Christoph's Media Blog: October 2012

Sunday 7 October 2012

The bar I have chosen to film the conversation scene early on in the film in is called Zero Degrees and is located in Blackheath village - not far from where I live, making it practical enough to get to and from. However, actually filming there could potentially be problematic so recently I went over to scout out the location and take some pictures of it. My three main problems with it were a) the lighting of the location, b) how busy it would be and c) the availability of it.

I went to the location on a sunday afternoon and the pictures that I took of it demonstrate how it was virtually empty at the time - evidently, filming at this time will be the best call. Furthermore, the pictures demonstrate how it is reasonably well-lit. Of course, it will not be overly bright but that is fine for the atmosphere I want to get across, as the scene is supposed to take place at night and have a moderately mysterious atmosphere to it.

I like the feel of this location as it is not what one would expect from a low-budget British thriller - films made by directors such as Guy Ritchie are often set in more traditional pubs in the east end, while this is a modern and slick location but impossible to associate with any particular part of London; also benefitial to the atmosphere I want to create, as I am trying to get across the idea that the character of Frank does not have a particularly noticable identity.

The fact that the bar is also a microbrewery means that the mise en scene will remain interesting and appealing to the eye, compensating for the fact that when I film the scene I am hoping for the bar to be virtually empty.

The first of the four pictures shows where I would place my two characters within the bar - they will be seated on sofas, which there are not that many of, in order to get across the idea that Frank is distant from other people he comes into contact with but also a regular at this particular bar, showing how his life is based on routine.