Studio Production: 3rd workshop with Del

3rd Workshop with Del

In this workshop our task was to rig up the equipment as we would for the show and everyone would take it in turns to swap roles. We created a pretend show and also took turns at being the subjects for  This was one of the most important workshops because it was very necessary to learn the different roles. 

The set up; 
The main thing for me was the different set ups for the cameras. They all had different functions and instructions to follow from the director.  Camera 3 was on the track and dolly and had to perform a specific moving opening shot.

My experience; 

Cameras; I was part of the first group to go onto the cameras first. I started off on camera 1 which performed quite basic moves and coverage of the subjects in front. Receiving the instructions from the director and applying that coverage was really fun as I became really focussed on getting the shots right. As the day went on and I had a turn on the other cameras and was given the task of getting an extreme close up. This required me to do a quick repositioning and move closer to the subject. It really opened my eyes at how quick you would need to do this. I must also understand the limits of the camera as well so if I'm asked to do an extreme close up and the zoom is already as far as it can go, this must mean I have to reposition and move forward.

Being on camera 3 was challenging at first, keeping the camera focused on the subject whilst keeping fluid movement was difficult because there was a crack in the track which created a slight wobble. This showed me that in order for us to have smooth shots we will need to have a look at the track and try to conceal the rough edges because it may decrease the production value. But I really enjoyed being on camera 3 because knowing that I had to focus to create a good shot felt like a rush. 

Sound; the sound was split into 2 roles, Sound Operator and Sound Assistant. The sound op would choose what sound gets played and the sound assistant would actually control the buttons. 

when on sound, the first task that we had to do was test out the microphone levels of the subjects to make sure they matched and sounded good. Since everyones voices are different, we would have to listen to know whether to adjust the high's or mid frequencies. I enjoyed this task as well but you would have to make sure that the assistant knows which buttons to press and alter otherwise it can all go wrong as I experienced telling my assistant to roll the sting but they altered the wrong thing. This allowed me to know how important it is to work together and make sure everyone is on the same page. 

Directing; This for me was the most difficult part. Trying to work with the PA as well as trying to create your own rhythm and phrases to direct the show was really challenging. There's so many things to consider all at once and I struggled a little bit. Also having to remember when and where to roll the graphics. Trying this role really made me respect the director's roll a lot more because it was super difficult. It highlighted the importance of getting to know the script inside and out because even though during this session it was a made up version and we went over it a few times. I still felt like I had forgotten what comes next and what cameras should be utilised. 

Vision Mixing: In my opinion I enjoyed this just as much as being on the cameras because of how focused you need to be. Listening to the directions and executing them efficiently was fun but started off at a rocky start for me because I kept crossing over my fingers to press the right buttons but that is bad practice because your fingers are supposed to stay in the allocated places. After noticing this I quickly readjusted my finger placement and continued to take direction. Another challenging aspect of the vision mixing was the advanced direction of incorporating the graphics, this meant that you would make use of your right hand to orchestrate the mixing of the graphics using the T bar. I had to remember to click the background button to return the screen to normal. These are also really quick transitions so you really have to stay focused otherwise you could miss your next direction.  



Overall 
I really enjoyed this workshop and I learnt so much more about everyones role. I also learnt the importance of staying calm and focussing on the task because it is so easy to get flustered and give up but that is something that you cant do during the actual show so its bad practice to just give up. All problems must always be trouble shooted as well. You cant always rely on others to fix any issues you have as they may not be there on the actual day. 

I also learnt that I still need to have some practice with getting the white balance and colours of the cameras all unified as this was still a challenge for me and as a group we were unable to make them all look the exact same. This is something I will research so that at the next rehearsal rigging up will go much quicker.