ASK & DISCUSS INDEX

7 years, 3 months ago - Vasco de Sousa

Redesign the bedroom five times. If you find a bedroom that really needs painting, then you can use it for the grungy room (if you have one) then paint each wall a different colour for the other rooms, and finally paint it as the owner wants it when you're done.

You can find cheap mattresses at a second hand shop, and other items.

7 years, 3 months ago - Kairon Edwards

I'll be happy to help Caitlin

7 years, 3 months ago - Mikel Iriarte

Would love to read the script and help out if I'm available. Drop me an email: mrmirate@gmail.com

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3127620/

7 years, 3 months ago - Glyn Carter

Hi Caitlin - I've made six shorts set in bedrooms (yes, my friends have given me funny looks when I've asked round for locations). What I've learned:
- There's never enough space. Assuming you can't stretch to studios, find the biggest rooms you can and make them look smaller if necessary. Minimal crew.
- Lights get in the way and are hard to keep out of shot.. Documentary-style will help this as you can use practicals
- Booms and hanging light fittings are not happy partners - protect that lightbulb (or do without.)
- Most folks' bedrooms are done in pastel shades or creams - white wall syndrome kills your visuals. Have feature wallpaper or bold colours if you can, even for docu-style. Beware all your five set-ups looking the same! Offer redcoration if you're borrowing the location
- Fitted modern wardrobes are also perpetrators of white wall syndrome, and can't be painted or wallpapered.
- Especially if your actors have to be in bed, they will get hot and sweaty. If they start white, they'll go pink. Use light duvets, open windows between shots (and fit any blackouts to enable this), and have your make-up artist on hand with flannels, towels and powder.
Beware mirrors and shiny fittings. I once had a shiny brass lampstand artistically placed in the foreground, then had a terrible time editing out an obvious focus-pull hand movement that it reflected.
Your designer can have fun finding props to show character. I have re-stocked my linen cupboard with a range of new duvets. I still have a jwellery rack no-one wants. But avoid satiny finishes - (a) they give unwnated highlights (b) they rustle badly.
Creaky beds, street traffic, the neighbour's hoover/lawnmower/radio etc also play havoc with sound.
Duvets and pillows don't understand continuity. They crease up through the shoot, pillows flop or get flattened. Ditto actresses' hair if she has to lie down. Your continuity person needs to be on the ball. Actors can help a lot too but need to be briefed before.

I hope that's helpful. If you'd like to see a couple of the films I made, I can point out some of the pitfalls. And if you want to send me your scripts I'll skim to see if anything sounds alarm bells, based on my experience. glyn@storiesintolight.co.uk