Copyright
In Pat's lessons we learnt about copyright and clearance in film and television. Copyright means an exclusive right given to the owner of something. In this case a film or television show and in which the director has the exclusive right to film or produce something which is entirely their idea and no one else can copy them. If someone does copy them for example another director then they the owner of the copyright then has the right to sue them. Many directors face various copyrighting issues while making a film or telelvision show or very often these copyrighting problems can occur while they have been released after all production has finished. Rich owners often copyright their business, film or franchise like say Mary Shelly's Frankenstein. This is because they don't want people to make money or benefit from their own creative invention. However the copyrighting law states that 70 years after the owner of the copyright has died the copyright is then non exisent and people can do what they please with it. This rule is often disputed by rich copyright owners estates after 70 years of their death and they still want the copyright to continue.
Clearance
Clearance means that a director or one of the senior staff on a production of a film or television show has the right to copy something from something else. For example it could be a song/soundtrack, film title, telelvision program name, a certain characters name, similar idea to another film, a shot of a logo and to film in a certain location. There are many more things which need to get cleared but these are just a few examples. If a film or television show fails to clear something with the original owner then they can get sued for their actions and this could cause the whole production to collapse.
Errors and Omissions insurance
Errors and Omissions insurance is an insurance scheme which aims to help protect people from copyright and clearance issues which weren't made aware to them could happen. Most directors take out Errors and Omissions insurance because a lot of the time things aren't always cleared in production and they could be unaware of this because they could get sued for copyright infringement when it's released. A good example of something which a director could get covered for is that a really long shot of a logo could be seen in their film/tv show but they would never pick up on it and when it comes to it's release they could get sued and it wouldn't be thier fault so their E&O can cover this.
Friday 27 September 2013
Short film idea - the treatment stage
Treatment
What is a treatment
The treatment is the stage after the proposal and it is the development of your idea from the proposal, it also outlines a rough idea of the personnel who will be involved in the production. As well as this the treatment also includes an indication of the size and content of the product, initial script/structure of storyline, estimated cost of production and a contingency plan which is a back up plan in case anything goes wrong. In the treatment there should also be a section on talent. This section should include who's doing what in every role, for example the actors, the director and the producer. There should also be a clear understanding of how your film will look and everyone who is going to be involved.
Treatment for my short film
Storyline
The concept for my short film focuses of the theme of addiction and more broadly video game addiction. The main character is a boy named Luke who is desperately battling to free himself of the video game Law Breaker and to adapt to normal life again. However the only problem is that he treats his whole life outside the game as a video game too. This has cost him his friends and his family to leave him. However his chance at escaping this soul destroying addiction has come and he has to make the choice as to whether stop a gang of youths from robbing the local supermarket in which he works at or whether to go straight home and play Law Breaker. Luke luckily makes the right decision and decides to use his gaming skills to stop the robbers and get the money back while freeing himself of his gaming addiction.
Outline of initial script
My script will probably cover about 15 pages. This is because there isn't that much dialogue and only about 15 minutes is dialogue so therefore there will only be around about 15. However the limit may be a page or two over 15 because of the scene description and 'CUT TO:' cues.
Script structure:
First scene/opening sequence - The first section of the script will be a description of scene one which is Luke in his flat and the title sequence with all the onscreen graphics.
Second scene - The second section of the script will be Luke in a counselling session with his parents. There will be some dialogue in this scene in which Luke is lying on a couch not listening to the counsellor while playing on his Playstation portable. The counsellor will have the most dialogue and his parents will have some dialogue. They have a very minimal role to the short film.
Third scene - The third section in the script structure is Luke on his way home from the counselling session. He is seen still playing on his portable gaming device. He walks in a girl and she shouts at him. There will be a little bit of dialogue in this section.
Fourth scene - In the fourth section of the script the scene taking place is the store robbery. This will involve Luke packing up from work when suddenly he hears a break in and a load of voices.
Fifth scene- The fifth section of the script is chase scene in which Luke chases after the robbers. And Luke has a couple of pages of dialogue in which he is talking to himself and shouting at the robbers.
Sixth scene - The last section of the script is the final scene of my short film in which Luke catches the robbers and they run off in fright at him. This part of the script will involve dialogue from Luke and his parents as well as his friends. The final line will be from the character Luke.
Size and content
My short film will have a running time of approximately 20 minutes (tbc). Lose Your Mind is so far the working title of my short film and it will have one main character called Luke and there will also be a counsellor, his parents and 4 or 5 extras playing the robbers and the general public.
Estimated cost of production
My production will cost very little as I have set myself a very minimum budget. This is because the actors won't be getting paid and any props used will be borrowed or provided by myself or the actors. However I will set a budget of £10 for cheap props which can be purchased at a charity shop or can be bought at a Pound stretcher. I will also budget out an extra £25 for travel costs. Although that probably won't cover the cost it will reduce the actors cost by a small minimum. Due to the fact that my short film is a student film I will not be spending out any more money therefore the cast and crew will need to bring a small amount of money to buy lunch up the high street or alternatively they can bring their own food.
The equipment hire will be £0 because all the equipment I get will be hired out at the college for free and if an additional camera is needed or for any reason there is a problem with the college equipment I will provide my own video camera which I have.
Talent
My film won't be using many actors but my main character Luke will either be played by someone from the performing arts department or a friend or relative who is up for the short film role. My other main extras roles will either be yet again part of the performing arts department or friends and family. My film is going to look like a normal coming of age drama about a lazy boy who has nothing going for him. My short film will take on a similar look to the Channel 4 television show Fresh Meat. The actors will all wear their own clothes so to maintain a no costs budget. I myself will be taking on the directorial, editor and producer duties.
Contingency plan
If for any reason that when the production starts that there are missing probs etc I will try and borrow some off of friends or if that doesn't succeed I will buy it cheaply at nothing more than £5. My short film doesn't involve any expensive props if many props at all so this shouldn't be a problem. However it is important that I highlight in the early pre-production stage that there could be possible problems with the props causing a problem with the short film. Another problem which could occur with my short film is that one of the actors could fall ill during the shooting period. If this problem occurs I will re-cast their role to someone else. If its only temporary I will work around their absence. This yet again should not be a massive problem.
Outline of initial script
My script will probably cover about 15 pages. This is because there isn't that much dialogue and only about 15 minutes is dialogue so therefore there will only be around about 15. However the limit may be a page or two over 15 because of the scene description and 'CUT TO:' cues.
Script structure:
First scene/opening sequence - The first section of the script will be a description of scene one which is Luke in his flat and the title sequence with all the onscreen graphics.
Second scene - The second section of the script will be Luke in a counselling session with his parents. There will be some dialogue in this scene in which Luke is lying on a couch not listening to the counsellor while playing on his Playstation portable. The counsellor will have the most dialogue and his parents will have some dialogue. They have a very minimal role to the short film.
Third scene - The third section in the script structure is Luke on his way home from the counselling session. He is seen still playing on his portable gaming device. He walks in a girl and she shouts at him. There will be a little bit of dialogue in this section.
Fourth scene - In the fourth section of the script the scene taking place is the store robbery. This will involve Luke packing up from work when suddenly he hears a break in and a load of voices.
Fifth scene- The fifth section of the script is chase scene in which Luke chases after the robbers. And Luke has a couple of pages of dialogue in which he is talking to himself and shouting at the robbers.
Sixth scene - The last section of the script is the final scene of my short film in which Luke catches the robbers and they run off in fright at him. This part of the script will involve dialogue from Luke and his parents as well as his friends. The final line will be from the character Luke.
Size and content
My short film will have a running time of approximately 20 minutes (tbc). Lose Your Mind is so far the working title of my short film and it will have one main character called Luke and there will also be a counsellor, his parents and 4 or 5 extras playing the robbers and the general public.
Estimated cost of production
My production will cost very little as I have set myself a very minimum budget. This is because the actors won't be getting paid and any props used will be borrowed or provided by myself or the actors. However I will set a budget of £10 for cheap props which can be purchased at a charity shop or can be bought at a Pound stretcher. I will also budget out an extra £25 for travel costs. Although that probably won't cover the cost it will reduce the actors cost by a small minimum. Due to the fact that my short film is a student film I will not be spending out any more money therefore the cast and crew will need to bring a small amount of money to buy lunch up the high street or alternatively they can bring their own food.
The equipment hire will be £0 because all the equipment I get will be hired out at the college for free and if an additional camera is needed or for any reason there is a problem with the college equipment I will provide my own video camera which I have.
Talent
My film won't be using many actors but my main character Luke will either be played by someone from the performing arts department or a friend or relative who is up for the short film role. My other main extras roles will either be yet again part of the performing arts department or friends and family. My film is going to look like a normal coming of age drama about a lazy boy who has nothing going for him. My short film will take on a similar look to the Channel 4 television show Fresh Meat. The actors will all wear their own clothes so to maintain a no costs budget. I myself will be taking on the directorial, editor and producer duties.
Contingency plan
If for any reason that when the production starts that there are missing probs etc I will try and borrow some off of friends or if that doesn't succeed I will buy it cheaply at nothing more than £5. My short film doesn't involve any expensive props if many props at all so this shouldn't be a problem. However it is important that I highlight in the early pre-production stage that there could be possible problems with the props causing a problem with the short film. Another problem which could occur with my short film is that one of the actors could fall ill during the shooting period. If this problem occurs I will re-cast their role to someone else. If its only temporary I will work around their absence. This yet again should not be a massive problem.
Thursday 26 September 2013
Loglines
A logline is a short synopsis to get people interested in a film or television show. Loglines are usually used in a TV magazine or on the information panel on a TV guide. Loglines are usually set at a maximum of 27 words but they can often be up to 40-50 words. The more words in a logline can often be less engaging and can put a reader off reading it so henceforth it is important to make it as brief and engaging as possible.
I picked a mainstream film in class and wrote a short logline for it. The film I chose was The Dark Knight. This is my logline;
This is Christian Bale at his finest. As the crime rate rapidly increases in Gotham City Batman must stop the most evil mastermind known as the Joker.
We was also in class given a basic template logline, mine read as follows;
On the verge of the destruction of Gotham City, the Dark Knight has the power to stop the evil Joker. But when love gets in the way he must learn to use his power for good before all hope of civilisation has gone.
Short film idea - three act structure
Three act structure
Most films follow a three act structure. This is so that the narrative is often easier to follow. The first stage is the equilibrium and this is where all characters are introduced and the location and basic plot is established. This just eases the audience into the film so that they can get to grips with the narrative. The second stage of the three act structure is the disruption. This is where conflict/disruption happens and the main characters are set into turmoil. This act creates drama and engages the audience. The third and final stage of the three act structure is the resolution. This is where all conflict is resolved and the equilibrium is restored.
Equilibrium
My equilibrium starts off with Luke the main character playing his video game very late at night on his own in his flat. The setting and miss-en-scene is immediately established as him being a lazy person who is clearly addicted to his video game Law Breaker. The next shot then shows him in a psychiatrists room lying down listening to his psychiatrist talking about addictions. Luke is clearly shown to be taking no interest and his parents are in the room. But they break down crying and then say they never want to see him again. This clearly establishes their relationship with their son who they have lost to his video game.
Disruption/conflict
The conflict in my short film starts off with when Luke goes to work and his colleagues tell him that he needs to get out and do something with his life. The main conflict mainly starts though after hours when he is locking up the supermarket and a group of youths rob the shop. Luke then has to make the decision as to save the day or go home and play Law Breaker. Luke chooses to follow. He then gets into extreme fight situations with them and then manages to hack their computer systems so that he can transfer the money back into his work place.
Resolution
The resolution of my short film is that Luke catches the criminals in their hideaway and he then breaks his game in half and makes ammends with his family and friends. Luke at the end of the film is then shown to be on a mission to shut down the gaming company who nearly ruined his life.
Most films follow a three act structure. This is so that the narrative is often easier to follow. The first stage is the equilibrium and this is where all characters are introduced and the location and basic plot is established. This just eases the audience into the film so that they can get to grips with the narrative. The second stage of the three act structure is the disruption. This is where conflict/disruption happens and the main characters are set into turmoil. This act creates drama and engages the audience. The third and final stage of the three act structure is the resolution. This is where all conflict is resolved and the equilibrium is restored.
Equilibrium
My equilibrium starts off with Luke the main character playing his video game very late at night on his own in his flat. The setting and miss-en-scene is immediately established as him being a lazy person who is clearly addicted to his video game Law Breaker. The next shot then shows him in a psychiatrists room lying down listening to his psychiatrist talking about addictions. Luke is clearly shown to be taking no interest and his parents are in the room. But they break down crying and then say they never want to see him again. This clearly establishes their relationship with their son who they have lost to his video game.
Disruption/conflict
The conflict in my short film starts off with when Luke goes to work and his colleagues tell him that he needs to get out and do something with his life. The main conflict mainly starts though after hours when he is locking up the supermarket and a group of youths rob the shop. Luke then has to make the decision as to save the day or go home and play Law Breaker. Luke chooses to follow. He then gets into extreme fight situations with them and then manages to hack their computer systems so that he can transfer the money back into his work place.
Resolution
The resolution of my short film is that Luke catches the criminals in their hideaway and he then breaks his game in half and makes ammends with his family and friends. Luke at the end of the film is then shown to be on a mission to shut down the gaming company who nearly ruined his life.
Short film idea - proposal
Short film idea
Proposal
Whenever a film or television show is going to be produced a proposal needs to be written up first. The purpose of a proposal is to explain the concept of the film. The point of this is because the proposals aim is to get funding for the production. So it gets sent off to producers who read the concept of the film and if they like the idea they will put funding into the project to get it produced. A proposal also includes the company name, the intended audience and the working title as well as any major creative participants in the project.
My proposal
Working title: Lose Your Mind
Company name: SceneItSam Productions
Intended audience: 15-30 year olds
Contact: South Essex College
Concept
The focus of my short film is on an 18 year old boy called Luke who lives on his own in a flat and he has a part time job in the local supermarket. Luke has nothing going for him in life because he is addicted to a video game called Law Breaker. He is so addicted to this video game that he plays it every waking moment apart from when he's at work. Luke has attached himself so much to the game that his family and friends don't want to know him. This is all because it has affected his personality in a violent and aggressive way making him a misery to be around. The final straw was failing his A levels so his parents kicked him out of the house.
The problem with Luke is that when he comes off the game he still feels like life is like a game and this has made him see life in a bad and scarier way. Luke desperately wants to stop playing the game but the more he plays it the less he feels he wants to stop. But Luke is made to choose between his video game and a real life situation when he has to do overtime at work until 12 and then he has to lock up. However the store is robbed by a gang of youths while he's locking up. Does he use his gaming abilities to save the day or does he get home and play his game?
The problem with Luke is that when he comes off the game he still feels like life is like a game and this has made him see life in a bad and scarier way. Luke desperately wants to stop playing the game but the more he plays it the less he feels he wants to stop. But Luke is made to choose between his video game and a real life situation when he has to do overtime at work until 12 and then he has to lock up. However the store is robbed by a gang of youths while he's locking up. Does he use his gaming abilities to save the day or does he get home and play his game?
Wednesday 25 September 2013
Gladiator analysis - opening sequence
Gladiator
Cinematography
While watching the opening sequence of Gladiator I analysed the cinematography as well as sound. The beginning of the film opens up with a extreme close-up of a mans hand while the focus is clearly on a wedding ring on his finger. The mans hand is running through what looks like a grassy field. The camera moves along with the mans hand in the grass. This is therefore a tracking shot. The effect of this shot is that it brings us with the character and makes us as an audience wonder why we aren't seeing his face or who is he and what is his relevance to the film. This is therefore an enigma code and hence makes us want to watch on.
The second shot in the film is a medium shot of Russell Crowe looking down at the ground. This could suggest that he's thinking. The medium shot also allows us as an audience to pick up on his costume and hence the referential codes of the film. The fact that this shot is also the first shot of a character in the film just goes to show that Russell Crowe's character is significant to the narrative.
There is an establishing shot of the whole location named "Germania" and this is an extreme long shot which clearly shows the full extremities of the battlefield in which the battle between the Romans and the Barbarians is taking place. The effect of this shot is that is clearly identifies the location in which the characters have been positioned in and hence helps you as the audience to put the whole narrative into perspective. After this establishing shot of the location there is then another establishing long shot of the armies that are preparing for battle. The camera movement of this is a crane shot and this shot moves above the battleground. The effect of this whole shot and camera movement is that it emphasises the theme of war and bloodshed in the film as well as the fight that is looming.
Ridley Scott the director of Gladiator frequently chooses to cut to a medium shot of an old man standing in front of his army. The old man is seen to have a concerned look on his face and every time the camera cuts to him the zoom gets closer to him. The reasoning that Scott has chosen to use these shots frequently is possibly because it suggests he has a key role to the narrative and that he has a bigger part to play relating to the opening sequence during the course of the movie.
Sound
While watching the opening sequence of Gladiator I chose to analyse the use of sound. In the very opening shot non-diegetic sound is used when the mans hand runs through strands of grass in the field. The non-diegetic music layered on top of the shot sounds very mysterious and eerie. This yet again adds to the enigma of the mystery as to what this shot is all about. The non-diegetic sound also makes it seem like you are in a dream world and that the hand is only a dream. This idea is made to seem more realistic as the opening shot of Russell Crowe is him looking down with his eyes shut and then him looking up. This could suggest that he is waking up from a dream.
When Russell Crowe's character is seen talking to his men giving them advice and a morale boost for the upcoming battle there is a non-diegetic trumpet sound as he is talking. The effect of this is that a trumpet can often be associated with victory and positivity. This therefore could suggest that Crowe's character connotes victory and that he can be seen as a token of good luck. This non-diegetic music could also suggest that there is light at the end of the tunnel and that there is good to come.
There is a tense/victory sounding non-diegetic music as well as the ambient sound of fighting during the establishing long shot of the battlefield location. This all adds to the mise-en-scene of the shot because it shows the fear of war and the intensity of fighting which helps the audience to understand the feelings the characters are going through. It also helps to create drama which keeps the audience engaged. The non-diegetic sound of victory music also helps to show that there is hope out there. This gives the audience some hope that the narrative can keep moving forward while entertaining them at the same time. The ambient sound of fighting and human movements also adds life to the film which makes the shot seem more realistic and dramatic.
Tuesday 24 September 2013
This Is England - opening sequence analysis
During one of our lessons with Darren we analysed the title sequence and opening sequence of This Is England (2006) directed by Shane Meadows. The title sequence of This is England is a montage of different archived pieces of footage from England in the 1980s.
The title sequence opens up with an archived piece of footage of the famous children's puppet Roland Rat and then it cuts to the first on screen graphics saying the production company behind the film. The next piece of archived footage is then of Margaret Thatcher in a digger. Shane Meadows could have put these pieces of footage next to each other because he is trying to suggest or foreshadow in the film that Margaret Thatcher to the characters is like an annoying rat. This was a common feeling amongst people in the 1980s because many people were still bitter over the fact that she invaded the Falklands island and also because she closed all the mines. The montage sequence does also contain a lot of footage from the Falklands therefore this could be linking to the context of the film.
During the title sequence of This Is England whenever an actors name comes up there appears to be a load of rolling numbers underneath their name. This is because director Shane Meadows is trying to represent a British Soldiers dog tag number. So the rolling of the numbers represents the echo of the number of soldiers that have died. Hence linking to the Falklands conflict and the context of the film.
The text in the title sequence is white and looks very rough and broken and the background colour is black, The difference in colour in the text and in the background could indicate the racism that takes place in the movie and generally what England was like at the time as well as the cultural difference. The rough and broken style text could also suggest that the movie is violent and that is represents a rough England.
The title sequence opens up with an archived piece of footage of the famous children's puppet Roland Rat and then it cuts to the first on screen graphics saying the production company behind the film. The next piece of archived footage is then of Margaret Thatcher in a digger. Shane Meadows could have put these pieces of footage next to each other because he is trying to suggest or foreshadow in the film that Margaret Thatcher to the characters is like an annoying rat. This was a common feeling amongst people in the 1980s because many people were still bitter over the fact that she invaded the Falklands island and also because she closed all the mines. The montage sequence does also contain a lot of footage from the Falklands therefore this could be linking to the context of the film.
During the title sequence of This Is England whenever an actors name comes up there appears to be a load of rolling numbers underneath their name. This is because director Shane Meadows is trying to represent a British Soldiers dog tag number. So the rolling of the numbers represents the echo of the number of soldiers that have died. Hence linking to the Falklands conflict and the context of the film.
The text in the title sequence is white and looks very rough and broken and the background colour is black, The difference in colour in the text and in the background could indicate the racism that takes place in the movie and generally what England was like at the time as well as the cultural difference. The rough and broken style text could also suggest that the movie is violent and that is represents a rough England.
Thursday 19 September 2013
The Sony Z5s and Z1s
During our lessons with Paul we have learnt about the Sony Z5s and Z1s HDV camcorder. The Z5s has many different components. Some of which we learnt. The features we did learn about were the
white balance feature, the shutter speed, the iris and depth of field.
The Sony Z5s record onto DV tapes and can be easily changeable. The camcorder only requires one battery per camera and it can record onto high definition and standard definition.
Depth of field
The depth of field is the distance between what you are filming and the camera. The depth of field feature can either focus the foreground or the background for a particular effect or the depth of field can focus both the foreground and background.
White balance
The white balance feature on the Sony Z5s is there so that it can be used as a reference point which can be used so the camera can pick up a colour which represents white. The white balance can then calculate all the other colours based on the particular white point.
Shutter speed
The word shutter means a mechanical gap between the camera lens and the film. When a photo is taken with the camera lens for an instant the film is exposed to incoming light. The purpose of the shutter speed feature is that it can be varied by a scale. The faster the shutter speed, the period of time the shutter is open is shorter and therefore meaning the less light which falls onto the film. The lower the shutter speed the more the cinematography is blurred and the slower the motion is.
The purpose of the iris in the camcorder is that by opening the camera lens the camera lets in more light and vice versa by not opening the iris less light is let in. The use of the iris is for slight adjustment.
Stabilising equipment
During Paul's lesson we also looked at the different pieces of equipment which you can attach the Sony Z5s and Z1s to. The aim of the different equipment is so that you can stabilise the camera so that there is no shaking and so that all in all you get a better finished film which looks a lot smoother and proffesional. The pieces of equipment we looked at were;
white balance feature, the shutter speed, the iris and depth of field.
The Sony Z5s record onto DV tapes and can be easily changeable. The camcorder only requires one battery per camera and it can record onto high definition and standard definition.
Depth of field
The depth of field is the distance between what you are filming and the camera. The depth of field feature can either focus the foreground or the background for a particular effect or the depth of field can focus both the foreground and background.
White balance
The white balance feature on the Sony Z5s is there so that it can be used as a reference point which can be used so the camera can pick up a colour which represents white. The white balance can then calculate all the other colours based on the particular white point.
Shutter speed
The word shutter means a mechanical gap between the camera lens and the film. When a photo is taken with the camera lens for an instant the film is exposed to incoming light. The purpose of the shutter speed feature is that it can be varied by a scale. The faster the shutter speed, the period of time the shutter is open is shorter and therefore meaning the less light which falls onto the film. The lower the shutter speed the more the cinematography is blurred and the slower the motion is.
The purpose of the iris in the camcorder is that by opening the camera lens the camera lets in more light and vice versa by not opening the iris less light is let in. The use of the iris is for slight adjustment.
Stabilising equipment
During Paul's lesson we also looked at the different pieces of equipment which you can attach the Sony Z5s and Z1s to. The aim of the different equipment is so that you can stabilise the camera so that there is no shaking and so that all in all you get a better finished film which looks a lot smoother and proffesional. The pieces of equipment we looked at were;
- The tripod
- A dolly track
- A steadicam
Fish out of the water movie idea
A fish out of the water movie is a film in which the main character is put out of their comfort zone. For example many Adam Sandler films employ this idea. A great example of an Adam Sandler fish out of water movie would be Big Daddy. This is because his character is an irresponsible man who has no responsibilities. He is then made to look after a young child. Hence making it a fish out of water movie.
Our favourite idea we came up with was a romantic comedy about a male boxer called Joe who falls in love with a ballerina called Chloe. The basic plot summary is that Joe meets a girl named Chloe in a local bar. They instantly fall for each other and everything is going so well. This is until Chloe who hates with a passion boxing finds out that Joe is a boxer. She then says to Joe that she will only continue to see him if he tries out ballet for a month. Joe agrees to do so, only at the exception that she tries out boxing for a month. They both agree to do so. And obviously with this there causes many arguments and controversies which makes up the plot for the movie.
As seen below is the basic film poster we created for the movie on Photoshop.
Conflict is a great way to generate an idea for a movie because it can be a great way to cause drama and intensity. As well as making great comedy. This is because there are hundreds of different scenarios which can be built into bigger story arcs and narratives.
One of the two film posters which we researched that inspired our film idea poster was Billy Elliot. This is because the poster
includes a load of girls wearing ballet outfits and then a boy stuck in the middle looking out of place wearing boxing gear. This inspired our film poster and the actual narrative surrounding the film. The other film poster which loosely inspired me was The Fighter film poster. This is because of the boxer played by Mark Wahlberg who is seen clearly on the poster. This is very engaging and shows the clear genre of the film, henceforth helping us to make the decision to put the character Joe on the poster with boxing gloves mixing in the ballet side as well which was inspired from the Billy Elliot poster.
In evaluation of our poster design. I am fairly happy with the outcome and I am happy with the composition of images and text. The only thing which I am not happy about in the poster is the amount of empty space which fills the page. This all comes down to the lack of time we had and if we had longer we would definitely have filled all the empty space up.
As seen below is the basic film poster we created for the movie on Photoshop.
Conflict is a great way to generate an idea for a movie because it can be a great way to cause drama and intensity. As well as making great comedy. This is because there are hundreds of different scenarios which can be built into bigger story arcs and narratives.
One of the two film posters which we researched that inspired our film idea poster was Billy Elliot. This is because the poster
In evaluation of our poster design. I am fairly happy with the outcome and I am happy with the composition of images and text. The only thing which I am not happy about in the poster is the amount of empty space which fills the page. This all comes down to the lack of time we had and if we had longer we would definitely have filled all the empty space up.
Horror film script - first 5 minutes
INT. SCHOOL COMPUTER CLASSROOM - NIGHT
John Mason is a teacher at a local comprehensive school in his area. The scene opens with him in a classroom with a pile of essays and typing a lot on a computer. He is clearly stressed and its very late.
CUT TO:
EXT.SCHOOL PLAYGROUND/MOON - NIGHT
A dark figure is seen on the school playground looking up at the moon holding a pole in his right hand.
CUT TO:
INT. SCHOOL COMPUTER CLASSROOM - NIGHT
Phone rings
JOHN
Hello, who is it?
STRANGER
I'm the only person sane enough to talk to you.
JOHN
What the hell are you talking about, who are you?
STRANGER
It doesn't matter who I am. What matters is that you do exactly what I tell you.
JOHN
I'm hanging up. I don't talk to creeps like you. Goodbye.
John continues to do his work on the computer, he constantly checks his watch for the time. He hears a loud noise down the corridor and his computer shuts down. He goes out into the corridor and checks to see what the noise was.
JOHN
Is anyone there?
HELLO?!?
Look whoever it is, school finished 8 hours ago. I can suspend you for this.
John starts getting nervous and he gets out his phone and shines the torch. More noises can be heard. John can hear whispers and their is a close up of sweat running down his face.
STRANGER
Don't you know you shouldn't talk to strangers. You brought this onto yourself John. You will pay for your demons.
JOHN
Il call the police you know. I'm warning you. Stop with these silly games.
STRANGER
And how are you going to call the police? I've cut the phone lines and at this time of the night the police have better priorities. I guess you are stuck with me now.
JOHN
What have I ever done to you? Leave me alone. PLEASE.
STRANGER
John Mason. Death by execution. Point of death Royal Vale comprehensive.
This is the end of the road for you.
JOHN
PLEASE DON'T HURT ME. I will pay you if it means you will go. Take someone else. Not me.
STRANGER
Too late.
JOHN
Please, I'm begging please leave me alone.
STRANGER
It's time to die.
I'm the only person sane enough to talk to you.
JOHN
What the hell are you talking about, who are you?
STRANGER
It doesn't matter who I am. What matters is that you do exactly what I tell you.
JOHN
I'm hanging up. I don't talk to creeps like you. Goodbye.
John continues to do his work on the computer, he constantly checks his watch for the time. He hears a loud noise down the corridor and his computer shuts down. He goes out into the corridor and checks to see what the noise was.
JOHN
Is anyone there?
HELLO?!?
Look whoever it is, school finished 8 hours ago. I can suspend you for this.
John starts getting nervous and he gets out his phone and shines the torch. More noises can be heard. John can hear whispers and their is a close up of sweat running down his face.
STRANGER
Don't you know you shouldn't talk to strangers. You brought this onto yourself John. You will pay for your demons.
JOHN
Il call the police you know. I'm warning you. Stop with these silly games.
STRANGER
And how are you going to call the police? I've cut the phone lines and at this time of the night the police have better priorities. I guess you are stuck with me now.
JOHN
What have I ever done to you? Leave me alone. PLEASE.
STRANGER
John Mason. Death by execution. Point of death Royal Vale comprehensive.
This is the end of the road for you.
JOHN
PLEASE DON'T HURT ME. I will pay you if it means you will go. Take someone else. Not me.
STRANGER
Too late.
JOHN
Please, I'm begging please leave me alone.
STRANGER
It's time to die.
CUT: END OF SCENE
Script/storyboard structure and their importance
When producing a film or television show it is vital during the pre production stage to write a script. This is because it is then often easier for the director to put the script writers vision to the screen.
Every new scene which is indicated in a script has a scene heading which clearly states whether the scene will open up in an interior environment or an exterior environment. The scene heading will also state whether it will take place in the day or night. If the scene is to start in an interior environment then it will say (INT) or for exterior (EXT).
On to top of every piece of character dialogue in the script there will be a character cue. This will be their name in capital letters central at the top of the dialogue. Hence this is just a clear indication of which actor has to speak and so that they know their cue. In class we watched the first 5 minutes of the opening sequence of Scream. The clip from Scream is a good example of a simple piece of script.
Another component of pre-production which is often very important is storyboarding. Storyboarding is the exact breakdown of evey shot in the film/television show which is drawn into a small box. Next to the box is a list of information about the following shot. For example the duration, shot type, the description of the shot and also what the sound will be e.g diegetic or non-diegetic.
Some directors choose not to create a storyboard for their production. This is often because it gives them more freedom when filming to try out different shot angles and different shot types. Storyboarding can also be very important for the main production because it makes filming easier for the production team because they have everything planned out beforehand and therefore a lot of unnecessary stress is reduced. During the lesson I planned out the first four shots on a storyboard which goes with my short horror script.
In the image below I have drawn up the first two shots in a storyboard for my short film Lose Your Mind. The first shot is a long shot of Luke sitting on the sofa playing the video game Law Breaker. This shot clearly establishes Luke as a lazy 18 year old who spends his life playing his video game. The second shot is an over the shoulder medium shot of a therapist room. Luke is seen lying down on the therapists chair while a therapist discusses with him video game addiction. Luke's parents are also in the room desperately fighting to get their son back. It clearly isn't working as Luke is seen on a Portable PlayStation device. This just yet again establishes Luke as a lazy young adult who is wasting his life away. His parents walk out the room in tears.
Below is a storyboard which me and my production group created for our music video which we shot. We all assigned ourselves certain shots in which to plan out. The great thing about this is that it gave us a varied creative music video which showcased all our talents in storyboarding.
Some directors choose not to go with scripts and they prefer to make a 'guerrilla' style film/television show. This is where there is no script and they have a lot more freedom to do what they want and it is often a lot more improvised. A good example of a guerrilla style film/TV show would be the Jackass franchise.
When characters are first introduced in a script they are capitalised. This is so to show to the actors their introduction as well as their importance to the narrative. Many scripts also have a 'CUT TO:' cue. This is so that the director has a clear indication as to where they have to cut the scene.
Scripts are typed up in the Courier font. The importance of this is because an A4 page of dialogue written in Courier font translates into a minute of film. Therefore it is a lot easier for script writers to write in this font so that they can as accurately as possible work out how long they want the film to be.
Every new scene which is indicated in a script has a scene heading which clearly states whether the scene will open up in an interior environment or an exterior environment. The scene heading will also state whether it will take place in the day or night. If the scene is to start in an interior environment then it will say (INT) or for exterior (EXT).
On to top of every piece of character dialogue in the script there will be a character cue. This will be their name in capital letters central at the top of the dialogue. Hence this is just a clear indication of which actor has to speak and so that they know their cue. In class we watched the first 5 minutes of the opening sequence of Scream. The clip from Scream is a good example of a simple piece of script.
Storyboarding
Another component of pre-production which is often very important is storyboarding. Storyboarding is the exact breakdown of evey shot in the film/television show which is drawn into a small box. Next to the box is a list of information about the following shot. For example the duration, shot type, the description of the shot and also what the sound will be e.g diegetic or non-diegetic.
Some directors choose not to create a storyboard for their production. This is often because it gives them more freedom when filming to try out different shot angles and different shot types. Storyboarding can also be very important for the main production because it makes filming easier for the production team because they have everything planned out beforehand and therefore a lot of unnecessary stress is reduced. During the lesson I planned out the first four shots on a storyboard which goes with my short horror script.
In the image below I have drawn up the first two shots in a storyboard for my short film Lose Your Mind. The first shot is a long shot of Luke sitting on the sofa playing the video game Law Breaker. This shot clearly establishes Luke as a lazy 18 year old who spends his life playing his video game. The second shot is an over the shoulder medium shot of a therapist room. Luke is seen lying down on the therapists chair while a therapist discusses with him video game addiction. Luke's parents are also in the room desperately fighting to get their son back. It clearly isn't working as Luke is seen on a Portable PlayStation device. This just yet again establishes Luke as a lazy young adult who is wasting his life away. His parents walk out the room in tears.
Wednesday 18 September 2013
Alfred Hitchcock's Marnie - opening sequence
While watching the opening sequence of Alfred Hitchcocks Marnie (1964) we discussed the editing techniques used and the cinematography.
There were very few editing techniques used during the opening sequence. The reason for this is because it makes the whole sequence seem more realistic and close to real life while seeming very natural . The editing techniques which were used was a cut from the long shot of the women at the train station to the boss of a company shouting "robbed". After the short opening sequence has finished there are around about 15+ shots in the office and this all falls under continuity editing. There are also shot reverse shots between the boss and his women assistant and the two police officers. The effect of this is that it shows the tension and anger running through him from getting robbed.
The opening sequence of Marnie opens up with a close-up of a womens bag which is being held very close to her body. This could suggest to the audience that it is very significant to the narrative. It could also suggest that the bag could have as much importance as she herself has. This all adds to the enigma codes for the audience.
The opening sequence also includes a long shot of the women waiting at the train station. This could symbolise a certain distance between the character Marnie and the audience.
Visual impact on an audience
There are various factors in film and tv which visually impact an audience and need to be considered.
Some of these factors are;
Some of these factors are;
- Location/setting - the location and setting can help visually impact an audience because it can aid their understanding of the characters situations as well as putting together a picture for the audiences mind.
- Dialogue - the dialogue in tv and film is a key factor which can visually impact an audience because it can help build character relationships within the film or television show. This henceforth helps the audience understand the narrative and characters better.
- Sound/music - sound and music can visually impact an audience because it can help portrtay the narrative in a certain way. For example if the director is aiming to make the narrative dark and sinister then the use of non-diegetic eerie music will portray the narrative perfectly in that way.
- Colours - the use of colour in tv and film can also visually impact an audience because like sound and music it can help to portray the narrative in a certain way. For example bright colours could portray the narrative in an upbeat way.
- Costume - costume can visually impact an audience because it can show what a particular characyer is like and what kind of a role they have in the film or television show. E.g the antagonist or protagonist.
- Camera movements - another factor which can visually impact an audience in film and tv is the use of camera movements. This is because it can show what the environment is like as well as providing the narrative with a pace and style.
- Shot types - the use of shot types can visually impact an audience because it shows what the director is trying to put across. Shot types can also portray a characters emotions very well. For example a close-up shot can portray a characters emotions very well. Whereas a long shot can show very well the entirety of a location or setting.
Friday 13 September 2013
Shot types and cinematography in film
During Darren's lessons I have learnt about shot types and in groups we discussed the opening sequences of various films like Batman and Mission Impossible and the use of the directors conventional or unconventional approach. We also watched the opening sequence of Blade and discussed the use of cinematography.
Cinematography
Cinematography
Cinematopgraphy consists of all the shot types that make a film or television show. Some of the many shot types are, long shot, medium shot, establishing shot, close-up, extreme close-up and an extreme long shot. Cinematography in film and tv is also the different camera movements. Some of which are tracking and panning. During Darren's lessons we watched different opening sequences and clips from different films while considering the cinematography.
As well as cinematograohy we also discussed the difference with what a plot is and what a story is. The story (or narrative) is the events that happen and the plot is the order in which the story happens. For example a beginning, middle or end.
There are various shot types which are used in TV and Film and they help to aid the audiences opinions or views on particular characters or scenes. there are many different shot types and these are;
Medium Shot
The medium shot is used a lot in film and tv. The medium shot is a shot usually from the head to the waist down of a person. It is most commonly used in dialogue scenes because it can clearly show a conversation well as well as picking up a characters body language.
Close-up
Close- up shots are usually a intensified shot up close of an object or of someones face. The purpose of the close-up is usually to depict a characters emotions and feelings so that the audience can relate or develop feelings for the character. A close-up of a particular object can also symbolise its importance to the narrative.
Extreme close-up
An extreme close-up is a even more zoomed in version of the close-up shot. So for example a extreme close-up would be a shot of someones eye or a particular facial feature. Extreme close-ups are often used in thrillers and horrors because they can build suspense and drama. For instance horrors and thrillers often do extreme close-ups of sweat running down peoples faces of peoples eye movements.
Long shot
A long shot is a shot of usually someone in the foreground but very far off so that they look smaller or a long shot could be a location which is the main foreground of the shot. The purpose of a long shot is usually to set the location for the current scene or it can often just show clearly the characters surroundings and what the can be dealing with.
Establishing shot
An establishing shot is most commonly a wide shot or a long shot. The purpose of an establishing shot is to establish the setting to the audience so that they know where the film is going to take place. Conventionally most films open with an establishing shot.
Thursday 12 September 2013
Pre-production roles and where the money goes!
There are various job roles that are essential in the pre-production stage of any shoot. These are;
- The producer/co-producer
- Script writer
- Director/assistant director
- Composer
- Concept artist
- Costume designer
- Set designer
- Storyboard artist
- Pre visual editors
- Props department/designer
- Stage director
- Location scout/manager
- Casting director
- Artists
We watched a short film called Validation and while watching it we made notes and discussed where all the money was spent.
The money spent on the production would go on;
- Casting and paying the actors
- Catering for all the crew and actors
- Equipment hire e.g. cameras, lights, sound etc.
- The locations and sets
- Costumes
- Props
- Travel costs
- The sound track - the composer and musicians
From my research on this website - http://www.hireacamera.com/
Media Production - production stages of a short film
There are three stages of production when making a short film, film, television show, music video etc.
The first stage of production is called the pre-production stage. This is where all the planning is done so that you are fully prepared for the shoot. Components of pre-production planning are writing the script, storyboarding every shot, contingency planning, organising location, casting the actors and planning what each actors costume will be. We looked at a short film called Sign Language , while watching this short film we discussed and made notes on what pre-production planning the director would have needed to do before making the film.
The second stage of production is the production stage. This is the stage where all the shots and scenes are filmed. There can be many takes of just one shot or scene just to make sure that the director is happy with what he has filmed. The production stage also includes making sure that all sound has been recorded properly so that it can be heard clearly when watching it.
The third and final stage of production is the post-production stage. This is where all the editing is taken place in which each shot is put together and appropriate transitions are added in. The post production stage also involves adding in any special effects or visual effects (VFX) as well as making sure all the lighting is correct and doesn't look bad on the screen.
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