We would be filming the process of the week-long project over the course of 2 days using a real audience of children. The video created would then be used to show other schools how the project works in practical terms.
The aim of the whole project was to educate young children and their parents in healthy eating and the benefits of regular exercise. The project uses drama-based activities to encourage children to make better choices about how they eat and exercise. The project also uses Forum Theatre to see how much the children have picked up over the course of the project.
Aim: To rehearse and perform for the filming of the project on location in Exeter
Objectives
- Learn the script for the character and learn how he interacts with the other characters in the story
- Work with the camera crew and my fellow cast members to faciliate the filming process
- To be organised, professional and enthusuatic throughout
- To experience a new process and type of filming
This project has been running for a few years now, and I was asked to participate this year along with some of my peers from college. The project is aimed at primary school children, and the video we were filming was to be used by teachers in primary schools to teach the project to their own students.
The first objective covers the rehearsal we had the day before we went to Exeter. I went in to the rehearsal not really knowing what was going to happen, but I still approached it with an enthusiasm to learn. I quickly picked up on the story and the relationships between the various characters. Over the course of the day, I had established my character and got to grips with the script. Now all we needed was an audience to practice with. That opportunity would come the next day.
The sessions in Exeter required an early start, so and early night was in order so that I would be as fresh as possible the following day. When working on film, it can get quite tedious at times with the multiple retakes. This can lead to people getting fractious which can damage the quality of the recordings as well as cause disharmony within the group. I feel that by arriving awake and alert, you can keep the energy high, which would hopefully have a positive effect on the whole group ethic. I am pleased to say that I made good time both days, and arrived in good spirits eager to get started.
I always aim to be the best I can when I work on a professional project. I feel that it not only gives me a sense of pride and achievement, but it also helps to keep a strong work ethic within the group. It is easy when filming to allow your attention and your spirits to drop due to the slow pace. For me, it was a battle to keep focused at times, as the costumes we were wearing were hot and uncomfortable. It was also evident that the young students were not used to an experience like this. To resolve this, we made sure to have plenty of short breaks to keep the performers and the students happy. I always returned from the breaks happier and filled with a renewed determination to get the project done. For me, the breaks played a key role in helping me to achieve this objective.
My next objective required engagement with young children. I will confess that this has never been my strong point. However, it was clear that many of the children look up to us as role models, and will strive to emulate our behaviour. I feel that this is a very important thing to notice when dealing with children. It is always important to set an example. As such, I always tried to act mature and professional balanced with friendly and approachable. I would go out and play football with the children during the break, but would always come back and be focused and professional again. As a result, the children got to know me as my character all the time, so the engagement during filming was realistic in terms of believing in the traits of the character. I would say that this successfully fulfilled my objective.
The last objective highlighted many points to note about filming. The process is generally long and tedious in order to achieve a good quality end product. The filming I am used to with my friends showed that the process of setting up and changing between scenes is time consuming as well, but the bulk of the time is spent trying to get everything perfect. The main problem we encountered was the sound quality. The sensitivity of the microphone meant that we often picked up sounds like trucks and airplanes passing overhead. This did disrupt the flow of the acting substantially, which has the undesirable effect of losing the flow and believability of the film at times. However, this highlights a useful skill to learn for future filming. The ability to stop a scene and restart it with the same expression and energy is important for the continuity of filming. Overall, I feel I have learnt a lot about filming and what the problems are. Hopefully, this will stand me in good stead for the future.
Overall, this project was definitely a good experience to have. It also showed up my perseverance on a project when the constant slow process begins to play on your mind. I am pleased with both my input and with what I have learnt on this placement, and I can confidently say that I would be better prepared for any future filming projects.
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