Analysing Scene 1 Test Shoot

After creating the broken bed I decided not to include the sharp bar sculpture, inspired by Robert Wilson, because I thought it would make the scene look too theatrical and overdone, rather than having a realistic element. I also felt the sculpture would be too distracting from the broken bed and model, with not enough of a message to justify it. I therefore decided to remove this object from the scene.

In this test shoot I focused on experimenting with camera angles and movement, so it does not reflect the lighting and camera quality etc.; however I did use the intended styling.

I experimented with shots of the metal railings on the bed to introduce the setting and concept. I want the opening shots to be ambiguous so I think more zoomed in shots would have worked better, like focusing on a corner or following one of the bars to make it less obvious that it's a bed. This clip was out of focus the whole time; however I want the first, more descriptive, clip of the bed to start out of focus and then come into focus to create an initial hazed silhouette. The clip is slightly shaky so I will need to make sure Harrison uses a tripod to keep the camera steady to ensure the camera movement doesn't distract from the footage. 

I will include many ambiguous clips of the model's styling to introduce the character. The twisted and scrunched layering emphasises the fabric's texture to create an intriguing web of depth. The viewer will initially be unaware of the model's presence, allowing them to interpret this abstract closeup in a variety of ways, building the film's suspense. 

I want short clips scattered throughout the first scene of the camera bouncing around, to suggest someone is filming She and either lost concentration or tripped so their camera jolts about. I would only use a short clip from the footage above; however I've learned to always film more than necessary in case there are any faults or changed ideas in editing. The uneven, chaotic filming reflects her uneasy, confused emotions as it isn't clear what is being filmed. The jumping of the camera also gives the viewer a disorientated feeling as they can't focus on anything, giving them a taster of She's emotional turmoil. 

I found the hand closest to the camera very distracting as it was the focus point of the camera. I will need to make sure the camera is focused on something specific, rather than an irrelevant aspect as that aspect will pull the focus away from the emotion or intended main focus. A still of the camera looking through the railings to the model's head and body would be an effective build up to the introduction of the character, after many closeups of her styling and ambiguous body movement. If I took this footage from a shallower angle to the railings I could have included more strips and given a more intimidating caged look; I shall experiment with this on the day of the shoot. I could experiment with different focus points in this clip, choosing either a part of the model or the railings to be in focus. 

A quick flash of a close up of the mouth could mirror the sudden inhale in the music to reflect the shock of her incarcerated reveal. I want to use a closeup for this reveal for a more personal feel, as if She is unveiling her identity. I used a harsh angle down her face, directing the focus to her mouth by making her surrounding features blurred. I think if the mouth was front on with everything in focus it would reveal too much to the viewer and look too staged and flat. 

Filming this clip emphasised the importance of removing jewellery and anything else not included in the styling because I found the piercing extremely distracting from the movement. Filming the stomach breathing directly on top gave a subtle movement, that isn't obvious at first; this will counterbalance the more dramatic camera movement and editing for an abstract effect. I layered mesh styling and the model's arm over the stomach and kept them in frame but out of focus to frame the subject and give the impression you're peering in to something secretive. I will use this layering effect throughout the first scene to reflect how She is hiding from society's judgements. 

I found doing this test shoot very insightful as it showed how the angles of each clip could be shot and how the styling would look. I wanted to experiment with angles before drawing the storyboard so that I could see how they looked with a camera, instead of guessing how they would look by drawing them. I will show some of the clips to Harrison so he understands which clips I am happy with and where I think a tripod is necessary.

I was concerned that the broken bed would not take the weight of the model as I decided to cut it in half and then secure it with a dramatic bend in it. I placed two black metal rods underneath the middle section; however I was still concerned they would not be strong enough. I was relieved when there was no problem with the bed; however to ensure nothing falls, I will use wider, more substantial rods under the bed so my model feels completely comfortable moving round on the bed.

I initially tried the styling with thicker sections of mesh; however after I gathered the mesh up I felt it looked too puffy and like a tutu, which I think the audience would find distracting. I therefore cut the mesh into smaller sections and pull some sections straight over the body to make the mesh look more reminiscent of restricting rope. I will discuss this styling with Sebastiane in a tutorial as I am not completely happy with the outcome.