Evaluation of Documentary and Drama

Documentary/Drama Evaluation

For the documentary we came together as a group of six, consisting of Kyle Piercy (Producer), Jack Roberts (Cinematographer), Anthony Wilson (Sound Recorder), Charlie Poyser (Sound Editor) and Reece Ronan (Editor). We began by researching ideas that had recently been in the news in Liverpool.  Our ideas consisted of “Lay your love in stone”, a report about how couples placed bricks on a road outside of the cathedral due to Valentine’s Day. Another was to visit the harbour docks due to a famous ship being sold from there. Our third idea was to look at how the Cavern club has changed style and music throughout time. We decided on the “Lay your love in stone” idea because we liked the premise of Pockets by James Lees. We thought that doing fox pops in the streets of Liverpool asking “What do you love?” would gather a mixed range of answers from many different people in Liverpool.

From there we storyboarded potential shots and angles that we could use when we were out fox popping. We aimed to use tight locked off shots from a variety of distances such as close ups, mid-shots and long shots. We weren’t originally going to use shopkeepers and owners because we wanted to use spontaneous answers but the shops gave us a different dimension.

When we first arrived in Liverpool we wasted no time and started to recce straight away.  We tried to get hold of as many shops that would be willing to participate in our film to give us many perspectives. As Director I wanted to make the film as aesthetically pleasing as possible using different close ups and extreme close ups but also using aesthetically pleasing through the people that we interviewed. I wanted to achieve different age ranges, genders, races and classes that would please the eye on screen similar to “Pockets”. 

At first I thought our plan to do fox pops was quite risky, I had doubts that we would be able to get enough people to put together a film but I was wrong, we managed to get many people. We made it more effective by buying a sign and writing “what do you love?” People came up to us, after a while we didn’t need to approach people. Examples of some of the types of people we had would be; an old couple who are devoted to god, two young liverpudlian girls who love cupcakes, an Italian who loves himself and two young girls who don’t know what they love. As well as the fox pops we also got interviews in a tattoo parlour, a record shop and a Christian bookstore. In these places we got some interesting shots of the interviewees as well as some good cut-aways. The first day we covered outside St Johns shopping centre, this was a great location as there were people flooding in and out of the building that we could ask. We set up in the centre of the path so we could ask as many people as possible. This proved effective as we managed to get crowds of people asking what we were doing. On the second day we worked around the docks, it was a nice sunny day so all sorts of people were out walking around the docks. This is where we found a variety of people; most people were more interested on the docks as well because they were just out for a stroll. As director I just wanted to create as many creative shots as possible. We tried to get an interview with the priest from the cathedral but he didn't have enough time and wouldn't let us film in the cathedral either.

For the editing section of the piece I was sat by Reece’s side, editing and helping him edit the film. What I wanted was for all of the things that they loved to be spread apart because then it wasn't so repetitive. I then chose to mix up the interviews, cutting them up into pieces across the documentary so that we see the same people several times. I felt that this was effective in getting the audience to relate to them. It also spread out the different types of things they loved. As best we could we tried to categorise the types of things that people loved.  I.e. Religion or Sport. We edited it smoothly with a range of cut aways to keep it interesting for the viewer. We also began and ended the piece with a sunrise and a sunset which we filmed when we were in Liverpool as well. This book ended the piece and also added an eye pleasing aesthetic. For colour grading we added a warm tinge to the footage making it feel happier to the audience.

Overall after It was complete I thought that we had an audience pleasing documentary. It turned out very light hearted and quirky which is how I envisioned it. I felt as the director, very happy with the piece. I think if I was to improve it then I would have tried a few more creative shots when interviewing the subjects as well getting more relevant cut away shots such as flowers and couples holding hands. Even though our team was missing a person in Liverpool I thought we worked especially well together there and then when we came back as well, even though none of us had worked together before.

For the Drama we teamed up again because we worked so well before on the documentary. This time round I took the role of producer, Kyle (Editor), Charlie (Cinematographer), Reece (Director), Anthony (Sound Editor) and Jack (Sound Recorder). We began our project by brainstorming ideas. Our first idea was based upon mental illness, in particular Schizophrenia.

We came up with our first idea and it stuck, we didn't want to do anything else other than that idea. However we did come up with another idea based in a post-apocalyptic world but it wasn't as good. As producer I then put together a pitch with Reece, our director. From there we moved on to the script. Reece was then set with having to complete a first draft of a script by the second week of Easter. Unfortunately this did not happen and is the reason we were set back two weeks. Reece struggled to write the script so I began to write it with him by my side.

I arranged locations in Nottingham for us to shoot and also got ten actresses to come for audition, no actors contacted me though. A week later I found our protagonist, Nick Marsh in a Sheffield Hallam Drama Society. Over the week we had also done storyboards and shot lists. However later that week we discovered that we couldn’t use the house in Nottingham because someone was renting it to stay in. So we had to make a sudden change to shoot at Endcliffe and in Reece’s flat. This was annoying factor because we had to re-write and draw the short list and story board.  We also had trouble in trying to find another male actor and last minute we got Jody Wing.

I thought that all the actors and actresses we auditioned were all of a good standard. But I felt that Nick was perfect for the role of Jay when I first saw him and Francesca who we gave the part of Nikki to was a good actor and also had a bubbly outgoing personality.

Throughout the whole production I have been there every day putting in a helping hand, making sure that everything went to plan.

Overall after looking at our film I feel pleased with the way that it has turned out. I feel that we could improve many parts of it though. We could improve it by changing the tone of the voices in the sound, by making them sound like whispers. I felt when I was writing it, it should have been quiet whispers that you can barely understand because the voices are too clear currently and it gives off a cheesy effect. Another thing we could improve on is the effects. I felt that we used too many of the same effects, I feel that we could have put some data moshing in to make it more tense and disturbing. Another improvement would be a soundtrack. Originally we had a songwriter, Thomas Truman lined up to write a score for our work using piano and violin. I feel that this could have added another dimension to the piece, making the film more eerie in parts and even more dramatic when he goes into his episodes, this is something we will look into improving in our spare time.

I felt that the best things about the piece were the shots that we had. Our edit was very smooth and clean cut along with the superb acting by Nick which drove the film.

As the producer I felt that I did a good job, the role was very challenging especially when it came to acquiring actors and actresses. Although I found meeting and auditioning all of the actors and actresses was a great experience and gave me an insight into the casting world. I felt it challenging when it came to organising everything and sorting out all of the paper work but I felt I done it well considering I’m very un-organised.

From this project I have learned a range of things like the five shot process being essential in shooting to make the editing easier and smoother. I have also learned that dramas are difficult to make convincing when you don’t have experienced actors, such as our death scene which we had to cut because it didn't look convincing.