Major Project Unit - Underpass Test Shoot

   After our Meet and Greet/Script Read Through, we had a test shoot at one of our main locations, the underpass in Vinters Park. We filmed a small segment of the last scene of the film where Jimmy confronts Jase. What we were looking for here was how the film looked when it was filmed in dark lighting conditions and audio in the underpass. As editor, it was my job to edit the test footage together and see how it looked.

   During my edit I had a chance to test out the technique 'Stagger Cutting' that I have researched prior to the shoot. Even though this is a rough cut and there are not a variety of shots due to the short amount of time we had available to film in as one of our actors was unwell, it shows how it blends the clips together well to make it flow well. But, there were problems I found while editing. Firstly, the lighting does not look natural or realistic, it is obvious a light is being shone on the actors, and secondly I was unable to use the audio recorded from the ZOOM Mic as I could not tell them apart and which clips they link up to. The lighting problem is something I have addressed before, but now we can see how it would actually look if it was filmed in these lighting conditions. I have found a way to combat this through a filter on Final Cut Pro X that turns day footage to looking like it is filmed at night time. And with the audio, I have spoken to the director and he has agreed that before each take he will say what scene it is and what take it is. This will help me a lot with organising the clips and the audio so I will not face the problems I have faced with this short edit to when we start our actual production filming.

Major Project Unit - Jase Voice Recording Edit

   We recorded Jay (Jase) lines for the phone call scenes between Jase and Jimmy. The director believed as he was in first for the meet and greet we may as well get it done as soon as possible; and the rest of us agreed that this was the right decision. I personally believed that this was the right decision as it gives me time to find the best way to turn the recordings into sounding like Jase is talking through the phone.

   To create this effect, I decided to look for effects to put over the audio that will make it sound like it is a phone call. Final Cut Pro X already has a effect within the software that can create this effect, after looking online for alternatives and not finding any, I opted for using this effect. In the video below you can hear the audio recording before the effect has been added, then afterwards the same clip with the effect added at different levels.



   At this current moment in time, and after talking with the director and producer, I am initially thinking that using the effect to around 75% to 100% to the audio. This is because we all agreed that it makes the audio sound more realistic to being the audio you would hear from a phone call. This is only the initial idea as we need to take into consideration the added sounds of the setting where Jimmy is talking on the phone.

Major Project Unit - Script Read Through & Meet and Greet

   Over 2 weeks before we start our filming, we organised a meet and greet/script read through. I believe this was necessary and very important as it would firstly get everyone knowing one another on a first name basis and also see if theres anything that needs to be changed or altered with the script.

   During the script read through, I was taking notes on how the actors delivered their lines and how they physically reacted to one another. This was important as it gave me an idea on who I should be focussing on during the scene and who gives off more of a reaction to the other actors lines. The meet and greet was beneficial to the production as a whole, but it was more important for the director to go through the script and amend any formatting errors.

   Also on this day, we recorded some audio for a phone call scene in the film and also a small test shoot with the actors, more will be posted about this later on.