critical evaluation

Mercy

At the beginning of this module we had a very different script and project to complete called “Gods Among Us” and even though that we had originally agreed to film that project, the scriptwriter retracted the script and project for his own reasons; that did put us behind schedule to not only make a new concept to also film it within a smaller time frame than originally thought. Once we got the green light for Mercy we sprung into action as soon as we could. I as the sound operator experimented with the grips and styles of the microphones support; seeing if I could personally improve my recording experience. I personally during the beginning of this project had suffered issues with my ankle and supporting myself up unassisted but never the less I made sure to be on time and found ways to set up in the more efficient way possible.

I personally tried to give the cinematographer as much room as he needed so I could work around him while still trying to get the best audio possible. I also had to take into consideration the shadow that not only I cast but the shadow that my boom pole and microphones make. With some of the locations we filmed at however I think I could have improved the work I produced by having more control over the environments. For example most of the interior shots have some sort of subtle background noise; if I had more preparation and more control to alter the environments I could have eliminated these sounds at their sources; however because of these locations not being recce’d I couldn’t have changed anything major. There was a shoot that I could not turn up to as I had already been booked out that day for the project I was also working on named “The Cell”. I went and showed my director how to record and what to turn to make sure the levels were right and what ended up happening was the audio recorded from that shoot turned out to be very quiet and as the sound mixer I had to turn it up just to catch up with the other sound clips that go along with it. It is my fault as I didn’t have time to test the room and set the levels; I left it to our director because I was pressed for time.

As a sound operator in demand for the multiple projects going on throughout the year I made a system that could easily be followed and stands on the principal of, early bird catches the worm. Making sure that whomever comes to me first and asks me to shoot on certain days and times they then have priority.

With Mercy I had more of challenge because not only was I the sound engineer for the whole project but I was also the sound mixer at the end of the process and since I am also and editor I thought it’d come naturally but I quickly discovered that I had new things to learn and I would make sure that I couldn’t let my crew down. The issues I had with this project in particular were little to none however the double booking of equipment was annoying because the equipment we expected to receive was already taken out and we got the scraps. The only other thing that could be considered as a problem with this project would probably have to do with the last minute shoots that I felt needed to be accepted.

The editor did a great job of editing on the go, so as we finish filming she starts editing that very same day so when it came to doing the Sound mixing I didn’t have to wait a week or so to get a rough cut of the edit to work with. The producer/director and writer did an amazing job considering the time crunch we were under as well as the locations that dropped out last minute and he was able to keep the film date but just find a new location. The cinematographer did an amazing job as well, not only communicating well with myself but accepting the communication I gave him in return about both of our roles and movements/positions during each shot.

If I personally would do anything different I’d most possibly make sure that there were recces and that I could tag along to have scoped out the locations and prepared more than I did. I would also personally have put more effort into not only just making  Y mic setup but also design and build a setup for an X setup for the microphones; I just think the option of either would have been nicer than just one. Through this project I have learned many important attributes to do with the role of Sound operator and mixer, I have learned how to confidently use Pro Tools as well as discovering new and better ways to capture audio. Which in turn also challenged me to learn a new editing program I had never experienced before as well as learning new positions and statures while boom operating.

            I think that Mercy as a whole is a success not only as a film but as an experience, it helped us all become more professional and more understanding of each others roles other than our own. It as a whole is a good film with a solid plot, story and visual presence; not to mention the audio to match. It helped me get more acquainted with the etiquette behind meeting and greeting actors as well as having the patience to find something that you could in fact do as you may be waiting for someone else to appear.

            For this film I wanted to take heavy inspiration from Hannibal, the television show as it has this auditory feeling of always being watched and uncertainty about it that I think it was  a perfect fit for Mercy.

The Cell

The cell was a simple film visually and location based however when it came to sound it was much more complex then I first imagined because of the sheer quantity of perpetration and planning that is needed to get every sound that is needed. I jumped at the chance to be apart of this crew because I knew I could spread my wings in the experimentation area of sound design and collection. Just thinking of the possibilities made me hooked onto the projects premise and as the script grew and evolved so did my understanding of the overall feeling the film was wanting to give out which I had to portray in an auditory sense.

I think I could have done so much better with this project in particular if I had went out more and collected more foley sound even though I had already collected a good amount of clips I still feel like if I had gotten more it would have given the editor more to work with in the long run. As a whole I think The Cell is a great film and will stand as one of my proudest contributions towards my career; it is still of course not the best masterpiece in the world because everything can be improved, especially a film with such depth in it as ours. Knowing when to leave it be and allow the film to stand by itself is a hard move that we must all make and even with it’s little imperfections here and there; I still believe it’s a beautiful film, mistakes and all.

I believe I have responded well in accordance to the input I’ve had from external sources, some of which questioned why I personally preferred a certain number of microphones or their stand counterparts. I gave my honest answer of “it’s better to have it and not need it then to need it and not have it” but with this project in particular I had to revisit some techniques and equipment I had not used or seen in a long time; using the radio mics was great for when I couldn’t quite get the right angle to get the best sound.

            I was inspired by the Cube and it’s sequel hyper cube for the sound gathering of The cell because both films showcase a sense of solitude and separation with just their ambience and sound effect; that is what I wanted to replicate with some of the Foley sounds I collected for The Cell.

            I personally think I’ve met each and every brief outcome specified throughout its handbook, I have learned and improved my communication skills with members of the crew and with actors whom are non specialists. I saw the challenges that this project presented and not only did I elaborately decipher them but I was also critical about each problem that not only I solved but ones that I also created. The issues I encountered with this project specifically was mainly with others communications as I knew I wanted to be on recce’s to check the areas out but I was not informed of them till the week after they had happened. My only other issue would have to be with the planning behind each shoot, some were in fact marvellously organised but some were so poorly organised that I had no idea that I was filming on certain days till I asked.

In conclusion this entire module has moulded me into a much more mature professional and I feel like I’m ready to walk into the industry world where I’ll be ready for anything they through at me. My communication skills have certainly improved with that of experts and other members whom may not be that well educated on Film and its process. This module helped me discover more and more about the different areas of a films production team, which in turn will help others learn from it as a whole. I worked on a few other shoots that I wasn’t apart of only because I knew they needed the help and I’d rather a project have the sound op it needs in a time of need than no sound op, helping out with The Last Ones was an interesting experience I must admit but I cannot pass judgement as I was only there for one shoot.