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Creative Exercise 1: ‘The Witching Hour’

This was a super fun exercise!!

My group didn’t have specific roles, but I mainly took on the duties of the producer as I booked equipment and found locations etc. I also had a cameo in the film!

We started this process by thinking up some ideas we could play with. Max wanted to practice some shots for Lola’s Room and The Man Who Fell in Love with the Sky, so we decided to combine some occult themes with some exterior scenes.

I’m pretty happy with how this turned out in the long run for such a small project!

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Working on: ‘The Photograph’

This was a project I production designed right at the start of the semester so I thought I would share some photos!!

I had a lot of fun on this and I think the production design turned out really well. I wish I had a bit more time to work on it as there wasn’t too much set up time, but i’m happy with what i got done!

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Helping on Grad Shoot: ‘Anna’

This was a super fun project to take part in. I helped mostly with art direction and production design for one of their shoot days.

It took a while to receive the script so unfortunately I didn’t have much prep time, but most of my prep work revolved around building the set for the bedroom scene. India and I went over to the room the day before shoot and took down all the decorations so we could analyse what it would look like bare. We weren’t given any sort of shot list so I was a bit unsure how to work with different shapes and tapestries on the walls, but didn’t want to leave them plain white as the room was very small.

I decided to go with some more minimal designs, as the characters room was obsessive in a meticulous and precise way which we wanted to replicate through his bedroom set design.

I also had to make some fake blood!! This turned out pretty good!

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Starstruck: On-set Day 2

Starting day 2 with lots of rest and sleep, it went a lottttt smoother.

After yesterday, the director, DoP, and I had a big talk about rescheduling for today. We rearranged some shots and gave ourselves a bit more time for set up.

I went into uni early in the morning again to ensure I had all the paperwork I needed. I then got started with organising the day with our schedule.

By lunch time, we ended up actually being about an hour in front of schedule which definitely put us in a great mood.

We were also able to get the two shots we missed which was a success!!

I really learned a lot about how to communicate with people on set. I think I wasn’t communicative enough when it came to time, but definitely would love to improve that for next time.

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Starstruck: On-set Day 1

DAY 1!!

I was super stressed getting started on day 1. Like I’ve stated, I’ve never ADed before so this was just super daunting.

I started the day by going into uni early and printing out all of the schedules and extra paperwork needed for that day. We all meet outside and waited for the doors to open so we could rush to set. The Producer had booked out a green room which was super helpful for leaving our stuff.

Since we were dealing with some extras, a 3rd AD came into help, so I got some good experience learning how to use walkie talkies!

The first day started off pretty poorly due to some lack of communication from the Producer. I was made aware that the room used for the test shoot was different, however I wasn’t informed that the room we were filming in had blinds which were broken meaning light couldn’t be blocked and there was automatic lights which wouldn’t go off. This really slowed us down and due to the gaffer not being aware of this issue either, there wasn’t exactly a safe way to make him speed up. Fixing the lights involved standing on a chair and taping the lights to cover them. I was not in any position to rush him due to it being a little unsafe already. This issue made us run behind by about an hour and a half which was pretty disheartening, however, we kept going!

At lunch, I discussed with the Director and DoP about cutting down on shots, and we decided we could cut down on 2.

By the end of day 1, we had cut down on 2 shots, but had finished on time, which I felt was a success.

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Starstruck: Scheduling

I started looking at the schedule once I had received the shot list from the DoP and a marked up script from the Director. I also completed some storyboards to help visualise some of the shots.

The shot list is looking pretty manageable. We have 2 days of shoot and 24 shots which makes me feel good!

The Director, DoP, and I had a meeting about which order the shots would work best for them. This was super beneficial, as I could understand better what would be best for time. We are dealing with quite a lot of close-ups, so naturally we grouped them together.

For context, I wasn’t able to attend the test shoot due to work. I tried to ensure to keep a bit of time for setting up as I was informed that the test shoot was in a different room to the room we would be filming in.

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Starstruck: Weekly Meetings with HoD’s

Esther, the Producer of the project, planned weekly meetings which she asked me to come to. This means I was a lot more on top of the production process and could start planning the schedule and call sheets.

These meetings, definitely felt essential for keeping everyone on the same page. Each week, the HoDs from cinematography, sound, art, and other departments gathered to review progress, address concerns, and plan for the upcoming week. As the 1st AD, I attend these meetings to stay informed and to ensure that the shooting schedule aligns with the needs and updates from each department.

Having the producer lead these sessions is beneficial because they provide a top-down view of the project and can make executive decisions quickly. It’s a great opportunity for each department to voice their needs and challenges. For instance, if production design anticipates needing extra time for a complex setup, we can adjust the schedule proactively, rather than scrambling on the day of the shoot.

These meetings also help in fostering a collaborative environment. When the producer ensures that everyone is heard and their concerns are addressed, it builds a sense of teamwork and mutual respect. This supportive atmosphere encourages departments to assist each other, knowing they’re all contributing to the same goal.

In essence, these weekly HoD meetings with the producer are a vital part of the film’s success. They not only help in managing logistics but also in building a cohesive team that can tackle the challenges of filmmaking with confidence and unity.

I was unable to attend one of these meetings, however I ensured to read over all the notes!!!

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Starstruck: Preparation and Research

I initially agreed to work on this project due to reading Gonçalo’s script and I thought it had lovely potential. Unfortunately, I had agreed to produce Cara’s script so didn’t want to commit to producing another. I have never 1st ADed before so felt it could be a good time to start!

A lot of my research and development for this project revolved around learning more about the role of the 1st AD so I can try and better myself on-set. The main tasks a 1st AD takes on is normally managing schedules, coordinating departments, ensuring safety, and keeping the production on track. I used online guides such as StudioBinder and Filmmaker IQ. I also looked at industry forums directed by 1st ADs to gain some tips.

A main responsibility of mine I feel I have as the 1st AD on set of Starstruck, is ensuring everyone is in coordination with each other while also ensuring everyone is not too stressed. I dislike that many ADs can be shouty and aggressive - I find I have a much less good time on set if i’m worried about upsetting someone rather than doing the best work I can. I want to attempt to really connect with the Director and DoP as I know this is super important as a 1st AD. I plan to do this by meeting up with them before the shoot and discussing our way of working together.

Overall, I am very excited, but nervous to be getting started.

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Lola’s Room: On-set Day 2/3

On day 2, we shot scenes 5 and 3. This was a bit more focussed on dialogue rather than movement. I helped out mostly on day 2 with clothing changes and a few aspects of production design we needed to adjust between takes, such as the wallpaper height or shadows being created due to some set design.

I found day 2 to be pretty successful. We had a different 1st AD between the first and second day so setting up and space was a little bit of an issue due to the lack of communication between both AD’s. This involved me having to help out a little in the organisation of the set up of items due to the location being in my flat. This made me a little stressed as the Producer had left half way through the day and I found it hard to explain my concerns.

None the less, we got day 2 done very well!!!

In the morning of day 3, the bathroom scene was shot. I wasn’t part of this crew due to there needing to be a skeleton crew. This gave me time to organise set and production design aspects before the whole crew got there.

In the afternoon of the third day, we filmed the ending. This involved minimal costume changes, but lots of work on keeping makeup and hair consistent since we had to replicate the wetness from the bath scene. I did this by getting a bowl and dunking sections of the actors hair in water until it looked consistent with previous pictures.

Unfortunately, I think communication in regards to the “Lola’s Room” sign was very minimal. The production designer, India, hadn’t discussed the plan to make the sign and it left me having to make it on-set on the last day. This upset me a little as I struggled to communicate the fact that we hadn’t discussed it being only my job. I got it done nonetheless, but due to working on a range of other projects, being left with an important job when it wasn’t my main project, left me very frustrated. I wish i had a little bit more time and the resources for the sign, but i think i did a good job at designing it!! It captures the 2000’s girly pop aesthetic which is present in 2000’s teen fashion magazines.

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Lola’s Room: On-set Day 1

Day 1 was pretty successful!!

On Day 1, we focussed on the opening scene and main dialogue scene which takes place in Lola’s bedroom. India and I discussed the day before with the director how we were going to plan out the day and how we can optimise helping out.

We started by looking out specific props and costumes needed throughout the shoot, and keeping them in the hallway so they would be easily accessible. I found this to be super helpful, however there was points, due to how busy and how small my flat was, were all the props got muddled up or got put back in the wrong place, therefore i ended up having to hunt down a lot of the stuff during the shoot. I also feel that there wasn’t enough communication about which scenes were coming next with production design.

The scenes in order were on the wall, however there was a lot of cutting shots and changing order which wasn’t communicated to production design and was therefore, sort of put on us for not knowing these changes. I got a little upset by this because of the lack of communication, however I discussed with the producer and director about my concerns, and we came up with a better plan for the following day.

India and I took turns staying near set. The room we were filming in was too small for either one of us to come into, so we were sort of just staying near when needed. This wasn’t too much of an issue, but I do wish we prepared a bit more as set got a little bit messy.

At the end of the day, India and I discussed in length our plan for the next day!

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Lola’s Room: Production Design & Location

Before Photos:

Featuring in another film, my bedroom was a hit. Because of how spacious it is, Alana decided it was the best bet. After a full day of setting up with the helps of other crew members, we finally transformed the room!!

Final Production Design:

T’was an absolute pain to take down.

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Favourite Set-up Photos

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Lola’s Room: Graphic Design

I designed the homecoming poster which was super fun!! Although it’s hard to subject a design to the time constraints of when it’s set - so i played around with a few idea to try and make it feel 2000’s, such as the handwritten font and the textured background.

I then designed some posters for Lola’s walls. Indy and I were pretty focussed on getting copyright free images and sourcing many of them from ourselves or friends. Here are some i designed:

I also made some magazine covers!! I don’t believe these were actually properly featured in the film which was a shame, but i completely understand. I designed the covers, printed them out, and stuck them to existing magazines.

I also made the Lunar girls Poster!!

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Lola’s Room: Production Design Meetings

Meeting #1

*I took on the role of “art director”, which may not entirely be the correct term for what i did - we agreed that art department insinuated i did a smaller job than i did, however I was asked what i would like to be credited as, and art director felt closest to production design without taking over the production designer. Basically, I think I helped out a lot for this project!

India and I had our first meeting early into the semester and started this process by making a shared Pinterest board and looking over the one created by the director, Paula, and writer, Gaby. From their references and with my own research, I loved the production design from Ladybird and The Virgin Suicides as the biggest inspiration. I love the eclectic production design in Ladybird’s bedroom, with lots of posters, a subtle pink wallpaper, and drawing on the walls. I love the interaction of realism and aestheticism in The Virgin Suicides’ production design. India was heavily inspired by The Craft for the gothic, occult ideas in the production design.

Here are some images I brought to the meeting:

We then made a prop list and split this up how we felt would be appropriate. Like specified in a previous blog post about collecting props, this process was long due to having to ask around a lot of different people due to not having the most extensive budget (of course hehe). We did have around £100 to play with which was super amazing, so we started planning this out!

We also split up some of the bigger tasks, such as graphic design, and the Grimoire. I tackled the jobs of graphic design! I will specify this later on in posts, but i plan to create some magazine covers, and some posters for Lola’s Room. We decided very early on that we want to try and source as many art/posters etc from ourselves or friends so we don’t have to worry about copyright restrictions.

Meeting #2

This meeting happened a little bit before the pitch and was surrounding what our progress was like at this point. Unfortunately, it wasn’t as productive as I

would have liked and I found i was leading the meeting even though that wasn’t my role. However, we got to discuss our progress in a bit more detail and what our next steps may have been. The Director wasn’t able to be present which may have stunted the progress a little bit.

Meeting #3

This meeting took place pretty near the filming dates. As i was working on Starstruck, I was struggling a little bit to keep up with all my tasks, but took the week before shoot to ensure that all of my graphic design tasks were sorted. India then went to print these out. Throughout this week, I also had the major task of actually sorting out and clearing out my room, which was a lot of work to do myself. For this meeting, I went over to India’s flat for a while to sort out any last minute tasks. We were struggling to get a hold of a cheap CD player and good sized mirror, so we’re looking for the best facebook market place options for those. We also then arranged with the Director to have a meeting about clothing. This was a pretty tricky process again due to there not being much proactivity from the production designer about this, and due to being on different sets, I wasn’t able to explore all costume options by myself, specially since there were so many changes!

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Lola’s Room: Working with Budget

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Collecting Props

There was lots of props to locate! From my perspective, one aspect of production design i really want to work on more is making a set more sustainable. Production design can be extremely restricting when it comes to engaging in sustainable practices due to its uniqueness. I started collecting props by looking over what i already had and what i could steal from friends of mine.

I focussed on gathering:

old books

bedsheets

posters

dried flowers

I had some fake flowers from one of my previous projects, which I painted and burned to look like real dead flowers. The plan is to hang these from the walls upside down!

I collected a bunch of old books from my collection, Max's parents, and Saskia's room, ensuring to leave out any

I also discussed the idea of having wallpaper with the Director and DoP and found some very bright and textured pink wallpaper which I think looks SO GOOD. I tried to measure how much we'd need, however I believe we won't have enough which is slightly annoying, but I think it will still work.

A lot of the rest of the prop list came directly from friends and flatmates etc.

Excited to see how it turns out!!

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Lola’s Room: Research and Development

This process was so long but rewarding!!

While we were gearing up to design ‘Lola’s Room’, a 2000s girly pop-inspired film, my role as the art director involved diving deep into research to capture the essence of that era. It was all about encompassing the space in the vibrant and colorful world of early 2000s pop culture, from the fashion trends and music videos to iconic movie aesthetics and interior design.

I spent lots of research time looking over some old magazines, music videos, and films from the 2000s. There was lots of bold colors, quirky patterns, and unique textures that defined the era. We wanted our film to feel like a nostalgic trip back to the days of boy bands, glittery lip gloss, and teen rom-coms.

Collaborating with India as Production Designer was a fun experience. We brainstormed ways to infuse the film with whimsical and eye-catching elements that would transport viewers to a world filled with pink velour tracksuits, bedazzled flip phones, and funky graffiti walls. We sourced vintage props and experimented with set designs to create a visual feast of nostalgia.

We attempted to carefully curate each item to evoke a sense of fun and playfulness that defined the girly pop culture of that time. It was all about finding the perfect balance between authenticity and stylized fantasy, ensuring that our production design felt both nostalgic and fresh.

As we brought our research to life on set, it was incredibly rewarding to see our vision come together. The vibrant colors, playful aesthetics, and whimsical production design opportunities truly set the stage for a film that celebrated the joy and exuberance of the 2000s girly pop era. It was a labor of love that allowed us to channel our inner nostalgia and create a visually captivating world that audiences could escape into, even if just for a couple of hours. Working on this project as an art director was an unforgettable experience—one that reminded me of the magic that comes with blending creativity, research, and a passion for storytelling.