On-Set Production – 1st Location Recce

19-10-2023

On Monday 16th October, we went on our first location recce for One More Day. As DP, my main priorities were to assess the space for potential lighting setups, power outlets, and begin to visualise the shot list and story board that utilised the space. As we are planning to shoot in a confined space, there will be a lot of technical logistics to assess and find solutions to.

Below are some images of the bunker in use during the Cold War amid paranoia about potential nuclear warfare. I’m very excited to be shooting in this location as it’s a challenge to shoot in a less controlled environment that isn’t a student flat, but also an environment with its own history, interesting structure, and unique vibe.

DOP – Location Recce Notes

We were shown around the bunker by a woman called Chloe who was part of the maintenance team at the Barnton Bunker Preservation Society – who also happened to be a film graduate from California. She gave us a tour of the former Cold War bunker which was used as a military command centre and is now being restored into a museum for guided tours. Below are photos I took for future reference and to held decide which room to shoot in.

I was hesitant about the limitations of shooting in a bunker – would we be able to power lights and charge batteries? How much kit could we realistically take with us? How were we going to light spaces with no natural light?

I asked Chloe if it would be possible to access their mains supply – as they were powering overhead LED lights in most rooms – and Duncan is going to inquire into any power limitations as our gaffer. Thankfully, the team at Barnton Bunker can supply additional power to any plug-in lights so we have more options for lighting other than just battery-powered lights.

Alfie and I discussed altering our visual approach to take advantage of the location. Could we introduce lighting that is motivated by the story world and is perhaps more visually dynamic than our previous plans (subtly cool-toned, blue-green lighting)? We’re in discussion about coloured lighting that could potentially represent the five stages of grief – a thematic idea proposed by Alfie.

Next Steps

We’re planning to revisit the bunker to finalise the room we will shoot in and bring along kit to do a basic lighting set-up to trouble-shoot and test ideas before the final shoot. Once we have a room finalised, it will be a lot easier to plan lighting setups using a floor plan, decide on kit requirements (lens, lighting, accessories), and plan dynamic and visually intriguing shots.

Kudos to Finlay, our producer, for organising this location as it’s definitely one of the coolest places I’ve made a film in at university. As this is the first time I’m a DP on a project, I couldn’t be luckier to have a great location as a foundation for the shots I hope to craft and the story we’re telling.