Major Project link Neutralised: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaKMb3CekaU
Neutralised was one of the first projects I had the opportunity to make at university which involved a detailed pre-production, film shoot, and editing process. During the making of this documentary, I not only had the opportunity to experiment with new equipment, but also understand the importance of collaboration between a creative team. Neutralised was a project targeted to showcase the struggles of making a living in the arts from the perspective of young talents. Therefore, we aimed to share the project to both younger and mature audiences, where the younger could relate, and the older could be educated about these experiences. As young filmmakers, we felt as a crew that we could relate to this story (being a part of the arts industry), so we felt that this project appropriately shared a meaningful message of youthful ambition and creativity. In Bill Nichols’ Introduction to documentary, he explains how ‘every viewer comes to a film with perspective and motives based on previous experience’ (Pg.70). We aimed to grasp both outside perspectives from the arts, and perspectives that relate to the arts industry in our project.
During the pre-production phase, and ultimately during filming, I discovered the true importance of the role of the producer. This was something that I learnt simply by working with Zara hands-on whilst planning the shoots. Having a producer made it much easier for me and the cinematographer Sienna to have a clear allocated time to organize our equipment and gain a clear understanding of the shot list. I was initially unaware of how many details were involved in organizing a shoot, such as booking locations, equipment and other small details like rules regarding shooting on public property, etc. These were all considerations that are very realistic when working in the film industry, so I felt the experience we gained while planning this film would prepare us well for being involved in a future film project. Having sufficient allocated time to set up equipment on set was critical for me and Sienna, because we wanted to ensure that all camera settings were the same, shots were nicely lit, and in focus before shooting a long interview. Getting test footage also was important for allowing a smooth shooting process later. The first test shots (filmed a week prior) were very shaky and slightly under exposed. With some tweaking of camera settings and the choice to shoot with a monopod, the footage of the final project came out clear and steady. The only minor error that was discovered during editing, was that the two cameras were shooting on slightly different white balances, therefore one picture appeared duller. Although this could be improved with Premiere-Pro’s colour match feature, it gave a slightly different look between the two-camera angles.
Thanks to Zara creating a realistic shooting schedule over two days, we were able to shoot all the footage we needed in good time, along with allocated time to data wrangle in between shoots. Being able to data wrangle on set proved to save me hours in post-production because all the footage was already organized in their corresponding folders. The extra time also allowed for the crew to collaborate calmly about changing a scene, where originally, we would record a phone call to a gig venue, which was cancelled at the last minute. This was replaced with a meaningful piece-to-camera conversation about how few gigs the band had booked. Because Tess had explained a clear plan for the shoot and the content of the final documentary, we all agreed with a clear mind that this substitute scene would work well in the edit. In terms of the editing phase, Tess was able to clearly outline sections of interviews which she liked, which saved me time having to look through hours of footage. All the while, Tess was open to me adding my own personal flare to the edit, and I felt I had a good creative input in the final stylistic product. I do not regret shooting an excess of B-roll, as this proved extremely important in covering up audio cuts and allowed the edit to roll along smoothly. The choice of having two cameras running simultaneously was also a good decision by our crew, as I was able to cut out sections of the interview seamlessly by using a camera change.
The most problematic aspect of the editing was with colour grading, where lots of time was spent matching colours. The interview environments were quite different throughout the shoot; therefore, it required some creative decisions to decide on an overall colour palette, which ended up being slightly warmly tinted. Being able to edit a mock documentary sketch inspired by the documentaries screened in class a few weeks earlier was very helpful in understanding the tropes of documentary filmmaking, specifically the expository mode, which ‘Includes footage that supports and strengthens the spoken argument of the film’ (Masterclass, 2021) such as B-roll. Often a challenge in the edit was deciding what shots should run on and what shots should be cut short. This was a dilemma presented with our short 5-minute time frame.
If I had the opportunity to remake this project, I would extend the experiences of the band members on organizing venues and include some more raw emotions of their struggles. We discovered just weeks after the shoot, the band decided to go their separate ways, which came as a shock to the crew because this was not evident in any of the interviews. I think it would have been interesting to further explore the tensions in the band and how passion can create creative differences.
I believe our documentary created a pathway for the audience to pursue their passions, yet at the same time, understand the realties in a level-headed but optimistic way. Older viewers may assume Victoria has a well-funded Arts industry, but our documentary aims to remove the rose-colored glasses of this conversation, and showcase real, raw talent. It aims to visualize their uphill mission to succeed. The project allowed me to discover technically the process of creating and shortening an edit. Being open to changes is an important mindset to have and is something that I learnt whilst collaborating with Tess and the crew. In addition to this, I learnt that working on a set is embedded with teamwork, and I think this lesson could only be learnt by being there in person, not just by researching. When working on set, Filmmaker Evan Luzi mentions to ‘Ask questions but remember the answers’ (2010). There is a lot to remember when working on a set, so it would help next time having some handwritten notes, alongside the relevant shot list paperwork.
I hope that Neutralised is able convey a realistic experience of amateur creators in the arts, whilst presenting an artistic rendition of Neutraliser’s work. The film aims to inspire one to follow their passion, but with caution and resilience. I thank my crew for their input of ideas in helping me learn, as well as accepting many of my choices presented in the final product.
Bibliography:
Luzi, E. (2010). 10 Keys to Your Success on a Film Set | The Black and Blue. [online] The Black and Blue. Available at: https://www.theblackandblue.com/2010/04/20/helpful-advice-for-working-on-a-film-set/ [Accessed 25 Oct. 2024].
MasterClass. (2020). Film 101: Understanding Expository Documentary Mode – 2024 – MasterClass. [online] Available at: https://www.masterclass.com/articles/understanding-expository-documentary-mode [Accessed 25 Oct. 2024].
Nichols, Bill. Introduction to Documentary, Third Edition, Indiana University Press, 2017. ProQuest Ebook Central, <https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/RMIT/detail.action?docID=4813367.> [Accessed 25 October, 2024].