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

Production Day 2: And So We Begin...Again

The project has just completed its second day of filming, and the errors made during the first day of principal photography, were recognised and not repeated again.

After viewing the footage we had shot for the first day, I realised we had made some catastrophic mistakes with how we shot most of our scenes. To use a particular example, there is a sequence of the character walking down a footpath at the beginning of the narrative - which required the camera to be positioned in a multitude of areas to capture a range of different camera angles. Reviewing the footage, I noticed that it would not have been able to be cut this sequence - and others - together convincingly because there had been a lack of care of filming without the editing room in mind. 

The plan for the second day was to record the remaining 50% of the narrative and wrap up production, but considering a large portion of  footage for day one would be unusable, meeting up at the location that was to begin the second and final sequence of the narrative, we discussed the reality of the situation of continuing ahead without remedying the fundamental errors we made in filming on the first day, and thankfully, we all agreed on returning back to Vauxhall to re-shoot most of the footage again - with the plan of returning back to where we had started the day, the Southbank, to look around the area for ideal locations to film the rest of the narrative in. 

Having arrived at Vauxhall, there was hardly a repeat of the previous day where most of it was spent discussing what we were going to film. This time, we knew what we were going to film as we had gone through our sinned footage and set about rectifying the errors of misjudgment, that hindsight could only have foretold. 

We decided to air on the safe side of caution, by re-shooting almost everything that was shot on the first day, as a precautionary measure in order to prevent returning to the scene of the crime again, as the plan for the second day was to finish filming, not re-shooting scenes we thought we had got already.

Power of hindsight: filming the first day again 

We filmed the character from interacting on his phone, to walking down the street, crossing the road and falling flat down on the pavement and breaking his phone, caused by his devotion to continually overindulging in his phone even while walking. These particular sequences that were filmed previously, when compared to the same sequences filmed again, were a massive improvement and will now be easy to splice together in the edit than it would have been before, having reviewed the filmed footage after we finished for the day. 

Before that happened however, me and Gendrick made our way back to Southwark station, which is a few minutes walk from the Southbank, where the narrative is planned to finish at, to choose locations for the next day of filming. We looked at the area around the train station, as the narrative will begin from this point - and end up at the Southbank. 

We saw an information board outside the station and a phone box across the street, which we will use when we film for real. We then walked over to the Southbank, keeping an eye out for possible locations to use on the way there. A few minutes later, our walk was ended in front of the Tate Modern by the sheer beauty of the river flowing across from it. We mutually agreed that the narrative will end here. We then made our way back to the station and parted ways - having learnt from the failures we have incurred so far since beginning production. 

The next time, we'll be more prepared and ready than we have ever been to ensure there isn't a repeat of the mistakes that we have made so far. Now having made them, we will be more aware of the consequences in imitating the acts of our former selves.  

Ceysun Dixon (KU ID: K1326851)

Production Day 1: And So We Begin...

The project has finally transitioned from its perpetual phase of "Pre-Production", and now can the prefix of preparation be forever disassociated from existing alongside the project, as it has have moved into "Production", with a day of filming already behind it.

It has been a long time in the making, and a moment which could not have come anytime sooner: it has finally arrived, and we have made the most of the opportunity to set things right by putting the final pieces of the puzzle together - finalising the step outline, booking out the technical equipment needed for shooting and joining forces with the mutual intention of succeeding - to initiate in this period of prosperity that we have all been waiting for.

Preparing to film

Despite that moment having now arrived, the first day of principal photography did not go as smooth as it could have. And the main reason for this is a lack of preparation; it has always been a factor which has plaugued and inhibited the trajectory of the potency that we as a group have in order to succeed, to get the best out of our collective potential: the group is apathetic, and that has always played against us.

And because of that census, filming sequences of the narrative was more of a hassle than it should have been. There was a lot of time spent discussing the positioning of the camera for a particular take, and what action was to be captured in that take; a lot of time was expended experimenting on ideas suggested on the day, which meant we hardly maximised our day of shooting because of a lack of depth in a plan for the day of filming.

We did however, manage to film about 40-50% of the narrative, but having reviewed the footage later, some scenes will have to be re-shot, and that is mainly down to the errors in presentation of the sequences. A few scenes involving a close-up of a mobile phone - attributable to the natural lighting conditions - are rendered almost unusable as the texts displayed are hard to make out due to glare.

Another problem with some scenes is the positioning of the camera for a sequence of movements. There is a particular scene which involves the character walking down a pavement. The first shot shows him walking towards the camera and passing it, and the next shot has the camera behind him and he is walking away from it, continuing down the pavement. In the edit, when these two separate scenes are put together, it will not match up; it will look out out of sync with one another as the second sequence begins with him at an unreasonable distance to where he should be from the first sequence. Some scenes will need to be shot again.

Duct tape cam: good idea, just not for the project

The day of filming was not all bad, it has to be said. We did manage without much planning to film the majority of the narrative, with a few hours of work. There are some scenes that will look stunning to the eye of the beholder, and was shot in a way, that once in the editing room, without much trouble, will be able to be cut seamlessly with all rest of the footage.

We have finally taken the first step towards the ending of a beginning long overdue. We've taken the first step, but there is much to do if this experience has taught us anything of what will need to be recognised in order for failings of the first day of filming not to be revisited, the next time filming commences.

Ceysun Dixon (KU ID: K1326851)

Pre-Production: Screen Testing

One of the ideas discussed at the infancy of the project was the possibility of putting on a screening of the video for an audience, once it was finished.

Although we are about to enter principal photography, it is certainly an idea which would help the quality of the narrative and would allow us to receive critical feedback which would improve the overall product, before we would have to supply the video for submission for 24/3/14.

And it is wise I feel, to start considering this as time begins to slowly run out.  

We have an idea of what will work for the narrative and plan to carry this out to fulfill our vision for the video, but it remains to be seen if what we have envisioned, will resonate with a test audience, and be validated as being worthy of the merits that we would hold it to. 

That is the problem in bias; it blinds you to the truth. And what we feel is great in the narrative within the group, may not be reflected by another group of individuals. That is the appeal in putting on a screen testing, and that is a certain possibility once we finish: to make the product all the more better through critical engagement.

However, I strongly believe that what is planned to be filmed would require no other to pass comment on its quality and content, as the plan to enact a high quality product, is assuredly confident in allowing me to say that the video narrative would not need such a thing once it is finished.

But that is hypothetical on my part, and in the nature that this project has carried on throughout the time it began, leads me to question my confident mentality this time. 

There are an abundance of rooms within Kingston University that are possible to book to put on a screening of "Disconnected" once it is finished and invite a assortment of students to watch and then leave feedback with the possibility of improving the overall quality of the video. We could make posters advertising the screening, acquire drinks and food to incentivise the student population into coming along.

We may very have; we will see....

Ceysun Dixon (KU ID: K1326851)

Pre-Production: The Audience

The project has entered a place it was believed it would not enter again, and it is unfortunate that another passing week hasn't meant that a simple lesson has been learnt in order for it to refrain from returning to old habits.

The impediment of the project is again down to the same reasons which have inhibited it for as long as I have had the will to mention it, and I have mentioned it far more times than it is reasonable - and I will not detail it here again.

As we are almost on the cusp of a scintillating beginning, and a beginning that will have to be met next week as there is no more time for delays anymore, to prepare for that period of certain incipience, I thought it would be wise to think about who the audience for the video narrative is, in order for the final product to reflect the demographic it was envisioned for originally.

The pre-proposal ambitiously justified the target audience for the narrative to be a "universal one" and that is because the subject matter is undeniably a ubiquitous one, and will arguably be understood by a large, encompassing audience as most have been affected - for good or bad - by man's emphasis on an overindulgence on the use of technology, which at times has been to the detriment of a society which relies on the good of humanity and its competence to prosper, and sadly that census has been forgotten as man has become more materialistic - and the smartphone, the technology the narrative is centred on,  is one of many symbols that epitomises the reality of how humanity is today.

But it would be easy to generalise the project's intended audience in this manner; it is far more complex to broadly state the intended audience in such a way. However, it is the intention to target as many people as possible with the narrative, as this project has an underlying message to a society that we feel has forgotten its roots, and it is justified in that regard; yet every film attracts a particular audience, and our narrative would be no different in doing so.

Our narrative focuses on a young, working professional in London who relies on his smartphone to navigate from one place to another to fulfill his working commitments. To make the narrative more appealing to a wider audience there are nuances of comedy scattered within, but the narrative is defined and is to be a "realistic drama." Based on this evidence, perhaps the audience can  be defined as working professionals in London who are from low to middle class backgrounds and use their phones frequently and who can resonate with the depiction of a contemporary working life that will be showcased in the narrative.

But considering what this project intends to relay to society, focusing the narrative to attract a specific demographic of people, would not be addressing an omnipresent issue that would be understood by more than the above demographic. In that regard, it wouldn't be honourable to classify and focus on a specific demographic for the video narrative as our subject matter transcends being confined to only a select audience.

Therefore, the video narrative will be made with no particular audience in mind, but will be made for an audience of people who will no doubt relate to it by its contentious and contemporaneous subject matter.

Ceysun Dixon (KU ID: K1326851)

Pre-Production: The Last of a Dying Breed

I am optimistic that this project can fulfill the requirements to yield its intended success, yet remain hopelessly cautious, as the fear of failure and the realisation that a second is all it takes for a slack tide to return to its former brutal glory, keeps me airing on the right side of caution when it comes to the project.

Although we now find ourselves in the slack of the tide, the storm is right around the corner, and a wrong move, will set us face-to-face with the beast which awaits. To not find ourselves on a path that would end in disastrous consequences and to get it to a terrific resolution, there cannot be a repeat of the apathy and detachment which has plagued the project from the infancy of it, and has prevented it from beginning its long overdue inauguration.

Simply put, we must work together and not against each other, we must communicate politely and efficiently to one another, and we must be mutually committed and motivated to ensuring its success from now on. Old habits must now die hard, and remain that way if we are to have get to the promised land of the end.

Pace has recently gathered and the project slowly moves in the right direction, but there is much to do to ensure it continues on its current trajectory. Before locations are to be decided as well as equipment to continue the project's rejuvenation, the step outline is to be updated again but this time with my collaborator's edition which is shown below, and it will allow the project to move into "Production", and begin a battle long overdue.

1. The sound of footsteps are heard in the background and a POV shot of the main characters iphone to show him pressing the play button then the music starts

2.POV shot of the main character walking down the street towards people, while he texts and constantly looks down at his phone with his headphones in.

3. He bumps into people who appear incensed, as he continues oblivious to what he just caused.

4. He crosses the road, and doesn't bother to look both ways as a car nearly collides into him.

5. A homeless person who he usually passes every morning, calls for him to put some money into his collection hat - he continues blind.

6. He bumps into a lamp post and drops his phone - it smashes hard into the ground, breaking.

7. He frantically rushes over to it, and tries to get it working; he fails.

8.He decides to find a repair shop but doesntknow the location. As he would normally use his phone to find information he feels lost and confused.

9. He is then forced to speak to someone, but fails to do so without conviction.

10. He locates a map to help him get to his destination and struggles to use it properly - holding it upside down.

11. He decides to use public transport but gets on a wrong bus as without his phone he wasnt able to find the correct information

12. He looks ruffled and shattered: it dawns on him the hole he dug himself into unknowingly.

13. Fortunatly he finds a repair shop in which they tell him they are able to repair the phone. (Estatic facial expression) however it wont be ready till tomorrow eveining (Dissapointed facial expression)

14. (Que sad music) He leaves the shop and makes his way back home.

15. His journey home is fairly easier altough he finds himself in another situation where his loss of contact with normal day to day duties now seems rather difficult. He remembers he has to contact someone important so he makes his way to the Post Office where he writes a letter.

16. He goes home and turns on his computer; however, his internet connection is not working - he is in disbelief.

17. He begins his day again with a smile walking down the street. He expertly handles the same events that came before convincingly. He stands at a crossing with people on their phones and looks bemused. The light turns green and he is the first to cross the road.

18. He joyfuly greets strangers on the streets

19. Visits the homeless man and gives him food.

20. Jumps on the bus happily knowing he is heading in the right direction

21. He makes his way to the repair shop. The repairman sees him and picks up the phone to hand it to him. He thinks briefly, looks the man in the eyes and says "keep it".

22. He turns away to the door and walks out - connected.

Credit: S.Mao

Ceysun Dixon (KU ID: K1326851)

Pre-Production: Thunderbirds are go?

We find ourselves here again: but this time, another passing week does not mean that this week, was like what had come before. Activity has gathered in the last few days leading up to this post, and now it seems, this post will not be about inhibition, but of progression.

For an inexhaustible amount of time, the project has been deep-rooted in apathy and indifference to the responsibility and that would lead to its success. But the consensus with apathy is that, somewhere and somehow, it will eventually lead to period of prosperous vivacity, and it appears the project is just about entering that particular phase of the cycle. 

It was always a question of "when" the project would become vigilant in the face of the storm which every passing day brought closer to inflicting its dissemination of destruction, but it seems now, the fear of that storm has awoken a project that wants no part of meeting that fate. 

A few days before this post, I met up with my fellow group collaborator to discuss the step outline that was updated, and would be used as the blueprint for filming the footage that "Disconnected" calls for, and frankly needs, in order to make it the product it ought to be. 

With that said, heading into this discussion I expected and welcomed a clash of creative difference, and I got it alright. The previous outline awaited tinkering to get a stimulus from a project severely in need of it, and to enact the passion of progress so close to Valentine's Day, as to combat that fear of not "getting sum", it led me to amend the outline for the sole purpose of progression, not finality. Which means, without any passionate foreplay, there would be no chance of  glorious "success."

As it is Valentine's Day, I can reveal the only "success" that I have tasted today, was to do with the project. And this taste was, upon argument of course, sweeter than anything I could have tasted to celebrate the wonders of Cupid's arrow, and a sensation which has eluded me for too long.

We discussed the updated step outline, its marvels, and also its blemishes in relation to filming it in practice. It was mutually agreed the narrative was protracted too far even for our capabilities, and some sequences such as the main character's frequent foray into his home, was unnecessary. The issue of contingencies to prevent a stall in production was also brought to the fore. A particular scene calls for a car repair-shop which in the narrative, will fix the character's phone once it breaks, but this aspect of fulfilling this idea in reality, may prove too difficult to achieve as it requires securing its use with another party. 

But there was an air of naivety that hung over the discussion, that makes me muse if we can actually conclude the project in the manner which was cohorted. There remains far too little time until the end of the project to expend precious time stalling it no longer. While we did discuss the outline and the shape it should be in order for it to be filmed, fundamental factors like locations and equipment that would allow it be filmed, went amiss, and the mutually agreed start date for the project, the 22nd of February, seems ambitiously imprudent.

Although there is a lot to do - a hell of a lot - from now until the aforementioned date, it can be achieved. First the step outline needs to be amended to reflect my partner's suggestions, and perhaps the ideas of the collaboration may have to be recognised in the shape of a script, instead of an outline once it is amended. Then suitable locations will need to be cross-referenced with the scenes in the script that can make it work, but thankfully I have a few in mind which should fit the context of the narrative, and make the start of filming a possibility.

Other than that, there shouldn't be anything which should prevent the project from fulfilling its long, overdue birth of activity. Stand by for action... 

Ceysun Dixon (KU ID: K1326851)