In our second class we had to shoot a scene without post production. We were given a paragraph and were to shoot and edit in camera. It sounds easy but it is actually pretty tough and an eye opener when we are actually doing it. This exercise taught us how to actually plan our shoot; where to put the camera and when we should cut it before we move to the next frame.
Our location was in building 9, level 3, room 14. First we had to adjust the blinds- to make sure the lighting was good and then the choreography of our subject’s movements- where the person is going to walk and where he would stop. Since we were limited with 5 shots, we have to plan the dialogs and the blocking properly before we start shooting it. I did learn a lot from this exercise especially when it comes to blocking; two characters are sitting down and one will be moving/passing by them and then comes back.
I think my epiphany of the week would be planning the shots. Planning on what to do before going into production is SUPER essential. Make a storyboard or have a shot list. Time is not on our side. Having that preparation doesn’t mean we have to stick to it, but it can possibly inspire new ideas during production without wasting some time.