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Jigsaw Falling Into Place: Editing the footage

8/23/2015

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13/8/15
Location: Dreamscope headquarters, Salford Quays
After filming was completed. I messaged Darren asking when would be best to come to the studio and begin editing the footage. Two weeks later I received a reply from Darren, apologizing for the late reply. He informed me that the team had just moved to their new office and that he was on leave to support his pregnant wife. I connected me with Louise and she suggested that I come on the 13th August to edit the footage around 2pm.

Arriving at new headquarters, 20 minutes late and going around the Quays looking for the location, I met Louise at reception and she led me to the new offices of Dreamscope and into the Editing suite. Louise introduced me to Ian, the head editor at Dreamscope. 

From there Ian showed me the controls and editing software that we would be using to edit the collected footage. He helped me understand the buttons and the how the footage that Darren and myself could be viewed and edit together in a simple apporach. From there we both watched the combined footage and with the click of a button the video could be cut back and before the footages and we could see both clips running at the same time. If there was any editing choices or issues that a rose it could be sorted by marking the point in the clip and pulling it back to where the ideal shot was that we wanted to use. Ian was very supportive and gave me space to let me control the editing process and I needed help he would assist me.

The footage that we were editing that day was from Gary: A Love Story which Darren and I recorded on the opening day of the Festival.
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Day 3: Actor's Workshop and The PlantĀ 

7/26/2015

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26/7/2015
Call Time: 11AM

The final day of the Festival was among us. We had one performance to record which was The Plant and a few more Voxpops. But before then our first assignment was to film the first five minutes of the Actors Workshop being held within the Cosmo. We collected the equipment and set the cameras up and decided to only use one camera to fill the workshop and from there we would do a few pick up shots. 

The class was held by actress Julie Hesmondhalgh, who covered for the actor who originally was going to run the workshop. The Workshop was interesting and in depth as the actress was sharing her experiences with the attendees of the workshop and each talking about their experiences and goals.

After the workshop we did a few Voxpops with Julie, David Slack and the attendees of the festival.

Next we begun setting up all the equipment in the Cosmo for the performance of The Plant. We set up the mics and camera in the spots we placed them last time and filmed the first 15 minutes of the performance. After the performance was over we did a few more Voxpops from the audience and their views of both the performances and festival itself.

ITS A WRAP!! 
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Day 2: Madness Sweet Madness, Brief Encounters, Distant Sounds

7/25/2015

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25/7/2015
Call time: 12:30
The continuation of filming of the festival was a very interesting and enjoyable experience. 
our first task was to film the first performance of Madness Sweet Madness within the Cosmo Performance Space. We set up the cameras on the far left and right side of the seating, continuing the same process of me filming the wider angle and Darren on the close ups. The mics were set up at the front of the stage and we agreed with the director to film the first fifteen minutes of the performance.
We decided to include an additional capture the piece from a full view shot. We set a small camera on the top balcony which could be controlled from Darren's phone and could be used for further recordings.

After filming the performance we collected a few more Voxpops with the audience, asking them about what they thought of the performance and the festival.

At 2:15pm we filmed the Brief Encounters. The Brief Encounters was a selection of monologues that focused on the history of Manchester and the the iconic figures like John Dalton that have had impact on Manchester the University of Manchester as the monologues were based outside and around the campus grounds. Darren and I followed the audience around as they were lead to the performers, with me on sound and Darren filming. We filmed the performers presenting their monologues and the audiences reactions. 

After filming a few more Voxpops with the audience members, including Tv Presenter, Clive Anderson whose daughter was Assistant Director for We Are The Multitude. 

At 3:30pm we began setting up in the John Thaw Theatre for the Diistant Sounds, two performance pieces that were written by a Australian musician and an English writer, who collaborated with each other to create the performances. We did our usual set up and recorded the whole of the performances. After the performance was completed we collected all our our equipment and placed them within the lighting booth for the final day of the festival.




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We Are The Multitude & Gary: A Love Story

7/24/2015

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At 4 pm we begun planning the filming for Friday performances of We Are The Multitude and Gary: A Love Story. 
We collected the equipment from the room and made our way into the John Thaw stage. We had a look at the stage first and planned where we would place the cameras and the microphones. We originally planned to place the cameras at the end of the steps in the middle of the audience section, however we were unable to due to it being a fire hazard. We sorted the solution by placing the two cameras at the very back of the seating section, getting a full view of the stage. My camera would film the wider shot of the stage, whilst Darren would focus on the actors in a close up angle. 
We set the microphones at the front of the stage, to collect the audio of the actors speaking on the stage and the dialogue would be clearer in the editing process instead of silent. Once we had set up and organised, we discussed with the director and actors how much they wanted recording, the director told us that she would like the first 15 minutes of the performance to be recording and use for the show reel. 
1st Performance: We Are The Multitude-15 mins recorded

After the first performance was finished we did the same process of setting up the camera angles and settings as well as asking the director if there any loud banging and noises in the piece so that the microphone could pick up the dialogue if the actor was speaking and seperate it from the noise. She informed us that there were two scenes, including one of the main actors repeatedly whacks a metal pole on the stage while speaking. We did a quick test, asking the actor to smash the metal pole on the floor just to make sure that the noise wasn't picked up too much and we could hear the actor clearly, there were no issues. 

2nd Performance: Gary: A Love Story-Full Performance Recorded

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24:7 FESTIVAL: THE BIG WEEKEND BEGINS-FRIDAY

7/24/2015

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24/7/2015
The Caterpillar's Story-Manchester Museum
Today is the opening day of 24:7 Theatre Festival. A lot of anticipation is building up and its my job to catch the whole thing on film alongside Darren as a 2nd Camera unit.  

Our first assignment was filming the rehearsal for Scallwags Theatre's production of A Caterpillar's Story at the Manchester Museum. I arrived at the museum at 8am as that was the call time for Darren had asked me to arrive so we could begin filming at 8:30am. Arriving at the main entrance I met Darren, who had all the equipment to the filming. We were also joined by Rev, a photographer who was taking publicity photos for the production. We met with Emma Chapman, one of the directors of Scallwags who informed us that they were getting their props from the loading bay on the other side of the museum. We waited until the full Scallywags team arrived and followed them to the performance location on the 2nd floor where the wildlife exhibit was based.

Once at the filming location we discussed with the group where the beginning of the play would begin and where the cast would lead the Martin puppet and the audience on the tour. Emma showed us the locations where certain scenes like Martin meeting Billy the Horse leading into a sing-a-long dance piece. Examining the wide exhibit section, we discussed where certain angles we could take from a wide shot to a close up on the Martin and the other cast.

With the filming layout planned, Darren and I set the cameras, from the focus to make sure the footage was clear and sharp while recording to the lighting and white balance so the footage would not be too dark or too bright. Darren would do close ups and mediums shots, as if he was representing the view of the young audience and I would be filming the wide shots, capturing everything. 

The first take went smoothly, with Darren and I capturing the scenes smoothly as did the rehearsal. However there was an issue with the mic attached to Darren's camera picking up a buzzing sound from the title lights above the animal exhibitions. The group, Darren and I agreed to do a second take except this time we would do a few changes.


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24:7 Theatre Festival Media Launch-Comedy Store

6/11/2015

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11/6/2015

In the famous words of American Rapper Ice Cube 'Today was a good day'. Held at the well respected Comedy Store in Deansgate Locks, 24:7 Festival used this location for their Media Launch. Entering the store two hours before the launch I met up with my fellow Foot in the Door Team as well as the festival organisers Annika Edge, David Slack and David Townsend, who were all preparing the flyers and programmes for the event. 
While waiting for Louise, a team member of Dreamscope and who I would be collaborating with for the event, I took the time to have a look around the staging area where the announcements were going to be held for the public and journalists. Looking upon the stage and the seating pattern, I took photos of the stage from different angles from the middle of the stage to the top balcony. I would use these photos to show Louise the different angles and opportunities to place the camera.


Once Louise arrived, we both introduced ourselves to each other and I helped her take the equipment into the staging area, which was all placed on a small wheelbarrow, which had one broken wheel. Once we were in the stage room I showed her the photos I had taken and she appeared please with the future planning. We decided to set the camera in the top balcony row to get an over shot of the whole presentation.   
Once we set up the camera we planned where we would hold the interviews and what to film. We decided to hold the interviews in the corner section near the entrance and stairs leading down to the restaurant as we both thought it looked interesting with all the posters of each show placed on it and it was a quiet section that would help pick up what the person was saying on the mic and not the noises coming from the main bar. 


Louise and I worked well with each other, suggesting shots of the venue and the atmosphere. from shots of the Venue's logo and the layout of the event to the growing crowd of enthusiastic theatre goers and some well known regulars such as Actor John Henshaw (Early Doors, The Parole Officer) who is the Director of the 24:7 Theatre Festival. Other attendances were the writers and directors of the pieces like Scallywags Theatre who had brought Martin the Caterpillar along for the showcase. 


When the Presentation was about to begin I helped Louise set the camera on the stand and watched as the presentation began. Showcasing the history of the festivals past and how each show and those those involved have grown into better things whether it be touring around England or the actors going onto well known projects on stage and television. Afterwards we were shown a mixture of small performances and teaser trailers for each show which gave the audience and myself the idea  of the tone and variety of each one. 


At the end of the presentation we used this opportunity to record a few more pick up shots of the event as well as interview more of the audience and team of the Foot in the Door scheme.


At the end of the event, after collecting a lot of recorded footage and the event slowly dying down. We packed up all our equipment and bid farewell to each other and looked forward to working with each other again in the further development and editing of the footage.  

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Photos from the Media Launch

6/11/2015

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Interview with Darren Hutchinson

5/26/2015

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26/05/2015

On Tuesday I had the opportunity to meet with Darren Hutchinson, co-founder and director of Dreamscope productions at their headquarters based at the Greenhouse building in Salford Quays. I was looking forward to meet Darren and get a better understanding of both my role with the team and the filming of the festival.

Entering the building I asked the man at the reception desk where I could find the offices of Dreamscope. The man at the desk asked me my name and who I was seeing. When checking his list he said my name wasn't down , causing me worry that I might have been forgotten. Luckly he called the office and got confirmation that did have a meeting. He told me which floor the offices were located and from took the lift to the 3rd floor.

Arriving on the floor I walked through a maze of doors looking for Room 92. Having found the room I introduced myself to the team, who were on their lunch break and from out of the blue Darren appeared behind me, having finished his lunch. we both sat down in the meeting room and I began asking Darren questions that I had prepared for the interview.


What Is The History of Dreamscope?
Dreamscope is a proudction company who help create and develop new and interesting video products, from recording and creating promo and launch videos for companies based in the North west or around the globe to television programmes like Most Haunted. 

Darren was a executive producer for Granada television, a Manchester based broadcasting company . Having worked there for some time he  decided that he wanted the freedom to create new and interesting programmes and from that left Granada to create Dreamscope in 2002. Since then Dreamscope have developed a number of projects and have continued to grown with each production. The company is now preparing to move their office to a larger office.


How Did Dreamscope Get Involved With 24/7 Theatre?
Dreamscope were approached by David Slack in 2004 to shoot promo videos for festival from making teaser trailers for each show to the launch event. Since then Dreamscope have been part of the filming team for the festival each year and as one of the apprenticeship choices for the Foot in the Door programme scheme.


What's My Role With The Dreamscope Team And How Will I Approach it?
my role with the Dreamscope team is 2nd Camera Operator. My role includes working alongside the Dreamscope team and planning filming of the side shots for the festival as well as each performance. I will also be involved with interviewing some of the cast and team of the festival and the shows. I will also be involved in helping one of the team members film the Media Launch at the Comedy Store. After we have collected footage and from the lauch and festival we will be editing all the footage together to create a professional looking promotional video to let people follow the work and updates of the Festival and to be shared on the 24/7 website and for the promo page of Dreamscope.


What Equipment Will You Be Using?
For the festival will be using Cannon XF Cameras which are used by professional TV/ film productions and is well known for its sharp and smooth picture and recording system. Once collected we will be using the Avid Editing System to cut and paste all the collected imagery into a piece of videography art.


I had a great time interviewing Darren and  getting to know the team better. I look forward to working with them on the filming of the 24/7 festival and a better understanding in the world of Videography to improve my skills over time.


Stay tuned for the latest from the 24/7 Festival Media Launch and my progress with the company.

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DREAMSCOPE: BACKGROUND INFORMATION.

5/24/2015

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Dreamscope TV are a Manchester based company with headquarters being located at the Green Building in Salford Quays. The company was set up in 2003 by Darren Harrison, a former TV Executive for Granada who set up the company to have the freedom to create new and interesting programmes. Since then the company has grown strong and has been involved in a number of productions from creating a number of  documentaries and promos that show both the city of Manchester and its people in the brightest form. They have also been involved in the filming of Britain's Hit ghost hunting programme, MOST HAUNTED!

This year the company are beginning to move their office to a new and larger building not far from their current residence. They are also getting set to release their new Website page which will be online soon.
I am looking forward to working with Darren and the team and keep you all updated on the process of filming for the 24/7 festival
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SCENE OPENING

5/20/2015

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Hello
My name is Luke Richards. I am a 22 year old actor/ writer  from Manchester, England. In 2015 I joined a program to work with the cities respected theatre festivals, 24/7 THEATRE.

The event showcases new performances from talented talent in the Northwest and around the globe. The festival has gone strength to strength since its first opening back in 2004.

in 2015 I decided to be involved with the festivals, Foot in the Door Scheme, a program that allows participants the opportunity to work alongside and be involved within the festival. Taking on new different roles from being a producer of one of the productions being performed to working with other companies that are associated with the festival like children's theatre company Colour the Clouds to Film making company, Dreamscope based in Salford Quays.

For this year's festival I was selected to work alongside Dreamscope in filming elements of the festival, whether it be filming the rehearsals of each performance, interviewing the cast and crew of each piece of creating the teaser trailers and promo vids for both the shows and festivals.

On this blog I will be detailing my progress working with Dreamscope from meeting the team, the planning of the production and the actions and choices that were made before and after filming.

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    Trainee Filmmaker filming the action happening at 2015's 24/7 Theatre

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