Notthingham Shoot

AELEA story laboratory just shot the profile 'Come Study Here' video for the University of Notthingham. Froggie was directing.We were trying to recreate wonderful moments during university life often unseen on camera that would mirror what is to expected of the Notthingham experience.

It was a very tight schedule as there were many shots to be achieved over a short period of time. Technically, though time was limited,we choose not to go for the easy way out and opted to aim for very complex shots that will be more enticing to the viewer. Jib and dolly tracks, heavy equipment which creates a smooth moving motion for the camera were set up to lend some dynamics to shots giving the imagery life as opposed to all still and silent shot common of mere tripod camera shoots.

Many of the university students came out with bright smiles as being infront of a camera is an escape from a day of hard study. But then many of the talents realised that to evoke very simple everday emotion like a gentle smile or a hearty laugh is much harder than you think when you are in front of the camera and thus acting wasn't that easy as they expected it to be. As director, by hook or by crook I have to induce them into doing the emotions while under the glare of various lights and camera equipments.It wasn't easy as for one shot to be perfect, all the talent had to be good in the shot and the camera movement also had to be timed to capture the moment perfectly. All going well it took only a slight jerk of the camera or one student to look uncomposed to sound the dreaded words...one more time.

The most exciting bits of the shoot were as the basketball court when a different angle of the camera, it behind the transparent net board was odered...by myself. We mounted the camera and I was on a ten foot ladder to capture the moment. Everytime the ball slammed into the board it created such a bang and shook the board so much my heart skipped. But as with any shot, it took take after take and soon i was immune to the slams and also grew unwary of the dangers of my situation then if one of the basket ballers were to be caught in the heat of the game and forget I was there he could have hit the ladder and send me flying.

A different kind of shot from the basketball were slices of nature to highlight the university ample grounds of green and natural surrounds. A shot with a pigeon makes a serene scene that relays this fact perfectly and it is too beautiful visually but as man can't talk to birds or at least the men in this crew can't, it was difficult to get the bird to fly at exactly the right moment and the exact right location.We just had to keep trying. But when a difficult shot finally gets caught on camera the team gets this cheer of satisfaction that's hard to match.

That's a short writeup of our three days of stressful production fun at Notthingham.

Care to train up as a crew? AELEA do accepts hardworking trainees with an intention to learn well the craft of filmmaking so send me a word...but serious ones willing to work hard only.