Tempus Fugit Colour from Mhairi Fox on Vimeo.
Tempus Fugit. Black and White. from Mhairi Fox on Vimeo.
Contextualising Statement:
For the sequence task we had to work as pairs. We each wrote a one-minute film on the same theme: A person relaxing suddenly realises they’re late for an appointment, or to meet a friend, they then grab something and dash off. When they finally arrive, they make their excuses or apologies. One person was to film and record sound while the other acted in the film, we were then to switch roles. We had to shoot within our three-hour workshop, and use establishing shots, CUs, match shots, cutaways, and demonstrate the 180 degree rule.
There were no serious health and safety issues to worry about. We weren’t doing anything potentially dangerous, and our filming took place entirely within The Quad of York St. John’s University.
I was anxious but excited about this task. I have a special interest in writing and directing, so this was an opportunity for hands on experience. I planned my film carefully, created a detailed shot list and notes, ensured that I had the prop clock I needed, and arrived prepared. I decided on making a silent film as this fitted my rather slap-stick sequence idea best and avoided the need to carry and set up sound equipment, thus speeding up shooting. My shooting partner was somebody I work well with, and although we were both sick that day, we supported each other and managed to have fun.
Writing about directing TV, Bamford (2012) tells us to “[…] remember the three Cs which are the key to success: control, coverage and creativity.”
I arrived knowing what I wanted to film and with a clear plan of how to get it.
Because I had a detailed shot list to insure I didn’t forget anything vital, I got all the coverage I needed for editing.
There was room in the process to be playful as my idea mostly relied on visual humour, and we trusted each other enough to be silly.
My shooting partner and I communicated and cooperated well. As a result, filming went surprisingly fast and smoothly.
Because I was using a simple static camera, and no dialogue I drew on ideas from early silent films by actors like Charlie Chaplin (The Immigrant 1917) and Buster Keaton (Convict 13 1920). Exaggerated, occasionally surreal, visual storytelling. I feel this approach was mostly successful, although lack of experience and unfamiliarity with the equipment caused a few problems, e.g. I forgot to adjust the camera when moving from inside to outside, meaning the outside footage was overexposed. Luckily, much of this could be corrected during the editing using PremierPro. Some shots ran much too long, but I was able to speed them up, and the comic flickering effect added to the silent film quality. I created colour and black and white versions of the film but feel the black and white is more in keeping with my theme. I uploaded both to Vimeo.
I learned a lot about planning and executing a task within tight constraints, and believe I succeed to a large degree, but I still have a huge amount to learn. My technical skills are very basic, and I need to work hard on improving my knowledge of the camera equipment and editing software.
Bibliography:
Bamford, N. (2012) Directing Television: A Professional Survival Guide. London, Bloomsbury.
The Immigrant (1917) [Internet] Available from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3PbTzarsvc [Accessed 20th May 2018]
Convict 13 (1920) [Internet] Available from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTv7imVb4YY [Accessed 20th May 2018]