FMP Log- Joshua

Joshua- FMP Log- 24^th/25^th /27^th February 2015

The new scenes that we have started on include Maze 1 and Maze 2 (that feature Wendy and Danny wondering around the maze whilst Jack observes them from the model in the foyer  in a clever piece of camera work),  ‘Jack Typing’ ( where the breaks in Jack’s mental stability are starting to show, as he starts retaliating towards Wendy), ‘Bathtub’ (where  Jack first gains an insight into what really occurs in the hotel and what is expected of him as the caretaker), ‘Toilet‘ (Where Jack learns the truth behind what happened to Delbert Grady) and ‘Breakfast’ (this scene serves as a nice establishment of the background atmosphere at this point).

These scenes were introduced on the Tuesday, with work on these commencing shortly afterwards. First was the division of roles to work on them as the numbers required were not equal to the numbers present.

Maze 1/Maze 2

Actors: Sophia- Wendy, Abby-Danny

Operators: Lief

Camera: Joshua,(Maze 1-2)  Stephanie (Maze 1)

Jack Typing

Actors: Joshua- Wendy, Lief- Jack

Operators: Sophia, Chris

Camera: Sean, Abby and Stephanie

Bathtub

Actors: Chris-Jack, Lief- Young Woman, Stephanie- Old Woman, Sean-Danny

Operators: Abby and Sean

Camera: Joshua, Sophia.

Toilet

Actors: Sean- Jack, Abby- Delbert Grady

Operators: Sophia, Chris

Camera: Joshua, Lief

Breakfast

Actors: Sean- Jack, Stephanie- Wendy

Operators: Sophia, Chris

Camera: Joshua, Abby

These scenes are the most recently developed in our work processes and are therefore the main focus of our attention in our lessons. The difficulty that has been with us lately is our attempts to engineer the reverse ‘mirror’ camera shot that comprises ‘Breakfast’ and it’s unique yet frustrating properties. Our efforts to resolve this did produce a solution in the form of a mirror in front of the scene wherein the reflection was filmed, instead of the original.

With this problem resolved, I believe our attentions should now be focused upon the issue of refining the scenes that we have already developed, most notably  ‘Baseball Bat’ where the dialogue is decent but the effort expended in the movements is somewhat lacking and ‘Red Rum/Door’ where the actions and camera shots still need to be more precise and timed. The issue with these scenes is that because they are the crux of the film and mainly dynamic scenes, the shots that are needed are by nature, rapid and elusive.

I think the solution to this is a case of familiarity with the film and the finer details within these particular scenes. If a firm grasp of these details was obtained then the pace of the scenes wouldn’t be a problem as we would know enough to proceed at the same speed as the scenes comfortably and without pressure.

Not only will this skill help us within this problem but any others that occur in the course of the developing of the performance.