Location
We decided to evaluate the different possible shooting locations around College, by judging the contributing factors such as lighting and space to see where the best places would be for us to shoot the different scenes for our title sequence. Here are the locations that we looked at:-
Corridors
The first corridors that we looked at were A Corridor and the S Corridor. These are two of the busiest corridors around College, and therefore it might not be practical for us to film in these locations. The top right picture is of B Corridor, which runs directly above A Corridor, and is a slightly quieter location. Therefore, if we wanted to film when the corridors were less busy then this would be a more practical option.
Outside
One of the first outdoor locations that we looked at were the Bus Bays. Depending on what time we went there, we could have the location as busy or quiet as we needed for our filming. At the times that the buses arrive, the area would be busier with students, which could be good for a more realistic effect.
The second outdoor location that we looked at was just outside the Media Block. here there is a quiet outdoor corridor and ramp, and the lighting is good. However, this may not fit with the best location to film our characters, as it doesn't really represent a school.
The last outdoor location that we considered was the Quad. Similar to with the Bus Bays, depending on what time we went here, it could be busy or quiet. At lunch time and break times the area is usually very busy with students, however during lesson time it is much quieter. This is one of the main social areas around College and therefore could provide a good representation of a school environment.
Classrooms
We also looked at a few classrooms to get an idea for possible shooting locations. The first one that we looked at was in the Languages area, which is a decidedly less busy subject meaning that the area is more likely to be free to film in than a Maths or English class for example. There are also minimal boards and posters on the walls in the frame that we would be shooting, so it could pass for a generic classroom and could be a good place to film.
The second classroom we looked at is much different to the first. It is in the Art Block and has a much more relaxed appearance, and the lighting is exceptionally good due to the windows and white walls. The classroom is also very open which could be practical, as we would have more room to film in and get a wider shot of the area.
Main Reception
When considering locations, we also looked at the Main Reception, as most schools have a reception of some sort and therefore this could be a good location to indicate that we are in a school. Also, if we filmed here during lesson time then it would be quiet, however if we wanted students in the shot for a more realistic appearance then we could film here during the start of the day or towards the end.
Lockers
Another good place where we could shoot is by the lockers around College. These particular lockers are at the end of A Corridor near Guidance, however the lighting isn't too great here. Lockers could be a good location to shoot because they are a very stereotypical aspect of schools, especially in existing American Children's TV Dramas, so we could consider filming around lockers in a different location around College where it is better lit.
Conservatory
We also looked at the Conservatory at College as a possible location. The lighting here is good due to the amount of windows, and it is a good example of a general social area for students. We could possibly use this as the location for our 'popular' characters, as they are most likely be in a more social environment.
Canteen
Another possible location we looked at was the Canteen. Again, the lighting is still quite good in here due to the large windows, and it is another good example of a social area around College. However, it could be difficult and impractical to film here as it is usually very busy. On the other hand, this could provide a sense of realisim for a social area.
Sports Hall/Ball Court
When carrying out our test shots, we considered using the entrance of the Sports Hall for our opening sequence, particularly as a location for our jock character, however when looking back at the test shots we concluded that the lighting wasn't too great and the area didn't look as 'sporty' as we would've liked.
After looking at our test shots again, we decided that the ball court upstairs in the Sports Hall might be a better location as it is slightly better lit and has a much 'sportier' vibe which fits well with the stereotype of our jock character.
Final Choices
For our final locations, we selected the ones that were not only the most practical in terms of availability and the quality of lighting, but also which would best suit the stereotypes of our characters. We chose the main corridor and a classroom as the two locations where our main character was seen, as we found that these locations were quite general and didn't fit into a specific stereotype which is an accurate representation of this character. For our alternative characters, we chose to set it outside in the Quad, as this is a good example of a social area where a diverse mix of characters can be found. Our popular characters were filmed in Costa which is one of the most sociable areas around College and therefore we thought it would best fit their characters, and finally the Ball Court above the Sports Hall was used for our jock, as the sporty yet social setting matched the personality of his character. For our 'geek' characters, we chose to film it in the library where the bookshelves are as this is very stereotypical of their characters and the windows meant that we had good lighting. When filming for our 'arty' character, we decided to use a large painting hung on the wall just out of shot in the above image of the art classroom, this allowed us to fully portray her creativity and personality through the use of a more visually dynamic location.
Library
One of the first places that we looked at in the Library was the 'study steps' in the entrance, as this is a realistic example of where students often study. The lighting was also quite good in this location due to the large windows and bright lights. However, this is quite a modern location and we thought that it may not match the stereotypical 'library' image that we wanted to fit wth our 'geek' characters.
We also looked at some of the upstairs study areas in the library, but once again, concluded that these didn't look quite as stereotypical for our characters. We decided that the best location for our 'geek' characters would be where the actual books are in the library, as it is more obvious and stereotypical which follows the conventions of existing stereotypes in children's TV shows.
