Filming Diary


Emerald Mahaffey
Day 1
•   Day 1: On the first day of filming we all gathered at Fin’s house to film in his sister’s
    bedroom. The setting was ideal as she had many extreme close ups of eyes on the
    walls. We set out pictures on the walls to reinforce the idea that our protagonist is
    a photographer. We then laid out photos around our actress that she could closely
    examine them. We got a lot of footage on this day as we wanted to make sure that
    we got everything we needed and sometimes filmed the same shot numerous
    times to ensure it was correct. We stuck to the main structure for what we needed
    to film but also added more ideas as we went on and gained inspiration or
    improvisation. These photo and bedroom scenes are vital for our trailer as it shows
    continuation from where she calmly looks at the pictures up into where she
    screams towards the camera. It is these shots that most show the deterioration of
    our protagonist, it also shows her obsessive and concerning behaviour, which is
    important as the basis of the trailer. We had some difficulties with filming and with
    the costume. The lighting was one of our main concerns and we even had to end
    up using the flash light on our phones to create the flicker of the light and the
    effective shadow on the wall. Whilst doing this we noticed we could create the
    idea that the shadow of the protagonist could move while she stayed still. This
    creates a very atmospheric and eerie feel. With costume we did find difficulties in
    the black contacts, however, the outcome is very effective
Photo from Day 1 filming:
Day 2
• Day 2: On our second day of filming we went to a
  photography dark room. This complemented the dark tone of
  our film with it’s dangerous red and atmospheric black space.
  It also emphasised the detail and of the protagonists
  obsession with photography. We also filmed a figure running
  across the screen and the protagonist looking around
  wondering who was there, this gives a sense that someone is
  trying to get her or the idea that she is being watched.
Images from day 2
     filming:
  Show the atmosphere of the dark
room and the detailed examination of
      negatives by our actress.
Day 3
• Day 3: As our actress has a different timetable to us it is hard
  to find appropriate days to film with all of us there and it
  requires compromise and cooperation. On day 3 we used our
  time without our actress to film her 2 friends scene. This
  scene creates narrative and allows the audience to follow the
  trailer more easily. There were some slip ups and as we filmed
  in a public place people did get in the way on some occasion
  but we made our way around it and it flows nicely into the
  trailer.
Day 4
• Day 4: We decided to film the isolated shots filled with nature in
  Hampstead Heath as it is located near to us and has lots of ideal
  setting. These shots create the vulnerability of the protagonist and
  the strong sense that she is being stalked. We mainly used long
  shots and occasionally zoomed in the suggest the person behind
  the camera is the one who is watching her, this is also caused by the
  camera being behind trees looking onto her. This can cause the
  audience to become uneasy and uncomfortable as they feel they
  are the stalker. Through filming these scenes we had some trouble
  with the wind, however, this also made the camera make look more
  hand held which also has a more effective outcome. We also had
  some problems with the continuation of the walk down to the lake.
  When filming the long shots our actress appears to be
  talking, although again this could be seen as a possitive as it shows
  her madness.
Day 4 images from filming:
Day 5
• Day 5: On day 5 of filming we needed to show the
  protagonist actually taking photographs to show her
  backstory and her detail when it comes to pictures. I
  borrowed a professional camera from the photography
  department and again went to film on Hampstead Heath.
  I filmed a different variation of shots including long
  shots, close ups, over shoulder, hand held and point of
  view shots. The only problem faced on day 5 of filming
  was the weather change as there was snow on the floor
  whereas the other shots there is no sign of snow. This
  isn’t too much of a problem as it is a trailer and doesn’t
  have to show to much of a pattern in weather as these
  scenes could be done at different point in the film.

Filming diary

  • 1.
  • 2.
    Day 1 • Day 1: On the first day of filming we all gathered at Fin’s house to film in his sister’s bedroom. The setting was ideal as she had many extreme close ups of eyes on the walls. We set out pictures on the walls to reinforce the idea that our protagonist is a photographer. We then laid out photos around our actress that she could closely examine them. We got a lot of footage on this day as we wanted to make sure that we got everything we needed and sometimes filmed the same shot numerous times to ensure it was correct. We stuck to the main structure for what we needed to film but also added more ideas as we went on and gained inspiration or improvisation. These photo and bedroom scenes are vital for our trailer as it shows continuation from where she calmly looks at the pictures up into where she screams towards the camera. It is these shots that most show the deterioration of our protagonist, it also shows her obsessive and concerning behaviour, which is important as the basis of the trailer. We had some difficulties with filming and with the costume. The lighting was one of our main concerns and we even had to end up using the flash light on our phones to create the flicker of the light and the effective shadow on the wall. Whilst doing this we noticed we could create the idea that the shadow of the protagonist could move while she stayed still. This creates a very atmospheric and eerie feel. With costume we did find difficulties in the black contacts, however, the outcome is very effective
  • 3.
    Photo from Day1 filming:
  • 4.
    Day 2 • Day2: On our second day of filming we went to a photography dark room. This complemented the dark tone of our film with it’s dangerous red and atmospheric black space. It also emphasised the detail and of the protagonists obsession with photography. We also filmed a figure running across the screen and the protagonist looking around wondering who was there, this gives a sense that someone is trying to get her or the idea that she is being watched.
  • 5.
    Images from day2 filming: Show the atmosphere of the dark room and the detailed examination of negatives by our actress.
  • 6.
    Day 3 • Day3: As our actress has a different timetable to us it is hard to find appropriate days to film with all of us there and it requires compromise and cooperation. On day 3 we used our time without our actress to film her 2 friends scene. This scene creates narrative and allows the audience to follow the trailer more easily. There were some slip ups and as we filmed in a public place people did get in the way on some occasion but we made our way around it and it flows nicely into the trailer.
  • 7.
    Day 4 • Day4: We decided to film the isolated shots filled with nature in Hampstead Heath as it is located near to us and has lots of ideal setting. These shots create the vulnerability of the protagonist and the strong sense that she is being stalked. We mainly used long shots and occasionally zoomed in the suggest the person behind the camera is the one who is watching her, this is also caused by the camera being behind trees looking onto her. This can cause the audience to become uneasy and uncomfortable as they feel they are the stalker. Through filming these scenes we had some trouble with the wind, however, this also made the camera make look more hand held which also has a more effective outcome. We also had some problems with the continuation of the walk down to the lake. When filming the long shots our actress appears to be talking, although again this could be seen as a possitive as it shows her madness.
  • 8.
    Day 4 imagesfrom filming:
  • 9.
    Day 5 • Day5: On day 5 of filming we needed to show the protagonist actually taking photographs to show her backstory and her detail when it comes to pictures. I borrowed a professional camera from the photography department and again went to film on Hampstead Heath. I filmed a different variation of shots including long shots, close ups, over shoulder, hand held and point of view shots. The only problem faced on day 5 of filming was the weather change as there was snow on the floor whereas the other shots there is no sign of snow. This isn’t too much of a problem as it is a trailer and doesn’t have to show to much of a pattern in weather as these scenes could be done at different point in the film.