Rough cut - First Two Minutes (Re-edit)
14 years ago
Sunday 13 December 2009
Shooting - 13th December
Todays filming went really well, i gathered all the footage i planned to collect as well as additional shots which work well with my short film. My location choice was good due to its close proximity to both my residence and my main actor however the one major set back was that the town wasn't as busy as i had hoped. As a result the sense of the town being busy and crowded wasn't conveyed very well in the filming. This is only a minor set back as i only need to re-shoot a few shots. Overall the shoot was successful.
Saturday 12 December 2009
Monday 30 November 2009
Rough Cut - First Minute
I feel the first edit has been a success. The editing style and pace are as I first imagined and I
feel the pace of the editing matches the pace of the musical score. In addition the contrapuntal
musical score works well with the mise-en-scene to emphasise the narrative of the text. The
camera work is steady and proficient through out as well as being well as being well positioned
and framed. On the other hand I feel the diegetic sound could be emphasised more and
additional sounds could be added.
This would further engage the audience and would add emphasis to the
narrative. In comparison to my rough cut at AS I feel my camera work, creativity and
post-production skills have significantly improved. My A2 rough cut is of much higher quality
than my AS.
feel the pace of the editing matches the pace of the musical score. In addition the contrapuntal
musical score works well with the mise-en-scene to emphasise the narrative of the text. The
camera work is steady and proficient through out as well as being well as being well positioned
and framed. On the other hand I feel the diegetic sound could be emphasised more and
additional sounds could be added.
This would further engage the audience and would add emphasis to the
narrative. In comparison to my rough cut at AS I feel my camera work, creativity and
post-production skills have significantly improved. My A2 rough cut is of much higher quality
than my AS.
Shooting- 14th November
This was my first shoot due to problems with obtaining actors and issues with availability of equipment. I believe the shoot went very well due to the fact I got more footage than I planned to collect.
The footage came out well and I believe all the footage can be utilised. I feel this is a result of he fact that I was solely in charge and control of the directing and camerawork. This meant there was less time wasted with disagreements and debating. Furthermore I feel my use of the tripod and camera has significantly improved from AS. There was allot less time wasted through re-shoots due to shaky shots and poor framing. As a result it gave me more time to do multiple takes of difficult shots to allow me to select the best one in the post production stage.
Tuesday 10 November 2009
Evaluation Of Planning
My research influenced my planning in terms of genre choice and narrative structure however specific shot choices, editing pace and style are a reflection of my personal opinion and creativity. My storyboard was very effective at allowing me to picture specific shots and understand the flow of narrative. Due to the fact I spent a long time and a large amount of effort on my storyboard it made the process of creating an animatic much easier. My animatic allowed me to experiment with editing pace and style, shorting and lengthening clips to fit to the pace of the music and carry the narrative. However creating my animatic was a largely time consuming process and a as a result my final animatic was only 3 minutes in length. This is due to time restrictions and over predicting shot lengths in my storyboard. On the other hand the process has improved my understanding of editing and shot length.
Due to the fact my animatic is only 3 minutes in length it means I will need to film more shots on location however won't have the chance to storyboard them and see if or how they fit together. As a result these choices will need to be made in the post production stage.
Thursday 5 November 2009
Animatic #2
I feel my animatic effectively shows the vision I had for my short film. The editing style and pace effectively creates the mood and feel I initially had imagined. The use of close ups and mid-shots meets the codes and conventions of short films as well as the use of sound and narrative created through these techniques.
At AS level my skills in using Premier where very limited. The editing of my AS animatic didn't match that of what I had intended, the use of sound was limited and as a result the narrative of the text was unclear. However comparing this to my A2 animatic it is obvious to see that my knowledge and skills of Premier have greatly improved. The editing is much more accurate and professional, there is greater use of sound clips and effects and the overall feel of the piece is much more professional.
Monday 26 October 2009
Animatic #1
Feedback From Peers:- Good use of sound - effective at engaging - good use of contrapuntal musical score.- Good shot choices and pace - tilt upward from dinner plate.- The sequence out of the house needs to be improved - more shots/clarity- During the second set of jump cut editing in first sequence some shots need to be a few frames longer.- Fade transition from sequences - from tilt to opening of door.- All needs to be slightly longer.
Thursday 8 October 2009
Showing Narrative Through Technique
Due to nature of short films there isn't much time for the director to establish a narative through dialouge and storyline. As a result the director is forced to use elements of camera, editing, diegetic sound and mise-en-scene. Therefore I plan to take these technical elements and use them effectivley to establish a narrative. My narrative will be constructed using a combination of cinematography styles, editing pace and mise-en-scene (in particular lighting).
When I was creating my AS piece of coursework developing a narrative wasn't key to the brief as a result I plan to look closer at this element in my A2 coursework.
A feature length film would follow a traditional linear narrative similar to Todrov's narrative theory in which there is an equilibrium - disequilibrium - re-equilibrium (www.scribd.com/doc/8332523/Narrative-theory-notes).
However due to the nature of short films it would be difficult to establish each of these elements effectively. As a result I will use Barthes' enigma code to convey narrative. This is the idea that the media presents a series of mysteries and clues which must be unravelled by the audience at the end of then text. (http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_Barthes'_Enigma_code). This theory allows me to convey a narrative through the camera rather than dialogue which is suited more to short films.
Wednesday 30 September 2009
Sunday 20 September 2009
'Dexter' Opening
One of my initial ideas I wish to pursuit further is stereotypical views towards obese people. I really like how narrative and emotion is created in the opening to the american TV drama 'Dexter'. However 'Dexter' isn't a short films however aspects of editing, sound, camera and mise-en-scene can be extracted and used in my work. The time frame I am particularly interested in is from 0:43 to 1:19. The director has chosen extreme macro shots of the food and emphasized the action of eating to be very suggestive of violent forms. This allows the audience to relate to the character and the kind of person he is. This is arguably more effective than showing realistic shots of violence. Suggestive ideas are also common in Kurbrick's 1962 film 'Loleta' and are believed to be more influential than seeing the actual act.
In addition to the camera work the sound in the opening to 'Dexter' works well with the narrative and editing. The contrapuntal music helps to emphasis the representation of 'Dexter' character. This is very effective in the TV show as the character of Dexter is a lovable psychotic serial killer. I wish to take influence from this opening and use it in my representations of obese children. I wish to change it slightly by emphasizing the diegetic sound.
Inital Ideas
https://share.acrobat.com/adc/document.do?docid=d905b99d-7422-4746-a790-01a2f9d978d1
Click above link to view interactive evaluation.
Sunday 13 September 2009
Evaluation Of Research
I believe the research process has had a significant positive effect on my planning ,as my secondary research has given me a good understanding of the codes and conventions of a short film. By looking at existing media products, I now have a solid understanding of the narrative structure of short films. This research has influenced me to base my product on Barthes engima code such that narrative isn't created in a linear form however through a "series of mysteries" in which to be solved by the audience. On the other hand my primary research had little effect and influence on my planning. I belive that I should have approached my target audience more frequently to find out first hand what they expect to see in a short film of a genre I chose. This would have been benefical in ensuring that my product appeals to my audience and to see if it supports my secondary research.
Subsequently I have decided to incorporate an aspect of real life and drama into my piece. As a result this reduced the choices available to from my Inital ideas. I believe this had an effetive impact on my genre choice to which will appeal to my target audience and significantly improve my overall product. As a result my research, shot choices, editing style and mise-en-scene will be considered greatly when it comes to creating my animatic and rough cut.
Tuesday 14 July 2009
Discussion With Class Mates
Discussion With Class Mate - Codes and Conventions of Short Films
Myself and a class mate came together to discuss the research we had done about the codes and conventions of short films, this is the list we came up with:
- Range of representations
- Simple narrative
- limited amount of characters
- Mis-en-scene key to setting mood and feel of piece
- Large use of close ups
- Common to have voice over narrating
- Restriction of dialogue - narrative told through camera and events
- Two extremes of pace - Slow or fast - reflected in editing and non diegtic musical score
- Punchy and engaging from the beginning
- Titles - light text over black background.
Media Presentation
View more presentations from Andy Johnson.
Thursday 9 July 2009
Sci-fi Titles Made In After Effects
This was my first attempt at creating sophisticated titles using Adobe After Effects. I'm extremely happy with the outcome due to the fact my titles feel like titles you would see in a classic Science Fiction Film. It took some time to get use to using the tools and interface in After Effects however after a while I found there where similar toolsacross all of the Adobe programs so using the software became much easier. From this exercise I have learnt how to manipulate text as well as understanding thatthe first titles an audience sees must be reflective of the genre and feel of the piece.In addition to this I learnt how to use a combination of compositions in After effects to create an overall piece. The larger text in the background was created in a different composition to the typed out text. Overall I feel my skills in using After Effects have significantly improved since AS level.I plan to use my skills learnt in this exercise to create professional looking titles that fit with the genre of my short film.
Elevator Music - Serdar ferit (2008)
Shared Codes and ConventionsMise-en-scene - costume begins to construct representations of age and ethnicity -- location -- elevator -- common area where all members of society meet (similar to 'First Time It Hits') -- representations are constructed based on common stereotypes in modern society -- stereotypes are reinforced by diegtic music -- each stereotype is represented by the music they play. Camera -- variety of mid-shots and close-ups -- CU's allow audience engagement -- narrative is told through the camera and mise-en-scene -- no dialogue (similar to 'Michael Lau'). Editing -- majority straight cuts -- maintains sense of realism in the text - fade transition usedto show change of time.
"Michael Lau"' - Michael Lau
"Michael Lau" - Michael LauMise-en-scene - dark/gritty. Sound - non-diegetic sound - minimalistic - diegetic sound is quieter than musical score allowing it to dominant - no dialogue through out the text. Similar to "wrong sideof the bed" - other similarities include narrative - text has the sense of an average day - audiencecan relate to - however he then dreams of other things - traveling through space. Story is told through camera and mise-en-scene - events depict what is going on- narrative isn't over complicated - similar to other short films. Editing starts slow paced - soon quickens - match on action - keeps audience engaged through the short piece. Variety of creative shots used to add unique feel to thetext. Text is dominated by mid to close up shots - builds audience engagement - close ups of modelsused to represent emotion - mise-en-scene - facial expression and body language - emotions reinforced by camera distance and angels. Special effects used to heighten sense of surrealism -enforcing dream sense - juxtaposes still shots of models. Documentary style as it depicts day in the life of Michael Lau - representations of ethnicity.Shared Codes and Conventions Simple narrative which is told through the camera and mise-en-scene. Similar to all the other textsi have looked at, reinforced by the fact there is no dialogue through out the text. Editing is facedpaced and punchy, grabs the audience's attention quickly. Further reinforcing this is the fast pacednon-diegetic musical score. Straight cuts are used dominantly to keep the realism of the text which relates to the realistic narrative that the audience can connect with. Text is dominated by close upsand mid shots to keep the audience engaged - further engagement is created through creative shot choices which add a unique feel to the piece.
Thursday 18 June 2009
Snap - Manolo Celi (2006)
Analytical Comparison to "Wrong Side of the Bed" - Daniel Lucchesi (2006)
"Snap" has a much more filmic and "hollywood-esc" feel to it compared to "Wrong Side of the Bed".
A larger variety of shot distances and positing of the camera are used in the text as well as the
great match on action editing which helps the audience to engage with the piece. Theses technical areas help give the text the feel of a hollywood film. This is reinforced by the setting and the mise-en-scene by the fact it is set in your typical sunny american town.
A main difference between "Snap" and "Wrong Side of the Bed" was the use of close ups. I believe the director of "Wrong side of the Bed" limited the use of close ups to allow the audience to view the action and relate to what was happening, in addition it doesn't allow the audience to become fully engaged with the text. This helps to remind the audience that they are not a part of the text however they can relate to the characters. On the other hand "Snap" use a wide variety of camera distances and positioning to allow the audience to feel apart of the text. Reinforcing this is the fast pace match on action editing which further increases audience engagement. Adding to the hollywood feel was the use of the slow motion effect. This is a common convention associated with hollywood films. The non-diegetic sound fits well with the editing and helps in the representation of the character. For example at 01:39 the non-diegetic sound stops as the action cuts to a group of girls skipping. However when antagonist runs round the corner the non-diegetic sound starts again. This associates the sound with the character and builds on the representation of the character.
Shared Codes and Conventions
Although both texts are shot in a completely different style with different feels to them common
features do emerge. Both texts grab the audiences attention from the begging through the pace of
the editing and the non-diegetic sound. In addition the immediate mis-en-scene helps create the
mood and feel of the piece. These elements are key to grabbing the audiences attention.
Furthermore, both texts have a simple and easy to follow narrative. The directors haven't tried to
over complicate and make the narrative too intricate.
Wrong Side Of The Bed - Daniel Lucchesi (2006)
Technical AnalysisSection 1 (00.00 - 00.39)Opening shot - man in bed - sets mood - reinforced by dark lighting and setting - furtherreinforced by diegetic sound of alarm ringing.Special effect - split screen - establishes dual narrative - each shot has same distance - mainlylong-mid - doesn't show bias to one side. Camera highlights actions and events and narrative isconveyed through actions. Mise-en-scene home environment - drives narrative - relates to any audience member.Quick paced editing - instant audience engagement - reinforced by non-diegetic music.Title "wrong side of the bed" carries narrative and what the audience expect. Section 2 (00.39 - 01.31Mise-en-scene - facial expression helps to reinforce narrative and allows audience engagement.Shot distance is kept equal in both half's, showing no bias.Editing holds text together - cuts smoothly between events. Interplay between two separate narratives - carefully planned timing, positing and editing- effectively creates humor andaudience engagement - helps carry idea of "wrong side o the bed" - audience can relate to.Analysis - Codes And ConventionsThis short film is very effective at capturing audience engagement from the very start. This done through the quickpace of the editing and the non-diegetic musical score. The director effectively displays the narrative of the textthrough the camera distance and the feel of the mise-en-scene. The narrative displayed is very simple and the director hasn't over complicated what is going on. This makes the text more engaging and enjoyable to watch. Inaddition it is fitting to the small time frame given to a short film.
Killing Time At Home - Neil Coslett (2003)
Killing Time - Neil Coslett (2003)Technical AnalysisSound - minimalist parallel non-diegetic musical score - builds up to heavier rock music - reflectsnarrative of text. Text dominated by close ups and mid shots - helps engage audience and maintainsimple narrative of the text. Limited diegetic sound - narrative is told through the camera andmise-en-scene (similar to "wrong side of the bed") - non-diegetic musical score dominates. Editing starts slowly - helps set foundations of narrative - pace of editing quickens - matches action on screen - increases audience engagement - mis-en-scene - Dark and gritty (similar to "First Time It Hits") - similar to animation style and feel - reflects narrative and moodof the piece. A variety of tilts, pans and zooms are used - camera movement helps narrative to flow - directs audience engagement. Facial expression and body language - helps to carry narrativealong with shots shown. Narrative is common to real life circumstances(similar to "The First Time It Hits")
The First Time It Hits - Jason Budge (2004)
The First Time It Hits - Jason Budge (2004)
Technical Analysis
Editing - fast paced - matched by fast paced non-diegetic musical score - instantly engaging -
sets mood and feel - rock and roll sound track - mood and feel reinforced by mis-en-scene -
gritty dark mood - further reinforced by diegetic sound of skateboard wheels - Jump cut editing
fits with fast paced music - representations of age - young live fast die young - smoking young girl
- reinforced by special effects of sped up footage.
world
Large use of close ups - creative shot choice - see the differently - further representations
of age and stereotype - in your face attitude - facial expression of young girl also reinforces in
your face attitude - sticks her tongue out - breaking the fourth wall - acknowledges audience -
further engagement.
Use of multiple media - animation - helps flow of narrative - shows boy fantasy - reinforced by
the change of non-diegetic sound.
Semiotics - graffiti, skateboards/brands, skull and cross bones - representation of stereotypical
teenage skater - helps audience to understand character - gives idea to the feel of the narrative.
Codes and Conventions
Punchy - instant audience engagement. This is created in a similar way to "Snap" and "Wrong side
of the Bed" through fast paced editing and similar paced non-diegetic sound. Contains a simple, but
engaging narrative - similar to "Snap" and "Wrong side of the Bed". In addition the director of
"The First Time it Hits" uses a large number of close ups and very few mid - long shots. This use of
camera helps the audience to engage, also it adds to the feel of the piece. This is reinforced by the
mis-en-scene and the setting of the text. The dark gritty and in your face feel of the text is created
through the setting, lighting, editing pace, close ups and diegetic sound. Put together they create
a "grunge" feel to the text. This is reflected in the representation of age, and the stereotypical image
of teenage "skaters". The director hasn't over complicated the narrative of the text, as a result the
narrative is told through the camera and the facial expression of the characters. Furthermore the
narrative is reinforced by the cross-media animation which is helped to show the fantasy of the
young boy.
Tuesday 16 June 2009
What is A Short Film?
Defined By Length
Short films usually have a duration less than your standard feature film which stands at about 90 - 120 minutes. "The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Science awards Oscars to short films of max length 40 minutes" (Vivienne Clark, (2007) Teaching Short Films, Page 9) . In modern education and society students make films of no more than 5 minutes in length.
Defined By Content
"The depiction of a carefully considered emotion or the capture of a particular moment" (Ibid, page 10) Short films are considered to be the equivalent of short literature story or poem. Even though they are short in length short stories still contain a narrative or a morale within the text.
Defined by Form
"The function of a short film should be recognized as multifarious." (Ibid, page 10) Short films are great when it comes to flexibility in idea and creation. Short films cross the boundaries in to all areas of film such as advertising, music, documentary and animation etc. Short films allow directors to be creative as they like.
Defined by Production
"Short sequence of moving images" (Ibid, page 10) Short film can be created through a variety of forms. They can be shot on film, digitally, created by 3D animation or hand drawn animation. The variety of forms allow directors to express themselves and their ideologies in any form they wish.
Target Audience
From my research into short films, as well as searching for short films my self, I have decided that there is a niche audience for short films. Short films are much less mainstream than Hollywood blockbusters and as a result appeal to less people. It is my understanding that the target audience for short films mainly include members of the film industry as well as people interested in art house cinema. I feel short films appeal to both genders and to individuals aged over 20. This is due to the fact that short films are more sophisticated and 'arty' and as a result don't appeal to the masses. As a result of this the mediums short films are shown through are less traditional to that of main stream films. It is my understanding that my short film will either have to be shown at specific art-house cinemas, internet viewing or television on demand eg. Virgin Shorts.
Thursday 11 June 2009
Decision
I have decided to produce a short film in fitting with brief 10. Originally I planned to create a music video due to the fact it interested me, however I changed my mind due the fact that as a possible University course I wish to take film production. As a result choosing this brief it will hopefully give me a head start for University and help develop my understanding of the processes involved in the production of films.
In addition this leads on from my skill sets that I learnt in AS media studies of which will help in the creation of my film and will hopefully progress my skills from AS to a much higher standard in A2.
After watching a few examples of music videos, short films and adverts I chose to do short films due to the fact the creative narrative and the cinematography interested me. In addition the feel of the editing and the special effects appealed to me as a challenge in which to master effectively.
Wednesday 10 June 2009
First Lesson Discussion
During our first A2 Media Studies lesson we looked at the briefs to the projects for our coursework. The main briefs which took my interest are:
A promotion package for the release of an album, to include a music promo video, no longer than five minutes duration, together with:
- a cover for its release on DVD
- a magazine advertisement for the DVD
An advertising package for a new product or service, to include two TV advertisements, together with
- a radio advertisement
- a web pop-up
A short film in its entirety, lasting approximately five minutes, which may be live action or animation or a combination of both, together with:
- a poster for the film
- a film magazine review page featuring the film
Also during the lesson we looked at some past students work and some real media texts. This session influenced my choices out of all the briefs to just the 3 above. In addition the exercise helped highlight what was high quality work and what was not. Furthermore it emphasised how my personal skills in organisation, production and research need to progress in order to produce a high quality piece of media.
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