Documentary modes.

Factual films

Have i got news for you
Never mind the Buzzcocks
CNN
Fox news
BCC news
Sky news
Frozen planet
Country file
Man vs Food
Plantet Earth
Catfish
Blue Planet
Top Gear
A league of their own
A question of sport
Watch Dog



I think the purpose to factual and documentary films is to inform and entertain an audience. A documentary could be used to persuade an audience to change their view on something e.g- charity etc.  They can also raise awareness.

• Educate 
• inform
• persuade 
• investigation / expose 
• 
  

Final music video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvkisE1AlTg

Equipment check

Cannon 600 D

Tripod 

Skateboard (replacement dolly and travel).

SD card. 

I will use all of this equipment in the production

Initial ideas

The first idea i had when i chose a song was a "day in the life"/ following someone throughout their day.

I ask people within my class on what music video to create:

5/8 of the votes said "perfect games" so i decided to go with the votes and chose to create a music video for "Perfect games" and not "Rat race"

Evaluation

Before i started this project, i didn't have many skills within music videos due tot he fact I've never mad one before. Considering i was working by myself i thought i managed my time quite well. I have only edited once before and that was a practice in a lesson. I was new to most things but i learnt how to use them and applied them in this project. This includes cameras and editing. Throughout this project i have learnt how to successfully use a mac, Final Cut Pro and a Cannon 600 D.

I instantly thought i wouldn't be able to finish the project in time but i made myself a spreadsheet which showed me what i should do and when to do it. I thought i would have trouble editing but i read a book on Final Cut Pro and researched about it. This helped me a lot, it gave me the knowledge i need to edit my music video successfully. I found this project a lot easier than i thought. I think this was due to the fact that i made a spreadsheet. 

We was told to produce a music video. This includes pre-production & production (Recce checklist, proposal, treatment, outline script, script, actor contract, call sheet). Throughout the production i was director, producer, camera operator, editor, script writer, casting director, location scout, location manager and production manager. I had every responsibility because i decided to work by myself. I had to rely on myself to do everything otherwise it wouldn't get done. The only thing i didn't do is cast in my music video. I believe i managed this well.

I believe i planned my time well in this production. I found this extremely helpful. I thought i handled my camera well. I also improvised with the equipment i had. I used a skateboard to look like a dolly shot. This went well and looks like a dolly shot. I considered myself to be a bad editor, but i feel like i edited this production fairly well. I thought my choice of shots was good. I liked the way they joint together. I also think my i done well with having to cope with faults and come up with a solution. 

I planned to use a panning shot from the sea front to the main character skateboarding but i accidentally nudged the camera causing it to skip forward to quickly. I didn't realise this until i started editing. I improvised and used the shot briefly to the point of just before the skip. I had difficulty with settings on the camera i used causing external shots to look orange and internal shots to look blue. I didn't realise this until editing. Therefore i decided to apply a black and white effect apart from the final shot which is the main character standing on the sea front looking into a sun set. I chose to use the black and white effect to create peace. Then when the final shot is visual its not in black and white to send the message to the audience that the character is happy and found what he loves. My original plan was to film my character travelling to Southend from Grays. The c2c rail service wouldn't allow me to film at the train station so i improvised and found two locations which look similar and filmed there portraying that it was the same area. I think the impact of this didn't affect me as much as i thought due to the fact that it looks like the same area and people that have watched my video haven't mentioned a sudden location change. Therefore i think it was a success. 

I learnt a lot from this production, i learnt how to edit and operate a camera i wasn't used to. I also learnt that i can improvise with lack of equipment. When using the camera i fount that some shots i originally planned wouldn't work and didn't look as planned. I also experimented with camera shots and found what worked and what didn't. 

Next time i create a music video i will improve by taking more cut away shots. This way i won't be restricted when editing. Next time i plan to take shots of scenery to add incase there are gaps to fill when editing. I will also make sure my camera settings are set properly before filming so i don't get any effects/filters that aren't wanted. I finished filming then i had 15 minutes to return the camera back to South Essex College. If i filmed cut aways I would of run out of time. So next time i will film earlier and plan how long to spend ay each location. 

Music Video Script

We sit around looking for flaws in the diamonds
We sit around spillin our ice cubes on the lawn
We sit around finding our way through the darkness
Well we waste our time when we could be righting every wrong.

I get along kicking myself in the lightning
I get along knowing you won't be here
I get along finding myself in the darkness
Well we waste our time when we could be righting every wrong.
And we chase heartbreak where we can see heartbreak don't belong.

We kick around placing our bets on the evening
We kick around hanging our secrets out for sale
We kick around sticking it out in the darkness
We waste our time when we could be righting every wrong
We waste our time when we could be righting ever
We chase heartbreak where we can see heartbreak don't belong
We chase heartbreak and I was right here all along
We waste our time
We waste our time. 

call sheet

CALL SHEET

PRODUCTION NAME:	The Broken West - Perfect Games.
Director	Sid Randall
Producer	Sid Randall
Camera	Sid Randall
Sound	Sid Randall
Lighting	Sid Randall

Location	Southend, Grays.
Weather	Cold & slightly cloudy.

Scenes	Pages	Day/Night	Int/Ext	Location	Synopsis	Other
		day and night	Ext & int	Southend Grays	A boy goes out and skates the streets.

Character	Cast	Pick-up	Arrive	Leave
Main Character - Robert	Robert Cooper.	9:00	10:00 am	5:00 pm

Make-up/Costume	Casual clothing.
Lighting	Nature daylight.
Sfx	None.
Catering	High street for food.
Transport	C2c train service.
Parking	No vehicles required.
Toilets	High street.
Other

Recce checklist

Recce Checklist

Name of location: Southend  Clifftown terrace

/ - checked. o - not checked

Things to take:	Complete	Notes
Camera	/
Mobile phone	/	broken camera on phone.
Notebook, pen, PDA	/
Programme risk assessment form	/
Maps/directions	/	I have a good knowledge of the area.
Student ID card	/
Brief	/
Checklist	/
Talking to people:	Complete	Notes
Confirm ownership	/
Exchange details	/
Explain intentions	/
Discuss fees/contract	/
Editorial policy	/
Are passes required?	/	No.
Availability and timings	Until 10pm
Local events	/	No events taking place.
Dress code	Yes
Copyright issues	Yes
Children’s details	Yes
Transport/access:	Complete	Notes
Landmarks for directions	/	River Thames, High Street, Train station, South Essex College.
Neighbour disturbance	/	Public area.
Risk of trespass	/	None.
Internal access	/
Vehicle access	/
Toilets	/
Traffic control needed?	/	None needed.
Shelter	/
Safety for hazardous environments	/
Tidal waters	Yes	Extremely unlikely the water would reach the top of the hill if in a flood.
Boats/safety	Yes	Wont be using boats.
Camera/lighting:	Complete	Notes
Position of the sun	/	sunrise from 4
Window direction	/
Power supply	/	No need for power
Size of location	/	Fairly large.
Strobing	/	None.
TV/computer screens	/	None, outside.
Is floor level?	/	No
Secure place for kit	/	behind cameras. always next to me.
Cables	/	none.
Smoke alarms/sprinklers	/	No, outside.
Sound:	Complete	Notes
Listen	/	General noise.
Traffic/roadworks	/
Aircraft	/	No
Electrical hazards	/	No
Schools	/	South Essex College, Nursery, University.
Weather	/	Fairly cold in present, dry.
Background music/PA system	/	No.
Air conditional/fridges	/	none
Wooden floors	/	Pavement.
Things for director:	Complete	Notes
Take photos	o	Didn’t have a camera.
GVs/top shots	/
Cutaways	/
Backgrounds	/
Events	/	No events.
Additional contributors	/	none.
Food/accommodation:	Complete	Notes
Eating	/	High street.
Hotels	/	Yes, if necessary.

Check to make sure you've covered all you need and write more notes if necessary

Actor contract

ACTORS CONTRACT

Robert Cooper,

Randall Productions

Date 30/11/13

Dear Robert,

This letter confirms agreement that you will take the part of the main character in the music video for The Broken West's "Perfect Games" This is the working title and the final name of the music video. As you know, this is a low budget production and we are keen to ensure that everyone understands the basis upon which the video is being made. If there is anything about this letter that you do not understand or you wish us to clarify, please do not hesitate to contact us.

1)You agree to be available to work during the filming period (“the Shoot”)

from 10am to 5pm 10/11/13  

2) You agree that the filming will take place in the following locations

Southend & Grays

3) You agree to give over any rights you may have in the finished music video.  This will allow us to distribute the film in any and every way we can.

4)  We will pay a fee of £0 a day for your performance in this Film.  The fee is payable within 28 days after the performance was given.

5) We will aim to ensure that working days are not longer than 10 hours.

6) We will do our best to ensure your health, safety and welfare during the Shoot.

7) We will have public liability insurance to cover you during the Shoot.

8) We will provide you with food and refreshments throughout the Shoot.  We will liase with you over your travel arrangements to and from the Shoot and either provide transport or pay travel expenses which we need to agree in advance.

9) We will provide you with a VHS of the finished Film within 3 months of the completion of all post production.

signed by the actor signed on behalf of the company

date: date:

Shooting People Good Enough Contracts

These contracts are designed to be  ‘good enough’ for low budget filmmaking.  If you have a commission from a TV station or are making a fully funded feature film, you should seek to use the PACT contracts (Producers Association for Cinema and Television – www.pact.co.uk) which are based on full Equity fees and contain a great deal more details about exclusivity, overtime and repeat fees and copyright clearances.

These contracts are designed to be as clear as possible – no fancy legal language just plain English.  They have been drawn up in consultation with a professional media lawyer, Mark Lloyd.

The contract should be printed out on company letterhead.

2 copies signed by the producer should be sent out – one for the actor to keep and one for them to sign and return.

WHAT ARE THESE CONTRACTS FOR?

A contract is there to protect - to protect the producer and to protect the actor.

A contract makes sure there is as much clarity as possible between both partners so both know what to expect from the other.

You should always use a contract with your actors no matter how informal the shoot.  It will save you from the consequences of any misunderstandings or disagreements further down the line.

The Shooting People Actors Contract contains things that the actor promises to do – such as turn up.  These are covered in the first 3 clauses which start ‘you agree’

And things the producer promises to do – such as provide insurance.  These are covered in the last 6 clauses which start ‘we will’.

AT THE VERY LEAST

Shooting People members expect that at bare minimum, a producer will pay for travel and food expenses, provide a copy of the finished film and provide Public Liability Insurance to cover the crew and cast for any accidents during the production.

We strongly urge you to retain these elements to the contract, even if you amend or remove other clauses.

RIGHTS AND PAYMENT

Creative people such as directors, writers, composers and actors automatically own the rights to their own creative contribution to a film.  In order to sell or show a film the producer needs to control all the rights to the film.

On a fully funded production, the producer pays the actor money in exchange for which the actor assigns all (or some) of the rights in their work to the producer.

On low budget films the producer is often paying the actor a minimum fee or even no fee at all.  Yet they must still obtain the rights they need to distribute the film even if they simply wish to show it online for free.

Ideally actors will agree to assign all rights in a short film or low budget feature when they sign the contract.  Largely speaking these films do not make much, if any, return on their original budgets and those involved are doing so in order to progress their careers so asking for all rights to be assigned is a reasonable request.   However you may be forced to be specific about the distribution rights you want to clear with the contract – they are primarily cinema, TV, film festivals, internet, video and DVD.   

The draft contract is filled in with the Equity Film School rate - £36 a day - this does not legitimise your shoot in the eyes of Equity, these rates are intended only for film school productions, separate rates apply to low budget productions.  See the ‘Paying Actors’ FAQ for more detail on actors rates.  If your film is very low budget and your actors have agreed to waive their fee, simply remove this clause.

DEFERED PAYMENT CONTRACTS

Both producers and actors are aware that every low budget feature is a potential Blair Witch even though the odds are very low indeed.   It may be that you have an actor who you consider to be essential to the production whose agent is not prepared to sign away all rights for no fee or for only the Equity film school fee. In this case you may want to consider an additional deferred payment contract which promises to pay the actor more money if and when the film is a commercial success.  [see Deferred Payment Contract]