CONSTRUCTION:FILMING AND EDITING THE READING SCENE

Today we filmed the scene where we show Aggie reading the book she has just gotten from the library. Amber filmed whilst I directed and Aggie acted. We wanted to experiment with the idea of time and make it seem as if a lot of time was passing but we only show this in a shot that last around 30 seconds. We did this by using a crane angle and a 360 degree shot. We placed Aggie on a chair and had her flick through the pages of the book as Amber circled around her filming her, from a high angle. The end result proved effective as it seemed as if hours had gone by and that the character was encompassed solely by the book.

Although after looking back over the footage on the computer we found the image looked grainy and out of focus, as the lighting was not strong enough. We felt that what we had filmed, did produce the desired effect but was not up to the quality we wanted and so we have decided to re film this section of footage, using artificial lighting.

So we decided to take an alternate approach and new style of filming where we took a series of pictures, and then played them back sped up, all together, creating a stop motion sequence, showing the time change by having Aggie yawn and put on a dressing gown as time progressed. This looked effective as it communicated to the audience the time change and how wrapped up Aggie is in the book. This is a YouTube video showing the final result:

CONSTRUCTION/ EDITING: FILMING AND EDITING THE LIBRARY SCENES

I have created a VISME to display the work we did filming and editing the library scenes.

CONSTRUCTION: FILMING THE BEDROOM SCENE 1ST ATTEMPT

Today we decided to start filming for our short film. We chose to start by filming the bedroom scenes as we had access to the location. We chose to try and incorporate as many camera angles and shot types as possible, as in these scenes we had the option to experiment a lot more. We started with a close up pan from left to right, showing off the range of makeup and finally having an over the shoulder shot showing Aggie's reflection in the mirror using a powder brush. This shot was effective, as it gives the audience the characters perspective and shows her desire.

The second scene we filmed we had a low angle shot looking up onto aggies face as well as her reflection in the mirror, of her putting on lipstick. Although when looking back at the footage of this we found that the shot looked quite dark in terms of lighting and so we were unsure whether or not to use it. Although the shot did look effective as it shows that the character is dressing up, hinting to the fact she is making an effort for this boy.

Lastly we filmed the scene in which we have an over the shoulder shot showing Aggie's phone start to ring, we then have an establishing shot, with a pan from left to right showing her walk over to her bed and then lie down whilst on the phone. We then have a crane shot showing Aggie looking at the post it notes she has collected as well as her library card. This shot was effective as it encompassed both the main character and what she was talking about making a direct link between the two.

PLANNING: THEORETICAL FRAMEWORKS ON NARRATIVE

I have decided to present my research as a YuDu, it is presented so that on one side of the book shows the different theorists ideas and theories, and opposite to this is how their theories apply to my own short film. I have also incorporated screen shots displaying images of my short film which illustrate the theories and ideas.

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Online Publishing from YUDU

My initial Research

VLADIMIR PROPPS 

 Vladimir Yakovlevich Propp was a Soviet folklorist and scholar who analysed the basic plot components of Russian folk tales to identify their simplest irreducible narrative elements.

Propp suggested that every narrative has eight different character types, such as:

The Villain - Fights the hero

The dispatcher –one who sends the hero out, and makes the villain’s evil known

The (magical) helper –the sidekick who accompanies and helps out the hero

The Princess or the prize – the reward for the hero, what he is trying to save or acquire, usually to the villains dismay.  

Her father – gives the task to the hero and identifies the false hero.

The donor – prepares the hero or gives the hero some magical object

The hero or victim/seeker hero – reacts to the donor, weds the princess.

False hero – takes credit for the hero’s actions, or try’s to marry the princess. 

 Where short films differ from full-length feature films, obviously in the length but also they have a twist so characters are not always who you think they are there roles may shift in the course or the narrative a hero might turn out to be a villain or vice versa. This is true in our film as the characters are not what they seem at first. 

There are likely to be a short range of characters in a short film like mine and so it’s unlikely to find the range of characters, as in Propps complex plots. My short film for example has four: the hero, the Villain, the princess/prize and the false hero. 

Propps theory  is useful to us, as we have clearly have distinguished character profiles. Although in our film we reverse the roles in the audiences eyes making the original hero into the Villain. At first the audience see "the player", appearing to leave love notes scattered around a library for 'the princess', attempting to lure her in, but this is soon exposed as false when the reveal of the real hero. This play on roles is effective in a short film as the audience do not have long enough to form a connection to a character. 

The main advantage of having very clear cut roles in a short film is that audiences need to grasp the character very quickly within the first minute but they characters cannot afford to be over simplistic because that might mean sacrificing the chance for enigma or the twist.

LEVI STRAUSS:

Drama is about conflict.

opposites can be equally powerfull-creates the tension 

the interest of the powerful forces that clash 

all naratives could be reduced down to binary opposites
hero vs villain

conflict propels all narrative 

conflict can only end with resolution 

This applies to us in our film as there is the conflict between who is the nice guy and who deserves the beautiful girl. Although we do not directly have the 'nice guy' and the 'player', have direct conflict with one another, but the clash is highlighted upon with the 'player' taking credit for the 'nice guys' notes, as well as him changing his personality on the date with the 'princess' and becoming rude.  

As we have to come to a conclusion of this conflict, the reveal of the true and worthy 'nice guy' is revealed, to both the audience and the girl herself.

ROLAND BARTHES

Has created five different code, but I have looked into two that have links and parallels that would work with my short film and short films in genural. 

 

 Hermeneutic code- CSI solving idea getting clues hasn't been explain fully needs solving resolving all links all loose ends need tying up mystery unraveled to make satisfied audience. What drives narrative our desire to see the mystery explained. 

Proairetic code- domino effect this leads on to this which causes this. Explains plots which are a series of linked events where an action leads to another action.  The audience is curious about the result of each event what is going to happen as a result of what just happened. 

 Our film has a proairetic code, as each scene effects what happens in the next. It does this in terms of character relationship, setting and how the audience feel about a certain idea or character.

TODOROV

Equilibrium status quo things as they are stable 

then something happens- dis equilibrium unbalance someone corrupts something else state of confusion.

have to deal with the problem- acknowledgment

resolve the problem -Resolution

 New equilibrium