Major Project: Karting Sequence Shoot

Major Project: Karting Sequence Shoot

Today we were down in Polegate filming a Go-Karting sequence that will feature in our documentary. The sequence aims to look back on where Alex's journey into motorsport started and how this particular area has helped him on his journey and continued his passion and kept his dream alive over the years. 

Being a strong hobby for him, Alex visits a number of kart tracks every year. Having visited the majority of them with him, gave me an advantage when it came to deciding where to film. 

Filching mannor down in Polegate seemed like the best option for multiple reasons. Firstly this was the first track Alex ever visited and he has a long history with the place (making for a good story). Secondly, the track is very open and ideally located in the

countryside away from housing, roads and air traffic. Which meant we could fly our drone and set up our cameras safely all around the track without issue. Thirdly the staff know Alex well and as such are very accommodating to our project.

All of which lead me to decide this was the best track to film at. Since Alex already has a discount at the track I decided it best for him to phone and make the booking, I simply sat in to ensure our timings, idea, and numbers were communicated and confirmed. After deciding/securing the location, the majority of my work as producer on this shoot day was done. However, I made sure to be engaged on site which I'll explain shortly. 

We arrived on location early in order to sign in, explain to the staff our set up and rig all our cameras. As director and DOP, Alex and Cailan had decided beforehand where the cameras needed to be placed, and I helped them get set up. each person on track was also to wear a go-pro to record POV footage I might use in the edit.

For the first few sessions Alex was on track we decided we should use a drone to capture a more free bird's eye view perspective of the track action (from a safe distance). Although Cailan was our DOP he was not as experienced at flying a drone as I was, as such I piloted the drone for during the racing. Although I had scheduled time for me to get set up when planning the shoot, in hindsight, I underestimated the amount of time I would need to get set up. As a result, I did not get the drone in. position until the race had already started meaning I missed out on a couple of shots we had planned for. Other than that I believe the footage I got followed the plan laid out by ALex and Cailan.

From then on I made sure we stayed on schedule and helped reset the cameras at the start of a new track session. Once the on-track section was complete it was time to move on to the PTC that we had scripted and planned. 

I had a copy of the script on me ready for Alex and myself to read from. For this section, we defaulted to our usual set up where Cailan would be on a shoulder-mounted handheld camera rig, and I would stand next to him to act as a guide for Alex's eyeline, giving him someone to talk to and being able to support both of them at the same time.

I read Alex's dialogue to him before he started each paragraph to ensure what he said was clear and focussed, but also sounded natural. It was at this point that we realised two of the questions I asked Alex sounded relatively similar and as a result led to less effective answers. Fortunately, we were able to overcome this issue by changing the wording of the question to get a more impactful answer. Alex did a good job as a contributor able to distance himself from the camera and reflect on his past in a more meaningful way. 

I was able to glace at Cailan's set up as well as the other cameras while on sight to make sure the framing stayed as desired. We actually finished the PTC slightly ahead of schedule giving us time to get a few establishing shots that we didn't have the chance to film earlier. Looking back I should have made more of a point of mentioning this to my team earlier as the shots we filmed at the end were more rushed due to the location closing for the day. Overall the footage looked good but when I come to edit it I may find some things that need re-shooting (e.g. some drone shots or establishing shots).

I checked the weather before our shoot as it said it may rain in the afternoon. To combat this I made sure to schedule as much as possible in the morning, which mostly worked in our favour (apart from missing a few establishing shots early on as mentioned), however, one thing I/we didn't account for was the high wind. The loud wind may have caused issues with some of the audio from the track but I won't know until I can look at all the footage properly. 

But other than that I think I fulfilled my role as producer well, I had read through all of the script notes and prepared the necissary paperwork for the day. I familiarised myself with the camera plans too. When Alex was on camera I think I did an effective job of relieving some of the pressure from him. Acting as a friend/guide to talk to and making sure what he said matched what we had planned for. But since today was quite relaxed he was able to communicate effectively with Cailan to ensure the framing and camera positions were as desired, whilst I did my best to keep everyone on schedule and made sure all crew (mostly Cailan) knew what they were doing and were happy.

UPDATE: We did end up refilling this sequence as we after watching it back we found issues with the sound and focus of the camera. I was able to locate a new day and times lot that worked for us and the location, and this time we had smoother result.

Major Project: Racing License Shoot

Major Project: Racing License Shoot

Today was our first proper shoot day for our major project.

The day was definitely throwing us in at the deep end, but I considering the scale of our project this was to be expected.

The days shoot revolved heavily around actuality of Alex taking his ARDS test (a specific type of on track driving test that will allow him to race properly). 

The day was broken up in to two key parts, the initial sequence (where Alex arrives at the track and prepares for his assessment, which involved taking a written test). For this sequence we had Cailan (DOP on the project) operating the main camera, and an additional camera operator (Jon) on a secondary camera for coverage. Before arriving at the track we had Alex talk to the camera about his feelings towards the day and whether he was feeling particularly nervous. This went well I think as Alex was relatively calm and able to feel natural in front of the camera. 

Once arriving at the track we were filming mostly actuality (non scripted segments) of Alex as he signed on, received his pre-track briefing and prepared for his written test. As producer, my role during this time was to act as a prompt for Alex, asking him questions and creating talking points that he could address with the camera. Being my first time in this kind of scenario, I think I struggled initially to make it feel natural and not scripted (which perhaps didn't put Alex in the best position, but is something I can work on going forward). I think Alex gave good direction to crew here despite the pressure that was on him at the time.

Once Alex successfully completed his written test, it was time for the second half of the day, where Alex was to take his physical test out on track. In my opinion this is where things began to go less than ideally (not so much for Alex since he was able to successfully  pass his test and focus on being a contributor rather than a director), but for the rest of the crew, we had some struggles.

The first being that there was a miscommunication between myself and the staff at Brands Hatch. As such the media access we had planned for was not granted (causing us to be restricted on where we could film and meaning we had to change our plans with little time to spare). This was my fault, I think this issue could have been avoided if I had read over more carefully the information that the track had sent me more clearly, and better communicated with them.

The second issue was that Alex was sent out over an hour earlier than we had planned/were initially told. I had arranged for an additional camera operator (Laura) to come down at a specific time based on the information we were given. This change meant we all had to go and set up (and I had to take Laura's camera to get it ready in advance).

I had planned to have time to brief Laura properly and get her comfortably set up. But due to our early start I was unable to properly do this. Since I was on a camera myself I had to give her a very quick run down of what she was doing and where she was filming, referring her to the paperwork prepared for any other information. This, paired with the little time she had with the camera meant she understandably struggled. 

I also struggled to film Alex's desired shots whilst he was out on track. The change in locations/access, paired with the fact I am not too familiar with he camera I was using (and that we forgot to  check the tripod before use, which turned out to be missing a base plate) caused me to have to stay and film handheld in a very restricted space to attempt to get an effective shot (which didn't go too well).

Being on camera I think also impacted my efforts as a producer, since I beam distracted by cinematography issues and lost focus on. some of my other responsibilities (like helping make sure Cailan shot what was required etc). The one positive thing from the day was that I was able to keep in constant contact with all the crew via walkie talkies I had bought, allowing our movements to be relatively in sync with one another.

Overall there were both positives and negatives to take from the day. The negatives being that I was not entirely focussed on my role as a producer (being distracted by camera's and filming issues). I didn't prepare as well as I should have done for this event, as a result we did not have the access we planned for, and I think I should have been more aware of the shots others were getting to ensure they were as listed on Alex's plan, and some of mine and Lauras footage was not as originally desired.

On a more positive note, communication between the team was relatively effective, and the additional crew adapted as best they possibly could to the changes thrust upon them. Alex passed his test with will allow him to race and for the doc to continue. I also have an understanding of what went wrong so that I can look to build upon that and work better from now on.

Major Project: Role Research (Producing)

Major Project: Role Research (Producing Skills)

As part of my research into my role as producer on this project, I went through information given by real producers and read online articles about producing a documentary. To find out the key skills I should have as a producer. The output from this research I undertook is summarised below.

• As a producer, it is important to keep in regular contact with your director/writer. In order to read, drafted and finished scripts

• You need to be able to secure the finance for a new production, either by pooling resources or organising fundraisers (in person or online).

• Organise crew for every shoot, including a director camera operators, and runners.

• Arrange other crew such as talent or location supervisors, or lighting professionals. 

• Keep in control of the production's budget, managing payments, tracking spending and allocate resources.

• Create and organise shooting schedules making sure to update them if any changes occur with crew or locations.

• Hold regular meetings with the director to discuss characters and scenes
• Act as an assistant or substitute for the director if no one else is available.

• Troubleshoot problems that arise during production.

• Ensure compliance with relevant regulations, risk assessments, health and safety etc.

• Supervise the progress of the project from production through to post-production.

• Deliver the finished production on time and to budget.

I hope to be able to take on board and develop all these skills throughout the production.

Major Project: Research-300 Pound Music Millionaire To Iron Man Athlete

Major Project: Research-300 Pound Music Millionaire To Iron Man Athlete

As part of my ongoing research for this project, I had a quick look at a documentary that was recommended to us. Namely "300 Pound Music Millionaire To Iron Man Athlete". Though this was quite a short piece I was still able to take some notes from it that may benefit us going forward. They can be read below.

• Great use of music from the start. We should keep that in teh forefront of our minds when opening our documentary. A strong music hook can grab an audience.
• Great use of graphics/text at the start. Often visual effects like this help to make a point.
• We meet the presenter straight away (but we have no idea who he is). If we do this in our documentary we must be sure to give background and set up for Alex as a person/character.
• Variety of camera angles and movements (particularly close up’s).
• Use of old photos/videos to connect us with the presenters past. I've mentioned this many times as an effective technique.
• The presenter is narrating us through their past, diary room PTC style. We may want to watch this when creating the plans for our sequence that follows this style.
• Some really nice editing techniques that I can think about when I'm putting together our doc.
• Pacing and narrative are pretty fast throughout but there are times when it is actually a detriment since it feels incredibly jumpy and all over the place.
• The presenter is passionate and engages the audience. As producer I hope to be able to guide Alex when he's on camera to give the same level of delivery.
• Music and camera angle changes a little too often, often ruins any atmosphere built up.

Closing Thoughts

• The documentary has a consistent tone throughout.
• A great example of PTC set up and how the presenter can sit down and take us through events in their life.
• The story felt very rushed and the constantly changing music bed and on-screen images, negated the full impact the story could have had.

Overall Relevance Score 7/10

Major Project: Research-Chris Harris On Cars

Major Project: Research-Chris Harris On Cars

As part of my ongoing research for this project, I was drawn to the short mini-documentary "Chris Harris On Cars". A series that Alex said may be inspiring for some parts of our project. Below are the notes I had after researching/watching the show.

• We meet the presenter straight away (this is very important when setting up your story).
• We can see some examples of decent editing and shot choices very early on!
• It's really nice to be able to see the presenters reactions when he’s driving the car.
• The choice of shots matches the narration.
• We get some B roll of key people/contributors.
• The presenter isn't that emotive, kind of flat personality.
• There is a clear lack of music in places.
• There's a good buildup of tension around seven minutes into the video.
• The presenter uses narration to convey how they were feeling at the time.
• Really nice shallow focus.
• Narration is used to push the narrative forward and to sum up events quickly.
• There wasn't a lot of attention given to the audio in this vid.
• 13:30 - some brilliant camera work!!! (Great use of slow-mo).
• The cutaways used to help tell the story.
• We don't get to see enough of the presenter throughout the video.
• We hardly talk to anyone in this video (almost no interaction with friends, colleagues or other contributors), so the story is not as informative as it potentially could have been.

Closing Thoughts

• Overall the narrative was weak.
• The intro and outro were…….. Meh
• This wasn't really a documentary, more of a vlog (and not a very good one either).
• Similar to the last documentary we aren't really made to care about the presenter in any way.
• The video did have some great camerawork though!
• The editing of this video was good and helped to keep consistent style and pace throughout.
• This video was some great inspiration for our "race segment " (but we could make it way more exciting!)

Overall Relevance Score 6/10

Major Project: Research-Meru

Major Project: Research-Meru

As part of my ongoing research for this documentary, I continued to seek out similar source material to draw inspiration and learn from. One of these was the documentary Meru. Below you can read the research notes I made from watching it.

• Great use of establishing shots at the start.
• We are actually introduced to the presenter by his wife, a unique way to show our main contributor.
• We get to hear the wife's perspective straight away.
• Lots of unique shots and camera angles in this documentary. good inspiration for the cinematography in our doc.
• Use of stock photos to emphasise a point/story. This is a useful technique i've noticed before and would like to implement somewhere in our project.
• Some really effective transitions edited into this documentary they help show the passing of time.
• This documentary adopts a video diary sort of style.
• The use of handheld camera helps us feel more connected to the presenter, like we are on the journey with them. This will be a key choice that we may make in our documentary.
• Nicely framed and set up interview scenes (use of plain background to keep the focus on the contributors).
• The narrative has a very reflective feel to it, as if the presenter is looking back on their journey. This is the tone we may want to consider for our project.
• There is a simple but effective soundtrack, the style of music used here will likely be similar to what I end up using in our film.
• The narrative can get very slow and tends to drag at times.
• There scenes where the presenter looks at old photos, and we look with them. I'd love to be able to make a scene like this o=in our film, possibly putting it in the diary room or somewhere similar.
• Effective narration throughout the doc.
• There are moments of tension and we as an audience feel on edge.
• We have a series of quick cuts and fast-paced editing as we build up to the accident.

• We get to see footage of one of the presenters in a hospital bed.
• However, these shots needed to be longer and more drawn out in order to make us actually care.
• Although the soundtrack was nice it wasn't utilised well enough.
• We see the presenter go through physiotherapy and a lengthy recovery process.
• We get to hear from the presenter's friends and family.
• As I mentioned earlier the pacing of this documentary definitely needed some work.
• However, the narrative was actually pretty straightforward and easy to follow.
• The presenter needed to talk to the audience more often.
• Present uses narration to reflect on hard times.
• During PTCs the presenter often feels quite flat I needed to speak with more energy.
• Use of VFX
• Thanks to effective cinematography and use of narration we do at times feel what the presenter felt.
• The soundtrack gets better towards the end.
• The narrative has a successful conclusion and rounds off nicely.

Closing Thoughts

• This documentary had great cinematography.
• It had a similar style to our documentary but not quite the same.
• It had a simple narrative structure that was easy to follow.
• It had a nice range of contributors that helped push the story forward.
• It lacked energy and didn't hold our attention all that well.
• Underuse of sound design.
• We don't connect with the presenter/story as much as we want to.

Overall Relevance Score 6/10

Major Project: Research-Fahrenheit 9/11

Major Project: Research-Fahrenheit 9/11

As part of my ongoing research, the next documentary I looked at was Fahrenheit 9/11. The notes I made on this film can be read below. 

• The documentary starts by asking a question.
• We are somewhat eased into the narrative.
• The story is driven forward by effective narration.
• Great use of music in this documentary. ALSO SOME NICE L-CUTS
• There is plenty of relevant stock footage.
• The narrator introduces each of the contributors and we have B-Roll of each of them before we see them.
• The narrator continues to talk to the audience and raises questions throughout the documentary.
• Photos are used when relevant clips onto available.
• The pacing is pretty consistent.
• Good camera angles that change regularly and a simple background for interviews.
• The lighting and some of the interviews needed more consideration.
• This documentary tells it how it is, it's clear and concise.
• We have some nice vox pops from Mrs Brown.
• We don't actually see a presenter until halfway through the documentary.
• Some of the interviews it clicked and cut to make a specific point.
• We have shown some quite shocking clips that help manipulate our emotions.
• We have a good range of perspectives present in this documentary.
• It's not immediately clear what the focus of the documentary is (apart from Bush).
• Vox pops could be slightly better directed/edited in order to drive the narrative.
• Lots of close-ups used throughout the doc.
• We see shots of people crying and being upset and angry.
• The documentary doesn't close by answering any questions, or summarising much in general.

Closing Thoughts

• Overall this was a really effective documentary but there is very little that we can take from it.
• It's definitely not the style we are after.
• Some great narration and a wide range of perspectives.
• It asks a lot of questions to keep us interested.
• The documentary had no real narrative arc.
• What do we come out of this documentary learning??? - Honestly not that much.

Overall relevance Score 5/10

Major Project: Research-Supersize Me

Major Project: Research-Supersize Me

The next documentary I looked in to as part of my ongoing research into this documentary was the well-renowned film "Supersize Me" I had watched this film before coming on board with the eh project. But after looking at what we had planned I knew it would be a good idea to re-visit it from a more critical perspective. Below are my notes from watching the documentary in regards to what . could learn from it to help with our film.

• The film starts our with relevant stock footage and a quote.
• It also starts with statistics + graphics, both of these elements are effective in setting up the story.
• The presenter talks about his memories early on. (We see photos)
• Good use of graphics!!!
• Begins with narration from the Presenter.
• The presenter explains the aims of the documentary in just a few sentences.
• Editing techniques give contributors an effective introduction (cuts between them), something I could consider for our film.
• Use of montage early on, which is a good editing technique (But it was a very simple edit, not much effort in it).
• Contributors statements are clipped and cut down to make specific points.

• The handheld camera gives the doc a simple and un professional feel but does help us focus on certain things.
• We see the interaction between the presenter and his girlfriend, humanising him.
• Vox pops feel very random
• Editing techniques (graphics and text) are used to explain “rules” and other stuff. Could be useful in our film.
• There are consistency issues between interviews, narration etc.
• Uses plenty of relevant cutaways.
• Things are well explained and we the audience are easily educated.
• When the presenter is at a low point he wakes up and talks to the camera.
• Uses single shot/angle and mostly uncut shots when precentor finishes eating (kinda works kinda doesn't).

• Shots of vomiting included - it's gross but effective.
• The presenter takes time to talk to the audience.
• A huge variety of opinions and perspectives are used in this documentary.
• Photos are used when stock footage is not available,
• There is some matching music but not a lot.
• In general, there isn't enough music in this documentary. I've said before not to underestimate sound design.
• Plenty of car shots.
• Presenter often talks about how they're feeling.
• There are some establishing shots but they're kind of randomly spread/placed.
• The narrative is pretty easy to follow (but could still use a little more narration).
• Some nice walking and talking shots.
• We have a separate interview that gets a girlfriend starts (good for Mrs Brown).
• We had thoughts from the presenters family through a phone call (also good for Mrs Brown).
• At the end of the documentary, the results are summed up nice and quickly.

Closing Thoughts

• The documentary effectively opens encloses the narrative with a good explanation of the aims and what was learned.
• Shoddy camera work.
• We didn't really care about the presenter.
• The documentary doesn't do enough to keep the audience's attention.
• The documentary was very informing and delivered the facts well.
• The documentary was well rounded and balanced due to the range of contributors it featured.
• Overall it was an effective documentary that we can learn from.

Overall Relevance Score 7/10