Back from break

This week I started to organize my clips and put together rough sequences! It is coming together nicely but I have projects for other classes so it is difficult to give my doc my full undivided attention. It is definitely going to be a close call on whether I will be able to get an audio mix done or not since I still have so much to do! Just gotta keep plugging along!

Tentatively done shooting!

This week I started editing and went on what should be my final shoot! I went over to Ned's house and shot him doing what he does outside of theater! These were simple things like playing Madden football and listening to music but I feel like this will definitely add a different dimension to the documentary. Still trying to figure out how it will all come together but I know it will!

What still needs to be shot...

What Still Needs To Be Shot:

Interviews with Ned:

Questions that still need to be answered:

- For one day of the week- EITHER TUESDAY OR THURSDAY (since I’m getting him Mod Dance II and his voice lesson) have him explain what the day consists of [SHOOT IN DILLINGHAM BASEMENT]

- What main stage shows have you appeared in (talk a little bit about each)? What is your favorite onstage and offstage memory? [DILLINGHAM LOBBY]

- What are your hobbies outside of theater? What are your favorite movies, TV shows, etc.? [AT HIS HOUSE OFF CAMPUS]

- What is Next Broadway Star? How did you get involved? What have you gotten out of being in this competition? Has being part of this competition made you want this career even more? What has been the best part of the competition? [at accompaniment practice]

Interviews (besides Ned)

- Friends/ Girlfriend

- Lindsay Gilmour

Other Footage

- Ned In Modern Dance II

- Ned in his Vocal Lesson

- Ned

o watching sports

o hanging out with friends

o walking around campus

Arno Selco interview

This week I interviewed Arno Selco, Ned's television acting professor, in one of the TV studios. It went really well and I think it will shed some light on exactly how difficult it can be to make it in the acting world. I am continuing to work on a rough outline and trying to figure out who of Ned's friends will be available to be interviewed. That was really it for this week! It is coming together slowly but surely!

Minor Set back

This week I found out that I will not be able to interview Jennifer Kay, Ned's voice teacher because she is sick with Pneumonia. I should still be able to shoot Ned in a vocal lesson but hopefully I will be able to get interviews with other professors who know him well to add depth and other secondary subjects to my piece. I am also starting to work on a super rough outline to shape my piece but this is extremely different seeing I still have so much to get done.

Another Update!

“Untitled” Ned Donovan Documentary Update:

Footage I have shot or know I have access to and can include within piece:

Interview in apartment (may or may not use):

Questions addressed:
• What is your weekly schedule like?
• What are classes like? (Television Acting and Modern Dance II)
• How do you balance everything? (talks a lot about high school and theatre work in college)
• When did you know you wanted to get into acting? Why he chose Ithaca?

Problem with interview: issues with audio; too much headroom on some shots and not enough on others, just really boring background and couch is green and his shirt is green

Interview in Clark Theatre:

Questions addressed:
• How has your family supported you?
• Have they ever expressed doubts about what you want to do?
• Have you ever faced any hardships that affected your future goals?
• How did you get into staged combat?
• How did you get into acapella?
• Why do you want to pursue your acting career in New York City?
• What are your post-graduation plans?

Different shots: first four questions are medium close ups, next question is further out, final question is close up again

Problem with Interview: squeaking in background (can ask audio person about fixing background noise, should be fixable)

Footage of Ned in TV Acting:

• Footage of Ned and scene partner acting out exercise
• Footage of Ned’s professor Arno Selco giving advice on scene (one of the professors’ that I am interviewing)
• Footage of student director giving advice to Ned and scene partner
• Hoping to get tape that has the actual take of the final scene on it from the in-studio cameras (will talk to Arno when I interview him)

B-roll

• Footage of fountains outside of Dillingham
• Footage of lobby inside Dillingham
• Footage of ‘Plumfield Iraq’ information on Theatre Season sign

Videos I have gotten access to or are online:
• Ned performing on ‘Next Broadway Star’ by Broadway.tv and McDonalds- winner gets $5,000 and a chance to audition in front some of the biggest producers and directors on Broadway
o Next Broadway Star Kick-off event video- shows his name being called as quarterfinalist/ video highlighting all contestants
o Ned’s audition for Next Broadway Star?- a minute of him performing
o Ned performing in front of judges “Lost in the Wilderness”
• Ned performing acapella group in highschool
o Three Rights Make a Left- Video taken at the Music For Mobility Fundraiser for Paralysis in Portland Maine on 5/18/2008
o Three Rights Make a Left- 4/4/2008
• Ned performing at Anthony’s Italian Kitchen in Portland, Maine
• Various Performances from time at Ithaca College
o Performing at sophomore cabaret
o Performing at concert in Ithaca College London Center Vocal Center
• Ned doing staged combat
o Performing at Maine Academy of Staged Combat (where he started learning staged combat)
o Ned doing staged combat for A Midsummer Night’s Dream- Dec 18, 2010
o “The Hunted Expulsion”- vampire hunter web series he created and stars in online

Footage that I still need to get:
• Interviews with Professors:
o Jennifer Kay (Ned’s vocal teacher): October 25th at 6pm in classroom or office in Whalen
o Arno Selco (Ned’s TV Acting Professor): October 31st at 11am in a studio in Park or in Dillingham (location TBD)
• Staged reading of play about Columbine: October 27th (rehearsal) and October 30th (rehearsal and performance)- interviews with cast, director and stage manager
• Ned in Modern Dance II (Professor Lindsay Gilmour said I can come in to shoot any Tuesday or Thursday)/ going to see how other interviews go because Lindsay is also available for an interview
• Ned in a vocal lesson (have permission from Jennifer Kay just have to check with Ned, conflicts with class)
• Interview with Ned in more locations: hallway in basement of Dillingham (less formal), in Dillingham lobby, on steps outside of Dillingham, in his house off-campus, after performance, and in/after rehearsal
• Footage of Ned doing things other than theater- at home watch sports, hanging out with friends
• Go back to Dillingham and reshoot in lobby with a lighting kit
• Interviews with his friends and girlfriend
• A lot more B-roll- places important to Ned, friends hanging out

Other aspects of production:
• Production stills and photos from past shows that Ned has been in
• Photos of him when he was younger- still waiting to hear back from him about this

To do over Fall Break:
• Transcribe all interviews that I have already gotten
• Send out emails to interview subjects confirming locations and dates
• Send email to Eliza Orleans, stage manager of staged Columbine reading, to see where rehearsals and performance are taking place
• Email Susie about production stills from Plumfield Iraq
• Make concrete order of how I want piece to flow, how I want to open and close piece
• Tentative shooting dates for November

Update!

What's going on:

Tomorrow I will be filming Ned performing in his TV Acting class from 9 to 11:50am

Saturday I will be doing a formal interview with Ned in Dillingham from 8 to 11am

What I still have to do:

Hear back from Jennifer Kay (Ned's voice teacher) and Brian DeMaris (one of Ned's greatest influences at IC) about interviews and filming one of Ned's voice lessons

Try again to get in touch with Carol Jennings about getting access to the Plumfield footage

Transcribe the interviews I did with Ned in my apartment to figure out what's usable and important and what's not

Find out exactly what photos he has of him performing when he was younger and what videos are on youtube

Come up with concrete shooting schedule and shot list for Saturday

Come up with rough outline for documentary

Ask Ned about auditions and about following him while he fight choreographs

First unofficial shoot...

Today I shot a practice interview with Ned in my apartment just to get used to the JVC100 and wireless mic. It didn't go great but it was really good practice for future shoots. I don't know how much of it is really usable though because the wall in my apartment is white brick and I had major issues with lighting so it's not exactly good visually. He had a green sweater on and that's the color of my couch so a lot could have gone better. The audio is really good though so I can at least use it for voice over if for nothing else. He had some really good answers and I am really happy he is the subject I am following. I have a bunch of definitive dates that I will be shooting this week mainly in Ned's classes. Tuesday I will be filming him in his Modern II dance class and Friday in his TV Acting class. Saturday I will be doing a formal interview with him in Dillingham.

Getting Going!

My main focus this week is:

- create a sheet (summary of treatment) that sums up my intention with this documentary to pass out to professors and employers of Ned

- obtain permission to shoot in Dillingham and other locations on campus by getting in contact with a few of Ned's professors both in and outside of theater in order to have shot variety and add dimension to my piece

-must get in contact with Carol Jennings (Park Productions)

- get permission to shoot at Panera Bread by speaking to a manager

- get in contact with possible interview subjects

- meet with Ned once again to go over new information and tentative shooting schedule

- begin gathering photos and videos of Ned before he came to IC

- start coming up with shots for B-Roll