Coursework Planning: Location research

Am I going  to use exterior and/or interior locations?
I am going to use both exterior and interior locations. I want to use spaces outside as I think that this would show a perfect juxtaposition between the virtual world my character is addicted to, and the reality he is actually in. By setting certain scenes outside it will add the contrast to how much he is ignoring the world around him by using his laptop. I want to use interior locations as I want to set the main part of the opening in his bedroom, as this will allow the audience to get a more in depth knowledge of the character using different props and elements of mis-en-scene; e.g. posters, belongings etc. Furthermore it would show how he as a character is more comfortable inside, as he has his own space with his personality on show; whereas in the outdoor settings he will be more introverted.

Potential locations:

Exterior locations:

The Forum:

Pros:
I think this would be a good location because it is a very open space, so it would be easy to  film there as no permission would be needed so we could film whenever suits us the most. It would also provide a good space to try different shots due to how it is a large area, as we could try different locations with it to see which area would give the best image for what we want.

Cons:
It is not very busy a lot of the time so may not create the effect that we want, because the character is meant to be isolating himself from other people and he cannot do that if there are no other people there. Also, when it is busy there is usually an event on, which would make it hard to film. This means it may not be the easiest location as we would have to plan in advance to check that there are no events happening on the day we want to film.

Back up:  inside the forum in the case of bad weather.


Chapelfield gardens:

Pros:It would have the perfect contrast to my character as it is a green space, and he would be on his laptop so this would show the audience exactly what the character is like and emphasis the use of technology in an unusual place. Again, it is an open space so I wouldn't have to worry about asking permission to film.

Cons:
It is very dependant on the on the weather and there is no back up to it if that is an issue. How many other people that will be there to add to the background contrast is also very weather dependant, which could take away from whether or not it helps  build the image of the character that I want.

Back ups : none

City Centre:

Pros:
It would be very busy so would add the perfect contrast between the character isolating himself from the world he is actually in as we would be completely ignoring a very busy setting. It would also be easy to get good footage to time lapse, which is something I want to include in the opening to show the amount of time the character spends on his laptop.

Cons:
Due to the business some people may be interested in what we are doing, or look directly at the camera in the background as we won't have control over whether or not people can walk by; which could detract from the overall impact of the shots.

Back ups : coffee shops/ cafes would have a similar effect.

Interior locations:

Chapelfield:

Pros:
It is really busy because pretty much all the time which again would have the effect we are looking for and would also be good for creating time lapses. There are also lots of different places that we could try film within the centre, giving us more opportunity to get good shots that give the image we want.

Cons:
I would have to get permission to film there and it is known for being quite difficult to gain access to. Also I would have to be careful again of people in the background ruining any footage if we did get access.

Back up : Castle Mall


My room:

Pros:
It would be easy to film in as it is my house so I would not have to worry about asking people permission. It would also be good for showing off the character as I have lots of posters that we could put  up to show certain aspects of the character the audience.

Cons:
It is quite a feminine room which would not fit the characters personality, and also it is a quite a cramped space so we would be limited with the different shots that we could try.

Back up: My siblings rooms


My dad's spare room:

Pros:
It is easy to get to in relation to the locations outside, as it is in Norwich too, which  would help the efficiency of filming days as we wouldn't have to travel far between locations. Also, again we wouldn't have to ask permission as  it is my family's house so we would be able to film there whenever we wanted to.

Cons:
It is a very plain room so would not really add much to the character or plot. It again is also a small space so we would not be able to move around that much to try different shots.

Back up: My dads room



Alex's room:

Pros:
It has lots of posters and props we could use in it, which would add to the image of the character and help us add some more personality to the opening in a more subtle way. Also, it is Alex's room so he may be more comfortable acting there than somewhere he as never been before, so it could give his performance a more natural feel.

Cons:
Alex's house is quite far away from Norwich, so we would have to plan transport from the locations there on filming days, which would reduce the efficiency. There is also no back up to this room as we would not be able to film in any of the other rooms in the house.


For the scenes inside the computer we will just use a window in whichever house we choose for the main room.

Can all the cast get to the locations?
All the cast can get to the locations with planning, so they are all accessible as long as we are organised.