BDM 311 (3d year project).

The last 2 days of shooting started on Saturday the 24. Again we had a small crew the only actors we had in for the scenes were Meadow and Luke. We've sorted the gear out of Friday and got everything down in the green screen room. There was a small issue with getting the gear but we managed and it was all set up for the shoot. I am still amazed how the art team came up with the physical space pod. My assumption was that it was all going to be green screen, so happily surprised great work on the art team. Luke and Meadow, again, have a great chemistry together and it shows on the screen. Luke is not a professional actor but there are times when he truly is Thai. With the issues we had last week with the tri-pod mostly cleared there where still some troubles with the replacement. I think it is hard to find the right tri-pod that fits my needs. My visual eyes wants to look at a scene through a DSLR as I have been taking photos since I was very young. But the difference with a film camera is quit different and it takes a while to adjust to that. Mostly because some lenses are set and I cannot just find the right angle that I do when using a DSLR. Virat was not available so I had no DOP to work with and I quit like working with Virat. Sarah did an amazing job as my first AD and I come to realise that that working relationship helps me out as a Director. So much that when Sarah was not available on Sunday I started to feel lost. Lee was a good replacement but she was not on set the whole time last week so we got behind schedule on Sunday. Sarah joined us later that Sunday, me and Lee both embraced our first AD. Below is a copy of the shooting order that Sarah provided and which made my job a bit easier. Those are my notes!    

 

Shooting schedule.

 

 

Meadow was a joy to have on set and was very professional in her approach to acting. Asking what blocking is crossing or travelling. She even made us a not and gave it to me mentioning that the whole crew should read it (see below). Working with children has its own issues also. Everyone had to not swear on set and the right diet had to be provided as Meadow follows a certain diet. Giving her a break and allowing her own space were she could relax and read her book was very important. 

 

Thank you note from Meadow.

 

 

Another example of the way Sarah prepared the scenes was when we decided which scenes to re shoot and which ones we should leave. Even colour coding if we might shoot on location or CG shot only. Filming at the SIT green screen room or tweaking it in post. This helped us out greatly and was very useful in the production . Adding our own notes on the side.

 

 

Shooting which scenes.

 

The plan was that we might of gone to Sandy point again for a few pick ups but we managed to do a few on the green screen. The weather was pretty bad and my DOP not being on that location caused a few hiccup's. On Saturday I got happy birthday congratulations from Chris just as a mention. A few people rolled with it and was the running joke of the day. Even Aman was thinking it was really my birthday that day. My goal on set was to be hard working but also have a laugh and not being strict on the crew. When supper was served I got invited into a dark student lounge and a cake mentioning my birthday. I was pleasantly surprised and thanked the crew with a speech for all their hard work and dedication for the last few weeks.

 

 

Birthday cake.

 

Many others helped out on the set and we could have not done it without their help. But everybody will get a mention in the credits when the production is finished. The BAMA students and the international students and actors. Gordon Kilkerr for providing us with a trailer Kyle for sound and so many others. Below is a group photo of the group that was still behind after the last day of shoot. Taken by George Borrie who was also on make up with Anna Obers. If you come at the end of this post Patrick we made your evil genius a reference to you ;)

 

 

The crew.



 



As a further note we will still shoot at Sandy point and add those scenes for the Flicks edition (2015). Onto the edit now and the animators, blog out.

BDM 311 (3rd year project).

 

Lana Black was on BTS.

 

Luke Page as Thai asking for Directions.

 

Kim and Aman; First AC and DOP on Sat and Sunday. Great job the both of them !

 

Green screen shenanigans. But in the end it worked out well :)

 

Scenes needing to be filmed and notes.

 

Director and one of the leads preparing for a scene.

 

 

Kyle as the sound master ;)

 

I wanted the set to be run right but still have room for enough laughs and enjoyment.

 

Part of the cave floor great work by the art department.

 

Detail of the button that Thai is pushing for the space pod.

 

Added details in the space pod.

 

The (pyyssical) space pod.

 

Walk way and space pod being studies by Sarah and Kyle. I was quit impressed with what the art department came up with kudos to them.

 

Arrival of Meadow on set and she was a great sport.

 

 

Main actress and Director. Meadow was very professional and on to it.

 

Great first AD and also noticing mistakes or issues that came up with the green screen.

 

The infamous tail slate as somebody for got to get the real one so we improvised.

 

 

 

 

Meadow and Luke had a great chemistry together and played of each other quit well.

 

Callum served as the assistant to Lee but was also boom handler for Kyle.

 

The animators did a great job helping out with the props. Chris was a great help on set.

 

Aman checking the lights on the green screen.

 

Lynch and the antlers which caused some issues towards the outlining green screen.

Extra green screen Aman with the butterfly kit.

 

 

 

Our cast of 4.

 

 

BDM 311 (3rd year project)

Friday the 15 is when we started putting up the green screen in the dance studio, which is now a drawing studio. We got permission from Karl to fix it up against the wall where the windows are. I volunteered to help out with that and got on the ladder drill in hand and we managed quit well with a small team of people. With Thai (Luke Page) waking up on the crash site we got needed to visually show that in front of the green screen. So some us went to the beach and dug sand in buckets. And filled up the trailer we got on loan from Gordon. Tarps on the ground and old sheets been stacked together as a base. It was quit a mission to get the sand upstairs in the studio without it spilling everywhere. And evenly putting it into its place.

Saturday the 16 first day of shooting in both the SIT pro studio and our improvised green screen studio. I was glad that the screws were still attached to the wall and the supporting the green screen. In the SIT pro studio Virat had managed to set the light up the day before as he could not make it due to work. So Aman was my DOP and Kim first AC. They both managed it quit well and I was pretty proud of the commitment during those 2 days. With green screen it is pivotal that the markers are on the screen when you move the camera. This I sometimes forgot but Sarah (my first AD) was pretty onto it. When I see a good frame I just want to get the camera and shoot it. But sticking to the pre-vis and storyboarding makes that not so easy. Luke Page who plays Thai did not feel that well, the flu virus, so I felt quit sorry for him to go through the motions each and every time. More than a few people weren't available for the 2 days so we got behind schedule pretty fast. The other issue was that we had to evacuate the building by 9PM so that deadline was creeping up closely. In the end everybody pulled their weight and i was quit impressed with how it all went.

Sunday the 17 and I wanted to try another approach towards my actors or at least try. We have Meadow coming in Luke, Gabby and Marcus. The shots we got on Saturday from Marcus with the headgear looked quit impressive. But I am a bit insecure if the antlers will fit the green screen. So we had to take out the small butterfly and attached the additional green screen. Just so we could get more of Marcus in shot. Luke and Meadow had a great chemistry together and she is very talented. We had a mishap with The F55 and tri-pod. The trouble was that it could not come of the camera. Kyle, our sound person, fixed it in the meantime but it was not the best. Now I got news from Callum that the tri-pod is going to get fixed but will be out of service for a month. We'll need to get some pick ups done so that might cause some issues. It is not been an easy road but we are slowly getting there.

BDM 311 (3rd year project)

Yesterday we went to Bluff with the Producer, first AD and VFX supervisor and the DOP. Karl showed us what was available as a location for putting up the green screen. But it was unsafe for us to scale the heights that we needed to hang the green screen on. I needed to be home for work but asked Lee to call me after to see how it further went. The team looked at another location but it was full of cars so there was no way that the green screen could be put up. Karl mentioned the dance studio next to upstage so as it now looks that is going to be used as the green screen location tomorrow. With the help from Karl he'll guide us to where his easels will be placed so next time they can be put where they belong. It looks like we are getting somewhere with filming on the green screen. I have done some blocking with my 4 actors also. Luke and Meadow were my first actors on the list as they have most of the lines together and interaction. Meadow is really great and talented showing a range of emotions that really play well of towards Luke. He is still a little bit weary of acting but he'll is our main actor for this part and I want to give him all the confidence that I can give him. Marcus and Gabby came in later and they acted out the cave scene with Luke. Below are some of the photos.

 

Luke, Gabby, Meadow and Marcus getting to know each other.

Rehearsals for the space pod scene.

We are getting there.

Marcus and Gabby.

The Cave scene.

The Cave scene.

We have arranged for a camera team to be at the blocking so I could see what framing I could manage during the actual shoot. But due to a misunderstanding the camera crew came in late and took no footage. I took a D90 out so I could take some photos for this blog and also looked at angles that are present in the Pre-Vis so that will be a little bit of a guide for tomorrow. Marcus is quit tall but with the right lens and camera angle we will work something out. That will be a test shoot but will also double as some more blocking. Some people cannot make it for the shoot on Saturday and Sunday. So again this will be a preparation for those that have to take over from the others on Sat and Sunday. As some have work and other responsibilities.

Blog out.