09-27-11 Reflection: Criterion A (start)

            The lesson yesterday focused around our Criterion A assessment and scripts/stories for our Criterion B films. After clarifying the specifics of the criteria and what is expected, we got to work on Contour and I started to create my presentation that would be submitted for my Criterion A grade. The entire process of creating the pitch will be a great foundational skill for any future career touching on business and finance. A pitch is a presentation used by a writer to convince rich people to fund the creation of the product, and by learning how to create a good pitch, I will be able to convince future clients to sponsor my products!

The only major problems I had were technical issues. To start it off, a fellow classmate had written his story up using the Mac I usually use, and so had to spend some time trying to export and transfer files, but ended up simply taking screenshots of the work and transferring the images through a thumb drive. This experience taught me about problem solving, and how sometimes a simple answer is the best for certain situations, especially where time is concerned. In the future, I plan to think problems through logically: what do I need to do with the work? What is the simplest solution that allows me to do that? How much time do I have to do this and how might this affect my decisions etc.

I enjoyed the freedom of the lesson today, allowed to use the time however we liked to progress our Criterion A work. I was able to organize a PowerPoint with the appropriate headings and started writing up Log Line and Pitch using the work I did on Contour as a reference. Had I the resources, I would have started my Mood Board, using cutouts from magazines and the internet to evoke emotions in the audience that would fit the short film I wrote. I can either create my Mood Board at home, or bring resources to class. I will definitely take advantage of class time if Ms. Rosati informs us beforehand! I was an active learner today, learning from experience and mistakes, and actively doing work for my Criterion A grade. 

09-21-11 Reflection: Scripting part 2

            Last class was Part 2 of the scripting lesson. After reviewing the 3-Act Form which easily answers the major questions: Who (Set Up), What (Conflict), When (Set Up), Where (Set Up), Why (Resolution) and How (Plot Points), and briefly understanding how this form can be graphed into an arc (and that every character has their own arc of change), the concepts of the Log Ling and Synopsis were introduced. A log line is simply one or two sentences that sum up the script to quickly and efficiently get the story across to movie producers and curious audience. The log line should capture the audience’s imagination, capture the entire story but not necessarily give the ending and make people want to go view the production. The short explanation should instantly introduce the characters and their problems, and even demonstrate the irony of the story. A synopsis is longer than a log line, but no longer than one page of writing. This condensed statement or outline tells the entire story of the script, focusing on the major plot points and ancillary plot points, written in present tense. From the teacher’s presentation, I learnt information that will be useful to me when I write up my Criterion A assessment, and also in the future if I need to submit ideas to producers, customers or sponsors. Learning the difference between a log line, two short sentences that capture the entire story, and a synopsis, a page-length excerpt of the script to explain the story, will definitely help with future work, both in Film class at school, and in the real business world.

             We moved onto continuing what we had started last class with the second half of the students presenting their stories. The majority of the presentations had a lot to improve on, be it developing the story more in general, presenting the key points more concisely, or simply coming up with a plot that fits the film noir tradition. The ones that did stand out however were Ethelia’s story of The Booth, Alexandra’s Deception and Stephen’s Drug Ring. Ethelia’s story was well developed with a mysterious plot and was presented efficiently. The only thing to be worked on here was the presenter’s confidence! Alexandra and Stephen were both good in that their explanations were short and concise, with a setup of just the right length and nice twists in the plot. After listening to the rest of the class’ plots, I learnt more about what was good and what was bad when it came to stories and speeches (last class, I was too nervous to really pay much attention when others were talking). Hopefully, the next time I have to present my ideas, I will be concise, to the point and be able to communicate the plot clearly.

            Finally, we took a brief look at the screenplay and story writing program Contour. We briefly discussed each part in the timeline that would effectively organize our stories to use in our Criterion A assessment. Questions set the scene, explaining who the main characters are, their goals, obstacles and consequences. Archetypes lay out the main character’s development and growth throughout the story, from an orphan in Act 1, to a wanderer then warrior in Act 2, and finally a martyr in Act 3. This program will definitely be useful for writing the structure of my story and using it in my assessment, as it tells me what to write about through a question-answer format. In addition to helping with writing skills, my presentation and verbal skills will be improved, as I will be able to get the idea across clearly simply by thinking of this structure in my head and going through each stage accordingly.

            Today I was more of a passive student and quiet audience. Even though I did not voice my ideas however, I was still able to learn a lot through the feedback given to my classmates. Listening to feedback for others however can only bring you so much knowledge, and next class I hope to voice my own opinions to get personal feedback that I can learn from as an individual.

09-19-11 Reflection: Scripting, Structuring, Storytelling

            The lesson began with a small review of the previous class, attendance and checking of homework assignments. We reviewed the characteristics of a Film Noir, discussing image, type of characters, signs and symbols, Mise En Scene and the theme/genre of the movie/story. After the brief review which I found easy due to the notes I took from the previous lesson, we practiced a new skill that is necessary in the real world: public speaking and the ability to clearly express and communicate well formed ideas. I was one of the students who were to present a story idea that we generated a previous homework assignment. I found the task of presenting the idea nerve-wracking and difficult for two reasons:

The first was that for homework, I wrote up the foundations of a mystery story or murder case: Means, Motive and Opportunity, and then creating small foundations for possible stories, instead of developing one thoroughly thought-out script. Being called to present the story, I was left to improvise the plot of my story using the characters I had created in my foundations (The foundations, story and feedback from the teacher can be read in the entry below). The second reason is that I have a small case of stage-fright, public speaking and performing. Acting is a different story, as I am able to perform on stage under the guise of a fictional character, however presenting ideas, performing ideas or simply giving an announcement in front of a large group of people makes my heart pound and me nervous.

The task was made easier however, as Ms. Rosati helped me fill in the blanks and give comments, giving me the respite to relax and think ahead. The time restraint on the lesson was also a positive factor, as it meant I did not have to keep talking for that long. This exercise will definitely be useful to me in the future, when I have to present ideas and talk in front of people, be it in a small conference, a formal speech, a music festival, or presenting ideas to the director of a movie production. I hope there will be more of these sorts of activities in the future to help me gain confidence in my public speaking skills. Out of class, I’m a part of the CISMUN committee, an activity that requires good public speaking skills and will train me as the year progresses. In class, I can simply answer more questions and voice my opinions more often to get used to attention that comes with an attentive audience.

The second half of the lesson was another informative session. I learnt about script writing, more specifically the 3-act-form of script writing. By following the chronological order of beginning, middle and end, it is easy to write and follow the story from top to bottom. Act 1 (the beginning) is the set up for the rest of the story, introducing characters, their problems and laying the foundations for the plot to build on. Act 2 (the middle) is the conflict of the story and depicts the obstacles the characters go through, thereby answering the question what. It is generally in this section of the story that the main character is sent into “warrior mode”, allowing them to combat problems and transition the story into act 3. Act 3 (the end and resolution) is the point at which the character gets what he/she wants, the consequences are spelled out, everything becomes clear and so answering the question why. Introductions of characters always include three major points: their traits, needs and faults. Their traits tell the audience what kind of character he/she is. Their needs are the problems they are trying to solve and the plot of the story. Their faults are what they lack and the reason why they cannot solve the problems.

To better understand this concept, we completed a small storytelling exercise. 5 volunteers told the story of The 3 Little Pigs and Little Red Riding Hood, where each person gets one section: the Set Up, Plot Point 1 (the event that leads into Act 2), the Conflict, Plot Point 2 (the event that transitions into Act 3), and the Resolution. I felt that this exercise was relatively straightforward, and was surprised to see my classmates struggling with it. The major concept that I’m struggling with is probably the foundation of everything: what are the problems of the characters, or which event causes it to become a problem? After clarifying this point however, the overall structure comes clearly, revolving around the midpoint which is the plot/problem. I feel that the practice voicing my opinion of what is the major problem and then listening to the feedback (or “correct” answer) will definitely make things clearer. As I presented my story idea this lesson, I decided not to participate in this exercise and give my classmates a chance to learn first-hand. Next class, I will definitely volunteer to play a part in this story telling progression if the chance arises!

I really enjoyed the feedback I received on my story, as I am relatively new to the theme of Film Noir, and could still produce a story fitting the Noir tradition. I also enjoyed the storytelling activity, as it was a fun and extremely entertaining group effort and struggle. I feel that I was a well-rounded learner today, using hands-on exercises, teacher presentations and group activities to further improve my knowledge and practice skills.

Film Creation: Film Noir - Brainstorming Ideas

Film Noir: Mystery - Murder
Motives for Murder:

• Greed - Desires (Job, Politics, Power)
• Revenge - Physical, Emotional, Social pain
• Envy - of Possessions, Achievements, Status
• Jealousy - for Attention, Affection
• Convenience - for love, to hide
• Religion
• Blood Lust - Psychopaths
• Professionals - Mercenaries

Means of Murder:

• Stabbing
• Shooting
• Burning
• Poisoning
• Strangulation
• Bombing

Opportunity/Setting

• Dark Alleys
• Homes
• Offices
• Bars
• Clubs
• Balconies
• Boats
• Factories

Plot Ideas

#1: Motive: Greed, Convenience, Revenge (Love)

      Means: Poisoning, Shooting, Stabbing, Strangulation

      Characters: Lady (Femme Fatal) 

                        Man (Rich Husband)

                        Man (Stupid Detective)

                        Man (Stupid Detective's Partner)

The young, beautiful, sexy lady is married to an old, rich businessman. One day, the husband dies from unknown causes, and two detectives are invited to investigate. The lead detective is stupid, one-track minded with love for women and money. His partner however, is smart, intuitive and married to his job. Immediately, the lead detective finds himself extremely attracted to the new widow and takes it upon himself to comfort and console her, taking advantage of her fragile state to get closer to her. His partner however, having the heart of steel, is cold and blunt towards her and focuses on the case. The attitude taken by the smart detective annoys the lead detective, and leads to arguments and fighting between the two partners.
As the smart detective's investigation continues, the widow becomes a growing suspect in the case. The lead detectives feelings for the widow however, prevent the smart detective from further digging, and prevents him from learning the truth. In the end, the widow is really the cold, calculating killer who has taken advantage of the lead detective's feelings for her until finally, she kills him, but is then in turn killed by the smart detective who has seen through it all.

Feedback:
-A classic Film Noir story with potential to become a great film

-3 Star Chance of being used for a Unit 1 production
-Liking the idea of Femme Fatal and two detectives with clashing personalities

Film Review: Film Noir - Sin City

In the short scene from The Customer Is Always Right (Part 1), the male character narrates the story in a poetic way, accompanied by the soft sax playing in the background. The lights from the party through the windows cast multiple shadows around the characters, but their faces can be clearly seen (high key light), untypical of a film shot in the Noir tradition. What is characteristic is the sax mentioned above, and that the film is shot in black and white. This last point however is not totally true, and it is here that another unique trait is found in Sin City. The effect of only showing one or two vibrant colors in contrast to the black and white tones of the movie draw the eyes of the audience and focus them on major details and getting the message across clearly: the red dress, the red lipstick and the green eyes, portraying a beauty in the night. Another effect used in Sin City is the use of negative silhouettes, showing only the rough shapes of things, giving it a dramatic and comical (in the sense that it can be found in comics/graphic novels - not that it is melodramatic/silly) effect. This negative coloring also artistically enhances the shape of a heart between the two as they kiss, possibly a technique I may wish to learn from in the future. In the background, sirens and gunshots can be heard, setting the film in a violent neighborhood and possibly creating the action, crime and mystery mood for the plot to build on.

Film Review: Film Noir - Touch of Evil

A unique characteristic of this movie is that there are multiple scenes that are filmed in one shot! The opening scene demonstrates this feat and is accompanied by a jazz, brass piece with a driving rhythm. The music crescendos as the car moves from the parking lot and into the main road, giving the feeling of a more public, bustling and busy atmosphere. The driving rhythm and varied percussion instrumentation is messy and almost chaotic, adding to the hectic atmosphere. Augmenting this sense is the acting: the characters are constantly talking over one another, also providing the story with a racial theme and the tension between Americans and Mexicans. Analyzing the lighting, the use of elongated shadows can be seen throughout the movie, providing each scene with a dramatic, theatrical and sinister feel. Low angle shots are also in abundance throughout the movie, typical in a Film Noir.

09-09-11 Reflection: Introduction to Film Noir

We started our lesson on Friday with a formal introduction to the first unit of the film class. I learnt that our criterion A assignment would be submitted in written and presentation form: a 3-5 minute pitch with a log line, poster, power point and mood board to illustrate concepts for a short film in the Film Noir style that I want to shoot. Criterion B would be the final produced 5-7 minute film in the Noir tradition, possibly with homage to a director. I also learned that paying homage to somebody means making something dedicated to or in honor of that person by copying their style.

After the formalities, Ms. Rosati gave us a short quiz on how much we knew about Film Noir. During this, I realized how little I knew about Film Noir! I learnt that footage in the film noir style is usually black and white, and usually has a mystery or thriller storyline. The typical film noir illustrates a female accomplice working with the heroic detective or investigator and turns and stabs them in the back towards the end of the film. The iconic femme fatal with a white mask of a face with bright red lipstick against the investigators who do things only for money seem to attract the audience to the stories. Signs and signifiers may also include crucifixes, extensive usage of silhouettes, trench coats for the investigators and fedoras  for the ladies. All these are typical in the Film Noir.

Looking at the footage cinematographically, the image is typically in black and white with low key lighting and high contrast, shot from low or skewed camera angles. While learning about lighting, I learnt about other terms related to lighting such as key light, fill light and back light. Key light is the main source of light that the camera captures. Fill light is the lighting focused on the character’s face for clarity. Back light is used to “lift up” the foreground and make the frame more three dimensional. Low key light does not refer to the key lighting, but actually to the fill light! Low key light means the fill light is lessened, and so half of the face of the character is in the dark, creating a dramatic, mysterious feel. Mise En Scene literally means “put on stage” and refers to anything in the frame, be it props, costumes, blocking, lighting or the set itself. These cinematographic features are typically used in Film Noir.

After the informative presentation Ms. Rosati gave us, we watched scenes from three different films considered to be in the Film Noir Tradition: The Maltese Falcon, Touch of Evil and Sin City. We were instructed to be active audiences and notice the theme of the movie, type of characters, structure of narrative, image, sound and Mise En Scene. After watching brief scenes from each film, our homework task was to write up a short analysis of each scene, and also brainstorm ideas for our own Film Noir.

I found this lesson extremely informative and I learnt a lot, including the straight forward unit outline, to the basic characteristics of Film Noir, and then the technicalities of cinematography related to the Film Noir tradition.

Film Review: Film Noir - The Maltese Falcon

Right from the start of the movie, it was clear that the story would be a mystery, full of crimes and drama, all characteristics of the Film Noir tradition. By introducing Spade & Archer as private detectives from the start, it can be assumed that that will be how we know them by throughout the movie. If looking at what is Mise En Scene, Spade's desk holds a small trophy of a falcon or bird of a kind, a probable sign for the rest of the movie. The female character is obviously desperate and anxious for her poor sister and shows concern for the men and her sister when it comes to the "bad guy", and if this were looked at as a film noir, it would become apparent that the woman is acting it out. Her costume of exotic and expensive clothing would also make her more attractive to the detectives with hearts of gold. This would explain the smile on Archer's face right before he gets shot (if he were shot by this beautiful woman). The actual shooting scene is extremely dark, with Archer walking in from the shadows, and then falling and rolling down the hill and into the shadows again. When Spade hears about this news, all he cares about is keeping Archer's wife away from him, suggesting drama between the male and female characters.

09-07-11 Reflection: Edit, Screen, Feedback

On Wednesday, we finished editing, screened and got feedback for our videos. My group already had an assembly line in the timeline. We finished off the rough cutting of clips and went through it again to find awkward pauses or parts where the actors may have gone out of character and smiled towards the end of the take. Thanks to our rough cut, we did not find any of the latter, however there was one take as the Cheat stands up that seemed awkward to me. We couldn’t really solve this problem however, as it was impractical to cut between shots while an action is being completed. In the end, we simply left it as it wasn’t horrifically disturbing.  The other problem we found in our film was a continuity problem. From when I enter the room, to when William says his line, the door jumps from closing (halfway) to fully closed. This error was not obvious however, and we only spotted it through careful scrutiny as we played through the film one last time before the screening. From this, I learnt to really filter through the clips in an earlier stage so that adjustments can be made where necessary.

            After the fine cut of the video, we moved onto audio editing. I noticed that William spoke in a lower octave compared to my voice, and so the microphone did not pick up his voice as well as it did mine. As a result, when the clips were put in sequence and played through, William’s lines were soft whereas mine were louder. What I did to fix this was really an accident of my exploring Final Cut Pro. After double-clicking the soundtrack of the clip, I was met with the sound mix of that clip in the viewer panel. The control that stood out was the master volume of the clip. I simply dragged the bar to the right and the entire clip got louder. For the three lines William had, I turned the volume up between 3dBs and 15dBs. The problem with turning up the overall volume up of the clip however was that background noises both from the environment and the camera (a slight buzzing) were amplified accordingly. In the time we had however, the final product was still of a high quality. We considered adding music to the scene; however the almost comical acting of both William and I rendered dramatic music ill fitting, but we were unable to find a suitable “troll” song in time of the screening. Instead, we left the music out completely and allowed to dialogue to be the sole audio source. From this, I learnt about audio editing, Final Cut Pro’s tools, and how to make the video flow better both graphically and audio-wise.

            To complete the video, we created a simple title page and a scrolling credits clip. In both cases, we created a black clip and added white text to the center. For the credits, there was a ready-made option to add in the scrolling effect. Simple practice will help me familiarize myself with the innumerable tools available in Final Cut Pro. After adding the final touch-ups to the video, we exported the sequence as a Quick-Time Media file to the public folder of Justin’s account. From there, Ms. Rosati had easy access to the file and screened the clips from her Mac.

            The feedback given was brief due to the limited time we had. Our video was generally good, however Ms. Rosati was keen to see more of any ideas we had. If we want our video to be comical, it should be blatantly obvious. Similarly, filming and framing adjustments should be made large, for example if you wished to get closer and closer to the subject, you wouldn’t go in stages of Long shot, Medium Long, Medium Close, Close etc., but skipping steps in between: Long shot, Medium Close, Extreme Close-up. In addition, any angle changes should be greater than 30^o, or else the audience may think it was simply an accident. To summarize it, if you want to do something, do it big and make it obvious. From the review session, I learnt about the 180^o rule of sticking to one side of the subject while filming and not suddenly moving to the opposite side and having the two characters swap position. Relating to this, you want to either lead the audience’s eye to a specific location, or simply have them keep looking at one area of the frame and not jumping from place to place. I will keep and try to apply this knowledge to any future filming we do.

            In conclusion, I was able to achieve my goal today of completing the video and having it screened by the end of the lesson, but in the future, would it be necessary, we may have needed background music, and more importantly, we should be scrutinized the sequence earlier on so that adjustments could be made. In general, I’m happy with my performance today as I worked well with my teammates, was an active learner (listening, watching and experimenting) and got the work done. 

Advertisement Poster of The Cheat

09-01-11 Reflection: First Challenge Shoot

            Last lesson, we had our first challenge shooting. In this challenge shoot, I was able to review the information I learnt last class about the camera, the shoe, the tripod and using gravity to your advantage, and also information and framing proportions from the TV I watch so frequently. I also had a brief glance at the boom microphone that my group mate, William borrowed. The only real thing I learnt from my glance was that when packed up, the battery should not be inside the microphone. Right from the start, our maturity and observational skills were tested as the cameras laid out for us were those used by younger grades. After swapping old cameras for the digital HD film cameras along with the batteries, we discussed who would be acting and who would be filming, the story (final line said), the setting, and made a basic lesson plan for this shoot. The story we had to bring to life was that of a cheating classmate in school life: the victim confronts the cheater, and the cheater is in denial. They argue for five lines and the ending is left for us directors to create. The main purpose of this challenge shooting however was not our acting skills, but rather a focus on cinematography and choreographic skills. I learned the terms of different shots, including long shots (for entrances and exits), medium close ups, over the shoulder shots (for conversations), and shot reverse shots (also used to show a conversation between two people).

            My group decided to film the confrontation in a classroom, giving the audience a better feel as to what the argument is going to be about, being between two students (in uniform, in a classroom). We worked efficiently together, setting up the camera and tripod, clearing the shot of unwanted obstacles such as chairs and desks and got filming. The only technical problem we had while filming was that the boom microphone did not work, or at least the data was not read inside the camera and so when we filmed using a microphone, we ended up without any audio. It was a good thing William suggested we get earphones to check if there was audio in the first shot, instead of waiting until we imported to find that we had no audio to go with the footage. To combat this problem, we simply unplugged the external microphone and relied on the internal microphone built into the camera. We worked smoothly with William’s experience as a previous film student, Justin’s good communication and cooperation skills and ideas and my simple knowledge from all the TV drama episodes I watch. We filmed at least 3 takes of each shot for editing purposes, and were back in the studio in no time, importing files into the Macs. Through this importing process, I learnt the first steps of Final Cut Pro, using the viewfinder to select your footage instead of dragging the clips directly from the bin. This organized, methodical process helps keep the working space organized and allows you to select sections of the clip to use right from the start, making work more efficient.

            All in all, I’m very pleased with what my group accomplished last lesson and plan to complete it in the next opportunity given. We stayed on task throughout the challenge, cooperated, collaborated and communicated well, sharing ideas and taking turns to direct and edit to create the best piece possible in the time allocated. We could however, be more responsible and think for ourselves, not relying on another person to get the correct equipment out, but rather checking the equipment ourselves. The hard criticism Ms. Rosati gave us at the end of class will be a reminder to me for whenever I use equipment or do a task in the field.