Production Stage 3: Filming

 Filming, phase 1

As mention, we have 3 major locations that vary across production. Intuitively, filming phase 1 took 3 days, gobling up our weekend of 10 - 12/3

Day 1: Friday, 10/3

 

Around 3 PM, that's when we meet up for filming. The location was near, at right in the resident complex of our school, thus gathering personnel and equipment was easy. 

• Location: Crossing bridge nearby the school 
• Equipment: Canon EOS, tripod, zooming lens
• Personnel: Group mate: me, Nat, Renee, Zon + support from Nam Anh and Nam Pham
• General rating: Filming went great for us. We struggled quite a bit at the start positioning ourselves in the shot and adjusting camera specifications, but handled well. 

    🌱 What we did good: 

    The shot generally matched our storyboard and experiment shot, and yet we were open for new intepretations of each composition. For instance, we tried out a high angle shot when the main character started running down the stair, then a low angle when they reached the end. The binary opposition of angle and direction of movement exemplified more dynamic and chaotic motion. 

    Moreover, we paid a lot of attention on continuity for in between the shots. As we only got one camera, we had to reenact each scene multiple times for multiple shot type. Therefore, we paid attention on small details, such as the magnitude of main character hand gesture matching, the photo potrait is burned at similar spots, is crumbled, etc.

    🌱 What could be better:  

    However, we did not factor in slow preparation and generally a slow start for us to get it going. We would pace around the crossing bridge, fidgeting with our props and not selecting the best composition for the frame. It took well over 5 takes for us to lock in the camera position. Moreover, as time passed, the sky color varied significantly, making us adjusting camera specs quite regularly to achieve the color we wanted. 

    As we went home, exported the files and reviewed them, we still did not entirely satisfy with how they were. The color and temperature, was noticeably too over-exposed and warm tones, even though we deliberately aiming for cool tone, and low resolution as it was noise by low lighting. 

➡️➡️    We ended filming day 1 on a high note, as the sun sets into a very pretty purple hue sky, and we took a stable yet realistic handheld shot. 

Day 2: Saturday, 11/3

Us setting up backlight and direct light for antagonist phone call footage 

We met up at 3:30 PM, yet set foot to filming site at around 6 PM due to delay in costuming and props preparation. Our motivation was on the decline.

• Location: Apartment complex 
• Equipment: Canon EOS, tripod, zooming lens
• Personnel: Group mate: me, Nat, Renee, Zon 
• General rating: Filming was not as exciting and becoming more physically and emotionally exhausting. Starting slow was a bump on the road, having no external support (mostly for assurance for us) and driving quite far to filming site.  

    🌱 What we did good: 

    We were very supportive of each other and open for improvising and experimenting even when it's official take. Internally, I knew that each of us felt demotivated pushing production that day, as we expected smoother operation than yesterday, (and which we looked forward to), but everyone cheered each other up and gave them proper affirmation and credit. Morale is important in a project as prolonged.

    Moreover, we persisted even after we left filming site, to film a seperated footage regardless of chronicle order. It was a controlled environment, as we can easily control lighting, introducing backlight and direct light via phone flash. Therefore, we wrapped up that scene pretty fast and noticably easier than open field filming. Moreover, a more enclosed site means less background noise, more favorable camera placement (as close or as far as we want, regardless of strangers falling into frame/bumpy roads), and easier equipment gathering. 

    And for that, I gave my team their flowers. 

    🌱 What could be better: 

• Props listing: We forgot to borrow the boots for the antagonist appearance in last minute before leaving our home, wasting time and rushing to borrow in a short time span. Result was, we left without having boots for the antagonist, thus cannot film the next scene within the same day.
• Delay in schedule: I was hoping we could have both the big running scence and alleyway scene within the same day, and thus pushing more to have Sunday to spare. 
• Gear check: Our camera battery dies in the last take :(( As rushing for time, we forgot to bring back up battery pack.  
• Time management: (and why it was so detrimental to us): Our film is set around the start of sunset to sudden drop of early night, thus letting time pass and sky changing colors was difficult for us to capture continuity in chronicle order or color grading.
• Lack of visualization: The running scene was the hardest to shot list, as we could not factor in too much variables while using both handheld camera and tracking shot. We intended to borrow a friend for his Gimbal, but did not ask for it on time. 
• Therefore, our tracking running scene was too shaky and non-continuous to our desire. Moreover, the unfamiliar filming site ran us into issues with transportation and general atmosphere build up.  
• (Using a skateboard for handheld camera to be "stable" backfired us, it introduced a lot of noisy micromovement that could not be fixed post production). :)

  ➡️➡️  After day 2, we felt washed up by the project, but did not forget to give each other encouragement. We stayed up that day reviewing footage and listing to-be-redo shots. Leading to filming day 3, there are concerns and discussion to halt production for another day. 

Day 3: Sunday, 12/3

Zon Zon filming a close up of Nat, captured by Nam Anh

Learning from the day before, we met up at 3 PM, went to pick up the boots, and rushing costuming and make up to get to filming site. 

• Location: Nearby alleyway (walking distance)
• Equipment: Canon EOS, tripod, zooming lens
• Personnel: Group mate: me, Nat, Zon (Renee could not make that day) + support from Nam Anh
• General rating: Filming went smooth, and we had much anticipation and attitude to push each footage with enough care and moderate pace

       🌱 What we did good: 

    One could be positive that our good mood coming off the day before was due to the fact that we got to get costuming and make up done quite early, and travelling by smaller amount to filming site nearby. Moreover, the atmosphere of the alleyway was mostly chill and cozy, making us comfortable to film without feeling too self conscious. 

    The storyboard for this scene was much clearer and detailed than others, blending in multiple shot types yet conveying a sense of continuity really well (all thanks to Renee). We progressed with each shot type quite easily, as static camera or handheld, but much easier as the pacing has decelerated and focused on random, tilting movement. Moreover, we agreed on taking more footage than we thought we would, and open for more interpretation on other shot types, for instance a zooming to a close up while the protagonist is running toward the camera. 

    Moreover, as we progressed different shot types, we gained momentum to finish last enigma building up to a fade out to back. Without Renee, I had to substitute into the antagonist, and struggled quite bit to act out and falling into proper composition on screen. However, the variation of each shot and more controlled environment (as well as shorter pathway to cover), we got through the shot list fast. 

    Filming quite early left us a lot of room to fidgeting around camera settings for desired exposure. 

       🌱 What could be better: 

    Production could have gone easier for us with more support for logistic and mise en scene, as there were still adversities obtaining desired costume (the boots for the antagonist is green as we had no other option, opposing their planned color pallete). Moreover, we could have been better having more personnel to support with visualization and filming. 

➡️➡️  We were extremely tired and proud for day 3. That is, our footage is enough to make a draft edit for the entire opening sequence, and we are planning for a reshoot of some scenes.