Planning - filming interviews

My second location is being filmed in the home of one of the cosplayers who attended comic con. This will be filmed on the 8th of December after school as it was the only date I could collectively get all the people who agreed to be interviewed together. Because of the time of year, it will be dark by the time I get round to filming the interviews, meaning I will have to depend on man made lighting completely.

Footage from comic con

Here are some shots I collected from comic con;

 

Editing - Time lapse

This is a video of some footage I collected from shooting at the NEC. The shot was filmed from a long shot and I deliberately did it from this range to do a time lapse to include in my documentary. I then edited the long shot footage I collected and speed up the footage at a different speed;

The first clip was speed up by x500 speed in which the clip was filmed for roughly about a minute which was then reduced to about 13 seconds. The second clip was speed up by x300 in which was filmed for about 30 seconds and reduced to 5 seconds.

Filming - still shots

These are some still shots I took on location when filming for my documentary;

Filming review - 21/11/15

My overall view on filming at comic con was a success. There was a panic the night before where the spare battery wouldn't work for the camera even though it had full charge, however I discovered when filming on location that a spare battery wasn't necessary for the task and I had battery power left over from the shoot. 

On location I got a total of 51 different shots and clips which is more than I was initially expecting. However, I didn't get any on location interviews with any cosplayers and so I didn't get a chance to use the interview questions I had planned out and will have to depend on the interview I will be shooting at one of the cosplayers house. 

I got a variety of different shots from comic con including long shots to use for time lapse, group shots of the cosplayers and close ups of different merchandise. I also managed to get shots of the cosplayers waiting for the train at the station, the train arriving, the cosplayers traveling and then arriving to comic con, in which lets the audience in on the journey sequence for a cosplayer traveling to a convention.

Here are some screen shots taken from the footage I collected;

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XLS

MCU

MLS

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Filming preparation - 21/11/15

Tomorrow, on November the 21st, I will be filming my first shots for my documentary. Filming in a busy location with a big group of people can be unpredictable and I need to be ready to prepare for what could go wrong. Things that could go wrong on shot include;

- not enough battery power
- no enough storage on SD card
- camera technical faults
- losing the camera and footage
- losing the cast members 
- not enough footage will be filmed 

To prevent this from happening, I have brought backup SD cards with 32 GB memory as well as backup battery as well as a map and a secure case to carry the camera in.    

Planning - Costumes

As a part of the interview, I asked the cosplayers to be interviewed in their outfits they are wearing to comic con;

Jess Sharman's outfit is taken from the anime/manga series "Death Note" which is a Japanese animation. The character she has taken on is Misa Misa who is one of the leading protagonists in the anime.

Jess Fisher's cosplay is a character from the popular tv cartoon Adventure time. She has dressed up as the character Bemo, a video games console, with a post apocalyptic twist, as though her character was in  an apocalypse. 

 

 

Danny Mead's cosplay is a character from the indie video game Undertale. Undertale is a game about a human that falls into a world full of monesters, in which Danny has dressed up as the character Sans, who is a skeleton that helps the human in the game.

Planning - Risk assessment

Risks of filming at the NEC

I have carefully considered the risks of filming at comic con, in which I have given it a rating out of 5 in how risky it is and how it can be resolved;

1) Risk of stolen equipment, 4/5 (high risk). If this was to happen, it would result in a loss in footage and also loss in income for the equipment (around £700). This problem can be resolved by being cautious and aware of equipment, in which when it is not in use should be packed away and secured in a bag or rucksack, in which should be out of reach of potential pick pockets. 

2) Risk of leaving equipment on transport or losing equipment, 3/5 (moderate risk). If this was to happen,it would result in a loss in all my footage meaning it would significantly lower my A level grade. This problem can be resolved by being as cautious as I can be with the equipment and give it to someone else to look after if I am in need to do other tasks.
 
3) Risk of the event of a fire, 1/5 (minimal risk). Being in an enclosed area with lots of people can mean in the event of a fire, it may take longer to escape. To prevent this, I will make sure that I am aware of the fire exits at all times and have a planned escape route if necessary.

4) Risk of getting lost 3/5 (moderate risk). Getting lost in a big venue like the NEC would mean my filming schedule would be off track and is dangerous and applies to everyone in in the group I am attending comic con with especially for vulnerable youths under the aged of 18. To prevent this from happening, the NEC has maps and directions as well as information desks located near the halls. I can also arrange a meeting point with the group should any one of us get lost at any point.

5) Risk of traveling on trains, 2/5 (very low risk). Travelling on trains can be quite unsafe if safety isn't taken seriously. The trains travel at high speeds, so its important to remember to keep a distance from the platform and the railway tracks as there is a potential risk of falling onto the tracks. It is also important when traveling on trains to be prepared for an emergency incident, such as fire breakout or emergency stopping on the train. To prevent injury in this incident, I will make myself aware of emergency exits as well as tools to alert the driver in such case of an emergency incident e.g. emergency brake.

6) Risk of medical incident at comic con, 2/5 (very low risk). In a big crowded event, it can be quite overwhelming in which could lead to panic attacks, fainting or worse in severe cases. To prevent this from happening, I will keep hydrated and eat when necessary, as well as bring excess water and a first aid kit in the event of an incident. I will also keep my mobile phone at close hand should an emergency arise and an the emergency services are needed to be contacted.

Planning - Shot list

Before going out to film at comic con, I need to plan what kind of shots I'd ideally like to get. Having researched into other documentaries about cosplay, The kind of location shots I'll need are;

- Long shot/ Extreme long shots; This shot will show groups of cosplayers from a long distance, in which in order to achieve this shot I may need to find a high location or stand at one end of the hall. I will only need two types of these shots just to give the audience an idea about the vast size of the NEC.

- Close ups; Detailed close ups of props, costumes, merchandise and stalls will be required. I'd like to get around five or six shots of these in which will give the audience more detail about comic con.

- Medium close-ups; Like with close ups, these will be detailed shots of props, costumes, merchandise and stalls just from a more distant range. I'd like to get around five of six shots from a medium close up.

- Mid shots; This shot range still gives the audience detail but also shows them more of whats in the image, in which I would like to film the stalls that sell merchandise and props from this range. I'd like the get around seven to eight different shots from a mid shot as it is a practical shot and used frequently in the other documentaries.

- Medium long shots; This shot is slightly more distant than a mid shot and shows more of what is there. I plan to use these shots when filming cosplayers and the people at comic con, in which the shot may be tracking the subject or the subject is posing to the camera. I plan to get around eight to ten different shots from a medium long shot as it is a good range to work from and was also used frequently in the other documentaries.

If I stick to this plan, I should collect enough footage for the narrative of my documentary in which shouldn't require any last minute re-shoots.

Planning - Location consent

Comic con is an annual event held twice a year at Birmingham, in both March and November. The policy for filming at comic con is outlined clearly on the website, in which shows that it is okay to film and take photos at comic con but for personal use only (with the person's permission) and not for financial gain. It also clearly states that no filming or photos are to be taking during interview panels of celebrities at the event, in which slightly affects the freedom in what photos and videos I can take at comic con;

Planning - Lighting management at comic con

For the NEC, I wont be taking any lighting rigs as it is unnecessary weight to carry and a hassle to set up in a busy location. As a result of this, I will instead be using the natural lighting at the event, in which this shot shows how it affects the camera visability;

As shown from the pictures above, the natural lighting at the NEC even though it gives off a bright yellow/orange filtered colour, it doesn't affect the camera viability in any way in which the lighting isn't a problem and won't affect my filming in any way.

Planning - Sound management at comic con

When filming at the NEC and interviews of cosplayers, one thing to bare in mind is the diegetic sound. Being in a busy location, this may affect the sound quality which means that the cosplayers in the interview may be hard to hear and the footage will be wasted in which this is a big risk as this cannot be refilmed. 

I intend to resolve this issue by filming the cosplayers in a quieter, less noisier location and I will also try to film some of the local Cosplayers at the train station which won't be as loud or busy as it is in an open space, even though there is the risk of trains passing by disrupting interview footage. 

Planning - Interviewing at comic con

As a part of my filming on the 21st November, I will be interviewing people in their cosplays at comic con. Interviewing at a busy location with limited battery supply can be very time consuming, and so I will reduce the amount of questions I will ask on location to around 2-3. As shown from the questionnaire in previous blog post, the most popular responses were;

Why do you cosplay?
What do you get out of cosplaying?

As a result of this, these will be the questions I will ask the cosplayers at comic con. In addition to this, I will also ask the cosplayers who are they cosplaying as to give the audience an idea on the vast range of different cosplay styles.
 

Planning - Call sheet #1

These are scanned copies of my first call sheet. The areas where I have written "refer to blog" I have written a blog post as there wasn't enough space in the boxes provided;

Planning - Props

These are the props I will be using in the interviews in the talking space in my documentary. These images have been sent to me by one of the cosplayers I am interviewing (Jess Sharman) in which these possessions have a significant importance to her and inspired her to do cosplay;

 

This image shows a popular manga called "Deathnote" and a small anime action figurine next to the book. By putting the figurine by the book tells the audience that it relates to the manga comic on the shelf, in which these props are important for the interview as they are what the person being interviewed (Jess Sharman) has taken her cosplay inspiration from.

This prop is of a poster from Alice in wonderland, in which is a book that has been adapted by Disney and become a popular icon. Alice in wonderland is another cosplay inspiration for Jess, in which by using props and merch in the background shows that they are of significant importance.

This shot shows a collection of figures and plush's from various franchises from the conglomerate Walt Disney. Disney characters (especially princesses) are a popular choice in terms of dressing up and cosplay, in which these props are a good choice in terms of representing Disney and cosplay.

These props relate to the choice made by the cosplayer in terms of representing her interests. It further shows the viewer her interest for Alice in wonderland, in which tells them the significant impact it has in terms of inspiration.

This prop is an icon of the animation producers Studio Ghibli. It is from the anime My Neighbour Totoro, in which also happens to be the ident of the Japanese animation studio. Studio Ghibli are heavily associated in the world of anime, in which anime is also linked into cosplay, and so by using this prop it further links together the significant impact of anime with cosplayers.

Planning - cast for filming location

I am going to be filming at Birmingham comic con at the NEC on the 21st November. As well as using the cast from the interviews, I will be filming and interviewing various other Cosplays from the local community who are also attending the convention. The people I will be filming are;

Coren Farley
Jessica Sharman
Jess Fisher
Harrison Majithia
Conner Bass-Twitchell
Danny Mead
James Chaplin 
Max Holmes
India Lay
Beth Taylor 
James Rose
Lily Darvey
Hanna Lingard

The people I am interviewing have all agreed to be filmed for my documentary. They are travelling to the location by train, in which will be departing at 9:55 from Banbury station.

Planning - Equipment for comic con

As I am filming in a busy and crowded location that involves a lot of walking around, I will not be requiring excess equipment that would take a long time to set up including lighting rigs and tripods. The camera I will be using will be hand held and I am using a Panasonic HDC-TM700;

This is a hand held device which films in a HD quality. The camera can automatically adjust to the lighting by pressing the iA/Manual button switches the camera from Intelligent Auto to manual mode. This means I don't need to spend too much time adjusting lighting and focus.

Planning - Location

I am filming my documentary in two locations. One of my locations will be in the interviewees house, in which is located in the local area. The means in terms of transport, it is an accessible location and won't cost much to get there. Because this location is local, it also means that is less of a hassle to transport equipment needed for the interview such as lighting, cameras and tripods. I have also got permission from the interviewee to film in her house as well as film personal belongings in use in the mes en scene. By filming in the house of a cosplayer, it gives the audience a better insight into their interests through mis en scene such as posters and props. 

The other location I will be filming in is the comic con expo in the NEC at Birmingham.
Inside the NEC, there are over 182,000 square metres of indoor space, 20 interconnecting halls, 34 specialist conference and meetings suites in which the NEC host over 500 events every year, including MCM comic con;

Initially, I planned to film at London Comic Con on October 23rd 2015. However, these plans were cancelled due to lack of organisation and income. The benefits of filming in Birmingham comic con is that its closer locally than London, and is much cheaper to travel to. Also, in terms of travel it is easier as there is a train station next to the event, in contrast to London where you have to travel on the tube from one side of London to another. Therefore, transporting luggage and equipment will be easier for Birmingham comic con than it would've for London.

This location itself (NEC) doesn't really represent the icon of cosplay, but the content of the convention in the surroundings represents the topic of cosplay's through mis en scene, costumes and props within the comic con environment. It is an event where cosplayers from across the UK gather, in which there are a range of stalls available selling merch from a range of tv shows, comics and animes in which are considered to be an icon of a "geek" e.g. Batman, Pokemon, etc. This icon of the geek is also associated with the topic of Cosplay, in which the props and merch used in the mis en scene relate to the topic under discussion.

The same goes with costuming. The people dressed up will be representing their favourite character from comic books or anime through the use of costume, in which the whole idea of Cosplay is dressing up. By using this location, I can show the audience how successful cosplay is and the vast amounts of people who enjoy cosplaying and the different varieties of Cosplay's available.

Planning - Interview subjects; Cosplayers

The people I am interviewing in my documentary have previous experience with cosplaying at conventions such as comic con. They are young people between the ages of 16-18 and I have selected a mix of genders in which appeals to the target audience. Also, the people I am interviewing are people I personally know, in which puts me at no risk with strangers I don't know. The people I am interviewing are;

Jessica Sharman (to the left in the picture, aged 18) 

Jess Fisher (to the right, aged 17)











Danny Mead (to the right, aged 18)

I have asked permission from the interviewees through the social medium of Facebook, and all have agreed to taking part and are aware of what is involved in being a part of the documentary;

Planning - final interview questions

To make sure the questions I had scripted were informative and suitable for the documentary topic, I set up an online questionnaire in which my target audience were able to make written responses to;

http://goo.gl/forms/wM3C4FF4xA

This included two questions about the interview questions I had scripted, one asking which question was the most informative about the documentary and another asking what kind of questions they would ask if they were doing the interview. This screenshot shows the response I got from the target audience research;

 As shown from the screenshot, The most popular questions included What is cosplay?, Why do you cosplay? and What do you get out of cosplaying? these are questions I will definitely be using for the interview. 

The less popular questions voted in the questionnaire that only got 1 or no votes I will reconsider for using in my documentary, and use the questions the target audience came up with as a guide to what other questions I can include to suit their needs.

The questions the target audience came up with are;

- How much does it cost? What do you like the most about cosplaying?

- How did you find out about/get into cosplaying? What's the most challenging aspect of creating a good cosplay?

- What's the most money you've spent on your cosplay?

- do you think there has been a community built around cosplaying? If so, does this allow you to  bond with other idolaters at conventions, etc?

- If you could, would you physically become the cosplay you chose?

- What, in your opinion, is the most useful/required technique for making a good cosplay?

- How long have you been cosplaying?

- How do you find other people to share in this activity?

- What is the appeal of cosplaying? Is it empowering? Is there a communal spirit at comic con events? Do you only do cosplay for events? Why should I be a cosplayer too? What is the world of cosplay like for women, or people with different body types from the character they are portraying? Is there therefore segregation within cosplay events?

- Why did you first start to cosplay, what has inspired you and why do you continue to cosplay now?

- How does cosplay affect you and the people in your life?

- Has cosplaying helped to increase your social circle?

I have gone over these responses and the general response the audience gave was interest in community, technique, appeal, time and money. In particular, out of the questions listed, the ones I personally found most interesting were;

 - What is the world of cosplay like for women or people with different body types from the character they are portraying?
- Is there segregation within cosplay events?
- Is it empowering?
- If you could, would you physically become the cosplay you chose? 

And so, with help from my target audience research, the final questions I will be asking in the interviews are;

- Can you define cosplay?
- Why do you cosplay? 
- Is cost an important factor when it comes to cosplay?
- What techniques and skills do you have when it comes to constructing a costume?
- Has cosplaying affected your social abilities/groups in anyway?
- How does cosplaying at comic con compare in contrast to cosplaying anywhere else?
- How dedicated are you to cosplay in terms on time spent on costumes and attending social gatherings?
- What do you get out of cosplaying and is it empowering?

I have constructed this in a linear order meaning that I will be asking the interviewees questions in this order.