A few things have changed to our production since the last studio session. After our interim crit session last week we opted to change various elements in which we thought benefited our story and production.
The critique session proved to benefit the group, it gave us more confidence and belief in our production in which may of not existed before.
After pitching our idea to our tutors they responded with advice, questions and answers in which will help us in creating our visions in reality.
The relationships between our characters was one of the highlighted changes in which got produced from the meeting. We discussed in delivering the brief and focusing on ‘relative and family’, due to concerns our story was to vague in regards to achieving the brief. So we changed the relationships between the characters. Dan and Jess became half brother and sister, allowing us to examine and demonstrate more ‘personal’ topics in which only families would know and talk about. We also made Jack and April a married couple, but a marriage in which is jeopardised by Jack’s past affairs. These two changes alone meant we had to alter the script, we had to look at how families and couples communicate, what is different and what stereotype conventions are there in their behaviour?
Other elements in which were changed due to the meeting was the questions in which were in the studio show, we wanted to make them more relationship based, focusing around topics such as ‘celebrity families etc’.
With the script altered and changes in production made, we went into the studio for the first time in two weeks, due to last weeks reading week. Immediately it started negative. Two days before we tried to design some of the set by painting two, two metre high wooden boards in glitter. This failed immediately. We had problems such as running out of glue and then running out of glitter a lot quicker than we intended to. This made us realise that this particular idea may be too expensive and hard to do. Instead we opted to use fabric and planned to have it in the studio for Thursday’s session. This was not the case. I walked in at 9:50am to find a pink glitter sheet being held up by a one metre length toilet roll coil, and that was it. I expressed my negativity and wanted answers in what was happening with the set, but I was assured that it would be fetched straight after the session which was frustrating but the show must gone on and I continued with preparation knowing that the set WOULD be complete for next weeks sessions. With the script typed handed around and a behind the scenes camera filming our efforts we set up the studio to record the advert for the website. By looking at adverts such as ‘Paul O Grady’ or ‘Friday night with Jonathan Ross’ in which are shown before the show, at intervals of other shows before hand we used a script consisting of around 15 seconds and began filming demo takes. One thing was clearer immediately, the presenters were not prepared and ready to read of the auto queue. They lacked practice, knowledge and skills in reading of the auto queue. It was clearer they had not looked at or learned any element of the script, this made it very hard immediately in directing them through.
What I did notice very quickly was the ‘lack of enthusiasm’ of the advert and the presenters presenting it. What I have noticed on adverts of a similar format is the input of their ‘live audience’, in which clap and cheer through segments of the recording. This is what we needed. We needed audience impact to make the show ‘real’, and with all of us pre occupied with our own roles and duties we had to seek extra help in creating this. We gathered students and tutors who were passing or located near the studio and brought them inside. Initially I thought to create a horse shoe shape around the make in which will produce that ‘around the arena’ sound, but because the boom microphone struggles in capturing sound behind itself, we placed the ‘audience’ into one corner and recording several takes of ‘applause’. Recording this with several takes allows us to edit in and loop the effect to create this intention. The recordings went rather successfully and gave the presenters more of a boost of enthusiasm in presenting the advert, but I’m not sure if the pressure did get to them and by placing an audience in the studio, they performed much to my directions. Although I did have a ‘talk’ with Jack of my intentions, their delivery was eventually precise. But this was after a large amount of recordings in which lacked life, style, professionalism and passion.
After a difficult few hours of preparation and recordings, we moved onto practicing the ‘studio show’. Again we did not have our contestants to practice with so we practiced with the third year students so we could still develop the production.
The process started slow as it seems to do on every studio session. I don’t know why but we seem to waste so much time with the set or camera or some other minor issue that just eats our time away. This is very frustrating of course, a problem that must be dealt with by next week!
The session itself though went quite smoothly but it was just hard practicing with so many ‘missing’ elements such as contestants and set in which stop us from rehearsing properly. But after practicing the script several times, it was clear that our presenters didn’t know the words or the script, making it extremely hard for us to function a rehearsal. To be honest, it left us feeling negative because they did not know what was coming up or what to say next. The session was then concentrated about the camera angles in which we will use for the show and how next weeks filming would be recorded. I tried to be as calm as possible and after a few dominant conversations with people in my group about my point of view and reasoning, I was left satisfied in what we had learned and produced that day. However, I was very curious in how next week would go. What was with the group thought the session was enthusiasm and enjoyment, which I guess is vital for us to succeed. We know our idea is challenging and we all understand that we are taking a risk, but I felt confident that it will would work. I could see the outcome in my head and just wanted to create it. What did leave me a little nervous was the same question of “am I being to optimistic?” I hope not, I just like a challenge but for this challenge to be achieved with success, it needed for group collaboration. It was clear who has and are putting their time and efforts for this to work and it was clear who had not.
We concluded the session the same way we always conclude, a small group meeting with the schedule for next week. Luckily we got extra studio time next Wednesday in which will allow us to get the (completed) set up, ready and prepared and then start filming this production. There is a good atmosphere within the group and we have worked so well as a team and as individuals (some more than others) and I am confident that next weeks efforts and allocated time will be leave us with a brilliant and successful production ready for post production.
