MAJOR-PROJECT UNIT: Script Read Through

Whilst this day was mainly for the writer / director to see how his script worked when performed by the actors, it was also useful for me to see how the actors delivered the dialogue and, therefore, how this would inform which shots would be required to fulfil the narrative.

The main thing I was considering when observing how the actors delivered the dialogue was where I could position the zooms within the shots. As outlined in my director of photography statement in the pre-production unit, my shooting style for VET-MAN is characterised by its informal hand-held nature and minor zooms which create a natural observational feel. The zooms work to emphasise the comedy within the shots by highlighting certain actions or pieces of dialogue. Although my storyboard and shot list are already in development (meaning I have already decided where some zooms are placed within the shots), I can use my observations from this read through to adjust which pieces of dialogue and, therefore, which shots require zooms to emphasise the comedy.

From this rehearsal, I can tell that the shots that require zooms are likely to change when it comes to filming the scenes in the actual locations when the actors have space to fully perform the scenes. I will keep this in mind when creating the rest of my shot list - I will attempt to position the zooms in the correct positions in relation to where I think the comedy lies within the script. However, I will use the time in which the director blocks and rehearses with the actors at the beginning of the shoot days to make any adjustments to the zooms to make them feel as natural and effective as possible in emphasising the comedy. This rehearsal has shown me that the comedy is dependent on the delivery from the actors which, in turn, determines where I position my zooms to effectively highlight the humour within the shots. This shows to me that my storyboard and shot list will need to be used as a guide and not a strict list to follow - I need to be able to adapt my shots (in terms of where the zooms are positioned) to capture the most successful shots where the comedy stands out. 

Further to helping me work out the necessary shot types for the production, this rehearsal was also a good opportunity to observe the chemistry between the characters. Again, whilst this is more useful for the director and the producer, ensuring the actors have the necessary chemistry with each other will help the whole production run a lot smoother as we will not have to waste time on shoot days making the actors re-do certain takes in order to better their chemistry with each other and make the production feel more natural - the better their natural chemistry with each other, the smoother the shoot days will go which will give me more time to capture the necessary shots. Instead of having to re-do takes because of the way the actors bounce off of each other, this time can be spent capturing the multiple different angles required for the narrative in multiple takes to ensure the optimum footage is captured.

As well as observing how the actors work with each other, it was also a good opportunity to communicate with the actors myself as I have had little to do with the actors up until this point. The communication with the actors has been done by the producer - meaning I have not met or talked to the actors before this rehearsal. Meeting the actors has allowed me to get to know them a little which should make the communication on the shoot days a lot easier. Whilst I will mainly be communicating through the director on the shoot days (i.e. if I need to do certain takes again), it will make it a better environment if I can also communicate effectively with the actors. This will hopefully rid any awkward tension on set which will result in a better quality product. By communicating with the actors and reducing any awkward atmosphere, this will aid the natural observational feel of the product as the actors will be more relaxed and, therefore, deliver a more natural performance which will help me to fulfil the desired shooting style.



Overall, I feel the read-through was very beneficial as it has helped me to:

- re-consider where the zooms within my shots need to be

- be open to the idea that my storyboard and shot list may be adapted slightly when it comes to the actual shoot (these tools will be used as a guideline to ensure that all necessary shots for the narrative are captured, but I will allow myself to deviate from them in terms of the zooms used in order to achieve a more natural and effective result in delivering the comedy)

- observe the chemistry between the actors - they appeared to have good chemistry which will hopefully result in smoother shoot days which should allow me more time to perfect my shots instead of using a lot of time to improve the actors' chemistry with each other.

- communicate with the actors to create a more natural and relaxed atmosphere which will, in turn, aid the natural feel of the project as the actors should give a more relaxed performance.

MAJOR-PROJECT UNIT: (Research) Working with the Director / My Role as DOP in the collaboration

In order to make the production run more smoothly, I undertook some research into working with the director - this collaboration is a key part of the production as we will need to ensure that both my vision as DOP and his vision as director is achieved throughout the production - this can only happen through communication and collaboration - this is why I thought it was important to research this area.

The basis of the relationship between the DOP and the director is that they are both working on "planning the logistics and overall look of the film". [1] This suggests that the DOP and director must communicate to understand how each other plan to achieve the look of the film through the various techniques and methods that can be used - a method can then be agreed upon so that the vision of both parties is being realised.

Within the relationship of the DOP and director, there is a "strong reliance and confidence in each other's abilities. That trust not only gives you space to create, but it gives you the boldness to ask for advice when you need it as well." [1] This suggests that the DOP and director need to trust each other's ideas which will give each person the space required to achieve this idea - which will result in a better product (rather than the two members standing in each other's way as they believe they can achieve a better result using a different method). As long as all ideas are communicated and agreed with each other, there should be the trust in each other's abilities to deliver these ideas and achieve the intended result.

It is also suggested that pre-production prep should be started early, to give time to come up with ideas organically rather than rushing to brainstorm ideas which could result in a rushed product that isn't as effective as something that has had a lot of time and thought put into it. [1] This suggests that communications need to begin early so that the minds of the DOP and director can work together to come up with original and effective ideas, rather than sitting down and rushing to brainstorm ideas.

Cinematographer Robert Richardson states that;

 "My career is based primarily upon finding a balance with a director and their vision, and that means sublimating my own personal ego toward their material. It’s far better to shoot a good picture than a good-looking picture."[2]

This shows me that I will need to be flexible with my ideas as my focus is solely on the visuals of the production and I may not consider how certain shots may benefit the narrative better, whereas, the director oversees the entire production and will be able to indicate where alternative shots would make the production better as a whole. The collaboration between the DOP and director requires each person to be flexible with their ideas as their focus within the production is different from each other so one person may be able to highlight something the other had not considered - this will mean one person deviating from their preference but this works to produce a better result.

Once the director and DOP have worked together through the pre-production of the project in which the DOP translates the script into the shot list and storyboard as approved by the director, the relationship continues on set of the production;

"The cinematographer translates the director’s vision into an image with a specific mood, angle, focal length and light. The cinematographer interprets the script in a visual language that speaks to the audience, and if done well, underscores the essence of the scene. The director works with the talent on the core of the scene, eliciting performances from the actors. While the director is rehearsing the blocking of the scene with the talent, the cinematographer is watching for shadows and following the movement of the scene with the camera. Since it is ultimately the director’s vision being transformed to an image on screen, s/he may have requested a specific focal length for the shot, which the cinematographer provides. Both are headed for the same completed image, with the director focused on the performance and the cinematographer focused on the image."[3]

This accurately describes how the DOP and director work together on a production to produce a vision that fulfils both of their desires. The director and DOP agree the style and tone to be used to film the production during the pre-production - meaning that on the shoot days, the director can focus on blocking and rehearsing the actors to get the best performance from them, whilst the DOP focuses on following the movement when put in action to ensure the images planned in the storyboard / shot list can be achieved in the production. As all the pre-production prep has been overseen by both people, the DOP and director can trust each other to oversee their specific elements of the shoot which will allow for the best product to come together.

"The cinematographer is the one individual on set who can make the idea in the director’s mind come to life." [3] 

The director generally has the idea for the overall tone of the production - the DOP then takes this and breaks it down into the different elements required to make up this tone (i.e. the lighting needed, the shot types, framing, shooting style, colours etc.) This shows how the collaboration is important as the DOP needs to be able to understand and communicate with the director so that the elements they plan fit with the director's idea for the overall tone of the production. 

In an interview with the DOP from What To Expect When You're Expecting, Xavier Grobet (DOP) discusses his collaboration with the director Kirk Jones. He stated;

"I believe in the director’s vision and I think we all work in a movie to help him or her accomplish that vision. My point of view will be my interpretation of this vision, which will be what I bring to the project. I always bring in suggestions – I like to talk about our options and come up with the best way to tell the story. At the end it doesn’t matter whose idea it is; as long as we are all in accordance we’re heading in the right direction.” [4]

This once again highlights the importance of being flexible with your vision as a better result may be found through the collaboration between the DOP and director - you are both working towards the same goal of producing the best quality production possible, therefore, allow communication to take place and take on each other's suggestions. Always have the end product in mind rather than focusing on the small details (i.e. I should not be too precious over a shot type because I like the visuals it delivers if the director feels a different shot type would aid the overall narrative).

A further piece of advice given by Adam Beckham who served as DOP on Mike Birbiglia's directional debut was to think of the role of DOP "as similar to that of a midwife. I try to get as invested in the project as I can, all the while trying to remember it’s not my baby.” [4] 

This is a good analogy to remember as when you're the DOP you can become overly invested and protective over the shots you wish to use - but you need to remember the director oversees the entire production and is in control of the overall tone and style of the production so some flexibility is needed to aid the director in fulfilling his vision rather than just serving your own ideas. 

The main things to consider in the collaboration between the director and DOP are [4] :

1. Can you both serve the story?

2. As a director, are you willing to take suggestions, even if you think your vision is set in stone?

3. As the DP, are you willing to put your own opinions aside for the greater good of the film?

What have I learnt?

- The DOP and director need to be flexible with each other to allow the best product to be formed. This means there needs to be constant communication so that each other knows where they need to be flexible and where changes will need to be made.

- There needs to be trust in the relationship - the DOP needs to trust the director to get the best performance from the actors on the shoot day and the director needs to trust the DOP to capture these performances using the best techniques to capture the style and tone of the production.

- The collaborative process continues throughout all stages of production - the director and DOP need to agree on the DOP's visual interpretation of the script in the form of the shot list and storyboard so that the correct vision is being delivered. The DOP and director then continue to collaborate during the production phase so that the best footage of the best performances is being captured to achieve the desired result. The director then needs to be involved in the DOP's colour choices in the edit to ensure this is still keeping with the desired tone of the production. 

Sources:

[1] https://nofilmschool.com/2016/09/3-thoughts-collaborative-relationship-between-dps-and-directors

[2] https://www.premiumbeat.com/blog/8-cinematographers-behind-famous-directors/

[3] https://www.studentfilmmakers.com/creative-collaborators-the-director-and-cinematographer-what-a-director-should-know-about-cinematography-and-selecting-a-dp-by-jacqueline-b-frost/

[4] http://www.filmslatemagazine.com/the-art-of-collaboration-the-importance-of-the-directorcinematographer-relationship/

MAJOR-PROJECT UNIT: (Research) Filming a 'Car Hit' Scene

Something I did not test in the pre-production unit was the logistics behind filming the van hitting the dog - before performing the testing in this unit, I thought I would conduct some research into how similar style productions film similar scenarios to see if this provided any better ideas of how to film this.

The Office

This clip shows how The Office tackles a scene in which someone hits something with their car - in this case, it is Michael hitting Meredith with his car. I picked out the important frames of this scene which work to convey the idea that he has hit her. Due to having a larger budget to make stunts like this safer, The Office were able to use a panning technique to display Meredith rolling onto the car bonnet to clearly display what has happened. However, due to having a lower budget, meaning the same safety measures cannot be put in place, we will not be able to show anything getting hit as it will not be safe to do so. Also, as we are supposedly hitting a dog in VET-MAN, this would not be big enough to roll on the bonnet, rather it would roll under the car - therefore, I need to shoot the scene in a way that suggests that this happens when, in actual fact, nothing has been hit.

The following clips display the shots when Michael is driving, when he realises Meredith is in the road and begins to break and his reaction to having hit Meredith.

The thing that aids this scene the most and makes it more believable, is the sound design involved. As the fine cut editor, this is also my job to work out. The sound design of this clip is made up of Michael's reaction to seeing Meredith which is in the form of a shout, the screeching of the tires as the breaks are being applied and the sound of Meredith hitting the car in the form of some thumps. I feel even without seeing Meredith hitting the window, the camera jolt and Michael's stunned reaction to hitting Meredith (when combined with the sound design) make it convincing that he has hit her with his car.

I will test using this method in the test shoot by filming someone with a medium closeup / closeup from in front of them (so that their facial expressions and reactions can be seen). I will then jolt the camera when the character is supposed to have hit the dog.

This same method will then also be applied in the production itself with Tim driving the van. I will film him in a medium closeup / closeup shot then jolt the camera after he has reacted to seeing something in the road. I will then follow this with a reaction shot from both him and Luke. In the edit, I will then add the sound design of the tires screeching and a dog whimpering to indicate that a dog has been hit.


It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia

This clip shows how It's Always Sunny tackles filming a scene in which someone gets hit by a car. This is a much more simple way of filming it as it mainly depends on the sound design and reactions of the characters as you do not see the character getting hit. However, it is filmed from an angle that won't be possible for VET-MAN - in this scene from Always Sunny, Dennis reverses into Charlie so this can be shown through a wide shot as Charlie would be positioned behind the car (so obviously wouldn't be seen by the camera) - in our scene, Tim is driving forwards so we wouldn't be able to use a wide angle as you would see there is no dog being hit. Instead of focusing on the camera use within this piece of research, I am focusing more on how the sound design makes it convincing that Charlie has been hit by the car (although I will briefly discuss the visuals used to accompany this sound design).

The rush of the character to get away helps to build up to Charlie being hit. When Frank appears in front of the car - this causes Dennis, Dee and Mac to react in shock (shown through a medium three shot) and think quickly to get away from Frank. They choose to reverse away (shown through a wide shot) in order to escape Frank, however, in doing so, they hit Charlie (shown through the same wide shot). Prior to Dennis reversing into Charlie, as the van is moving swiftly backwards, we hear Charlie shout "Dennis stop". This is followed by the sound of something being hit (in the form of a thump) and the sound of the tires screeching to a halt. This is then followed by Charlie shouting "Dennis you son of a bitch".

As previously stated, whilst I will not be drawing inspiration from the method this is shot to inform my decision of how to film our dog hit scene as it will not be possible to film a dog being hit from a wide shot without the dog be visible- I will be taking inspiration from the sound design. Studying this clip has shown how the sound design can make something convincing even when you cannot see something being hit. As I said following the research into The Office, I will use sound design in the form of Tim shouting in reaction to seeing the dog in the road, the sound of something being hit, the sound of the tires screeching and the sound of the dog whimpering in reaction to being hit.

This will be put into practice in the test shoot and then again in the shoot day in which scene 3 is filmed.

MAJOR-PROJECT UNIT: (Research) It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia

To solidify my ideas for the shooting style and colour / tone of VET-MAN, I decided to conduct a little more research into similar style productions. As I have already decided on the shooting style / colour and tone, this research has been done to reinforce these ideas and to check that they still work to produce the intended result as well as signposting any techniques I had not yet considered (instead of starting from scratch and using this research as inspiration).

The majority of It's Always Sunny was shot by cinematographer Peter Smokler (who shot the episode I am analysing; Mac and Dennis Break Up).

Seasons 1-4 of It's Always Sunny were shot with an aspect ratio of 4:3 due to using the Panasonic DVX100 MiniDV - this gave the show a cheap, observational feel as it felt as if the programme was being shot on a home camcorder. This camera was used at a quality of 24p until they upgraded to wide-screen to fit with the changing times - however, even though Smokler began to use high definition video cameras, the 24p quality was still retained. Keeping the low quality look of the programme works to reflect the class of the characters and how unpleasant they are as people. This shows that the aspect ratio and quality of the production affects more than just how it looks - it reflects the personalities and environment within the production as well. For this reason, I will be using an aspect ratio of 16:9 or 21:9 at 4K quality as the character Tim has a high view of himself (whether this view is justified or not) and so the quality of the production should reflect this.

Shooting Style

It's Always Sunny is shot largely handheld which aids the low production / natural quality of the show. This handheld filming method gives the impression that the camera is merely observing natural behaviour and that it hasn't been set up and structured to capture 'performances' - this makes the production feel more natural and is, therefore, why I still aim to use a handheld filming style for VET-MAN.

The majority of the scenes follow the same filming process - starting on a wider shot, then moving into shot reverse shot to capture the dialogue between the characters. This helps to establish the situation, before moving into the details - this helps to enhance the comedy as the comedy then lands on the tighter shots, making it more visible to the audience and, therefore, evoking a bigger reaction to the comedy. Even though this is a basic filming technique for dialogue, It's Always Sunny shows how this can be made to fit with the tone of a specific production and can be used to enhance the comedy. As it is all shot handheld, Always Sunny makes the shot reverse shot technique its own as it feels natural and appropriate to the scenario. The handheld camera keeps the informal feel whilst the shot types deliver the necessary dialogue in order to evoke the comedy. Always Sunny uses this shot type to enhance the comedy as the majority of the comedy is seen through these shots in the actions, reactions and expressions of the characters which is made clearer through the use of these shots.

This reinforces my idea to use shot reverse shot in the dialogue portions of VET-MAN. I had reservations at first due to this shot type being used in more structured productions where the shots look pre-planned and would, therefore, take away from the natural feel of the production. However, the use of shot reverse shot in Always Sunny shows how this can be used to deliver the dialogue, enhance the comedy and retain the natural feel of the production.

As there are multiple locations involved in the episodes of Always Sunny, establishing shots are always used to transition between these locations. Whilst this technique is often used in more structured programmes, it is an essential piece of storytelling as it helps to transition the narrative through the locations involved. The use of establishing shots in Always Sunny reinforces the idea that they are not just for structured and polishing looking productions - instead, when filmed in a way that keeps with the feel of your production, establishing shots can be used whilst still keeping the natural atmosphere. I will do this in VET-MAN by matching the filming style of the establishing shots to the filming style of the rest of the production (i.e. I will ensure the establishing shots are filming in the same handheld style in which I plan to film the dialogue and action of the characters).

Overall, It's Always Sunny uses a very similar filming style to the productions I researched in the pre-production unit - therefore, whilst I haven't gained any new inspiration into how to film VET-MAN, it has reinforced the decisions I made regarding the filming style in my director of photography statement.

Lighting and Colour / Tone

The lighting set-up of Always Sunny appears to have a very natural tone to it. Within the characters' apartment, practical lighting appears to be used (or the effect of practical room lighting has been created) - this continues the natural feel of the production as it suggests no additional lighting equipment has been used which would make the production feel staged and structured.

The colours then used within the location reflect this natural lighting as the dull natural light casts a dull look on the locations. This works to reflect the characters' status as they are all low class individuals working at a dive bar which brings in little money. This then enhances the comedy as the audience feel no emotional attachment to the characters as they are all horrible people - it is important that the lighting, colour and tone reflect this as it emphasises this aspect of their characters. This also helps the production feel like a natural observation of the characters living their lives as it would feel out of place if these horrible characters were living out the show in brightly lit, high class locations - this would throw out the believability of the show and, therefore, take away from the comedy.

As shown in the image below, the colours used are generally dull and dingy to reflect the characters and the environments they find themselves in. This can be seen within Charlie and Frank's apartment which is supposed to reflect how they live in squalor. The colours are all very natural to how they would be seen within these locations in real life - this suggests no specific colour look or colour grade has been given to the production which helps to retain the entirely natural and low production quality feel. I will ensure the colours in VET-MAN accurately reflect the locations they are in and the status of the characters so that the colour feel appropriate to the production. This is something that Always Sunny has highlighted - there is no specific colour scheme to use to make something look natural, it is all dependent on the type of environments and the type of characters you are portraying within the production.

It's Always Sunny also uses music to transition between scenes. This is usually an upbeat track which helps to keep the pace of the comedy fast so that the audience don't become bored and tired waiting for the next comedic scenario to take place. If the audience are kept happy by keeping the pace moving, they are more likely to react to the humour within the dialogue / actions of the characters which makes the sitcom more successful. We decided in the pre-production unit that there would be no music as it would not fit with the tone of the production. However, Always Sunny is a similar tone to VET-MAN and manages to make a music work within the narrative. Once the production is shot, I will sit with the director and work out if music would feel appropriate in any scene which could work to enhance the production by keeping a fast pace which, in turn, keeps the audience engaged.

What have I learnt?

- The aspect ratio and quality in which the production is shot does more than just affect the visual look - these elements of production also help to reflect the environment, subject matter and characters. This has reinforced my decision to use an aspect ratio of 16:9 or 21:9 as these both indicate a higher production value which will reflect the high view Tim has of himself.

- The handheld camera style helps to convey the natural tone of the production. My research into The Office also showed how the handheld camera style worked to produce a natural atmosphere, however, The Office is a mockumentary style sitcom so isn't exactly the same production style as VET-MAN, so I wanted to ensure a fully sitcom style programme like Always Sunny could also effectively use the same handheld style to effectively convey a natural feeling production - my research into this was successful and I feel confident in my decision to shoot VET-MAN handheld. It's Always Sunny is a very similar tone to VET-MAN with the characters doing ridiculous things in such an ordinary way - the handheld filming style combined with standard shot types like wide shots and shot reverse shots works to convey their actions in a natural and observational way which makes their behaviour appear much more ludicrous and comedic to the audience.

- Believability is a big thing in making the comedy shine through in a natural feeling production. As the audience are lead to believe they are observing the natural behaviour of the characters, all elements of the production need to make this as believable as possible. This means having lighting that feels natural to the environment and colours that reflect the exact location they are in - if elements like this feel unnatural, the behaviour of the characters will seem unnatural which will decrease the effectiveness of the comedy. (i.e. in VET-MAN, if it is not believable that Tim is a travelling vet in the different locations he visits, the audience will struggle to believe any of the behaviour and actions that ensue - however, if the colours and lighting of each environment are natural and appropriate to the exact scenario, the entire production becomes more believable which allows the comedy to unravel as intended).

MAJOR-PROJECT UNIT: (Research) The Office

For the majority of the episodes throughout the 9 seasons of The Office, the cinematographer was Matt Sohn. Sohn's shooting style is for The Office takes a natural and observational approach to compliment the mockumentary style. Whilst VET-MAN is not a mockumentary, I thought I could still take inspiration from the shot types used as, apart from the documentary style interviews / confessionals, the production is shot largely as a sitcom (with the camera observing the characters as they go about their business).

The Office is shot with an aspect ratio of 16:9 which enhances the natural feeling of the product as many cameras film in this aspect ratio as standard as this is the standard format of HDTV. In the pre-production unit, I had desired that VET-MAN would be shot in 21:9 to add a cinematic element to the largely natural looking production - however, since the orange and teal colour grade I wish to use (and also explored in the pre-production unit) is quite striking and immediately gives off a cinematic look, filming with an aspect ratio of 21:9 may cross the line from natural yet cinematic to entirely cinematic. Therefore, I will take inspiration from The Office and shoot in 16:9 (with the option of cropping the footage in the post-production stage if I decide 21:9 would still retain the natural feel of the production).

The Shooting Style

The Office is filmed handheld (apart from the 'confessionals' which are set up on a tripod with the characters looking off-screen as if taking part in a documentary) which helps to give the production a natural and observational feel - this is because it makes the audience feel as if they are observing characters in a real-life situation as they are not performing for the camera, instead the camera is following them.

The most notable filming technique used in The Office is the use of zooms to emphasise expressions and reactions or to highlight a significant moment. In this clip, Jim has just realised Roy has come to confront him about Pam - the use of the zoom highlights his reaction to seeing Roy and emphasises his confused reaction. This draws the audience in and heightens the sense of drama occurring within the clip. As found through my pre-production research; "the zoom forces our attention on a particular area of the frame" [1] - in this case, the zoom is forcing the audience's attention onto Jim's reaction in order to make this the focus of the frame. Whilst this technique is being used to emphasise the drama in this clip, Sohn also uses the same technique in The Office when emphasising comedy through people's facial expressions and reactions. I will take inspiration for this in VET-MAN by using the zoom to force the audience's attention onto a specific comedic element of the frame; whether this is to accompany a character's piece of comedic dialogue, their facial expression / reaction or to reveal a certain piece of humour (i.e. zooming to reveal the cat alive and well in scene 6) - the zoom will be used to emphasise the comedy by ensuring the audience are focusing on a specific aspect.

As well as zooming, during shot reverse shot sequences, when cutting back to the same character, if there is something of note occurring, the shot sizes get closer - this has a similar effect to using a zoom, however, the emphasis is more gradual and subtle. In the below clip, the shots get closer as Angela becomes more invested in the story Karen is telling - it begins as a wide shot, then a medium closeup and then a closeup - each time the camera returns to Angela, the shot size is slightly bigger. This, like the zoom, has the effect of drawing the audience in to focus on a certain element or to focus on what that character is saying / getting invested in. This works as a gradual zoom as the audience end up on a tight shot when the comedic element is revealed, making the audience focus on this which, therefore, emphasises the humour. I will use a similar technique in VET-MAN by slowly increasing the closeness of the shot type as the dialogue between the characters takes place, therefore, when a specific comedic line is said, the camera is on a closeup shot to draw the audience in and emphasise this humour. This will work well in scene 7 to convey Luke's confusion as to why they are at the Owl Academy with no appointment. I will use this technique in conjunction with the zooms as this is effective in The Office in creating a natural and observational feel by not sticking stringently to one filming method, instead, the appropriate methods are used at the appropriate times, making it feel more natural - by emulating this technique, I hope to also deliver a natural and observational feeling product.

This moves onto another filming technique used through the sitcom parts of the mockumentary; the shot reverse shot. When dialogue is occurring between the characters, a standard technique of shot reverse shot is used. This technique is typically seen in more structured looking sitcoms as it immediately suggests a multi-camera setup / doing multiple takes of a scene - however, as this technique is accompanied by the handheld camera style and the use of zooms, the natural and observational feel is retained which keeps the product feeling unstructured and as if the audience are observing real life. This reinforces my idea to use shot reverse shots in the dialogue sections of VET-MAN as it proves that this technique is not just for structured and polished looking sitcoms, but that it can also be used to produce a natural feeling sitcom as long as it is accompanied by the right filming style (i.e. handheld) which I will be doing in VET-MAN.

On top of these shot styles, Sohn makes use of the panning shot type throughout the episodes. This is shown below in the clip where Michael is sat in his office (as shown on camera) and then Darryl enters (which the camera pans to) and then Michael reacts to Darryl's entrance (so the camera pans back to Michael). This again helps to aid the natural feel of the production as it suggests that the camera is just observing Michael and then in order to capture any action that occurs, it has to pan to capture this (rather than being a structured feeling production which would have a shot set up for Darryl's arrival as it would be anticipating it - the shooting style of The Office suggests that the camera is not set up in anticipation of people performing certain actions, the camera has to capture the action as it unravels). I will take inspiration from this in VET-MAN by using panning shots to follow characters in what they are doing to make it feel as if the audience are just observing these characters as they go about the events.

The only shot type from The Office that I will be disregarding is the use of the 'confessionals' which help to establish this as a mockumentary rather than a straight forward sitcom. This is used as this shot type is a convention in documentaries, os in order to make this mockumentary appear in the same style as these documentaries, including 'confessionals' is essential. However, this won't be appropriate in VET-MAN as it is not a mockumentary and, therefore, using this shot type would suggest otherwise to the audience.

The Lighting and Colour

The lighting of The Office is all very natural (except for the 'confessionals' as these are interviews which have been purposefully set up so have a more structured feel) - this helps the natural and observational feel as it gives the audience the impression that they are observing normal people in their normal job roles (rather than watching a structured comedy). Within the office environment, the lighting is quite warm in tone to emulate that of overhead office lighting. This casts quite a dull look through the location which helps to accurately reflect the working office environment - which again helps to suggest that the audience are just observing a natural environment as the addition of studio lights would immediately artificially brighten everything and give an unnatural structured feel to the production. In exterior scenes the lighting retains the natural feel with shadows from the sun / clouds / environment being cast over the characters faces which again suggests that the camera is just observing the characters in this location, so all the natural elements of this location are retained to give this natural observational feel (rather than blocking out shadows / lighting the characters artificially to combat the shadows which would give a more planned and structured feel). Observing this use of lighting in The Office has reinforced my idea that I will largely rely on the natural lighting from each of the locations (supplemented by a reflector) for the production of VET-MAN as this will aid it in looking natural and observational - and when artificial lighting is necessary (i.e. the pub and the night scene), it will be used in a way that emulates the natural or practical lighting of these environments.

The below image shows the colour tones of the production. The colours shown are all very neutral and natural, which again works to suggest that this is a natural and observational piece as no specific colour look / grade has been created. The colours also reflect the lighting of the environment - most of the colours have a dull, greyscale undertone - which reflects the dull environment of the office and the lighting within it. I will aim for a similar colour look with VET-MAN with the raw footage, but enhance it slightly with a colour grade as I am aiming for a more cinematic look than The Office. I will borrow elements (such as ensuring the colours of the location reflect the location they're in) but I will be applying an orange and teal LUT which will bring a more contrasted look to the colours within the production.

What have I learnt?

- A variety of camera styles work best to achieve a natural look - i.e. using zooms alone will add a little informality to the production but a combination of the zooms, handheld camera and varying shot sizes work best to give off the natural and observational feel.

- Zooms are not the only method of increasing a shot size to emphasise comedy - between the cuts of shot reverse shots, the shot size can be increased in order to give the same effect (yet slightly more subtle as the audience are being drawn in at a slower rate).

- The colours and lighting used within the production need to be appropriate to the environment in order to be the most effective. What is natural in one environment may not be natural in another environment, therefore, the colours and lighting used in each environment need to be altered in order to accurately reflect the atmosphere - this way the natural and observational feel will be retained.

- The zooms also work to keep the audience engaged as it increases the pace of the production. There is always something occurring, whether it is the action / dialogue between the characters or the movement of the camera. Due to there always being something occurring, the audience feel as though they need to keep watching otherwise they may miss something. This is another reason that I will be using the zoom technique in VET-MAN - it will keep a fast pace for the production and keep the audience engaged.

[1] https://www.premiumbeat.com/blog/zoom-in-filmmaking/

MAJOR-PROJECT UNIT: Briefing

18 weeks to complete

- Degree show screening
- CV
- Showreel
- Media profile
- Job searching

Degree screening
- May 23rd
- Maidstone Studios
- Programme featuring the full length version of all Major Project works
- Evening

Submission:
1x complete major project production
1x 2-3 min extract
5x production stills
1x production poster
1x r&d journal