tonysfilmblog

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Your Heart Out /Cry Wolfe Photos

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Your Heart Out /Cry Wolfe Photos

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Anything For You Photos

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Anything for You Photos

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Anthony Lyons - Film project Critical Essay

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Anything For You

Team and roles:

Mark-Antony Marini – Writer/Director

• Anthony Lyons – Producer

• Fionntan Mccaughey – DOP

• Max Brodbeck – 1 st AC

• Jason Binder – Lighting Assistant

• Aisling Keane - Production Designer

• India Marshall - Art Department Assistant

• Melanie Nava Urribarri – Editor

• Michael Hood – Sound Design

• Yat-hin Lee - Sound Recordist/Design

• Sean Dinwoodie – Boom Operator

Proposal Intentions

I was initially drawn to this project having worked with Mark-Antony before. I trust him as a screenwriter and also a collaborator. I think he’s very forward with his ideas and articulates them very well. At the same time, he’s very open to other ideas and establishes open communication to produce the best project possible. I was also drawn to the idea of working on another genre film after having worked on documentaries and drama and I thought this would be an exciting challenge. The film being an allegory for borderline personality disorder and the way in which mental health affects a person and the relationships that they have with the people close to them really resonated with me deeply and I wanted to try and develop this idea further. I felt the genre fit well with the synopsis. The vampirism that Damian struggles with reflects how people with BPD and other mental health issues can often view themselves as a ‘monster’. They can feel undeserving of love and the love they receive they can sometimes reject. This was a relatively unique approach to portraying mental health which has often suffered from poor portrayals within the media.

Critique of Process

Producing is a role I’ve never really had before. There were things I was happy with but there were many moments where I felt disappointed in my performance. My biggest weakness as a producer was definitely my difficulty with communication. Communication has always been a problem for me however, the issues became more prominent with this role.

It meant that progress was probably slower than it should have been. We did not have a concrete crew until close to the shoot, which to be fair was partially due to our original crew having other commitments but there was the issue with the make-up artist. She did a wonderful job but we only managed to recruit her just a week before the shoot which meant that the vampire make-up was not as immersive as it could have been. We were originally planning for the make-up to include prosthetics and a bald cap but we ended up not having the time. This in turn affected other aspects of the film like the overall visual look. In general, I believe that every aspect could have been improved with a stronger producer. If I had spent more time with Aisling then we could have tested out different methods for both the make-up and the set design. I should have looked for help in areas I was having difficulty with, e.g. locations, etc.

I definitely was more focused as the semester began. I reached out to companies in Edinburgh that offered filming space for hire and I looked into other rental websites, however, unfortunately many of our options were beyond our price range. I also enquired with anyone I had the contact details of but unfortunately, with the premise of our film, I don’t think many people were keen. I sent out casting calls to as many places as possible. I posted notices on facebook, Backstage and I also printed off posters to hang in various locations. This led to a surprising amount of actors expressing interest which was great in the long term as it meant that we could audition the actors and choose the actors that best suited the roles rather than having to settle for a particular actor.

I am comfortably happy with my input on set during the shooting days. I ensured that the cast and crew were comfortable and I believe I did a sufficient job keeping the cast and crew organised. I essentially acted as a runner, helping out in almost every technical area. The shooting days both ended ahead of schedule and it was a fairly simple process to turn over to the next shooting day.

Critique of Final Work

I think overall, it was a successful film. Mark-Antony brought a script that was both touching and engaging. However, viewing the final project, I think some of the issues that presented themselves in pre-production and the production itself are apparent in the final work.

The performances were probably the strongest aspect of the film. Despite not having much experience in directing, Mark-Antony did an extremely good job rehearsing with the actors.

I do wish we had a few more rehearsal sessions but unfortunately, organising rehearsal time can be a complicated procedure.I think Mark-Antony had a very strong vision on where he wanted to take these characters. Despite the horror aspect of the film initially seeming so prominent due to the concept, Mark-Antony wanted to make it very clear that this was a romance first. While watching the film, I never lost focus on the character’s emotional connection to each other. The horror aspect adds more depth to the film but it never distracts from the romantic focus. I feel as though the chemistry between actors was also portrayed surprisingly well on-screen. I’m glad that myself and Mark-Antony pushed for getting through auditions as early as possible as this meant we could get to know the actors and it gave the actors the opportunity to grow more comfortable with each other. The dialogue that Mark-Antony has written has fulfilled the initial idea in the sense that it does display this damaged relationship and the struggling mental health of Damian’s character. The gothic horror aspect could very easily be altered and it would still be an adequate portrayal of mental health due to the way the script has been written.

What Aisling and India managed to do with the space. I think there are a lot of nice touches in the latter scene where some of the set dressing is broken to give the impression that Damian attempted to rejuvenate the space with what he had available to him. Also the posters gave some nice insight into Damian’s character even if it were background dressing.

My only regret is that I did not either find a more suitable location or push for production design tests. I felt at times that we were restricted in terms of production design by the location and I think it shows in the final film. This is something that can be credited to my ability as a producer. I struggled to source a location that would fit the initial plan. However, I think it still works for the film. It meant that we had complete control over the location and could set dress it in any way we desired.

I think that the lack of coverage in some areas is slightly off putting. I made the decision to complete the shoot within two days instead of the initial three we had planned. This was due to the fact we were ahead of schedule and would only end up with about two or three shots left for the final day. I should have maintained the original plan as it would have meant that we could have reviewed the footage to ensure that we had covered everything. That one shot of ‘Damian’ rising is an example of this that I believe could have fit in something to make the action seem less static.

Fiontiann did a good job with the cinematography, there are many shots that I really admire and I think he was a great addition to the team. The shots that followed Damian’s shadow creeping along the wall and the shot of Damian’s eyes were especially commendable. I’m glad that we spent the time with fiontiann to have a test shoot that was focused on nailing the more complicated shots separate from blocking. This meant that for all the problems that arose during pre-production, the shooting days both went fairly smoothly without any real problems. We managed to capture anything more complicated with ease as we had already prepared.

I’m especially happy with how vastly different the two scenes look from each other. Booking out as much lighting equipment as possible ended up being incredibly beneficial even though we did not use all of it. It allowed the first half of the film to feel successfully atmospheric and combined with the sound design, I think successfully presents itself as tense and suitable for a ‘horror’ experience. The second half of the film has a very different atmosphere. There’s almost a dreamlike quality to the scene, reflecting the mending of this strained relationship.

The sound design really provides an unsettling backdrop for the film. I especially believe it is strong for the first half of the film. The wind gradually grows more intense as the scene continues which increases this tension as the scene plays out. The chains sound appropriately heavy which really expresses the chain’s weight. During the second half, the audio can be slightly inconsistent. The background noise seems to get louder and can cut out depending on what audio track is being used which unfortunately is noticeable. However, I am very happy with the rest of the sound design.

I wish I had been more forward in the editing process. There are certain things that I possibly would have changed. There was one shot in particular that was cut in slightly early, that being the close up of Damian reacting to Gabriel entering the room. The shot of Damian’s shadow took priority. Overall, Mel did a good job with editing the film together, especially since she does not have much editing experience.

Overall, while I am happy with the final outcome, I am disappointed with my performance as a producer. I do think most of this was all down to my lack of experience and confidence. I think if I wanted to attempt a producing role it should not have been at this stage in the course, especially since my peers are settling into their preferred roles. While I do not think I would ever choose to produce again, this has significantly developed my organisational and social skills. Since acting as a producer I have more fully understood the connections between each department and the vital importance of constant communication and preparation.

I am interested to see how the film progresses going forward. We plan to take another look at the picture edit and refine certain things and we also plan to infuse an original score to prepare it for festivals.

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Crit Week

Crit Week

I won’t say too much here as I’ve submitted a formal reflection. I really enjoyed watching everyone’s films. I think this year has been a huge step up for everyone and they should all be really proud of their work.

There are loads and loads and looooads of things I'm unhappy with but I'm in a sort of middle ground where I don't want to be too negative about myself like I always am. I should have been more outspoken about what I wanted with the film, which isn't me saying that I don't like the film. Its more that there are clear issues that are because of the producing aspect. Literally everything I'm unhappy with is with my performance. Now that does sound overly negative but I just want it to be known that I'm not unhappy with anyone else's performances.

I will say i would have been happy with my efforts if this were a 1st or even 2nd year project but I don't think it was acceptable for this year. I am happy with the way the film has come out. I think there are a few kinks here and there but it looks pretty good and the acting performances are fantastic.

To be edited

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Anything For You Shoot

Day one here we go. While I was incredibly nervous, it was nice to actually feel somewhat prepared. Instead of a morning of blind panic trying to set everything up, I actually feel like we were fairly prepared to go. The blocking/test shoot day, while I wish we could organise more, ended up being so beneficial. Crazy that! 

It definitely felt strange to be filming the final scene first. It made the most sense but it was sad in a way to go from this lovely, almost serene room on day one to completely destroying it for day two.

It seems a little strange to film both scenes in the same room when they’re meant to be completely different rooms. I feel very conflicted on this aspect. I think in part, it makes the film seem somewhat cheap, but I also think it sort of works in the sense that this is meant to be a space that has been quickly cleaned to look somewhat presentable by Damian and because we’ve used this space which is not a bedroom, I think it fits that idea. Especially with the set design by Aisling and India, the decorations are made with broken cds, almost like Damian has tried to decorate with the small amount that he has.

Not having access to a bedroom did end up feeling rewarding as we had to improvise. We couldn't move a bed into the room so I made use of the inflatable bed that I had. It probably wasn't the best solution we could come up with but I do think it works in a way. Again I feel it creates this sense that Damian has desperately tried to make this one room a living space despite having nothing.

The day went very smoothly. We ended on schedule. Weirdly for both days while we didn't follow the schedule too strictly, we ended up almost bang on the dot. Literally on the 2nd day we ended exactly on time.

Most of my days were spent being the most producery I've ever been. I went all over the place as the day went by. Helping with equipment to begin with, then it was organising food for people. I never realised how expensive just basic snacks could be but I'm glad I went for it as it really helped set morale. I kept in touch with Michael a lot to ensure we stayed on schedule. I didn't want to step too much into mark-antony and fiontians territory but mark-antony was very open and quite often tried to get my opinion on things.

One of the biggest challenges was the lighting setup. It was a mad rush to somehow find a way of extending the cable out the window, however, it had to be a different window to the room we shot in. The cable went out through a window and then we pointed a massive light pointing in through the set window to give the impression of sunlight. I think it worked out very well in the end and it was significantly easier than relying on natural sunlight. It meant poor Jason our Gaffer had to stay outside in the freezing cold to ensure the safety of the equipment but we made sure he was wrapped up warm. We had a couple of extra hands on set so I decided to swap him around with someone else to give him the chance to warm up.

Day 2.

I had to briefly leave to meet with the Make-up artist during the setup just to help her find her way there but most of the morning was just a matter of setting up each scene so thankfully I scheduled a lot of time for it. I introduced the makeup artist to calvin and got them set up and then it wad off to help aisling sort out everything.

The hallway was a bit of a nightmare and possibly hazardous but I think it ended up looking kind of great. We destroyed some blank cds and put as much rubbish everywhere as we could. Aisling found 2 great broken chairs of Facebook marketplace and I moved them to my flat. We only really used one but aisling splattered some blood over it and it really added to the film. I was terrified keeping that in my flat in the days before as I had a flat inspection. I had to very awkwardly explain hey we're filming I swear!.

Definitely a bit more of a chaotic day. Thankfully no massive light outside but I had to make sure we had the hallways scene set up and ready to go as Cslvin/Damian was not needed until the next scene. Once that was done it was making sure the makeup application was going well. Then run to help Aisling setup the living room. Hallways finishes filming and then it's back to the makeup artist and then bam it's the living room.

I started to realise the mistake I made in squeezing for a 2 day shoot as it did lead to a really long day. It felt rewarding but I think it heavily impacted the film negatively.

My favourite moment of the entire shoot was definitely.

Michael : “We’re 40 minutes ahead of schedule everyone!!”

Me : “Michael, you shouldn’t keep telling people we’re ahead of schedule, it might build unrealistic expectations”

Michael : “Oh OK, guys we’re 40 minutes behind schedule!!”

I love that man

To be edited.

[tonysfilmblog]

Your Heart Out / Cry Wolfe Shoot

Despite the co-producer thing falling apart, I managed to hitch a role as 1st AD.

This is a horrible thing to say but I’m glad I wasn’t the only one to have difficulties with producing this semester. I think poor Michael, the producer of Your Heart Out, really struggled with similar aspects.

Day one was a little bit of a mess. I don’t mean to say this to criticise anyone or paint anyone in a negative light. I only say this because there was some real character growth on this shoot. The change in everyone from day 1 to 4 was genuinely such a great thing to experience.

I think we were mostly just ill-prepared. I was a little bit concerned at the call time for the day, just because with every single shoot I’ve been on, the schedule overruns especially with the initial set up.

However, we managed to pick up the equipment and make our way to the shooting location. Then it was a frantic set up before the actors arrived. 

Shooting was slightly delayed but we got there in the end. The first day was strange in the sense that I feel like we all did a bit of everything. I helped with camera for a bit, so did Sean. I made sure the actors and crew had everything they needed. I got umbrellas, batteries and other shop runs.

Now I get onto something that excites me more than it should. Ciaran, one of the actors, was not happy with the way the shoot had proceeded. 

The semester began with me and Michael deciding to co-produce both Sean and Mark-Antony’s scripts. While this inevitably fell apart, I think we both still ended up taking on producing attitudes when it came to the shooting process.

I got to talking a bit here and there with the actors, making sure they had everything they needed and I think because of that Ciaran trusted me more since I was secondary crew. He essentially said that 'they' needed to get their shit together. Me and the team sat together and brainstormed for the next few days. The plan was to engage with the actors constantly. Me and michael would chit chat and keep them tuned in to what was going on and Sean and yat would continuously rehearse and block and talk to them about each scene.

Day 2

Day 2 came with its own unique challenges however, immediately it was a much better day. I feel awful for Sean, Yat and Michael. I think Ciaran’s comments rattled them a bit. While this made for a slightly tense shoot, I saw a newfound energy in the crew. Every single one of them seemed more determined to make this a successful shoot. I had suggested that Yat should maybe work with the actors a bit more and that he did. Him and Sean were on top form making sure that the blocking was sound and that the actors felt involved and that they better understood the process. 

Our biggest issue on the day was the sound problems from the construction work which was stressful at the time but looking back, it was a very successful shooting day. The construction work was so loud, it essentially meant that we could not film at all in that area. We thought that we’d just move location ever so slightly which was a shame but it had to be done. Moving down the street, we managed to escape the construction however, there was this loud, continuous beeping noise that was coming from one of the nearby buildings so it seemed like the only choice we’d have would be to completely change location which would have been a nightmare moving equipment and crew so in a last ditch effort, I ran to the construction worker and very politely asked how long he was going to be. Bless the man, he was really nice about it, he said he’d only be another hour. Which was great news. It meant we were very behind schedule but we had a plan. Sean and Yat worked with the actors and our DOP Chelsea to nail the blocking and shot composition so we could bang out those shots when we could while I went to help finish the set dressing for the interior scene. 

It wasn’t the end of the world that we were behind schedule here as we were a bit behind setting up for the interior scene. 

Day 3/4

Rain….rain….RAIN!! I spent the morning of day three buying umbrellas for the cast and crew as we unfortunately were hit with two miserable, rainy days. The thing with miserable days like these is that you find that either everyone is miserable or sometimes everyone is somehow in high spirits. I think it’s when you’re with a good crew where even in slightly miserable circumstances, you all come together to push each other, to keep each other’s spirits high. It’s a lovely thing to experience. 

The camera stand broke so every shot had to be hand held which combined with the rain was an incredibly stressful situation but bless Jason or camera operator. He was only there for that day but we could not have gotten through this day without him!

Seeing how far Yathin had come as a director was amazing. He was terribly nervous on day 1, I think that’s why he was so reserved to cinematography but here he was more comfortable with relaying his vision. He could communicate with the actors and the crew more confidently and I think that’s partially why these scenes turned out much better than the one we filmed on day one.

Overall it was a much more chaotic shoot than Anything for You but I think I enjoyed the energy a lot more. I did a little bit of everything so it was really fun to run around between posts to help wherever I could.

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Part 11 - The Days Before - Need a Make-up Artist ASAP

Here’s another Anthony messed up and has to fix the problem post. Finding a make-up artist has been surprisingly difficult. A few people answered my initial request but things usually ended up falling apart. Some people couldn’t make those days and some people didn’t read the finer details such as the location of the shoot. My favourite one was when I somehow accidentally called someone the wrong name in an email and then they stopped responding. 

So it was about 2 weeks before shooting where we were still without an artist and to say Mark-Antony was getting stressed would be an understatement

I screeched out to the heavens (facebook) and finally found someone. She had a very impressive portfolio and I was very happy that she expressed interest.

We had a call with her to figure out what she needed for the shoot. We debated using a bald cap for Damian’s vampire form however, she only had one available so we decided to go for a very simple style.

Problem! She had a meeting with the BBC for something on Saturday morning, meaning that she would only be able to make it to set around 1pm which was basically halfway through the shooting day. The original plan was to shoot the vampire stuff first however, we rescheduled that to the end of the shoot so the makeup artist could make it.

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Part 10 Test Shoots / Blocking

We managed to schedule for 2 different full on test shoots / blocking sessions that mostly focused on testing the practicalities of the lighting and blocking within the space. I cannot believe that on previous shoots, I’ve just decided to wing it based on my storyboards. Alas, that is all in the past. We’re in 3rd year now. We’re responsible adults with test shoots and blocking sessions. For real, this will save us so much time on the day. While we did focus on blocking, we spent most of our time sorting out the lighting. I’m not sure how it looks to audiences but lighting the film was so so complicated. It’s presenting this claustrophobic look and atmosphere.

Also we have decided to scrap the exterior scene which is a shame. While it is not necessary, I think I’d still like to do it. It would be visually interesting and it would be kind of fun.

We tried to make the room look similar to how it would look on the day of the shoot. I'll admit I felt a bit nervous flipping over my couch but it immediately changed the space.

I think we worked out quite a lot with these shoots. Especially certain mote difficult lighting shots like the letterboxed shot of Damians eyes

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Part 9 Production Meetings Galore

Because the writers were given the prompt at creating a sense of place, it meant that the script was filled to the brim with details about the location.

Through a breaking down of the script, I tried to make a complete list of props, etc.

There were a lot of aspects in the script that could be very tricky to create. I conversed with Aisling to try and figure out how we were going to go about certain things. The raw meat/dead animal for example. Obviously real raw meat would provide an absurd level of health hazards so I looked into ways in which we could recreate the look while keeping everyone safe. I found this amazing method of creating fake raw meat using mashed potato and beetroot which actually looks very similar. Absolutely disgusting but I think that’s what we’re going to go for.

I also looked into ways we could safely mess up the walls. The script mentioned scratches along the wall. There were some cheap scratch prosthetics that we could potentially use but there’s the risk that these will end up not looking so great. Some people online mentioned using wax and then painting the wax. I even saw some people say pfff make a fake wall…which yes that’s completely in my budget. This aspect will be tricky for sure.

Mark-Antony had already provided us with a massive chain which talking with Michael and Yat, the sound editors could create some issues but we will get there when we get there.

Due to out lack of experience, make-up wise we are thinking of going for something very simple. We’ve got contacts, fake claws and we’re going to have some tests with the facial paint. I’m currently trying to get a make-up artist but worst comes to worst Aisling might have to fill that role hence why we are doing the tests. Also we have a crew!

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Part 8 - A Brief Message About Co-producing

This is a very brief message to note that the co-producing thing has fallen apart. I think the workload just got too intense for both of us. I attended the early production meetings for You Heart Out and tried to organise specific meetings with Yat and the rest of the crew. I also designed the kind of awful casting call posters and helped Michael put those up. C’est la Vie. Hopefully this means I can put full focus on Anything for You.

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Part 7 - Pitch Week

Pitching. How did I manage to get pushed into producing?? I’m very thankful that I’m never going to produce again because I have this amazing skill to make any interesting idea seem like absolute trash.

Luckily it was fairly easy to briefly talk about in front of the class. It’s a project I’m actually really interested in and I think it could turn out very well. I think my only regret is that we weren’t a bit further on in production like a lot of the other groups who already had locations and fundraisers organised. Fundraisers!? See this is my biggest problem as producer, I didn’t even think properly think about fundraising and now I feel it's too late. 

I think this definitely stressed me out a little bit, just the feeling that I would not be able to produce a film on par with the others. I’m definitely very interested in the emotional depth of the project.

Here is the statement I put forth for the pitch.

Stylised genre film outside of drama is slightly underrepresented when it comes to student productions. This has been the main draw for me as a producer; the prospect of undertaking such a project seems like it will be both challenging and fulfilling.

I've worked with Mark Antony as a writer before and I think he's great at creating these characters with very complicated relationships. There’s this strong genre hybridity of romance and horror that have moulded together to produce this effective character drama that explores what it means to love someone who 

While the drama is intertwined with the genre, you could remove the gothic horror aspect and it would still be a compelling character drama that would stand strongly on it's own.

In terms of practicality, we have quite a challenge on our hands. However, I believe we are more than prepared. We have locations in mind with the appropriate permissions having been sent out. The only exterior requirement will be the opening scene which can be altered if necessary. The rest of the film is all interior based and the locations we have chosen are easily accessible and we currently do have all the necessary permissions. We’re working hard to ensure that we can utilise these locations effectively to establish a sense of space and I’m feeling very optimistic about the production.

We are having significant success with our casting with a lot of actors expressing their interest in the roles. We plan to finalise the characters by the end of this week and rehearsals will commence over the course of the next 2 weeks.

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Part 6 - The Auditioning Process

The search for actors has been surprisingly enjoyable. I started with simple stuff like facebook posts and backstage. Next up, we decided to place casting call posters around anywhere we could. I honestly felt like I was engaging in espionage or something. I was a bit nervous at first so I went to ask at the front desk for permission to post. The woman very kindly said to just place them anywhere and everywhere. They’d probably get taken down but people put up posters all the time. So the plan was to go guerilla style. I went around everywhere. Any board I saw, I put up a poster. Any place I saw other posters, I put up a poster. I even embarrassingly put up a couple of posters in a couple of bathrooms but I stopped that after bathroom 2 as it just felt far too awkward.

Fast forward a few days and the responses are pouring in. Me and Mark-Antony looked through each one. There were some actors that immediately jumped out at us but we decided to audition all of them anyway. We auditioned them all in pairs, that way we could audition each actor but at the same time see how they connect with other actors.

The auditioning process was so strange. I felt like an Xfactor judge.

This is what was sent out to each actor in preparation for the audition.

I’m so happy we did duo auditions. It really helped us see what worked. So many people auditioned for Damian which look I get it…..he’s the edgy vampire guy but so many of the actors just did not fit the character at all. Hence why we switched them about a little bit. I think we went into the auditioning process already deciding to get Calvin for Damian. Both myself and Mark-Antony have worked with him before and he’s an absolute delight to work with. He gives every role his all and I actually think he fits Damian very well. We decided to go with an actor called Ben for Gabriel. I think he’s slightly different than how we envisioned the character but I personally think he works so so well. He has this softness and kind presentation and acting ability which fits the caring nature of Gabriel.

[tonysfilmblog]

Part 5 - Production Meetings Galore

Because the writers were given the prompt at creating a sense of place, it meant that the script was filled to the brim with details about the location.

Through a breaking down of the script, I tried to make a complete list of props, etc.

There were a lot of aspects in the script that could be very tricky to create. I conversed with Aisling to try and figure out how we were going to go about certain things. The raw meat/dead animal for example. Obviously real raw meat would provide an absurd level of health hazards so I looked into ways in which we could recreate the look while keeping everyone safe. I found this amazing method of creating fake raw meat using mashed potato and beetroot which actually looks very similar. Absolutely disgusting but I think that’s what we’re going to go for.

I also looked into ways we could safely mess up the walls. The script mentioned scratches along the wall. There were some cheap scratch prosthetics that we could potentially use but there’s the risk that these will end up not looking so great. Some people online mentioned using wax and then painting the wax. I even saw some people say pfff make a fake wall…which yes that’s completely in my budget. This aspect will be tricky for sure.

Mark-Antony had already provided us with a massive chain which talking with Michael and Yat, the sound editors could create some issues but we will get there when we get there.

Due to out lack of experience, make-up wise we are thinking of going for something very simple. We’ve got contacts, fake claws and we’re going to have some tests with the facial paint. I’m currently trying to get a make-up artist but worst comes to worst Aisling might have to fill that role hence why we are doing the tests.

[tonysfilmblog]

Part 4 - Equipment Booking

There’s only one thing I hate more than paperwork….and that is responding to emails. Clearly I should take up producing professionally. But yes, paperwork is one of the most boring things imaginable. Thankfully it was something I was actually on the ball with this semester….outside of crew agreements but that’s another story. Too often I’ve experienced that nightmare that is booking equipment so I wanted to make sure that we had everything we needed. The only problem I had was trying to pester our DOP about the equipment list. Fiontann and myself both have a very similar problem with communication. I tried booking out everything I thought we’d need starting with the prized Ursa Mini of course. I had made a proto-list through talking with Mark-Antony and Fiontiann so we were mostly set to go from that. I definitely booked out too much lighting equipment and had to cut some of it down. 

Lighting is going to be incredibly important for the film. Mark-Antony wants to go for a gothic visual style which means dramatic lighting, nosferatu style. 

Crew wise, I have contacted anyone and everyone. Honestly it was kind of uncomfortable. Contacting so many people, some of them I’ve never had a conversation with before ew. I even shot my shot with some high in demand folk who we were never going to get but it’s as I said, you have to shoot your shot.

I’ve had some success. I might have secured an AD and AC. DOP I’m still having difficulty with.

[tonysfilmblog]

Part 3 - Location Scouting

A thus, the search for a location began because there was absolutely no way that we were going to use my flat for another project…..

I spent hours crafting the perfect email to send. By that I mean I sat there for hours completely unsure what to say, only to send something that I could have written in 5 minutes. I basically just asked Location Scotland to see if they had any resources available for students.

The responses I got were very kind and they did give me some advice, e.g. examine the current resource I had, contacting other companies however, the common answer was basically, ‘sorry but we don’t have anything available’. 

Looking for exterior locations ended up being extremely interesting. There were an abundance of abandoned locations within Edinburgh and the surrounding areas that would look amazing for the film.

Here is the document where I noted down potential locations.

Of course there are issues with every single one of these locations. Some are closed off to the public, some were in the process of being demolished. There’s also just the matter of safety. If we choose one of these locations, we’ll probably have a skeleton crew with minimal equipment. 

I started to look into contact information since these locations would have land/property owners and have set up security equipment and it would be important to get legal permission to film there.

There is potentially the option of guerilla shooting but I don’t think I’m ready to get myself into legal bother just yet.

There’s also the whole thing with the character essentially breaking and entering. I have no idea how we’d be able to do this safely and successfully. I’m starting to think that if we do use an external location, it’s going to need to be very minimally used. Anything to do with glass breaking will have to be done on the interior shoot and we will just have to make the set up to look like it connects with the exterior.

I’ve also asked around everyone I’ve had any sort of contact with if they’d have a space available for filming for the interior scenes but sadly no dice. I completely understand. I think people are a bit apprehensive about the whole abandoned, run down aspect. It means that we’re kind of going to have to fake wreck their place.

It’s increasingly looking like we’re going to have to use my flat for filming which to be fair would work, it’s just I’ve used it before and also I wouldn’t be able to supply my bedroom.

India has said that she might be able to supply a location so fingers crossed