Documentary - Workshops

I was unable to attend a handful of the workshops for this unit due to COVID and personal circumstances. However, I still managed to apply some of the practices that were taught in the workshops that I missed when creating our documentary, as well as those that I managed to attend (Sync assembly and After Effects)

LED Lighting Workshop:

I had used LED lighting during my previous unit to create different ‘looks’ and explored the use of coloured lighting to create strong expressionistic styles and softer white and warm hues for more naturalistic approaches. When it came to shooting our final documentary, we had an LED kit with us but were incredibly fortunate to have a consistent natural light in the areas that we were filming. I would be confident in using lights in scripted work for stationary shots, but I identify that it’s an area that requires me to further develop my knowledge. Using lights while moving and how best to use lights when shooting for a Documentary format- again, specifically when the scenario is not taking place in a stationary position is something that I’m currently unaware of.

 

An example of a 'Rembrandt' lighting setup

Actuality and Sequencing:

I had the opportunity to film some actuality during our tour of the Brewery, capturing footage largely in a fly on the wall, observational approach. I had missed the chance to create any sequence for the filming due to illness, so made sure to focus on getting as much coverage as possible to help develop the basic narrative that I was aware of. It was interesting to be in an environment where you had to maintain a permanent focus, knowing that you might only have one chance of getting the shot that you want. I found it exciting to be engaged in non-scripted filming and be unaware of where the next interesting subject might appear. It also encouraged inquisitiveness, asking questions and being present in the environment to capture engaging footage. It was also a great opportunity to speak to our contributor Rupert and try and build a rapport when there’s very little time to turn around the work. It allowed me to improve on my communication and also gave me confidence when approaching contributors with direction i.e. Asking Rupert to test a beer, and to hold it up to the light. Simple requests that make for effective editing options.

Sync assembly:

The Sync Assembly workshop was hugely beneficial to learn during this unit and improved the speed of my editing ability substantially when looking to create a rough cut. Although we did not have a final script or transcript for our documentary, being aware of the simplistic nature of refining clips down to present the essential information and getting it into sequence was really helpful in creating the final edit and made for a much more time-efficient way of managing the workload. Keyboard shortcuts become ingrained in my practice once learned, meaning that I will continue to work in this way from hereon.

After Effects:

I found the After Effects workshop difficult to get my head around. The software was difficult to navigate and small changes felt as though they required considerably more effort than the payoff.

I have used other design and animation software that felt more organic, although these were for illustrative purposes, so I found the transition into a ‘point and click’ format a difficult one to make. However, after viewing some of the work that others in my group have made, specifically in the final edit of our documentary, I am interested in further developing my knowledge of using After Effects and improving my ability.