The reduced risk of the following incidents contributed to the productive and efficient day of filming:
- Trailing Cables - This is always a risk when working with technology. Being aware of this risk and acting accordingly meant nobody was injured or hurt whilst filming in an area where cables were laying around. The use of tape and cable protectors kept all wires organised and safe.
- Electrical Fire/Shock - Fortunately, the majority of footage use din the final edit was filmed outside and in the city, rather than in a studio. This meant there was a very minimal chance of an electrical fire or electric shock. However at points where plugs were needed I ensured I used modern extension leads that have low risk of causing fire due to overwhelming with plugs.
- Overheating Studio Lights - As previously mentioned, the majority of my film shoot was outside, and therefore the use of studio lighting was not needed. As a consequence of this I did not have to worry about this risk throughout the day. However my photography shoot for unit 14 will require studio lighting, in which should be turned off when not needed to save electricity and prevent overheating.
- Broken Camera Equipment - This was one of the largest risks throughout the film shoot. Especially as I had a large quantity of equipment, whilst directing an actress alone. As a consequence of this I had to be extremely aware of all equipment and where it was placed for the duration of the shoot, ensuring that there was very little risk of damage through carelessness. It was not left lying around or visible to public when not in use, and I was in control of the camera and tripod at the appropriate times, meaning no equipment was damaged or broken.
Whilst filming in London, there was a vast range of hazards that could have possibly taken place throughout the day, therefore it was essential that I took great care at all times, completing every shot safely and efficiently, avoiding risks and hazards at all costs. In order to follow safe working practise, firstly I completed a Recce, in which I gathered information about local areas I was filming in, and familiarised myself with the surroundings. Additionally, I kept organised with the filming and kept out of the general public's way, and carefully placed equipment close to myself at all times, avoiding risk of loss or stolen items.
Below shows a clip from the final production. It is clear that the running surface is wet from rain throughout the day. This was another drawback when filming, as the rain was not suitable to run in on most occasions, and therefore when the rain had stopped it left a more slippery surface for running, meaning myself and the actress had to be extremely careful whilst filming these scenes, as well as wearing appropriate footwear (trainers) to reduce risk of slipping or falling.
Risks
Cars on the road - A large risk involved with filming in the city of London is the vast number of drivers and commuters that pass through the streets. As the film takes places in various boroughs and locations within the city, it involved traveling along streets and additionally filming (and running) through along the pavements next to roads. In this case, there was always a risk of a car crash or situation in which could not be prevented by myself or the actress. As this hazard was out of our control, we ensure we stayed aware throughout the day and did not put ourselves in danger through being irresponsible. We avoided busy streets and abided by general traffic and crossing rules, e.g waiting for red light and a signal to cross.
Loss of Equipment / Stolen Equipment - The use of expensive filming equipment involves a risk of damage, loss or the equipment being stolen. In order to avoid this risk I must be fully aware of surroundings at all time, keeping equipment close by and simply not forgetting to pick it up. Additionally the equipment can get damaged. On the day of filming it began to rain heavily for an hour, but in order to get shots completed we continued. Rather than leave equipment unprotected, all lenses and charging equipment were stored in a Canon carry bag, protected by a larger plastic bag in order to keep it safe and dry, and the camera body when filming was covered by an umbrella attached to a tripod or in some cases, myself holding it in one hand. This ensured all equipment was protected from getting water damage.
Finally, throughout the day the equipment was either being operated, or kept close by and discreetly packaged, in order to reduce the risk of thieves being tempted to steal any of the equipment. I did not leave lenses or the camera on show when they were not needed.
Setting Up of Tripod / Equipment - When operating filming gear, there will always be a risk of falling or tripping. For example, if a tripod is incorrectly set up and one leg is shorter than the others, it may fall and be damaged, or injure myself, actress or a member of the public. In order to avoid this risk I assured all equipment was set up correctly and efficiently every time, and also avoiding busy streets in which may increase the risk of someone tripping or colliding with myself or camera gear, as well as the actress running.
Filming - In some cases when filming, members of the public ma acknowledge that you have by coincidence filmed them as they walked along the street, in most cases unintentionally. However some members of the public may be unhappy with being filmed and demand the clip is deleted, or become violent due to the fact they have been filmed. Although this risk is very rare and unlikely, it is still best to try and avoid filming individuals who have no involvement with the film, unless you are filming large crowds where this goes unnoticed. If anyone is unhappy with themselves being caught on camera, simply agree to stop filming and allow them to carry on with their day.
RISK ASSESSMENT - http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg360.pdf
What is risk assessment?
Risk assessment is a careful examination of what could cause harm to people, so the production company/producer can weigh up whether adequate preventive or control measures have been taken or more should be done to prevent harm and to ensure that minimum legal standards are met.
You need to determine whether there are any significant hazards involved with the production activity and whether sufficient precautions have been taken to reduce the risk.A hazard is something that can cause harm, eg chemicals, electricity, noise, work at height, loose cables. A risk is the chance that somebody will be harmed by the hazard, usually classified as high, medium or low.
Who should do risk assessment?
A competent person, who has knowledge, experience and understanding of the task or activity under assessment, should carry out the risk assessment.
If special technical knowledge is required, more than one person may be required, including someone who has the necessary competence in the particular activity, eg stunts, special effects, flying, animals, set design.
The producer is responsible for ensuring that risk assessments are completed for their productions. In practice, they may delegate risk assessment to other people, such as production managers, designers, heads of departments, the location manager or the unit manager.
In this case, the producer must ensure that:
● the person delegated is competent to perform the assessment, if
necessary, by providing training in risk assessment procedures or
other aspects of health and safety;
● the assessment is carried out;
● necessary controls are implemented effectively throughout the
production;
● the assessment is reviewed where changes or new circumstances have made the original assessment no longer valid.
For small-scale productions in low-risk situations, eg those involving a single camera or small crews, it is likely that the assessment can be carried out by the crew on the ground. The production company/producer must ensure that crew working on this style of production have the necessary
competence to perform risk assessment and implement effective controls.
In the case of ‘non-production’ activities, the responsibility for assessment rests with the departmental manager. Again, they are likely to delegate the assessment to others but will still retain the responsibility for ensuring that those to whom they delegate are competent to perform the assessment, that the assessment is carried out and the necessary controls are implemented
effectively and reviewed.
How do I carry out a risk assessment?
There are five simple steps in risk assessment:
Step 1 Look for hazards
Don’t get bogged down with trivial hazards; concentrate on those posing a
significant risk of injury or harm.
Step 2 Decide who might be harmed and how
Think about who may be affected and those who are particularly at risk.
Step 3 Evaluate the risk
Consider the chance and severity of harm that each hazard may cause, taking existing control measures into account.
Judge whether an actual risk (high, medium or low) is likely from the identified hazard. Determine the necessary control measures using the following hierarchy of approach:
● avoid the risk completely; but if this is not possible
●reduce the risk to acceptable levels;
● provide training and instruction, and personal protective equipment if the risks cannot be controlled in any other way;
● reduce risk at source by developing safe systems of working, giving
collective measures priority.
Step 4 Record the significant findings
The significant findings of the risk assessment should be recorded and communicated to those people who may be affected. In practice, this means ensuring that the production team and any contractors are informed of the significant hazards, the likely risks and the required control measures. Keep
a record for future reference, it will help to demonstrate compliance with legal duties. The legal requirement to record findings applies if five or more people are employed but smaller companies are recommended to record details in order to show that they have carried out risk assessment.
Step 5 Review and revise your risk assessment
New hazards can be introduced if there is any significant change in the
activity, equipment, substances or procedures. Risk assessments should be
revised following any significant change or when they become out of date. If
there have been no changes, the assessment should be reviewed at least once
every three years to ensure that the precautions are still working effectively.
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