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.
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