This blog has been put together in aid of my A2 Media studies coursework and to any who would like to draw ideas or inspiration from my work. The premise for my work revolves around the moral and psychological degradation of an individual throughout the course of their everyday life.
Sunday, 21 December 2014
Reason for revisions
The reason I have revised my computer edits of my ancillary article is simply because I didn't feel that the product I had designed would have followed the conventions of a professional magazine. This is a rabbit hole a fell down during my AS year and I was determined not to do it again so I went for a more simplistic design trying to reflect magazines such as Empire.
Saturday, 20 December 2014
Friday, 19 December 2014
Thursday, 18 December 2014
Wednesday, 17 December 2014
Issues with production
Issues with filming
During the past few months I have been helping many of my fellow students with their own coursework which has ultimately left me with very little time to complete my own work. This is a regrettable turn of events but it has shown me how hard it is to organise multiple actors and locations, therefore I will now be streamlining my acting choices to only a single actor. Oliver Steggles will now be holding the weight of performance solo. I hope this pays off and that when I start filming the whole project will come together.
Filming should proceed as normal only with one actor, all sets and scenes should remain the same and only the narrated dialogue should alter.
Filming should proceed as normal only with one actor, all sets and scenes should remain the same and only the narrated dialogue should alter.
Tuesday, 16 December 2014
Final script (audio) with timings
Script draft.... I lost count
Brian walks through office corridor to his own office. A new man walks past Brian absent mindedly checking his iPad. (1:37)
A new man- "Morning." (1:40)
Brian confused by the encounter leave to the left of the frame. (1:43)
Brian enters his office to find A new man already there. (1:53)
Brian- "But you dont exist?.." (1:58) "No you dont exist youre not there" (2:04)
A new man- "So, if I dont exist why am I here?" (2:12)
Brian- "I dont know why youre here I dont even know what you are" (2:16)
A new man- "Well I'm you... I thought that was pretty obvious?" (2:23)
Brian- "Ok I realise that youre me but why are you here?" (2:27)
A new man- "well I guess that your life wasnt all that it cracked up to be" (2:31)
Brian- "Wha.. What do you mean?" (2:34)
A new man- "Well, youve got the nice apartment, youve got the money, that car you always wanted, the job you always wanted... but you still sleep alone at night..." (2:46)
Brian- "Yeah... I know..." (2:49)
A new man- "Well Brian Im here to fix that" (2:55)
Brian- "Yeah but how?" (3:01)
A new man- "well Ive got something you could start with" (3:04)
Brian unconscious an the dinning room table raises his head to the site on A new man.
Brian- "Where've you been?" (3:53)
A new man- "Ive been busy" (4:00)
Brian- "Busy? Busy doing what youre imaginary?" (4:06)
A new man- "Just been following you around all day..." (4:10)
Brian- "Why?" (4:13)
A new man- "To make sure you wont do anything stupid..." (4:15)
Brian- "Why would I do anything stupid?" (4:21)
A new man- "Look at what youre doing Brian..." (4:25)
Brian- "Well... I dont want to be alone anymore..." (4:39)
A new man- "You dont have to be alone Brian" (4:46) "The only person who can make you stop feeling the way you do is you" (4:51)
Brian walks through office corridor to his own office. A new man walks past Brian absent mindedly checking his iPad. (1:37)
A new man- "Morning." (1:40)
Brian confused by the encounter leave to the left of the frame. (1:43)
Brian enters his office to find A new man already there. (1:53)
Brian- "But you dont exist?.." (1:58) "No you dont exist youre not there" (2:04)
A new man- "So, if I dont exist why am I here?" (2:12)
Brian- "I dont know why youre here I dont even know what you are" (2:16)
A new man- "Well I'm you... I thought that was pretty obvious?" (2:23)
Brian- "Ok I realise that youre me but why are you here?" (2:27)
A new man- "well I guess that your life wasnt all that it cracked up to be" (2:31)
Brian- "Wha.. What do you mean?" (2:34)
A new man- "Well, youve got the nice apartment, youve got the money, that car you always wanted, the job you always wanted... but you still sleep alone at night..." (2:46)
Brian- "Yeah... I know..." (2:49)
A new man- "Well Brian Im here to fix that" (2:55)
Brian- "Yeah but how?" (3:01)
A new man- "well Ive got something you could start with" (3:04)
Brian unconscious an the dinning room table raises his head to the site on A new man.
Brian- "Where've you been?" (3:53)
A new man- "Ive been busy" (4:00)
Brian- "Busy? Busy doing what youre imaginary?" (4:06)
A new man- "Just been following you around all day..." (4:10)
Brian- "Why?" (4:13)
A new man- "To make sure you wont do anything stupid..." (4:15)
Brian- "Why would I do anything stupid?" (4:21)
A new man- "Look at what youre doing Brian..." (4:25)
Brian- "Well... I dont want to be alone anymore..." (4:39)
A new man- "You dont have to be alone Brian" (4:46) "The only person who can make you stop feeling the way you do is you" (4:51)
Thursday, 11 December 2014
Wednesday, 10 December 2014
Why I don't have an animatic
Ok so here's the reason it is simple and I hope it counts as justification. Basically my script has gone through rewrite after rewrite resulting me not being able to cut together a valid form of audio. I have fragments of audio from different scripts but nothing that results in a full script and therefore I cannot produce an animatic that has any bearing on timings so I made the executive decision to not make one and dedicate my time elsewhere.
Tuesday, 9 December 2014
Wednesday, 26 November 2014
Script change
Script alterations.
Upon beginning my coursework I decided to produce a Psych
Drama piece following a day in the life of a businessman who slowly becomes
insane and results in the murder of his girlfriend. There is a full script
bellow.
This began as a good idea however I found that the more I
developed it, less and less people were able to understand the meaning that was
meant to be represented and assumed that I was producing nothing more than an intelligent
gore fest. Other influences include further exploration of genre in which I
found that the conventions of my chosen genre were not what I had assumed. As
my chosen genre is based around drama it shares many similar conventions and
one in particular which made me think and that was that in the end good always
wins. After the emotional story arc is completed it more often than not results
in some form of a positive ending, what I was producing did not follow this
convention. I realise that I am allowed some form of artistic licence and will
be allowed to bend these conventions however I had been having doubts about my
script for a while previous and this was the final nail in the coffin that made
me consider another script that I had been thinking of. Luckily they almost
work in tandem, share the same genre, conventions and even similar story lines.
So I decided that it would be for the best to make the change.
In short my previous script revolved around a man becoming
insane and realising that the life he was living was actually a figment of his
imagination punctuated by his split personality resulting in two identical
characters with very different attitudes occupy the same space in his mind and
cause him to see things. He promptly goes insane and kills his girlfriend in
anger.
I decided that this may have been too dark and therefore
changed to my new revised script, It follows a similar path so that none or at
least very little of my coursework will have to be adapted. This new script
also follows the life of a man assuming that he is going insane as throughout
his day he begins to see alternate images of himself to the point where he has
conversations with himself, this concludes with the two identical characters
sitting across from one another where the newly introduced character convinces
the old character to take a pistol and shoot himself. This is the emotional
climax of the piece leaving this new, more charismatic and smartly dressed
individual as the only rendition of the character. This is a metaphor for a
change within the character as the gun and body of the fallen character are
replaced with a list labelled things I want to change. The whole point being
that any change is life is a battle with yourself and only you can determine
the outcome.
I felt that this was more fitting to the genre and I generally
liked the idea more. I really enjoy films such as the eternal sunshine of the
spotless mind and therefore thought that this new script was more akin to the
other films within the genre.
Monday, 10 November 2014
Monday, 6 October 2014
Sunday, 5 October 2014
Saturday, 4 October 2014
Monday, 29 September 2014
Working script Draft 1:
A2 Media Studies Short Film:
Draft 1:
This is not, by a long shot, my finished scrip this is simply a working draft. SOmething that I can refer to until I have a fully finished script to work with.
Character
description:
-
Blue; short brown hair, slim fit suit
-
Red; short
brown hair, slim fit suit(will be filmed using a red filter)
-
Pink; casual clothing of a young woman (to be
decided)
Scene:
Establishing shot tracking up from focus of the
floor along the length of the bed to rest above the couple.
Birds eye view of a white sheeted bed, a couple (blue and pink) asleep wrapped in one another’s
arms in the early morning. (Lighting; lighting
appears to be natural from sunlight depending on time of shoot this could be
organically achieved)
(Jump cut) Birds eye
view mimicking previous shot however in place of the couple there is a
man (red) laid upon a soiled bed cast in
shadow.
(Jump cut) back to original shot of couple.
Mid shot Couple wake and blue rises form bed to
sit at the end/edge (cut) Level with the bed,
blue rubs his eyes, his wife is obscured from view and appears over his
shoulder to kiss him on the neck before climbing out of bed and exiting shot.
(Jump cut) red is sat mimicking previous shot,
alone head in hands.
(cut) profile shot of blue close up looking distant, pink walks out of the room wrapped in
the sheet stolen from the bed.
(Jump cut) profile shot of red close up looking distant, a discarded sheet lay
in the doorway.
(cut) Scene: Kitchen blue is now dressed in a
sharp suit and preparing for work Long shot
while pink, wearing a hoodie and leggings/jeans/joggers making breakfast for
herself. Blue places a brief case on the kitchen table and begins filling it
with folders and paper.
(cut) Close up of
blues hand placing objects into the case.
(Jump cut) close up of
reds hand grasping for a baseball bat.
(Jump cut) Close up return
shot of blue grasping for the handle of the brief case.
Blue removes
the case from the table and moves to the door (cut)
sideways mid close up of blue, pink places
a hand on blues shoulder turning him around to kiss him
(cut) close up of blue running his
hands down pinks side resting on her waist.
(Jump cut) Close up
mimicking level of previous shot showing pink whimpering crouched, blood trailing
from her lips, focus on reds knuckles
dripping with blood.
(cut) return to mid
sideways close up as blue recoils from his wife’s kiss in confusion for
both participants. Facial expressions on both blue and pink mimic one another
for a moment. Blue smiles shakes his head and kisses her again, blue exits the
shot to leave the set and pink looking mildly worried.
Scene:
Long shot Shadowed
hall way opening out to the street, Blue walks past camera Low angle into the light. (cut) Establishing shot mid close up view up the street,
blue in one “barn door” movement steps out of the door directly into frame reverse track.
Scene: Street
Close up on blues face tracking
backwards keeping him constantly in shot as he adjusts his suit and puts
in his iPod ear phones. (music begins to play as
the ear phones are put in) (cut) Line of sight shot tracking the movement of red
walking the opposite way up the street (music is
distorted but recognisable or played in reverse) (Possibly slow motion shot). (cut) Close up
on blues face looking puzzled at what he’s seeing. (cut)
Close up on reds face looking back at
blue (music is distorted but recognisable or played
in reverse). (cut) Close up on
blues face out right confused/panic. (cut) Close up of red still gaze fixed on blues position
jogging (cut) POV
Random passer-by (probably
female to comply with Mulvey’s theory) Close up tracking
backwards, blue glances over his shoulder as the jogger runs by and back
to the camera, rubs the bridge of his nose, random passer-by is visible over
his left shoulder. (cut)Stationary cam Blue walking from right to left of frame into office
building main entrance (probably use wyke entrance as its easy to accomplish but
an unknown location would be better for student audience to view).
(Jump cut) Mimic shot red
crawling crying towards the entrance (screaming from the actor is option but would be
useful for B-roll footage)
(Jump cut) Mimic shot blue enters the building. (cut) Reverse track
mid close up Blue walks towards the camera turning a sharp right through
a door. (cut) Birds
eye view pan Blue walking up stairs and past camera through another set
of doors (cut) High
angel stationary cam Blue walking along a corridor (Jump cut) Mimic shot red staggers along the corridor and
slumps against the wall, rights himself and continues (Jump cut) Mimic shot blue still walking and steps into an
office space (cut) Low angle long shot down the side of cubicles, Blue begins to walk to his cubicle
taking the ear buds out of his ears (Jump
cut) Mimic shot red is on his knees weeping reaching
out trying to grasp blues leg that is not there (Jump
cut) Mimic shot Blue turn to walk into his cubical (cut) high angle long
shot of the cubical (trying to obscure all space outside to represent his small
and enclosed existence) Blue
places the brief case down by the side of his desk and sets himself up to work,
mundanely typing over spreadsheets. (cut) extreme close up on keyboard blue types (to those
attentive enough to notice his selection of letters spell out “I am in hell.
Someone save my soul”) (cut) close up focus on blues face as he types sweat running down his face,
blue rubs his eyes in discomfort (cut) high angle long shot of cubical Blue resting his
head in his hands, thumbs through files then brings both hands to cover his
face (cut) mimic
shot Reds head wrenches backwards clawing at his face screaming
inhumanly (shot broken by rapid jump cut editing, high pitched audio and black
frames throughout the duration of the shot) (Jump
cut) Extreme close up of reds eyes
heavy panting with a demented and panicked look in his eyes, breathing
increases becoming more frantic, begins screaming in panic (Jump cut) Extreme
close up of “Esc” key, upon a finger striking the key the increasing
build of sound produced form the scream halts to deafening silence. Camera holds over the hovering finger. A deep breath and the finger retracts
from frame. (Jump cut) close up on a coffee cup being placed on a table (cut)
Long shot of Blue drinking the coffee
and reading a paper, lowering the cup to the table after taking a drink (cut) close up of
Blues hands shaking as he puts the cup down, hovering in mid-air, the cup
strikes the table (cut) close up, a whiskey glass is hammered onto his
office desk, whiskey flows into the glass and blues hand picks it up off the
top. (cut) Mid
close up Late at night, Blue’s in the office alone leaning back in his
chair running his fingers through his hair. He leans forward elbows on his
knees. (cut) Mimic
shot Red leans up from his slump (Jump cut)
Mimic shot Red is stood leaning down to pick
up his brief case, before he reaches it (Jump cut)
Mimic shot Red has the brief case in hand
and is reaching for his jacket (Jump cut) Mimic shot Red exits the cubical (cut) Camera is at
floor level Blue is laid unconscious (Jump
cut) Mimic shot Blue begins to lift
his head (Jump Cut) Mimic
shot Blue lifts himself from the floor grabbing at his effects laid
around him (Jump cut) Mimic shot Blue is stood up only his legs are in
view, he walks out of frame. (cut) Floor level longs shot Blue walks towards the door, slumped in posture and rough
around the edges (Jump cut) Mimic shot Red walks with pride putting on his jacket (Jump cut) Mimic shot Blue pushes the door open and steps
out and out of shot.(cut) Reverse
track close up Blues face
is in frame walking eyes closed/morbid look on this face (rapid cut editing) Mimic
shot blues face
distorting and malformed (high pitched tone) (cut) Close up reverse track mimic shot Blues head sways side to side a blurry
look in his eyes (a faint buzz) Blue lifts a phone out of his pocket into view (cut) over the
shoulder shot close up text
reads to the effect “hey hun I know you’ve been working all day but I miss you,
hurry back ;)” (cut) Close up Blue looks disdainful into the distance (cut)
Mimic shot Red looks at the phone and smile (Jump cut) Mimic shot Reds look of blank disinterest
continues (cut) waist height mid shot of blues arm falling to his side in slow motion the phone
falling from his grasp to the ground (cut) Stationary cam long shot Blue walks up the street and into the distance
illuminated in the late afternoon sun (cut) Mid shot high angle of previously seen stair well leading to house apartment Red begins
to take the steps two at a time (Jump cut) Mimic shot Blue walks slowly up the steps (cut) Mid
shot of a door Blues hand
comes into frame focus on the hand devoid of wedding ring (Jump cut) Mimic shot Hand clawing at the door (Jump cut) Mimic shot Reds hand is now the focus with his
wedding ring on pushes the door open (Jump
cut)Mimic shot he’s inside hugging and kissing Pink
who is delighted to see him, The door slowly closes (cut) Mid shot of blues face his arm outstretched,
Face sullen and breathing heavily (cut) Mimic previous door shot Blue pushes the door open and steps inside (Jump cut)Mimic shot he’s silhouetted in the door as it
closes shut behind him (cut) Mid shot of Blue facing past the camera back to the door, he reaches down beside
the door to baseball bat propped up against the frame Camera pans to follow gesture (cut) Low shot Tracking behind blue baseball bat as his side as he walks towards pink,
looking horrified she runs from the room into the bed room (cut) tracking shot
reverse as pink pulls red
into the room kisses him (cut) Mimic shot Pink stumbles into the room in a panic and trips falling to the ground
and out of shot as Blue walks in bat at his side (cut) High angle POV Pink scrambles to her knees crying and
praying (cut) Mimic previous walking in shot Blue raises the bat above his head (cut) over the
shoulder shot framed between blues head and his raised arms camera pans with blues eye sight as he looks
across to see pink and red kissing on the bed camera
pans back (cut) Mid close up
focus on blues face in
rage as he swings the bat in slow motion before the blow lands (cut)
Birds eye view close up Red kisses pink pause and kiss again (cut)
Mimic previous bat shot Blue lifts the now bloodied bat still
in slow mo for a side swing (cut) Close up profile shot pink roles on top of red and continues to kiss him
unbuttoning his shirt and kissing his neck (cut) Mimic
shot of blue now holding
the bat head down and punching like a rifle butt, crying as he does so (cut) Close up profile
of Reds face alone in
frame, pink lowers herself and kisses him and lifts out of frame. Red opens his
eyes (cut) Close
up on blues face crying (cut) High angle long
shot Blue on his knees
leans down to lift Pink into his arms brushing his hand by her face now
outright weeping in despair. His crying subsides. Lifting his head to look in
to the camera he looks emotionally broken, his distraught look contorting into
anger his breath quickening with a heavy expulsion of air he lunges at the
camera (cut) Blackness… role credits.
Thursday, 25 September 2014
Textual analysis: Identity (a YouTube short film)
Textual analysis:
Identity (YouTube short film)
As
the film begins we listen to non diegetic music distorted as if playing we are
listening to a record being played too fast or perhaps backwards, upon seeing
the rest of this short film I’ve made the assumption that this is a
representation of life it self. An attempt to show the audience that life moves
too fast or is too blurred to understand its true meaning and only by removing
the mask can we truly see what life is.
The
first visual representation of this is a medium close up of the protagonist as
if through a mirror, a young female student judging by her setting and clothes
mimicking that of teenager. As the scene progresses you can notice that the
this scene is shot in reveres broken with some forward chronological motion and
the non diegetic sound glass being broken in slow motion however there is a
total lack of diegetic sound forcing you to concentrate on the symbolism of the
scene and how the scene plays out through an effective choice of editing
techniques e.g. extensive use of jump cuts to further reinforce the fractures
that she is experiencing.
A
glaringly obvious point of focus in this scene is the fact that the actress is
wearing a mask, all be it not at the beginning but for the majority of the
scene and the film itself her face is covered, hiding what she is from the
world. A further representation of how the world we know is not the world that
is in fact real.
The
choice of reverse editing continues for the next few shots showing a brief confrontation
with some other female teenage characters both wearing masks as seen on the
main character. As the camera follows her movements, with an over the shoulder mid
shot, walking through a cliché American canteen.
Wednesday, 24 September 2014
Initial Ideas
Initial Idea 1:
Characters;
- (Male lead) Working man most likely an office worker.
- (Female lead) Stay at home mum
- (Supporting infant 1) Innocent child, son of the aforementioned couple.
- (Supporting infant 2) Murdered daughter to the couple.
Narrative; (Orpeus & Achillies)
Male lead is depicted leading the idilic suburban 1930's existence working at car dealership. After completing his day at work he begins his walk home doing cliche´things such as buying flowers from an elderly street florist and whistling as he walks. Upon arriving home he is not met by his wife bearing a Martini and a sandwich and instead finds the house quiet, further he walks into the house calling out his wife's and daughter's names to find his daughter murdered by his wife in their child's room. Th mother stricken with grief at her own actions hangs herself in the same room. After seeing this the male lead breaks down and weeps and howls. Shortly after the son arrives home from school and makes his way upstairs to see his dad on his knees cradling the head of his now dead younger sister and seeing his mother hanging over head he screams for and explanation. The father then beckons his son to come to him, he then wraps his arms around him in an embrace pleading with him to stop crying, his grip tightens and still he pleads for him to stop and tighter the grip becomes. The sons calls of anguish finally stop and the father lets his son fall limply from his grip to fall in the pool of his sisters blood.
The father then stands, looking stunned on soulless he walks out of the house onto the front lawn dripping with blood and falls to his knees as two police officers approach him and another two enter the house at a run. The camera rises up over the house to show a sun set. Roll credits.
Initial Idea 2:
Characters;
- (Male lead) Young man probably final year university student living alone.
Narrative; (Circe)
Alarm clock rings 07:00, Male lead slams hand down onto the clock to turn it off and focus shifts to him. He gets up and walks into his bathroom in a daze and begins splashing water on his face and cleaning himself up, during wash he discovers a tattoo on his arm of a compass. Confused by this new discovery he walks into his living room to call his friend but before he can ask what happened the night before resulting in him having this tattoo he realizes the tattoo has shifted position to point a new north. He puts the phone down and sits on his couch to see that wherever he is standing the compass shifts to point to north. He then rumages around to find an actual compass to compare their points. Upon comparison he realises that they dont point in the same direction but behave in the same way.
He ignores the tattoo and tries to go on with his day, getting ready for university etc. Hops onto his push bike and rides around the city as a establishing scene showing the frantic world he lives in, the tall buildings obscuring most of the sky and life outside of the city from view.
We join him later mid lecture where he is staring at the tattoo watching it move as he moves his arm from side to side, to him the world sounds as if its underwater until his name is repeatedly called by the lecturer. This breaks him out of his daze to which he apologises and grabs his stuff running out of the theatre and jumping on his bike riding hard to his home. When he arrives home he valts the stairs of his uni halls and crashes into his room picking up clothes, boots, maps, running into the kitchen he raids the fridge for food and throws it all into a knapsack. Now laden with gear he locks his door and throws his keys at his friend walking by him telling him to "look after his shit." and continues to run past him. Out of the front door of the halls he valts the fence and hops on his bike and rides, checking his arm as he goes. "Ok so you've got me out here, where now?"
We then experience a montage as the Male lead rides around the country following his compass, his appearance becomes rougher as he goes from location to location until the camera holds on a close up of his face. "Ok what now?" he looks at the compass that is still pointing forward. The camera then pans around to show that the Male lead has reached the ocean. He's run out of road.
Sitting on the beach in early evening he begins to drink a beer next to a campfire looking out at the sunset. "you want me to go don't you," he says looking at his arm. Close up on his face looking out to sea then long shot of the sea itself. He stands, and walks to the sea, standing in the shallows he looks at the water lapping against his feet. "whats the worst that could happen?" Close up on him lifting his foot and taking a step forward. Roll credits.
Initial Idea 3:
Characters;
- (Male lead 1) Dungeon Master
- (Male lead 2) Hero
Narrative: (Achilles)
Story begins with our hero knocking on the door of the Dungeon master (movement are very melodic and to a beat) the DM opens the door and looks blackly at the Hero, his expression rapidly changes as the camera does a rapid zoom and he tilts his head to one side simply grunting. The hero smiles and grunts back. The DM beckons him inside and the two walk into the DM's dinning room (close up on their feet as they march) Still in the melodic pace the DM marches to a chair, pulls it out and sits, slamming a Box of Dungeons and Dragons onto the table along with a book and a tankard. Silence in the room as a can of monster is opened and poured into the tankard, the DM lifts it and sips gently, wipes his lips and smile. Slams the cup and the table and grunts again as the Hero now seated grunts and drops a bag of dice onto the table. This form of pacing continues as they set up taking only a few seconds. The camera then cuts to a clear sky and the camera pans down to see the Hero clad in armor in an open field. Suddenly Bandits appear from nowhere and attack the hero swinging a sword (cut) close up on dice being rolled (cut) the blow hits the hero full in the chest who groans and (cut) more dice are rolled (cut) he chuckles and shrugs it off, this happens again for an axe blow, crossbow bolt and finally a war hammer. then a final bandit approaches as the melee is becoming frantic with axes simply stopping in mid swing because the dice say the hit doesn't happen and the axe drops to the floor with a look of confusion from the bandit. The bandit approaches sneering and brandishing a fork. He the takes a mighty stab and the dice are rolled. Hit. the hero now rolls his dice. Fail. He bends double groaning and crippled, wailing for freedom, the bandit stabs him again and the hero dies dramatically while the other bandits look at their own weapons the back to the dead hero. They all drop them and raise forks into the air with a cheer. Camera pans skyward. End plate "some times its not in the dice..."
Characters;
- (Male lead) Working man most likely an office worker.
- (Female lead) Stay at home mum
- (Supporting infant 1) Innocent child, son of the aforementioned couple.
- (Supporting infant 2) Murdered daughter to the couple.
Narrative; (Orpeus & Achillies)
Male lead is depicted leading the idilic suburban 1930's existence working at car dealership. After completing his day at work he begins his walk home doing cliche´things such as buying flowers from an elderly street florist and whistling as he walks. Upon arriving home he is not met by his wife bearing a Martini and a sandwich and instead finds the house quiet, further he walks into the house calling out his wife's and daughter's names to find his daughter murdered by his wife in their child's room. Th mother stricken with grief at her own actions hangs herself in the same room. After seeing this the male lead breaks down and weeps and howls. Shortly after the son arrives home from school and makes his way upstairs to see his dad on his knees cradling the head of his now dead younger sister and seeing his mother hanging over head he screams for and explanation. The father then beckons his son to come to him, he then wraps his arms around him in an embrace pleading with him to stop crying, his grip tightens and still he pleads for him to stop and tighter the grip becomes. The sons calls of anguish finally stop and the father lets his son fall limply from his grip to fall in the pool of his sisters blood.
The father then stands, looking stunned on soulless he walks out of the house onto the front lawn dripping with blood and falls to his knees as two police officers approach him and another two enter the house at a run. The camera rises up over the house to show a sun set. Roll credits.
Initial Idea 2:
Characters;
- (Male lead) Young man probably final year university student living alone.
Narrative; (Circe)
Alarm clock rings 07:00, Male lead slams hand down onto the clock to turn it off and focus shifts to him. He gets up and walks into his bathroom in a daze and begins splashing water on his face and cleaning himself up, during wash he discovers a tattoo on his arm of a compass. Confused by this new discovery he walks into his living room to call his friend but before he can ask what happened the night before resulting in him having this tattoo he realizes the tattoo has shifted position to point a new north. He puts the phone down and sits on his couch to see that wherever he is standing the compass shifts to point to north. He then rumages around to find an actual compass to compare their points. Upon comparison he realises that they dont point in the same direction but behave in the same way.
He ignores the tattoo and tries to go on with his day, getting ready for university etc. Hops onto his push bike and rides around the city as a establishing scene showing the frantic world he lives in, the tall buildings obscuring most of the sky and life outside of the city from view.
We join him later mid lecture where he is staring at the tattoo watching it move as he moves his arm from side to side, to him the world sounds as if its underwater until his name is repeatedly called by the lecturer. This breaks him out of his daze to which he apologises and grabs his stuff running out of the theatre and jumping on his bike riding hard to his home. When he arrives home he valts the stairs of his uni halls and crashes into his room picking up clothes, boots, maps, running into the kitchen he raids the fridge for food and throws it all into a knapsack. Now laden with gear he locks his door and throws his keys at his friend walking by him telling him to "look after his shit." and continues to run past him. Out of the front door of the halls he valts the fence and hops on his bike and rides, checking his arm as he goes. "Ok so you've got me out here, where now?"
We then experience a montage as the Male lead rides around the country following his compass, his appearance becomes rougher as he goes from location to location until the camera holds on a close up of his face. "Ok what now?" he looks at the compass that is still pointing forward. The camera then pans around to show that the Male lead has reached the ocean. He's run out of road.
Sitting on the beach in early evening he begins to drink a beer next to a campfire looking out at the sunset. "you want me to go don't you," he says looking at his arm. Close up on his face looking out to sea then long shot of the sea itself. He stands, and walks to the sea, standing in the shallows he looks at the water lapping against his feet. "whats the worst that could happen?" Close up on him lifting his foot and taking a step forward. Roll credits.
Initial Idea 3:
Characters;
- (Male lead 1) Dungeon Master
- (Male lead 2) Hero
Narrative: (Achilles)
Story begins with our hero knocking on the door of the Dungeon master (movement are very melodic and to a beat) the DM opens the door and looks blackly at the Hero, his expression rapidly changes as the camera does a rapid zoom and he tilts his head to one side simply grunting. The hero smiles and grunts back. The DM beckons him inside and the two walk into the DM's dinning room (close up on their feet as they march) Still in the melodic pace the DM marches to a chair, pulls it out and sits, slamming a Box of Dungeons and Dragons onto the table along with a book and a tankard. Silence in the room as a can of monster is opened and poured into the tankard, the DM lifts it and sips gently, wipes his lips and smile. Slams the cup and the table and grunts again as the Hero now seated grunts and drops a bag of dice onto the table. This form of pacing continues as they set up taking only a few seconds. The camera then cuts to a clear sky and the camera pans down to see the Hero clad in armor in an open field. Suddenly Bandits appear from nowhere and attack the hero swinging a sword (cut) close up on dice being rolled (cut) the blow hits the hero full in the chest who groans and (cut) more dice are rolled (cut) he chuckles and shrugs it off, this happens again for an axe blow, crossbow bolt and finally a war hammer. then a final bandit approaches as the melee is becoming frantic with axes simply stopping in mid swing because the dice say the hit doesn't happen and the axe drops to the floor with a look of confusion from the bandit. The bandit approaches sneering and brandishing a fork. He the takes a mighty stab and the dice are rolled. Hit. the hero now rolls his dice. Fail. He bends double groaning and crippled, wailing for freedom, the bandit stabs him again and the hero dies dramatically while the other bandits look at their own weapons the back to the dead hero. They all drop them and raise forks into the air with a cheer. Camera pans skyward. End plate "some times its not in the dice..."
Tuesday, 23 September 2014
Monday, 22 September 2014
Sunday, 21 September 2014
Dialogue timings
Dialogue
timings
For
Falling
Down
Pay
the toll
Run time: 4:00 minutes
As this clip in not a
monologue, unlike the previous timings piece I won’t be presenting the dialogue
first and then incorporating it within a timing and framing analysis simply
because there’s a lot to go through and I don’t want to over- congest my
pieces.
I will also only be
making reference to the editing and cinematography for similar reasons, taking
note of each individual shot and timings will bloat out my work too much, that
will be saved for future analyses.
I will say that this
is yet again a fantastic film that well deserves your time and attention, this
was my second Michael Douglas film following Spartacus, another great film, and
Ive fallen in love with the actor the acting style of his era of cinema.
This scene begins with
37 seconds of establishing the scene through point of view cinematography and
clever camera work using the hole in his shoe as a framing technique to
establish where the scene is taking place.
“What you doin’ Mr?”
0:37-0:38
“Nothing.”
0:39-0:40
“Yes you are you’re trespassing
on private property”
0:41-0:44
“Trespassing?”
“Loiterin’
too man”
“That’s right you loiterin’
too”
0:44-0:47
“I didn’t
see any signs”
0:48-0:50
“what’ch you call that?”
“Graffiti.”
0:51-0:55
“No nah… that’s not fucking
Graffiti dat’s a sign.”
0:57-1:01
“He can’t
read it man”
“I’ll read it for you… it
says this is fucking private property.. no fucking trespassing… this means
fucking you…”
1:02-1:13
“It says
all that?”
“Yeah!”
“Well
maybe if you wrote it in fucking English I could fucking understand it.”
1:15-1:20
“Thinks
he’s bein’ funny.”
“I’m not laughin’.”
“I’m not
either”
“Woah
wait wait a minute wait a minute hold that hold on fellas’ will ya, we’re getting
off on the wrong foot here ok er.”
1:21-1:29
“This is
a gang land thing isn’t it?.. we’re having a er territorial dispute hmm?.. I
mean erm I’ve wondered on into your pissing ground or whatever the damn thing
is and you’ve taken offence to my presence and I can understand that. I mean I
wouldn’t want you people in my back yard either. This is your home and, and
your home is your home and I respect that. So if you would just, back up a step
or two I’ll take my problems elsewhere, ok? Fair enough?”
1:32-2:07
“What’a you think?”
“I think
he should pay a toll.”
“Good idea.”
“You
should pay a toll.”
2:07-2:12
“Listen
fellas’ I’ve had a really rare morning, but I’m not in the mood to..”
“What should he pay?”
“How
about that fuckin’ brief case man?”
“Good idea, give us your
briefcase man.”
2:14-2:27
“I’m not
giving you my goddamn briefcase.”
“Mother fucker give us your
mother fuckin’ briefcase!”
2:31-2:35
“Ok… Ok…
I, I was willing to mind my own business, I was willing to respect your territory
and treat you like a man but you couldn’t leave it alone could’ya. You couldn’t
let a man sit here for five minutes and take a rest on your precious piece of shit
hill. Ok, but my briefcase. I’ll get it for you alright you can have my
briefcase, here you want a brief case… here’s my briefcase!”
2:40-3:07
“Have
the briefcase huh!”
“Wait a
minute hey wait a minute man… Wait!”
“Goddamn!”
3:08-3:13
“Hey!..
Where you goin’ huh!? You forgot your briefcase!.. You forgot the briefcase!”
3:16-3:20
“I’m
going home! Clear a path you mother fucker! Clear a path! I’m goin’ home!”
3:27-3:35
“How’d
they do that?”
3:55-3:57
Key: Blue= Blue
shirted gang member
Red= Red shirted gang member
Green=
William Foster
In this scene there
are a few particular techniques that I like and will probably use. One is that
of the tracking cam rotating slowly around the scene involving William Foster sat
on the concrete block. This is not very technical but is reasonably challenging
on an indy budget and will be an interesting technique I would like to use in
my own film. A second technique is that of the point of view shot and framing
in the first few seconds of the scene, it’s a very simple technique and not
very spectacular but I like its usage. And thirdly the use of long running
shots, shots that are not quite continuous as there is some editing here and
there but the longer running shots are effective and interesting to watch.
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