How
For our opening title sequence, we need CCTV footage. My group shot CCTV footage before our shoot. We set up a Blackmagic camera and shot different footage of our scammers just typing and saying lines.
Why
We did this because we wanted our university student to hack into the scammer’s CCTV footage and have that be the jaw-dropping moment of the sequence. When the scammers realise their CCTV footage has been hacked, this is when they realise, they have just been tricked.
Back In the Editing Studio for Practice
Today in the editing studio, Luiza and I edited the short scene we shot with Gina and Lily. We learned how to edit with audio and combine audio tracks to make a seamless sequence flow. We learned how to do it pretty quick, and within the hour we managed to get it complete. Next time, we need to shoot the whole sequence in an establishing wide shot first. We didn't and it ended up making the editing harder for us.
Audio Practice Workshop
We tried shooting another scene for our fourth workshop, but this time we used a microphone. We took a lot of frames from a variety of angles and had our actresses chat in between. Gina, who was in my group, was in charge of the microphone, which the actresses used to talk into. Next, we'll go into the editing suite and create a smooth, flowing series of seamless audio connections.
Editing Suite
My class learned how to edit with Premiere Pro in our third workshop. I used Premiere Pro to edit the clips my group had shot two days prior. I learnt about Log Bins and Rushes, and how they were used before computers, as well as how they are used in today's filmmaking. Our teacher also showed us how to put together a quick, clean sequence using various shots. This aids in the creation of fluidity between the clips. To achieve this fluidity, make sure your actor is performing the same exact action in each frame. Otherwise, it will not flow smoothly and will seem sloppy. Today's workshop really helped my group and provided us with the knowledge we will need when we are in the editing suite.
Second Workshop
My class used the recording cameras to shoot videos for our second workshop. My group first shot a video of a girl named Gina walking down the stairs in my school's film studio, and we got various shots of her walking down the stairs. My group then shot my friend Lily and I doing a handshake after we shot her a couple of times. We all got different shots of ourselves so that when we edit these basic sequences in the editing suite, we can use a variety of angles.
Shot by Shot
Location Research
My group and I had a chat and decided that we wanted to film in a boarding house room and in a teacher's office. Although we wanted to film in the studio, we realised that it would be much easier to film in a student's bedroom because it would be easier and more efficient to set up.
Casting
For our opening title sequence, we need to come up with a realistic cast. We have emailed a teacher at our school, who will play the university student. We would like to have a cast full of grown men for the scammers, but due to COVID-19 we cannot risk casting a teacher outside of our safety bubble. So, we decided to cast our Media teacher and two students.
Character List
For our opening title sequence, we need four characters. We want one hacker and three scammers. We were originally going to have three university hacker students and one scammer but we decided it made more sense to have it the other way around.
Character #1: University Student (Hacker)
- Male
- Young
- Average Looking
Character #2: Scammer 1 (Main)
- Male
- Older Looking
Characters #3 & #4: Scammers 2 and 3
- Male or Female
- Young or Old (preferably older)
First Workshop
One of my instructors, Matt, taught me how to use a black magic camera during our first workshop. This workshop was extremely beneficial because it taught me how to use a camera and provided me with a greater understanding of how they are used in the industry. I first learned how to adjust the camera stand's height. Tightening the bottom levers first stabilises the camera stand, making it easier to lift the stand. To avoid ever destroying any camera in the future it is good to level the spirit level. In a circular liquid, there is a small bubble. To avoid tipping the camera over, place the bubble in the centre of the circular liquid. We also learned how to focus by zooming in all the way onto your subject, focusing on the subject's face, and then zooming out to your desired shot angle. The calibration exposure was behind the lens, which is blue, which I was unaware of. Adjusting the slider is difficult for me because I have large fingers. I also learned about white balance, which is a technique for adjusting the video's tone. I then learned about various lighting styles, such as indoor and outdoor lighting. I'll be able to use the strategies I learned in today's workshop when it comes time to film my opening title sequence.
