The final Major Project is the last portfolio of work I will be building of this academic year. It is different to my previous projects for a myriad of reasons. One being that the time we have to complete the criteria is triple that of the other briefs (10 weeks). With the extra time also follows the depth of work required. There will need to be an abundance of inspiration, research and experimentation right from the outset. However, apart from these familiar factors, there is one (albeit positive) catch. We have not been given a strict theme or specific type of film to follow. Complete freedom in the type of media means we can go down any kind of pathway we desire. This is the page where those thoughts and rationale behind key concepts bleed through and link together.
Context
FILM PITCH POWERPOINT
CREATIVE PROPOSAL
OFFICIAL UAL
PROPOSAL
OFFICIAL
SCRIPT
OFFICIAL UAL
SCHEDULE
UNIT 8
FINAL MAJOR PROJECT
BRIEF DECONSTRUCTION
1.1
ANALYSE THE REQUIREMENTS OF A CREATIVE MEDIA PRODUCTION PROJECT
"This is the stage where ideas are generated, developed and presented. This is an important stage as you need to be clear and sure that you can achieve your intentions. You will be required to complete UAL documentation* as well as other idea generating material. Your learning journal should now be underway with some initial entries and this must continue until the end of the assignment."
UAL DOCUMENTATION are the files that show the rationale behind the decisions made in the artists scenes and aesthetics. This consists of:
WIX PAGE WITH RELEVANT BUTTONS
UAL PROPOSAL
UAL SCHEDULE
PROPOSAL (WRITTEN)
MIND MAP OF DIFFERENT IDEAS
PITCH IDEAS
TARGET AUDIENCE
TREATMENT
DECONSTRUCTION OF BRIEF (This section)
SYNOPSIS
FOCUS GROUP
EVALUATION OF IDEAS
RESEARCH (IDEAS)
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This is important as every component of our work will need to all be in the same location. Wix guarantees this.
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Topics such as filming obstacles and a general understanding of what is asked of us are showcased here.
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It is on us to decide timings for when we plant, film and edit. The document asks for written time management
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Unlike the UAL proposal, this document is talking about our idea generation and creative aims.
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A diagram showing our initial ideas and concepts. We also begin to create links there.
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Create a video discussing our final concept and plans on how to execute it.
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Who our selected piece of media is aimed at. E.g. Sci Fi fans, Middle aged women.
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A concise pre-production piece that discusses overall plans (Creative) for the concept.
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Synopsis is a brief description of the film's plot or narrative.
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Where you summon a group of people to discuss their opinion on the film or idea you pitch to them.
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Where we discuss our concepts and why they will or not be used.
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Sources of inspiration or things that triggered a concept. Write them down.
1.2, 4.1, 4.2
LEARNING JOURNAL/DIARY
Once we have gathered our thoughts of the brief by breaking it down, we should begin creating initial ideas on what the film is to be based on. This can be satisfied with a number of items such as storyboards and mind maps.
While going through the creative process, the previously mentioned reflective writing is not only crucial for outside viewers, but so the artist can stay on line with their ideas. Not writing down our thoughts of the work we've done on the day could force us to forget our wavelength. Reflective writing can be influential for a number of reasons:
PROBLEMS YOU FACE
KEY PROJECT TARGETS
HOW WE SOLVE THE PROBLEMS
ANY MODIFICATIONS TO PROJECT
RATIONALE BEHIND THESE DECISIONS
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E.G. Actors being unreliable/busy.
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Deadlines for filming/editing.
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Finding back-up actors.
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Change of location for filming.
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Why you thought this was a good or bad decision.
REFLECTIVE WRITING MUST BE COMPLETED AT THE END OF EVERY WORKING DAY AND AT LEAST A PARAGRAPH IS REQUIRED. DISCUSS WHAT HAS BEEN COMPLETED AND ANY IDEAS THAT YOU DO NOT WANT TO FORGET.
2, 2.1
REVIEW A RANGE OF RESEARCH SOURCES TO SUPPORT A CREATIVE MEDIA PROJECT.
"You are required to carry out detailed and critical research using a wide range of elements"
"Analyse the research you've done and evaluated its effectiveness".
To me, "wide range of elements" translates to primary and secondary research.
PRIMARY: Resources that have not been seen by others, made by the person. This can be carried out as experimentation.
SECONDARY: Resources that are public and created by the others.
Analysing is the process of breaking something down or taking favourable components out of it. When we begin taking research and referencing certain pieces of media, we will need to do this appropriately.
Evaluating is the next step. When we find sources we would like to rake inspiration from, we need to talk about the components in detail. However it is important to not copy them.
Delving deeper into how we can research, we notice there is an abundance of methods that fit the category. The following can be taken into consideration, as referenced by UAL:
FOCUS GROUPS
BOOKS
INTERNET
VISUAL SOURCES (YOUTUBE/DVD)
MAGAZINES
ANALYZE SIMILAR PRODUCTS
Furthermore, we can go as far as to base our research on the following:
SUBJECT
ARTIST
DIRECTOR
GENRE
SOUND
TECHNICAL
ORIGINS
HISTORY
OPINIONS
AUDIENCE
2.2
"Interpret research to develop ideas and effectively communicate to an audience"
When we gather research, it is also important to find a second hand opinion in order to gather a more clarified idea of the next steps. This can be done by taking people's thoughts and comparing them together. From here, we can create charts and diagrams which show the public opinion summarised. "Interpret" is to look at something in a certain way or angle.
This is pivotal as using data not only shows the best route to consider, but tells us why certain sources are not of a good quality to use for inspiration. Our data can influence and shape a project for the better.
However, even more importantly, we need to always use a bibliography. Whenever we take information or annotations from websites or certain sources, it is imperative to mention the author or the URL somewhere in the same section of the mentioned research.
3, 3.1
"Apply practical skills, knowledge and understanding to complete a creative media project within an agreed timeframe"
Although we are required to plan, film and edit in ten weeks, it is imperative that this is to a high quality. This work needs to have rationale behind it as well as evidence of improved practical skill int that time. If the work is late, it simply will not be counted. There are a few ways we can demonstrate this. One being the reflective writing. In here we need to talk about every little detail. From camera work to organising files and workflow, no stone should be left unturned. When we film or edit, we need to discuss reasons behind what we did or how it could have worked out differently. This is all evidence of skill as well as eagerness to explore different pathways. This of course bleeds into one of the whole motivations behind this Final Major Project: To prepare for future employment.
Some of the documents we can use as evidence are:
Panning
Special Effect Work
Animations
Composition
Cleaning up Audio
Experimental Work
Discussing in-detail how certain decisions were made over audio clip also helps to show progress and initiative.
4.1
"Critically evaluate a creative media project against the agreed parameters"
Evaluations are in essence reflective writing pieces but in more depth and detail. Over the course of this project, we are expected to have evaluations for each section. From the beginning and end of research to the final edit of the video. Looking at our pieces as a whole helps us to scan for the strengths and weaknesses that are present. While completing them, we should find a balance of being brutally honest with ourselves while also using the correct language. Doing this helps people see what message we were really trying to convey.
Not only do we receive full freedom of what we create, we receive full freedom in the format of our evaluations and reflections. We are able to evaluate using the follows formats:
WRITTEN
AUDIO
VIDEO
CONSTRAINTS
Constraints and Contingencies-
Risks and Problems
Constraints and Contingencies-
Risks and Problems
Constraints and Contingencies-
Copyright and Solutions
CREATIVE PROCESS- BEGINNING
To become inspired and hopefully come up with some concepts, I begin with a mind map on my interests. It was intentionally vague just so I could come up with what I find joy out of. This is the result.
Most of what came up was some form of horror or gore, closely followed by sci-fi. After some initial writing, I noticed some of the points began link (this is why blue and purple marker feature on certain bullet points.
After this, I decided to compile a list of potential ideas. While I love the idea of a short film based on a horror, I need to make sure that I have multiple second choices if this pathway has issues or is not in my best interests anymore. Thus, I have included some other genres. These include documentaries, experimental clip etc. Overall, there was 20 ideas in total.
IDEA 1
This is an idea which had failed in the previous project. The general summary is that the short film would be filmed in one take, in one setting. Two characters feature, one a character showing psychopathic traits and the other being a scared victim. Both share dinner at a table and the twist is that the host is in fact keeping someone in his attic. This is heard through banging noises). However, though the concept is positive, I do not believe I could execute this at a high quality due to the reliance on actors. Being in college, there is a small chance the actors would be able to execute my command correctly.
IDEA 2
During the documentary project, I was researching some controversial moments in the industry and big influences. One that stood out was the effect of Prodigy's "Smack my Bitch Up". This release came with a massively controversial video and strengthened the hidden meaning to some of the lyrics. Unfortunately, this concept will not be chosen due to the fact I don't believe I would be able to extract a vast enough wealth of information without seeming repetitive.
IDEA 3
An experimental short film that conveys the theme of fear or gore. Focuses on the use of light, dark and camera positioning to cause tension or an uncomfortable sense. Ultimately, the clip would be a brilliant piece in my opinion but repeating a similar product to my previous project seems boring. I need to branch out.
IDEA 4
A 10-15 minute clip that explores a world without civilisation. All humanity is dead, but one. This story follows the sole survivor as he chases to find out the answer to the question that has not left the mind from the beginning: "Is there anyone out there?". The use of close up shots and perhaps a look into CGI will help to highlight the broken world. Out of all ideas, this is the one that looks extremely likely for a number of reasons. 1) It's a genre I follow heavily. 2) I would like to push myself and challenge my skills. Furthermore, this idea is the most convincing in terms of how rich my idea generation has been.
IDEA 5
Tongue-in- cheek parody film of the clothing industry and where the high street retailers "produce" their clothing. Intended to exaggerate the details in a humorous way while at the same time be informative for viewers. Thinking about it, I don't believe this would be in my best interests as I enjoy to create something that is a fixed message. For example, my films would have to be informative OR humorous.
IDEA 6
A fashion advert blasting the regular rules set about what a man/woman should or shouldn't wear. Subject will wear the controversial pieces and break the regular expectations. Colours like pink could be displayed or outfits that are considered feminine. However I find interest in film scenes or clips, not factual pieces. Media should be an escape from reality, giving us the opportunities to create fiction films.
IDEA 7
One-to-one conversation between two people. As the scene develops, the characters begin to lose colour and cleanliness. It turns out that the characters are actually not in their physical body but in their brains. In reality, the physical bodies are slowly decomposing through the clip. Though this seems fun, I believe it would require a bigger timeframe than the ten weeks, due to the multiples takes from different angles and the makeup skills required to execute the "rotting" theme.
IDEA 8
A section of history I am aware of or like to study broken down and analysed in heavy detail. I'm not sure this would be a documentary as it would still contain clips that feature actors wearing the attire of the era. This is an interesting choice and could be potentially one of my backup options.
IDEA 9
Silent film that experiments with comedy acting. Possible use of filters. Pioneering techniques from early filmmakers used.
There isn't much to say about this but there would need to be research based on George Mellieres, Lumiere Brothers and D.w. Griffiths. This isn't the best idea in the list but could be an alternative to the other student's work.
IDEA 10
An experimental piece on homelessness. There would be the strong use of voice-overs and zoom on the camera. High ability and confidence on equipment would be needed for this. I would also need to ask for permission and offer incentive to the homeless. I am quite a shy person however so talking to strangers and asking them to feature in a film would be a huge stumbling block for me.
IDEA 11
A short comedy piece in the style of 'Limmy's Show', a Scottish show that creates comedy through the use of special effects and camera shots/angles. This would be my backup choice if my original plan fell through as the scenes would not need advanced knowledge on editing. The edits and transitions would be intentionally low quality or awkward.
OVERALL
After looking at each individual concept and considering the positive-negative ratio, I believe idea number four is above the rest. This was of course the idea that the world had left a survivor behind in an apocalyptic world. To begin with, I have wanted to create a form of art in the style of Sci-FI since I can remember. Be it literature or film, I have always had ideas flowing through my head that consisted of zombies or some form of dystopia. Making idea four seems the most logical idea for me. Although I enjoy watching informative documentaries, creating them is not something I'm passionate about (if given the choice). Other than this, the other choices would be very difficult to execute or I have simply created them already. For example, idea 7 would be very difficult. Not only would I need to find a well understood knowledge of makeup, I would need to have advanced editing skills. And although I work well with the Adobe products, I am not the best with CGI. From here, I plan to gather the plot of the story to begin with for idea 4, then create detailed ideas of how the scenes will go.
Pitch Proposal
UNIT 8
FINAL MAJOR PROJECT
TARGET DEMOGRAPHIC
Now that I have decided on the kind of film I will be creating. It is important that I research my target demographic and the similar interests they might share if they're interested in Sci-Fi/apocalypse based media.
To find accurate results on the stats for this genre and the films involved, I can use a series of public archives which allow anyone to use their data results, as long as we credit them. We can gather data for specific shows, genres or film artists. By doing this, I know what directions I take would be best for the audience. To start off with, I found a website called "Scribd" which took specific films and examined components such as age group and gender. To gain results that accurately portray the audience of science fiction, the creator of the survey chose the award-winning film "Back to The Future". The results for the survey are as follows:
When reviewing the stats, we see that the audience of Back to The Future is mainly rated by males . As well as this, there is an influx of them aged 18-29. Though this is useful, it would perhaps be ideal to gather a modern example of science fiction media as
the film in hand was released in 1985.
An example of something more modern would be the 2014 movie "interstellar".
The statistics here for Interstellar are quite the opposite to the previous data. The one notable difference is that of course the ratio of men-women ratio is much more slim. The difference in fact is only 0.2 in point difference. Comparing the two shows over the time period of 29 years reveal one fact: Science Fiction has become a universal genre in that any gender can enjoy it.
Thus being said, I will need to film the individual scenes in a manner that both genders feel involved. For example, we can give an equal importance to the actors that are man and woman. During the film, we can also make sure to not showcase any prejudice/impression that one gender is superior.
To comply with sensitivity and keep the audience happy, this data will bleed into my research page.
The British Board Of Film Classification (BBFC)
BBFC is an independant regulator and guide that indicates which age groups can watch a specific film. Films for cinema release are usually seen by at least two of our Compliance Officers, and in most cases, their age rating recommendation is approved by the Compliance Manager or the Head of Compliance.
After some thought and consideration, I have
realised my film would be in the middle of the
'15' rating and the '18' rating. This is because there is no physical showing of murder or violence but there are quite strong links to sensitive topics.
These topics can include references to death rather than a showing, suicide or quite deep mental health references.
The target audience I aim to tend to is actually the target audience that I have estimated so this should go well.
CREATIVE PROCESS- PLOT/SCENES
To begin with, I will need to discuss the overall plot and messages in the film, as well as discussing how the beginning scene will go. So far, I have a beginning scene, but I am lacking thoughts for what may come afterwards. I believe that when I have my first scene planned out, I will be able to connect the bridges and generate concepts for the rest of the frames. I could clear my mind slightly and pin the whole story on an overall message. Then, the rest will come to me.
Based on my research on the theory of Moral Ambiguity, I decided to depict the ideas on what makes us good or bad, and if the character is correct for the action he has completed. Unknown by the audience until the film comes to a close, the protagonist has had to kill his wife. She was ill and there were fears that the condition could spread to him is she continued in that manner. This bleeds into the opening scene...
OPENING
First frame is in complete darkness for around 5 seconds. The camera is facing the floor from the ceiling. it is positioned just above a doorway. The door opens and the light from the doorway shows a silhouette of a body bag being dragged out from the room. Footsteps and the noises of a locked door are heard. The opening scenes will have a consistent aesthetic that possesses warm orange hues that contrasts with black and greys. The opening scene will be executed through a set of pillows placed in the shape of a body, which is then tied into a bin bag and wrapped with tape. This is going to the best option for the scene as it is low-cost and I have a substantial amount of the required material to create the prop. The purpose of this scene is to immediately lay out the foundations of mystery about who the corpse is. Once this has been implemented, the plot can slowly unravel that the character is the protagonist's late wife.
Though the drawing is quite messy, it makes sense to me. To clarify, the black scribbles dotted around the diagram indicate that this area will be completely dark and blacked out(With help from colour grading). The black silhouette will be the position of my prop which will be made to look like a body bag. Although there was a lack of coloured crayons, I marked down the mst important part of the drawing: Where the light would enter the scene. I want an overall aesthetic that reflects warm hues of range and yellow. While the scene shows heavy features of black, I plan to have a huge beam of light that cascades over the body bag. Why? Because I think the colour showing over the silhouette almost adds mystery and confusion over who features in the body bag or what it is exactly.
Additionally, the angle we can see the drawing from is in fact tghe angle in which a viewer would see the beginning scene from.
SOUNDS/AUDIO
For this scene, I will not be needing huge quanityt of sound. There will be backgroun audio but no conversation or major sounds that imply something towards the plot. For example, I will need a piece of audio that resembles a door opening/shutting. This is simple and I aim to create this myself. Additonally, I would like to be able to hear the body bag moving across the floor as it is pulled away. There will be extensive research on how I can do this.
Overall, the scene is intended to be very quiet and low-action in terms of noise (apart from background sound)
TRIPOD AND CAMERA WILL BE NEEDED, SOUND TO BE LAYERED ON TO VIDEO IN EDITING PROCESS
SECOND SCENE
As a transition from the opening scene to the second, there is a few moments of darkness and the viewer can hear the background noise like footsteps or the closing of a door. When the scene opens up again, we are met with a series of close-up shots that set the scene.From the shots that are featured, the viewer would then be able to notice that the aesthetic has travelled to the scene mentioned. There are candles dotted around the setting that show minor details about the character and the situation. For examplle the shirt which is going to be on the main charcter and has a major contribtuion or the plot. Below is a shooting list in which all of the specific shots are going to be listed:
1. Close up of lit candle (Image representation)
2. Close up shot of food in a tin.
3. Mid-shot revealing a shirt covered in blood and tears.
4. Character looking at a photograph of someone special.
Look of nostalgia or sadness.
THIRD SCENE
The body bag will Be focused on, and it might appear to move. The protagonist slaps his face to wake himself up. He for the whole scene is in a delusional state in which his hopes/desperations manifest. He hopes to see the character wake up, but this isn't reallistic. The photo is taken from the character's pocket and is observed for a moment or two. This is followd by a scene where the character eats out of a tin. Again, to reiterate the context of the situation and show that there is no energy or hot food anymore, there will be a tin of cold substance such as tuna or beans. The viewer might feel sympathy or sadness. The more reaction and emotion from the audience, the better the film will be.
Camera Positioning/PLOT
The camera will be placed in the corner to begin with, but of course there will be close ups on the faces and various objects in the room such as the candles and the body bag. There will be the use of mid-shots, manual focused shots and and the use of long-shots. There might be some close-ups of the newspapers covering the wall. In the newspapers there are subtle hints about how the world came to an end. I speicificaly chose each headline to project a negative story, such as various killings or environmental downfall. To finish off, I may add a few frames where the character plays with a radio. He recieves the emergancy broadcast with some static. No hope. By doing this, it opens up a world of oportunities if I ever decide to branch out the film and lengthen it in the future. Of course this would not be part of the final project, but if in the future I decide to make a longer version of the film, the radio would help to open up dorways as it allows comunication. The character could find a signal from a survivor and follow it.
SOUND/AUDIO
It is a simple scene. A few sentences of dialogue with noises such as a slapping sound or button presses are going to be needed although I can record it myself. As well as these, I will need a sound clip of an emergancy broadcast that is English. This will be a sound layer layered with the clips I take of the radio.
By adding newspaper and radio, you get a hint of context that leaves a feeling of satisfaction and added curiosity. Why did this happen? Did the government fall? Who is at fault? With the radio, there is a buildup of tension from the audience as they believe that someone will connect to the radio and talk. However, it will be slightly anti-climatic as it is just an emergency broadcast on loop.
CHARACTER
Short hair
Slim , tired face.
The apparel of the character is quite plain. There will be no textures on the clothes. For the torso, there will be a leather or denim jacket with a plain, white t-shirt underneath. The lower half of the body will not be seen much so the clothing for this does not need to be very specific.
The reason I've chosen this apparel is because the aesthetic will feature bright oranges and reds. Something plain like a white shirt will not cancel it out.
On the white t-shirt, there will be some rips and delicate features of fake blood. Not only will this match the hues I will input during the colour grading stage but it is foreshadowing a hidden component of the plot that the audience will hopefully have to figure out on their own.
***my subject's hair will be full with conditioner in order to make it appear greasy. This explains the context of the situation for the survivor (no water or electricity)
The main character is a 23 year old male who previously worked as a senior communications and Correspondence Manager. For the most part of his life, he lived with a child sweetheart. Before the apocalypse, they had just married and planned for children. When she dies, he is distraught. The last person he thought would have struck death upon her is himself. The blood on the shirt is in fact hers, but nobody will gather this until the film begins to develop. He is gradually becoming tired and cold from the harsh winters. Lack of electricity has resorted him to using candles and this creates warm red hues which compliment the blood on his shirt. He possesses a photo of his late wife in his pocket which regularly comes out.
Across the film, I aim to grow the character and show a transformation from a troubled, lost and vulnerable soul to a comfortable and assured spirit. This will be portrayed through some close-ups of his heart rate, his body language and possibly speech. I dont just want context, I jwant the character to have his own little sto
STORYBOARD
After I looked through all potential scenes, I have compiled a storyboard of the major 4 scenes. Of course, there will be additional smaller scenes that are inbetween. However, these are the scenes that are the most influencial to the plot development.
For the sake of readers not being able to see the writing because ofthe size, the captions are listed as the following:
1) Body bag is taken in or out of the room.
2) Character eats, radio scene, Gun out of window
3) Man losing mind, body bag nearby and appears to move, man losing mind
He snaps out of episode, comes to terms with death and uses gun for suicide.
BONUS SCENE
The screen blacks out from the suicide scene, and there is light. The camera is facing a front door and is an over the shoulder shot. The characters wife is alive, but in 'zombie' form. She pounds the door in slow punches. A tear drops from his eye.
I decided to use a number of techniques here. One being the reverse chronology setup. Additionally, I decided to place a prop in one of the earlier scenes which foreshadowed the destiny of the protagonist. By adding a weapon, the audience would feel assured of his safety and be comfortable thinking he will live. However, the real truth would be that the weapong brings death, not safety. Only some keen-eyed viewers would gather this knowledge.
By doing this, we break the expectations of the audience. In return, they feel even more enticed by the large range of emotion they feel. Thus, the film would be a success as the aim of a film is to help the viewer escape.
FINAL SCRIPT
This is the script that actors will use in production. The script will of course appear quite short as there is only one character that is living and present. As well as this, the scenes will be lengthened out by the shots/angles I aim to use throughout production. If there is a certain component from this document that I do not use, I will explain why post-production.
Character Breakdown
Character 1) DEACON
Raised in South London, Deacon is a calm and collected figure, despite the troubles that lay in his path. He and his family moved to Manchester from a young age, though he had constant desire to move away. At the age of 18, which is only 3 years prior to his age and portrayal in the film, he moved away to pursue university and a higher level of education, which meant he lost track of family and nearby relatives. He met the love of his life studying psychology whom also features in the film. At the time of the outbreak, he and Tara fled to safety in the public camps of quarantine that were publicised around the time of the outbreak. The camps were raided and broken down by plague, and he made the bold decision to take Tara to the outskirts of the cities and take refuge inside various homes that were abandoned during the 'collapse'. He is very wise with the rationing of food as he has the hindsight of realising how the sources of food will gradually become more scarce. He has to be cruel, but he does not want to hurt his beloved. If he is not assertive about the rules of surviving, he feels as if the couples chances of living will suffer. In the film, he shows psychotic tendencies, but only after the trauma of his partner dying in from of his own eyes. He attempts to be rational and fair to himself as he always is, but the sudden recent events have caused his whole view on life to be altered permanently. In a way, you could say that he is almost in a depressive state. The fact that he has lost his confidant and spiritual partner means he no longer has someone to protect, to cherish or to love. Having someone to love fro his own was the huge factor for the couple for surviving so long, and losing it means he has no control or motivation for the coming days of his life. The duration of the scenes are based on how much a man can be affected if his love is lost, and how to deal with such overwhelming emotions, and this leads onto themes. A handful of these would be the them of love, loss, loneliness, isolation and desperation.
Character 2) TARA
Tara is the character that Deacon lives for. Though they haven't been in a binding relationship for a long time, it is difficult for either to remember what their lives were like before they became one. In fact, it is hard for either of them to repeat memories of how life was before the disease spread through Europe. All she knows now is survival, and caring for Deacon. If that means living a life of silence and darkness in a shelter, Tara is willing to accept it. Tara was a student of science and took a year away from her regular studies to pursue knowledge on why we as humans make the decisions we make. After being recommended to a university around Manchester, she took a course in Psychology which would complete her portfolio of biology-based achievements. Before moving, she pledged to not let any men distract her form her work, as that was all they were: obstacles. However, that short-haired guy who loaned her a pen seemed different to the rest. A plethora of desirable traits blended with a hint of charisma meant that within a few weeks, the pair were sitting on rooftops discussing philosophy and why the world seems so stuck in place. He was there in her worst time, and pledged never to leave her. No matter what. Sadly, she does not have much of an appearance in the short scenes, at least mentally. Her physical presence lies in the body bag, and in the porch, slowly banging at the door. Her presence lies as a reminder to Deacon that the last hope for him has died. The themes for this character are: symbolism, hope, love, death, tragedy and doom.
Location Breakdown
The final locations of the scenes are finally decided. I have two locations which are going to be used for the film. I get the dangers of this, as it can be boring for the viewer or repetitive. However, I plan to manipulate the camera shots to close-ups, making the set seem bigger and as if there is more to explore. When I decided to choose the locations, I made a floor plan to indicate where would be free in the set and which areas would be in the way, therefore blocking the opportunity for camera placement. This is set 1.
The first location I am using is my bedroom. As you can see in the floor plan, the door is on the right side of the room. As you enter, you can see two beds in each corner (these are the blacked out boxes which represent spaces that are not free to place the camera). To the far left, there is a window that is mentioned in my practical skills to be covered up with newspaper. This will feature in some of the camera shots and angles (which are highlighted in purple pen). The blank space is basically the are that is free to use anyplace the camera in.
SET 1
SET 2
The second location I am using is a hallway. To start off with, the filming is going to begin at the top of the hallway and will slowly progress towards the end of the space. In size, the hallway stretches horizontally about 13 feet. Vertically, it is around 5. The first purple highlighting indicates where the beginning of the filming will be. In this case, the camera will be over the shoulder of the protagonist. The end of the filming will be at the front door of the hallway. This is just a vague idea of the scenes and shots however, and I am sure there will be many in-between which set the scene or give context. Overall, this is quite a big space and there are no limitations for what I could film. Additionally, I could use the stairs/Railing to get different views on the character.
Crew list
Directing
For this position, it would only seem realistic for me to take the role. If I acted, the scenes and the camera shots could not be properly articulated to the person in charge of the camera and the people watching the scene from the outside. So the choice for this role will be me and I will be directing the positions of the actors/cameras.
Camera Work
As there are scenes that do not require actors or heavy camera work, the role will be passed around from me to the technologically gifted people in my contact list. I believe I may hand the camera to either Callum or Daniel during the scenes.
Actors
This role is perhaps the most difficult to manage. Unlike the other roles, there is a reliance on a specific skill. The skill here would be a strength in improvisation and ability to convey emotions correctly to the viewers. The actor will need to also fit the description that I gave to the characters in the profile section (Short hair, bloody shirt).
Sound Design
When the filming is taking place, there will be a microphone attached to the top of the camera which will be picking up the background noise and dialogue. However, should the audio sound too quiet or of a poor quality, it will be taken in by this role and repaired to suit. I accept responsibility to this position and will do some experimentation with Adobe Audition.
Editing/Piecing. Film Together
As the project is my creation, I aim to edit the film together myself. I may take some advice or feedback from peers, but overall the editing will be handled by me on Premiere Pro. This will be a different section of designated time from the video editing. However, once the audio is completed and to my liking, it will be layered onto the video and made in sync.
Aesthetic
Once all scenes have been filmed and placed onto a computer, I will take advice from the person in this role and they will tell me if they notice any objects that are not fitting in with the frame's aesthetic. The role requires a great knowledge on which colours compliment and what aesthetic the scene should follow. I believe I have found someone for this role, however. I have a great companion of mine who possesses knowledge and skills in the art/colour department. She will help me make sure the character's costume and the set's items compliment or contrast.
Set Design
As the set will be my personal space, I will arrange it to my liking before filming.
Contact list
The circumstances of my film indicate that the only people that I can use as a resource are close friends. I'm not fussy, it is just that as the filming is at a late time and in my own home, it would not be comfortable for me to invite simple acquaintances here. This is why the list of people I have is quite small, however, they are very skilled in what they do. Below is a profile of them:
CALLUM BRYAN: A student who is taking a course on photography and has a high ability with manual camera settings. He is aware of the equipment and knows his way with microphones/tripods.
DANIEL MCHALE: This is a person who fits the protagonists profile perfectly. He has all of the physical attributes. Additionally, he is only 17 but his appearance could be mistaken for the age of the main character, which is 21/22.
ROBERTA TAYLOR: A very good friend of mine who had previous education in the world of art. She sees the world in a different light in my opinion, especially when it comes to colour. She will feedback her opinion on the aesthetic and colour grading of the project when all is filmed. I will also need a female actor for the final scene, which she could fill in for.
Budget
If I were to sum up the current financial situation and money spent on props/resources over the past few weeks, I would say the budget is around £300. However, if I needed something that is slightly out of my budget, however, I could always loan or rent it. I do not see myself running tight with money for this filming for a number of reasons. The main one being the fact I already own my own camera and tripod. I possess a source of light for filming and have people to lend equipment from if needed. Overall, I will not need any more equipment or props, and this can be seen below.
Equipment List
1x Canon EOS 1100D Camera
1x Canon 12.2 Megapixel Single-lens
1x Manfrotto Extendable Camera Tripod.
1x RØDE VideoMic Pro (40Hz - 20kHz)
1x Neewer Heavy-Duty Light Stand 3-6.5ft.
1x Halogen Work Light 110V 400W
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Of course this is only a list of physical devices for filming. There will be other equipment such as the applications or the computer I use to modify the filming.
Prop List
There will be an endless list of props, it is just that some will be of higher importance. The most important props are going to be A) The Candles I have an abundance of B) The body bag I have created (On my practical skills page) and C) The Air Rifle I possess. Below will be an in depth description on each prop with images and explanation on their individual purposes/importance.
BODY BAG
As discussed in the Practical Skills Page, this prop is a piece that I made myself. I go into detail of the materials when talking about this, but in general it is a risk-free but fragile object that I plan to film the opening scene with. Every measure has been taken in order to ensure the prop resembles a real body for added realism.
AIR RIFLE
Perhaps the highest risk item in all of the set during filming, I have a pellet rifle which resembles a real firearm. Genuine metal barrel, wooden grip and able to load, this could genuinely con the viewers into thinking the scene is real with how authentic the weapon feels. Of course, in the film the rifle will not contain any pellets for safety reasons. I will make sure of this.
RADIO
As mentioned in the earlier paragraphs, this is a prop that will be there for the sole purpose of communicating to a different film, if I decided to create one. The radio will be on and will require electricity. This will be discussed in Risk assessment.
CANDLES
Again, I have mentioned the use of the candles earlier. I aim to create the overall aesthetic with these candles and I have purchased many of these items in advance for this reason.
Opening Scenes
The setting is dark. There is newspaper covering the windows and there is mostly no light. The camera is set on the highest height of the tripod and aiming down at the floor.
The rest is described above. Body bag is taken into room by silhouette of character and the door shuts to reveal darkness. As you can see in the first clip, the rest of the room was not shut out by light. We can still see some unimportant components included in the frame. To the bottom left, we can see some bottles and items that could not have possibly been moved out of the scene due to lack of space.
To fix this, I Opened up the clip on Premiere Pro. I selected certain areas of the frame and made them appear darker than they are. I wanted black and orange in this scene, so it only made sense to edit this. The method I used can be explained on my Practical Skills Page.
For the rest of my project, attention will now be turned to filming my scenes. All planning and context is complete.
FINAL FILM/CRITIQUE
If I were to discuss the final product I created, I would have quite a mixed opinion. I am my biggest critic and to be honest this is not the best piece of work I have created. Over the past few months, I have laid my efforts towards creating a short film. In reality, it feels for me as if I have created a trailer. The final product did not reach around the ten-minute mark I had hoped and it made around the 5-minute mark instead. However, there are also some shining lights which I can extract from the film as a whole. The main point that I love is the consistent aesthetic that features throughout the scenes. Intentionally, I made the last few frames different from the other scenes to a washed out look, but as a whole all of the scenes looked as if they were all from the same film. Additionally, said aesthetic is identical to the warm, fiery hues of orange that I envisioned so long ago. Next year, I plan to make a number of improvements in the practical area. The main one for me, in my opinion is the quality of footage/ colour in final product. Hopefully, next year I will be able to have a drastically improved skillset on Premiere Pro and some better equipment to shoot with. This was quite an important area in which I fell short. However, this is expected when I have not been studying the world of media for too long. With time will come a gradual and steady show of improvement.
The component of the final product that I enjoy the most however, is the overall moral of the story in which only some will be able to pick up: How much the loss of someone important can change the entire colour scheme in your world. When DEACON’s (Protagonist) is sat with his dead partner, the aesthetic is fiery and almost possesses connotations of anger and self-hatred. However, when the protagonist is seen in the stages before he kills his love, there are bright, white hues all around. Even when his partner features in the form of a ‘zombie’, his perception is different because she is at least still breathing. Though the film does not possess the length or the world-class acting, I believe I have created a piece of film that has nice subliminal messages as well as a theme which is attractive to observe.