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Prior to starting this module I found out I had the role of production manager. This was very exciting to me as producing is a career I have always wanted to go into and I thought that my organisation and management skills would develop greatly as a result. I am good friends with Georgia who was last years assistant director for Vedad's video project who got me in touch with Emma - the production manager. I asked for advice from her as well as documents such as her budget for last year's film. This was greatly helpful to me when starting to make mine and gave me ideas of how to format certain documents.

One piece of advice she gave me that stuck with me throughout the pre-production and production processes is to not let anyone buy anything without approving it first. As a result of this advice, I decided that all purchases would be done through me unless it was agreed upon in advance, and for anything anyone else bought would have a specific price limit attached.

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I began the day by organizing the final props for the taxi scene. I met up with one of the set designers and he gave me the plate to go on the taxi. I then noticed that we had missed a light needed for the shoot as well as a tripod so I went over to where equipment was stored and picked them up. Once we arrived in Stockport I made sure that everyone had found each other before heading over to the filming location.

During the shoot I helped out where I could, mostly holding umbrellas to ensure the camera and sound equipment didn't get wet. I took photos to post on our Instagram account in order to promote the short film. I then got Vedad to fill out a location release form before helping pack away and transporting the equipment back to storage.

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Our first session comprised of our group doing a read through of the script. During this read through, I noted any locations and specific props we would need for these locations. There were a couple suggestions for changes to the script that were compiled and sent to Vedad so he could begin working on a second draft.

I used the first week to familiarise myself with everyones roles so that when it came closer to production I knew exactly what was expected from everyone and who to go to when issues arose.

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After the first session, the initial conversations about casting began and a group chat was made with me, the assistant directors and production co-ordinators. In this group chat, one production co-ordinator stated that one of the performers that we were looking at for the main role had a reputation for often being late or having low attendance. This was supported by this individual not being there in the first session. In addition, she was put on camera as well as being a performer so we had questions about how this would work. I took this on board and told the group I would email Lara however before I had chance to do so, the individual heard from another member of the group that someone had called her unreliable and she took this personally, sending the person that made these initial comments messages asking them to stop. I tried to diffuse this tension the best I could and thought the best way of doing that was setting up a meeting with Lara to discuss everything that had happened. Before the meeting, I advised everyone on the group chat to send any concerns they had about other members of the crew directly to me to avoid people hearing it from someone else.

In the meeting with Lara, she said she would talk to the member of the crew who the comments were made about and assured the person that made the comments that they did the right thing to express their concerns. She also advised me to dissuade the assistant directors from casting her as the lead role because of this and said that she would only be on camera for the scenes where she was not acting. We also discussed where we would store equipment when it was not used and she told me she would try and find the room they used last year.

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I made a document that could be used to track options for locations where me and our locations manager Lily could send links and notes and update it as soon as we found a different place. This was very helpful in keeping each other updated on the plans. We updated Vedad on our thoughts and he confirmed that he was happy with what we'd done and so we continued the search, specifically for the main location: Grace's Home. We wanted the home to not look like a student house and look like it was from the 90s which is when the film was set. Vedad suggested AirBnB so we bagan searching for something that was within our £200 budget that still left sufficient room to buy everything else we needed.

During this week we also got an updated version of the script and Vedad and the ADs reviewed the self tapes and sent out a cast list. I ensured everyone was happy with their roles.

After the film was cast I advised costume to start getting measurements and for hair and make-up to start thinking about what they could do to bring these characters to life.

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Me and Lily continued looking for locations and found an AirBnB that fit our film perfectly that was only 35 per night so we sent an inquiry. Since the document I made worked so well in tracking progress with locations, I made similar documents for the set/props, hair/make-up and costume departments breaking down what we would need to provide per scene. I then began the scene breakdowns which were a great help in adding which specific things we would need to source that were in the script. I asked these departments to have filled in the document with everything we would need to source before week 4.

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Before week 4, Lily managed to secure the podiatry clinic for the hospital and interview scenes. We also contacted Mark Fox and booked out two rooms in the New Adelphi for the 15th and 16th April for rehearsals. I began making a preliminary production schedule with this information.

Vedad put our team in contact with the people at Bolton Town Hall and I encouraged Lily to go to a recce to take pictures of each room that was available to us. For the photography studio, we finally managed to get in contact with the photography department at the New Adelphi and they said that as long as someone had done the induction, we would be able to film in the studio. This was very exciting to me as these rooms look very professional and I felt that they were a perfect location for this scene. However, when I went to book the induction it would not let me as I was not a photography student. I sent them an email asking to rectify this issue and never heard back so we had to continue looking.

Another setback we experienced with location was Grace's home. Despite the AirBnB only being 35 per room, when we asked how much it would be to film there, they responded saying that it would be 500 which was very much outside of our budget. Luckily, Sophie one of our A.D.s was able to secure her boyfriends apartment which had all the features we were looking for and only asked 50 to cover electricity costs. I believed that this was very much worth it as the apartment was perfect for the character and was cheap enough that we would have more than enough room in the budget to redecorate the modern looking apartment and make it look like it was from the 90s.

During our meeting, I sent Lara an email asking about how to access the budget and whether she could open the teams page so that everyone could add documents to the class materials. I also sent an email to my accommodation securing us storage for props and set dressing.

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Over Easter I contacted each department to see where they were at with progress. Unfortunately they were unable to provide a full list of what I needed to buy before the deadline I set them so purchases were made after Easter, limiting our options of where we could buy from.

However, all locations were sorted after Lily secured Bolton Town Hall for 3 days deciding that it was the best option for the photography studio, agent scenes and the final showdown between Grace and Noah. I oversaw all risk assessments that she made ensuring I was happy with them. I then continued making the scene breakdowns and started making an official production schedule for everyone.

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This was the first day we were shooting at Bolton Town Hall so my morning was spent making sure everyone knew where they were going and where to park. I helped with set up and gave out the spare scripts that I had printed so that actors could start rehearsals and script supervisor could correct any mistakes.

Throughout the day I finished any paperwork that needed to be done before Monday including call sheets for days 3 and 4 as well as script breakdowns for later scenes. I oversaw all departments ensuring everyone was carrying out the duties associated with their role and making sure that everything we did adhered to the risk assessments. I secured more props needed for the house scenes including the 90s TV.

Finally, I organized the transportation of equipment for Monday's shoot making sure that everyone who was involved in this transportation could get there before the call time. I assisted with packing away and transported equipment back to storage.

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I finalised the production schedule including dates, locations and call times and sent it out. I then worked with Lucy on the shooting schedule, sent out actor consent forms, made location release forms, script breakdowns and started on the call sheets.

Throughout the day I helped set/props and hair and make-up people order any last things that we needed. I listened to concerns from a production co-ordinator that was concerned that they would not have enough to do. I took this on board and delegated the responsibilities assigning Lily as script supervisor and Queeneth as leader of continuity telling her to ensure everyone knew how to use the sheets and what their jobs were.

I worked with Vedad on getting together a smaller crew for Thursdays shoot in Stockport as there were only enough seats in his car to fit three crew members. In addition, any more than three crew members would mean we needed permission from the council to film the street in his car. We agreed on this limited crew ensuring all roles were covered and I finalized the call sheet.

I sent a message on teams confirming that Wednesday would be a consolidation day where we would not be in uni and organized a teams call to catch up with the departments at 4pm.

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Over the weekend I collected the 90s TV and ordered anything that the props department requested. The props/set team went shopping so I kept in contact with them throughout the day on what they were buying, setting them a budget of £90. I listened to concerns that this department had about one member of the team not contributing the same amount.

I then organized the pick up of equipment and asked Vedad for parking information for Bolton Town Hall. I then sent out Monday's call sheet.

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A few people had difficulties finding the location of this shoot so I sent a photo of the outside of the building to the group chat to make it easier to find. I then located anyone that was missing and we began setting up. I helped with moving beds to the other side of the room to avoid the windows being in shot and messing up continuity/lighting and I had the idea of keeping bags and equipment in the corner that was not being used and drawing the curtain so that none of these bags were a trip hazard.

I continued my scene breakdowns of the scenes in the house and noticed a prop that the prop's department had been missed from the list so ordered that as quickly as possible. The member of the set team that I had heard concerns about from the weekend was unfortunately absent and not responding to messages all morning so I felt it was best to send them a quick email about their attendance and my expectations of them in order to give them the opportunity to improve over the next few days before bringing it to the supervisor. I compiled receipts from the props department and updated the budget. I then got in touch with Mark Fox (the keeper of the budget) asking about reimbursements.

Unfortunately, there was a slight mishap with the costume department as when we saw the agent's costumes in person we realised the shirts they had did not seem formal enough. I quickly went to Tesco with one member of the costume department and we bought a black button up shirt and waistcoat adding up to £23.50.

After lunch, I helped return the backdrop that was used in the photography studio to the New Adelphi bookings team. We then realised that some equipment was missing from the list so I quickly picked up the lighter tripod and slider from storage and ran it back to the group.

Finally, I wrote the podiatry clinic a thank you card for being so accommodating and letting us use the venue for free. I also got Paul (head of the podiatry clinic) to sign a location release form. I oversaw and helped with packing everything away ensuring that we were out on time.

Once the shoot was finished I finalised details for day 4 of the shoot and sent out the call sheet. I took photos of all receipts and emailed them to Mark Fox confirming that he could reimburse everything spent so far.

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I again drove equipment down to Bolton town hall and led set up. Since the person on lighting was two hours late, I helped with lighting, holding the reflector for scenes outside and setting up lighting for the shot of the stairs that is shown above.

After this was done, I made the call sheet for day 5. I spent the rest of the day helping out wherever I could, holding a wire for the sound team, changing camera batteries, putting up signs in the green room with the shooting schedule and assigning distinctive areas to put equipment. Luckily, the member of the crew who I previously emailed about attendance arrived on time and so I felt I did not need to follow up with the supervisor about them.

I noticed that the script supervisor was getting stressed in her role so I reallocated it to the other production coordinator Queeneth. I then helped with packing away and transporting equipment and posted the day 5 call sheet.

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Once everyone had arrived on location we began setting up for the Agents office. I helped with set dressing and then finished call sheets for days 6 and 7 of filming. I finished all scene breakdowns securing final props that we needed for Grace's home. I then got Chris (location supervisor for Bolton Town Hall) to sign the location release form, giving him a thank you card from everyone on the production team.

I then spent the rest of the day helping wherever needed me, setting up for scenes, sorting props and overseeing who was able to leave early. I organized transportation of props to the house and sent out the call sheet with a limited crew that covered every role.

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Wednesday was a consolidation day so that everyone could compile notes made over the past couple days. I ensured that I was available and constantly checking messages all day so that I could quickly answer any urgent questions. I used this time to go shopping for things that were brought up that we needed before the shoot including essentials such as duct tape and batteries, and other items for the hair/make-up departments including red lipstick and hair gel. I made sure to keep the receipts safe to ensure I would be reimbursed for the items bought.

I utilized my free printing that I got from my accommodation and printed off 16 copies of the finalized script with corrected scene numbers and location release forms.

Vedad sent me a message saying that we needed extras for a few scenes so I contacted the group assigning people to play these roles and then the costume department.

At 4pm I organized a teams call with as many people as possible. During this time we discussed what we had achieved in the day and what was still left to do before the shoot. I then made sure that everyone was happy with all details of Thursdays shoot before sending out the call sheet for day 1. Shortly after, I made and sent out the day 2 call sheet.

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I began picking up props at 7:30 and driving down to set. Whilst I was driving, I received a message from Vedad stating that the person we were keeping the equipment with was not answering messages. This concerned me as for the rest of the production days they had been out on time. As I was driving, I was unable to respond so I tried to handle the situation the best I could with other people in the car. After over an hour with no response, Vedad decided to try and contact Bailey (head of lighting) to try and book out more lights so he could try and make it to set and we could begin production. However, before we were able to do this, the keeper of the equipment finally woke up and they were able to set off.

Unfortunately, this set us behind schedule by over an hour. While they were on the way, we set up for scene 15 (future) as the lighting was supposed to be worse. By the time we had began filming the others had arrived so I helped get all the equipment and props in.

To speed up the production process, I made sure that every time a room was not being used for filming, we were using it to set up. I then finalized and sent out the call sheet for day 7 and continued conversation with Mark Fox compiling an invoice that could be used to give to the location people.

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Once we arrived on location for the day we began setting up. During the set up we realized that a prop we needed was given to me in a bag that I was told we did not need for the shoot. As a result of this, me and one of the assistant directors had to take an hour and a half out of out day on set to go and collect it. Once we arrived back I helped out with lighting and set design. I acted as a body double and recorded some sound for the phone call sequence. I then gave the owners of the apartment the remaining thank you card. Once we wrapped, I helped with organisation of props ensuring that everything went back to the right people and anything bought with money from the budget went back to me so that I could return it to Mark Fox and be reimbursed.

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Over the weekend I contacted Vedad and organized a group of people to help take equipment from his car back up to the New Adelphi Bookings team.

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I arranged a meeting with Mark Fox and confirmed that everything we had bought with the budget we could be reimbursed for. I finalised this budget and sent it to him and then dropped off equipment, transferring money to those who needed it.

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I sent actor consent forms to all the extras and made sure that it got signed. I also compiled all the location release forms.

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The first day back after Easter comprised of the group rehearsing and going through camera, lighting, sound, set, props costumes and hair/make-up scene by scene. This gave me the perfect opportunity to compare this with the scene breakdowns I had made to check I had not missed anything that needed to be sourced. I also used this time to fully secure the production schedule.

I worked very closely with the props/set department, using the day to order and source any items that were needed before the shoot, making sure to keep all order confirmations so I could be reimbursed for these purchases.

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Robyn Misha Release Form

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Lily Wilson Release Form