Work attachment with ‘Rio Grande Pictures’
Throughout February 2015 I completed my work attachment with ‘Rio Grande’ pictures (http://riograndepictures.com/about/). I was lucky enough to receive this work attachment through one of my past tutors, James Thompson, who was directing the film. I mentioned that I would be interested in helping out and from there I went to an event to raise money for the film where James said that he would like to have me on board with the production of it. This was really exciting for me as I had never worked on a proper set before and was looking forward to seeing exactly how everything worked together. At this point in my media degree, I knew a lot about filming, I had made my own short films but I had never worked for someone else in a professional way.
My role within the production of the short film, ‘MOTEL’, was to do the continuity. I was paired with a past RMIT graduate, Michael Johnston, who had worked on continuity before so I felt comfortable knowing that he would be able to guide me through the first day on set. The producer, Imogen Thomas, assured me that if I needed any help she was there. James was also incredibly helpful in giving me tips and advice on how to do my job. They helped create a relaxed environment on set which allowed for everyone to be able to communicate effectively without being stressed or overwhelmed. I was given a monitor to watch in a separate room to where they were shooting and if I noticed that anything was wrong or out of place, I was required to let the director and actors know. This was challenging as I had to be confident in what I was telling the actors without becoming disruptive to the production.
Overall, I particularly admired the way in which James worked with his actors and the crew. I noticed that no one ever felt neglected or afraid to ask questions. He made sure that he delegated his time equally between working with the crew and actors, making sure that everyone was happy and knew what they were doing. From seeing the way James worked, I have noted the skills needed to stay calm and communicate effectively on set. I would like to adopt this into my style of directing when the time comes for me to work on my own projects.
Within my role doing continuity I had to make sure that the set and actors were visually the same and continuous in comparison to the shots preceding and following. At the start I was just taking note of everything in my head and trying to remember how it looked. However, I realised that taking photos and videos of the setting and actors was actually a better and more efficient way of achieving the best continuity. I found the job of continuity a little daunting as I really didn’t want anything to be out of place- I can’t stand seeing continuity issues when I’m watching a film! In order to stay on top of things, at the start of the day I made sure I knew exactly what scene and shots were being taken. This was so that I could set up the room before the actors and crew were ready to film. I took photos of the actors makeup- I found this a bit challenging as I had to directly communicate with the actors and didn’t want to interrupt their preparations before going on screen.
During the day I was also responsible for logging the shots on set. This meant that I was writing down every take, listening to the James’ comments on the takes and writing down what he said. This log was going to be given to James at the end of filming so that he could refer to it when editing and know which shots he might like to use or the particular shots that he liked at the time. I hadn’t realised how integral logging is as it saves a lot of time during post-production.
In my spare time on set (among logging and doing the continuity) I helped the production crew with setting up food for the actors as well as making sure that everything was running on time. I let the producers know when I thought they would wrap up scene so that we could be prepared for the breaks and keep on track with the daily shooting schedule. I learnt that communication was key to keep everything and everyone on schedule. I noticed that the director can get carried away with shots so it is important that the producer is a constant reminder of the schedule and time frame that needs to be followed in order to make sure that everything is successfully finished in time. The daily schedule often ran later and I couldn’t believe how hard-working and determined the crew and cast were. So much energy went into the day and this was especially motivating to watch.
Work attachment with ‘RES Denim’
I am currently working for a denim company, ‘RES Denim’ (since June 2015), where I have been editing short videos using Adobe Premiere for their Instagram account as well as a editing a longer video which was shown at their product launch party. This attachment has been rewarding as it has allowed me to be experimental with video editing whilst working within constraints and with a style brief. I was introduced to ‘RES Denim’ through a friend who mentioned that they were looking for a video editor. I was super excited by the thought of working for ‘RES’ and quickly let her know that I was interested in the position. I was interviewed the following day and given my first project immediately.
I found the first Instagram video I completed for ‘RES’ more difficult than I had anticipated. I was nervous and due to these nerves I felt as though I had forgotten how to edit altogether. I found myself looking at YouTube videos trying to remind myself how to edit using Adobe Premiere and which shortcuts work best. The 20sec video took me several hours to complete in the end as I found myself being a bit of a perfectionist. I kept doubting my editing and didn’t feel as though it was going to be what they wanted.
After I finally submitted the video, they loved it and this came as a complete relief to me. Reflecting back on this now, I realise that I need to be confident in my editing ability- I can’t be caught up on tiny details that are unnoticeable, I need to look at the project holistically. I also recognised that there are going to be requirements or styles of editing given to me within a brief that I don’t know how to do. This is where it will be necessary for me to do my own research to get myself up to date with the tools and techniques of editing.
I completed a 20min video for my second project at ‘RES’ in which I was required to have finished within two weeks. The graphics manager, Bird, sent me many video clips which they needed me to download and put into the video. What I liked most about this task was that it was my choice as to which sections of video I would edit in and in what order I positioned them. In reflection, I have learnt a lot about myself and what I am capable of doing in a short period of time. I discovered exactly how much time is involved in the editing process of clips (a lot more than I first expected) and I learnt what it is like to work within a time frame.
The experience that I have gained from working for ‘Rio Grande’ and ‘RES Denim’ has been incredibly rewarding. Not only have I had a chance to discover how the production side of film works but I have been able to work to a brief and edit a film according to a required visual style. I have insight into the film world and feel as though I am moving closer to figuring out the type of job I can see myself in. The experience helped me in recognising the importance of effective communication- this means responding to emails promptly and not being afraid to speak up or ask questions.
I have ultimately realised that by placing myself within the workplace I gain a broader and more in depth understanding of how the media industry works. I discovered that marketing for companies through videos such as the work I did for ‘RES Denim’ takes my interest the most and is a company that I can see myself working at in the future. A key point I learnt from the experience was that I need to stop doubting myself and be more confident in what I am doing.
Through working at ‘Rio Grande’ as well as ‘RES Denim’ I have reached over the required amount of 80 hours for my work attachment. I am hoping to continue my work with ‘RES’ to further improve my editing skills and knowledge of the media industry.
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