When You Thought There Was Light At The End Of The Tunnel. Oh Wait! There Isn't in Filming.

After a long week it took 2 days to convert the footage from the Cannon FX100 into final cut pro. Joy and I then sat down and watched the rushes of every shot. We then time coded everything from shots that were useless to the most perfect cinematography shots because Ive learnt from an editors point of view that you'll never know what footage you will use with in the edit.

When we started to do the edit on final cut we noticed that each time the footage jumped at each cut as it transitioned. To rectify this we had to put the footage on to premier this is an adobe version of final cut which meant another day of editing gone. This meant that we were able to work with the un-exported footage and had the fantastic quality that we originally had while filming.

We were also put on the spot to come up with a title because designers came into design a poster. to come up with this title we thought back to the day of shooting and we came up with loads of ideas but none of them worked, the thing I remember most about shooting that there was hardly anybody in it except the few people walking there dogs and it reminded me that its such a beautiful waste.

I Hope They Have A Red Carpet For Me :-\

On Wednesday 15th of May are teacher joe told us the screening dates for the Odeon. The date is the 6th of June which isn't to long away, Joe requires somethings of us, some people say magic has a price and that is the deadlines which for the Odeon screen test is the 29th of May but if the film isn't in for that date the film doesn't get shown, this is the deadline we have to meet if we cant meet this deadline how are we going to make deadlines in future productions.

I'm really looking forward to seeing this film on the big screen as our film is unique to any other in the class. This film doesn't have a narrative it is a piece of art in which cinematography takes its purest form. After film Joy was being a bit of a worrier as she doesn't think we have enough footage for a three minute piece, when in fact we had over 4 hours worth of footage to make a dozens of wee pieces.

From experience I have learn that zooming is a big no no especially from an editors point of view. I have learnt a lot from editing bad footage and that you can only work with what you've got. The directors sometimes get disappointed because the footage they wanted is damaged from zooming. I've learnt a lot form working with bad footage and will bring this into this production by taking still beautiful images from a tripod of steadicam.

Heres hoping that the film will as good as I know it can be :)

The Journey From Production to Post Production.

From planning, booking equipment to going on recce's we are finally here, POST PRODUCTION!!!

As I and Joy planned to go shooting on Sunday 12th of May the weather did not agree with our schedule as I was designated checker of weather on this production I checked the weather for Mondays forecast on Sunday night. The weather was sunny with clouds from 6.00am to 8.00am, then we got rain from sun from 8.00am to 10.00am, from then onwards to 12.00pm it was pure sun with no clouds. So let the early start begin.

When I woke from my slumber from 5.00am I automatically went and checked the weather as you know the weather is unpredictable in this country but for the very first time this country shocked me in a good way as the weather as we actually got a descent day as it was sunny with clouds from 6.00am to 8.00am, then we got cloudy weather from 8.00am to 10.00am, from then onwards to 12.00pm it was pure sun I even thought I got a tan.

When we arrived in Castlewellan at 6.00am we didn't hesitate in starting to film. Joy and I noticed that the weather conditions was the same as the recce shoot we then made our decision that we were going to take a different route.

The different route we choose to talk was the outline of the lake which had many alternate paths around it so it wasn't so many shots of lake side because there is only so much you can shoot of the lake side. This shoot was very successful we got some beautiful wide, medium and closeups of the lake and nature surrounding it. The tripod got the brunt of this shoot as it was put in muck and horse poo walking up and down mountains but I would do it again in a heart beat.

Rescheduling is a virtue.

As we know it always rains in the North of Ireland. Joy and I planned to go shooting on Thursday 9th May but it had to be cancelled because the conditions were bad. Even if you continually check the weather you cant fully rely on it because there will probabaly be a fair chance of rain. On the actual day wee plan on shooting we had hail stones, rain and sunshine all in the one day which isn't that shocking thank god for rescheduling and back up plans.

As every good film maker knows its good to have a back up plan as Joy and I planned to book equipment from thursday the 9th of May to tuesday the 14th of May on the of chance there could of been rain (which there was). This was because we had extra days to hope for good weather so we could achieve what we wanted for this film. Even if the weather doesnt turn out good for the 14th of May we will have to go on with the shoot as time is tight as the final cut of the film has to be in for the 24th May.

Heres hoping fingers crossed guys.

The Wall Of Awesomeness.

When Joy and I came back from the recce Sharon had allocated each production team with a wall where we could post different things about the films. On our wall we put up a lot of still of our favourite shots from the recce. This looking at this wall is like coming down on Christmas morning and that magical and wonder feeling you feel is exactly what you feel when you look at our wall.

The plan now is to see where we want to go from here with the stills we will be able to see what we want to achieve through the recce. We plan to film on the other side of the lake so we get a different feel and aspect of the forest. For feeling and continuity aspects we want to get the same weather this isnt lazy we are just afraid if we don't get the same sunny weather as we want to capture the same artistic atmosphere. We plan on filimg between the dates of the 9th until the 14th of May to get the best day to go out and shoot on.

Lights, Camera, Recce.

Joy and I have entered the production stage of this production. We both went down the Castlewellan Forest Park for a recce on the 29th of April however I have a feeling that the footage we took will make it into the final edit. As we walked along the path to ward the back of the castle I spotted an old rusted chair and the footage looks fantastic of this but will it suit in the film.

From the chair we headed on toward the Annesley gardens, the gardens are closed however Joy and I discussed how we could use this in the narrative. We walked around the edge of the gardens and captured the reflection of trees and flowers on the water. We discovered that we came out of the shoot more positive than we did going in and we had a far clearer vision of what this end of year film was going to be about. It was as if the film was right in front of us and we just had to reach out and grasp the opportunity.

Joy talked to me about adding the jaws effect into this film, she explained that we could add the sense of magical creatures we could hear them and sense them but we would never see them. I think this is a good idea and could be an option in the final edit.

Here's some stills of the footage Joy and I captured on the recce.

You Never Know What You Find On Facebook.

One afternoon on the 24th of April  I was casually looking on my Facebook and I came across this image.

After seeing this image I remembered that Joy wanted to capture a full moon for her end of year film. This sort of happened last minute but from seeing the footage it was so worth it. On this shoot Joy had to do this on her own as she lives in the countryside where the skies aren't light polluted. 

After seeing the footage this last minute fluke was worth it because it only happens once a year. One thing that I've learnt that your mind is never of the film, you are constantly think would this work? 

  

This is a screen shot of the rare footage Joy captured on the 25th of April. This goes to show that you never know what you might come across. Lets hope we can fit it into the edit.