Here is my team's location scout and risk assessment written by me and Beatrice
Location: Clinic
Purpose of this shot: Interview location for nurse, reenactment of student tampering with medication as well as victim falling ill.
Pros:
- Often quiet by the end of the day as most students already went home.
- We're able to request the room to be occupied during the filming process with permission
from clinic staff/teachers, allowing us to have privacy and increase the succession of
getting the perfect footage as there is no disturbance.
- Helps to add depth to the mise-en-scene by visually reinforcing the medical theme.
- provides a sense of verisimilitude (realism)
- Heightening dramatic tension by using the contrast between the dark subject
matter (crime) and the sterile clinic.
Cons:
- The clinical background may sometimes divert attention from the nurse's interview if
there's an excess medical equipment in the background.
- Overreliance on clinical setting can lead to visual monotony, reducing the overall impact
of the scene.
- Strong echo is likely to occur as it is a small, enclosed room.
- Concerns about cleanliness and safety > the clinic might not be in optimal condition
after filming.
Alternatives:
Hospitals or clinics > Although the location is related to our documentary, it would be difficult/nearly impossible to gain permission to film and meddle with the medication in hospitals as it may not be appropiate nor permitted by staff.
Since we have confirmed that the school's clinic will be available, we didn't give much thought to other options. However, if the clinic becomes unavailable, alternatives such as classroom or corridors could be considered as back up locations.
Risk Assessment
Potential hazard:
- Charging cables and cable extender on the floor.
- Lots of medical equipment and tools that may be dangerous.
Evaluate risks:
- Medicine being misplaced : Since we have a scene involving the re-enactment of the perpetrator tampering with / taking out the medicine, there is a risk that the medicine could be misplaced when returned to the storage if it's not properly checked.
- Tripping hazards : Since the clinic is a rather small room and there were charging cables on the floor as well as cable extender for the computers in the clinic, people might accidentally trip and fall if they aren't looking properly.
Control Measure:
- Ensure careful handling and watch back the video recording or memorize which part of the storage was the medicine taken from to avoid any mix-ups or errors to the medicine's placement. Additionally, any handling of any medical equipment should only be done under adult supervision or permission.
- We need to be extra cautious of our surroundings to avoid the risk of tripping over any objects or equipment that may be lying around the clinic during filming. Proper awareness will help prevent accidents and ensure a smooth shoot.
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Location: Classroom
Purpose of this shot: Interview location for student and investigator > reinforce the narrative within the documentary. It also enhances the realism of the investigation process.
Pros:
- It is an accurate depiction of a school setting.
- Enhances the mise-en-scene by visually representing the visually representing the school's authority, adding the depth to the narrative.
- The classroom symbolizes order and control, which may emphasize the investigator's
role in restoring justice in a chaotic situation
Cons:
- Classroom may be occupied even after school thus may require us to find empty
classrooms or following the class' schedule prior to filming.
- The setting might not fully align with the medical aspects of the crime which makes it
feel disconnected from the focus on the clinic.
- Noise and echo from closed rooms.
Alternatives:
- Music room can be a good alternative because it offers less echo since there is sound absorption panels that line the room's wall. However, it may be hard to schedule the shoot there because it is often occupied even after school hours for band practice.
- Hallways can be used to provide interesting and unique mise-en-scene. However, it may be quite hard as students often walks around and it would be difficult to control them during the shoot.
Risk Assessment
Potential hazard:
- Classrooms can be cluttered with desks, chairs, and other objects which can limit camera placement and movements > may restrict the use of certain camera angles, making it difficult to frame shots effectively.
- Having charging cables, extender, and other equipment lying on the classroom's floor.
Evaluate risks:
- Background distractions : Cluttered settings may lead to unintended background
distractions which can result in poor visual clarity.
- Tripping hazards and broken equipment : If someone trips, it could lead to injury or
damage to expensive equipment like cameras, phone or tab. This will lead to production delays, putting the project off schedule and over budget.
Control measure:
- Conduct a thorough mise-en-scene analysis of the classroom by removing / rearranging distracting objects to create a cleaner, neutral background.
- Route cables along the edges of the room where possible, keeping them out of walkways to avoid trips. This will maintain a safe mise-en-scene, allowing us to move around easier.
- Rearrange the classroom layout to create a controlled mise-en-scene. Create space for
camera movement by clearing unnecessary furniture or props.
Self Reflection ; Since we choose our documentary to revolve around a school setting, choosing our school to film in felt like the most appropiate option. It eased our workload in terms of scheduling as we did not need to spare time to travel to our location and could instead film during breaks/lunch/leisure time whenever the actors were available. In the case actors were not available, we were able to find substitutes quickly by requesting other students to play the role. This assessment also helped us in deciding our locations since we were able to identify issues with crowd noise early on, we made plans to secure classes for filming.