In response to the previous post detailing the second day of filming, we encountered a major problem on the third day. Our teacher suggested that we write a separate post outlining how this issue impacted the production, how we resolved it, and the outcomes.
When we first started planning the film’s opening, we thought the first scene would take place at a club or house party. This was done to visually convey Ivy’s sense of isolation and loneliness. Because it was the only scene with vivid colors and neon highlights to depict Ivy’s attempts to lead a regular life after her background, this scene was also visually significant. However, a lot of extras were needed to make this scene realistic. In order to properly position our camera, we also required someone who had an island in their kitchen and was willing to let a large group of people use their home. Unfortunately, we were unable to find an appropriate location with all the necessary features or enough extras to be included in our scene. This caused a significant setback for our production in terms of postponing the call sheet, the shot list, the script, the location, the clothes, and the filming hours. In light of this, we made the decision to take our time writing this post in order to organize and revise anything that didn’t match our narrative.
Narrative
After some discussion, we changed the story line so that Ivy would meet her friend in a pub instead of a party. In the updated version, Ivy opens her eyes and hears muffled sounds, suggesting that she is upset or lost in thought. In front of her, her friend shakes her shoulder and asks whether she’s alright. Despite appearing bored and indifferent, Ivy claims to be well and listens to her friend in regards to her partner. When Ivy turns around, Finn is sitting behind her, wearing a white outfit with angelic wings, and he is not staring at her. Finn’s outfit appears to stand out more in contrast with the surroundings, making the significance of his wings more evident, and this moment sticks out more because the scene is calmer. The sound of a heartbeat in the background causes Ivy to turn back, frightened, but she chooses to look him in the eye. This is followed by a scene of intense eye contact, and the scenario concludes with her reaction.
Our casting was affected by the change as well. We simply needed a friend for Ivy, therefore we didn’t need many extras anymore. In order to make this scene easier to put together and more predictable during filming, we invited Mara’s best friend, Stefi, to play Ivy’s friend.
Sound
This change also had an impact on how we planned our sound design. We had to add more sound effects such as the muffled dialogue, the ear ringing sound, the heartbeat sound and the sound bridge to the next scene (the field). We also needed to change the song playing in the background since a loud, upbeat song was no longer appropriate. We additionally needed more diegetic sounds such as the sound of cutlery and sound of general conversation from the pub.
Shot list
Additionally, we had to modify our shot list entirely. Instead of using wide angles to show the party and isolate Ivy, we concentrated on medium close-ups, over-the-shoulder shots, and close-ups. This helped us in drawing the audience’s attention to character expressions, particularly Ivy’s anxiety and confusion, and to emphasize the significance of Finn’s presence. Moreover, controlling the camera work and framing became easier due to the smaller location, which improved the final result. For this we created a new revised shot list.
Location
Filming at an actual pub posed several logistical problems that required careful planning. Due to the limited space, we had to be careful where we positioned the camera, actors, and equipment to avoid making the scene appear packed or blocking movement. We also had to deal with the lightning that was already there in the pub, which made it difficult for us to move or add more lighting. Even a quiet establishment has distracting noises that make it difficult to hear and fully understand the dialogue, so background noise was another issue. In addition, we had to accommodate the bar’s schedule and respect its policies, which included being careful when handling the equipment and furniture. These issues made filming more difficult than it had been in the past, but using a genuine setting instead of a constructed set made the film opening more realistic and believable.
Script
We rethought and rewrote the first part of the script. Mara did this using the draft of the script that she already had on her computer, from the old script. Considering we just needed to change the first scene and the location, this was what the final changes made the script look like:
Leave a Reply