KMVlogs
For my own project, I took on the roles of director and narrator. The idea behind my project was to create three day-to-day vlogs teaching the audience who has a disability in a way in showing how to cope with stress, confusion, anxiety and being in a new environment at a University.
As part of the pre-production process, I started doing some research based upon coming up with a script idea on what I was going to say in the three vlogs and what my topics were going to be too. During writing the script, I ended up not doing it in the end due to the fact that I had decided to improvise on what I was going to say in the three vlogs. I then, did some research on finding a crew together as well as the cast too. I also, managed to get some of the paperwork done including: creating a storyboard, writing down what camera shots I was going to use and getting the call sheets done. Both the producer and the script supervisor liaised with me to make sure that, I had completed the paperwork.
During the pre-production process, it became evident that I had no need of a lighting operator so informed the individual that his role was not required for my production. The reason being as a student-based production and filming at my University I didn’t need to use much lighting. Initially I felt bad for him because, he had to go and find another group to work with. However, the reason was explained, so it was best that he had a chance to utilise his skills as a lighting operative to benefit others who needed his expertise.
On the first production day I arrived early at my University and so did the camera operator. The camera operator and I had a talk about what we were going to be filming on the first day. We then, waited for the rest of the crew to turn up and when they did we went to pick up the filming equipment and took it to our first location room, which was in a computer suite room to use as a classroom scene.
When we arrived and the crew and I set up the filming equipment the first critical incident happened when a piece of sound equipment was missing that connects with the boom pole and zeppelin so I had to go and sort that out. There was also, a problem with the batteries for the zoom recorder as well as we had a problem with the clip that goes onto the camera, as it was broken. To solve those problems I had to go down to the kit room to get them sorted out which, luckily the kit room manager was there to help and sort it out.
After that, the crew and I set up for the first cut away scene, we managed to find some extras to take part in the first cut away scene as before I hadn’t prepared to find some extras for that scene. Luckily two people were in our location room already and they were happy to participate in it with being extras. As producer Megan Dear took over the role as director because, I had to do some acting and I couldn’t direct at the same time. We managed to film four cut away scenes, which, was filmed really well.
After that, the crew and I took a lunch break and then, we moved to another location after lunch. Once we were in another location room we set up the filming equipment and as director I told the crew what to do. In this location room we were filming in we shot the beginning and ending scenes of each of my three day-to-day vlogs so with that I had to act again.
The filming went well for those scenes however, the second critical incident happened when the crew and I were struggling to sort out the sound for the lapel microphone which was attached to me, as the sound didn’t sound right. To solve this problem we had to attach a fluffy thing to stop the sound on the lapel microphone going fuzzy.
During when filming each of the beginning and ending of the three day-to-day vlogs, the crew and I took breaks in between them as I had to go and change my clothes several times to make them, look like I was filming them on different days. Another critical incident happened when we had to stop the filming several times because, of the background noise coming from outside the University building as well as I was forgetting my lines a lot too. These two problems were solved by stopping the filming and waiting for the background noise to go away as well as getting the first assistant director (first AD) and the producer to go and help me with my lines. We broke it down so then; I would find it easier to understand. My memory is good at remembering lines but sometimes when I have a lot of lines to remember it can get a bit forgetful.
Also, another critical incident happened was when during the filming for my beginning and ending of my three day-to-day vlogs, I kept on using my hands and hitting the lapel microphone which the sound operator didn’t like so to solve that problem I had to make sure that, I did not use my hand gestures as much so then, it would make the sound from the lapel microphone sound better.
On the first filming day for improvements I think that I should of double checked that I had booked all of the filming equipment and not had forgotten any of it as well as making sure that, I do not forget my lines so then, the crew and I could move on quickly with other scenes that we had needed to film on that day. As well as making sure that, know what to do with my hand gestures when I am around a lapel microphone because, that way the sound operator and I wouldn’t have had a problem with the sound coming out from the lapel microphone. Overall, the first filming day went really well.
On the second day of my production, I arrived early at my University and waited for my crew to arrive. Once they had arrived we all went to the kit room to pick up our filming equipment and took it to our third filming location. For this day we filmed it in the same computer suite room that was filmed on the first filming day of the production. The crew and I helped each other out to set up the filming equipment, I had the job role getting with fetching my actor whilst, the rest of the crew was setting up the filming equipment.
Once the actor and I had arrived back at our location room, the crew and I set up ready for the shoot, as director I told my crew where to position them as well as telling my actor what to do too. The first AD and the producer took over the roles as being my extras for that scene because, the crew and I needed to make the scene look like we are in a lesson and as both of them are in my lessons it made sense to use them and that they did not mind at all.
The filming for the second day went really well I kept my director job and said ‘Action’ and ‘Cut’ before the filming started. As director I made sure that my actor filmed the consent form. However, during the filming there was one critical incident, which happened when the first AD bumped into the actor when she was walking over to where I was sitting so to the solve this problem the crew and I had to stop the filming and I told the actor to wait until the first AD had sat in her seat and then, walk over to me. There were not any improvements for this filming day as it went really well.
On the final day of my production, I arrived early at my University and waited for the rest of my crew to arrive. Once all arrived we went to the kit room again to pick up our filming equipment and took it over to our final location room which, was over in the student services area. Once arrived, I introduced my crew to my learning supporter and we set up for the scene that we were filming.
During the set up for the scene there was a critical incident happened when the spacing we were filming in was small so some of the crew had to step outside. To solve this problem the crew and I should had found a bigger room to film the scene in so then, we would have enough space to fit all of the crew into the room.
The filming for this scene went well as director I made sure that the consent form was filled out by my learning supporter. There were two critical incidents that did also, happen for this scene when for the first critical incident I had to tell the crew to be quiet because, we were filming and they were noisy outside the room as well as the camera decided to stop filming. To solve these two critical incidents the crew were quiet when the filming was happening as well as I had to repeat what I was saying to my learning supporter and do the scene again when the camera was back on with recording again.
The only improvement that could of happened with this filming was to make sure that my crew and I had a bigger space with enough room to do the filming because, the spacing was a bit small and not every crew member could fit into that room.
For the post-production of the production I had to edit the film, I wanted to edit my film so I could improve on my editing skills. For the editing I used final cut pro because, that is my strongest. I found the editing all right, I did not struggle with the editing as much because, and I used the editing software that I was use to using. The only problem that I did struggle with the editing was the colour correction so I managed to get my lighting operator who I did not need in the production but, to get him to help me out with the editing which, he was happy to me with.
The colour corrector and I worked well as a team and we shared ideas on what the colour balance should look like on my film. Overall I have really enjoyed working on my own production, the crew and I all worked well as a team and the production managed to run smoothly.
