FINAL FILM

This is my film piece for Unit 17, titled UNSEEN.

P5 Post-production processes

After producing film material during the production process, we then transferred the clips we created to the computers and imported them into Adobe Premiere Pro. 

Producing and reviewing an offline edit;

Below is a screenshot of the timeline section of the premiere pro application. This component of the app, is where clips, titles, sounds and visual and audio effects are put together to create a media piece. This screenshot is from the premiere pro application that my short film document is in. In this section, I have edited and cut together the clips that I produced during the production process. 

The order of clips in the timeline are very similar to the order demonstrated in the storyboards, however there are a few changes that we made in order to the make this scene in particular more effective. We decided not to include an insert of the FaceTime call on the screen when Anna is trying to call her mum, due to we wanted the shot to solely focus on Anna and what was going on around her. This helped to build tension within the scene as it add a certain eeriness of just sitting there watching her become even more scared. 

This programme allowed me to put all the clips that I had produced into one document, in order to edit them together to create my short film. The importing process was fairly straight forward, we transferred the clips from the camera and laptop to a hard drive, then connected the hard drive to desktop computers and imported them. 

This is a screenshot of the premiere pro application open with my work. This image demonstrates how I imported the files onto this file. 

However, before these clips were imported, I had to go through each of the rushes and title them. I did this because then during the editing process, I would have a clear idea of which clips was which without having to watch through each one to know what scene it was. I did this through finder, by clicking on each clip and then pressing the 'enter' bar when it was highlighted. This highlighted the original title of the clip, which I would just delete and re-write a more relevant name for the clip. 

Logging rushes/creating edit decision list;

This is an image of the shot list we produced during pre-production. This needed to be in sync with the shots that we took during filming, therefore the rushes needed to be named linking to them in order to prove that we created what we set out to produce. 

This is a screenshot of my finder window when I was logging the rushes. It demonstrated the clips highlighted in the right column, which justifies why I logged each rush as they are now. 

It was helpful to re-log these rushes and name then as something I would remember, so that during the editing process, it was easier for me to then select the clips I wanted as I knew which clips where which. This helped the editing process to move much more smoothly as it created a faster process than having to look through each clip to find out which one it was, i would just look at the name and know if that clips needed to come next. 

Apply appropriate visual effects and transitions;

For the opening sequence of my short film, I decided to add the title into the first clip shown. I did this because I think this point was the best time for clear text to be shown in my film without any distractions to it, as I believe that the title says a lot about the short film. This was an especially quiet and eerie clip, which I thought the title would compliment and add depth too. 

In the post-production, I stated that I had decided to title my short film 'Hacked,' however, watching the clips once produced, I didn't feel that this title portrayed the intense feeling I was trying to achieve in my film. Therefore, once watching through the clips, I decided to title the film 'UnSeen.' To me, this title demonstrated a lot of depth to it and I found that it had two different meanings to it. I decided use this title because it thought it summed up the film in one word that I think adds an intense element to the film. The word unseen, suggests that something is hidden, something that no one can see. This represented the hacker in my film, not being seen my anyone, hiding away whilst watching Anna, the main character through her webcam. I then decided to use the seen section of the word in bold, underlined and in capital letters. I did this to represent Anna in the film and how she was being seen by this hacker, without knowing. This to me adds a very powerful effect to the film, portraying both of these characters well in their different positions. 

To create a smooth transition between the opening seen to Anna sitting at a desk on her computer, I decided to add the visual effect/transition of 'dip to black.' This allowed for a smooth crossover between these two scenes, whilst still maintaining intensity throughout. 

The screenshot further down shows the effect controls of a clip selected in the timeline. This section of premiere pro allowed me to change the way some clips sounded, to adjust the visual effects added and to lower of heighten the volume of a clip. This screen shows a 'fade-in' effect I created for one the clips. This was done by placing a dot at the beginning of the clip, then another further along, at the point at which I wanted the volume to be at its highest level. From this, I then dragged the first dot down to the lowest level possible and dragged the second further along - this was to create the 'fade-in' effect I was aiming for, spreading the dots further apart allows for a slower climb to the top volume from the lowest. From this effect, I was able to create a smooth audio transition for this clip.

Below, is a screenshot of the titles I produced, to put in at the end of my film. I made sure to put in the key names of the people involved in producing the media piece, myself and Anna Weston. I did this by selecting the text icon at the top of the window, then dragged a bow over the blank background to demonstrate where I wanted the titles to appear on the screen. I then typed in the names of the people included in production. However, in order to make the titles scroll in and out of the end screen, I had to select the 'roll/crawl options' icon at the top left of the window. This option allowed me to select the speed at which I wanted the titles to scroll, and whether I wanted then to started and, end on or off the screen. This gave me flexibility to decide what I wanted to the speed of the titles to look like and what I wanted the last shot to be, which was blank. The numbers in the boxes under 'ease-in' and 'ease-out' represents the speed at which I chose the titles to appear and disappear. I then select the 'OK' option, dragged the title into the timeline and the end of the rest of my cut clips, it then appeared on the screen in the position and timing that I wanted. 

Linking audio to visuals and applying audio effects;

To add a more dramatic effect to the last scene in the piece, I decided to use a stronger boom sound when the stalker is seen attacking Anna. I did this because I felt that it didn't have a strong enough influence with just the background sound on, I felt that it needed an emphasis to it to create a more dramatic effect. I think this worked and produces a more powerful impression to the audience. I found this image through a music sharing website and downloaded it on the computer. I then imported it into the premiere pro document and dragged it into my timeline where I put it into place, where I thought the 'thud' should appear.

The image below is a screenshot, showing the re-recording Anna and I made as a voice over of a clip we had shot previously. This had to be done as the original clip's sound, had a muffle to it in the background, making it difficult to hear Anna speaking in the clip. Because of this, we decide to re-record Anna speaking, then match it to the visuals. This was fairly straight forward, however concentration was needed to ensure that the clips visuals and audio were in sync with each other. I did this by firstly recording Anna's voice with a voice recorder, then copying it over using the memory card onto the computer. This then allowed me to import the file onto the premiere pro document and drag it into the timeline section where I could then cut to together. 

P4 Production material & techniques for an audio-visual unit

Setting up appropriate equipment;

For the equipment, we needed a camera, a tripod and a Macbook Air laptop. We borrow this equipment from our media room and used it to shoot our film. We had to set this equipment up in the location of where we were shooting correcting in order to achieve the lighting, and vision that we had planned.

The camera that we used was a Canon 7D DSLR and a Velbon DV6000 tripod + Carry bag. For the lenses we used a Canon 18-55mm zoom f/3.5-5.6 mf/af (wide angle) and a Canon EF 85mm fixed f/1.8 USM medium telephoto mf/af. 

Lighting;
For the lighting, we did not use any specific, professional stands. This was because we wanted to create more of an authentic look, to make it really seem like Anna was just sitting in her room like normal. This was easy to set up as we just turned the lights on in the room we were filming in and it created a genuine look but also brought enough light to the shot to see clearly. 

Camera;

We chose to use the Canon 7D DSLR camera because it was the piece of equipment that we felt most comfortable using. This was because we had used it previously and knew how to use it, but also because of the image quality that was produced prior to this piece of work, was of a very good standard so we knew that the quality would be high if filmed from this camera. With this camera we were able to use a variety of camera lenses that enabled us to produce a variety of different shots that we could use in our film. 

Lenses;

1.) One of the lenses we used was the canon 18-55mm zoom f/3.5-5.6 mf/af (wide angle). 

We were comfortable using this lens because we had used it before in previous work, be also we knew that it could shoot the right kind of frame of what we wanted to achieve. This lens produced a wide angle that we could use for the pan shots that we wanted to gather for the beginning of our film. This is also why we felt confident using this lens and chose it because it could give us the right kind of shot that we wanted. 

Below is a screenshot I have taken from one of the shots taken with this lens during filming. 

2.) The other lens that we used was the canon EF 85mm fixed f/1.8 USM medium telephoto mf/af.

This was also a lens that we were familiar with and felt confident using. This was because we had used it prior to shooting this short film, but also because we knew that it could produce a clear image of the shot that we wanted to create and it was useful when wanting to create racking shots, pulling into an out of focus which is a technique that I wanted to include in my film. 

I then took this shot with the lens demonstrated above. This image demonstrates how the lens enabled us to capture wider shots and more effective pan angles. This indicates how effective the equipment was in order to help us achieve the 'look/style' that we were looking for. 

Tripod - Velbon DV6000 tripod + Carry bag;

We had used this tripod for some previous work, so we knew how to set it up and what it could do. This made setting up the equipment quick and efficient because it was simply put together. We used the tripod for a fair amount of our filming to create evenly balanced close-up shots of Anna sitting at the desk. This enabled us to capture shots that were not wobbly or uneven. The carry bag was also effective and prevented damage to the tripod when transported around. 

Meaning and Purpose;

The meaning and purpose behind this task is to review the equipment used for the filming of my short film and discuss why it was chosen to be used. This provides a clear idea of why I chose this specific equipment and helps me to justify why I wanted it. It also demonstrates how effective this equipment was to use and how efficient it was to film with. 

Use of pre-production material as reference;

Meaning and Purpose;

The meaning and purpose of this task is to demonstrate what we used the pre-production material for and how effective it was when developing our film. This section shows what the storyboards, script, booking sheet, production schedule and shot list were used for. These image below show how we compared our storyboards with our shots and tried to capture shots as close to what we intended. 

When filming, it was very useful to have the storyboard and script to refer to when determining what the next shot was or what needed to be done next. The use of this pre-production material helped us to plan the next step and know exactly what we wanted to do and achieve for the 'next' scene/shot. 

Here are some examples I put together, demonstrating how we used our storyboards as a guideline when creating different shots for the film:

We decided in the storyboards to film this part with the Canon camera, as we wanted to create some variety of shots, which could not be done only using the webcam camera. We decided on this shot to show how effective computers or even technology can be on people, as this shot shows how mesmerised Anna is by her computer screen. This was to demonstrate to people how dangerous it can be to get too attached to their computers, and that they should be careful even clicking on links sent by their family, as it may not be what they think. 

We made sure that we filmed from the webcam camera as this is what we planned to do in our storyboards, showing in the right screenshot. We decided this so it would seem as though we were looking at Anna through the hackers eyes, through his computer. This was in order to create a powerful effect on the audience, to show them how they can be exposed, even through the simplest things. We decided on filming through the webcam to demonstrate how vulnerable people can be without even realising, just through something as simple as clicking on a link.  

The screen-recording sequence we planned was exciting because we had never used it in our work before. This is one of the reasons why we used this technique as we felt it bought something different to the piece, rather than just shots of Anna sitting at the computer. We wanted to show what she was doing on the computer. This also helped to demonstrate how the hacker came to be able to hack into her laptop, portraying a clear image to the audience of how simple it can be for these people to get into your personal life. By following this screenshot sketch, I think we captured a powerful image of how dangerous it can be on the computer if you are not careful. 

When making these storyboards, we were not sure where exactly we were going to film. However, my bedroom seemed like a close fit to the room we designed in these forms, so it was fitting that we used my room to film in. This screenshot demonstrates that we used the storyboard effectively when determining where to film. 

Use of Production Schedule

When filming, we referred to a production schedule that we put together, to help us determine what we were supposed to be filming of which day and in each location. This made it easier for us to produce the film and allowed us to operate efficiently as we knew all the time what the next step was for us to take. 

Script

The script was used throughout the production process when filming Anna and for the parts that she didn't have any lines. Even though the use of the storyboards was helpful at this point, we found using the script as a direction to refer to useful as it told us what Anna had to say next, but also what was going on around her in the scene and how to set it up in the first place. This was very helpful and helped us to make quick decisions, allowing us to work efficiently and helped us to understand what we were trying to gain from each scene. 

Shot List

This pre-production material was very useful during the production process. Referring back to this piece of work helped us to gage what the next shot we needed to create was. Using this along with the storyboards, we had a very clear idea of what we were trying to capture from each image and shot. We wrote in the shot list, everything that wanted to be in the shot which during the filming process helped us to work effectively, reducing the amount of time wasted when not filming. 

Booking Sheet

The booking sheet provided a list of all the equipment we needed in order to create the shots for our filmed. This was filled out by myself and handed back into my teacher so she would know what filming equipment I needed in order to produce the film. This was useful because it confirmed that I would be using the equipment and also let my teacher know who had it and for how long. This was also a good motivation to get the work done within the time we had the equipment for, which is a determinant of why we got the work done is such a small space of time, because we knew we didn't have time to waste. The booking sheet also allowing for a special hazard procedure to go into place more carefully, as we had extra sure that the equipment was not at risk of being damaged at any point. We did this because we had signed the booking sheet, taking responsibility for it and we didn't want it to go damaged or broken. We ensure the equipment was never at risk by always carrying it in the correct bags when travelling with it and also ensure that e.g. the lens cap was of the camera lens when it was not in use. Not only did this make us more aware of being careful with the equipment, it also helped us to co-operate more efficiently by going through the correct procedures in order to produce the right footage, with high quality equipment. 

Following safe working practises;

The risk assessment was helpful when it came to working when filming, as we were aware of the risks that needed to be considered. This helped us to prevent the risks from a actually occurring, which helped us to get effective work done in the most costs effective way in terms of time. 

Because we were filming in my bedroom, there weren't many health and safety hazards to be aware of. However, it was still important that we checked the area for any of the potential hazards demonstrated above, in order to prevent them from affecting our work. We made sure that the trip-pod was set-up and secured well and the camera was securely on their when it was being used. 

Following production processes;

Day 1. 

We started off by checking the room, to scan whether there were any health and safety hazards we needed to be aware of. This was effective because it allowed us to work efficiently during filming because we knew that everything was safe. We then set up the camera and tri-pod and tested out a few lighting procedures, to figure out what setting we though was the most effective for our shots. This resulted in us not using any lighting apart from from the laptop screen and a small lap on the desktop, decided as we thought it would create the most genuine atmosphere as it was very important that the film was relatable to audience members. 

Filming everything with the Canon, Anna then sat at the desk and we took a number of different shots of her working on the computer. This was good because it allowed for the same time-of-day lighting to exist in every one of these shots. I then decided to capture the shot of my back garden because I thought it would give me options for an opening scene if I decided I didn't want to go straight into the shots of Anna, which turned out to be true. 

We then set up the laptop webcam so that it was aimed directly at Anna's face (while she was  "working".) This was fairly difficult as was has to set it up so it would look believable, however I think the angle that we captured was effective. 

(webcam shot of Anna.)

Setting up the conversation that Anna and Nina had in the script, meant that we had to make it sound like Anna was talking to someone who wasn't in the room, and as we couldn't show this through the camera we decided Anna should shout, not directly looking at anyone so it would seem that she was talking to someone out of the room. To create this effect, I walk out the room and stood down the hall, Anna said her line and I said mine, thats how we created this effect. I think this produced a believable moment a this is an accurate representation of how people talk to each other in their homes, portraying a genuine feeling that Anna was being watched through her webcam. 

Throughout the day, we filmed using both the Canon and the webcam cameras, however the majority using the webcam. Filming the 'time-lapse' sequence with this camera meant that it was essential to keep the laptop in the same position for each different clip we were filming. This look us a few times to get right as eve the slightest movement of the camera meant that the sequence would have been out of sync. However, completing this successfully meant that we could capture a realistic 'time-lapse'. We decided on this effective to show that the hacker was watching Anna over a long period of time, not just for e.g. one afternoon. We did this because we wanted to build up tension in our film, to make it more effective for the audience. 

We then started filming the last scene with both the webcam and Canon camera. We decided to capture a few shots with the Canon, to establish to the audience the location and setting of the scene. After, filming with the webcam began as we had to capture the moment when Anna realised she was being stalked and the hacker was actually in her house. However, the first time we filmed this scene, the moment we capture of Anna realisation, we didn't feel was effective enough looking back at it in editing. Therefore we decided to re-film this scene on a different date and try a varied number of sequences to gives us more options for the editing process. 

(screenshot of the first scared sequence that we captured.)

Day 2. 

This was a fairly short day as we only needed to film one last sequence. However, we had to take into consideration all the risks that may occur again, along with setting up the equipment. This took a while as we needed to be thorough, however once they we checked once, we knew nothing would be an issue so we could continue filming without any doubts. 

Because we were filming the hacker not showing their face, I played the part of the hacker in Anna's room. We decided that to create a building tension effect, we would give the audience a slight view of the hacker in the corner of Anna's camera. Because of this, we had to devise a sequence so that the hacker could be seen slightly before Anna knew he was in her room. So we decided that Anna would turn the camera towards her bathroom door, so that the hacker could be seen in only through half of the shot. Anna would then turn the camera back to face her, but enough so a little bit of the hackers shadow could be seen against the wall, letting th audience know, but still not Anna. We then filmed the hacker covering Anna's mouth and shutting the laptop screen, to create a cliff-hanger effect. We thought this would build tension and leave a powerful effect on audience members, to scare them so they would be more aware about computer safety. 

P3 Legal or ethical identified and resolved

Meaning and Purpose;

To identify the legal and ethical issues that come with producing a film. This will help to be prepared for any legal and ethical issues that need to be checked, so I know what procedures must be put into place when producing my film, in order to make sure that all rules are being followed and everything is set up in the correct way.

The information below was based on writings from BBC Bitesize. I chose this website to source my information on because it is a well know, reliable reference so I know that I am learning from dependable backgrounds. 

Legal and ethical issues identified

Copyright - One of the main types of intellectual property - others include designs, patents and trademarks. Intellectual property allows a person to own things they create in the same way as something physical can be owned. It is the right to prevent others copying or reproducing someone's work.

This is very important in the media industry, especially when creating short films as it is very easy to copy a film that has already been made and then admit that it is your own work even if it isn't.

Copyright is a big issue the media industry faces. However copyright can be applied on the application of the idea, not the idea itself.

Ethical Issues:

Ethics are the moral principles that define how a group or person acts. However there are some issues in the ethical side of the media industry such as:

- Privacy

- Truth

- Trust

Ethical issues include offensive material such as privacy and copyright, regulatory bodies, representational issues including people, facts, opinions and events.

Accuracy must also be taken into account. For example in my short film it must make the audience aware of webcam stalkers.

Lastly, and most importantly Privacy is an important part in the media industry. Material should not be broadcasted in which the persons do no approve of or know about.

Legal and ethical issues resolved

Copyright

Legal protection is advised so that their original material cannot be used in somebody else's name.

In my short film we will be basing it on the idea of webcam stalks etc and have looked at case studies and other short films on it as we have similar ideas but we will not be copying another person's work.

Permission contracts must also be included before the start of filming. This ensures the people involved in the film know exactly who will view this and where it can be viewed. There are also permission contracts for children under the age of 18 for parents to sign.

In our short film, Anna and I will be appearing in it predominantly. 

Our short film does not include any soundtrack or playlist music, therefore this section of copyright is not required. However, as a pro-caution I will draft a letter of copyright, to request any music we may intend to use: 

Dear (copyright owner)

In this letter, I will be requesting permission to use your soundtrack (state soundtrack), in my short film as backing music. 

The film will be used as my UNIT 17 media studies coursework, and shown to my teacher, the examiner and a small section of people during a viewing. 

In reply to this email, please state whether I am being granted permission to use this soundtrack in my short film. 

I look forward to your reply, 

Thank you, 

Simone Moxam. 

Meaning and Purpose;

I put together this consent form for Anna to sign, demonstrating that I have her permission to film her for my short film. However, because she is under 18, it was required than a parent or guardian signed the form as well, giving me permission to film their child. This was vital in ensuring that I had been granted permission to film Anna for the short film for the legal and ethical issues required to make this film. 

Accuracy:

The film industry must make sure that they do not mislead their audience's. They must also make sure that they do not alter or change any facts as this will undermine the audience's trust in their content.

Groups and individuals should also be appropriately informed about the planned nature of their contributors when they are asked to take part in certain content and give their consent, unless there is an editorial justification for proceeding without their consent.

Material should not be broadcasted in which the persons do no approve of or know about.

These forms are essential to ensure that we did not break any laws. It was also important that we got permission from Anna's mother as Anna is under 18 and needed a parents consent. Because of this form, it was agreed that Anna could be filmed prevent any legal action being taken against us as we had it in writing. 

P2 (c) Solution of any identified hazard/risk in line with health and safety procedures

Meaning and Purpose:

This task identifying the solutions of potential risks is used as a contingency plan to ensure that the possible hazards are avoided. This will help to prevent any additional costs that may arise if something were to go wrong, and to also prevent the filming process being compromised due to not taking these potential risks and hazards seriously. 

Hot environment;

This is not such a big issue the way we are filming because we will be using a webcam to film half of the time, so this risk is decreased as studio lighting will not be used when filming through this. We have decided not to use studio lighting when filming the with the webcam because we wanted a more genuine effect to be created with these shots. 

Lifting heavy equipment;

Carrying equipment such as tri-pods and cameras was required when filming. This apparatus is not too heavy, however we must be careful with it as it is very expensive and we want to manage our equipment in the most cost effective way possible. However, heaving objects such as lights/cranes or steady-cams won't be used at all for our filming, therefore this risk is decrease due to the amount of equipment we will be carrying. 

Electric Shock;

This is an issue for us as we will be using room lighting when filming, so we must be careful not to touch sockets with wet materials. However, because we are not using studio lighting this risk is decreased as we will not have to worry about plugging-in/un-plugging electrical sockets. 

Tripping on cables;

This is also a decreased issue in out case because studio lights (with cables) will not be used so this may not be such a big issue. However, we do still need to be aware of tripping on cables as the room we are in will have more appliances plugged so we need to be careful not to trip over these when moving around the room. 

Lack of food/water;

This has a risk of becoming dehydrated or light-headed when filming. Because we will be working for long hours, mostly filming in one day, we must make sure that we remain hydrated and well energised throughout the day. If this is not done, this may prevent us from finishing filming or producing the best work possible. 

Below is a section that has been copied and pasted as an example from a government document.

"What is risk assessment?

 Risk assessment is a careful examination of what could cause harm to people, so the production company/producer can weigh up whether adequate preventive or control measures have been taken or more should be done to prevent harm and to ensure that minimum legal standards are met. You need to determine whether there are any significant hazards involved with the production activity and whether sufficient precautions have been taken to reduce the risk.

A hazard is something that can cause harm, eg chemicals, electricity, noise, 10 Health and safety in audio-visual production Your legal duties work at height, loose cables. A risk is the chance that somebody will be harmed by the hazard, usually classified as high, medium or low. Who should do risk assessment? A competent person, who has knowledge, experience and understanding of the task or activity under assessment, should carry out the risk assessment. If special technical knowledge is required, more than one person may be required, including someone who has the necessary competence in the particular activity, eg stunts, special effects, flying, animals, set design. The producer is responsible for ensuring that risk assessments are completed for their productions.

In practice, they may delegate risk assessment to other people, such as production managers, designers, heads of departments, the location manager or the unit manager.

In this case, the producer must ensure that:

● the person delegated is competent to perform the assessment, if necessary, by providing training in risk assessment procedures or other aspects of health and safety;

● the assessment is carried out;

● necessary controls are implemented effectively throughout the production;

● the assessment is reviewed where changes or new circumstances have made the original assessment no longer valid.

For small-scale productions in low-risk situations, eg those involving a single camera or small crews, it is likely that the assessment can be carried out by the crew on the ground. The production company/producer must ensure that crew working on this style of production have the necessary competence to perform risk assessment and implement effective controls. In the case of ‘non-production’ activities, the responsibility for assessment rests with the departmental manager.

Again, they are likely to delegate the assessment to others but will still retain the responsibility for ensuring that those to whom they delegate are competent to perform the assessment, that the assessment is carried out and the necessary controls are implemented effectively and reviewed.

How do I carry out a risk assessment? There are five simple steps in risk assessment:

Step 1 Look for hazards Don’t get bogged down with trivial hazards; concentrate on those posing a significant risk of injury or harm.

Step 2 Decide who might be harmed and how Think about who may be affected and those who are particularly at risk.

Step 3 Evaluate the risk Consider the chance and severity of harm that each hazard may cause, taking existing control measures into account. Judge whether an actual risk (high, medium or low) is likely from the identified hazard. Determine the necessary control measures using the following hierarchy of approach:

● avoid the risk completely; but if this is not possible

● reduce the risk to acceptable levels;

● provide training and instruction, and personal protective equipment if the risks cannot be controlled in any other way;

● reduce risk at source by developing safe systems of working, giving collective measures priority.

Step 4 Record the significant findings The significant findings of the risk assessment should be recorded and communicated to those people who may be affected. In practice, this means ensuring that the production team and any contractors are informed of the significant hazards, the likely risks and the required control measures. Keep a record for future reference, it will help to demonstrate compliance with legal duties. The legal requirement to record findings applies if five or more people are employed but smaller companies are recommended to record details in order to show that they have carried out risk assessment.


Step 5 Review and revise your risk assessment New hazards can be introduced if there is any significant change in the activity, equipment, substances or procedures. Risk assessments should be revised following any significant change or when they become out of date. If there have been no changes, the assessment should be reviewed at least once every three years to ensure that the precautions are still working effectively."

P2 (b) Potential hazards/risks

 RISK ASSESSMENT

Meaning and Purpose;
The risk assessment is intended as a basic template to assist in the completion of a risk assessment for film production activities. Detailed information is available from a variety of risk management and risk assessment specialists.
When conducting a risk assessment, consider all the likely hazards, who may be harmed, property which may be damaged, and the controls already in place. Then, for each likely hazard, bearing in mind the controls already in place, records the 'risk assessment' level. The further action to be considered will be determined by the level of risk assessment.

This is a demonstration of the Reece for our film shoot. There are potential hazards in this room. The curtains should be considered as crew and cast members could potentially trip on them if they are not lifted properly. This will be prevented by lifting the curtain to as high is it goes, to ensure a minimal amount of fabric is resting on the floor. I will also ask Anna to step further away from the curtain, to ensure that she wouldn't trip and fall. 

As stated in P2a this is the only location for our photoshoot, so this image demonstrates all the potential hazard we could face during filming as it shows the entire room. 

There should be careful considerations taken into account to the availability of information and ability to make contact in the event of problems. Examples to consider:-

• Is there mobile 'phone reception in the area?'
• How will you keep up to date with changes in the weather?
• How will you be informed of change in tidal waters?
• How easy is it for member of the emergency services to reach you? (cliffs, beaches, quarries, etc.)

Below is a section that has been copied and pasted as an example from a government document.

"What is risk assessment?

 Risk assessment is a careful examination of what could cause harm to people, so the production company/producer can weigh up whether adequate preventive or control measures have been taken or more should be done to prevent harm and to ensure that minimum legal standards are met. You need to determine whether there are any significant hazards involved with the production activity and whether sufficient precautions have been taken to reduce the risk.

A hazard is something that can cause harm, eg chemicals, electricity, noise, 10 Health and safety in audio-visual production Your legal duties work at height, loose cables. A risk is the chance that somebody will be harmed by the hazard, usually classified as high, medium or low. Who should do risk assessment? A competent person, who has knowledge, experience and understanding of the task or activity under assessment, should carry out the risk assessment. If special technical knowledge is required, more than one person may be required, including someone who has the necessary competence in the particular activity, eg stunts, special effects, flying, animals, set design. The producer is responsible for ensuring that risk assessments are completed for their productions.

In practice, they may delegate risk assessment to other people, such as production managers, designers, heads of departments, the location manager or the unit manager.

In this case, the producer must ensure that:

● the person delegated is competent to perform the assessment, if necessary, by providing training in risk assessment procedures or other aspects of health and safety;

● the assessment is carried out;

● necessary controls are implemented effectively throughout the production;

● the assessment is reviewed where changes or new circumstances have made the original assessment no longer valid.

For small-scale productions in low-risk situations, eg those involving a single camera or small crews, it is likely that the assessment can be carried out by the crew on the ground. The production company/producer must ensure that crew working on this style of production have the necessary competence to perform risk assessment and implement effective controls. In the case of ‘non-production’ activities, the responsibility for assessment rests with the departmental manager.

Again, they are likely to delegate the assessment to others but will still retain the responsibility for ensuring that those to whom they delegate are competent to perform the assessment, that the assessment is carried out and the necessary controls are implemented effectively and reviewed.

How do I carry out a risk assessment? There are five simple steps in risk assessment:

Step 1 Look for hazards Don’t get bogged down with trivial hazards; concentrate on those posing a significant risk of injury or harm.

Step 2 Decide who might be harmed and how Think about who may be affected and those who are particularly at risk.

Step 3 Evaluate the risk Consider the chance and severity of harm that each hazard may cause, taking existing control measures into account. Judge whether an actual risk (high, medium or low) is likely from the identified hazard. Determine the necessary control measures using the following hierarchy of approach:

● avoid the risk completely; but if this is not possible

● reduce the risk to acceptable levels;

● provide training and instruction, and personal protective equipment if the risks cannot be controlled in any other way;

● reduce risk at source by developing safe systems of working, giving collective measures priority.

Step 4 Record the significant findings The significant findings of the risk assessment should be recorded and communicated to those people who may be affected. In practice, this means ensuring that the production team and any contractors are informed of the significant hazards, the likely risks and the required control measures. Keep a record for future reference, it will help to demonstrate compliance with legal duties. The legal requirement to record findings applies if five or more people are employed but smaller companies are recommended to record details in order to show that they have carried out risk assessment.

Step 5 Review and revise your risk assessment New hazards can be introduced if there is any significant change in the activity, equipment, substances or procedures. Risk assessments should be revised following any significant change or when they become out of date. If there have been no changes, the assessment should be reviewed at least once every three years to ensure that the precautions are still working effectively."