Location: filming

Main stage:

For our film opening we will be needing a main stage for a performance, that the main character and extras will be performing.  We, as a group, believe that the main stage in our school theatre is suitable for our film opening and will enable us a large dance space and dramatic backdrop.

While preparing to film for our opening we also have to consider lighting for it. These pictures show the difference in full light and spotlighting, which we need to discuss as to which will be most effective while also thinking about what we can use for filming purposes and what levels will be good for our cameras to film in to produce the highest quality possible.

Dance Studio:

 

We feel the studio which is also at our school is also suitable and would be a successful location for a small section of our opening, helping to set the scene and make the storyline more believable.

We plan to shoot a part of our opening, with dancers warming up and getting ready to perform and we feel this is the best location to film on, while being able to keep a low cost budget.

Pre show: Toilets 

For our opening scene we want to get a few shots of our main character taking her 'pre-show' pills, which is important for us as it helps build up the plot line and the genre of social realism and its focus being on drugs. We feel that the toilets is a place for her to be seen taking the pills as it is a privet place and is also believable and realistic.

Backstage:

The shots back stage while help build tension and set the tone of our opening as it is dark and mysterious, not giving away too much. To keep this we have to make sure we keep the lighting darker while filming.

 

Various Camera angle test shots:

 

These are experiments on camera angles and shots to get an idea as to where we are going to want to be filming from for future planning and storyboarding.

Location strengths:

As social realism is our chosen film genre with the codes and conventions of this genre being we keep it as realistic as possible, by using real settings the school is a perfect place to film. It is also a useful place for us to film as we can meet easily and have plenty of time to do so (during free study periods and media lessons.) We are also familiar with  the school and the staff know we are responsible students and are more willing to let us use their facilities.

Weaknesses and how we can overcome them:
 

Our main concern/weakness at the moment is the toilet setting as they are in school and may not always be free for us to film, or clean as they can become messy and the space within that area. Reflection is also a big thing for us to look at due to the mirrors across one whole wall as well as the lighting as it will be hard for us to alter due to the large window as we need to make the setting as mysterious and dark as we can. However we will be able to  overcome this issue to some degree by using a hand held camera nearer to the end of the day, when it is darker outside so we are not so effected by the outside light and window.