Yesterday we met at 10.15am to run through the script and get sorted for the shoot at 12pm. We were meeting the actors at 11.45am so it was important that we got everything prepared for the shoot in this hour and a half – we only had the room booked for two hours so we needed to be on the ball and know exactly what we were doing when we got in there.
However, we spent most of the time before the shoot doing what we should have already had done before. We began by going through the entire script and discussing/editing the bits that we were unsure about. Obviously this needed doing, but I feel that we perhaps should have done this before yesterday morning – that way we could have used the whole hour for a full rehearsal with Josh and could have also discussed and agreed on a filming schedule/shot list. Because we didn’t do this, we were all over the place when it came to the shoot.
The extras arrived and, although we only had 4 extras, we rearranged the room so that the class size looked relatively normal. We stuck posters up on the walls (courtesy of Sam, he went all over for those posters!) and Mark and I set up our equipment. Whilst we were going through the script earlier, I wrote down a list of all the scenes we needed to get in the classroom and allocated times for each scene. Because we only had the room for 2 hours and needed to allow ourselves at least half an hour to set up/pack away, the most we could spend on each scene was 10 minutes. I knew that we wouldn’t have much time on each scene, but this was even less than I’d imagined.
Anyway, the extras were all in place and we were all set up, but then the actors needed briefing on what to do. This took up so much time, and it hadn’t been decided which pupil was saying which parts of the script so it took even longer to allocate lines to the extras. When we did get down to filming it I think the brief schedule/shot list I did got scrapped and we just did it in order of the script. Because we didn’t have a shot list sorted, I decided to just film each part of the scene from a couple of different angles (we didn’t have time for any more) and get one shot of the pupil saying the line which they was allocated. The reason I wanted to get this was so that we could at least get a shot reverse shot when Jack is having a conversation with the pupils.
However, when I was trying to get these shots I think some of the group got a bit agitated and said that we could just have one shot throughout each bit of the montage (e.g. one shot of him entering the room and for the whole of this bit, one shot for him doing maths, one for sex ed, etc). I know that we were very short for time, but for me there’s no way that we can just have the same mid shot of Jack throughout each 30-60 second scene, even when the pupils are speaking back to him the camera wouldn’t change, imagine how boring it would be to watch! We wouldn’t even need an editor ha. If we really didn’t have time to do any shot variety I would accept it, but for the time wasted briefing the actors and making them learn their lines during the shoot, we could have got the shots/scenes needed – I think this is a lesson we have learned for next time and I’m sure we’ll manage the time much better. I think we should definitely get the actors in before the shoot to brief them and, if we know who they are well enough in advance, we should perhaps email them a copy of the script so that they can learn their lines. Then when it comes to the shoot we can get straight down to it.
Mark also had a few difficulties with the sound. As if it wasn’t difficult enough that the room had a VERY high ceiling and echoed A LOT, he was getting a loud buzzing sound. I’m sure Mark will speak about this though.
The shoot could have gone really well, providing that we had planned it and organized it thoroughly beforehand, so I’m disappointed that it was a bit of a disaster. I think that we were lucky to get this room and feel as though we wasted the time that we had in it.
We spent an hour going through what we were going to do. We were all a bit gutted that we didn’t get much done (we only did 2 scenes out of 7, and the footage wasn’t very good at all), so nobody really knew where to start. In the end we decided that we would try and get a room for Friday after our tutorial with Annie, so preferably around 1pm. This would be to shoot the parents evening scene. I suggested meeting at 11am so that we can spend an hour rehearsing, and I’ve asked Nicola whether it’s ok to ask Josh to learn his lines before Friday so that we can have a proper rehearsal during this hour.
We haven’t got a Nicole Robinson anymore so it looks like having to use Nicola for this part. I think this is probably a good idea anyway. Even though she isn’t blonde as she imagined Nicole to be, at least we know she will definitely be there. Plus she wrote the script so knows it quite well, and has had practice acting in the Taxi Driver exercise we did.
I’ve emailed Annie asking her to book a room for us on Friday (for the parents evening scene) and next Tuesday (for the classroom scenes again). If she is able to get us the rooms, the plan for Friday is as follows:
Actors
Josh – Jack Allcock
Nicola (if we don’t get anybody else) – Nicole Robinson
Costume
Jack – Usual white shirt, purple tie, black trousers
Nicola – Sophisticated look, maybe a skirt with tights and a nice top
- Props
- Posters on walls
- Coffee cup on desk
- Papers for Sean's assignments
- A register, pencil pot, etc
Schedule (Likely to change depending on when we get a room for)
- 11am – meet at the media base
- 11.15am – have a FULL rehearsal of the parents evening scene
- 12.30pm – meeting with Annie
- 1pm – Get to a classroom (don’t know which one yet)
- 1.15pm - Nicole’s entrance, including Jack’s reaction to this
- 1.30pm - The conversation up to Jack handing Nicole Sean’s assignments
- 2.00pm - Jack’s imagination – Nicole leaning over desk seductively, Jack
- pouncing on her, etc
- 2.30pm - Conversation from ‘Mr Allcock, are you alright’ to Nicole leaving
- 3.15pm - Internal monologue of Jack in classroom – thinks he’s in love
- 3.45pm - Pack up equipment
This is only a very rough and brief schedule, I don’t even know whether we’ve definitely got a room yet. If we haven’t we can use the media base, it would look ok for a parent’s evening but might be difficult for sound as people are always walking nearby. I will get back to you all as soon as I hear back from Annie about the room, and will let write a complete shot list/schedule for Friday and Tuesday when I know. I will also be doing storyboards.
I think that we will be absolutely fine for Friday. If I have storyboards I’ll know exactly what shots I need to get, and if I discuss them with you all beforehand we’ll all know exactly what we’re doing when it comes to filming. If Nicola is acting it might be difficult for her to direct and, as Sam isn’t going to be there to take over, we’ll just have to work as a team and make sure that we stick to the schedule. I also think it might make it easier to provide each actor/extra with a script and highlight their lines for the scene which we’re shooting. I’m quite looking forward to it actually, see you all soon!
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