CONSTRUCTION:FILMING THE FINAL SCENE

Today we filmed the final scene for our short film. We wanted an ending which had a happy outcome, and that shows good triumphing over evil, as these were the codes and conventions we had found when researching professional short films in our film genre.

To ensure continuity in our filming we watched all the footage we had shot and looked to see were we had left off in terms of costume set and camera angle. The last scene had been a shot of Aggie running out of the library. We started the filming with a establishing shot to show the corridor leading up to the library doors. We then had Aggie run around the corner and bump into Zack, (the nice guy); and making him drop his books upon which there was a sticky note with 'I see you got my sticky notes" written on it. We used an extreme close up to show the sticky note clearly, to suggest the idea that it was the nice guy leaving the notes all along.

We used a pan up to show the nice guy and Aggie both holding the book with the note on it, rising up together. We then end on a two person close up of the pair gazing into one another's eyes.

I used PicMonkey to create a collage of the photos taken from the film as well as action shots from the filming.

CONSTRUCTION: FILMING AN ADDITONAL BEGINING SCENE

After gaining feedback on our film, we were faced with the problem that it began very quickly, coming straight in with a monologue, We decided we needed an additional beginning scene whereby we ease the audience into the film and set the tone and genre. 

We wanted to show the protagonist in her own little world, daydreaming and showing her as a hopeless romantic. We did this by using a tracking shot as well as by having holding a collection of romance books. We used a mid shot/ reverse tracking shot to clearly display her. we then want to position her as unlucky in love and romance and so we chose to have a short confrontation with another boy, where the protagonist gets knocked and drops her books to the ground and delivers the line "why can't real guys be like the men in my stories".

We chose to have her say this as it positions her as a bookworm who prefers fantasy to reality. We used a two person wide shot to show this altercation and then an over the shoulder shot to display the books falling to the ground, we chose to do this as it gives the audience a clear view of the type of books she was reading, romance novels. Thus reinforcing the idea that she is a hopeless romantic. One of the book titles is "Love is Blind" this symbolises to the audience the idea that the protagonist dosent realise the player is a bad guy and that the other boy is the true loving romantic. 

The shot of the protagonist dropping her books is a match shot to the end scene where the nice guy accidentally bumps into her, this makes the connection between what she said about real guys being like the men in her stories. It shows that the nice guy could be the man of her dreams just like the men in her stories.

CONSTRUCTION: PLANNING THE COMPANY IDENT

Today we brainstormed for our company Ident using stop frame animation. We wanted something that acted as a pun. We wanted to create something artistic that could lend itself to a short animation sequence. We also had to think about what would work with our genre of film. I thought of the name "Built up Productions"- from this we thought about perhaps creating a city skyline, but thinking practically about creating this we felt it would not look as effective as we would have hoped.  So we decided to use Jenga bricks and build up a tower, once high enough we would then remove a selection of bricks until the tower tumbled down. This produced a comical meaning for our company Ident name and proved effective to watch. 

I have made a Bubbl, to display the thinking and planning process:

MY BUBBL

 

CONSTRUCTION:REFILMING THE DATE SCENE

We decided that to maintain a high quality and sleek look to our short film, we would once more re-film the date scene for our short film. We decided to set the scene in Ambers kitchen, setting it up to look as if it were a modern cocktail bar. We chose to write a rough script for the actors to follow so that the scene had direction and did not become silent or dull. This alternate location meant we were able to place the camera a lot closer to the actors, which meant there voices were picked up a lot better, by the camera and sounded clearer as well as there was no issue of background noise to interfere with the main dialogue. 

The previous footage lacked in skill full and eye catching camera angles and movements and so we wanted to include a range. Previously we had only used wide shots and over the shoulder shots, whereas this time we used shots such as two person mid shots, extreme close ups, focus pulls and reverse zooms.  The pull of focus proved effective as it communicates to the audience what is really important in the shot, it goes from putting the glasses in focus to placing the couple in focus. This is done to show the two engaged in conversation and clearly getting along well.

I made an ANIMOTO to display the film making process:

Snapchat Story. Filming the getting ready scene


EDITING:

Important aspects we wanted to focus on in the editing process of this scene included:
Sound- We used a sound bridge to connect a change in dialogue and visuals, to suggest a change of time, as if the date had progressed.

We used a cross dissolve, to make sure the footage didn't look choppy and that it flowed together smoothly, this feature also helped to suggest the movement of time, so that the audience know the date is longer than the footage they see.

To ensure our extreme close up was as tight as possible, whilst still being in focus and that it only showed two champagne glasses we cropped the shot using iMovie. 

CONSTRUCTION: NEW TECHNOLOGIES VINE

To document the filming process, we wanted to use a new media platform that we had easy access to. As we all have iPhones, we were able to download the application, Vine. Vine is a social media app which allows users to to film small 7 second videos, which they can then upload, so that all there followers can view it. The videos are clever as they allow you the option of filming one thing and then coming back to it and filming something else, it then plays all these clips back together as one. We chose to have Amber use this app to film Me filming, Aggie acting in the getting ready scene. Once put together it proved effective in showing a summary of the filmmaking process and gave a visual into how we filmed what we did. 

Here is the Vine:

CONSTRUCTION/EDITING: RE FILMING AND EDITING GETTING READY SCENE

To ensure continuity and high quality in our film work we chose to re film these two short scenes, as the feedback we had received after viewing it, was that it had not been of a high enough quality and that the footage lacked visual variation. Previously we had found that the footage was out of focus and there was a problem with consistent costume. So we ensured we had the correct costume and made use of our nearby location of Amber's room. We used camera angles we hadn't used before to make the scene more visually effective and interesting. 

We used a Pan to display the protagonist applying her makeup, this type of shot allows the viewer time to see the protagonist debating which makeup to apply, suggesting she cares about her appearance and loves the idea of beauty and attraction. We then used a crane shot to clearly display the protagonist on her phone playing with her library card and lying and lying next to her book. 

We used close ups to highlight important props and moments in the scene, such as the library card and the phone. We did this by using a zoom, going from the protagonist lying on her bed to her hand fiddling with the card, as she is discussing the boy she me at the library, making the connection between the two.

We wanted to find a way to not just show the protagonist the whole time, whilst she was on the phone and so we decided to use cut-away editing, to show both an extreme close up of the protagonists mouth mouthing "I'm so excited" as well as a shot from before of the protagonist and the guy together in the library. 

To conclude this scene we have a cut to a mid shot of the protagonist fully dressed in a smart red dress, flicking her hair over her shoulders, ready for her date.

Today Amber and the rest of us to assist and offer opinions started to edit the "getting ready scene".

We experimented with cut away editing, we placed a clip of Bryn flirting with Aggie onto of the scene where she is talking to a friend about her date. We did this in order to show a connection between the two, making it very clear to an audience that Aggie feels hopefully and passionately about this guy. 

I made an Emaze to document the filming and editing of the getting ready scene:

CONSTRUCTION: FEEDBACK THE DATE SCENE 2ND ATTEMPT

This short clip is the footage we had shot of the date scene, it clearly shows some of the major issues we had with, space sound and visual variation. 

These pictures illustrate us filming the scene and also demonstrate some of the practical issues we came across.

This photo shows, the issue of space and how large the table was.

This photo shows a close up of me filming the long shot, it shows how it was difficult to pick up good sound from such a distance.  

Some major issues we came across were:

•  By filming outside we had the issue of background noise, which distracted from the dialogue and made the mise en scene and ambiance unnatural and unpleasant.
• We found that the table we used looked big in the shot and the strong white colour made it stand out over the actors. 
• The dialogue seemed forced and dull to watch. 
• The scene lacked in visual variation, and became boring quickly. 

We tackled these issues by:

• Deciding to change locations, from outside to in, as well as modernising it by making a more casual cocktail bar setting. This allowed us to position the couple closer, as well as adding a more sophisticated and rich look to the footage.
• Using bar stools and a bar like table, meant the set looked sleeker and not clumsy and clunky. We also found that we wanted to interject colour into the scene, and so chose to make the scene look warmer and more visually vibrant; by adding in pink and yellow flowers and using bright and stronger lighting.
• We wrote a rough script for the actors to follow rather than improvisation. This gave the scene clear direction and somewhere to go, it also hinted at each characters intentions; revealing the 'players' alternate agenda. 
• We incorporated a range of alternate camera angles and movements, such as a reverse zoom, a pull of focus and a pan.