Music.. The Working Progress

There's been brief discussions amongst the group about music and we've agreed on a sombre mood. This helps to accumilate tensions, suspense and sympathy which fall under conventions of thrillers and dramas (both styles we're following). I've asked a close friend of mine to help compose a peice of music which will come along with our thriller opening. Music is a crucial element for us as we're muting most of our shots (approximatly all of them beside ocasional non diegetic noises). I've spoken to my friend today and we've already composed a few opening chords on the piano which will fit very well. Once i've got a hard copy of the shooting script we could then highlight the climatic points of the scenes as timing would be essential to accuratly take audiences through the 'rollercoster' of emotions. We've also discussed to incorporate various instruments such as saxophones, possibly strings and also incorporate electronic beats to help build an epic peice to fit the opening. We must also know exactly when the titles are to come in.

A huge mistake we have made is leaving little dicisions to be decided when we begin editing, this will make it a larger challenge then need be. It seems we have been rather un organised as even know during our filming days we don't have a finaly shooting script and we don't know how each scene is to be constructed as yet as we're constantly improving and refine our work as we go along. I feel as though we hadn't enough time to plan and refine ideas. Yet it's still a working progress.

In the next week we hope to have completed all filming, begun editing, finished composing the music and finished a script ready for recording (once Anna returns from her vacation). This then allows all members of the group one week to complete their evaluation which is adequate (and is a result of their lack of enthusiasm and willingness to contribute early on)

Filming. Day 2. First Scene. 4/4/09.

To be perfectly honest, they would have been no need to continue for a second day on this scene if preparation/pre-production was more efficient and adequate. We struggled on Saturday to capture the shots with the desired lighting. The sun goes down quite suddenly and we never managed to capture all the shots, so we've failed to some extent to show a continuitive narrative. Few ideas were brought up during that evening to perhaps have an additional scene (which will show Anna in well light surroundings) as well as having her in the dark. We could even decide to cut all the day light scenes. These are decisions the group will have to come to when we begin the editing process and peicing together the footage.

I believe we have plenty of footage, we extended the storyboard slightly with moments of inspiration. Due to the natural lighting we were forced to use streetlights to give silheutted effects. This created very powerful shots as the use of shadows really intensified particular moments.

We struggled with holding the camera steady, Matthew did a very good job at it. Some shots we chose to do were quite ambitious so it took a few takes to get it right. What i learn't for the next filming session is to be more prepared and have a shooting script so we know approximatly what time we'll leave and how long the filming session will take. To also rehearse certain shot's before to save space on the tape so the editing process will be made that bit easier.

For next filming session Anna should have completed the final storyboard for us to work with. Matthew and Khalid should prepare the group a shooting script. And Prince should turn up and also bring the recce form he was asked to do. I need to later provide a script so when Anna returns from her holiday we can record.