Filming: Day One

Our aim for today was to carry out the 'bedroom scene' shots:

"Bedroom Shots (Total of 11 shots = 44 takes)

Location: Milly's House

Estimated time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes (20 minutes set up, due to changes in location around the house and changes in camera angles, 1 hour filming, doing 4 takes of each shot, lighting check, 5 minutes test shots) Cast required: Vince, Sam and Milly"

Today might have proved to be a bit of a challenge, as it was our first day filming with our cast and we had to get to grips with the HD camera we had not used before, as well as using a set we were not familiar with. But as it was, the day proved a success and we even had extra time to record some shots for the chorus of Vince and Milly miming to the music against the effective back drop.

We had anticipated some problems as we already knew all of the lighting kits had been booked out by other students, so we planned in advance to bring along some extra lighting including strong watt lamps and also some fairy lights and candles to create the 'romantic mise-en-scene' we hoped to achieve. Milly and Vince proved to be very good at co operating and acting, and although the miming shots took a couple of takes all in all the day went very smoothly. Here are some shots of the day, and some film clips of what we managed to achieve:

Above is a one of the frames from our stop motion clips of Vince, we used paper to cut out a tear and stuck it to his face using vaseline so it could be easily moved without disturbing the make up behind.
The finished video has the tear falling down his face.

Top: The set up intererior, we liked the contrasting colours of the striped shirts and red braces, so we tried to emulate this colour theme with the background wallpaper and lights. We also lit the candles around the flower arrangements to create a romantic mise-en-scene.

Bottom: Emily putting on Milly's make up.

Above is some finished stop motions photographed from a Canon EOS DLSR used with a tripod to keep the images smooth and realistic. We then used Windows Movie Maker to get an idea of how it would look when it is edited onto our video. The final outcome of this stop motion clip will be slightly different in the music video as it will be edited in Adobe Premier Pro, where the transition from one image to the next will be slightly faster.

Costumes

For our mime costumes we luckily already have all of the kit we need to create a realistic costume. Both Vince and Milly have supplied their own tops and trousers, and between Emma and I we have supplied the top hat, beret, braces, neck tie and make up. These have all proved effective costumes, as we found out from our print tasks.



Although: It will be too difficult to edit make up flaws througout the finished clip, and although the advantages of a HD camera mean we will have a proffesional end result, the high definition will mean any errors in make up will also be very visible. Therefore we have decided to ask our friend Emily Sparkes to be our 'makeup artist', due to her outstanding artistic ability shown in her work below, as well as the fact she has a tattoo apprenticeship so is used to working on human skin:

Here are some examples of her work-

Time Planning

Me and Emma have sat down together and roughly planned out our filming schedule to give ourselves and our actors enough notice to be available and to fully understand what we need to get done. Although these are liable to change due to availability of equipment and also possible absences of cast members:

Filming: Indoor Shots 1 - Saturday 7th January 2011

5.30 pm onwards

Potential problems: Camera Availability (busy time)

1. Bedroom Shots (Total of 11 shots = 44 takes)

Location: Milly's House

Estimated time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes (20 minutes set up, due to changes in location around the house and changes in camera angles, 1 hour filming, doing 4 takes of each shot, lighting check, 5 minutes test shots) Cast required: Vince, Sam and Milly

Filming: Indoor Shots 2 - Tuesday 9th January 2011

10.10am - 11.10am

Potential problems: Studio Availability

1. 'Photobooth' Shots (Total of 4 shots = 16 takes)

Location: Worcester Sixth Form College, photography studio

Estimated time: 30 minutes (5 minutes set up, 5 minutes lighting check, 20 minutes filming) Cast required: Vince and Milly

2. Head and shoulders 'miming' shots (Total of 5 shots = 20 takes)

Location: Worcester Sixth Form College, photography studio

Estimated time: 15 minutes (set up already done, 15 minutes filming)

Filming: Indoor Shots 3 - Tuesday 9th January 2011

6.30pm onwards

Potential problems: Public place, ease to film

1. Jump Cuts - Two Shots (Total of 13 shots = 39 takes)

Location: The Firefly, Worcester

Estimated time: 1 hour (5 minutes set up, 5 minutes lighting check, half an hour filming, allow 20 minutes for interruptions from people in a public place)

Filming: Outdoor Shots 1 - Wednesday 10th January

12.30pm

Potential problems: Unsuitable weather conditions

1. Hill shots, mime's running towards camera (Total of 3 shots = 12 takes)

Location: Rebecca Gardens, Worcester

Estimated time: 30 minutes (10 minutes set up and lighting check, 5 minutes test shots, 15 minutes filming, doing 4 takes of each shot) Cast required: Vince and Milly

2. Café Rouge shots, mime's at table (Total of 9 shots = 36 takes)

Location: Café Rouge, Worcester

Estimated time: 1 Hour (15 minutes set up due to changes in camera angles, lighting check, 5 minutes test shots, 40 minutes filming, doing 4 takes of each shot) Cast required: Vince and Milly

3. Bike shots (Total of 8 shots = 32 takes)

Location: River Severn, Worcester

Estimated time: 1 Hour (15 minutes set up due to changes in camera angles, lighting check, 5 minutes test shots, 40 minutes filming, doing 4 takes of each shot) Cast required: Vince and Milly

1. Point of view shots (Total of 5 shots = 20 takes)

Location: Worcester Sixth Form College

Estimated time: 20 minutes (5 minutes set up and lighting check, 10 minutes filming and retakes)

Filming: Indoor Shots 4 - Sunday 14th January 2011

1.00 pm onwards

Potential problems: Cast transport to location

1. Sofa Shots (Total of 18 shots = 72 takes)

Location: Leah's House, Worcester

Estimated time: 1 hour (15 minutes set up due to changes in camera angle, 5 minutes lighting check, 40 minutes filming)

Photography: Stop Motion Animation - Friday 8th January 2011

5.00pm onwards

No potential problems

1. Stop Motion animation of inanimate objects (accordion, back of cards, socks, gloves)

Location: Emma's House, Droitwich

Estimated time: 30 minutes (5 minutes set up and 25 minutes taking various pictures)

Animatic Storyboard and Shot List

0.00 STOP MOTION FRAME, MOVES RIGHT

0.06 STOP MOTION FRAME, MOVES RIGHT

0.12 ZOOM ON FRAME

0.16 ZOOM ON FRAME CONTINUED

0.19 GRAPHIC MATCH, EXTREME CLOSE UP OF MIME'S EYES, REVERSE ZOOM

0.21 HEAD AND SHOULDERS SHOT, REVERSE ZOOM AND PAN LEFT

0.23 REVERSE ZOOM AND PAN LEFT, REVEAL TWO SHOT OF MIME CHARACTERS

0.26 TWO SHOT, BOY MIME LOOKS RIGHT

0.27 TWO SHOT, BOTH MIME CHARACTERS LOOKING FORWARD

0.28 TWO SHOT, GIRL MIME LOOKS LEFT

0.29 TWO SHOT, BOTH MIME CHARACTERS LOOKING FORWARD

0.30 EXTREME WIDE SHOT OF BIKE SCENE (FILM GRAIN TO INDICATE FLASH BACK)

0.32 MID SHOT OF MIME ON BIKE (FILM GRAIN TO INDICATE FLASH BACK)

0.34 WIDE SHOT OF BIKES (FILM GRAIN TO INDICATE FLASH BACK)

0.37 TWO SHOT, MIME'S CYCLING TOWARDS THE CAMERA (FILM GRAIN TO INDICATE FLASH BACK)

0.39 MEDIUM CLOSE UP OF MIME'S FACES AS THEY CYCLE PAST (FILM GRAIN TO INDICATE FLASH BACK)

0.41 WIDE SHOT OF TREES (FILM GRAIN TO INDICATE FLASH BACK)

0.43 WIDE SHOT OF MIME'S CYCLING THROUGH (FILM GRAIN TO INDICATE FLASH BACK)

0.46 MEDIUM CLOSE UP OF MIME'S FACES AS THEY CYCLE PAST (FILM GRAIN TO INDICATE FLASH BACK)

0.48 WIDE SHOT OF ROOM, BOY MIME MIMING LYRICS ('FEEL SOMETHING RIGHT, FEEL SOMETHING GOOD')

0.54 HEAD AND SHOULDERS SHOT, BOY MIME LOOKS RIGHT

0.56 HEAD AND SHOULDERS SHOT, VINCE LOOKS FORWARD

0.57 TWO SHOT, REVERSE ZOOM OF MIME'S ON SOFA

0.59 WIDE SHOT OF MIME'S ON SOFA

1.01 WIDE SHOT OF CAFÉ ROUGE, MIMES OUTSIDE EATING

1.03 POINT OF VIEW SHOT OF BOY MIME LAUGHING (FILM GRAIN TO INDICATE FLASHBACK)

1.04 POINT OF VIEW SHOT OF GIRL MIME LAUGHING (FILM GRAIN TO INDICATE FLASHBACK)

1.05 POINT OF VIEW SHOT OF BOY MIME EATING (FILM GRAIN TO INDICATE FLASHBACK)

1.06 POINT OF VIEW SHOT OF STOP MOTION CUTLERY ON TABLE (FILM GRAIN TO INDICATE FLASHBACK)

1.09 TWO SHOT, 'ROMANTIC LOOKS', STOP MOTION CUTLERY ON TABLE (FILM GRAIN TO INDICATE FLASHBACK)

1.11 POINT OF VIEW SHOW OF GIRL MIME SMILING (FILM GRAIN TO INDICATE FLASHBACK)

1.12 MEDIUM CLOSE UP OF MIMES, 'AFTER YOU' (FILM GRAIN TO INDICATE FLASHBACK)

1.14 REVERSE ZOOM OF WIDE SHOT, TWO MIMES WALKING INTO THE CAFÉ (FILM GRAIN TO INDICATE FLASHBACK)

1.16 JUMP CUT, HEAD AND SHOULDERS SHOT OF BOY MIME SINGING 'THIS IS THE LIFE'

1.17 JUMP CUT, HEAD AND SHOULDERS SHOT OF GIRL MIME SINGING 'THIS IS THE LIFE'

1.18 JUMP CUT, HEAD AND SHOULDERS SHOT OF BOY MIME SINGING 'THIS IS THE LIFE'

1.19 JUMP CUT, HEAD AND SHOULDERS SHOT OF GIRL MIME SINGING 'THIS IS THE LIFE'

1.21 JUMP CUT, HEAD AND SHOULDERS SHOT OF BOY MIME SINGING 'THIS IS THE LIFE'

1.22 JUMP CUT, HEAD AND SHOULDERS SHOT OF GIRL MIME SINGING 'THEN WHO ARE YOU?'

1.23 WIDE SHOT OF MIMES ON BIKES (FILM GRAIN TO INDICATE FLASHBACK)

1.24 MEDIUM CLOSE UP OF BOY MIME ON BIKE (FILM GRAIN TO INDICATE FLASHBACK)

1.26 MEDIUM CLOSE UP OF GIRL MIME ON BIKE (FILM GRAIN TO INDICATE FLASHBACK)

1.27 WIDE SHOT OF MIMES ON BIKES (FILM GRAIN TO INDICATE FLASHBACK)

1.29 WIDE SHOT OF MIMES ON SOFA, STOP MOTION PICTURE FRAME BEHIND THEM, BOY MIME MIMING "AND IF THIS IS THE LIFE, THIS IS THE LIFE..."

1.33 STOP MOTION INANIMATE OBJECTS

1.35 WIDE SHOT OF MIMES ON SOFA, STOP MOTION PICTURE FRAME BEHIND THEM, BOY MIME MIMING "AND IF THIS IS THE LIFE, THIS IS THE LIFE..."

1.37 WIDE SHOT, MIMES INTERTWINED, ROLLING DOWN HILL TOWARDS CAMERA (FILM GRAIN TO INDICATE FLASHBACK)

1.39 JUMP CUT TO WIDE SHOT, MIMES RUNNING DOWN HILL TOWARDS CAMERA (FILM GRAIN TO INDICATE FLASHBACK)

1.41 CLOSE UP TWO SHOT, MIMES RUNNING TOWARDS CAMERA (FILM GRAIN TO INDICATE FLASHBACK)

1.45 WIDE SHOT, CLOWN CHARACTER/NEW MIME IN BED LOOKING HAPPY

1.45 CLOSE UP OF CLOWN CHARACTER/NEW MIME LOOKING HAPPY

1.48 CLOSE UP STOP MOTION OF BOY MIMES FEET

1.50 CLOSE UP OF CLOWN CHARACTER/NEW MIME LOOKING HAPPY

1.52 HEAD AND SHOULDERS SHOT OF BOY MIME LOOKING SUSPICIOUS

1.54 WIDE SHOT OF STAIRS, STOP MOTION FEET MOVING UPWARDS

1.56 WIDE SHOT OF BOY MIME GOING THROUGH DOOR FROM BEHIND

1.58 WIDE SHOT OF BOY MIME COMING THROUGH DOOR FROM INFRONT, SHOCKED

1.59 WIDE SHOT OF GIRL MIME AND CLOWN CHARACTER/NEW MIME IN BED, SHOCKED

2.01 CLOSE UP OF GIRL MIME'S FACE, SHOCKED

2.03 CLOSE UP OF BOY MIME'S FACE, STOP MOTION TEAR GOING TOWN HIS FACE

2.05 POINT OF VIEW SHOT OF GIRL MIME SPINNING (FILM GRAIN TO INDICATE FLASHBACK)

2.07 POINT OF VIEW SHOT OF BOY MIME SPINNING (FILM GRAIN TO INDICATE FLASHBACK)

2.08 POINT OF VIEW SHOT OF GIRL MIME SPINNING (FILM GRAIN TO INDICATE FLASHBACK)

2.10 POINT OF VIEW SHOT OF BOY MIME SPINNING (FILM GRAIN TO INDICATE FLASHBACK)

2.12 JUMP CUT, HEAD AND SHOULDERS SHOT OF BOY MIME SINGING 'THIS IS THE LIFE'

2.13 JUMP CUT, HEAD AND SHOULDERS SHOT OF GIRL MIME SINGING 'THIS IS THE LIFE'

2.14 JUMP CUT, HEAD AND SHOULDERS SHOT OF BOY MIME SINGING 'THIS IS THE LIFE'

2.15 JUMP CUT, HEAD AND SHOULDERS SHOT OF GIRL MIME SINGING 'THIS IS THE LIFE'

2.17 JUMP CUT, HEAD AND SHOULDERS SHOT OF BOY MIME SINGING 'THIS IS THE LIFE'

2.19 JUMP CUT, HEAD AND SHOULDERS SHOT OF GIRL MIME SINGING 'THEN WHO ARE YOU?'

2.20 SERIES OF JUMP CUTS, TWO SHOTS OF MIMES IN 'PHOTOBOOTH' (FILM GRAIN TO INDICATE FLASHBACK) UNTIL 2.26

2.26 TWO SHOT OF MIMES, SERIES OF JUMP CUT'S UNTIL 2.29

2.29 TWO SHOT OF MIMES TURNING AROUND, STOP MOTION

2.30 TWO SHOT OF MIMES, SERIES OF JUMP CUT'S UNTIL 2.32

2.32 TWO SHOT OF MIMES TURNING AROUND, STOP MOTION

2.33 WIDE SHOT, MIMES INTERTWINED, ROLLING DOWN HILL TOWARDS CAMERA (FILM GRAIN TO INDICATE FLASHBACK)

2.34 JUMP CUT TO WIDE SHOT, MIMES RUNNING DOWN HILL TOWARDS CAMERA (FILM GRAIN TO INDICATE FLASHBACK)

2.35 CLOSE UP TWO SHOT, MIMES RUNNING TOWARDS CAMERA (FILM GRAIN TO INDICATE FLASHBACK)

2.37 POINT OF VIEW SHOT OF GIRL MIME SPINNING (FILM GRAIN TO INDICATE FLASHBACK)

2.38 POINT OF VIEW SHOT OF BOY MIME SPINNING (FILM GRAIN TO INDICATE FLASHBACK)

2.38 POINT OF VIEW SHOT OF GIRL MIME SPINNING (FILM GRAIN TO INDICATE FLASHBACK)

2.39 POINT OF VIEW SHOT OF BOY MIME SPINNING (FILM GRAIN TO INDICATE FLASHBACK)

2.40 MID SHOT OF BOY MIME ON BIKE (FILM GRAIN TO INDICATE FLASHBACK)

2.41 TWO SHOT OF MIMES ON BIKES (FILM GRAIN TO INDICATE FLASHBACK)

2.42 TWO SHOT OF MIMES ON BIKES, CYCLING TOWARDS THE CAMERA (FILM GRAIN TO INDICATE FLASHBACK)

2.44 EXTREME WIDE SHOT OF TREES (FILM GRAIN TO INDICATE FLASHBACK)

2.45 EXTREME WIDE SHOT OF MIMES CYCLING THROUGH TREES (FILM GRAIN TO INDICATE FLASHBACK)

2.46 TWO SHOT OF MIMES ON BIKES (FILM GRAIN TO INDICATE FLASHBACK)

2.47 SERIES OF JUMP CUTS, TWO SHOTS OF MIMES IN 'PHOTOBOOTH' (FILM GRAIN TO INDICATE FLASHBACK) UNTIL 2.51

2.51 POINT OF VIEW SHOT OF BOY MIME LAUGHING AT TABLE (FILM GRAIN TO INDICATE FLASHBACK)

2.52 POINT OF VIEW SHOT OF GIRL MIME LAUGHING AT TABLE (FILM GRAIN TO INDICATE FLASHBACK)

2.53 POINT OF VIEW SHOT OF GIRL MIME SMILING AT TABLE (FILM GRAIN TO INDICATE FLASHBACK)

2.54 REVERSE ZOOM, WIDE SHOT OF MIME'S WALKING INTO CAFÉ (FILM GRAIN TO INDICATE FLASHBACK)

2.55 TWO SHOT OF MIMES LOOKING SAD ON SOFA

2.57 TWO JUMP CUTS, TWO SHOTS OF MIMES IN 'PHOTOBOOTH' (FILM GRAIN TO INDICATE FLASHBACK)

2.58 TWO SHOT OF MIMES LOOKING SAD ON SOFA

2.59 JUMP CUT, POINT OF VIEW SHOT OF BOY MIME LAUGHING AT TABLE (FILM GRAIN TO INDICATE FLASHBACK)

3.00 JUMP CUT, POINT OF VIEW SHOT OF GIRL MIME LAUGHING AT TABLE (FILM GRAIN TO INDICATE FLASHBACK)

3.02 REVERSE ZOOM, TWO SHOT OF MIMES ON SOFA LOOKING SAD

3.03 JUMP CUT, POINT OF VIEW SHOT OF GIRL MIME SPINNING (FILM GRAIN TO INDICATE FLASHBACK)

3.04 JUMP CUT, POINT OF VIEW SHOT OF BOY MIME SPINNING (FILM GRAIN TO INDICATE FLASHBACK)

3.05 REVERSE ZOOM, TWO SHOT OF MIMES ON SOFA LOOKING SAD

3.07 JUMP CUT, TWO SHOT OF MIME'S ON BIKES (FILM GRAIN TO INDICATE FLASHBACK)

3.07 JUMP CUT, TWO SHOT OF MIME'S FACES (FILM GRAIN TO INDICATE FLASHBACK)

3.08 REVERSE ZOOM OF PICTURE, GRAPHIC MATCH OF THE 'TWO SHOT OF MIMES ON SOFA LOOKING SAD'

3.12 REVERSE ZOOM AND PAN LEFT, MID SHOT OF PICTURE

3.17 STOP MOTION OF PICTURE MOVING LEFT

3.22 STOP MOTION OF PICTURE MOVING LEFT CONTINUED

3.27 END

Shot Inspiration

Today I have been looking at other Music Video's and clips to try and find and illustrate ideas for our own video. I downloaded some free software, a program that allows you to download Youtube videos, and another that allows you to edit them. These have helped me single out some shots that I have found specifically interesting and taken some creative ideas from.

Stop Motion:

The Kate Nash video for her song 'Foundations' is a good example of the stop motion techniques me and Emma hope to utilise in our own video, using house hold objects that are gradually altered in position and photographed each time and then edited together to create the effect of motion. I have also picked an extract that uses lighting in an interesting way, as illustrated with the shot of the two holding hands with an over exposed background. I think the lighting creates a nice effect. I also liked the shot of the feet, as the movements weren't fluid it created a disjointed style, similar to that of the Stop Motion and created a smooth feel running throughout the cuts.

The video alongside is by a band called the Maccabees entitled 'Latchmere' they have used stop motion to not only create a moving background but also incorporate the band within the routine. I especially like the shots of the band members in mid jump, that have been captured and edited together on beat to the music.



Effects:

This clip is taken from the film 'Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulin'. The use of the shaky handheld camera gives it a home made, unpolished effect. There are occasional flashes of light which give a sense of an old vintage 8 bit camera and the effect of an old projector. I like the use of the bike and camera travelling with it, it gives the sequence more depth, and we are going to experiment with attatching a camera to a bike basket and create a similar style of dynamic shot. I like the filter used for this scene, their is a slight sepia vignette on the lens, and we aim to add a similar effect to our video in the post production edit. Also, the general mise en scene of French life is prominent, and although we are filming in british streets we aim to create a similar style through our props, costumes and locations.

'Music When The Lights Go Out' by the Libertines is mostly filmed with the speed reduced, or very minor slow motion. I love the effect it creates, when the action isn't at full speed it turns each movement into a more fluid motion. I hope to re create this within our music video.

Time Planning

Me and Emma met up with our primary cast members today, we are using the actors we used for each of our Digipaks-

Vince Mccumisky:

We both thought Vince looked excellent in his mime costume and Emma said he was easy to work with and will be sensible and reliable within the project. It is also vital that we maintain the house image of our project by using the same actors for both aspects of the project to maintain a cohesive style.

Milly Morris:
I used Milly for my digipak project, and she is one of my best friends so will be reliable and easy to work with, she visually suits the mime outfit and also has previous experience with performing and acting. She also takes Media studies so will value the importance of this project.




When we met we discussed when each of our cast members is usually free, and established the best days for scenes where they are needed together. As well, as when each are free for seperate shots. As well as, their roles in scenes and what lyrics they need to learn to mime, as well as if they would be able to get to location or not. We showed them the main concept for our video by giving out our blogger adresses so they could see all of the planning and outlines of the narrative as well as insiparation so they knew what sort of effect we wanted from them, and so it gave a clear idea of the style we hope to create. We also swapped contact info, so we can communicate via phone, as well as facebook and in person.

Me and Emma also sorted out the props that would be needed, I will be supplying Milly's outfit, including:

Face paint
Braces
Gloves
Striped Top
Necktie

And Emma will supply Vince's. I already have all of these costume aspects, so it will not cost any money, and Milly is bringing her own trousers.

The majority of our video will purely feature Vince and Milly as it solely focuses around their relationship, but we will require extras in our music video, to feature in the final scenes where the mime interacts with others for the first time. These are not key roles, and these people will simply have to appear in the video in day-to-day attire for several shots, and won't have to learn any lyrics or lines. The easiest way to communicate with all these people was to use the social networking site 'Facebook' and create an 'Event Page' for all of our cast to easily view the music video schedule.

The only thing left to do is to finish our animatic story board, that will illustrate exactly the shot types, location, and duration, of each scene. Although this will be time consuming as there is typically 1 shot every second in a music video, and our track is 3:30 minutes long, so that equals 210 shots that we have to draw out, but it should be worthwhile as this should further help organise and illustrate our ideas to our cast as well as ourselves.