Pigeon-livered

Shooting Pigeon-livered was an incredibly rewarding and fun experience. We were incredibly fortunate to shoot Pigeon-livered with the Arriflex 16BL camera, the same one which Christopher Nolan used to shoot his debut 1998 film Following.

For Pigeon-livered:

• I collaborated effectively with a team of 30 students to create one of the Society's most ambitious films that combined both live action with stop-motion animation. 

• I raised a record amount of funding for a UCL Film and TV Society short film and budgeted accordingly to ensure the success of the project.

• I oversaw the assembly of the cast and crew and prioritised diversity and inclusivity in the process of choosing.

• I organised the shooting schedule for a 3-day outdoor shoot with a cast and crew of 25 people. 

• I co-ordinated the animation shooting schedule post live action filmming wrap. 

• I assisted with the editing of the film using DaVinci Resolve and Premiere Audition. 

• I oversaw the marketing of Pigeon-livered, attaining a following of c. 500 followers and reaching 20k content views across our reels.

I learnt a lot of lessons in the making of Pigeon-livered.

• The value in having an amazing team around you to keep inspiring, pushing, and helping you achieve your goals. This film was beyond a team effort and would not have been possible without all the incredible individuals.

• The importance of deadlines to keep momentum strong and the production flowing. 

• The need for the utmost organisation and planning skills from Excel spreadsheets, to contract release forms, to the editing organisation of the film.

• The value in taking necessary breaks. Making a film is a marathon not a sprint, and it was very easy to feel burnt out and tired. 

All photographs taken by Dylan Elliott.