Filming: improvisation

We found that it was very easy to improvise some shots despite having a script breakdown and storyboards which included all of the shots we planned to film. While filming all of the essential shots for our music video we also filmed those that weren't originally planned. For example we experimented more with different types of shot e.g. if we had planned a medium shot of Julian playing on a game console we also filmed close-ups and different angles in order to include a wider variety of shots which we could chose from when it came to editing in order to get the best possible combination.

We originally only had two shots planned of the necklace falling (one in his hand and one falling to the floor. Although when it came to the time of the shoot we found it much more effective and interesting to include a shot of him holding the necklace in a medium close up, loosening his grip in a closeup and then the shot of the necklace falling to the floor which enabled us to include continuity in our music video.

Both Sophie and Julian are very talented actors and therefore they helped us to improvise some shots as well. For example when Julian's character has seen Sophie's character being unfaithful he drops the necklace. However Julian was also able to cry on cue and therefore we asked him to do so while dilimc his face in close up which is a very emotional and effective shot.

When Rhiann and I arrived at Julian's house to film the piano shots, we noticed that there was a stone ornament near his house which provided natural framing in the form of an arc which we then decided to use for some of our singing into camera shots. We also filmed some shots of Julian aggressively walking through leaves which we thought would show a natural angry response to being heartbroken.

Planning: issues with transport.

Myself and Rhiann have been communicating via Facebook messenger and on the day of our third shoot (27th of October) she told me that she couldn't get to Julian's house because her original method of transport was not able to take her anymore due to work commitments. Therefore we arranged for my Mum to pick her up from her house and take us both to Julian's house. We were extremely grateful for my mum on that day otherwise we would not have been able to film the majority of our singing into camera shots. Being unable to drive we were very reliant on other people which was unsettling as this is our project.

Planning: Lunch for the actors.

Rhianns mum owns a fish and chip shop and she very kindly offered to provide lunch at on our second shoot (25th of October at Rhiann's house) at 12pm for the actors as well as me and Rhiann.

Planning: Shooting schedule

Shoot 1: Lauren's house 23rd of October

3pm - Shots of the passports 

5pm - Shots of the bath 

Shoot 2: 

Rhiann's house: 25th of October 

Shots in Rhiann's house 

10am - actors arrive for shots in the living room 

12pm - Lunch break. 

1pm - Drive the actors (Sophie and Julian) from Rhiann's house to the Humber bridge viewing area and do all shots there. The actor playing Abby's (played by Sophie) new love interest has been asked to arrive at the viewing area via walking as he lives very close, in Barton. 

3pm - Drive  Sophie and Julian to Baysgarth park to shoot. 

Shoot 3: At the actor (Julians house) 27th of October 

11am - Rhiann and I will arrive via my mum who has agreed to transport us to and from Julian's house. Shoot the piano shots as well as various out door shots singing into camera.

Shoot 4: Rhiann's house 26th of October
Shooting shots of CCTV camera, money and kettle. 

Planning: organising actors

 In order to organise our actors my partner Rhiann and I thought it most appropriate to create a group chat on Facebook in which we could all discuss which times and dates were most suitable for each of us individually.


The screenshot to the left shows Rhiann asking Julian what days of the week he was free in the October half term from the 21st of October to the 31st. Our actor was an extremely busy person as he is a full time college student with regular driving lessons as well as participating in extra curricular activities such as drama which meant he had to perform shows in the evening.

Rhiann and I originally schedules to shoot on a Monday the 24th of October with Sophie, Julian and Joe and Tuesday the 25th of October with just Julian. 

However on 23rd of October, our star image informed us he only had an hour and a half free on the 24th October due to a change in his plans and shows hes performing in.

Therefore my partner and I organised which days he had the most amount of hours free on were and we discovered they were the 25th and the 27th of October so we informed our female role and she happily agreed.

Neither me nor Rhiann had a piano at our house and therefore we asked one of our actors (Julian, playing the role of Ben) if we could use his piano. We asked him to send a picture of the piano so we could see that it had a sufficient amount of natural lighting as well as being in the right position for us to film it. We decided to go to Julians house on the 3rd day of the shoot. 

The group chat was an effective way of organising actors. However when people had plans that conflicted each other and meant that we had to decide on a date and time that suited everyone we found it more helpful to have actual conversations via phone call so that we could discuss more effectively.

Group post: planning, organising shoot dates - gone wrong

Rhiann and I initially decided we would need 2 full days of shooting and depending how successful they were would depend on if we needed a third day shooting.

The initial dates were 24th October and 25th October, and our star image informed us he would make himself free if needed.

However on 23rd of October, our star image informed us he only had an hour and a half free on the 24th October due to a change in his plans and shows hes performing in.

Therefore my partner and I organised which days he had the most amount of hours free on were and we discovered they were the 25th and the 27th of October so we informed our female role and she happily agreed.

Shots needed without actors, e.g. bubble bath, cctv, cups of tea, sun, clouds, rain  drops, leaves, were all filmed separately by me and my partner.

Lauren had the camera on the 23rd before shooting with our models, and I had the camera on the 26th, which was in between the two shoots we had with out models.

Planning: Group post - script breakdown, Rhiann's house