For our documentary, I took the role of cinematographer. This was my first time doing a role like this while making a documentary, so it was initially a challenge to figure out exactly what worked and what didn’t work in the format.
During preproduction, I was tasked with writing up shot lists, in which I discovered that while planning a documentary, it was often the sets that would influence the shots, rather than the other way around. This meant heavily considering the areas that we chose to shoot in to, and if I were to do this again, I would take in to account this distinction when choosing sets.
Creating shots for the project also meant understanding the documentary genre we were working in, which is skate film. For example, using shots that incorporated skateboards and movement were a big part of keeping the ‘momentum’ of the documentary. We also planned to use VHS shots to recreate classic skate films.
Our production was made challenging due to the November lockdowns, which forced us to rush our shoots to be ahead of schedule before lockdown made it impossible. We were able to supplement what we couldn’t get with interviews conducted online, but this too was difficult as our interviewee did not use many platforms we used. In future projects, I would avoid doing shoots in a pandemic where lockdown is necessary.
As well as handling cinematography, I also had a role in creating the film’s title card which, while not necessarily the most important role, was a noteworthy part of the project that I was able to contribute to. (see below)
Overall, if I were to conduct this project again, I would try to do even more research into the subject matter, the films surrounding it, and the locations that we use to better inform my choice of shots. Furthermore, I would try to plan shoots in times when it is most convenient for the team, especially not during a national lockdown, which may force an alteration of schedule.
s5202988's Blog 