Short Film Research. Some Films Watched in Class

Shoes = The Bath Spa Section on Youtube called the 'Broadcast Lab'. Basically, this film is about a girl who really wants a pair of shoes. She tries working to earn the money to buy the shoes. However, eventually she steals money and buys the shoes



Opinions: Personally, I thought that this film was well made. The acting was excellent. I thought that this short film was a great inspiration for the short films that my class and I made in November 2009.

The main female character acted very realistically throughout this film. I think that a lot of the audience will identify with her because they might have been in very similar situations where they have really wanted something and they have had to work really hard to get it.

Personally, I thought that the music for this film was a little over the top. The music seemed a little over jolly.

'The Cutting Edge' watched on Monday 23rd Nov:

George Lucas said, 'editing is an art'. The film emphasised that the editor will probably spend most time with the Director. An important quote from the film was that Editing is 'putting the puzzle together'.

My Independent Short Film Research

1. 'The Lunch Date'
A Woman rushes for her train. A black man knocks into her. The woman refuses his help and she misses her train. The woman has lunch, a salad, but it looks like that another black man is eating her salad. He buys her a coffee. The man leaves and the woman sees a salad lying on the table. She catches a train.



Opinions: I personally really enjoyed watching this film. In some ways, this film was very similar to the film I Produced for ALevel called, 'I Never Eat Anything For Lunch' and its further down in this specific Blog Document.

In some ways, this Film is very powerful. The woman is in a hurry, runs into someone, misses her train and sheds a few tears. Some of the audience will identify with the main woman in this film because im sure that many of the audience will have been in her position. This film also seems to present the concept of racism. The woman does not let the black man help her pick up her things. The woman shares a salad with another black man because she and the audience believe that the black man ate her salad.

2. 'Vincent' - Tim. Burton. Short. Animation. 1982
The sad tale of Vincent Maloy who wants to be the same as his idle, Vincent Price.



Opinions: Personally, I found this to be a a very creative and inventive film. This was an Animation. This film was creepy but also exciting.

3. 'Dumping Elaine'
A man called Eddie wants to dump a woman called Elaine. Another woman called Beth is involved. Is Eddie using Elaine to hurt Beth? Is Beth using Eddie to get back at Elaine? Does Beth really love Eddie?



Opinions: I found this a realistic film. Some of the audience will identify with this 'Breaking Up a Relationship' Situation. The acting in this film was very convincing and clearly emphasised the complexity of the 'Breaking Up of a Relationship' Situation.

4. 'smile around the face'
The entire film is a close up of a mans face. The man and his wife appeared to have recently separated or divorced. The man picks up their kids and takes them to the park.



Opinions: I personally thought that this was a very creative and powerful film. The man appeared to be enjoying himself when he was with his children, which was very realistic and many of the audience will identify with the main character in this film.

5. 'I Never Eat Anything For Lunch'. Based on the Short Story 'The Luncheon' by W Somerset Maugham. A Student Made Film, made by Alfred Letley and Edward Buxton.
Edward Buxton and I made this short 5 minute film for Media Studies ALevel in 2007 when we were at Hampstead Fine Arts 6th Form College in North London. It is also on Youtube. A man and woman meet outside a cinema Foyer. The Man is a successful writer and the woman has put on 21 stone. They remember having lunch together. The next scene is in the past in an expensive Italian Restaurant. The man is a poor writer. The woman eats steak, mash potatoe and the man has salad. The woman leaves him in the restaurant and he has to pay the bill. The next scene is back in the Present where the woman has put on 21 stone.



Opinions: The Restaurant Scene was Personally my favourite part of this film for several reasons: Well Filmed, the acting was excellent, the crunching sound effects were extremely amusing. The First and Third Scenes were, in my personal opinion, weak because they were poorly directed.

6. 'Mack', This film can be seen as a 'Film Noir'. This film is basically about, 2 men having problems, they go to their male friends for support.



Opinions: Very Interesting switches between Monochromatic Filming and Colour Shooting. The Monochromatic Scenes remind me of an old fashioned Detective Novel and Detective TV Program.

7. 'Love'. This film is basically about a woman who tries to tell her female friend, 'I Love you'.



Opinions: I personally found this to be a very melancholy film. The piano music was lovely. The singing was also beautiful.

I did not completely understand this film. A friend of mine had recommend that I watch it, so I did. The scene at time period (2:20) was very sad, when the woman said, 'I love you', and the other person pushed the other woman away. In a way, the love was not reciprocated.

I personally think that this film was trying to present to the audience that love is a very powerful concept and that people should be careful when they use the phrase, 'I Love you'.

8. 'The Fantasist' from the site, 'Vimeo.com'. This is a Student Made film, made by Jessie Barstow and Ciaran O'Brien. This film is basically about a boy doing everyday activities. The Narrator of the film seems to be jealous. She explains what is going on.

Opinions: Personally, I thought that this was a very moving film. The Narrator was clearly frustrated and jealous. Some girls who watch this film will most likely agree and identify with the female narrator. The ending was very sad with the boy writing a letter. However, I was surprised by the sudden end to the film. I was expecting the boy to either see the girl or call the girl and end the relationship.

The Fantasist - 48hr Film Fest from Ciaran OBrien on Vimeo.

9. 'Window on the World' by Matt Steel. A Student made film, made by Matt Steel

Window On The World from impressmedia on Vimeo. I really liked the music and the lyrics to the main song. Both the music and the lyrics were very soothing and peaceful. They both helped to give this film atmosphere, shape, beauty.

When the man was singing, he sometimes referred to a colour wheel. That wheel was beautiful. I was impressed that this prop matched the lyrics 'Wheel' in the song.

The POV of a guy on a Skate Board at time periods (2:14 and 2:31) was, I thought, very impressive because it caught the action.

OCT / NOV 09 RE FORMATTING THE SCRIPT: 'What would you do for a pair of shoes?'

I found this a challenge to organise.

My Group wanted me to Re Format Scenes 2 and 5.

I had never used the Script Writing Software: 'Celtx' before. I made a film for ALevel called 'I Never Eat Anything For Lunch', my class mate and I wrote the script 6 or 7 times but we never used 'Celtx'. We were never told about it.

Scene 2, appeared to contain 3 shots / Scenes.

A. Clare outside the Jobshop.
B. Clare seen inside the Jobshop.
C. Clare back outside the Jobshop.

All of these scenes were at different times.

An Important Note = Scene 2C, 'Beautiful Shoes', they are very important to the actual film. The Film Makers have to convey Clare's desire for shoes. Show, don't tell.

Big Decision I faced about shooting Scene 2, either shoot it as two scenes or 3 scenes?

I chose to Re Format Scene 2 as 3 seperate scenes because visually the audience will see 3 different set ups:
Clare arriving
Clare inside Job center
Clare outside.

Celtx allowed the writers to add in fine details such as: Props, Sound Effects etc.

Oct/Nov 09 Porcess for Re Writing the Final Script

28th and 29th October 2009

The First and Second scenes were exciting to Re Write because my Group and I had made very good and understandable notes.

1- EXT. Grave Yard. MORNING

I included the dark sinister Grave Yard.

I wrote about: A group of Teenagers dressed in jeans, trainers and sweatshirts. I also wrote about one of the teenagers looking handsome and confident. He is wearing a leather jacket, and a huge Metal Watch on his left arm, his name is Ross. One of the other Teenagers is looking very nervous, he is sweating, his name is Tim. Another teenager wearing a baseball cap and an ear ring in his ear is holding a Clipboard with paper on it. His name is Harry.

I included: a disposable camera.

I wrote about: Harry being very organised and having a Clipboard. Tim being very nervous of Ross.

I wrote about: Tim giving Ross the Camera and Ross becoming puzzled.

Screen Fades.

2- EXT. Grave Yard. MORNING

I wrote about: Ross becoming very angry. Tim shaking with fear.

I explained that: Tim told Ross that Harry had told Tim to bring a disposable camera.

I showed that: Harry smiled nastily to himself without either Tim or Ross noticing.

I wrote about: Ross ordering Tim and Harry to get him a new camera right away.

Screen ripples to show the passing of time.


However, I found the Third scene where the boy steals the camera, a nightmare to write. I felt that my group and I had not explained this scene very well. I found myslef floundering on my own.

3- INT. Car Park. MORNING

I wrote about: A huge Car Park.

I included: Harry and Tim walking into a huge Car Park. Harry makes notes and Tim follows looking very nervous.

I wrote about: Harry and Tim steal a CCTV Camera and then leave.

Screen Ripples to show the passing of time.


I also had trouble writing about the Fourth and final scene.My Group and I had not made this section clear either. I also felt that I was floundering on my own.

4- EXT. Grave Yard. AFTERNOON

I included: Tim and Harry running fast into the Grave Yard.

I wrote about: Harry handing his Clip Board to Ross. Ross is impressed and happy with Harry.

I wrote about: Tim handing the new camera to Ross. Ross is pleased.

I wrote about: the warning from the camera saying: 'Battery Low'.

I wrote about: Ross becoming angry again at Tim and Tim becoming really nervous of Ross again.

I wrote about: Harry smiling nastily to himself without either Ross or Tim noticing.

I wrote about: Tim starting to cry and Harry smiling nastily and shaking his head.

Screen fades and the film ends.

Ideas:

Harry could be a nasty character. Trying to get Tim into serious trouble with Ross. Tim could be innocent. Ross and Harry could be seen as bullies.


1st November 2009

My Group and I met in town. I made nots on the rough outline of the Script:

Start:

2 groups of people.

In a Car Park.

Groups look like they are against each other.

Next Scene:

2 Characters holding guns.

Film in a Film.

'Action', guy taking stills with a Disposable Camera.

Wrong Camera

Confusion.

Guy with the Disposable Camera really wants to be a proper cameraman. He is eager to please. He runs off.

Next Scene:

Montage of all the cameras the guy is trying to get. He goes back to his house to get some money.

2 Scenes Interlinking:

1st = Cameraman A shows guy stealing a CCTV Camera.

2nd = Cameraman B shows Group getting a new Camera.

3rd = Cameraman A gets rugby tackled.

Cameraman B shouts 'Action'

The film ends

Details About Me

What do I hope to achieve from blogging?
I hope to achieve a greater sense of responsibility. I made a Film when I was in Year 13 at Hampstead Fine Arts 6th Form College, for my Media Studies ALevel Coursework. Its on Youtube called, 'I Never Eat Anything For Lunch'.



We had to construct Log Books which consisted of: Short Films, Conversations with Classmates and Professional Actors (used in my film), Photographs of Locations etc. Using 'Blogger' for this Module will most likely be a challenge. In College, Writing ideas in Film Log Books gave me great opportunities, space and time for me to experiment with different aspects of organising the construction of a film such as: space for conversations, space for emails etc. However, using 'Blogger', their will be less space for ideas / conversations.

What will people learn from reading my blogs? They will hopefully get a clear understanding of the learning curve, mistakes and achievements I will go through on this module.

Will this Module be helpful for me in the future? Yes I think so, because I would very much like to go and make Films and Documentaries. I see myself as a Film Producer, Director, Promoter and Organiser. This Module should give me a realistic insight into the world of Film Making.