We brought a lot of equipment but did not use all of it as it was not necessary.
EQUIPMENT USED
1 SONY PDR 170DV CAM (PLUS BATTERIES)
2 MINI DV CAM TAPE STOCK
1 XLR LEAD
1 BOOM POLE
1 SENNHEISER DIRECTIONAL MICROPHONE
1 TRIPOD (INC. HORSESHOE)
1 SUSPENSION UNIT
1 RYCOTE
ON THE FILMING DAY THERE WERE BOTH CHANGES AND ELEMENTS THAT STAYED THE SAME. BOTH ACTORS WERE USED, ALTHOUGH OUR ACTRESSES OUTFIT WAS DRASTICALLY CHANGED ONCE WE ARRIVED AT OUR LOCATION OF LEITH HILL. WE REALISED OUR LOCATION OFFERED US A NEW TWIST ON THE STORYLINE AND DECIDED TO HAVE OUR ACTRESS BEING A SQWATTER IN THE ABANDONED BUILDING. WE CHANGED HER FROM A PAIR OF PYJAMAS INTO A PAIR OF BAGGY JEANS, A LARGE MAC, SCRUFFY BLACK BOOTS AND A PINK HAT. WE ADDED THE PROP OF A LARGE TRAVELLERS RUCKSACK. LUCKILY ALL OF THESE ITEMS WERE EASY TO GET HOLD OF NEAR LEITH HILL. ALL OF THESE ELEMENTS ADDED TO HER CHARACTER IN THE END.
ANOTHER CHANGE MADE ONCE AT LOCATION WAS THE DECISION TO FILM THE MAIN ACTION IN A LARGE BEDROOM, WHICH CONSISTED OF A MIRROR AND A SINK. THIS GAVE US MORE ROOM TO WORK IN COMPARED TO THE SLIGHTLY CLAUSTROPHOBIC ORIGINAL BATHROOM (WHICH HAD NO MIRROR AND WOULD HAVE TAKEN UP VALUABLE TIME TO PUT UP A NEW ONE). THE ONLY PROBLEM WE ENCOUNTERED HERE WAS THAT ON ONE SIDE THERE WAS A WALL WHICH MENT WE COULD NOT OLACE THE CAMERA ON THE SIDE WE WANTED, BUT WE FIXED THIS FAIRLY QUICKLY.
WE ALSO DECIDED TO CUT THE LOCK SEQUENCE FROM OUR STORYBOARD WE FELT IT WAS UNNECESSARY AND THE SLAMMING DOOR ON ITS OWN WOULD BE SUFFICIENT TO CREATE THE FEAR.
IDEAS SUCH AS THE BLOOD IN THE SINK AND THE PRESENCE REFLECTION AT THE END ALL LOOKED VERY CONVINCING AND STAYED WITHIN THE ORIGINAL IDEAS ALTHOUGH I HAVE SUSPICIONS THAT IT WILL PROVE HARD TO CREATE IN THE EDITING PROCESS BUT THIS WILL TEST MY SKILLS AND ABILITY TO STICK WITH IT. I THINK THE LARGER SPACE TO WORK IN BENEFITED THESE SCENES GIVING US MORE DIVERSE ANGLES TO SHOOT FROM.
TO ADD TO THE FEEL OF THE ABANDONED BUILDING WE DECIDED TO ADD SHOTS OF LEITH HILL AND ITS EXTERIOR LOOKING COMPLETELY UNFURNISHED (FOR EXAMPLE COB WEBS) IN SOME SHOTS WE HAD DOORS SLAMMING AND CURTAIN CLOSING, OF WHAT LOOKED LIKE THEIR OWN ACCORD ADDING A SENSE OF MYSTERY.
ONE ASPECT OF DIFFICULTY WE CAME ACROSS WAS THE MOVEMENT OF THE PRESENCE, WE WANTED IT TO LOOK AS IF HE WAS GLIDING INSTEAD OF WALKING, WE SPENT A GOOD TEN MINUTES TRYING TO WORK OUT THE BEST WAY TO LIFT THE ACTOR, BUT EACH TIME WE WERE UNSUCCESSFUL FILMING AND MAKING IT LOOK CONVINCING. INSTEAD WE FILMED THE WALKING SEQUENCE AT THE SLOWEST POSSIBLE PACE TO LOOK UNNATURAL AND ODD.
WE CAME ACROSS A USEFUL ELEMENT FOR EDITING WHILST FILMING; THIS WAS THE NOISE OF THE TAP AND DRAINS. WE USED THE BOOM POLE TO PICK UP THE SOUND CLEARLY. THE WHOLE CAST AND CREW FOUND IT HARD TO NOT CORPSE AT THE HIGHLY AMUSING NOISE MADE, IT TOOK ABOUT SEVEN ATTEMPTS! APART FROM THAT MINER HICK-UP AND THE GLIDING SEQUENCE WITH THE PRESENCE I THINK THE DAY WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL. THE ONLY THING THAT COULD OF BENEFITED THE SHOOT WAS FILMING LATER IN THE DAY, GIVING AN EERIE ATMOSPHERE BUT THATS NOT A MAJOR PROBLEM.
