COMMISSION: REFLECTING

This unit brought me into the professional environment having to create films using my own initiative to create short clips that would be promoting the objects on the 100 objects in Kent project for the Guildhall museum. I created 2 short films for them 1 about a 200 year old tool chest still in pristine order.

 The Guildhall Museum in Rochester Kent

The other about a steering column belonging to the flying boat Canopus part of the Imperial Empire fleet operating from 1936 to 46.

 screenshot from the edit of the steering column film.

I used a mix of techniques I had learn't throughout the past two years on this course including time lapse, use of the Canon 7D, track & dolly and the lighting kits.




The flying boat film is the most successful for me and Rachel Kerr from the Museum who was my contact.

The second film involving the chest was not as successful and I definitely had issues with the screen ratio. Rachel pointed out that the filming on the table stood out because of the modern table, which contrasted poorly against the wooden tools.




Overall an interesting piece of work experience for me working with a company and having to be the instigator of the project showing them something that they might like. Hopefully at least one of the films may end up on their website to promote the object and encourage people to come and visit Rochester's local museum.

STUDIO: FACT-ENT PROGRAMME

TOO MUCH TV - BBC2 (29th March 2016, 6:30pm)




Weekdays live show where a mix of presenters take you through the television stories and programmes of the day. Everything from new presenters on the X Factor to the latest TV dramas to watch. Early evening fairly relaxed television that aims to inform. They have different bits that they do as a staple:

1. Celebrity guests
2. Lists of top TV personnel 
3. Different TV theme tune playing them out each episode
4. TV News
5. and What to watch later that evening

On the episode I watched they talked about 'Bake off: Creme de la Creme' (BBC 2) and hoe Dermot O'leary is due to return to present The X Factor. As well as counting down top TV chefs and talking to guests Helen Monks from 'Raised by Wolves' (channel 4) and Dave Spikey of 'Phoenix Nights' (channel 4) fame.

I have to say it was quite enjoyable and kept me interested throughout with a couple good VT's and interviews. The interesting thing about it is that it is incredibly similar to my original pitch idea about a TV review show. My pitch set out a show idea that would much like film review shows review the weeks television highlights. Very similar to this except on a weekly basis rather than daily. I also wanted to have some more opinionated critic on to discuss shows in a more thoughtful way, very much in the same vain as the 'Kermode and Mayo film review show' on BBC radio 5live.

Despite the low viewership of this programme I found it informative, interesting and entertaining with its mix of reviews and interviews.

Aled Jones and Emma Bunton (2 of the 4 presenters on Too Much TV)

STUDIO: UKNOWN FOOTAGE

I had to do something totally different on two out of the four VT's as I knew nothing about them before receiving the footage. This was something I was very interested to try as and editor because of never doing it before. I was given a script for both, but for the last VT set at Greenfield Primary school I had to almost entirely improvise using the clips of the students answering the questions they were given. The criticism I have of this shoot is the lack of change in shots all the shots interviewing kids were from the same angle.




As demonstrated in the finished VT above I only had one shot to play with when editing the kids talking about their teachers. As a result I had to jump cut between a very similar shot of all four subjects rather than use a mixture of different shots. This is something this video from Lynda.com really helps with giving tips on how to work around shooting an interview with one camera.




Obviously as an editor this is beyond my control especially if I haven't seen anything until the footage is all shot. It is useful for future reference so that even if I'm a director I know I have to get a variation of shots for the editor to use. I know this now even more having been an editor on this project.

This is the other VT shot that I had no input on, this was much more simple in its structure and there was a script to follow. What was good for me was that the team actually went out and re shot parts of it because of poor shooting conditions on the first attempt. This allowed me to edit together nice shots with an easy narrative to follow. It did require a small amount of liaising with director and producer to make sure I was going down the right route. I was able to see the vision they wanted and implement it into a pretty successful VT.



All-round a good experience for me to play the role of editor as it gives me an insight into a role that I may or may not pursue in future. The best thing about it is that if I do take another role I can have an understanding on the needs of an editor and therefore be better at providing the right shots.

STUDIO: PROFESSIONAL EDITOR

MICHAEL KAHN - FILM EDITOR

Michael Kahn is a film and television editor who began life working on the American sitcom 'Hogan's Heroes' which he edited from 1965 to 1971. After this he moved into films and a meeting with Steven Spielberg which would keep him editing to this day. Ever since 'Close encounters of The third kind' (1977) he has edited almost all of Spielberg's films all the way up to 'Bridge of Spies' (2015).

As someone who very much enjoys the films of Spielberg I have been drawn to Kahn as he has edited some of my favourite films, but he has also had extensive experience working on a television sitcom. I found the interview below very interesting as he covers this and what his motives are as an editor. The interview is not a very technical one, but it gives me impression of where an editor comes from. The most interesting thing I learnt here was that Kahn edits on set as the shots come in, there is no waiting until the end of shooting to compile terabytes of footage. This also means he can work closely with the director and if needed inform whether shots need re-shooting.




When you compare what he is doing there is the obvious difference in scale to our short minute long VT's. However it is interesting to me to hear that he edits on set, as he will know a lot more about how the shoot is going and what is going on story wise. He says in the interview that his trailer was always right next to Spielberg's even on location, which shows how much Spielberg appreciated what the editors job is and how important it is to the story and tone of the film.

Michael Kahn, ACE Discusses the Use of Slower Cuts in a Scene from "Jurassic Park." from Manhattan Edit Workshop on Vimeo.

Above you have a famous scene from Steven Spielberg's Jurassic park and below is a couple of scenes from a 1968 episode of the sitcom Hogan's Heroes both edited by Kahn. This I think shows the incredible versatility of an editor whether its comedy of serious thriller he knows how to put together a piece of footage into a coherent and ultimately unnoticeable way. This is after all the sign of a good editor the person behind the scenes that if done well is not remembered.