Film Adaptation - Week Three

Prior to our lecture for week 3 we were to watch ‘The Birds’ and read the original short story by Daphne du Maurier in which Hitchcock was inspired by. I found them to be very different from one another with the characters and character dynamics being different but with the core idea of the birds being evil and attacking everyone remaining. We also looked at the original text of canaries (1924) the one-page story from the Japanese short story writer/ novelist Yasunari Kawabata and the film adaptation ‘Kingyo’ (2009). I much preferred the original source material in this case, I found the movie odd in the sense I didn’t really get it, I don’t think I would have been able to follow it as well if I hadn’t had read the original story. They added unnecessary aspects I think such as the random man who asked one of the main characters for feet pictures (which she denied), I don’t understand what that added to the story? I also really didn’t like the fish being shown out of water and suffocating. The image of the empty fishbowl was enough, and I think created more meaning for the story.  It was clear that the out of water fish were just used for the striking visual and it didn’t feel very ethical even if the fish didn’t actually die / suffocate. Despite saying all of this I do think overall it was a pretty film with vibrant colours from city etc and I did think aspects of the split screen worked for the story.

(Yasunari Kawabata - writer of canaries (1924) 

(Kingyo 2009) 

Later we had an editing lecture from Kieran where we learned and went over the following:

-The development stage (how editors can get involved in the Pre-Production stages)

-Editing Suite (Rough cut – Final cut – Picture lock)

-Working with co-workers/ closely with the Director

We went through what exactly is involved in these stages and what is the best way to go about it to get the best outcome for the film you are making.

Side note: Despite getting into our initial groups for our films in week 1 we now have the groups finalised and have chosen the O Henry short story that we are going to be adapting, as well as initial roles sorted. Our group have had a few meetings to discuss how exactly we want to go about adapting, if we want it loosely based on the story or stick to the story strictly. During our meeting we have also spoke more about exact job roles and how we can support each other in these job roles to ensure a good group dynamic. 

The way in which we choose our short story to adapt from O Henry’s was by all taking 3 different short stories of his to read and discuss to see what ones we would be most passionate to work on. We landed on one of the shorts Alex had read ‘The cop and the Anthem’ as it has some aspects of humour but also feels achievable, whereas some of the other stories were also interesting but the story showcased many big locations with many characters.

Our initial roles:

Sam T – Producer / Editor

Sam D – Writer

Alex – Diretor

James – DoP / Camera

Eilis (me) – Sound recorder / Sound designer

Film Adaptation - Week Two

For week two we had a masterclass from Demelza and went over the adaptation of ‘Blue is the Warmest Colour’ from graphic novel to film, the behind the scenes of it, what it is like negotiating the rights of the original material from both creators. We also looked into the issues with the film in terms of the ethical problems during production such as the treatment of the actors as well as the intentions of some scenes. It has clear attributes of male gaze. The overall responses from the public were negative understandably so. Another film adaptation we looked into that was less problematic was ‘Under the skin’ we looked into how the film takes a different angle and looks into a slightly different topic issue to focus on. It is more on social issues rather than the idea of animal cruelty / an example of human slaughterhouses which the book focuses more on, the film does not suggest or showcase this idea. We also looked into the combination of documentary aspects used in this film and how fiction and reality can work together.

What I learned: The producers’ roles/ requirements and rules of getting permission to use the source material, ethics/ examples of hierarchy abuse, the use of documentary aspects in fiction.

Film Adaptation - Week One

What I learned:

We got an introduction of film adaptation and all of the ins and outs of it. What it stems from, why it occurs. It was also the first time I had really considered reverse adaptation. It was reiterated to me how successful film adaptations are regardless how faithful these adaptations are to the original source. With the simple fact that the majority of best pictures Oscar winners are film adaptations.

('The Silence of the Lambs' winning Best Picture in 1992)

Main class objectives / activities:

Before the class we were to read The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry and in class we watched the film adaption. We got to into groups disused what things stood out and differences between the written story and the film adaptation. We did this in segments of plot, setting, theme/ central idea, character, overall mood/ atmosphere and answered questions. This was an interesting task to discuss and work on as we got to inspect the major differences you see from the adaption as well as how people can interpret the same work so differently.

Film Genres - Crit Reflection

Peer Feedback 

It was great to listen back and get everyone’s feedback and an insight of how they viewed the film. Some of the positives we received from the class were points on how great our location of the vaults was for our film and there were aspects for really gripping cinematography that left people feeling immersed in the film. Particular praise was aimed towards our chase scene and how gripping it was (also a personal favourite of mine). There was an overall liking to the second section of the film and being impressed with the sound design, colour / lighting, cinematography within it. Specifically on the lighting there was no question of where the lighting was coming from and the red flooding the scene wasn’t jarring or feel out of place which I find really rewarding as these were both things we deeply considered. The placement and coverage of red light was also praised, how the colour develops the narrative. Some really liked how the devil was portrayed through this light along with the POV shot and sound design that was connected with his presence. The overall production design and costume was seen as great with it being accurate for its time and further pulling people into the narrative. Therefore thanks to the production design, costume, and the technical aspects of sound and cinematography our film was overall strong visually really which is great.

There were a few bits of constructive criticism and helpful pointers, first of which seemed to be the overpowering issue for most of the room, this being the first section of the film. The overall consensus was there was too much happening in this section, too much going on with the edit and therefore becoming unclear what was going on and hard to follow. Also, through this a bit of the emotional connection between the mother and son was hard to engage with which sort of makes the scene pointless as that is what the scene is for as well as adding depth to the sacrifice that he is making. Despite being impressed with the voice of the devil, his dialogue was unclear and again hard to follow, this was the same for some of the protagonist’s lines which adds to the somewhat challenging aspect of following what it is going on. This is something that you want to be clear to understand what is happening in the story. In terms of the time scale of how long his journey was, it was somewhat clear that there was a passage of time due to the end scene of the mother being outside and the candles are out. But as the sequence of him being inside the catacombs are limited to 1 minute 50 at most and so it was hard to really get this sense of time passing and how long his time inside and with the devil was. Despite the chase scene being up there for one of the favourites for most, some didn’t quiet catch the tonal shift that occurred that caused this chase and why it happened. Moreover, on the sound specifically the sound used on the dialogue in the first section it felt is far away having it crisper and clearer would have been better for the audience. It being far away made it hard to really connect with the character and the journey he was about to embark on. Overall, I think the class concensus was that they found the cinematography, scores, lighting, production design brilliant but got the impression that it is part of a much larger film which is why the narrative and timing can come across as too much and hard to follow at times. It came across that our film concept was respectfully ambitious in the best way.

Lecture Feedback 

The lectures feedback had a similar view on the outlook the class had. They loved the core of the idea and concept again for how ambiouis it was. In terms of the specific positive points were on the lighting in the vaults again which I was very pleased about, it was mentioned that the lighting really worked and partially nice shot of the main character being back lit. Again, on the sound design overall it was really nice and impressive. When mentioning the score, it really helped get across the time period in which it is set and overall great and impressive that Orla was able to compose it herself. Hit the right spot on how the devils voice sounds, not overdone but still sounds like an inhuman creature. More positive feedback on how great the location is.

In terms of the points of improvement there were some issues on the technical aspect, focus problems at times and there was a line jump in the first section of the film. More observation that the devils voice not being very clear when delivering dialogue and advice to go back and clear this up. As well as seemed like we tried to cram too much into a three-minute film, this comes across in the opening section mainly. Some of the lines did not come across in they way they were meant for some for example him taking his father’s sword to protect himself and the mother telling the son it’s the last thing she had of the father which understandably comes across as odd as she is almost telling him not to take it. But the main objective of this was to get across more of the story, the fact that the father is dead and him now being the oldest man in the house and feels like he needed to step up.  Again, the same issue of the dialogue between the mother and son being distant was brought up, the audience merely feel like observers when the dialogue is so distant which takes you further out of the immersive side of it. Need to reduce that space. Despite the score being great it needs to be altered in the way it is used for the film. It could have been even more impactful for the chase could have made it much more intense if the build and timing was adjusted slightly. More could be done to create the body of the devil and made it more pungent though sound design. The sound design and the chase more could have been done to create the physical presence of the characters such as the footsteps the heavy breathing. This paired with the score would have been a great combination.

More on my thoughts

It is understandable the feedback we received on the first section of the film as we did try to cram in a lot of context / sub context to a 3 minute film. It is also understandable that there is a bit of clarity needed in terms of the time scale of the events. It is hard to create that depth with time when you only have around 1.50 min / 2 mins inside the vaults. We did film much more in the vaults to create this sense of exploring and time spent in the vaults but had to be cut to get the beginning section in. So looking back it is potentially a matter of finding a way to get across the importance of his safarce and the reasoning for such without having the first section as this didn’t really work for anyone and realistically to do the beginning justice a longer film is needed. Looking back for this 3 minute film exercise the beginning and back story not are not fully necessary. More clear dialogue would have helped tell the story and by having this and this alone could potentially been enough context for the viewer to step on board and understand what is happening.

More on what I have learned

Throughout this module I have been able to learn and pick up some great skills. Like I had said on previous posts this project was the first time I had worked on DaVinci resolve for colour grading properly as well as the first time I had filmed on a GH5. Working on resolve was complex yet rewarding and something I would like to learn more of in future projects. It was exciting for me to behind the camera for what I was. I got to use the foley room in screen academy for the first time and the tools involved. I learned that a three-minute film concept should be a simple one. Again, how important sound is and how bad sound cannot be ignored. Other aspects I learned and improved on in this module this trimester were my script writing skills, I was able to practice this and enhanced my writing. As well as learning the pitching process, the important points and all the complexities that come under this. Of preparing all the materials and practicing rigorously, expecting to be asked the unexpected on the spot.

Film Genres - ‘Catacombs Of The Lost’ Production & Post Production

Shoot 1

My Roles 

On this shoot I was unable to do as much camera operating as I would have liked but understandably due to the time crunch for this location and how much we had to get done.  Ben, knowing the camera better and the complexities of some of the shots it just occurred that he dealt with the majority of these shots on this shoot and I was getting coverage shots. This was the first time I was using the GH5 for but was pretty easy to get to grips with.  Sam helped with this in pre-production stage. He showed me the basics and we went on a wee test shoot with Orla.  Despite saying this, one of the shots I was operating for the image was blown out and caused some issues in post-production which again Sam helped to rescue. When I wasn’t getting the coverage, I was operating the lighting.

With lighting being my main concern for a large part of this shoot some of the challenges that came with this were: making the light source seam like it is coming from his lantern but also providing enough light for the shot. Another challenge in terms of lighting was the red light for the devils presence, specifically creating enough red light in the right areas / directions which in the end worked quite successfully. We did have to adapt in terms of lighting choices at one point, we did not enough blue light due to the blue gels not being very strong and not having enough light overall. Therefore, instead of having both the blue lit segment and the devil’s presence of red light, we had to just hone in on the red lighting and make this really significant. The hardest yet most fun shot to get in terms of lighting was the chase scene (17.07 mins in BTS film if you want to see it for yourself). It was challenging in terms of keeping up with the cameraman and maintaining the height that I started the light with roughly to maintain the height of the devil.

How it went

This shoot is where we captured the bulk of our footage; the shoot was a 5 hour one starting at 11.30pm until around 4.30am in the vaults. It was always going to be a wee bit of stress and pressure with how much we needed to film and this being the only night we could get at the location. However, in all honestly due to our pre-production prep and working really well as a team it went pretty smoothly and we got all the shots Ben was needing. The only thing that was a bit rough was that the GH5s were on slightly different settings that cased a wee bit of an issue in post-production and also some focus issues with a few shots but overall, a very decent shoot that allowed a lot of potentials in post.

BTS Film Link - Shot by Sam 

https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fm.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DkNpjFKRyHXM%26feature%3Dyoutu.be%26fbclid%3DIwAR1yFbgNepvZOWpCRljpG0rO6frZhefkVX8Rn2NFV9lQWMfh18FEnUY9mEs&h=AT08DbGLiOleov8SlFJdGNta6Gakl8eDFi2OaQulgDMfSdghggx07-2g0bps1mdvnRoMWBgb0MnIcQCjL5ewdi3gGdCgGmHhqas4JUVFidm-3rox78kQW8GiYqew6Jme5hSVzGUWXKc

Shoot 2

My Roles

Despite this being the shorter shoot, it was somewhat more challenging due to a couple of factors. It was busy being on location due to a church orchestra band practice and as it was public there was nothing we could do about this. As well as the busyness of Princes Street being more clear in the wide shots than we originally thought. This meant having to alter a lot of the shots that we had on the shot list and adapt in the moment. This paired with the 3 hour time limit as we were filming on a public space and it being freezing at 10pm-2am made it a tough night’s work but we persevered!!

My role on this shoot geared more towards my role of camera operator which I was really excited about. I got to take charge of a lot more shots, as well as chatting with Ben of what alternative shots we had to get. In terms of the lighting role I still was in charge of this at times. I was also candle lighter / fire person!! (very important role). 

(my personal favourite BTS image... Orla stealing the show^) 

Post Production

There was much to do in the post production stage, picture edit (which were much to long and Ben had to work really hard to get this cut down but allow it to still make sense and still carry the story), sound design, foley, voice overs, music recording, VFX, and colour grading.

During the post production stage I was colour grading and I unexpectedly really enjoyed it. As someone who is not very technical and has never used DaVinci I was sort of nervous / dreading being responsible for the colour grade. But thanks to Sam who is a tech wizard and Kieran’s colour grading class I was able to understand some aspects. When it came to the workflow and getting to go through the clips and getting to improve the image was really rewarding and satisfying. I won’t lie I am still at the basics but really enjoyed this. There was one shot that I was camera operating for in the vaults that was completely blown out and the settings were all wrong. Sam had to come in and rescue this one, it was out of my expertise but aside from that I was able to have full reins when it came to the colour grade and it is something I would like to revisit in future projects.

(Sound and Colour edit being done)

Film Genres - ‘Swallowed’ script concept breakdown

My idea for Swallowed is somewhat ambitious in terms of camera work / cinematography and special effects, but the concept is really exciting to me, so it was something I had to attempt to pursue.

MOODBOARD

HOW I CAME UP WITH THE CONCEPT / MY INFLUENCES

The below films and TV show contain some aspects that I would like to take into my short film:

1.     ‘Under the skin’ - Directed by Jonathan Glazer

Mainly due to its horror aspects, the disturbing, suffocating feel. As well as people getting trapped in an odd environment. The fact it is set in Scotland is also a bounce. 

2.     ‘Inception’ - Directed by Christopher Nolan 

For the misunderstanding of where the ground is. A great example of this has to be the fight scene in Inception.

3.     ‘The boy’ - Directed by  William Brent Bell

Again for the horror aspects, it is also a character that lives within the walls like my main character will end up.

4.     ‘Doctor Strange’ Directed by Scott Derrickson

 Similarly to the idea that Inception offers of the world and ground being altered but on an even grander scale.

5.     ‘The Matrix’ - Directed by Lana Wachowski and Lilly Wachowski 

Throughout these films have a trippy / altered world concept but a specific example I would like to consider is the scene of the subway fight, of course has much more advanced choreography for anything I was going for but I like it for its atheistic it is somewhat similar to the location I have of the vaults in terms of low lighting. But the main thing is the slowing down of the bullets motion this is very similar to the idea I had when my main character touches a puddle and the  ripple effect is slowed / looks jelly like. 

6.     ‘Stranger Things’ 

With the concept of the ‘upside down’ world we get examples of being swallowed like this still here.

7.     ‘Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them’ - Directed by David Yates 

Merely for the concept of going through the puddle/ floor a similar look as we see Newt when he goes into his case.

ACHIEVING THE CAMERA TECHNIQUES / THE CONCEPT

To achieve some of these techniques on a lower scale / on a student’s budget  we can do a few things for example, using bizarre angles such as dutch angle, hand held, in and out of focus, and shaky cam. Movement of camera will be key in achieving motion and loose of understanding ones surroundings this can be helped in the post production stage to enhance the look. Such as using the warp stabiliser on premier pro when going for the shaky effect to enhance this and make it more of a motion / trippy effect and not just a shaky camera. The puddles alone can be used to create some symmetry and confusion of what the surroundings are but a potential use of a make shift green screen for falling through floor / puddle scene is also an option. 

Film Genres - Sound Design Project Reflection

After having a group meeting, we chose what film clip we wanted to work on for the sound project. We knew we wanted to build a sense of intensity and drama but didn’t have a specific genre in mind. We went on to discuss the essential sounds we needed and made a list. For the sound tutorials we had a rough cut made with only sounds from the sound library, but this showcased the idea we were going for. After this tutorial we received feedback and advice for going forward. One suggestion we received was to section up what we were to individually go and record sound for. As this might be an easier and quicker way to work. I had the end section to record of the rainy bags being ripped. To create this, I recorded bags of rubbish in the shower, I then recorded one of me moving and rummaging through them, and then also me ripping them open and going through the bags of rubbish. I used this technique as I remember Leo saying it was good to record each sound/noise separately and layer it up.

Another piece of advice we took on board was to use the foley room to record more sound, this is where we recorded the bulk of the sounds for this project. Sam and Ben A were in the foley room whereas Orla, Ben, and I were in the recording room, instructing them. Orla was on keys. we had another session to clean up and organise the timeline. Then finally had one more session to add in the final sounds. This was mainly the rain and music at the end that were missing, we also ensured the sounds that we recorded blended in well with the foley sounds.

I think the most challenging aspect of this project was the technical aspect. Using pro tools, using the foley room for the first time and getting to grips with all the buttons and how to communicate with each other from the recording room. We overcame these challenges by playing on each other’s strengths and asking for help when really required from either other students or lecturers. We worked well in a group, coming together to record the foley, edit and mix. There was good overall communication.

Within the crit we were praised on sections of the film such as, some good foley bits for example the going through the letters. Another aspect of the work that was highlighted was some of the off camera sounds such as when he was going through the kitchen drawers. This was a good use of off camera noises as we couldn’t exactly see what he was going through, but the sound was believable. Similarly, we used sound to create some good timely transitions for example when he opens the door to go from inside to outside.

In terms of the bits that could be improved, the overall genre wasn’t particularly clear. The music at the end is a bit of a through off as it didn’t have an initial purpose which can be seen and suggest a different tone from what we were going for. We should have talked through exactly what the music does for the film, what it adds, before putting it in. Some of the Foley stood out such as the footsteps. The noise we created from the foley room didn’t match how footsteps in the apartment would have sounded. They were too obvious and a little off in terms of timing. However we were told this is a very challenging thing to achieve using the foley room alone. Lastly the rain and traffic noises within the stairway were unbelievably loud, they sounded far too close for being inside of a building. This is something we didn’t notice but to improve upon this for next projects we can think about how everything sounds within its different environment and actually record these sounds within that location as that is the most realistic result that can be created.

Overall, I am happy with the outcome of our sound project, there is room for improvement, but a solid core is there. This project showed me how much sound can really make or break a film and highlights exactly how key it is. In terms of how this project has impacted what we do for our genre film, we hadn’t initially spoke about using the foley room for this film project however after this experience we have decided this is something we are likely to use to contribute to the final film project.

Film Genres - Group 4 Feedback

In the opening section I thought the timing of the footsteps worked really nicely and I liked how they were blended out as the wind picked up. To the point that the wind took over the majority of the noise of the environment and she is at the point where she is at a standstill due to it. With the noises and voices in the lift, the way in which I interpreted it was she was experiencing most of this internally and has been for a while due to her facial expressions in the shot. Further on the footsteps as she was leaving the apartment it was almost like an echo as she walked down the hallway and I got the full sense of the room. I also really liked the consideration for the off-camera noises and movements to create the world such as the section where she got out of the lift and into the apartment, we cannot see a baby, but we can hear cries as she again is at a standstill, awaiting to go in and seems exhausted with her current situation. Another example of this was the moving of the bags and suitcases. The use of zip noises as she was packing and was on her way to leave. I think the sound design compliments the image, it enhances the tone that is already set with the visuals alone and brings it to another level. It Immerses you in this idea that this woman has been struggling and has had enough. Overall thought it was a great sound design and mix, it really comes across that she is not in a heathy mental state and that this is her journey we have embarked on. In terms of genre, I get the sense of a possible drama or potentially a psychological thriller again mainly from the lift section of the clip.

Film Genres - Pitch Reflection & Feedback

Aspects of the pitch I believe were received well were the visuals on the slides and the show reels for both film ideas. As well as depth of details we had for each aspect of the power point. However, to contradict this, with the amount of depth we had we didn’t do well for the time limit of 10 minutes we had. We were unable to cover the full presentation for both film ideas as we had run out of time on the pitch. On a personal note, it was somewhat anti climatic as I had done the preparation for my slide and when it came to presenting, I wasn’t able to actually speak during the pitch as my slide was towards the end. This is due to us not timing both power points together to ensure we would be done within the 10 minutes.

Therefore, what I think we did well as a group was coming together to get the presentation done as well as doing our own separate work on the pitch. We came together by sitting down at the library and sorting out what we were all saying and doing our section of the work. However, we should have given ourselves more time to practice the pitch as a group and see that we were needing to condense this version for the verbal pitch. The only other thing I can think of that we needed to improve upon was the beginning, we did not introduce ourselves and our roles which is necessary aspect of pitching.

In terms of other groups pitches I really enjoyed the variety of ideas that were presented and the different visual directions I saw. One of the criticisms I would have for pitches and there were even some bulky ones on our power point, but it was the slides with all the writing. I personally don’t see the need to know the exact synopsis word for word at a pitch. I think when discussing your film in your own way (with some structure of course) is much more engaging and will get across your idea. Overall enjoyed the pitching session we had and learned things to improve upon.

This was my slide relating to lighting, one of the slides we didn't get to.

Film Genres - 30 minute session on Music and Genre

Sadly, I was unable to identify any of the film soundtracks or any of the composers but below is how I viewed each the film sequence with the different scores and how these scores changed the feel and tone of the sequence. As well as how the character changed for me as the viewer again due to the score.

1. Intense almost horror like. Feels like there is something at stake. Like the taxi driver is about to do something serious / controversial, he comes across as a villain. Genre feels like a thriller due to the score.

2. Chill vibes. Doesn’t really go with go with the sequence. Maybe like he is isolated and lonely as all we can here is this emotional song. Something happened in his personal life, and this is a sequence in the film where we see him getting on with his job despite his struggle/ sadness. Genre – drama, coming of age? Romantic?

3. This one was confusing for me, again an intense beginning, battle drums but quickly changes and becomes more focused on emotions I feel. I found myself being drawn to the couple in the back of the taxi more in this one. It was their story rather than his for a bit. Genre - drama / romance.

4. Cool score. Sets the tone of your in the busy streets. Almost felt to me like he was on his way to find an underground music scene and the music is already playing. The story line could have gone in that direction in my head. But actually, gets more intense when the couple is in the taxi. Bond movie vibes and he’s undercover. Genre – thriller.

5. Light and delicate score. Almost like we are near the end of the film at kind of music / happy ending music. Despite him looking serious its almost happier. Maybe he his back to when he was originally going full circle near the end of the film. Happy ending and the new normal possibly. Back to what he wanted to be doing / back to his norm. genre – feel good and adventure.

6. Ominous score. Quite trippy reminded me of the driving scenes from ‘under the skin’. He is coming across as a bad guy again with this score. Didn’t expect the big loud ending. I think that paired with him cleaning the taxi after the couple had been in it suggest he has done something to them possibly murder and that is him cleaning up the mess. As well as his mannerisms through them in the taxi looking back at them suspiciously Genre – thriller / horror.

7. bond music? Again, it was a lighter one. This is harder for me to understand / picture a scenario for this to make it work at all with this sequence.

8. Lurking, on the lookout, this one really persuades the idea of it being in a different period / older period. It being jazz music suggests something… a location perhaps? The intense build up that occurs a few times suggests there’s still a serious element despite it being jazzy. More serious grumbly tones when he is taking the pills. genre – Period Drama? Triller?

9. Sadder piano notes. This highlights the rain element and works with it to enhance that it is sad. Taxi driver has lost something or someone. In this clip it was the first time I saw / noticed that he wrote something down before the couple get in the back oof his taxi. He comes across as sad and tired. Genre – romantic, emotional, coming of age?

10. Possibly set in a different country. Or the characters have relations / connections with a different country for example like ‘In the Heights’ the relationship we see between Washington Heights and the Dominican Republic in this story. Does it work? I don’t really think so. There is a bit of a juxtaposition from where the music gets faster and a bit more intense with the visuals still being slow and not changing in tempo with it. Just notice that when he finishes his shift its daylight, he was driving all night. Genre – cultural? Drama?

Film Genres - Script First Draft

Working title: Swallowed

https://drive.google.com/file/d/113_faI80RsqGZXu01M7_3eJP6e4obIq4/view?usp=sharing

Film Genres - Some BTS images taken on my iPhone from ‘Master Shot’

Film Genres - Final Master Shot (The Vaults!!)

We were actually able to pull off the night shoot in The Vaults for the master shot. 11pm-1.30am then back to edit as a group until 3am. Not something I would recommend but so happy with the stills we captured and so in the end it was well worth it and so grateful we got a free roam of The Vaults at night it was very helpful when capturing what we were going for.

OUR CHOSEN MASTER SHOT IMAGE:

This particular image that we have chosen as the master shot to share with the class has influences from German expressionists film in particular examples such as Nosferatu and Cabinet of Br Caligari.

Other images that we captured and really liked are below. They give completely different type of horrors and different tones. As well as different timelines. One suggests it could be a Si-Fi horror/thriller, others more modern and again others a more historic look.

Ben the director was happy to hear everyone’s ideas and give them a go once we had got the initial idea done and had time to do so. This one was an idea I had to use the reflection of one of the puddles in the vaults. It was actually upside down but in the edit we flipped it. I think the image gives off an unsettling feeling and isn’t completely clear how it was taken.

Film Genres - First / Practice 'Master Shot'

Due to the only access for The Vaults being the night before/ morning of the hand in date we are having to do a separate master shot as a back up option. We are going to be using the downstairs walkway in Bens building that I spoke about previously being a back up location. Some of the images that are potentials to take forward as our master shot:

This shoot was somewhat successful and only came with positives such as getting to grips of working together for the first time. As well as getting to practice our job roles and running through what we want to do. On an individual note, this was really helpful even if we get The Vaults as it allowed me to use the camera that we will be using for the final shoot which is a GH5. On this shoot I was also responsible for some of the lighting as part of different set ups we tried. I do feel like we captured the feeling of horror that we were going for in this shoot.

Some of the BTS stills I got:

Film Genres - Update

So far, we have held 3 substantial group meetings two in person and one online in relation to discussing our film and the master shot task that comes with it.

Meeting 1:

We discussed our initial ideas, examples of horror shorts and feature films that we can draw inspiration from as well as job roles. Films such as The Conjuring for example: 

Potential / initial job roles:

Ben Mcmorran: Director

Samuel Tabotta: Producer

Ben Anstruther: Cinematography

Eilis Fraser (me): First AD/ camera assistant

Orla Murry: Sound

potential locations and back up locations:

- First choice location would be the vaults which we are really keen on and would be such a great location for what we have in mind.

- Back up option is seeing the downstairs of Ben Mcs flat building which has a dark walkway that goes out to the back.

- Our last location idea is to see if we would be able to get access to Churchill theatre.

Meeting 2:

During this meeting we were finalising and working out the logistics of our first-choice location as the location is what we need to secure first. As well a further wrapping our heads round what our idea / concept is further. Discussing what our approach will be when it comes to the script writing process. For example, we are thinking of all writing up a script and picking one we as a collective like the most. As well as possibly drawing bits of inspiration from each script that we like.

Meeting 3:

By now we have pretty much secured our first-choice location of the vaults thanks to our producer, which is great. It is more so a case of getting a specific time and date. We have also been able to secure this location for our ‘master shot’ / test shoot which is brilliant. This means we can test out the location. Our next plan of action is to meet to complete the ‘master shot’ shoot. More specifically the things we discussed in this meeting about the ‘master shot’ is what we are planning on getting in this shoot as well as getting as many different types of shots as possible to give ourselves Variety. We discussed further our back up options which are Flat close/ basement/ hallway to garden or if possible, access to Churchill theatre. We also discussed props, costumes, and lighting, what we have so far is that the subject will be wearing black clothes with a long black trench coat. In terms of props, we want a light source such as a lighter or a candle. We also had further talks discussing the logistics of filming in the vaults and things we will need to bring i.e head torches etc as well as risk assessments that need done. Samuel the producer will oversee this.

Separately: we also have held a group meeting discussing the sound exercise, the two clips we found the most satisfying in terms of the prospect of playing about with the sound are clip 4 and 5. We are going to all go away and take some sounds and book in for a session at screen academy to play around with what we have all captured and what we think will fit best with the clip. So, in terms of job roles this far we are all going to have a go at all of them and do this exercise as a collective.

Film Production Management - Film Idea Exercise

Article link relating to CONTENT of film idea:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-20033471

This article showcases multiple stories of people being stuck in elevators and many of them relating to the the dynamic people have when in a elevator together. This is a major aspect that my film would focus on. I have three stories in particular that I liked the most.

"Don, Gatineau, Canada I grew up on Long Island and when I was 11 my mother, my two younger brothers and my aunt were in the city. The adults decided to take us to the top of the Empire State Building as us kids had not been there. The elevator got stuck between the 55th and 56th floor. We shared the elevator with two Danish women who had a two-year-old with them. I always remember they let him relieve himself in the corner. We were stuck for about 90 minutes and for some reason no one panicked. Finally we made our way to the top and enjoyed the view. The next day my aunt noticed she had a few burst veins in her legs, I suppose from the [raised blood] pressure."

"Colin, Edinburgh, Scotland I got stuck in the lift at my flat, with a female friend, on New Year's morning after a fine Edinburgh Hogmanay. Found it the ideal place to practise salsa. The confined space creates the ideal level of intimacy required to get the steps right. Of course, you have to hum the same tune."

"Anon, Plymouth, UK I was once stuck in a small lift for about two hours with four other people. The fact that there were other people there made the ordeal less frightening, even though it was crowded, but my biggest fear was how I was going to urinate because I was the only female. The men were happy to pee down the shaft. It annoys me that those alarm buttons never seem to work, because no-one responded. Eventually one of the guys phoned the police, who said they would help, but never came. After about two hours, one of the guys finally realised how to open the second set of doors. We found ourselves between two floors, and jumped down to the lower one. Had we not rescued ourselves, I don't know how long we would've been there, since no-one seemed to care that we were stuck in there. Luckily I was able to control my bladder for the entire duration."

Image relating to AESTHETICS of film idea:

The lighting is a key aspect that drew me to the image. Harsh and artificial. I also like the framing of this still.

Film Genres - Peer Still Analysis

For this assignment I have been given a still to analyse and breakdown how I read its relationship to genre. This still is one from ‘V for Vendetta’ (2006) chosen by Alex, it is not a film I have seen before but is an interesting one. My initial thoughts after viewing the image were that this must be some sort of action/thriller. One of the first things that I noticed was the lighting and colour, more so the lack of it. It is overall a pretty dark imagine due to the dark buildings throughout the whole image but especially in the foreground. With it running up the side of the image it gives off the feeling of being closed in and it being a pressurised situation, making the image feel smaller. These old buildings further suggest the thriller aspect as the building in the foreground has the cross design carved at the top of it. Religion, specifically christianity / catholicism and sacrifice is are common themes in horrors and thrillers. The designs directly underneath the crosses are interesting and add to the image as it also allows light to pore through. The little colour provided are sourced by the sunset, the pinkish/ orange on the right-hand side of the still and blue on the left gives it a bit more variety in terms of colours. Aside from this there only seems to be a hint of gold in his costume – his mask. In terms of costume with the character being in all black and having his full body covered to me suggests wanting to be hidden and in disguise while completing this action. The mask seems creepy which makes further think of a thriller as well as action, particularly them being a hero or villain. I am leaning more towards villain at least seen as one initially or at some point within the film due to the typical stereotypes being used. Such as having a creepy face / mask and wearing dark costumes. The character positioning is great and is likely the key element in providing us with the genre. It is an action shot and with him falling through the air, most likely jumping off one of the building suggests it is a highly intense situation and could be a part of some sort of chase. It is also a great still due to where his body is placed in this moment. We can see the full outline of his body due to it being in a section where there is light from the sky behind, if it was frozen at a moment where he is landing, we wouldn’t get to see all of him and all the details provided. Such as the fact we can see he is wearing a cape which offers more information about him. Overall, these aspects of the image suggest to me that this is an action and thriller.