Fiction Adaptation: DSLR Camera Workshop

To expand on the camera workshop we had with Mike Rymer, we had an additional workshop on montage filmmaking. The brief was that we had to create a 3-5 minute montage, based on one of a few themes (despair, hope, joy, fear). To prepare for this, we had to create a shot list.

We got into groups of four (me, Nisserin, Becca, Ida) and began working on an idea. Our group picked 'hope' as our theme, and we came up with an idea where I was going to run for president, and it would be a montage of me preparing for my presidential campaign speech. Unfortunately, what we didn't realise was that the montage couldn't have a narrative, and our idea did.

So on the day of filming, we had to scrap our original idea, and think of something else. In the end, we followed the original shot list, and decided that we would remove the narrative element by editing it in a different way. I chose to edit my version using the narrative, because I beleive a montage can have a narrative, and the examples we had seen had narratives. To film the montage, we used a number of techniques including using a jib shot, and using quick pans and cuts.

Here is my final edit:

My feedback was positive, however there was the obvious issue that is has a narrative, and that's not what the brief asked for. Overall I am happy with it, although I will keep in mind for the future that a montage doesn't have to have a narrative.