Challenges in the Filming - Essay Example

Planning is of utmost importance when undertaking a project such as filming. Thus, the group decided to conduct a meeting before we start filming the movie. There were some questions that I want to raise during the meeting such as : What are the director’s expectations in this film? Indeed, I have some experience related to the project such as directing, acting, screenwriting, and art direction plus handling the camera pretty well. I informed the director that I am willing to provide assistance in any part of the project since my experience warrants my skills. Eventually, the director assigned me as director of photography and director’s main assistant. I believe that this experience would enrich my skills in photography that can be of use in my future career. Upon being chosen for this assignment, I immediately practiced using the camera at home. The camera is an effective tool in portraying scenes as long as the cameraman can take the right angles to show certain emotions that will impress upon the viewer. The camera assigned to me was a PD 170 camera which was front heavy but produces excellent video. I must learn how to use this camera under ideal lighting conditions which will produce crisp images on the video. Learning how to use the PD 170 was not difficult , after all, the menu clearly explains everything. However, it wasn’t only until that I got familiar with the camera that I began writing my idea about the shots. Camera shots can be taken at different lengths depending on the emphasis of the scene. I decided to use close shots when portraying the present time of the story. Contrastingly, long shots will be used when showing the past such as flashbacks of events. The ideas were written down so I could discuss them with my director. Upon presenting the idea to the director, he immediately agreed and told me that he had the same idea. It felt good to have a director that I can easily relate with since a harmonious relationship would affect the tempo of the project. Since the shots are already deliberated, the next step would be to consult with a friend who has background in photography. As I mentioned before, lighting is crucial to the use of the PD170 camera. Good lighting can enhance the performance of the equipment given to me. Also, I recognize that lighting is one of my weaknesses, thus, it was necessary for me to consult a professional. My friend willingly enlightened me on the proper use of lighting. However, the director chose to use natural lighting which I should familiarize myself with. Along with these events, the group met on a weekly basis so that updates and details can be thoroughly discussed. Challenges in the Filming Finally, the filming commenced which was a totally different experience. For one, there were expectations that were not met resulting to frustration among the crew. First, the location ( house) was not suitable for filming. It was too cramped for us to fit in and start shooting; moreover, the colour of the walls were terrible which would not register well in the camera. In addition to this, most of the walls were empty except for some which contained movie posters unsuitable to the main character of the film. The movie posters were particularly masculine which is in essence a contrast to the femininity of the main character. The only alternative for the crew was to remove all the pictures since it was too late to change the location. The challenge for me was to get a good shot that would show a better composition. Another challenge was the use of hand held cameras that were shaky resulting to difficulty in getting tracking shots. . We remove all the pictures but it make the walls empty and in the room in the frame look terrible. I thought that what we can do to get a good shot in this room. The location wasnt good at all but we didnt have any choice. I tried as much as I could to get a good shot that at least we have a good composition in the shot. Most of the shots were hand held camera and sometimes the camera shakes too much (especially in the tracking shots). In addition to this, the small spaces made it hard for me to move around. Consequently, the result did not come up well since the camera shook much during the shooting. Nevertheless, I believe that it was not bad after all since our group was able to prevail over the circumstances given to us. Learning gained from experience Because of this experience, I learned much about photography. The information I had before it was scarce but due to this project, I gained not only information but skills as well. Now, I have plans to improve my skill in using lighting because lighting play a strong role in the film. Im contemplating about taking a course in lighting. If I wanted to do this project again, I would creatively use the lighting to produce some meaning. In the future, I would like to improve the composition in the shots. Looking back, I think that we could have done more about the composition of the shots. As I have said, everything is experiential learning , at least, I find out some of my weaknesses which I try to make them as my strengths. One of the things that must be corrected is my habit of not practicing with the actors before filming. It is crucial to get the right frame by considering factors such as colors in the frame, design of the shot, camera movement, setting, and other details that can be viewed within the shot. However, it must also be considered that actors are the key factors in drawing the attention from the audience. Good frame shot swill never compensate for poor acting. Indeed, this was exhibited by the main actor during the filming which can be viewed in the movie. The actor did not focus on the acting since she was too busy with her assignments and did not practice for her role after all. Group Work The one thing that made this filming an enjoyable one was the camaraderie among the group members. Everyone was friendly and tried to be helpful. The work load was distributed equally so everybody had their share of responsibilities without complaining of being over- burdened. Read More