Last Filming Day

To film the last part of our film opening we went down to our local train station. This filming day was much more stressful as to ensure we get all the shots we want we also had to get on a train, but the train we needed to get on onlt gave us 40 minutes to film everything we needed to. This was a good thing as it made us much more efficient. We also used two cameras again so two people could film different angles and different shot types at the same time. We also didn't want our protagonist's face to be revealed until she's at the office to add mystery, so this was another obstacle we had to watch out for.

We filmed; two establishing shots of the train station, Samantha walking to the station, buying her ticket, walking through the ticket barrier, walking to the platform, getting on the train and her on the train.

For the first establishing shot, we filmed over the bridge; in the frame you can see the station itself and a train on the tracks going under the tunnel. The second, was of a fast train going past, we used a mid shot and stood close to the edge of the platform.

We used a tracking shot following behind Samantha walking towards the station and the second camera used a wide-shot of her walking towards it. We had to retake this shot a few times to ensure Samantha's face wasn't in shot. This camera then panned to show her buying a ticket at the ticket machine. At the machine, we used a zoomed in tilt up, starting from her shoes and stopping at her hand which is using the machine. A zoomed in over the shoulder shot shoes her selecting a ticket to London Marylebone.  We then use a close up shot of Samantha's hand getting the ticket out of the machine.

When Samantha walks through the barrier we used both cameras, one of us filmed her putting the ticket in from behind and I was filming a mid shot from the other side of the barrier and follow her until the stairs in which I stop walking and film her walking down them. The other camera then waited and filmed her from behind coming down the second flight of stairs. I then had to rush down the stairs to the bottom where we filmed a close up of Samantha's shoes walking down the last few steps.

It was very difficult to film Samantha actually getting on the train because someone needed to get on the train and film her getting on and I had to film her getting on but from behind and then get on the train too! Was very stressful but we managed to get the shots we wanted.

On the train we filmed her flicking through a magazine and we saw the opportunity to use an over the shoulder shot.

Overall the day was very stressful but the small time frame allowed us to get the shots we wanted.

Here is the second rough cut of our film opening:

Another Filming Day

Last Thursday, my media studies class and I went into our local town to film the rest of our film opening. The weather was rainy and dark so we took advantage of this and used it to create pathetic fallacy as our protagonist is feeling stressed because she forgot her boss' coffee. The scene we filmed was when Samantha is running to get the coffee. Our actor, Molly, had to run into Costa Coffee and collect the cups of coffee and run back to the office again. We decided to film with two cameras so we could get a variety of different shots and angles of the same footage and would add continuity when editing.

We started with both cameras on the other side of the road to Samantha, and one camera used an extra long-shot panning her running into Costa, the other used a more zoomed in long-shot of her running.

For Samantha leaving Costa, we borrowed two coffee cups which added verisimilitude. We then filmed a mid shot of Samantha leaving the cafe holding two cups and start to run the way she came from.

To add variation we then used one of the cameras to film Samantha running away from the camera on the same side of the road.

Then we filmed a long shot of her running back to the office holding the coffee cups.

Where the screen shot says 'Title Text Here', we envisage this being where our film title will come up. We hope to add a transition so that it moves to the left as if Samantha's running after it.

Next Thursday we are going to film our train station scene, this is will be our last filming day.

More Filming on Trip to London

When we watched the footage we took from day 1 of filming we concluded we need to include clips of Samantha getting to the office to make it more like a normal day of work. Fortunately, year 12 and 13 media studies students are going to the BBC Broadcasting House for a tour in London on Thursday 20th November. We will be taking the train there so we can film some footage of the train and the train station and include it in our opening as if it was Samantha's commute.

How The First Half of Filming Went

On Sunday we completed filming the first half of our chick flick film opening. Filming went well, we managed to film everything we needed within the 2 hour and the filming location was even better than we expected.

As we had never visited our filming location before we found it difficult to plan what we wanted to film and where, but when we arrived we found out there was a spacious room with a glass table and chairs in, we decided this would be the main office room where most of the filming took place.

Many of the shots took multiple takes to get right and we took it in turn to film different ones. My job was to film the match on action shot of Samantha (the intern) opening the door and walking through and her walking down the corridor. Both took a while to get right and took many takes. When she opened the door it was particularly difficult to ensure I didn't cut her head off whilst walking behind her. Watching the footage back now, I feel the part where she comes round the other side of the door looks unprofessional so I may just use the clip where she opens the door and then cut to her walking down the corridor. When Samantha walked down the corridor, was the most difficult clip to film. The main difficulty was trying to walk at the same pace but a bit ahead of her and keep her head in shot all whilst walking backwards. But I am pleased with how it looks now after the many attempts.

Chaya's job was to film the wide shot of Samantha entering the room and sitting down, this also took many takes. The issue with this clip was also ensuring Samantha's head didn't get cut out of shot, which was proved to be very problematic when she sat down. We then realised we had to essentially 'lead' her with the camera and move it down before she has sat down. Chaya also featured in the opening as an extra who measures a big wall poster against the wall. The use of extras doing odd jobs made the office feel like there was more than 2 people working there and more true to life.

Georgia also made an appearance as the person who brought the clothes rail on and sorted the clothes.  She also had the responsibility of filming the over the shoulder shot of Samantha reading the confidential letter. This also took many attempts as we experimented with the camera, using the tripod to make the camera film higher and lower shots.

Overall, we had a very successful day and used our time well. We need to discuss when to film the next half of our opening.

Inspirational Film Openings

I have researched chick flick film openings and continuing to look for a similar opening to the one I wish to film myself. One common feature which appears in most chick flick openings is a cut away shot between two narratives which builds up suspense.

Here is the Legally Blonde film opening:



The opening cuts between two different main people; Elle and her best friend. It starts with Elle brushing her hair in her very pink bed room. From the moment the clip starts you know it's a chick flick due to the pink girly environment. The upbeat song which is used in the background has inspired me to use one similar for my opening. I also like how you can hear the characters talking over the music.