Unfortunately, the vision mixing desk wasn't working properly which meant that we couldn't connect the cameras to the system or cut from the different shots. So instead we all worked on the studio floor.
Since Round 1 and Round 2 have the same blocking, we decided to move straight onto Round 3 and work out how that would be shot.
Before that we marked out the set with tape with the right measurements so we knew how big it would be and where to place everything.
We used the set out I had already planned, but we realised there was a flaw with the table. If the contestants were sat on either side of the table, the angles wouldn't be very good for the cameras and the audience. Instead of them standing either side, Del suggested we have two separate tables for the contestants and have them stood at an angle.
I liked this idea, however we would have to find two tables of the same size. Originally we were going to use a table from the set design people, but we found two bar type tables that would work quite well. We also decided that they would be stood up instead of sat down, just to make it easier for them to reach the pie face machines.
We had the games with us so we set them up and had Del and Nisserin as stand ins to help us see what it would look like. We then decided to move the hosts podium into the middle of the two tables so the spinner, which we are now using within the game, has a place to go.Josh will contact the set design team and ask them to make a spinner for the show.
We were also discussing the problem of ponchos and the cream melting and the microphones and the clean up, and everything based around that subject. We have decided that having something like an apron or a bib would be a good idea and also having towels on hand so when they do get splat in the face with cream, they can clean their face temporarily.
Then once we blocked out Round 3, we blocked out Round 4 with the new prop. Last week, in rehearsals, Josh pointed out that Round 4 wasn't very fair so he has changed it slightly. There was a lot of discussion as to whether having the two contestants on set at the same time was a good idea. It has been decided that the two contestants will take it in turns to do the line up, and the person with the most points at the end of Round 3 will go first. The other contestant will be behind the set with headphones in so they can't hear anything, then the two contestants will switch and vice versa.
This layout works a lot better and it's fair for the contestants. The contestant that gets the most films right will win 10 bonus points and then whoever has the most points will win the show.
Then once the vision mixing desk started working, Laura went into the gallery, I went on talk back and got her to cut from the different shots from out on the studio floor. We could see how the shots looked on the monitor and how well they would cut together.
Being sat on the studio floor and seeing the blocking of the show was a good idea as I was able to see what it would look like on the studio and work out any blocking problems. If I was in the gallery I wouldn't be able to do this, so it was really useful. With all the problems sorted out and worked through, we went for lunch.
After lunch we went back to our usual set up, myself and others being in the gallery and everyone else on the floor, and we did a run-through. We started from the beginning of what we did last week and kept going until I felt like we should stop.
Similar to last week, I didn't feel like I was doing a good job of directing the show and I definitely felt quite a lot of pressure, however I tried to keep myself focused on the job and made sure to write any notes down that I would need to remember.
There was also a slight issue in regards to talk back. As I asked the floor manager something or the camera operators, or gave them directions, I wasn't getting any responses. This meant that I had no clue as to whether they were doing what I had asked or not, unless I looked at the screens. I would have to assume that they were doing something, which as a director I should never do.
Del suggested to me that I call them by their first names, which would create more of a response as that was what was needed. I tried this and it did seem to work, but there still wasn't that much improvement. This is something that we can improve on for next week.
There were also times where I would ask if the floor was ready and the response was no. Usually I would wait until they were all clear to go, but we had got to a point where we were running out of time, and we could carry on without a certain camera or other things along those lines.
To improve this I think it would be useful if the floor manager told me what was going on and why they weren't ready so I could make the decision whether to carry on or not.
After taking a break from rehearsals, I felt a lot more confident and realised that, as the director, I needed to always have a happy and brave face on. My mood affected the mood of everyone else in the gallery and the studio floor, so I had to make sure to stay positive so everyone else did too.
This is something that I will work on for next week, but after the break I felt a lot better. I stayed positive throughout the run-through and it definitely showed throughout the work we produced.
Next week we have our host in for the first time, and I think that we are prepared for it. We know the different shot types that each camera are doing and we all feel confident with where we at with the show. We managed to rehearse the whole show quite a few times today, which was our aim, and I'm feeling more confident about everyones jobs. There are still a few things that I need to work on in terms of remembering things and being more positive, but within time I know I'll feel better about these problems.
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