Creative
Media Practice Project End of Semester
2000-word
Individual Self-Evaluation
Joshua Walker
- 23034155
Liverpool
Stories Documentary - ‘Das Besucher’ (The Visitor)
There’s been suggestion that a 23 year old
Adolf Hitler lived in Liverpool between November 1912 and April 1913. After extensive research,
speaking to respected historians and authors, we launched a documentary
investigation in attempt to uncover whether Hitler once walked Liverpool’s
streets. The documentary explains why alleged claims have been made, exploring both
sides of the debate, evenly as possible, presenting the topic openly to the audience.
We include evidence from either side of the argument to create a predominately
unbiased documentary, allowing the audience to make up their own mind whether Hitler
lived in Liverpool. Unlike historians who have previously investigated
the claims, they have only looked at documented evidence, however, we interviewed
the people of Liverpool, who drink in the alleged same pub as Adolf to call
upon their artefacts, photos and memories past down from generations. We weigh
the documented evidence against the people’s knowledge to see whether the claim
is Liverpudlian folktale or hard fact. Our cinema-graphic influences came from intimate
interviews shown in ‘Band of Brothers’. By using low key lighting and effective
static mid shots combined with panning close-ups and cut-aways. Also, the stylish
and intricate presentation of information in Nick Broomfields: ‘Biggie and
Tupac’, was influential in creating a sense of mystery throughout the
documentary.
We had to cancel an interview with a journalist from the Liverpool
Echo when Royden changed his interview time at the last minute. If we had more
days in Liverpool we would have been able to interview more people. It became
apparent whilst editing the footage that we didn’t have enough cutaways which
made it hard to transition from some interviews or shots. We over filmed interviews and the footage we
had could have made a 30 minute documentary. We had to sacrifice so much good
footage because of the content and attention the story held. We had to sacrifice
the establishing shots of Liverpool which were the Liver buildings and the
Liverpool docks. However, the time limit worked to our advantage as the
finished piece took an ambiguous and artistic direction. Through the first half
of the documentary we keep it a secret who the interviewees are talking about, until
we finally show archive footage of Adolf Hitler. The name ‘Das Besucher’ is
German meaning ‘the visitor’. This title holds ambiguity giving a clue that
German origin ties in with the documentary and visitor meaning Adolf Hitler and
we the crew visited Liverpool. Besucher almost looks like butcher which relates
to Hitler’s massacres. I am happy with the overall piece, we executed what we
intended.
I took the Producer role for the documentary. The group
individually researched Liverpool stories and discussed each idea in a meeting.
We went with my idea which was the claim that Adolf Hitler once lived in Liverpool.
Through research I found historians and authors and arranged to interview them.
Such as, Michael Unger who wrote ‘The Hitler’s of Liverpool’ and illustrated
memoirs of Adolf’s sister in law Bridget Hitler. Also, we used Mike Royden who
is a local historian. We met Unger on ‘Upper Stanhope Street’ where Adolf
allegedly lived with his half brother. We met Royden who showed us
documentation and his research which enlightened a lot of claims such as Adolf’s
nephew William’s birth certificate which shows that Adolf’s half brother Alois
lived in Liverpool at the time Adolf allegedly lived there. We planned to
interview more authors and historians however some of them like Ian Kershaw
(Adolf Hitler Biographer) opted out and other historians such as Frank
McDonough requested paying for his time which we couldn’t afford. To solve the
lack of interviewees I arranged to film in the Poste-house Pub where Adolf allegedly
drank. I interviewed the interviewees
asking scripted questions which provoked key answers. With an effective
pre-production plan we captured the footage we planned and filming in Liverpool
was a success.
I learnt that a well planned pre-production makes
production and post-production run smoother. The interviews in Liverpool were
well planned, times were arranged to suit the date of our residential trip to
Liverpool. This was because I contacted the interviewees weeks prior to the
trip to give more chance that they would be available. I organised a last
minute interview with BBC Merseyside where I asked for anyone with information
on Hitler’s association with Liverpool to contact me. I weren’t given a time
which the phone-in interview was going to take place. Unluckily, I got the call
from the radio station whilst we had a meeting with Michael Unger. We planned
to film and sound record the interview with me on the phone. However, we were
unprepared and couldn’t set up the equipment quick enough. A member of crew
filmed half of my interview on the phone but didn’t capture any of the sound. However,
the radio station recorded the interview and I managed to get the sound-bite
which we edited with half of my filmed interview. I developed my skills of
working with a film crew. I had to keep everyone in the know and make sure
everyone completed their set tasks and roles in production.
We set up a Facebook group and a message chat so that we
could all be in the know through the different stage of production. We could
share our inspirations; send images of blocking sessions, locations and
production images. This made efficient communication between the group which
increased productivity and film development. We arranged meeting with the group
throughout the pre-production stage, which discussed any problems or
developments in the process. This kept the project on track and all members in
the know. Because I was producer and because we used my idea, it was my job to
look over every aspect of the process. I was possibly too pushy and demanding
to the group members to get work finished as soon as possible so we had more
time to amend any problems which may occur. I should have held back more and
not got as involved with editing as I made changes to the sound design and
visual edit when the editors and I had creative differences. In future I shall
listen more to members of the group and try not to get too much involved with the
roles of other members.
Drama
Project – ‘Overdose’
‘Overdose’ is a gritty drama following the
life of a girl called Amber. She knows that her boyfriend is a successful
small-time drug dealer, but with her own career failing to provide she is
forced to stay with him and turn a blind eye to his activities. As her personal
life becomes increasingly embroiled in his dangerous operations, and menaced by
the growing fear of being caught with him, she can no longer distance herself
from the criminal lifestyle and must search for an escape. The film
takes place from Amber’s point of view within the confines of the house she
shares with her boyfriend, the central focus being her growing feelings of
fear, anxiety, entrapment and isolation. The drama takes the spectator on her journey
of how she escapes from this dangerous lifestyle. We aimed for the drama to carry
a gritty British feel like Shane Meadow’s work such as ‘Dead Man’s Shoes’. Also,
a Channel 4 TV series called Run influenced us how to tell the story from Amber’s
perspective and use off-screen space, as well as incorporating the theme of the
colour blue.
Overall I’m happy with the finished film. Our first edit
came to over 7 minutes. It was a massive struggle to edit the film down to the
required time. As a group we decided to remove the scene where Amber packed a
suitcase and put it in a car. Also, the scene where Amber finds a phone in the
Kitchen and puts it in a box full of money and other phones. We felt these
scenes had less importance, I didn’t really make sense because we had to cut
out a lot of scenes to make the 7 minute edit anyway. We obviously over filmed
and planned a too much detailed film. We over compensated the scenes which we
thought would take up 5 minutes actually would make up more like a 15 minute
film. We used external actors/actresses which we sourced from the drama course
in Sheffield Hallam University. They played their role brilliantly and added to
the effect of the film. We used the theme of the colour blue throughout the
film. This sets a calm tone throughout the film which juxtaposes the arguments,
confrontations and events which take place. The blue colour shown through
lighting is emphasised at the beginning and end shot when a blue police light
is flashing on Amber’s face who is sat in the car. The represent’s Dean’s
arrest and her escape from that lifestyle.
We filmed ‘Overdose’ over 2 days and an extra day a week
later for a re-shoot of three scenes. The story was created by our director
Jake, he wrote a script and from there our group collaborated ideas of shots
and extra scenes for a shot-list. Because we had an initial script at an early
stage, this meant pre-production was easy in terms of knowing what we needed
for the film. We contacted actors/actresses immediately met up for a run through
of the script. After we assigned actors/actresses with their roles we planned dates
to film according to their availability. The three locations we used were my
parent’s house in Barnsley, a scene on a rural roadside which was Linthwaite
Lane and a car scene which was Emily’s (sound recordist) car. The first two
days of shooting went well, however 3 scenes were rushed because we ran out of
time. We organised a re-shoot and this time successfully captured the scenes. I
took the role Cinematographer and was behind the camera for the entire film. I collaborated
with the director and designed the shot-list for each scene as well as including
inspirations such as Shane Meadows regularly used techniques, pull focus, slow
zoom and close-up facial shots.
I have developed my cinematography skills. This is the
first project of the year which I have been the camera operator. I researched work
by Shane Meadows, Danny Boyle and work produced by Channel 4 to capture that
gritty British drama style. I primarily used a shoulder rig for the camera to
capture shots; this was a first and found that the shots captured were much
more appealing and artistic than a static shot mounted on a tripod. The shots
looks more natural from the shoulder rig, I think this is because in real life
we perceive objects through our eyes, our bodies and heads are never still but
have some movement. The shoulder rig also allowed me to follow moving
characters. I have developed my creative skills by creatively turning scripted
scenes into storyboards and shot lists. We blocked off each scene days before
the shoot at the locations which we could then amend any planned shots which
wouldn’t work in the locations we had arranged. This was handy because it made
the days of shoot flow more fluently and we knew which shots were going to be
film, in which location and from which angle.
We set up a Facebook group and a message chat so that we
could all be in the know through the different stage of production. We could
share our inspirations; send images of blocking sessions, locations and
production images. This made efficient communication between the group which
increased productivity and film development. We arranged meeting with the group
and actors throughout the pre-production stage, which discussed any problems or
developments in the process. This kept the project on track and all members in
the know. Because I was Cinematographer/Camera Operator my roles made my
involvement in pre-production and production more significant that
post-production. I had little involvement in post-production apart from
suggesting any minor changes and footage which could be removed to shorten the
long edit. I perhaps should have got more involved in post-production. However
I knew that our editors had the film under control.
Word
count: 2,017
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