Blog #9 The BIG Step up!
- Oliver Aspinall
- Feb 15, 2020
- 6 min read
Updated: Feb 18, 2020
Since the week I found out about the results, I have been very carefully trying to figure out ways of improving my work. I feel there has been a positive step by step movement towards the improvement and towards a better piece of work than it was when I first handed in before Christmas.
I have learned a lot since then and have taken steps to get a better and more professional result. The first step was trying to understand the camera. Fortunately for me, there was a guest lecturer who is a professional cinematographer who spent a lot of his time with our group. I found this incredibly satisfying and gained an understanding of white balance, zebra, setting up the documentary, lighting, and understanding the Canon C100 more and more which is great. After that session I felt I needed to learn more about the work, so the first thing I did was turn to Youtube, as there are lots of things that can teach you. I found two really useful videos by this Youtube channel called INDY MOGUL, a very useful place to understand more about film making.
The two videos that I found were how to shoot a cinematic interview and the four essential things in Documentary filmmaking. They made me realise the best way to approach the project in a more professional standard, I will explain.
How to shoot a cinematic interview:
This video has made me more organised and more aware of how to approach the setup of the interview when I am making documentaries. Looking into how the camera should be set up, how the background should look, where should the microphone be positioned and lastly the lighting too. These are very important aspects to get the best interview out of it. I am glad that I have this awareness. It also helped with how the camera should be set up too, where the composition should be and several other smaller and less important pieces of information.
The four essential things in Documentary Filmmaking:
The video here made my eyes go wide and my head go ding. How did I not know four simple things that needed to be in a documentary? They are Interviews, voice-over, b-roll and natural sound. It blew my mind how simple the essentials are, of course, the interviews were included but, the best part is that the b-roll was very important too, as you had to capture as much as you possibly could while doing the filming whenever you are based on the concept or what's happening around you.
Lastly, I have to mention that I was advised to be more prepared with the script and to think more about the location. At first, I was thinking about doing some filming outside, but due to timing and situation with weather plus I didn’t get a good idea of the venue because I hadn’t been there before, I decided not to risk it. The other choice was doing it in the pub. There were two different public houses, one socialising with the players, and then the other pub which was quieter for the interview. So I was more organised and more prepared for what I should do.
So with this knowledge, I felt I knew I what I was doing a little better ready to make the second trail documentary, a big step up. Therefore the only way to record this footage was to get myself to Carlisle again with a different approach. It was the morning after the Glasgow University Sports Association Ball but I was committed and sensible because work comes first. Also, I was worried about the weather forecast which was quite unpredictable in my opinion.
So waking up early I drove to Carlisle to arrive at Carlisle City Football Club where I am filming between 12 noon and 1pm. The first thing that happened was that I found out there were 2 camera’s there already, one from the BSL zone for a ‘muddy boot room’ (which is deaf football match of the day) displaying the North and South League. The second was from Punk Chef, so Carlisle Deaf FC was getting all the media attention that day.
Throughout the day I tried to record some B-roll, which means secondary footage, while Carlisle Deaf City was playing against Blackburn Deaf FC. It was a learning experience using Inner ND filters and trying to figure out the right exposure, white balance and so on. The challenging part about all this is the weather, it’s something I couldn’t control, the rain kept coming and going, as I was getting worried that the camera is not waterproof but the annoying part is the lenses keep getting water on it, so I will remember in the future that I need to use some sort of rain lens hood. The other challenge was positioning the camera deciding either using a tripod or all handheld and trying to capture the important moments, but what I learnt from that is to keep the camera on as long as you possibly can because the battery power that goes into the Canon C100 Mark 2 is massive and long-lasting too.
Next was the interview. I used a local pub in Armathwaite, called the Fox and Pheasant. Why did I choose it? I decided to use the pub, because my friend Tom told me it was quieter than the other local pub. I stuck with that decision and, when the time came, had a quick look around and found the best place to film the interview, which was next to their pool table. The reason i decided to use the room was because it had a perfect background which had dark maroon which is a good place to start. So the best way to do this was to ask the Landlord if he was ok with me filming, and it's all a green light which is great.
The C100 set up on a tripod, trying to be eye level with my friend and microphone out of shot. Wonderful start plus script in hand and off we went. As time went by, we didn’t realise how quickly time went by, even the landlord came to tell us that they were closing down the bar. Packed everything away, and drove back up north to Glasgow.
Then it was editing time a week later. At first, I was worried that the exposure was too high or there wasn’t enough B-Roll but it was just enough but I know I wish I recorded more. Sometimes I wish that I used a small external screen for the camera to reduce my worries but I shall remember that for next time. A few things I learned when I was editing, I wish I had a second camera, that is known as the B camera, which would have made the documentary more interesting as the different view, also I learnt that I could’ve used my A camera in the same position because that would have made editing a lot easier. If I was to do a different shot I would need to use a different environment. If I was only using one location it would make sense to leave the camera alone and just get on with it. Also, lighting is another thing too that I learned this week that if I used the lighting that I brought with me and switched the room lights off, it would have made the interview look a lot better in my opinion. Other than the fact that the editing took its time like most editing, it was enjoyable and challenging but at the time I found out that I struggled using my headphones because I believe it's due to having one channel of sound rather using both channels (left & right). Instead, I used the full speakers coming from my computer which isn’t fun. Now comes the important part, which is the music, which I often get stuck with for a few reasons. Firstly finding the right tune for the video is incredibly difficult as I have to keep in mind a few things, and they are… the genre, the theme, rhythm, the tempo and the use of instruments in the music. Then I have to keep in mind the copyright laws therefore I must find it without copyright and free. Finally, finding the right music is an incredible struggle on top of that is my deafness which I don’t know if it is a good tune and so on. It's a big challenge that I often find which asking for opinion and advice is the best approach.
Overall, I believe I have made a big step up from where I was in December, looking into research and a better understanding of the camera, approaching the project with an open and visual mind. Of course, asking for advice and opinions is another important thing for me too which I would need to get confident. Without the opinions… would it be a good video? You never know.
Here is the link for my Second documentary:
God Bless
Oliver
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