Unit 5 Production Management Evaluation

Constraints Experienced:

Legal

In terms of legal issues, we did follow the rule of having no copyrighted audio in the short film. Whilst initially we did have some copyrighted music which was the song Drive by OH wonder, which featured in 2 of our scenes. However we was able to quickly change this and change the music for another piece which was not copyrighted, Two feet, Love is a B***h. This was more harder to find, and it did take a while to find another piece of music that was similar in order to keep the style that we wanted. However in saying that this new piece made the scene slightly different and create a slightly different atmosphere, which we was particularly pleased with. This new piece of music further meant that it was view able on you tube, because the initial music did breach YouTube rules as well. It perhaps was more key that the short film could be viewed on YouTube, because it is a platform where anyone can view the product. Moreover, all of our sound was Foley, which meant that we did have to download many sound effect and dub them in, we again made sure that all auditory downloads used in our short film, were again royalty free. 

However a weakness in terms of legal issues, was that the cast we chose to feature within the film, did not sign a waiver accepting the rights to the footage. a waiver is a formal piece of paperwork to which the cast must sign, allowing the filmmakers for ownership over the footage and allows us to use the actors that appear in the footage. As we did not have this it meant  that we did not have the sufficient written paperwork to claim the rights to the footage, and all we had was a verbal agreement to the cast featuring in the short film. Whilst there is not a way it can be improved, for future references when additional cast agree to feature in our films, we would need to make sure that they sign waivers allowing us full rights to the footage.

Regulatory

In terms of a BBFC certificate our film may come under a PG rating this is because from the BBFC they state that a PG should, 'A PG film should not unsettle a child aged around eight or older' which we feel our short film doesn't do. Through the short film there is no violence, or anything of a sexual nature. The only slight difference between a U and a PG is the imitable behaviors and nature of the short film. Whilst we do not explicitly allow dangerous imitable behavior, scenes do carry a heightened, complex emotion as well as situations within the short film carry a more advanced understanding. The BBFC also state that language under a PG certificate may only be, 'Mild bad language only.' Which we comply with as in the short film as there is no foul language at all. 

In terms of an improvement that could be made, it may be that by bringing the short film up to a higher certificate may allow for a more 'edgier' audience. Of course though this would limit the number of people that may like it or even appreciate it. For instance by bringing the film up to a 15 for example, we may include stronger language then what we originally have. This in effect may relate the film back to a more British realism drama, allowing for a more cultured audience too. However as the films stands, any audience may watch it and appreciate the emotion that is behind the main characters struggles. In terms of bringing it up to a 15 the BBFC state that, 'there may be strong language' and, 'sexual activity may be portrayed.' If by obliging to a 15 certificate then it would mean that the atmosphere and shape of the short film would drastically change. This could be seen as an improvement because the short film would take a more serious and adult approach to it, as opposed to what it is now which is a very open film, allowing a wider audience to view it. 

Financial

In terms of the films financial status, as there was no budget to start with, we did find strength in the equipment. This was because we already owned a lot of equipment, such as a dslr, dji osmo, stabilizer, rode mic etc. This meant that we could save money by not renting any equipment, and thus spend the little money we had on travel to new locations outside of London. It was more crucial that we could go and film where we wanted because that would firstly enhance the mise-en-scene of the film and moreover, enhance the atmosphere that is created within the short film.

As for a weakness within the financial side of our short film, of course traveling to and from the locations was our biggest expenditure. However this was known when in the pre-production stages of the short film, which meant that it wasnt an unexpected expenditure for us. However, the travelling on trains was a big expenditure at 14.80 pound return, to which we did have to go to the location twice. Perhaps to be more economical we should have only had to go to the location once, it was only due to re-shoots that we had to go back. This could have been avoided if we had got the lighting right first time round, this was something that we should have considered when in pre-production is how the shot would look on camera. 

Management:

Time management 

In terms of time management we worked very well as a team, and individually. We was on time to meet up and film and we was able to go to locations at the right times in order to encapsulate the pathetic fallacy. We further was able to meet up at the same place, via different routes and continue with our filming like normal. There was a good trust between us which meant that there was no cancellations or struggles. As for the actual production of the film, during the shoot, we did have to record scenes a numerous amount of times because we wanted a variety of angles when it came to editing. This of course does take up some time, but we were willing because we wanted to make sure that we could change the scenes if they initially didn't quite work out.

In terms of an improvement for our time management it would be to get the shots right the first time as we did have scenes that we had to go back to location and re-shoot. Of course in any film there will need to be re-shoots, but considering the time scale and budget that we had to work with it would have been better if we had filmed everything properly the first time around. What we had initially planned for is for a night time shoot when there was little action in the background of the shots. What we found out though is that the shots would look grainy on the camera thus having to waste time to go and re-shoot a different day.

Leadership skills

In terms of leadership skills as a team we did function well together, took the role of the director and franki took the role of cinematographer and editor. This became a good partnership because i was able to sit further back during the editing process and see what needed to be changed and what would perhaps fit better, in terms of the style of the film, and franki was able to make the every technical changes such as the colour grading. This meant that individually we could implement our own ideas, whilst collaboratively being able to decide what is best for the film to bring it up to a near professional standard.

As for an improvement of weakness within the leadership throughout the film, there was perhaps a small breakdown in post-production. This was because the post-production coincided with exams in other subjects, this meant that for the first week of editing it was hard for me and franki to both be present to edit the film together. This meant that collaboration was more challenging, and we really needed to have good communication at this crucial point of the film, as otherwise we might not have met deadlines. The improvement next time around would be to both be present to edit the film together, because thats when we was at our strongest, in terms of post-production skills. 

Communications

Communication was key for us, with this film, we needed to make sure that we imagined the same film, which we felt we did. There was not a point that halted our progress because we saw creative differences, which enhanced the performance of me and my partner Franki. In terms of production the communication between us grew even stronger, because there was times when we would have to improvise, either with dialogue or camera angles. However we was able to really come together and accept each others opinions to make for a good end product. During production, when we was filming on a location to which we both had never experienced before, we was both able to be as open as possible which allowed the film to progress massively because perhaps some angles would not flow as well as others that came from the other person, and we could take this into our stride with no problems.

In terms of problems, perhaps the electronic communication could have been better, various cast and crew would have been at work or on exams, which meant that trying to sort dates for filming became increasingly harder. Luckily we was able to get the filming done, but perhaps there was times during production where it looked more bleak because there was a lack of electronic communication.The improvement would have been for everyone to have been more motivated when trying to sort dates out for filming, it perhaps one of our weaker points which did not necessarily always happen on purpose but it could have been improved more.

Meeting requirements

In terms of meeting the brief, its requirements specified that we must produce a, '5-10 min' short film, with groups, 'no larger than 3' using only a, 'single camera production.' Within my group, we did carry out all of these requirements, as the group size was 2 and our short film was 6:30. The brief was less specific on the creative ideas, behind the short film all that it specified was that it had to remain within only one genre. In terms of filmmakers, this meant that we had no limits to how creative we wanted to become. The brief allowed us to think about very different ideas, in which we could encapsulate a whole topic whilst remaining close to a very specific theme/style. This is what we really aimed to do and felt we were more successful with, is the style that we wished to emulate and the ingenuity of the topic. 

However in terms of a weakness, we initially did not meet the brief as our film did contain some copyrighted music, which featured in 2 scenes. However we was able to rectify this and change the music after quickly noticing. This meant that we needed to make a revision in our short film to once again meet the brief and be accepted. We further worked well to make the improvement and hand in another draft which fully met the brief. 

Achieving agreed outcomes

In terms of how accurate the short film was in comparison to our pitch, we felt that there was a good level of detail that could be compared. The more obvious one is the start of the short film in which we said in the pitch that we wanted to start with the track shot at the bus top, which tracks close into the main characters face, showing the levels of anguish he is going through. Within our pitch we did say that we wanted to, 'leave the audience asking questions' which is something that we initially wanted to do from the very start. We felt that within our final product we was able to do this. We further said that we wanted to, 'show the most out of one character' this we felt we also achieved, because the main character featured in every scene of the short film as well, as the other characters only having a max of 2 minutes 30 seconds of screen time. We further stated in our pitch that we wanted to maintain a, 'non-linear structure' which again is something we felt we achieved. Within the short film it continues to revolve around a central location and scene, which is the main character trying to write the letter, but further he has ventures outside of the bedroom in other scenes.

Of course there perhaps were some changes that happened throughout the production of the short film which were different to the pitch. The differences that occurred, were through the structure of scenes. We initially had said that we wanted to end with the main character posting the letter to his parents. However upon review and discussions we found that the film strengthened when this scenes was put at the start rather then the end. It was a change that we actually was quite happy with because we felt that the ending of the short film , grew in strength by ending with the final pieces of voice over and finishing the letter he was writing. whilst this may have been a weakness in terms of deviating from our initial ideas, we felt that in order for the short film to grow it was a change that needed to happen.

Working to agreed timescales

In terms of deadlines that we needed to meet, the final deadline for the finished product was June the 19th, which we was able to meet and hand in a finished piece on that day. This was a hard deadline to meet because there was exams that happened over the course of the production and post-production, but we was able to overcome many problems and complete on time. The challenges that really halted our progression were mainly logistical which could have really knocked us and stopped the short film, however each time we was able to move past theses challenges and make sure that we would hand in on time if at times we did go behind schedule slightly. In terms of our own deadlines too we really wanted to complete filming by June 4th which would have been the final production date. We again was able to complete filming by this day and continue further with the post-production elements.

In terms of weaknesses that we had, the call sheets were a problem, initially we had a cast that agreed to some dates. However this changed and we had the cast cancel which was a big challenge for us. We further needed to find a cast quickly so that we could remain on schedule, luckily we was able to do this. Whilst the call sheets are perhaps wrong and we did not film on the initial agreed days, we did get the filming done and too a good standard just on a different day. The improvement that we would make would be to try and find a more realibale cast, so that the initial dates could be kept to.

Recommendations

One skill that i defiantly learnt more about was the scripts and screenplay. These were things that i was not sure on how to properly write and i didn't necessarily appreciate them before this project. However a screenplay and scripts for things such as voice overs, became ever more helpful and to an extent powerful. By writing a script for the voice over it allowed me to try an access a high emotional investment for the audience which i felt they did appreciate. The screenplay too, although a longer process, really allowed me and my partner to see what each other saw, which meant when it came to production we easily saw what the other person saw.

In terms of a weakness that i experienced through this production was the lighting. We had to work hard in post-production to try and fix lighting issues that we didn't realise we had. Throughout the film during the desk scenes, we used a more orange filter on the box lights, to try and make lighting more natural, however when watching the footage back we found that the shots looked to warm, and didnt carry the same emphasis that we wanted. I now understand the importance of making sure the lighting within the scenes correlates with what emotion i want to be built into the specific scene.