SCRIPT TO SCREEN - FILMING WORKSHOP NO1 WITH FERG - 01/10/18

As first years we will be working with (and learning about) the Sony XDCAM EX.

The Sony XDCAM EX can create amazing projects if it is used in the correct way, this camera is about 10-12 years old in respect of the newest technology, however it is a great piece of equipment to use as beginners and still seems very complex.
At first sight, I was very intimidated by the camera because there were so many buttons, I was scared to break it if I picked it up.

Here is more about what we learned … and did we learn a lot!


THE SET UP.

The acronym we need to use when starting to shoot is called SWEFF

• Sound - Check that the audio is plugged in and the correct mic's are used for that specific location. 
• White balance - This determines how accurately the colours in the shoot come out, it shows how 'hot' or how 'cold' an image feels.
• Exposure - This determines how light or dark an image will appear when it's been captured by the camera.
• Focus - Check that the focus is on the subject - note: DONT USE AUTO FOCUS
• Framing - This is to compose an image that we are creating

APERTURE.

The camera aperture depends on how fast the lens is mounted on the camera. 

An aperture is the size of the opening in the lens depicting the amount of light with each capture of a take.

Below is an image of the aperture size and figs.

Aperture is about the depth of field.

Here is a short YouTube Video I watched about aperture.

The group exercise that we did, after we got taught about Aperture, I was feeling more confident with the images that I was creating for instance the 'in and out' focus and learning about working on 1.9 on aperture. 

Our Group had to film from a distance then get the subject to move forward whilst not changing  Aperture, this really helped towards how I want my film to look for my final project.

We also did 'rack focusing', which is a shot between two people, we did this by doing over the shoulder shots.

COLOR TEMPERATURE.

I am very new to camera's and I have never heard of a 'Kelvin' before but after listening to Ferg, I found this chart on Google image to help me out a little.

It's up to the DOP on how they want their shots to look but by using this chart it explains it in layman's terms, I could look at this chart and totally understand what look I would want to go for if I was a writer/director on a project.

This graph really does simplify the complicity in the way in which was taught, its because I am a 'Newby' to this technology that I try to find a simple way of explanation.

SOUND.

Different mics are used for different locations, depending on weather conditions and to take out 

traffic noise, being it people or actual traffic.

SHOTGUN MIC

The shotgun mic is probably the post popular mic to use on a shot because it can pick up the sound quality extremely well, it can also be used in conjunction with a boom pole and a wind protector (which is called many different names, such as 'dead rat' or ' Dead cat' but it looks a bit like this …

 This is before the 'Dead Cat' (wind sound protector goes on)

This is a picture of when the 'Dead Cat' is attached.

We was asked to get into groups of 4, I worked with Lauren, James and Sydney.

We all have our strength and unfortunately none of them was working with a camera, however Sydney likes doing 'sound' so this was a good start.

We was asked to shoot a little interview between each other, so we could get used to using the sound, I wanted to take the camera off the tripod and get different shots.

Ferg, looked at my footage and gave me some pointers, he told me about certain ways that I needed to shoot (the horizon line) but also said I had some nice shots.

I am getting more comfortable moving the camera about however it is really tiring on the arms when holding it for so long, this is the only thing that puts me off about being a camera person.

I really enjoyed doing the sound, we used the shotgun Mic with a boom and a 'Dead cat' attached, I was very comfortable using it.

Apart from screenwriting, sound is defiantly on my list of wanting to develop more.

Below are a couple pictures from the group workshop, posing with the equipment that we used. The videos from the shoot will be uploaded soon.

Myself on the camera and Sydney on Sound.

Lauren on Sound and James on Camera. 

Overall an amazing workshop and although I may have asked some stupid questions, in the words of Steve Coombes 'A stupid question is one that was never asked'

Looking forward to progressing more.