I have successfully avoided the editing up until now and have been busy creating a press pack and other such chores. I plan to start editing this weekend.
In the meantime I thought I might do a how did you do that?
We shots this film on S16, in this case an Aaton LTR54, which was over 2o years old. I purchased this camera over a year ago (http://tidalbarrier.blogspot.com/2007/09/september-update.html).
Now this camera came with 7 primes and a zoom lens but came up with our own aesthetic, which meant we shot the first third of the film a 25mm, the second on 16mm, and the last a 12mm. So as the narrative unfolds we move further back. This practically meant that in the early part we saw the characters and spaces in fragments, while in the last third we saw the characters and space as one. To a certain extent we mirrored that with the film stock. For the first two thirds we used 250 daylight and 250 tungsten film, while in the last third we used 160 daylight. We used Fuji film throughout and I have to say that it was exceptional, especially in low-light conditions. We always had more room and could've gone much further than we did. You always understood why you shot on film and not video.
The film was developed and transferred by iLabs in Soho. It was transferred onto Digibeta and then a DV dub was made of it. The plan is to do the offline edit with the DV dubs, and then finish on Digibeta. A return to film would happen when the film is sold.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Monday, November 17, 2008
Photos...
I have successfully put the editing off this past week. So before I begin again - I will probably start capturing footage tomorrow - a few photos from the last shoot. Courtesy of David.
Scene 11
After an argument Paul goes for a walk in the forest. Claire comes looking for him. He watches her come to him, as if watching her from the outside. It is the end.
In the forest Paul has scratched himself. Claire examines the wound, but from the outside too.
Scene 24
This is a new scene I wrote this autumn. It replaced a scene where Claire first meets Nick, which we had shot in August. I changed it for three reasons. One, it seemed their meeting was redundant. There was already a scene where they meet, and it seemed far more interesting.
Two, that scene also doubled to introduce the concept of the periphery, of Claire moving from the city to the park to the wild. This was important enough to the focus of the scene, rather than the background it was in the original scene.
Finally, the footage from August was fogged. The film tin had been opened, we are not sure how, and the footage was ruined. Sometimes these disasters happen for a reason.
So, in this scene, Claire, having just moved into Natalie's flat, goes out into the neighbourhood, as this new person. Here she has made her way into the park.
At the end of the park the wilderness begins. She looks into the forest, and sees her own fear.
Scene 32
As she begins a relationship with Nick, she begins to wonder if she was right in leaving Paul. Here she has spotted him inside a bar, though at this moment we don't know that.
Before she can decide whether to confront him he comes out.
Claire makes a retreat.
Scene 41/42
With the rough edit I was able to see what worked and what didn't, and especially what needed development.
In this scene Claire decides to confront her fear and makes her way into the forest. We added new events and shots, and re-shot some of the shots from August.
And here we are making it...
Scene 11
Roland is wondering if there will ever be any dialogue to record.
JC sets up. Anna was our focus-puller this time around. She came with us to Norway.
Beth prepares Paul's injuries.
And we are set and begin shooting. Kendra sets out the board. She came with us to Norway as well.
Scene 24
On Wanstead High Street following Claire on the opposite side of the road.
Marc listening in. The sound guys spent most of their time getting atmos tracks.
Now in Shoreditch in front of Lounge Lover.
Joe Gough was our 1st AD during this shoot.
It was sometimes hard to recognise Azahara.
Scene 42
Here Fred and I are wondering if the sun is ever going to cooperate.
In Wanstead setting up the final part of Scene 42. I added this shot to the scene from the edit.
Claire lays herself down.
Anna focuses with Kendra's assistance.
Lara was with us that day. She and Azahara alternated days.
Anna checks the gate.
Now an earlier part of Scene 42, where Claire enters the forest. Here we are just off Wanstead High Street.
Scene 11
After an argument Paul goes for a walk in the forest. Claire comes looking for him. He watches her come to him, as if watching her from the outside. It is the end.
In the forest Paul has scratched himself. Claire examines the wound, but from the outside too.
Scene 24
This is a new scene I wrote this autumn. It replaced a scene where Claire first meets Nick, which we had shot in August. I changed it for three reasons. One, it seemed their meeting was redundant. There was already a scene where they meet, and it seemed far more interesting.
Two, that scene also doubled to introduce the concept of the periphery, of Claire moving from the city to the park to the wild. This was important enough to the focus of the scene, rather than the background it was in the original scene.
Finally, the footage from August was fogged. The film tin had been opened, we are not sure how, and the footage was ruined. Sometimes these disasters happen for a reason.
So, in this scene, Claire, having just moved into Natalie's flat, goes out into the neighbourhood, as this new person. Here she has made her way into the park.
At the end of the park the wilderness begins. She looks into the forest, and sees her own fear.
Scene 32
As she begins a relationship with Nick, she begins to wonder if she was right in leaving Paul. Here she has spotted him inside a bar, though at this moment we don't know that.
Before she can decide whether to confront him he comes out.
Claire makes a retreat.
Scene 41/42
With the rough edit I was able to see what worked and what didn't, and especially what needed development.
In this scene Claire decides to confront her fear and makes her way into the forest. We added new events and shots, and re-shot some of the shots from August.
And here we are making it...
Scene 11
Roland is wondering if there will ever be any dialogue to record.
JC sets up. Anna was our focus-puller this time around. She came with us to Norway.
Beth prepares Paul's injuries.
And we are set and begin shooting. Kendra sets out the board. She came with us to Norway as well.
Scene 24
On Wanstead High Street following Claire on the opposite side of the road.
Marc listening in. The sound guys spent most of their time getting atmos tracks.
Now in Shoreditch in front of Lounge Lover.
Joe Gough was our 1st AD during this shoot.
It was sometimes hard to recognise Azahara.
Scene 42
Here Fred and I are wondering if the sun is ever going to cooperate.
In Wanstead setting up the final part of Scene 42. I added this shot to the scene from the edit.
Claire lays herself down.
Anna focuses with Kendra's assistance.
Lara was with us that day. She and Azahara alternated days.
Anna checks the gate.
Now an earlier part of Scene 42, where Claire enters the forest. Here we are just off Wanstead High Street.
Monday, November 10, 2008
I have been putting off writing this.
These past few days I have just been so happy to not worry if it was raining or sunny, or if a tree was the right colour. I need to clean my bedroom, find a job, meet up with the few friends I have left and who I have neglected this past half year, and do anything but worry about making a film.
But I will say that we did it. On Friday I met JC at iLab to see the rushes and there were no problems. It looks very good and we have everything we need for now. I have already been thinking about some new material I want to try, but that will happen down the road.
The big story was the weather which was generally good and bad when we we needed it to be.
On the Saturday it was cold and drizzly but we kept working right until the light was gone. On the way home the rain really opened up so were fortunate because we wouldn't have been able to work in that. This shooting day was the key, as we managed to capture more than we planned and that put us ahead for the rest of the shoot.
The remaining days were not quite as cold and it never rained again. At the same time it was flat and grey, which was called for in the script and also made it easier to match scenes shot over two days. We had an early start, 7:30, but we were generally finished by 3 in the afternoon. This meant we began to rise and sleep like farmers, to bed at 9 and up at 5.
We shot the remaining scenes of the first segment, which mostly involves Paul and their troubled relationship. After an argument, set off when Paul discovers that Claire had a sister he did not know about, Paul goes off into the forest to cool down. Claire searches for him there, and eventually finds him, but now their relationship is essentially over. All that remains is for one of them to leave.
We also reshot the whole of Scene 42 as I mentioned, which included all the new material that I had developed with the video camera and Flora back in September.
So a big thank you to Redbridge and Walthamstow Forest Council for being helpful, kind and generous. And also to the people of Redbridge who were happy to have us there, and were kind, and helpful and generous too.
And a big no thanks to Epping Forest and the City of London who wanted to charge us £1000 for use of the forest, which for a low-budget film is prohibitive. They don't seem to care if you are Batman 4 or a small film just trying to get by, and weren't particularly helpful. They told us they have targets - how can a forest have targets? And what do they spend the money on? Walking about in there you can't help step in the dog shit, or stumble over the remains of parties and men going off into the shrubbery to have sex. They weren't patrolling the park or cleaning up the rubbish.
This reminds me of a story from Carlos Reygadas, when making Battle in Heaven in Mexico City in front of the National Palace. The authorities were happy to let a homeless man live in the square, being loud, abusive and drunk, but you want to make a film? No way! You need permission, you need to pay! This is the National Palace!
I would also like to thank our lab, iLab who have always treated us well, even though we are never going to make them a lot of money out of a small-budget group like us.
Finally two locations that really helped us out.
Lounge Lover in Shoreditch let us use their front entrance for the scene where, late into the second segment Claire spots Paul inside of a bar. Before she can decide whether to confront him he comes out and she turns and goes off. Did she make the right choice?
And then there was the White Hart pub on Stoke Newington High Street. Now they already have let us in back in September when we used the interior to shoot the meeting between Claire and Sophie. This time we made use of their fantastic beer garden, where Paul and Claire go one Sunday.
What next? I am putting off editing until at least after next weekend. I just don't have the taste for it. And when do you begin to think about cutting a trailer? I think that frightens me the most.
I have also been reminded that we need to develop the press package and website. Perhaps I could put my energy into that for the next while?
Below are a few photos, mostly via JC. David's photos will come shortly.
Anna and Kendra load up.
Anna in front of some Lounge Lover street art.
Azahara in disguise. Some times we just couldn't find her, she was so well covered.
Beth resting on a Lounge Lover lion.
Always great to get a photo of David.
Anna and JC set up the car for the driving scene.
JC and now Joana, who wrangled the Lounge Lover location.
Marc starts on one of Isabella's sandwiches. Isabella did all the catering for the shoot.
Once again I am pointing out things to Flora.
These past few days I have just been so happy to not worry if it was raining or sunny, or if a tree was the right colour. I need to clean my bedroom, find a job, meet up with the few friends I have left and who I have neglected this past half year, and do anything but worry about making a film.
But I will say that we did it. On Friday I met JC at iLab to see the rushes and there were no problems. It looks very good and we have everything we need for now. I have already been thinking about some new material I want to try, but that will happen down the road.
The big story was the weather which was generally good and bad when we we needed it to be.
On the Saturday it was cold and drizzly but we kept working right until the light was gone. On the way home the rain really opened up so were fortunate because we wouldn't have been able to work in that. This shooting day was the key, as we managed to capture more than we planned and that put us ahead for the rest of the shoot.
The remaining days were not quite as cold and it never rained again. At the same time it was flat and grey, which was called for in the script and also made it easier to match scenes shot over two days. We had an early start, 7:30, but we were generally finished by 3 in the afternoon. This meant we began to rise and sleep like farmers, to bed at 9 and up at 5.
We shot the remaining scenes of the first segment, which mostly involves Paul and their troubled relationship. After an argument, set off when Paul discovers that Claire had a sister he did not know about, Paul goes off into the forest to cool down. Claire searches for him there, and eventually finds him, but now their relationship is essentially over. All that remains is for one of them to leave.
We also reshot the whole of Scene 42 as I mentioned, which included all the new material that I had developed with the video camera and Flora back in September.
So a big thank you to Redbridge and Walthamstow Forest Council for being helpful, kind and generous. And also to the people of Redbridge who were happy to have us there, and were kind, and helpful and generous too.
And a big no thanks to Epping Forest and the City of London who wanted to charge us £1000 for use of the forest, which for a low-budget film is prohibitive. They don't seem to care if you are Batman 4 or a small film just trying to get by, and weren't particularly helpful. They told us they have targets - how can a forest have targets? And what do they spend the money on? Walking about in there you can't help step in the dog shit, or stumble over the remains of parties and men going off into the shrubbery to have sex. They weren't patrolling the park or cleaning up the rubbish.
This reminds me of a story from Carlos Reygadas, when making Battle in Heaven in Mexico City in front of the National Palace. The authorities were happy to let a homeless man live in the square, being loud, abusive and drunk, but you want to make a film? No way! You need permission, you need to pay! This is the National Palace!
I would also like to thank our lab, iLab who have always treated us well, even though we are never going to make them a lot of money out of a small-budget group like us.
Finally two locations that really helped us out.
Lounge Lover in Shoreditch let us use their front entrance for the scene where, late into the second segment Claire spots Paul inside of a bar. Before she can decide whether to confront him he comes out and she turns and goes off. Did she make the right choice?
And then there was the White Hart pub on Stoke Newington High Street. Now they already have let us in back in September when we used the interior to shoot the meeting between Claire and Sophie. This time we made use of their fantastic beer garden, where Paul and Claire go one Sunday.
What next? I am putting off editing until at least after next weekend. I just don't have the taste for it. And when do you begin to think about cutting a trailer? I think that frightens me the most.
I have also been reminded that we need to develop the press package and website. Perhaps I could put my energy into that for the next while?
Below are a few photos, mostly via JC. David's photos will come shortly.
Anna and Kendra load up.
Anna in front of some Lounge Lover street art.
Azahara in disguise. Some times we just couldn't find her, she was so well covered.
Beth resting on a Lounge Lover lion.
Always great to get a photo of David.
Anna and JC set up the car for the driving scene.
JC and now Joana, who wrangled the Lounge Lover location.
Marc starts on one of Isabella's sandwiches. Isabella did all the catering for the shoot.
Once again I am pointing out things to Flora.
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
Wrapped!
I just want to say briefly that yesterday afternoon we finished the principle shooting of the project. I think it will take some time to sink in...
Much more to come.
Much more to come.
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