I think it was safe to say we were all very nervous going into the first day of shooting. Even though we had practised shots the day before shooting, and also practised on the day of shooting before the actors came (which can be seen on the 'Behind the Scenes' video we put together) we were all still very nervous about getting the shots right. Also, working with a professional actor for the first time is very nerve racking, but Rory came to the set with a professional and kind attitude which made the day of shooting a lot more enjoyable than I thought it was going to be. We had previously set-up the therapy scene the day before, which allowed us more time on the day of shooting to set-up any equipment we needed, double checked certain shots and got the lighting right with the help of the technicians. Once we were happy with all the shots we were going to film, we got the extras in. As an aspiring actor myself, I felt it would be beneficial to talk to the extras before our main actor arrived. Fin organised the extras into their designated seats and I began talking about the mood of the scene and how I wanted them to feel when the therapist (Ms Dures) was saying her speech. I believe doing this allowed my confidence to build throughout the day of shooting and made me feel more comfortable for the arrival of Rory on set.
Once Rory arrived, me and Fin talked to him about the mood of the scene and what we needed of him from certain shots we were intending to film. Fin talked to Rory about what shots were going to be used before each take, and the professional that Rory is took this information on board and was able to give us a perfect take almost every time.
With certain shots such as the pan around the circle of all the inmates, we found more challenging because of the fact we needed to make sure each extra, the therapist and Anthony were in shot for when we panned around the circle to give the shot a more professional feel. Zack was able to create a really nice finishing shot. Every time we filmed a large amount of footage, we would check to make sure it all looked good on a laptop and to make sure none of the footage had been lost. This allowed us to swiftly carry on with the rest of the shoot without holding up the actors.
Overall, the first day of filming was a lot more successful than we all anticipated it would be. We were able to capture some nice shots and meeting Rory allow us to talk to him more on the second day of shooting which involved much more demanding scenes he needed to prepare for.
Day 2: Shooting the House Scene and Alleyway Scene
I think in the second day of filming we all felt more relaxed because of the shots we had captured the day before. We all felt very confident going into this shoot, and we needed to be professional because of certain scenes Rory, Emma and Becky needed to pull off. Before Rory and Emma arrived, we began setting up Anthony's living room (which you can see in the 'Behind the Scenes' video). We had already done a practice shoot with me as Anthony a week before, so Fin and Zack were pretty much happy in terms of how to capture certain shots.
When Rory and Emma arrived, we were all fully prepared and aware of what was needed of us to finish a successful shooting day. Rory and Emma took a break while we quickly added any other props which were needed and tested a few other complex shots and we were ready to go. Rory was first to do his scenes. Before each scene, me and Fin talked to Rory to make sure he understood the scene and the shot we were using so he was aware of the composition which allowed him to move around freely in that space we had given him. When it came to the serious scenes featured in our film, I was a bit nervous at first as to whether or not Rory would be able to pull it off. But he was able to deliver a near perfect scene every take we did. I was very impressed with his professional attitude and the high quality of acting he gave to us when we needed it. He made the whole experience much more enjoyable and relaxing than we all thought it was going be which is always good.
When we began working with Emma, like Rory, she was very professional in her approach to scenes she had to do and asked many questions to both myself and Fin about certain character aspects of the scene to make it even more realistic. I liked Emma's commitment and the willingness she showed in wanting to get her scenes to a high standard for us. Also, because Rory and Emma in real life are married, their chemistry in terms of their relationship was evidently shown on screen, which made the scenes between both of them even more realistic. We were able to get some really nice shots of both of them in action.
When it came to Becky's scenes (who plays the daughter, Jessica) she was fully committed and confident in working with professional actors and really showed a willingness in wanting to do well. I, and the rest of the group were worried about the actors pulling off Jessica's death scene as we didn't know what Becky would be like doing a pressured scene such as this one. But again, she showed the confidence in working with Rory to make the scene as realistic as she could and I believe both actors gave a good performance overall.
After shooting, we checked the footage on Zack's laptop to make sure we had got all the necessary footage before the actors had gone. Once we knew we had all the footage, the actors went home. However, we needed Rory back around 8pm to shoot the alleyway scene. When we got to the location where the drug deal would take place, the natural setting of the scene gave us great confidence about how the footage in the film would look and complementary with the certain shots we were intending to use. I was also playing the role of the drug dealer in this scene. I got in costume and stood by the fence to psych myself up and try to be as realistic as possible in portraying a conventional drug dealer/ addict. Also, I was nervous about doing a scene with a professional actor. However, Rory was very professional and played the scene realistically, which in tern allowed the realism of my character to come through even more. Again, before Rory had left, we checked the footage to see if it was all there and then he left.
Overall, both days of shooting were very educational in what takes to make a short film and has only fuelled my passion and determination more in going into the film industry. Working with the brilliant actors and the amazing crew, I believe we were able to get a good looking film. This experience will only lead to better things to come in the future.
When we began working with Emma, like Rory, she was very professional in her approach to scenes she had to do and asked many questions to both myself and Fin about certain character aspects of the scene to make it even more realistic. I liked Emma's commitment and the willingness she showed in wanting to get her scenes to a high standard for us. Also, because Rory and Emma in real life are married, their chemistry in terms of their relationship was evidently shown on screen, which made the scenes between both of them even more realistic. We were able to get some really nice shots of both of them in action.
When it came to Becky's scenes (who plays the daughter, Jessica) she was fully committed and confident in working with professional actors and really showed a willingness in wanting to do well. I, and the rest of the group were worried about the actors pulling off Jessica's death scene as we didn't know what Becky would be like doing a pressured scene such as this one. But again, she showed the confidence in working with Rory to make the scene as realistic as she could and I believe both actors gave a good performance overall.
After shooting, we checked the footage on Zack's laptop to make sure we had got all the necessary footage before the actors had gone. Once we knew we had all the footage, the actors went home. However, we needed Rory back around 8pm to shoot the alleyway scene. When we got to the location where the drug deal would take place, the natural setting of the scene gave us great confidence about how the footage in the film would look and complementary with the certain shots we were intending to use. I was also playing the role of the drug dealer in this scene. I got in costume and stood by the fence to psych myself up and try to be as realistic as possible in portraying a conventional drug dealer/ addict. Also, I was nervous about doing a scene with a professional actor. However, Rory was very professional and played the scene realistically, which in tern allowed the realism of my character to come through even more. Again, before Rory had left, we checked the footage to see if it was all there and then he left.
Overall, both days of shooting were very educational in what takes to make a short film and has only fuelled my passion and determination more in going into the film industry. Working with the brilliant actors and the amazing crew, I believe we were able to get a good looking film. This experience will only lead to better things to come in the future.
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