Final Major Project Unit: Project Update

Our second meeting at Lauren’s to catch up and make sure we’re on the right track. We got some amazing news back from Bipolar UK and will be heading to London next week to meet with the Chief Executive. We’re keeping an open mind in case they would like to have an input or if it turns out we offer them a shorter version of the film or whether the whole thing turns into a commissioned piece for their campaigns. Nevertheless, we’ve hopefully now agreed on our desired style and format for the programme, from what I gather visually, the doc will include a mix of the ‘nature’ style shots, the shots of the participants in a silent state, interweaved with their interview as a voiceover linking each person’s journey which we also follow and record them talking. The problem I have at the moment is these links as we can’t exactly direct people what to say, but it reminds me of the Bjork documentary (as they use her voice as a disembodied voice sometimes, instead of showing her speak) so hopefully we won’t find too many problems. If in the edit, or whilst scripting, it needs a voiceover, I’m sure we can do our best to source one. 

Also, as we’re looking at a few participants, the doc might end up being longer than we expect, so we’ll be prepared for that to change. 

I suppose the next steps, if all goes well next week, is to find the participants and find the stories to begin shaping the questions and the structure. I have a handy recorder ready to meet with people to record initial interviews. We also need to find locations for the nature shots, i.e. the pine forest (Bedgebury PInetum) and coastal area, I think Reculver or Beachy Head (suicide spot - for people driven to the brink of despair).

We plan on drawing up a proposal with everything we’ve researched and our ideas to show in our meeting next week with the Chief Executive. Before then, we’re both going to research the company. 

Lauren also mentioned having text on screen, it’s not something that’s common to see in broadcasted documentaries, so I’ll have to research that to see if there’s an ideal way of doing that without it looking tacky. Although, I understand the power of having the words appear on screen with someone talking, faded in and out in the same time of them speaking. All things I find joy in experimenting with to make it work.

Video on Beachy Head:

Really love the subtle movements of the shots, I love the simplicity of this one in particular of the edge of the cliff. It’s so bleak, and it moves forward. This short film is told purely voiceover of the story with these shots. Taken on a very foggy dark day although, so would perhaps at first film a version at sundown, which will look dramatic and possible sun rays, so maybe too hopeful. But could re-shoot if we like the location later in September on a bleaker day. Reminds me of something from the musician Ben Howard, like Burgh Island. 

The music in this sounds a little like Poppy at first, but I think the end and piano parts would work for emotional parts of the film: