Dissertation Approaches

Module 150 is not only research it is also the start of preparation for my dissertation. The dissertation is closely linked to your working practise within the final major projects which at first I was very unhappy with as I felt this was just a critical review.
I wanted to focus my dissertation on natural history programming, specifically the dumbing down of narration and content over the last decade. This isn't possible because of the link to your current working practises on the final major projects and the course doesn't cater for natural history within its briefs.

Filming in Borneo with Dale (DSLR)

With this in mind I developed new ideas with my dissertation tutor and have slowly etched out a plan to still be able to use the dissertation to speak to industry professionals within natural history filmmaking.
My dissertation is focusing on new technology within the industry, specifically the introduction of digital SLR cameras that shot high definition footage. Are they a fad or a serious contender for the next generation of cameraman?

This has allowed me to draw on my background of filming with my own digital SLR and to approach directors, cameramen and production houses to help me research my dissertation.
Overall Iam much more positive about this dissertation and looking forward to contacting professionals in the coming weeks.

A welcome little break from the course

Its sunday morning and I'm thinking I need to watch some Wallace and Gromit with a cup of tea! Why? Well because Michaela and myself have just returned from a trip to Bristol where we were lucky enough to see Andy's Wild Adventures (CBeebies) being filmed in a giant green screen studio and a trip to Aardman to their offices and studio's.

Andy's Wild Adventures was a fantastic opportunity to see green screen in action, look at lighting set ups and just to be able to watch a production in full swing.

We had good chance to speak to all the team and see how each of the individual roles were working together. The cameraman and lighting engineer even swapped roles for a bit to set a shot up!
The shoot was centred around Marine Iguana's and, like all the series, uses BBC natural history footage and then overlays Andy with clever use of green screen.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01cbn46/Andys_Wild_Adventures_Elephants/


On Saturday Morning we were able to visit Aardman and have a look around the studio's and offices. it was incredible and I must admit that I got just a little bit excited to see a small studio set up with Morph in it! We were also very lucky to see the model of the Pirate ship from the new feature length movie
The Pirates! - In An Adventure With Scientists. It was an incredible model standing around 8 feet tall and the attention to detail was mind blowing.

The studio's gave us a massive insight into the work load that goes into producing these programmes, the lighting is immense with around 12 lights on a small 6 feet set.
The models and scenes are so detailed and everything looks so real in its miniature form. We were told about one scene that will be used in the upcoming pirates film that is 10 minutes long and took one lady two years to film in the studio. The average time from conception through filming and into edit is around four years!

For more information on Aardman please see the link below and check out the trailer for the new movie

Aardmans Website
http://www.aardman.com/

Trailer
http://www.aardman.com/features/upcoming-features/the-pirates-in-an-adventure-with-scientists/