creative ideas

locations

costumes

departments - mood boards

Once we had tracked down all of the self tapes, Lucy and myself watched them in our own time before having a phone call to discuss who we thought would be suit which role. Olivia Black really pulled it out of the bag for her audition and we were both very impressed and immediately saw her playing the main role of Grace. Because she was on hair and makeup, it also made it easier for her to balance both roles as Grace would appear in ever scene bar 3.

WEEK 2 – SELF TAPES AND CASTING

OLLY-

Cast as LILY.

MAYA –

Agent 2.

JOE –

Cast as Agent 1.

ROBYN –

Cast as Noah.

OLIVIA –

Cast as Grace.

QUEENETH –

Cast as Trainee Nurse.

We then pulled in all of the actors and told them who would be playing which role. All of them seemed to be happy with our decision which was very reassuring as we knew it would be a painful process if we had made enemies in week 2! Unfortunately Olly was ill when we did the casting so I emailed them to let them know they had been cast in the role of Lily which they seemed thrilled about.

We then went on to do a full script breakdown with Vedad. I understood it but some people found it a little bit harder to grasp so I helped them to understand the vision and after a few attempts of explaining it they got it.

We then went on to discuss who would be running the socials page and Robyn volunteered. This started to make everything feel a little bit more real.

CASTING

UPDATED BREAKDOWN

SOCIAL MEDIATRACKING SHEET

1^st ad – time, shot list, resources, keeping target.

2^nd ad – makes sure things that are supposed to be coming into each shoot are there, actors, equipment, costume etc. – set up list - shot list, storyboard, people, props, everything that needs to be in the shoot in one list. – leave until last day so can go away and continue.

Class Discussion –

·      Camera – shots per scene

·      Lighting – gets dimmer as it gets more tense.

·      Sound – atmospheric shots and booms.

Draft 3

Breakdown

Locations

I messaged someone I know on photography to see if they can hire out vintage cameras and I also messaged the props and costumes department to discuss how they were sourcing certain items such as old phones and to make sure they were on the same page about who was sourcing what such as handbags, sunglasses etc.

These were my notes from the meeting:

·      Abandoned magistrates court in Bolton for the time travelling.

·      Photography studio is a go ahead – 18^th or 19^th, pediatric clinc could be the week before or the court. House will have to be midweek for prices.

·      Rehearsal space on floor 7 for the first 2 days.

·      House is coming on nicely.

·      Speak to props, ask them what they’ve got. How are they planning to get everything in time. – telephone handset, magazines the camera is sorted, baseball bat is sorted, MacBook is sorted,

·      Speak to props about getting a good flash for the camera.

·      Message Hannah Bailey about 80s cameras and if you can book them out on the store.

·      Floor planning – what can we expect from locations in terms of size so we know for rehearsals.

·      Film in 6k on a 2k sensor so we can zoom in.  

·      Shot list.

·      Shot 1.1 1.2 1.3 etc for shot list.

·      Do it per page, e.g. over the shoulder looking at Grace- (OTS) GRACE. We don’t see Lilys lips so we use a squiggly line which means in terms of footage – in this shot she will; speak of screen and means sound- we don’t need a boom mic on lily coz we won’t see her lips, in terms of sound, the boom mic will only be on grace.

PLANNING

RISK ASSESSMENT

SCHEDULE

CALL SHEETS

SETUP LIST

SHOT LIST

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85-AW6j67Vw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyauhijkCwc

Poorly lit room video transition (we wanted to film this at Graces home but set in the future it would be poorly lit and look different - for example it would be tidy while Grace in 1999 would be untidy)

18th*

1Interview Room

19th

Hospital Room

20th

Photography Studio

21st

Museum (this would be an hour shoot so could be in frst few days)

22nd

Graces Home

23rd

Graces Home

24th

Natural Park + Taxi going to natural park

25th

Taxi 1 (this would be an hour to shoot so could be on the first day)

26th

Vedad’s scene

When the crew arrived, everyone was in a good mood but also very sleep deprived. Despite this, we all knew we needed to crack on as we still had so much to do. The shooting schedule once again went a bit off course after Vedad told us he wanted to redo one of the shots from the day before. Lucy and myself shared a very concerned look but we trusted Vedad. Other than that the day was smooth sailing until we got to the final scene which became very technical. we had to get Liv to lie in the bath, her legs were tangled with the tripod, and then somehow she had to leave the bath without touching or knocking the tripod. Some how, it only took 2 attempts. All that was left was ambience and some sound effects and then we were WRAPPED!

Notes from the lesson:

WEEK 1 – AFTER EASTER – MON 15.04.24

SCENE 1 SHOT 1A PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIO–

Dialogue starting off screen, hearing clicks from the camera, pan to equipment on the floor. 5 second segments for the first scene.

Set up list –

SOUND- 2 lapel wireless mics and boom pole.

PROPS & SET DESIGN- Photography equipment, lens, filters, camera bag, different flashes which can be manually put on, tripod, different parts of costumes, makeup, shoes, clothing rack.

LIGHTING- Model needs to be lit evenly, 3-point lighting, no shadows.

COSTUME- coats, hats, shoes.

MAKEUP- Makeup box (also used as a prop).

CAMERA- 50mm slider

SHOT 2A

Over Grace’s shoulder.

Rehearsal notes –

Makeup box comes into shot first, then shoes, then equipment.

9

SHOT 3A

Lilys POV, shot changes halfway through grace rotating the camera. Zooming out on first shot, when moved to second, 1 take zooming in and 1 take zooming out.

SHOT 2B

                                                              SHOT 4

14mm lens wide

SCENE 2

PROPS – sign for taxi.

SHOT 1

Shot in rear view mirror.

SHOT 2

Close up of camera screen.

SCENE 4

Drink

Towel for hair

Even scenes for footage for set up list

 11

SHOT 3A Grace in the bath

SHOT 3B

Grace falls down

SCENE 12

SHOT 1A

Sound of hospital

Black sheets

Duct tape

Railings are already there.

3 shots – 2 reverse 1 wide.

Design – Clipboard, blood pressure monitor.

DAY 2 - Lucy got a head start on the set up lists whilst I was speaking to props and set about what they had sourced. Once the first hour was up, Vedad asked if I wanted to direct to which of course I said yes. I really felt like I was in my element for the rest of the day, and I began to really understand the shot lists and get a grip of what they meant to a director. Whilst directing I managed to make all my notes for every scene. I really enjoyed working one on one with the actors and getting Bens visions from a camera perspective. The free rein let me really work with the vision I had in my head for the film and I think I definitely will benefit me in the long run.

Notes I made in the lesson:

WEEK 1 TUES 16.04.24

SCENE 13

SHOT 1A – 54s (Take 1) 56s (Take 2)

Bed moved out the way, desk put back in

Joe and Maya sat opposite Liv – opening scene extreme close up on the file, slowly zooms out.

Confidential file

Dressed in black.

Hair and makeup- pale

SHOT 2A-2C – medium close up

Over the shoulder in between Maya and Joe, face on Liv.

SHOT 1B

SCENE 14

USB STICK

DRINK FOR FRIDGE

Brings the USB stick closer to the camera to create false zoom.

SCENE 15

USB STICK

MACBOOK

SCENE 16 1B – EXTREME CLOSE UP OF NOTE

SCENE 15 REACTION TO VIDEO COMES AFTER FRIDGE SCENE

SCENE 17 PROPS- MIRROR NEEDED. (SOPHIE BRING)

Foley Sound sourcing beforehand?

SCENE 17

BAG

CAMERA

NOTE

JUMPER

MIRROR

SCENE 18 –

WALKING DOWN PAVEMENT FOR 10 SECONDS LOOKING AT ADDRESSES – SEE A DOOR AND STOP – GOES AROUND BACK OF BUILDING

SCENE 19 – MAG COURT INT

GRACE BAG

GRACE NOTE

GRACE CAMERA

ELIVS COSTUME

SHOT 1

GRACE WALKS UP STAIRS

SHOT 2

WALKS DOWN CORRIDOR

SHOT 3

STAIRS

SHOT 4

COMING THROUGH DOOR L SHAPE LOOKING UP AT DOME

SHOT 5

INTO COURT ROOM – BIRDS EYE VIEW

SHOT 6

UPWARDS SHOT OF ROBYN ASLEEP IN DOCK- DOME PRODOMINANTLY IN VIEW AND ONLY A SMALL BIT OF ROBYNS FACE – WHEN LIV PUTS HER BAG DOWN ROBYN’S EYES OPEN AND HE SITS UP.

SHOT 7A

NOAH SITS UP IN THE BACKGROUND – GRACE IS IN THE FOREGROUND “BABE…”

SHOT 8

REVERSE SHOT OF GRACE OVER NOAHS SHOULDER.

SHOT 9 – 4 CAMERAS – 2 NEXT TO EACHOTHER TO GET THE GLITCH IN POST. 1 BIRDS EYE AND ONE ON THE BAG.

WIDE OF GRACE AND NOAH AND THE CAMERA

SHOT 10

GRACE’S BAG SO SHES ALWAYS COVERED

SHOT 11

AGENTS CAMERA

NOAH GETS HIS PICTURE TAKEN BY THE AGENTS – VEDAD WANTS TO BREAK THE 180 RULE TO SHOW THE WORLDS BEEN THROWN OFF (MAKE SURE 2 CAMERAS ARE NEXT TO EACHOTHER SO WE CAN MAKE NOAH VANISH.

SCENE 20

SHOT 1

INT GRACE NOSE BLEED BATH POV

SCENE 21

SHOT 1

AGENTS PEERING THROUGH THE GLASS ON THE DOOR LOOKING OMNIUS – MAYA FIRST THEN JOE

SHOT 2

PRISONER

HANDCUFFS – PROPS

SHOT 3

BOX OF EVIDENCE – PROPS

SHOT 4

RECEPTIONEST POINTS TO WHERE THE BOSS IS AND MAYA CARRIES BOX OF EVIDENCE

SCENE 21

SHOT 1

BOX OF EVIDENCE

STAMP

CONSENT FORM TO STAMP ON

I read the first couple of pages of Judith Weston's book, Directing Actors and I highlighted a few key points that resonated with me. "you give the actor direction..." I have worked with directing actors before and I find that it's a lot easier to give them suggestions when it comes to things such as facial expressions. In my opinion, if you give actors more of a free rein when directing them, they often produce work better than you could've thought of. When giving small pointers, for example, on this line if you roll your eyes when feels necessary, often the shot you get looks a lot more realistic than telling them to do it on a spesific word or phrase. This is because the actor feels like they have to embrace the character more and really take into consideration when the character would roll their eyes rather than when I would want them to.

I think these 6 tips are vital going into the role as an AD. With the little knowledge I already have I think this advice is really helpful. I'm already relatively good at most of these so I'm not too panicked about filming however, I am not very good at being time conscious so I will have to spend more time on shooting schedules to ensure I definitely give enough time for every shot so we don't fall behind, especially seen as we have a time limit in Bolton Hall and have to be out by 4:15pm.