Production Log: Week 9

What have you contributed to this week?

This week, me and Farhana finally finished our music video on the deadline day. In the Monday's lesson, we got told what to do for our coursework tasks and then could, if we wanted to, carry on in the rest of the lesson with the editing of our music video, which me and Farhana chose to do. On Tuesday, periods 1,2, 3 & 4, myself, Farhana, and Damanjyot all had frees then, and decided to do the chorus scenes in the music studio. We managed to do that within periods 1&2, and put the footage onto the iMac's and carry on editing in 3&4. Tuesday was our deadline and we could stay back for how long it would take us to finish our music video... in which we finished at around half 6. For the rest of the week, we started on our paper coursework and on the Friday, I uploaded our music video onto my blog.

Clip of Daman in the Music Studio lip-syncing in our music video.

How does this fit in with the production schedule/job roles/overall ideas for the project?

This fits in with our production schedule because we had an idea of using the music studio instead of the green screen, or even using some green screen during the music studio performances scenes, but eventually came to the decision of just using the music studio as we thought it would look less messy and more clean-cut. The job roles consisted of me and Farhana handling with the filming as we took turns in filming hand held. The overall ideas of the project would then come together as we film the last bit, which is the chorus scenes, and then figure out what shots we want and don't want when finalising on the editing.

Were there any problems?

There was a problem regarding the time to do the chorus scenes in the music studio. We asked the music teacher, who was the head of the music department, if it would be okay for us to use the music studio in which he said it was okay for us to use it. Knowing that we could use it for Monday after school, we told Damanjyot that we could do it after school on Monday and she agreed to do it. Came Monday, and Damanjyot told us that she couldn't do it because she had to go somewhere... which put me and Farhana in an awkward position as we hoped to get all the filming done on the Monday and focus on the editing on the Tuesday in our free's and after school.

How did you/will you overcome them?

We overcame the problem by being in luck. Me and Farhana knew that we had two free's in the morning, periods 1 to 4. Then we both remembered that Damanjyot had periods from 1 to 4 free too, which was a bonus for us considering our deadline was the next day and we still had to get filming done and finish editing which we knew would be time consuming. We asked Damanjyot if she could come in in the morning during her free's to do our chorus scenes instead in the music studio as we knew we HAD to find extra time to make sure we got it all done in time and properly to a good enough standard. Damanjyot agreed to coming in in the morning as she knew it was our deadline day and wouldn't want us to fail as she couldn't do that to us. The next day, we all came in normal school time, and filmed within the first period, and carried on editing in the second, which lead onto a positive path as we had more time to edit. After school, we finished at around half 6, filling in the gaps and adding effects, and had it checked by our two teachers. Once the two teachers were happy with the standard of the work, they let us go.

What are the plans for the following week?

The plans for the following week will consist of paper work that we've been doing in class, now that our music video is all done.

Final Music Video

Production Log: Week 8

What have you contributed to this week?

This week, myself and Farhana carried on editing scenes. On Monday, our teacher came round the class to check everyone's music videos and to see if there were things that needed to be improved. He suggested that we should re-film our pathway scene as our shots needed more of a variety of shot types. On Tuesday after school, we decided we should try out green screen again and see if there would be any better changes to last time we filmed, and so we completed all the filming for that. In our Wednesday's lesson, we uploaded our green screen footage and noticed there was rarely any change and we had the same problem. On the Wednesday periods 5&6 was when we re-filmed our pathway scene in the park right next to our school, and we managed to do all the shots in time before it was lunch. We also showed our teacher the green screen problem in the Wednesday lesson, and he said that we should try again but make sure everything's set up right when we next do it. In our Thursday lesson, we uploaded the pathway shots and carried on editing.

Me, Damanjyot & Farhana filming Green Screen Performance.

How does this fit in with the production schedule/job roles/overall ideas for the project?

This doesn't really fit in with the production schedule as we hadn't had an exact date to re-film some shots and to re-do green screen a second time. The job roles mean't that we had to both think hard about what we would do with the re-filming and to not become worried as it would show through our work and would effect our performance of our roles. With the overall ideas for the project, we are still contemplating whether to have the chorus scenes done as a green screen or in the music studio, making the overall idea undecided, but aware of where we want to go with the project.

Were there any problems?

There were a few problems regarding finding time to re-film and the process of how green screen came out. After trying out green screen once and there being problems, we thought the second time would be an improvement, but it turned out to be the exact same situation we were in in the first place. When we were editing the green screen scenes, the padded cell picture behind it was hard to make look perfect as the green was still visible, Damanjyot's hair was outlined in a yellow colour, and her skin on her arms had blotches on them that we couldn't edit it out. Our teacher had a look and suggested to do green screen again, but properly, which he said that he would stay behind and help us to make sure the lights are set up right etc. This creates a problem because our deadline was on Thursday and we knew we wouldn't have enough time as Damanjyot had to go somewhere important after school on the Thursday. 

How did you/will you overcome them?

To sort the problem out, we knew we had to turn to our teacher as our deadline was on the Thursday and we knew Damanjyot couldn't make it. Myself and Farhana told our teacher the problem, hoping to fit in extra time if he would let us. Knowing that our teacher sticks to the deadlines, we were worried in terms of what his answer would be. He said that he would extend the deadline till next Tuesday as he knew it wasn't our fault that our green screen turned out the way it turned out. Me and Farhana were relieved that he extended it till Tuesday, as it gave us more time to film it and then edit into the music video, without having to rush.

What are the plans for the following week?

Plans for the following week will contain filming the green screen, or if that doesn't work again, we will film in the music studio in school. Also, finishing off our editing for the Tuesday deadline - involving the London scenes, and the chorus scenes, and then finalising and cleaning it till we our satisfied to get the best grade possible.

Production Log: Week 7

What have you contributed to this week?

Me and my partner carried on editing this week. We cleaned up and finalised the intro and first verse of the song, and we had also done a variety of other scenes through different verses of the song, but leaving it unfinished as we haven't tidied the shots and have some shots missing that we need to fill in. On Thursday after school, me, Farhana and our cast member, Damanjyot, managed to do all the green screen shots for the chorus parts. Then on the Friday, we uploaded the footage onto Final Cut Express and carried on with the editing. We also was trying to figure out how to place the picture behind the green screen as we wasn't as experienced as much with using Final Cut Express than iMovie.

How does this fit in with the production schedule/job roles/overall ideas for the project?

This fits with our production schedule as we completed the chorus' with the green screen, and within our production schedule, our aim was to do the green screen for the chorus scenes. Me and Farhana had also agreed on the chorus being a performance and the green screen would be a padded cell to portray Damanjyot's chararcter as clear as possible as she has psychological problems and we wanted to show that by having her in a mental place. Job roles contained me and Farhana both filming different shots and helped on directing Damanjyot. The ideas for the overall project were looking good, although, we did have doubts on our green screen as it wasn't going to plan when we were both filming and editing it.

Were there any problems?

Yes. Our first problem was dealing with the scheduling of green screen day as we had to figure out what days Damanjyot was free and when myself and Farhana were free. Also, because a lot of other groups had to use green screen, we had to make sure we weren't going to clash with them. We originally decided to do green screen on Wednesday after school, but Damanjyot, without realising, straightened her hair... because this was not the crazy look we wanted, we wanted to rearrange the date to another day. Another problem was when me and Farhana uploaded the footage onto Final Express Cut, the green screen lighting varied with a lighter green and a darker green, most were dark. We were baffled as to why this happened as the spotlights when we were filming, were on all the time.

How did you/will you overcome them?

We dealt with our first problem calmly and changed the green screen day to Thursday. We chose that day as we were all free after school, no one was using the green screen, and Damanjyot had made her hair curly again. The green screen light issue was confusing to understand. We got one of our teachers who was in the room at the time to look at the problem and she hadn't understood why that happened either. Me and Farhana were not very pleased, but began thinking of a plan b... we decided to re-film, but this time, not using green screen, have Damanjyot performing in a music studio, with maybe some elements of the green screen fitted in to the chorus. Now we know our next task has to be in finding a day when to film in the music studio.

What are the plans for the following week?

Our plans for the following week are to film the chorus scenes in the music studio. Our deadline to finish our editing is on Friday, which will mean coming back in our frees and after school to finish everything off. We have to make sure to perfect our music video as much as we can to achieve the best grade possible.

Music Studio.

Production Log: Week 6

What have you contributed to this week?

Final Cut Express.

On Wednesday, me and Farhana uploaded all the footage we done on the week before onto Final Cut Express which took a while as we had many shots. We also started editing and working out how to use Final Cut Express. On Thursday during mine and Farhana's study period and Damanjyot's and Bilal's free period, we filmed the hostage scene and got all the shots done for that scene in the school's store cupboard. We had to ask permission and so we asked the caretaker if we could use the store cupboard and he said yes. In the lesson on the Thursday, we carried on editing. On Friday, we uploaded all the rest of the shots from Thursday's shots and carried on editing.

How does this fit with the production schedule/job roles/overall ideas for the project?

This fits with our production schedule as our first thought when we got back was to upload all our footage onto the Apple Mac and so we did. Any filming while at school means our time is limited, which means our job roles will have to become more focused and work driven as our deadline to complete the project is in a couple of weeks. Our job roles were shared out equally as we both agreed to work on the editing together. Our overall ideas come together as we edit our music video, making us think more on how we would like our overall music video to come out like.

Were there any problems?

Hostage Scene.

The only problem we faced was trying to figure out when to film the hostage scene. Damanjyot and Bilal had a free on Thursday periods 5&6, and me and Farhana both have private study in that period too which is hard to get out of as it's a permanent thing. 

How did you/will you overcome them?

Farhana and I looked for a way in which we could all do the hostage scene. We spoke to Mr. Mallen, our media teacher, and asked if he could leave a note saying if it would be possible to film during mine and Farhana's private study. Mr. Mallen messaged the private study teacher and she said it was okay for us to film, and so our problem was solved.

What are the plans for the following week?

Hopefully for the following week, me and Farhana would have to start the green screen scenes, which Damanjyot is in. We have to check with Damanjyot and see if she is free to do the scenes, and we have to check to see when we can use the green screen as you have to book up to use it. So we are hoping all the filming will be done next week alongside with the editing and shifting with it for the next two weeks before our deadline.

Green Screen Performance.