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The Island Tapes.

So I really didn't know what to aspect going into this, I really had only a very vague idea as to what it really was. So me and the rest of DFTV 2 ventured into the dark side, the music school. The first thing we did was all sit beside each other and not where the ticket had split us up to. Yeah take that establishment!

We waited around for a little bit then a small group of musicians walked in one after the other, took their seats and introduced themselves. The guy who organised it all gave a small introduction before punching a few buttons on his laptop and the show began.

I have to say after around five minutes into it I was well and truly captivated. We as a class have watched a number of black and white movies and I have always liked the music that goes with them, but to actually see the music playing live in front of you with the movie in the background just added an extra dimension to the show. It just seemed to go hand in hand with what was being shown in the background.

It made what we were watching feel all the more meaningful in the end. I did find myself watching the musicians more than the actual tape being shown in the background from time to time, but I think that was natural. I really liked the show and felt it offered a very powerful look into our past as a nation in a very engaging way.

I didn't know till afterwards that we had watched this show because in fact we are going to be filming something similar very soon. Now if you had explained to me before hand that we would be going out to film seemingly random pieces of footage as a kind of social time piece. I would have been a bit sceptical on its value and merit. But having watched this and seen how powerful it can be. For us to be able to look back at unedited pieces of footage that have captured a moment in time has really made me think that what we will be doing will have value and merit, and will hopefully offer our children's children a look into how we lived in as powerful way as we watched this.

Overall a very nicely put together show that offered a very rare insight into our past that I don't think could have been delivered as good in any other medium other than what it was.



Adams Tutorial


I always like Adams tutorials because he has a very good way of putting ideas on the table that will improve your idea and making it seem like your ideas. Well they are your ideas but just from a different angle, I always walk away with fresh interest in my idea and raring to develop it further.

I put three ideas on the table, the third being their for good measure, I knew the third was a terrible one and so did Adam. It was never really spoken of in the tutorial. The other two on the other hand Adam seemed to really like and wanted to know alot more about and asked questions about them that I would have never have thought to asked myself. I found myself coming up with new ideas for the show on the spot and thinking of new ways I could take them.

I felt Adam was really engaged with the two idea I had put on the table, and I walked away knowing alot more where to take these ideas and how to properly develop them further.

Richards Class


So in Richards class we talked about writing scenes, which in the run up to writing our scripts was a big help. He sat us down and showed us a large number of scenes on the TV. This was a really good sessions as I think it gave us all the point that even a small very well written scene that ramps up the tensions can make or break a film. Richard explained that every film should have one of these scenes, a scene were the stakes are constantly ramped up and giving him/her further to fall. A scene that ramps up the tension so far that the audience can't look away from the screen.

I think before even starting to write my script I am definitely going to sit down and plan out and construct such a scene and how it is going to run up to that. This is something I don't think I would have done before, yes I would have planned my script out but to sit and focus on one particular piece of it in such detail is another thing. I am still unsure what this scene will be in my script, but I think I am closing in on it as I develop my idea further and further. I feel its only a matter of time before I find it.

Overall a very good practical class in showing us that yes the smallest details do matter, those moments we love in films are the moments we walk away thinking waw, that was a really good movie. Just that small piece of film magic in a well timed and well written scene can make your movie and okay one to one to remember.

Richard also mentioned that not to over do this, as I think that if every scene in your movie was trying to push too much emotion and tension at one go it would get a little much for the audience to watch. But still EVERY scene should have its purpose in what its trying to do and to help push your film forward.

Scenes

We have been talking about filming these scenes for a long time now, and now that its over I'm a little sad. I had such a good fun time on set filming them. It was night and day from any location filming I have done in the past. It was all very relaxed and I felt I learned alot more from it than from any other filming I have done.

Me being the gaffer and Luke being the best boy, we were essentially Phillips handy men. We broke up all the lighting kit and dismantled them all through out the day. Me not being the most handy person with lighting kit before hand, I felt this was a very good learning exercise for me. As in class having a whole class jumping around the lighting kit when Ray took them out, I don't think I have had enough one on one practical time with them.

But as soon as the day started I could just feel that I was learning so much, I know the scenes was all about getting a performance, but the fact I have taken two things from the experience can't be a bad thing. I feel alot more confident with the lighting kit in general and just learned what the full capabilities of them are.

Performance wise I also feel like I have taken a lot away from the day with. From thinking back to all the films we have shot so far I can't remember anyone sitting the actors down and being like, your in this state of mind. This is why you are here and this is why you are doing this. Maybe not as blunt as that but thrashing it all in metaphors, such as Andy said in first year don't tell them to run, tell them to act like the other end of the room is on fire.

This I think squeezes alot more out of the actors in the end, they are not just pieces of kit you can switch on and off. You have to be able to put them in that place of mind in their heads. They have to believe what they are doing is true, they have to feel the emotions and tension of the scene as if it was their own.

Just watching all this through out the day was highly educational for all of us I think. Just watching how to deal with actors and how to get a performance out of them has given me fresh fire in my stomach to want to go out and film something.

I feel Andy's and Adams point has been made, we have been forced to look at the performance side of filming a movie. Just having a full day on this has really made me think alot more about actual performance other than just how it looks technically. Through-out the day I think we have all picked up alot of knowledge on how to properly deal with actors. Just little things like talking to them as actual human beings, not just do this do that. Its the small things like giving them a green room to put themselves in that place of mind they need to be in to give the best performance they can.

Even with time on location being really incredibly strict, I would like if I was ever given the opportunity to film a movie is to let the actors improvise. Let them bring something new to the table in how they interpret the scene. Letting them completely turn the scene on its head can just be what that scene needs, and to be able to capture such raw performance can let you capture that piece of magic the scene needs.

I could sit here all day and explain what I feel I have learned, but for now I just really want to put into practice what I have learned. It really has put fresh drive in me as a film student.

I felt like we all worked really well as a group as a whole, we all took on board each others advice and I think we couldn't have worked better as a team. When I heard Ray and Gavin were going to be on set, this worried me as I felt like I was going to be evaluated in some way in everything I done. But this wasn't the case, all that it really was, was Ray equationally saying it would be nice if you did that with the light I think. Just small little pieces of advice he felt would improve the lighting, this really did help me and Luke as it made us look at the frame and think how can this look better lighting wise. Phil of course was a very good DOP and was always ready to take on board suggestions and would frequently asked me what I thought of the lighting.


Overall I really really enjoyed the day, from thinking back to other shoots and the stress that goes with it, I have to say I was a little worried that the day was going to be like that. But I have walked away having really enjoyed myself and feeling like I have learned alot from it. Something that I don't think a hundred of Rays class could have tought us. In no way saying that Ray's classes aren't educational but just being in those smaller groups and getting hands on experience has been really valuable to all of us.