R’Kid

Shoot Date- 17th – 22nd January 2020

Role- Camera Operator

Production- KAMfilm

NOS- CX1 Contribute to good working relationships

Performance Statements-

-P2 discuss and agree your tasks and responsibilities in a way which promotes good working relationship

-P10 tactfully request others to modify or change working arrangements in order to improve your own productivity

-P13 maintain good relationships, even when disagreeing with others

-P14 find workable solutions for any conflicts and dissatisfaction which reduce personal and team productivity

R’kid, is a short film, which is in the process of becoming a mini series that is produced by KAMFILM Productions (KAMFILM, 2020) in the UK. The story is about a boy named Ashley, who dances for a hobby, but turns to the dark side and gets in with the wrong crowd where he results to committing crimes to help keep himself and his mum alive. His mum is covered in debts and chooses to pay them off in ways she shouldn’t have to. Ashley does all he can to help the pair get through life but can only do so much. Everything happens in a beat.

Who are KAMFILM?

KAMFILM (KAMFILM, 2020) are a Manchester based production company who offer future industry workers the chance to develop their skills in their area of interest. They offer support, and encourage people to overcome potential challenges independently. People can learn from their mistakes in a nurturing environment that promotes self awareness and guides those who are in need.

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The company was created back in November 2017 by Kylo Robinson & Kenny Bryce- Clegg (KAMFILM, 2020) who at the time were still studying in college. They came up with the idea of putting together their own production company, with the aim of eventually having their own inhouse team. Since then they have worked on projects with a range of different clients such as the UK rap artist Aitch (IMDB, 2020) and the clothing company Boohoo (Boohoo, 2020).

As well as making their own content, they are a company who strive when working alongside businesses to produce online content for social media platforms such as Twitter and YouTube. In an About page on their site, they say:

“At KAMFILM we aim to amplify your online presence to help you attract attention in an oversaturated market. We offer a variety of videography and editing services to help both business and personal brands advertise their identity and products.” (KAMFILM, 2020) (APPENDIX 3)

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Having worked with KAMfilm over the last year, I have created content for dance companies such as, The Ash Company (ASH, 2020) who have recently had one of their young, talented dance groups appear on the ITV talent show, ‘Britain’s got Talent’. I have also shot a JD Concept video which will be given to the clothing company JD Sports(JD Sports, 2020), to be potentially used as an advertisement for some of their products.

Lens Flare TV…

CLICK ON THE LENS FLARE LOGO ABOVE TO VIEW SHOWREEL

Lens Flare TV (Lens Flare TV, 2020) are a Manchester based kit hire and crewing company who have worked along side KAMFILM since the start. All equipment used on KAMFILM productions is supplied by Lens Flare, who are regularly updating their equipment with the most up to date technology.

Over the years, Lens Flare have worked on many popular television shows, and have recruited many talented individuals to join their crew (Lens Flare TV, 2020). They have been involved with shows such as: The Voice UK; Dress to Impress; Ninja Warrior UK;The One Show and Dickinsons Real Deal.

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These images were taken from a KAMFILM project that I have recently worked on. The camera package was supplied by Lens Flare; being rigged and operated by myself. The final results are displayed below.

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The Shoot…

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This was the first time that I had worked on a full crewed shoot with both Kylo and Kenny, having previously worked on smaller projects with the pair. Upon arrival to the set, the DOP, informed me that a shot list and photo storyboard had not been made. I explained how important a shot list was relative to what I needed to shoot. To resolve any potential complications resulting from the lack of camera preproduction, I suggested that I would look at the script, and use the actions to give me an indication as to the type of shots that we would need (P10 NOS). If a Shot List had been made, the days filming would have been more efficient and potentially more effective.

Importance of a Shot List…

Having worked on many projects at The Manchester film School, I have become very aware of the importance of a shot list. There have been times where they have and have not been made, and I can confidently confirm that having one makes your shooting days much easier. The shot list only needs to be a brief outline of what shots need to be captured on different days. It makes all the difference between a good working day and a bad one.

Tanner Shinnick (Tanner Shinnick, 2020)

Tanner Shinnick, is an Atlanta based Director/ Director of Photography who has worked on many branded commercials in America such as, PlayStation, Totoya USA and PGA Golfiing.

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In an online article written by Tanner himself, he explains why a shot list is needed and just how crucial of a part they play to a production. He says;

“A detailed shot list will save your production time, energy, and effort, and (most importantly) it will help help you create a better product.” (Premium Beat, 2018)

He also backs up my point about how a shot list will make your production run much smoother by saying;

“A shot list is one of the most important assets you can bring to a set to ensure a smooth and efficient production. The more preparation you put in before you shoot, the better your end product will become.” (Premium Beat, 2018) ( APPENDIX 4)

David Lee (YouTube, 2019)

In a short video by youtuber David Lee, he gives reasons as to why he uses a shot list in his work. He provides an example of one that he has made; showing just how simple they can be.

In comparison to Tanner Shinnick, David Lee does not explain details on lenses or camera movements within his shot list, he focuses more on the photo and how the shot will look. I feel like Tanners detailed shot list would be the route I would follow, as the more detail you can include on your shot list, the easier your shooting days will be for the whole crew.

Back to the shoot…

Days 1 and 2 of shooting were a success despite the lack of documentation. However, after two days, the DoP had failed to act on my advice, and had still not provided me with the resources that I had requested. Unfortunately, problems arose on day 3 of the shoot when on location at a school.

Having no shot list, it was essential to hold a meeting with the camera team to ensure that we were ready and fully equipped when going for takes. We had everything to hand that we might have needed, and pulled off a good performance on the day.

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Throughout days 1 and 2, I noticed that Kenny our 1st AD was performing his role very differently from what I had seen from other AD’s. He was unaware of the individual roles of others on set, and how people liaised with each other to establish what had to be done within a certain time frame. It was apparent that this was the first time that he had properly AD’d on a shoot; he did not understand the roles and responsibilities of certain crew members, and this needed addressing.

Script Supervisor Isobel and I were discussing continuity; an aspect that Kenny did not deem as being important. He insisted that we continued with the shoot, and inferred that we were wasting time. He was confrontational in front of the actors which was unprofessional and at times embarrassing. During lunch, I politely pulled Kenny to one side (P2 NOS) and explained exactly what Izzy and I were talking about. I explained that a Script Supervisor is the eyes for the Editor, and that without continuity the film would not be worthy of showing to external workers; if they were to get further work from this project.

Martha Pinson (IMDB, 2020)

Martha Pinon, a Script Supervisor who works along side Martin Scorsese in his movies, shows us exactly what a film would look like if continuity had not been there. She gives examples of errors which had not been looked over by a Script Supervisor and makes it clear just how important their role is to a production. (Youtube, 2018)

Set Etiquette

Something he needed to learn before the shoot, was set etiquette

A quick example…

There was a time on set where we were a little behind in time and to try and push on, Kenny got involved in moving certain props in the room. This was not the correct call from him as it resulted in more time being wasted as art department then had t come in and put the objects back into their original place. Rule number 2 of Set Etiquette is to stay in your own department.

According to The Camera Assistant;

“Rule #2, “stay in your own department!” is also an important concept. It is a natural tendency to want to help out fellow crewmembers, but 90 percent of the time, other department do not need or want the help” (The Camera Assistant, 1995)

Back to it– Guerilla Filming

Over the first 3 days, it was clear that there was a vast amount of tension on set, To resolve this , we had an emergency crew meeting back at university (P14 NOS) to allow everyone to air their concerns.

An online article written to FilmmakersFans.com says that;

“Guerilla film making is a rebel without a proper crew, budget or props using whatever is available. The advent of digital cameras and computer editing software were like blessings to these filmmakers.” (Filmmakersfans, 2015)

After having the meeting, it became apparent that prior to Kylo and Kenny joining the Manchester Film School, the way in which they worked back in college was ‘Guerilla‘ Style. This meant that they would go out with a camera and film something, no matter what the circumstances were. They were not taught the correct way of filmmaking, and when coming to the film school they had no understanding of roles/responsibilities; the legal side to filmmaking; copyrighting brands etc. They now had to adjust their way of working (P13 NOS) in accordance to how a proper film crew works.

A Fresh Start…

Following the meeting, the remaining 3 days of the shoot were successful. There were no dramas or confrontations, nothing but pure filmmaking and good relationships were displayed by the crew. I couldn’t have been more proud by how everyone handled themselves.

Reflection…

If I were to approach the shoot again, I would start by making sure that I have more of an input during pre production stages. Even though it is not my responsibility do be doing paper work etc, my experience as a 3rd year student would have been extremely helpful; ensuring that this stage of the production was completed in the correct way.

I feel like the way I handled certain situations during the shoot was done in the correct way. I kept peace throughout the crew and continuously reassured everyone that things were going to get better with time. I was proud of my role as an Operator. I feel like I put everything I possibly could into this project, given the circumstances, and made sure that all my knowledge and skills gained over the last 3 years were put to excellent use during this production.

The Edit

The crew are still awaiting an edit from KAMFILM, after multiple attempts to obtain one. After speaking to Kylo and Kenny I am now aware that an edit has not been made, nor a rough cut.

I have made my own short edit of a clip montage(Youtube,2020) with the shots I have been given by Kenny. I feel as though this is a lack of professionalism from production, as the shoot ended just over 3 months ago and an edit has still not been made. I feel like if the business is to work, hierarchy needs to be able to meet deadlines for crew members as, everyone on the shoot is now without an edit for their coursework as evidence they were on the shoot. If the crew are giving their all to the production, the least we deserve is a rough edit to evidence our work within our assignments.

R’KID- Camera Operator