After Monday’s class, I borrowed the Sony EX3 and tripod to complete my Individual Exercise at home. I decided that I would mess around with the equipment on Monday night. This would allow me to be more comfortable during my Tuesday morning shoot, as my skills would be somewhat refined.

After completing the task, I realised I had a lot of problems with my work; not with the observation itself, but rather the technique behind it. I could identify the problems (focus, exposure) but didn’t know how to fix them. That was until Thursday’s class, when Robin pointed out the importance of putting everything on the camera back to default before you use it. I realised that for my project, a lot of my settings were configured by the previous camera holder. And those small settings can have a landslide effect. A simple mistake, but one I will (hopefully) never make again.

Overall I’m happy with my written observations and can visualise them in a cinematic capacity. It’s just about getting the basics right, though.

I’ve noticed that every time I get bored I either beatbox (softly) or play hand drums. Like I can’t even help it. In a way it’s become instinct. So if you see and/or hear that from me, hopefully you’ll realise that it’s your fault.

My first ever delivery as a delivery driver was the first time I realised that the customer is not “always right”. I arrived at the the customer’s house 5 minutes late. I knock, he opens the door. Male, 50-something, raggedy looking. “Sorry about the wait” I tell him. He smiles, points at the pizza, and begins his schtick, “Oh, what? That’s for me?” he says with this cringeworthy faux surprise, flamboyantly waving his arms in the process. “Yes, sorry, we’re really busy at the moment” I reply. He smiles, looks me right in the eyes and says “I don’t give a fuck”, but his delivery comes off more contrived than intimidating. He doesn’t accept the pizza, finishes his performance with a “fuck off” and slams the door on my face. Now, correct me if I’m wrong here, but to me, I should have told him to go fuck himself and proceed to smear the pizza on his window. Hey, maybe I’m unprofessional. Or maybe, we should just live in an honest society.

The moment Robin told us in our first studio to dedicate 30 minutes to writing an observation was at first daunting. Gradually the task became easier as I began to understand that there was no formula; there are ways to write an observation, but not a single way.

It was during the Wednesday session that I realised I selected the right studio. Robin’s teaching methods are the type I can respond to; he is more of a guider than an instructor. The class wasn’t about learning how to use a Sony EX-3, it was about creating a relationship with it.

Wednesday’s session was also the moment I realised the true genius of the Lumiere brothers; I had seen their work before but now can appreciate the artistry behind it.

I declare that in submitting all work for this assessment I have read, understood and agree to the content and expectations of the assessment declaration.

The only time I feel truly aware is at my friend’s shack in Colac. No electricity means no distractions. All there is to do is to sit next to the fireplace, drink whiskey, take in the lush surroundings, and think with a clear mind. During these moments I tend to imagine a bygone era where things weren’t as accessible and convenient, and conclude that I would have preferred to be a part of it.

Heat is intolerable. I wear layers of clothing not because I want to achieve warmth, but because I don’t want to be cold. Why did I choose to wear so many layers today? I have to take one off. But the room is dead silent and I’ll have to assess the right time to do it. I need a window of opportunity. An actual open window would be great right now, not the metaphorical kind. Maybe I could just roll my sleeves up and rest my forearms on the cold part of my laptop. I think that’s a fair compromise, but then again, it’s a temporary solution to an increasingly serious problem.