11th and 12th August Sound with Noel Quinn

I really loved this module. It made loads of sense to me too because of all the dgital/audio theory I had done on this (my masters) course!! It was very hands on and light on theory, concentrating on making sure everyone could get the various pieces of equipment up and running. We all got to set up and operate the Fostex DAT and the little 3 channel field mixer and set up the mike and boom and do a bit of booming. It was really great. We got a chance to operate the DAT and the mixer. We played with the various mikes - radio mikes, the sennheiser 60 and 416, setting up, checking levels, getting all the settings and levels right. We recorded a radio piece. Then we did a mock run through of our piece. I really learned how to properly set the sound/audio on the digital camera. I did it a few times then.

The mock-shoot was great. We all did our real roles. It was marvellous to get some shots of the thing.

I also did the shot list with the director. It's fairly basic and simple I think, but at least it's something to start from. Already I"ve had ideas for better ways to shoot one or two bits or to say build a llittle more tension in different ways. I think it's important that Camera has an input to that!!!

29th July Story-Boarding with Maeve Connolly

This was tremendous fun for me. It was also a very practical class. We basically worked on our own script. We each did a shot breakdown of the script. Every time something changed - it's a shot. We got about 30 - 40 depending, for our script. She had some nice ideas about how to start and end it too. The outside eye is always fresh, I suppose. She also said what bits she thought were good for visual interest. She showed us how she does her storyboards. She uses photoshop, with a template of a story board. She draws the images with a low opacity, zoomed in. She uses a tablet. It was amazing. If there's one thing I'll take from that it was - get a tablet! The consummate ease with which you can sketch/draw is revelatory!!

ed 20/02/2009: Using a tablet is indeed marvellous. For any artist or graphic artist, a must I would almost say. Opens up a new world of possibility with Photoshop and Illustrator and now too, apparantly, with Cinema 4d's Sketch and Toon.

29th July Script Supervision with Kathleen Weir

Kathleen was such a lovely lady with such a sweet gracious manner. She started by saying that this area operates as the link between post-production and the set. As the day went by, it became clearer how that happens. She talked about the different things continuity is concerned with. She showed us her (very extensive) prep and on-set notes from a production. The Tudors, I think. She talked about things such as the action axis, eye lines, the line. She showed us how to fill in the continuity log. And mentioned the basics of continuity. She also estimates times and records actual times. She also told all the people that were late that they would be fired if they turned up like that to a film set!

28th July Assistant Directing with Sean Griffin

This was a great day. Sean told us all about himself and his career trajectory. He explained the roles of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd A.D. very well and very clearly. He spoke a lot about different aspects of production relating to First, second and third A.D. And trainee A.D. is a role that I must admit, that really grabs me now. I think that was ne role that I didn't really understand before. The way he explained it made it sound so interesting and the role really did open itself up to me and appealed to me. He spoke about the practical side of getting work in the industry - contracts, union, wages, overtime, training, finding work.

One myth he busted - and in case anyone else thinks this too - an A.D. is not an aspiring Director. Most of them do not want to be directors - though, of course, there are always some. As it seems there are everywhere. Everyone wants to be director. it seems. Isn't that funny? Though I do have ambitions to direct my own work/scripts, I have no ambition to direct anyone else's stuff. Isn't that funny? I'd much rather shoot, edit or record sound on someone else's work, but direct it? Nah. Couldn't imagine anything more stressful actually. When I see what John is going through (selected as director for the film our course is producing) boy a I glad that I don't have to do those things. With a script I didn't like.

He talked about the role od A.D.in prep. He brough along examples of all the paper work that A.D. has to do for cast, crew, production - everyone!! A.D. is the link. First and third are always on set. Second is at base. He gave us lots of tipson how to schedule and break down effectively. We also looked at his software EP Scheduling. There's also EP budgeting for the dedicated!! Went throught the process with us of how a shoot works too.