Shooting Schedule

DAY 1
morning
Thurs

INT Workshop Day
making the violin
Bertrand Bellin
violin at diff. stages of production

DAY 1
afternoon
Thurs

INT Music Room Night
playing the finished violin
Angelika Bellin
violin
--- END of Day 1 Thu, 1. Nov 2007 -- ---

DAY 2
morning
Fri
INT Workshop Day
making the violin
varnishing the violin
violin at diff. stages of production

DAY 2
afternoon
Fri
INT Workshop, Music Room,
Cellar
Introductory shots
--- END of Day 2 – Fri, 2. Nov 2007 ---

Web TV - Research/Marketing

As well as having to think about, plan and eventually produce a program, one also has to think about the right way of marketing it. Because my program is part of a series of programs produced by the third year Kingston University Television students, we will have to think about the right ways of marketing them as a group. At the moment I decided to do some independent research, checking out Television web channels (i.e. 4OD, Joost) and online streaming channels like You Tube and Google Video. All of these can basically be described as new ways of watching your favourite Television programs and independent programs, videos, etc. on the web, usually free of charge to everyone. Because the internet becomes more and more important to more and more people from all around the world and because most viewers do not manage to watch their favourite TV programs at the same time every day (i.e. news, soap opera, chat shows, etc.) the so called “on demand” online ways of watching Television will most definitely become one of – if not the favourite way of watching Television in future. Being able to watch your favourite program or news channel at any given time during the day will suit in with the busy lifestyle of most families, business man and women, university students, doctors, teachers, shift workers and so on. In spite of all this we are thinking about setting up our own Television channel for the series of programs which we are planning to produce during the next couple of months. As well as that we are planning to broadcast them on famous online channels like You Tube.

Storyboard

The next thing that needed to be done was the Storyboard. Since I have never produced a storyboard myself, I decided to do a bit of research before I got started. In most cases the storyboard was described as the director’s visualisation of his script/idea/concept. This is usually done by transferring his or her thoughts onto paper in order to help crew members visualise his idea prior to the shoot.

After having done the research I began my storyboard for the documentary. Because I had very clear images of the type of shots I wanted to take, it didn’t take me long before I had my first few shots on paper. But because you have to be very specific about the things you draw and constantly think about how the object will look on film, it does take quite some time before the storyboard will be completed! As well as that, I found that as I was going along I kept thinking of different things and hence had to change and redraw certain parts. But as soon as I have it all pieced together I will try to scan it in and upload it onto the blog.

Questions to ask for Voice Over

History Section:

• How and where did violin making establish?
  
• Who was the first “known” violin maker?
  
• When did violin making become a recognisable profession?
  
• How many instruments are still around from that period?
  
• Can they still be played?
  
• How much do they cost?
• Who owns them?
  
• Do they ever get stolen?
• Are there any fake copies around?
• Why are they still being produced by hand today?
  
• Are they even still popular?

Making section:

• What is the first thing you do when making a violin?
• How long does it take to make a violin?
• What kind of material is being used?
• Where does the wood come from?
• What is the varnish made out of?
• Can anyone become a violin maker?
• How many different stages are there?
• Can you talk me through the making of a violin?
  

First Script Outline

Introduction:
Steady moving shots of Images (mainly photos and pictures) consisting the violin – the shots will intercut with title credits. On top of the footage and credits some cool violin music will be played. - Next the rhythm will slow down introducing more images (mainly close ups) showing small details or parts of things like i.e. tools, wood, brushes, wood chippings, violins, etc. around the workshop and pictures of historical figures, places and events to do with the establishment of violin making. On top of these images a voice over will talk us through the history of violin making, as well as more current information like who plays them today, how much they can cost to buy and why they are still being made today. In addition some self composed violin music will comment on the images that are being shown and the words that are being said.

Main Part:
Shots of different formats and lengths - showing a violin maker in his workshop producing a violin - starting of with a piece of wood and finishing with the playable instrument. These shots will be underlined with a voice over talking the viewer through the action. The shots will be inter-cut with a violinist playing the instrument. Here the rhythm and paste of the bow playing the instrument will interlink with the rhythm and paste of the actions of the violin maker. Throughout this section the viewer will not see the actual face of the violin maker.

End:
In the end a shot will be taken of the violin maker holding the instrument – for the first time the viewer can see the actual person who made the violin. A shot will move from medium-close-up to close-up, before credits fade in with some music played by the violonist.

Taking first steps...

Being the daughter of a violin maker I was quite obviously privileged when it came to my own knowledge about the instrument as well as having the opportunity of filming in my own house. But having worked on several documentaries and TV programs in the past I also knew that anytime people are interested in someone’s work, that someone is usually more than happy to talk to you about their profession, hobby, desire, etc. Hopefully my father and his employees would be just as happy to have me watch, film and interview them. Luckily I already knew most of the tools that were used for violin making, the questions that people ask when they wanted to find out more and the very interesting and important historical point of the instrument and hence I had a good idea of what I wanted to get done, from the very start.

However, during the early stages of production I also got strongly influenced by a short documentary called ‘The Café’s’. It was shown to me by Abbe Fletcher - a lecturer at Kingston University and documentary filmmaker herself – and featured a somehow different way of documentary film making, with a series of carefully selected shots, showing well framed images and objects. I decided to produce something similar for the introduction of my documentary. Hopefully I was going to be able to make my shots appear as beautiful on screen as the ones from ‘The Café’s’.

Introduction

Here I am, after several weeks of term, about to start my production journal for my individual Television program of any format, topic and length. But despite my first entry being set up a bit too late, the last few weeks were certainly spend wisely - in terms of this production that is ;-)

Anyway. Being my own producer, director, script writer and editor, I was looking forward to this challenge from the very start. My initial thought was to make a sports program. This took a turn when I realised the amount of cameras, equippment and operators that would have been neccessary for a successful i.e. football match broadcast. Furthermore despite my individual interest for sports I am not that keen on following sports on television. So anyway, that idea didn't work out...

I then decided that what I really wanted to produce more than anything else was a documentary. This was mainly because I am a documentary lover myself and enjoy watching them on TV more than anything else. Another thing that I always wanted to do was a documentary on the violin. This is because my father is a violin maker and I grew up around the instrument and all the amzing stories it carries.

So after having thought of several different things that I could do (i.e. look at violin music used in films, have comments on it from general public, proof to people that it is not a boring instrument, etc.) and having talked about the project with lecturers, television producers, script writers, documentary filmmakers as well as friends I realised that what people really wanted to see was the making of an instrument - so there you go, that's how I decided on my program!