Danny Hewitt's Television Production Blog

After finding the location for the nightclub scene, there was a hall right above it; however both Aimee and I decided that the hall was too grand and doesn't fit the one in the script. This meant we set off and looked for one which was slightly more "grotty" as this is more relatable.

We found a place in Rochester which is perfect for the hall scene as it is lower class but a good size and handy location. Like the nightclub location, it is local and easily accessible meaning cast and crew can make their way there without any trouble and low cost. It even has room for parking so we can have all the kit nearby.

The actual room is quite long, meaning plenty of space for actors and extras to feature in the wedding scene. the tables and chairs can be decorated, and the big table in the middle of the room can be used for the buffet scene.

It is well lit meaning we can get sharp shots too, and we can test this when we come back to do the test shots with Chris. Once the decorations and props are in place, I believe this room could be perfect for the wedding scene, and it even has an external room further on which is when Don, Dean and Ollie can have their chat.

Overall really happy with this find, and that's another location secured which is good for the shot list and camera set up progression.

Never hosted a casting session before, so I used my research to construct a suitable auditions room that suited both Aimee and I as well as the auditionee's. After feedback from Simon, we decided to use chairs with tables, rather than the big table (behind us in the picture). This was a great decision as it meant the auditionees were much more relaxed from the day before, as it looked more like an audition rather than an interview. Aimee and I wanted to see the actors under pressure, however also didn't want them to feel daunted by having a very formal set up.

When it came to the questions, I made sure I was friendly and understanding as I believe you are most likely to get the best out of auditionees by acting this way. Using the monologue style audition worked a treat (after extensive research), as I got to see the quick thinking ability of the actors and how well they could read a passage after just seeing it for the first time. It really helped to separate the good from the bad, and I will definitely use this technique in future projects

           

A major scene in the script is when two of the players are on a hunt to find a new manager for their crippling team. They do this by visiting a wedding which is located in a hall, therefore Aimee and I have found a local hall with a reasonable fee, and did a recce to see if it fitted the bill.

The hall is a good size for our shoot. It has enough room for guests, as well as crew, so we can capture exactly what we want without any trouble. I particularly liked the disco ball and lights, this gave the room a much more "party" look, which will help reinforce the wedding theme:

The hall is joined to a bar (see below) which is perfect for the drinks scenes. The owner said he will have a member of staff there to serve drinks, including shots and beer. This is great for realism, which is one main aspect of our film. Again, it is a good size, so will work perfectly for our shoot:

Downstairs has the nightclub, which contains a mini stage for a band/DJ, tables and chairs, as well as a dance floor which again is well lit in terms of the mood we would like. Again, a member of staff will be at the bar serving drinks, and the size of the room will gives us space to film the shots we need:

I believe this could be the perfect place for both our wedding and nightclub scenes, as the location is local and easily accessible, the room sizes are efficient, and we'll be able to hire the whole place for as long as we want it. It's an hourly rate, so can be expensive if we are there for too long, however with organisation and hard work (without rushing) we can get these shots done in good time.

One important part of being a director, is the directors statement. This is the written proposal of the directors vision for the film. This means Aimee (producer) and the team can see if my vision suits the script and general theme of the programme. After researching different statements, I have realised that they can be short or long, and have found the key points to any successful statement:

Story

• What is it about?

• What genre?

• Are there heroes and villains? What are their goals/intentions?

• How long is it? Time period?