Major Project Unit: Project Update

Location

Lauren and I visited the campus to look at the studio again. We're now thinking in more detail about what we require from having a set built or using the existing white walls and shooting in a corner. 

I have emails back from CATF - as they're just beginning the semester they've had a clear out. But they do have flats we could use. We can borrow the flats as long as they are left in the same condition. They have a window but it's not fixed to a wall. So to give the impression of a window we could use a curtain instead. Then to pick up the flats we'd require a van. They'll be asking students if they'd like to get involved. We could go up at some point to discuss it personally with them and take a look at the flats to see what will be appropriate. 

I think its a good idea, if we can get the materials, to create a plain simple room in the studio. The advantage being the use of the high powered studio lights (especially as we're shooting on Canon 7ds which require lots of light). And as we're not after a complicated set, as it's not a realism drama, it's abstract. 

However, I will buy an adaptor so I can use my faster nikon lenses and we might be able to borrow the lenses from the campus. It's essential to have some choice of lenses anyway. 

Advantages of being on campus is that it has technical support, studio lighting, ability to shoot overhead, it's a good clean space, a canteen, it's free, and we can plan and design the space to what we need.
Disadvantages - if we decide to use flats we'd need a hand building a set, we can't mess up the walls. 

To keep our options open we looked at finding other spaces on location. We tried art studios but they charge, and we're on a very low budget. We met with the site manager at the Power Hub and we're able to film there if we cover electricity bills. They're pretty flexible about what we'd need. We looked at a space and it was very industrial. There was another room which was more office-like. The first space was very large like a car-park, so we'd shoot in a corner. The office space would work better, and  it has natural window light and plenty of power sockets.