Wix Website

Professional Practice is about presenting yourself as an industry professional which is extremely important when we leave University. I was unsure which camera route to take, and after looking on Creative Skillset and Mandy.com I aspire to be a Director of Photography who oversees the whole camera department. 

Online presence is a huge breaker while getting a job. Googling my name, it actually comes up with me winning an award from my old college! Also had a quick look at domain names and I can have a .com site if I use my middle name. UPDATE 05.04.18- I have decided not to go with a domain as I can't afford it right now, and my default URL isn't too bad and looks quite professional!

I have tried using the Wix website builder before (two drafts/attempts of a professional website on my account!) but found it quite confusing and couldn't get it quite right. Today, we had a lesson solely on building a Wix website and it was very helpful. We used a tool called ADI and it made everything so much simpler and pretty much made a website for you. 

I have a lot of quick placeholder images at the moment including a few photography pictures. I also need to update my showreel for just camerawork and also add some behind the scenes footage. I also need to work on my contact details and about. 

I have changed my site from a DoP to Cinematographer as I have found that there aren't a lot of jobs advertised as a DoP (more for videographers). 

I have finished my first draft so I can show this to my lecturer (as well as my showreel) for opinions. I have included the showreel to focus on cinematography and in my Portfolio tab on the website, which plays automatically so people feel compelled to scroll down. I have put all my best projects I have been involved with. I think the website is still clear that I am a cinematographer.

UPDATE 04.03.18 - This is what the front page looks like now. It's a lot more professional in the colour scheme and sleek. I can also make my business cards look similar.

Professional Practice - To Do List

Learing Outcomes

LO1 Demonstrate a comprehensive and detailed knowledge of professional practice in your area of specialism 

LO2 Demonstrate the skills required to produce professional promotional materials to support your individual practice and professional development

LO3 Communicate your employment potential to prospective employers and other specialist audiences

Checklist

• Ask Lee for full Pink edit for showreel
• Finalise website 
• Business cards 
• Pictures from FMP and Lost State of Dance live gig
• Showreel 
• Facebook
• Twitter 
• Linkedin 
• Research
• Apply for a job (LO3)
• Step plan for getting a job
• Leaflets/poster 
• Video platform media (YouTube and Vimeo account)
• Managing social media
• Digital Archive 
• Cover Letter 
• CV 

* - need to blog
+ - upload to VLE
? - needs looking at

Underwater Test Footage

Today the director and a few people did some tests to see how we could film 'underwater'. However I was poorly today so I know very little about what happened and how. I offered to film it Thursday which would have been better but it didn't happen for some reason. I will analyse what pictures and footage I was given (and some info about how it was shot on the camera). 

Picture by Janice

Basically the idea was that we would have a perspex box full of water above someone lying down on the ground. Judging from the pictures the fps is 25 and the f stop is 4 which is fine and what I had in mind for the project. However I couldn't find a definitive answer for what mm the lens was (just that they used the zoom lens but not all the way). Looking back at the shots, the editor had to crop some of the box out so I think a bigger mm lens would have worked better (or even move the tripod down a bit rather than on a table). 

Picture by Janice

I'm not sure why there's blood dripping, I'm sure it will make sense when we have a finished script. I'm also concerned by the above picture and if the house lights were on while filming (but looks like they are off on the very first picture). I am also concerned with having a male model as there will be a girl with very long hair underwater and would have been beneficial to test how the hair would move (or not and why). 

Looking at the colour graded footage, the very last shot works the best. In the first two, you can see the scratches on the perspex box which ruins the illusion. In the third one, my issue is the bin bag background as the creases also ruin the illusion, and the same with the fourth (if the fourth one was ironed out, it could work). The fifth one is by far my favourite, not sure what the background is on this one (possibly bin bag, might be best if we just ditch this and use bare ground, or find a better black background). The lighting above the box works particularly well for these shots. Unsure if there was any other lights present. 

Mood Boards

I have started mood boards for Afterlife, however it's quite difficult doing this with no draft of the script. Based on the directors quick ideas and basic outline from the pitch, I have made a start. I can imagine it to be mostly dark (lighting wise) and central framing on the protagonist. Red gels are also a must. The only scene that might involve brighter lighting is the car crash, so we can compensate for filming in slow motion. I will keep adding to this when I know more of the script.

Afterlife - Equipment

We will be using the Blackmagic Mini Ursa Pro cameras for Hope (tech dem can be found here). Here are some numbers;

I have decided to film the project in 2k Pro Res HQ. It's better quality than HD and looks better. I chose against 4K due to offline editing, space and it will have to be spot on. I think 2k is more than enough for what the director envisions. Shutter angle and ISO will be default unless we are filming in slow motion. Doing a few tests, the best were at 90fps (normal will be 24fps as it's the norm and more cinematic). Slow mo tests can be found here.

Lens use will be various depending on the shot, most of it will be close ups so the 50mm will be used the most. We will also be using the 100mm macro from photography for the XCU of Hope's eyes.

We would have loved to use the jib for the opening shot but can't due to space. But we do have the addition to a portable lighting kit. We will also be using the studio LEDs for portability, slider/studio tripod, tripods, quick release plate, and shoulder rigs. Fig rig and the monopod may also be used for more stable handheld shots. We are not using red heads due to the electric consumption and lack of portability.

Day 4 - MNIJ

Final day of production today, and we are filming at Wetherspoons. We have two actors lined up (one I have not worked with before, he was pretty good and reliable. However he turned up to the wrong address on the call sheet) and planned to get someone to play Randall on the day. Me and the co producer announced our presence at the bar and everyone was pretty confused what was going on and no one had told them we were filming. Not sure what happened here. They still let us film and sign the Location Release Form. 

Filming itself went very smoothly (we lost a screw briefly but found it no problem), did a few takes from different angles and cutaways. We also couldn't find a Randall so we gave the line to Mason (I wanted the line in as it was one of the funniest in the scene). A quick rejig of the lines (e.g. "these two") and crises averted. We finished an hour before schedule.

Afterlife - Location Recces

The Ward Jackson (JD Wetherspoons)

We have filmed here before and given them our copy of Public Liability Insurance. It's a great location, best in the morning as it's very quiet and are very reliable. Electrics are fine. We have used them multiple times and would be the best location for the opening bar scene. We can also use the parking outside for the Mother getting into the car.

Church Street Studio

New CCAD studio on church street. Electrics are fine, huge space, however there is no overlight heads on the left hand side. We need to fully blacken the room, painting the floor would be expensive and time consuming, so bin bags are used instead, with sellotape on the floor. This will be temporary (few days) and should not be a huge risk. It will be secured down. Plexiglass will also be used for a reflection. Risk assessments have all been done thoroughly.

We will also need the studio for the car crash, this will be the best location as we can control the lighting and since the days are longer now, we will need to be in the dark for this scene. The new studio allows us to have a car inside too.

Seminar Room

We will be using this for hospital close ups. A corner of the room will be dressed but we will just be using the bed. Electrics are fine. Can't see anything else of the room so you won't be able to tell it's a classroom. 

Folio

We are using the basement in the Folio building on Church Square for the cellar shoot. We will be using the portable LED's as there is not a lot of electric or plugs and I don't really trust it. It's also a fairly small space so it should be a one camera shoot. 

Church Square Studio

For the bedroom scene, we are using the old studio at Church Square. We don't need a big space and this studio is used significantly less so it was easy to book. We also know that the electrics are good and also has equipment there from photography. We are decking out one corner as a pink bedroom and the other as the dark room.

Soundstages

This one is optional due to time limits. We want to use the new set for the Workshop scene but 1) sound is terrible 2) time 3) electrics 4) cold 5) lighting is also bad - we need it pitch black but the windows prevent this. We will probably be scrapping this.