1. Did you enjoy the workshop day? What were your best bits and why?
Not only was the workshop enjoyable retrospectively on seeing the amazing results of the footage, but on the day, the atmosphere from the very start was positive, the class and crew energetic and the whole experience was honestly pretty unforgettable. Initially I was really quite nervous about the whole performance aspect of the shoot as from studying Media I have grown more comfortable with behind-the-scenes roles, however the encouraging attitude from other pupils and the teachers, first AD Jasmine and director Jake instantly made me feel at ease. As a dancer, I really enjoyed leading the crowd routine at the end- especially since the super wide angle lens made my limbs look like rubber-and ended up getting so into it that I deviated from the set choreography AKA missed my cue to crouch. I also loved shooting the 'aggressive track' shots, competing for screen time with the other band members and generally just jumping on each other (which seemed to happen a fair bit, even when the cameras weren't rolling...)
As many of the band shots were completed by lunch time I got the chance to observe the crew filming cutaways of the dancers. For me, this was really enjoyable as I could see on the monitor the composition and angles used and the effect they created. I was so impressed by the professionalism and quality of the shots and camera (<3!!!) and really relished the chance to experience the goings on of an (as close as possible to) industry shoot. The equipment including the crane, jib and track really simulated a professional environment and I feel lucky to have been able to handle and discover how and why they are used. Although the day was tiring, there were no 'low points' due to everyones enthusiasm and the well planned schedule which ensured every cast member was kept occupied. And when the day ended, I was genuinely sad to go. Through immersing ourselves in the world of a lyrically ridiculous 90's boyband our class really bonded. They don't call us the 'media family' for nothing...
2. What did you learn from participating in the workshop?
- Shoot the entire song from each set up. ( You never know what you might need.)
- Always shoot more footage than necessary. (It's better to have too much choice than not enough. Keep your options open and shoot a variety to ensure plenty of room for experimenting in post production.)
- The importance of a GOOD shoot schedule. (Allow atleast 2 hours for any interruptions or discrepancies and try your best to stick to it. As we were recreating a video we knew exactly the shots we needed but a well planned schedule can allow for creativity and spontaneity on set without turning into carnage. Also on a long day such as this one, people do not like to be kept waiting. Following the schedule ensures everything can get done on time. This = happy band = good performance = happy crew. Productivity is in the planning!
- LIGHTING- there's a lot of it. And its so so so important to the quality, feel and general mise-en-scene of the footage. We were lucky enough to have lots of equipment at our disposal and talented technicians Tom and James to keep things in check. We used blue lights on the RHS of the hall to create the slight hue in the original video and pulsing backlights on the stage as well as a selection of standard lights to create a flattering beauty shot effect for most of the shots. We even covered windows to get rid of any natural light so we were in complete control of the look of the shots. From this I realised how vital good or even just appropriate (for the look of the video) lighting is and it has really made me consider, when it comes to our own shoots, perhaps roping in someone more specialised in this area if I want to achieve this standard of professional quality.
3. Are you pleased with the footage and your edit? Is it how you expected it to look?
The footage looks incredible for an amalgamation of reasons including the camera and lenses used (once again <3 !!!!), lighting, set, costume, performance and expertise of the crew.
As we had originally set out to create a shot for shot remake of the video, our group began editing as close to the original as possible. However on viewing the rushes we soon realised that some alternative shots we had were actually more fitting and dynamic than other replicated shots so included them instead. Where possible, we tried to keep to the same shot length as the original video since the fast paced, choppy editing is one of it's strengths however about half way through we went somewhat off-piste and just ended up doing our own thing. We did not have very long to edit so everybody contributed during lessons, free periods, lunchtimes and after school, leaving notes and suggestions to other members of the team when we weren't able to edit together.
From my AS coursework project I learnt that I am a strong believer in colour grading and its importance in creating the right look for a shot which led me (with a lot of help from technician Chris) to spend several hours colouring each shot individually to a pedantic-verging-on-manic-obsessive degree. We could not achieve the same look as the original video but aimed to still create something visually eye-catching and punchy and I'm actually pretty pleased with how it turned out. Since we shot on two different cameras it was quite difficult to make the shots look similar but hopefully this isn't too noticeable and we have managed to mask this enough through grading and snappy editing. We had about 4 alternative ending shots but eventually decided to do something slightly different and reverse the early shot of the curtains opening and the band members jumping off stage to give the video a kind of cyclical effect and a sense of equilibrium being restored (also we thought it looked quite cool).
4. How do you think your workshop experiences will impact on your approach to next term's music video coursework?
I have learnt so much from the workshop day, the planning leading up to it and the post production that followed and it will certainly impact on my approach to the autumn project. From hands on experience I have picked up on how to behave both infront and behind the camera and the lip syncing and choreographic exercises have made me realise that potentially performing in my own video would not be the worst thing in the world. Choosing to recreate a video from a genre and band that perhaps would not have normally been my first port of call has made me realise the vastness of scope in choices for selecting a song and really opened my eyes to the idea of doing something a bit different. On the technical side of things, I have had the opportunity to really observe and experience professional equipment and the effects that can be created with the right tools and knowledge. Above all, I have learnt how everybody has a part to play in the production process of a music video and the importance of paying attention to the details and doing each stage well to ensure a successful outcome and a video we are truly proud of.
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