Narrative filming images

Location .1. Hessle Foreshore

Whilst taking some of the shots with Lucy, the wind managed to send ripples down the pond. It was something I didn't expect to happen, but it made such an impact when capturing shots. 

Because this location is a public place, I had difficult trying to do continuous filming as dog owners and walkers kept wondering into the shots.  

It was quite a windy day when we went filming, and that made another impact on my filming as it created  effects that I never thought of using or placing in my music video. 

I found when I was filming Lucy that she brought across the character I am trying to portray in my music video. But also added her own approach.  

Location .2. Ferriby Woodland

We then carried on filming at Ferriby woodland. I wanted to be there before the sun seated so I could get some shots with Lucy capturing the sun seating through the trees.  

I'd decided to change Lucy's look in this location. Trying to add an innocent side to the character. 

Trying to make Lucy show emotions through her eyes, and her facial expressions.

Capturing the sun seating through the trees whilst filming. 

Narrative filming

Sunday 25th November: Filming with Lucy 

Today I was able to do my narrative filming with Lucy!

It was a pain having to cart everything round with us, however, my mum offered to drive me to all three of my locations. It was a great privilege. She even helped to help set things up, and go through my health and safety check list with Lucy before I started filming. 

I started filming at Hessle Foreshore. Lucy portrayed the character fantastically. She even managed to put part of herself into while filming. She found it very difficult to show such a moody character. But she was able to show emotions through her eyes, and connect with my target audience.

One of the main problems I had whilst I was filming was being interrupted by people walking there dogs along side the pond. It took a while for them to move on which meant a lot of my time was trying to re-shoot shots of Lucy walking into the river.

We stayed there for a few hours. I managed to get all of the shots I'd planned on my story board. And while I was there, I had a few other ideas, shots, within my location.

After a few hours we moved on to my second location Ferriby Woodland. Here I had to bring two sacks of dry leaves and extra hairspray for Lucy’s hair as the wind had picked up a bit. Before I started shooting I ran through the shots that I wanted to do with Lucy making sure that she was comfortable and another health and safety check list.

I didn’t have any major problems with shooting in this location. It is a very quite aria and there was plenty of different spots where I wanted to shoot different shots. One section I found practically hard to shot was the leaves falling through the trees. We wasn’t sure which direction the wind was blowing in so some of the footage isn’t worth keeping. But it didn’t take use long to film all the footage for my music video. I just have to finish filming my Performance footage to then be able to start editing. 

Filming in the theatre

Friday 23rd November: Another section of filming. 

I was able to book the theatre again today!!!
This time I was able to rally things round together and get everything ready and in the theatre within a couple of minutes.
Claudia was able to give me a hand again today, which I very much appreciated. She helped with styling Danny's hair, setting up the microphone with its cable, and helping me set up the music system in the theatre so I was able to lync the computer up to the speakers. I thought it was a better idea than using the speakers from last week. This helped a lot for when Danny and Iona had to lip sing. And It was easier for me to operate with whilst filming.
I carried on with filming the shots I'd chosen to film in my production schedule. From this I was able to ask the theatre technician whether there where any other  lighting settings I could us in my video. The lighting I had chosen was the purple/ red tone which brings out lovely tonal colours which added charisma to my performers complexions. But I found that in some of the shots it produced shadows over there faces.
We went through all of the different light settings with the already purple/ red lighting. I was still interested in having a drop light on Danny and Iona, giving it a more of a live performance atmosphere. But it didn't settle well with the coloured lighting. We then tried the lights at the side of the theatre. I felt that they boosted the brightness, and added warmth into the shots.

One of the main things I have been having problems with is finding the appropriate time to do some filming with Danny and Iona. but I can never seem to pick relevant times for either of them, to film them both together. And even when I do have a chance to film them together, either one of them have forgotten there outfit, or a specific thing I have asked them to bring along to that day.

After going through all the footage I'd shot today, I released that there where a few things I need to change.

I need to have a practice with my camera techniques. I found that when I was trying to do a pan, or a tracking shot that I tended to stutter with the tri-pod whilst walking and standing it in place. Something I am going to have to practice doing before I start filming my proper shots.
I also found that most of my clips where out of  focus. Something I will go and ask some advice from my media teacher.
I also felt that the lighting wasn't bright enough. A lot of my footage had shadows across Danny and Iona's faces. I will double check that next time when I am filming I am using the correct amount of lighting.
Another thing that I found when I was filming was that you could see some of the electrical equipment that I wasn't using whilst filming. I will make sure that I moved everything unnecessary out of the shot when recording.  

Photos of Filming in the theatre

Preparation for filming 

 Having the right look for my music video, and making sure that the lighting was in the right place without casting a shadow, or making my performers look shinny on camera.

Danny going through some of the lyrics to the song.

 In case my performers forgot their lyrics in one particular places, I wrote the lyrics on a white board which was in the Theatre. It was very useful.

I had people helping me with memorizing the lyrics, bringing down equipment, and styling my performers hair, and doing makeup.

Filming 

A shot of me filming Iona whilst shooting one of my main shots within my music video.

Making sure that the lighting was the right colour, and not casting a shadow over Danny and Iona's faces.

Setting up, getting in a few practice shots, Letting Iona have a run through the lyrics of my song.

My friend Claudia, went round taking some extra photos of the set out, and Iona performing while I carried on doing some filming. 

Health and Safety for Filming in the Theatre

Hazards	Who's at risk	Controls	Severity of Injury	Chance of Injury	Risk	Control Measures
Lighting	Cast, Camera operators	Secure Lighting	Serious	Low	Low	Get the Lighting checked Highlight the danger hazards
Fire	Cast, Camera operators	Fire Procedure discussed, Fire Extinguisher	Serious	Low	Low	Making sure everyone’s accounted for, someone looking after safety
Microphone Cables	Cast, Camera operators	Fix to the floor	Not so serious	Low	Low	Check the equipment, Have someone else watching for safety, High light hazards

Production schedule

Friday 16th November-
Performance filming in the studio for two hours.
Shots I am planning on filming:

• shots, 6 (long shot of microphones), 
• shots-7,11,14 (medium shot of male performer), 
• shot 8 (Medium shot/ Pan of male performer), 
• shot 9 (Medium tracking shot of male performer), 
• shots-10,12 (Close up of male performer), 
• shot 13( High angle shot of male performer), 
• shot 15(Long shot of male performer). 

Friday 23rd November-

Performance filming in the studio for two hours.

Shots I am planning on filming:

• shot 45(Medium shot, into a zoom of Iona and Danny), 
• shot 46 (Close up of Iona), 
• shot 49 (over the shoulder shot of Iona), 
• shot 50(Side shot of Danny and Iona), 
• shot 81(Long shot, tracking shot of Iona and Danny).

Sunday 25th November-

Narrative filming at North ferriby woodland, and Hessle foreshore.

Shots I am planning on filming;

• shot 16(Long shot of a nature scene), 
• shot 17(Medium shot of Lucy walking round tree), 
• shot 18(Close up/Zoom of Lucy), 
• shot 21(Long shot of Lucy walking into pond/river), 
• shot 22,23(Long shot/ tracking shot of Lucy walking into river/ pond), 
• shot 24(Medium close up of Lucy in river/pond), 
• shot 25(Long shot of Lucy's shoes walking in woodland), 
• shot 26, 27(high angle and low angle shots of leaves failing), 
• shot 29(long shot of leaves falling on Lucy), 
• shot 32,33(Medium shot of Lucy spinning round in the river).

Microphones

Watching music videos from my chosen genres for my research, I came across Michael Buble (a well known adult contemporary artist) and his song 'Cry me a river'. There only prop in the video was a Shure 55SH microphone (This is also known as vintage style vocal microphone) used to set the scene. It was commonly used in the 60's for live performances, and is still used in modern live performance and music videos today.

I would like to stick to the set image for my music videos as best as I can. But through doing some research and asking round at my college and surrounding areas where I live, it is impossible and unlikely to be able to borrow microphones like this one. 

(AKG C3000)(AKG C4000)

Doing some more research into Microphones I am across theses two  AKG C3000 and an AKG C4000. These microphones are used in a live recording studio, recording instruments like piano, woodwind, brass and most commonly vocals. These microphones have a similar appearance to the Shure 55SH, and could well bring across my 60's vintage style I am looking for. However, talking to a teacher at my college, it is also unlikely to be able to use these microphones due to there value.   

So instead I have decided with using a modern day microphone such as a Shure SM58. Sure it doesn't have the same effect as the Shure 55SH microphone, but they are easily accessible. I have asked to borrow them from my college for the number of hours I need to collect footage for my music video.