Reviewing edit
Pre – production
The pre-production was very smooth running since I had ideas previously in my head in which I wanted to do. I started by researching into different types of biographical videos such as [Abberican me, the handmade portrait group on Vimeo and http://jorisdebeij.com/] I found the videos on http://www.theberrics.com {Abberican me} and http://jorisdebeij.com/ the most helpful as they where very much into the style I wanted to go for, this includes following a subject around their local areas as I want them to feel comfortable in their natural surrounding.
After research I looked into locations for which to place interviews and film them do their chosen talent. I also tough of back up locations in which would be used if a problems were to occur such as wind/rain and loud noise.
Once completing these I wrote down my final ideas including research into videos in which I would like my project to emulate in a minor degree [Chaz Ortiz – Abberican me]
After these three main pieces were completed I finished of the remaining documents [call sheet, productions logs, health and safety assessment, budget sheet, treatment and treatment budget.
Treatment
The treatment overviews the entire production ideas and process including the suggested elements and what you want your video to provoke.
Production
The production went very well with no critical issues [minor issues were, having to move location to gain better audio quality]
The production rate went smoothly and everything went to schedule, we even had time to film more footage of him travelling around the city which gave the video a homely touch personal to Elliot Maynard since he likes to search around his city [Nottingham] for new places to skate.
I decided to film the skateboarding in the city centre early evening when the sun begins to go down and you get very harsh shadows and low luminance from lights within the city which I would call natural lighting since I have no control over them. I chose to do this because this is a very nice way to represent Elliot and Nottingham to make the centre look peaceful and inviting. The low warm glow from the orange/yellow lights makes for great bokeh [bokeh – an effect that is shown in images out of focus areas, usually from the lights within the background of an image. The hexagon shape is created from the light entering the camera senor but first having to hit the aperture that would be this hexagon shape.] Which gives the footage a mellow, chilled out mood since the warm colours invite the viewer into the environment and giving them a sense of being there. This is called documentary realism – the present effect it usually involves cinema techniques such as hand held use of camera, following the action and natural lighting ‘like I said beforehand’. These techniques are not only used in these locations but throughout the film but the Nottingham city centre is where they are most dominant.
post-production
The First shots where edited in a montage style showing multiple locations in one scene which is non-linear to give the viewer and introduction to who Elliot Maynard is and what he does. The scene involves his travelling around the city, skateboarding within the city and hanging around with friends. The final shot shows him do a trick in front of Nottingham market square building to show him in front of his local monument, the video then cuts on beat with text revelling his name, the name of the video and the first question where are you from? I believe this form of match on action [editing cuts on beat] adds impact to the build up of the big moment when the actual documentary begins. The music is a big part of my film as I believe it helps to link with the style of person Elliot is; young, upbeat and active. The long beat a the beginning is used to lengthen out the wait to make people anxious about when the video is going to start this is a good way of creating tensions which provokes the audiences mind into wanting to see the video even more.
