Pre-Production | Test Shoots, Blocking and Camera Positions

I began blocking the scenes as the script grew nearer to completion which allowed us to go out and test different aspects of the script.  The most complex scene we tested was the ‘owl punch’, as this required clever use of cutting to achieve the intended effect.  We also tested a number of different lighting scenarios, which Katie will go into a lot more detail in for her cinematography section.

Testing the owl punch was particularly beneficial, as we worked out during the shoot that our initial plan for carrying out the scene did not work as well as we intended.  We had originally intended to use a combination of motion tracking and masking to cut between the shot of the real owl flying toward Tim to a shot of the fake one being thrown at him.  Once we tested this, we tried shooting it from multiple angles, which would mean we would not need to over-complicate the edit and we found that it worked a lot better than we had realised.  Relying on cuts from different angles will also allow to build the tension of the scene, where staying on one shot will limit this.  There was also no guarantee that masking would work very well due to limitations with the software we will be using.

Therefore this test shoot became vital as it allowed us to determine which method of shooting this scene would be.  Here is a very basic mockup of how we will shoot this scene:




Of the three test shoots we carried out, most were for Katie to determine which equipment to use and how the shots will be lit.  This gave us a vital chance to establish the look of the film, which Katie goes into more detail in her part of the package.

I have also blocked out each scene through rough drawings, which will become very useful during production.  This includes where the characters are, and importantly, where the cameras are positioned so that when Katie began to create the storyboard and shot list, we were both on the same page as to how this would look in the frame.  Again, this will also be very beneficial during the production period and will save a lot of time whilst shooting.

SCENE 1 - Tess' Living Room - INT.

SCENE 2 - Alleyway - EXT.

SCENE 3 - Van - INT.

SCENE 4 - Road - EXT.

SCENE 5 - Sheila's House - EXT.

SCENE 6 - VAN - INT.

SCENE 7 - Kent Owl Academy Car Park - EXT.

SCENE 8 - Kent Owl Academy - EXT.

SCENE 9 - Kent Owl Academy Car Park - EXT.

SCENE 10 - Kent Owl Academy - EXT.

SCENE 11 - Rear of Kent Owl Academy - EXT.

SCENE 12 - Pub - INT.

SCENE 13 - Pub Car Park - EXT.

We also spent a day blocking through a scene to establish how my blocking sheets translated into the actual scene.  Jack kindly offered to stand in for Tim, whilst I stood in for Tess, purely for testing our positions within the scene.  We went through the first scene, which turned out to be the most complex to block.

This was a useful exercise, as it allowed me to work out where the cameras will be positioned within the scene, so that we knew we were getting the right coverage and not breaking the 180 degree rule.  This also gave us an opportunity to visualise how the scenes would look and I was even able to make alterations to the script with the context of where the action would be taking place.  For example, as Tess enters the room, we initially saw Tim looking for somewhere to hide and then crouch at the sofa.  As we ran through this, we found it would add to the humour of the scene if we do not see Tim find the hiding place, we instead see Tess come in to see Tim hidden very poorly behind the sofa, as Jack has demonstrated in the picture below.

Overall I feel we have sufficiently blocked through the scenes to prepare us for shooting.  As the script develops, there will of course be more changes to be made, however this has laid the foundations for how we will run through each scene as we shoot them.