Footprints: In Somerset |
Footprints: In Somerset - The making of... Pre Production
Within a few weeks of starting the project I presented the idea to three friends whom I knew to be interested in working in front of the camera. Jack Fitzgerald, Tom Quinney and Matt Nolan all readily agreed to experience Somerset life on behalf of our viewers. In October 2003 Robin Stangroom joined the team as a co-producer, bringing with him more ideas to add to the mix. As the basis of the programme formed it became clear that a pilot would be needed to give us some idea of how the project would work on location and what it might look like on screen, so in February 2004 we shot Footprints: In Leek Wootton. Over the ensuing months we sent out release forms, sent out quote requests and production queries; I researched the equipment and processes involved in making a broadcast quality programme and I had regular meetings with the cast and ever growing crew. Daniel 'Taylor' Chesterton, our production assistant from Footprints: In Leek Wootton, joined the team again, along with my mum, Althea, and brother, Nick. We also enlisted Rachael Pashley, who started out as our costume designer but was soon dragged in as a full production assistant as well! By the end of July 2004 the bullet-point script was finished; we had permission to film at every location and Robin and I had stayed up to all hours fine-tuning the details of the production schedule.
On 24th August 2004 the cast and production crew of Footprints: In Somerset arrived on location. I'd never done anything on this scale before: my film ventures in the past were much less ambitious, consisting of films designed to be a record of an event or a number of stills packaged up and put to music. Footprints saw me directing a cast and crew of nine, visiting more than fifteen locations, and spending a budget financed entirely from my own pocket! I quickly had to learn to get the most out of the cast and crew, all of whom turned out to be fantastic to work with; always focused, hilariously funny, full of brilliant ideas and never unwilling to lend a hand whenever they could. By the end of the shoot Jack, Matt and Tom were rigging their own radio microphones, improvising to camera and managing shots in fewer than eight takes! Robin had banned me from navigating and we subsequently arrived at locations in half the time! Rachael and Althea had recorded the contents of every one of the 511 shots and numerous takes onto dozens of sheets of paper, all cross-referenced and summarised; Nick had fed the entire cast and production crew on many occasions and had 'marked' every shot with the indispensable clapper-board. Rachael had provided Matt with a incredible range of costumes; Robin and Althea had ensured that release forms were correctly completed and signed. And Taylor had carried, shifted, carted, set up and packed away again the contents of every bag, box and case we had! We left Somerset late on Sunday night, an exhilarating yet exhausting five days behind us, but there was still a very long way to go.
Finding an editor was next on my agenda and after a long search I asked Patrick Holroyd to come on board. He promptly sat down and in one week reviewed, imported and converted over 32 hours of footage! Over the next couple of months he cut together the Matt Cam Edit, the Trailer and the Outtakes. Then I stepped in and made his life a lot more difficult. Firstly I customised, to fit within the structure of the Footprints I had imagined, the work he had done so far. I then sat with him and directed practically every cut in sound and vision, sometimes even down to an individual frame! As I came up with ideas for ever more complex sequences Patrick never failed to meet the challenge. When we came to choosing the music for the film we looked to artists around the world and with the kind permission of each copyright holder we have been able to put together a fantastic soundtrack. After three months of extreme highs and lows the editing process was complete and the final stages had arrived. For DVD authoring I turned to Seb Apostol, a friend with the skills and equipment needed to build a menu system (made to my rather exact specifications), place the various programmes behind it, and then seal it together by burning it all onto disk. The Future As I write, sat here in Nottingham on 12th January 2005, I am preparing to present the finished product to the entire cast and crew; fourteen of us will meet in just a few days' time to attend a screening of the full DVD and to view the website, posters and the cover artwork. Where Footprints: In Somerset will go from here is anyone's guess, the road ahead may be long and uncertain but if there's one quote that has both comforted and inspired me on this journey, and which will continue to do so, then it's this:
You can see more photos from behind the scenes of Footprints: In Somerset in the gallery. Updates
On Thursday 27th October 2005 members of the Wild Duck Productions team were back in Wells welcoming all those from Somerset who were involved in the making of Footprints: In Somerset, to an exclusive showing of the programme. Along with a screening the producer, Robin Stangroom and producer/director Tom Pearson took part in a question and answer session with the contributers. It was a fantastic night. 30/11/05: Extra! Extra! Read all about it! This afternoon producer Robin Stangroom and producer/director Tom Pearson attended a photo shoot with a photographer from the Leamington Spa Courier for an article they're doing about Footprints: In Somerset in this Friday's (2nd December 05) edition of the paper. Robin: "We haven't yet seen the photo (suffice to say we're sat under a brolly holding the DVD) so please be kind if we look awful!" 13/12/05: Snapping them up Producer/director Tom Pearson: "I hope you got a chance to read the almost full page piece in the Leamington Spa Courier, The Kenilworth Weekly News and others last week. Robin did warn that we are not the most photogenic of people... and it's obvious now that branded umbrellas do little to help the situation... especially when we appear to be cuddled up beneath one…. but we now have a chance to redeem ourselves, tomorrow, this time with the Observer Standard Group we'll be posing for a picture for an article they're putting together for next week's edition... so wish us luck!" 15/02/06: Essential Footprints: Quotes The series director Tom Pearson, now aged 20, says, The Footprints: In... series was always designed to change the way people think about television. By combining a number of techniques usually found in reality, travel and documentary shows we have created something that captures the imagination of all ages, thus creating the perfect family show. - Taken from the Wild Duck Productions Press Release dated 05/12/06 16/02/06: Ben Heap - Footprints Producer/director Tom Pearson: "As many of you will know we tease the audience with Ben Heap's track 'Footprints' throughout Footprints: In Somerset and used as a closing theme during the final scenes and credits. The use of his track in our programme has been kindly mentioned on his website, just click the link marked NEWS. It's a beautiful track and we all have it on our MP3 players and in our cars. We wish Ben every success with his music in the future." |
In May 2003 I had the first idea for what was to become Footprints: In... It would be a programme following a group of teenagers as they visited places they might not typically visit. Over the next couple of months I put the idea together; I knew Somerset well so it was an obvious choice for a location, and together with my girlfriend, Davina Hughes, I began researching the cities, towns, attractions and indeed the culture of the county. Having worked in the area for a number of years my dad, Brian, was able to add to our research and provide me with several useful contacts. Slowly the framework of a possible itinerary began to take shape. 
On Location 
Post Production 
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