FMP: After Tutorials.

Hello there blog world.

The past week I had been trying to nail what my scenes would be. I decided on a car journey which I am increasingly distressed about because it's going to be damn hard. I am hoping to figure out if my intentions are possible this weekend when I book out a camera.

I decided on interpreting Metaphor, Jutaposition, Montage, Chiaroscuro and Homage as cinematic tools using one scene in different ways.

If I can't do the car journey the way I want to I will have to think of something else I can apply these too. What I like about it is there is an enclosed, contained space and I can use the car as a character too particularly with Metaphor where I want to film the car as an oppressor.

For juxtaposition I want to juxtapose two genres, one being happy-go-lucky drama the other horror/thriller. I would do this by having a bright setting, with a cheery character heading somewhere exciting singing along to happy music, unknowingly being haunted by a dark shadowy back seat passenger...

Chiaroscuro would just be visual using dark and light shading. I imagine filming at night.

Montage I need to re-figure out and Homage I need to decide on.

I am a bit worried that some of what I want to do would require a car with removable windows and green screen so I could shoot an unmoving car as if it was moving so feeling a bit sick about it. I will put my thinking cap on.

One of the things I really want to experiment with is one shot, multiple framings directing. What I mean is instead of cutting from a wide to a close up, the two framings will be contained in one shot by having the performer move within the shot. I don't think I will be able to do this in a car but I will be able to do it in Casey and Will's projects.

I am researching about how to direct a doc and drama so this research might and should help me along with my individual project. Then I can progress with shot breakdowns, and figuring out exactly what I need and how I am going to do it all.

I need a title.

FMP: My Project, further brainstorming.

What am I doing?

5 x 1 min x4

Theme of death?

Death of a human

Murder

Afterlife

Death of a pet

Death of a plant.


Scenes:

Brushing teeth

Taking a phone call

In the car

WAking up

Meeting a lover

Returning home

Being followed

Avoiding an intruder


Could I create sympathy or evoke emotion for something in human as if it was a human.

The egg story? Fridge Contents?


I Have been reading a book called The Art of Technique: An Aesthetic Approach to Film and Video Production

It's been helping me think a bit broader and think of things that are conventionally done in film.

Stage a period event in a different era

Displacement

Juxtaposition Person/ Object completely juxtaposed from the setting.

Contrast To make a point: I.e In witness where the Amish carriage holds up a massive modern truck in the road

Get the audience to think about or experience something in a new way.

Impart qualities not commonly associated with a subject.

Washing dishes as a visual metaphor:

How would you shoot dishes if tey were being washed by an arguing couple.

Or a couple who just met and are strongly attracted to each other.

Treatment gives meaning to action

Background props etc express theme or content.

Anger- framed by sharp edges, hard, sharp, angular surroundings.

Colours, express the emotion of the scene.

FMP: My Project, Brainstorming.

Been trying to figure out what my scenes are going to be this week. I have been trying reeeeeally hard to be decisive but it's not a skill I possess.

Some notes:

Themes:

Phases of grief?

Psychological - Schizophrenia, OCD, Depression etc.

Emotions- love, fear, sadness, anger, despair, excitement, happiness, love.


Various Scenes

Watching television, Taking a phone call, Making a hot beverage, Morning Routine, Bedtime routine.


Very everyday scenes (Filmed with different genres?)


Going to the post box, Answering the door, Taking a phone call, Making tea, Brushing tea, In the car.

General Scenes

A mugging, A reunion, An argument... etc.


Format

20 x1 min

5x 1min- Teeth Brushing with different moods. Then 5 x1 min phone call with different moods.


Create Atmosphere and mood. What mood? Dreamy, Surreal, Dark, Moody, Calm, Dread, Ominous, Thrilling.

What kind of imagery do I want to experiment with?

These were notes from my notebook. I was brainstorming ideas on what to do. I want to keep it simple but I still want to make it interesting to watch. The format I noted about is too much.

FMP: Allotment Production Meeting

On Tuesday in our tutorials we devised individual lists of tasks to complete for our next tutorials.


In Will's absence we held a production meeting for the Allotment project to figure out what needed to be done so that we could progress with the project. We realised that most of the work to be done was Producer work so we compiled a check list for Will as he didn't get one from Simon.


As follows:


Location and people recce. Script questions to ask contributors so that you get what you want out of them when you meet them.


As we were talking, Helen emailed with the following advise:


Do thorough background research and look out for any new angles and approaches to the subject.

I like the community engagement in this project - allotments are a sort of cultural and social melting pot , bringing together diverse communities in a unique way.

Ensure you get great characters and talkers and quiz them about potential filming opportunities and schedule accordingly. Your shooting script will evolve throughout the production. Also consider weather/Seasonal impact on cros etc.



-Do they have stories? If they do, what are they?

-What is the story of this documentary? Is this about the people and their stories or about the allotments themselves and their history?

Are there roles for Casey and Chloe?


Organize the meeting with contributors.

Script needs to be completed.

Structure confirmed.

Character briefs/ profiles.


From Helen:

Send me script/structure and character briefs ASAP and will comment.



We also clarified our roles, as so far it has felt that we have all been involved as co-producers but after our tutorials it was clear that we needed to concentrate on our individual roles for project clarity and also to keep our workload concentrated and not too overwhelming.


Next tuesday we will have another meeting with our Producer to see what's what and I will have some direction ideas to throw at him =]

FMP: Role Research

My intention is to learn as much about these roles as possible. I intend to do some reading, which will in turn inform my practice and report. I will also find examples of Directors/ Cinematographers works which I admire or have enjoyed or have found interesting. I am excited!

FMP: Directing Will's project

My first thoughts on this is I think the shots should be planned out and set up rather than fly on the wall style. Fly on the wall is interesting but I feel that it is a style that works best when there is minimum control over the story. For example, riots, front line war zones, big brother situations. Because of the nature of this documentary, the story won't unravel unless we control it. If we were to film the allotments fly on the wall style, a story would be unlikely to unravel by itself. This is yet to be discussed with Will but I feel that this is the best overall way to shoot this documentary.

FMP: Project Update

Having spoken with Simon in tutorials today, my thoughts about concentrating on the roles of Director/ Cinematographer/ Camera person are now concrete and approved. I will basically be creating a showreel for myself as a Director/ Cinematographer. Creating a body of work to showcase my ideas. I will be making 'test shots'. Small scenes or scenarios which I will film in experimental ways and be as creative as I can. I really want to try new things and this is the perfect outlet for that. I will be scripting the scenes but I don't need dialogue as it's about getting across a mood and scenario in the direction rather than in the scripting. My project will be self contained as I shouldn't need much help or collaboration from other people as the films will be short and my own vision. I should be editing them myself, I might however make the most of Dylan's expertise that he will be acquiring as editor if I am unsure of how to do something. I will also be Directing Will's project about Allotments. And I will be Director of Photography on Casey's project. Tasks for this week: Work out a title for my body of work. Figure out the format- how many, how long. Think of a theme to give the project wholeness. Work out what the scenes will be and script them. Breakdown each scene. - What will I need? - i.e. location, crew, cast etc I also need to consider and research my plans for the direction of Will's project. I need a clear idea of this for next week which I can then present to Will and go over with him. Casey will be working on her project this week and once she is scripting I will be having ongoing discussions with her about it to start gathering ideas for the cinematography of her piece.

3rd year: 1st blog update.

I came back to uni with the idea to create a campaign kind of thing to do with what is in people's food. The idea was to educate people about what they are eating so that they can make more informed and healthier choices when it comes to buying food. Below is a document of some notes I put together. However, after talking it through last week, I am feeling unenthusiastic about this idea and want to make something else. I feel that I have more freedom than I initially thought and I think it might end up being a bit too much like Noodles. I really want to make something artistic and experimental and try new things with cameras, lighting and direction. And eventually in the final edit. With this in mind I don't want to make something factual but I don't have any ideas for anything else right now, though I am constantly trying to think of something. I really want to enjoy this unit and I don't want to make something just for the sake of having an idea. I have however, decided I want to focus on the Camera/Director/Cinematographer roles for this semester as they give me the artistic license to do what I want to do. I know they are all large roles but I feel that the nature of our course and our projects, having small crews etc, these roles will probably be combined anyway. This will allow me research new ways of filming and lighting shots and I can research different shot's that I want to try. And I can get to grips with the cameras a bit better to learn more about them! Regarding ideas, I am trying to think of something relatively simple... Like a mood piece, an advert, a drama, a horror... However with the latter two I am not sure I could come up with a decent enough idea so would prefer someone else to write it for me. I will keep thinking. I have been talking to a lot of different people about this so hopefully the ideas will start flowing.