I'm going to write about the development of my film and show how it has changed since the start.
My story started out very basic but talking to the people on the course as well as the lecturers it has changed a lot. Some of the big developments have only been recent. Mike Rymer who came in to help make our films look better actually helped me with my story as well. He said that there really needs to be a good reason for the vents in my story to unfold. I did tell Mike that I knew this was the part of story I needed to improve and he helped me by suggesting that this could be a recurrence of something that happens earlier in the story so that triggers Ricky to be so angry and flip like this.
Whilst talking to Steve I really realised that my story needed to be adapted and whilst doing the screenwriting for my film I realised that simple stage directions and actions could be more important that words. Show not tell was what Steve kept drilling into us, and I tried my best to get that into my film as my original idea had way too much dialogue and not enough action.
Whilst editing Ferg and Simon helped me a lot. One or two frames can make a big difference so that is what I had to get into my head. Close tidy editing was needed for this to be improved. Simon showed me what shots worked and didn't and I looked through my options and luckily i generally had more than 1 option for each shot. However if I where to do this again I would definitely make sure I did at least 4 takes of each shot as 2/3 seemed to be not enough some times!
Feg really did help me out with some neat editing tricks to improve how the film is presented. Flipping the image if I broke the 180 degree rule (which I might have accidentally done!) was a big help as well as editing out a green screen in after effects to make my news report look a lot more realistic.
I also needed to test ideas and see what worked, as of course it was not all going to go to plan. Having to adapt to certain circumstances also was a big issue for me as Andrew didn't help for one day meaning lot more of the film was filmed on tripod than I wanted, and also we had problems where 3 people where in shot and at times there where 4 characters being used so we had to switch roles whilst filming which was really frustrating. i did also test a lot of shots for the same scene. I think this worked as I got some shots that I did not storyboard and I think they came out very well. We also had to adapt to the beach not being out when we arrived meaning some scenes played out very differently to how I had originally planned.
My 25 word pitch was "Two friends who have not seen each other since primary school bump into each other. Whilst catching up they discover a dumped body."
In essence it's exactly what I stuck to. Obviously in 25 words you can't tell the whole story but I have massively adapted from what I first thought and it has been a great experience. I feel I have learnt a lot in this unit even though I would have liked more time to film, I know it's part of the challenge.
Wednesday 30 November 2016
Sunday 27 November 2016
Script Development
Here is some evidence on how my script has developed
Here is the initial first few lines from the first draft..
Comparing that to the last update, you can see it has changed a lot. This is thanks to all the feedback I have been given.
I found the process of updating it tough but a rewarding experience and I hope Steve does see the effort I Put in.
Here is the initial first few lines from the first draft..
Comparing that to the last update, you can see it has changed a lot. This is thanks to all the feedback I have been given.
I found the process of updating it tough but a rewarding experience and I hope Steve does see the effort I Put in.
Friday 25 November 2016
Further Research on Screenwriting Including 2 Screenwriters Researched.
2 Screenwriters researched:
Aaron Sorkin
He started as an actor in the early 80's but properly got into screenwriting in 1991. He wrote scripts for three massive films for castle rock entertainment, which grossed about $400,000,000. At this stage of his career he was most definitely a script writer not a screenwriter but he was mastering his craft and in 1998 he started his career in screenwriting. His first big hit was Sports Night on ABC/ESPN which was a behind the scenes look at American sports. The show was critically acclaimed and many people wanted the show to continue thanks to how unique it was but cancelled by ABC/ESPN after its low ratings.
The west wing was his longest running show as a screenwriter. Started in 1999 it was described as a political drama which Sorkin went on to write 87 screenplays for. After 7 years and many awards the show ended, partly rumoured due to internal conflicts. This was by far and away his most successful time as a screenwriter.
I like how Sorkin has developed his ideas through his times in many different areas of the industry. The fact he used to be an actor meant that he could really finesse what was needed in a screenplay so that it was easy for the actors to use as well as the whole team producing his screenplay.
Even though he went on to write more screenplays West Wing was his biggest success. He actually launched a screenwriting masterclass in August 2016 so others can benefit from his knowledge.
From looking through Sorkin history it is really interesting to see his career path and it makes me think that I need to look at how others view my screenplay because they may find it hard to understand my ways of writing.
Joss Whedon
He started screenwriting in the late 1980's but his big start was Buffy the Vampire Slayer in 1997. The series lasted until 2013 with many award wins and is what Joss is mostly known for. The most interesting for me about Joss' career is the amount of money that was spent on his ideas that never actually went onto our screens. At least $3,000,000 of producers money was spent on his ideas that never where actually produced. I find this fascinating because I can't image this much money going to waste.
I remember Steve telling us that he wrote many screenplays through his career which he was paid for, but never actually ended up on TV. I think this shows what a massive industry TV/Film is. If this sort of money can be spent without too much worry if it is actually used I think it shows how much money is generally being made.
Famously Whedon's work included anti authorisation, power, powerlessness and many more extreme subjects. I like when screenwriters test something different because that way we may end up with a very different show on TV and we can get shows like Breaking Bad that test the norm and do something different.
Further Research on Screenwriting
Whilst looking further into screenwriting I realised that there always seems to be repeated storylines, for example Man vs Man or Man vs nature or the supernatural. It always seems to be A man against somebody else.
Dialogue is very important in a screenplay. Sounds silly, but it is very easy to overdo the speech and let the camera tell everything. However it is very important that when dialogue is used, it is in the right place and also is the right dialogue. It needs to impact the scene and actually make it better. It sounds silly but it's been a problem I have come across whilst writing my screenplay.
I wanted to look further into how screenwriting is as a job and what it pays and what qualifications you need. From the website I looked at it says you don't need a degree to properly get into screenwriting but it would of course help you. $58,000 is apparently the median salary for a screenwriter. However I seem to think that this is probably not the norm, at that most people probably earn a lot less as they could be contracted for only a few months and then not working for the rest of the year. Even though they stated that you might not need a degree to get far in screenwriting, looking at other sources it does seem unlikely to get a very top job without having studied something.
Aaron Sorkin
He started as an actor in the early 80's but properly got into screenwriting in 1991. He wrote scripts for three massive films for castle rock entertainment, which grossed about $400,000,000. At this stage of his career he was most definitely a script writer not a screenwriter but he was mastering his craft and in 1998 he started his career in screenwriting. His first big hit was Sports Night on ABC/ESPN which was a behind the scenes look at American sports. The show was critically acclaimed and many people wanted the show to continue thanks to how unique it was but cancelled by ABC/ESPN after its low ratings.
The west wing was his longest running show as a screenwriter. Started in 1999 it was described as a political drama which Sorkin went on to write 87 screenplays for. After 7 years and many awards the show ended, partly rumoured due to internal conflicts. This was by far and away his most successful time as a screenwriter.
I like how Sorkin has developed his ideas through his times in many different areas of the industry. The fact he used to be an actor meant that he could really finesse what was needed in a screenplay so that it was easy for the actors to use as well as the whole team producing his screenplay.
Even though he went on to write more screenplays West Wing was his biggest success. He actually launched a screenwriting masterclass in August 2016 so others can benefit from his knowledge.
From looking through Sorkin history it is really interesting to see his career path and it makes me think that I need to look at how others view my screenplay because they may find it hard to understand my ways of writing.
Joss Whedon
He started screenwriting in the late 1980's but his big start was Buffy the Vampire Slayer in 1997. The series lasted until 2013 with many award wins and is what Joss is mostly known for. The most interesting for me about Joss' career is the amount of money that was spent on his ideas that never actually went onto our screens. At least $3,000,000 of producers money was spent on his ideas that never where actually produced. I find this fascinating because I can't image this much money going to waste.
I remember Steve telling us that he wrote many screenplays through his career which he was paid for, but never actually ended up on TV. I think this shows what a massive industry TV/Film is. If this sort of money can be spent without too much worry if it is actually used I think it shows how much money is generally being made.
Famously Whedon's work included anti authorisation, power, powerlessness and many more extreme subjects. I like when screenwriters test something different because that way we may end up with a very different show on TV and we can get shows like Breaking Bad that test the norm and do something different.
Further Research on Screenwriting
Whilst looking further into screenwriting I realised that there always seems to be repeated storylines, for example Man vs Man or Man vs nature or the supernatural. It always seems to be A man against somebody else.
Dialogue is very important in a screenplay. Sounds silly, but it is very easy to overdo the speech and let the camera tell everything. However it is very important that when dialogue is used, it is in the right place and also is the right dialogue. It needs to impact the scene and actually make it better. It sounds silly but it's been a problem I have come across whilst writing my screenplay.
I wanted to look further into how screenwriting is as a job and what it pays and what qualifications you need. From the website I looked at it says you don't need a degree to properly get into screenwriting but it would of course help you. $58,000 is apparently the median salary for a screenwriter. However I seem to think that this is probably not the norm, at that most people probably earn a lot less as they could be contracted for only a few months and then not working for the rest of the year. Even though they stated that you might not need a degree to get far in screenwriting, looking at other sources it does seem unlikely to get a very top job without having studied something.
Thursday 24 November 2016
Contextual Studies - Crime Dramas
Scandy Noir: scandinavian crime drama - inspired by British crime dramas.
The Bill
- Set in fictional london police station. - Longest running british crime series. Originally 12x6-min episodes. From 1988-2005, became year round twice-weekly schedule. Peak viewing of 11m in 2005, rivalling coronation street.
Mise en Scene real locations or studio? Authenticity? (sets, props, etc)?
Camera and Sound
Single or multi camera? Visual style?
Narrative and genre conventions
realistic characters or stereotypes? acting naturalistic or exaggerated? diversity
What is it?
Evolved from literary detective fiction In TV often police procedural sub-genre - ‘realistic’ investigation of a crime by law enforcement teams.
Edgar Allan Poe - The Murders in the Rue Morgue
Archetypal genre storyline - ‘Whodunnit’ (enigma to be solved)
‘Howcatchem’ - audience know whodunnit, pleasure is process)
Technical Conventions
Editing: chase scenes, montage, flashbacks. Single camera Camera movement - either handheld mockumentary style or steadicam, dollies, cranes Visual devices: ECU’s for tension or reveal Tilted, low and high angles. Slow motion. CG recreations (CSI) Graphical text (Sherlock)
Narrative Conventions
Episodic series format - typically 60 minutes. Usually self-contained closed narratives Repetition - relies on returning central cast (team) and location (police station), Conflicts in policing methods, often intrinsic to the drama. Resolution - the very nature of detective/crime genre demands crime is resolved by setting up a mystery. (Film and TV guidelines demanded that 'crime must not pay’)
Symbolic conventions
Lighting - low-key. Many crime dramas use dark-dark contrasts in costume, setting and lighting (e.g. use of flashlights) Authenticity - props, costumes, settings New conventions - detective via computer. lighting and exposition critics have said that crime dramas have lost mystery thanks to the computer. more interesting to get people outside.
Crime genre archetypes
The Rebel: (hero,anti-hero), detective or senior cop. Jaded. Doesn’t always play by the rules. Sometimes corrupt. The King: (authority figure): commanding officer or station sergeant. The Innocent: (rookie): audience surrogate and empathy. The Sage: Eldery, wise. If not senior figure, often doctor or scientist. The Villain: Binary opposition to hero and rookie. Many crime dramas use binary opposition: good and evil, law & order. But often the investigator has their moral boundaries challenged.
Many also use classic Freudian triangles: hero (anti-hero) as id, Authority as super-ego, rookie as ego that tries to balance the oppositionals.
Critical Approaches to genre
Realism - British crime dramas are often in social realist mode; many popular US crime dramas more escapist and may involve breaking with realist conventions.
Representation - gender and diversity; issues of ‘political correctness’ vs empirical fact.
Psychoanalysis - genre characters as Freudian archetypes, criminal pathology (the monster/the uncanny); crossover with horror genre (‘return of the repressed’)
Return of the Repressed
The Bill
- Set in fictional london police station. - Longest running british crime series. Originally 12x6-min episodes. From 1988-2005, became year round twice-weekly schedule. Peak viewing of 11m in 2005, rivalling coronation street.
Mise en Scene real locations or studio? Authenticity? (sets, props, etc)?
Camera and Sound
Single or multi camera? Visual style?
Narrative and genre conventions
realistic characters or stereotypes? acting naturalistic or exaggerated? diversity
What is it?
Evolved from literary detective fiction In TV often police procedural sub-genre - ‘realistic’ investigation of a crime by law enforcement teams.
Edgar Allan Poe - The Murders in the Rue Morgue
Archetypal genre storyline - ‘Whodunnit’ (enigma to be solved)
‘Howcatchem’ - audience know whodunnit, pleasure is process)
Technical Conventions
Editing: chase scenes, montage, flashbacks. Single camera Camera movement - either handheld mockumentary style or steadicam, dollies, cranes Visual devices: ECU’s for tension or reveal Tilted, low and high angles. Slow motion. CG recreations (CSI) Graphical text (Sherlock)
Narrative Conventions
Episodic series format - typically 60 minutes. Usually self-contained closed narratives Repetition - relies on returning central cast (team) and location (police station), Conflicts in policing methods, often intrinsic to the drama. Resolution - the very nature of detective/crime genre demands crime is resolved by setting up a mystery. (Film and TV guidelines demanded that 'crime must not pay’)
Symbolic conventions
Lighting - low-key. Many crime dramas use dark-dark contrasts in costume, setting and lighting (e.g. use of flashlights) Authenticity - props, costumes, settings New conventions - detective via computer. lighting and exposition critics have said that crime dramas have lost mystery thanks to the computer. more interesting to get people outside.
Crime genre archetypes
The Rebel: (hero,anti-hero), detective or senior cop. Jaded. Doesn’t always play by the rules. Sometimes corrupt. The King: (authority figure): commanding officer or station sergeant. The Innocent: (rookie): audience surrogate and empathy. The Sage: Eldery, wise. If not senior figure, often doctor or scientist. The Villain: Binary opposition to hero and rookie. Many crime dramas use binary opposition: good and evil, law & order. But often the investigator has their moral boundaries challenged.
Many also use classic Freudian triangles: hero (anti-hero) as id, Authority as super-ego, rookie as ego that tries to balance the oppositionals.
Critical Approaches to genre
Realism - British crime dramas are often in social realist mode; many popular US crime dramas more escapist and may involve breaking with realist conventions.
Representation - gender and diversity; issues of ‘political correctness’ vs empirical fact.
Psychoanalysis - genre characters as Freudian archetypes, criminal pathology (the monster/the uncanny); crossover with horror genre (‘return of the repressed’)
Return of the Repressed
Sunday 20 November 2016
Production notes
Here are some notes from filming as well as the two posts I have already made.
Storyboards
As you can see I am no artist, but I did spend a lot of time getting these storyboards ready before shoot day so we has as much to go on as possible. I think it really did help make sure I got all the shots I wanted. Even if they where just scribbles some shots it made me remember what I wanted when I was writing the script.
Storyboards
As you can see I am no artist, but I did spend a lot of time getting these storyboards ready before shoot day so we has as much to go on as possible. I think it really did help make sure I got all the shots I wanted. Even if they where just scribbles some shots it made me remember what I wanted when I was writing the script.
Saturday 19 November 2016
Source Material
Here are some of the things that inspired my idea.
TV SHOW:
"The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story"
This was important as it was a similar story line to mine. 1) Are the police corrupt? Did he actually murder him? Just a few of the questions that are similar to my story and inspired by this show.
The idea of a body on the beach was one I remember seeing in a newspaper report. It's obviously an intriguing and horrible story so it is one you make into a film pretty easily. I like the fact it creates a lot of mystery. Even though I had to adapt my ideas through filming this was part of the reason I wanted that scene in my film.
I thought that including bullying in my story would be strong because a lot of people have been bullied and can relate. It's obviously not a nice subject but we all have seen it happen so I wanted to include it because I think it is relatable.
TV SHOW:
"The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story"
This was important as it was a similar story line to mine. 1) Are the police corrupt? Did he actually murder him? Just a few of the questions that are similar to my story and inspired by this show.
The idea of a body on the beach was one I remember seeing in a newspaper report. It's obviously an intriguing and horrible story so it is one you make into a film pretty easily. I like the fact it creates a lot of mystery. Even though I had to adapt my ideas through filming this was part of the reason I wanted that scene in my film.
I thought that including bullying in my story would be strong because a lot of people have been bullied and can relate. It's obviously not a nice subject but we all have seen it happen so I wanted to include it because I think it is relatable.
Friday 18 November 2016
Filming my Project - Day 2 Maidstone
Day 2 of filming for me took place on Friday and I just needed a few clips to make my story make sense. Firstly i needed to record the rest of a phone conversation with George in darkness. The camera didn't look great in low light, but that was expected.
Secondly as Andrew was not in Wednesday I wanted to get him involved today, so he was the TV presenter, but I am not sure if that clip will make my cut as it was just a but of a footnote to the story.
After that once again I switched a role I was going to play with Andrew so he could be in the film, he was the police officer questioning Connor, I like this and the guys helped me think of some different shots so we have some variety.
Lastly I needed a few outdoor shots which are in the opening few moments between George and Connor and I really liked these shots, we stumbled across a small path which was perfect for the scenario and the shots came out very well.
Overall I really enjoyed working in this group and getting involved in the others work as well, now I need to get on to editing!
Secondly as Andrew was not in Wednesday I wanted to get him involved today, so he was the TV presenter, but I am not sure if that clip will make my cut as it was just a but of a footnote to the story.
After that once again I switched a role I was going to play with Andrew so he could be in the film, he was the police officer questioning Connor, I like this and the guys helped me think of some different shots so we have some variety.
Lastly I needed a few outdoor shots which are in the opening few moments between George and Connor and I really liked these shots, we stumbled across a small path which was perfect for the scenario and the shots came out very well.
Overall I really enjoyed working in this group and getting involved in the others work as well, now I need to get on to editing!
Thursday 17 November 2016
Eastenders/Soap Opera - Contextual Studies
Objectives:
-Analysis of the soap as genre.
-Codes and conventions of soap genre.
-Some possible critical approaches.
Genre elements to watch for:
mise en scene-
-How many locations?
-real or studio?
-Communal spaces?
Camera and Sound-
-Single or multi-camera?
-Diegetic or non-diegetic sound?
Narrative and genre conventions?
-Realistic characters or stereotypes?
-Acting naturalistic or exaggerated?
Narrative conventions:
Episodic format -30 minutes which end on cliffhangers
Repetition - relies on stock characters and location which are used in almost every episode
Resolution - Serial form, means that they are constantly evolving. plots may take weeks/months/even years to resolve.
Melodrama or soap?
Pathos
Overweight emotion
-Analysis of the soap as genre.
-Codes and conventions of soap genre.
-Some possible critical approaches.
Genre elements to watch for:
mise en scene-
-How many locations?
-real or studio?
-Communal spaces?
Camera and Sound-
-Single or multi-camera?
-Diegetic or non-diegetic sound?
Narrative and genre conventions?
-Realistic characters or stereotypes?
-Acting naturalistic or exaggerated?
A soap opera almost always uses family issues and dramas
It originated in the USA and was aimed at the housewife audience.
Sponsored by detergent companies, hence the name.
Serial Drama is a plot that will evolve every day, we are never sure when the story will end.
Series Drama is one that will eventually end, we are more likely to know the plot.
Soap opera technical conventions.
Multi Camera, because it saves time and means its cheaper.
Limited sets
Diegetic sound
Early soaps transmitted live or recorded as live.
Early soaps transmitted live or recorded as live.
Narrative conventions:
Episodic format -30 minutes which end on cliffhangers
Repetition - relies on stock characters and location which are used in almost every episode
Resolution - Serial form, means that they are constantly evolving. plots may take weeks/months/even years to resolve.
Melodrama or soap?
Pathos
Overweight emotion
Moral polarization (Thinks are black/white)
Coincidence.
Common soap conventions
- BIRTH/MARRIAGES/DEATHS
- LOVE TRIANGLES
Symbolic conventions
- Classic social realist
- limited sets keep the continuity
Realism - Are they realistic? Changing forms, teen soaps such as hollyoaks, soap influence on reality TV.
Representation - Challenge of diversity vs stereotypes, changing social attitudes.
Reception theory - How the audiences consume soaps - uses and gratification ( Contract between producers and viewers)
Blumler and Katz Uses and Gratification:
- Diversion - escapism
- Personal relationships - Social interaction
- Personal Identity - Audience identification
- Surveillance - Programme informs or challenges our world view on topical or social issues.
Coincidence.
Common soap conventions
- BIRTH/MARRIAGES/DEATHS
- LOVE TRIANGLES
Symbolic conventions
- Classic social realist
- limited sets keep the continuity
Realism - Are they realistic? Changing forms, teen soaps such as hollyoaks, soap influence on reality TV.
Representation - Challenge of diversity vs stereotypes, changing social attitudes.
Reception theory - How the audiences consume soaps - uses and gratification ( Contract between producers and viewers)
Blumler and Katz Uses and Gratification:
- Diversion - escapism
- Personal relationships - Social interaction
- Personal Identity - Audience identification
- Surveillance - Programme informs or challenges our world view on topical or social issues.
Wednesday 16 November 2016
Filming my Project - Day 1 Dymchurch Beach
Filming Day 1 - Dymchurch Beach
Day 1 of my film was taking place mostly at Dymchurch Beach. In the morning we filmed a few shots in my room to get a bit of the backstory of why the film follows the path does what is does. george was the main character in my film and Connor was the 2nd main character. Andrew was going to be apart of these shots as well but he went home before we started filming
Another problem we came across was that the microphone that we where supplied with did not work. We did try and get an answer as to why, so we had to do a whole day of filming with the inbuilt microphone which was disappointing. Another problem was that the tide was in for a long time whilst we where filming, meaning that we only got a few beach shots and meaning i had to adjust my shots as we went.
We did some very interesting shots where the body was dragged over the camera and I felt that looked very good. One problem was that there where 4 characters in this scene and we only had 3 actors as Andrew went home. This meant me and connor has to switch out as the body and means that editing will be very hard to not look bad, with obvious continuity problems.
Once we got back to my home we did one more shot at the front door, which was done when it was pretty dark, I wasn't expecting this shot to be in the dark but it worked pretty well. Connor and George did stay a bit later than expected to help me get these last shots, and i really appreciated that as I feel we made the best out of a bad situation, adapted on the spot and still got some really good footage.
Monday 14 November 2016
Film Update (Location permission) & Script Update (2nd Draft Done)
Today we were not filming so I made sure I finished up with all the things needed to do in order to film.
We had a bit of trouble with our previous beach location so once again I have had to change my plans. The last beach was all ok, until they told me last week that they are now having work done on the same day I was planning to film. After emails back and forth from Hannah from Kent film office and Sean and Simon from the crown estate who manage Dymchurch beach I have now got it sorted. Having to go through this process will hopefully make it easier in the future. It was definitely a pain to have to change location yet again but i think it is sorted now!
I am also ready to hand in my risk assessment and just need confirmation from Laura that I can film around the studios, if I can't it would be disappointing but i can work around it.
The purple section is where I can film.
As well as doing that today I was editing my script. Steve gave me some really useful feedback to work on and it is already very different to my first version. However saying that I still need a vital part of my story to make it all click into place, I know that and I am trying to draw inspiration from anything to make it make sense.
However saying that I have now got a second draft ready to give in when it's needed but i am sure I will be making slight altercation between now and when the next submission is. hopefully that big "Moment" will come to me before then!
Otherwise I am going to finish today by completing a few storyboards. I doubt these will be the final ones I give in but I have realised from filming with the others in my group that storyboards would have really saved a lot of time so I'm hoping to get them done because I know i have a lot of filming to do in my 2 days so I need to be efficient with my time.
We had a bit of trouble with our previous beach location so once again I have had to change my plans. The last beach was all ok, until they told me last week that they are now having work done on the same day I was planning to film. After emails back and forth from Hannah from Kent film office and Sean and Simon from the crown estate who manage Dymchurch beach I have now got it sorted. Having to go through this process will hopefully make it easier in the future. It was definitely a pain to have to change location yet again but i think it is sorted now!
I am also ready to hand in my risk assessment and just need confirmation from Laura that I can film around the studios, if I can't it would be disappointing but i can work around it.
The purple section is where I can film.
As well as doing that today I was editing my script. Steve gave me some really useful feedback to work on and it is already very different to my first version. However saying that I still need a vital part of my story to make it all click into place, I know that and I am trying to draw inspiration from anything to make it make sense.
However saying that I have now got a second draft ready to give in when it's needed but i am sure I will be making slight altercation between now and when the next submission is. hopefully that big "Moment" will come to me before then!
Otherwise I am going to finish today by completing a few storyboards. I doubt these will be the final ones I give in but I have realised from filming with the others in my group that storyboards would have really saved a lot of time so I'm hoping to get them done because I know i have a lot of filming to do in my 2 days so I need to be efficient with my time.
Saturday 12 November 2016
The People v. OJ Simpson: American Crime Story (TV Drama Review)
The People vs OJ Simpson is a TV drama looking back at one of the biggest murder cases in history, in which OJ allegedly killed his ex-wife.
First episode link: http://gossiponthis.com/2016/02/03/video-watch-people-v-oj-simpson-american-crime-story-episode-1/
The pilot episode starts off with TV reports and footage of people rioting. This whole sequence is very important to show us the problems with police in the United States, and problems with violence between the police and African Americans. Watching the whole series I realise why this first sequence is so important.It shows us that the police system in the US was so corrupt and they would often get the outcome of a case wrong. This is a huge part of what inspired me for my film. Police misconduct is a problem throughout the world and something I wanted to touch on in my film. In the process of screenwriting for this opening scene they would have made the purposeful choice to use this in the opening scene to give the whole series more emphasis. It's something your rely on through every scene in the film. It makes you think "Is what they are saying to or are they trying to manufacture this for their own benefit?"
I find the next part of the show interesting as the conversation is so natural between OJ and the taxi driver. Its natural dialogue between two people, nothing special. However I find this scene sticks in my mind as the undertone of the music, its a very soft spooky track that gives the suggestion that something is wrong. Whilst screenwriting they must have made sure that the dialogue was free flowing and normal and whilst in editing they would have made sure the music fits just right so it gives that sense of mystery.
Whilst the police search the house they are still unsure who's house it is, they stumble across a statue of OJ but to some viewers (Like myself) it didn't mean much as he wasn't a big name in the UK so we would not have known who the statue was of. The first sense we get that he is famous is then the police ask a guy who lived in a small sub-house if OJ is home. He is referred to as "MR" meaning we now know he is of importance. It's a subtle line from the screenplay but is important to some viewers who may not know who he is.
"He didn't ask how she died" Is the first punch line from one of the detectives. This links back to the opening sequence, are they trying to frame him straight away? Or is it simple thoughts through any case? I find this line so important because for some viewers it could possibly make them loose faith in the detectives. This influenced my work in a way that I knew the dialogue has to be gripping, a big punch line here and there can really help the story move along. In my story I have added the subtle plot twist that Ricky's dad is a police officer that is helping frame Adrian, but I have only mentioned that could be related through a few lines in the text.
"What where you doing at Simpsons" Marcia Clark (Who will end up being the Lead Prosecutor) asks one of the detectives. I think it's a great line once again as it reverts back to the opening sequence. It seems to add a little part of confusion to us that the police are trying to push something that may or may not be true. Marcia know what the police have done in the past and I think its a great subtle way of making the viewer think twice about each thing they see and hear.
A part later on in the first episode where they show a note about (50:20) they are doing the famous "show not tell" even though you are still reading it we are immersed in what has been written. OJ Simpson's suicide not is very very important as it shows how insane he is going. I think this a great example of "show not tell" that Steve kept telling us about and that inspired me to make sure I only use dialogue when I absolutely need to.
Thursday 10 November 2016
Vodka Diaries
Analysing Vodka diaries:
Mise en scene
- Not many locations, mainly set in the same house/ most the same rooms (Or outside the house)
- Real location
Camera and sound
- no audience laughter was added
- diegetic sound - not added music
Narrative and genre conventions
- I think they are real characters but slightly emphasised stereotypes for comedy effect.
- I think the acting is exaggerated for the effect of comedy
- Humour is mostly physical
Codes and conventions are important in deciding the form of a TV show of film
Technical (seen): Camera, Sound, Editing = Narrative
Symbolic (unseen): Mise en scene, Subtext = Context
Traditional studio sitcoms:
Multi camera
Edited as live
Audience laugh track
High key uniform lighting
Location sitcoms:
Single camera
Post-edited
Mockumentary style
Episodic format - 30 mins closed narrative
Repetition - circular narrative
Sitcom genre conventions:
Comic Trap (escape a physical or emotional situation)
Running Joke
One liner
Innuendo
irony/ sarcasm
farce/Slapstick
Parody/satire/just a prank?
Archetypes/ Stereotypes In Vodka Diaries
- The Rebel
- The libertine
- The authority figure
- The fool
- Not many locations, mainly set in the same house/ most the same rooms (Or outside the house)
- Real location
Camera and sound
- no audience laughter was added
- diegetic sound - not added music
Narrative and genre conventions
- I think they are real characters but slightly emphasised stereotypes for comedy effect.
- I think the acting is exaggerated for the effect of comedy
- Humour is mostly physical
Codes and conventions are important in deciding the form of a TV show of filmTechnical (seen): Camera, Sound, Editing = Narrative
Symbolic (unseen): Mise en scene, Subtext = Context
Traditional studio sitcoms:
Multi camera
Edited as live
Audience laugh trackHigh key uniform lighting
Location sitcoms:
Single camera
Post-edited
Mockumentary style
Episodic format - 30 mins closed narrative
Repetition - circular narrative
Sitcom genre conventions:
Comic Trap (escape a physical or emotional situation)
Running Joke
One liner
Innuendo
irony/ sarcasm
farce/Slapstick
Parody/satire/just a prank?
Archetypes/ Stereotypes In Vodka Diaries
- The Rebel
- The libertine
- The authority figure
- The fool
Tuesday 1 November 2016
CONTEXTUAL RESEARCH - Short Films
First I am going to research 3 Short films and review them and also say how they influenced my work that I am currently doing.
SHORT FILM 1: The Most Beautiful Thing
The Most Beautiful Thing is a short film about two people who meet and we figure out the women in the film is deaf and finds it hard to speak. I have chosen a few main points through this film that I think are what makes it such a good short film.
The first shot in the film is also the main character sitting on this bench by himself. The mise en scene from this scene indicates that he is by himself and he is purposely pushed to one side of the bench to show us that he is not purposely trying to be a log, he is inviting people to sit there, but nobody does. I think this shows very clearly this character does not have many friends as is currently very sad.
The rule of the third is also used in the opening shot.We find out about 30 seconds into the film that he may be worried about going to prom with somebody and that he doesn't want to be the only person alone. Everything he does seems to be currently wrong. He get's hit by other pupils as they are walking past and also keeps seeing other couples together ready for prom.
I think this film is shot handheld because it gives the viewer more of a sense that we are in the situation with him, in a way to be him. The filmmakers want us to feel sorry for him as much as possible so they are in a way trying to put us in his situation so we can feel it.
We see more shots as loneliness as he travels home and it is edited in a way that he is shown as very isolated and purposely made to be the only person in a lot of the shots. The main character then is finally seen in a shot with somebody else. It is someone we saw earlier on who seemed to blank the main character when he said hello. He says hello again ad she still ignores him, then we get the reference. She is deaf and cannot hear what he was saying to him, she wasn't ignoring him and then he instantly feels better. He is not alone. I like this because it seems like he is all alone, but now he has someone to be with and "talk to".
He gets to know the girl and just as he is about to ask her to prom he sees her with somebody else on their bench. He then turns around and thinks that it is all over after everything he went through.
The costume in this scene shows that the main character is a "nerd" and we can read into that by saying that it probably means he doesn't have many friends.
Through the music we know that he has gone back into a sad mood as the music had changed to uplifting and happy but has now changed to the style of music we heard at the start when he was alone.
This whole film seems like it is being filmed either on a handheld camera or purposely filmed without using a tripod. It gives the film the feeling that we are on the journey with this character and we feel what he is going through. The film is also mainly focused on him so that's why we have that connection to him.
As the film comes to an end the two main characters meet each other again and the boy is mad as he thinks she is now going to the prom with someone else, he turns around and walks off. She then says something for the first time in the film which is slightly surprising as we did not expect it after what she had written earlier.
Once she explains to him he is happy and they hug.
This short film has influenced my work in a few ways:
Firstly,it has made me realise how much of an impact the sound has in any film. For me it is what made this film so good was the layers of sound throughout. The music a long with how the characters say certain things, it really makes a massive difference.
Secondly, it shows me that a use of tripod in every scene actually may make the film worse. Being handheld and even slightly shaky at times gives you better shots and immerses the viewer even more.
SHORT FILM 2: I MISS YOU
I Miss you is a short film about a couple who use to be together and then remember why they broke up. The first thing I noticed is throughout the whole film there is no diegetic sound. The whole film is music and voice overs. Normally I think this can work well but it wasn't the best in this film because the narration wasn't that immersive.
This is one of the opening shots and we see the two characters together, I personally would have liked some dialogue that is diegetic or possibly even some laughter to show they like each other, but the voice over continues and it starts to loose me a little.
I really liked the lighting in this film however, the movie cinema shot is great as it only shows us the light that would see on their faces if there was a film playing behind the camera. I think that works really well in this montage sequence. The clothes in the shots show us that these are typical teenagers and that is how it relates to a lot of people, if they where dressed very posh it could loose viewers but as they are like most of us the story really draws us in through that.
I like the shot on the left as it gives a great field of view, it is an incredible shot and it also shows the closeness of the two characters. We can read into this and can tell they are close friends and most likely boyfriend and girlfriend. It starts as a wide shot and then closes in to a near close up to really immerse us in what he is saying. I would say this is denotive as it is directing attention of the viewer into the scene and we are focusing on the relationship between the two people we see on screen.
I think the handheld camera is once again important in this film as it gives a good grounding and makes it feel very real, as if we could be one of the characters in the scene.
I can't really tell if it is or not but I think they use a flashback to show what the relationship was like and this gives us good context of what the whole film means, he still likes her but the bad reasons outweigh the good.
I wasn't a big fan of the ending, I feel it was an editing mistake to leave the ending so open, anything could have happened, but I guess that is the point of a short film, sometimes we have to use our imagination to fill the gaps.
SHORT FILM 3: TEXT ME
This film is about two teenagers on a date and they can't stop texting. The opening shot shows us straight away that it will most likely be a date, an Italian restaurant. It's a symbolic place that many people go for a night out and the music that is playing also clarify to us that it's Italian, if we missed that.
The camerawork is good as it shows not tells (As Steve Coombes keeps telling us) It shows the prices of the food on the menu then we look into his wallet and we can see he has hardly any money, showing to us that he cannot afford it.
The film is very samey and we get the same shots over and over and it doesn't use too many impressive camera techniques to make the viewers experience better, infact its basically the same shot every time once we get inside.
The costume of the boy shows us that he is very normal, probably nerdy meaning that we can denote that he is probably shy and won't be great in a conversation with the girl once she does arrive. The girls costume is pretty much a polar opposite, very fancy and bold showing she is probably a popular person at school and she probably won't like being on a date with a nerd.
The scene uses a mixture of diegetic and non diegetic. In a way it uses a fake non diegetic sound, the music in the background is playing
which sets the scene but it is not as intrusive as if it was put over the top of the couple talking. It's most diegetic sound with the two talking but there is a little added non diegetic sound to add emphasis.
The two find a similarity through the film and that is that they both have to wear glasses, it's a small addition that makes the characters bond but it doesn't really add too much to the film for me, which in general isn't that great. It's a good concept but I'd say it was poorly executed.
In a way the sound is Asynchronous as the Italian music shows that they could be posh and upper class but infact one side of the table is not which in a way makes the film a little more funny as it looks like both characters shouldn't really be in that situation.
Most of the shots used in this are Medium shots but sometimes close ups are used to express the emotions but for me personally the film likes to stick with the same back and forth medium shot which in a way disconnects us from the two characters as they are disconnected themselves through constantly being on their phones.
SHORT FILM 1: The Most Beautiful Thing
The Most Beautiful Thing is a short film about two people who meet and we figure out the women in the film is deaf and finds it hard to speak. I have chosen a few main points through this film that I think are what makes it such a good short film.
First off the sound that is used in the film is very important for me. The non- dietetic soundtrack at the start of the film is moving as it is associate with loneliness and sadness. Even if you just listened to the film and didn't see the moving image you would know that it is a sad part of the film because the music is that powerful.
The first shot in the film is also the main character sitting on this bench by himself. The mise en scene from this scene indicates that he is by himself and he is purposely pushed to one side of the bench to show us that he is not purposely trying to be a log, he is inviting people to sit there, but nobody does. I think this shows very clearly this character does not have many friends as is currently very sad.The rule of the third is also used in the opening shot.We find out about 30 seconds into the film that he may be worried about going to prom with somebody and that he doesn't want to be the only person alone. Everything he does seems to be currently wrong. He get's hit by other pupils as they are walking past and also keeps seeing other couples together ready for prom.
I think this film is shot handheld because it gives the viewer more of a sense that we are in the situation with him, in a way to be him. The filmmakers want us to feel sorry for him as much as possible so they are in a way trying to put us in his situation so we can feel it.
We see more shots as loneliness as he travels home and it is edited in a way that he is shown as very isolated and purposely made to be the only person in a lot of the shots. The main character then is finally seen in a shot with somebody else. It is someone we saw earlier on who seemed to blank the main character when he said hello. He says hello again ad she still ignores him, then we get the reference. She is deaf and cannot hear what he was saying to him, she wasn't ignoring him and then he instantly feels better. He is not alone. I like this because it seems like he is all alone, but now he has someone to be with and "talk to". 
He gets to know the girl and just as he is about to ask her to prom he sees her with somebody else on their bench. He then turns around and thinks that it is all over after everything he went through.The costume in this scene shows that the main character is a "nerd" and we can read into that by saying that it probably means he doesn't have many friends.
Through the music we know that he has gone back into a sad mood as the music had changed to uplifting and happy but has now changed to the style of music we heard at the start when he was alone.
This whole film seems like it is being filmed either on a handheld camera or purposely filmed without using a tripod. It gives the film the feeling that we are on the journey with this character and we feel what he is going through. The film is also mainly focused on him so that's why we have that connection to him.
As the film comes to an end the two main characters meet each other again and the boy is mad as he thinks she is now going to the prom with someone else, he turns around and walks off. She then says something for the first time in the film which is slightly surprising as we did not expect it after what she had written earlier.
Once she explains to him he is happy and they hug.
This short film has influenced my work in a few ways:
Firstly,it has made me realise how much of an impact the sound has in any film. For me it is what made this film so good was the layers of sound throughout. The music a long with how the characters say certain things, it really makes a massive difference.
Secondly, it shows me that a use of tripod in every scene actually may make the film worse. Being handheld and even slightly shaky at times gives you better shots and immerses the viewer even more.
SHORT FILM 2: I MISS YOU
I Miss you is a short film about a couple who use to be together and then remember why they broke up. The first thing I noticed is throughout the whole film there is no diegetic sound. The whole film is music and voice overs. Normally I think this can work well but it wasn't the best in this film because the narration wasn't that immersive.
This is one of the opening shots and we see the two characters together, I personally would have liked some dialogue that is diegetic or possibly even some laughter to show they like each other, but the voice over continues and it starts to loose me a little.
I really liked the lighting in this film however, the movie cinema shot is great as it only shows us the light that would see on their faces if there was a film playing behind the camera. I think that works really well in this montage sequence. The clothes in the shots show us that these are typical teenagers and that is how it relates to a lot of people, if they where dressed very posh it could loose viewers but as they are like most of us the story really draws us in through that.
I like the shot on the left as it gives a great field of view, it is an incredible shot and it also shows the closeness of the two characters. We can read into this and can tell they are close friends and most likely boyfriend and girlfriend. It starts as a wide shot and then closes in to a near close up to really immerse us in what he is saying. I would say this is denotive as it is directing attention of the viewer into the scene and we are focusing on the relationship between the two people we see on screen.
I think the handheld camera is once again important in this film as it gives a good grounding and makes it feel very real, as if we could be one of the characters in the scene.
I can't really tell if it is or not but I think they use a flashback to show what the relationship was like and this gives us good context of what the whole film means, he still likes her but the bad reasons outweigh the good.
I wasn't a big fan of the ending, I feel it was an editing mistake to leave the ending so open, anything could have happened, but I guess that is the point of a short film, sometimes we have to use our imagination to fill the gaps.
SHORT FILM 3: TEXT ME
The camerawork is good as it shows not tells (As Steve Coombes keeps telling us) It shows the prices of the food on the menu then we look into his wallet and we can see he has hardly any money, showing to us that he cannot afford it.The film is very samey and we get the same shots over and over and it doesn't use too many impressive camera techniques to make the viewers experience better, infact its basically the same shot every time once we get inside.
The costume of the boy shows us that he is very normal, probably nerdy meaning that we can denote that he is probably shy and won't be great in a conversation with the girl once she does arrive. The girls costume is pretty much a polar opposite, very fancy and bold showing she is probably a popular person at school and she probably won't like being on a date with a nerd.
The scene uses a mixture of diegetic and non diegetic. In a way it uses a fake non diegetic sound, the music in the background is playing
The two find a similarity through the film and that is that they both have to wear glasses, it's a small addition that makes the characters bond but it doesn't really add too much to the film for me, which in general isn't that great. It's a good concept but I'd say it was poorly executed.
In a way the sound is Asynchronous as the Italian music shows that they could be posh and upper class but infact one side of the table is not which in a way makes the film a little more funny as it looks like both characters shouldn't really be in that situation.
Most of the shots used in this are Medium shots but sometimes close ups are used to express the emotions but for me personally the film likes to stick with the same back and forth medium shot which in a way disconnects us from the two characters as they are disconnected themselves through constantly being on their phones.
FILM PREP - Kent Filming Application.
Today I filled out my application to film in kent and sent it to the kent film office. I have decided one of my locations would be a beach and I know, located where we are it's very tough to find one close. I have sent of for an application to film in Dungeness as that is a beach I have been to before and feel it would be great for the sort of film I want to do. However I have also stated in my application that if they know somewhere closer and better, that would be preferred as the other members of the crew would not have to travel as far. I also put that if they know any locations that would be good for my scene where a character runs out of a wood into a quiet road that would be nice. I have looked extensively on google maps to try and find somewhere suitable but I have had no luck as of yet.I also had to attach the Insurance into the application which was on MyUCA. Once that was all filled out I was read to send.
It was the first time ever doing this but it was a good experience as I'm sure this will happen very regularly when we go into the TV industry for real.
--
UPDATE - 4/11/16
After emails back and forth with the film office, I had to change the beach I was filming at because Dungeness was a £100 for a days shooting. As I only need a few shots, it wasn't really worth it. We settled on Hythe Beach and everyone at Kent Film Office was very helpful in helping me find somewhere with no cost. After I agreed to film in a certain area I was booked in and ready to film!
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Director: John Fawcett He was born in Canada in 1968 and his first film was a short called Half Nelson in 1992. His first TV show was in ... -
Furthering my work looking into Primark and Etsy, and why one is offline only and the other is online only, I am not looking into the statis...