Digital Video - Week 3



26/02/2020

I couldn't talk to Chris and get equipment on loan because he was still sick.

 I printed out photos of the camera shots that I would be doing and included them with the Parks and Reserves form. I also double-checked the form to see that I had everything filled out before heading over to their office at Queenspark. At their office however, I discovered that there was no guarantee that I would get approval to film there because I was applying at too short notice and it would be better for them if I had applied two weeks in advance. 
That was kind of a waste of time for this morning and last night.

Jacqui found some material concerning working with children in a filming environment, which would be very valuable in the case of Enoch Surrendan.

 I spoke with Tyler and he was genuinely interested in my willingness to experiment with Cinerama and asked me if I would commit to using three cameras at the same time like the Cinerama process. I would like to, but I didn't want to be greedy with the equipment since the new rule has been in place about one camera per person. Tyler thinks that they may make an exception in my case. I could ask for three DSLRs that record video and not rely on the standard cameras we use like X200 or Blackmagic. Tyler has also expressed interested in helping me if I go ahead with this experiment (depending on his availability, I would guess)

 James is impressed with my progress and I have told him about my progress and thought the idea of doing the documentary on Enoch was an intriguing idea and worth following through. 
https://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/news/111303411/ten-year-old-leads-invercargill-school-strike-4-climate-march

 I discovered that Enoch's mother was in fact the Green Party candidate for the Invercargill electorate in the last general election.

 The case of contacting Enoch's parents (especially his mother) and tracking the property owner of the junkyard, I will see if Liz Craig's office has any advice.

 http://screensafe.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/ScreenSafe_WorkingWithChildren.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0Bpl2xlngjfNMkJsDiKu1IApIgt7Q6zLzZb0jkt6WzatvDyhUDKsIjJvg

 Screen Safe - Working with Children
Anyone under 16 is legally a child. 
Do not have the child or have the child in a hazardous environment like a construction site, weight lighting, tractors, machinery, exposed to content that may cause them distress, or anything that could cause harm to the child.
Children may not work between the hours of 10pm and 6am, unless permitted by parent or guardian

Police checks for chaperones

A meeting must take place with the child's parent before asking the child
You must inform the parent about health and safety precautions and solutions, any special for the child to do or SFX involving the child, how the child will be looked after, dietary requirements, consideration for their education and wellbeing (space for the child to chill out and/or do homework if the production is long)

 Parent and guardian must provide me with their contact numbers, name and phone number of family doctor, and any important medical information about the child.

 Working hours for children
Children up to eight years old can only work six hours a day including travel
Children between the ages of 9 and 11 can only work eight hours a day including travel
Children between the ages of 12 and 16 can only work ten hours a day plus travel


Health and safety

  • Not expose children to situations that will affect their mental, physical, and moral wellbeing
  • Keep the duration of travel and filming to a minimum
  • Parents be notified whether nudity or foul language will be used. Anything you do with the child on-set must be planned and permitted by his or her parent beforehand, especially prior to rehearsal.
  • I must inform the child (to an extent that they can understand) and parent or guardian where things are on location; restrooms, make-up locations, restricted areas, what to do or where to go in case of an emergency, how to inform about risky situations
  • I must provide healthy food for the child and be notified by the parents or caregivers about any of the child's food sensitivities, allergies or dietary requirements.
  • I am legally required to halt the shoot when things become too much for the child and be co considerate and consult, cooperate and coordinate health and safety issues
  • If possible, segregate dressing rooms between children and adults
  • Precautions be made for hot and cold weather - warm or cool areas for rest breaks from sunlight, water on hand for child, sunhats, jackets, and blankets
  • Child must be a strong swimmer or wear a floating device when in deeper water
  • Risk assessment must be considered when it comes to staging fights, shooting guns or any other weapons, using electrical devices (including phones or tablets), high level of sound, heights, exposure to contagious illnesses (the common cold or those carried by insects), the chance of abuse to the child if not police checked, abuse form other crew if child is left unsupervised, harm to the child or lack of supervision to the child, and lack of attention to the child's well-being.


 Requirements for chaperones

  • Teaching, childcare or nursing qualifications
  • Drivers license
  • Undergone a police background check
  • Be familiar and up to date with The Screen Safe New Zealand Screen Sector Health and Safety Guidelines and the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015
  • Supervise the child during rests and breaks
  • Be present with the child all times including rehearsal and shoots
  • Child must be accompanied by chaperone when travelling and be waiting for the child to arrive, as well as never being late for the child
  • Supervise the child while in water


 For myself as the production company, I must ensure...
  • I have police checked the chaperone
  • I have correct and enough resource, planning, and the budget to the chaperone with their job

As a producer, I must ensure...
  • The crew have the necessary level of skills and experience
  • Police and safety checks are undergone in regards to the nature of the film
  • There is enough number of people as crew to suit the size of the film and number of children involved
  • The budget guarantees enough for health and safety to take place

As a director, I must ensure...
  • Make it a rule for the crew not to swear in front of the minor (swear jar?)
  • Legal restrictions on working hours are adhered to
  • Give out appropriate rest breaks
  • Keep in close communication with the chaperone
  • I have the power to enforce how my crew conducts their behavior
  • The call sheet have enough time for the shoot to be done safely
  • Potential health and safety risks are informed to cast and crew

‘Know Your Rights’ for Child Actors (16yrs & under) and Families in NZ
https://www.actorsequity.org.nz/guidelines-and-resources/12-equityendorsedchildactordocument/file?fbclid=IwAR1C8ja76N7QT4yYVbgkl-OAbJeJbd4P-zUpFnTPfHJov1LuZoEOqsRkAoo


Children being filmed are required to have a 12 hour overnight break. These hours don't include travel and this is usually when more filming is to be done the next day

Parents cannot be a chaperone

The requirements for a chaperone might be too much of an ask being a 'shoestring' low-budget production, so I may give the choice of chaperone to the parents if they allow me to do a documentary on their child, in this case it may end up being a trusted family friend

Include things to keep mental well-being and morale up in the green in the health and safety plan

Child is required to do their homework during the shoot, but this being a documentary, I could combine both.

Under New Zealand employment law, children are considered independent contractors, not employers and so a contract is critically and legally important to secure the child's involvement. 
The terms and conditions of the contractual agreement can be negotiated between the filmmakers and the child's parents (matters like working hours, health and safety, knowledge of the nature of the documentary, assurance of the child's safety, abuse and exploitation towards the child will be prohibited throughout the production, and the child's role will technically be a part-time position).

The contractual agreement is legally non-binding, but works as definitive guidelines and rules for the production.

Make the crew sign a wavier to promise that they won't harm the child and will act appropriately in front of him or her

IRD and ACC shouldn't be necessary in this case (maybe if animation ends up in my documentary and I hire student animators), since it's unpaid work and it's a documentary

Modify the questions for the child, as well as create new ones

I want to go through New Zealand health and safety resources in screen production, organize preliminary legal forms (release forms, contractual agreement etc), camera tests, and such before approaching Enoch's mother, Rochelle Francis, whom I managed to track down on Facebook and her name also turned up on the New Zealand Green Party website. Doing all this could give the impression to the parents that I am to be trusted and I know what I'm doing

I must form the right words when in contact with Enoch's mother and carefully think them through, in order to provide the right image of myself as a trustworthy professional.



Budget Draft

Income
$700 - SIT
$300 - Course related costs (StudyLink)
= $1,000

Expenses
Pre-production: $200
Production: $400
Post-production: $400

Potential expenses - VFX / animation, music, printing, catering, travel

I will be impressed if I manage to produce a high-quality documentary with this small budget, plus it's roughly about the amount of funding I would get if I successfully applied with Creative New Zealand


If interviewing the child or his family, I would allow them to be shot on camera wherever they feel comfortable at.

Purpose of VFX / animation - to show the main subject sees the world, climate change, and climate action

At this point, there will be some (perhaps the only) staged parts to dramatize the main subject. It will be likely where the most ethical, health and safety considerations would be made and the scenes would be storyboarded, in which they will be shown to the parents for their approval

Brainstorm colour palette?

Reference image from holiday break potentially good for VFX / animation


https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200109-is-it-wrong-to-be-hopeful-about-climate-change










27/02/2020

Working titles
The World According to Enoch
Climate Change According to Enoch
Climate Fever
Climate Fever: The World According to Enoch
Climate Fever: Climate Change According to Enoch
Climate in Invers
Climate in Invers: The World According to Enoch
Climate in Invers: Climate Change According to Enoch


The Code of Practice for the Engagement of Cast in the New Zealand Screen Production Industry ('The Pink Book')
https://nzactorsguild.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/40380287-the-pink-book-final.pdf?fbclid=IwAR267-6j8ykYb6kOgNYkcgVF2hdXRF5acw1s6XX4Bp0Yr7ii6WHbc3C7kr0

 Depending on mine and the family's schedule, I may only be able to shoot this documentary one day a week

 The chaperone is responsible for the child's physical well-being in general during their time supervising the child

 There's been information on 'house parents', which look after the child when or if the shoot is out of town. Since the shoot won't likely go outside of Invercargill, it's not something I should worry about for now.

29/02/2019

I spent the day working toward terms and conditions for the contractual agreement needed if Enoch and his family agrees to have a documentary made about him and the school climate strike movement, only to discover there is a template for NZ child actors sourced from the resources, making my efforts today feel like I had wasted my day. I was feeling stressed and depressed about that tonight.

 I did however make adjustments to the child release form to suit and make it clearer, by including details from a release form I used in Christchurch. There are many parts of the contractual agreement that would need to be crossed out to suit and that are irrelevant to my documentary (pay, tax, IRD, talent agent details, nudity, stunts etc). 
There is a disclaimer stating that I must have authorization to use it, but I'm just going to overlook that.

 I was going to go ahead and collate a risk assessment plan, but I came to the realization that it would be a waste of time if Enoch and his parents rejected the idea. It seemed too much just to prove to Enoch's parents that I know what I'm talking about.
They might be thrilled of the idea being interested by a local film student, or they could end up ignoring my request.
Overall, I could potentially be overthinking it.

01/03/2020

I sent a message to Enoch's mum, Rochelle Francis. I got really anxious and nervous leading up to and after sending the message. The message requested to have Enoch as the main subject of a short documentary on the school climate strike movement in Invercargill.
I tried to message her through LinkedIn, but it wouldn't allow me to because I'm not connected to her and don't have a premium subscription on LinkedIn. I managed to message her on Facebook through.

02/03/2020

I sent the same message to Enoch's dad, Nathan Surendran. I tried to email him but it turns out the email no longer exists and so I just sent him the message on his Facebook page.
Still no response from Enoch's mum.

03/03/2020

Still no response from either parent.
I spoke to Lee (first year film student and former journalist) and she and her brother-in-law knows Nathan very well and sent a message to her brother-in-law to send to Nathan. The message also include my phone number for Nathan to contact me
I spoke to Sue at Liz Craig's office and she said she will remind Nathan when she sees him next.

 I might do another treatment in the event I can have Enoch as the main subject.


Bender, L., Burns, S. Z., Chilcott, L., & David, L. (Producers), & Guggenheim, D. (Director). (2006). An Inconvenient Truth [Motion picture]. Paramount Classics; Participant Productions.


The narration at the beginning makes you feel peaceful and at ease. The narration also supplements and literally connects to the visuals

 In amongst the crowd documentary filmmaking

 Fragments of the worst to come or has come. What could I do being influenced by that?

 The environmental movement started within 18 months of Apollo 17's photo of the Earth. It's considered the most published photograph in history.

 Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has been directly measured since 1958 and the c02 levels has been continuing to increase since then.
Soil in the ground has been the key to calculate the carbon dioxide levels prior to that, especially with the ice in Antarctica being the key to the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere from the past 350,000 years.

 Al Gore does mention opposing views on the subject, but does not document them

 The documentary uses Al Gore's personal tragedy to make the audience sympathize with him.

 It does seem like one long lecture, but that's not what the whole documentary is about. It's also a biographical documentary of Al Gore, in respect of the subject

 Effective use of material from presentation slides

 So far, it only uses music when the documentary is being close and personal about Al Gore

 The real drama comes from the effective results of climate change and Al Gore's personal life.

 I managed to watch the first 31 minutes of the 90 minute documentary today.

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