Filming Fun

 To continue filming I agreed with my group to go straight to work right after school. I suggested that we should go buy some food and go to our local grocery store to buy a bottle of hydrogen peroxide. It will act as a squeeze bottle for the ending fire scene. I got myself potato salad, protein bar, and made brownies for the entire group the night before. I made gluten-free brownies for Lili's family (her house was the setting where we were filming) and the group. I was recently made aware that Lili's mom just found out she is allergic to gluten. So, I thought it would be sweet to give her the brownies as a thank-you for allowing Lili to use their house to film and as an introduction to good gluten-free sweets. After I got dressed in my dark workout clothes and went down to the filming location-which was about one block down from Lili's house- for the fourth scene. I began practicing my lines and reciting them with Lili. After practicing we decided to do the lines more relaxed to seem as though we were improvised. When I did speak in a creepy melancholic tone and tried to bulge my eyes. About three out of our six takes Lili would laugh because of my creepy responses. After running so much for the perfect shot my already sprained knee was aching. During filming, I threw my phone in the grass to make sure it was not on set and I left it there only realizing it after I got to Lili's house. When I realized, I had run back and I was in excruciating pain by the time I got my phone and walked back. Then, I changed into my dark coat and jeans with sunglasses and a hat for accessories. When I arrived at the set for the first scene, my group had found the perfect side to film which was exactly on the opposite side of our original filming set. The original spot did not have seating but the spot that the group found had seating and fewer people passing on the sidewalk making it easier to film. I held the newspaper in my hand and lowered my sunglasses in the shot after the girls passed by me to seem stalker-ish. After filming I went home and planned our next outing.

Prop Organization

 To begin filming I was assigned to organize and gather the props that are needed. An important consideration is budget. Since most of my group does not work, have we limited resources, it's important to be creative and resourceful when selecting and using props. Once the props were selected, it was significant to use them effectively on set. The props will be placed and used in a way that supports our storyline and enhances the visual storytelling. For example, if a character is nervous or fidgety, they could play with a prop to emphasize their state of mind (Starbucks cup in the fifth scene). I skimmed over the storyboard sheets that my group mates had and since I was specifically assigned (as a collective group decision) the sixth and seventh sheets (the café and H&M scenes) which encompassed most of the props I was able to quickly know what we needed. I listed all the props and then proceeded to sit down with my group to talk about them. Instead of buying expensive items my group and I considered repurposing everyday objects or making props from scratch. I ordered them from lowest to highest priced deciding who would buy what. Lili brought it to my attention that many of the props are items we already have lying around our houses. So with this in consideration, I narrowed the props down to a small bulletin board, push pins, red yarn, Starbucks cups, and manila folders. Almost all the props are for the second scene when the character Rachel is revealed to be stalking Chloe. I will (as Rachel) slide a manila folder in the shot with pictures of "Chloe" and there will be a tracking shot to a detective-like bulletin board. The prices range from two to twenty dollars and Angie drove the entire group to Target where I picked out everything with them. In total only twenty-five dollars were spent as I did get a couple of snacks and drinks to make sure everyone was well-fed and hydrated before we got to spend the whole day filming. While I was in the store, I decided to personally buy a new dark coat to match the scene at the beginning of the short film. I decided to get one to look mysterious and tie in the scene to seem like an out-of-place observer. I also picked up some newspaper to look like I was nonchalant, reading it while staring at the other characters in my acting in the first scene. After everything was brought, I placed them in Lili‘s house to match our set that we previously spoke about and then got to filming. Ultimately props will help to create a believable and immersive world for the audience so I was glad that my group gave me the opportunity to deeply investigate our props and how to incorporate them into the film.

Storyboard for In Pursuit

 

Here is our storyboard for our short film In Pursuit!