Filming and Editing DAY 4 - Done (pretty much)

I've finished compiling the footage shot on the fourth day and edited it together.

First I shot out in Knole Park for the FOREST SEQUENCE. It was quite an appropriate setting because it had been snowing a fair deal, so this captures the desolation and solitude that the Lunatic is experiencing - whilst still being outside.

There may have been some health-and-safety concerns because of the conditions in which we were shooting. It was rather cold with a very bitter wind. I took some safety precautions: bringing a flask of tea, bringing extra layers and blankets etc. I'm not sure what else I could have done but it was difficult to film. We had to shoot everything quickly and succinctly, which made me concerned as to how it would look. Luckily, the footage looked fine and I edited it without much difficulty.

I used this shot for my album cover, creating it originally from Final Cut Pro. To achieve the Split-Screen effect, which I have wanted to do from the beginning, I had to get THE LAUGHING MAN to stand behind every tree using the same shot. In FCP, I had to join all of the shots together and then crop them so it appears to be one video:

I tinted the the video blue to create the cold and depressing atmosphere. It also fits with the colour-scheme of the overall video (using green, yellow and red). I had the Lunatic holding a guitar but not playing it. I thought I had to have the inclusion of an instrument of some sort because the band emphasises their instruments. Since the Lunatic is also based on Syd Barrett, who was famous for his innovative guitar-playing skills. One of the strings has been removed to imply that the Lunatic is being robbed of his gift, which is close to what happened to Barrett. 

Later on in the evening, we shot the KITCHEN SEQUENCE - involving a confrontation between the Lunatic and the Laughing Man. 

Here, I've added an effect of a Bad TV. I have increased the waviness and static of the image. This is to increase the sense of conflict within the scene. It represents the Lunatic's distorted mindset. 

I wanted to have the effect of a digital image, so I faded the colour in many parts. This is to contrast from earlier, when the landing sequence is edited to look like it was shot on black-and-white celluloid film. Because I want this band to be heavily associated with film, I thought I could attempt to present this transition from celluloid film into digital technology. 

This conflict with The Laughing Man is significant because I want the audience to question whether it really is the Laughing Man, or somebody else. Since the name of this sequence is called 'BREAKDOWN', I wanted the Lunatic to experience the worst kind. I will eventually get a voice-over done of a woman saying things but we can see it is the Laughing Man saying it. This suggests that the Lunatic sees the Laughing Man everywhere, even on real people. I also need to quicken the editing on this scene to make it seem more dramatic. 

Moving right along...