LIVERPOOL DAY 2 & 3

Day 2 of filming and we are prepared for what we are going to do. I had my sound ideas and sound log sheets all ready. We started filming in the morning and we began with the interview set up. I synced all the interview sounds onto the camera and James recorded them on the zoom. James was helping me in holding the boom pole and we were both taking turns. Below are some of the production snapshots we took during the day. 

During the day I was logging in the sounds that we recorded. I logged the sounds synced onto the camera on a different sheet so as not to mix them with the zoom. 

This log sheet is for the sounds synced onto the camera

This log sheet is for the sounds recorded on the zoom

This log sheet is for the sounds recorded on the zoom

During the afternoon, Lee and Neil visited us during our filming to check on us. We showed them what we had done and what we were planning to do. They gave us some advise on what to do. I asked Neil how we could record some atmos sounds within the studio and he told me to leave the zoom recording whilst we were on a break, that way it will record what Michael does when his by himself and these could be sounds of him walking up and down the stairs or him using his tools or playing the stereo. He also checked the zoom to see if the settings on it were correct and they were. I was pleased with this as it showed I had a clear sense of what I was doing.  

Towards the evening I realised that there was buzzing sound which was interrupting the sounds. Inside Michaels studio he had a fridge and a heater which was giving off a buzzing sound and we turned them off. I listened back to some of the audio tracks we had recorded earlier on during the day and that buzzing sound was still present. I later talked to Neil and Lee about it and they said the sound was ok and the buzzing sound could be removed using pro tools, which was a relief .

In the evening Michael showed us the candle light technique which was fascinating.The scraping and gauging sounds sounded amazing with the headphones. 

With sounds like this, I synced them onto the camera because it would have been a bit hard to match up the sounds and images if they were separate. I brought the boom mic really close to his hands so that I could get a clear sound. Whilst recording Michael using his tools, each tool had its own sound pitch. Before we did any filming, we did some sound tests of some of his tools so that I could adjust the volume to the correct settings.

Here his about to do a stamp print with a hammer

Here he hits the table to get a sound test which allows me to adjust the volume so that its not too loud or too low

We did not manage to finish off all the filming on day 2 but we were coming back the next day to finish before we left. During the day, I learnt a lot of things in terms of recording sounds. Not all sounds are recorded in the same way and I need to listen to my surroundings so as not to record some unnecessary sounds.  

We came back the following day to finish off our filming. We managed to finish what we wanted to film but we had a feeling that we might need to come back to Liverpool and record some more after we had reviewed our footage. Before we left, we got a picture taken with Michael as memory keepsake of all the fun we had during the filming.

LIVERPOOL DAY 1

Day 1 of our filming in Liverpool and I'm already excited about meeting Michael Phoenix and seeing his world of violins. We arranged to meet with him just to get a feel of the place and chat with him how the whole filming process was going to be like. I started looking around his studio and it was really small but not an issue. By looking at his work place, I started thinking about the sound ideas I had and weather or not it was possible to capture them. I got a chance to see his tools and talked to him about them and his violins. He was happy to see us and from the moment we met him, he told us lots of interesting stories which were great. 

                                                          Here's a glimpse of his studio.

I got back to the hostels and began to think of sounds that were possible to capture and how they will be recorded. For the interview I was going to sync the sounds onto the camera and some of his stories will be recorded on the zoom.  

FINAL PREPARATIONS

We started doing our final preparations before we went to Liverpool. This included booking out the equipment, drafting up shot lists, making sure we have our log sheets and consent forms. At this point there was a new addition in our group. We got a new member who is James Sargisson. We filled him in on what our idea was and what we were planning to do.  I ended up switching roles with Louise as she was not able to go to Liverpool because of her health. 

After this, I started thinking about what kind of sounds I was going to record while I was there. My sound list included:

• Atmos track of his surroundings within his studio
• sounds of the tools he uses
• Michael playing the violin
• Michael talking to his customers or people that he interacts with
• Interview

I also thought how I was going to record these sounds. The zoom would work well to record the atmos tracks and some of the interview questions. For the other sounds, I'm thinking of syncing them onto the camera, that way it wont be hard during the editing to match the sound with the image. I printed out the sound log sheets which will aid me in logging in the sounds. 

NEW TREATMENT FOR THE BLUECOAT

Our new treatment focuses more on Michael phoenix instead of the previous one which was about the bluecoat and the various artists who are there.

A documentary about Michael Phoenix maker, repairer and restorer of violins, cellos and bows Focussing on The Scouservarius Legacy Project which is the commissioning of the people of Liverpool to build ‘The Liverpool Quartet’ - two violins, a viola and cello. They will then be hired out for recording, performance and exhibition worldwide to generate funds to finance and support educational music projects throughout Merseyside for the next 400 years minimum.

Michael is the resident violin and bow maker at the Bluecoat, Liverpool’s creative hub. The Bluecoat houses a wealth of artists, working across a wide range of artistic disciplines, including painters, video and sound artists as well as fine artists, textilers and multi-media collaborators. Michael is unique amongst violin makers in that he keeps absolutely true to the style and techniques of the great Cremonese master, Antonio Stradivari (1644 - 1737). When making new instruments he uses no electricity whatsoever, working the wood merely with simple hand tools by natural daylight and at night by candlelight.

The documentary will feature interviews with Michael, asking what makes the Scouservarius so unique, a project he started himself without any funding in place, and how he feels that the people of Liverpool will benefit from having the project. We will look at the demand for Michael’s instruments and why he feels the project is so important. We will ask about the public response and discuss any funding difficulties the project may be experiencing in the hope that by raising awareness with the documentary, we may be able to assist in raising the profile of the project.

Given the unique nature of the project and Michael’s production methods w we intend to reflect this in our treatment of the footage during post production. We intend to use colour tones to further enhance the feeling of the film .We will begin with a brief history of the project utilising a small amount of archive footage from the projects launch. We plan not to use a traditional interview set up whilst speaking to Michael instead we will converse with him as we film him working at his studio. There will also be lots of close ups/ short depth of field shots of plenty of the instruments filmed on both a Canon XF100 and SLR. Audio will be a mixture of musical recordings on various instruments and played by Michael, alongside recordings of the tools as he works on crafting the instruments. 

The project has been influenced by the documentary Of Time and the City directed by Terence Davies. We have taken inspiration from the beautiful archive footage used and the haunting soundtrack that accompanies the images. Michael is passionate about Liverpool and we feel that there is a similar passion found in Of Time and City. We intend the film to be accessible to all audiences however given the nature of the documentary it will appeal predominantly to those with an interest in the arts or music scene. The film will be used as to promote awareness of the Scouservarious Project.

THE APOLOGY LINE

http://vimeo.com/16653052

The Apology Line is a short documentary about people apologising for their mistakes in life. This film gave me suggestions of how I was going to record the audio for our film. Seeing that you don't see the people's faces who are apologising, it would be best to record such voices using the zoom than syncing them to the camera. 

THE ARCHIVE

http://vimeo.com/1546186

The Archive is a short documentary about a man called Paul who has become the worlds largest record collector. Watching this film, I talked to my director and camera person whether they were thinking of doing the interview setup for the film. They said yes but it wont be played through the whole film as they are were going to include some shots of him doing his (Michael) work. This influenced me to think about syncing the interview sounds to the camera. 

PITCH

We pitched our ideas to our lecturers and they liked both ideas. It was a bit nerve racking but it went well. Other students got a chance to vote on their favourite pitch between our two ideas, the majority chose the Bluecoat idea. I was pleased when it got voted because that's the one I wanted. Our Lecturers gave us constructive feedback about our two ideas.  

Firstly the Bluecoat.

They loved the idea and they suggested on us focusing on a specific person or area within the Bluecoat because as a whole its too much to fit in 5 minutes. We told them about Michael Phoenix the violin maker at the Bluecoat and they liked it. They gave us suggestions on the things we needed to consider while we there which include tone and mood and how we want it to be seen by the audiences.

Jake Morrison

They liked our idea on Jake but they were a bit worried about the political aspect of it. This also worried me because once we present our final piece, it might not portray our ideas and its something we have to be really careful off. 

TREATMENT - BLUECOAT CREATIVE COMMUNITY

This is our treatment of our second idea for the Bluecoat creative community.

An exploration of a thriving arts community based in Liverpool’s most historic building. The Creative Community at Bluecoat consists of three groups, creative industries, independent creative retailers and artists who work across all art platforms.

The Bluecoat houses a wealth of artists, working across a wide range of artistic disciplines, including painters, video and sound artists as well as fine artists, textilers and multi-media collaborators. The documentary will feature interviews with artists, asking what makes Bluecoat so unique / successful and how they feel Liverpool benefits from having such an established creative community. We will look at the rise of the nine independent retail units, selling a variety of handmade and unique items, from textiles to ceramics and how/ if they can compete with big chains. Also looking at the stories of why some people set up these businesses. We will consider the contrast between the thriving creative community at The Bluecoat and the struggling high street and ask if the Bluecoat faces any issues in its immediate future in terms of budget cuts and how will it plans to sustain itself as an enterprise. We can ask the independent stores how they are faring in the economic climate, how important the bluecoat is to them to continue trading, what they would do without it. Also we can ask the shoppers why they choose to support small shops instead of large chains.

The piece will be light in mood and focus on the positive aspects of regeneration and community spirit. We will be mostly using diegetic sounds, recorded in the artists own workshops to accurately represent their world. Given the artistic nature of the community we will be profiling we intend to reflect this in our treatment of the footage during post production. We intend to use colour tones to further enhance the emotion of the film. We will begin with a brief history of the building utilising old photographs of the building then fade them in/out to our own shots of the buildings now. Alternatively we will use time-lapse shots of various parts of the building, and people making art. While using voice over of contributors stating how important the community is to them. We plan not to use a traditional interview set up whilst speaking to the artists, instead we will film them while they’re making their art. There will also be lots of close ups/ short depth of field shots of some of the art/ objects.

We intend the film to be accessible to all audiences however given the nature of the documentary it will appeal predominantly to those with an interest in the arts or independent scene. The film could be used as a promotional tool for the benefits of small business and arts communities nationwide.

TREATMENT - COUNCILLOR JAKE MORRISON

This is our treatment for our first idea of Councillor Jake Morrison.

A personal profile of Liverpool’s youngest ever elected councillor Jake Morrison. Elected to office at 18 years old, we find him over half way through a 4 year term. A term mired in controversy. We discuss Councillor Morrison’s aspirations, his successes and his failures during his time in office. 

We will ask what makes an 18 year old enter the political world, and what are the challenges that a young man faces when attempting to do so. Does Councillor Morrison consider himself a victim of his early success? What are Councillor Morrison’s hopes for the future? We will discuss his plans to become an MP, who he is as a person and what shaped his early years. In addition we will focus on what Councillor Morrison considers to be the biggest challenges facing local government today. Does he feel his youth and relative inexperience have caused difficulties? Has his use of social media helped or harmed him?

The film will aim to not simply focus on Councillor Morrison as a political figure,but as a person, to drill down to the man beneath. The man behind the headlines. We will follow Councillor Morrison through the course of his day as he attends to his constituents and see the challenges faced by those who have the task of representing the people. 

The mood will be reflective, introspective, insightful. We will take a more stylised approach in terms of the filming of the Documentary. Rather than to take a traditional approach such as a direct Interview like set-up, they suggested using the idea of the documentary “Pockets” which is not directly shot of the interviewee but rather objects they are carrying and the story which each of the pockets unfold. We would apply this to our Documentary idea so that Councillor Morrison’s responses and story will be shown in a series of shots about his life, the area in which he grew up and his ‘rise to power’. This will strongly express and strengthen his story, in a way which is engaging to the audience, with the intention to create a response from our peers about Councillor Morrison and his life. Specifically drawing upon what he has achieved, the controversy around his persona as a political figure and his life in the on-line spotlight (twitter). We will use point of view shots to compared both subject matter to visual, so that the audience can identify and understand what Councillor Morrison is identifying within the interview. 

We imagine the film will be of interest to academic institutions hoping to raise aspiration in young people, the film could also appeal to those interested in politics / local authority issues. 

GROUP MEETING

From the previous group meeting we had, we have been communicating about our ideas through facebook. On the facebook page we were showing each other our ideas and seeing weather they will work. Our first idea was about Jake Morrison. Everyone liked the idea and our producer started drafting out the treatment. Additional research was done on some of the other ideas we thought of during our first group meeting.

For our second idea, we ended up choosing the Bluecoat. There were a lot stories behind the Bluecoat and it sounded more interesting. We now had our two ideas and I mostly liked the one of the Bluecoat because of its arts and craft. The other one about Jake Morrison which is good but I'm a bit worried about the political aspect it might bring about.

Our producer started drafting the treatment for the Bluecoat and when he needed help, we talked about it through facebook. 

Overall I'm pleased with the communication in our group. Having the facebook group has allowed us to communicate efficiently and we are ready to pitch our ideas to our lecturers. I just hope they like them. 

SKATEISTAN

http://vimeo.com/15841377

Skateistan is a short documentary film about the lives of a group of young skateboarders in Afghanistan. As my role as a sound editor, I like the atmos sounds in this film and how it creates mood with background music. I hope to combine similar sounds like this in our documentary film. 

GROUP MEETING + ROLES

I managed to get a group for this project and I'm so excited to work with them. In our group we have Chris Berry (director), Paul Brannan (producer), Megan Crawford (camera person), Louise Bailey (sound recordist), Joe Waterworth (editor) and me (sound editor). We had our first meeting and discussed what our ideas were for the project. A lot of interesting ideas came forward such as:

• Pub idea which involves filming in a pub and interviewing people. 
• Liverpool University - interviewing the students and the lecturers about the university. 
• Councillor Jake Morrison - this one has a political approach and and will be looking into his personal life and what inspired him to get involved into politics at a young age.
• To look into the closures of libraries because of government cuts and the impact this has on local communities. 
• Look at the increasing number of people forced to use food banks in Liverpool because of debt problems etc.
• Skeptic society and ghost stories

We all liked these diverse ideas but each idea came with its pros and cons. we agreed to go research more on each idea and see which ones would work best and meet up again and discuss about them.

SEMESTER 2 - TASK 1 DOCUMENTARY

This is my first project for my second semester. The task is to create a 5 minute documentary film on the theme of Liverpool stories. We are to work in groups of 6 and we each have different roles (director/ producer/ camera person/ sound-recordist/ sound editor/ editor). In our groups we are to work with other students we haven't worked with during the start of the course and I find this to be good because it allows me to meet other students and see their skills. 

Firstly I'm excited about this project. I look forward in going to Liverpool and film something different. In this project I want to be the sound editor because I feel my skills in sound editing are not strong as it came across in my previous projects. This role will allow me to polish up my skills in sound editing. 

Overall I cant wait for Liverpool and am looking forward to working with other students.