Baiyu Gao

My story idea is to create a 360 video about apple-picking in Beak & Skiff Apple Hill Campus. I had been there on Saturday and I really enjoyed my time picking apples, walking around in the farm, drinking cider and shopping in the apple barn. This place is 18 miles away from our campus, so we need to drive about 25 minutes. But it is worthwhile! When I arrived there, I felt like I was entering to another world and when I started picking apples I suddenly forgot all the troubles.

THE SCENE

The scene will take place in a large open space in the farm. Because this is only one scene, I want to show the audience a general picture of apple picking instead of shooting some apple-picking details. Base on that consideration, I don’t expect there would be any movement for camera, but there might be a lot of movement of people. Both the movement and the subjects are not too close to the camera. Camera should be set at an average human height of between 5’4 and 5’10, and placed in the middle of two rows of apple trees and 5 meters away from the benches, which located between every two rows. Then the camera can catch the movement of people who are picking apples as well as the movement of people who are sitting on the benches and tasting the apples.

LIGHTING

The filming should be done outside during the daylight. Sunny days are better for that we may even see some soft and beautiful reflection of light on apples and leaves.

AUDIO

I want to record a family of apple pickers’ conversation. I may also record the local farmer’s introduction about apples.

EXPERIENCE

I hope to bring the happiness of harvest and the feeling of relaxation to my audiences and those who can’t go there. I want them to immerse in the experience of standing on the soft land, watching the big red apples, hearing the laughter of other apple pickers and enjoying the nature. The most compelling aspect is that every apple picker looks so happy and the audience will be surrounded by laughter. Also, most of the apple pickers come with their family members. Parents are busy introducing the species of apples to their children, and children are running back and forth to find the biggest apple. The scenery is lovely. Everyone should experience his because they may not have free time to drive a long way to the farms and they may lose the opportunity of being so close to the nature. I think other people will enjoy being in the particular place and time because no one really hates nature (I guess). But those who born in the farm and have been working in the farm may avoid this experience, for that everything is too familiar for them, the experience I bring is their daily life, and they don’t want to and don’t need to experience that again in the virtual reality.

STORY DISCOVERY

A family will be the protagonists in this story. It’s a non-fiction. No problem exists. The movement of the family members may move the story forward. For example, audience may want to follow the children to find the biggest apple. If any audiovisual anchors exist, I think that is people’s laughter and conversations.

WHERE IS MY HEAD

The experiencer is standing. They are surrounded by apple pickers and apple trees. They should think they are watching others picking apples and they also want to pick apples by themselves.  I won’t be in the scene, instead, there could be a farmer standing there, introducing the knowledge of apples.

SAFETY

I may be hiding behind an apple tree and keeping an eye on my equipment to make sure it is safe. There are also some farm managers walking around, and if I tell them what we are doing, I think they can help us to keep our equipment safe. I think we will be allowed to do vr shooting in the farm.