Recce: Take One

(Image taken from Essence of Tea website)

Now armed with an amazing team it was time to start developing the idea and recce some possible contributors. Along with Michael I went into Falmouth today looking at different cafes/tea shops hoping to find some gems! It didn't go as well as I would have hoped, stupidly I hadn't taken into account the fact that it was a SATURDAY! Durr, and of course pretty much all the places we went to were busy. However we did get a few good interviews with people that we may decide to reshoot and it was good experience for us. I think we have come up with a couple of questions that are great and provoke interesting answers from people. "How do you make your tea" was one and it was fascinating to see how everyone had a different opinion on what the 'optimum' cuppa is. One of the places we visited today that I am really excited about perusing further is a delightful little specialist tea shop The Essence of Tea on Falmouth high street. They were too busy for an interview but said they would be interested in working with us on this project. I think it will be great to get the different aspect of chinese tea, seeing as that is where tea originates from, also it is really beautifully decorated inside and will look great on camera! 


We still have not heard back off Tregothnan about filming there this weekend but Michael is on the case, fingers crossed we will be able to go on Monday. I decided that it would be pointless attempting to go to tea shops on a Sunday because they will just be far too busy!

Some inspirational videos I have been looking at include a couple of shorts done by Philip Bloom, I really love all his stuff, I think his style is quite similar to the vision I have for this piece. Booths & Bodies: The life and work of Anthony Vizzari (see still of video above) is a great interview even if some of the content is slightly strange, I really like the camera angles used and how it is 'down the lens' which is a style I think could work well with the 3MW. I really think the use of shots of him in the photo booth with the master interview audio laid on top are visually pleasing and capture the audiences attention, something I could experiment with perhaps? 

And also Bangin' n Clangin': The Redneck Hippie I love the use of wide symmetrical shots (see above screen grab) and close ups of the contributors face (see snapshot from video below). I really want to play around with down the lens and symmetry. I also think the cinema aspect ratio that Bloom uses a lot looks incredible I think I would like to use that for the 3 min wonder, it would bring such a stylistically strong look with it which is what I inevitably want to achieve, but I'm not sure if that would be OK? Something to ask Mel at the next lecture if I remember.