Evaluation

This project was an interesting one. We had a lot of freedom in terms of ideas and ways in which we could go about shooting. We'd wanted to do a documentary type piece for a long time, so this was an ideal introductory project to ease ourselves into it. There wasn't a massive amount of pressure like there would be if we were doing something as part of a commission.
Our ideas developed over time. Our initial idea was to do a documentary surrounding a band we'd seen perform in Totnes a few weeks earlier. It was an idea we were passionate, but we knew that it would have taken a lot of planning, and we just wouldn't have the time to make it possible. Our second idea came from Lucy and Kaelyn when they said they wanted a more professional film made, explaining their relationship made especially for their dedicated fans. This idea soon became the idea to film a full length documentary. Although we were all up for this, we knew we wouldn't have the time to do so, as Kaelyn wouldn't be in the UK long enough to get it done. But we decided to shoot some of the footage and make a type of trailer for their fans, advertising the upcoming documentary.
I like the final edited product we've produced from this project, and it's a piece I am proud of. It's also good to know that it was made in a rather sustainable way and has been good practice for future sustainable projects we make.
This has been the perfect opportunity to get out work and skills seen by the online community, due to Kaelyn and Lucy's rather large fan base. Although it's only being mostly viewed by the YouTube community, it's nice to know that our work and efforts are being seen and appreciated.
I enjoyed working with Lucy and Jemma on this project. I really feel we work well as a crew and I think that's been reflected in this piece of work. We listen to each other and aren't afraid to give and receive constructive criticism which is a vital aspect of film making.
I think this experience has been very valuable, as any film making experience is.
We've exercised our abilities to make a sustainable, enjoyable piece of work of a rather professional (bar the sound complications) standard, and we had fun doing so.
The sustainability factor of film making is one of growing importance and I think with every shoot there's the possibility of discovering a new or quicker way of doing something that will have less of a negative effect on the planet, which is always a good thing.
Through this project we learnt the importance of communicating to each other as a team, whilst progressing from the pre production stages right on though to post production and the distribution of the film.
Being in charge of the production part of the film, I think I did a good job. I got enough shots for a solid edit and I think they were to the standard that Kaelyn and Lucy were hoping for. The only real thing I am displeased with was the audio and the problems it caused during post. In hindsight, we should have set aside some time to test all the equipment properly before we started shooting, so we could swap any faulty equipment. It's a process we should exercise before every shoot, but I think now we've definitely learned our lesson, as not doing so has had an impact on our film.
Although it's lowered the quality of the film, I am still proud of the end product. And we have learnt from that experience (we asked for an extra XLR when we booked equipment for our next project's shoot).
Overall I am pleased how the crew worked on this film. It was definitely a team effort and everyone pulled their weight and communicated well.
There are some things that could have been improved if we were to do it all again. I think the film could have been planned a little better and more specifically, allowing the next stages of production to go smoother. A more detailed storyboard would have benefited both Jemma and I in the production and post production stages. Also a longer slot in the cove would have been very useful, as it would have meant being able to sort out getting more functional sound equipment for the interview shoot, and also we wouldn't have been rushed either.
Also, we had initially planned our roles to be that Lucy was in charge of production, and that I'd be in charge of pre production but due to the fact that Lucy was featured in the film, obviously it meant that she couldn't really take on that responsibility, so we swapped.
It's been an enjoyable project to do, and I have learnt valuable lessons from both the negative and positive.
I think this film is another compliment of the way Jemma, Lucy and I work together. We communicated efficiently, weren't afraid to share ideas and gave our opinions openly, which is always an important ability to have. I feel we created a good piece of work and it's something I'd happily put on my professional show reel. It's not perfect, and there's room for improvement, but it's been a great jumping off point, and a great way to get our work seen by a large audience.
I'm really looking forward to continuing with this production and making the full length documentary when we can and gaining more valuable lessons which will develop my skills as a film maker along the way.