CONSTRUCTION: FILMING

22nd November

We filmed the main portion of our trailer on the 22nd November in Esher woods. The filming was a lengthy process as there were multiple different scenes and varying shots that we needed to capture. When we arrived we realised that some of our initial ideas may not work, such as using found footage for our entire film. We overcame this by using a variety of found footage, as well as some regular filming. We decided to film in these woods because we could all easily access them. Furthermore, the sunlight provided good natural lighting.

As stated above, we used found footage in our trailer. Found footage is where the camera is held by an actor in the trailer as they film. In our trailer, Kyle was usually the one behind the camera and asking questions. For example, in one of our scenes Kyle is filming and says 'is this thing even filming'. This is an example of found footage. Found footage is useful as it makes the audience feel as if they are in the film themselves and provides them with insight and makes them feel involved. We used found footage in other scenes as well.

In the scenes which we did not use found footage, we used a variety of different camera angles and shots in order to create meaning. For example, we used an over-the-shoulder shot capturing Blake's reaction to a branch suddenly snapping in the distance. This shot was successful as it allowed the audience to see Blake's reaction and shows that the focus of the shot is Blake.

Another shot that we used was an establishing shot. We were able to capture this shot using Matt's drone. We flew the drone over the woods in Esher in order to capture a short clip of the drone flying over the woodland area. An establishing shot is useful as it shows the audience where the trailer is going to be set.

1st December

On the 1st December we filmed the scene with Alecia in the car. This was an important scene in our trailer because it introduces the antagonists as scary and menacing. The footage we got was all filmed in a car park near Esher. We needed to film the shot where the man in the goat mask appears in front of Alecia's car. We used an over the shoulder shot filmed from the back seat of the car, showing the windscreen of the car from the inside. Then the man appeared in the windscreen and Alecia screams. We captured this scene well as it shows the scariness of the Transparent Animals and the vulnerability of Alecia.

The other shot we needed to get was a camera angle that could show Alecia in the driving seat, but now also showed men with animal masks sitting in the back seat. We used a three shot of Alecia in the foreground, sitting on the drivers seat and the masked men in the background in the back seats. The three shot was useful as it allowed us to capture Alecia's reaction as well as the two men sitting in the back. 

On this date we also filmed our protest scene which introduced the audience to the cause of the Transparent Animal's protesting, the covid-19 lockdown procedures. In the protest scene we used a variety of different short clips and a range of camera angles. We used a tracking shot that followed the protesters down the road and various close ups of the signs and banners. These camera angles created meaning as they introduced the audiences to the antagonists, at the beginning of the trailer.

CONSTRUCTION: NEWS REPORT

The construction of this scene proved to be very successful. The news report scene is one of the most important in our trailer as it gives the context behind the Transparent Animals. Therefore, it was very important to get in perfect.

During the filming of this scene, we made use of the media departments green screen (which we would later edit out and replace with a news studio). We filmed this part of the trailer with a DSLR camera on a tripod. Using the tripod allowed us to keep the footage steady and look professional. The audio on the camera was not very good, so we placed an iPhone behind Tom whilst he spoke in order to capture the audio very precisely. 

SCRIPT:

There has been numerous sightings of violent protesters wearing animal masks around Esher woods and the surrounding areas. The group call themselves The Transparent Animals and are terrorising locals in order to protest against the recent lockdown procedures, in light of the skyrocket in Covid-19 cases in the area. We would strongly advice all citizens to stay out of the woods at all times as there have been reports of aggravated assault and possession of offensive weapons. WE REMIND YOU – FOR YOUR OWN SAFETY, PLEASE STAY OUT OF THE WOODS AT ALL TIMES.

CONSTRUCTION: MAKING PROPS

PLANNING: CASTING

Casting is a key part to any film as it is very important that actors are able to successfully convey the messages and personalities of the characters in the film. For example, someone who is confident and loud may not be able to successfully portray a shy, quiet character. Casting is also important as if a film is poorly cast it reflects very badly on the quality of the end product. I have made a brief presentation explaining why we decided to cast our actors for their roles.

Casting a2 from BenRichardson55

PLANNING: COSTUMES

Costumes from BenRichardson55

PLANNING: PROPS

 

PLANNING: RISK ASSESSMENT

Risk Assessment	Hazard Proposed	Hazard posed to whom	Risk Level	How Risk was Controlled
Journey to location of filming.	Walking from Esher to the woods  and back from to Esher from the woods– cars.      Travelling via train to and from Esher – big step between train and platform, fast moving trains, public behaviour.                  Travelling via car to and from Esher – be aware of other drivers and pedestrians.	All 4 of us.               Sam, Finn                              Ben, Matt	High               Medium                              High	We took extra care when travelling to our site of filming, always looking both ways when crossing a road.   Sam and Finn will take extra care when entering and exiting the train making sure to check how big the gap between the train and platform is. Make sure to stand behind the yellow line on platforms. Avoid public confrontation.   When driving always check your mirrors and stick to the speed limit to reduce chance of accidents. Always look for pedestrians.
First Aid	Tripping/falling when filming in the woods.           Falling ill/sick Lack of vision - animal masks greatly reduce vision.	All 4 of us               All 4 of us All 4 of us	Medium               Low High	Take care when walking on uneven surfaces. We will carry plasters at all time to accommodate for any cuts.   Taking appropriate measures to help individuals who feel unwell i.e. calling their parents or getting them water. Walking slowly through woods when filming.
General public	Theft - drone, laptop, phones. Assault	All 4 of us                 All 4 of us	High High	Always carry items in a zipped up bag and never leave unattended when filming. Always checking we still have our valuables.   We will walk through public areas as a group of 4 in order to look less approachable. Will not speak to any other members of public.
Public incidents	Terrorism - caught up in terrorist activity leading to injury or confusion. COVID-19 lockdown - preventing us from filming.	All 4 of us All 4 of us	High High	We will follow given government guidelines and be aware of our surroundings so we do not get lost. Make sure everyone knows emergency contacts if needed e.g. 999. Making sure everyone follows covid-19 government guidelines and not breaking the law. Waiting until after the lockdown to continue filming.