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In terms of planning and production it was important for me to go wide first. I knew I wanted to have spoken word poetry so I planned poetry exercises. I also planned out testing shots in the city to emulate the compositions I wanted. I began work on the script but a lot of my primary research also helped to inform the script.
Poetry Exercise
I turned to writing poems to capture my feelings about the city, this is because I wanted to include poetry within my final piece and also because it is sometimes easier to work non laterally when creating an idea. For me this means creating side works of art that can inform my practice:
I hear the city gasp and cry out
Choked through the smoke n blackened air
I can stand in a crowd of a thousand
and feel a bubble over my head
Skyscraper stretch for the stars
While we scatter to our ant hills
I scant feel, like returning today
A circle has no beginnings and no end.
The city is a circle
The path I walk seems to loop
Like yellow tube lines
Some days I want to scream
As I search for connections,
Bubble over my head, beheaded.
These screens and adverts
Block the essence.
I've been consumed and eaten by the city.
Spat out on hard concrete like a stone.
Fruit forbidden to walk on these streets.
I search for ways out in the gaps between the watchful eyes, the discordant chorus of voices.
We are trudging through the digital like prehistoric man in the dark before an unimaginable storm, and we are scared again.
Yet know this,
fighting the current will never be a lost cause.
TEST SHOTS
I took these photos on a Sony A7siii using the Posterisation B&W feature. I liked the hard contrast that they gave me which greatly accentuated the form of objects whilst leaving texture and colour alone.
The Script
My script differs from my proposal and visual treatment. It evolved naturally after my research and lived experience.
For me, writing a script is a penknife edge between two things, either the words flow from my brain to my fingers and into final draft... or I spend hours trying to draw blood from a stone with seemingly no results. It is this balance that I have had to strike with writing.
I think I learned some valuble lessons.
A first draft will be bad, just write and worry about tweaking everything later.
That feedback is useful but more then not it points out problems, and not solutions.
That writing on google docs and transposing to final draft allows finer edits, to look back over old drafts and also to comment. It's also more accessible because I can write notes on my phone directly onto the document.
However, There is a downside to using google docs - It doesn't look professional so I had to transpose into Final Draft so it looks professional. I did this after my first google docs draft and my second Google Docs draft.
Feedback
Some feedback on my first draft of script from my father James. I'll be honest, I was prideful and ignored most of this feedback because I want to differentiate myself from his writing and feedback. It was my own project. Some notes were helpful like getting a visual sense of the scenes, I followed this so it was a more digestible read for readers. Which is what a second draft functions to do.
My teacher Fidel also gave me notes on Adobe Acrobat
Me and Adomas Sharing notes on my script, very useful to engage me and let me reason through my ideas. I really like writing with someone like this.
Final Draft
Slay The Beast From A State Of Peace 4.pdfCasting
PROFILE BOOK
I created a profile of actors and actresses I knew, this helped me to keep an eye on anyone I wanted to use.
I then separated it into who I would be casting and when and proceeded to get emails for formal contact and sending out audition notices.
This was the first step of the way.
STARNOW CASTINGS
I put out a listing on this website called Starnow.com to try and cast roles for the young woman and old man. Old man was entirely unsuccessful meaning I have to try and find more older actors, even considering female older actresses if my cousin Jade is down to play the central role.
CASTING SCHEDULE
I scheduled and held auditions. This helped me keep track of which actors or actresses were coming in and at what times. It wasn't perfect - I failed to account for Yemi - meaning she had to wait downstairs for 20 minutes before I was informed she had arrived.
I'm glad I contacted so many people for auditions, because a lot dropped out or didn't show up;
Prince, Ora, Luther, Anais and Stephanie all dropped out.
AUDITION SIDES
For the roles of Young Man and Girl, I looked at my script and picked the best two monologue scenes for them. For the Girl this is her final scene, for the Young Man this is his first rooftop scene and first scene with the Girl. It allows me to test the Girl's ability to read and comprehend the tone, and the Young Man's ability to perform and rap the script and also to speak with the Girl and get across his naivete of the city.
Audition Videos
Please note MP4s take a moment to load.
Gerda Take 1-2.movGerda - Young Woman
Gerda was my first Audition and she was great but not the look I was going for. I also think the coughing was quite overdone and decided to lose it after seeing her audition. That is an example of something in the script that needed to be cut from reflecting on her.
Tallulah Take 1.movTallulah - Young Woman
Lines weren't read with too much conviction or believable. I think she needed more gravitas and to understand what was being said in the lines.
Acha Audition.mp4Acha Da Rapper - Young Man
Complete total timewaste I had woke up early to see this person, they called in from work and hadn't read the monologue. Gave me their own thing
Shakira Audition 2.movShakira - Young Woman
Straight from hearing her I knew she was going to be the one. Right tone, maybe a tad dramatic but I liked that.
Nyeem - Take 1.movNyeem - Young Man
Nyeem had a good amount of power to his speaking. I think he would have needed a few rehearsals to get the tempo of the poetry and how to speak more rhythmically, he was my final choice for the Young Man but he dropped out.
Miro - Take 1.movMiro
(Was taking GV's on the roof and Sonny my sound recordist helped me to get this)
This helped me to think about what look I wanted and to get a performance in.
Yemi - Take 3.movYemi - Young Woman
I think Yemi will be a very talented actress if she keeps with it. I liked how she read the lines needing a couple of takes to get more volume and projection.
Tyrell's audition.mp4Tyrell - Young Man
Tyrell read well but the look wasn't there for me. I had asked him not to shave but unfortunately he did.
EXTRA - FINDING A STAND IN
On top of casting, I also looked to get a stand in so I could frame up shots when directing and then ask them to get out of shot so I could act. To do this I put out a notice on instagram. as you can see >
I prioritised Tuesday because that would be the more technically difficult day. A woman called India said she could do both days and I would repay all her travel for both days which came out to around 20 pounds. See a short clip of her below.
00006.mov
Production Documents
TO THE RIGHT IS A SECOND DRAFT OF THE SHOTLIST
The first thing I shot-listed was actually the third scene with the Young Man. This was because I could see the scene in my head very clearly. I personally find filling out forms like this extremely tedious and doesnt help me creatively at all. - this was written before the Saturday before my shoot. A procrastinator's reasoning and rant!
After my first shoot day I can confirm I NEEDED shotlists, and should have heavily planned ahead and put mine in. Although getting shots naturally on the day is fine. It is far better to get footage like that.
YOU CAN SEE BELOW THE OVERHAULED SHOTLIST
This contains colour coding for each shoot day and more detail for each.
_FMP Paperwork - Shot List.pdfEXAMPLES OF CREW CORRESPONDENCE
I sent a lot of files over email. I also created a whatsapp group to communicate with people.
On this Paperwork Sheet, you can click through tabs of shot-list, Call sheets for both primary shoot days (Monday and Tuesday) and a comprehensive shot-list. Props and Kit list are also attached that helped me stay organised in the lead up to shooting.
^ IMPORTANT YOU HAVE TO CLICK THROUGH HERE. ^
Production Schedules
These schedules were massively helpful in keeping time on the set, knowing what shots had to be done by when.
For example Day 2, at 11:50 - 11:55 We would be shooting SC7.SH3. Of course if we were ahead of schedule this is wonderful because it allows time for creative improvisation.
Talent Release Form
This is a legal essential.
I made sure every actor/Actress Signed these when on set.
Below Are Two examples
PERMITS
For the Location of Camberwell New Cemetery, I was told to look to obtain a permit because it would be disrespectful to shoot there otherwise. Camberwell New Cemetery is in Southwark Council, where an organisation called FilmFixers can obtain film permits to shoot in locations across the council.
On the Far Right is the Obtained Permit.
The near right is the highly contested London Screen Academy Insurance Form which I had to email so many people to obtain. (SEE BELOW)
Emails with Angela the head of Finance at my college (an 11 email chain) emails with the industry team, Film fixers and victoria Bostock. This was a process of around 6 days from 27-3 of May leading up to the shooting on the 13th. I was so stressed!
Calling TFL to get a permit to shoot at bank station, I failed to get a permit but spoke to press office, customer services, government offices. Click to see list of calls made>
Summary
The poetry exercise is like free form thought. I write quite naturally so I simply put what came to mind into the pen. It helps me get into the mode for writing.
The test shots really helped to capture the tone and look of the final film. It also helped me to get familiar with the Sony cameras and the Anamorphic Lens.
The script is always hard, I think I am quite a perfectionist when it comes to creating, which is a habit I know to kick and I'm working on getting rid of. I spent a lot of time after a first draft thinking how I could change it. What I should have realised is that I'm simply trying to translate my brain's thoughts to be clear for any readers. Honestly I think I built the script up in my head to such a level when tackling it was actually releativley easy. Maybe writing could be compared to like building water pressure and releasing it all at once.
Casting is one of my favourite processes in filmmaking, It is always great to see how actors and actresses take your script and run with it, transforming it. I was happy with how this process went but wish I had silghy more time and less actors and actresses dropping out. I would have liked to rehearse with the casting choices but did not have time sadly due to a tight turnaround and their (Dave&Shakira's) schedules. Nevertheless casting was as enjoyable as ever.
Production. My arch nemesis. I honestly think my brain just isn't compatible with the planning style neccessary to make production documents. I corresponded with one of my form peers called Ray who stayed on call with me and helped me work through all the documents. This was so so helpful and it always pays to be well organised.
Permits, they were a nightmare to get but just for ease of mind when shooting at the cemetary it was worth it.
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