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For Matt's character I wanted someone who was a 'stereotypical' boy. I wanted him to have ulterior motives that translated well onscreen. He had to be likeable enough for the audience to engage with the scene, while simultaneously questioning his actions.

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For the character of Suzie I want her to be intelligent and passionate. As she is the character that the audience need to root for in the scene, she needs to have a strong personality who fights for what she believes is right. I think in this scene this is an essential piece of background information for Suzie's character.

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For casting I have brought on board (Sam and Scarlett) who I believe will fit the roles perfectly. I have gone over what type of costumes I am thinking of for their characters and the basics of the scene. We are currently organising a rehearsal ahead of filming to ensure that everybody is comfortable and understands what the goal is for this scene.

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For Matt's costume I want them to be fairly neutral, however, if possible I would like Sam to wear a football/ rugby shirt to further convey that Matt 'fits in' and is universally liked as he has many friends through sports rather than through academics. This will be useful in driving a subtle wedge into the relationship between Suzie and Matt.

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For Suzie I want her to be put together and portrayed as someone who also takes pride in her appearance. However, I think it would be interesting for her to also be in comfortable clothes as the context of the scene is that she has been secretly having tutoring from a friend to get into University. Therefore, if she has been working for a few hours she could be in comfortable clothes. Therefore I would preferably like Scarlett to wear makeup in the scene and a jumper so that she is comfortable but it's clear she has made a conscious decision to put makeup on.

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I have made a group chat with my actors and the rest of the crew who are working with cameras/ lighting and sound. Together we are communicating on times and dates for filming. I have shared the script for the scene so that everyone involved can read through and have time to prepare for filming.

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Whilst putting things in place for pre production I thought it would be a good idea to look at some of the suggested readings that could potentially aid me through this stage of the production. I came across a quote that has helped me understand the importance of having the cast and crew feel like a team and that they can trust in me as their director. I believe it's really important to have everyone (cast and crew) feel valued and important to the scene. This quote has solidified that my main focus for pre production is to have good commination: "There is no right or wrong way of spreading the workload, so it is impossible to give full job descriptions here. What is important, however, is communication, so you all know what is expected of each other and nothing slips through the net" Stradling, L.(2010). Production management for tv and film : The professional's guide. Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.

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Whilst preparing for filming I watched a video of Sophia Coppola where she talks about the importance of pre- production and setting the tone so that everybody is on the same page. I took some of her ideas on board about using other images that evoke an emotion or may be useful to take into filming so that whilst directing you can stay on track and explain to others on set what type of feeling or emotion you want from the shot. Sofia Coppola: On Directing (youtube.com)

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I have set a date for the first of December to film and I have booked all the equipment needed to capture the scene. I am also steadily working through the pre- production paperwork, so that I am organised and on track for the deadline. I also think it will be helpful to helpful have pre- production finished so that I can go over anything with the cast and crew again before we film.

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There were points during filming that I did get stressed, due to technical difficulties with some equipment, such as; the sound recorder cutting out and the camera's battery was not fully charged from whoever had used it previously. However, I did my best to keep calm and remain focused on the task at hand, assuring myself and the rest of the cast and crew that this is expected during filming, even on big budget films. "Remember that you are the one setting the tone on set, so being relaxed, calm, and centred will be important. If you're anxious and stressed, it will show and it will affect the space." Lyons. S. (2012) Independent film producing : The craft of low budget filmmaking. Taylor & Francis Group. This is a quote that stuck out to me whilst reading up during pre-production and I screenshotted it in case things did not go as expected. I am glad that I carried that quote with me into filming, as personally I do become stressed very easily. I knew that keeping calm would possibly be the most difficult task for me as a director, and although I was stressed at certain points, I'm glad I kept my cool on the outside as I knew that was really important not to project any frustration onto the team. And apart from a few 'hiccups' with equipment that cannot be helped I think the filming went really well.

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Unfortunately we did not have time for a rehearsal before filming took place. However, I think for this particular scene, this worked to my advantage as there is meant to be clear tension between the two characters. I personally knew both actors very well but they did not know each other. Therefore, I think as they were meeting each other for the very first time this worked really well for the scene. I was worried that as Scarlett and Sam hadn't previously met it could be awkward for them. And as my focus of the scene was only on these two it depended on some chemistry for it to work. Thankfully, they got along very quickly but the innocence and slight awkward feeling of working with someone you don't know translated well on screen too.

I of course introduced them and let them discuss their ideas that they had going into the scene along with the rest of the crew. Everyone had some really insightful inputs and I tried to take them all on board whilst still keeping focused.

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Before filming I ensured that everybody was secure in their roles and knew what they were doing. I expressed that it was a safe place to ask questions (even id the cast and crew thought they were 'stupid'). I wanted to make it clear that everyone was equal and all of their roles were important in helping to create the scene and bring it to life. I thought it would be helpful to break down the script in person with everyone as a group, almost as if it was a mini table read, as we didn't have time for any rehearsals. "Sometimes questions lead you to an idea that unlocks a whole scene. But sometimes the question itself is truly all you need!" Weston, J. (2021). Directing actors - 25th anniversary edition: Creating memorable performances for film and television. Michael Wiese Productions.

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Reflecting on the filming process, everyone said that they really enjoyed filming the scene, which I am extremely happy about. My main concern was of course coming out with a scene that I was proud of but also that everyone involved had a pleasant and memorable experience. Even when there was issues with equipment I remained calm on the outside, so as not to stress any of the cast and crew or create an unpleasant atmosphere. I said to the cast and crew before we started filming (during a quick debrief of the scene) that I wanted it to be a safe space which felt slightly silly at the time. However, it's clear looking back that it allowed the cast and crew to ask any questions without feeling judged. It can be a daunting experience filming with people you are familiar with, let alone working with people you have never met before, but I'm truly delighted that Sam and Scarlett enjoyed their experience working together and with me as their director.

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I have started to edit my scene and put together a rough cut. My strengths do not lie with editing but I have been watching tutorials on YouTube and I have done some further reading in order to feel a little bit more confident going into the process. "If the guide - that is to say, the editor - doesn't have the confidence to let people themselves occasionally choose what they want to look at, or to leave things to their imagination, then he is pursuing a goal (complete control) that in the end is self - defeating." Murch, W. (2001). In the blink of an eye: a perspective on film editing (2nd ed). Silman-James Press

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I have finally finished editing my scene and I am very happy with how the process went. Even though it is not my forte I learned new insights that actually informed the way I hope to film my next project. Such as cutting and angles with the camera. Of course I am aware that I have a long way to go as far as editing, but I am glad that I pushed myself and looked at some helpful tutorials, as once I became more confident with it, I started to really enjoy it. I now have a final cut on my scene that I am proud of.

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Reflecting on the whole process of pre-production, filming and editing, I am generally really happy with how it all went. Of course there are things I would do differently next time, if I were to have the opportunity to direct again. I would love to do a rehearsal with my actors and crew so that filming could run a little smoother as we did have a bit of a slow start to filming. And in regards to editing I think I have to accept that it is not where my strengths lie, but I learnt so much and I would still love to keep gaining skills in this aspect of filmmaking. My main concern was that I came out with something I was proud of and that I grew in confidence as a director, which I am glad to say I did. I think a lot of directing is learning on the job, but being prepared and having the right mindset for when things do inevitably go wrong. I know that in future, having a good report with your cast and crew is essential for creating something special.