Shoot Day Part I

We filmed our project on two separate days. We filmed in the Studio on Tuesday and on Thursday we shot on location at the Dorking Stepping Stones.

On the Tuesday morning we started prepping the lighting and checking the playback on the sound system. I then, started setting up the Sony NX5 HD camera, and experimented with a few shots and their composition.

With us, we had our original storyboard, which helped us create a shot list, to help frame our day. The list went something like this:

1. A wide shot of the entire song with Leo in the chair playing the song, nothing else.
2. An entire take of the strumming only in mid shot.
(So far this would enable us to use footage from these takes should any error occur in post production)
3. Foot tapping in synchronisation with the opening 20 seconds
4. Transition shots in wide of Leo moving from the chair to the wall of polaroids
5. Extreme close up of eyes and lips, to the words "Only Love Is All Maroon"
6. A location/polaroid match on action shot. (Intention - to dissolve into location)
7. Leo by the record player in high angle (almost bids eye view) picking up the pin and putting it on the vinyl
8. Focus pull mid shot of the Guitar and the volume knobs of the record player. (See screengrabs)

9. Tracking to the right shot of Leo singing downstage centre and fading into black
10. Mid Shot Leaves
11. Wide Shot Leaves
12: Close Up Leaves
13. Low angle Leaves

We used a "genie" machine to aid these leaf shots. Using a leaf spreader that consisted of two wooden poles and some thin felt material stretched between them that had several slits through it in order to let the leaves gradually fall through, we raised the genie over the set and shook the spreader so that the leaves would sprinkle over the lead singer.

If I were to go back and change anything about this, I would have used less leaves because lots of audience members constructively criticised the amount of leaves used and said that the product verges on comedy here. However, this could also be biased because if one was to see anyone they knew in person have leaves poured over them then they would most probably find it comical.

My main role on the shoot day was being the camerawoman. Although we alternated between the roles of directing and playback, I felt that I had quite a specific vision for this shoot, and that my choice of composition was a key element. I kept to hand the list of shots and transitions needed, I was aware of what was needed so I did it as efficiently as I could; taking into consideration the frame and the lighting, etc.