Unit 12: Client
- 2. Planning
- 3. Concept The story will follow a guy starting to spark a romance on a park bench with this girl (in Musuem Gardens.) Through this film I will be focusing on the meet cute between to characters, with focus being drawn to dialog between two characters and the development of the unconfident guy becoming more confident around this girl as time passes.
- 4. Plot Start: The protagonist starts of by receiving a phone call from his friend – telling him not to worry about his current dating situation and that there's someone out there for everybody. Whilst the protagonist holds a disbelief for this. Eventually ending the call, followed by getting finishing to get ready to leave the house and get breath of fresh air. Middle: Walking in the park for a while chooses to sit down for a bit (his earphones in,) both randomly and convenient for the story to happen sits next to this girl. At the start of the scene he starts of shy, uncomforted by the idea of conversation – leaving the girl to start the conversation. Ends: Gradually over time he will gain in confidence at the pair will start to connect well. Eventually leading up to her having to be somewhere, though having enough time to wright down her number (finally having hope.)
- 5. Mood Board
- 6. Colour By collecting all the colours I used in my mood board (-a lot images being selected around the theme of autumn, as that's when I'll be shooting the video,) meaning that I'll be using loads of oranges. By using the 'Save To Web' feature on Photoshop, I could break down the colours in to as many as I wanted. Bringing down the colours from 256 to 8 By picking the average colours out with photoshop it came out a lot different that thought – showing a lot of beige and a lot less oranges than expected. A similar colour scheme to what I might be able to use (using the very autumnal oranges and yellows,) much like to what I think I may be looking into using.
- 7. Research
- 8. Shooting It With one of the last problems on my previous project (whilst also on previous shoots,) was my being set ready – being able to juggle dirrecting my actors, conveying the right meaning in my shots, sorting out the lighting and all in just the way I planned in a cleaner, more stress free manor. To try and avoid this for another time, I started digging around the internet looking for better ways to overcome the confused mess I had previously been working. Guerrilla filmaking (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdlIjHm_J38&t=68s) Watching one video, one thing they suggested was test shot for refference on lighting – will I need additonal lighting, refflectors and/or deffusers? Another thing suggested was keeping the film small, make sure you don't plan for anything outside you budjet. On top of this, simplyfy my crew. When using audio for you project, don’t use the audio on the camera, it can make your film appear cheaper and can easily put people off you film. When doing a shot list, just write down a few simple shots – lessen the guessing (though this somethings I've worked with, it's something I for sure need to work on.) Another, suggestion was shooting with as many naturual lights as possible. Shot lists (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhXMpBk3GDA&t=48s) The way they planned their shots for their film in this video is by using a stand in and taking pictures on location. Also allowing them to gain perspectives on lighting. Whilst composing this in post, think over the movment and the postioning and what reflection of emotion would this convey – e.g. eye line on level, above makes them feel overpowers, whilst the opposite has the opposite effect or by moving the camera out could convey the wold feeling a lot bigger, etc.. After finding your shots, move it around accroding to the shooting order, that way you can you use the same lighting and camera set up, rather than constantly having to re-setup everything.
- 9. Research Notes • When writing and planning, keep it to what you know. • Go out and experiment with you set – whats required to get the perfect lighting and how busy will it be? • Don't use the camera's microphone, use a boom mike or dub the piece. • Shoot with as many naturual lights as possible. • Organise shoot around what camera and lighting postios are being used.
- 10. Pre-Production
- 11. Characters And Casting Character Character Description Possible Casting Choices Frazer Who Are They: The protagonist. What Kind Of Person Are They: Introvertive, quiet, romantic, lonely, lack of hope. What Part Do They Play: They're audience eyes into the story, whilst setting up the plot points and narrative goals for the story. Callum Tuff Tom Who Are They: He's protagonists' friend. What Kind Of Person Are They: Supportive friend, doesn't quite understand the protagonist. What Part Do They Play: They push the protagonist to get out there and display their goals. Matt Burniston Lucy Who Are They: The Protagonist's love interest. What Kind Of Person Are They: Extravertive, friendly. What Part Do They Play: They give the protagonist hope again and will act as the love they've been looking for. Sophie Schulze
- 12. Props, Costumes And Locations Props Costume 2*Phones 2*Scarfs? Notebook – with stories, scribbles and the word 'hopeless' scribbled into the back. 2*Coats? Pen 2*Boots? Woollen Hat? Place Location Tom's House TBC Frazer's House TBC Park Museum Gardens (York)
- 13. Shooting help/notes Help • When shooting the dialog scenes, shoot the whole dialog from all the different angles. • Shoot 3 takes of each dialog. • Dialogue should be shot from two separate sides, as to not confuse the audience. Notes • Tom will have a much cleaner more homely house, where's Frazer's will be really mess and not really match him as a character – he's trying to pretend to be somebody he's not. • When the character Frazer first meet Lucy, he will be pushed to the corner of the composition (off the vertical line) as if he was trying to escape the film – in parallel the confrontation of the conversation. However Lucy, will be placed on the line, occasionally trying to break over free to share one. The top horizontal line however will be matched to Frazer as the story is from his perspective. However, when they start to become a lot more comfortable with each other, they share a single vertical line – acting as one.
- 14. Storyboarding and Shot List No. Description Shot Size Shot Type Movement 1.1 Tom on the phone. 'Hey, you don't need to stress about how things ended or even why.-' ELS Rack- Focus/ Single Static 2.1 Frazer gathering his stuff, his phone on the kitchen the counter. '-She's in the past man.' MS Single Tracking 1.1 Tom on the phone, Rubbing his forehead. 'Look there's someone out there. Someone better!' MS Overhead Static 2.2 Frazer's gathered all his things and approaches the phone. 'Thanks.' CU Single Tracking
- 15. Storyboarding and Shot List No. Description Shot Size Shot Type Movement 2.3 Frazer ends the call. 'What?' CU Overhead Static 2.4 Frazer leaves the house. LS Single Static 3.1 Frazer's walking through the park and turns to admire the view. MCS Eye Level/ Single Tracking 3.2 The view overlooking the bottom of the park. ELS POV Static
- 16. Storyboarding and Shot List No. Description Shot Size Shot Type Movement 3.3 He turns behind him, finding a bench and sitting on it (next to a girl.) LS Two Shot/ Eye Level Static 3.4 The girl next to him glances over, smiling at him. MCU Single Static 3.5 Frazer's flicking through his notebook, eventually landing on a page with 'hopeless' scribble in the back. CU Overhead Static 3.6 Suddenly Lucy leans over towards him, causing him to jump. 'So what you writing?' LS Two Shot/ Eye Level Static
- 17. Storyboarding and Shot List No. Description Shot Size Shot Type Movement 3.7 Frazer looks both scared and confused at her. MCU Single/ Eye Level Static 3.8 She smiles, extending a hand in good gesture. 'Sorry, my names Lucy.' MCU Single Static 3.9 He awkwardly relpies, not shaking her hand. 'Hi? I should back on. probably get' MCU Single/ Eye Level Static 3.10 She lowers her hand. 'I should back on. probably get.' Then shuffles away. 'Course!' LS Two Shot/ Eye Level Static
- 18. Storyboarding and Shot List No. Description Shot Size Shot Type Movement 3.11 She shuffles back over back and starts to mind her buisness as before. MCU Single/ Eye Level Static 3.12 She moves back over to Frazer. 'Sorry, so you're a writer?' 'Kinda?' 'Nice. So is that where all your words have gone?' LS Two Shot/ Eye Leve Static 3.13 'Because like you're quiet, but you right a lot. You put words in books?' MCU Single/ Eye Level Static 3.14 Sympathetically smiling. 'Oh?' MCU Single/ Eye Level Static
- 19. Storyboarding and Shot List No. Description Shot Size Shot Type Movement 3.15 'Sorry. That's just me trying to be funny? I like stories though.' 'How did you know I'm writing stories?' 'You know, you seem like the type of person who has stories to tell.' 'But you don't know me.' 'Go on then. ' She moves shuffles over to him – the pair now being paired on one verticle line as if a single character. LS Two Shot/ Eye Level Static 3.16 'Well my name's FRAZER,I guess I write my own little stories. It's not for anyone really, just my own little adventures to get swept up into I guess.' MCU Single/ Eye Level Static
- 20. Storyboarding and Shot List No. Description Shot Size Shot Type Movement 3.17 'Cool.' MCU Single/ Eye Level Static 3.18 'Not really. So go on, what about you?' 'Me?' 'Sure.' 'I guess we all have our own little stories? I'm not really anything special.' 'Says who?' 'You're right, don't think you really do know.' LS Single Static 3.19 She smiled, liking his words. 'Thanks' MCU Single/ Eye Level Static
- 21. Storyboarding and Shot List No. Description Shot Size Shot Type Movement 3.20 She checks the time on her phone. CU Overhead Tracking 3.21 She puts her phone away and gets up, turning to face him. 'You're right, don't think you really do know.' 'Sure.' She walks off, stops and walks back. 'Wait! You couldn't give me a bit of paper and your pen for a sec?' He opens his notebook and tears out some paper. 'Just bear with me some more?' Pulling out her phone. LS Single Static To Tracking
- 22. Storyboarding and Shot List No. Description Shot Size Shot Type Movement 3.22 She checks the number and copies it onto the paper. MS Hip Level/ POV Static 3.23 She hands him the note and he put it in his notebook. 'Oh?' CU Overhead Static 3.24 She walks of, stopping and turning back to wink at him. 'Call me, yea?' LS Single/ Eye Level Static 3.25 He goes back to the page from before and scribbles out the '-less' from ' hopeless.' CU Overhead Static
- 23. Evaluation
- 24. Production Notes • In terms of what was originally planned for this work, I cut out the opening of the short film – due to things like timing and not drag out an otherwise simple story. On top of this I've also had actors drop out causing for a complete, recast (hence I'm acting in my own short film.) Furthermore, because I was acting in it, it made it slightly harder to direct (with the obvious lack in acting quality.) • Because this was harder to direct, some of the visual elements added were missed out on – such as when Lucy was meant to lean over and break her post, eventually sharing line with Frazer, as one (but instead only slightly moving over (but not enough for it even go as intended.) Although Frazer, trying to escape the frame was. However, it only makes the frame seem slightly off balanced, especially out of context. • One of the things I really wanted to work into this project was the rule of thirds – having been researching how to make my footage appear more cinematic and this being one the biggest suggestions I found (I would also work this into my visual story telling.) On set I made of lining up Lucy on the line and they upper horizontal line up between the characters eyes (on the long,) along with everything else being correctly lined up to the rule of thirds. Even checking this all-in post, especially with the adjusted ratio.
- 25. Self-Evaluation Strengths • The colour grade I've used provides a warm feel to the production, whilst also bringing out the Autumnal look and feel I was aiming for. • In comparioson to last year's dubbing in my FMP, I'd say this was inmprovment, with more indepth noises and acutual post dubbing being applied. Weaknesses • The audio is a bit quiet. • Though I'm fairly proud of the dubbing, it doesn't always match and often likely holds back the product from what it could've been. • In my opion, I'm not too proud of how the dialog turned out in the end, maybe being a bit too bland or midioka at best. • The acting could be far better. My actors having dropped out, I had to choose to act in it myself, casting Tamezier (also) knowing I could rely on her to show up, as well as Charlie being also reliable enough to show up and help operate the camera when I couldn't. • On some of the close ups of me, you can see the ligting conditions have changed and the sun is out, where it wasn't before.
- 26. Peer Feedback 1 Positive • Intercutting of reaction shots/close ups provide some nice variety to an otherwise static shot. • The awkward actions of the character feel genuine and relatable. • Grading provides a warm, positive feeling atmosphere while not being too overbearing. It also helps to highlight the beautiful look of the autumnal leaves. • Background noise (which I presume is added in post) is a good addition as it reinforces the park scene with birds tweeting, etc. Negatives • Dubbing works in some areas, but not in others. The levels seem to fluctuate, if they were consistent they would blend in better. • Whereas the rest of the film has quick pacing, the section where she writes her number down feels too long.
- 27. Peer Feedback 1 Positive • I like the colour grading and camera work. • I liked the of the hopeless being scribbled out to hope. Negatives • Dubbing doesn't match mouth movement. • Also stays at the same volume. I liked it overall, very nice.
- 28. Feed Back Evaluation • One consistent thing I picked up from my feedback (and even I had an issue with,) was the dubbing – it doesn't really match up and the vollume needs fixing, not always 'consistent.' • People also seemed to like the colour grade that went along with my video, feeling it to be warm and fitting. • The first feedback comments on the awkawardness of the charcaters, feeling it makes them more relatable. • The phone number scene was too long.
- 29. Bibliography
- 30. Bibliography YouTube: • D4Darious. (2017). Mastering Composition + Cinematography with Will Smith. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIvGRytmRaw. Last accessed 25th Oct 2019. • Studio Binder. (2019). How to Make a Shot List in 2019: A Step-by-Step Guide. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhXMpBk3GDA&t=48s. Last accessed 12th Nov 2019. • Shutterstock Tutorial. (2019). Guerrilla Filmmaking: How We Shot a Short Film in Two Hours | Filmmaking Tips. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdlIjHm_J38&t=68s. Last accessed 12th Nov 2019. Screenplays: • Tess Morris (2015). Man Up. p0-p107. • Wes Anderson (2014). The Grand Budapest Hotel. p0-p117.