Filming Journal- Shooting in Thamesmead

For my final shoots, I went too Thamesmead where most of my title sequence will be filmed. I went round many areas including the lake and the tower blocks, using different shots, shot lengths and angles. I've taken over 70 videos and will organise these and eliminate the ones not needed.


The purpose of these shots was too set a context for the viewer, showing them what the area looks like and how it links to the narrative of the film (dull and rough). Below are some images of what I shot and how I shot them.

Handheld shots 

Filming Plan- Shooting in Thamesmead

Today I will be shooting in Thamesmead, the location in which my film is set. The weather is moderately cold with grey skies, this is fine as I want the tone to be dull and grey and the sun may ruin the shots. I have my equipment which is a DSLR camera and a tripod, this is all I need for the shots I want; the camera will give good quality filming and the tripod will allow for still shots(the tripod has a handle for handheld shots also)

I hope to get shots of the buildings, graffiti and my character and I will then review them before inserting them into Final Cut Pro.

Filming Journal- Second shoot

For my second shoot, I filmed in my house and got one of my actors too smoke a cigarette. Again, I took many videos, experimenting with shot types and then reviewed too see what worked best.


The purpose of the cigarette was to create iconography of a negative representation, as this is a theme which runs throughout the film.

Filming Journal- First Shoot

Now that i've done my storyboard and discussed it with my teachers, I want too start filming. I'll be doing a filming journal, documenting all the takes I do, where I do them and how I do them.

First Shoots

My first shoot was a landscape view of the area around Thamesmead, which is quite industrial. I took many different clips experimenting with shot types and camera movement. I then went home and looked over them and all and decided what one would fit best. Here's an image of me shooting, you can see I've used a tripod to keep the shot steady.

Filming plan- Characters Costume and Make-up

                                                                   Make-Up
The make-up will be pretty simple; foundation and mascara. The reason for this is I don't want the girl too look very colourful as the themes in the film are grey and dull and bright make-up wouldn't fit this.

Costume

 My actor will wear an over sized checkered shirt, this is a relaxed and simple piece of clothing that isn't too glamorous and so fits my theme and the narrative of the film.

She will also wear black skinny jeans, again these are relaxed and simple, and so fit the theme of the film

 Also, my actorwill wear black classic dr.martens, shoes which are popularly worn by skinheads and are part of British culture. This emphaisies the fact the film is British and that Helena has taken inspiration from the skinhead style. 

Planning- Animatic

An animatic is an animated storyboard that is used to preview what a clip will look like. Animatics are used widely in media industries to test films,commercials, video games etc. I will be creating an animatic for my title sequence as part of my planning to get an idea of what I want and it will help when it come to shooting. I'll be drawing a storyboard and then scanning it in where it will be but on Final Cut pro to be put together. Here is my animatic:

Editing -Chosen song

This is my chosen song which I found on Audio Network, a website for un copyrighted music. It's from the genre of urban trip-hop. The beginning of the song starts off as the recurring drum beat thats is played through out the song, it is then followed by the dymanics of the other compontents that make up the body of the instrumental after the musical rest of the introduction. The strong drum beat allows the intensity to build and may be a music technique to perhaps immertate a human rate beat. The drum beat shares similarities with solider marching, this may also be a techniques that the Composer, David O'brian, has used to incorporate the elements of fear and tension. I believe that this is the right song choice for my title sequence as the intensity created will add to my narrative, my camera movements and the genre. My genre is drama, and so dramatic music will fit well.

Song Choices

These are the songs I've found on Audio Network that I have to chose from.

Cold City by David O'Brien

This urban trip-hop song is fast paced, it has a strong drum beat that builds intensity and so will be good for a genre of drama.

Ghetto Nightmare by Dave James

It has a moderate tempo, the strings are plucked and short, as well as high pitched to add a sharpness to the feel of the instrumental. I believe this could also be a good candidate for my soundtrack due to the moderate tempo; It's not too fast but not too slow.

Film Re-pitch

Film pitch 2 from jasminelecomber

Film Pitch-feedback

Film Pitch- Presenting

Title Sequence Setting

I've decided where I'd like to film my title sequence, which is Thamesmead(a council estate in South-East London which is soon too be knocked down). The reason for this location is it's appearance, it's gritty and the architecture is dull and grey. These aspects link to the idea of 'social realism', which I want to look at, as the buildings show poverty( they're not very nice looking and looks like a council estate, which is usually provided by the council for people who can't afford housing. The area has a real character too it, it's different to a usual road with houses on, and it's easy to find unusual abandoned objects and graffiti. Whilst looking there was also alleyways and quite spaces. Here are some images I took: