We recently filmed the shots we need for our last slice of pizza film in a shootout style.
The week before hand we had compiled a number of documents to assist us in the planning and the actual shoot, this included a shot list, storyboard, screen tests, location scouting and research into the techniques and types of shots used.
Overall i’m very pleased with how the shooting went, however there were some problems we encountered which complicated things a little.
What went well
.We hadn’t originally planned on using a tripod to film because we thought a hand held style would look more natural and fit the film better. However because we used a tripod it meant we could very easily line up our shots and confer with each other until we had the frame just where we wanted. For this reason I think the tripod was a good choice, but its shown me that in the future we should think more about how we are actually going to film the shots not just the shots themselves
.Prior to the shoot we had made a shot list and storyboard to assist us in making sure we knew exactly what we had to film. This meant we could use it as a check list so we didn’t miss anything, also it was very useful in making sure everyone was on the same page so that when we had finished a shot we could move swiftly and smoothly onto the next one. Personally I found these two things in particular extremely helpful when filming so will definitely continue to use them, but I now know it important to include as much detail and information as possible to make everyones life easier when filming
What could’ve gone better
.On the day we encountered some technical difficulties in the form of the camera dieing. We had arrived at the location and begun filming only to loose the battery life not long after, this could’ve been avoided by checking all our equipment before going to the shoot and making sure to bring any spares we might need, like battery packs for example.
.On the day of the shoot we were experiencing some bad weather. We knew that the forecast wasn’t going to be great so had prepared a backup location in the cafeteria. However we hadn’t thought about any new problems a change in location might cause, such as our location being occupied by another group also wanting to film there and how it would impact the look and feel of our film. Thankfully the weather cleared up before we went out for our shoot, meaning we could use our original location. This has shown us though that we need to consider any complications that might arise as a result of our location and to plan accordingly
Matthew Tucker 