Shooting - In a Nutshell; The Kichen and Interrogation Room

Sorry for this delayed post. We started filming at least a month before I posted this post. During the filming I realised that it is a harder job that you may first assume. I am now able to understand why there is the need of the enormity of the crew.

Whilst we were shooting The Interrogation Room I realised that the positions of each cast member needs to be maintained from shot to shot, unless a transition was shown during one of the shots before a cut was taken. As one of my jobs on set was to maintain continuity, it would be very bad continuity if the Doctor's right hand was in the process taking off his glasses at one camera angle, then suddenly it was his left that placed the glasses to rest on the table within the same few seconds. Even though this would be minor something disorientating to the viewer would be if one angle would show his hand on his forehead, the next not, and the third shot repeats the first with his hand on his forehead.

One method I thought of to maintain the body gestures and movements of the cast was to write them down on a spare script, what was said instead of the dialogue given at times, how they delivered those lines and more importantly what they did during the lines. for example, if that was when they lifted their hand, or held their gaze in a precise direction and position. It was good as it was written down so I would be able to refer to it later, another is that anything differing was taken in relation to the first shot. Allowing everything to be preserved. Unfortunately, it isn't very reliable, I found myself focusing on one person at a time, what they did, usually the person who was talking at current. Additionally, I tended to look at the person from outside what was seen on the camera, I got the 'whole look' instead of what would be seen individually. I realised that that was a waste of time to the extent where I was missing vital details such as Romina's (Ralivia's) hand being placed across her belly throughout. Her left hand. Of which she regularly switched with her right. Therefore I decided to just watch the takes though the camera.

Which, in turn, proved to be unreliable still as I kept on making the mistake of briefly taking my eyes off the camera, or I believed my pen hitting the paper to be too hard, where the sound would be picked up on the camera. It could be seen as good, amplifying what the Doctor was writing on the paper, or annoying to the viewer, hopefully furthering them to be disorientated. Either way I thought of another method to record movements and spoken words. Using my phone as shown below:

• One way was for me to take photos, as it is a still image it allows for me to see accurately how a person was standing, sitting or in this case laying on the floor, as the images are not smudged. This is useful especially when the person is in a stationary position, so unlike a video, I wouldn't need to pause the video to see how they were, I could take a quick glance. Another thing that was fortunate for me is that my kitchen floors are chequered. Enabling me to get a detailed description of the stance they showed  or way they lay.

• The second was to video the scene at the same time as it was being taken from Natalia's camera (the footage that we would actually be using). That way it was in sync with what was going to be used, it also provided the advantage of tracing their steps, the vital image on the screen, so it would be exact if the shot were to change angles. Along with the words that were said during 'the argument' even though that doesn't actually matter as it would be dubbed with other actors improvising an argument. However it was more helpful as it was evidential, I didn't miss out on what may have happened and no noise was made. I could also show the actors what they did and where they went wrong before completing another take.

Overall, I came to realise that character's movements and body gestures were more important compared to what I imagined. Yet, after our first couple of shootings I came to realise that editing could 'fix' any mistakes. Also, that we weren't going to use the same cut from the same camera angle at the same part. Only if it was further on during the take. Meaning as necessary as it may be for a big Hollywood production, it wasn't as vital for what we were putting on.

Mise en Scene - Hand Movements & Body Gestures, Clothing (Natalia's sister), Stains on the walls and billboards