More Equipment Research
Amongst other things, like continuing my research generally, I also continued my research into equipment to use for filming. I had 2 cameras and also a "broom" mic sorted, so next I moved onto considering
how I was going to get the different movements in my comparison of 3 movement types. I had already decided that one type would be stationary on a tripod. My dad has a tripod that I can use. And I plan on doing handheld but with just a little bit of shake to give slight movement for the second. If I had been in College then it would have been easy, I would have used a College Slider Track. Since I'm not, I started investigating a slider track to see if this could be part of my 18th Birthday present from my parents. I also started investigating tripods to put a slider track on.
One thing that is a shame is that my Dad was going to take me to the Media Production and Technology Show in Olympia, London, in a few weeks' time, to look at and experiment with equipment. But, like most things, due to the coronavirus pandemic lockdown, it has been postponed until next year. It is a shame as it would have been helpful.
When I asked Tom for advice on buying equipment, he had recommended getting a hydraulic, or fluid head for a tripod, rather than a geared one, since fluid heads have a smoother movement.
I have also asked Chris, another tutor, if he had a list of what equipment we use at College. My reasoning for this is so that I have items to look up that I am familiar with to compare with less familiar models.
I made my choices of slider track and 2 tripods to support it, and am just hoping now that they arrive in time, since another issue with the coronavirus pandemic lockdown is that delivery times are all mucked up, understandably because essential deliveries take priority. We will see.
In the meantime, I will also be thinking how I can get the camera movement that I would like if the slider track and tripods don’t arrive in time. But hopefully they will.
Location Scouting
I am still having problems with my Location scouting in the woods just by my house, due it suddenly getting very busy, probably because so many people are wanting to get their hour's exercise. My Dad had an idea for an area of the wood a fair bit further away. We could still walk to it, even though it would take longer. He hasn't been there for a few weeks but he didn’t believe it would be as busy since it is a bit further away.
He offered to show it to me after work, so we set off. Unfortunately, someone has cut all the trees down in that area! So that wasn't going to work.
Finding a location is becoming a problem, since the woods are getting so busy. And in addition to the usual problems of not wanting too many of the public around when filming, there is the additional issue of social distancing, keeping 2 metres away from everyone, which makes many areas unusable too.
I have been doing test recording and filming in my garden as a back up plan. But I am finding many issues there too. We have 6 neighbours gardens that are attached to ours, and also a public footpath that runs along one boundary. I have never notice before just how noisy it gets in our garden. I'm sure that more people than usual are walking along the path, chatting as they do. It seems that one neighbour or another is talking on the phone in their garden, or mowing the lawn or doing something else noisy.
I was beginning to find myself getting rather concerned, so I tried the analysis again that I tried for previous issues with this project. It helped. What I realised was that half of my filming could have an ambient (nice) garden noise added on later. So although I still had issues creatively with the backdrop of the garden, at least I would be able to get SOME footage to start with.
The film of me speaking to camera DOES need audio. So I made a plan.
1. Get up very early, at 6 am to see if the garden is quieter then
2. Ask my tutor Nargess if she has any advice for recording documentary style outdoor sound, since she works in documentaries and is very experienced.
3. Start exploring if there is anywhere indoors that I can film me speaking to camera. It will not be as simple as it sounds, since my house is extremely cluttered, finding even a small area of suitable backdrop that it is possible to light will be tricky. I will ask my Mum if she has any ideas inside for things that can be moved or covered up or anything.
The important thing is to keep coming up with a Plan A, then Plan B, the Plan C etc. It may be harder to get the creative feel that I want inside, but who knows, I may even find something better. I'm doubting it, but it is possible, so I will try and see.
Comments