SigBlogger: Production Skills (Message)

THE MESSAGE

(Me with one of lights I was controlling)

As part of a technical exercise the class was put into small groups of about 4 or 5 and tasked with creating a short two to three minute scene that was themed around some kind of moral message the way my group fairly picked between our ideas was by putting every body's idea (mine being karma) into a random word selector on Google,Daniels idea of grief came on top so that's what we went with.

Groups Ideas

Idea 1: Obsession

Idea 2: Karma

Idea 3: Revenge

Idea 4: Grief

Idea 5: Passion

Final Idea Decision: Grief

A young man called Stan is drinking heavily as he is staggering towards a table. It has been three years after his best friend Francis’ death and Stan still has flashbacks to the event and can’t seem to move on, not that he really wants to. As he approaches slumber a voice rouses him he lifts his head up to see the relaxed, peaceful spirit of his best friend Stan looks on in awe and fear as he starts to blame the drink Francis puts his mind at rest by telling him it’s not an illusion he further tells Stan to not dwell on the past and move forward with his life, in which Stan starts to panic at the thought.

Francis sees his friend’s anguish and decides to make a deal, they both play a game of poker if Stan wins he can mourn him for the rest of his life and be a miserable alcoholic drunk however if Francis wins Stan needs to move on if not for himself then for his friend. Stan hesitantly accepts and Francis takes out the deck of cards along with a full bottle of whiskey Stan takes out Francis’ old fob watch and puts it down at the centre of the table the game begins.

After three rounds Francis wins the game with four aces Stan bows his head in defeat and sadness that he will have to forget about his friend before he departs Francis puts his hand on Stan’s shoulder and tells him “It’s good to mourn though not for years, it’s good to grieve though not for a lifetime go forth, live a little just remember I’ll always be watching”. Stan lifts his head up to find Francis gone letting his words sink in he drinks the last remnants of his whiskey, slowly stands up and gives a small smile before staggering out to get a life. (Written by Daniel Whalen)

The Group

Daniel Whalen - Director/Actor

Rebecca Darby - Camera

Nathan Cawley - Actor

Chloe Lowe - Editor

Micheal Reynolds - Boom operator

Me - Lights and Boom

Equipment

1 Panasonic 3CCD

1 Camera Tripod

2 Read Heads

2 Light Stands

1 Boom Mic/Pole

1 Cable

2 Shrim Papers

Shooting Dates

13/11/14

(Me taking over on boom) 4/12/14 (Me controlling light)

Because Daniels idea was the one we would be making he become Director and also wrote the script everyone else decided on what job roles they wanted mine being lighting which i was happy to do as I had previously never really dabbled in lighting. I also took over on the boom mic on the first day of filming when Micheal had to leave early for an appointment

All the shots where filmed in one location (Folio-interview room) over the course of two days totaling about 6 hours. Apart from some pieces of equipment and bags lying around in shot and a few continuity issues I think the shoot went very well and once edited together should make a good little short.