First day blues

 Before my friend arrived for the first day of filming, I made sure to ask the owner of Wilton creamery if it would be okay if we filmed inside of the store. Obviously the outside of the store was for the public and it wouldn't matter, but I wanted to make sure that I could film then, the main actor, ordering his tea, as well as being poisoned. I gave him the days and times that we would be in the store and he gave the okay. This let some relief off of my shoulder as I was worried that he would say no. if you are is later when my friend arrive we went back inside the store to confirm that it was still okay to film, and the owner asked me if I changed the times because he thought it was only Monday and Tuesday, and not a few hours after I asked. I made sure to ask with those added few hours so he must have misheard me. He still gave them okay, and we were good to film. I realized as we started to film, that we would need someone inside of the creamery, to hand him his drink. I politely asked the worker if he wouldn't mind being in the movie and saying a couple lines so it sounded good on screen. He was extremely helpful and agreed to everything as well as worked insanely well on camera. Obviously this meant that we had to give him a tip at the end of his Oscar award-winning acting. 

Here's where everything started going wrong. 

It started when we wanted to start filming outside. After we got the camera set up and then into his character's clothes, we wanted to start with the first tea scene. We got him walking into the creamery and ordering his tea, with no problem. It was when we went to sit down at the table and record the first time he was there, that it got really awkward. Since there were customers going in and out of the store, there was a couple that sat just a table away from us. This meant that I had to angle the camera so they weren't in the shot, as well as all three of us apologizing the entire time they were sitting there. I felt extremely awkward, but what was like going to do? They didn't seem to mind, as they just spoke quieter, and let us know that it was fun. They seemed extremely nice and we're very understanding, I guess they did a lot of school projects around awkward adults when they were younger. Didn't so much as go wrong, as it was awkward. We worked through it and kept the film rolling.

The next thing that halted our production, was the delivery man delivering drinks to the creamery. Obviously we didn't mind this since this was normal things to happen and adult world, and we were just living in it. It did however, stop us from filming for about 30 minutes. Since there was still daylight, we didn't mind too much. It was the slight inconveniences that added up over time.

We eventually got every shot that we needed, or that I can remember. Thinking back on it now, we could have gotten more shots that we needed, but it was getting dark and I needed to go to work. Luckily there are days for reshoots as well as regular shoots, as well as editing. 

Peoples, Times, Dates The Whole Package

 Obviously this month is going by fast, and with the holidays coming up, I wanted to make sure I got everything that I needed before I had to go away for a week and a half. This meant I had to talk with my friend who is my actor for my movie and figure out when we would be able to film. I thought I had more time, so I didn't make it a big deal. At the beginning of the week I was checking the date and realized that I only had about a week so I wanted to make sure I got my footage in before then. Since I live so far from my friend we decided to both meet in the middle and film.  I wouldn't be able to have a ride in the middle of the day because everyone would be at work. I decided to make plans with another friend to sleep over at her house so I would be able to make it to my destination and have the day to film with my friend. 

This meant I would be staying over at my friend's house who wasn't in the movie, while I waited for a friend who was in the movie. After we situated which days would work I went to my mom and asked her if she would be able to drop me off those days. She said she wouldn't be able to and that we had to figure out a new date. This put me under a lot of stress since the end of the month was coming up closer and closer. 

I had to go back and forth between my friends availability dates and my mother's work schedule. I also ended up having to go through my own work schedule since I recently started working. after a very stressful couple of hours I decided to take charge of everything and tell everybody exactly the dates and times that I would need to go to my friend's house and I would need to have everybody at the first destination for filming. Everyone seemed to like the fact that I took charge (of my own project) and agree to everything that I set.

I eventually got to my friend's house and realized I forgot the SD card for filming. I then had to call my mom who was already mad that she had to drive so late at night because it took us a while to figure out the dates, and ask her to bring me my SD card. I finally got the SD card, and made sure to put it into my camera case, so I wouldn't forget when I went out with it. After it was in my camera case, I put the camera to charge and went to sleep.

The next morning, I made sure to check the times with my friend who was going to be acting and headed out with my friend who I had a sleep over with. We got to the creamery early, so I texted my friend to let him know and asked him when he would be arriving. He said he was running late and that he wasn't even in my city yet so to just find something else to do while we waited. I asked my friend if she wanted to go get breakfast while we waited she thought that was a great idea so we went out and got frozen yogurt. Well we ate I realized that I would have to be taking pictures and recording what happened as I was filming. I had the amazing idea to ask my friend if she wanted to do that for me. Being the super nice friend that she was she agreed to help me.

After froyo, we went back to the creamery and waited for my friend. He said he was still running late as there was a problem with the bus, so to just hang tight. I couldn't do anything since he was my only actor and there was nothing to film without him in it I was worried that it would be too late and he wouldn't make it and we would have to cancel. Luckily he ended up writing his bike the rest of the way and showing up an hour later. as there was still Semite we decided to take advantage of the time that we had and film the entire middle of my movie. 

#socialdistancing...halfway

Thanksgiving week

 This week was hard for me to do anything regarding school. My mum wanted to go see family (yes, during a pandemic) this holiday, so she took the week off and forced me and my brother to go with her. In the chaos of the morning, I forgot to pack my computer to take with me. That being said, I didn't get any homework done, unless I borrowed a family members computer for the five minutes I had to myself. 

This also means that I didn't get to film, since I was away. I would have been able to get most of my shots, if not all of them, this past week, if I had the chance to stay. That being said, I have to plan around it. 

I also have to plan around the fact that my family that we visited is a bunch of rat lickers. (This meaning that they refused to wear a mask and/or social distance. This term was used during the plague when rats were the start of it all. Rat licker being coined as the people who carelessly spread diseases.) 

Now, while I did take my own precautions, wearing a face mask everywhere, even to sleep, and staying as far away from everyone as possible, I did still struggle when it came to meal time. I figured since it was outside and I still had the option to sit farther away from others, it wasn't too bad. 

This pictures of me without a face mask and very close to some family is because my aunt insisted on getting a picture with me in it. She threw a fit about me wearing a face mask the entire time, unless I was eating. She also got mad that I was sitting so far away from everyone, making it hard to get me in pictures. I figured one picture wouldn't hurt.

I am taking further steps into insuring my coworkers safety's by getting testing for the next two weeks as well as self isolating. This won't be hard as I am a hermit anyway and pretty much live in my room, on the other side of the house, away from everyone. 

                                                        

Music Friends Are The Best

 I decided to do the same thing I did last year in terms of music. I was going to ask my friend if he could make my music. He did it last year and he had everything I needed in it. I know to ask him because he, not only puts beats together that work, but he's the best musician I know. I wouldn't trust anyone else with my music I need for my movie. Or any time I needed music, for that matter. 

I listened to a bunch of songs that I thought would work but none of them worked with what I had in mind. I still have to send them to my friend so he can get a feel for what I want. When I first asked him to make music for me, I gave him a very vague meaning for what I was looking for. I said something like I had last year but eerier. He kind of understood what I meant, so I tried to follow up with random words that I thought would describe it better but it did not. We ended up laughing about the words I chose for ten minutes before we both realised I had no idea what I was asking for. 

I'll eventually get around to sending him the music that I want him to work from. I also figured that if the music was made for me, I wouldn't have to spend time looking for music from an artists and it would also save me a few very awkward conversations. Since I hate meeting new people alone, meeting a new person and asking them to use their music would make me feel very uncomfortable. I get to save myself that trouble by asking a friend. He owes me a favour anyway since I helped him with a few lyrics from his other WIPs (Work in progress).

The internet side

 This week we created all of our socials and our website that we would be using for the movie. One thing that my teacher pointed out is that we should just create an email specifically for the movie. I decided I wanted to make up my own production company as well. It took me two seconds to make up a name as I just threw two words together. I later found out that that email was already taken. I also found out that is was a real production company. Since I'm lazy, I decided to slightly change the name and use it. Since it worked, I ran with it. 

It was hard trying to get everything in order. I started with the website but soon realised I needed to have my social media accounts up first. So I went to do that instead. Then, I had to ask my friend about sending a picture of him and a few of my other friends who we're helping me, music and art wise. I needed to have pictures of them on my website and descriptions so people who went onto the website would be able to meet the cast and crew. 

I ended up making a Twitter, instagram, and youtube account to put into my wix site. After I was checking the requirements for the assignment, I realised I also needed a Facebook account. I was so tired after everything that I wanted to just turn in those three accounts. It soon clicked that this is the only class that I liked, and if I got a zero for not uploading a fourth social, it wouldn't be worth it. 

Planning; The Storyboard

 I ended up changing the script around to not only fit the change of characters, but also for the new ideas I had. I realised that I wouldn't fill the time with a simple scene of chasing, because, let's be honest, that scene wasn't going to late two minutes. I decided to change the scene from Ben being chased, to him walking into a bunch of cafe's as the days pass. As well as him doing online school. I wanted have the person who eventually kills him at the end to be in majority of these shots as it will add to suspense I want to build. I also want to change the genre from adventure to thriller, because it will set the mood I'm trying to convey. 

I decided that there might not be a friend, and instead, there will be a twin brother, played by the same actor. This will add to the thriller because it will change the ending, and instead of being a shut and done case, it could leave the viewers wondering what will happen next. 

I decided to make these changes for two reasons. The first one being that as I was filling out a storyboard template for my movie, I saw that there wouldn't be enough scenes to get to the time that I need. The other reason is that when I started the class, I genuinely had no idea what I was going to do for the movie. I threw together the first idea that I had and ran with it for the time being. Over time, after letting it marinade in my mind juices, I realised that there was a better way to come about with this. 

Planning; the basics

 

The picture of the outfit is the main characters first outfit. Ben and I decided it would be best for the main character through trying out the best shirts that we both felt represented the main character. Due to safety reasons, I had to lose my original actor and had to get hold of another person willing to be the main character. Which meant the original costume had to change and the script.

While writing out the planning sheet for the basics of the movie, I ended up editing the information that I already had down from previous work. After I finished writing down the information, I had to take a picture and send it to Ben for him to look over. I wanted to make sure that my main character understood what I was trying to write and understood the character they were playing. I made sure to write down as much as I could to keep everyone as safe possible from the current outbreak of the coronavirus. 

I am aware that the locations may have to change if we are not able to get certain scenes, that's why I wrote in pencil. Easy to erase, easy to edit. The schedule will have to work around what Ben and the creamery owner can do since my brother and I are good for any day. 

Dealing with one schedule was easy enough. I wanted to make sure we had days to negotiate so I had to add days to the calendar. Then I had to clear some of those days, or similar ones with the creamery owner, to make sure we could film at certain times on certain days.

I wanted the costumes to actually mean something in this movie, instead of my previous works where the clothes barely mattered. I wanted to give the costumes a chance to speak for themselves, let the viewers know what the person meant to the movie, from their costume.