Production Day 3: That's A Wrap

As the third and final day of production arrived, a significant question remained lingering over the proceedings of production that was about to begin for the last time: would we have learnt from the failings of the first day of production, that required that the second day be solely about redeeming the errors of the first? Would history repeat itself again, or would be able to change it?

With such a feasible repeat likely, the decision to scout around the area of the day's filming the day before, ensured that this day of filming was to be unlike the others we had experienced before. On top of the failures felt with the project in days previous, we came into filming more aware and prepared to ensure such inefficaciousness with the aforementioned would not transpire once again; and I can confirm that no such repeat took place again.

Having scouted the area before and with the lessons dished out by the video-making process, we all were more prepared and ready when we met up outside Southwark tube station, and with a few minutes spent discussing the day that lay ahead, we began filming immediately, with the first shot being the main character - played by myself - exiting the tube station, walking towards an information board, with the hope it can point him in the direction of his romantic interest.

Information Board: "Where the hell are you?"

From there, through collaborative discussion, it was decided that the character would leave the information board, to use a nearby telephone box, where he would find a map inside, which - with the aid of London's samaritans - would find himself at the Southbank, beside the River Thames, and eventually sitting by his romantic interest on a bench looking at the serenity of the river together: that was the planned sequence of events which we planned to film, and we managed to get everything we wanted in less time than it had took to film our scenes over the previous two days.

We did come across some elements which were out of our control and required the courteous consent of others to facilitate making the narrative in the video even possible. One of scenes we wanted to film involved the main character asking a member of the public for the use of their phone. To make this a reality, I approached a member of the public, explained what we were doing and what I wanted them to do, handed over my phone and by the sheer power of courtesy, the sequence was able to be achieved. As we were in the Southbank, a heavily populated area of people, some scenes needed to be recorded again and again, as many were ruined by the interference of bodies coming into view, taking away from the story we wanted to tell.

Samaritan: Helping the video being made 

Although the day of shooting superseded all of which came before it and went spectacularly than it could have been envisioned beforehand, it wasn't without its problems. Besides the issues already mentioned, we had one notable dilemma involving the outline which showed what was to happen in the narrative and subsequently, be filmed. A few debates took place about what scenes should take greater precedence in the narrative outlined, and be filmed. This was because of the character's journey from the train station to the final location of the Southbank, which takes 15 minutes in real time. The story is not of a colossal walk of a man, but of a rendezvous between two love interests, which meant there had to be discussions on how to overcome this problem in the narrative, which initially did not seem of concern before filming began.

Despite of these minor issues on the day, once realised, they were dealt with decisively through collaborative thinking, which is a huge contrast to how the group was functioning on the first day of mutual collision; were it was a non-existent component of the group.

The group produced its greatest display of collaborative efficiency it has so far seen on the day's shoot, which minimised disruptions to planned sequences for shooting and maximised the time in which we were able to get everything done by. Although there are numerous reasons and factors for the group's immaculate exhibition of competence, the failures of the first day of shooting only rectified by the second and a lack of harmonious consultation rarely seen on the former and latter, certainly played a pivotal role in ensuring there would be no repeat of the acts of our former selves.

With filming now over and wrapped, this means that production has finally come to a brilliant end, from its dire beginning. At one point  - and through many - this stage did not look even possible, yet by divine intervention, we find ourselves here.

Editing is the next hurdle, and now, we prepare to jump into it.

Ceysun Dixon KU ID: K1326851