Risks and Dependencies

I am quite lucky in the fact I am not attempting to do any particularly challenging set ups or sequences in my film which means that the risks are slightly minimised. However there are still lots of technicalities and problems I need to consider and think about how I am going to combat them:

RISK: CREW MEMBER PULLING OUT/NOT TURNING UP

Possible Solution: Despite how small the project is, I am aiming to always have a crew of at least four. This will be me, the DOP, one/two Camera Operators and a First AD. If a crew member fails to turn up, either I will step into their place and film or the first AD will. I am hoping this will combat the issue even though me stepping in would be a last resort as I want to focus on the actors. However would not be a disaster. If my DOP pulls out, I will try and replace him with some of the other applicants, but if not I have a few friends and a relative who may be able to help out on short notice. 

RISK: CAST MEMBER PULLING OUT/NOT TURNING UP

If a cast member pulls out that is going to be a problem. However, my scheduling dictates that apart from one scene, all the actors will be filming their interviews individually. If an actor doesn't show up for their individual scene we will film the other persons as I am going to try and film two in one day. If everyone is not present at the group scene, we will reschedule it. I have left myself a huge filming gap to allow for bad weather and rescheduling. If an actor pulls out I will hopefully cast from one of my other applicants. But if not, I do have back up friends who may be able to step in. As a very last resort, unless the character is Euiva, I will cut the character from the script. 

RISK: ME GETTING SICK

I am listing this as a potential risk because unfortunately when I am stressed or under pressure I fall fairly easily to infection. Last year I was off for six weeks with Bronchitis and the year before for a month for Tonsillitis all around the time of year  I am planning to film. To combat this I am going to make sure I am prepared enough so that I never feel completely overwhelmed or panicked and I am also going to make sure I am equipped for weather. I am hoping that as I have a DOP controlling most of the technical aspects, I can focus on the actors which is for me, the less stressful part. 

RISK: ACTORS NOT PERFORMING ADEQUATELY

This is a risk which I am probably most worried about. I am hoping that me being so focused on the actors during the shoot will help combat this problem. I also asked them all to send me audition videos beforehand which will help give me an understanding of their style/personality. I am giving all the actors 6 hours to film their interviews which is a lot of time. I am hoping that this will ensure I get the best possible performance out of them. I am also fairly good at being friendly and calm so I will use this to make sure they always feel comfortable and able to perform. 

RISK: ME ACTING AS AN EDITOR AND DIRECTOR

This is something which I have seen act as a problem before because the director tends to get too attached to the original script and therefore does not produce a good edit. To try and counteract this, I am going to ask friends on the course to sit in on edits from time to time to make sure that my bias towards the film and knowledge of it will not alienate the audience. I have also done the editing/directing combination before and found that I am okay at distancing myself from the original concept so I hope this will be enough to avoid any problems.

RISK: TECHNICAL ISSUES WITH EQUIPMENT

This is another huge potential risk and one which I have thought about a lot. I am under no illusions that technical cinematography and knowledge of lighting and sound is not my strongest suit. I am usually able to work on camera successfully, but my knowledge is very limited. To combat this I am going to research all the equipment I or my DOP are planning to use, and try and gain a basic knowledge. Hiring a DOP is also my main way of tackling this because I am paying a fair amount of money in the hopes I get someone I can trust. Due to the amount of filming time, if there is a serious technical issue there will be chances to reshoot. Hopefully this should all be enough to avoid anything major. 


Strengths and Weaknesses

I have decided to list the basic strengths and weaknesses of both myself and the film. This will enable me to consider all of these as I develop the project and make sure I combat them as best I can. It also means I am being honest about the areas where I am not so strong.

Strengths(Film)
  • Strong concept- fairly unique
  • Has a potential for a wide audience
  • Lots of relatable aspects- loneliness, segregation etc.
  • Emotive
Weaknesses (Film)
  • Too reliant on competence of actors
  • Could be boring if the interviews are not captivating
  • Lots of metaphors and layers- could be confusing for viewer
Strengths (Myself)
  • Big imagination
  • Passionate about the concept
  • Good at communicating and interacting with people- approachable.
  • Calm and optimistic if things go wrong.
Weaknesses (Myself)
  • Technical aspects of filmmaking- not knowledgeable
  • Quick decision making
  • Self-conscious about being liked/not annoying anyone.
  • Shy when it comes to contacting strangers.
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