First, we received feedback for the poetic documentary and treatment, and discussed areas in which they could have been improved. One area for the poetic piece was the opening which was quicker than desired, and the volume of the other sounds in the film that seemed to be lost in the mix (although listening back on headphones they could be picked up). For the treatment we weren't specific enough with our techniques used in the poetic piece, our style section was too long and some of the other information could have been re-structured.
After this we talked about where the project is headed, and so we mentioned the meeting Saul and I had yesterday with Ralph, and his involvement in the film. Jamie also mentioned John, his Gran's friend, who is still willing to help us out, which prompted discussion about the structure of the film, which we felt would either have to be 3-4 smaller stories or a single portrait on either contributor - as two seemed awkward and difficult to put together.
We talked about how to plan a structure to the film beforehand, perhaps starting with a zoom out of a photo similar to the poetic piece, then the main section learning more about the person using footage and interview, and 'book-ending' it with another photograph. We also discussed the types of questions to ask Ralph so the film isn't just a portrait of him but also touches on some bigger themes about memories and photographs - as is the focus of our overall project. Some of these ideas included:
After this we talked about where the project is headed, and so we mentioned the meeting Saul and I had yesterday with Ralph, and his involvement in the film. Jamie also mentioned John, his Gran's friend, who is still willing to help us out, which prompted discussion about the structure of the film, which we felt would either have to be 3-4 smaller stories or a single portrait on either contributor - as two seemed awkward and difficult to put together.
We talked about how to plan a structure to the film beforehand, perhaps starting with a zoom out of a photo similar to the poetic piece, then the main section learning more about the person using footage and interview, and 'book-ending' it with another photograph. We also discussed the types of questions to ask Ralph so the film isn't just a portrait of him but also touches on some bigger themes about memories and photographs - as is the focus of our overall project. Some of these ideas included:
- Why are photographs important to you?
- Photos important for remembering significant events - birthdays/marriages etc.
- Are there any photos we would have seen if you'd had a modern day camera? Missed events.
Ralph also had a lot of photographs of people that had passed away and so we could ask him about their importance to him in keeping their memory alive.
Through discussion we also covered some of the practicalities of filming. We mentioned that the lighting in the house was dim and so it was advised to bring one light and a diffuser to cover this. The questions I'll be asking we will discuss beforehand and I'll write them down and perhaps send them to Debbie to look at too. This will include questions about some of the things he discussed with us yesterday. We will create a detailed shot list as though planning a drama, structuring the film out in shots so we know what cutaways to get and how to make use of our time. Debbie mentioned that consistency will be key for this, and so planning will be important.
Other details we covered included starting to cut straight away after the interview to see if we have enough material to make the film, considering shortening the film if it makes it more effective and rewriting the treatment to include our new ideas and broader themes. Over the next few days I will arrange a meeting for the group to create a detailed shot list, interview questions and editing structure for the film to guide us on Wednesday.
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