Short Suspense / Horror Films - Whitby Project

We started off the Whitby project by getting all the film students into our dance studio whilst Kane read out what groups we had been put into. I was put into a group for a film called the Cult and the director was Bailey Gamble. We were then told to get into our groups as we were getting told what the film was going to be about and the characters that were in the film. After our brief introduction to what we were expecting going into this project we had a group chat on teams where Bailey had sent us a schedule and a script with around two lines since it was a suspense piece and relied more on our facial expressions and body language. 

On the teams group chat we were also given a cast list and information of the types of clothing each character would be wearing. I got 'Couple 2 man' and Rebecca got 'Couple 2 Woman' we were told to wear casual clothing. 

Wednesday 2nd November 2022

Today was the day we left for Whitby, when we arrived at the filming location we got tasked with getting into our groups and being told to have a look around so that the film students can see where they think it is best suitable to film a certain scene. Working with the schedule, my scene with Rebecca was supposed to be on the Thursday the 3rd but because it started raining heavy, our director decided to move onto doing all the scenes that were needing to be filmed inside the hostel, which was also mine and Rebecca's scene. Some of the scenes had already been filmed before the rain, so I made sure to stick with my group since I wanted to be there in case there was anything the film students needed help with or if they needed me and Rebecca in the background as we got told we were going to be in the background of the first scene where Charley and Delroy were walking up the stairs, but in the end they scrapped us being in background. The scenes filmed before the rain were the scene of the lobotomised women being lobotomised and, the whole chase scene where Alan's character chased down Charley while Sophia and Harley grabbed Delroy. When the rain started I had to quickly change my clothes into my outfit since I originally had it packed for the Thursday due to that's when the schedule said I would be filming. Our scene was us walking into shot underneath the main stairs of the hostel as Alan comes towards us and forcefully takes our bags off me and Rebecca and hands us our room key. There is no dialogue in the scene its focused more on how we react to Alan's abruptness with our facial expressions and body language.  

Thursday 3rd November 2022

Today I put my costume back on since I was told I was going to be in the background of the scene where Delroy and Charley walk up the stairs. The scene was about us arriving at the Abbey and hostel while Delroy and Charley notice one of the lobotomised women standing at the top staring at them as me and Rebecca were supposed to be in the background looking out at the view and taking photos, but in the end I asked one of the filmmakers what was happening and if we were going to be in the scene still, but we got told we wouldn't. 

What I learnt from this experience was what its like working on a film set that i'm not familiar with. Since it was pretty early into the year as well it also meant I was spending the night with people I would be with for a year (and some 2 years) meaning I had a chance to interact and get to know who the filmmakers are properly and get a feel like what the other actors are like.