"SOIL"

ELLIE PENNINGS


FINAL CUT - SOIL DOCO.mp4

This project is focusing on "Soil" and all things in the need to know basis. I have been doing some research about Permacualture and Syntropy and looking into how these simple practices can help change our world. Through interviews and research as well as time actually playing with soil, I have come to the conclusion that, we can be doing some quick and simple steps to improve life as we know it.

Soil is our foundation in life. It is what keeps everything we know alive but as research and studies have found, soil is quickly turning to dirt with only now 25% of the world left with soil.

RESEARCH

When going through the research phase of pre production I found that there was so much information sitting at our fingertips that just hadn't been presented in a form where it was accessible for all mediums. I watched countless films and vlogs about farming as well as reading articles after articles about the past and how farming has developed.

During my studies the inspiration that I took to the most included;

  • Kiss the Ground - Film

  • "The Biggest Little Farm" - film

  • Geoff Lawton - permaculture lecturer

Each on of these sources have taught me countless need- to - knows before I actually picked up a camera and shot the film.

I wanted to make sure that the information that I was putting out to my audience was correct which meant that I needed to know the information before I went out to film the interviews. Otherwise I wouldn't know if what they were saying was true.

By doing this I learnt to grow as a student as well as someone curious about these farming practices.

DJI_0066.MP4
MVI_0268.MP4
DSC_0284.MOV

PROCESS

The process for this film was complicated and required a lot of time and energy to be put into it. I found that the pre-production phase consisted of so much time learning about what I wanted to film and focusing on how I could get all the right messages across in such a short period of time as well as without shoving a load of information onto the audiences.

The production period was fun and exciting. Going out and meeting new people as well as learning about all these important topics was something that I was so excited about and something that I wanted to put some extra bit of time and energy into so that I was producing something that I could be proud of.

In terms of post production there were many many hours spent in the editing suits as well as at home making sure that all of the footage matched up with the speech and was entertaining for any audience.

After lots of feedback session going over what could be changes, left or tweaked, the film is finally done. Although there is always still room to improve.

DSC_0234.MOV
B-ROLL PLANNING

COLLABORATIVE WORK

During this project I have worked with a range of different factions taking into account everyones different skills and knowledge and using it to my advantage so that I could create a film that incorporated all of this.

I used other film students to help me out on filming days. Managing another camera and going through everything that I needed and helping me get the shots that I require. I also used film students as well as teachers to help me with the editing stages and getting the right aesthetic that was needed to this project.

I used music and audio students to help with the sound levels of the film. Telling me where the sound should be sitting, how to make a voice not bounce as well as making sure that everything was at a stage that I could be incorporated with music and have music not overtake the audio.

KAREN - THE PADDOCK PROJECT - RADIO EDIT.docx
HAZZRD FORM
FREE FARM INTERVIEW PAPER EDIT.pdf

REFLECTION

This project has been amazing. Very time consuming and so much time looking through research and discovering new knowledge. Through this process I have gotten to know so many new people and learn new knowledge that I didn't know about before.

I understand how much patience it takes to be able to produce and film something so intricate and something that needs to be heard so I felt as though I was putting in so much more effort in making sure that everything was true.

I understand how it is when working with people who aren't in the creative world and trying to find ways to fit in with other peoples timetables so that I wasn't interrupting something important. I also made sure that I did all my own research and all my own forms of discovery so that I would always be as engaged with them and the topic as they were with me and the camera.

I think that this project has made me become a better student and on that knows the hard times but can see through them to the good times.

Contact Details

Name: Ellie Pennings

Skillsets: Film student

Email: 1022637@student.sae.edu.au