New Forest Short Filmmaking Group

4th December 2016

PR edited the dance video together from the 3 cameras and then added the walking shots with the red umbrella to complete the misic video. Many lessons learnt but for a first attempt quite watchable! https://youtu.be/lHDThaBQHQA

1st December 2016

Rich and Rosé performed in the New Forest with the linking red umbrella for the music video on a beautiful clear crisp day. No previous experience but a successful shoot.

13 November 2016

Plan B for the music video (as the director as not yet re-appeared after his tragedy). We successfully shot a complete dance sequence with a professional dancer/model and intend to use this as the base to the video to cut other scenes in over the top. We are getting there!

28 October 2016

Distracted from music video project by entering a 48hr film competition. Did not win but held our own and learnt a great deal and met some new creatives!

7 October 2016

The group is struggling for many reasons, particularly not enough members. I feel that our ambitious plans for the music video have beaten us as we are finding it so hard to get dates when everyone is free to participate and now that the light hours are much shorter and the weather is less stable for outside shooting. BP has proposed a possible solution to get the original music video completed, by filming a professional dancer as the main image throughout the video. Sophia West - Professional Dancer/Model

2 September 2016

Very bad news yesterday, the director had a massive family disaster. We opted to attempt to do the shoot with out him, due to the amount of re-arranging that would be required. We had many lighting problems and really needed the leadership of a director, but having said that we shot all the scenes required (we think - as we did not have the directors shooting list or storyboard).

29 August 2016

Final planning meeting before our first shot together.

3 August 2016

This time success, having built a lightweight ring that did not sink like a stone we managed to shoot it falling through water against a blue screen. Video editing was successful too, we are just waiting for a suitable day to take the underwater shots for the background.

27 July 2016

Two of us tested various ideas for the ring scene in the music video, involving high speed photography and using a blue screen. Conclusion was that we were trying to run before we could walk. (plan B next time!)

20 July 2016

Only 4 of us due to summer holidays but a productive meeting putting much more detail into each scene we need to shoot for the music video.

2 July 2016

We met the singer and the male talent for our music video and discussed with them the possible look we were after. We met in the drama studio which we all agreed was an excellent venue. Some of the recently taken locations shots were reviewed/visited and props were discussed along with budget restrictions. Holiday season is proving to be a problem and we have settled on Friday 2nd Sept. for our first major shoot, with several meetings between.

23 June 2016

It was another productive meeting on Thursday. We have put more details to the skeleton ideas from previous meeting. It is getting more complicated but BETTER! We established that a real bar, night club or hotel was not realistic to use and obviously out of budget, so we have found a empty drama studio we can use. Thank you BP. RD has agreed to be director for this one.

17 June 2016

PR met with Stella, who sang the song and established that she is very happy to be in the video. PR and SH have nearly completed making the motorised camera slider and are looking forward to testing it.

16 June 2016

A very productive group meeting - collating the groups ideas for the music video. We have gone for a slightly surrealistic approach which will be very challenging in places to create but should be different enough to get noticed. 

3 June 2016

PR and SH shot a small sequence - tried to do everything correctly and also tested the camera crane. Mixed results - still much to learn but improving all the time. Crane was a success.

29 May 2016

The group was invited to go on location to see a "real" film crew at work in a local woodland. The location was superb and it was a really interesting afternoon.

24 May 2016

BP and PR spent the afternoon going through an introductory tutorial on the editing software Resolve 12.5 (download link in the 'Links' section above)

20 May 2016

PR, SH, TD, EH and BP met up to choose one of the two songs we have been given, to produce a music video. "You don't know me" by Sarah Oatham was chosen. Initial ideas were bounced around and because the lyrics do not really tell a beginning, middle and end story the group has opted for a more symbolic imagery approach.

PR and BP will meet soon to learn a little more about editing with Resolve 12.5. SH and BP will meet when shifts allow to do some real-world filming using info from lessons learnt from previous two shoots. NP should be back with the group soon.

13 May 2016

RD, BP, EH, BS and PR met up in a members garden to do some filming of people outside in very low light conditions. A very enjoyable evening, it was 11pm before we knew it! Some more very valuable lessons were learnt.

3 May 2016

PR met with local sound studio group (similar ethos to our group) with the view to working together to produce a music video. They have a song in mind that is copyright free and has already been recorded.

29 April 2016

Another fruitful meeting - tweaking the two old ladies sketch - we have now settled on an ending and RD has taken it away to try and weave bits of the ending back through the rest of the sketch. The group is keen to produce some sort of music video. BP has been working very hard on two separate options but has let down by individuals in both the female singer and the band. PR has made contact with a non commercial sound studio and has a meeting set up for 3rd May. 

23 Apr 2016

TD, BS and BS met up to fine tune the next script for our outside filming exercise.

15 Apr 2016

We should have sight of the lyrics for the Music Video project. It will be very interesting and beneficial to hear RD's comments and advice for our first exercise "Tea Making". We need to sort a date and jobs for the next exercise outside (two old ladies + sketch/joke). We need to start to start making serious plans for TD's short film. PR has started designing our website (will be leaving the Meet-up "umbrella" in June due to costs)

6 Apr 2016

Post Mortem - As expected the evening showed that we have a great deal to learn before we can produce something we will be happy to show others. The Tea Making Exercise has been extremely useful and we agreed to do another follow up exercise. Shooting the next task is to be outside, it will encompass many of the things we learnt and we will come across many new challenges. We intend to swap jobs around a little for different scenes so that everyone gets a feel for the different issues/task that face each aspect of the process of film making. We need to pin down a date at the next meeting that suits as many of us as possible to do the outside shoot.

18 Mar

An excellent evening - core group established - and the music video singer came along and was very keen. Added bonus - B's birthday cake.

26 Feb 2016

Plan 'B' for a script. We need a VERY short script. Possibly an existing script or make use of an existing song or poem or use a joke or do a small TV style advert (avoids writing a completely new script and if we use an existing sound track, avoids the mine field of sound to the novice members). Feel free to contribute ideas via message board (click Discussion tap at top of our MeetUp page) before the meeting. Any ideas are good, regardless of how wacky or improbable because they in turn may trigger the perfect film idea. 

2 Feb 2016

Fine Tune our first script for our Short Film

20 Jan 2016

The third meeting we will be meeting more new faces that could not make previous Christmas meetings. Obviously we will find out what the new individual members want, it could be help with an existing project, encouragement to start a short film, just be involved in the process of creating or passing on technical knowledge or building up your CV or portfolio. It could be a stepping stone to a new career or a completely new creative hobby.

With the present members it looks as if we will try and run 2 projects (based on members existing skill level) if there is enough interest. The original film idea from the first meeting (to make a short film that is quirky, contemporary and possible comedic around the subject of on-line dating). The second idea is to make use of an existing song or poem (avoids writing a completely new script and if we use an existing sound track, avoids the mine field of sound to the novice members) The 2nd idea is really aimed at the members who want to make a start with video/filmmaking but have had no previous experience. Really keen members will work on both projects BUT for either to work members have to contribute ideas via message board (click Discussion tap at top of our MeetUp page). Any ideas are good, regardless of how wacky or improbable because they in turn may trigger the perfect film idea.

30 Dec 2015

The second meeting will have some new faces that could not make the first and we will find out what individual members want from the group. It could be a stepping stone to a new career or a completely new creative hobby or a chance socialise with other like-minded people. At the first meeting it was decided that we all wanted to make a very sort film together rather than spend ages just talking about doing something, we picked a topic after an amusing discussion. The net result is that we want, initially to make a short film that is quirky, contemporary and possible comedic around the subject of on-line dating. Jason is going to set up a FaceBook page that we can all use to bounce ideas. At this stage of brain-storming any ideas are good, regardless of how wacky or improbable because they in turn may trigger the perfect script idea.

9 Dec 2015

My initial ideas (totally flexible at this stage) are to meet at a pub some where in the New Forest, geographically as near to the "average member" as possible, once or twice a month. Obviously we need to find out what individual members want, it could be help with an existing project, encouragement to start a short film, just be involved in the process of creating or passing on technical knowledge or building up your CV or portfolio. It could be a stepping stone to a new career or a completely new creative hobby or a chance socialise with other like-minded people. It could be that you just want inspiration or encouragement or advice or you may just be happy to pass on skills you have learnt. As a starter, it would be good to work on a very small project together, to get to know each other's skill sets and personalities. With an initial push to get the group of the ground it could be the start of some very rewarding friendships and projects. Spread the word to potential new members - it cost nothing but a little time and could be the START ....!