After Effects Workshop

Today we had a workshop at the campus on how to use the softwear After Effects. This was the first of 5 workshops on this. I found it very interesting learning about After Effects as I have not previously used this programme before. 

Here's the short clip I made! 

Final Major Project- More research

Today I was flicking through the channels on the t.v and came across a new show that chef and television presenter Jamie Oliver has started. 

It is called Jamie's 15 Minute Meals. It is a follow on show from his recent 30 Minute Meals television series. Watching this programme has settled some of my worries for my own mini series.

One of the main problems I felt that I had, was fitting everything in to my short 5 minute time frame. I felt like it was a lot to do! 

Seeing Jamie's 15 Minute Meals, made me realise that maybe it was an impossible task as I first thought. This programme is set out over a 30 minute time span with a break in the middle. It consists of Jamie cooking 2 meals that take less then 15 minutes each to cook. After watching a few of these programmes, I realised that he had quite complicated recipes. This made me see that the recipes that i have chosen for my own programme are much simpler and so can fit into the 5 minute time frame that I have. 

Watching Jamie's 15 Minute Meals also made me see a new way of filming a cooking programme. The way in which 15 Minute Meals is shot is in a way which really concentrates on the food and what it looks like/hows its being cooked/ what the finished product if/ what to use rather then on the presenter or such like. This shows that the audience are going to be more intent on seeing the whole process of the cooking and so more shots such as close ups of the food when it is being cooked/ put on the plate is more important then anything else. 

Final Major Project- Recce

So today I went and did a recce of the location I would like to use to film my final major project. The location is a kitchen of my friend who has agreed to let me use it for a day of filming. 

i have taken pictures which are below and added notes on my thoughts about it. 

This is the main part of the kitchen. As you can see it is a very large and spacious location and has great lighting. 

The possible problem I could have with this location is that there is a lot more natural light come from the left hand side- which means it is a lot brighter and makes the right side seem a lot more shadowy and dark. Depending on what the lighting from outside is like on the day i may need to use stage lighting to even out the general tone of lighting on set. 

This is the main window of the kitchen that brings in all the natural light from outside. 

The kitchen has plenty of space to film and for equipment, cast and crew.


When I went and did the recce of this location I also took into consideration important things such as sound issues and health and safety.
Due to the house which which the kitchen is in, being in a very rural location, sound should not be a problem at all. As far as health and safety goes, I could not see any immediate dangers, but of course I will be completing health and safety forms ahead of the filming day.


When speaking to Helen at the beginning of this week I expressed concerns about the possibility of this kitchen being a bit too clean, well kept and 'fancy' for the kind of programme I am going for and audience I am trying to attract. But Helen assured me that i could dress the set up with props to tone the kitchen down and give it more of that 'studenty' feel. 

Work Based Learning- Robbie Williams Shoot

The W Hotel

Another shoot that I did whilst working for Dreamtek was a shoot with Robbie Williams. The location for this shoot was at the W Hotel in London Oxford Circus.
This shoot was a bit different for me compared to the shoot I did with The Killers. This was because I was involved with more of a runners role during the production process, rather then with set building and sound work.
My duties included:

• Tea and coffee runs for the cast and crew
• Cleaning down the set in preparation for the shoot and after the shoot
• Keeping documents for the production day such as schedules and scrips organised and safe and making sure that all cast and crew who needed them had them
• Taking equipment down at the end of shoot
• Doing the lunch run
• Helping with lighting 
• Going and finding props if needed

This shoot was much less complicated then The Killers shoot and more straight forward and i really enjoyed the busy day! 

Work Based Learning- The Killers shoot

Whilst working for Dreamtek I joined them on a shoot which was for Shortlist Magazine. This was an interview of the band The Killers. It was based at the London Holborn Studios. During the production day i helped out on many things including the following:

Setting up studio- this was the part of the day which took the longest- around 2-3 hours. It included duties such as: 

• Setting up the studio for the recording
• Setting up all the recording equipment 
• Helping to find the best places to put the cameras and lighting

Sound- This meant that I was in charge of the boom pole during the actual recording time and listening to the sound making sure that it was clear with no interuptions through out. Also making sure that I was getting clear feedback from each band member when they were talking by holding the boom pole in the appropriate position. 

Taking set and equipment down- this was general at the end of the day duties including putting all props back in the original positions they were found in, taking down all equipment including lighting and cameras and cleaning down things that needed to be. 

I found this experience really fun and learnt a lot about the organisation of a interview production process. There were parts of the day that made it more difficult and less smooth running, such as the band turning up quite late for the shoot, which meant we had a much shorter amount of time to do our shoot then we had anticipated. Also problems with some of the bad members not participating in the interview as much as we would have liked caused problems with filming and the general feel of the interview. But seeing how the crew from Dreamtek dealt with these issues let me learn a lot. 

Work Based Learning- More of my duties

Here is some more of the duties I did for my Work Based Learning unit-

Kit packer- this duty included being given a list of equipment that would be needed on a specific shoot and sorting it all out and putting it all together ready to be sent to the location. I would then get it checked by a producer or camera operator, tag it all with the Dreamtek labels, address it to the location and arrange for it to be collected by a courier.

Runner- this was what I was for most of the shoots that I joined the Dreamtek crew on. This included many duties including, tea and coffee runs, putting together equipment, cleaning sets, keeping documents such as scripts and schedules organised, together and making sure everyone who needs them has them. 

Final Major Project- Meal Ideas

I have been doing some research into exactly what meals I should be cooking on my show that will not only fit the short time frame and also a student friendly budget but also taste, look and are nutritious too.
I have done some research into certain foods and their prices also... looking at what kind of meats are cheaper, which shops to buy from and if it is cheaper to buy some foods in bulk such as vegetables.

I have found out some very useful things from my research including the following:

It is cheaper to buy turkey and pork instead of chicken and beef.

Its is cheaper to buy things such as onions, potatoes and other vegetables in bulk bags or in a selection pack that some supermarkets sell now. 

Certain supermarkets have 'price wars' or 'lowest price guaranteed' promotions, which means places such as ASDA will guarantee your food bill to be cheaper then anywhere else, and if its not you get money back on your next bill. 

Buying larger bags of foods which keep for a long time, such as pasta and rice is much cheaper then buying ready made packs and much healthier too.

Buying spices and things alike is a much better way to save money and keep healthier, rather then going to the ready meal section!