PRE-PRODUCTION UNIT: Jamie Cairney - Directory of Photography - Research

To accompany my research into The Thick Of It, I decided to get in contact with the DoP, Jamie Cairney, to gain more of an insight into the production of it.

I approached Jamie with a list of questions and received the following answers:

1. How did you decide on the style in which The Thick Of It was shot? Was this mainly through discussion with the director or did you push your own ideas forward?

As with everything I shoot, the style was a joint decision between myself and the director; in this case, Armando Iannucci. I'm a big believer in the story should always lead the shooting style and I approach every project with a blank canvas..

In our initial conversations, Armando was keen to explore a shooting style that would reflect the frenzied, petty and high stakes world of politics. Neither of us wanted the camera to be static or too 'controlled', so the first decision was to keep everything handheld. Armando wanted to take things further and we explored visual styles which ignored convention. We watched the film 'Festen' and a fly on the wall documentary which followed Tony Blair and Alister Cameron in their early days of power: 'The News From No.10'. I also re-watched some of the early work of Barry Ackroyd BSC whose work was big influence on me when I was in my teens.

It was from these references that we devised a hybrid 'dogme' and fly on the wall style which we employed for the 1st three episodes of the show:

1. We didn't formally 'block' or rehearse the scenes or give actors marks.

2. The actors would regularly improvise dialogue and ignore continuity, so no two takes were the same.

3. We used two cameras 99% of the time. The other operator and I would follow the action trying NOT to anticipate what was going to happen, so it would feel more spontaneous. We also over accentuated the 'handheld' feel by being less precise with our camera operation and steadiness.

4. Lighting would always feel 'found' and real as opposed to perfect.

5. The editor would cut just the sound to make the story work and then added shots that worked (I believe this approach was abandoned in later series).


2. How did you decide on which equipment to use?

Over the course of the 3 series technology was beginning to change, however, the show reached it's last episode before modern digital systems like Red or Alexa (and 35mm zoom lenses) were affordable or lightweight enough.

The 1st three episodes we shot on the Sony DSR570 in standard defintion. The reason for this choice was because the CCD sensors this camera had were more sensitive than others available at the time. In addition to this, cameras were smaller and lighter than Digital Betacam (the ubiquitous format at the time) but used the same B4 mount zoom lenses for 2/3" inch sensors (note we always used zoom lenses).

In testing, I really liked the images from the 570 and I found that increasing the gain (essentially increasing ISO) gave the images a 16mm feel, a bit like Kodak 7219. So we shot the whole first series with 6db of gain. We also used a polariser a lot to help with shiny foreheads caused by toplight.

The second series was shot in HD using the Sony HDW750 HDCam camera.

The third series was shot using PMW800 XDCam cameras.

If we were still shooting now, I would have certainly switched to Amira, using the Super 16 setting of this camera.


3. How was the production lit? It appears to have such a natural look but was lighting equipment required to create this look?

I tried to use natural light and adapted practical light where possible. On the first series, this was a problem as we shot in winter, so we had to light some scenes night for day. However we only had lights outside the windows, we barely ever used any lights on the floor of the sets. I used a 4kw HMI Aurosoft, through a 1/2 grid cloth a lot in these situations, for speed.

If we did need to use lights on set, we would rig them above. The reasons for this were so we didn't get in the way of the actors and also, so we could point the cameras anywhere, anytime.

4. What were the main aspects you considered during preproduction?

My main concern was to achieve the style we had agreed upon for the show and maintain it across the series. From a more technical point of view, as always I had to consider the organisation of lighting and camera crews and equipment across the shoot.

In all locations, my gaffer and I would devise a scheme to change or add practicals and if necessary rig film lights. This would all be done in advance so there was no lighting time on set.


5. What would your main advice be to someone hoping to achieve a similar handheld style?

Firstly, ensure this style is right for the story you are telling. Once you have decided, stick to your guns! I got quite a lot of flak from some bitter older DoPs who felt I should have shot the show like a traditional comedy. But I stood firm and I don't regret any choices we made. Actually I have been asked many many times to shoot other projects using this style. I've always turned them down.

Secondly, from a technical standpoint you are in a much better position than I was when we shot 'The Thick of It'. The CCD cameras we were using had very little dynamic range, maybe 2-3 stops, so exposing naturally lit situations was regularly a problem, especially balancing hot windows. The modern CMOS cameras are far superior not just in dynamic range but also colour depth and the ability to shoot raw. I do wish we'd had these cameras back then!

From this research I have learnt:

- It can be good to not anticipate the action within a scene, this can aid the natural and observational camerawork and add to this sense of realism. A slight bit of unsteadiness can help the scene to feel spontaneous and natural (which is the desired outcome for the production of VET-MAN).

- Jamie mentioned increasing the gain in order to give the production a 16mm feel, suggesting that the visible effects of increasing gain (e.g. increased noise within the shot) are not necessarily a bad thing, in fact, they can contribute to the look of a production. This again gives The Thick Of It a realistic and natural feel which adds to the fly on the wall / observatory style. This shows that all decisions relate back to the intended style. This means that all my cinematography decisions within VET-MAN need to relate back to the realistic style I am aiming for. 

- Not every production needs to be artificially lit - the lighting needs to be appropriate for the production and the desired look so if this needs to be achieved through natural and practical lighting then this can be done. Lighting equipment can also get in the way if shooting in a spontaneous and realistic way such as shown in The Thick Of It, therefore, natural lighting may not only be an aesthetic choice but also a practical choice. 

- When testing lighting I should attempt to find ways to make it mimic natural / practical lighting like Jamie did in The Thick Of It so that the realistic quality of VET-MAN is maintained. 

PRE-PRODUCTION UNIT: The Thick Of It - Research

The Thick Of It (TTOI) is a satirical British comedy focusing on activities within the British government.

The cinematographer for the majority of the episodes throughout the four series was Jamie Cairney.

Cairney's cinematography gives the programme an unmistakable style - using handheld camera to follow the characters and in shot crash zooms to enhance the actions within the scene.

As Rebecca Front (Minister for Social Affairs, Nicola Murray MP in TTOI) notes; "There's an unmistakable house-style, which is in no small measure created by the extraordinary work of Jamie Cairney and his team of guerilla camera operators. They nip in and out of rooms, hide in corners and frequently run full pelt to catch a particular moment. It's impressive to behold, and what makes it more impressive is that you frequently don't behold it. They seem to be invisible. Like Jeeves, they shimmer in and out of rooms, only very occasionally crashing into a filing cabinet. The upshot of this is that when you're doing a scene, you really feel as though you and the other actors are alone in the room. This meant that scenes, particularly with Peter Capaldi, had an intensity that I hadn't expected. I never quite knew where emotionally we would end up. This is what acting should be like; it's as close as TV ever gets to live theatre, because Armando never allows the mechanics of making a programme to get in the way. And all of that informs what you see on screen. The pace of the jokes, the pressure of the situations all stem from that sense that Armando and the crew create of this being real and now and ghastly and funny and true. " [1]

From Rebecca's insight into the production of the show, it is clear that this handheld style is intended to make the action unfolding on screen appear natural and authentic. The style of cinematography makes the audience feel as if they are observing the action as it unfolds - they are being placed in the moment - making all the comedy seem more immediate and therefore allowing it to have its full desired effect. This has also given me some tips into how I should shoot VET-MAN. The fly-on-the-wall / observational handheld camera style almost gives the show a documentary style - it feels as if they audience is watching events that could very much be real - this style is achieved by the camera almost being invisible. When shooting VET-MAN, I should make every attempt to go unnoticed by the actors - allowing them to deliver a very natural and real performance which lets the intensity of the situations take full effect - the camerawork will then be used to supplement the actions and emotions being displayed (i.e. by using crash zooms at key moments to emphasise certain parts).

I decided to look in-depth at the first episode of TTOI to see how Cairney establishes his style from the start. I thought it was a good idea to look at the first episode as this is where series tend to define their style.

Immediately, the handheld camera style is used to follow the character out of the car positioned in front of the social affairs building. This long shot serves to both introduce the character the audience are following and establishes the location of the events. Cairney uses a couple of different angles to show the character getting out of the car - this handheld, jumpy style establishes the informality of the camera style and introduces the theme of authenticity. This also allows the audience to identify who the character is as the camera switches from a shot of the back of the character, to a shot of the side of the character. Following this, a close up shot of the characters face is shown as he walks into the building - reinforcing to the audience that this is a relevant character in the episode and that we will be following him in the following scenes.

Cairney would have had to work with the director to block this scene. Armando Iannuci would have needed to direct for the police characters to stand in those certain positions so that they could be captured, as well as the sign of the building and the character getting out of the car, within Cairney's frame as all of these elements combined help to set the location and theme of the programme. Collaboration with the director is important so that you know which characters need to be positioned where so that it makes sense to both the narrative and the framing of the shot. The blocking of a scene needs to work so that the audience can follow the narrative and so that all the necessary information can be captured within the shot.

One of the defining features of Cairney's cinematography in TTOI is the use of crash zooms. As demonstrated below, often Cairney zooms from a mid shot of a character to a close up shot - this puts the emphasis on this character and their facial expressions. This, therefore, highlights this to the audience and brings this to their attention. The same technique is also used when there are multiple characters within the shot - however, instead of purely being used emphasise expressions, the zooms are also used to focus on which character is talking and also the reactions of the other characters. These crash zooms add to the informal camera style as these zooms take place in shot. Cairney also combines this with jump cuts which jump from mid shots to close up shots as well - this creates a sense of unpredictability which helps create the sense of authenticity - in real life you don't know how things will unfold and the same is true of Cairney's camera style. This handheld, informal camera style helps to suggest that the audience are just observing natural behaviour - it creates a fly-on-the-wall style which makes it feel like the cameras are just capturing real life.

Cairney uses a variety of different shot types - ranging from extreme close ups to wide shots. This long shot is used to once again establish location of the production - but this time establishing the interior location. This scene gets quite heated and intense between the characters and the camera work reflects this. Cairney switches from long shots which establish the setting to mid and close up shots of the characters as they argue. Occasionally Cairney crosses the line but because of the sporadic nature of the camerawork, this doesn't affect how the audience reads the situation - the narrative still makes sense. Cairney also pulls back out into these long shots so any confusion in the close up camerawork is quickly rectified as these long shots help to display where the characters are during the heat of the argument. The slight crossing of the line also helps add to the natural nature of the camerawork - it feels more immediate as it seems that the cameras are just trying to capture all the action without analysing the rules of cinematography too much (although, obviously this crossing the line is intentional to add to the intensity of the situation, it is not a mistake).

In VET-MAN I will not be crossing the line as I feel if it is not pulled off successfully, it can just look like a mistake in the production. To ensure no crossing of the line occurs, I will shot list and storyboard the script so that the camera movements are already pre-determined. I will then be relying on the handheld nature of the camera and the crash zooms to make VET-MAN seem more informal and observational in style.

The colour grading of TTOI is all kept very natural which is consistent with the natural handled camera style. The skin tone of the characters is consistent with what would be seen by the human eye - it is a warm peach tone. The walls within the office spaces are given a cream / grey colour to reflect the dull political office environment. Other colours apparent in many scenes are dark dull blues, browns and greys - colours which are naturally seen in business / office environments. The natural colours and dull colours of the office space give TTOI and authentic feel - like the camerawork, it makes the audience feel as if they are observing natural / authentic action and behaviour. This helps to establish the programme as a satirical comedy as opposed to a 'laugh out loud' comedy as it appears to be portraying real life (with comedy coming through the events and dialogue) with a hint of satire being used to poke fun at the political parties and government.

Within scenes in vehicles, Cairney still maintains the handheld style whereas other shows would typically use a fixed camera in such scenarios. The camerawork changes between using jump cuts and zooms to focus on character talking. When zooms are used, the camera zooms in and out to show when the attention should be on that character and then when this attention is no longer required. This shows how this handheld style can be used on any shot type (i.e. this is a 3 shot but the same technique has also been successfully used on single shots of characters, 2-shots and also medium / long shots where multiple characters are present). Like in the exterior and interior scenes of the department of social affairs, natural lighting is still being used - there doesn't appear to be any addition of artificial light which, like the other scenes, makes the action more immediate and natural as it feels more authentic to the viewer.

Continuing with the natural feel of the programme, this late night office scene appears to be solely lit by the overhead lighting - creating a dark green / orange tone. This is representative of real-life working environments where the lighting appears the same, making the scene look authentic and real. During the conversation between the characters, like with the rest of the scenes, a mixture of the signature handheld zooms following the character speaking and jump cuts between medium and close-up shots are used. This successfully continues the informal nature of the cinematography, achieving the effect of the action appearing normal and natural to the audience.

As well as the cinematography being used to make the scenes seem authentic and natural, Cairney would have had to work with the set design team to ensure this was as effective as possible. This would have involved dressing the set with office equipment to ensure the office environment was accurately depicted. It would then have been Cairney's job to ensure the necessary features of this set were captured in order to successfully portray the office environment. I will need to work with both the director and producer in VET-MAN to ensure that the set is dressed correctly and that the blocking of the actors allows the necessary information from the environment to be captured through the camerawork.

What I have learned through this research:

Filming handheld is very effective when attempting to portray natural and authentic behaviour. It gives the production a sense of being observational and almost fly-on-the-wall in style. This is something I want to achieve with VET-MAN as this and TTOI are in the same satirical sub-genre of comedy. TTOI shows that it is important to commit to this type of camerawork and to make sure it is consistent all the way through - this means using handheld even when it doesn't seem to be the obvious choice (e.g. for scenes in vehicles).

TTOI also shows that handheld camera doesn't just have to be used when following characters through different locations. It can be used for shot types which are typically filmed on a stationary tripod (e.g. shot reverse shots of characters during conversations). In these scenarios, TTOI uses a mixture of panning to transition between the characters and hard cuts in shot reverse shot style - the camera work is chosen on what feels most appropriate to that conversation (e.g. heated conversations feature more shot reverse shots, whilst other conversations lean towards the panning technique).

TTOI shows how colour grading helps to set the tone of a programme. Cinematic colour grading immediately makes a production look more formal as it looks more processed and polished. TTOI used very natural colour grading to maintain natural colours within the environment. This helps the suggestion that this is a natural environment featuring natural behaviour from the characters which is complimented by the informal nature of the camerawork.

Collaboration between the other departments of a production is key in order to ensure all necessary information and elements are captured in the frame. The director of photography must work with the set design team to ensure the set is depicted in the way it is intended and that it works with the camera to portray all the necessary information about the environment. The DoP must also be aware of the director's blocking to ensure the planned shot types capture all intended actions.

TTOI doesn't use any soundtrack or laughtrack, this keeps with the natural, observational style of the programme - making it appear to depict real life. Using either background music or laughtrack would immediately signal to the audience that they are not just observing natural behaviour and that this is a structured programme. Whilst the programme is indeed structured and planned, it does not come across this way to the audience. I would like to achieve the same result with VET-MAN, there will be no soundtrack or laughtrack as this may detract from the natural, observational style of shooting.

Sources:

[1] http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/comedy/2009/10/rebecca-front-on-being-in-the-thick-of-it.shtml

PRE-PRODUCTION UNIT: Black Mirror (Shut Up And Dance) - Research

To further my research into cinematography styles and the Directors of Photography behind them, I did some research into an episode of Black Mirror which used majorly handheld methods.

With black mirror it is important to bear in mind that each episode has a different director and director of photography so there is a need for consistency in style between episodes so some styles and quirks of the cinematography may carry across between different cinematographers (through the input of the series producer / show runner).

Shut Up And Dance

The cinematographer behind this episode was Tim Maurice-Jones.

The filming style

The episode begins with an establishing shot of a car (which is later featured in the plot) driving into a car park. Whilst many establishing shots are filmed in a fixed position on a tripod, Maurice-Jones establishes his handheld style early on by filming this establishing shot handheld. This also helps to establish the theme of anxiety which is prevalent in this episode as the shakiness of the camera of the camera reflects the anxiety and pressure felt by the characters. 

This establishing shot is also filmed using a frame-in-frame technique by shooting through the railings of the car park. This creates vertical bars through the screen which mirrors that of prison bars which could foreshadow the end result of the main character Kenny. 

Following this, POV shots are used to show what the character is seeing - this is performed as a swift sweeping motion to resemble her nervous behaviour. This is followed by the camera almost moving in a semi circle around the character, continuing this sweep of anxiety. This shows that handheld camera aids the emotions intended to be felt within the piece - this may be used in our piece for comedic effect rather than to convey anxiety as handheld can be used in a variety of ways. 

The handheld camera has a more practical use for this scene. The camera begins on Kenny's mum looking in the mirror and follows Kenny walking down the stairs and appearing to her side - this sort of camera movement would not be as well performed using any other method. The handheld camera allows for fluid movement, keeping both Kenny and Kenny's mum in frame during their conversation. This supports the idea of going handheld with our production - as we are likely to be using animals, some of the movements may be slightly unpredictable. Therefore, going handheld would ensure that none of this action is missed. 

With the exception of a couple of scenes, the colour grading of this episode has a persistent cool blue / green tone. This is used to reflect the bleak nature of the episode and the tasks the characters have to face. Some methods of colour grading choose to contrast colours in order to make a certain colour stand out e.g. using an orange highlight colour with blue shadow colour to make one of the colours more vibrant. However, the colour grading of this is completely blue / green from the shadows to the skin tones to the highlights. Where skin tone is usually given a warmer colouring (such as orange / peach), the grading of this causes the skin to appear a grey / blue - as stated, this overwhelming level of blue / green connotes the bleakness of the activities. 

During the car scene on the way to the bank, an interesting technique is used. The camera stays on Kenny for extended lengths of time to suggest severity of situation and him contemplating the scenario. As Hector is talking to him about what the 'people' have on him, Kenny is shown to be in deep thought - with the camera staying in the same position focusing on Kenny, it almost has the effect of showing that Hector's words are running through and burrowing into Kenny's mind. It would be interesting to bring this technique over to Vet-Man as prolonged shots can be used as Vet-Man performs surgery to enhance the atmosphere of concentration.

Once the characters find out about robbery - the atmosphere becomes more tense and panicky rather than that of deep thought. This is reflected through the shots becoming a lot more quick in succession. These contrasting length shots make the difference in length much more apparent as it goes from staying on Kenny for lengthy periods to cutting between medium close ups of of both of the characters at a much faster pace.

Whilst the majority of the episode is filmed handheld, the handheld camera becomes more shaky following Kenny into bank. This is the same technique as beginning of episode, however, even more so. This helps to reflect the intense anxiety of the situation.

During the robbery itself a shallow depth of field is used in a medium close up shot to make Kenny's face the focus of the frame - this helps to show his emotions clearly and enhance this emotion to the audience. I could apply a similar technique in Vet-Man during surgery scenes to enhance the concentration of the vet's face.

After the robbery and the characters have split, a long shot is used as Kenny walks towards the woods which isolates him within frame (reinforcing the idea that he is now alone after splitting from Hector). Kenny is in the central third of the frame - this gives Kenny a sense of vulnerability as he is completely surrounded and engulfed by this countryside. This helps to suggest that the manipulation from the 'people' is not coming to an end like he thinks it is - he is vulnerable to further manipulation.   This shows how shot lengths can be experimented with in order to convey different atmospheres - this is something I will test with Vet-Man and later storyboard. 

Although the colour grading continues to have a cooler tone overall, warmer lighting / idyllic scenery cut through to suggest the ordeal is coming to a close. This is then contrasted with the next scene, which throws the episode back into being bleak. A similar technique can be used in Vet-Man to contrast the moods of different scenes by using slightly different colouring within the overall colour grade. (i.e. keep the overall colouring the same for consistency but adapt certain scenes to have a warmer look and certain scenes to have a cooler look depending on the atmosphere within the shot).

Once Kenny enters the woods, it returns to cooler colouring and shallow depth of field. This throws the severity of situation back in focus and helps to suggest to the viewer that the ordeal is not over. 

After the scene in the woods is, Kenny is walking away (presumably home). This is one of the only times a static shot is used - reflecting Kenny potentially feeling numb after fighting the man in the woods. Once a phone call comes through, the filming style returns to handheld camera - which suggests the return of anxiety.

What I've learned through this research:

Although a different genre and subject matter to our production, it is interesting to explore the use of handheld camera and the different ways it can be used; to capture fast paced action and to enhance the mood of the scene etc.

Colour grading was also interesting to note. Very cool toned throughout with the exception of a few scenes. This shows how important colour grading is in setting the tone and atmosphere of a production. As we want to follow a natural / observational style, I will use a much more natural colour grade (ensuring skin colour remains a peach tone as opposed to this where skin almost appeared grey in tone) which will make the footage have a more authentic look. However, I will still adapt the colour grading to the appropriate environment e.g. during surgical scenes, the grade will be cooler in tone. Whereas, in home settings / natural outdoor settings the grade will be slightly warmer in tone to reflect how these settings appear naturally. 

Depth of field can be used to draw attention to certain aspects. I will take this into consideration as I may want to use this method to draw the audience's eye to a specific area of the frame.

This research has shown the importance of varying the shot type as this has an impact on how the audience reads the frame. It is easy to become caught up in using solely medium shots and medium close up shots, however, long shots of characters can be very effective in isolating them in the shot. This is something to consider when I am storyboarding the production.

Occasionally a dolly shot and tripod shot were woven seamlessly into the episode. This shows how you need not stick to just one style of filming - the method of filming should be appropriate to what you're trying to capture i.e. as shown in this episode, if you are observing the characters watching TV but you want there to be slight movement, a medium dolly shot works best as opposed to a shaky handheld camera. However, if you're followed someone through a nerve-racking situation, going handheld is the preferred method. 

PRE-PRODUCTION: I'm Alan Partridge - Research

As our production is likely to be a comedy, similar in theme to a mockumentary but filmed in a sit com style, I decided to undertake some research into the BBC show; I'm Alan Partridge - a situation comedy following radio DJ Alan Partridge.

The first series of I'm Alan Partridge was produced in 1997 and was filmed with an aspect ratio of 4:3 - the traditional television standard during the 20th century. [1] The second series was produced in 2002 with an updated aspect ratio of 16:9, the standard for HD TV.

Even though 4:3 was the standard aspect ratio, watching as a modern audience this aspect ratio almost seems intentional rather than being used just because it was the standard. The 4:3 aspect ratio and standard definition gives the show a lower visual quality, which helps to reflect the low quality of Alan's life. This is also aided by the mise-en-scene used within scenes such as the recording studio and the cheap hotel in which he is living. The recording booth has a dark interior with dark walls and dim lighting, helping to convey that his slot on the local station is the graveyard slot. The scenes within the hotel follow a similar theme, low practical lighting and bleak coloured walls. This is something I will consider as Director of Photography. I will work with the director to decide on the mise-en-scene used within our piece. As our production is likely to be similar in style (i.e. following a vet through his misadventures), borrowing some ideas from the production of I'm Alan Partridge will help to give our production the appropriate look - these ideas are laid out further in this blog post.

I'm Alan Partridge has a single camera set up and is shot in a handheld manner, following Alan through the day's adventures. The single camera set up means that whilst the handheld method is used for comedic effect, it is also practical. The handheld nature also makes the sit com feel authentic and is the audience are being brought along with the action.

To really study the cinematography, I focused my research on one episode.

Watership Alan

Like all episodes throughout both series, the episode begins in the recording studio. This establishes Alan's occupation and shows him as being the central character of the show. I would like to bring this idea through to our production (i.e. establishing our character as a vet and displaying that he is the central character of the show in the beginning scenes.) However, this is not solely my decision as DoP - I will need to discuss this with the director of the production.

Although, I am able to decide how this is shot (if this idea is taken on board). In several episodes, the camera begins on a close up shot of an object (such as the microphone) and quickly zooms out to reveal Alan sitting there in the booth. The microphone gives a clue to the location before revealing to the audience the whole recording booth. I may use a similar technique in our production by beginning on a close up shot of veterinary equipment, before quickly zooming out to a medium shot to reveal the vet and establish this occupation. This is more interesting than beginning with a standard establishing shot. By beginning with a close up shot before zooming out as a reveal, it keeps the audience in anticipation and heightens comedic effect. (e.g. this can also be used as a technique if something has gone wrong for the vet - a close up shot can be used to show a perfectly clean veterinary tool and then zoom out to reveal the vet splattered in blood.)

The lighting used in the hotel room seems to be practical natural lighting (i.e. just the natural light coming from the window and the lighting within the room). Whether this was achieved using artificial lights or natural lighting is unknown, however, the look of the product would make it seem that it is naturally lit. This adds to the authentic look (aided by the handheld camera) which makes the audience feel they are observing Alan Partridge naturally in his daily activities. This adds to the comedy of the piece as it puts the focus is on Alan's humorous dialogue and comedic actions. Within this medium shot, framing Alan in the centre of the frame helps to keep the focus on him. The audience also assumes Alan is alone due to him singing and exercising in his inappropriately small outfit, however, a quick cut to a two shot reveals Geordie Michael fixing something in the corner, adding to the humour of the situation. 

As well as the handheld shots following Alan, during conversations two shots and shot-reverse-shots are used (the majority of the time these are also filmed in a handheld manner). The two shots are filmed in a very practical manner, placing the emphasis on the content of the conversation rather than on the shot type (making the camerawork seem unnoticeable). This shows that good camera work doesn't always have to be extravagant - sometimes it needs to be used in a practical way to communicate the content of the programme - and when done well this camerawork is invisible to the viewer. This scene switches between a two shot and a shot-reverse-shot of Alan and Geordie Michael - in all of which the lighting and colours remain consistent. A fairly deep depth of field is used in these shots (shown by the focus stretching from the characters to the background as well) - this again adds to the authentic feel and makes the audience feel like they are just observing the action (instead of using a shallow depth of field to throw the background out of focus and make the audience feel as if they should be focusing on a particular part of the frame).

This is something I will need to consider as I will also most likely be using a single camera method as well - I will need to ensure the aperture, shutter speed and ISO are all set correctly to ensure the right exposure and to ensure this exposure remains the same over the different shot types. From the Transitions shoot last year I found that a lower ISO worked the best to ensure the least grainy footage and using a slower shutter speed and wider aperture to compensate. This will be something to experiment with in my test shoots.

The framing of some of the shots helps to enhance the mood of a scene. In this scene, Lynn has suggested she could pretend to be Alan's wife, yet Alan is not keen on the idea - this leads to an awkward silence in the lift. The framing of this shot enhances the awkwardness as it keeps Alan and Lynn in a consistent position in the frame - the camera also stays on this same frame for the whole lift journey, dragging out the awkwardness. 

This is something I will consider during our production. Often camera shots are cut between quickly in situation comedies, however, this offers a different approach and works to the advantage of the situation. I will experiment with shot lengths in my test shoots.

As well as just filming the conversations between the characters, the camera is also used to move the audience through the locations. In this scene, the camera follows Alan and Lynn from the lift to the hotel lobby (with them walking towards the camera in a medium shot). A deep depth of field is used whilst using moving through to the lobby - this means that there is a larger depth of focus meaning that the characters remain in focus whilst moving. I will test this in my test shoots as this would be a good technique to use to follow our character (as opposed to merely cutting to another shot in their next location).

The dim lighting and desaturated colour grading also help to suggest the time of day - again adding to natural, authentic nature of the show. In this scene, the only light source is coming from the lamp - this casts a shadow over the side of Alan's face facing the camera - this helps to show that it is evening in this scene. Whilst the desaturated colour grading helps to suggest the cheap nature of the hotel, like the dimmer lighting it helps to suggest nighttime. 

This is something to consider in my test shoots as artificial lights may need to be used in our production to get the best visual result - however, these artificial lights will still need to look appropriate for the time of day at which the scene is set. I will test this through setting up the lights and adjusting them to simulate different times of day. 

In the following scene, the use of handheld camera is particularly effective. The handheld, close up, frantic movement of the camera once the cow has been dropped onto Alan helps to convey the panic and confusion of the situation. The close up nature of the handheld shots adds to the confusion as the audience are only seeing parts of the picture at one time, keeping the footage exciting. This, accompanied by the snippets of sound ("where did the cow come from?", "I know it's not funny", "get the cow off the boat please", "I'm not okay") makes the viewer feel as if they are involved in the action - they are getting the immediate reaction of the characters.

When Alan is sat up finishing his piece to camera, the camera zooms out to reveal that he is in a stretcher and that the hand that he drinks with isn't actually his. This adds to the comedic effect as the audience has presumed one thing (that Alan is sat in a chair, drinking with his own hand) but the reveal suddenly throws them off, making the situation humorous. I hope to use similar zooming shots to act as reveals in our production.

What I have learnt from this research:

Handheld camera is very effective in making a production look authentic and making the audience feel as if they're watching natural activity. This adds to the comedy of the piece as Alan's dialogue and actions are at the centre of the audience's attention.

Zooms are effective in revealing things to the audience. Slight zooms in can be used to emphasise a feature to the audience or zooms out can reveal the bigger picture to the audience.

Desaturated, slightly warm toned colour grading gives the production a natural look. This colour grading accurately resembles the lighting that is often seen in the locations the sit com is set (recording studio, hotel etc.) -  adding to the idea that we are following this character through their daily life.

Sources:

[1] https://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/film-studies-101-aspect-ratios/

DISSERTATION UNIT: Briefing

Introduction: (10% of word count = 800 words)

Sets up and prepares the reader:
- introduce and explain main focus and aim
- clarify areas of research e.g. the focus and aim of each chapter
- brief overview of the discussion order of your dissertation chapter by chapter

Beginning, middle and end: (80% of word count)
Each chapter = 2,150 words, 12 paragraphs, 180 words, each paragraph acts as a progressive point that needs to be researched and listed in logical order and identify info for analysis

Chapter One:
- definitions of terms used in the question
- basic theory
- background information and/or historical ideas or contexts

(mapping out theories to do with gender)

Chapter Two:
- utilises and builds on the information from Chapter One
- application of theories, current discussions/context
- any information and ideas that need to be discussed before the question can be fully answered in the final chapter

Chapter Three:
- where the question is fully answered or aim fully realised

Conclusion: (10% of word count = 800 words)

Ends on very last, final response on the discussion
- reiterate the aim of your dissertation, reminding the reader of questions you were intending to answer
- highlight key findings chapter by chapter and how they relate to each other in light of your aims
- discuss your response to your findings and any answers / conclusions drawn to your aims / questions

To prepare for 1st tutorial:
- plan for topic - its intellectual context and how your question approaches it
- create and review list of research material
- key authors and a sentence of the way you wish yo use their ideas
- moving image sequences you wish to relate to research
- methods of analysis
- structure and organisation of discussion
- initial plan for draft chapter one

To prepare for 2nd tutorial:
- read research material
- write up a draft for chapter one

To prepare for 3rd tutorial:
- research and write notes for chapter two
- write chapter two and introduction
- make amendments to chapter one

To prepare for draft hand in: (at least 6000 words)
- make amendments to chapter two
- research and write draft for chapter three and conclusion

Title page:
Title of dissertation
Your name
Course
Month and year of submission
First language
Number of words

PRE-PRODUCTION UNIT: Initial Ideas

Having looked through previous years works on the pre production unit, I have established what exactly I need to consider within my role as Director of Photography.

As a group we would like to put together a book to show everything involved with the pre production of our major project.

I will focus on the visuals involved within the project:

- Filming style - fly on the wall / observational / informal / handheld
- D.O.P statment
- Test shoots
- Equipment list
- Shot list and storyboard

As we enjoyed making 'Vet-Man' for our Transition Unit, we thought we would do something similar for our final piece. Our main aim is to make our final major project something original and unique so we wanted to follow the idea of doing a comedy / mockumentary.

With this in mind, we had our 1-2-1 session with Simon to get feedback on our idea.

This was the feedback:

What are we trying to say / explore? Find this before deciding the form to take (a mockumentary may not necessarily be the best form)

Does the main character have to be a vet? Different occupation?

PRE-PRODUCTION UNIT: Briefing

- Research
- Equal time on dissertation and pre production units (Term 1)

Dissertation (30 credits)

- Proposal as starting point
- 8000 words
- 3 tutorials prior to draft hand in
- Draft hand in: 27th November 2018
- 1 draft feedback tutorial in last week of term

- Dissertation final submission: 25th January 2019

Pre-Production (30 credits)

- Produce detailed pre production package for an original production

Either:

- High concept pre production

Hypothetical - think big
A package that communicates idea to broadcast commissioner
Not constricted by student budget
Focused on your own interests

- Major project pre production

Pitch, script, budget, schedule, casting, locations, trailer etc.
This may actually be taken into production
Very detailed plan
Maximum length 20 mins

- Submission: 11th December 2018

External collaboration allowed from:
Cast / Presenters / Actors / Music / Production & Costume Design / Special FX