This post has been a long time coming.
It is again that time of year when I'm writing an assignment, when surprise surprise it seems a great idea to write in my blog again.
This year has been tough, & busy. I've loved it immensely, words cannot descrbe.
I don't seem to have any time to stop & properly rest. But that's okay because that's what I want University to be about for me.
I've been out a ridiculous amount. I mean, stupidly lots.
I've got multiple jobs, some of which have even led to film work. Some to business plans.

I've created films.
Arcade Documentary
I did sound on this production. It was ok, I think that shoot was poorly organised & there was a serious lack of communication between the people in my group. I found myself getting agitated when I was seeing a job being done, but knowing that I could do it better.
When we were on shoot we realised that we had more restrictions than we anticipated, paniked, and started looking elsewhere for a documentary idea. I had to draw the group back to the arcade, because we had a good idea, we just had to shift around it.
As a group, production managers and directors didn't discuss witht he rest of the group what needed to be done or what was going on as much as they should have done. This meant that a lot of the time we didn't know what was going on on shoot.
The project itself came out really well. The edit and camera work carried us through.
Planned in the Pub
Our first studio piece. I was Producer & Production Assistant. I was stressed, but the production was organised to a point, & I was happy with the piece we came out with at the end. I'm a bitch, and the people I work with know that. Even my lecturers have said that they're scared of me. I hope they mean that they respect me, because that's what's important at the end of the day. To have the respect of your peers & your crew is something that I think is hard to have, but once you do, difficult to shake.
We didn't have actors arriving on time. In some way I think I could have prevented that issue, but in others not, because it wasn't my responsibility to get hold of the actors, I'd delegated that to the other PA. I hope as well that I kept people happy and motivated on shoot, because at the end of a long day, the last thing you want to do is go for Another take.

I'm creating films:
Milk
A 5 minute drama surrounding the brief "Secrets & Lies". We created this idea in an hour yesterday and I'm really happy about it. It's a solid idea, with a story that we know. And I'm production manager for this piece, so I feel more comfortable in that I'm going to be more in control. I like being in control, & knowing that it's all going to go okay because I've organised it.
It's going to be brilliant.

Procastination is reflective.

End of Empire

End of the first year, a pretty big Enpire I think (why didnt I think of that 3 months ago?!). Anyway, I don't think I have to summarise what I've learnt or anything. If you wanted to know that you're be reading my PDP essay & no-one in their right mind want to do that.

This has been the most amazing year. I know how I work, who I want to work with, & that I want to work, like, work really hard. I work well under pressure.

I cannot wait until next year, & get my teeth into more projects with bigger scales & bigger potential - even if it's potential for disaster. It makes it all the more exciting.

Timeout

This heading has two meanings today.
The first is that I am totally exhausted, and the bad thing is, is that I have nothing against the other guys in my group. Dave, Joe & Kieran have worked through the night to get the website up & running and get the videos either encoded for the website in a small enough format, or in the right format for the DVD for submission. I was sent in for moral support, but after six hours of staring at a computer screen, knowing that you can't do anything to help is something of a dampener on spirits after a while.
The second meaning, is a somewhat bitter attack on the Interactive Media Students that are in my group. Although I get on with the guys really well, I feel they left the website to too late. It meant that they had to work throughout the night to finish putting it together, when in all fairness it could have been done a few days ago. I understand that we had to wait for the videos, but that's a small part of everything that had to be done. I was at a complete loss because I couldn't help in any way. The thing is, they knew they hadn't worked hard enough in advance, which didn't make me angry, just disappointed. Not only because they were willing to jeopardise their own marks, but the rest of the groups'.
I'm also a little peeved with some of the other members of the group who haven't paid any interest in what's going on work-wise with the project. I'm fed up with caring when not everyone does. Three people in the group haven't been in contact in over a week. One I bumped into today by mistake & she seemed only mildly intrested in what was going on. And I'm not even the one who's been doing the most work. I feel the most utter respect & everything to Dave who has worked tirelessly on this project. He's been editing the films, directed them, & acted in them too, as well as being production manager at the start of the project. Out of everyone I know on this course, he deserves a first.

Side-stepping that slightly, I've already done both the PDP assignment & the production analysis, which leaves me with just the peer assessments to do. These will be hard, becuase I've seen different levels of work at different times of the project.
I never thought I'd say this, but I want this year to be over.

This is my individual 'ugly' piece.
It's not quite finished yet, but it's pretty funny anyway.
Enjoy.

The Beginning of the End of Empire

It is now a week since we began shooting for our Summer Project piece. After about 70 million ideas, each one completely unrelated from the last, we finally settled on one.

Monosexuality

Odd? You don't say ("No, I do!"). Anyway. Basically we arrived at yet another group meeting to discover a gem of a script that one of our guys had bashed out in one night after Dave just randomly dropped the word "monosexuality" into conversation. Funny how one word can lead to the end of an empire.
"How is this ending an empire?" I hear you ask. Well, monosexuality is when you love yourself to the extent that you clone yourself so you can have a relationship with yourself. This will eventually mean that everyone will realise how great it is to be in love with yourself & no more children will be born because everyone is homosexual in a monosexual way; thus the end of empire. I even put our definition on Wikipedia but unfortunately it didn't last the night...

Okay, so work-wise it's been tough. Like I said in my last entry I was a bit at the end of my tether last week. I was working what felt like non-stop from Monday 'til Saturday. I managed to sort out the mannequin - Britney, and the lab location. Little things like reminding Dave - who directed the piece - what he had to bring, what I had to bring, who we had to text, & other such things. I kinda took over the role of Production Manager whilst Dave got on & was all direct-y. Like we've worked out, I'm the organised one, & he's the creative one. We make a good team. I'm happy with the knowledge that I've put a lot of effort into this project, & have pulled my weight to help make the piece what it is.

The Friday and Sunday shoot was exhausting, but it was all good fun. I was really proud of our group & how we worked together. Sarah & I took turns on doing the camera & sound, but when we got bored Kiz & Joe were there to help too. Joe was an amazing dogs-body & gave us so much help on all of shoot days. Kiz & he also started coming out with loads of creative suggestions which were really useful. After looking at a monitor screen for 4 hours straight you seem to lose a sense of perspective & criticism which the boys brought back. Also, having the script-writers on set meant that we could ask them about how they wanted thing to be said, the weighting of words, & even suggestions for stage directions.
Dave, Alex, & Vic were amazing actors in it. Joe & Dan made amazing lab assistants, & so many of our crew & friends were hysterical in our fake protest, fighting for Justice for Monosexuals ("I'm in Love with a Beautiful Me!").

I'm in awe of Dave's persistence & skills in the editing protest, as he's put so much effort into it. The piece is beginning to take real shape & is looking wicked. Kiz has made some hilarious fake film posters a la Shatwick Productions on photo shop, & Joe is making some brill flash animation and building the majority of the website form what I can gather...


Anyway.
Ugly

So I've currently got my kit out this weekend, but have it for a ridiculously long time, so am sharing it with Dave. Seeing as he lives at my house we can help each other out. And it saves him filling out forms (which he hates). I've changed my idea again, this morning of all days, but I prefer it to the other six or seven ideas I've fallen in love with previously. And I've started filming it so it's really gogogo. I'm trying to do as much of it myself & not get much help from other people because I really want to set myself a challenge. Really push myself for the last time this year.


I think I'm going to apply for the Ryerson exchange too, which means that I've got to buckle down & write that application as well as my PAL & reflective essay. I'm planning on getting everything done by the end of next week so we can really polish up our presentation of our Summer Project & really push for that place on the Channel 4 site. Also, it'll mean that I can relax a bit! This has been the busiest and hardest term so far. But it's also been the most rewarding.

Today, I am Drained.
I feel like I've been working non-stop since Monday.
I feel like i'm contstantly on the phone, or searching thing on the internet, or e-mailing people.
I feel like I've been scribbling down lists & ideas & prop lists & locations & 'to-do's' forever.

Cannot wait to shoot & see the fruit of my labour in motion.

Summer Project

Has so far consisted of about 7 different ideas. It's tiring and has meant that I've lost my drive because there's never one thing to focus on.
Today we had both out IMP guys missing, which is a huge let down because none of us can create the website, & we're relying on them. It's a shame when people let you down.
But we're really cracking on. Are well on the way to get a Sunshine. Attempting to get a location. And thinking about actors.
We're shooting in a week.

And I booked out my Ugly project kit. Which means I have to film it. Ah!

Summer Project

"End of Empire". Very challenging brief, but I think it'll be a good one.
I can't wait :)

Our finall assessed piece for the audiences unit.

"From The Top"

Essay Attack! (Again)

Okay so the time has come to write about how I'm tackling with my contextual assignment. However, in all honesty, I'm not finding this essay too hard. I found this unit really interesting, and as a result it's made writing the essay all-the-more fun (yes, I said an essay was "fun) to write. I've done all my research to save me wading through mountains of material so all I have to do is turn to the right page and pick out my pre-found quotes.
Smart huh?
And I got the best night's sleep ever last night. Here's to closure.

"We're WELL Metrosexual"

Today I was in the studio working with the MA students for the final time on their 'MSX' programme. There was a lot to fit into the day, however this didn't stop the production from stopping for long periods of time between, sometimes not even shoots but just rehearsals.
There was a lot of time-wasting going on, & as a result my fellow BATV students got a little peeved, as we're so used to the quick pace & greater efficiency of our studio days. Jonathan Aukland also provided some light entertainment, simply because I knew he was burning up inside but was too composed to let it show. He too was getting the fidgets.
But there were good guests, & a hilarious host (our liability). An interesting set & a talented & dedicated crew.
Not too much of a pain to be a pleasure.
Until next year...

End of an Era

So, yesterday was our final shoot as a group & a memorable one. We filmed young Patrick Thompson in his boulder climbing competition. We were praying that he would come first otherwise it would give a somewhat bitter end to our documentary. However, our prayers were answered & he came first by 10 points. And he's the nicest 9 year old I know. SO polite, and really helped us out with everything.
I'm really going to miss my group.

MA Shoot

Ok so I agreed to helping an MA group in filming their practical piece: "MSX" about metrosexual males. I arrived at Uni at 8:50, booked the kit out, checked it all the way we were taught. But then had to sit around for two hours whilst the group went & got a rental car for the day. That was a big waste of time.
Eventually loaded the kit & crew into the car & headed off to Sandbanks for our first location. It was ok, but I think that Chris didn't quite have his priorities right after he actively went after an ice-cream instead of thinking about getting the shots done.
Second location was a men's salon. They were very helpful but the MA student working with us hadn't prepared anything & as a result asked the most ridiculous questions that weren't useful in any way to their topic. We then had to wait around for about 45 minutes for another client, & when we had got some footage of that I had to be the one to push the decision of whether we were going to stay for more footage or leave.
BarSO for the Runway Fashion Show which was another good filming experience. Definitely the most cramped we had been all day & having to work around other camera crews & photographers. But the music was good, & some of the "fashion" looked good on the models.
We then got a further two interviews after the show with a designer & with two of the models. It was hard going getting good quality sound in the first with squealing girls in the background, but I think the designer wasn't too enthusiastic in the first place. Although I think we secured the two models for our studio shoot which is a definite plus.
After BarSO we went to 60 Million Postcards where I think we realised that people were reaching the end of their tether & a lot of make nice* & calming words were necessary. Then onto The Landmarc where they had an amazing beep-box/MC gig on that I would have stayed for if I wasn't absolutely exhausted from working all day.
Eventually got home & packed all the kit up correctly to be picked up the next day.

What did I learn from yesterday? How I do not want to run my productions. I know that the MA students I was working with had a big assignment on on top of organising this, but it takes an hour max a day, over a period of two weeks to organise a shoot such as this with four or five locations. Many of these locations were only secured on the day & I would never feel comfortable about going into a production being so unsure of so many elements of it. I mean, crew was only secured on the Tuesday... It was definitely a lesson learnt from this shoot, & an experience. I can't wait to get into the studio on the 22nd.

This is our non-assessed documentary piece.

Today I (finally) got back the results of my essay - 63%. Which I'm really pleased with. However as a group we got 56 for our assessed narratives piece, which I'm not so happy about. But the comments were fair so here's to hoping we can improve for the last piece...

Yesterday we shot our small documentary piece on an instructor at the Hot Rocks climbing wall in the sports centre. Not expecting much I was planning on getting the group & kit there then leave to do some work. However, the guy we were interviewing, as well as being quite good looking was giving us some really good & interesting material. And they were really good climbers.
Then later on a nine year old kid came along & was free-style climbing the walls - no ropes or anything. It was amazing.
Assessed idea? I think so.
I love my group :)

We have a shoot on Friday, so, as production manager I went to book the kit out today. I had a really good chat with he girl behind the support group desk. Not about anything in particular. We talked about Wacky Races, & James Bond, & playing roulette.
The I went to hunt down Lizzie to get her to sign our forms & we ended up having a really good chat about the course, my friends, my seminar group, , my production group, about other people on the course, & about changing groups next year. And other random things, like juggling with cameras mounted in balls, & interviews.
I told her about how I came to my interview in my anti-fit jeans (covered in holes) & my Dad's over-sized cardigan. Not so I could look like a tramp (although in all fairness I probably did), but because I didn't want to pretend to be someone I'm not. I don't usually go walking around in a suit with a briefcase, so why should I come to my interview in one? I wanted to be myself, because if B'mouth were going to accept me (which they did, thank Christ for that), they were going to take me as me.

I've been saying this recently to a few people, that there's no point pretending to be someone you're not to try & get people to like you. Mainly because you, as in whoever is reading this, are so much better than the person you're trying to win over. You should never have to change to make friends because I have no doubt that you are loved enough already. If, however, you take this route, it's only a matter of time before that person realises that you're not who you attempted to be & will split away. Rendering the whole thing useless.
Be yourself. Yourself is beautiful enough.

Yesterday I had the most amazing studio day.
it went really well, and we get on so well with eachother.
I loved it, and I love my seminar group.
I love studio!

Okay, so this is Monday, & I'm still tackling my essay. In all honesty I could have done it easily over the weekend but with coming home from work I'm never as switched on as I could have been.
So, today is the day! Word count is 848 at the moment & I'm planning on getting another thousand done by this evening so I can go the the pyjama party and celebrate getting our house for next year.
Here's to typing fingers.

Dr Who

Here is our narratives assessed piece. Enjoy!

PHOTOS

Okay, instead of all of us uploading photos all over the shop I've set up a photobucket account.
Just log on and upload any photos you like in different folders or whatever.

USERNAME: BATV06
PASSWORD: batv06

Enjoy!

Today I edited our group narratives assessed piece.
It was good for me, because it taught me that I was actually alright at editing, & therefore my previous fears were unnecessary.
It took eight hours.
It was very trying. Possibly the worst location to film on sound-wise. But challenging... definately challenging...
Chris was supportive. I appreciated it.
It looks hot.

So today we shot our assessed piece in the coldest place in the whole of Bournemouth - Bournemouth Aviation Museum.
I think it went quite well, but we'll see next week when I get into the editing studio (I'm editing! how exciting!).
I also think that we worked well together today trying to keep each other's spirits up & all in the freezing cold. Chris actually put in a really really good effort, which I really appreciated. He made pizza, & even bought little hand warmers (luke-warm hand warmers). He did well to keep himself to himself.
I had a good laugh as always.
Really can't wait until the studio day tomorrow :-)

A bit of a Bugger Up

Today we've been informed that we won't be able to use the beautiful museum we thought we had permission for. However, we happen to have a backup, so hopefully all's well...
Anyway.
Today I got books out of the library. I know it sounds sad, but it always makes me feel quite clever. It's like strawberry picking (I know, odd analogy, but run with me on this...). When you go picking you always try to find the biggest juiciest strawberries that are going to taste the best. So when you go hunting down books for your essay you're doing the same - trying to find books that are going to be good for you. Beef your essay up with nutritious facts.
I'm looking forward to this essay. I'm really looking forward to studio day. And editing our assessed piece :-)

This is the link to our non-assessed piece "3/4"
Enjoy

Ok, so I've been back at Uni now for nearly a week, and have fallen into the old routines (and old habits) that I created for myself before going home. However, I have felt a change in the way I'm working already. I buckling down more. I know there's not much to do at the moment, but I'm thinking ahead and getting into everything the way I should have started doing last term.
It's comforting to think that I'm doing some work actually...