MILies Promotional A3 Poster Below features our film poster.
Below features the photo before editing.
Editing The Poster
Time was closing in on us, so I put myself forward to edit the poster, of course with input from Ryan and Beatrice. Firstly I liked the fact that the light from outside come in and enlightened Sarah (left, 'Hanna'), and didn't especially brighten Lucy (right, 'Elizabeth') - this is because I could adjust the brightness and contrast too to help reflect their characters. As in, Hanna is in the light, as she knows that something is wrong, and Elizabeth in the dark as if she's trying to hide something, or just to portray that she's a mysterious character. I thought black and white suited the image best as it helped bring out emotion and made the feel of it a lot more tense, which is the impact that we wanted. I also cut two layers out of the picture on Photoshop to place the title behind their heads so it looks as if their behind them, to give a sense of 3D or thicker, layered poster rather than the traditional text. I know that traditionally the production title usually goes in the bottom region somewhere, but it felt right and necessary -as the focus and lead room pinnacle is between the eyes- to place it there. Also, all the fonts and house styles used here were all the same ones from the film. We wanted this photo rather than the others we took because it empathized the file and the fact that 'Karen Denard' is dead, which helps make you think upon seeing the film, is she really?
I did a search and found the following movie poster, which I took a lot of inspiration from, however wanted to keep ours totally monochromatic.
Other photos
Featured below are some of the other photos which we took but didn't choose for out promotional poster.
I was originally the editor, of which I put myself forward for as I believed that editing is a strong point of mine. Using the software at home, I spent the weekend composing, clipping, moving, arranging and transforming the rushes into a final end product in Adobe's Premiere Pro. I also used alongside this software, After Effects, to create extra enhancements such as floating texts, and footage stabilization. Furthermore as previously mentioned, I also used Adobe's Audition to edit some audio clips to help remove background noise, or if that's not possible, to edit to help differentiate between background noise and dialogue to help the audience hear what's being said. I did check back with the group on how some things needed to be, like talking with Beatrice, to help edit it to the style she wants and has in mind. I also found the music track featured at the start and end of the film, and approached it to the group whom accepted it, and thought it suited towards the production. The whole point of the plot of 'MILies' and narrative is that afterwards it's supposed to make you think, question what's going on, who was featured, why they saw is what they saw - and I feared that maybe the ending was too vague. As we had to cut it short due to the amount of public. So I edited a photo to put in with the credits to mix it up a little and also to help the audience with the story. I also felt it necessary to thank the library for letting us use their venue.
Filming commenced at 09:30, and we were allowed to come into the library pre-opening to set up, filming also must have concluded by 12:30 as that's the time the library closed. My role expanding during the shoot to the audio engineer and I used our boom mike to capture the audio of the shots. I provided the boom mike, which consisted of the pole of a old metal mop, with a singstar microphone attached (not my own, and this is because a microphone was not provided in our pack) to the top with masking tape, with the wire curling round it down to the camera. I felt I made the best of this role, however found it sometimes difficult to carry out, as I had to be aware of the public in small spaces.
The shoot Excellent. What we got is what we wanted to get. Can't really put it any simpler than that, on the other hand of course there are always improvements on how we could have done things better, but I think with the available resources and restrictions we accomplished a lot, and to a good quality. I definitely felt we worked well as a team, always communicating and discussion the best option, keeping in mind the hierarchy of command, aka director's final word. But Beatrice was a good director, and showed the cast how to approach their lines in the correct manner according to the requirements of the script, the film and the vision. She also managed Ryan and myself well, explaining to us how the shot is to be composed and trusting us to set it up without her laying hands on the camera or equipment. The public were another major issue, as we were obliged not to get any of their faces, and as the morning progresses more and more people began to arrive - completely unlike the Saturday before. We coped well though, we had to move a few shots around to avoid disruption and forbidden filming, but everything we shot turned out the way Beatrice wanted it to do. The actresses were given the script a couple of days beforehand to familiarise themselves with the plot and their characters, and possibly their lines, but we stressed that they didn't have to learn them if they didn't want to. We told this mainly because according to the turn out we would've had to jumble and mix the parts around, which is what we had to do. So some of the shoot time was consumed with helping the actresses learn and recite their lines, but I think that went smoothly. The main problem though, as the microphone operator was the concern over background noise, because there was an awful lot. Being the editor too meant that I could use Adobe Audition to scrub and edit the tracks, however it still would've been nice and easier to have had a quieter library. Overall, I think as a team we completed the filming quickly yet effectively and the best of our abilities, I would totally agree with the statement, 'do you believe that your filming was successful?'.
In this task there were countless problems, that I guess were unavoidable and part of the learning process. To start with our original film date was the 19th of November, and we booked cameras, organised it with the location, had a recce and did everything in accordance to our set plan of action. However upon calling the venue to double confirm our arrival on the Saturday, he announced that it was no longer possible to film in the afternoon, only in the morning. Our actresses that we organised we contacted but they already other commitments, which they couldn't budge so we had to postpone till the next Saturday morning. Having got everything ready (new actresses) for the next attempt at filming; we were informed by said actresses that they then couldn't come for a reason or another. We then tried to organise it during the week, the new actresses couldn't do then, so we asked the old ones and they said sure. a few days before that, having got everything ready, one of them turned seriously ill, preventing us from shooting again at such short notice. We then tried to organise a shoot during the Wednesday that was the public sector strike, meaning we had a whole day to shoot, during hours at the library, but upon calling them up, they said that they are having works done for the next two weeks and would be unable to cater for us as a location. This really threw us off as all of our shot lists, storyboards, recces were based on that particular location, and there was no way that he would be able to come to any arrangement. So we were now outside the production window, without a location, any actresses or most of the preproduction. It was stressful, but we all managed to help the team by getting the work load done.
I contacted the local library via phone at school to try and talk with the supervisor to see if we could film there, however with the main switchboard being at the county HQ it was difficult to get hold of the one library. So on the Saturday (3rd) I went on my own to visit the library and ask in person about the filming and they seemed okay with it. On the Tuesday, we all then went for a recce after school and got all pre-production completed for the shoot. The only thing then, was actresses. We managed to scrape a few names from school whom were willing. However disaster struck on the shoot day, as one didn't show, meaning we had to make other arrangements to complete the film, such as swapping characters.
All in all, I think as a team we hit a lot of brick walls, but we managed to get past them eventually well as a group.
The tripod is an excellent tool in cinematography, bluntly, a cheap and effective product which helps provide great results.
Using the tripod enables the user to have stability in the shot that's being taken, as well as more flexibility with the angles, height and perspective of the shot. Firstly, stability is important as it aids the creation of smooth and professional shots, rather than hand held amateur shaky ones. However there is the case, that a unsteady shot is the desired effect to create such an impact on the audience, so a tripod would not be needed and some say they would just hold the camera in their hands, but really all effects should be artificially imprinted onto the rushes during editing. Special shots such as panning and tilting can be achieved successfully with a tripod as again it helps ensure a sleek, equable and continuous (if used correctly) shot, an almost impossible task without this tool. Interesting shots such as the Dutch tilt can also be used, to help create a desired effect on the audience. A final benefit is that it's pretty much totally adjustable so it can fit and shape itself to the necessary requirement of shot or environment, making it the perfect tool for location shoots too.
Below features a tripod.
Below features the video "Video Equipment, Tripods and Monopods"
Multi-shot Multi-shot is a great concept and arrangement to use when filming any sequence complex or simple. It involves the use of two or more cameras focused on the same subject of the shot. By having the cameras set up in this fashion it allows them to record rushes of the same thing from different angles, proving useful as it helps ensure that the continuity of the film is not flawed. A sequence such as 'two characters talking at a table, requiring the use of cameras from both sides of the table directionally aimed at the character on the opposing side of the table from the position of the camera' - would be a nightmare to shoot with one camera as the crew would have to put in place extra precautions when moving the camera to keep the same position for when it returned. This is why with a multi-shot set up you can do this without the rearrangement of cameras, plus everything the characters do will be recorded and with truthfully correspond with the footage captured on the other camera.
The all time classic continuity error: Girls fiddling with their hair.
The shot described above in quotations is the layout and criteria for a sequence in our preliminary task, it's called a shot/reverse shot. This kind of shot is particularly useful for shooting long conversations or complex risky characters actions that may vary upon every take whilst filming. In television the news is normally shot with multiple cameras capturing a variety of angles of the presenter during their bulletin. Also in television, I have actually visited the BBC studios, with intent to partake in the audience for the 'Not Going Out' comedy sitcom. There I clearly saw how in real life this set up is used as many cameras were placed around the studio door to capture many angles of the conversation during the scenes.
However the greatest and most beneficial advantage of using a multi-shot set up is that it saves time. Literally it's that simple.
Below features a basic multi-shot layout.
The 180 Degree Rule
This rule is a guideline and not a law of production, as many film makers choose to ignore it to create special effects, however the majority of television and film use this as a device to satisfy the audience. The 180 degree basically states that the camera shot stay on one side of the characters. To explain it even further, the '180 degrees' is the imaginary line that divides the left and right of two characters, of which the camera must stay on one half. This is because if the camera was free to switch and roam the full 360, it creates confusion and irritation to the audience. When a camera does cross this line, the true phrase is 'crossing the line'.
For example, during a conversation the speaking character could be on the right of the frame, and the when it's the other character's turn to talk, and the rule is not followed he could end up speaking from the right side of the frame which looks wrong. The 180 degree rule ensures that the characters stay to one side of your screen throughout, creating less confusion, as disorientation is generally not the impact that you set out for.
Below features an example of the shot reverse shot and the use of the 180 degrees rule.
Below features the video "Tech Tip, the 180 degree rule"
To make my blog more interesting and interactive for the audience and viewers, extra technology can be used to transform monotonous blocks of text into exciting posts.
Scribd.com I've used this tool before in the past, however I never saw the real need to use it. However now, Scribd is the perfect tool to upload and embed my documents onto my blog, to avoid them being boring.
SlideShare I was introduced to this during a lesson, and definitely wanted to utilise it as I thought that it could without a doubt enhance the viewing experience of my blog.
E-mail Posting I have now set up email posting so I can now email to a certain address with the content of the desired blog and it will post it. This is useful when I can't get onto blogger.
Blogger App I downloaded the blogger app to my phone so I can be constantly connected with my blog if I'm out and about, and I can also include location stamps when posting from my phone.
Hanna is the first character that will be shown in the production. She is smartly dressed with the intent to find out the missing pieces of the puzzle. Her character is aggressive and meaningful and has the purpose of finding out who killed her friend and her colleague; Karen. Hanna is stubborn and also persistent, her personality shows through with her blunt body language and 'straight to the point' words. She has one thing on her mind and nothing will get in the way from her finding out.
Elizabeth
Elizabeth is the second character that is seen in the production. Again the same as Hanna, she is smartly dressed and has a nervous edge about her. Her defensive tone suggests she is unsure about the situation as she is caught between Hanna's mind and the truth. Elizabeth is also a stubborn character and is willing to fight her cause especially when lies have covered up what is rightfully correct.
Karen Karen is the last and final character to be seen in the production. She is dressed in casual clothes and appears to be 'normal' compare to the other two characters. Her timid mindset and actions emphasize that she is in her own world and is oblivious to the people around her. This was caused by a freak accident in Nicosia (Cyprus) which has now impacted her life as she isn't 100% right in her head. Karen is suspected dead but it's revealed at the end leaving the production on a cliff hanger.
We're now further into the project, and we've got to know each other a little more, including our strengths and weaknesses in relevance to media production. We exchanged contact details for one and other as well as setting up a Facebook message to keep in contact, send files and share ideas. As a group, we decided we wanted a group name, and therefore in accordance to our first name initials, we named our selves ABR Productions.
Pre-production went well, I feel our planning and preparation skills do not lack in detail or in effort. We all gave great input towards the preliminary documentation and further creative aspects.
The storyboard was drawn and written out thoroughly by our director Beatrice, and her work is shown in Storyboard draft 1.
Ryan wrote our character profiles, outlining the characteristics, behaviours and possible history of the featured protagonists as well as the ending mystery character.
During pre-production, my role was to write the script; so taking on board the discussions and ideas, plus all the things we wished to include in the dialogue and actions, I formed the basis of the script. Script draft 1 is solely the text I produced, however now reading back I can see it's many flaws. Upon completing this in Celtx, which I downloaded to my home computer, I presented it to the group and we all sat down to edit and make changes, to improve it best we can. Indeed I felt it did get better, and every time we had an idea or change of mind, I would edit and resend it to the group via a Facebook message which we used as the major communication channel outside of school. As well as doing this, I also designed a brand logo for ABR Productions including the document header template that you see the documentation uploaded on. Once the team had completed a task or sub-project they would send it to me and I would put it into the header and resend it out again to everyone.
So generally I'm pleased with the productivity of the group, and happy to be working alongside them, plus there have been no disagreements so far. As a team our pre-production was on time and the work quantity was completed equally by each member.
The Deep Dive To keep in line with the criteria we wanted to film outside of the school, yet still including a room. My first idea was to film at the cafe overlooking the lake at ferry meadows, but another idea was generated which seemed much better. This included filming in a library instead of a cafe, this way it helps bring out drama between the characters, with the aim to make the audience feel tense.
In terms of content, the characters are two agents of law, whom are arguing over who killed a third. Accusations and violent conflict occur during the scene whilst and on the journey to seating themselves at a table. At the end of the film, the third character will appear alive, however not recognising them. After the visual appearance of this character on screen, no dialogue from the other characters will be said, to help emphasize the mystery of who this character is. This will help leave a lingering question on the audience's minds after the film has finished.
Transforming words into actions To get started we knew that we wanted to film offsite, as that would be more adventurous and better suited to our storyline. So we knew that we would need to contact and arrange with an external company, which meant more effort and paperwork; but we felt so strong about taking a further leap that we agreed we could handle and distribute the work evenly to complete it.
Location wise, we decided to go big and contact Peterborough Central Library. Taking on a more producer role, I was in charge of contacting the soon to be contact, Frank Murphy. After a recce at the weekend, we left my details for someone to contact me, however they did not. So later on the next week, I rang up with intent to speak to a supervisor to try and organise this for the team. I was put in touch with Mr. Murphy. He was very active towards the filming and was very proactive in helping us with our project, despite having to call up and reschedule many times due to other issues.
Actress wise, being part of a drama group outside of school I told Ryan and Beatrice that I would be happy to ask them about a possible feature in our film. After speaking with them, they seemed more than happy to do so, however, only two at the time could make the shoot. Beatrice also new a drama student from a different college so she contacted her, and we were then set with actresses and a location.
The preliminary task consists of criteria focused at the technical aspects of filming. During the film we have to show evidence of match on action, the shot reverse shot and of course demonstrate the 180 degrees rule. Content wise, the final sequence needs to include a scene in which at least two characters enter a room through a door, cross the room to sit at opposing chairs, to then exchange a few lines of dialogue.
Criteria, Advertisement Alongside the short movie, an accompanying advertising poster has to be made, to the size of A3, preferably made on Adobe's Photoshop.
Criteria, Evaluation Finally, at the end of the task we have to record a podcast of ourselves talking about our project, answering a few set questions on how the preliminary assignment went.
Roles within the Team Director - Beatrice Brown Camera Operator - Ryan Denney Editor - Alexander Mulley
Deadlines Pre-Production - Present Day to November 18th Production Window - 19th November to 26th November Post Production - 27th November to 12th December Presentation Day - 15th December
What do I want to learn? Over the course of the coming lessons I would like to learn how to use a camera effectively, and what shots are used in the professional world and how to use them, This includes how to mount a camera correctly onto the tripod and how to use that then to generate good shots.
During our first session, we started to discuss initial ideas for our preliminary task, and how we can distribute the roles of the task equally within the team. The roles were set to be Beatrice as director, Ryan as camera operator and myself as the editor.
We then moved on to thinking about possible plot and story lines for the production, and how to make it interesting and captivating for the audience.
Concluding the session we said that for the next time we'd meet we'd all bring further ideas for the film.
Telling people what to do, taking control. Is that directing? A director forms the composition of the film, controlling the dramatic and artistic effects, guiding the actors and crew making sure they produce a final sequence that is similar to the original vision. So being in control and telling people what to do, or how to do it, is part of the role, but that's how people typically perceive them, but their tasks involve much more.
The director's role isnt' just limited to the time frame of filming, they are also heavily involved with pre-production and especially post-production, because the creative vision doesn't just end on set. During editing and digitally composing the film, the director's input is needed to show how colours, warmth or frigidity should be used; which shots shot be used; and sometimes he/she is present when sound and music is being produced to customize and adapt it to the needs of the film's concept / director's vision.
There are many skills a director must have, including patience, the ability to filter and use loads of information at once, and maybe one of the trickiest, working and directing actors. Below features a video of a novelist specialising in directing, talking about how to direct actors.
Below features the video "Directing Actors with Judith Weston"
