Student Filmmaking - Behind The Lens

Being on set is taxing, but fun. Student filmmaking is like getting graded to make films with your friends, and for a process that can be so stressful, it definitely helps to work with people you already feel close to.

We started our days at 9:30 at our uni studio, getting a quick refresh of all the kit we had to work with and beginning to set up a scene we'd previously worked out in class - it took three of us to set the spotlight up properly, it was way heavier than we'd remembered it being.

The first day was dedicated to test-shots, setting up, figuring out our equipment and singing happy birthday to our friend who was part of our camera department, and spent his 20th birthday diligently changing the camera lenses whenever it was needed - he was taken out afterwards for celebratory drinks.

It was our first time working with an actor from a casting website - in our first year we'd all acted in each other's films, most of which were comedies, so it came quite naturally, but this year, I'd written a much more dramatic script, and while we don't get graded on the quality of acting. I really wanted to see how the story would look onscreen in its full effect - but with that being said, our two classmates who were also acting frequently stole the spotlight with their commitment to their roles.

It was my first time directing a narrative drama film, and while I did enjoy the experience, it was definitely difficult to navigate my personal approach to the role, and I did struggle with being authoritative at times - I was lucky that my crew were so helpful, and also that everyone working together was very respectful of the process, otherwise we may have struggled to finish filming on time. However, I did really like being able to have control over the way the story was put to screen, as when I write screenplays I can see them so clearly in my head that it's often easier for me to direct than it is to try and explain exact images in my head to somebody else. I do think in the future though I'd like to try working with a co-director who is more practically minded than myself, as I get quite carried away with creativity and being experimental.

As well as direction I also got to experiment in set design and costumes, both of which are areas of film that I am very interested in. Unfortunately, since all the film's budget was out of my pocket, we were very limited with what we could do, but for one specific scene that is meant to take place at a dance, it was amazing to see how well it paid off, and the shots from that day remain some of my favourite.

We wrapped filming after six days, and I have never been so excited to edit footage. This process was stressful, but it has also felt the closest to the experience of being on a real film set that I have experienced through both college and university, and I can't wait for my final year project so we can see what happens when we have even more time to dedicate towards it.

*All photo credit to Clara Handley.