Location Scouting

As we draw to a close with our pre production research, we are in the process of gathering all the information we have found and putting it towards our planning.

One factor we identified as a crucial aspect of how our production would turn out is the locations we used for filming. We have realised through this that in order to acquire quality shots at stylistic locations we need to do recce's (location scouting) of possible locations, assessing their lighting, accessibility, room for camera movement and style.

We plan first to go around our school, assessing possible locations around it. The reason why would prefer to shoot in school is because then actors would be easier to organise, and gear (amps, drum kit) would be easier to move to the shooting location.

As we assess each of the locations, we plan to film them and produce short clips on their pros and cons. The different band shot locations we need to find are:

• The protagonist's room: This is the room in which the main character is thinking and reflecting, and later on in the video thrashing around and throwing around paper and other things. We envisage this room as fairly plain, with stacks of work to do all over the room, and the room not being too stylistic as to represent a boring, average looking room which only represents work and everything the teenager should be. This will probably be either mine or Will's room, for the sake of practicality.
• The band shots location: This is the place where most of the video will take place, and as such this needs to be a really stylistic, spacious and well lit place. Naturally, with zero-budget and strict limitations as to where we're allowed to go, the room will not be perfect, nevertheless we're striving to find the closest to it possible. We are in the process of finding a room which we can make completely dark aside from strong lights on the band, as to create an emo-style feel to it, as well as having the band well lit enough for good quality footage. In these shots especially we identified lighting as a crucial subject in terms of the overall quality of the band shots, and so this is something we feel the need to focus on. We want to get as much portable lighting in as possible, as to create interesting effects with shadows, putting them behind the band for optical flare, amongst other things. We do not have many locations in mind for these shots, but as a compromise to a stylistic room we are thinking more along the lines of some kind of hall that we can light ourselves.

Edit- 20/01: We recognised lighting as a potential problem in filming in a large hall, as we would be providing domestic lighting which would not be sufficient in creating enough light in a room of that size. We thought as an alternative that we could use the sports hall of our school, and have all the lights on. This option would provide most (if not all) of the lighting we would need to film sufficiently. This option would also allow for shots to include the markings on the floor, as well as basketball hoops in the background, as to really enhance the 'high school' theme which significantly contributes specifically to American 'Emo-core.'

Another option is to light just the middle row of lights. This would allow for more stage-like footage, possibly giving a rundown edge to the 'high school' theme, also being more thematic. We could also bring our own light to provide either flare in the background or to illuminate the band more.

• The narrative shot locations: These locations, like the protagonist's room, we envisage as representing everything society expects the youth to be (within the ideas of this song/video), specifically dull, boring, average etc. For these locations we are going to use public streets, footpaths and suchlike locations. We want these to look grey, but also be well lit and colourful enough for good looking footage. If possible we want to avoid having civilians in these shots, as to emphasise the fact that the protagonist is imagining these happenings, and they are fragments of his imagination. The shots where the protagonist is running to where the band shots are will also be of this nature, in contrast to the main character who is in a state of utter distress and running through the various surroundings in desperation.

In a further post, we will put together a video with the locations we have scouted out, analysing them for their pros and cons in terms of style and practicality.