Live on-air interview with Radio Sheffield

I had an interesting experience on the morning of the shoot of our drama film.   

I was at the Peace Gardens waiting for Jordan, our director, so we could go and collect the pig's head that we had ordered from the butcher for our film, when I was approached by reporter, Jenny Eells, from BBC Radio Sheffield.  She asked if I was free to answer a few questions and I said yes.

The topic under discussion was things for kids to do rather than staying in and playing computer games. We had a discussion where we shared experiences of things that we did as kids, and I said that kids should read adventure books and should definitley read To Kill a Mockingbird.  The reporter said that was a good answer and started counting us into Toby Foster's live breakfast show. 

This threw me quite a bit as I thought she was going to pre-record the answers vox pops style, but instead I found myself live on air!!

I thought I handled the situation very well.  I was articulate and clear with my answers and the reporter was very good at interviewing and I found this to be quite a valuable experience in how to ask open questions and get interviewees to explain their answers.

In last year's documentary we had to learn how to get Tango Man to give full answers and not just yes or no answers.  This year for the Refuge film we are better at structuring and asking the questions to get good, useable responses but I really learned a lesson from the BBC journalist about talking through topics for which we want responses first, and then using prompters like "Tell me more about that..." or "Why do you feel that way?" as open questions.

The journalist was very bubbly and personable and made you feel at ease and this helped considerably in getting good, full answers out of me without me really realising it at the time.

Instead of being nervous, I actually really enjoyed the experience and saw how the outside broadcast segment fitted into a live show.  That's very useful for me as I am pursuing a career in sports documentary and live broadcasts which includes lots of inserts and feeds from different areas.

It was a lucky encounter, and a very interesting live media experience

Industry Experience - US Film Maker Edgar Arceneaux

During the summer holidays I was asked by a tutor, on behalf of the Site Gallery, Sheffield if I would be willing to form a team to help an internationally renown artist who was flying in from the US to exhibit a film installation piece at Art Sheffield 2013.  This was to be paid work and involved working alongside the artist, Edgar Arceneaux, as editing assistants.  

The team consisted of myself, Fraser Harrison and Rhys Holland.  I met Natasha from Site and Edgar when he arrived in Sheffield and went through the footage that he had compiled so far.  The film 'A Time to Brek Silence' was to be an hour long, the same length of time as a catholic mass, and was filmed in an abandoned church in Detroit.  The film itself was based on a speech by Martin Luther King and the set up of the film included religious iconography and included references to Kubrick's 2001 A Space Odyssey.

This is the link to Edgar's exhibit information on the Art Sheffield website.  The film and artist's talk was hosted at CADs on Shalesmoor.

 For our part we cut sections of the film, decided on best shots to use, applied effects such as slow motion and colourisation and spent a lot time rendering the work and passing out versions to the Site Gallery for press previews and tech rehearsals.

As the main organiser of the team I also took on the role of production runner.  This involved getting Edgar to the right place at the right time, gaining late night access to the university edit suites, making sure that he had refreshments and sometimes acting as liaison between Edgar and the Site Gallery.  I also filmed the exhibition for the gallery.

The work for Edgar was really interesting.  The film came to us in a rough cut state and it was interesting to sit and work with the artist as we worked on finishing the editing of his film, as he made his last minute changes, rearranged sequences and tidied up his cut.

It was very good experience to see how a professional film maker approaches his work and how a film exhibit is arranged through the gallery committee and how an artist is treated.

As a producer I gained valuable experience about a production runner's role and it started to flesh out the profiles and job descriptions that I had read for runners on sites such as Creative Skillset, BBC and Prospects, and I was able to put into practice a lot of the duties and responsibilities that the job entails.

Industry Experience - Croatian TV News

On Monday 18th November I was asked by Honey Tongued Theatre Productions in London to film rehearsal footage and interviews for a slot on Croatian national television news.

Honey Tongued is a collaborative project which showcases Croatian dramas to a British audience.  I worked with Honey Tongued Theatre Productions earlier this year when I was filming the Croatian drama festival held at the RADA Studios in London.  That project included rehearsal footage, interviews with the Artistic Director, several of the cast and also the Croatian Ambassador in the embassy.   That footage was also used by Croatian television.

The new production that I covered today is called Hedgehog's Home, and is a translation of a famous Southern European children's story.  The production is a musical and is being performed by a cast consisting of both Croatian and British actors, and is playing at the beautiful Tabernacle Theatre in Notting Hill before going on tour.

My footage is being sent to the Croatian TV news editors who will edit the piece together and play it out on the Croatian TV news as a feature.  My brief, which I successfully fulfilled, was to set up and record clear interviews, of high quality, that will edit together to explain and demonstrate the production so the TV audience in Croatia can learn about the collaborative drama projects between Croatia and the UK.  

I attended the Tabernacle and set up and conducted the first interview with the director of the play, Gary Wright, in the rehearsal room / dance studio.  For all the filming I used my Canon 600D, which was a good move as the picture is very clear and there is no file conversion required which meant that I can provide a quick turnaround for the news channel. 

In the dance studio I also filmed the character of 'the fox' (all the characters are animals) doing one of her dances.   This was really good to start with, but as she got closer to the camera there was a certain amount of shaking as dance studio floors have quite a lot of spring in them.  To combat this problem, I used the long wall mirror of the dance studio to good effect and asked Tori to perform the dance again and this time I was able to shoot it from a different angle: to the side and almost from behind, and far enough away that the floor didn't bounce, and she could be seen from behind but also from the front in the reflection of the mirror.   with the first, face on first segment cut with the second part of the reverse shot, it will edit together well.

After Tori's dance I interviewed Gemma who is playing the narrator.  The play is sung all the way through, and there are different styles of songs throughout.  As narrator Gemma gets to sing bits of all the songs and I asked her to talk about this.  After the interview I filmed Gemma singing one of the numbers from the play, first at the piano in the rehearsal room, and then on stage in the actual theatre.  I thought this would give the news editors a choice of using one or the other, or indeed both, in their feature.

The final interview was with Filip, the Artistic Director, who is Croatian and who has organised the Croatian drama festival and this production.

For his interview I positioned him on the balcony with the stage and lighting rig behind him.  The Tabernacle is a wonderful old hall, very smartly refurbished and made a wonderful backdrop.  Although the house lighting was darker than I would have liked so I upped the ISO on the camera which compensated for the lack of light but did add some graininess to the shot.  This was a move I didn't really want to have to make, but Filip was insistent on having his interview conducted in that position on the balcony although I would have preferred it to have taken place on the stage where we had better lighting opportunities.  I suggested this to him, but when he watched back the first bit of the interview as done on the balcony, he was pleased with it anyway, and wanted to continue in that position.

Filip's interview answers were given in Croatian, which was interesting to film as I was listening out for the rhythm, rather than the words, to determine natural edit points.

I love working with Honey Tongued, I enjoy filming theatre productions and their documentaries.  I do it is a one man team, writing the questions, doing the interviews, setting up the subjects, framing the shots, shooting and editing (when required).  As it is something I love doing, I happily do all the work required to get good footage.

I've said all along that my preferred career would be freelance film maker in the areas of sports documentary or theatre productions.

 

With regular work coming in from Claremont Media group for matchday filming and sports news features, and Honey Tongued theatre based film work, I am getting lots of experience, and good feedback (and repeat work) from both.  And I am thoroughly enjoying it!

Industry Experience - Big Buddha Films

Industry Experience - Honey Tongued Theatre Productions: Assistant Director

Croatian drama festival.  Miryjana AD

Industry Experience - Claremont Media Group: MillersTV

Mock Up Millers TV - Schedule for Tuesday 16^th July Pre-Season Friendly

(This is the type of show that we are aiming to achieve by the end of the season)

Pre-Match = 25:00

1              Millers TV Intro = 00:15

2              Sponsors advert = 00:30

3              Rotherham Utd club shop advert = 00:30

4              Doc: Last 5 games of last season = 04:00

5              Season ticket advert = 00:30

6              Highlight and features from Scotland tour = 04:00

7              Highlights of Parkgate game from Saturday 5^th July = 01:00

8              How to sponsor the club = 01:00

9              Millers TV logo with date = 00:15

10           General news items = 04:00

11           Player interviews = 04:00

12           Today’s opponents inc stats = 03:00

13           Team sheets = 02:00

14           Logo with date and opponent = 01:05

Half Time = 15:00

1              Millers TV Intro = 00:15

2              Season ticket advert = 00:30

3              General news items = 04:00

4              Birthday messages = 05:00

5              Doc: Last 5 games of last season = 04:00

6              Rotherham Utd club shop advert = 00:30

7              Millers TV logo with date = 00:45

Production Notes for Filming of Segments

Pre-Match

Millers TV Intro - simple animation with Millers TV logo and flash, plus flash sound effect.  15”.  Need to create logo and dynamic, but unobtrusive animated background that can remain moving behind logo.  Can be used as a filler when needed.    

Sponsors advert - corporate ad for one of the sponsors, eg, Eric Twigg Pukka Pies.  Get product photography / video plus details and create 30” ad for company relating them to Rotherham Utd.

Rotherham Utd club shop advert - 30” advert advertising club shop and wares.  Show exterior of shop at stadium to show viewers where it is located and close ups of items on sale.  End title slide has location, opening times, online shop.

Doc: Last 5 games of last season - 4’ film: edited highlights from last five games of last season edited as a montage set to music with on screen text graphics describing action.  Rousing music for celebrations, make it positive, can be played in front of ‘Season ticket ad’ or ‘How to sponsor the club’ advert for first few games.

Season ticket advert - 30” simple graphic and text advert advertising 2013/14 season tickets, available at NYS.  Use celebrations video clip from end of last season.  Tagline:  Don’t miss a thing!     

Highlight and features from Scotland tour - 4’ doc film: edited match footage and behind scenes, interviews etc with commentary from Matt and Ben.  Player cam?

Ask to shoot some of travel between locations, players on coach joking (but not rowdy or offensive), interviews with players (see separate sheet), training footage, match footage, manager etc.  Need separate player interviews regarding first pre-season friendly on Saturday.      

Highlights of Parkgate game from Saturday 5^th July - Punchy, but short 60” match highlights with title slide opener and score sheet at end.  Footage from Bill / Jan.

How to sponsor the club 60” advert - shows current company logos and celebrations from last season.  Rousing music.  Logos shooting forward.  RUFC logo stays on screen throughout. Eg,  Eric Twigg & RUFC, You & RUFC.  Tagline: Join a winning team

    

Millers TV logo with date - 15” Similar short animation as Intro but includes date and opponent. Following features more relevant to today’s game. 

General news items – 4’ film including Chairman welcome message and short interview 2’, virtual tour of the stadium 2’, latest signings announcement from manager 2’.  Use Astons with interviews.

Player interviews 4‘ - filmed during Scotland tour.  Thoughts about today’s game against Bolton Wanderers.

Today’s opponents including stats - 3’ film includes text graphic stats referring to today’s game, and profile of opponent, against a background of the two club badges.

Team sheets - text list of today’s team sheets against animated background of club badges.  2’ duration of team sheets film but can loop it twice, then go to Millers TV logo with date and opponent until kick off. 

Half Time

Millers TV Intro - as pre-match = 15”

Season ticket advert - as pre-match = 30”

General news items - as pre-match = 4’

Birthday messages - mock up messages with photos.  5’ film.  Style as a message board and have other notices on too.  Highlight each in turn.  End title card shows how to get your child’s birthday message shown = 5’

  

Doc: Last 5 games of last season - as pre-match = 4’

Rotherham Utd club shop advert - as pre-match = 30”

Millers TV logo with date - as pre-match, but with half time score if possible = 45”

Notes from 27 July 2013:
In my role as Producer / Director I am responsible for the output that is fed to all the screens in the stadium leading up to, and during the match.

Prior to the match starting the output is pre-recorded material which includes edited highlights of previous, recent games.  As time goes on, and the project grows, this will include VTs that I have produced such as training ground interviews and player photos to synch with the team sheet announcements made live on the pitch.

My job at the moment is to set up the system at the start of the session, this includes monitors, camera feeds, DVD recorders, mixing desk etc, and to gain confidence in vision mixing and letting it become second nature and instinctive.

Vision mixing is using the desk to line up the next feed (a different camera, a replay or a pre-record) and deciding how to go to the next using straight forward jumps, fades, swipes etc.
 
I really enjoy vision mixing.  I have to concentrate really hard on the action and pick out (and sometimes anticipate) pertinent points that warrant either a change of camera angle or a replay for the audience.

Notes from matchday broadcast on Saturday 10 August

Opening Up: What Needs to be Done Prior to, and During Match

On matchday, camera 1 is the main camera feed for the stadium screens, and it is this footage that goes to the BBC for inclusion in the Football League Show.

We have to produce five copies of the full game to be given to the clubs and the FA straight after the match.
To do this we have two white DVD recorders fed the main camera by distribution amp.

DVD Recorders - ! Important !

Before kick off, put the pre-labelled discs into the two DVD recorders.  This will make the ‘master’ copies of the game.

The recorder will ask if you wish to format the DVDs, say ‘OK’.  Press record - time code will begin running on screen and red light will appear on big round button on front of recorders.

It is vital that these two white copiers are set recording just before kick off, are paused for half time, then restarted, as these are the master copies of the game.

Stop at end of game and ‘finalise’.  To finalise: press eject - will ask if you want to finalise – press – YES – then OK

After the match one of the masters is used in the bulk copier to produce the DVDs for the club, opponents, FA etc.


Opening Up: 

Turn on the sockets on the vision mixer desk

The main camera feed will appear on the Match monitor once the camera is set up and operational.

Turn on DVD player (of the stack of two DVD players under the vision mixer desk).  This is the 'Compacks' brand DVD player.

This is the DVD mixer that will play out two DVD players Ads and pre-recorded, edited highlights DVD of previous games.  Put in latest edited DVD.  Press play.  This will appear on the small monitor labelled ‘DVD’.

Turn on the bottom DVD recorder (Liteon brand).  This is for the 'Replay' feed.  This needs to be set up on a delay using the remote control.

To Set Delay:   On handset press RECORD

 After 10 seconds (shown in display on screen) press TIME SHIFT and PLAY, lift off TIME SHIFT and then lift off PLAY.  Take the display off screen by using DISPLAY.

If OTR shows on screen this means that it is on timed recording so press STOP then STOP again and restart recording process as above.

 

Operating Stadium Screen Feeds

This is done by using Tripl Play = https://10.16.5.2

Log in = bblackburn

Password = VIPRAW56

Click ‘Tripl Sign’ button

Click ‘layouts’

Click ‘sort by’ drop down box

Click ‘date last modified’

Millers TV highlights should be the option labelled as “matchday layout”.  

But check serial number is same as one Bill has been emailed. 

Check that light on Tripl play box is green NOT red.  If red then not going through to stadium screens.

On that line click on pencil on screen icon

A holding picture will appear on screen with current setting as a header at top of picture

Click on holding picture

Click ‘edit content’ on drop down box

Go to LiveTV Sky Channel 1’ to change screen to Sky Sports just before half time, in order for screens to show half time results.  After ten minutes change back to Millers TV so that highlights DVD and then second half of match is fed through.

MillersTV – Logging and BBC Play Outs

During each Rotherham match, as I am vision mixing, I keep a log of the incidents that occur during the game that may be used for the edited highlights DVD to be shown at the next match and also for the BBC for the Football League Show.

The incidents should be recorded and graded as to how interesting they are.  This grading system helps Bill and the BBC go straight to the incidents during editing (Bill) and BBC play outs (Bill and BBC Sheffield).

Bill and BBC Sheffield look through the log and go straight to the highest graded incidents, or incidents such as yellow / red cards.

When a player is booked with a yellow card it is important to log that too in case he goes on to be red carded and sent off.  If this happens the Football League Show may want footage of both yellows so BBC Sheffield need to have the timecode for the first yellow card too.  It doesn't need grading, so a note saying YELLOW would suffice.

Similarly with injuries, if a player is injured it may be important so should be logged.  This can be graded
with the term INJURY instead of a mark out of ten.

eg,

Time (taken from timecode) / Team Involved / Description of incident / Grading (mark out of 10)


00:08:12 / Roth / Shot at goal, hit crossbar / 6
00:15:01 / PNE / Player yellow carded / YELLOW
00:35:55 / Roth / Shot at goal - wide / 2
00:55:26 / Roth / Player injured, carried off / INJURY


Once the match is finished and all copies of match DVDs have been given to the clubs and FA, Bill drives to BBC Sheffield with the master tapes of the match and sits with the BBC technicians who PLAY OUT the main incidents of the match to London (in this case to IMG, the production which makes The Football League Show for the BBC).

   

 Using my log the technician and Bill will spool through the tapes to the major incidents, and these are 'Log and Captured' into Final Cut 7.  Here the footage is cropped and assembled with footage from other games ready to send out.