Weekly Diary

Date: 06/11/2019

1. Today was the first day on the Academy. The main thing that happened today was to introduce and give us an overview of the course. Here we were put into our group and designated our roles mine being Producer. I met everyone on the course and the course leaders. We had some presentations of what to expect on the course and where it could lead. We lastly set up our blogs.
2. Today I learned my role and further learned what the course can offer to us. Todays session was very information heavy which was good and informative. I had a brief overview of each role such as scriptwriter or cinematographer to help us decide what roles we would like to pick.
3. I met Sam the Course Leader and Nora the Academy Assistant. I also met all my peers on the course and we got to know each other better which was a good start.
4. For today I need to research my role further and start thinking about potential ideas with my group for our film.

Date: 09/11/2019

1.  Producing and screenwriting masterclasses – with activities such as writing and receiving handouts to work on therefrom. I worked with my group to establish a concept for our short film.
2.  I got an in-depth amount of information on the role of a producer from an industry professional whose name was Caroline Cooper Charles. Caroline was very interactive with us by asking us questions about each aspect of the film process which was helpful in retaining the knowledge. Caroline gave an in-depth talk about what she faces on a daily basis in the industry. I thought of how those would affect me in our short films and for future instances. I also learned from Rebecca Mark-Lawson a Screenwriter and one of our tutors; whom gave us lessons and advice in our groups in regards to our ideas which was great. Paul Fraser a Screenwriter in the Industry also came in and gave us a masterclass on his journey as a screenwriter which was thought provoking and insightful.
3.  I worked with my peers in the screenwriting task by using my imagination to carry on the characters we made up which was fun to see. Later on in our filming groups we came up with a concept for our film. I worked with them as the producer so I gave them a brief of what we can do with what we have, e.g. can’t do car chases. We came up with the genre together which made me feel engaged and happy with our ideas.
4. Looking back I feel as though I need to develop my understanding of the producing role further as I felt I should have asked more questions to Caroline when she was there which was a shame since I’m on as a producer too.

 Date: 16/11/2019

1. I had the cinematography masterclass and a sound recording masterclass from two tutors – Daren Eagles from Kinematic and Rob Speranza who is a Producer. They helped us a lot which gave me confidence in my skills. We further developed our ideas in our group. I met some people from the BFI one of which was Jen Sobol who came down and gave us a talk about the opportunities that lies ahead after completing the course which was eye opening to me.
2. I learned the cinematography basics and understood the green screen and lighting etc. I shot short sequences with a group from the information I learned. I practiced and was taught how to use professional cameras which made me feel comfortable about handling them in the future. I had a go at using sound equipment as well in the sequenced we filmed which was good to learn. I also learned about the opportunities for young film makers such as other programmes that the BFI has from Jen.
3. I have worked with a group to film the sequence. I have worked with them by helping them shoot the sequence, I acted in the sequence and we thought of ideas such as camera angles and lighting. I received assistance and guidance from Darren and Rob whenever we got confused how to operate the equipment.
4. I need to develop my experience in camera technicality with professional equipment since I have previous experience with DSLR’s, but not the ones we had today. Moreover the use of wireless mics which I have never used. Even though I have used cameras and microphones in the past, each time I come across a different brand or device it takes me some time to get used to the controls.

Date: 23/11/2019

1.  I watched a film called ‘The Runaways’ which was a good low budget feature film to watch. The Director of this film who was Richard Heap came in and gave us a masterclass on directing. I combed through the finer details of our film such as props, equipment etc.
2. I gained from Richard much knowledge in regards to his perspective the challenges he faced making a low budget feature film. I was very engaged on the experiences he had with making ‘The Runaways’. Some of them such as finding suitable actors, which is related to my role, encouraged me think ahead about how that could apply to me in my own role. Richard moreover gave us a detailed walkthrough of the experience he had on set. The negatives and positives he went through on his first feature i.e. finding locations, gave me an understanding on how I should tackle any difficulties I may face in our film since he explained to us how he overcame those challenges. He also helped us later in the day with our film ideas which was great.
3.  I worked with my group in thinking of locations where we could film. As well as any risks that we could face ahead of time. I began to think about the props needed and brainstormed ways to source actors. I worked with my tutor and the Director as well for extra help.
4. I need to develop my blog posts and incorporate the things I have learned from the sessions thus far in my own time.

Date: 30/11/2019

1. I had a masterclass in editing from mentor Jim Wraith – an Editor, Director and Director of Photography in the film industry which was a good learning experience. We were tasked with editing our sequences we filmed together a couple weeks ago and other various clips in premiere pro. Later in the day I went over the final script with the scriptwriter.
2. I had learned how to use different editing tools and my efficiency in editing increased. I learned how to create a cinematic sequence. I learned how to seamlessly cut from one action to another keeping it smooth which in my case was challenging to pull off.
3. I worked with a friend to do the editing tasks. I would ask a tutor for help when we were stuck on a part. I worked with my group later in the day when going over our final script. I assisted the cinematographer with the brief concept of the shot list. I also began to think about the risks and hazards for my risk assessment.
4. I need to further develop my editing skills in Adobe premiere pro and the use of effects in Premiere pro.

Date: 07/12/2019

1. The day began with a masterclass in acting from Sally Cancello – Actress and Film Producer from South Yorkshire. We got into groups and did a short screenplay together. The second half of the day we made the big preparations for our shoot day next week which was very busy. I created the risk assessment and I had to start locating actors for next week. I made a list of all the equipment and props we would need. I made a list of the locations we would need and did some recce around the showroom workstation to see which locations would be suitable for next week.
2. I learned the roles of the producer from experience as it was only a week away from shoot and my hands were full. From all this preparation I had learned what to expect on the shoot day. This pre productions phase was a big learning curve in getting a taste of what being a producer of a short film is like.
3. I worked with my whole crew and some tutors in calculating the locations we would need and if it were possible to use them. I worked closely with the scriptwriter in determining all the props we would need and the identities of the actors i.e. gender, age – which I had to factor in. I worked with the cinematographer to see what equipment he would need for example lenses or gimbals. I worked with other friends in other groups to see if they would know of any actors in case I might not be able to source actors on my own in time for the shoot.
4. I need to develop my risk assessment as health and safety is my main priority. I need to develop my prep and organisation to have a smooth shooting day.

Date: 14/12/2019

1. This was our filming day. I had to use all the things learnt on the course over the past five weeks and all our planning today. I assembled the props together with the crew and made the set. I helped block the scene for our dialogue. I went through the risks before filming and ticked off the shot list as we went on to make sure everything was done on schedule.
2. I learned the responsibilities of the producer on set. I learned how to keep the production on schedule by filming efficiently with guidance from a tutor (Daren Eagles).
3. I worked with my whole crew by giving them what they needed e.g. the cinematographer needed some extra shots minutes before the deadline. I also took care of the cast by making sure they were comfortable in their scenes and roles. In this case, one of the scenes required an actor who was a minor to open a can of beer. I made sure to see if the minor was comfortable with this and the actor was. I placed guidelines and instructions for the actor so that the health and safety measures were adhered to. Darren, Rob, Rebecca and Jim were present to help us in our groups.
4. I need to develop a clear storyboard for the crew to follow and a method of communication to keep them focused on their roles. This is because there were times when the crew were giving lots of different creative input at the same time in deciding which angles and shots should be next. This overall left the crew in confusion. I felt I could have improved that situation by reminding the crew of their roles and responsibilities.

Date: 04/01/2020

1. Today we came back from our holidays and started the day watching a film ‘Jojo Rabbit’ which was great. Later today we had an interesting presentation from Amy O’Hara – Talent Executive at Film Hub North about finding funding for short films and training opportunities in the North of England. The final part of the day we watched and criticised some short films on how it could be improved.
2. Today I learned that filmmakers in the North have opportunities to make films and you don’t have to be in London to make it in the industry. I learned that you could get funding from various institutions like BFI and Film Hub North. I learned about training opportunities like taking part in short film productions around South Yorkshire. Another aspect from today I learned were the short films we made a few weeks ago. By watching and criticising other short films it opened my eyes to the possible errors we made in our production like camera movement and lighting, and how I could prepare to deal with it next week.
3. I worked closely with my peers in criticising the short films. I asked a few questions to Amy and the course leader anything I wasn’t sure of.
4. I could develop a clear understanding of what I want to do in the near future in film as Amy pointed out and encouraged us to think about it.

Date: 11/01/2020

1. Today we started and completed the edit for our short film. I went over some loyalty free music for the film and worked on the title sections like credits. I mainly oversaw and helped the edit as three people who were the Editors and Director did the majority of the edit. We screened our final edit on a projector later in the day to see how it would look and we made some adjustments thereafter. I looked over my risk assessment and ensured that my crew were safe around the electric computers and would take frequent brakes to prevent eye strain. I worked on my blog in my spare time with the help of an Academy Assistant.
2. I learned how use befitting music for our film since there were tons of royalty free music to choose from. I learned how to properly do the credits section such as listing all the contributors, cast and crew. Sometimes I would come over to the three people in my team and look at their edit and I learned to point out some inconsistencies like continuity and lighting.
3. I worked well with my team in working out what music they would like to have. I worked closely with tutors Darren Eagles, Jim Wraith and Rebecca Mark-Lawson who were guiding us on proper techniques to use in edit. I worked with Nora in formatting my blog posts. I also worked with my other peers in other teams on their work and we watched each others films. I spoke to my team about what I thought of the edits and we improved it together very well.
4. I need to improve and develop my blog post to a high standard.

Date: 18/01/2020

1. The day started with us watching a film ‘1917’ which was very fun. Later on the day we had a detailed presentation from Grierson Trust Outreach Programme Manager – Yen Yau. In the last part of the day we had a short lecture from the founder of Spirit of Independence Film Festival at Abbeydale Picture House in Sheffield – Ben Wilkinson. I watched several short films from Ben that won awards in festivals such as Spirit of Independence and Cannes.
2. I learned a massive amount of information from Yen. Yen gave us fantastic advice and routes into the industry for upcoming filmmakers like myself. Yen told us her background in film and her accolades/awards she received in her career in film which was good. Yen also gave us advice on attitude in the industry like having resilience. Ben came in I learned a great deal of the importance of distributing films to festivals. Ben hinted to us it is important to get your films seen by as many eyes as possible. Ben gave us an overview on what the festival will be like for our films since they will be entered into the festival. Moreover Ben gave us a brief background in micro budget filmmaking as well as great tips on how films can stand out in festivals such as having good story structure and uniqueness.
3. I worked well with the presenters by asking them questions and interacting with them.
4. I need to sure I implement the advice and information the presenters gave us as it is very beneficial.

Date: 25/01/2020

1. Today was the last Academy day and Screening day of our short films. Sam made us prepare our speeches we would give to the audience which was quite daunting at first but I got the hang of it and was confident by the end of it which made me feel good.
2. I grew my confidence and presentations skills as I have never spoken at a stage before in front of strangers which was a big boost. I learned that it would be easy for me to speak on a stage at future events.
3. I worked with my friends on the course and the course leader to come up with a speech. I felt accomplished that I completed the course and watched our finished films on the big screen.
4. I need to start working on the next steps I will take.

Production Diary

My roles in pre-production was the producer. I helped the scriptwriter with locations and logistics. I found locations with the guidance of Daren and Rebecca. I sourced actors and props for the film. I maintained the schedule on shoot day and helped the crew with filming. In my own time I put up a casting call online on Starnow which is the first ever call I had put up. I felt nervous at first but it became easier. I also emailed my crew the risk assessment and call sheet a few days before the shoot. A day before the shoot I reached out to one of my friends in another team who might know any actors that would be interested in the film since I had no luck on the casting call. Luckily I had managed to source some actors from my friend and I got in touch with the actors and sent them release forms with parental signatures as they were minors. I felt so relieved that I had actors for tomorrow as this was stressing me out the entire week.

My main responsibilities on set were to oversee that the production was on schedule and the crew had everything they needed to carry out their roles. I was responsible for the safety of the cast and crew on the shoot. I felt assured and confident that I could carry good safety measures since there were no major hazards due to our safe locations. Other logistics I had to factor in were to make sure the cinematographer did not include any brands of any company in the shot in case of copyright. This made me feel good knowing everything was going according to plan.

The first day we filmed from morning to evening as we had to cram it all in one day. Before the shoot we let the actors rehearse while I went over the material with the tutors. When shooting began we setup the scene and started the first scene. We filmed the last scene at the end and wrapped at 16:00. I felt happy that we finally wrapped after a long hard day and we didn’t go past the deadline.

The skills I needed to apply for my role were team working, communication, problem solving, and planning skills. Also I applied creative skills in the early stages of development with the scriptwriter. I felt happy with our collaborative creative input we did.

I feel as though I was prepared by the shoot day as I had all the resources for the shoot on time. This is because I did a lot of prep work before the shoot.

The changes on shoot day that had to be made were some shots that we were unable to make in time. In the script the character walks into a coffee shop and buys a coffee from a barister then walks out, however we were unable to shoot this so we filmed the character walking out with a cup of coffee instead. Other changes include character age, the actors we had were teens while the characters in the script were adults, so we had to find a way around that and make them appear older than they were in the film.

Our production crew had a supportive tutor who gave us lots of feedback on set as to how to improve our shots and gave us general advice. We also had the course leader check in on us a few times to assess our progress and schedule.

I mainly improved through the experience of filming and the planning work weeks prior. This gave me insight and developed my skills well and in the way of knowing what to expect on future short film projects. I feel extremely confident after our shoot day as we started with just a concept idea with not much confidence as to how we would create it; as the weeks went on and our knowledge increased, I felt I had more assurance that I could produce this film with the crew.

I worked with my whole crew on set. I felt I worked well with others as I have listened to their opinions and taken criticism and advice well from tutors/crew.

I have learned that on a shoot it is very busy and everyone is dependant on someone. This has taught me that I must always listen and communicate well with the crew as most shoots are on a schedule. Also I learned that the crew works together by using their craft to coordinate what must be done to progress the shoot. In this case someone had to give the countdown and quiet on set command to let others know when to get ready.

I have followed good working practices by keeping a log of our progress on set via the shot list and risk assessment for health and safety. I made sure to put on the call sheet a time for the crew and actors to arrive by which gave us enough time to prepare.

I then came back after the holidays and met with my team and the tutors to start on our edit. I felt excited to see our footage and what we can work with. My main role on this day was to look for appropriate sound for our film and to complete the title section on our film in Adobe. I didn’t have a major impact on the edit since the editors and the director were the main people who were involved, I played an overseeing role and assisted them in any way I could. We then watched our film on a projector to see how we could improve. My thoughts on our edit at the end of the day was that the film was a bit shaky with not many tripod/gimbal shots. I believe if we had more time and a clearer plan of action on shoot day we would have had a much smoother edit day.

Overall I feel all the stages of production went really well for I had imagined it wouldn’t go not so well. This is because it was my first time in a while being on set however I quickly regained the gist and from there it was a new learning experience. The aspects that went well were the story. It was quite a simple script to film with not a lot of demands such as chase scenes. I think the simplicity of our story could be the reason why it felt good to film. On the contrary I believe the film would be really interesting and potentially improved if we incorporated an action sequence like an encounter or a short run. This is because it would challenge our skills to film which would improve our skills and have a feel what it would be like to film action.

Here are screenshots of the forms and documents I used in pre production: