Production: Preparation and Technique

The set preparation of Stay Inside had been based on the process of balancing between the realistic messiness and technical considerations of filming a set. I took much of my time to set up the pizza box, the empty cups, and the sweet candies in order to make the living room look like a real hangout place between Jay and Marcus. This was to ensure that the couch became the centre of world to the characters just like in the classic Beavis and Butt-head arrangement in which everything the characters require is right at their reach. Just looking at it, one thinks that it is a complete mess, yet all the pieces of trash and even the remote location were chosen on purpose to demonstrate how unprepared these men are to the imminent crisis. 

The coordination of the shots which occur outside the house to create a feeling of isolation was one of the biggest challenges I had. I shot an extreme long shot of the scenery towards the entire house as an outsider to demonstrate the farthest aid could be. This was not easy since I needed to choose a place where I would capture the building in a position that reveals its vulnerability to nature. The tripod was necessary to make the frame stable and professional which assists in creating of that silent and spooky atmosphere before any activity proceeds inside the house. 

I also made an emphasis on POV shot when the person was an unknown walking towards the front door outside. It was a challenging method since I desire the action to be smooth but dangerous as the camera closes on the house. This is a standard thriller shot that leaves a frightening impact at first glance since the viewers look into the house as a potential invader.It compelled me to consider the speed with which I was walking, and how to position the entrance as the final destination of this enigmatic person and hold the camera stationary. 

When once within the house, an over the shoulder long shot was used to link the audience with Jay and Marcus on the couch. This angle not only allows us to see them in their relaxed positions but also leaves the rest of the disheveled room and the television visible. The tricky bit in this was to ensure that the lighting circle stick gave a sufficient radiance to resemble the television and at the same time, not overdo the scene too much. The effect of this shot is to emphasize their vulnerability since the audience can observe that there is a lot of space behind them and which seems to be even more threatening after you view the POV shot of someone literally going towards the house. 

One of the greatest sources that inspired this contrast between the exterior point of view and the interior safety lies in the movie The Strangers. That film assassinates it in displaying a house in the exterior via the eyes of the villains and thereafter cutting to the unsuspected group indoors. Attempts to create a similar effect of being observed constituted a significant part of my camera job in this session.Although I needed to do the POV walk a few times before I could master the movements, the extreme long shot with the over the shoulder view does go a great job in establishing the atmosphere of suspense I am trying to create with my Cambridge portfolio.