Cinders tech test weekend and get together

Last weekend (August 1/2) Backyard Productions had the first tech test weekend for the Cinders project. It was an opportunity for many of the cast and crew to meet and get to know each other. The focus of the weekend was on testing of costumes, filming techniques and set pieces. Also, fun was had acting out a selection of scenes from the script. The actors gave interesting slants on the characters, which gave Mark and Sue (the script writers) food for thought.

The weekend was spent at the TV studio at Lincoln University. It’s a fantastic facility. Ed (BYP’s design director) loved the big blue screen curtains. There is also a smaller studio next door with 360 degree blue screen that could give lots of flexibility.

This is the first time Backyard Productions has worked with professional actors, and it was certainly exciting to see what we can achieve. Everyone was blown away by the performances given by the actors. This project is much more story and character centric than previous projects. Based on the performances over the weekend, BYP and the Cinders team will have no trouble moving audiences through a medley of emotions.

BYP’s tech experts have plenty of footage to try visual effects on and find the best ways to produce the Pantomime look and feel in a movie. Further tech weekends will allow Ed, Jon, Nick and the rest of the graphics and filming gang to refine filming techniques to be able to produce immersive effects.

Caroline (the costumes lady) got all the actors and extras dressed up. She’s cataloged all the costumes we’ve loaned from RAFTA. Big thanks to them! Working with Ed, she’s started putting together full costumes for the lead characters and is planning what else we need to borrow, steal and produce.

The next weekend is planned to be in a couple of weeks. The focus will be on set and prop building. To find out details and get involved in the project, contact us here.

Ed made a timelapse video of the weekend’s activities, which shows the bustle of of people and activity in the fantastic studio over the course of the weekend:

And here’s a taster of a the Ballroom scene test with our Prince (James) and our Cinderella (Tiffany):