1) 5 Minutes Until Midnight

2) Group 4 – Production Documentation Folder 

3) Weekly Reflections Week 4 – Week 6:

REFLECTION – WEEK 4

With our pre-production underway, I am eager to begin work on our chosen script, 8 Minutes Until Midnight, written by one of our group members. I was assigned the roles of 1st AD and Production Manager, which initially made me feel uncertain, as I realized these roles are more administrative and offer less creative input. However, wanting to ensure our production ran smoothly, I created a Word document, titled 8MUM, to keep all our documentation, ideas, notes, and progress easily accessible. This document has been really helpful so far in promoting organisation and collaboration in our group.

I have enjoyed maintaining the organisation of our materials, however, I found it challenging to understand the boundaries of my creative input. To contribute to our project creatively while keeping the organisational responsibilities of my role, I took charge of the creation of our Pitch Deck’s Canva slides, as well as the character development and casting reference for Zac. I aimed to ensure Zac was portrayed as a nuanced and authentic character and really enjoyed reflecting on actors to use as casting inspiration to understand better how Zac would be portrayed. Additionally, I initially worked on the comparable films section, focusing on titles that mirrored key elements of 8 Minutes Until Midnight, such as flashbacks, reflection, and intimate, single-location settings. Reviewing the second draft of our script inspired me to consider how films with similar themes could guide our approach to capturing the desired tone.

Reflecting on our presentation and feedback from our studio leader, Sebastian, and an industry guest, I recognised the need for deeper group discussions about the overall vision and balance over creative input for the production. The differing perspectives on casting and comps highlighted the importance of aligning our creative direction as a team and would have helped allow me to have a better understanding of the extent of my creative and artistic view on the film compared to my other group members who have the more creative roles.

Although my initial excitement to contribute creatively had to be tempered, I realised that my administrative responsibilities were equally vital. Supporting my group members by sending script references like a chosen comp, Before Sunrise (Linklater 1995), and creating a Pinterest moodboard for our director and cinematographer’s styling vision, makes me feel like I am supporting our group, even if seemingly minor. Much like the overlapping importance of series bibles or lookbooks to creating a well-structured Pitch Deck, I believe the supporting documentation I have provided can help support our production team by conveying the project’s tone and goals (Owczarski 2024: 11).

While it might be a challenge to incorporate my creativity into the artistic side of the film’s production, my responsibilities will ultimately tie into the cohesion of the film’s general creative vision. I look forward to contributing what I can and supporting the crew to ensure we create a project we are all proud of.

REFLECTION – WEEK 5

Reflecting on the two days we spent filming, I found the experience incredibly valuable for learning from my group members and appreciating how their skills aligned so well with their roles. While the production days were rewarding, there were moments when my role felt less central because our group’s director had a clear vision for his script and how he wanted it executed both creatively and structurally. This overlap of tasks and responsibilities I had anticipated handling sometimes made my contributions feel less necessary or significant to the production process.

As Ebbers and Wijnberg point out, First ADs often deal with role ambiguity when the boundaries between roles aren’t clearly defined at the start of a project, leading to either doing too much or too little (2017: 1355). This role ambiguity, combined with the uncertainty around which decisions fell under my responsibilities, was something I deeply related to. I found myself rethinking how I could best support the process and adapt to the team’s needs.

While most of my group focused on the creative vision, I found ways to share my ideas to help make the film feel more authentic. Since I had the chance to step back and observe scenes as they unfolded, I was able to contribute in small but meaningful ways. For example, I suggested adding details like makeup on the table or carelessly placing high heels on the floor to make our set location feel more lived-in by our film’s character. Additionally, I recommended that the actress switch up her accessories and hairstyles to add variety between scenes, which enhanced the film’s realistic feel and helped differentiate the flashback scenes from the NYE scenes. These little touches made me feel more involved and genuinely made the process more enjoyable for me.

Looking back on the two days we spent filming, I can see how we all adapted to our roles and worked together to create something that truly felt like a group effort. We bounced ideas around, suggested different ways to shoot or tweak scenes, and ultimately made a production we could all be proud of and value.

 

REFLECTION – WEEK 6

I loved the post-production process of our film. While I initially thought I wouldn’t have much involvement in the post-production and editing stages, I found myself feeling much more engaged in the contribution to the film and assignment. I had expected my group members, who had key roles in the editing process, to tackle it together between the three of them. However, I appreciated their openness and how receptive they were to the feedback and artistic input from both me and our Production Assistant. The energy in the editing suite across the two editing days was inspiring, and being able to watch the three creative team members collaborate and edit so seamlessly was incredible.

Through the editing process, the creative vision of our director/screenwriter truly took shape, and the film transformed into something beautiful. As J. Connelly and M. Connelly mention, the magic of post-production lies in editing’s ability to ‘control time and space’ while refining the emotional depth of the film through enhancements like adding music (2011: 12-13). Adding music to our film’s ending was a moment that the five of us deeply valued, as we were all able to appreciate how perfectly the music complemented the film’s dramatic conclusion.

Watching the shared knowledge of my group come together to edit the film and bring it to life was invaluable. It also allowed my role as 1st AD to take shape in a way that felt supportive and helpful. Being present during the editing process made it clearer and more straightforward how I could best support the creative roles. They were able to express exactly what they needed from me and our other group member, which helped relieve some of the role ambiguity I had initially struggled with during production. Overall, I am so proud of my team and how much time and energy they put into making this film.

 

References

Connelly J and Connelly M (2011) The Third Division of Production: Post Production. TechTrends, 55(1), 12–14. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-011-0459-y.

Ebbers JJ and Wijnberg NM (2017) Betwixt and between: Role conflict, role ambiguity and role definition in project-based dual-leadership structures. Human Relations (New York), 70(11), 1342–1365. https://doi.org/10.1177/0018726717692852.

Owczarski KA (2024) Pitch Decks, Project Development, and Creative Labor for Contemporary Hollywood TV Series. Journal of Film and Video, 76(3), 5–18. https://doi.org/10.5406/19346018.76.3.02.