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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 am currently studying Level 3 Media and Film at Middlesbrough College, I do have a YouTube Channel where I create and edit outside videos as well as me playing games. I do enjoy watching films a lot as I like going to the cinema and I have Netflix at home.

Do you have specific areas of interest or skills in filmmaking? Include links to film work, photos, music etc.
My specific areas of interest are Film making and Video editing.

What role(s) would you see yourself taking on your Academyy film? What do you hope to gain from the BFI Film Academy?
I hope to gain an insight into everything this industry has to offer and see what it is like being in this industry and to see if it’s the right thing for 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?

So far I would like to improve my video editing skills and at the moment, I do have plans to continue in this industry.

1.2 Take a role in the production of a short film

What is your production role?
Video Editing, Camera Operator, Sound Operator, First Assistant Director

What planning will you do?

When editing, I will watch all the recorded clips over and see which clips would be suitable to use. The clips that are suitable to use will be put into the editing software (For example: Adobe Premier Pro) where I can then begin to do the final edit.

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

Before I begin editing the film, I would watch over the footage and see what footage I would use. After the footage has been edited, I would export it at a high quality and then show the appropriate people and team members what the film looks like and see if any improvements need to be made.

During Production of the film, I will be at the heart of helping get all the shots filmed ready to take to the editing stage, I will be holding the camera and responsible for getting it into focus on the scene, shooting at the right quality settings and make sure that it is working ready for roll call. For sound operating, I will mainly be holding the boom pole and I need to be careful where I position it because it needs to be positioned so it can pick up clear quality sound but not get picked up in the shot otherwise the take will be ruined and we would have to shoot another one which wastes time and time on a film set can not be wasted otherwise the cost of the production may exceed budget expectations.

For pre-production, Although my roles aren't really suited for pre-production, I will research more into my roles so I know what I will be doing exactly and I will help to plan the script and storyboard with my team and we will all negotiate what we want to happen for our film to allow things to be as efficient as possible.

What equipment will you use?

I would use a desktop PC, A monitor, A keyboard and a mouse as all of these are crucial to edit the video.

What documents will you use and how?

Shot list
shoot schedule
call sheet
storyboard
script

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

mood board
risk assessment and potential hazard list
technical constraints
contigency plan
location recce - weather

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

props
costume
set dressing
different locations (i.e. office and corridor)
actors
extras

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?

Kian proved to be a valuable and encouraging asset to his team. He offered excellent ideas for both the script and the overall direction of the film. Whenever called upon, he willingly took on any role with full dedication, consistently giving his best effort. Kian demonstrated thoughtfulness and creativity. Kian particularly enjoyed camera operating and directing. He was keen to have a go and clearly voiced his enthusiasm and willingness. Guest mentor Maxy Bianco was very impressed with Kian’s framing and camera work

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

Kian had to miss a couple of sessions because of illness, but he actively sought out the information that he’d missed and made sure that he got himself up to speed. This demonstrates great self-motivation.

Do you have any advice or areas for my development?

Kian and his team storyboarded more shots than their filming schedule would allow. They calmly discussed which shots they definitely needed to tell their story well, before using an iPad to film a version of the scene with a limited number of shots. This enabled them to hone their ideas and focus on the shots that really mattered.

Next steps: Kian makes a lot of film content in his spare time and we’d love to see this continue. We suggest that he involves himself in as many DIY film projects as possible to get camera experience, to learn what works and what does not in terms of framing, and to begin to develop his own “voice” behind the camera. We also advise Kian to reach out to local professionals to try and secure a trainee position, as well as involving himself in as many short films as possible.

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.

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

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

I think over the production, I have gained lots of valuable experience with filmmaking and editing too, I am more aware of how sound equipment is used in the film industry to pick up good quality sound and I have some beginner experience with working an expensive cannon camera as I know how to start recording and adjust the focus and lighting so overall, I think I have developed quite a lot of technical skills over the course.

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

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

My knowledge and understanding of film production has definitely improved quite a lot as I now have valuable experience of what it is like to work on a film set and I have some technical experience with using a camera and and a boom microphone, I have also understood that time is precious on a film set and it is important to have good time management and work hard to ensure that everything is good in the production and that when recording a scene, everything is running smoothly. With lighting, I have understood why lighting is used and why its important as it helps the footage to look good and I understand it is important to make it not obvious lighting is used at all but you can see the improvements.

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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?)

I think that working in the film industry is a definite challenge because not all film sets will be in your area meaning you will have to be responsible in travel costs unless you can get reimbursed by the company and sometimes a shoot might be early in the morning or late at night so sometimes you might have to seek accommodation and you could even be working long hours too which could potentially affect you mentally at several points as you might not have the best work/life balance. Working on set will be stressful too because you will have to be in different places at different times and getting the right shot for a film might take a while so you might have to do the same thing over and over again (whether that is holding the camera or being the actor saying the same lines) and eventually, you may become fed up. You may also potentially encounter budget issues as you have to pay the people to be on your set unless it's voluntary as well as sourcing all the props, all the camera and sound equipment, locations which are all important to make a good film. There is clearly a lot of pressure with working in the film industry but you can have the opportunity to meet great people who could set you up later in life, gain your own experience which may get you on to bigger productions later on in life.

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.

You need to be resilient and flexible at all times when creating a film as there is a lot of challenges that may occur during the shooting process.

What have you learned about the working culture of the industry from masterclasses and working on your own film production?

I have learnt some of the difficulties when wanting to create a film but I have learnt how fun it can be as well. There is a lot of documents you may need to fill in such as Location Recees and risk assessments incase anything goes wrong during the filming process.

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.

Researcher - The job of a researcher is to ensure that everything that is used in the film is accurate. For example, A film that would be set in 1979 should only have props that would be available back then.

Model Maker - The job of a model maker is to create props that would be suitable for the production.

Production buyer - The job of a production buyer is to source all the props that are needed for the film so they would have to buy or borrow the props that they need for the production.

Camera Operator - Responsible for making sure the camera is in focus. Picking up what the director wants in the shot.

Sound Operator - Make sure sound is picking up nicely Make sure the field recorder is working and connected to the microphone. Make sure boom mic is operating correctly and not in shot. Check that the sound isn't bad quality.

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 /work experience:

Candle and Bell

Sea and Sky

Smoggie Productions

Wander Films

Superkrush

Twenty Six 03

Blast Furnace

Freya Films

Shadowing opportunities with crew met through the BFI Academy Programme:

Scott Coulter, DoP

Kiri Nicholetts, Gaffer

Phil Quinton, Sound Recordist

John Noble, Production Designer

Maxy Bianco, Director

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

Personal Progression Plan

What areas/ specialisms in creative media would you like to work in?

I feel like I do have a passion for creating films and editing them so I think I would be more suited for video editing but I would also like to be on set so I can help with shooting films.

Would you like to further study film / creative media?

Yes, I would like to hopefully get hands on experience after college and try get myself on to film sets to help with filming and editing.

What courses interest you? Give reasons

I would like to do Media and Film at university as I am doing it currently at college and I like what I am doing at college.

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

Smoggy films and Newcastle Film club as I feel they have opportunities that suit my best interest

What are the options for making your own content

I already make my own content sometimes on YouTube using my iPhone to record and to edit which does work for me at the moment, I do hope that I can advance to using cameras, go pros and a PC to edit eventually

What would you make and how?

In the past, I have made gaming videos and recording my adventures but in the future, I hope to do more biking videos and more exploring videos and I would probably do all that on my phone for now until I can get cameras and a PC.

What are the options for funding and distribution? What networks will you join?

At the moment, I don't know what networks I will join but I am hoping to progress with the BFI so I have more options.

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 pass my qualifications at college and here at the BFI so I can use them on my CV when I start looking for more opportunities but for now, I will probably make small budget YouTube videos and short films so I am still gaining experience.

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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?

Actors

Camera crew

Sound

Lighting

Hair and Make up

Production Design

Script Secretary

Scriptwriter

Director

First AD

Video Editor

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

Why is it important that production teams work well together?

It is important that production teams work together to ensure practicality and efficiency when working on a production as well as allowing a happy and positive work environment so people are more productive on set and not feeling gloomy. It also means the shoot will be better too because working as a team is fundamental to making a film because each person has to work together (For example, the camera operator and sound operator need to communicate so they both know everything is working and so the first AD can know when to do the roll call).

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

We all worked well together with set dressing and sorting out all the costumes for the actors as well as putting all the props in the right place with attention to detail, We also worked well together when filming everything and we all communicated effectively with each other all the time to make sure that everything in the scene was filmed how we wanted and there wasn't any contingencies and any we picked up on, we worked together at fixing them.

What can happen if there isn’t good teamwork?

If there isn't good teamwork on set, it can result in a lot more things going wrong on the shoot such as contingency errors, microphone errors and video quality errors which may affect the overall outlook of the film. It can also put a strain on peoples mental health as they won't enjoy working on the film so overall, if there isn't good teamwork, there isn't a good film.

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

Yes because there was a times when we were arguing about what we should do for different shots so I think we could have slightly planned things a little better.

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?

Leadership

Good communication

Resilience

Time management

Organisation and Planning Skills

Initiative

Experience with a film Production

How did you show the following, give examples:

Good timekeeping
Being reliable
Sharing ideas

Good communication

Safe working

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.

I worked well with the entire team on the day when we were setting up all the props on each set and making it look as good as possible by applying attention to detail, I also worked well with Jay Willet and Miles Lack when we were mapping out how we want the shot to look. The entire team included myself communicated effectively with our extras for the final scene of our film where everyone would walk through the office telling them exactly what to do.

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

I could've stepped out my comfort zone a bit more and did more jobs that I perhaps could've done and I could've shown more confidence on the shoot when I was the First AD and communicated effectively with the camera and sound operator for more efficiency during roll call and when editing, I could communicate with my team better so we can all put our ideas towards the final edit.

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4.1 Understand film industry working practices and legislation

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?

Health and safety is massively important on a film production because as much as getting everything right in a shot is important as if you don't, it can cost money to fix. Health and safety practices are important not just on a film set and it is mandatory to have some health and safety legislation according to the Health and safety at work act and on a film production, there are a lot of health and safety issues that will potentially arise. For example, some key safety issues that may arise are: Tripping over wires that are on the floor could cause slips and trips which could cause serious injuries, Equipment with unsafe electricals may cause electrocution, Holding a heavy camera or microphone may cause strain injuries if you don't have regular breaks or hold it incorrectly, Using a monitor with a flickery screen can cause strain on your eyes and headaches especially when editing for long periods of time, Falling equipment that is connected to something could fall on someone if it isn't secured properly. It is important to have safety equipment on set at all times so that everything on set is as safe as possible and to reduce risk of injuries

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

Above, I have attached my risk assesment which is important to ensure the safety of cast and crew on set and ensure all hazards and taken into account so that everyone knows all of the potential risks.

4.2 Explain why copyright is important in the film industry

What is Copyright?

Copyright is a piece of intellectual property that gives the original owner or any owner the exclusive right and protection to own, copy, share, display and adapt their creative work for a limited time usually without anybody else stealing it.

Why does copyright law exist?

Copyright Law exists so people don't steal your work without your permission and you automatically get copyright-protection on your work so if people steal it, you can seek legal advice.

What kind of work is covered by copyright?

Images, Videos, illustrations, pieces of photography, artistic work and music are all examples of work protected by copyright law

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?

If you use copyrighted material in your film, it could result in legal action such as potential hefty fines or even prosecution depending on the infringement so it is important that you make sure that a piece of work you are going to use is safe to use so you don't face legal challenges, If you do want to use copyrighted material, it is important that you contact the owner for permission and stick to what you have been given permission to use it for. Some work may also have copyright restrictions but give permission to use if you reference the creator so when making a film and your using material that isn't yours, make sure you check if you can use it and use it for the agreed purpose.

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

Copyright Law and other IP regulations haven't affected our film much but when we are looking for background music, we do have to double check if we can use it and if we have to give reference to it in the film so we haven't been severely affected by it.

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Be able to review film productions

5.1 Review and critique at least one short film production

"Swiped" by Joseph Kahn

Swiped is a Sci-Fi short film that is set in a restaurant as a millenial has to suffer the consequence on a dating app. I think the plot was quite original and canny and definitely brought a comedic side to the film. The movie follows a character called "Aaron" who starts the film straight away by swiping other people on a dating app immediately telling the story to the viewer and then suddenly, Another person that is identical to him walks to the table and sits with him.

This short Sci-Fi film is very canny and original in the sense of that the characters are able to replicate themselves and have a conversation with each other which we can see with "Aaron" and "Aaron." As the film progresses, we see them talking about things they like doing and to no suprise, they both like the same things as they are the same people and thats where the second "Aaron" is put off the thought of taking things further with the first "Aaron" as there would be no sense of mystery and causes the second "Aaron" to go on tinder again where he swipes himself and then another version of him enters the room. Eventually, a girl walks in and asks for "Aaron" where there is a bar full of them and then she realises how she swiped herself as another version of herself came in and I think that made quite a funny ending to the film because its still running off the idea and story of the whole point of the film. The editing style to the film was really good as well as there was no background music which I think added to the simplicity of the film and kept the jokes running. The camera work was good as they would do a behind shot of each character so every time one spoke, you would see the version of Aaron that was talking and I quite liked the wide shot that picked up both characters talking to each other and when the third Aaron came in, the camera would pan towards him which was a pretty good shot so overall, there was good camera work and editing which made the film fun to watch, original, simple and funny.

In conclusion, I think "Swiped" is a must-watch film for anybody interested in sci-fi and short films and it would be really suitable for a younger audience such as teenagers and anybody under the age of 30 because it is really canny and fun and the storyline behind it is really original and entertaining so I would give it five stars.

Film Title, Director, Country, Year.

Story outline (1 or 2 sentence summary)

What is the film about, is there a theme or message?

Describe the genre (if fiction film), or style (if documentary). How was sound used?

How were camera techniques used?

What was the editing style?

Describe the setting/ location/ mise-en-scene.

Who is the film aimed at?

How did the film make you feel? Did it work well?
Would you recommend it?

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

Date: 18/11/23, 02/12/23, (I was ill for the 9th so I couldn't come in)

1. What did you do?

I was responsible in helping with the sound on one of the beach scenes, I wore some headphones and held a boom-arm microphone above where the scene was being filmed and as close as possible to enable the best sound quality which is important in a film to keep the viewer engaged, I also acted in the film as an extra with Jay Willet. We had to film multiple times walking down the path opposite tuned in having a conversation whilst jay bumped into Daisy. I was also script secretary during the attic scene of the kite film picking out any contingencies and writing what shots are being shot etc.

On the 2nd December, we shot my groups office film and I am mainly responsible for the video editing but I also did more camera work learning how a camera functions and how to use it properly, I filmed the scene where Joe ran the corridor and Elliot scared him with a mask which pushed Joe to scream at Belito for making his work life not pleasant. I learnt all about how to focus the camera and adjust the lighting to get the best quality shot, I also did more work on sound holding the boomarm above the scene where Joe would attempt to annoy Sienna in the office. I was also First AD during the corridoor scene and I had to get the set quiet ready to record and make sure the camera operator and sound operator are ready to record.

2. What have you learnt?

I have learnt all about how sound works and what equipment is used to record sound. Field recorders are used to record the sound with XLR cables plugged into the microphone, I have also done a tiny bit of script secretary work during the attic scene and I learnt the basics of what there role is. I had to pick out any contingency issues with the set or footage and spot any details that could affect the film, I had to writhe what thenshit was and what the take was too. I have also learnt the basics of how to use a professional camera and how it works, I learnt how to focus the camera and adjust the lighting to get the best quality shot, I also learnt how to position the camera and how to hold it efficiently so it doesn’t hurt when holding it and so I can get a better shot. I also learnt how the First Assistmat Director is responsible in ensuring the camera and sound operators are ready and up to speed for recording, I had to also make sure everybody behind the scenes is quiet so we can film the scene

3. How have you worked with others?

I have worked with my group on deciding how we want things filmed and what we want the camera operator to do to film the best possible shots for our film, We also spoke about ideas multiple times during the day whether it was a last minute change or mapping out a scene before we film it, We also had to tell the rest of the group what we want them to do and when so they all know what they are doing to help with the film and we had to get a few of them to be extras in the film. In the office film, I was also First Assistant director meaning I had to get the set quiet ready to record a scene. Overall, I’ve learnt how demanding it is to be a First AD.

4. What do you need to develop?

I feel like I need to develop my camera skills and learn more about using the camera for future projects and because I am interested in camera operating, I also need to develop my first assistant director skills as I need to be confident in what I am saying and I need to say it with confidence.

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?

What was your role on the shoot?

Briefly explain what happened each day of shoot.

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

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

Explain. What changes had to be made and why?

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

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

I worked with Miles Lack, and

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

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

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

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Learning from Masterclasses

(It’s worth briefing the industry speaker in terms of giving detail about their role and their personal progression.)

Industry Speaker: Scott Coulter, John Noble

What is their job? What does it involve?
Scott has been a runner at first where he would do basic tasks that the producers and other production staff would ask him to do to ensure a smooth production then he eventually moved on to cinematography which he would handle all of the technical aspects of the production and bring the directors vision to the screen and then he became a camera operator where he would be responsible for filming the scenes in specific shots and ensuring the camera is working and everything is in focus.

John has done SFX onn a film called the slasher which was a crossover of Freddy Kruger and zombies. He Went to pinewood studios after graduating university and invested in himself which he then applied for Jim Henson and got rejected. He travveled to London to help work on batman begins. After this, he went to film school. He wrote his own script, filmed, edited it, made the room and costumes for his final product in his film school class.

Laura: Laura is currently a freelance filmmaker where she makes her own film without the help of a studio company, She is also a writer where she writes her own films and sends them off to different production companies.

How did they start working in film/media?

Scott: Started his career by being a runner and then eventually he moved on to directing and cinematography but he knew he wanted to do camera operating as thats what his passion was and he eventually became one.

John started doing SFX in the 1990s on a short film called "The Slasher" which was a crossover of Freddie Kruger and Zombies.

Laura started with work experience at the research department at Hart Ryan factual production company and then became a runner for lots of different productions.

What have they done in their career?

John Worked on multiple TV shows and Movies such as: The Dumping Ground, The Lost Girl, Batman Begins, Stine, The Wilds, She lives alone and Lore. Scott has worked on his own projects and helped shoot other peoples films and written his own short films. Laura has worked on many short film productions in different roles as she was a runner, A development assistant, freelance reader, development executive, Writer/Director, Director of music videos and freelance filmmaker.

What have you learnt about working in film/media?

I have learnt that you need to put yourself out there to get the jobs that you want and it would be easier to get contacts to know you to increase your chance of employment on productions. I have also learnt how hard it is to make things look realistic for a film. For example, In the lost girl, It was hard to make the police car look like an actual police car as it had to be wrapped.

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

I have found out there is multiple ways to progress within the film industry whether it is through an academic route such as college or university or whether it is by getting hands on experience with an apprenticeship or by working experience or even by working on your own projects. At the moment, I am college and I hope to start working on my own productions.