Wednesday 3 December 2014

Unit 2 part E: Review outcomes in relation to stated aims

This section includes:

  • My report on the project 




I think both of these reviews are fair, not much detail but I can relate to every answer that is given and where they have got their answer from. i think that the comment about not being able to see how the actor got infected is brilliant because in the shooting of the film that is a comment that I made, "how does the audience know that he has been infected?" and no one really gave me an answer and just left it down to the audience interpretation of the film. but in the screening of the films Stephan the film producer also brought up that question what i thought was brilliant because if he noticed that aswell as I did then I feel that i must have a skill or a quality involving visual effect that some people in the crew didn't or don't have. If I had more power in the making of the film there would be alot of things that I would of changed. The parts I would of changed would probably be to do more the imagination of the audeince, instead of leaving it down to them to decide on what happened or what is going on I would of made it more clearer and probably changed a couple things around. The same in editing aswell, some of the shot order I would of changed like when the two character first meet and their confrontation, I would of changed a couple shots around just because I felt like it gave it more of an effect.



As a whole I feel that the filming went brilliantly and everyone roles was perfect. We all go on as a team and all worked together  to produce this lovely masterpiece. 

Unit 2 part D: Work effectively with others *

This is a picture taken by me during the a shoot on our first day. in this shot you can see that I am holding a boom as my roll was the boom operator. the boom operator records the sound in the scene, you could record it straight to the camera mic but the sound quality would not be as clear and good.  

Being the boom oporator was an important roll as if you do not have the boom pointing in the right direction during the time that you want to record than the sound will not come out as clear and could not be in synchronized with the footage, so you have to be watching the actors or the thing you are recording at all times because if the actor suddenly turned its head facing the other way you will no be able to capture the sound as well as if they were facing towards you. so you would  have to put the boom up higher in the air to try and capture the sound over their heads. These are the general problem that you face when recording sound. if the sound does not get recorded well and correctly then you might have to do a reshoot or dub the voices over but it's  hard to make it look perfect, the same with a boom so the best thing to do is make sure you record the right sound in the first place.  You also have to look for and






Unit 2 part C: Effective arts leadership

This section includes:

  • Evidence from the project

This is a picture of our Director, Grace Mia taking charge of the set to talk to the actors and get them to see her 'vision'. Which helps with the filming as if the actors are ready and happy with their line or character then the shot will be better when if the actor/s are not happy at the time of filming due to either them not being told all the information they need or them not being confortable with what they would have to do. 


This is a picture of us reviewing the footage and of various crew like our behind the scenes cinematographer, Neal (grey jumper) our leader Trish, seeing how its all going and if everyone is happy with whats going on (Pink jumper). Jack our supervisor who was there to lend a helping hand if we got any problems with the equipment and was there to generally help us out. In the back ground is out screen writer, Gemma she wrote the script that we was filming and bringing her "dream" to life. That is our first AD on the right, Jake. He did a very good job with setting up the shots ready for filming.  Then our Directors standing next to Cole, the cinematographer and collaborated editor and done a very good job in filming the shots as they we all usable and in focus when we came to edit them together.

This is a picture of us about to do a take.
The Actor (Sophia) The screenwriter and clapper board loader and out 2nd cinematographer and editor, Matt.

As it was my first time being a boom operator, I needed some back up, some guidance if you will to help make sure I was doing it right, to make sure I was holding it the best accessible, correctly way and that'd why Jack was there, jack helped an guided me to learn how to use the boom, i didn't need his help the whole time but him being there defiantly helped me as if i had any questions then I could just ask him. 





Unit 2 part B: Plan the practical issues


  • The project plan - extended 
We shot our film at an art directors house in Royston, Amanda Steckley. Some of the group traveled by taxi from Ely to Royston and rest of the group traveled by train meeting the taxi at Royston train station then travelling over to Amanda's house, I travelled there by car.

We shot our film on her plot of land and some surrounding small dirt roads at the back of her house. This location was perfect as we need a location that looked like it has been affected by an Apocalypse and this was it! this was the perfect place to do it, when we all turned up we saw potential in the location straight away and we took a walk around the field to decide where we was going to set up our props and equipment. We come across a bundle of trees and bushes that we thought would be perfect to set the 'fire' scene. The main location that we used was her field, the field was a good size as we could use it in different angles to make it look like it was shot in different places and so that the characters look like hey have been walking or travelling for a long distance. 

We  had to take a few precautions when filming as we had a fire scene so we had a fire extinguisher, fire blanket and a first aid kit at arms reach just incase any thing went wrong we could put the fire out and aid anyone that get injured.

We had quite a few props such as a 'rat' which was used as food for 'Sophia' it was only a toy rat that we got muddy so it looked more real. We had specific costumes that we wanted the actors to wear so that i looked like they had been out in the wild for a long time, we had a weapon that was made by our producer and art director, it was made out of a trowel and a wooden stick tied with some rope to make it look like it was a survival weapon made in the wild. We used a map of Cambridgeshire, for their map of where the "pick up point" was, we ripped it up and got it muddy to give it the proper outdoors experience. the reason I drove to Royston instead of getting the taxi with them was so that i had my car there as we used it as a prop in the film which had the "corpse" laying in and ended up leading the the infection and death of one of the main characters. When the main character got infected he spat out red slim out of his mouth in which was food coloring's and other foods mixed together to make a slushy mix, not harmful at all but the main actor had in his mouth during the shoot and spat it when when he became infected and this was a prop that was made my the art director as a last minute idea to make that he is effected more obvious to the audience.






Unit 2 Part A: Establish the project creative purpose

This section includes:

  • My project plan- aims/objectives
In the filming of the film 'The Virus' I played the part of a boom operator. This roll was perfect for me as it broadened my knowledge of sound in films. Being the boom operator gave me the roll of recording sound along side the sound recordist. This was an important roll as if you had no sound in film then it would be a silent film or you'd have to add folly sounds or dubbed sounds, so recording the sound correctly was vital as it mad a big impact when coming to the editing process as it would make it harder to edit shots together if the sound does not sound the same. 
A boom operators job is simple but can not be done by just anyone, it may be simple but is a huge part in the making of the film. During the shoots I found that you have to be watching a be observing at all times, ready for the voice to project in a different direction and know how to move and aim the boom to capture that sound clearly and correctly. Jessica was the sound recordist and she helped and guided me to record the best sounds and when to stop recording, for example if there was an aeroplane goin gover we would have to stop that because the boom would pick that sound up much moree and better than the actors speaking, which is weird when you think about it as the plane is miles away compared to the actors. You also need to have some relative upper body strength to be able to hold the boom up for a long period of time if needed, if you can't hold the boom up right properly then you'll have to cut the shot and either re shoot or carry on when you left off, but more work and concentration to the shot transition will be needed when coming to the editing part. 

I was also the VFX co-ordinator so during the shooting I was also looking out for continuity errors and other visual effect that could be visible during the screening of the film. The two rolls that I got given fitted me perfectly as I was managed the boom operating with easy and larnt about a different aspect of filming that I have never done before and learn about sound. being the VFX coordinator made me feel I had more of a part when coming to the editing of the film, which is the part that I enjoyed a lot, wouldn't say more than the actual filming of it as I loved being on set seeing the actors and the cast a crew working together. 

Unit 1 part D: Learn about film industry and organisation through participation

THis section includes:
  • Brochures/information about workshops/ events that I have attended
  • Evidence of my research into future opportunities and career pathways.

The NFTS is defiantly in my career pathway and will open up more opportunities for me. 
http://www.filmworkshop.com/residential
I applied and got a place into the VFX and animation course that runs through the easter half term, I hope this course will help and teach me more about the film industry and learn more about Visual effects in the film industry and general broadens my mind of the media world and how I can fit into a career in the industry.


Also I have looked for editing jobs in general around Cambridgeshire to see if there is any jobs that I would fit and enjoy doing. There has been a couple full time and part time jobs going that I have sent an application in for but haven't yet heard back from them.

http://www.indeed.co.uk/Editor-jobs-in-Cambridge

I have recently joined an independent film making ground called 'Film Makers Collective' that are based at Long Road with student that are studying the same subject as me and some I have no met before. We have created and script and are looking to begin filming in January, we are trying to get funding at the moment to pay for the actors, props etc. This will be a good opportunity to meet me that I could later collaborate with and to create future opportunities with. It will be brilliant to all work together and to see what a bunch of film making student can independently make!
Here is the university that I intend to go to at the end of 2015. Below shows the university and the courses that I hope to do next year.

I hope to go to Anglia Ruskin university Cambridge. I am hoping to study Film and television production, with this coursed I hope to learn a great deal about the media industry and get more of an idea on the roll that I would like to have as their are a few department that I would like to go into. 

Unit 1 part C: Review a live cinema / film event

This section will include:


For our live cinema event we watch the 1919 black and white silent film "Sons of Ingma" with "" Playing the piano, at time the the film was hard to keep concentration but it run for 90minutes so wasn't that bad, the film was an unusual but very attention grabbing as the story was about a male farming who visits his ancestors up in heaven and tell his Father about his story of his troubles trying to find a female companion to love.

The story it bassed on flash back  then when you catch up with real time he goes back down the earth to fix the problem that he has made and ends up finding the woman who resented him to love him. The reason I have brought this point up about the flash backs because the film is a silent film and does not have the sound affects of flash so its will be hard for the audience to realise that the film is in a flash back.





The only sounds that you had was the piano but for the first time hearing a silent film played over by a piano I kept forgetting that we was listening and just get indulged with the film.










The other film that we done was the keeper of lost causes this film is more of a mainstream film and a collection of many other keeper of lost causes. This was about an FBI/CSI investigator that has had some trauma in his life and is recovering when he returns to work but his boss assigns him to sort out all the un-cracked "cases" hence the name "Keeper of lost causes".

The investigator gets an assistant and they both pursue and missing person case who had been missing for two years and was kidnapped by an old associate in which she met through a traumatic young life experience and he kidnaps her in his eyes revenge for his parents death, the film is very graphical and has a very good attention grabbing story to it and focuses on themes of suicide, tortue and relationships. I think the film was very well directed and edited as is very good at building up emotion and points that work best. In conclude the the film was very enjoyable to watch and kept you, the audience interested right the way through.





Unit 1 part B: Make implements, reviews an action plan

This section includes:

  • my action plan
  • Samples of my work
  • A report and refelection of my attempt to achieve the challenge 
  • Someone else's review of the challenge 
  • Master classes - detail

Review of my challenge from Casper Brazier:
Your goals are very achievable and I believe that the BFI film course will benefit you if you would like to get a career in the film industry as you'll learn about the different aspect of film and you will be able to see if their is any other roles that you would like to under take and you never know you could even change your mind ones you have found out about other jobs that you might prefer. But I defiantly this that your challenge is achievable a realistic in the way that you'll learn more about your possible future career and your development in different skills. 




NFTS - National film and television school 6 groups of 11 each making short film 6-8mins long.


  • Personal statement 
  • Supporting materials
  • References
Main residentials 29th March - 9th April
Last year:
Editors- 116
Directors - 153
Camera - 163 
Producer - 63
Sound - 34

Applying for the NFTS will be my next step into the film industry.

Talk with Pete; 
Learned how to set up a film set with the correct terminolgoy how getting the sound, camera and actors all ready for the shoot. e.g "check picture/sound" "set" "set" "Clapper in" and also his roll in the film industry 

My roll is the boom operator which is a vital part of the filming as you need to make sure you aim the mic towards the right direction when capturing sound as if you didnt you would either have to film it again or record a voice over, so a boom operator is quite an important job roll when the production of film.




Today we learnt more in depth about cinematography learning about the history of the development of film. We also lean red more about the different types of shots in film and different camera movements. Also done our story boards on a couple of our scenes. We also learned about camera and how to use it properly       with lighting and aperture.


















Cinematography 

Dirty shots -shot with something in the foreground and background.

Clean shot - with something just in the fore or background.

Exposure - How bright or how much light their is on a frame.

Faster Shutter speed, less time for light to be let into the lens. 
Slower Shutter speed, more time for light to be let into lens.

Apature - Same as Eye Iris

Setting;
F2 o<       F16 - <O

Tracking shot - On tracks
Panning shot - 360 pan
Tilting shot - Tilting up and down
Crane shot - Up and down








Directors

David Cronenberg - The Fly, Existen, Easter Promises, History of violence.

  • Not inspired by films as much as inspired by authors such as Vladamir Nalockov.
  • Lke to work close to home and with familiar crew.
  • Story boards are important.
  • Liked to show more of thing like special effects e.g like in the film Fly, they emphasis on the broken bone unlike Jaws and Alien where they try not to show to much of the special effect so people couln't see they were fake.
Ridley Scott - Blade runner, Alien, Gladiator 
  • Doesn't like to do rehearsals just do shoots.
  • Never admit you don't know what you are doing even when you don't. 
Kelly Reichardt - Night move, Meet cuts of, Wendy and Lucy 
  • Unresolved endings.
  • Regular Collaboration.
  • Makes plans that she likes to change to improve. 
No right way to direct every director has their own way to direct. 

  1. Be organised.
  2. Good communication skills.
  3. Actors see your vision, will help the crew, actors and you.
  4. Rehursals are not vital.
  5. Allow actors to do their thing, get in their own state of mind and emotion. 
How to Rehursal;
  1. Scene read through
  2. Blocking
  3. line removal
  4. Start not using script 
  5. Improvisation 
  6. Important information 
  7. Repeat and learn 
Amanda Stekley - Production designer
Set design degree in theatre
Things to think about when making a set, prop etc;
  1. Ask questions about the script to get a better idea of what they want. 
  2. Find solutions to difficult challenges.
  3. Making the imaginary world into reality. 
  • Keep close to your technicians
  • Lighting
  • Green screens
  • Sound design
  • Post production
  • Actors!
Character and costume;
  • Where there character has come from to associate it with the appropriate colours, lighting, props etc.
  • Social and family background.
  • How wealthy are they?
  • What are they doing? what do they need in each scene. (hand props)
  • We need a script breakdown. 
AmandaStekley@hotmail.com

Screenwriting

Stage one - Story concept/ premise
Stage two - Outline treatment
Stage three - Step outline
Stage four - First draft
Stage five - Rewrites

What you need;

  • Character - Protagonist/antagonist
  • Conflict
  • Story/plot
  • Location/ setting
  • Theme
  • Genre
  • Time period/frame
  • Structure
Universally recognizable situation;
  • First love 
  • Grieving 
  • Forming a relationship
  • Sefl sacrifice
  • Life changing decisions
  • Confronting a moral decision
  • Rites of passing moment
  • Phobias 
Screenwriting film idea;
  • Boy looses Grandad as a vulnurable age.
  • Grandad is his leader/role model.
  • Boy goes of rails/makes bad decisions
  • Gets involved in bullying, theft, and there imorals decisions. Stand up to bullys/ gang of boys (rep demons) then he goes to heaven which is back on earth but with his old life. 
  • Years later comes across and locket his Grandad gave him and realises he has made wrong decision.
  • When he finds the lockets he remembers what his Granddad told him about orals and doing the right thing.
  • Boy puts mistake right.
  • Walking down road after his mistake has bveen put right and screen goes blank and he wakes up in hospital next to his Granddad. Boy has been in a coma (Twist in plot)
  • Drama Film 
  • Locket is next to his bed.
Message and values; Done forget your morals.



The screen writing talk helped me to understand the screen writng aspect of film./ this will help me most defiantly because if I edit something with a screen play next to me it will help me to create the intended emotion or message structure of what the screen play has been written to do.

Unit 1 part A: Identify and agree and art challenge for the film industry

Part A - This section includes

  • Evidence of why the challenge has been chosen.
  • A refection of my strength and weaknesses in my art form.

I am doing this course because I hope it will broaden my mind of the film industry and more in depth of film making also hope it will help me get into the film industry.

Strength:

  • Editing skills and experience
  • Using Software and equipment
  • Knowledge of films and film making
Weakness:

  • Script Writing
  • Pre production (Story boards)
  • Knowledgement of how the film industry work and how to get a career out of it.
  • Other a section of the film industry
My challenge is to learn about different aspect of the film and to improve my knowledge of the film production. I also would like to learn how I can get a career in film making, preferably at this time editing roll in film. I would like to reach these goals because of the passion I have in film making, film watching and just the whole subject of film as I have been interested in film from a young age and would be a passionate achievement of mine to have a career in the film industry.  I am also doing the BFI film academy to help me achieve a silver arts award which will be an achievement it itself and will help pursue my goals either through university or NFTS.

Friday 21 November 2014

Cinematography

Today we learnt more in depth about cinematography learning about the history of the development of film. We also lean red more about the different types of shots in film and different camera movements. Also done our story boards on a could of our scenes. We also learned about camera and how to use it properly with lighting and aperture.

Dirty shots -shot with something in the foreground and background.

Clean shot - with something just in the fore or background.

Exposure - How bright or how much light their is on a frame.

Faster Shutter speed, less time for light to be let into the lens. 
Slower Shutter speed, more time for light to be let into lens.

Apature - Same as Eye Iris

Setting;
F2 o<       F16 - <O

Tracking shot - On tracks
Panning shot - 360 pan
Tilting shot - Tilting up and down
Crane shot - Up and down

NEVER ZOOM ON A DSLR CAMERA

Focus shift - changing focus to one object to anything during the same shot.
180 degree Rule - never cross the 180 degree line.


Tuesday 18 November 2014

Director/Directing

Directors

David Cronenberg - The Fly, Existen, Easter Promises, History of violence.

  • Not inspired by films as much as inspired by authors such as Vladamir Nalockov.
  • Lke to work close to home and with familiar crew.
  • Story boards are important.
  • Liked to show more of thing like special effects e.g like in the film Fly, they emphasis on the broken bone unlike Jaws and Alien where they try not to show to much of the special effect so people couln't see they were fake.
Ridley Scott - Blade runner, Alien, Gladiator 
  • Doesn't like to do rehearsals just do shoots.
  • Never admit you don't know what you are doing even when you don't. 
Kelly Reichardt - Night move, Meet cuts of, Wendy and Lucy 
  • Unresolved endings.
  • Regular Collaboration.
  • Makes plans that she likes to change to improve. 
No right way to direct every director has their own way to direct. 

  1. Be organised.
  2. Good communication skills.
  3. Actors see your vision, will help the crew, actors and you.
  4. Rehursals are not vital.
  5. Allow actors to do their thing, get in their own state of mind and emotion. 
How to Rehursal;
  1. Scene read through
  2. Blocking
  3. line removal
  4. Start not using script 
  5. Improvisation 
  6. Important information 
  7. Repeat and learn 
Amanda Stekley - Production designer
Set design degree in theatre
 
Things to think about when making a set, prop etc;
  1. Ask questions about the script to get a better idea of what they want. 
  2. Find solutions to difficult challenges.
  3. Making the imaginary world into reality. 
  • Keep close to your technicians
  • Lighting
  • Green screens
  • Sound design
  • Post production
  • Actors!
Character and costume;
  • Where there character has come from to associate it with the appropriate colours, lighting, props etc.
  • Social and family background.
  • How wealthy are they?
  • What are they doing? what do they need in each scene. (hand props)
  • We need a script breakdown. 
AmandaStekley@hotmail.com



Thursday 13 November 2014

Screen writing

Screen writing process:

Stage one - Story concept/ premise
Stage two - Outline treatment
Stage three - Step outline
Stage four - First draft
Stage five - Rewrites

What you need;

  • Character - Protagonist/antagonist
  • Conflict
  • Story/plot
  • Location/ setting
  • Theme
  • Genre
  • Time period/frame
  • Structure
Universably recognisable situation 
  • First love 
  • Grieving 
  • Forming a relationship
  • Sefl sacrifice
  • Life changing decisions
  • Confronting a moral decision
  • Rites of passing moment
  • Phobias 
Screenwriting film idea;
  • Boy looses Grandad as a vulnurable age.
  • Grandad is his leader/role model.
  • Boy goes of rails/makes bad decisions
  • Gets involved in bullying, theft, and there imorals decisions. Stand up to bullys/ gang of boys (rep demons) then he goes to heaven which is back on earth but with his old life. 
  • Years later comes across and locket his Grandad gave him and realises he has made wrong decision.
  • When he finds the lockets he remembers what his Granddad told him about orals and doing the right thing.
  • Boy puts mistake right.
  • Walking down road after his mistake has bveen put right and screen goes blank and he wakes up in hospital next to his Granddad. Boy has been in a coma (Twist in plot)
  • Drama Film 
  • Locket is next to his bed.
Message and values; Done forget your morals.

The screen writing talk helped me tp understand the screen wrting aspect of film./ this will help me msot deffinantly because if I edit something with a screen play next to me it will help me to create the intended emotion or message structure of what the screen play has been written to do.

Friday 7 November 2014

Why am I doing the BFI Film Academy?

I am doing this course because I hope it will broaden my mind of the film industry and more in depth of film making also hope it will help me get into the film industry.

Strength:

  • Editing skills and experience
  • Using Software and equipment
  • Knowledge of films and film making
Weakness:

  • Script Writing
  • Pre production (Story boards)
  • Knowledgement of how the film industry work and how to get a career out of it.
  • Other a sect of the film industry
My challenge is to leave about different aspect of the film and to improve my knowledge of the film production. I also would like to learn how I can get a career in film making, preferably at this time editing roll in film. I would like to reach these goals because of the passion I gave in film making, tim watching and just the whole subject of film as I have been interested in film from s young age and would be a passionate achievement to have a career in the film industry.  I am also doing the BFI film academy to help me achieve a silver arts award which will be an achievement it itself and will help pursue my goals either through university or NFTS.

NFTS - National film and television school 6 groups of 11 each making short film 6-8mins long.


  • Personal statement 
  • Supporting materials
  • References
Main residentials 29th March - 9th April
Last year:
Editors- 116
Directors - 153
Camera - 163 
Producer - 63
Sound - 34

Applying for the NFTS will be my next step into the film industry.

Talk with Pete; 
Learned how to set up a film set with the correct terminolgoy how getting the sound, camera and actors all ready for the shoot. e.g "check picture/sound" "set" "set" "Clapper in"

My roll was being a boom operator which is a vital part of the filming as you need to make sure you aim the mic towards the right direction when capturing sound as if you didnt you owould either have to film it again for record a voice over, so a boom operator is quite an important job..