Figment
Director Dean McConnell asked me on a short notice to take part on his production for a short horror film. The short film is called Figment and it is about an apocalypse of fear. The director needed a runner and I was perfect for that role having learnt how to be a runner last year on my two work placements. Out of all of my projects that I have done, I had never taken on the role as a runner so when I was asked to be a runner, I was interested and happy with taken on that role.
As part of the pre-production process I was not needed for the meetings, I was just needed on the filming day shoots. Before the first day shoot there was a problem that had to be overcome. This was due to having one of the actors ended up in an accident so that had to be rescheduled but we managed to get it sorted out in the end and the crew were fine with rescheduling the filming day.
On the first day shoot I was not needed but on the second day shoot I was. For this shoot the location took place in one of the science labs in the ‘Priory Square building’ at our University, before we were located there the crew and I all met across the other building at the ‘Havelock Road building’ to help each other out with getting the filming equipment out from the kit room. During that, the director gave me a job to do, my job role included going to find some bed sheets in the ‘Location Room’ at our University, I was also, tasked with finding someone to ask permission to borrow the bed sheets. During that task, I did struggle to find the person to ask for permission to borrow the bed sheets however, I did managed to speak to one of the technicians and got the permission that I needed. After that, I managed to get the producer to give me a hand with sorting out the bed sheets.
After that, the crew and I helped each other out to carry all of the filming equipment to our location room. Once we got inside the location room, we all helped each other to set up and position where the camera, sound and lighting needed to be placed. I had another job role with helping the first AD with setting up the lighting as well as the producer and the director needed me to go to MacDonald’s and pick up a food delivery for one of the actors. I was happy with that job role because, as part of being a runner it was my duty to get food for actors. I did something similar like it before when I was on one of my work placements where I had to get some lunch for one of the staff members so luckily I knew what I had to do. To also, help the producer and I wrote down in my notebook the food order that I had to get for one of the actors so then, I would remember what it was.
The producer and the director also, gave me some money, which, then went towards the food. I made sure that; I gave the receipts back to the producer and the director. The rest of the crew was on duty with getting on with their job roles on what they needed to do to help set up the filming shoot before, the actors had arrived.
After that job role, I managed to give the food order to the actor which, he was thankful for and then, the rest of my job roles included: meeting one of the actors; take him to our filming location room and look after the little area where we had our food for the actors. I also, had to get some water for the actors on when they needed it. I also, had the role with looking after the actors too.
The second day shoot I thought went really well, the crew and I all worked well as a team, however, another problem that did occur and was overcome was the sound because, there was a noise of the incubator during filming the scene that we were shooting and was mucking up the sound from the filming so we had to get it sorted out but luckily we did in the end. After that, the filming went well and ran smoothly. I also, did have to leave early from the filming because, of the travel back but, the director and the rest of the crew were fine with it as they knew that I live far away. Still I could not help feeling bad that the crew were left with putting the filming equipment away at the end of the shoot without being there to give them a hand.
The third day of shooting took place in the ‘Location Room’ in the ‘Havelock Road building’ in our University. Before the filming took place, all the crew met up in the location room to help set up the filming equipment, for this role I took on both the role of a runner as well as a script supervisor. Whilst, the crew was setting up the filming equipment, I had some job roles that included: looking after the equipment whilst the crew went for lunch also was on duty with getting the food for the cast and crew from Tescos. Before, I went to get the food for the cast and crew, the producer kindly wrote the food list down for me on a piece of paper so then, I knew what to get everyone. The producer and the director also, gave me some money, which, then went towards the food. I made sure that; I gave the receipts back to the producer and the director. I also, had the job of meeting and looking after the actors as well and I had to get some cups for the cast and crew to have for when they needed a drink of still or sparkling water. I also, had to help the first AD with setting up the lighting.
After being a runner, I then, took on the role with being a script supervisor my job role included: discussing to the director on which, scene that we would be filming and any ideas that we both had together.
Also, with part of the role I had the chance to help the actors out with learning their lines, one of the actors Sophie was struggling to remember her lines so I kindly helped her and gave her a technique that I used when remembering how to learn lines. Sophie managed to use my technique well and managed to remember her lines well. During the filming I was also, there to prompt the actors on telling them what their lines were when they had forgotten it, one of them actually did so I gave them a hand with it.
Three problems that did occurred before and during the filming but, got sorted out was when for one of them there was a problem with the dolly for the tripod so the director had to go and sort it out on which, he did in the end. Also, the second problem was when I accidentally said the word ‘Cut’ and stopped the filming during when two of the cast members messed up their lines and I was not suppose to say that, the director was but, I did apologise to him and got it sorted out. Also, the final problem was when one of the actors Sophie said her line before the director said, action so we had to stop her a few times but we managed to get it sorted out in the end.
Apart from that overall I thought that, the filming went really well, I did had to leave early from the filming because, of the travel back home but, the director and the rest of the crew were fine with it as they knew that I live far away so I could not be there to help put away the filming equipment which, was a bit bad for me and I should of helped them. For the final day shoot, I was not there due to the fact that I had to be at home because, I had a driving lesson and it was hard for me to travel to the filming location due to the time limit but the crew understood that and were fine with that.
For improvements with this project I think that for being a runner I need to have more job roles because, on the second day shoot I was sitting around during the filming and not doing much compared to the third day shoot where I had more things to do and sitting down not doing much is not good for me.
For taking part on this production, I really enjoyed the experience of working on this project; also, I really enjoyed being able to take on two job roles, which, was really good for me as I was able to multi-task with both of them. Also, it was enjoyable with being able to work with the cast and crew on this project too.
