build the set we want

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Learning from Master Classes: Mark Harrison

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Learning from Master Classes: Mark Harrison

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What is their job? What does it involve?

He is a movie reviewer

How did they start working in film/media?

Mark started to write reviews for fun and submitted them to various sites and magazines

What have they done in their career?

He has wrote reviews for many different films, such as Marvel's 'Marvels'.

What have you learnt about working in film/media?

It is important to have empathy when writing reviews, and to write in a way that someone might like it even if you didn't. Furthermore, I've learnt the structure of writing a review and what details to focus on.

What opportunities for your own progression have you found out about?

Writing reviews is a great way to get started as you are observing films critically and learning camera, sound and editing techniques by finding out what works and what doesn't work by watching

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https://drive.google.com/file/d/18YLMXmOv7x2sQtPBgC0QHcIv3RjCn7BQ/view