Expression of Colour_Critical Reflection

EXPRESSION OF COLOUR

Writer, producer and co-director.

We expected the fair feedback we received at the crit. We knew our film was missing a part to build the emotional tension of the scene, and the constant shift over the line was jarring. Unfortunately, we lost a big part of the scene due to technical issues and had to cut it very short, which meant losing the original off-screen presence. In hindsight, we could have done something about it in post. 

During the module, I got helpful feedback during the writing process that I used to push the story arc and write natural-sounding dialogue.

The points above that were brought up during the crit are, in my opinion, the strongest points in the film because they generated discussions that can only improve our craft. I agree that, although well exposed, our lighting isn't exciting, but I consider it another strong point in the film.

From what was discussed in the crit, I would like to rethink the whole cinematography of the scene to avoid crossing the line and consider how to make the audience feel more of the beat: Caio mentioned that, with the script cut short, the establishing dialogue is too long and that it would be nicer to dive immediately into the conversation. 

Expression of Colour was a passion project, and I would love to reshoot it to improve it. During the writing process, I had the naturalism of Normal People by Sally Rooney in mind, despite the surrealism of the characters' names representing their personalities and then reflected in their costumes. Drawing inspiration from Normal People, playing more of the soft focus would have been interesting to explore to draw the audience further into the conversation and achieve a deeper connection with Rosa and Oliver's struggles. Furthermore, I would change the costumes and the location.

My blog has a fuller account of how we worked well on set, but overall there was a good dynamic and a respectful environment to work in through all stages of . During the edit, Tom, David and I had dynamic discussions that pushed us creatively. There was mutual understanding and respect for each's ideas. With that being said, our film would have benefitted from more discussion in pre-production on cinematography. This experience taught me the importance of clearer vision and coverage. Additionally, where we fell short is an opportunity to refine the kinds of conversation to have in all stages of production to bear in mind for future projects.Watching my classmates' films shows how good lighting and decent recorded sound makes or breaks a film. The crits have permitted me to identify the people I would like to work with by listening to their workflow and admiring their respective skills in the work they have produced this second trimester. The cinematography of Divebomb, and writing for Christina's World stood out to me: I was impressed by how the film did not lack despite cutting a lot of dialogue.

Doodles!

Recent watches: Intouchable by Eric Toledano and Olivier Nakache, Amarcord by Frederico Fellini, Mid 90's by Jonah Hill, Lady Bird by Greta Gerwig, Isle of Dogs by Wes Anderson, Green Book by peter Farrelly, The Politician by Ian Brennan Brad Falchuk and Ryan Murphy, Strappare Lungo i Bordi by Zerocalcare, Babylon by Damien Chazelle, Madres Paralelas by Pedro Almadovar, Aftersun by Charlotte Wells, Singing in the Rain by Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly, Ladri di Biciclette by Vittorio De Sica, Sanjuro by Akira Kurosawa.

The Expression of Colour_script

The Expression of Colour shoot- FN2 group A2

Roles: Director: Ruby Jude, Producer/1st AD: Ellen Astolfi (me), DOP: Tom Mikulin, Sound mixing: David Puchir, Boom Holder: Max André, Makeup: Ruby Jude, Costume: Ellen Astolfi.

Actors: Rosa: Catherine Bruce, Oliver: Ewan Chanter, extras (order of apperance): Jordan Harvey, Louis Sterner, Maisy Dury.

Location: Edinburgh Napier University_Merchiston library. Set up: 15h45-16h30. Shoot duration: 16h30-23h.

footage pre-view.

photos on set.

What a shoot! It was so much fun! Getting everything sorted beforehand was a rush with finding actors, props, costumes, and location and kit confirmations. The morning before shooting, Ruby, Catherine, Ewan, and I had a call to discuss the script, characters and any questions regarding the shoot. Arriving from Craiglockhart with the kit, it was nice to see the actors on time at the location. It showed a level of professionalism, which I appreciate. I went straight to the actors with costumes as Tom set up the lights and camera, and David and Max set up the sound equipment. Ruby did Catherine's makeup as I prepared the production documents and clapper board. We were slow, to begin with; the scene set-up took longer than expected. I eventually put a 20 min timer, but it wasn't respected. We finally got to filming, and explained to the actors what to do in the scene. We blocked it together and communicated between the cast and crew: I reminded the actors of what we were doing when changing scenes and gave them notes. Eventually, I was more of the director than Ruby. I am concerned that I took over too much and didn't give Ruby a chance to express herself; then again, Ruby didn't have much of an opinion when asked what she thought of the scene. So much so that during the break, a PHD student in filmmaking, who happened to be in the library at the same time as our shoot, congratulated me on my directing skills. I was very flattered and confirmed my fervid ambition to become a director. Later on in the evening/into the night, to no great surprise, the cast and crew grew wiery, and everyone was looking forward to finishing. Although tired, I took it upon myself to keep the morale up and encourage everyone. We didn't use it, but I had a speaker ready in my bag if we needed a music break at some point. Max kindly helped us with the sound recording, as Louise couldn't attend the shoot. However, I wasn't impressed with David abusing Max's generosity. Max held the mic and was, for the most part, in an uncomfortable position under the table. Halfway through the shoot, I hinted at David to switch roles, but David was decisive in not holding the mic. In addition, there was a lot of asking for Max to do things. We waited an extra 30 mins on set for David to do the atmosphere recording when all the kit was packed and ready to go :/ Nonetheless, David was lovely to have on set and has never been difficult to work with before and during the shoot. Although not the first time shooting, it certainly felt like the first time since starting uni that I felt truly passionate about what was being made. I enjoyed working with everyone, and the hustle to get everything done was worth it. It was a great learning experience, and I can't wait to do it again!

Documentary shoot

Our two days shoot had to be cut by a day because our subject was unwell. Marcin and I took this as an opportunity to film anything that didn't need Abbie. We went to Edinburgh Rose Garden park and shot "maze" shots. Abbie had mentioned that grief was not linear, and we wanted the footage to symbolise the sense of uncertainty and confusion of grief. Marcin and I have very different approaches to filmmaking. Marcin is very precise. It is a much slower approach to filmmaking. He thinks a lot about the shot and spends time setting and checking the framing. In a non-experimental context, it is a good workflow, but when testing out different visual ideas, being more spontaneous would mean that, as a group, we would get more footage to work with later and, as young filmmakers have a chance to try different things.

The following day, we got to film the interview with Abbie and the exterior shots in the park. We were six to begin within our group, but one dropped out of uni, and another was away during the filming period. So were four interviewing and managing camera and sound. It was an efficient shoot. I was assigned to hold the boom pole because I felt unconfident in sound mixing. Due to not having had much sleep the night before and not eating breakfast, after five minutes of holding the boom pole, I fainted and was assigned to do sound mixing. It wasn't as complicated as I had thought it to be. I enjoyed the mechanical precision of the job, ensuring the bar never went into the red and watching the bars move back and forth with the recorded voice.

We're in post-production now. Flo and Marcin have cut down two hours of the interview to eight minutes. Marcin and I are going to work on the colour grading. And from our call with Tommy this morning, we need to think primarily about the pacing and the order of the information.

I feel confident about the result, even if we're not there yet.

Narrative 2 pre-production submisson

file:///media/archive/Archive.zip/A2%20recce%20checklist.pdf

file:///media/archive/Archive.zip/A2%20The%20Expression%20of%20Colour_Ellen%20Astolfi.pdf

file:///media/archive/Archive.zip/A2%20The%20Expression%20of%20Colour%20marked%20up-Ellen%20Astolfi.pdf

file:///media/archive/Archive.zip/A2%20logline_synopsis_moodboard%20link_role%20assignment.pdf

file:///media/archive/Archive.zip/A2%20casting%20call%20flyer.pdf

file:///media/archive/Archive.zip/A2%20R.A.%20without%20dates.pdf

file:///media/archive/Archive.zip/A2%20lighting%20floor%20plan.pdf

Artistic reflection

I like the french impressionist movement. Le Retour a la Raison (1923) proved to me an idea that was forming before I started this course. I'd be interested in exploring another way to express emotion than by the actor's facial expressions or "external performance". I'd like to explore a way of getting the audience to feel the emotion by almost being the emotion. When we cry, it's not just tears coming out of our eyes, it's the world crashing down and a heavy art. I'd like to represent emotion with motion, drawings, and sensations similarly produced by french impressionism. I haven't seen it very often to literally get inside a character's head, a lot of the time the camera stays out of it, and when we're permitted to see what is happening it's just images similar to the outside head space. The closest example of how I'd like to represent internal emotion is with Jinx from Arcane in the last episode of season 1. She suffers from schizophrenia due to severe trauma as a child, the voices inside her hand are hand-drawn monsters similar to one of a child, and her headspace is just empty dark space (much like to void Eleven from Stranger things goes to when she is looking for someone with her powers). I picture headspace as that empty dark space, for some reason, there is a single overhead light. I keep track of my "emotional drawings" to imagine a different way to visually represent emotions. There are tears on the outside, and the world collapsing on the inside in the headspace. Emotions are so much more complex than what we simply on the outside, I want to give them justice by giving the audience something to Feel. Let's get back in touch with our sensitivity again, shall we?

Sketching!

recent sketches

Film Narrative 2

Working with group A4 has been fulfilling. We're a good group with different qualities that strengthen the project. I'm aware that I talk perhaps the most, so when I catch myself, I make sure to include the others with questions like "what do you think?". I am the writer, and I can't write unless it relates to something personal where I can put some of myself into my work. The creative process of creating the characters was to start with a colour and build a story around their symbolism. For Rosa, the keywords for the colour pink are love, joy, sweetness, happiness, affection, and kindness. "The kindest of people feel the loneliest", Peeta Mellark from The Hunger Games. I wanted Rosa to have a pink front that hides the darker shades she feels. Oliver is her opposite, he is green- olive green. He is positive change, growth, healing, vitality, serenity, money, wealth, and jealousy. We wanted Oliver to complete Rosa, and allow her to realise in this scene that she is not doing alright (positive change and healing). However, when writing the script I began to see him as a character, a protagonist of his own in a story that isn't being told. Before writing the script I dove myself into who they are on the outside and build a world for them that would be their own on Pinterest and Spotify. It helps me get into their head. I love this part of making characters up. I struggle writing Oliver at some point, and watched Ted Talks to build his flaws. Below you will find attached links to the Padlet where we post as a group, as well as the characters Spotify playlists and Pinterest boards.

Frida Khalo, au-delà des apparences - Palais Galliera pt3

This exhibition was not about her art, but rather who she was behind closed doors, as the title suggests. I'm not a particular fan of her work and of surrealism (though I like the meaning and her approach to her art). Seeing her clothes and her possessions brought a sense of closeness to her that can not be done through her work.

F. Khalo intrigues me. Her expression in the picture with the cigarette feels relatable. I'm not sure how to explain what that photo mad and makes me feel. I'll reflect on it and come back to this post later.

Kimono - Quai Branly pt2

The exhibition presented kimonos from the early 18th centry to the 21st. Like with most clothing, kimonos are a symbol of class, family and gender that have evolved over the centries, and are a fascination of japonese cultural as well as designers from other cultures. What caught my attention was the presence of a story at the back of fabric of a particular kimono (no photo attached unfortunantly) depicting a journed up mont Fuji after a battle that took place centeries before. I liked the idea of a story on the clothing, it could be an interesting form to explore on film.

Christmas break pt1

After an intense 1st term, I felt the need for a rest and therefore didn’t do the filming I initially planned to do. It worked out well since filming in the summer will provide a warm light and the general liveliness that comes with the season that is more to my liking than the Winter. Not to mention it would be the holidays so having help from friends will be easier. Nonetheless, I did get up to different things that will serve the course and future personal projects. I will dedicate separate posts following this one.

Recent watches: Arcane by Alex Yee and Christian Linke, Knives Out and Glass Onion by Rian Johnson, Avatar 1 and 2 by James Cameron, Simone The Journey of the Century by Olivier Dahan, White Noise by Noah Baumbach, Women of War by Alexandre Laurent (was present on set for a few days), Lingua Frances by Isabel Sandoval, Lady Bird by Greta Gerwig, Midnight in Paris by Woody Allen, The Grand Budapest Hotel by Wes Anderson, David Attenborough’s Natural History Museum Alive, BabyTrapper by Tommy Sheridan, Frances Ha by Noah Baumbach, Big Deal on Madonna Street by Mario Monicelli

2nd term

Filming hasn't started yet but I'm happy to have changed production group. So far I feel more creatively inspired by the people I'm set to work with, and by the projects, we've been given for the second part of term. We we're talking with Becca, and we both agreed that it was nicer to focus on two bigger projects that lots of small exercises. Although they undoubtedly serve their purpose and were good fun, we both prefer being able to put more of ourselves into a project.

Keep you posted in the following weeks ;)

Tableau 2

07/12

I was the Producer/AD on this project too. Finding a location was difficult. The script was initially set on a train. I went to Waverley Station on multiple occasions to ask about a train that would be running we could shoot on, but to no surprise, it didn't happen. I asked the Director/Writer where else he would like it set. "A roof!" I tried looking into that too, but due to restrictions with time, the risk assessment wouldn't come through in time. We needed to think on our feet with what we had at our disposal. The scene we were adapting was supposed to be tense and different characters were supposed to come in and out of frame, yet we didn't want the framing to fall flat. The staircase at Accommodation permitted what we were looking for, and it was also aesthetically pleasing in black, white, and silver. The cast found for our lead role is an actor and family friend I was meeting up with for dinner. We joked about how I was a good producer in meeting actors out for dinner before giving them roles. The Director and I distributed the final task of finding a location and cast amongst ourselves, and we had everything ready on time for shooting. Unfortunately, that day we were 2/5 present to shoot: we had to ask other groups to help us with sound, cast, and ADing. I ended up as DOP, which was great fun but nervewracking being behind the camera for the first time + it required movement that I was so worried about messing up. Although the camera shakes when put back down after the pan, I am genuinely pleased with how it turned out, and it was great to have committed actors.

Shooting Final exercice

07/12

oooooooouuuuuuuffff 4 am is early. Due to the scene being a deserted night to shoot, we thought it best to shoot early in the morning rather than at night to avoid having extra background noise, but more importantly to not have anyone extra in our shots. We got up at 4 am three days in a row to shoot practically everything except for the Orson Welles close-up and the german lady at the window. Thank goodness Tom had coffee at his flat because I would have died. Although on the call sheet I wrote about providing catering by having a place to get coffee nearby, it didn't occur to me that everywhere would be closed at 4 am. Last minute I decided to get cereal bars to give us some energy (like when on a hike), but unsurprisingly no one seemed particularly keen on them. So note for future shoots: get guilty pleasure snacks, especially if it's an early shoot. On set was stressful. I don't think I felt very confident with my group and shooting was pressured by our time restriction with the sunrise. We were also 4/5 or 3/5 from our group on set which meant we were juggling the jobs at times. The last day of shooting was when I was most tense: we discovered last minute that where we wanted to shoot wouldn't be possible. It was a scramble to find somewhere new, and the sun was rising. Eventually, thanks to the help of our cast, we found what we needed and set up quickly. As Producer/AD, I was discussing with DOP and Director how to do the shot but lost my patience with them at their lack of seriousness. Discussing how to do the shot was their job, not mine. I come from a background in group work, so I have high expectations of what working as a group should be. However, I am aware that it is not the case for everyone, and need to learn to do group work with those who aren't as familiar with it as I am. The most challenging piece to film was the shadow under the archway. We had the car front lights on to cast the shadow, but no matter how we placed the car (taking location restrictions into account), we didn't quite get it. I was cast as the shadow so I was running back and forth between the DOP, Matthew in the car for lights, then back to my mark, back to DOP, and DOP running to change my mark. I was exhausted by the end of day two. From the little footage of the take we decided to go with, I'm a little disappointed. It was what I had most been looking forward to shooting, but other than that, the rest looks pretty good. Truth be told, by the end of this first trimester, I am very much looking forward to changing production group. Although my group is full of nice people, they aren't people I feel I work with or collaborate well with. I am an organised person which is why I took on roles that required organisation, but I am a more creative person. I didn't feel creatively comfortable with this group, therefore I am itching to show what I am capable of next trimester. During these Christmas holidays, I have planned with friends to recreate some of the exercises given in class to reinterpret them to my liking with people I collaborate well with. In addition, I intend to do plenty of reading (film, art, psychology) and go out to exhibitions, feeding myself ideas and visual/artistic references.

recently watched: Lady Chatterley's Lover by Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre, Trainspotting by Danny Boyle, Phantom of the Opera by Joel Schumacher, Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain by Jean-Pierre Jeunet (for the 100th time), Wednesda by Time Burton, Promising Young Woman by Emerald Fennell

shooting day 3: 01/12/22

Pre-production for final exercice

13/11 I am the producer/AD. We've oraginised to shoot on the week of 28/11. I'm currently writing the call sheets. I have been loaction scouting. Reached out to class mates interested in acting, and waiting for the contact details of head of the acting course to see if anyone there would be interested. I will arrange for the catering closer at hand, and make sure everyone has done there bit before the deadline on Friday. The shot list has been left to the DOP as well as booking the equipement because he'll know the specifics he needs (same goes for sound). Made list of sound recordings that will be needed. Made the storyboard. Wrote the production schedule and submitted it all. Oh, and I got a clapper board for the occasion. Really excited about that.

Lil sis!