Film & Screenwriting #7

In this weeks session we went over our script drafts. I managed to complete a first draft of my Black Cabbie, and even had time to finish the first act of my Western script, with the current working title The Black Passage. In the session we went around individually, reading over our script. We each read our own scene descriptions, and our characters were assigned to members of the class. This way the characters entered a dialogue, and the text on screen was brought to life. As people added their own interpretation to a character, I learned more about that character than what was on screen. I was able to see the strong points and the weak points of my scripts also. This was also effective in judging whether the timing of my scripts worked. It became apparent whether my scripts conformed or detracted from the paradigmatic structure. 

Black Cabbie currently stands as the script I am more likely to take forward and hopefully, get into production. I had invested a lot of time into the characters and their dialogue, so this session was very important. It allowed me to see what dialogue worked within the boundaries of a character. I was able to ask myself, would my character actually say that? Why? What would make him say that? Otherwise, it is just nonsense completely out of character. In the read through of Black Cabbie I learned that my main protagonist Abbel was a very strong character, and comes across as rather intense. This is intact the effect I aimed to achieve, so that came as positive feedback. One down point was the character of Ellie, Abbels love interest. Feedback suggested that Ellie was a bit of a two-dimensional character with no real backstory or depth. This was amazing for me to receive constructive criticism on a character, as it means I can go back to my script and add to them and fill the character with substance. Another positive element of the script was the banter between the characters, others said worked very well. This was a risk for me initially, as it is rather difficult to get right. I believe I pulled it off successfully within the boundaries. There were a few chuckles around the room, which was the most important feedback I could possibly ask for in a scene which is there to provoke laughs. Another key point I have taken on board is to cut down on scene descriptors. I have used over the 20 minute boundary mainly because of the lengthy descriptions. Although these are often relevant to setting the scene, they do not add to the character or fundamentally, the story. Therefore I will go back into my script and cut down on the scene descriptors. 

Fortunately I had time to have a read through of The Black Passage, the script of the period Western I have also been working on simultaneously. Again I received some very positive feedback on this script. The main praise coming from others saying the dialogue really worked. It really added to the characters, and at times the dialogue was powerful. Just like the Black Cabbie read through, the characters really come to life when they are read out loud. Some poor Western accents came about, but they really did add to the atmosphere I was aiming to create with this script. Despite only being read out in class casually, the characters entered some significant conflict, reeling off lines one after the other. The positive feedback has lead me to believe this script is worth continuing. The main criticism like Black Cabbie was to cut down on scene descriptors, which is understandable seeing how lost off I get just describing one insignificant aspect of the script.

Production Skills #5

This weeks production skills session was an extremely fun one. We were properly introduced to the super 8 cameras, and allowed to record some footage on them. To me this was an amazing exercise as I have such an interest into the process of filmmaking. The process is often a very disciplined one, as we all know film costs money. Unlike digital, every shot must be lit and framed to perfection to save money. As students with ultimately no budget to work with, this is important. In the session we were allowed to experiment with lighting, with use of the lighting meter. The lighting meter is a compulsory tool used to work out what F stop the camera should be set at. It is a simple process. Pointing the lighting meter at the camera (from the subject) with a click of a button the small machine translates that into information on screen. For example, if the lighting is low and the subject is shrouded in darkness, the F stop which the lighting meter picks up is that which the camera should be set to. This way the lighting the camera picks up will capture what is in the frame without being under or over exposed. 

Below is an image of myself, using the super 8 camera attached to a tripod. In this shot I am looking into the camera to see if the subject which we were framing, was indeed framed correctly. To help us with our goal we used a small piece of glass, which we placed over the lens and traced the outline of the subject. This way we were able to place the glass over the lens to see if we were framing the following shot similarly, or as close as we could possibly get to the shot before. 

This is another image in which I am framing up the shot, this time showing the subject seated on the sofa. This shot allows you to see the distance we were working at with the super 8, from subject to lens. There is nothing in the foreground of the shot, or the middle. This again simplified the process as we had no worries of lens perspective. I assume that will come in the more elaborate stages of learning the super 8 cameras and even 16mm.

Finally, a graceful shot of the entire class. This shot was taken after the super 8 exercise. I believe as a class the weekly production skills not only teach us through key technical exercises, they allow us to bond as a group.

 

Film and Screenwriting #6

In this weeks session we continued with the hot seating activity which had taken place in the past two Monday morning sessions. Building character depth and questioning the characters of other peoples scripts enables us to add our own depth. Each lesson I learn something new on how a character can be fleshed out and how a character becomes both interesting and real. 

This week I also began to work on my second script which has a working title - The Black Passage. For Monday I aim to complete both 20 minute scripts, of Black Cabbie and The Black Passage. That puts me in an advantageous position in terms of feedback. I aim to show both finished scripts to my lecturer and peers, that way I can choose which script I will develop into a finished product for the deadline. At present I am finding it hard to choose a script over the other. I have invested a lot of time into the concepts and characters, therefore without feedback I would remain inconclusive. The feedback I aim to gather is which set of characters from each script do you identify with and why? What do you like about these characters? Which script do you think creates the most drama and tension?

Production Skills #4

In this weeks production skills session we continued with our editing sessions on Avid. Each session I become a little more confident with the use of the software. At first I was completely baffled, as a previous user of adobe premiere pro. I understood that this was to be a steep learning curve. To enhance my learning process with Avid I have purchased a how-to manual and general guidebook for beginners from amazon. The book cost a grand total of 5p, excluding delivery charge. As of yet I have not actually edited a sequence of footage together. I have half of my MM&I project filmed, with the other half ready to be filmed this following week. When I have acquired my footage I will begin editing it together, with the help of the avid guide. This is more or less an attempt to individually overcome any challenges without relying heavily on guidance of lecturers. As our lecturers are often busy, the more I can do to help myself instead of asking questions with obvious answers, the better. 

Outside Reading - First Time Director: Gil Bettman

I have decided to begin to blog about my outside reading, so that I may return to these notes which are stored at a specific place in time. Outside of my studies at University I have developed an interest in books about Cinema. The history of cinema, the art of cinema, and in this case a technological and theoretical walkthrough on how to create. The current book I am reading I recently took from the University library. It is a book written by Gil Bettman on first time directing. Gil Bettman is a director who has made a number of feature films and now teaches film at UCLA. He has previously worked with Hollywood director Robert Zemeckis and often references Robert and his work in the book. 

As an aspiring writer/director this book has proven immensely helpful and informative. It covers a wide range of topics, for any first time director. Not only is it instructional on how to direct and focuses a lot on the dos or dont's, it demonstrates how to get your first break as a director and how to make that breakthrough into the film industry. 

The book also benefits me as a student studying Film, and some points will come in useful when it comes to the moving image production, or even writing scripts. I also have the comfort of knowing that even when I return the book by the libraries deadline, it will be available for me in the library again if I ever need it.

Aesthetica Film Festival - 06/11/15

Last Friday, myself and some other students from CCAD visited York for Aesthetica Film Festival. The festival commences over the weekend, from Friday to Sunday. Many venues around York showcase masterclasses from some internationally successful companies and individuals, along with a variety of short films. 

We set off on Friday morning arriving in York for around 10 o'clock. With a few hours to roam York and see some films with our all day pass. This was my first visit to York, therefore a perfect opportunity to have a little explore. We then headed to a small cinema in the centre of York, where we found out from our guidebook that a 2 hour comedy screening was taking place. There were around 5-6 short comedies screened within that time. Some very funny and some struggled to bring out any laughter in the audience. After the comedy screenings we then moved screens to the drama shorts. We only had the chance to view the first drama before our masterclass. The drama we did get to see was extremely well-made. A french production I cannot remember the name of, consisting of some bold religious undertones and stunning cinematography. All complimenting a gripping story.

At 4 o'clock we headed to our masterclass at York St John University. The masterclass was  from Framestore, a visual effects company founded in 1984. They have worked on some blockbuster films such as Guardians of the Galaxy and Gravity. I took some notes of key points given in the presentation, and I have scanned those in below. 

As a Film student this outing was extremely useful and informative. I was able to observe the reaction of audiences to humour in the comedy short films. Then I was able to see how an audience perceive a drama, ultimately what did or didn't work. I also found this out by asking members of the audience and my peers after the screening. I believe that the underlying strengths of most films, and the most humorous ones of the screening were the ones that engaged with the audience. Rather than just humour between the characters, the humour was relatable to the audience. The Framestore masterclass was equally informative. Despite visual effects not being the area of the industry I wish to enter, nonetheless it was interesting to see how the company has developed over the years. Also, how visual effects work themselves through the creation process. 

All in all Aesthetica was a great experience. I look forward to next years event in the hope that I can purchase a weekend ticket, rather than just the one day!

Film & Screenwriting #5

In this weeks screenwriting session we had one on one tutorials with our lecturer.  Whilst others were in having their tutorials, we were given hours during the day to catch up on work and upload all our previous notes etc to the VLE. As I had already done so, I used this time to further develop my Black Cabbie script. This script is now acting as my primary script which I will continue to develop into a twenty minute peice. Within this time I also took it upon myself to develop my ideas for another script. In recent months I have directed a lot of my time to watching westerns. Ideas began to spiral around in my mind and I decided it was time to put pen to paper. 

At present taking this script into production would be completely unrealistic. Working on a little to no budget would result in the production looking of very low quality. Unlike Black Cabbie, which is a workable script in terms of production. Locations are accessible in Black Cabbie, whereas the current side script I may call it, is out of the question. There are no local deserts, mountains or western towns. 

I began the treatment today for a script which acts as a Western. The events are set in the late 1800s in Arizona. The events of the script partially revolve around the divide between the states of California and Arizona. The divide between the states within the context of the film is political. The two states are legally divided by a vast plain of land. Mountains, greenland and desert all cover this land which is plagued by bandits and thieves. Inhabitance of the plain which is referred to as 'The Black Passage' or more commonly 'Land for no man' is legal for bandits. If they happen to leave the plain and enter a surrounding state they become trespassers. This law ensures that no citizens of Arizona travel to California, vice versa. They may attempt to make their way around the states but this is still risky. Border checks along the Californian state no entry to citizens of Arizona. This is a complicated political matter which does not come to light in the context of the film. With Arizona being a vast state filled with deserts, many citizens choose to abide by the law and remain housed in their own settlements. At the centre of all of this is a traditional nuclear family. Father Bill, his wife Marie and their two kids Edward and Ella. They lead a seemingly normal lifestyle. For the time period, Bill is the traditionally masculine breadwinner of the family. He tends to the crops, and often goes hunting to put food on the table of the family. Things can become complicated when the local towns landlord bullies Bill into paying monthly instalments despite the land belonging to Bill entirely, which was inherited. 

One morning Bill wakes up to an abandoned house. His family have taken off with his savings without explanation. Bill finds himself psychologically tortured at the loss of his family, and more-so the lack of reason for their departing. The thought of kidnap is entirely ruled out. He surely would have awoken, and the wardrobes are empty indicating their planned escape. This leads to Bill travelling into town, furiously questioning anyone in sight. He learns that his family headed West in early hours of the morning. The only place west of that village lead to the black passage. Bill quickly assumes that for whatever reason his wife and kids have left on a perilous journey to California. 

For the moment, this is all I have concept wise to work with. I believe that as I have these opening scenes to work with, inspiration will come as I work. Before that I will work on character profiles to solidify the characters. In the creation of my characters, I need to understand the morale compass of each character before I can continue with any real story. The concept intrigues me as it essentially challenges the conventions of traditional westerns, and modern westerns alike. Westerns are often male dominated. To have a woman play a significant role which opposes the male protagonist is bold and tricky. It will also be interesting to see how elements of a psychological thriller can be worked into the driving force of a Western.

One main in source of inspiration in film is from the modern adaptation of the classic Western; 3:10 To Yuma. Christian Bales character is a man who constantly attempts to protect his family physically and financially. To protect his family he takes on a quest voluntarily, to escort a dangerous outlaw to the 3:10 To Yuma train. The character influenced by own concepts immensely. He is an example of a traditionally masculine man with a simple aim, which is centred around the protection of his family. I like the idea of a man in the late 1800s having nothing but his family. There is no technology to be had, no hobbies or interests other than his family. The fundamental aim is to protect his wife and children and put food on the table for them. Nothing else seems to matter. So, when that ritual is destroyed the man knows not where to place himself in the world. 

Another major influence in the thought process of this script was George Stevens classic western Shane. The geographical context of the film and cinematography landscape inspired the thought of the black passage, the large western plain. Within the film Shane joins a peaceful family, whom are situated a few miles from the main town which is took over by a group of rogue shopkeepers and criminals. The massive ground between the family and the town acts as a physical and psychological divide. This is where the idea for the black passage came from, but on a more tremendous scale. 

Shane also inspired the characters. Their motives and their stature. Shane is a stranger to this family, who quickly becomes the father of the child and second husband to the married woman. The shift in power causes conflict between Shane and the man of the house at the end of the film. This inspired me to have two male characters enter some kind of conflict. All because of family. Bill, my main protagonist is a protector and provider to his family. Because his wife then deserts him for what is revealed to be another man, the ultimate showdown is between Bill and the man who took Marie and his kids from him. What angers Bill the most is that they were not taken. His wife and kids left him willingly during the night. 

Me, Myself and I; Production Shoot 1

Below are some production stills from my first Me, Myself an I shoot on Thursday. 

I shot this segment of my film in the studio, as it enabled me to find the correct lighting. This segment will be one of 3 all filmed at different locations and them seamlessly edited into one piece which is representative of my life. 

The shoot took around 4 hours. This was primarily because of the equipment usage. An hour of that time was used to set up the redheads, camera and tracking dolly and then dismantle it all post-shoot. 

This was my first official shoot for my project, and I believe I am off to a good start. There were no major problems or any restrictions. I figured I had been paying attention in class enough at this point, as I knew how to operate the equipment. We worked effectively as a team to get the job done. 

The shoot also worked like clockwork due to the studio. Without the studio I would have spent a lot of my time filling out risk assessments when taking the equipment elsewhere to film. Not to mention the distance when carrying the equipment I so needed (tracking dolly & redheads.) As we were still on College grounds, there was no need for any risk assessments or equipment release forms. This saved me a lot of time which I then spent wisely. 

The only main issue was the timing of what we were filming. I was dressed as a leader of an orchestra, which meant I had to be constantly in time with the music we were playing. This also means that when editing the actions of my hands must match the music. In retrospect we could have done with a production log. I will ensure that I have one on my next shoot.

Production Skills #3

This week we looked at the use of the smoke machine in our production skills session. In the morning we were given a demonstration by Lee on how the smoke machine works and how it can be used to substantial effect. I learned that the smoke machine is a small handheld machine which is ran via a canister which through some scientific procedure, causes the liquid to heat up and come out as a vivid smoke. In the demonstration we also learned that there are rules to using the smoke machine. When using in the studio the fire services must be alerted 24 hours in advance, as must the staff. Whilst using the machine, small plastic caps must be placed over the smoke alarms, ensuring that they do not go off in the process of using the smoke machine. Again, this must be confessed in advance to members of staff to take preliminary action. 

The smoke machine can be used to great effect and can greatly enhance the visual aspects of a shot. Often used as a common convention in crime noir films, smoke is representative of the harsh grit of the streets and urban areas. It also creates a sense of mystery and danger, again both are overarching themes in film noir. Despite how visually appealing the smoke machine may look, it is important that it is used only to enhance the story. Any use of unnecessary effects such as the smoke machine can detract from the story if it does not tie in, in any way shape or form. 

Below are some shots taken in class on my phone of the smoke machine and how it can distort the outlines of characters, and make them look rather menacing. 

In the afternoon part of the session we focused more on our Me, Myself and I projects. This session was mostly vocal, as our lecturer Mike discussed how we should begin with production on our Me, Myself and I projects. Following the discussion on how our pre-production has progressed over the last few weeks we booked out the studio in turns. I have booked the studio for Thursday the 12th of November, where I will be filming a sequence for the project. 

Film & Screenwriting #4

In this weeks screenwriting session we engaged in character development sessions. We brought our completed character profiles to the session and discussed how small details and larger details combine to create a realistic and well rounded characters. We engaged in general conversation, looking at examples of characters from films and discussing how they did or didn't work in the context.

We then went on to a useful exercise of listing our fears and sharing those fears. This proved useful in then being able to apply a particular fear to a character. These fears create immense character depth, and add another dimension of realism to a particular character. 

We concluded by engaging in a hot seating exercise. We were sat in-front of the class and in character, we answered questions from other members of the class. We were asked a range of random questions, meaning that we knew some and some points we made up on the spot. Due to my outside work on my characters I had already figured out a lot of their background, their habits, their appearance and their current plans for the future etc. This benefitted me as I was able to answer most of the questions asked with ease. Despite this, there were some questions that emerged which I did not previously think about. In turn this forced me to think deeper into my character to get an answer. This exercise was extremely beneficial when it comes to character development. 

Below are some scanned images of my character profiles. The completed profiles are currently of 2 of my characters, as the others are still in development. 

Film & Screenwriting #3

This week within our Monday scriptwriting seminar, we delved into further depth of our script concepts. I finalised the idea of my script being an entire 20 minute piece, rather than two 10 minute pieces or a running series of four 5 minute smaller scripts. I believe this to be because my concept is too large and ambitious content wise to dim it down to 10 or 5 minute pieces which lead onto each other. I have figured that the narrative flows in and out of character dialogue and action sequences, meaning that it would work well as an entire 20 minute script. 

Below I have scanned in images of my 20 stage outline. This outline goes into depth regarding missing areas of the plot which could be damaging to the plot. The 10 step outline lacked any detail or explanation for example how the character acquires fake identification. In my 20 step outline I was able to cement the plot-holes. Because my script in entirety will be 20 minutes, each step outline represents a minute. This is not enough in my eyes. The content per minute within my script will amount significantly, as I will be showing as much as I can within that time. To help this I will extend my 20 step outline to a 30 step outline. This will enable me to go into immense detail, on how characters act within dialogue and other important subtleties. 

We were taught during the session that as writers we must always have something in the works. Whether that simply be notes, a synopsis, treatment or script, working as a writer acts as a cycle. When one script goes into production or is done with, another one replaces it. Behind that lies a number of ideas ready to be narrowed down to one, and it is important that the cycle of writing is an ongoing creative process that constantly engages with the brain. 

Paradigmatic structure 

We looked at the paradigmatic structure and applied it to an existing film we are familiar with, but also our own script. The paradigmatic structure identifies the stages within a film and the chronological timing that a narrative follows. The first act is that which identifies the hook. A film and script must have a hook which grabs the attention of the audience, and defines the tone and theme of the film. The first stage has a catalyst which drives the narrative forward, which breaks down that boundary and allows the film to enter act 2. The mid point is situated within act 2, and acts as a halfway point within the narrative. Act 2, like the hook and act 1 must also have a catalyst or dramatic circumstance which catapult the events into act 3, the final stage of a script. This stage is often where loose ends are tied up, or the audience are placed amidst a series of revelations and showdowns to end the narrative. 

Below are some notes made on a paradigmatic structure diagram, where I have applied my own script which has a completed treatment and script in process. Because I have a clear idea of the narrative in simple terms, I am able to apply timing to the stages. As my script in its entirety is 20 minutes, the timings are 4 minutes for act 1, 12 minutes for act 2 and 4 minutes for act 3. The hook of the film and catalyst of the opening act lead nicely into act 2 where the tension is created. The suspense of act 2 then pushes through to act 3 where all of the drama takes place. The paradigmatic structure exercise was extremely effective in giving myself an idea of timing. Prior to this I was confused as to how my narrative would play out within a 20 minute period.

Below is another image of a paradigmatic structure template I filled in, but this time looking and identifying the acts in an existing film. A useful exercise the entire class engaged in was we identified act 1, 2 and 3 of a film we were familiar with. We then shared that with the rest of the class only sharing the basic plot lines to see if the others could guess the film. I myself picked Into the Wild, as one of my favourite films and one I am very familiar with. I was able to identify the hook and the end of act 1, the mid point and transition from act 2 to act 3. It is important to be able to identify paradigmatic structures in existing films aswell as applying them to ones own. This way you are supplying yourself with not only in-depth knowledge and understanding, but also inspiration. 

Our task for next week is to go into depth on our characters within the script. We will be filling out a template designed to add detail to each character within our script. I will be working on this task over the following week, and I look forward to seeing how my characters develop. 

Film & Screenwriting #2

Script/Film 20 step outline.

This week there has been emphasis on developing my previous 10 step outline for my script. I have now began to flesh out my outlines in depth by doubling the amount of steps.
This enables me to have a greater sense of direction when it comes to my script. With 20 steps it becomes more structured. The beginning, middle and end are much more visible.