The name of the game right now is MAJOR FRUSTRATION! The nature of the game right now is SUPER BUSY ORGANISING LOTS OF FILMS ALL AT ONCE! This part of the term in final year at Ravensbourne is quite difficult. My peers and I are all having to either Direct and/or Produce two films (of any type) and work in minor/ supporting roles for at least two other films (again, of any type).
I worked as 1st Assistant camera on an interesting drama about two children who are separated at birth and then a reunited in a field as they both sit gazing at the stars. One cinematographic advantage to this film was that two classmates had previously purchased a remote control, gyro-stabilized Octocopter: A small helicopter with 8 spinning blades. The Octocopter was in action, being flown in the fields of Ancaster with a Canon 7D strapped to the bottom of it, capturing the master shot for the scene.
I was focus pulling (on a Canon C300 at F1.2 on a 85mm lens with a dodgy lens gear, in the dark, wasnt tremendously easy), and I was Still photographer on set. It has become inherently obvious to me that after a 4 year stint at university, having practiced clay and »Toon-boom styles of animation, made short films of varying natures in various roles, always on the visual side rather than the sound, and after becoming a well practiced time-lapse Cinematographer with a 5DMkII and various brands of automated sliders.
I shot as Time-lapse cinematographer on the formerly mentioned stargazing film. The film was shot in Ancaster, Lincoln, and to be so far away from the city was blissful, from the point of view of a time-lapse artist. The stars are so much more prominent the further away from the city one goes. Having said that, the stars have become increasingly visible over the past few months and have made every effort to record them if I can, from my bedroom window, or the local park. If I only had more time to spend doing it recently I would have more to show for it, as due to being so busy opportunity is rare…but I remain passionate for it.
With my own films, I remain worried about the story I am projecting. There seems to be an age discrepancy in the interest of the script, leading me to believe I am clearly shooting it for a younger audience, as there has been good feedback from my peers, but poorer feedback about the story from the older generations.
Despite this, I remain hopeful that it will be an interesting watch, but cannot give you readers any details yet, as the film is not being shot until the middle of May. In the next issue I write, I will poster pictures, and examples of any other sources I may have from it. Alongside this, I am also going through the stages of editing a minidocumentary about a rower.
I have mentioned this before in a previous article, and its all underway, but it has been obvious to me how little I knew about documentary making. Its all very well recording it, getting the interviews etc, but then writing the script, and organising it for the editor, is a new mammoth task on its own, which is providing quite a learning curve I had not anticipated but am enjoying.
At this last 4 weeks in the academic year, and in the degree for that matter, the stress is on, tempers are flying, script paper is being shredded and scrunched up in every corner of my house, but what I hope will be a well filmed, interestingly written film should come out of it. The last thing that needs doing is the composition of the music; an ever changing, ever so difficult, but dynamic, and yet again, frustrating, part of the film-making process, but it will all get done.
