Itch

My first attempt at Final Cut Pro didn't go so badly, particularly once I stopped using iMovie keyboard shortcuts! I'm not sure I explored the full range of possibilities but I like the fact that even if you split a clip into tiny, minute sections, reverse them, speed them up, slow them down, whatever there is still a copy of the clip in it's original form. So much easier than having to undo things and remembering to make duplicates all the time.

After I'd got the hang of capturing the film, naming it and marking in and out points it seemed very straightforward and the film was completed very quickly. I never have to spend long going through the clips after I've filmed them as I always know at the time I'm filming which sections I'll use and which I won't.

For this film I decided to work with the found audio rather than editing to a soundtrack. Again, because of my previously less advanced equipment I've always worked with a soundtrack in mind. It was interesting working with the found audio and finding a natural rhythm in the movement and it's something to consider for future work but I think I'll try to combine both a soundtrack and found audio to add texture.

The Space Masterclass

Yesterday was spent working on tasks set by Katrina to get us used to working with the camera and gaining confidence in holding it and moving with it. It's something I've never done before as I've never had the equipment to deal with that. it felt good to get involved with moving the camera around the dancers, more like a duet than dancer/viewer.

One of the tasks yesterday was to film approximately one minute of continuous footage to create a short film clip. We had to use a location outwith the dance studios and we weren't allowed to edit at all. Bored by all the clean lines and shiny metal I asked the dancers to show me the grimiest place in the building. This turned out to be the boiler room underneath the theatre space, it was dirty, dark and had the constant drone of the boilers in the background. The dancers were positioned in the darkest part of the space and the camera moved from there outwards into the light passing more dancers on the way. The end result was slightly Blair Witch, slightly Girl Interrupted and very different from anything I've filmed before.

Today I went back to develop the idea with new dancers. I gave them a short sequence of movement to give the piece a theme and instead of being restricted to one shot I filmed a range of shots around the space using the dancers in all areas. I'm looking forward to editing this material over the next few days particularly as it will be my first time using Final Cut Pro.

Where I've Been Going Wrong

One session with Katrina is all it's taken to realise how amateur my film work is. The ideas are there but I need to be braver in what I choose to include and leave out. I need to be braver with angles and shots and move the camera around more. I haven't been able to do these things with my little camcorder before, the slightest movement and the thing is struggling to focus for the next 10 minutes.

Now that I have the opportunity to work with equipment that can handle movement I need to take advantage of it.

* More angles
* More shots
* Move the camera