Chess Film Production: External Factors

 Consequences of Filming Outdoors

For the shooting of our chess films, we had to film on an outside patio. What I was not fully prepared for was how filming outside would actually affect the film.

On the first day of filming the sun was fully out and provided intense sunlight. It made all the shots we took very bright. We initially believed it would have been an advantage to us as one of the core shots in the film requires lots of harsh light. The main character would look up towards the light and be gifted with power. However once the filming time was over we didn't actually have the time to film the shot. This meant that the harsh light served more as a nuisance as it was very obvious and overpowering in different takes. 

Conditions on the first day of filming

Then the next day of filming came around and it could not have been more different. That bright powerful sunlight was now gone and replaced with dark cloudy skies. It messed up the continuity of the film somewhat, but we were able to use it to our advantage. We could film the clear distinction between more calm and those that are supposed to be more dramatic. Then disaster struck as it started to rain. The board and actors got all wet with no real explanation and we had to momentarily stop filming. Worst of all that core shot could still not be filmed.

Conditions on the second day of filming

It was after this second day that I learned that when filming outdoors, the direction of filming can be entirely determined by the external factors/conditions and that you cannot expect consistency in weather every day. Shooting in a natural environment puts you at the mercy of mother nature and simply put, if outside conditions are not right to match certain planned shots, then you might just not get to film them. Furthermore, you may have to delay when you film some of your shots as when you decide to film out of order. It wouldn't make sense form things to go form bright and sunny to dark and gloomy to back to bright and sunny if the events take place right after each other. It would ultimately ruin the continuity of your film. You have to take advantage of the current conditions when you film your shots. Getting key shots with the correct outdoor conditions or correct situation is a dice roll and when the opportunity presents itself you should make sure to not let it go to waste. If there is a shift in weather than you should then make sure to get your shots when a tonal shift is very obviously present.