Posted on April 12, 2018April 16, 2018 in Production Roles, Screenwriter

Developing a Horror Film Idea

Five Golden Rules of German Expressionism

Review the video essay of at least two peers and refresh your memory about the nature and ‘rules’ of German Expressionism.

Identify 5 Golden Rules of German Expressionism in terms of representation of the monster and visual style

Task

Your task is to develop a visual / cinematic idea for your opening sequence and write the screenplay for it.

We will be working in groups next week and deciding which screenplays will go forward into production, for now this is a solo exercise.

Here is the first page of a good example from a student screenplay.

In your screenplay you should:

Use of the screenplay format
Include descriptions of the locations in your screenplay (The Mirus Battery and/or surrounding rural area(s)).
- Include element of the setting / important props within the scene.
Create an atmosphere which belongs in the horror genre.
Use descriptive language (simile’s and metaphors).
Give a sense of how the camera might move or the edit cut.
Give a sense of the diegetic sounds in your sequence.
Give a clear description of character (costume / props, body language)

The first step though is developing some ideas for a scene. Here is a slideshow on ideas:

Task Film Inspiration

Take a copy of this document and replace the following:
- A location
- A sound – Freesound.Org
- An item of clothing
- A character
In pairs share your documents.
Allow you partner time to think about your items
Discuss the film / sequence ideas that spring from those items

Independent Study.

Write the first draft of a screenplay based on one the ideas you have been attracted to in this lesson. You should aim for about 2 -3 pages of script. Any longer and it may well be longer that 2 -3 minutes of film time.

Posted on April 11, 2018April 13, 2018 in Cinematographer, Director, Editor, Production Roles, Reflective Journal, Screenwriter, Sound

The Brief

This is the brief for your first full film sequence.

‘The opening sequence (approx 2-3 minutes) of a new horror movie.’

Your creative intentions should be clearly identified at the outset and your reflections throughout and once complete will be based on them. You must also reflect on your developing understanding of your production roles.

You must always keep a record of the production process and upload evidence of your work throughout (at least once a week) to your reflective journal

The creative intentions may be drawn from this list and you should identify 3-5. You may choose others or modify these as you wish.

Create a sense of…mystery, suspense, horror, intrigue…around a given place.
Introduce a monstrous character or presence.
Introduce a…tense, frightened, oblivious… victim.
Build the sequence to a shocking/scary crescendo.
Use specific cinematography techniques from German Expressionist film making.
Use montage editing to develop a sense of place and/or compress time.
Use continuity editing to make sense of a characters (inter)actions.
Design costume and props and dress the set to create a sense of….abandonment, corruption, decay, threat…

Your creative intentions may depend upon you production roles. You will be working in pairs and will be required to adopt at least one production role from each of the three main stages of production:

Pre-production (planning):

Screenwriter &/or storyboard artist
Production designer
Producer (both)

Production (filming):

Cinematographer.
Director.
Sound recording.
Producer (both)

Post production (editing):

Visual editing.
Foley sound designer
Sound editing
Music composer
Producer (both)

Task:

Define each of these role in terms of the tasks they will be required to undertake during that particular stage of production.

Update the definitions in your reflective journal under the main headings:

Editor
Director
Cinematographer
Sound Designer
Screenwriter

Here is our brainstorm of the tasks each production role entails.

Posted on February 9, 2018June 27, 2018 in Director, Filmmakers, Production Roles

Directing 101

The director is best though of as the conductor of the film orchestra.

He or she will direct all the heads of department in order to realise her or his vision, which is inspired by the screenplay.

The director must develop creative collaborations with key personnel. The…

Production Designer (Costume, Props, Set, Hair & Make-Up)
Cinematographer
Editor
Sound effects and Foley
Music composers
Actors

In this (Stolen) task the director will be responsible for:

Pre-Production

Annotating the Screenplay
Agreeing Shot list & Storyboard
Collaborating on character design

Production (Filming)

Discussing the shot set up with the cinematographer
Blocking the action
Giving actors direction on body language and delivery of their lines.
- Remember to think of their motivation (wants and needs)
  - Where these are in conflict we have drama!

Post Production

Agreeing a sound spotting list with sound designer, feeding back on drafts & signing off final draft.
Agreeing an instrumentation and tone with music designer (Temp Score), feeding back a& signing off final score.
Collaborating with editor on final cut and agreeing completion.

Independent Study P1

Watch this video from 02.45 to the end….so basically all of it!

How does blocking change a scene? If you were director how would you block the movement of the actors / camera?

Here is a Masterclass in Blocking

Giving notes to actors

Posted on February 9, 2018 in Cinematographer, Director, Production Roles, Sound

Stolen Preproduction

A well planned shoot is more likely to be an effective shoot.

In your groups, please complete the following planning documents:

A shot list – (Cinematographer & Director)
A storyboard – (Cinematographer)
A character design – Production Designer & Director
Foley sound spotting list (Sound 1)
Find Temp Music & Watch Video below (Sound 2)
A kit check (Sound & Cinematographer)

Posted on February 7, 2018February 7, 2018 in Production Roles, Screenwriter

Screenwriting 101

Lessons from the Screenplay

Lessons learnt…

Action lines (in the script) give the scene a sense of atmosphere. They also give actors and directors guidance about their characters and the tone of the scene.
The last line is the point of the scene.
- Funnel the scene down to its final point of crisis or tension.
Subplot characters echo and foreshadow the narrative journey of the central protagonist.

‘STOLEN’

Write a short screenplay for a scene entitled ‘Stolen’.

Your screenplay should be formatted using this preformated document.
…should be no more than 1 page.
…should have a clear climax.
- The final line should define the scene.
It should contain a major and supporting (subplot) character.
It should be achievable to film in 8-12 shots (some of which can (and should be) repeated)).

Development & Extension

The 5 act structure and the self contained structure of each act.

Linking narrative with screenplay writing

Posted on February 3, 2018February 6, 2018 in Cinematographer, Production Roles

Great Student Filming (Use of Lens)

A really effective use of lenses in this work.

Remember everything you learn in practice you should look for in professional film and reflect…

Think, what impact was the film maker able to communicate through use of this technique?
Consider that everything you start to notice in professional work, whether that be: cinematography, sound design, screenwriting, editing or production design, is something you could be experimenting with in your own film making!
Finally, always reflect on what you have learnt when filming and also, how can you do it better?
- What kit do you need?
- What techniques do you need to perfect?
- How should you do it differently next time?

Posted on January 30, 2018January 30, 2018 in Cinematographer, Director, Editor, Production Roles, Reflective Journal, Screenwriter, Sound

Montage Filming and Editing

Uses of a montage in film & TV

To create a sense of place and/or events without giving any narrative information away. This is often done in title sequences to capture the mood of the film without giving away spoilers.

Here is short film, which is an extended montage of a place.

Yarchen Gar (2018) Filippo Chiesa

2. To compress time to show a rapid development of a character or event, which is important in the narrative development

Here are examples from the Rocky franchise:

Task

Create a montage which compresses time and communicates a sense of atmosphere. For example:

The tedious lesson
A frantic school day
Writing an difficult essay
Another long event (+1 hour) that can be filmed in school

The Rules

The montage should last 30-40 seconds.
It should contain at least 12 different (beautifully composed shots) some of which may be repeated in the edit.
The montage should communicate a clear meaning (what’s going on) and clear atmosphere (tone or feel).
There should be a clear sense of time passing and have a clear beginning and end, which fades out to black (to make it seem like more time has passed).

Creative Partnership

This week you are going to be working in pairs and will have specific roles in production and post production:

Storyboard Artist
Director
Cinematographer
Editor
Sound Designer / Mixer

To complete this tasks effectively you’re going to have to think carefully about how the edit is going to look in the end and ensure that you film all the shots you need. This means planning your sequence. Do do this we are going to use a screenwriting tool called…

The Storyboard

Here is a storyboard template that is similar layout to the professional one above.

Here is a document which explains how to design a storyboard.

You storyboard should be scanned / photographed and uploaded to your Reflective Journal under the screenwriting section.

You should also reflect on it’s usefulness as a pre-production planning / visualisation tool.

Production & Responsibilities

You will be acting for another pair of students and so will spend one lesson acting and the other filming and directing.

When you are the cinematographer you should ensure that each shot is well composed. Also you should ensure the following:

All shots are well lit
All shots are in focus
You get a variety of shot types.

If you are the director, you should be:

Working with the cinematographer to block the scenes.
Be clear with the emotion that you want you actors to be expressing.
Make sure that you work through the storyboard efficiently and in time.
Be an encouraging and positive presence on the shoot.

Post Production

If you are editor, you will be responsible for:

Compiling the basic montage.
Applying filters and transitions to the edit which contribute to the overall tone
Coordinating with the sound designer to apply their sound to the sequence

If you are the sound designer you are responsible for:

Completing a spotting session with the editor and making a list of sound effects that you want.
Sourcing effects that adds meaning / impact to the scene
- You should use this library of sound effects & music loops
- You can also download effects from places like YouTube & FreeSound.org
Inserting your sounds into the edit

Reflective Journal

What have you learnt about filming and editing for montage
What went well
Even better if

Posted on January 23, 2018January 23, 2018 in Cinematographer, Cinematography, Film Micro Elements, Production Roles

Advancing your Cinematography

The creative intention for the week

‘To develop my cinematography skills and practice advanced techniques which can be used for expressive meaning in film.’

Session 1 – Filming with Canon DSLR cameras

Menu & Settings

Setting the White Balance
Grid display
- rule of thirds / composition
Auto and Manual Focus
Recording Mode – (movie rec size)
- 50 fps, 1280×720 (frames per second / resolution)
ISO (light sensitivity)
- darker environment – higher light sensitivity & ISO number
- lighter environment – lower light sensitivity & ISO number
Aperture (quantity of light coming into the lens)
- low number (eg F1.8 = larger amount of light let in = shallow depth of field)
- high number (eg F8 = less light let in = deeper focus)

Different types of lens

18-55 mm kit lens
Prime 35 mm lens
Telephoto Lens
Macro Lens

Session 2 & 3 – Play Time

Choose a minimum of four techniques to research and practice this week. Two from each list:

List 1

Depth of Field & Pulling Focus
Filming in Macro
Impact of different lenses
The Trombone Shot
Bokeh

List 2

The Rule of Thirds
Frames within the Frame
Symmetry & Leading Lines
High Contrast Lighting (Low Key)
The Quadrant System

You will need a clear example of what you’re trying to achieve and also a tutorial video or web page on how to achieve it practically.

For each technique you should aim for either a shot of about 10-15 seconds or two to three different shorter examples of the same technique being used in different ways.

Session 4 The Edit

Use WeVideo to edit.
Upload your footage
Create a montage of cinematography techniques,
Name the kit / technique in a caption at the start.
At the end use a caption to suggest a potential meaning or impact of the technique on the audience

Reflective Journal

A short 1-2 minute video of your various experiments with composition. This will have been exported from WeVideo to YouTube – which should be possible directly.

A reflection on how it is possible to use camera to communicate meaning.