Week 7: My Career Timeline: Unit 3

For this post I am going to write a rough timeline of where I want to end up and how I would proceed to get there after I finish the current Film and TV course I am attending at Canterbury College.

 

After College –

An Internship/Apprenticeship – http://www.indeed.co.uk/cmp/Radium-Audio-Ltd/jobs/Video-Editor-Animation-Intern-352a53a63219408f?q=Video+Editing+Internship This is so I can continue to learn while earning money in a profession I am interested in.

Freelance – After that I would look into Freelance work so that I can still continue to learn anything to make me better with the software I am working with.

Full time/Self employed – Move onto something with a more frequent income.

 

It’s interesting to look into the paths I could take in the future.

 

 

 

 

 

Week 6: Working Practices in the Media Industry: Unit 3

I am going to research all the different working practices available and make an informed decision on which one I feel is the best option.

 

(Bold = Negative)

Freelance – Is were someone is self employed but does not work for the same people long term, they move from job to job as and when they are needed. They tend to get paid more than permanent job roles do however they have less work throughout the year.

There are many pros and con of working Freelance. (Negatives are in bold)

• Flexible (different types of jobs), there are a lot of different jobs you can choose to do or choose not to do.
• Skills base improves, there is a wide range of different jobs involved whilst working Freelance so you gain a lot of skill and experience.
• Lack of security, you only work (1/3 of the year) therefor could be out of work for long periods of time.
• Need to network.
• Interesting, you have a variety of different jobs to choose from so if you get tired of a certain thing you can choose not to do it.
• Independent, you have unlimited freedom therefor you can pick and choose which jobs you wish to take.
• Saying no, it is hard to say no as you don’t know for sure when your next job will be.
• Organised, you need to stay organised to keep a good reputation in the industry.

http://www.indeed.co.uk/Freelance-Media-jobs This website has example of Freelance jobs that you can apply for and tells you everything about the job and how much you will get paid. There is one for a Freelance video editor, it is located in London, the hours are not said however you can get in touch to find out and the pay is negotiable.

Contract (permanent) – Is were you work for a company permanently and get paid by a day rate and work on all there projects.

There are many pros and con of a Permanent Contract. (Negatives are in bold)

• Regular pay, unlike working Freelance you are hired permanently and get paid at a day rate.
• Regular hours, again unlike Freelance you work the 9 till 5 every weekday however it may vary depending on the project you are working on.
• Repetitive, it can tend to be the same thing day in day out. For example if you were a camera man working for the shopping channel then you would be on set recording that all day  
• Same subject.
• Safe, you are assured work all the time you are employed by that company so you don’t have to worry about being unemployed.

http://www.indeed.co.uk/cmp/Film-AM/jobs/Camera-Operator-9646623fa9cbc0e1?q=Full+Time+camera+operator This is a full time job application for a camera operator/video editor, the salary is dependent on your experience and the location is in Nottingham however they accept people form Derby, Loughborough and Mansfield.

Short term contract – You work for a company but only for a fixed amount of time and on certain projects.

There are many pros and con of a Short term Contract. (Negatives are in bold)

• Work on more than one project, you work on more than one project with the company rather than being permanently employed.
• Regular pay, you are on a regular pay check so don’t have to worry about not being paid enough.
• Regular hours, you are given regular hours so are not out of work certain days.
• Fixed length of time, you are not employed permanently by the company but are employed for certain projects and once they are done you look for other work.

Project contract – You are employed for one project and have regular pay and hours during your employment.

• Working on one project, unlike being on a Short term project you are employed for one project and then are done after that.
• Similar to freelance but longer so more secure, you work regular hours and get regular pay while you are employed for that certain project.
• Less pay, it less pay than Freelance however there is more reliable work, therefor safer as you are less likely to be unemployed.

Self employed –

• Own business: video/film, you can start your own business and choose your hours.
• Your the boss, your always in employment if you have clients.
• More stable(ish)
• You work you earn, you can work whenever you want if you work longer hours then you earn more.
• You find the client, if you can’t find anyone to do work for you will be unemployed until you do. 
• You are responsible for everything, You are in charge of getting everything organised. You have to find the clients and also people to work for you.
• Pressure, as you are in charge there is pressure to find clients and people to hire.

 

I think after researching all the types of working practices that being Self employed is the best, I would have chose Freelance however I think that self employed being more safe and reliable work it makes it the better option.

Week 5: How to Become a Sound Engineer and what they do?: Unit 3

For this piece of work I am going to investigate the different skills and knowledge needed to obtain a job involving sound in the media industry. I am going to explore the different jobs there are involving sound and explain what they would do.

 

What do they do?:

There are a lot of jobs involving sounds when creating a production, such as:

• Boom Operator
• Sound Engineer
• Sound Assistant
• Director of Sound
• Foley Operator

Boom Operator:

The Boom Operators operate the boom microphone while shooting, a lot of skill is need to do this as they need to be careful of specific things. They need to familiarize themselves with the camera movements so they don’t show up, cast a shadow or a refection in shot. Along with the camera movements they also need to remember the script word for word so they can position the boom microphone correctly and follow the actors when they move to ensure the best quality of sound.

The boom Operator is also responsible for all the sound equipment such as clip microphones, they make sure they’re positioned correctly and all working fine. If the Boom Operator does a good job they can save a lot of money for the production as the actors wont a have to re-record the lines in a record studio and redub it.

Sound Engineer:

After the Sound Assistant has set up all the equipment being used the Sound Engineer operates it during the shoot. They would also record each instrument in a song being played separately as different tracks, then mix all the tracks together to make the final piece.

Sound Assistant:

The Sound Assistant does a lot of things generally to make the Sound Engineers job easier, he sets up most of the equipment for the Sound Engineer to operate during the shoot. Like the Boom Operator they need a good understanding of the script as they may need to stand in as a second Boom Operator on bigger shoots in order for this to be the best quality possible they work very closely with the Boom Operator and Sound Supervisor.

Sound Designer:

The Sound Designers are in control of both post and pre production sounds, they decide what sound are going to be needed for the type of project they’re taking part in. They may record original sounds if they need to. They spend a lot of time manipulating the sounds their working with using things like synthesizers, this is the mostly experimenting with what sounds good and what doesn’t and once they have done all this it is all mixed and put into the final piece.

Foley Operator:

The Foley Operator uses props to create realistic sounds for the film such as if there was a creaky door then they would have some kind of door hinge on a piece of wood and loosen or tighten it depending on the sound they require. This pert of the production can vary in the amount of time taken depending on the budget, the reason for this is that some sound effects require certain objects and if the Foley Operator has to go track it down specifically then it will waste time.

How to become one?:

Boom Operator:

You will need experience as it is a tricky job, it can be paid or voluntary in film, television, community media, the music industry or even hospital radio similar to the Foley operator. if you can become a Sound Assistant for a Sound Mixer you may be able to operate a boom on bigger shoots.

You don’t need any qualifications however there are many courses available to improve your knowledge.

Sound Engineer:

There are a lot of courses that teach you everything that you need to know about the equipment used a Sound Engineer.

Sound Assistant:

The best way in is to a runner or a trainee and follow someone who is a more professional, experienced at the job learning first hand how to do the job you wish to do. You can apply through Trainee Finder to become a Trainee in the industry.

You don’t need a qualification however you would need to show a lot of interest, be punctual and professional.

Foley Operator:

Starting out as a runner in a sound studio would be a good place to start because you get to see them at work and hopefully become an assistant for a Sound Editor or Foley Mixers. You could also apply through Trainee Finder which give you experience of being apart of the industry and help you meet people already in the industry who can recommend or even hire you.

You will need a degree in one of these five things, Arts, Music, Electronics, Maths, or Sound Technology.

http://creativeskillset.org/search?q=boom

I knew of these job roles before this lesson but now I understand them in more detail and how I would start to become one if I wanted to. I also found the Foley Operator really interesting and never realised that this existed. 

Week 4: Cameraman – How to become one and what do they do? Unit 3

In this blog post I am going to explain how someone would get into a Camera related job in the film industry, what they would need to know and what they would need to have. I am also going to explain all the different jobs that involve Camera work.

 

What do they do?:

There are many different kinds of jobs involved with cameras such as, camera assistant, camera operator, director of photography/cinematographer and focus puller.

The camera assistant:

These are people who help the camera operator with jobs and do what ever they are told, this tend to be preparing equipment and the setup before shoot so it ready for everyone else to go straight to shooting the scene. They don’t use any of the equipment just set it up.

Camera operator:

This person personally operates the camera and has the camera assistant running around for him. he doesn’t tend to set up him self but knows how to use the camera to get the best shots for the scene. They do a range of things from standing still for a still shot or running around with a steady cam on or using a dolly.

Director of photography/Cinematographer:

They are in charge of what shots are used in the scene they talk with the director to try to understand their vision and recreate it on-screen the best they can. They would also talk with the camera operator as he is the one actually carrying out the shot.

Focus puller:

When the shoot is happening there is no time for the camera operator to adjust the focus for the certain technique and that’s where the focus puller comes in. While the camera operator is lining up shots a filming the scene the focus puller is adjusting the focus whenever it is needed. They don’t have time to look through the view finder so they have to know specifics such as depending how far the subject is from the camera is how in/out of focus they are so they know where to adjust it so that it draws attention to the important character in the scene.

http://creativeskillset.org/search?q=camera 

 

How to become one?:

You can get a degree in film production which you can then specify into what ever it is in the industry your interested in however in camera work for example you tend to start at camera assistant and move your way up. You can get into the business without a degree but you need a lot of luck. If you know someone in the industry you may be able to start out as a runner and progress from there, it may take longer but it is possible.

You have to develop your eyes to be able to identify the different techniques used in film, the best way of doing this is watching films with a better understanding of what is going on behind the scenes. Once you understand the ins and outs of the techniques then you can start using them yourself in one of the jobs above or in your own work.

 

I learned about the job of a focus puller and that the camera man doesn’t always change the focus himself. I understand in more detail each induavidual job around the camera and what they involve.

Week 3: Introduction to lighting: Unit 1

For this I am going to explain about three point lighting and how and why it is used. I will also talk about how our eyes see colour and how it works.

 

How our eyes see colour:

Our eyes can only see colour when there is light, when something is white it is because the object is reflecting all the colours from the light source. However when the object is black it means that it is absorbing all the colours being shone onto it. when something is a certain colour like red for example, the object is absorbing every colour except red therefore the object shows up red.

Three point lighting:

Three point lighting consists off three different positions lights however they can be the same light, the key light, fill light and the back light.

The key light is the main light generally the most powerful and it lights up the subjects face but has some down sides, when on its own and the camera is directly facing the subject it makes them look two-dimensional (2D) but even when you rotate the light there’s still a problem, it creates a shadow on the opposite side of the face. The key light is usually moved 45° left of the subject.

So to solve this problem we add a fill light which shines on the other side of the face. The fill light sorts out the shadows however light designers tend to have the fill light further away from the subject so one side of their face is a little darker than the other this is to define the face.

Finally we use a back light to light up the back of the subject, this separates the subject from the background and creates the illusion of depth. It also makes an outline around the subject which again brings them out from the background.

 

This was a good thing to learn as it is used in a lot of situation whiles filming, I feel comfident about using it myself in my own production and understand why it is used.

Introduction to lighting – White balance

In this work I am going to explore the use of white balance, and I am going to produce primary images of each setting to show it each one.

 

We use White balance to alter the colours in the picture, if the environment is to bright then you could alter the White balance and choose a darker option.

Colour Temperature is a big part of it, if you was outside where is was more towards the blues you would use a white balance that add more orange and reds to even it out.

 

Outside

Daylight                                      Shade                                      Cloudy

 

Tungsten light                              White fluorescent                    Flash

Daylight                                        Shade                                    Cloudy

Tungsten light                             White fluorescent                      Flash

Daylight                                    Shade                                        Cloudy

Tungsten light                          White fluorescent                     Flash

 

I found it hard to understand how it works however I understand how to use it, I feel I could use it in my own projects if I need to but wouldn’t know how it was happening.

Week 3: Lighting tech, what they do and how to become one. Unit 3

For this task I am going to investigate what it takes to have a job in lighting and the skills and the knowledge you would need to achieve this.

 

Jobs associated with lighting are Theatre, Film/TV, Corporate/Concerts/Special events. Lighting is one of the rare skills which is involved in all three things and is used the same. You can be a lighting technician on a film set then later in the week you could work in theatre.

What they do:

There are three stages of the lighting career which are the following lighting assistant, lighting technician and lighting designer.

Lighting Assistant:

Lighting assistant are people who help the lighting technician do their job, they will do similar tasks as the lighting technician but will follow the lighting technician around and do what they tell them. for example they would sometimes prepare the equipment so it is ready for the lighting technician to put into place before shooting. Lighting assistants learn about how all the equipment and how other roles work on the job and the majority of the time they are attending a college course at the same time as working.

Lighting Technician:

The lighting technician is the person that the lighting assistant helps, they set up the lights depending on the way the lighting designer has designed the lighting on set. They have to look after all the equipment they are responsible for and also to keep them clean. Some lighting technicians set up the lights before the shoot and others reposition the lights during the shoot. They help with power supplies as well as they need a lot of it for the lights.

Lighting Designer:

The lighting designer is the one who before shooting starts sits down with the director and designs the kind of lighting they are going to have in their production and try to mimic the directors vision. They also work with the cinematographers, set designer and costume designer. They talk with these roles for different but similar reasons, the cinematographers is so that they can get an idea of the shot types they are using in the film so they can angle the lights perfect with cameras position in mind. The set designer for the same reason that they can work together to get the lighting perfect with the surroundings and where and when the subject will be, finally costume designers is so that the lighting shows the important parts of the characters outfit if there is any and if the costumes will conflict with the lighting.

http://creativeskillset.org/search?q=light

How to become one:

The way you can start to become a light assistant which is the beginning of the chain you will need to apply for an apprenticeship with a lighting company because you would most likely need to attend a college course in the days off, you will work for roughly three years until the course is over and then you can begin to work on location for small production then with experience you can move onto feature films and adverts. Once you become a lighting assistant you will gradually make your way up the chain.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/technical-theatre-apprenticeships On this site you can apply for an apprenticeship for technical theatre which is the same skills used in the film industry just without the live audience.

 

This lesson with Jenni was interesting and I learned a lot about jobs related to lighting, what the jobs consist off and how to get into the industry.

Week 2: What does Director do? and How do you become one?

In this post I am going to research what it takes to be a Director, the knowledge you would need to know and the direction someone would need to head if you would want to become one.

 

To become a Director is hard you need the knowledge, the resources and you need a lot of luck.

Luck:

Submitting your work to a film festival such as Sundance and having a producer in the audience who is intrigued by your project. This could lead to one time opportunities where they refer you to a director/producer with an interest in your style of work or they could hire you themselves.

You can create a small production company with people you trust and just make films with the knowledge you have. The more you make the more someone is going to see your work and reach out to you.

Resources:

However you need a good team in order to carry out your vision, if you have a team who sees things the same way you do they will understand how you work and make the project a lot easier to perfect. Make a name for yourself by setting up a production company with a team you trust to create good content, then people will begin to recognise the name and begin to watch films simply because you made it.

You also need equipment, you don’t need the best camera but one that allows you to create films for yourself. similar to what I said about luck is that the more you make the more you’ll be seen, therefore equipment is a huge part of that process.

Knowledge:

There are many Film Production courses in universities out there for you to learn what goes into making a film project. Almost every university has one, some better than others. There are also Film Schools which specialize in what film production involves.

Quentin Tarantino:

In January 1992 Quentin Tarantino became known after his first time writing and directing a film, Reservoir Dogs was shown at the Sundance film festival, the film had amazing reviews and Tarantino become famous very quickly.

He said ‘When people ask me if I went to film school I tell them, ‘no, I went to films.’ this shows experience and an interest, he went to the cinema and watched full length feature films and saw how the audience react to certain things in the film so that he can include the things they like into his own work and leave or remove the things they disliked as an audience.

Quentin Tarantino uses trademarks which makes him recognisable, he has a love for violence and sometimes uses over the top gore in his films. His audience has come to love it with him which makes him instantly recognisable.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quentin_Tarantino#Film_career

 

This piece of work was interesting as I didn’t know how difficult it was to become a director, you cant just be great at it you also need to know the ins and out of almost every other job involved as you work closely with a lot of them. It was also interesting to find out how someone with great knowledge of film and directing came about become one for my example I chose Quentin Tarantino.