Digital Video - S2 Week 6

 

11/08/2020

I retrieved the FS5 from SIT Pro, but discovered that the shotgun mic provided has a cord too short to interview subject to speak into and so I managed to get a sound kit issued from Chris. I tested shooting with the FS5 with the shotgun mic (dead cat attached) and headphones connected. This will be good since myself or Rhys will be able to hear what the shotgun mic hears. I will be able to see the audio levels on the camera's viewfinder.

I have the FS5 all set up and prepared for tomorrow's shoot.

When myself and my film crew rendezvous tomorrow morning, we will do a test shot outside the Downtown campus to see how the camera and mic works together before we start approaching people on Esk Street, so we were prepared.

12/08/2020

A bombshell. We are back at level 3 and after some time thinking with the information that is available. I think it's best that I postpone shooting sound bites / vox pops since not many will be keen to be in contact with us, 2 metres is too far fr shotgun mic to pick up sound, we don't have a boom pole, it could use up too much space on the street which would go against Nathan Gill's conditions, climate change will be an irrelevant subject with covid-19 strong in people's mind now, and I don't have a health and safety contingency in this case organised and would had no time to do so at the last minute.

I will just see what the government will have to say by the weekend and then if things are back to normal after that, I will re-evaluate it on Monday.

I plan to start doing an edit for my documentary today. I tried, but I couldn't get my mind into it because the edit site was stuffy and I couldn't concentrate working on it without the headphones connected. I couldn't safely switch from the speakers in the edit suite computer.

I did however start forming the edit like an assembly cut and the camera tests were applied to the timeline as placeholder until it is actually shot.




14/08/2020

Film workshop with Raj Patel

Things that I learned from Raj
  • Most DOPs operate, not light or are proficient in Steadicam in New Zealand
  • There are two types of film stock; tungsten and daylight.
  • Winter is the best time to shoot in New Zealand because the sun will be at a low angle. 
  • Alexa has a Tight follow focus and you can sharpened the focus in the viewfinder to suit your eye sight
  • LUT is good to people unfamiliar with Camera jargon to give them an idea of the finished look 




We spent the afternoon doing a boot camp type of filming exercise in the RAW gallery. I volunteer to AD, but with my social difficulties associated to my autism (poor read of social cues and limited communication from myself), it was very difficult for me to do my job well as an AD. Eventually, I switched to being production assistant, but I had nothing to do. The exercise was depressing in my view.







I collected a few stock footage clips and images that are related to the subject or based on what I have in mind for my documentary. They were mainly images from Pexels and Creative Commons protected footage from YouTube.


15/08/2020

I got my mind into focus properly today and did work on editing my documentary. I started by editing James Shaw talking about climate change. I cut segments where he abruptly mentions the March 2019 climate strike, a generational change in farmer's perspective on clean green practice, the effect of emissions from the past 30 years of farming in New Zealand, political reluctance in taking effective climate action.

I then started making cuts to Ashleigh's interview. It's quite long and so I only got half way of cutting the first take today, in which I got worn out by then. My aim was to cut segments that can work in telling the story and I sometimes re-arranged the order based on her answers and they fitted the narrative.




17/08/2020

ScreenSafe. (2020). Small crew COVID-19 guidelines. https://screenguild.co.nz/resources/SS%20Department%20Guide_SMALL%20CREW_Level%202_28th%20May.pdf

ScreenSafe. (2020). COVID-19 Standard for New Zealand screen sector operations. https://screenguild.co.nz/resources/ScreenSafe%20COVID-19%20Standards%20ScreenSafe_V1.5-WSNZendorsed.pdf

ScreenSafe. (2020). COVID-19 Health and safety protocols for the New Zealand screen sector. https://screenguild.co.nz/resources/ScreenSafe%20COVID-19%20Protocols_Level2_V1.3._2nd_Junepdf.pdf


I started to look into covid-19 guidelines for filming in New Zealand as a way to shoot in the event that level 2 is extended. I now plan to shoot next Wednesday, which at this stage is when level 2 ends. I have contacted both Caleb and Rhys, whom are still keen to be involved, especially on the new date of filming. I will developing a covid-19 health and safety plan for the shoot based on information that I have read from ScreenSafe today. There is even guidelines for small film crews like for my production.

I want to complete the health and safety plan before I get in contact with Nathan Gill again. The health and safety plan will also included in the call sheets


Health and safety plan (so far)

I will have face masks, rubber gloves, and sanitizer for myself and the film crew
With the PPE worn, Social distancing between the crew and interview participants will be at least one metre.
Myself and the film crew must sneeze or cough into elbow if it happens
All crew members must sign a waiver that they are in good health
Have a contact tracing form for the interview participants
Encourage film crew to download tracer app and if they have one, bring their SIT hi-vis vest.
A boom pole might be used to record sound if it's practically possible

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