Level 4 Film and Media Production: 2012

Thursday, 10 May 2012

Drama Project- Edit Feedback and Final Thoughts

Today we finished the final cut. Sound and everything. We all met and reviewed the final piece putting in all our own opinions and giving feedback on small things that needed tweaking for the final changes before tomorrow. This was the first time I had witnessed the entire edit due to time constraints with other projects at this time. I thought it looked really good! We had made a successful piece in which through edit, lighting and sound, we had captured the emotion that I had wanted to capture when I wrote the script. Except for a tiny little few problems that James successfully fixed the piece was great and had truly made an impact on me as an audience member. I look forward to seeing how the piece is recieved tomorrow in the presentation.
Altogether I think the group worked well within their roles and everyone put in an effort which gave their input into the final film. Although there were a few problems along the way the piece seems to have worked out successfully and just in time too! I have enjoyed working with this team and feel that through everything that has happened along the way we have created a great end of year project that we can all be proud of.
Thank you!

Wednesday, 9 May 2012

Drama Project- Contribution Forms

The contribution forms were important for me within the shoot. It provided evidence that the actors wanted their work on film and the location was allowed to be used in the final piece as well as the contributor allowing the consent for this film to be promoted within the digital media. Here is our evidence we are legal below.

Drama Project- Shoot Review

With the amount of pre-production we did before the shooting came around we had high hopes that this would be a successful shoot. To an extent this was true, we used the material created in the pre-production stages as a guideline I had prior knowledge of what we were aiming for and we all pulled our weight throughout the two days. However there were things that went wrong when shooting that didn't help with the overall rushes. For example the kino lighting that we booked out was dodgy and when we came to setting it up on the Saturday the fuse blew and we weren't able to use it for the rest of the shoot. This held us back a little however we used the dedo lighting as a substitute and were still able to get good lighting that showed in the overall rushes.
The weather was not very positive throughout the shooting and as you will see in the final product we had to film the bridge scene when it was pouring with rain. It literally didn't stop throughout the whole of this scene and created both positive and negative things about our shoot. The negative things was the length of time it took to set up shots and record as we had to be extra carful with everything. Also the whole group was freezing and got completely soaked so this didn't help with the moral of the last piece of recording, this lead to some shots being over-exposed or the framing being slightly out, little things that could have been avoided. The positive side however was that because it didn't stop raining we were still able to get good continuity, also the rain helped to futher exaggerate the emotion that James displayes within this scene and what I wanted the audience to understand. Overall the rain was a blessing in disguise as it gave us the right atmospheric mood for the final scene of our piece.
Overall I think the shooting went very well, I think this helped by careful planning and organisation as it allowed us to be ready for anything that came our way.

Drama Project- Schedule

This is the shooting schedule that I planned on the weekend of shooting. I aimed to get a majority shot by the end of Saturday and then the rest shot on Sunday. However this didn't work out successfully. We spent all day Saturday recording and ran over by an hour, still not completing everything noted down for Saturday. Therefore Sunday was all the rest of the un shot scenes as well as the scenes still needed to be shot. Sunday ran over by around an hour and a half. We started just before 12pm and finished at around 5.30pm. The rain during the Sunday didn't help either as we found it very difficult to film in this condition as everything had to be carefully handled as notto get wet and the group was very cold during it. Luckily James still did an incredible job of acting in front of the camera through these conditions and looking back on the rushes this was a successful shoot.

Drama Project- Actors and Rehearsal

When in the pre-production stages of this project I have found myself needing to mention the actors and how we pulled in the actors that suited the part. Firstly we needed two actors and a mother for the photos, this was I think the most difficult part in the whole production stages of this project simply due to the lack of time we had available to us. We had to make the actors fit their week around us as well as find an actor that would be right for the image of the film. Firstly I emailed around the university seeing what actors they had, I found plenty of female actresses suitable for the daughter role within the film but there were no middle aged male or female actors that could play the part of the father or as the mother in the pictures. Therefore I used a website provided by the university called casting call pro. This is where I found an actor who when I got in contact wanted to do it but later found out he could not stick to our schedule. Therefore we had to look for another. Finally, after contacting many actors around the area I found James who was available during our schedule. The daughter role was a lot easier as I sent a note over to the performing arts courses and got a lot of interest which lead to me doing auditions for the part of the daughter which after a lot of debate the group decided that Fiona was perfect within the image of the daughter part.

The female we used for the mother ended up being Jess's cousin that we 'photoshoped' onto the photos we took of Fiona and James in a rehearsal. We were lucky with this as we couldn't find anyone who was available to do the pictures therefore we relied on digital media to save us which we are lucky that it did.

Finally we had a rehearsal with the two actors running through the script to get an idea of how the actors responded to the lines as well as each other when acting. This was very useful as we found what needed to be changed and had enough time to really give the actors an image of what we were looking for before the actual shooting day. We also used the rehearsal as a time to get pictures of the actors to try and show there relationship as a family which we used to dress the set with on the day. Furthermore we used the rehearsal as a technical rehearsal as well where Natalie as the cinematographer was able to practice with the Shoulder rig and the DSLR to get a hang of its functions and how it works and Jess the sound recordist was able to grasp the positioning of the boompole throughout the scenes to give the maximum quality of sound on the day and know where she needed to be straight away when shooting.

Drama Project- Equipment List and Location Viewing

This is our Equipment list that we have booked out before the shooting day. We have a lot of equipment and each have our own specific pieces equipment that we need to fullfil our roles given to us. I am taking my Canon DSLR which is what we are using to film with throughout. This is because the Canon is fully HD and gives a lot crisper depth of field than what a PD170 can give. Natalie has supplied a tie clip mic in case of emergencies but we have the rifle mic and a Rode NT for a majority of the sound so we hope that this will be uneeded during the shooting. Finally we are using a lot of lighting within the shoot. I have booked out Kino and Dedo lighting as this will give us a fuller lighting capability so we are more in control of the overall shot and do not have problems with natural lightings unpredictability. Hopefully this will work out to our advantage in the long run.

The Location we are using was viewed today by both myself James and Lewis. I took my script with me and looked at each scene in relation to character placement and room environment as well as the shots we would need. This was extremely useful as we actually acted out the scenes to provide us with knowledge of the shoot before it had started. I made some minor changes on the script about placement and where the camera would be and this has been brilliant in finding an image for the film is needed in pre-production.

Drama Project- Storyboard

The storyboard was very useful when finding a common image that all of the group could share. We converted this from the previous shotlist looking at each shot and how it could fit with the next. This was really useful to do in pre-production as we were able to visualise the piece to see if it would work and to see if we needed any changes that to shots to make it more successful. Altogether the storyboard posted a crucial part in the overall production and we used this throughout the rest of the stages of production as a guideline of the final piece.

Tuesday, 8 May 2012

Drama Project- Shotlist

Below is the shotlist I created after creating the script. This was then looked at by the rest of the group and edited accordingly by each person. We all decided on a final shotlist and this is what we came up with. Obviously this is liable to change during the production and we will treat this as a guideline more than an actual instructional list. We hope to get all these shots and more done in the two days we have available for shooting at our location. As you can see in scene 4 we are already changing the script and editing scenes out. However we are still confident about the overall piece and are looking forward to turning this into the final product. The next step is creating a storyboard so we can create an image for the shooting day.

FADE IN:

INT. DINING ROOM #1 – DAY

· Mid shot of daughters face panning out straight above her eyeline as she watches Father exit. 10secs cut by door shutting.

INT. DINING ROOM - DAY

· Wide shot at Father and Daughters eyeline level of them at Dining room table. 4secs

· 2 shot from other side of table (Still at same eyeline) 7secs

· Close up of Father Saying Don’t worry, we’ll get it done together flower 3secs

· Close up of Daughters smiling back at Father. 2secs

· Back to 2 shot as they carry on with work. 3secs

INT. BEDROOM #2 - DAY

· Tracking shot starting at far right side of bedside table moving right to left through the pictures and over to a mid/long shot of Father sat on bed looking at a picture and smoking. Stays on until he puts down picture. 12secs

· Cutaway shot of bedside table as he puts the picture back on it and takes the pill box from the surface. 4secs

· Cuts back to mid/long shot of father taking pills. 5secs

~~INT. LIVING ROOM – DAY~~ UNSURE OF SCENE

· Static wide shot in corner of room throughout Fathers different mood swings.

INT. BEDROOM – NIGHT

· Establishing shot of clock on bedside table (or on wall in bedroom) the time showing 1.30am focus pulls to father in bed shuffling.

· Long shot looking straight down at Father layed in bed trying to get comfortable then sighing and getting straight out of bed.

· Mid shot with bed in background, Father is pacing from right out of shot to left out of shot repeating this about 3 times.

· Long shot to other side of bedroom looking at door as he decides to walk through it.

INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT

· Shot inside fridge as Father opens door to get food

· Mid shot side view of fridge as Father piles up food in his hands then closes it with his feet and exits toward Living Room.

INT. LIVING ROOM - DAY

· Tracking mid shot or over the shoulder of Daughter walking into room and seeing Father slumped on sofa.

· 2 shot and over the Fathers shoulder shot as Daughter clears up mess around father and nudges Father.

· Mid shot of father as he awakes.

· Back to 2 Shot as she grabs her bag and leaves. (door slams in background)

INT. DINING ROOM #3 - DAY

· Long shot of front door as daughter arrives.

· Long shot down hallway that Daughter is in as Father appears quickly into the frame.

· Tracks and pans with daughter as she walks into the Dining Room

· 2 shot at Dining room table as they sit and talk.

· Close up of Father

· Close up of Daughter

· Mid shot of Father

· Mid Shot of Daughter

· Cutaway shot of pills next to or on daughters side of the table.

INT. LIVING ROOM - DAY

· Long shot framing daughter central but Father in the right side slumped on the sofa as daughter gives Father a cup of tea

· Mid shot of Fathers vacant expression at his eyeline

· Mid shot as Daughter speaks and her expression afterward

· Mid shot of Fathers vacant expression

· Back to 2 shot

· Mid shot as daughter holds back tears and turns around to exit room

· Back to mid shot of Father still with a vacant expression.

INT. KITCHEN - DAY

· Wide shot of daughter crying on kitchen surface.

I/E. CAR #4 - NIGHT

· Establishing night shot looking up at stars but with trees at bottom of frame

· Long shot of Father in car

· Mid shot from back of car looking out of car windscreen

· Mid shot inside car looking at Father dreamlessly staring at nothing.

INT. LIVING ROOM - DAY

· Mid shot daughter reading at eyeline

· Wide shot as Father enters room with flowers in hand and says line.

· Mid shot back to daughter

· Mid shot of father

· Back to 2 shot

INT. LIVING ROOM/DINING ROOM #5 - DAY

· Long shot of front door as daughter arrives.

· Long shot down hallway that Daughter is in.

· Tracks and pans with daughter as she walks into the Dining Room

· Wide shot at Dining room table as father stands up angrily

· OTS shot of Father as he marches up to her

· Mid shot of Father

· Mid Shot of Daughter

· Close up of Father

· Close up of Daughter

· 2 shot as daughter grabs pills toward pills.

· OTS shot looking at Father as he hits pills out of Daughters hand.

· Close up father as he starts to push forward at her

· Handheld 2 shot as Father talks and pushes daughter to the ground

· Mid shot low angle from high up as we follow Daughter fall to the ground

· Mid shot/reverse shot of both the reactions in silence starting at Father then at Daughter

· Back to Father as he leaves the room at exits.

· Back to Daughter (Same shot as opening scene) as we hear the car start and Father drive off

EXT. BRIDGE #6 - DAY

· Wide shot of car arriving at entrance to bridge and Father getting out of car, smoking and walking toward bridge

· Mid/Long shot of him walking away from camera toward bridge

· Mid shot tracking in front of him as he walks and arrives at bridge edge

· OTS shot of him as he looks down

· Wide shot at other side of bridge looking at him

· Wide X Long shot from away from the bridge as he is looking

· Mid shot as he steps back and puts his hand into his back pocket

· Cutaway Close up following his hand holding his wallet as he opens it and gets out a picture of his Wife and Daughter together putting his wallet back straight after.

· Close up High angle looking up next to where his hand is looking at his expression as a tear runs from his face

· Mid shot panning up slightly as he looks up and bursts into tears maybe handheld

· Back to Wide shot.

· Mid shot again as he gets phonecall and answers it

· Close up of face whilst he is talking and looking at picture

· Cutaway of pic again?

· Back to mid shot as he puts down phone and puts pic back into back pocket. Starts to walk forward

· POV shot as he steps up to edge looking at feet and then down to bottom of bridge

· Wide shot at other side of bridge again

· Mid shot from him looking down and examining bottom expressionlessly and then looking up to the camera for 5secs

END

Inspiration- Ludovico Einaudi- Nuvole Bianche

Drama Project- Script

Below is the Final Screenplay that we have used within the pre-production stages of our Drama Project. This is liable to change within the shooting and post-production stages of the project however this is what the group have decided on as a final script. We made around about 3 draft scripts from the plotline stage to the final stage that you can see below. I think that having the whole group assessing the script and creating different drafts has helped to give a better overall piece and a dtronger image for each individual in the group as they have all put their creative input in and have come across the script with their individual roles in mind which means that altogether we can create a better overall piece.

FADE IN:

INT. DINING ROOM #1 – DAY

DAUGHTER is layed down on back. She has tears running down her face and is laying still as if not daring to move. Her FATHER is stood up away from where she is laying and has the expression of both shock and guilt on his face. He leaves the room walking out the front door and is followed around by the eyeline of his DAUGHTER still unmoved on the floor.

As the door shuts cut to...

INT. DINING ROOM - DAY

FATHER is sitting next to DAUGHTER, on the table are open homework books. DAUGHTER is writing and FATHER is pointing to a page in a book.

DAUGHTER (exasperated)

I'll never finish this! Only a week for planning!

FATHER (kindly)

Don't worry, we'll get it done together, flower.

FATHER smiles as he watches DAUGHTER writing.

INT. BEDROOM #2 - DAY

Tracking through the bedroom, we see the bedside table with the pictures of the family happy in different places, a flower is beside a picture of the Wife. The camera tracks round to reveal FATHER in his bedroom smoking, we see him take up the picture of the Wife and look at it lovingly with tears in his eyes before he puts it down and taking up his pills, rattles them and sighs before popping off the cap and taking them.

INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT

Fixed camera shot, FATHER paces up and down in room as he is unable to sleep.

CUT TO:

INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT

FATHER opens fridge and begins to pile up food.

CUT TO:

INT. LIVING ROOM - DAY

DAUGHTER walks into living room with school bag, getting ready for school. She see's FATHER slumped on sofa asleep, surrounded by wrappers. Sighing, DAUGHTER drops her school bag and begins to clean up the empty wrappers; she abandons the task and shakes FATHER awake, he wakes with a jump.

FATHER (groggily)

Eh? Sorry, I didn't sleep.

DAUGHTER (annoyed)

I can see that. I'm going to school.

DAUGHTER collects her school bag and leaves.

INT. DINING ROOM #3 - DAY

FATHER is sitting by the dining room table in front of two plates of pasta placed symmetrically on the table with an empty seat opposite him where someone should be sat. DAUGHTER walks into house through the front door wearing school bag.

DAUGHTER

Hi dad, I’m home.

FATHER

(Ecstatically) Hi flower, I made us dinner, look! Took me a long time. Come on, tuck in! How's your day been?

DAUGHTER

(Smiles unconvincing) Well... this is nice. Thanks dad. How are you feeling today? What have you done? Have you taken your pills?

DAUGHTER takes pills and reaches out to give them to him. He takes them kindly and puts them next to him.

FATHER

Yes, yeah. Don’t worry about me flower. I’m more bothered about you.

DAUGHTER

Thanks dad. (Smiles) It’s nice to see you like this.

They share a smile and carry on eating.

INT. LIVING ROOM - DAY

DAUGHTER brings FATHER a cup of tea, FATHER is sat on sofa beside side table with vacant expression on face, staring into middle distance. DAUGHTER tries to offer FATHER the cup of tea but he doesn't respond or acknowledge her presence so she puts the tea on the side table.

DAUGHTER (reluctant to bring it up)

It's been a year…(pause) Shall we go visit mum tomorrow?

FATHER continues to blank DAUGHTER. DAUGHTER leaves, trying to hide her expression.

CUT TO:

INT. KITCHEN - DAY

Opens with wide shot of kitchen, DAUGHTER is sat on kitchen surface with head in hands, sobbing is very audible and exaggerated.

I/E. CAR #4 - NIGHT

FATHER is sitting in car staring dreamlessly forward out of the windscreen. Stays there all evening.

INT. LIVING ROOM - DAY

DAUGHTER is sat reading, FATHER comes in with a bunch of flowers.

FATHER (happily)

I bought some flowers to take for mum.

DAUGHTER (confused)

I thought you didn't wanna go?

FATHER

Of course I want to go, flower! Are you coming?

INT. LIVING ROOM/DINING ROOM #5 - DAY

Daughter returns home from school. Her father is sat at the Dining Room table looking down at the food not eating with a cigarette in his mouth.

DAUGHTER

Dad, I’m home.

The father looks up angrily and stands up so fast as to allow his chair to fly back and the table to move slightly. He marches toward her

FATHER

(Raising voice) Where have you been? Dinner has been sitting here for 5 minutes now and it's probably cold, whilst you've been…what? Fucking around outside?!

DAUGHTER

(Trying to cut in) No dad, I was walking home from school…

FATHER (interrupting)

Don’t give me that excuse! You’ve been avoiding coming back because of me haven’t you? You’ve been trying to keep away from me because you think this condition makes me a freak, don’t you?

DAUGHTER

No Dad, it's not like that! I swear, I’m sorry...(Grabs Pills) Look, you need to take your pills.

Father reacts aggressively hitting the pills out of his daughters hand onto the floor. He pushes forward at her.

FATHER

If you hadn’t of been so eager to avoid me this wouldn’t have happened you’re just selfish, all you care about is yourself. You never bothered with anyone else. You'll drive everyone away from you. Just... (pause) Look at what you did to your mother.

Father pushes his daughter to the ground. She lands in the same position as described at the start. There is a moment of unfilled silence as tears stream from her eyes and her father looks at her with a shocked and guilty face. He then walks from the room and leaves the house through the front door. She lays still putting her hands to her face and cries. A car is heard starting and driving off in background.

EXT. BRIDGE #6 - DAY

Father drives up and stops the car. He gets out and walks to the bridge stepping toward the edge. He lights a cigarette and takes out his wallet looking at a picture of his daughter and wife together. A tear rolls down his cheek before he bursts into tears. Shortly after his phone rings, he answers.

DAUGHTER

(Sobbing) Please come home dad. I'm sorry. I just...

FATHER (interrupting)

I’m so sorry flower. (pause) I’m so sorry for everything that's happened…(trails off and hangs up)

Father holds the phone for a moment before putting it away. Still crying, he puts the picture into his back pocket and flicks his fag over the side of the bridge. He then steps up to the side of the bridge looking down and slowly looks up until he is looking directly into the camera.

END