TRANSITION: Props for the Set

As we have challenged ourselves and have planned to shoot in a vet waiting room / surgery, we need to aim for a real-life vet setting. We can do this by using props to help bring the atmosphere of a vets to life, props such as tables and chairs, leaflets and posters for the waiting room and the vets clothes (scrubs, stethoscope, gloves) and fake blood for the vets surgery. The props are essential to make the whole mockumentary work and to bring the humour out, this will also help with the actors we cast but the locations and props will be a big help. 

I picked up some leaflets for the waiting room from Pets at Home:

These will be appropriate for the test shoot tomorrow (1st May) and I will also see if we could do with more leaflets. We want to use some for the waiting room table, and I thought about a notice board to put some up on the wall also. This will accompany posters that Katie is looking for / making. 

One of the leaflets I picked up was about what to do once a pet has passed away. I thought this would be a good leaflet for the vet to give to the owner at the end of the film once he has butchered the poor animal. We also thought about covering it in fake blood as the vet will be covered in the blood also, this should add to the humour of the scene as the owner will be disgusted about the blood over the vet and the leaflet. 

Katie's posters



Katie found these online and some included pet insurance and flee prevention methods, these were very appropriate for a vet setting. She also included one about the anatomy of the cow as our mockumentary features a lot of humour surrounding cows, therefore we wanted the set to show the cow obsession as well. 

Alex, Katie and I went shopping for a few extra bits for the set. We were primarily looking for cow toys / ornaments to display. We found a pack of two mini cows but this was all - these will act as a good cutaway. Additionally, we picked up a small notice board to pin my leaflets on for the wall. 

Alex also thought to bring a dog carrier for the corner of shots so it looks as if there are other patients in the waiting room. As the editor, I can add in a chatty ambiance for the background of the waiting room shots, again helping the viewer think there are more owners and pets in the vets. 


Vet props
As we are focusing our mockumentary around a doctor, we need the actor to look like a doctor otherwise this won't come across in the film. This means wearing scrubs, gloves, having a stethoscope, glasses, operating tools, a mask and other small bits, but these will all add to the authenticity of the vet setting. Alex found and brought these online.