Here is my Evaluation on Prezi.
Thursday 24 March 2011
My finished film
Here it is my film finished and uploaded to Vimeo.
Confliction from Martin Campbell on Vimeo.
While it is finished there are a few things I wasn't to happy in how they turned out and given the chance would have liked to redo them but there are still a lot of parts of the film I am proud of given the resources I had.
Confliction from Martin Campbell on Vimeo.
While it is finished there are a few things I wasn't to happy in how they turned out and given the chance would have liked to redo them but there are still a lot of parts of the film I am proud of given the resources I had.
My Animatic
To get a rough idea of what my film may look like when put together I created an animatic of it. This not only works as a way of seeing how the scenes link together but can also give a good sense of timings and syncronicity with sound.
For my animatic I used a lot of pictures that where taken on set this meant I could quickly create a timeline to give me a rough idea of how the product would look when edited together correctly.
As it turns out my camera also becomes nearly useless the moment there isn't a ton of natural sunlight. So sorry in advance for the quality of some of the pictures.
Confliction animatic from Martin Campbell on Vimeo.
For my animatic I used a lot of pictures that where taken on set this meant I could quickly create a timeline to give me a rough idea of how the product would look when edited together correctly.
As it turns out my camera also becomes nearly useless the moment there isn't a ton of natural sunlight. So sorry in advance for the quality of some of the pictures.
Confliction animatic from Martin Campbell on Vimeo.
Monday 21 March 2011
Poster final version
Here is my completed poster with a few extra things added after some feedback such as a film release date and age certification :
Overall feedback on the poster and the picture has been very positive with people commenting on effective use of lighting and editing.
Overall feedback on the poster and the picture has been very positive with people commenting on effective use of lighting and editing.
The Magazine review
For my magazine review I tried to keep to a similar format to the ones used in the magazine Total Film. This is where I would aim to have the film reviewed if it was actually released. I came to this decision after a fair amount of research in to film magazines and if they would actually have a section that could review my film. Here is a link to the research from a previous post in my blog : Film Magazines
Here is my film review :
Here is my film review :
Sunday 20 March 2011
My film poster
I've just finished the first draft of my poster on Adobe Photoshop :
To begin the poster design I first needed to get a relevant picture. Since the film is centered entirely around the main character I thought a portrait shot of the actor would be most appropriate. Here was the original picture I took :
I am now looking for feedback on the poster and will hopefully be making some slight changes to it if necessery.
One of the main things I wanted to get across in the poster was the idea of a war with yourself that can be created from mental illness where you aren't sure what to believe. I have tried to achieve this by making half of the poster quite dark and sketched while having the other half very bright.
To begin the poster design I first needed to get a relevant picture. Since the film is centered entirely around the main character I thought a portrait shot of the actor would be most appropriate. Here was the original picture I took :
Here is the current film poster after editing :
I am now looking for feedback on the poster and will hopefully be making some slight changes to it if necessery.
One of the main things I wanted to get across in the poster was the idea of a war with yourself that can be created from mental illness where you aren't sure what to believe. I have tried to achieve this by making half of the poster quite dark and sketched while having the other half very bright.
Wednesday 16 March 2011
Actors
The actors can be one of the most important parts of a film. They allow the audience to form emotional connections and often place themselves in the characters shoes if they perform well. Actors are the main key to making a film believable and if they are not able to very accurately portray a scene then it can completely ruin realism and the audiences emotional connection to the character.
For my film I will be using two actors. Both of them have a past experience with drama from high school and sixth form and have performed in plays before. This will hopefully allow them to effectively set the scene and give the audience some depth to the characters.
Another thing that is key when getting an actor is having someone that would be believable as the character in the story. For example you would not want a 60 year old man playing the role of a high school student.
With this I have been lucky to an extent as my main character does resemble the actor to an extent and also the age range is perfect when it actually comes to who is likely to get the mental illness the character develops.
For my film I will be using two actors. Both of them have a past experience with drama from high school and sixth form and have performed in plays before. This will hopefully allow them to effectively set the scene and give the audience some depth to the characters.
Another thing that is key when getting an actor is having someone that would be believable as the character in the story. For example you would not want a 60 year old man playing the role of a high school student.
With this I have been lucky to an extent as my main character does resemble the actor to an extent and also the age range is perfect when it actually comes to who is likely to get the mental illness the character develops.
The plot
I recently done some filming tests with my camera to see what my story would look like and how I could do it. When doing these tests there where a lot of problems that kept coming up. The main one was lighting, the original story was mainly during night and my camera does not agree with filming in the dark. There where also issues with sound recording in an open area from a moderate distance and some props.
After these problems I had another look at the script and since then decided to change the story almost completely.
My current plot is now planned to be a horror that focuses on mental illness, or more specifically Psychosis.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychosis
I think this allows me to effectively create a atmosphere and it also allows a certain amount of character development that is not often seen in a short film.
After these problems I had another look at the script and since then decided to change the story almost completely.
My current plot is now planned to be a horror that focuses on mental illness, or more specifically Psychosis.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychosis
I think this allows me to effectively create a atmosphere and it also allows a certain amount of character development that is not often seen in a short film.
Thursday 17 February 2011
Film influences
While getting ideas for the story of my film I have looked at some other films to get inspiration and ideas.
One of these films was the Blair Witch Project : http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0185937/
Here is a basic synopsis of the film from the Internet Movie Database :
"Three film students travel to Maryland to make a student film about a local urban legend... The Blair Witch. The three went into the woods on a two day hike to find the Blair Witch, and never came back. One year later, the students film and video was found in the woods. The footage was compiled and made into a movie. The Blair Witch Project."
The Blair Witch Project was made with a ridiculously small budget and with minimal advertising. Despite this it turned out to be a huge success and is a great inspiration for ideas and creating an atmosphere when making a horror film.
Halloween was another great horror film I looked to for some ideas and inspiration : http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077651/
"The year is 1963, the night; Halloween. Police are called to 43 Lampkin Ln. only to discover that a 17 year Judith Myers had been stabbed to death, by her 6 year-old brother. After being institutionalized for 15 years, Myers breaks out just days before Halloween. No one knows nor would wish to find out what would happen on October 31st 1978, besides Myer's physciatrist Dr. Loomis. He knows Michael is coming back to Haddonfield, but by the time the town realizes it, it'll be to late for many people."
Like with the Blair Witch Project this film has a very tense atmosphere throughout. It also uses sound very effectively with very powerful, tense and frightening music at points in the film.
The Shining is another classic horror film I really enjoyed that involved some techniques I thought where effective : http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081505/
"A man, his son and wife become the winter caretakers of an isolated hotel where Danny, the son, sees disturbing visions of the hotel's past using a telepathic gift known as "The Shining". The father, Jack Torrance, is underway in a writing project when he slowly slips into insanity as a result of cabin fever and former guests of the hotel's ghosts. After being convinced by a waiter's ghost to "correct" the family, Jack goes completely insane. The only thing that can save Danny and his mother is "The Shining"."
This film shows a lot of nice film techniques and character development which can be effective in a horror film. It also has a few unique techniques with the sound and lighting and how they are used. One distinct thing I remember from the film and I assume most people do is that loud uncomfortable screeching sound in it that plays quite a lot. The film also has signifiers to heart beat sounds and other things through out. The film is able to portray the fathers slip in to insanity very well and gives a strong feeling of isolation.
Scream is another film that focuses on the horror genre but this time it acts as a parody often mocking a lot of its predecessors and making the film more of a comedy than a horror. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0117571/
"One year after the death of Sidney's mother, two students turn up gutted. When a serial killer appears, Sidney begins to suspect whether her mother's death and the two new deaths are related. No one is safe, as the killer begins to pick everyone off one by one. Everyone's a suspect in this case."
With my film I have been looking at making it in to a parody as it can be difficult to make a serious horror when you have a budget of basically £0. This means Scream will be a huge influence in how I approach it as this was one of the first and most successful horror parodies.
Scary Movie just like Scream acts as a parody of most horror films mocking a lot of the things that consistently appear in a horror film and breaking conventions to become a comedy. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0175142/
"A group of teenagers including Cindy Campbell and Bobby Prinze, accidentally hit a man when driving, and dispose of the body, but now they are being stalked by a very recognisable masked killer. The victim count increases, whilst Cindy must survive the carnage that she has seen in so many films before."
This will probably act as another huge influence to my story just like Scream as a parody can often be filmed with a smaller budget effectively and it allows you more freedom as you can challenge conventions regularly and are often encouraged to do so.
One of these films was the Blair Witch Project : http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0185937/
Here is a basic synopsis of the film from the Internet Movie Database :
"Three film students travel to Maryland to make a student film about a local urban legend... The Blair Witch. The three went into the woods on a two day hike to find the Blair Witch, and never came back. One year later, the students film and video was found in the woods. The footage was compiled and made into a movie. The Blair Witch Project."
The Blair Witch Project was made with a ridiculously small budget and with minimal advertising. Despite this it turned out to be a huge success and is a great inspiration for ideas and creating an atmosphere when making a horror film.
Halloween was another great horror film I looked to for some ideas and inspiration : http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077651/
"The year is 1963, the night; Halloween. Police are called to 43 Lampkin Ln. only to discover that a 17 year Judith Myers had been stabbed to death, by her 6 year-old brother. After being institutionalized for 15 years, Myers breaks out just days before Halloween. No one knows nor would wish to find out what would happen on October 31st 1978, besides Myer's physciatrist Dr. Loomis. He knows Michael is coming back to Haddonfield, but by the time the town realizes it, it'll be to late for many people."
Like with the Blair Witch Project this film has a very tense atmosphere throughout. It also uses sound very effectively with very powerful, tense and frightening music at points in the film.
The Shining is another classic horror film I really enjoyed that involved some techniques I thought where effective : http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081505/
"A man, his son and wife become the winter caretakers of an isolated hotel where Danny, the son, sees disturbing visions of the hotel's past using a telepathic gift known as "The Shining". The father, Jack Torrance, is underway in a writing project when he slowly slips into insanity as a result of cabin fever and former guests of the hotel's ghosts. After being convinced by a waiter's ghost to "correct" the family, Jack goes completely insane. The only thing that can save Danny and his mother is "The Shining"."
This film shows a lot of nice film techniques and character development which can be effective in a horror film. It also has a few unique techniques with the sound and lighting and how they are used. One distinct thing I remember from the film and I assume most people do is that loud uncomfortable screeching sound in it that plays quite a lot. The film also has signifiers to heart beat sounds and other things through out. The film is able to portray the fathers slip in to insanity very well and gives a strong feeling of isolation.
Scream is another film that focuses on the horror genre but this time it acts as a parody often mocking a lot of its predecessors and making the film more of a comedy than a horror. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0117571/
"One year after the death of Sidney's mother, two students turn up gutted. When a serial killer appears, Sidney begins to suspect whether her mother's death and the two new deaths are related. No one is safe, as the killer begins to pick everyone off one by one. Everyone's a suspect in this case."
With my film I have been looking at making it in to a parody as it can be difficult to make a serious horror when you have a budget of basically £0. This means Scream will be a huge influence in how I approach it as this was one of the first and most successful horror parodies.
Scary Movie just like Scream acts as a parody of most horror films mocking a lot of the things that consistently appear in a horror film and breaking conventions to become a comedy. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0175142/
"A group of teenagers including Cindy Campbell and Bobby Prinze, accidentally hit a man when driving, and dispose of the body, but now they are being stalked by a very recognisable masked killer. The victim count increases, whilst Cindy must survive the carnage that she has seen in so many films before."
This will probably act as another huge influence to my story just like Scream as a parody can often be filmed with a smaller budget effectively and it allows you more freedom as you can challenge conventions regularly and are often encouraged to do so.
Thursday 3 February 2011
Even more advertising
Advertising plays a huge part in the medias success and is probably the largest source of income for some parts of the industry. On the internet particularly advertising provides the majority of revenue to a lot of websites. Video streaming sites such as Youtube and Blip.tv and live streaming sites like Ustream and Justin.tv are hugely dependent on advertisements to get enough money to keep running. This advertising can come in a few different forms. On video sites the most common will be picture adverts with links often there due to google ads. More recently there have also been a lot of adverts during the videos like at the start of a Youtube video there will quite often be a advert for something relevant to the video. This is becoming very similar to television where advertising in between programs is a huge source of income.
When looking at ways to advertise my short film with its posters it is important to consider all these different techniques that people use to raise awareness about there products. I think an effective way to advertise a short film with posters could be the internet where you can create your own web pages dedicated to the film or furthermore you could pay to get a picture placed in the side bar or somewhere on the page of a website that attracts an audience that would be interested in a short film.
Alternatively there are far more traditional ways of advertising the film that need to be considered such as a page in a newspaper. With this you would need to look at the audiences for each paper and which audience would be more interested in the genre of film. A good example of this would be comparing something like The Sun to The Guardian. They each attract very different readers who will most likely have different opinions on a lot of films.
Another more traditional way to get a product advertised is the radio. This was actually one of the options for the extra task in my project brief. Radio advertising can be very effective to appeal to a large demographic of people while also not being as expensive as television advertising. Like with all advertising there is a lot to consider with radio advertising such as which station? What is that stations target audience? What time would you want to advertise? On radio the morning is probably the peak prime time slot as that is when the majority of people will be listening to the radio on there way to work hence advertising at this time would probably be far more expensive.
All images where obtained from google image searches
When looking at ways to advertise my short film with its posters it is important to consider all these different techniques that people use to raise awareness about there products. I think an effective way to advertise a short film with posters could be the internet where you can create your own web pages dedicated to the film or furthermore you could pay to get a picture placed in the side bar or somewhere on the page of a website that attracts an audience that would be interested in a short film.
Alternatively there are far more traditional ways of advertising the film that need to be considered such as a page in a newspaper. With this you would need to look at the audiences for each paper and which audience would be more interested in the genre of film. A good example of this would be comparing something like The Sun to The Guardian. They each attract very different readers who will most likely have different opinions on a lot of films.
Another more traditional way to get a product advertised is the radio. This was actually one of the options for the extra task in my project brief. Radio advertising can be very effective to appeal to a large demographic of people while also not being as expensive as television advertising. Like with all advertising there is a lot to consider with radio advertising such as which station? What is that stations target audience? What time would you want to advertise? On radio the morning is probably the peak prime time slot as that is when the majority of people will be listening to the radio on there way to work hence advertising at this time would probably be far more expensive.
A lot of advertising is also partially subliminal such as with buses that have adverts on there sides or even a far more subliminal one would be carrier bags which have a huge brand logo on them advertising the shop you have been to. phone booths as well when they where prominent would also carry posters on there sides advertising local products. Bus shelters will usually have a advert for something that would appeal to a very large audience such as a consumable product or a film.
These are all things to consider when it comes to how I can effectively use the advertisements I have created to appeal to the largest portion of my target audience possible for minimal costs. Another important thing to consider with advertising is funding. ukfilmcouncil.org.uk is known to give out extra support and funding to help independent films with advertising and promotion.
All images where obtained from google image searches
Epic!
A few months back our media group was lucky enough to go to Epic studios in Norwich.
http://www.epic-tv.com/ We spent the day there learning a lot about the actual media industry from prominent figures that are a part of it. The day started with a interactive news broadcast in which people from the colleges and audience where able to come and take part in some of the different aspects of a live news production. Watching this I learnt a lot about how difficult media productions can be and how even things that seem simple like auto-cue can be very challenging to get right with disastrous results when done wrong such as if the words come up to fast a presenter may miss them but if its to slow then the speech will not feel natural at all and will have no flow.
After the live news attempt we watched a lot of different presentations and speeches which covered a huge variety of the media such as journalism, radio, music videos and film. The things I paid particular attention to where the ones which more specifically related to the project I was planning to do. These where the film and advertising sections. I also found the internet and website development parts to be relevant to some degree as they can also relate strongly to advertising. During the day I learnt a lot about the media industry and got some inspiration for possibly working in the industry in the future. I also left with a good amount more knowledge about how to approach and plan my project as well as how to present and advertise it when it is finished.
http://www.epic-tv.com/ We spent the day there learning a lot about the actual media industry from prominent figures that are a part of it. The day started with a interactive news broadcast in which people from the colleges and audience where able to come and take part in some of the different aspects of a live news production. Watching this I learnt a lot about how difficult media productions can be and how even things that seem simple like auto-cue can be very challenging to get right with disastrous results when done wrong such as if the words come up to fast a presenter may miss them but if its to slow then the speech will not feel natural at all and will have no flow.
After the live news attempt we watched a lot of different presentations and speeches which covered a huge variety of the media such as journalism, radio, music videos and film. The things I paid particular attention to where the ones which more specifically related to the project I was planning to do. These where the film and advertising sections. I also found the internet and website development parts to be relevant to some degree as they can also relate strongly to advertising. During the day I learnt a lot about the media industry and got some inspiration for possibly working in the industry in the future. I also left with a good amount more knowledge about how to approach and plan my project as well as how to present and advertise it when it is finished.
More Advertising
To try and make my poster and review as appealing as possible I have been doing some research in to current adverts that stand out and are creative. Toxel.com was a very effective resource for some of this research. In the billboard section particularly there are a huge variety of different advertisement techniques which I think could be used well in posters as well as the billboards.
This PSP advertising concept shows a lot of creativity while also getting its message across quite effectively. An advertisement like this would stand out and get the attention of people that see it quite easily. The main way it does this is by trying to break down what is real and what is not. This concept is able to very accurately portray the real surroundings of an area then add something that should not be there to make a audience think about it when they see it.
This billboard concept can also signify that games on the PSP are incredibly realistic and almost jump out of the screen at you which with the current interest in 3D and more realistic engaging games is a very effective way to get an audiences attention.
This was another very creative advertisement that I liked. It is a billboard advertisement for toothpaste with an unreal exaggeration of its effects. It shows very creative use of some advertising techniques which can stand out to an audience by being very unique and clever. A billboard like this will also be remembered quite well which is hugely important in advertising.
These are just a few examples of the advertisements I have been looking at to try and get some inspiration and creative ideas for my poster and possibly for the magazine review. http://www.toxel.com/ has been a very effective website for showing me some unique and creative ways in which advertisers are able to communicate with a target audience and I plan to continue using some of the images there as a reference point while i design the adverts for my short film.
These are just a few examples of the advertisements I have been looking at to try and get some inspiration and creative ideas for my poster and possibly for the magazine review. http://www.toxel.com/ has been a very effective website for showing me some unique and creative ways in which advertisers are able to communicate with a target audience and I plan to continue using some of the images there as a reference point while i design the adverts for my short film.
Tuesday 18 January 2011
Characters
Characters are a important part of any film. They allow the audience to connect to them and form emotions while also helping the audience imagine the surroundings in more detail almost taking on the role of the character. For the audience to form this emotional bond with a character how ever the character does need to conform to some specific aspects. Here are some of the things I think are important in character development to involve the audience :
Character must relate to a large demographic of people - Usually a very normal every day person.
The character must be likable - For the audience to have a emotional connection they have to like the character.
Often the character will have some personal issues - Mentally unstable and conflicted. This allows the audience to feel some sympathy and also lets them feel like they know the character. Having this personal confliction can also help the audience relate to the character as everyone has some conflict in there lives.
Stereotypes are another important thing to consider when developing a character. A stereotype will often be a very simplified standardized conception of a specific social group. For my short film I will have to consider if I want any of my characters to conform to a particular stereotype and if it would enhance or change the story in any way to do so.
These are just a couple of the important parts in character development for a film. In a short film I am not sure that I will have the time to delve deeply in to the characters and there confliction's or complete personalities. I can how ever aim to make the character appealing and likable to the target audiences while hopefully giving a slightly more in depth view to there personality.
Character must relate to a large demographic of people - Usually a very normal every day person.
The character must be likable - For the audience to have a emotional connection they have to like the character.
Often the character will have some personal issues - Mentally unstable and conflicted. This allows the audience to feel some sympathy and also lets them feel like they know the character. Having this personal confliction can also help the audience relate to the character as everyone has some conflict in there lives.
Stereotypes are another important thing to consider when developing a character. A stereotype will often be a very simplified standardized conception of a specific social group. For my short film I will have to consider if I want any of my characters to conform to a particular stereotype and if it would enhance or change the story in any way to do so.
These are just a couple of the important parts in character development for a film. In a short film I am not sure that I will have the time to delve deeply in to the characters and there confliction's or complete personalities. I can how ever aim to make the character appealing and likable to the target audiences while hopefully giving a slightly more in depth view to there personality.
General Representation
Representation is the way in which something is presented or portrayed to the audience.
"Representations are discourses of imagined and rendered connections that may influence opinion or action, or effect change".
Cultures are often one of the things that can be represented in many different ways in films. One film may for example show a specific group of people as stupid, hateful, vandals. Another film how ever could show that same sort of group of people as hero's.
Representation also plays a huge part in everyones lives in how we perceive the world. Many countries we may never have been to are shown in the media through things like films and we can be lead to believe we understand that country and its culture based purely on what we have seen and how it has been represented. This can be a good and a bad thing as it allows us more of an insight in to the world but it will generally also have a lot of biased views and wrong portrayals based on things such as the views of the writers or directors of that form of media.
In film representation plays a huge part in connecting with an audience and making a story seem believable or inoffensive. Depending on things such as characters and mise-en-scene the audience can often generate opinions on a matter based purely on how something is portrayed. A good example of this would be how gender is represented in a lot of films. Men will often be perceived as a hero who will often have to save a woman who is represented as helpless and needy. Representation often also reflects the general cultures and beliefs of the people from the times the film was made. As well as some times trying to manipulate the ideas and views of an audience to coincide with those of the director. Examples of this would be in a lot of films that are set in poorer countries the director will usually have an opinion on the cultures he is trying to portray. This will generally influence the way this culture is represented.
Representation is not just limited to films how ever. in current popular culture many different media outlets such as television, radio, advertising, poetry, books and websites are prone to presenting things in a specific and sometimes close-minded way.
"Representations are discourses of imagined and rendered connections that may influence opinion or action, or effect change".
Cultures are often one of the things that can be represented in many different ways in films. One film may for example show a specific group of people as stupid, hateful, vandals. Another film how ever could show that same sort of group of people as hero's.
Representation also plays a huge part in everyones lives in how we perceive the world. Many countries we may never have been to are shown in the media through things like films and we can be lead to believe we understand that country and its culture based purely on what we have seen and how it has been represented. This can be a good and a bad thing as it allows us more of an insight in to the world but it will generally also have a lot of biased views and wrong portrayals based on things such as the views of the writers or directors of that form of media.
In film representation plays a huge part in connecting with an audience and making a story seem believable or inoffensive. Depending on things such as characters and mise-en-scene the audience can often generate opinions on a matter based purely on how something is portrayed. A good example of this would be how gender is represented in a lot of films. Men will often be perceived as a hero who will often have to save a woman who is represented as helpless and needy. Representation often also reflects the general cultures and beliefs of the people from the times the film was made. As well as some times trying to manipulate the ideas and views of an audience to coincide with those of the director. Examples of this would be in a lot of films that are set in poorer countries the director will usually have an opinion on the cultures he is trying to portray. This will generally influence the way this culture is represented.
Representation is not just limited to films how ever. in current popular culture many different media outlets such as television, radio, advertising, poetry, books and websites are prone to presenting things in a specific and sometimes close-minded way.
Tuesday 11 January 2011
Narrative
The narrative in a film is usually the story being told. While it will be different for every film a lot of films follow the same rough guidelines of the classic narrative system :
Beginning - Middle - End
Equilibrium - Disequilibrium - Equilibrium (resolution)
If you look more in depth at specific genres and there narratives you can notice huge similarities in a lot of films as well. An example of this would be the generic Hollywood blockbuster action film. These generally follow a narrative of :
Introduction to characters / locations - disequilibrium when something bad happens - Things get positive usually around the middle of the film - chaos which is worse than the original disequilibrium - Happy ending where everything is resolved and there is a restoration of moral order.
This seems to be the general plot line of the majority of blockbusters that I have seen. A briefer description of this would be something like :
Introduction - Disequilibrium - Resolution - Disaster - Equilibrium.
For my short film I personally think it will not be long enough to have a general narrative plan of numerous stages. I do how ever see that I will need to think quite hard about the different steps in my films plot as it develops before I can begin to film it.
Beginning - Middle - End
Equilibrium - Disequilibrium - Equilibrium (resolution)
If you look more in depth at specific genres and there narratives you can notice huge similarities in a lot of films as well. An example of this would be the generic Hollywood blockbuster action film. These generally follow a narrative of :
Introduction to characters / locations - disequilibrium when something bad happens - Things get positive usually around the middle of the film - chaos which is worse than the original disequilibrium - Happy ending where everything is resolved and there is a restoration of moral order.
This seems to be the general plot line of the majority of blockbusters that I have seen. A briefer description of this would be something like :
Introduction - Disequilibrium - Resolution - Disaster - Equilibrium.
For my short film I personally think it will not be long enough to have a general narrative plan of numerous stages. I do how ever see that I will need to think quite hard about the different steps in my films plot as it develops before I can begin to film it.
Sound
Sound is a huge part of any modern film. Things like background music , dialogue, effects and sometimes narration are hugely important when it comes to forming a connection with an audience or enhancing a scenes general feel. During an action sequence for example you could play a fast paced exciting bit of music to make the whole scene feel more dynamic and intense.
A very useful website I found which covers a ton of information on sound in films is http://filmsound.org/
Sound can be placed in to different categories in film depending on where it comes from such as background sound compared to sound which is added in editing.
Non-diegetic sound
Sound whose source is neither visible on the screen nor has been implied to be present in the action:
Another term for non-diegetic sound is commentary sound.
Diegetic sound
Sound whose source is visible on the screen or whose source is implied to be present by the action of the film:
Another term for diegetic sound is actual sound.
These brief descriptions are from http://www.filmsound.org/
Dialogue
Dialogue is very important when trying to tell a story. Pretty much every film with an actual story will feature dialogue of some kind. Dialogue is usually defined as written or spoken communication between two or more people. This is something I think my film will have to use to effectively make the story straightforward to follow.
Sound Effects
Sound effects are usually classified as additional effects usually added in editing to often enhance a specific scene or make it more realistic. An example of this would be adding a gun shot effect in editing each time someone fires a gun in a scene.
Wikipedia has a nice description of sound effects related to film and television :
Sound effects or audio effects are artificially created or enhanced sounds, or sound processes used to emphasize artistic or other content of films, television shows, live performance, animation, video games, music, or other media. In motion picture and television production, a sound effect is a sound recorded and presented to make a specific storytelling or creative point without the use of dialogue or music. The term often refers to a process applied to a recording, without necessarily referring to the recording itself. In professional motion picture and television production, dialogue, music, and sound effects recordings are treated as separate elements. Dialogue and music recordings are never referred to as sound effects, even though the processes applied to them, such as reverberation or flanging effects, often are called "sound effects".
I think sound effects will be crucial in my film such as even adding things like wind noises can change the audiences connection to the scene and add realism.
Narration
Narration in film is when you have someone talking over the story often giving a description of a characters thoughts or what is happening. Narration can often offer a unique insight in to how a character is thinking or it could also give you hints to what is going to happen a bit further on in the film. The narrator will often be a main character in the film how ever this can change sometimes to be an unknown voice. The narrator will often guide the audience through a story especially if the plot is quite complex.
In my film I doubt I will be using narration as I feel it would not fit with the general theme of my ideas and it would seem forced rather than being an aid to the story or character development.
Music
Music is an incredibly important addition to most films. The effects it can have on a scene are huge. It can control emotions and enhance them immensely. It can also act as a signifier to things that may have already happened in a film or things that will happen later on. IT can add a lot more drama to a scene particularly in action films. Music can also help the audience connect to a character or develop a character more. Music can also be used as diegetic sound to give a sense of realism in a film as the film characters can respond to something that we know to be real.
Music is something I would like to use a fair bit of in my film to try and enhance some specific scenes and effect audience emotions.
I think sound will play a huge part in my production and It will require very careful choices as the wrong bit of music in a scene can completely ruin the scene just like a bad sound effect can make something that should be serious become humorous.
A very useful website I found which covers a ton of information on sound in films is http://filmsound.org/
Sound can be placed in to different categories in film depending on where it comes from such as background sound compared to sound which is added in editing.
Non-diegetic sound
Sound whose source is neither visible on the screen nor has been implied to be present in the action:
- narrator's commentary
- sound effects which is added for the dramatic effect
- mood music
Another term for non-diegetic sound is commentary sound.
Diegetic sound
Sound whose source is visible on the screen or whose source is implied to be present by the action of the film:
- voices of characters
- sounds made by objects in the story
- music represented as coming from instruments in the story space ( = source music)
Another term for diegetic sound is actual sound.
These brief descriptions are from http://www.filmsound.org/
Dialogue
Dialogue is very important when trying to tell a story. Pretty much every film with an actual story will feature dialogue of some kind. Dialogue is usually defined as written or spoken communication between two or more people. This is something I think my film will have to use to effectively make the story straightforward to follow.
Sound Effects
Sound effects are usually classified as additional effects usually added in editing to often enhance a specific scene or make it more realistic. An example of this would be adding a gun shot effect in editing each time someone fires a gun in a scene.
Wikipedia has a nice description of sound effects related to film and television :
Sound effects or audio effects are artificially created or enhanced sounds, or sound processes used to emphasize artistic or other content of films, television shows, live performance, animation, video games, music, or other media. In motion picture and television production, a sound effect is a sound recorded and presented to make a specific storytelling or creative point without the use of dialogue or music. The term often refers to a process applied to a recording, without necessarily referring to the recording itself. In professional motion picture and television production, dialogue, music, and sound effects recordings are treated as separate elements. Dialogue and music recordings are never referred to as sound effects, even though the processes applied to them, such as reverberation or flanging effects, often are called "sound effects".
I think sound effects will be crucial in my film such as even adding things like wind noises can change the audiences connection to the scene and add realism.
Narration
Narration in film is when you have someone talking over the story often giving a description of a characters thoughts or what is happening. Narration can often offer a unique insight in to how a character is thinking or it could also give you hints to what is going to happen a bit further on in the film. The narrator will often be a main character in the film how ever this can change sometimes to be an unknown voice. The narrator will often guide the audience through a story especially if the plot is quite complex.
In my film I doubt I will be using narration as I feel it would not fit with the general theme of my ideas and it would seem forced rather than being an aid to the story or character development.
Music
Music is an incredibly important addition to most films. The effects it can have on a scene are huge. It can control emotions and enhance them immensely. It can also act as a signifier to things that may have already happened in a film or things that will happen later on. IT can add a lot more drama to a scene particularly in action films. Music can also help the audience connect to a character or develop a character more. Music can also be used as diegetic sound to give a sense of realism in a film as the film characters can respond to something that we know to be real.
Music is something I would like to use a fair bit of in my film to try and enhance some specific scenes and effect audience emotions.
I think sound will play a huge part in my production and It will require very careful choices as the wrong bit of music in a scene can completely ruin the scene just like a bad sound effect can make something that should be serious become humorous.
Thursday 6 January 2011
Camera Techniques
The camera techniques are probably the most important part of a film. This includes things like camera angles , shots, movement, and the view. To create a good film you need to learn about camera angles and there effects on audiences as well as different types of camera movements and what shots to use to include specific parts of mise-en-scene you want to be shown.
Here is a brief description of some shots and there effects from Wikipedia :
Here is a brief description of some shots and there effects from Wikipedia :
The use of different shot sizes can influence the meaning which an audience will interpret.
The size of the subject in frame depends on two things: the distance the camera is away from the subject and the focal length of the camera lens.
Common shot sizes:
- Extreme close-up: Focuses on a single facial feature, such as lips and eyes.
- Close-up: May be used to show tension.
- Medium shot: Often used, but considered bad practice by many directors, as it often denies setting establishment and is generally less effective than the Close-up.
- Establishing shot: Mainly used at a new location to give the audience a sense of locality.
Choice of shot size is also directly related to the size of the final display screen the audience will see. A Long shot has much more dramatic power on a large theater screen, whereas the same shot would be powerless on a small TV or computer screen.
Wikipedia also has a long list of dozens of different camera shots that can be used with hyperlinks to more in depth explanations of each shot : Wikipedia camera shots
Lighting
Lighting plays a very important role in any visual product from photos to films. There are a lot of different atmospheres that can be created with lighting often to reflect a specific genre or scene. Here is a post from my blog last year which shows the atmosphere and effects lighting often creates in the film noir genre: http://mcampbellmedia.blogspot.com/2010/01/experimenting-with-lighting.html. For my film I will have to consider lighting and the effects it could have on my story and its atmosphere.
This picture shows how lighting can drastically effect the atmosphere of this bar. The natural light coming in from the windows reflects around the room making it seem very vibrant and alive despite the room seemingly being empty.
This picture has a unnatural light shining on half of the mans face. This creates a atmosphere of mystery and a sense of danger. This is a common theme in film noir and mystery films.
This image shows how lighting can create silhouettes to give a sense of mystery and suspense. This is a very effective lighting technique to use in appropriate situations. It is created by having a very bright light behind the silhouette. If it is appropriate to do so i would like to use this effect in my film.
Lighting is something I will have to consider in depth when filming my final product as if it is ignored or used wrong it can drastically change the atmosphere of the film and ruin the emotional connections to the audience.
Images from Google image searches
This picture shows how lighting can drastically effect the atmosphere of this bar. The natural light coming in from the windows reflects around the room making it seem very vibrant and alive despite the room seemingly being empty.
This shows how lighting can even contradict the locations natural atmosphere by making what could be seen as a isolated forrest look lively and safe. This effect can sometimes be used in films to trick viewers in to believing some where is a safe spot when it will often turn out to be dangerous.
This image also shows the power the lights reflections can have creating a vibrant atmosphere in the picture.
This image shows how lighting can create silhouettes to give a sense of mystery and suspense. This is a very effective lighting technique to use in appropriate situations. It is created by having a very bright light behind the silhouette. If it is appropriate to do so i would like to use this effect in my film.
Lighting is something I will have to consider in depth when filming my final product as if it is ignored or used wrong it can drastically change the atmosphere of the film and ruin the emotional connections to the audience.
Images from Google image searches
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