Pre Production: Thinking about Locations

Locations

When thinking about where I wanted to shoot Hideaway I was torn between London or Maidstone because they both had a variety of Pros and Cons. By choosing to shoot in london meant that I wouldn't have to spend so much on the actor's travelling. However I would have to spend more on the crew's travel expenses because we have to use people from the uni. So my task was to figure out how to minimise costs but be as effective as possible when creating a good film. I want the locations to really suit the narrative therefore I will put that as the main concern.

Isaiah's house, option 1: London

It would be convenient for me as two of my friends have volunteered their households for me to shoot in. Below is the house I would've used for Isaiah. it's bright, spacious and would logistically make sense with the script.

What I mostly loved about this house was how well lit it is. There are plenty light sources within this house. For example, in the bedroom, There are plenty table lamps and lights, this means I will be able to have natural light sources from the world of the film and so if I needed any artificial lighting to enhance a scene, it would be more natural. I doubt I will have an issue lighting the scene. If anything it may even have too much light for when I want to convey Isaiah's darker times. I will make sure to carry diffusers and reflectors to combat this. One unusual con about this house is I think it is almost too nice to be Isaiah's house. The decor is very stylish and very neat. Is this fitting with my character's parent's financial status? But I guess I can dress the set and remove items to make is less stylish. This just means I will allow a lot more time when it comes to dressing the set.

Isaiah's room second option; Maidstone

This room in my opinion would suit better for Isaiah because it has a dark, dingey tone to it. Once dressed to suit a boy's room it can look really good.  This current light set up was only a lamp on the left side and it illuminated one side of the room. But, when comparing these two locations, I must ask myself whether it is easier to add and create good light OR reduce good light? This is a decision I will make with my DOP.


Lily and Isaiah's hang out spot / Bonfire location option : Maidstone

When scouting for locations, I went out into maidstone to see what kind of rural areas I can find to inspire shot types or to see what I could add into the script to make lily and Isaiah interact with. I found a lovely nearby park which allowed me to venture out and find interesting, hidden parts that would allow aesthetically pleasing scenes.

I love the slight symmetry that occurs here, could create some good visuals.

I think these two pictures speak for themselves, the setting is very quiet, peaceful and intimate. I really like how the water glistens and reflects the sun light too. If the water was deeper, this would've been the perfect location to station the main riverside scenes but it just wouldn't make sense because you can see how shallow the water is.

I love the depth that can be created here. 

I love the way the sun shines through the trees, great silhouettes can be made within this location. Im wondering how this would look during the evening with a small bonfire between it. This is something I would like to eventually test out. 


Final Thoughts
Generally speaking, this forest location allows the possibility for shots of intimacy and freedom at the same time due to its greenery and rural notions. I definitely want to incorporate this somehow when shooting. It was really helpful walking around and getting a real feel for what I could do in these locations. My next step will be to carry out some more test shoots to finalise which locations I want to use.