Workflow

Using P2 means that my PowerBook using Final Cut Pro 5.1.4 is rendered useless.... the spec just isn't up to handling that amount of data. So I'm importing it into FCP 6.0.4 upon a new generation iMac... it handles it adequately enough, and I'll hopefully get a new generation MacBook from our production company next week, which handled P2 effortlessly upon the 72 project.

I'm then exporting lower resolution edits to drop into Abaltat to generate soundtracks. This is proving to be a little tricky, as I have to export scenes one by one and then stick them together seamlessly back in the edit. On my test material this works okay, but it will be interesting to see how this works in the final thing. Most melodies are operating on a minimalist structure around the key of C, so they should be fine...

Testing

John and I spent a few evenings shooting scenes on various different cameras and settings before starting out. This was a matter of lots of discussion, as we had lots of elements to consider. Firstly, as much of the film will take place in low light, we immediately ruled out the cameras with CMOS sensors as opposed to CCD technology. 

Our second consideration was resolution. The SD/HD divide is very well documented, but this project really reignited the advantages and disadvantages in the formats. Put simply, the approach that John and I are taking to filming, combined with the non-actors, means there is going to be a high shooting ratio. With a 16GB P2 card limiting us to 17 mins of full HD, we have to find ways to get the footage rotated. This is not overly critical as we have access to plenty of P2 cards, but it is also a problem when looking at the transfer into post. Traditionally I have very bad habits at editing, which is that I digitise everything onto a hard drive and sift through material in the editing programme. With P2 that is an incredibly large amount of data to import, especially if we don't need it all. So this bridge will have to be crossed at some stage.

The option not to film with DV was because I felt it would limit the film's potential at festivals and future screenings. Whilst it would inevitably have made many other things simple, it just doesn't offer us enough scope to do big things with it once it is completed. Perhaps documentaries can still exploit the SD format much further, but I think the expectation for drama is that it should be as higher resolution as possible nowadays. Maybe that is just me...

The other consideration is camera size. We shot 'Watching & Waiting' on the AG-HPX500, which we were very happy with. However, this time around we opted for the AG-HVX200, as it is more portable and John doesn't have an assistant this time around! It obviously has a fixed lens, but we were happy with it during testing and decided that all things considered, it is the right camera for the job.

Abaltat

A further area for experimentation upon this project will be the sound. Firstly, I intend to mix the sound in 5.1, a process which I had not undergone throughout an entire feature. I will be largely recording all sound seperate from the camera and placing it in throughout the mixing stage of the project.

Secondly, I will explore a new software package called Muse, created by Abaltat. This programme looks at the picture information and generates music to accompany it. I am particularly interested at this area of the project as I think it is the pinnacle of experimentation within what is already a very experimental project.

Actors

I mentioned earlier that part of my experimental approach with this project is to work with non-actors. I was inspired by various different filmmakers but quite specifically by John Bradburn's experiences when making his film "Kyle".

I decided not to work with absolute strangers as it is difficult to get commitment sometimes upon this kind of project, so I opted to work with my friends Eeva Rautio and Raul Camacho Marquez. I felt that the two of them have expressive faces with great smiles that are infectious.

As I mentioned before, I am not going to show them the entire story plan. I intend to film scenes independently and talk them through each scene in turn, building up a larger picture within post. This is far removed from my usual approach of scripting a feature in great detail, so I am fascinated to see how it turns out and want implications it creates.

I'll be honest that the combination of working with non actors and without a formalised script is incredibly daunting for me. I'm excited about the possibilities but it is certainly an approach to filmmaking that removes the safety barrier and means that you constantly live with doubt has to how the final thing will turn out.

Developing story

One of the best things about working in an academic environment is that it has exposed me to other filmmakers and we discuss our approaches to work and indeed help on one another's films.

One such person is John Bradburn. We met whilst teaching upon the BSc in Film Technology at Staffordshire University and we quickly shared our experiences upon filmmaking. It was his approach to making "Kyle" that inspired me to do something similar with "Rosie".

The plan is to act with non actors and without a formal script. There is no dialogue, as I am fascinated to test my ability to tell a story through images. These are the limitations that I have set ourselves. I find that I can create far more effectively within the parameters of a limitation.

This is the second time that John and I are working together in a director/cinematography relationship. We previously shot "Watching & Waiting" in 72 hours at the Galway Film Fleadh, where time was the limitation. Upon this project we have all the time we want.

Like the 72 project, John and I began drafting story ideas together in the pub, although this time in wasn't as stressful. We simply start by writing 1-50 on a piece of paper and seek to write 50 potential two minute scenes. It worked when creating a template for 72 so we will use it again this time around.

I won't go too much into the plot here, for reasons I will explain later!

The Genesis

The idea for Rosie began whilst Gabby Morton Jones and I were filming a series of short documentaries for Channel Four called "Nightshift". We were not initially very happy with the films and I always wanted to revisit the topic of people who work whilst the world sleeps, and the stories that surround them.

This blog will be dedicated to the production process that I take whilst developing the film.