Yesterday saw our first attempt of filming although this was largely successful there was a few problems that came up. The first of which was the weather which prevented one of the actors not being able to attend the shoot. The weather also contributed on the light being difficult to record in some angles. We responded by adjusting the camera to gain advantage from the conditions. Some of the things that went well included being well organised and by having a detailed storyboard made the transition of shots much easier. We are going to have to do some more filming due to the actor who was unavailable but should the weather permit will be no problem.
The main things I learnt from this experience is to have good communication with your group so if issues arise a logical solution can quickly be resolved. The final thing and most important is that organisation is essential. This means that a detailed shooting schedule should be made along with storyboards prior to the day filming.
As we found out in our continuity task, planning is essential to suscsess. To help maximise this we planed ahead a shooting schedule to help us work efficiently. Some aspects we had to think about when planning was how the outside lighting may affect a shot in the narrative, because of this we wont be filming our scenes in the chronological order they will be seen in the final cut.
The image on the left shows our leading protagonist (Cindy Sidhu). We originally requested her to work with us due to the fact she fits into the age bracket of our target market. Targeting people aged between 15-21 we felt it would be suitable to use a cast of people that age so that the viewers can relate and emphasise with the people on screen. The second reason we requested Cindy was that our first ideas was to incorporate a Bollywood film with western conventions. We felt it would be appropriate to select a cast which came from an Asian ethnicity as we believed it would create a more accurate portrayal of the Bollywood influence. Although we are no longer using this idea due to issues with some of the technical codes of Bollywood we still find Cindy to be a more that suitable candidate for the role we require. Aspects such as her dark hair are important as we feel it fits the characters depressive and psychologically unstable temperament by also having acting experience Cindy is our select protagonist.
I believe lighting is one of the most important factors to consider when we start filming and is something that is often overlooked.
Se7en (see above) is one of the films we have identified as a product we would like to take influence from. Throughout there title sequence the use of shadow and darkness is very important. By starting with out of focus hands that are in shadow not clearly shown suggests what have they been up to or capable and gives a sense of ambiguity. The theme of darkness continues when the titles are introduced with a black backdrop, the colour black can connote death and evil. Some bits where the lighting does change is where photos are developed in a room lit with red lights. The colour red can also connote blood however could equally suggest passion but in the context would most likely be the first.
This style isn't unique purely Se7en as the opening of the Requiem of a Dream shows. Although it isn't used quite as heavily as Se7en it does feature heavily and certainly effects the tone and mood. The opening two shots in particular are the most important in my mind as by starting up with a shady character the audience is immediately guessing of why the are in the darkness? and why had their identity been hidden. Requiem of a Dream does juxtapose with Se7en as later on characters are shot in brightly lit streets however the juxtaposition betwen the two styles only increases the affect that they produce.
How can I apply features into my project?
By watching these two openings what I have learnt includes the following; Sometimes by not revealing a character fully in the opening minutes can help keep the viewer interested and engaged trying to work out how they are or what they might be doing, and also how mood can easily be altered depending on how well lit something is.
