The exchange

The brief
I was asked to create a short noir style film involving 2 characters exchanging something e.g. a tape, an envelope, a briefcase etc. There would be no recorder sound other than from the camera-top microphone, so we were asked to find suitable music to accompany the on-screen action. By completing this film we would be able to gain further knowledge of camera work and be able to meet our targets from the preliminary exercise. I worked in a group of 3 with Emily and Conna. Each of us participated in filming at least one shot and I also acted in this film as we were short on team members and chose not to rely on any outside talent to help us as they could prove unreliable.
Planning
Before filming, as a group we had to complete many pieces of pre-filming paperwork. These included the following:

• A location finders checklist - answering questions about the location (e.g. suitability)
• A 10-12 shot storyboard - to plan our shots and make sure we were prepared
• A risk evaluation sheet - examining the potential hazards of filming in our chosen location
• A risk reduction sheet - actions we would take to reduce the risks identified
• A call sheet - containing all the vital information needed for our film to run smoothly (e.g. equipment used, directions to our location and group member's phone numbers)
• A camera logging sheet* - used whilst editing the film to establish how long each shot is and how often we would use it in our exchange piece

After completing all of the above (* - we completed this piece of paperwork after filming) we was able to set out as a group and film our exchange. It was very important that all paperwork had been completed because it enables the shoot to run easier and we would be more likely to film successfully if everything was prepared.

The exchange exercise is below

Evaluation of the exchange piece

We showed our exchange film to the rest of the media class to gain feedback and targets to improve on for next time.

The location: We chose this location because the shaded trees above gave a dark image and the privacy ensured people wouldn't be walking past whilst we were filming. The audience felt the location was ideal though the sunlight sometimes left a few of the shots under exposed. We had noticed this but thought we would include the shot anyway as the shadowy effect it gave appeared to be very noir-style.

The music: The piece of music we used was from the famous noir film DOA (Dead On Arrival). We used it because we thought it would make our film seem dated, and it also went well against the action on-screen. The audience gave mixed feedback on this. Half the class agreed that the music went well with the action, but the other half felt it made the film more like a traditional noir and the instruments used in the music didn't set the noir mood. I think the music did go well with the film, though there were many other more suitable options that we could have considered as a group at the time.

The mise-en-scene: We chose the costumes to look smart and mysterious and also similar to those we had seen in previous noirs. Both characters wore long coats, and the audience mentioned the characters looking older. The item we chose to exchange was an envelope. We chose not to show the contents of the envelope as this would create an enigma. The bare trees and the piles of leaves on set gave a 'dead' atmosphere, though the new buildings in the background made the film more modern.

The cinematography: We decided to include a mix of shots to tell our exchange story. This was because it would be boring to watch if it was all done in the same shot type. We used a high-angle shot to show the importance of the characters, the over-the-shoulder shot was to give the impression of the audience secretly peering in on the action, the close-up and extreme close-up shots were used to show the character's emotions, and the long shots were used to portray the characters as lonely and secretive. The audience felt the variety of shots worked well though they commented on the framing on some of them. Since framing was a target from the preliminary exercise evaluation, I must consider the 'rule of thirds' when filming next time, as it appears to be a continuing weakness and can spoil the audience's viewing experience. We also had to consider the 180° and the 30° line rules as it would look odd and ammateur if we didn't. In one of the shots, the audience felt that the 30° rule wasn't met as it switched between Emily looking around, and then an extreme close-up from the same position. This is something we didn't notice as a group, but is very important to consider for next time.

The narrative: We planned the narrative in a storyboard so that we all fully understood it before we went out to film. We idea was to create 2 mysterious characters exchanging some secret information in an envelope. We wanted there to be an enigma that would persuade the audience to watch more. The audience feedback was generally positive about our film narrative, but some people thought that it could have been a few minutes longer so that the characters would be better established.

Overall, I think our exchange piece was very successful as the majority of our audience enjoyed watching it and felt it was in the style of a film noir. I felt we met the exchange brief, but there are still a few things that I could improve on for next time, such as the positioning of shots/framing, the 30° line rule and considering the rule of thirds.

The preliminary excercise

What was it for?
Before shooting the final film noir style piece, I was asked to create a very short film. This would provide me with enough knowledge on how to use the camera equipment and use the editing software, so that when it came to creating the final noir piece, I would be fully prepared and understand how to use everything correctly.

What did I have to film?
The exam board gave very specific instructions on the content of our preliminary film, so this restricted my creativity. The film had to be of a person walking along a corridor and into a room. In the room, this person would meet a second character and together they would exchange a few lines of dialogue. The film brief is very simple but also very specific. This film wouldn't be in the noir style, but to clearly demonstrate my current knowledge of filming and to provide me with targets to improve on for next time.

Filming the preliminary exercise
In our media class, we got into pairs and then into a group of four with another pair. This was because each pair would rotate in acting and filming e.g. one pair would act whilst the other filmed. I was with Emily and we were filming Nick and Conna acting. The filming took around 40 minutes as we had to prepare the kit and check it was working, inform the actors on their lines of dialogue and to practice the walk along the corridor. We also had to find a good location where there would be enough light and little outside noise e.g. of other students about. The filming took place in lesson time so this reduced the amount of people about in the corridors and since all the action would be filmed indoors, it was easier to control the lighting to our advantage. My partner, Emily, and I rotated in filming the action and recording the sound. This way allowed us both to gain an experience in all pieces of tech.

In order for us to gain as much shooting time as possible, we devised a short 10-shot storyboard displaying the basic shot examples we would use. The storyboard provided a simple guide to what to film on the day, which saved time planning it as we went.

The preliminary exercise is below
Script:
Nick: What are you up to?
Conna: Doing my coursework
Nick: What lesson have you got next?
Conna: Media

Evaluation

After completing the film, it was shown to the rest of our media class where they gave us useful feedback to consider when filming next time.

The walk along the corridor: When filming this particular part in our preliminary exercise, we kept the camera in one position that could see Nick walk all the way along the corridor and into the room. We made sure that the shot would meet the 180° line rule and the rule of thirds. Since we weren't changing shots between the walk, the 30° rule didn't need to be considered. The class agreed that our corridor location was god as it was wide enough to film, though there was noise from the classrooms next door and someone else could be seen walking in the shot. They noticed the smoothness of the shot and said that it established the corridor location well. They also commented on how Nick appeared directly in the centre, which showed he was a key character.

The hand on the door handle: This shot cut from the walk along the corridor. For this shot, we fixed the camera tripod as close to the door handle as possible to save us from zooming in and causing a blurry image. Once in the editing suit, we chose to use the close-up of Nick's hand, instead of the extreme close-up as this showed him entering the room more clearly. The class commented on the shot and how it met the 30° rule, and how the shot was nicely framed with the rule of thirds. They also liked the fact that you could just see the blue chair inside the room before it cut to him entering it, as it drawed you into the location.

Entering the room: For this shot we had to carefully cut it to show continuity, as if Nick was just walking through the door. We use the microphone on a boom pole to capture the sound of the door handle, whilst one of use filmed the shot. With this shot, we knew that we hadn't considered framing as Nick doesn't fit inside the shot at all times. To avoid this problem, we should have considered the rule of thirds and framed the shot to perfection before filming the final one. We also should have strictly planned Nick's route to the chair to ensure that he wouldn't walk out of the shot. The class noticed this and also pointed out that instead of keeping the shot static, we should have panned across to follow him walking. Filming it this way would have resulted in him fitting inside the shot at all times and ensuring that he is the audience's focal point, instead of the wall and the cables that dominate the current shot. We took this on board and agreed with their comments as it would also have been an added dramatical effect to have some camera movement in our film.

The conversation: For this, we chose to use the Suffolk College Radio Suite as a filming location, but we found it too small to gain all the shots we wanted. We aimed to capture a master shot to establish the location and to show the 2 characters together in one shot. The class noticed this and agreed with our idea. However, when we attempted to film this shot, we could only manage to get one person. This left us with a 30° rule error as it originally cut directly from Nick sitting down and then another of him saying his first line. We needed to input a shot of Conna to introduce him to the audience and show that he had recognised Nick entering the room. Since we hadn't filmed this shot on the day, in the editing suite we chose to steal a shot from where Conna was speaking previously. We found that this worked well as the class didn't notice that we had used the same shot twice, though next time when we're out filming, we must remember to capture all the footage we need to use, and extras for when faults occur. One of the main things that the class noticed with our conversation shots was considering the rule of thirds. His position wasn't central on screen and we left too much room space above his head. We were advised to get a closer shot so he would fill the space, and to position him more to the left to give him looking space as he would be speaking to Conna. Another thing the class noticed was the vocals were cut too short. This is because we had a coverage problem and we didn't leave any handles. This is something to consider for next time as it spoils the audience's experience if they can notice any editing.

Another point to consider was looking space. Leaving looking space is important as it shows that there is more than one character involved, and it also shows that they are speaking and facing eachother. Since we didn't have any establishing shots in our film, it was important to show that the two people were in the same location. The class said this was one of the better shots we had taken, though he still could have been positioned with less space at the top. Also, the busy background draws the audience's attention away from Conna.

The audience feedback was very useful and helped to put my filming abilities into perspective. Since this was our first time filming a piece like this, we understood that there would be many things that we needed to correct. The rule of thirds and coverage seemed to be the 2 main problems in our film though I hope to amend them when filming my next piece. The audience feedback was very useful and helped to put my filming abilities into perspective. I will consider it for next time and take on board what they have said, though I am still pleased with what I have produced as I met what the brief instructed.