Film Narrative 2 – Lessons Learnt
Film Narrative 2Over the course of the Film Narrative 2 module, I feel I’ve learnt a lot of invaluable lessons as a filmmaker and specifically a producer. Following our shoot, I transferred over notes I made on-set to a Word document that details lessons I’ve learnt in all phases of production.
The List
I thought it might be useful for myself and others to explain what it is I learnt and how I plan to implement it in the future to avoid repeating the same mistake.
Pre-Production
- Putting effort into appearing professional pays off – we had a great response to our casting call posted on several Facebook groups, and I believe it was because of the presentation and the work of freelance illustrator, Hester.
- Be aware and knowledgeable of any legislation involving working with actors under 18 – we didn’t specify this in our casting call, and ended up having to regret several applicants because of the uncertainty around working with younger actors.
- If you can’t hold auditions – either in-person or online – ask for self tapes or links to previous works.
Production
- Choose a location in which the light can be controlled. Our location within Craiglockhart was directly below skylights, and the even light created a flat image and made it more difficult to create depth and three-dimensionality. It also posed continuity issues, as the light would change with the weather throughout the day.
- Pre-order lunches. We ended up running over-schedule waiting for lunch to be delivered, and I noticed we lost momentum.
- Don’t do a full run-through for each take, if possible go a few lines back from where the cut occurred. Opt for pickups instead to save time and be more efficient.
- Ensure white balance has been set at the start of the day.
Thoughts
In many ways I’m glad that no production I’ve been on has ever gone perfectly to plan as the opportunity to learn and improve comes from making mistakes. I’m naturally a bit of a perfectionist, but working with others, delegating responsibility to department heads, and learning to relinquish control has been beneficial for me personally and professionally.
The way I see it is each film and production process is another learning opportunity that will bring me one step closer to making the standard of films I aspire to create. I’m always proud of the effort brought forth by the crew and cast, and it reminds me why I want to work in this industry and makes me want to do better not only for myself but for others.
