WOMAN IN THE MEDIA (Week 7)

Today went amazingly.

I was assigned the role of photographer on the day and stage production. I had to move the chairs and the cityscape to and from the room. It was seriously a hard work out… honestly, it was THAT heavy. But it was all worth it!

I can’t believe how fantastic it was. The panel was great – the conversation was amazing. The guests had such a great conversation and Prani did an amazing job. She really kept the discussion going to make sure everything was on the write track. I am so proud of her – she represented the group perfectly.

Sam created a production manual – which had peoples jobs and the schedule. He was in charge of lighting and he did a sensational job! It was terrific. It looked professional and well thought out.

 

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Mia catered the food – and oh my goodness it was delicious. It was so incredible – she did a great job. The tea break in the middle of the seminar was a great idea and felt really natural. It seemed like everyone was keen to eat the food and continue watching.

The whole group really pulled together for this day. We were such a team and it made me so proud. We all met at around 2:30 and pretty much hung out until it was time to set up. As soon as we could, myself and few others ran to pick up the equipment… I didn’t realize how week I was when I had to carry a chair one block (not even). The team got started on the lights and everything became chaotic – in the best way. Mollie covered the offensive blue chairs in black material – which looks so much better. Mollie showed true leadership – she really kept the group together.

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During lighting set up, myself and a few other girls started making the lolly cups – trying to divide the numerous lollies up well. I then sat in as one of the guest while the lighting was being made so they could get it done correctly.

The seminar begun and I was on photography. I tired to take pictures of the audience watching, and the guests and Prani. It was really great to see how entertained the audience was. I did find myself getting distracted – because I found what the guests were saying to be very interesting. It was just such a great panel. I brought along my friend as well – who has never had an interest in the media industry, and afterwards she told me that it was inspiring and she really loved it. She thought the guests were diverse, intelligent and had great things to say.

The seminar went smoothly – it really did. Members of the audience came up to us after saying that it was insightful and entertaining. They loved it! And so did I!

I honestly really liked this project – it was incredibly fun. Best group assignment I have done so far. I really liked the group and how everyone was open to suggestions. It was seriously refreshing. Everyone seemed passionate which made me want to do the best I could do. I didn’t want to let anyone down – and this assignment truly meant a lot to me.

I also uploaded a little picture of all of us to celebrate!

 

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WOMAN IN THE MEDIA (Week 6)

All 3 guests have been confirmed –

 

Mitu Bhowmick-Lange

Celeste Liddle

Helen Gaynor

 

This is so exciting! I am really impressed by the panel! So finally I could also make the finally touches for the poster and they are up everywhere! I also made the logo! I am really happy with how they have turned out. It’s so exciting to see the poster around RMIT. I am mostly happy that my group is happy with it. I received a lot of constructive criticism and positive feedback and I am really happy for it.

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Matt, Sam and Mollie organized with the TV studio people to borrow props for the Seminar. We all have a very specific idea regarding lighting and how the space looks. We want it to feel like a show, and create a new atmosphere to really enhance the experience. This excitement is seriously growing.

 

The group also filmed the promotion video – and Sarah came up with the idea of the host (Prani) trying to find her way to building 80 – showing her epic adventure to get to the seminar. They all filmed and cut it in the same day. Mardy shot the footage. I saw the video, and it was so exciting to see! It turned out amazingly!!

WOMAN IN THE MEDIA (Week 5)

WOMAN IN THE MEDIA (Week 3)

 

 

This week seemed much more organized and you could tell that Mollie was getting stressed about the progress being made. (I am really happy she is team leader, she is working so hard and being so great and you can tell she really wants to do a great job!).

 

Mollie came up with group jobs –

 

The teams consist of:

– Guest Team: Will reach out to our guests and keep in contact with them/make them feel welcome on the day of seminar

– Social Media Team: Will take care of all social media aspects of seminar including facebook, instagram and twitter.

– Design Team: Will design poster to advertise seminar as well as brochure for the actual day as a handout. Also will be responsible for printing posters and advertisements.

– Video Promo Team: will be in charge of planning, shooting and editing together.

– Stage Production Team: Will be in charge of stage setup, lighting, audio and filming the seminar.

– Catering: In charge of snacks and refreshments!

 

This was a clear and productive way to get jobs sorted and break up into little groups to be more effective. I am apart of the design team and stage production. I am feeling excited about being on the design team and here are the mock-ups!

 

I went with the EPIC ADVENTURE theme – with the mountains in the background. I used the Joan of Arc statue and kept it very black and white. I wanted to make it look like an exhibition poster – something formal yet enticing. I also used a black stencil of mountains to emphasis the Epic Adventure. I also did it to create the mixed media type of poster. I think it turned out well. When I get all the guests are confirmed I will put more detail on the posters and add the logos.

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Another meeting time was also made – Thursday’s at 5PM. Unfortunately I can’t make it to these meetings because I have work. Mollie said she would fill me and also with the group meeting summaries!

WOMAN IN THE MEDIA (Week 4)

– Joan of Art: Heroines of the Media –

 

Week 4 and the team are still a little unsure about the direction. But I have to say it’s still really exciting. There are so many ideas flowing around and I know once we lock in the general feel we want, everyone is going to be really excited and working hard.

 

Social media has taken a back burner – originally we wanted to do our own instagram, Facebook page and Twitter, but we have realized that is a lot of work. The steering committees have been great and they will probably do a great job helping us market our seminar. So we will come up with hashtags – and the content.

 

For the poster, I have been doing a lot of research and made a PINTEREST BOARD. Personally, every time I create something or do a photos hoot I need to do research and see what inspires me, and develop my own aesthetic.

 

LINK – Pinterest Board

 

I really liked the mixed media approach – drawing with photography. I also liked Sam’s original idea of the poster to put Joan within it.

Rejections –

Sue Maslin – will be flying to Toronto Film Festival

 

The group had an amazing idea to email Natalie Tran – a youtuber, well known Australian Vlogger. She is a freelancer, and also extremely entertaining and we think it would be so great for her to be on the panel! I feel like she would bring a lot to the table.

 

We haven’t heard from Clementine Ford – hopefully we hear from her soon. We are going to ask Celeste Liddle if we don’t hear back or she can’t make it! Who is a great seat for woman in the media in the journalism and professional writing field.

 

I was yet to finish the mock-up’s – but I am hoping to do so before next week! I am really excited. I hope the group really like them. I have had a huge amount of feedback on the Facebook group – and everyone is liking the ideas that I am thinking of and debating!

 

WOMAN IN THE MEDIA (Week 3)

The groups have been made and it I originally put myself into the film group. Although, I had second thoughts and saw the Woman in Media group and thought that it might suit me better. I am really excited!!!

 

Mollie was elected team leader – and so far I am really happy. She seems very organized and passionate, and I think that’s very important in a leader.

 

So far we have set-up a Facebook and have been brainstorming names for the group. The Facebook group is, so far, a great way to communicate. We have been listing names all week to whom we think should be on the panel. There have been a lot of interesting names and ideas for a diverse panel.

 

Every meeting we decided to have – we would have someone writing the conversation up in a Google Doc.

 

At the start I was really interested in handling the designs for the group – I had a lot of idea’s for the poster and video. British Vogue released a video of Emma Watson interviewing designers about Feminism/ Equality within the fashion industry and I really liked the aesthetics of the film. I thought it was appealing and had a great use of life. So I instantly took on the role to create the poster / logos / social media. I really wanted to do something visual in this because I feel like I could bring a different aesthetic to enhance the marketing of the seminar.

 

Mollie took the initiative too write up a summary of what we discussed during the meeting – which was amazing. Because when I got home, it was really easy to see what I had to do and what everyone else was doing. It was just very clear communication. We also discussed stage production, because we don’t particularly like the lighting / feel / atmosphere of the room. I really like my group so far. They all seem passionate about the project thus far!!!

FINAL REFLECTION

At the start of this semester I had no idea what I was going to gain and achieve from this subject – this semester. It’s been an up and down journey, sometimes I felt motivated and other times I felt like I couldn’t do anything. It has made me realise how much choice I have in the matter – that anything is possible, and I can do what I actually want to do. It’s just hard to find what exactly that is.

This semester has made me look at coverage, covering a scene, in a different light. I think one of the most effective tools this semester was the ‘no discussion’ we had at the start of the semester. I liked how we didn’t sit around and talk about whats to come from the rest of the semester, instead we just went straight into the content. The exercises were a great way to meet the class, but also to just set us up to somewhat be ‘shocked’. After we did our own interpretation of the script / description given and covered it with a camera with constraints, we then were able to see the real scene. It was just great to see what we could do. I also found the lectures at the start to be very enlightening. The amount of class time all up, was much better than just two hours a week. I felt like a I really got a lot more out of it.

I felt as though my technical skills improved a lot – just because we were doing it and interacting with the devices, rather then just learning about them verbally. It was also fun to be given the freedom to work independently but also make close bonds with the people in out class. So far in this degree, I have not had a class that I liked more! It was great to listen to feedback, give feedback and just have a conversation with the people around you (in a non-formulated) – and we were all curious about what we were doing and really made it a mission to work as hard as we could. The only confusing part was where to find all the assessment briefs and everything else put online. I feel like it was in a lot of different places  – and it was just a struggle to find everything. But I got there in the end!

This semester I have done a little but of ‘self discovery’ – working out what I want to do and what I see myself doing. Photography is something that has always driven me, and is something I feel most confident doing. Cinematography is something I thought would suit me, and something I would feel would work me and something I would enjoy. This semester has challenged that notion, and that original thought. Although, I do love being in control of the camera – I wanted to look at directing. Something sitting in the back of my head, and something I have wanted to do since I was a young girl is acting. I had a huge fear of stages when I was younger, and would get so excited and nervous that I would faint. I felt so out of my comfort zone that I didn’t know if I liked the feeling – or if it was good or bad? So I wanted to be behind the camera and help those in front feel confident. It then brought me to the question – to be a great director, do you need to know how the actor feels and how to relate to their role? This is where my investigation begun. I wanted to research directors and read, watch and see what they do and how they are the way they are. I always wanted to look at actors and their comments on directors, what types they enjoyed and why. I started watching films to inspire me once again, and write about what I saw in each film – what choices were made and how I thought the performance was. I really wanted to focus on the reflection – I wanted to really find what I liked and disliked about the film.

Watching B-roll, behind the scenes, interviews on set (before, during and after the film) – really broke it down for me. Something that made me really excited was seeing the actors click from being their roll while recording, then once called cut, how they transform back into themselves. It is amazing to see actors click from one person to the other while being the same person. It honestly fascinates me. There is something about watching an actor get into their role, and performing , then going back to ‘themselves’ that makes me question what is real, and what makes a good performer and what are we really viewing. It’s interesting to think that a character that is written can be played by someone who can adapt to the character created and the add their impersonation as well as the directors. It’s a beautiful mix. It’s amazing that one character can be played by anyone, but could be completely different with each person whole plays the roll.

Darren Aronofsky’s, Black Swan (2010), gave power back to me. There is something about that film that just inspires me to be a creator. I am always on the edge of my seat. The coverage if the film, personally, is incredible. The use of mirror rooms, and the stages makes it all feel a little TOO real – but in the best sense. I am so happy I watched this again, because it gave me the power to move of the previous slum I was in and just create what I enjoy.

I used the film investigation to think outside the box. I wanted to make use of my surroundings – and so I filmed what I think looked aesthetically beautiful – tree’s for example. I am not sure if this was the best way to go, because maybe it would have been a change for me to work with a narrative. My previous works don’t show much of a ‘story’, which in a way is a great thing – but also, I maybe should have experimented with it. Yet, I can do that now!

In this semester break I am setting myself a goal to film a scene – a scene with dialogue, footage that I will edit, and I want to do casting for it. Maybe it will turn into something more, or maybe it will be terrible (hopefully not). That doesn’t matter –  I am setting myself a goal. This is a goal that I really want to achieve in this break – because if this subject has taught me one thing, it’s just to get out and do it. Keep creating and making.

 

FILMING

1st –

I went on to Starnow and picked out a few people I liked – I then searched them and found that they looked completely different to photograph the put up. This really put me off… I have put a lot of pressure on myself, and I think not having trust in the person I am filming may impact the way I direct. I know I am just being a bit of a wuss – but I already feel a little uneasy about the process. So I have decided to film it two different ways (maybe more if I am feeling overly inspired). 

I am also cutting out the dialogue… This might be able to allow me to focus on the coverage of the scene – really lay out the scene. Think about where I want to shoot from. Location – and composition. I can also rely on me and the subject to see how we work together in the space and gather interpretations of what is expected. 

DO YOU WANT TO DANCE (SCRPIT)

#1 Improvise with a friend 
This sounds like the lazy way – and it was proven to be difficult.
My friend was/is not an actor – and she has no intentions to be one either. So it was an awkward experience for her. I had to really accommodate to her – make sure she felt comfortable.
With the script – without dialogue, I eliminated the second character and it made about the girl. I wanted to highlight something in relation to the script (in post-proudction) I want to put subtitles over the frame. Before going into ‘filming’ I wanted to improvise the location + set + camera. But I set how to film the girl doing average things – such as reading, drinking tea, getting dressed. I was seeing it in my head how I wanted to the viewer to see it – read the subtitles but see the visuals and relate them to the girl. Such as – has she been asked to dance already, or if she was somewhere would this be happening etc. I am thinking about doing a v/o. I don’t know if subtitles will take away from the imagery – which it sometimes can because it’s hard to concentrate on two things (for me anyway).

So while filming, I brought my tripod and camera and told her briefly what I wanted to film – and she didn’t really ask if there was a script or an intention for it. She was happy to do whatever. I asked where she would do these daily tasks and she said in her room. It was night time, so there was a lot of differently lighting, but I am thinking now I would prefer to do it during the day even outside. But a better source of lighting would have been better. I set up my tripod – and it broke. I need to invest in a better tripod. But this really made me not want to film – I had two voices in my head, Paul will be angry I didn’t ‘frame up’ my shot and not using a tripod AND Maddie shit happens, go with it. So it spun me off a it, but I decided to do it – and she didn’t mind because she was still happy to do it. Which was good – because then I really didn’t know what I was going to do. There was one shot I really wanted to do – and that was come in from the door and ‘walk’ over to her and film her putting the shirt on… But we attempted this and she couldn’t do it naturally. So we scrapped that – and we just started doing something simple. I just asked her to lay down and talk to me about what she does when she is feeling good, relaxed and a little bit accomplished. She then told me that wearing nice underwear makes her feel empowered – and so I told her to put that on. We then did what we intended to do, and completely improvised. She was cold, so she left her socks on. Then i just started talking to her – and moving my camera around her body and asking her what she thought and how she felt. I did this so I could get an idea of what made her comfortable/uncomfortable.

I am not entirely happy with the content I filmed, because it really wasn’t what I wanted at all and it just isn’t thought out enough for me to actually like it…I think I may like filming the second one better, because planning will go into and hopefully a damn Tripod. I have also done something similar to this in the past… and I just feel like I am not pushing myself enough and it makes me disappointed in myself. I want to set up a crew, and do all these things – I am just not backing myself enough.

I am hoping, at this point, that I will edit this anyway.
I am so avoiding this subject a bit – because I am not pushing myself and it’s making me feel a little bit down on myself. Again that’s not an excuse. I am just extremely frustrated with myself at this moment. I just feel like I am not achieving what I want. I need someone yelling at me… or I am just over thinking it.

STILLS – 

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PLAN – still editing

SUBSTANTIAL BLOGPOST PLAN 

Introduction –

> Introduction of myself (basic – want this to be reflective from start to finish)
> Where I started off / what I was feeling / and what I wanted to accomplish

> What I am investigating
> How I was going to/have gone about what I was investigating

>

VERTIGO ZOOM / FIGHTING SCENES (investigation)

In a Friday class, (I think it was week 9) – we were put into groups and were given the time to investigate something. I really enjoyed my group – the good thing about the subject so far is that I have really gotten to know most people in my class and am keen to work with the (without feeling shy and a bit scared). Although, I still feel a bit timid – but I just need to get over that.

Michael suggested the ‘Vertigo’ zoom (as he referred to it). The Wednesday class was about short little exercises to do with zoom, focus, focal point etc. So that really helped with out investigation. I was really REALLY happy with who I was working with – we were able to bounce of idea’s and have a really good time. For this investigation we chose the ground level hallway to do this. We fiddled around and we ultimately needed a dolly to create a smooth shot (give us the dolly Paul)  – but we made use of a wheely chair and tape. We originally tried a handheld approach – but there was too much human error. We ended up taping the camera to the chair. Tom said on the ground (because we had a chair…) and Gabby and I pulled the chair back, while Michael watched and directed. Henry was on camera – changing the zoom and focus at the same time we moved. This ended up being a physical gesture – he was basically doing the splits. Aria was at the back watching the monitor from the camera (we didn’t bother with audio). We did this shot multiple times, pushing the chair faster, and changing it up each time till we were happy.

We then moved onto Henry’s fighting scenes – where I was DOP and worked with Henry to try and achieve what he wanted. Gabby and Aria were the performers first up – and Henry choreographed each move (which he is great at). The by watching what they did, I discussed the movement of the camera. He wanted a few ways of how he wanted the scene to be filmed – one was just the ‘standard’ and no movement. The other was movement, zooms etc. The next fighting scene was with Michael and Tom – and they really enjoyed it, improvising where they could. But this is when I was able to hold the camera handheld – it got a little heavy so I swapped with Gabby for a bit. But it was all a lot of fun – because we all got really into it. Henry gave me a lot of leeway – as he was more focused on the movement of the performers (not sure if the safety procedures were put into place…) but not one was hurt and it was good fun. I can’t wait to see what Henry (or anyone else) edits. I didn’t know what I was doing, as I have never really paid attention to fighting scenes – so this was really good for me. I learnt a lot – and realised how much work went in with the communication and even trust.

This was probably one of my favourite classes thus far – it was so fun and something that, normally, you wouldn’t get the time to experiment with. So I really enjoyed this. I just need to have faith in something I want to do… While also making it a productive class for everyone.

DOOR EXERCISE – Reflection

This exercise turned out to be very interesting – everyone had their own roll and needed to stick to it, while supporting one another.

I unfortunately missed the first groups filming (traffic) – but I made it for my groups. Because I was late, I opted to be the ‘performer’ – as I thought that was fair. I was working along side Gabby (the other performer). We all set out with a plan as to what type of shots were to be done and the time limit. Our group for time was really well – we actually finished all the shots we planned 20 minutes before the end of class. We then had the time to improvise shots, and as Chris said – “Make Paul froth”. So we tried to get a bit more creative, and do shots that we might think would look cool. We attempted a tracking shot without a dolly (let us use a damn Dolly Paul) – with a chair. Which was really fun, we attempted that a few times, obviously not as smooth as we would have wanted it… We also reshot some shots that we thought could have been done a little bit better, performance and frame wise.

I thought this we a good exercise as it quickly enabled us to work as a team and just do what we needed to do.

Editing – I doubt myself in editing. I really enjoy doing it – but I am very fussy with things that I am editing. So far me it was hard to edit this – just because the shots weren’t exactly what I wanted. That’s more about me being a perfectionist. I also tend to get frustrated because I can’t get it how I want it… I also find that when I am not inspired or passionate about something that I have shot, I can’t edit it. It’s the same with my photography – if I am not inspired with what I have made, I procrastinate editing and don’t really enjoy the process. Although, I can do the other extreme where I love what I have done and can’t change it because I feel I will ruin it – and then I look at it too much and become way to critical. I am highly critical of myself, it’s one of my downfalls.

So editing this was difficult for me – I wasn’t left inspired after filming. Maybe that’s also because I had to edit myself on screen and that’s cringe worthy enough. So I did some weird edit which reminded me of a UK crappy tv show with a weird pace… I could be wrong though.