Problem Solving

Problems I Suspect I Will Run Into And How I Will Solve Them

Not Having Access to the Product

I already know I will not have access to the real product in time for the shoot, therefore I will have to print off a label and put it on a blank tub. At first I wasn't sure how I was going to do this. All the websites that offer a label printing service require you purchase at least 50 or so labels, which of course, as I only require one, is a not particularly economical way of doing things.

I then considered buying sheets of A3 label paper and getting it printed as normal at a shop that provides a printing service. Once I realised I also could not buy a single sheet of A3 label paper, this method also became not so budget friendly.

My college tutor suggested getting it printed in the graphics department at college, which I have yet to do but this seems to be my best option and hopefully the resolution to this problem. If this does not work, I will have no choice but to fork out for the labels to be printed professionally but the sake of my bank account, I hope this never has to happen.

Not Being Able to Book Out the Green Screen Studio at College

The green screen studio at my college is where I plan to shoot my main product shots. I will simply pull back the green screen curtain and it will reveal the black wall behind it, this is perfect for the backdrop I want. If I shoot during peak film student shooting times, everyone and their nan will be trying to book it.

I have two possible to solutions to this problem: I could shoot at a different time to everyone, however I am certainly not ready to shoot early and shooting late could jeopardise my post production. The second solution would be to book it as early as possible, this means I am able to get it on a convenient day and also book it for as long as I need, without being rushed.

Not Having Enough Memory Card Space

I foresee this issue because I already don't have enough space on my memory cards. I am constantly deleting footage to make space for more.

In the coming weeks, I will sit down and sort all my footage onto hard drives, meaning my memory cards can be formatted prior to shooting. I will do this by setting time aside to do so, or knowing me it'll never get done.

Being Generally Disorganised

This brings me to another issue. One of my main pit falls as a human being is my organisation - or lack thereof. To help me operate to my best ability throughout this project, I am using a note taking application called Notion. This is primarily a note taking app but after following a very long and confusing youtube video, I managed to create a task manager within Notion that links to all my notes, so everything is stored in one place.

Having links to all the information I need stored in one places decreased the amount of resistance required to adequately plan for my FMP. I will also be using this system for when I shoot. I can access the app on my phone and see all the tasks I need to complete with their respective links to information. This makes planning incredibly easy for someone like me. As long as I remember everything I need between now and the shoot and remember to add it to a checklist, I shouldn't forget things (although this may be tempting fate).

Not Understanding How to Work Borrowed/Hired Equipment

At the moment, I am considering borrowing a camera from college. We have access to cinema cameras, so why not use them? Although I've used these cameras before, I don't know them as well as a Sony A6400 (my camera). So this is a risk vs reward case I have to weigh up before making the decision. If I do decide to borrow a Canon C100, for example, I will need to do a lot of research before about how the camera works and how to get the best results out of the camera. Of course, it is ideal to have the camera to hand when learning. If possible I will book the camera for a day before the shoot, so that I know the camera inside and out before actually shooting my FMP.

My Skills as a Filmmaker Preventing me from Creating What's in my Head

The image in my head is always 10x better than the final product. This is sadly, something I'm very used to. I have already come to terms with this. It's something I simply have to accept if this is really the career I want to pursue. I am a perfectionist and the final video I create is never as good I envisaged it being. I would like to think I have enough experience now, as I have done a video in this style a few times now. I have learnt from previous projects and been less ambitious. I picked something that can still look very professional with no budget. In previous units, I had a tendency to bite off more than I could chew and this would result in an unfinished video. I believe this video, however, to be well within my abilities as a filmmaker.