Behind the Scenes - Documentary Production Process

 This blog post (written by me, Beatrice) features images I captured and details the filming process for our documentary. It outlines the challenges my teammates and I faced during the filming process and the strategies we used to overcome them.

Day 1 - 22 August 2024

On this day, Regine decided to capture an establishing shot of the school for the opening scene. I was not present for this, as it was a straightforward shot that did not require additional assistance.

Day 2 - 23 August 2024 

On the second day of filming, it was the first time we worked together as a full team. We shot the nurse's interview scene and quickly realized we were somewhat underprepared, as we encountered a few challenges, such as the insufficient lighting that causes Aurel’s camera to lose focus intermittently, and we didn’t have a dedicated microphone for audio. To address this, we used Regine’s phone as a makeshift microphone and hid it it from  the view. We also decided that the lighting could be adjusted during post-production.

Despite these challenges, setting up the mise-en-scène and camera angles was relatively quick, as we had already envisioned the look through our storyboard. Initially, we planned for Ms. Laras to play the role, but she was unavailable due to teaching electives. Therefore Ms. Permata stepped in, delivering an outstanding performance and proving to be a pleasure to work with.

Day 3 - 30 August 2024

(image taken by Sharon)

On this day, we began filming the first investigator scene. I was unable to attend due to after-school classes but had contributed to pre-production discussions the day prior to ensure a smooth filming process. My teammates evaluated two locations— the laboratory and the classroom— and opted for the laboratory due to its superior lighting and more appropriate mise-en-scène, which enhanced the professional tone of the interview. Given the time constraints, we decided to split the shoot across multiple days to avoid compromising quality. The rest of the filming proceeded smoothly.

Day 4 - 02 September 2024

Interview scene with perpetrator's friend, with Devasya as the actor.

Re-enactment scene, with Regine as the actress.

On the fourth day, we filmed the perpetrator's friend's scene. Initially, we attempted to shoot the interview in the classroom, as outlined in the storyboard. However, we faced challenges with the lighting, which was too bright for the uneasy and tense atmosphere we aimed to create, and the sound echoed significantly. We tried to resolve the lighting issue by turning off the lights and relying on natural light from the curtains (one of which was broken), as well as adding flash from our phones. This proved difficult as there were only three of us during filming—Regine, the creative director, guiding the actor’s performance, Aurel as the cameramen, and myself managing the mise-en-scène and taking behind-the-scenes photos. I also had to hold the broken curtain to maintain consistent lighting, which limited my ability to capture production photos.

As a result, we decided to change the filming location to the corridor to see if it would yield better results. Since we filmed during dismissal, there were few distractions. We experimented with various camera angles and movements, such as profile shots, back shots, and zooms. This change proved beneficial, as it allowed us to conceal the phone used as a microphone from the camera’s view. Regine suggested opening the unlocked lockers to visually connote rebellion (representing the act of revenge) and symbolize a chaotic, poorly-managed school environment. We were satisfied with the results, though we will finalize the chosen scenes during the editing process.

Since we had extra time, we decided to film the re-enactment on the same day to stay on schedule. We shot this scene in front of the school’s clinic, as we wanted to depict the student being poisoned after leaving the clinic, making it easier for the audience to understand the narrative and cast suspicion on the nurse. We also filmed inside the clinic, where I acted as the perpetrator, tampering with the medicine. The process was efficient since the actresses were within our team, allowing us to communicate clearly and execute the scene exactly as envisioned.

Day 5 - 03 September 2024

We filmed the student's interview scene and the continuation of the investigator's scene on this day. Regine and Aurel decided to film the student's interview scene during their free time in P.E lesson hence I was unable to attend as we aren't in the same class. However, since the original actress, Kanaya, was unwell, we decided to replace her with our friend, Lana since we are getting very close to the deadlines. I was told that the filming process went smoothly aside from the loud background noise. 

We continued filming the investigator's scene during dismissal, though we were limited to 10 minutes due to Mr. Bram's meeting schedule. Despite the time constraint, the shoot proceeded smoothly, with the only challenge being the need to work quickly. Regine, as the creative director, provided clear guidance to Mr. Bram on how we wanted the lines delivered. His cooperation and ability to take direction effectively contributed to the overall efficiency of the production.