Reflection on the Film All Their Tears

In the first-semester film project All Their Tears, I worked as a producer. Although this was
not my first time producing a short film, the project presented new challenges that gave me
opportunities to grow and gain valuable experience.

Initial Impressions and Team Dynamics

When we first received the script, we felt slightly disappointed. The story seemed too simple:
two characters walk into a cemetery, talk to the tombstones, and leave. There didn’t seem to
be much room for creativity. However, brainstorming creative approaches—such as having
one actor play dual roles—quickly reignited our enthusiasm, we began to see the script’s
potential. Within the first week, we developed the production schedule and began
pre-production tasks, including meeting the writer, script adjustments, preparing for casting,
location scouting, and art designing.

Our team’s atmosphere was very harmonious. Everyone was supportive, responsible, and
efficient in their respective roles. We communicated openly, which helped keep the workflow
smooth. However, I did encounter some problems during the preparation process.

Location Scouting: Success and Missteps

Finding the right location was both a rewarding and frustrating process. The script required an
American-style cemetery to reflect the backdrop of a school shooting. I researched several
options using Google Maps and visited Highgate Cemetery and West Norwood Cemetery
during the weekend. Unfortunately, both had distinctly British designs, which didn’t align
with our needs.

Luckily, with Ray’s help, we got in touch with Jordans Quaker Centre, which had an
American-style burial area. After several rounds of communication, I got permission to use
the location for free. However, a miscommunication caused setbacks. During location
scouting, of the two cemeteries in the Jordans, we had the large cemetery as our preferred
location, and designed the actors and camera positions, assuming we could shoot there as long
as we avoided capturing tombstone inscriptions. Only on the day before the shoot did I learn
from our contact, Nina, that we couldn’t film in the larger area at all.

This miscommunication forced us to move the shoot to the smaller cemetery at the last minute.
While the director and cinematographer quickly adapted, the change significantly impacted
the visual quality of the film.

In the future, I’ll ensure backup plans are in place and double-check all details with
collaborators to avoid such issues.

Budget Management: Prioritizing Safety but Missing Flexibility

Budget management was another key challenge during this project. Because the location was
far from campus, transporting equipment via public transport posed risks such as damage or
loss. After comparing various options—including trains, taxis, and vehicle rentals—we
decided to rent a small van to ensure the equipment’s safety. However, since the filming day
was a Saturday, the van rental had to span two days due to weekend policies. This
significantly increased the cost. We also purchased full insurance to cover potential accidents,
bringing the total cost of car rental to £184.27.

While the decision to rent the van prioritized safety, I later realized we could have reduced
expenses with better planning. For instance, if we had discussed rescheduling the shoot to a
weekday with our instructor, the rental cost could have been halved. The money saved could
have been used to improve props, costumes, or other production elements.

This experience taught me the importance of balancing safety, efficiency, and flexibility when
managing budgets. When thinking about problem solving, I should also consider creative
solutions to allocate resources more efficiently.

Team Collaboration: Strengths and Areas to Improve

Throughout the project, I worked hard to ensure clear communication and task delegation
within the team. Each task, such as creating equipment lists, developing art plans, or
preparing shot lists, was assigned to specific team members with deadlines. This helped keep
the production organized and efficient. I also coordinated group activities, such as equipment
pickups and location visits, by clearly outlining schedules and responsibilities in our project
group chat.

However, I could improve in detail management. For example, while I regularly checked in
with the art department about their progress, but after I got the reply of ‘everything is fine’, I
didn’t confirm the status of individual props. As a result, I only saw the props for the first
time on the filming day, leaving no time to make adjustments.

Additionally, on the filming day, I also take on the role of DIT due to limitations in the
number of people allowed on-site, which meant that I wasn't able to be on set outdoors for the
entire shoot, and had to go back indoors a lot to make copies of the footage. Although the 1st
AD managed the schedule well, I felt uneasy as a producer not being fully present on set. In
the future, I will delegate secondary tasks to others and focus on my primary responsibilities
to ensure the production runs smoothly.

Team Culture Reflection

We were the second of seven groups to shoot in the first semester, and the shoot went very
smoothly, we didn't have any major problems except for a bit of rain on the first day. But after
helping out in the other groups, and through comparison, I began to see the strengths and
equally the things we could improve on in our group: too much harmony.

Our team’s harmonious atmosphere was one of its greatest strengths. Everyone was
supportive and willing to contribute their best efforts. However, this overly “polite” dynamic
also highlighted a significant weakness: we rarely challenged each other’s ideas. Instead of
engaging in debates or offering alternative perspectives, we simply completed our assigned
tasks.
This lack of creative friction limited our ability to explore more innovative solutions. I
realized that filmmaking is a collaborative art form that thrives on the exchange and clash of
ideas. True teamwork requires not only cooperation but also constructive criticism and open
discussion. In future projects, I plan to be more proactive in sharing my opinions and
encouraging others to do the same, balancing collaboration with a pursuit of creative
excellence.

Personal Growth and Technical Shortcomings

This project helped me know myself better - as a producer, I know how to maintain a
structured workflow and foster a positive team environment. However, I also realized that I
tend to focus too much on ensuring smooth processes rather than striving for the best possible
outcome.

Another area for improvement is my technical knowledge. My limited understanding of

cinematography, lighting, and post-production made it challenging to coordinate these aspects
effectively. To address this, I plan to invest more time in learning about these areas so that I
can better support my team in future projects, especially better schedule the collaboration
between editing, colour grading and sound.

Unexpected Gains and Future Inspirations

Despite the challenges, the project yielded some unexpected rewards. For example, the traffic
noise that frustrated us during filming was later incorporated into the soundtrack as ambient
sound, enhancing the emotional tone of the film. This experience demonstrated the
importance of adaptability and creative problem-solving.

Looking back, I am proud of what our team accomplished. While we encountered setbacks
and made mistakes, these experiences provided valuable lessons that will undoubtedly shape
my approach to future projects. I believe every challenge we faced has contributed to my
growth as a producer and will serve as a foundation for even better work in the future.