Week 9 Filming

After developing a first draft for my script and image sequence I have been able to capture a lot of footage. Now that I know what I need, I have a direction for my filming. Many of my shots deal with tracking shots, and without access to a car it has been interesting thinking up ways to get the tracking shots or create footage that got the point across when tracking was not an option. Certain shots were easy since I was able to catch a bus or S-bahn that allowed me to capture what I intended. Other methods that have proven usable were 180 degree pans of a street from one point, walking with the camera and time-lapsing it, and slowly zooming in down a street. I had also considered using a bicycle, but we didn't have any pegs for the person with the camera to stand on.
Most of my other types of shots were either choreographed scenes are simple stationary shots that may have consisted of some zooming. For the latter, I used the same composition thought process that I would use for a photo. This tends to work well. The choreographed scenes, however, have been much more fun.
Two scenes in particular are interesting to discuss. The first is a scene at a bombed church on Engeldamm with a playground adjacent to it. I never see anybody using the playground, so it struck me as an interesting setting to shoot. I wanted to use this setting as a scene in which the two characters may be discussing something about the past they may be a bit difficult for one to talk about. The initial sequence would create a frame of reference and greater context for where the setting is, that being a church bombed back in WWII with a neglected playground. Interestingly, they choose would choose the swing sets of this playground as the place to discuss this topic. The swing sequence would begin with a motionless shot of the swings. This would symbolize a repressed memory. The image would then cross-dissolve into them swinging on these swings, representing them stirring up the past. Finally, the image would cross-dissolve into the swings swinging without anyone on them. The playground has been disturbed. The first attempt at this has failed since the two swinging shots do not cross-dissolve into each other very well, so I must go back to re-shoot.
The second scene I wanted to choreograph was a representation of us all being lost in Berlin and then meeting Berlin. This would be a variation of the meeting scene where the main character walks back and forth across the Berlin character and then walks up to as for directions. Instead of one person walking across the screen each time, we had one person take each leg. By cross-dissolving these legs we seemingly create a blur of one person that represents the group. The part where we ask for directions would work similarly with a repetitive movement toward the Berlin character. Josh suggested that we do this scene with us all acting and walking backwards. We could then reverse the footage and create an affect that makes the character seem awkwardly lost. So this should be exciting to see the outcome.
During our departure scene at Brandenburg Gate I had decided that a new setting would be needed all together since the set was too powerful and a very unlikely place for two people to part. I did however notice an angle that may be an interesting shot to look at later. This angle, different from our bookend angle, creates a juxtaposition between cranes and the Gate. This could be symbolic of Sitka's "synthetic city" and the Berlin character's disconnection with the past (the past represented by the Gate). This angle could imply that the Gate setting was merely coincidental and they did not even notice that they were underneath it, pointing to disconnection with the past.
Another shot that seems choreographed, but was actually by chance takes place on Bernauer Strasse. Here is where many people died on Barbed Wire Sunday attempting to jump from their apartments to the west. I was filming a construction site taking place right where the wall used to be on Bernauer. There was the bricks on the street and an interesting contrast between the east and west architecture. An older man came up to watch the construction and stood right next to the wall. It proved to be a very strong scene.
Deciding upon specific different locations around the city to create place has been difficult, so I have gone for a more theoretical route instead. I will incorporate ideas from writers such as Sitka to help me present settings that demonstrate the idea, from which if we did actually create the fictional film we could take these ideas into account for particular scenes. Areas such as Potsdamer Platz's modern architecture, old buildings with bullet holes, cafe's, etc., have been places I've been filming for a variety of shots to choose from.
Another problem I've been facing has been deciding upon so locations to demonstrate cultural aspects of Berlin that transcend any perceived division. By showing these I can prevent the ability to discern the section of the city the shot is in, and in affect create a unified city.
Filming has been an exciting new activity that becomes a source of much creativity. I have enjoyed the days filming so far, even if they have been long and tough in the cold weather.