Filming Day 1: Disaster

I have just returned home from my first 'day' of filming. It wasn't a day, it was around 2 hours. First of all we went to film the split screen scene. I had planned to film this on Thursday but we had time until we could get into the location for the opening and closing scenes in the cafe.

This was a challenge, we couldn't get the split screen to stand up. We fixed this by having Harry (who isn't in this scene) hold the top of it steady out of shot. The idea of the scene was the characters were doing things in synchronised while it looks like they are in separate locations but it is revealed they are at the same place. Getting them to perform tasks at the same time took some practise but we got it to work. Then, another character was meant to remove the split screen, breaking the fourth wall. This didn't look right as their head was out of shot. Instead the partition falls down.

Then we filmed shots 21-36, the running scene. This worked well and I didn't need to change anything.

Here's a taster.

 Then the time came to go to the cafe. We arrived at 11.30 and it was meant to be open at 1, but it was shut. I rang the number to the establishment and there was no answer. We hung around for a while and came back but still approaching 12.30 it wasn't open and their was still no answer on the phone. This messed up my days plans. We looked around town for another cafe we could film in. It needed to be independently owned as big corporations tend not to let you film. We found one and got permission, but it wasn't right. The layout didn't allow for the shots I had storyboarded. In the end I decided not to film their but wait until I could get in contact with the owners of my original location.

The bad news didn't end there. One of my actors had to leave to be somewhere else. This prevented me getting any other filming done.

So, overall a bad day. It's just a good thing I had scheduled to film another day as well. I will get in contact with So Bar before then to clarify they will be open. I have also spoken to my actors to make sure they are free all day.

Prop Preperation

During shots 67 - 80 the characters are at a train station. The guy uses signs to communicate with the girl from across the tracks. This is my take on the scene from Love Actually (2003, Richard Curtis). For this I need to make the signs for the main character to use.

The message will be split up into several parts so he can reveal it bit by bit. This way, what he is saying will be clear and it also add an element of humour. For example it builds a certain suspense when the audience and the girls is expecting a marriage proposal only to be asked for money.  I am referencing to him asking for money not only to get home, but a chocolate bar simply because he fancies one.

The signs will say...
Hello
I have a question
Would you
Make me
The happiest man alive...
Will you...
Lend me £6?
I need it for a taxi.
And maybe a Twix.

To make these I am simply using a cartridge paper sketch pad. This was the paper is thick and will keep flat in the pad so it doesn't get ruined.

 I originally planned to write the letters in lower case but after testing it I think that they look clearer in all upper case. To make sure it looked ok I wrote each sign with pencil then went over it with a thick black pen. That way each sign would be a good fit to the page.


And and an hour and a half later I'm done.

I should be filming this scene on Monday. 

Further film poster experimentation

I have put together my poster again, this time in the right size. I am fairly happy with how it looks. I like the photo, it's like Jacob is looking at his daydream similar to how he does/will in the film. I don't know if I prefer Jacobs head falling behind the thought bubble of how it was in my previous draft (underneath the thought bubble); this is something I could ask my audience. I need to retake the photo at a higher quality and I still need to decide on a font for the title. I have tested out several potential fonts and whittled it down to these:

Brain flower

Cafe & Brewery 

Dandelion in the spring

I will conduct some audience research and get some opinions on my poster.

I think I definitely want 'Coffee' in this font, it is called 'Kenyan Coffee'. I like it as it is reminiscent of the font used by Starbucks. The font I am using for the billing block looks the same as used that in most posters, it is a convention I have chosen to stick to.

What's next?

Filming commences in three days! I need to make sure all my props are ready. 

Filming: Equipment

I will be using several different pieces of equipment when filming to ensure my footage is of the highest quality possible for me to achieve.

Camera

I will be using my own video camera to capture the footage. It is a Sony Handycam. I have unlimited access to it and don't need to worry about returning it to anyone. Equally it doesn't matter as much if I scratch it or damage it in anyway (not that I plan to). I also have experience with this camera, I know how to work it (which is definitely a bonus). Unfortunately is doesn't record in high definition but overall it isn't a bad camera. 

Tripod 

My tripod is really basic but it serves its purpose. The tripod allows me to create steady shots with no unintentional camera movement. Similarly this will help me create smooth (intentional) movements during panning shots.  Nearly all of my fillming will be done using a tripod. The only exceptions are the spinning shots during which the actors will holding the camera to ensure it is tracked onto their faces whilst spinning. The other exception is during the tracking shot. Ideally I would to use a proper track for these shots but a major constraint on my film is budget and I can't afford such equipment. So, instead I will use my steadycam.  

Steadycam

I think this device is really clever. The one I will be using is a Lensse Steadycam. To use it I just screw the camera into place, similar to the foot that attaches to a tripod. The weight of the camera is counterbalanced by the weights on the bottom. The handle rotates freely at its join which allows the users hand to move but the camera stays still. I invested in this earlier in the year and it's proved to be excellent so far.

Rough film poster attempt

My film poster will be created using the picture editing software Photoshop. I have never used this program before so I thought it would be a good idea to have a go on it to familiarise myself rather than waiting until we need to produce the poster. Once I opened the program it was clear I had made a sensible decision. Photoshop, I discovered, might as well be written in a different language. It could take some time for me to get to grips with it.

Luckily, I had a friend on hand to provide me with some rough instructions. After a while I kind of got the hang of it and managed to mock up this poster.

I used a photo I took of Jacob using my iPhone and put it into Photoshop. Looking back the photo was bad quality: it is the wrong size meaning I can't now get this poster to A4 without it being blurry. Also Jacob's right eye appears to be wandering off in it's own direction. I definitely need to re-take it. After removing the background and replacing it with plain white I found this thought bubble shape and applied it to the picture using a new layer. This ensured I didn't accidentally alter the previous image.

 I moved the bottom two clouds of the thought bubble by isolating them from the main cloud. Here I also added the thicker shaded outline to the clouds and also the texture. I though it was important to add the texture to differentiate it from the plain white background. This may however be something I change before the final version of my poster.

The next thing I did was add the title of the film to the speech bubble. I knew from my research of existing film posters that this should be the largest text on the page as it is most important to the audience. This will not be the final font, it is just serving it's purpose now. I couldn't quite figure out how to download the fonts I wanted into the program. I will try again at a later day, for now this font is fine. 

At the minute my poster still holds the same layout as my preliminary sketch and my drawn draft. 

Next I exchanged the 'o' in 'coffee' for the red heart, this introduces the romantic aspect in a very clear way. The actors names are in red, furthering the connotations of love. I have also added a tagline, review, release date and billing block. All are typical conventions of film posters. Along with these I have added the directors name at the top of the poster. This isn't always present on film posters so it was up to me whether to include it.

Here I have the finished first draft of my film poster. I am really pleased with my efforts, especially as I have no previous experience of Photoshop. This simple poster took me nearly an hour and a half, hopefully next time I will have retained what I have learnt and be able to work more effectively. 

 

What I'd do differently next time:

• Use a copy of Lord Of The Rings in the photo a that is the book featured in the film. It doesn't really matter but attention to detail never hurts. 
• Use a proper photo - As I mentioned this was taken with a phone thus I can't get the image full sized without it blurring  I will also use a white background to take the photo so I don't need to remove it. This way I will void any strange looking edges around the photo where the background has been removed. 
• I need to remind myself what is featured in a billing block and use the conventional font. 
• I might change the texture of the cloud, it doesn't look overly 'cloud like'.
• I need to test out some different fonts to see what works best. 

Film review analysis 3

Film review 3

Magazine: Total Film 
Issue: Summer 2012
Film: Moonrise Kingdom

Layout

- Large image from the film heading the page. But unlike the other reviews it doesn't extend to to the top of the page.

- The title is the second largest text on the page behind the title of the feature.

- Again there is a comment underneath the title of the film offering a humorous (extremely brief) idea about the film. 

- A star rating out of 5

- The box with key information as a lot smaller than in the other reviews and is at the end , almost as if it was an after thought. It contains the similar information as the previous two reviews: Certificate, Director, Cast, Screenplay, Distributor and running time. The release date is elsewhere (next to the star rating). 

- A summary (entitled 'the verdict') condenses the review to two sentences. Again this allows the reader to get the draft of the review without reading it. 

- A box containing three films that the target audience for this film may have enjoyed. 

- The comment at the top of the picture is a funny sentence, like the 'Bruce Springsteen' comment in the previous review. 

- The 'Talking point' box contains a bit of trivia about the film

- The 'Predicted interest curve' (copyrighted by the magazine) plots the most interesting moments in the film along a continuum. This narrative only falls between the 'thrilled' and 'entertained' boxes.

The text is either black, grey or red in colour. Red is the colour also used minimally background.

Content

A quick run down of each paragraph.

Paragraph 1: Talk about the director and his previous works. This won't be as relevant for me as I am not an  accomplished director with a previous body of work. 

Paragraph 2: Sets the scene of the film and introduces the main characters and their qualities. This is followed by the disruption to the equilibrium. 

Paragraph 3: Comments about supporting actors. In the case of this film the supporting actors (Bruce Willis, Bill Murray) are more famous than those of the main characters (Jared Gilman, Kara Hayward). However as the main characters is important to talk about them first. 

Paragraphs 4&5: The directors use of cinematography and the use of soundtrack.

Paragraph 6: Ending comment focused on the director.

Language

Again, like in the previous to articles, the language is very creative and complimentary. This sentence starter for example "Scrupulously composed". Suggesting the film was lovingly crafted with ultimate precision (I'm not saying it wasn't. Just that this is how the language comes across). When stripped to the bare bones what does it mean though? It means 'made'. He made a film, and yet the lexis chosen creates this impression of grandeur and spectacularity. This is a trend that has run through all three of the reviews I have analysed.

Rhetorical questions directly address the reader to make them think about the ideas presented in the review. Complicated polysybalic words are frequently used i.e. embodiment, tragicomic, precocious. Such language hints at the target audience for the review. This article is trying to attract an intelligent audience. 

My thoughts

Although in a different publication many of the same conventions are featured in this review as were in the reviews from Empire magazine. This is really interesting and incredibly useful: it means I can identify staple components of a review that the reader will expect to see, hence I should include. I prefer the general layout of the Empire reviews, this one looks too busy. Also I wouldn't be able to use the predicted interest curve. I like it but their is really no point in it with regards to my five minute film as their is one narrative strand. Also, it is trademarked to the magazine. 

Film poster choice

I had my three rough ideas for my film poster but didn't know which to choose. I asked twenty members of my target audience which of the three they preferred.

Results

The second poster was the most popular by far. I agree with my target audience thus this is the chosen design I will make. Here is a rough design of what the finished poster will look like:

This poster follows conventions of existing romantic comedy film posters such as:
- the main character is featured
- the background is white
- the colour red (which holds connotations of romance) is featured somewhere on the poster

Conventions I have not adhered to:
- the love interest is featured (often back to back with the main character)

I don't need to conform to romantic comedy conventions too much as my short film is a parody of the genre.

I have followed the main conventions identified within film posters in general. For example the features and layout.
- The title is the largest text on the page
- The main actors names are featured (usually either on the top or bottom of a poster)
- A quote from a reviewer
- The billing block at the bottom and in the centre of the page
- A tagline underneath the title
- A release date to tell the audience when they can expect to be able to see the film

There are still a couple of points for me to consider:

Font - All the fonts on my current design are the same. I need to do some research and try out which fonts I       should use. This will be easier to do when I have made a design on the computer as I can easily interchange fonts to see how they look.
Tagline - I'm not sure this will be the final tagline. I think it needs to be funnier as not much of the poster hint's towards the parody aspect of my short film.
Director - Do I wan't my name on the poster? From my analysis of existing posters I have learnt that not all posters have the directors name on them. So I need to decide this and think about where on the poster I would put it.

Film review analysis 2

My previous review was from the May issue of Empire magazine. Since this issue the film reviews have been presented in a new layout. I wanted to analyse both layouts to see how greatly they differ and to determine which I prefer. It is also good to see the progression in the presentation of film reviews in one magazine as I can identify discontinued features.

Film review 2

Magazine: Empire
Issue: November 2012
Film: Beasts of the Southern Wild

Layout 

- The image takes up a large proportion of the page. It is the first thing the reader will see.

- The title is the largest sized text on the page hence will be the first thing read by the audience. 

- A comment underneath the title. Sometimes a play on words but in this case an opinion on the film "A magical master piece"

- A box containing key information about the film. It includes: a release date, the certificate, the director, the leading cast members, the running time and a brief summary of the plot. 

-  A small summary leaving an impression of the film on the reader.

- A star rating out of five. 

- Again, the bulk of the page is the article. 

- The arrow at the top of the page is the title of the segment if the magazine. 

-The lower arrow is underneath the text. Both arrows are a recurring feature across all of the reviews in the magazine

                                                                        - The magazines website address.
                                                                                                                                                   - Above the title just under the arrow is a comment: "Springsteen pun #72: Barn in the USA"

The colour theme of this article is simply blue. The text is framed with lines similar to the previous review. 

Content 

The first paragraph only consists of two sentences and is general praise towards the film. This is in contrast to the lengthy paragraph at the start of review of The Hunger Games. The second and third paragraphs briefly introduce the setting of the story and compare it to existing films. The article talks about the underlying depth of the characters and continues to talk about the plot.

The fourth paragraph begins to talk about the performance of the two main actors. Starting with the word 'key' signals just how this paragraph is going to go.  The article throws praise at them focusing on their acting highlights of the film. Language such as 'astonishingly' and 'sink effortlessly' display to what extent the writer is praising the film.

The article returns to the plot in the fifth paragraph focusing on a different aspect explaining a separate narrative strand. It ends with a comment on the nature of Hollywood film and how Beasts of the Southern Wild subverts it. The article ends with more general praise poetically put. The main character is once again praised and now her role in the film is summarised  .

Lexis

There isn't much to say here that I haven't said all ready either on this page or in the previous post. The lexis is very similar between this and the last review: very complimentary. It is trying to describe everything created on the screen using music, cinematography, lighting, actors and so on but just through the power of words. Hence the figurative language. The language is colloquial as before. Popular culture references are included to dis-spell any thoughts the author didn't intend to create - this is done in a humorous way: "This isn't sentimental, Sting-saves-the-rainforest stuff, though.".

My thoughts

I am split about this one. I don't particularly like the review, however I now want to go and see this film. So, it preformed it's function. I definitely see how the use of language is implemented and this is deffinately something to think carefully about in my film. Regarding the layout it is quite different to the previous artile and I think I like the former. However, this article is more recent and up to date. With media products evolving at the exponential rate that they do it is important to keep up with the most recent style. Therefore I think this is more of the style I will be aiming for.

Film review analysis 1

Not only do I need to produce a five minute short film, another branch of the course is the ancillary tasks. These are:

• Produce a film poster for your short film

• Produce a review of your short film. The article should look like it is from a magazine. 

I have already started on my film poster as I have said in earlier blog posts. Now it is time to start thinking about this review. If I need it to take the form of a review likely to be found in a magazine it is clear that I need to do some research. I will be looking at the layout, content and language commonly featured in reviews to establish a set of conventions I need to follow.

Film review 1

Magazine: Empire

Issue: May 2012

Film: The Hunger Games

An edition of the magazine from earlier this year, so it is still relevant and fairly up to date. 

Layout

- A large, eye catching image at the head of the page. Here is features the main character of the film.
- A smaller image underneath giving a further taste of the film.
- A box containing key information about the film. It includes: a release date, the certificate, director, leading actors, running time and a brief plot outline.
- The bulk of the page is the actual article.
- A quote some where on the page (here at the bottom) in a larger font and different colour. This attracts the audiences eye and gives a flavour of the tone of the article.
- A quote over-layed on the main image aligned to the right of the page (not shown in diagram)
- A small summary, usually two or three sentences long. Also in this box (not in my diagram) is a star rating.



This article has the colour theme of yellow and blue. A bright colour combination subtlety enforced compliments the article on the page.
The page also has dotted lines at the top of the page, top and bottom of the information section and the top of the summary. Other lines frame the writing and make it look neat and professional.

Every thing is very clear. Each aspect has it's own section and is easy to see.

Content

The article itself covers range of areas to do with the film. The first paragraph is referencing that this film is an adaptation of a book. It straight away sets the complimentary tone of the article with the topic sentence starting "Possibly the greatest achievement of The Hunger Games...". The second paragraph sets the scene and establishes the storyline of the film. The main character is introduced in the third paragraph with reference to the director and how he has represented such an atmosphere. Katniss Everdeen (the protagonist) is summed up to the audience in two sentences followed by praise to the actress who portrayed her (Jennifer Laurence). 

The fourth paragraph talks about the premise of the film referencing the director and filming techniques used ("handheld camera work..."). Finally the first critical comment arises at this late point in the review and still it is made in a sensitive manner "The only clumsy element of these scenes is an intermittent commentary". The word 'only' reinforces that, one the whole, they are saying the film is really good. The final paragraph is a further comment on the premise of the film but from a different angle/on a different aspect. 

The final summary (or 'verdict' as it is called in this article) consists of three sentences leaving a positive impression about the film on the reader. Also, if the reader skips straight to the summary this is the only thing the audience will take away from it. Therefore it needs to be strong and opinionated. 

Language

Metaphors are featured within the review to try to convey the image on screen to the reader through the power of words alone. "This world bleeds with cruelty" accentuates the vast hopelessness the director has successfully created within the narrative to the reader. 

The language used is very colloquial (chatty) and informal. Lots of contractions are used ("it's" "don't" for example) which are usually a feature of more spoken language, this helps form the informal tone. Other features simulate speech, "one will emerge victorious for...no real reason". The ellipses represents the thinking time that would have been required were the author speaking fluently. This also highlights how the situation in the film doesn't make sense (note that this is meant to be, it is a comment on the cruelty of the antagonists, not bad storytelling). Not much very technical language is used, bearing in mind that not everyone reading would understand it. 

My thoughts 

I really like the layout of this film review, it is really clear. It was not a surprise to see the article be so complimentary about the film, especially as it was given 4 out of 5 stars. It will be interesting to see the change in lexis and content in a review of a lower rated film. 

Car shot test

Now I have decided not to do the soup/vomiting scene I needed something to replace it with. I have decided to run Jacobs character over with a car. I did some research on how to create this effect and here a short video on Vimeo showing hints and tips on how to film using a car.

Drive-by Shooting: Using Your Car to Make Better Videos from Vimeo Video School on Vimeo.

The effect I want to re-create is at 3:04 in the above video. In order to make it look like the character is bring hit by the car there are several steps to take:

1. Film the footage

The action is filmed backwards. Have the actor laying on the bonnet of the car as it reverses down the road. As the car passes past the camera the actor needs to roll of the bonnet into a standing position. 

2. Reverse the footage

Using editing software you can reverse the footage, this way it looks like the character is being hit by the car rather than him rolling off of it. 

3. Speed up the footage

The filming was done at a slow speed to not harm the actor. So now, you can speed up the footage to make it look like it was happening at high speed.

Here is my own attempt at this effect:

I was pleased with how this looks, however there are a few things I will do differently next time:

• Have the character talking or doing an action rather than just standing in the road - this makes it more realistic. 
• Make sure the actor starts (ends when filming) in the centre of the shot - This makes the shot look more proffesional. 
• Ensure the car ends (starts when filming) completely off shot - The stopping distance of the car would not be that short if the car was actually travelling at great speed. Therefore the car needs to end off screen to make it look as realistic as possible. 

Production schedule & risk assessment

A production schedule will help the filming run as smoothly as possible. I will guide me through filming and reduce the chance of me forgetting anything I need. I find it extremely useful know what I am doing and when I am doing it.

Here is my proposed production schedule:

I am lucky in that I have access to all of my locations more or less when ever I want and need them. The owner of So Bar (my cafe location) was more than happy for me to film in his establishment at any time. The other locations are public places. I will need to be careful when in the day I choose to film at the train station for the sign scene as it may be very busy. I don't want strangers walking into frame so it will be better to avoid rush hour. My actors are aware of the schedule and are available for filming on these dates.

What props do I still need to buy?
Coffee - I can buy this on the day from the cafe
Signs - I need to buy A3 white card and make these signs. This is a priority and needs to be done soon.
Popcorn - This is for the characters to have in shot 38, as one would when watching a film.
The KFC  - I will buy this on the day of filming, Olivia needs to eat it after-all.

The other props I have access to.

Risk Assessment

I have to do a risk assessment of my film to make sure neither I, my actors or the public are at risk. I can only see three scenes in my short film where there is a genuine risk of anyone getting hurt.

With careful planning and taking precautions none of these scenes should pose a problem.

Idea changes

I have decided to substitute one of my scenes. This, regretfully, is the soup scene. During shots 39-58 the two main characters spin around before the female character vomits on the male. My very lovely actors had agreed to this (amazingly) and I was starting testing fake vomit.

I set everything up, the plastic was in front of the camera to protect it, the first fake vomit batch was ready. This vomit took the form of Heinz farmers market seven vegetable soup. The time came. I spat the soup at the perspex sheet. It was disgusting and I will probably never eat vegetable soup again. I don't think I can ask my actors to do this. Not only that, it just didn't look very good. The footage was bad, it didn't look like I was sick, it looked like a spat soup all over the floor. For these reasons I will no longer be including this in my film.




Instead, the couple will still spin but the female will loosen her grip. The male will walk backwards into a road whilst trying to regain his balance (after all he would be rather dizzy after spinning). Just as he steps into the road he will be hit by a car. Don't panic, this effect will be created through the magic of cinema. Jacob will (probably) be unhurt by the 'stunt'. This shot will look much more effective than the soup idea would have. However it does give the films tone a rather dark turn, I think I would need to counteract this afterwards. For this reason I think the following shot will be Jacobs character standing up, his glasses askew as he brushes himself off. A slightly low angle shot from in side the car shows his reaction to being hit (he swears at the driver). This will conform to comedy conventions, few comedies have characters being mowed down by vehicles. Unless it is a cartoon, but as you may have noticed my film isn't.

More animatic feedback

I have received some more feedback on my animatic. It has given me some interesting ideas to think about. Here are some of the suggested improvements and what I plan to do about them.

-          Lines – Does he need to say “She’s reading Lord Of The Rings, like me!”…This can be done through visuals. Trust that the audience will get it.

This is a good point, am I making it too obvious? I am definitely guilty of assuming the audience won’t pick up on things. I like this line as the tone of voice shows just how eager and excited Jacob's character is. I will leave it in the animatic but bear in mind whilst editing. It is convenient, as I don’t have to worry about dialogue too much whilst filming, as it is all non-diegetic.

-          Breaking the fourth wall – Perhaps Jacob could address the camera at the start

Having Jacob look at the camera as an aside is a good idea and fits with the comedy conventions, however I am not sure I like it. This technique is really hard to get right, most times I have seen it in practice I have hated it . However that is not to say it can never be effective. I am not convinced of it. It might just cheapen my film (which I definitely don’t want.). I will film it and decide whether to include it in the film during editing.

                                                      An example of this technique at 0:12

-          Editing scenes – You cut back to Jacob holding the ‘I need it for a taxi’ sign. This is the second time we have seen this shot and I wonder if it should simply cut to the ‘and possibly a Twix’ shot.

This is another draw back of the animatic: you can’t easily show too much of the action in one shot.  The point is that he is removing the first sign saying ‘I need it for a taxi’ revealing the Twix sign underneath. I feel this is an important process to show as it helps with the continuity of the scene. With out I fear it may look disjointed. However, I will film it both ways as I won’t really know what looks best until I see it. 

Vomit shot test

During one of the scenes in my short film the two main characters are spinning round, holding onto each others hands in a typically romantic fashion. The female character's expression changes and she vomits onto the main character. (It wont be real vomit, I will make up some fake mixture with the same appearance.) The scene consists of point of view shots from each of the characters, and consequently as the female character vomits onto the male she will be vomiting towards the camera. I need to protect my camera from the mixture whilst it is projected towards it. To do this I have come up with a plan. 

I have got a clear sheet of perspex plastic to place in front of my camera, this way the fake vomit will hit the plastic rather than my camera. This, however, could pose a few problems:

1. How am I going to keep it in front of the camera?
I can just hold it in place. The camera will be set on a tripod to steady the shot anyway. Once the record button is presses I will have my hand free to hold the plastic in place. But, thinking about it my other actor Jacob who will not be in this shot will be around, he can hold it in place for me so I can work the camera.

2. What will it look like on screen?
I was worried that the shine from the plastic would show up on the shot. There was no way of knowing if it would with out trying it. So I took some test shots.

Without plastic                                                                   With Plastic

The differences between the two shots are minimal. I can see a slight shine on the shot with the plastic in front of the camera but it is hardly noticeable. It is also worth considering that these photos where take inside under artificial light, the scene will be filmed outside so the light will be different and be less reflected by the plastic. Also the shot will only last three seconds in the film, I think the audience will be focusing on the action if the shot rather than anything else that may or may not be noticeable.

My next task in relation to this shot is to test out some fake vomit to see what looks best on camera. What fun...

Method acting

The main characters in my film, during the daydream sequence, need to act like they are madly in love with each other. My two main actors, Jacob and Olivia, don't know each other all that well. In order to make their on screen relationship look authentic and believable to the audience, I felt it was important for them to get to know each other before filming. So, Me and all three of my actors went out for dinner.

It was really useful to both me and the actors. We know a lot more about each other now which will undoubtedly make the filming process easier. It is vital that the performance is believable and I have complete faith that each of my actors will perform fantastically.

Animatic peer assessment

Two other students in my Media Studies class sat down and watched through my animatic. They gave me some feedback and some targets I could consider to improve my film.
They commented of seven key areas:

• Cinematography
• Appropriate pace and content
• Character representation 
• Targeting the audience
• Dialogue
• Music/sound effects
• Editing

Cinematography
Positives
+ Panning is frequently used, this is effective
+ Shots are typical of a romantic film

Targets
- Add more high and low angles - This is a fair comment, I haven't included many high or low angles shots. However I think there is a difference between using this type of shot for effect and using them for the sake of it. I may include some to keep the film interesting for the viewer.


Appropriate pace and content
Positives
+The music and the editing link together very well
+ The cards when he is asking for money are very effective
+ The pace is a good speed, the slower pace adds to the humour

Targets
None given


Character representations
Positives
+ Both reading books to signify they are intelligent and interested in similar things

Targets
- The only problem is I thought the girls was a man, however this will be clearer - It can be hard to convey things in an animatic due to questionable drawing skills. I can assure you she isn't a man an this will be clearer in the film.
- More shots of the girls reaction at the end - This is a good idea I hadn't considered. Maybe she could look at the main character when she is talking to the second man and as "Can I help you?" in an annoyed manner. He could then stutter before he swiftly leaves. However this adds a rather sad tone to the end of the film which I was trying to avoid.


Targeting the audience
Positives
+ The Lord of the Rings book, dialogue and the characters would attract the target audience
+ I think it uses the right conventions

Targets
None given


Dialouge
Positives
+ Minimal so it makes the audience focus on the action

Targets
- Add more dialogue maybe at the cinema scene - I agree that dialogue here may be useful in helping the audience understand his feelings and how scared he is. But equally I think this may come down to the animatic again. In the real film it will be very apparent from the actors actions and demeanour how he feels.
- Maybe a little cheeky at some points but I guess that is the genre - Even though put as a target I take this as a positive! I like how the main character comes across as a little cheeky. The point is that no one would say these things out loud but are thoughts that are realistic.


Music/Sound effects
Positives
+The change of music indicates the change of mood

Targets
- A little repetitive - I completely agree. However time constraints and talent constraints on my part limited what I was able to produce for the animatic. The final music for the short film will be along the same lines but more intricate.
- Could be limited instead of having different sorts of music as it may appear disjointed. - Again I agree. I will aim for the music to flow more naturally.


Editing
Positives
+ Editing is not fast paced but medium to allow the target audience to understand what is happening. 

Targets
- Vary the length of shots to add some variety. - I both agree and disagree with this comment. The shot lengths are varied. I have one scene that is one continuous shot and currently lasts around 10 seconds. In contrast I have the quick cuts at the start. But I can understand during some of the longer scenes this may be an area for me to consider.

I found this exercise really helpful. Not only has it given me some ideas to think about in how to improve my film it has given a me a boost of confidence about this project.

Finished animatic

I composed my audio for my animatic on the program Garage Band. My final music will be composed at a later date. I will enlist the help of my very talented musical friend to ensure the audio matches and compliments the film. The music will be vital for my film as a sizeable chunk (the day dream sequence) contains no dialogue at all. I will use the music to help covey the light hearted tone and emotion involved with the scene.

Here is my finished animatic with audio.

Split screen test

For one of my scenes within the day dream sequence of my short film I aim to create the illusion of a split screen editing effect. The main character and his love interest are either side of the split supposedly in two separate locations. They proceed to do things in unison, such as take a sip of a drink. A third person then comes in and physically picks up the partition revealing it is just a trick of forced perspective. I need this shot to look like two separate shots placed next to each other during editing. But in reality it is one shot with a physical partition within the scene.

For the partition I have decided to use a piece of pipe. After a lengthy search in B&Q I found some guttering that would more than do the job, and at £3.99 it was within my budget. It was quite a challenge to get the pipe to stand upright when filming but weighing down the bottom with a full two litre bottle works fine. For less that five pounds I'd say it looks rather good.

I had to make the two sides of the split screen look sufficiently different to fool the audience into thinking it is actually two different locations. To achieve this I need to dress the two sides of the set in contrast to each other. To do this I used a blanket with the corner folded over. The blanket should spill over to the other side of the partition but this way it looks like two separate locations. In order to make this more effective I will add more props to each side, of course I will also have my actors (the main character and his love interest) on either side.

I am so pleased with how this test has worked out. I was not sure how this would look on screen but I am more than happy with the effect created. The next shot I need to test is the spinning scene where in the female character vomits on the main character.

Producing the animatic

Now I have finished the story board I can produce the animatic. I have taken photographs of each shot then uploaded them into iMovie. After going through each clip, changing the duration and any camera movement I needed to add the voice over. The main character is the only character with dialogue in my film so this was straight forward. I got my leading actor, Jacob, to say his lines as I recorded them on Garage Band. After importing the voice over onto iMovie I had to trim each clip and place it over the correct shots.

Trimming audio in iMovie. 

I still need to add music to my animatic before it is finished. It will be a rough idea of what I wan't the music to be as it isn't finished yet and won't be until after filming.

My animatic is in the process of it's creation.

Actors

I haven't given any of my characters names, this was a concious decision rather than laziness. None of the characters are referred to by their names within the narrative. This is because all of the characters are strangers to each other. I like that is doesn't matter what their names are, it connotes that the situation featured could happen to anyone.

Jacob Barrel
Jacob will be playing the main character in my short film. I have chosen Jacob as my main actor for several reasons. Firstly he has the exact look I am aiming for in my character: sweet, likeable and generally a nice person. Jacob takes media at A2 and studied it last year and for GCSE so he understands what goes in to making a film. He is a very talented film maker and will be able to understand what I am trying to achieve when shooting. We have done some practices of the types of things he would need to do (i.e. fall over, certain facial expressions) and he can do them all brilliantly. On top of this, due to his media experience I know he won't let me down with filming as he understands the importance of this project. In the past I have had actors drop out at the last minute or plain forgot we had scheduled to film. His costume will consist of a checked shirt over a character t-shirt, showing he is both smart but casual.

Olivia Lewis
Olivia is playing the female love interest of Jacobs character. This is a big role, it relies solely on acting as no dialogue is used to help convey meaning. When I created this character I imagined Olivia portraying her and was overjoyed when she expressed interest in the project. Her image is perfect for the role, not typical she is beautifully unique. Her slightly ginger hair and long eyelashes will entice Jacobs character. Olivia is a very talented actress, studying drama at A level and GCSE means she has experience in the field. I watched her AS performance and was quite frankly blown away by her acting ability. She also studied media at GCSE and AS so, like Jacob, she understands the film making process and the importance of commitment to the film. I will pretty much leave the costume up to Olivia, I have explained the character to her and trust her completely. He usual style isn't at all far off what I want the character to dress like anyway.

Harry Boulter
Harry has a wide portfolio of past acting experience. I have seen him perform in several shows including Twelfth Night, his AS drama performance piece and a comedy murder mystery play. He has also starred in a short video I made in the past along with Olivia. He is a very talented actor and it's a shame his character has so little screen time. However I am sure he will make the part of the other male character his own. Him and Olivia have a good relationship on screen, this is important as they interact for such a short time on screen but it needs to look and feel like they are really getting along. Again Harry looks like the character I want to portray, similar to Jacob he looks like an everyday person. I have yet to decide on this characters costume. I want him to look similar to Jacobs character, so maybe a patterned shirt. It's important that the character appear similar, this highlights that Jacobs character had a chance with her, he was just to slow.

The Script

I have written the script for my short film. The whole document is here:
Script


I used a program called Celtx to write my script. I used it last year in my AS project and found it really helpful, especially with the layout. The only downside is exporting the file as it is not a widely used format I can't access it on other computers that don't have the software.  The script shows the shot type, transition, action and dialogue I will give this to my actors before I start filming so they have a good idea of what they have to do and say in each shot, of course I will instruct them in more detail when filming.

My script may change later. I am giving a certain amount of creative licence to my actors. This way the dialogue and scenes will look more natural. If the dialogue doesn't work or doesn't sound right during recording I will change it.

Music tests

I have been thinking about the type of music I am going to use for my short film. After taking the audience research questionnaires into consideration I have decided to only use music during the daydream segment of my film.

I want the soundtrack to be light and uplifting and after listening to lots of music for inspiration I stumbled across this on my iPod: Mr Blue Sky by the Electric Light Orchestra

In particular the start of the song before the lyrics kick in. I really like the upbeat rhythm and repetitive simplicity of the tune. I'm not going to include any lyrics to my music as this will prove too bigger task for me. This track, I can shut my eyes with it on in the background and imagine exactly how I want my film to be. It fits so well, it's a real shame I can't use it. I need to create something inspired by it. I plan to keep my music simple and I'll hopefully be able to create a score fitting to the visuals.

To do this I will be using Garage Band as I lack the ability to play any instruments myself. There is still a long while until the music needs to be ready but I have been doing some tests on the software and I'm pretty pleased with what I've produced.

Here is a piece of Heart and Soul by Frank Loesser I recreated using the Garage Band app. It took me a while but I am pleased with how it sounds:

I have started creating a track for my film, here is what I have so far.

It is by no means finished yet, just me playing on the software to familiarise myself with it. I think my music being composed on Garage Band is definitely a possibility. In the past I have just used pre-set tunes on Garage Band but using the instrument features is proving  a lot more pleasing to the ear.

Story Boarding - Shots 76-91

My story board is finished! The final section of my story board is set back in the coffee shop, it ends my narrative and rather unconventionally introduces a new character. Usually characters that disrupt the story are built up and, as antagonists have more of a background. However I feel the background of this character isn't important. If there is any message in my film it is don't waste time, the point is that this random fellow has beaten the protagonist to the post because he was day dreaming. There is no struggle, no battle, just a realistic occurrence.

The remaining shots show what happens when he returns from the day dream.

The first shot mirrors the shot that transitioned into the day dream sequence, but now in reverse. The camera pans downwards as his eyes do the same. This symbolises the action returning from his imagination back into reality. He then proceeds to walk over to her, all the time the non diegetic voice over (his thoughts) is talking about their perfect relationship and how it amazing it will be.

Just as he approaches where she is sitting the second male character comes in and perches on her table, presumably flirting with her. The protagonist can't believe his eyes. A medium long shot from between the two shows the protagonists reaction, he exits to the left of the shot. He exits the coffee shop kicking a cup on the ground saying that he never really liked her anyway.

The last piece of dialogue could be taken in one of two ways. It's kind of a comment on the frivolity of his daydream and how it was just that: a daydream. It could also be interpreted as him kidding himself and trying to convince himself that he wasn't and isn't in love with her. I like the first interpretation more but it is down to the audiences personal interpretations.

What's next?
I need to now write the script. This will be given to my actors to prepare themselves for the roles and as a rough instruction to what they have to do. This will also be how I decide on the dialogue as I have not yet finalised my ideas.