For this test, we found a location suitable enough for the opening shot of the film. Over the past few weeks of pre-production, ongoing talks have occurred regarding finding a large window. Everyone involved has struggled to match the criteria of this window as everyone threw suggestions in left right and centre. The witch-hunt for a window finally ended when we found something suitable enough to test out. This was progress of some sort as it meant myself as cinematographer and the director were able to begin the process of working together. As the director spoke of his intentions I grew in confidence and understanding of what he was trying to achieve. Sitting round a table discussing where we could shoot or where to find a window was getting us nowhere. We got out on location, mapped out the scene and began seeing how it would look. That is where we begin to learn and understand the direction the film is going in.
The nature of the shot is to introduce a set of characters in one uninterrupted take. The shot exposes the audience to a turbulent world in which the characters argue and spout hatred at one another. This shot gives me as a cinematographer such a great opportunity to explore meaning through camera movement, but more importantly lighting and colour. Unfortunately within this test shot we didn't have time to set up the lighting equipment. Instead we stuck with the bare bones of the shot, which was to pull out from the window using the slider. As the shot pulls back, two characters simultaneously walk into a two shot. They become silhouetted by the window behind them.
The initial shot we tested was using the slider. Below are a few images of myself and the director experimenting with the slider position infront of the window. As the shot pulls out from the window on the slider, it is important for me to get the timing of the pull out just right. As the shot pulls out and the two characters walk into shot, the shot then has a different focus and no longer requires that movement to keep the interest. I had a lot of trouble using the slider on this test shoot however. In the past the slider has always been a reliable way of getting a steady shot. This time around it felt incredibly unstable due to a problem with the track on the slider. It was forcing the moving part of the bottom of the camera to get jammed in parts. I'm certain a few others have had the same problem with the equipment. Due to this problem when we watched it back we essentially got the shot we wanted, just a version of very poor quality. The second test next Thursday I'm sure will be an improvement.
The second part of the test shoot was used to capture the opening scene from a different angle. Although we have no pictures of the location layout, the picture below shows me standing at the top of the stairs. In the above pictures I am on the landing just infront of the window. By moving to the top of the stairs I was able to see more of the scene unfolding, including the characters actually moving up the stairs toward the window. By shooting this scene from the position I was in I had to swap over from the slider to a shoulder mount. I felt like the shoulder mount was a good enough option for the test shoot to get a general idea, but for the real shoot I would seriously consider using the glide-cam. By shooting the scene at this angle it also means we could gather a lot of coverage from one shot. We would have less to worry about if we had the correct sound for the scene as we would have shot it all in one usable take (which is what the director wanted). The only problem I had with the shoulder mount was the backwards movement. The director requested that the shot pulls out again from this angle, which meant that from the top of the stairs I had to begin walking backwards with the shoulder mount. With a bit of practice I think I can get it a lot steadier, however. In next Thursdays test shoot I will practice this, along with the incorporation of lighting into the scene.
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