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Introduction

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With all the changes, the first day of shooting went incredibly smoothly.  My talent were so patient and cooperative, the scenes flowed so smoothly and the sets were dressed nicely.  We shot 3 pages comfortably and I felt the project was back on track.

Watching the rushes however, I learned it is not as easy as it looks!

Although I had always planned to purchase a Video Tripod and monitor, this simply did not eventuate, and I am paying for it!  The camera movements are far too jerky to be used and the distressing habit of my current tripod to 'loosen' led to several lost scenes (or odd cuts) as the camera simply jumped.
Lighting was also an issue.  I did not use any external lighting on the first day and with the small monitor, I did not see that the camera light was actually on and led to 'Red Eye' recordings of all the scenes.  What a total waste.  I could have corrected this post production, but in the end I rescheduled another days shooting to put into practice at least some of the aspects I now knew to watch out for.
Framing was another trap for young players! Watching carefully for head room, and detail, it was so easy to miss extra 'items' in the background, including family photos that did not match the film and the annoying omnipresent lighting cables and stands. In future, I will take a photo of the shot, print it and carefully analyse every inch of the shot. I do not have the capacity to do that while also directing and filming.  I can find time for that time while the cast rehearse their movements.
I finally learned to do a full Establishing scene, for sound, so that I have a master track, even if the action is not always on screen. It made the editing process so much easier, as cuts of action could be easily included and even when the sound of cuts was included, it merged nicely. This is in sharp contrast to the impossible situation I found with "Sam is Bored". Leaving the TV on in the background was a HUGE mistake. Without a master track, it was impossible to bring together the 15 or so shots as the sound was so vastly different in the background. Another learning experience!

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Documents

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Location: Home

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Reworked with gender change for Jordy

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I am so truly blessed!  Dealing with the seemingly endless string of setbacks has led to the rallying of my family.  What a team they are!  We have managed to relocate all but the classroom and carpark scene to our home, with the generosity of my adult son supplying his room for both the office and Jordy's room.  Lighting, sound, etc. are all good.
Best of all, my wonderful niece and brother have stepped up to play Jordy (and photos of her Dad).  A simple change in gender was needed, which adds another aspect (??).  On the spectrum herself, it will be difficult for her to give the performance needed, but I think she will be able to relate to 'being her Cousin Dan'.  We are shooting a few close ups today to test it out.
I also stopped trying to organise everything on screen and reverted back to my favoured visual organisation method and laid everything out on the windows at home.  What a sense of relief!  Colour coding, lists, post-it notes...and all of a sudden things are falling into place.
Storyboards are still a problem but I have photographed all of the shot angles and so the only hold up now is having time to put them into the correct format.  I may just print them all and write on them.  It will certainly be easier and quicker than trying to format them into the little boxes in MS Word (not know for friendly formatting at the best of times).  Labelled and sequenced, they are available to use for cast and crew, so are functional, if not finished!
Props are together, thank you to my sister for sourcing and putting together the communication cards and games.  My other son is working on creating a new set of photos to reflect the gender change.
It is all systems go, now if we can just get everyone's schedules to line up...Jordy and Anna may get in a shot together!

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Searches on melancholy and grief led to some lovely classical sound tracks. The two linked below are by the same composer so blend well but are distinct enough that I believe I will be able to use them as 'Anna's theme' (lost, alone, overwhelmed) and 'Jordy's theme' (hopeful and moving on).
http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Dee_Yan-Key/artless_grief/02--Dee_Yan-Key-comfort

Comfort by Dee Yan-Key is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License.

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I have been trying to work out why I have suddenly struggled so hard with this class.  The project is challenging and interesting, I am happy with the concept and story development, but I simply cannot seem to complete all the tasks set each week.
Working full time does not help of course, and work is intense, but it has not significantly changed from last term, and I hesitate to think that is the cause and it puts this entire course of study in jeopardy.
I really enjoy learning and applying all the technical and organizational skills and I probably do spend too much time with the courses as I prefer to immerse myself in the content holistically.
I know the tight deadlines are realistic and necessary, but I am finding that I spend so much time and creative energy on the filming Activities each week that there is little left for the Pockets itself.  It is difficult to explain, but it is less the time to complete tasks, but more the time between tasks to revise, reflect and assimilate new knowledge and understandings.  I don't feel I have the 'skills' needed to complete the tasks efficiently so the effort required to simultaneously learn and do is a strain.
A few things I have learned:
1. Reduce the number of shots - I really bogged down on the 'Sam is bored task' and I am still trying to edit it together. It really highlighted the need for a 'master track', especially for sound. I shot so many angles and cuts that it has been incredibly difficult to edit what should have been a simple sequence. The KISS principle is really needed and just because you can shoot a different shot, does not mean you should.
I watched parts of 'Sleepless in Seattle, particularly the opening montage and conversation scenes. There are some tremendous use of framing to portray emotion. The cemetery scene is shot as an XWS and has Sam and Jonah standing alone (close) stage right, the grave centre stage, and a group of family and friends, well away stage left. In 3 - 5 seconds you see their solidarity and determination to go on alone.
This film was shot with minimal camera movements for Sam and Jonah, depicting them as solid and strong. Annie is the opposite, fast cuts and head movements, rapid movements, either close ups of very expressive face movements and head turns or LS showing her continuous movement. It was intriguing to analyse.
It was clear however, the length of each shot can be far longer than I have been allocating and this will significantly reduce the number of shots, set ups and storyboards required.
2. Story boarding with pictures - this has proved to be so much less daunting than drawing. Framing is vital to the feel, tone and impact of the film and although I clearly see every frame in my head, working with a cast and crew makes it imperative to create clear and effective storyboards. Everyone needs to have the 'vision' and even more importantly the ability to input their own experience into the realization of it. This can only happen efficiently and effectively with concrete representations of each shot.  Without this, I will be so busy answering simple questions that I will not be able to focus on capturing the best images, leading to more compromises!

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When things go wrong, they can go very wrong!
Planning is simply not enough.  With all the arrangements in place, keys organised, sets designed, cast and crew committed we were ready to start filming this weekend when a simple email arrived from facilities.
Power outages at Gawler site
Electricity will be unavailable at the site this weekend as they are connecting the solar network across all three school.
As I reflect on ways to have avoided this issue, I realised, it just was beyond my control.  Facilities only found out yesterday.  The cascade effect of this is immense.  'Jordy' was only available this weekend (between sporting engagements) at the school (Working with children is difficult!) and will be away next week.   With the deadline for the assignment looming, I am loath to delay filming, even if a second child actor can be secured in time (very unlikely).  For some reason, you cannot simply pick a child to use and my family have been extremely disobliging with their offspring too young to assist!

On a more serious note, I am sure that these situations occur far more regularly than we anticipate and compromises and contingencies are made that have minimal impact on the overall film.  In some cases even improving it as necessity is the mother of invention and the most creative ideas can come from adversity.

For Pockets, the change will be immense.  I have decided to recast Jordy as a young adult.  Although the script can remain unchanged, the tone of the film will change dramatically and it will be harder to gain the emotional engagement of the audience.  The situation is no less real and as difficult, if not more so for Anna, but may be less relatable for the audience.  As a child, Jordy is a bridge between the dependence of youth and the dependence of Autism.  As an adult, Jordy may be viewed just as a burden, not at all what I intend.
Location wise, I will simply film at home.  The scenes were storyboard here and all the locations, excepting the 'classroom' will be easy to dress.  I will need to reframe the bedroom scene and spend more time dressing the set, but my son is tolerant and I am sure won't object to having his room restyled!  It just adds more time.

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Question: Do extras need release forms?

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This method is great and I have the photos completed and will finalise adding them to the storyboards over the next few days.

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Shot Designer - Scene 3

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Shot Designer - scene 2 complete

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Shot Designer - complete

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I have found this week really difficult and I am struggling to complete the tasks.  I am still reworking my script and just can't produce the storyboards needed.
One of the Linda.com videos suggested using a program called 'Shot Designer', which I have just purchased.  Developing the shots from the POV of the camera I am finding much easier, as that is how I visualise the film.  I have it playing in my head, so using this program allows me to create the visuals (and all the details) I need to structure the scenes, produce a detailed shot list and visualise the action.  I am working through Scene 1 and finding it very easy to use (though I am still slow!).  It is much less threatening than drawing storyboards and once the shots are finalised, I believe I will find it easier to frame the shots in storyboard format.
My time management has been poor, as I have used most of my study time to watch the entire courses, rather than individual episodes, of the Linda.com materials.  They have been fantastic, but do take a lot of time.

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Shot List

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Draft 4

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Audio
Headphones
Logitech g433
Microphone
Rode videomicGoVideoMic GO Specifications

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Mary - Primal Vision
It’s good but I am a bit unclear about the significance of the letter G.  Was that his Dad’s name? Or is that all items start with G? I know gum nut does but wasn’t sure what the other items were.  The link between what he is collecting, what he is trying to communicate and his Dad's loss maybe could be a little clearer?
Reply
Thank you! If it isn't obvious, then the audience won't get it either.

G is just a random letter they are studying at school. The other objects so start with a G and the work on the class wall should show that too.  Should I add the items to the script so it is clear?

It does move through 'collecting' pretty fast, is it worth adding another 'day/scene' of picking things up or will the row of piles in his room be enough?

Not sure about the jacket either, it was to show the connection to his Dad, but maybe too obscure?  He could just wear cargo pants?  Maybe different pockets for each category? Everything goes on the shelf, except things from his Dad?  A watch, medal, keys, etc.
Mary
I would spell it out in the script so its clearer.  And yes, I think another collecting scene would be good. And since you have used the phone call twice as a dramatic device maybe another way of his mother discovering that he is taking objects. Could be he runs into the teacher at the school gate, gets a note or similar.

I think I understood that the jacket related to the person who died, and we assume that’s the husband/Dad. But cargo pants are a good idea anyway as you stuff several pockets.

Maybe it would be nice to link an object of his Dad’s to his opening up to communicate with his Mum?

The final scene might have more impact that way. The story arc goes from seemingly unwilling to talk about his Dad, to trying to convey his sadness to his Mum to them finally communicating.

As you know this can be done visually. Doesn’t even need dialogue necessarily.

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Activity 3.1 - Camera Exercise #2 with sound

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Activity 3.1 - Camera Exercise #2 with sound

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Welcome Home 2
Reflections
I was able to purchase a Rode GoMicrophone to use for this sequence yesterday, so I haven't had much time to practice with it.  Although it is described as a directional microphone, I found it was too sensitive to background noise, particularly breathing of the camera operator!  I will need to spend some time playing with the camera settings to ensure I am optimising its range.
It has produced clear and detailed sound, which I am happy with.
I need to follow the advice of Artis (2012) who stressed the need to record background sound.  Completing this task over two weeks, meant the weather conditions varied dramatically and the background rain was too prominent in the first half of the film.  Trying to cut it together with footage of the same location a week later was difficult.  I had recorded background sound, but deleted it (never again!).  In the end, I used an Audio Cross Fade effect on footage from Week 2, to imply the shower started and ended in that particular scene.

Continuity was also lost with wardrobe!  Steph was unable to locate the grey t-shirt worn in Week 2, so it is a bit jarring when she runs out in grey, and comes back seconds later in pink.  This is less likely to happen so obviously in the Production of 'Pockets' but highlights the need to be constantly vigilant, as even small objects, angles or sound changes will impact greatly on the flow and audience engagement with the film.

I shot the new sequences using an Inca Tripod, which, although more stable than the Daiwa, highlighted the need for a true 'video' tripod. Attempts to pan or tilt the camera were jerky and unusable, no matter how much care was taken, which led to a rather abrupt ending to the film, as the slow pan and zoom sequence for the ending was simply unusable.

Reference
Artis, A  2012,  Video Foundations: Cameras and Shooting, video, Lynda.com, 6 August, viewed 11 April 2018, <https://www.lynda.com/Shooting-Video-tutorials/Foundations-Video-Cameras-Shooting/97394-2.html>

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The draft script has been sent out for feedback, but I have yet to receive any.
I consulted with Jackie about the wording and actions of Anna, but I have yet to do a 'read through' to test the timing or reality.

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Writing scripts and Audio

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Film maker, Mary O'Malley of Primal Vision asked the following questions when reviewing the treatment.
I’m assuming it’s scripted drama not animation.  (It would make a nice animation too.)

How long? Then how many characters? Two?

It will run for 6 - 8 minutes.  There will be three characters - Jordy, Anna and the teacher

I always think of time and budget so having the drama take place in primarily one or two locations helps a lot.

Locations - playground (with only the noise of other children in the background), classroom, lounge room,/kitchen, car.  **Think of ways to shorten this list!
So you might need to find a neat dramatic device for alluding to the fact the objects are “borrowed” and then returned without having to film that in too many different locations.  A telephone call? A postal bag?
A phone call from the teacher (may be able to convey 'guide' without extra character and location, but how to get 'Anna' to clue in to the link between objects and classroom.

Is there a shelf in the home where the objects are displayed? Is there something else on that shelf that helps the mother realise what her son is trying to communicate?

A few questions to help with the scripting and the three-act structure.

. How do we learn in the first act that the boy is autistic?
Need to make this clear in the opening scene, perhaps stimming when he finds something to put in his pocket?  I will research some 'clues' to use.  Can't use self talk like that used by Becker (2009) for Simon in Mercury Rising, as Jordy is non-verbal.  Rocking or Stimming may be enough???  Perhaps an Autism Puzzle ribbon on the fridge?

. What do we learn about the relationship between the boy and his mother?
Phone call with work colleague, Anna can express how Jordy is the same as always, hasn't really noticed. She could say wistfully that she wishes he needed her?
We see a hint of her pain and loss and his lack of understanding of that with the backpacks.  Blue means Dad is picking him up from school,  Red means Mom is picking him up.

. Is the boy frustrated by this mother’s inability to understand?
No, not really, it registers, but does't impact on him.

- Where does he collect the objects? Primarily at school? (thinking locations here).
He collects the objects at school and in the opening scene in the backyard.

-What kind of objects are they are what messages are they conveying?
Mostly random objects from around the playground, yard, etc.  sticks, stones, toys, balls, stationery items, some objects of his fathers

.-What triggers the mother’s final understanding.
It was to be standing in the classroom, returning the objects and seeing the displays and linking them to what she has found in his pockets.

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Camera (Panasonic)    500g
Zoom H6                     350g

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Zoom H6 Recorder

I purchased a Zoom H6 Recorder for my class, two years ago and it has proved to be an easy to use device that allows us to capture high quality sound.  It is normally set up as a stand alone device for sound capture, using one of the interchangeable microphones (XY Stereo or Mid side Pair Microphone).  When used with a clapper board we have been able to easily match our sound tracks to video.

I agree with all the statements made by Monlux (2013) in his review of the device. The only flaw I have found using the Zoom, is the limited options we have had to mount it safely, a sentiment seconded by Martin Johnson, in his comments on the review. With only a 1/4"

Reference
Monlux, C 2013, Zoom H6 Audio recorder review,  Videomaker Magazine, 13 December,, viewed 16 April, 2018, <https://www.videomaker.com/article/c5/16067-zoom-h6-audio-recorder-review>

Sean 2015, Zoom SSH-6 Stereo Shotgun Microphone Review, Micreviews, 7 April, viewed 16 April, 2018, <https://www.videomaker.com/article/c5/16067-zoom-h6-audio-recorder-review>

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Reference
Conn, R & Bhugra, D 2012, 'The portrayal of autism in Hollywood films', International Journal of Culture and Mental Health, vol. 5, no. 1, pp. 54-62.

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Kassenbrock (2015) listed seven movies that had varying degrees of success depicting characters with autism.

I spent time watching, Mary and Max (Ellliot 2009),  a clay animation set in Australia in 1972.  In the film , Max, who prefers to be known as an Aspie, says “I do not feel disabled, defective or a need to be cured. I like being an Aspie. It would be like trying to change the color of my eyes.” (Elliot 2009)

With this medium, the director was able to clearly depict the constant state of confusion experienced by Max and how seemly 'simple events' could trigger intellectual paralysis.
In the film, Max explains that although he would dearly like to, he is unable to cry, and as a result, I changed the ending scene so that Jordy remains dry eyed, even though it is clear he is missing his Dad.

A key conflict in this film is triggered by Mary's thesis on Asperger's Syndrome and the dedication she writes to Max. She explains how she understands what people with the syndrome feel and how she will dedicate her life to finding a 'cure'. Max is horrified that the one person who he thought related to and understood him, could not have listened all this time. This incident really highlights the difficulty faced by many families with autistic children. They constantly encounter well meaning strangers with suggestions for 'curing' or 'fixing' their children or worse judgemental strangers, who complicate already stressful situations, often robbing parents of the ability to help their children develop the skills they need to cope in overwhelming situations.

Reference
Elliot, A (dir) 2009, Mary and Max, motion picture, Film Victoria.

Kassenbrock, R 2015, 7 Films that tried to accurately depict a character with autism, The Mighty, 2 March, 2015, viewed 15 April, 2018, < https://themighty.com/2015/03/7-films-that-tried-to-accurately-depict-a-character-with-autism/ >

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I created this 'pocket montage' from images found on the web page below.
Reference

Stirk, D 2014, The Awesome things You’ll Find in Boys’ Pockets, Popsugar Moms, 15 September, 2014, viewed 9 April, 2018, <https://www.popsugar.com/moms/Awesome-Things-Youll-Find-Boys-Pockets-35693908?stream_view=1#photo-35693944>

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Treatment Pockets v2

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I watched many of the short films of 2017...
more to come

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Activity 2.3 Camera exercise #1 - Welcome Home

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Activity 2.3 Camera exercise #1 - Welcome Home

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Reflection
Welcome Home was created using a Panasonic HC-WXF995M (4K) video camera and a very old Daiwa Tvt-1 Elevating Tripod.  This clearly highlighted the need to purchase a better quality tripod.  Although the Daiwa has a very stable frame, it is difficult to tighten the legs and without a level, difficult to create a good horizon line.  This was also exasperated by the broken head attachment.  Although I could 'safely' screw the camera to the head, it could not tighten to attach the camera firmly enough to keep it level.  This meant, that even though the shots were taken with a tripod, there is still a small amount of shake and I could not use pan or tilt.

As an experiment, I recorded the sound through the camera itself, and apart from the wind noise in the first scene, I was pleasantly surprised by the crispness obtained when filming the door scenes.  For 'Pockets' I will use the Zoom H6 to record and monitor sound.  I will need to purchase a good quality shotgun microphone to supplement the mid-side and xy microphones I already have.  The Panasonic will accept an external microphone also.

While this camera does have manual settings, which I experimented with prior to filming, I found that it would not effectively hold all settings, particularly gain. The images were clear and I believe well focused, but shots through the door did not maintain focus on the key character when he moved off stage, refocusing on items in the distance.  It could be my lack of experience with the camera and I will continue research to find out if this is common, or 'just me'.

The white balance was set manually using a large white panel and was consistent throughout the film.  Ryan's shirt caused some overexposure in early shots, but I was able to compensate for it by adjusting the shooting angle.

I added two extra scenes to extend the story (you will have to watch to see!)

References - Adding scrolling credits
Boone 2017, Create end credit in Premiere Pro 2018, YouTube, viewed 15 April, 2018 <https://www.google.com.au/search?q=adding+scrolling+credits+in+adobe+premiere+pro&rlz=1C1GGRV_enAU760AU764&oq=adding+scrolling+credits+in+adobe+premiere+pro&aqs=chrome..69i57.22730j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&safe=active&ssui=on#kpvalbx=1>

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I scored 16/16 on the quiz.  The Lynda.com course was very comprehensive and provided an easy to follow, engaging discussion on the types of video equipment available and best of all, how to use them.
Although I scored very highly on the quiz, it is in no way a reflection of my ability to create high quality images, as Artis (201 ) stated it is only with practice with your actual camera that you can learn the skills and techniques required. This activity has greatly increased my understanding and knowledge of terminology and will make it much easier to communicate with my cast and crew, as well more efficiently accessing specific training tools.

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Reference
Artis, A  2012,  Video Foundations: Cameras and Shooting, video, Lynda.com, 6 August, viewed 11 April 2018, <https://www.lynda.com/Shooting-Video-tutorials/Foundations-Video-Cameras-Shooting/97394-2.html>

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Before writing the script, I need to better understand my characters and their motivations.  The boy in the film, will be named Jordan, Jordy for short, as a tribute to my nephew, Dan, who along with his cousin, Sam, formed the core inspiration for the film.  Sam is the inspiration for the concept of pockets, as he came home every day with a new 'collection' in his pockets.

Dan is autistic and I spoke extensively with my sister  to gather anecdotes from his life at the age of 6 - 10 years old.  I have transcribed some of these below:

1. A young boy in his class, collected sticks, rocks, leaves, shells , etc. and he would line them up like a timeline.  It took a while for us to catch on that he actually put them in order of finding, pretty amazing.

2. He used to, still does, set up 'scenes' with his toys.  He is a movie kid so his scenes were mostly based on them.  They are amazing, one of the best was the bar scene from Star Wars.  He sets up scenes outside too, creating habitats that were accurate for the animals, etc.  Every toy had to be appropriate for the scene.

3. He has always been a flapper (stimming)  He woud zone out a lot!  We'd holler, shake, whatever we needed to get him back in our world.  (Could be a good establishing scene - Mother talkng and realises Jordy has 'zoned')

4. He would seek out hiding spots everywhere we went.  At meets (track, X-country, whatever) we would make a 'tent' for him to block out all the stimulus.  Headphones with a book on tape really helped.  At a qualifying regional track meet for his brother, he was 5 or 6, and it was so hot, his dad emptied a tub we had brought stuff in and had the groundskeeper fill it with water.  Dan sat in that tub with the lid (not sealed obviously) on it almost the whole meet.  People walking by asked if we had fish in it.  Hahahaha.  Dan would pop up every once in a while to ask for things.  His language at this oint wasn't good though.  You just have to adapt anyway you can to help them get thru any situations.

5. Shopping malls, I'd have about 30 minutes tops if he was in his stroller with headphones and a book on tape (well, only if it wasn't Christmas season - that took many more years to get thru all the decorations and extra noise).

6. In Dr's offices he would squirm, squish, shove himself into any hiding spot he could (under the tables, behind chairs, behind me, anywhere).  The lights and big open waiting rooms were the worst for him at that age.

7. Open/outdoor markets his dad would carry him on his back in one of those hiking packs (even when he was 6 or7) to keep him in a "safe cocoon".  He'd find toys or objects that we had no idea what they went to but he'd get them and make them into incredible things, almost always movie related.

8. He was never left behind, we all just 'helped' him cope with the rest of the world.

9. He had the best preschool teacher ever!  She taught me so much too and I worked as a teacher's assistant with her for a while.  We had a little girl that would be so anxious to the point of obsession about which parent would be picking her up, sometimes Mom, sometimes Dad.  It was a simple thing the teacher found to help, two backpacks, a pink one for when Mom was picking her up and a blue one for Dad's days, was all it took.  She could see which one was hanging up and we never had another issue after that.  (I may be able to use this as a point of conflict, Jordy insisting on taking his 'blue" backpack, even though Dad can't pick him up)

10. Dan's hardest thing was transitions.  He had a toy he'd bring into the class that went straight into a basket, that was kept up high.  When he was given the toy back it meant he had to go straight to the car.  It also meant that I could not talk to anyone as soon as he got it I had to leave. LOL.

11. We had a little that was nonverbal, non-responsive that we worked with for a year.  Unfortunately we never did gain any kind of progress with him but we did discover that red clothes were a trigger for him (get agitated to almost violent).  The following year we had another little boy, higher functioning, that also had the same "red" trigger.  The little guys father ended up throwing away all his red shirts once he realised what was going on.

12. Dan still uses that 'transition' helper.  That is why he's always asking how many toys he can take with him.  Although they get left in the car most of the time (not allowed at program), at practice or other outings he chooses a small one that won't be obvious in his pocket.  Now he's adapted it himself for program and chooses cards with creature info on them.  (Perhaps a 'soldier' toy to represent his Dad?  Toy Story Army man?)

Student H
H has never had a formal diagnosis, but was known by all his peers for his habit of collecting things in his pockets. H explained that he still does this (Yr 11) but is far more discerning now. He used to collect samples of everything he came across in a day, seeds, rocks, cones, blu tak, Plasticine, coins, moss, small toys, rubbers, electronic components, etc. It is the electrical bits he mostly collects today and he carefully categorises everything into individual piles is a drawer when he gets home. He doesn't have particular time or 'event' links to the items, he just likes to collect them. His Mom used to get frustrated when she washed his pants before he emptied them as the contents could wreck the load of washing.
Student R
R has a formal diagnosis of Autism and is currently a Yr 11 student. He is quiet and rarely talks much unless you hit on one of his triggers, such as 'South Park'. I was discussing the synopsis of 'Pockets' with another student and R became very animated and explained that that is exactly what he used to do. He was non-verbal until the age of 8 and used to collect things in his pockets. He explained that he would hold out items to people and they would tell him about them, "until they got annoyed". Every piece he collected he still has and remembers the day, date and time they were collected, but not so much where from. He stores his items in a timeline, not categories.
Sam

Sam is very highly gifted and used to collect all manner of items in his pockets. It was a truly eclectic collection and reflected what he had done that day, where he walked and how lonely. If he had a day playing with friends, there would only be litter from his lunch in his pockets, other days, there was a full museum display of rocks, seeds and cones and you could plot his course around the school by what he had collected. As a reception, Sam spent a great deal of time accompanying the Year 7 teacher on yard duty and would have fascinating stories to tell about the types of minerals he had found that day.

Reference
Personal Conversations

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I use this Padlet as a collation point for all the ideas, concepts, explorations that I do as I create my final project.  At times, some components will be incomplete, for example, waiting for references, writing summaries, etc.
To make it easier for assessment, I will try to maintain a colour coding system.
Red - Works in progress
Blue - Research
White - Notes from lectures, etc
Yellow - Decisions about the film
Green - Reflections
Purple - Sticky notes to follow up

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Tripods (and Dolly and Articulating Arm)

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Tripods (and Dolly and Articulating Arm)

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References
Manusurov, N 2018, How to choose and Buy a Tripod, Photography Life, viewed 14 April, 2018, <https://photographylife.com/how-to-choose-and-buy-a-tripod-for-a-dslr-camera>

Mollison, M  (2010) Producing Videos: a complete guide, 3rd edn, Allen & Unwin, Crows Nest, NSW, pp. 367-394.

Roberts, B 2017, Top 5 Best Tripods Under $200 of 2018, Vlogger Gear, viewed 9 April, 2018, <http://vloggergear.com/best-tripods-under-200/>

Schneider, J 2016, Best Tripods for Video: Top choices for serious and professional video shooters at every price point, Imaging Resource, viewed 14 April, 2018, <https://www.imaging-resource.com/news/2016/06/07/best-tripods-for-video-top-choices-for-serious-and-professional-video-shoot>

Choosing a tripod
According to Roberts (2017) it is important to purchase good quality equipment and to chose a tripod, you should consider the following:

Size and portability

Height

Material

Tripod Head

While I have access to several tripods, they are all of similar light weight construction and designed for photography.  They were chosen for speed of setup and easy portability for student use.  They have a limited height range and are quite difficult to level.  The key video requirement of smooth  movement of the tripod head for quality pan and tilt shots is simply not possible on these low end tripods.  They have very poor camera attachments and it is difficult to remove all 'wobble' from the camera mount.

I will need to purchase a video tripod and there is a great deal of conflicting advice on the best 'price range' to aim for.  Manusurov (2018) is adamant that you should purchase a very cheap first tripod, to learn the best type of device for your individual needs then, with your newfound wisdom, invest in a very high quality tripod designed for professional video production.  While this may be wise, we do not all have the ability to invest 1000's of dollars and I certainly cannot.

Looking closely at the five tripods recommended by Roberts (2017), I realised they were all very similar in design and features to the tripods I already have.  Schneider (2016) provided a range of tripods that featured not only  mid-level spreaders for added stability but also fluid-effect heads, which allow smooth and steady pan and tilt recording.  Although not as effective as a true 'fluid' head, the value of the fluid-effect head, at 1-2% of the cost of a fluid head, makes it a more realistic purchase.

After careful consideration of the choices outlined, I decided to look for suppliers of the Davis & Sanford ProVista 7518B with video head and dolly, Not only does it have all the features recommended, it is available with a camera Dolly for under $300AUD (shipping from the US $100).  It has a height range of 28" - 64" which is perfect for my height, though will be a bit short for many of my students.  I will purchase an articulating arm to hold a secondary monitor as well as a spare release plate.

Before ordering, I will try to locate this tripod for sale in Australia, which should reduce the shipping costs.  With a delivery time from the US of only 4 days, I can afford to wait a week.
This tripod will be perfectly suited to my needs for this video assignment.  The Panasonic Hybrid Camera and Sony Cybershot DSC-HX300 cameras are both light weight and well under half the weight capabilities of this tripod.

Monitor
Due to my poor eyesight and on the advice of both Mollinson (2010) and my colleagues at TAFE I have decided to investigate the purchase of a secondary monitor for filming.  This will be attached to the tripod with an articulated arm.  I have an 8" monitor that is used for our 3D scanner and I will check to see if this has the correct features for use.  Failing that, I will use the H&H site to find a suitable substitute.

Lighting
I have access to several soft boxes and light stands, reflectors and umbrellas, which may be necessary for the classroom scenes. The only other lights I would like to add my kit is a set of Red Head studio lights. I have looked at the cost of sets in Australia and they are around $800

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Whether you're an aspiring professional photographer or simply an enthusiast. A sturdy tripod is an essential part of your photography kit.
The right tripod will help eliminate blurry pictures and allow you shoot in lower light situations, using slower shutter speeds and longer exposures. And if you're into vlogging or just documenting your everyday adventures, a tripod can be incredibly useful for getting video and pictures that aren't just selfies.
Tripods aren't exactly cheap, and can easily cost into the hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars. A high-quality tripod, however, is worth it, and if you value your camera, picking a cheap one will only inevitably lead to disaster.

Thankfully, there are several great options out there for a decent price. We've assembled a short buying guide of the 5 best tripods available for under $200 of 2018.

Things To Consider When Picking a Tripod

Size and Portability: What will you mainly be using the tripod for? Are you looking for a compact tripod you can take anywhere with you, or are you okay with something larger but sturdier?

Height: How tall are you? A tripod that comes up near eye-level is much more convenient, while one that is merely too short can be a pan to work with.

Material: Most tripods have legs made of aluminum, which is very lightweight, but not as stable as legs made of carbon fiber or stainless steel. The material will determine the weight: a few pounds may not seem like much, but when you're traveling, stuffing it into your luggage or hiking, a few pounds can make a huge difference.

Tripod head: There are few different kinds of tripod heads, such as ball heads, panoramic heads and pan and tilt heads. Ball heads are the most versatile, and can be set up in almost any angle or position you could need. Pan and tilt heads are best for video, allowing you to get smooth, seamless movements without jerking.

You may also want to look at other factors such as leg locking mechanisms, whether the tripod has a center column, or if it can be converted, but the above are the main criteria to look out for.

Top 5 Best Tripods Under $200 Of 2018

1. Vanguard Alta Pro 263AB 100 Aluminum Tripod Kit (Editors Pick)

Our editor's pick for best tripod under $200 is the Vanguard Alta Pro. The Alta Pro is a heavy-duty, all-around tripod capable of shooting in almost any situation.

Folded, it measures 28.5" and is compact enough for travel. Fully extended, it comes out to 68" - almost 6 feet tall. The Alta Pro is made from aluminum alloy, making it lightweight but still sturdy, and can hold camera kits up to 15lbs. The legs adjust to 25, 50, and 80-degree angles, allowing you to get down low for extreme angles.
Vanguard designed the Alta Pro with extreme versatility in mind, and the hexagon-shaped central column is designed to swivel from 0 to 180 degrees.
Conclusion

Still, for a versatile, well-rounded tripod under $200, the Alta Pro is an excellent choice and well-deserving of our Editor's Pick. It's most suitable for enthusiasts and hobbyists, but professionals will also appreciate its compact portability for frequent travel.
BUY ON AMAZON.COM
2. Manfrotto MKBFRA4-BH BeFree Compact Aluminum Travel Tripod Black

Manfrotto is a trusted name, known for reliable, high-quality tripods. The BeFree is a lightweight and ultra-sturdy little tripod, made of aluminum. It f its in carry-on luggage and backpacks, going anywhere your photography may lead you.

The quality and craftsmanship are evident as soon as you pick the BeFree up. It is solid, made entirely of aluminum with durable rubber grips on the legs. 56" when fully extended, it folds down to 15"' and can hold up to 8.8 lbs. The legs can be spread independently, perfect for uneven ground, and there are two different leg angle stops for odd angles.
The ball head has a large locking handle, as well as a quick-release with QR plate. It also has an included carrying case.
Conclusion

The light build means that the BeFree is very sensitive to vibrations. Photographers have noticed blurry photos from wind, and even from the vibration of the shutter itself.

This doesn't mean the BeFree is a poor tripod, by any means; Manfrotto's quality is excellent. It's just best confined to travel photography, where the weight load and camera setups will be lighter and less bulky.
BUY ON AMAZON.COM
3. Ravelli AVTP Professional 75mm Video Camera Tripod with Fluid Drag Head

Ravelli's AVTP is a full-size, sturdy video tripod for professional use. Capable of holding up to 27lbs, it is made from lightweight but robust aluminum, and uses an industry standard 3-segment, interlocking Crutch leg design with a mid-level spreader.

Rubber feet keep it planted firmly on the ground, and make it a seriously solid and stable design for all kinds of situations.

The tripod head has a continuous drag fluid movement. It can pan 360 degrees and tilt up to 180 degrees for smooth, effortless video shooting. Dual handles, designed for video, allow for excellent, precise control, and there are locks for both pan and tilt. The head also has a video-oriented quick release plate, with a safety latch to keep it from sliding off.

This is a common problem with more affordable tripods, and it will be difficult to find one that doesn't stick in the same price range. The head tension is adjustable, but if smooth up-and-down motion is important to you, you'll want to keep that in mind.

Conclusion

If you're looking for a dependable, professional quality video tripod, the Ravelli is unbeatable value.

4. JOBY GorillaPod Focus with Ballhead X Bundle

If you're looking for the ultimate in versatility and portability. Take a look at the Joby GorillaPod. It is a compact and literally flexible tripod, with rubberized legs that mold to whatever situation you're shooting in. Perfect for vloggers and outdoor adventurers.

The GorillaPod is made from machined aluminum sockets and TPE joints, with rubberized grips, that can bend into any position necessary. Shooting in tight corners? No problem. Mountain climbing? Got you covered.

It can be used on uneven terrain, or literally wrapped around any object you see - a lamppost, a chain-link fence, bike handles. You can even turn it into a makeshift shoulder rig or carry handle for handheld shooting.

Conclusion

Nonetheless, it is a robust and downright adaptable option. It goes anywhere and does anything, perfect for traveling, outdoor adventuring and everyday use. it's also an excellent choice for vloggers who take their camera with them everywhere. That's where it truly shines. For these reasons it deserved a spot in your best tripods under $200 list. For more vlogging tripods, check out our article here.
BUY ON AMAZON.COM
5. MeFOTO Aluminum Roadtrip Travel Tripod/Monopod Kit

The MeFOTO Roadtrip is, like the Alta Pro and Manfrotto BeFree, a superb lightweight tripod for traveling and shooting on the go. Built from sturdy aluminum, it weighs only 3.6lbs and can support loads up to 17lbs, holding DSLR's and mirrorless cameras plus lens.

It can be as small as 15" but fully extends up to 61". Like the Alta Pro, each leg has two locking positions, which is great for shooting on uneven ground and in tight corners.

You can even remove the center column and screw it onto one of the leg sections, for a stable monopod that extends up to 64". The extendable legs have 5 different sections, with a twist-locking, anti-rotation rubberized grips.

The Q series ballhead pans 360-degrees and has a lock for staying at the desired position. It features a standard Arca-Swiss compatible, quick release plate for convenience, as well as an integrated bubble level that helps prevent uneven panning.
The ballhead is also removable and you can use any ballhead you like. The center column also lets you hang additional weight from a recessed, spring-loaded hook, as a counterweight for further stability with heavier loads.
Conclusion

Another gripe is that the twist locks, while well-constructed and easy to use, don't have any way of gauging whether they are tightened. If you forget to tighten one, the tripod will close and topple over - expensive new camera in tow.

Otherwise, it is another reliable option for an affordable tripod like the Alta Pro, good as a primary for enthusiasts and as a backup travel kit for professionals.
BUY ON AMAZON.COM
Wrapping It Up

Any of the tripods listed above is an excellent choice for a tripod, and should have you covered for almost any shooting situation you could need. We recommend the Vanguard Alta Pro as our Editor's Choice, thanks to its compact size, durable aluminum build, and all-around versatility. It's strong enough to hold cameras up to 15lbs, but small and light enough for traveling.

The center column can be positioned in almost any way imaginable, for shooting in a variety of different locations and demands. It's excellent for photographers, both professional and hobbyists alike. Avoid using it with heavy loads when fully extended, but otherwise, it's suitable for almost anything. You can also check out this guide on finding a great tripod.

If you're into purely vlogging, you may want to take a look at the JOBY GorillaPod. It's flexible and small enough to go virtually anywhere, but doubles as a makeshift shoulder rig or even selfie stick for spontaneous, mobile recording. See the best tripods under $100 here.

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Top 5 Best Tripods Under $200 Of 2018 | Vlogger Gear

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Whether you're an aspiring professional photographer or simply an enthusiast. A sturdy tripod is an essential part of your photography kit. The right tripod will help eliminate blurry pictures and allow you shoot in lower light situations, using slower shutter speeds and longer exposures.

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Week 2 - Activity 2.2 - Identify and Review Equipment

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Week 2 - Activity 2.2 - Identify and Review Equipment

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Camera
I have a Panasonic HC-WXF995M (4K) video camera available and I plan to use this as my main video capture camera.  I have used it for producing 'STEM isn't a subject' and for several 'in school' productions and I find it easy to use and extremely reliable.  The image quality is excellent when a tripod is used for stabilisation and I will explore the use of dolly equipment if required.

As secondary cameras, I have a Sony Cybershot DSC HX-400V, a Samsung 9 and a Canon 7D, which although capable of excellent video, has a complex format that must be converted before use.

This week I have spent considerable time reading the Morrison (201) text and the Instruction manual for my camera. It has a good range of manual setting options, including White Balance and Gain. It includes a focus assist, but no Zebra Stripes unfortunately.

Hague (2017) described some of the features of this camera, but as the article was written before the camera was released, it is based on Company data, not testing.  One aspect highlighted was the  "Wi-Fi and Wireless Multi Cam, which can connect up to three smart devices to record two additional perspectives simultaneously"  I had not discovered this feature in my research and I am anxious to experiment with this feature, and also the range of speed settings and zoom functions.

Even the Panasonic website is lacking in reviews for this model though I did find the retrieve the specification sheet.  The camera certainly has every feature I will require, at a reasonable price.  It has a 1/2.3" image sensor, which is compatible with the Canon 7D sensor.  As a hybrid camera, the Panasonic produces high quality images, in all lighting conditions.  The manual settings needed are available, though quite difficult to access, particularly focus, though I have learned how to set the Manual choice wheel to adjust the focus, which has made this task easier.

My locations will include indoor and outdoor locations and I will need to be very conscious of the camera's tendency to set gain automatically.  This really impacted on some of the footage obtained for 'Welcome Home' and some scenes had to be re-shot.  In low light situations, the Sony Cybershot is very hard to beat, and as a practical example, it is the only camera I have found that is capable of getting crisp stage shots from the back of a darkened theatre. With the lighting at my disposal, I should not have any issues obtaining quality, well colour matched footage.

References
Hague, D 2017, 'New Panasonic Camcorders', Australian Video Camera, vol. 100, February, viewed 15 April, 2018, <http://australian-videocamera.com/issue/february-2017/article/new-panasonic-camcorders2>

Mollison, M  (2010) Producing Videos: a complete guide, 3rd edn, Allen & Unwin, Crows Nest, NSW, pp. 367-394.

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Protagonist - Mother
Antagonist - Boy (non-verbal)

Conflict

unable to communicate

'stealing' things from school

Pockets of Grief???

Use visulal metaphors - e.g. artefacts, hints of military connection
Emotional imact - connection to character - e.g. young mother, grief,

Character Arcs

Mother  ---->  mourning and grieving  (unresolved and overwhelming) ---->  O.K. to talk about the past, communicates with her son

Boy ------------> isolated alone, misunderstood ---------> communication working, forms a bridge with his mother to his past

Can we foreshadow with artifacts in the background?  Mother works in a museum?  Collections, working on deciphering the meaning of small pieces of history.

Mother

emotional deadness, stress, frustration with boy and extra work to return items (but is this at least getting her out of the house?)

maybe a scene with a teacher talking about 'stealing'

unresolved grief???

connects to her son, through the contents of his pockets

Father

missing

presumed recently deceased (maybe folded flag on the wall???) or no clues at all

not cnelear, left to audience

Boy

autistic

non-verbal

alone

collects objects in the pockets of an old army coat he wears (obviously a bit big)

needs to communicate to his mother, but can't

Bait n' switch

objects

plant something that is misdirection

Dad's old car key, medal, etc,

always an object of the father's mixed in

keys

medal

gun??

Inciting incident

Conflict situation

Something at school?

need to communicate to resolve

serious/dramatic

Father at work day?

Reveal

Opening of Act 3 -

mother connects school newsletter to contents of the pockets?

Mother at home, not coping and all she does is empty the pockets, pile the contents on a shelf before washing his clothes

staring at all the piles, realises what she is seeing

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Look for Pocket scene?

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Reference
Training video series (as linked)

Almost always have the  most screen time
the one we identify with the most
biggest arc
her objective moves the movie forward

Strong characters, make tough choices,  actively make decisions, are relatable, vulnerable, strong likes,
we need to be connected to them, want to journey with here

single person whose perspective we connect to

Story components
1. protagonist
2. objeective
3. obstacles

Character arc
How the protagonist changes over the course of the story

We all want to be better people so we connect to their journey

Logline
a one sentence summation

Three Act structure
Act 1 -  Inciting incident -  problem to solve
Act 2 - the core of the story - they try to solve it
Act 3 -  end -  solve it

Not equal parts time wise - Act  2 is usually about 1/2 the time.

Story Beats
A shift in the story - e.g. inciting incident - debate beat - refusal of the call beat -
ACT 2 - start going after their objective - Mid point beat (increase the stakes) point of new no return - all is lost beat (something really bad or a need for help) (3/4 of the way through)
Powerful and largely undetectable

Conflict
Need for drama and the story - opposition to the objective
Antagonist - doesn't have to be a villain, should be 'real'
conflict can come from other places, weather, tragedy, bad news, etc
how does the character deal with it?
can add conflict with noise, other characters, add tension

Making conflict big, clear, difficult makes good stories and should be in all scenes

make it real
Do what the characters need, not the writers need

Seeing > hearing
show powerful moments, don't say it
showing not telling makes the audience think

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Visualising the story

A good software to use fso or story boarding  is https://www.martiniquickshot.com/

Free for 15 days  or $99.

Questions are the writers best friends.  Follow visual flashes.  Find a defining image, and then be curious about what happens next.

Archetypes of stories -
- go home
- system - question - destroy
Characters
- mentors
- Messiah
- guardian of the threshold

based on truth about the human experience, but don't have to be stereotypical
Genre
Follow convention,  so your audience doesn't feel tricked.
Can break some conventions.
Understand and respect them.
Backstories
An anchor to come back to.  The rules of the setting.  Know the world behind the script.
Exposition
Tease the audience, with the information they need, make them curious.
Narrator?  Very intimate - who is the narrator?  Who are they talking to?
Research professional films - study them
How do they work?
Refine perceptions of what works and what doesn't
make more informed decisions
Cost of the script
1 page of script = 1 minute of film
combine stuff - reduce the number of actors by combing 2 characters together
Setups and Callbacks
multiple layers
Shadow Characters
keep the audience guessing about what is going to happen
not a necessity, but a tool you can use
Theme
ambiguous - can be an issue, a moral, could be obvious, could be intertwined,
Forest Gump - theme - life is unpredictable
parable? metaphor?
tethers your audience to characters
Pickup scene
a rescue scene to help with missing components of the story
Formatting
Really important to follow the formatting rules
Rules:
1. Dialog and descriptions only
2. description is POV of a third person in the simple present tense
3. Slug line - Scene headings - every time we change of venue
INT. EXT. FOGGY LAKE - DAY

4. First time we introduce a character - Put their name in capitals and their age in brackets
5. You can add transitions and directions (very limited)
Translations (right aligned all caps)
Add O.S. if off screen
Font always Courier, 12pt
Margin 1.5" for text
2.5" for dialogue
Software
"Final Draft" - expensive though
Adobe Story +
great collaboration tool
gathers all assets together
links, images, docs
Lets you navigate
which characters are in which scene
Reports and lists, etc
GRRRR!  Adobe cancelled Story!

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Mercury Rising is the story of a young, non-verbal autistic boy, Simon, who inadvertently cracks a top secret government code.  His world is turned upside down, when the resulting cover up leads to the murder of his parents and his rescue by a detective, played by actor Bruce Willis.

Reference
Becker, H (dir) 1998, Mercury Rising, motion picture, Imagine Entertainment.

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Based on examples and information provided by Mollison (2010) and the course timeline.
Reference
Mollison, M  (2010) Producing Videos: a complete guide, 3rd edn, Allen & Unwin, Crows Nest, NSW, pp. 367-394.

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Pockets is the story of the mother of a young autistic boy and her journey to understanding how her son is able to communicate through the contents of his pockets.

Synopsis
A young, non-verbal, autistic boy comes home each day with a collection of small objects in his pockets. His mother empties them every day and returns 'borrowed' objects to their rightful location. After a great deal of exasperation, she realizes that this is how her son is communicating and his story is the key to unlocking her own  untold story.

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Source:  Shared via email from a fellow staff member - Reference is being tracked and will come.

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The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way,
Where many paths and errands meet.

J.R.R. Tolkien