Video production in London for producers
Working as an independent filmmaker I produce, film and edit short films and videos. I also work with other agencies and freelance producers to assist them, in delivering their commissions. This case study explains the process I undertook a video production in London that delivered a funding support film.
Film Commission
Digital Drama commissioned me to film and edit a short online video on behalf of their client Watermans, who were looking to secure further funding for their Short Breaks programme. This short film was to help them to illustrate the range of activities which they are providing for groups of young people with special needs, together with their parents and carers, who are participating in their Short Breaks programme.
Film delivery group
The delivery group for this short video project was made up of Digital Drama’s producers Alison Ramsey and Kate Valentine, their client Vikki Moorhouse (Head of Participative Arts Development at Watermans) and Jo Dawson (Short Breaks Co-ordinator for London Borough of Hounslow).
Filming for the video was planned to cover the variety of activities that form the Short Breaks programme. As well as filming a range of events, I also filmed individual interviews with some of the young people involved as well as with some of their carers and parents.
Filming young people with learning difficulties
This was the first time I had experienced filming young people with learning difficulties. Prior discussions and filming consent had already been negotiated and agreed with all the parties involved as some of the children to be featured were unable to talk or communicate. Initially, I found this quite disconcerting and it was through the invaluable support of the children’s parents and carers that I was able to film their participation in all the different events and workshops. The final film would demonstrate to a wider audience the importance of the Short Breaks programme to the children, their parents and their carers.
Dedicated carers
Over the course of making the film, I saw for myself how caring and dedicated all the parents of young people with learning difficulties are. Some of the young people need constant care as they are unable to look after themselves in any way. I witnessed how patient many of these parents and carers need to be to support these young people who are living with a wide variety of very difficult medical conditions.
Low lighting conditions
Some of the filming was also a technical challenge for me due to the low levels of light in some of the areas being used. I ended up having to film some of the footage with a higher than normal ISO so that I could capture the events as they happened. With budget considerations, hiring extra lighting is not always possible so you have to improvise to make the best of what is available. I was able to use my LED panel lights to help light the interviews which helped a great deal.
Editing the filmed video
Once all the planned events had been filmed, I transferred all the footage onto my hard drive storage attached to my Avid edit suite. I watched all the interviews and started to build and edit together all the best sync contributions. These interviews formed the body of the final film and communicated the key messages as the brief required. Once I had edited the body of the film with audio and their corresponding video images, I then edited in the most relevant and best shots along with some further up sound. Apart from a few detailed text changes, the first final edit that I delivered was pretty much signed off on the first viewing with the producers, which I was very pleased about.
Final film viewing
The completed film then had a showing at Watermans Arts Centre with an invited audience of all the participants and families of the Short Breaks programme. It was great to see the excitement of all the people involved in the making of the film on seeing themselves on the big screen and to know that everyone was happy with how they and the Short Breaks programme had been portrayed.
Video Production London
I really enjoyed filming and editing this film and very much hope it will help to secure the future of the Short Breaks programme so it can continue to be supported by Hounslow Council. If you would like any help with your video project please get in touch.
