Professional Project Evaluation.
At the beginning of the professional project I was excited about the chance to be involved with a lot of video/camera work along with being able to work with musicians to create two music videos. One video directed by Phil Peel and another to be created with a group within the class.
At the start of the project Jamie Milligan suggested a band that he had contact with to make a music video for. They are a local band called Wooden Pigs and were a perfect band to make a good video. We had meetings with the band (Josh the guitarist in particular) to discuss ideas with, he was extremely helpful when it came to the kind of visual perception that the band wanted to achieve.
While this was going on we were offered work on two stage performances at the Lighthouse Theatre in Poole that were being put on by the BA Drama course from the university. The first of which was Lady Windermeres Fan. This was the first time I had ever worked on filming a production and working with a group to set up a multi-cam film rig. We were asked to set up 4 cameras and wiring around the theatre then to record the production in full. The second production we filmed was Dracula, this time we already had experience with setting up so we were able to put everything together far more independently. There were numerous problems with these shoot as there were some problems when recording. Working on both of these shoots has been a definite favourite part of the course. I feel I have learnt to work well with the camera equipment we have used. Although shooting in a small space at the side of a theatre whilst taking directions from Phil Peel using an ear piece was quite daunting at first, it gradually became easier as my confidence grew. I found it to be a great learning experience and I really look forward to working more in an environment of this kind.
Another project we had been given was to shoot a music video with Phil Peel for Dorset band ‘State Of Undress’ as we are not having an official world cup song this year, they had taken it upon themselves to write an unofficial song. We met the band at a football ground in Matchams near Chistchurch and began shooting that day. We took multiple shots throughout the day including using camera equipment in the back of the AUCB van to get tracking shots of the band walking, singing and playing their instruments. The location was perfect and really suited the bands character. Towards the evening friends of the band, and other people had been invited along to be part of the video. They were sat up in the stands back at the football ground and the group filmed them and the band singing and dancing to the song. I think the video came out really well and I think the group as a whole are really happy with it. The only criticism I would give would be the weather, I think we would all have liked a nice sunny day to shoot but it was out of our control. After the final video was editing it gave it a perfectly British feel and looks really good.
The Wooden Pigs planning was still underway and we required a venue to shoot the music video. For the groups idea we needed somewhere that we would be able to have the camera crew, the band and a crowd. I took lead of this role and began to search for a good venue to film in. I have a friend who works as a promoter so he was very helpful when it came to getting in contact with venue owners. Unfortunately venue owners don’t seem very helpful and are quite reluctant to let you have access to their venues during the day, therefore causing more work for them. I contacted 4 venues/owners over the phone and through email. The venues we wanted to use were The Joiners in Southampton, Ibar & Champions in Bournemouth and also Mr C’s.
Our original idea unfortunately fell through due to nobody letting us use their venue, the band even offered to play a free show after the shoot but I still didn’t receive any particular interest. We also had problems arranging time where the band could all going to be together in one place due to the band members work commitments.
Jamie managed to book out a photography studio and we went ahead with scheduling the shoot. We were going to have to shoot 3 members at this shoot and the other would need to be a separate shoot this was a big problem seeing as we would find it hard to get shots of the whole band together.
On arrival we were extremely disappointed with the space we had to work in and brainstormed ideas between the group. We spoke to Josh who told us that the whole band were going to be practicing at his house near Moors Valley that evening after the scheduled shoot and we were welcome to come and shoot it there.
This was our only real opportunity to get the band together at once in a good location before the deadline, so we took it. We arrived at Josh’s house and realised we had made the right move. It was a perfect location for the shoot and set up right away. We had to improvise completely new ideas and set up the bands equipment in Josh lounge. This gave the video a really good look and we had the band play the song through and through until we got the shots we needed. We got some initial wide shots then moved in for close ups, but this wasn’t enough. We needed something more and took all the equipment outside into the courtyard. We lit the whole band and used a PA system to give us sound for the band to play to. We were shooting until 3am that night for a shoot that we had only planned to do from 5 till 8. For an unplanned shoot I’m really happy with the outcome.
What I have learned from this project is that early planning is essential, I think we were extremely lucky with the opportunity we were given. I want to film more music videos in the future but I am definitely going to plan well in advance. It would have been able to plan a full shot list for the whole video but because we didn’t have a location it was very hit and miss with what kind of environment we would be working in.
