logbook 14

UNIT 1 ACTING FOR CAMERA 18 January 2015

Filming this week was very exciting, I got the chance to experience many different roles within the crew and I also experienced my first ever on screen performance with Sam. I found acting in front of the camera very challenging to begin with because everything had to be very precise which made me feel restricted as an actor. I began to become very conscious of everything I was doing when in fact, I should have been consecrating on the emotions of the character and the scene itself. This experience has shown me the difference between being on stage and being in front of a camera. I've learnt that acting for film and TV is the complete polar opposite to theatre because acting for camera requires you to be realistic and natural whereas, theatre can be bigger, bolded and more dramatic. I defiantly think you have more freedom in theatre but what I like most about film is that it’s very complex and I think you can use your body language more to your advantage because the camera never lies, it picks up on everything. When looking back at the rushes for the first time, I found it hard to watch myself because I am very self-critical however, I was surprisingly pleased with my performance. I did find myself overthinking things and trying to create this natural character but after a few takes I began to relax and listen to sam instead of just thinking about myself and my own lines. It was only then, I started reacting and feeling more natural because I started to relax.

Overall, I think acting in front of camera is more difficult than looks because there is so much going on and you have so much to think about as an actor including; lines, character, queues, body language, facial expressions and reactions. I think my expressions and body language are strong but my listening and reacting still need to be improved a lot so I would considered them to be my weaknesses at the moment. I plan on

AMBER-LILY FOXON �1

ACTING FOR CAMERA FILM IN 5 MINUTES


improving these weaknesses by focusing more on understanding the meanings behind the script and my character intentions.

I found experiencing the roles of the different members of the crew very interesting because it changed my views on how important I though they were towards an on screen performance. I’ve realised that everyone involved in the crew has a very specific job role that is vital when filming. This week I got the chance to experience and learn about 3 different roles including Costume, Hair & Makeup, 1st Assistant Director and Camera Assistant.

Costume, Hair & Makeup was my first role. I loved this role because it involved making sure the actors looked good on screen. I had to play attention to detail in regard to costume and especially hair. It’s important to keep the continuity throughout each take so that visually, it all makes sense and also for editing purposes. I noticed that actors do not look the same on camera as they do in person therefore, I had to look at them on screen to see if they needed any adjustments. I think this role requires you to be observant and artistic. I think I personality excelled in this area of expertise's because, I made quick decisions and I wasn’t afraid to interact with the actors. I wanted to make them feel comfortable because make up



is something that requires you to be in someones person space. Therefore, I think an element of trust in required between the Costume, Hair & Make up person and the actor.

The 1st Assistant Director which is also known the ‘1st AD’ is one of the most important roles within a film/TV crew because they are responsible for everyone and everything. They work closely with the Director and are in charge of making sure everyone is ready for a take for instances they will be in charge of announcing ‘Stand by-we're going for a take’. Taking on the 1st AD role was probably one of the hardest roles for me because it required quick designs making and it was very stressful. There is a lot of pressure on you as an individual to make sure everything is running smoothly and on schedule. However, once I understood my role I did enjoy the responsibility because I felt very involved with the crew and the actors. I think a 1st AD needs to be quick, confident, organised and always one step ahead of the game because time is money in this business and there is no room for error on set.

The Camera Assistant is responsible for helping the Camera Operator with the white balancing, the transport of the equipment and also the safety of the camera assistant, while they are filming. I really enjoyed my



experience of being a camera assistant operator because I got to help make important artistic decisions. I also assisted with the white balancing, which is where you use a white sheet of paper to help find the best possible focus for the shot. I think a camera assistant needs to be able to make quick decisions as well as being creative and imaginative to help the camera operator.

I think my camera performance in Alex and Erol’s scene was shocking because I didn't understand what I was doing. I couldn't find the right focus and a lot of faces appeared cut out when looking back on the rushes. I also felt very rushed inside this scene, which made me feel uncomfortable which resulted in the camera being unsteady. I found the close ups very difficult to shot with actors who were moving around a lot. However, I do think this is a communication issues and my own fault. I plan on vocalising any problems next time to improve on this.

During the scenes we filmed in the bar, we had to create a wild track sound because the air-conditioning was making a very loud and inconstant background noise. Recording the sound is to help with



continuity throughout all scenes that is what I discovered from creating this wild track.

I learnt from Erol and Connor’s scene what crossing the line means within filming. Crossing the line is the illusion of both actors looking and talking in the same direction.

These are the notes I took whiles watching the rushes back from the first scene ‘Hard Times’.

I also asked myself these questions?-Do you believe it? -Do you believe a moment in it? -Does it appear different on screen? -What would you change if you was the operator ?

Notes:-Harriet’s voice appeared soft and believable-Levi’s smile was visible -I thought Levi maintained good focus on his close up-I liked Harriet’s eyes on Levi in her close up-Lewis was believable at times-Camera zoom was to fast on Lewis and Charley’s scene-Good eyes and focus from charley -Charley had too much blinking which created weakness -Camera blurry -Julia close up looking down slowly/Good camera close up shoot -Daniella showed innocence through body language

The Character workshop with Innes this week was really beneficial for me. Although I’ll be honest, I wasn't looking forward to this workshop because I can't sing so I thought it would be a waste of time. Thankfully it wasn't, I found the session actually very interesting because we covered various different warm up vocal technics. I learnt so much about my vocals during this session including my breath control and finding my diaphragm, which are both weaknesses of mine. Therefore, I'm really glad



I got the chance to work on these basic skills with Innes before, I performed my character song. I enjoyed the character workshop because I made lots of new discoveries about my character from taking everything out of context and creating different scenarios really helped me look at it from a different perspective. I feeling more confident about singing now and I’m pleased it’s about characterisation rather than showing off your vocals.

This week I also presented my two contrasting scenes that I chose from ‘Girl Interrupted' and ‘Man on Fire’.

This is one of my favourite scenes from Girl Interrupted, which is a film based on a true story. I think this is an incredible on screen performance because it’s the moment where Lisa a dangerous girl who is mental ill, pushes her friend to commit suicide and then acts like it nothing happened.What I love most about this performance is that it’s dangerous, complex and it has no boundaries. I truly admire the risks Angelina Jolie took in this performance, I think she is an inspiration.



This scene in particular is my favourite moment in the film ‘Man on Fire’ because again it is based on a true story and I found it very emotional and moving which, is extremely rare for me. I consider this to be an amazing on screen performance because both Denzel Washington and Dakota Fanning were so naturalistic and believable in their actions and reactions. I think the relationship they created between themselves had a huge impact on their performance as they cared for each other like ’Father and daughter’. This relationship is what makes this scene relatable for me . I also love the special effects and the soundtrack throughout this scene. I think they both have a huge influence on the performance and it certainly enforced the way I feel about the characters.

I personally believe a good on screen performance is something that you can relate to as an audience member. I also think it should make you feel a certain type of way. I don’t expect anyone to agree with me or have the same views because it should be based on your personal opinion. Both of my scenes contain incredible performances because they embody the characters and the emotion comes across so raw and honest.


logbook 14

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