Main Task - Construction

   This week we started filming. However, we had to start filming from the end as we were unable to get in touch with one of our characters. So we started filming in the dark room. This created an eerie environment, adding to our piece's feeling. We started filming the four girls saying their lines in front of a black sheet and holding a lighter to light up their face. However, after a couple of takes, we realised that the lighter would not light easily and would then blow out when the girls were talking, it was also not light enough as you could not see the girls faces. To overcome this we used matches, which were easier to light and would not blow out as easily, but we found that this also would not light up their faces. So, we then used an overhead snoop light, shining directly on the girls faces, we then asked the girls to hold the matches up to their faces. After that we decided that the matches and the light looked good together and filmed the girls with this.
   The next lesson we went up to the library and filmed the beginning of our piece. We decided to film our piece in the library as it is quite and adds to the tense atmosphere of our piece. We had our actor, Zak, sit in the corner of the library, while we tried to film a pan shot from the opposite side of the room. To do this we used a tripod. However, the tripod was very rigid and would not move smoothly. To overcome this we decided to hold the camera while doing the pan and then attaching the camera on to the tripod to do the zoom. We each had a turn at filming the pan to see which of us had the steadiest hand, which allowed the pan be smooth and the transition in to the zoom to not be jumpy. After we had filmed this we went to the next shot in the library which is of Zak picking up the book. We thought of lots of positions we could have filmed this in, however we ended up with Hayley lying on the ground behind the table, creating a low angle shot of Zak picking up the book and then putting it back on the shelf.
   After we had filmed the parts in the library, we had time to film the shots of Zak running. We found a pathway between two buildings that looks closed in, again adding to the feel of the piece. At first we had the camera on a tripod at the end of the path in the centre, and asked Zak to run towards us. I thought this was very effective and looked good, so we took a couple more shots to make sure we got it perfect. After this we had to film the part where Zak fell done the stairs which wakes him up from his dream. This was hard as we had to get the position of the camera right to make it look like he was falling down a long distance. To do this, I had to crouch on the floor and had the camera on a tripod which was a small as it could get. I then position the camera so that you could only see the top stair and then I made the camera tilt up in a low angle, creating the effect of a greater height. We filmed this a couple of times and then decided that we had got a decent shot.
   Once we had the dreaming bit completed, we still had time to film the bits of Zak in the dark room. To make the room seem like a hostage situation we had Zak sit on a chair with his hands behind his back to look as though they were tied there. We used the snoop light again, and placed it right infront of Zak's face. This added to the intesity of the scene. It also helped Zak to act as though he was just waking up and getting used to the light. We then filmed a close upof his eye of his eye getting used to the light and then a mid shot of his face and shoulders, still getting used to the light, to show the location.