Learning’s from Lenny Van shoot
We began with recce for the appropriate location of the shoot. The staircase we chose was in fact agreed as the best option of location for our shoot by all the group members. Reasons why:
The location had appropriate settings for shoot sequence to be shot. Example: the staircase could show Lenny walking slowly as described in the script.while Van could pace downstairs. There was also a nice corner where they both would be exchanging a conversation regarding the bag.
There was also a possibility for the Location to accommodate different camera positions to capture,which added to the location merit.
In order to capture most of the script, we, as a group decided to shoot scene 3 and then scene 1 if time permitted us. This was because if we got scene 3 then most of the script was covered and we had very little time.
Post the recce; we had a very short pre production meeting. I wish more time was spent in this meeting to plan our execution than at the shoot where we could have saved time. I now look back and realise that because we did not discuss the timing of the shot or the desired treatment of the shots, a lot was discovered at the shoot. It was just left to happen while shooting. So every shot had to quite a few takes. So the quality suffered and we also had no back up shots! I think these decisions are best taken in pre production stage when we know how to treat the sequence, how much time each actor will give, when he/she will pause, the way the dialogue will be delivered.
These points were not discussed. I would like to share that a key learning is always spend good amount of time on planning and discussing the treatment of the scene in a pre production meeting before you get into shooting. My sense is this gives an opportunity to get quality shots from word go! Then one can afford to have a few back ups too! Hence scraping the surface does not help.one has to dig in!
At the shoot: Although we had a storyboard, there was a lot of confusion amongst us as a group. It perhaps could be owing to the fact that many of us were performing the various assigned roles for the first time! It just felt that the record button was pressed without a check of the focus and the frame. We got shots, which were out of frame. The actors were not in focus! Some shots had clapboard coming in the shot. Learning is that even if time is limited, one should take quality shots and most importantly, always follow the order of checks: audio, frame, focus, white balance and exposure.
The shots were incorrectly marked which I realised when I sat down to edit the sequence during post production. I took long for the editing such untied pieces as the sequence, which had to be repeatedly seen to put them in the correct order and then edited. The takes must always be correctly marked during the shoot.
Despite many mistakes, the whole experience has left me feeling positive and helped me analyse what goes into making a good video project! It’s all about the journey of creative from inception to delivery.Every Detail counts! Like they say, a good idea is only good with it’s execution!
monamediamantras 