Greg Ward

Interviewing myself

2009-04-21T11:01:00.001-07:00

Bit weird but had to be done... Filled in the gaps for what i wanted to be said in the film. I am a student who attended the cascade event after all. I also interviewed my classmate Tomomi, who made absolutely no sense. ha!

2009-04-20T18:20:00.000-07:00

Jason Bruges Sculpture time-lapse

2009-04-07T02:59:00.000-07:00

Documentary Title Sequence

2009-04-01T16:26:00.000-07:00

Onedotzero film preview and feedback.

2009-04-01T15:24:00.000-07:00

I was very encouraged by the response i got from Sophie Walters at Onedotzero. She told me she really liked my film and she said it will be perfect to show when they pitch for funding for next years cascade event. She also mentioned it will also be placed in various places on the web and will be sent to people involved.

Beautiful Type /

2009-04-01T15:20:00.001-07:00

Onedotzero kindly gave me a copy of their festival typeface to use in my documentary. It was designed by a company called "Troika".

Edit finished

2009-03-31T11:37:00.000-07:00

I have been cascaded to death! I have finished the edit now! All that is left to do is colour correct and run the footage through Magic Bullet.

Third Year Project Main Site: www.greg-ward.co.uk

2009-03-07T07:08:00.001-08:00

Initial design -blog format. I chose to design the site in this way as blogs have been a big part of my process work this year. Each project will have a section with various slides (film stills), project information, links to blogs and of course the films themselves.

It is an initial style and may change as i progress through the term.
Third Year Project Main Site: http://greg-ward.co.uk/cascade.html

Typo student Info

2009-01-23T07:59:00.000-08:00

I am open to suggestions on where/how the type should be laid out. It may even be nice to make the type a feature... something a bit different not just the average description big/small its up to your judgment. But traditional can be good and would be more than happy if a fitting typeface is chosen and laid out well. Take no notice of the picture above it just to visally show u what im on about.

More I am's

2009-01-15T08:44:00.000-08:00

More stills from the Cascade Panel talk / Camera 2 Close- ups /

2008-12-05T11:44:00.000-08:00

Slightly over exposed (before i had learnt about the iris feature on the camera)

Cascade Panel / Camera 2

2008-12-02T12:54:00.000-08:00

We were all exhausted filming this event but in essence it was an important bit of footage for our film. For this panel Q+A we had a two camera set up. Camera 1 was a front on static shot of the panel and camera two which i shot with Hassan was for close ups, audience questions and so on.

Cut Away Shots /

2008-12-02T06:33:00.000-08:00

As well as interviews we have a abundance of cut away shots. I am confident in the shots i got, but would feel alot more pride in the shots i got if we had shot in HDV from the beginning. On the first and second day i managed to capture some really decent shots of important first meeting and lectures. I don't feel as confident in the project as i know i would if i had done it in HDV and didn't have to crop my original first and second day footage in post. The shots below are done later in HDV

1,377 views this week /

2008-12-02T05:30:00.001-08:00

Some of People we interviewed / 35 useable interviews / 10 unusable due to file format and bad sound

2008-12-02T04:51:00.000-08:00

In short we have far too many interviews! Although this is obviously not a bad thing, it does make editing harder when you have a lot of information... Its hard to know where to begin.

On the spot interviews /

2008-12-01T10:40:00.000-08:00

These were quite nice interviews. Hassan and i went around on the last day of the workshop and conducted some quick on the spot interviews. We ask two questions; what did u most enjoy about the workshops and what have u learnt?
These interview in hindsight were quite enjoyable to watch as they captured the mood of the workshop as they were conducted on location. The two simple questions also worked well as everyone gave different and personal answers.

Personal site up and running /

2008-11-30T11:03:00.001-08:00

www.greg-ward.co.uk

Labeling files in FCP and organising the mess we made earlier on /

2008-11-25T11:26:00.000-08:00

Film Presentation at British film Institute/

2008-11-24T15:07:00.000-08:00

I was pretty tired but tried my best to sound alive after pulling an all-nighter working on a quick edit with the guys. The camera angle is really shit after the first min!

Email from the Light Surgeons /

2008-11-24T14:56:00.000-08:00

The Light Surgeons Live Imax theatre / Film Stills Close-ups /

2008-11-24T08:43:00.000-08:00

Getting ourselves noticed / 868 views of my blog in one week! blooming heck!

2008-11-21T03:45:00.000-08:00

Whilst looking through internet statistics for my blog and videos, i came across a surprising number. My blog had been viewed 868 times in one week! This is both exciting and scary and i think it was down to the group presentation we did were i told the students to keep an eye on the progress of our film as they are likely to be in it. I have had an surprising amount of interest in the our film. I think to a large extent the blog has been a great promotional tool in creating excitement and has given the whole project a constant foreboding effect. I have had emails from practitioners, cascade students, muscians, UAL event organisers, student journalists and editors. Often many of them starting their email with; "i was told about ur blog".... Very flattering stuff, i only hope the film matches up to all the interest.

Shane Introducing Next Act / BFI Imax

2008-11-19T12:57:00.000-08:00

Q & A Advanced Beauty

2008-11-19T12:29:00.000-08:00

Advanced Beauty

2008-11-19T12:14:00.000-08:00

36 Tapes in total /

2008-11-19T05:23:00.000-08:00

Now we are at a cross roads with all our footage. Part of me thinks we should just wipe all the files we uploaded last week and start again. The FCP project is a mess, the files are all over the place, nobody really understands file management properly. This evening Patrick and i sad down and watched some online tutorials about file management within FCP. We both agreed that we labeled tapes and files in a difficult way and we should have come up with a system in which we named things. Also having learnt a little about File management from the tutorial, it is clear to see what a mess we have made in the FCP project.

Thou Shalt Label Tapes Properly / Filming at the Onedotzero-BFI Film Festival

2008-11-18T11:54:00.000-08:00

Durring the evenings of the BFI weekend Hassan and I filmed several high profile performances at the Imax theatre. We learnt the importance of labeling tapes properly from our mistakes during the Cascade event and worked out a system of labeling our tapes properly to save time during the editing process.

Clapping Sequence /

2008-11-18T08:37:00.001-08:00

this is a quick sequence of claps that we did at the beginning of interviews to sink the sound

Screening at Camberwell & Arts London Press Coverage / Onedotzero Screening

2008-11-18T02:16:00.000-08:00

I was contacted by Matthew Tillett from Marketing at Camberwell College of Arts. He asked for a copy of the film once completed and asked if we would be interested in screaning it at Camberwell. He also asked if we would like to give a short presentation introducing the film. I think this would be a great idea and hope our film meets up to all the hype that surrounds it.

Today i have arranged a meeting with a journalist student from the Arts London paper who wants to write and article on the cascade project and our film

Uploading Cascade Footage and Sinking Sound

2008-11-17T12:27:00.000-08:00

This was a nightmare, it took us 5 days to upload everything and sink the sound. The think that has held us back the most has been technical issues. File management within FCP was not done well as it was our first time using the application. However i am glad i have gone through all these problems as i now know much more about the technical side of filmmaking.

Ideas for our website /

2008-11-16T02:32:00.000-08:00

We have decided to present our work online with a main website that will house all our work. I suggested the website as i thought it would be a good idea and would be a great way to present all our collected information (film, Photography, sound..ect) in one place. In this digital age the internet is a vital part of communication and i think as a creative person it is vital that one takes advantage on the opituneities the web has to offer.

Filming at BFI / Posh Cameras / Imax Live audio visual performances

2008-11-16T02:28:00.000-08:00

Filming at BFI / Doodle Earth

2008-11-16T02:17:00.000-08:00

Handing out flyers advertising our film & Onedotzero Festival at the BFI / Stills from Film

2008-11-13T14:26:00.000-08:00

This was probably the most enjoyable bit of filming i did over the last two weeks. After visiting Onedotzero for the first time we handed out flyers to promote our film. So armed with a camera and some festival flyers we set out to tell people about our film and the onedotzero event. As I started filming I told Patrick and Stefano to hand them out to everybody and i directed certain shots. Within ten minuets all our flyers were gone. It was actually really fun and people where excited to hear about our film.

Sophie Interview / write up

2008-11-11T11:26:00.000-08:00

Found ephemera in interview basement

2008-11-07T08:07:00.000-08:00

Some found ephemera in interview basement below P3. Could use some of it for animation / quick cuts large type flicking

IMI The Private View / Gallery Presentation

2008-11-04T08:44:00.000-08:00

On the 4th of November our class presentented our current work in progress. Somepeople showed finished article some performed live and others such as myself showed our sketch books (my blog)

14 hours of tape, 7 hours of sound to edit

2008-11-04T08:07:00.000-08:00

We have officially finished filming now which is great! I really enjoyed the time we spend at onedotzero. I feel i have gained a lot of valuable skills and picked up some good friends along the way. We all worked our bollocks off to document the event. I am hopeful that the film will be successful as i think we have got some decent footage.

Credits/ test one

2008-11-03T09:30:00.000-08:00

Inspired by Jason Bruges light/wind instillation and red strip lights at the press event. I think this is a fitting and appropriate way of visualizing the energy and creativity shown throughout the week. I plan to use wind chimes to create the sound for the animation.

Sound Ideas:

>>Listen to sound one

>>Listen to sound two

We plan to create some end credits to show are names and give thanks to people who have helped us. We will project type in the same way and manipulate it by hand to make the type move, fade and mask on the screen.

Joel Interview

2008-11-02T07:02:00.000-08:00

Joel's Interview came out really well. Lighting was good and what he said was interesting. All lighting in the film was improvised. On this occasion we just positioned him well in the space. On other occasions we even used found white polystyrene board to reflect light on the persons face. Lighting and sound where big issues throughout the week. We were constantly battling with noisy pipes, dull rooms and echoes. I think with the equipment we had and the lack of experience, the filming so far has been successful.... Its all about Team work!

What we have left to do:

2008-11-02T06:20:00.000-08:00

Interview Sophie at Onedotzero. I Still don't feel that we have sorted out a coherent narrative for the film. I would like to get sophie to explain the following:

-what the week was about

-why onedotzero set up the 10 day workshop

-the structure of the week

-talk about the press party

... and other standard questions

Big Boss Man!

2008-11-02T06:00:00.000-08:00

Shane Walter creator of Onedotzero

People working together as a team / Nice sequence

2008-11-02T01:32:00.000-07:00

On the spot interview about what they were just doing:

""ONEDOTZERO!!"" Grand Finally

2008-11-01T14:40:00.000-07:00

****Please note the sound is from the built-in camera mic... For the film we have boom mic recording which is much clearer and better quality******

Stuff we need to do in order to create a narrative /

2008-10-30T17:28:00.000-07:00

-Contact Jason Burges Studio and ask for footage of them making there wind installation. and time-lapse animation of P3.

-interview Jason at his studio

- Interview Two main cascade women. Get them to explain:

the schedule of the onedotzero event.

What its about

What was onedotzero's zeros aim?

Get them to talk about the press party. Why they had one? what it was for? Was it successfull?

-visit onedotzero studio

Interview feedback.

2008-10-30T13:58:00.001-07:00

We found this amazing space bellow P3 which was perfect for interviews. The space was a unused basement which had an array of different colour walls and interesting lights to exploit.

Patrick volunteered to ask the questions today which turned out to be an important move. Patrick is a pretty easy going guy and finds it easy to make people feel comfortable. This was a huge asset to us he injected some fun, and lightened the mood of the interviews.

2008-10-30T13:49:00.000-07:00

2008-10-30T12:59:00.000-07:00

Interviews / Film Stills

2008-10-30T11:54:00.000-07:00

abstract lights / idea for film intro or closing credits

2008-10-29T14:42:00.000-07:00

Lights have been a strong feacher in onedotzeros festival. With the wind sculpture from Jason and the red lights used at the press event. I think we could do something interesting with red lights to form an intro or exit for the film.

Idea1:

-Buy Red LED lights

-film in total darkness

- lens blurred out

-cardboard to place in front of lights to create on/off occasional flicker.

Idea2:

-Super 8 projector and camera to film the projection light.
-Cardboard to creat movement of light
_Colour the light red in post

The Press Party

2008-10-28T17:19:00.001-07:00

Third Day

2008-10-28T17:05:00.000-07:00

So we have lost the first 2 day worth of filming as the they were shot on DV standard and not HD. This is worrying as i had some really nice sequences and shots don the first day. We have learnt so much in these last 3 days.... Everything has been new and i think we have approached it in an enthusiastic and motivated manor.

I now understand the importance of collaboration and the benefits it can bring. I think i will work with Hassan and Patrick again on a project as i feel we worked well together.

I still think the group lacks leadership slightly. I think because this is new ground for everyone, no one is at the stage where they feel comfortable taking on full direction. I myself have directed the group on a number of occasions but was still happy to be directed at times.

I fear our confusion with video format may have stuffed up a lot of good footage, but fingers crossed we manage to produce something worth while.

What a mess! HD and DV Standard confusion

2008-10-28T10:20:00.000-07:00

We are filming in HD from now on... There was a big confusion and some footage shot on the first two day is unusable. This is a real blow but not a complete desaster. Stefano shot some bits on the first day with HD. I really hope we sort out these tequnical issues.

Second Day Feedback/ Film to be screened at the BFI

2008-10-27T11:29:00.000-07:00

"Clap!" We got everyone to clap at the beginning of there interview. Started as away to sink up the sound in post... but we decided that we liked the clapping so we may put it in the film.

Today was not as successful as the first day, I missed the first three hours as i had a hospital appointment. There where some good things but over all i left with a feeling that things didnt go as well as they could have. I think what it came down to in the end was lack of leadership and direction. I took a step back from directing today as i missed the first part of the day and some of the group had already started. I made the mistake of just going with the flow and not forward thinking certain things.

Looking back i could have stepped up and organised things better. I think i would have got Hassan to do the filming while i was interviewing the people. Today we set up the camera and just let it record and no one was behind it checking composition. As a result the interviews in my opinion had too much white space above there heads, the composition wasn't great.

The idea we came up with was good but our execution was poor. Its useable but looking at it after makes me angry at myself for not taking charge and directing how i wanted it to be. The above pictures are of a one of the interviews. Its not bad, it is what it is... The day was a learning curve, and i will take what i have learnt and improve on it for next time.

I have really enjoyed working as a group for this project, they are all easy to get on with and willing to put the effort in to create something we can be proud of. I have learnt so much in the last couple of days, i am really glad i took on this project.

learning about narrative structure. Film stills(2) / First Day

2008-10-26T17:12:00.000-07:00

Learning about narrative and Cinematography / Film Stills Edited Sequence

2008-10-26T10:09:00.000-07:00

Camera and Video Stills from first day

2008-10-26T08:42:00.001-07:00

Video Stills /

Sound was terrible on these interviews... The hall is huge and is prone to all sorts of echoes and background noise. We have to find a way of recording better sound- hopefully the sound that Patrick was recording came out ok.

Our aim with these interview is to give a lighter contrast to the more serious ones i will conduct with the event organisers. Its important to make the documentary interesting, fresh and engaging. I think we can achieve this we just need to work together and deicide on an aim and objective for the film, what idea are we trying to communicate?...

Black and white option

Unusable footage /

These were really fun, energetic interviews from the first day. Unfortunately they are not good enough for the final film as the sound is terrible and the in was shot in DV so would have to be cropped. This is a great shame as i think these interviews would have worked really well to lighten the mood on the on serious constructed interviews with practitioners that we did later in the week.

Onedotzero / First day feedback

2008-10-24T14:18:00.001-07:00

Today was our first day documenting Onedotzero project. This was a important day for me as a filmmaker as i feel i learn a lot in a short period of time. As a group and individual, i felt initially lost when we arrived. We did not know what we where 'supposed' to film and what we wanted to get out of it. It was a really hands on learning experience, as a group i think we worked quite well and everyone was keen to produce something fresh and exciting. Over lunch we all sat down together and exchanged ideas, this was particularly useful and we can up with some good initial ideas. Patrick in particular is a real ideas man, he seemed to rattle of good ideas easily.

Having Joel around was a huge asset i tried to soke up as much of his advise as i could. He was really supportive and encouraging which was just what i needed at the begining. Towards then end of the day thanks to the my confidence being boosted and my increased knowledge i found myself taking a more directional role. This again was a first for me, i found i had to stick by my vision and direct the group to help me achieve it.

Throughout my time in moving image i have participated in many group projects some more successful than others. I have found that filmmaking is as much about dealing with people as it is making a creative piece of work. Often in order to get the best out of a person/group you have to encourage them and pic out the strengths in there ideas rather than picking out everything thats wrong with it- something i have done in past group projects.

I am glad i am in a group with Hassan in particular as i feel we have a mutual understanding of what we would like to achieve by the end of the week.

This is the look i would like to achieve

2008-10-23T09:55:00.001-07:00

These are stills from a internet video. The camera used was the HV20 (uni camera), however the director had used a 35mm lens adaptor to achieve the shallow depth of field. This is a look i would love to achieve but i do not think it will be possible due to the lenses i acquire.

This look is not achievable on the camera i am using. It is filmed in HD and with a 35mm lens adapter. I am filming in pal-DV... The camera is good semi pro cam. Glad i am using it, but like a kid experimenting with drugs i now wanna move on the class A substances!