Screenshots of my Film

So far this is how my film is looking, i love how drastically the colours change once he enters the mirror

Reshoots

After editing my material for 3 days i decided to call for a reshoot. I've very happy with the majority of my footage however the scenes shot on the first day of shooting do not match as well as i had hope. Therefore i reshot 2 shots and added in 2 wide shots so that there wouldn't be  any jump cuts in the final edit. My cast and crew were more than happy to come which i felt was a good vote of confidence. I still have 3 shots to film outside that i intended to put at the start of my film to contextualise the piece however it has not been sunny enough to film - if i filmed them now the weather would look drastically different and ruin the continuity. My camerawoman Annie-Rose is on standby over the weekend in case the weather chnages however it isn't any great loss if i dont get these shots filmed as my rough cut was over the 8 minutes allowed and i can see myself sturggling to cut it down. I'll post up screenshots of my film later today to show the progress from my original concept to how the film looks.

Day Two/Editing Process

Sorry that this is slightly belated but i've been consumed by the editing process. Day Two couldn't have gone better. The crew call was at 11 and we were finished by 6 in the evening. This was thanks to the efficient work by my actors and crew. I have some slight concerns over the green screening but i've been assured by my special effects artist Chris Thompson that it shouldn't be too difficult. The editing began 5 days ago and has been extremely difficult. It's been more difficult than usual because i shot using a DSLR however didn't mark in the sound as we have over 100 shots to film and there was very little time to spare. After about 30 hours i have virtually all the dialogue match up except one more scene. I'd say the overall edit is about 50% complete. It has to be with the composer by Tuesday by the latest, which gives me another two days to finish the rough cut. I'm not too worried as i intentionally went after the dialogue first and with another 5 hours on the rest of the dialogue i should have another day just to cut together the portal sequences. Once this is done i'll hand the footage over to Chris to put in the special effects, put the composition over the piece and it should be ready for the Odeon. My only concern is that if i make any changes to the rough cut, the composition might be off. However i've asked the composer Kevin McAleese to give me the tracks and if i do make any drastic changes i should be able to sync them up myself. I've spent a lot of time detailing to Kevin exactly what i want from the soundtrack and he is very confident he can deliver what im looking for. Kevin will have 6 days to finish the composition which i see as more than enough time.

Day One

So today was the first day of shooting. On the whole everything went very well. We got everything shot by 4:30 which allowed me to derig the set and talk down the rest of my crew. Chris is sending me the footage tomorrow, which i'll look at and decide if we need to reshoot anything. I've braced myself for the possibility of reshoots - we are attempting to utilize special effects which i've never done before and therefore i view reshoots as a likelihood. However considering other people in the class are reshooting scenes, this doesn't bother me too much - i'm lucky that Michael and my crew wouldn't mind having to reshoot a scene or two. Michael did a great job, couldn't ask for anything more from him - the same goes for the rest of my crew.

Now onto the future. I'm shooting the rest of the film on Sunday, so i'm making a checklist now of everything i have to get. I've got all the props, and virtually all the costumes. The tricky bit will be moving the props from BMC to Oxfam on the Ormeau Rd, but i'll figure it out. Im going to call the other actors tonight to confirm that they are ready to go for Sunday, just so everyone is on the same wavelength.

Another Busy Day

So today was the vital day i assumed it would be. It started off when i called the Oxfam shop that i had contacted last Friday at 10:30, they asked me to call back later in the afternoon to speak with another manager. I called them back at 2:30 and agreed a fee and a time scale with one of the managers. They seem like really genuine people and since im paying them, i know i'll have the entire shop to myself which makes shooting a lot easier. It sound crazy but by paying them i feel i have a lot of control over the shoot and this makes me a lot more comfortable and confident.

I met with Dale Morgan at 11:15 to bring in a large collection of props - dolls, a safe, a gothic mirror, i had it all. I spent around 7 or 8 hours building a set for the Wednesday shoot, the set now looks like the white room i wanted. However it's forced me to change the camera i intend to use, i'll pick up on this later. At 3 o clock i met up with an actor who was interested in playing the lead role. We sat talking about our favourite films before going over the script. He's a lovely guy and he brings a lot of intensity to the role, i'll have to direct him with his mannerisms but i'm ecstatic to have him on board. I contacted the actress i had scheduled to play the homeless woman and mentioned to her than she may be bumped up to the lead role if i couldnt find another actress in time. However after this i texted actresses i had used in previous film projects and luckily one of them seems to be able to help me out, she said she is free this Sunday and would be happy to do it - so im calling her tomorrow and going over the project and im quietly confident this will work out!

So yes, i've flip flopped again and i now intend to shoot on DSLR. Now that i know i have full control over both locations my primary reason for using a Z5 has gone. On top of this there wasn't enough boards to cover the floor, so im hoping to buy a white cloth and cover the floor in that - using a DSLR which has a shallow focal length, the audience wont be able to see the floor with clarity and will automatically assume it is a white board as well. Plus DSLR's look more cinematic and shooting on a SD card is ideal as logging footage can take an absurdly long time. The only issue will be syncing up/recording sound - i called my sound man Karol at 7 to discuss his thoughts on this change and he seemed cool with it. We figured it out on his shoot, so im sure we will figure it out on mine. If not, we are filming at BMC on Wednesday, so we can ask a tutor and have it sorted by the time we film on location.

Tomorrow will consist of buying cloth and masking tape (to tape over the gaps in the board), buying costumes in Primark, testing the special effects with Chris at 1 and then reccying the Oxfam/Antiques store at 2:30/3. So pretty much another busy day. However i'm actually not too stressed. Don't get me wrong, today was hell. Although i feel like the majority of the groundwork is done and now it's a case of optimising the quality of the project, more so than gathering the materials for the project to actually take place. Anyway, i have to go e-mail the actress the script and go over everything again to make sure i have forgotten something.

Progress

So this is the beginning of a very busy week. I went out on Saturday and bought a vase (to smash) and paints to make the two signs. I'm currently going over my script/prop list to make sure i haven't missed anything out. If i'm right and i have collected everything then i'll bring in all in tomorrow and store it in the radio studio so that i know where everything is. Tomorrow my crew will be working in the tv studio most of the day so that the set is ready for shooting on Wednesday. I'll also be meeting up with an actor who i hope to use for the main character. The two actresses that i selected to come in tomorrow and chat about the part still haven't e-mailed me to confirm that they are coming in, which is a little worrying - however i can always bump Kavita up to a main role and find another girl for the non-speaking 5 second shot. A small issue has come up. Tomorrow Oxfam will hopefully call me and confirm that i can shoot inside their store. The issue is that my camerawoman Annie-Rose can't take another Sunday off. I don't know what day Oxfam will allow me to film however if Sunday is closed then i have to take that opportunity. Thursday would have customers and would be a major inconvenience to myself and Oxfam. In the scenario that i take the Sunday i will bump Chris up to cameraman as he would only be used selectively for the special effects otherwise.

Update on the update

Busiest 3 days of my filmmaking life - 2 lead actors dropped out and then the primary location did as well. So i was mildly stressed. Rang around a pool of actors on Thursday, then two who i had previously considered spoke to me - long story short Michael Killen is coming in on Monday the 21st of May to read the script and get to grips with the project. The other actor who dropped out was playing the lead female role, so i went onto Gumtree, posted an advert and a day later selected the best two from that. They should hopefully becoming in on Monday as well. I went to reccie/rekkie/star treckie the primary location on Thursday when they told me that it had all of a sudden become a problem. They said they would have to clear it with the manager and that he would call me soon. So i gave them two days and when they still hadn't got back to me i rang around all the oxfam charity shops in Belfast. One of the Oxfam shops on the Ormeau Road said they could probably help, they couldn't see why it would be a problem. They are ringing me back on Monday to confirm that it is a go. Monday will be the big day then, Karol, Annie-Rose, Chris and myself will be set-building all morning while i intermittently interview actors and hopefully get a positive call from Oxfam. I'm away out now to buy props - WITH  MY FRIEND.

Soundtrack

I'm reasonably certain that this uploaded correctly.

This is the audio clip that Kevin McAleese sent me, his interpretation of the ideas from the script/my comments on the tone of the piece. I told him i was happy from 34 seconds onwards but the beginning wasn't great, the piano is too obvious and lacks subtlety. I sent him Trent Reznor's soundtrack for The Social Network, i wanted more techno/electro keyboard. In my eyes electronic keyboard has replaced the violin as the means of scaring audiences, for example strings played a major role in the score of Jaws. However when the piece starts to pulse from 34 seconds onwards it becomes much better. I use the word pulse because it feels like Calum's heartbeat, something i told Kevin to accentuate, especially when the film reaches its final stages and the tension is upped. Long story short, great place to start - i'm expecting a redrafted piece by the end of the week. I sent Kev an e-mail with specific songs to listen to for ideas so hopefully his vision will be refined.

Im going to listen to Trent Reznor's band Nine Inch Nails for ideas. They released an album specifically for filmmakers to use for films so i'll probably start there.

Update

I was filming Karol Murray's film on Saturday so i have neglected the blog a bit. All the parts in my film have been offered to professional actors that i met at a film festival in Belfast.

Calum - Chris Heath
Lily - Niketa Ferguson
Homeless Woman - Kavita Thanki

They each expressed interest in the role and are currently reading the parts. Should be confirmed in a day or two.

I had a production meeting on Monday with my crew, Karol and i discussed the importance of diegetic sound, i also went over what his role is in relation to the professional sound recordist that im using Kevin McAleese. Karol and Kevin are good friends so i spoke to Kevin later on Monday night and he understands the look im going for. Kevin sent me a demo of what he perceived the tone of the piece to be, i'll post that up here when i discover how to. I showed Annie-Rose the storyboard for the first scene which she seemed happy enough with - couldn't finish the storyboards as i haven't rekkied (or whatever the term is) the antiques shop yet. However im doing that tomorrow and then the storyboards will be finished over the weekend. So yeah, oh i have the second location confirmed, which is being used on the 23rd of May. It's the television studio, im setting up the white boards tomorrow and painting them on Thursday with either Karol Murray or Chris Thompson - so that should be ready to go for Wednesday. The main concern now is getting props and costumes. I'll pay more attention to the costumes once the actors are guaranteed, probably go shopping for them on Saturday with a friend. I already have 6 out of 13 so i'm not too bothered by that. I've spent a lot of time preparing everything so i'm quite relaxed, having all my written coursework definitely helped me focus my energy on the shoot. Oh and the script is now finished, i'll send that to you now Jacqui, or maybe i'll just bring it into class.

Ah, visuals... Below is a video fo a short film that inspired my idea - well in terms of how the portal will be shot and the murky atmosphere

Pretty sure that's everything. Im going to instruct the lead actor (who plays Calum) to act like Armie Hammer/Morgan from CW's short lived comedy/sci-fi/drama Reaper.

http://static.tvfanatic.com/images/gallery/arnie-hammer-as-morgan_291x437.jpg

Pretty much your average, smarmy douchebag.

The actress who plays the femme fatale Lily will incorporate the seductive nature of Hollywood femme fatales, Anna Paradine from Hitchcock's The Paradine Case, Phyllis from Double Indemnity etc etc. My only issue with these comparisons is that Lily is the protagonist and they are generally antagonists. I've been struggling with the idea of a "good" femme fatale and while there is no real example, sod the stereotype - i've firmly planted the point that Calum is an ass in the script and im more than happy to have the characters morally ambiguous because while the entire piece is in a surreal setting, the actions of Calum are very real.

Oh and in terms of directorial style, the shots will turn from mid-shots to close ups more consistently as the film progresses. I've paid special attention to the directorial style as it's important i build tension throughout the piece, so obviously im going to elongate shots as everything draws out towards the end.

I'll post up the audio clip from Kevin now, possibly.

Script Redraft

I'm just finished redrafting my script for what i hope is the last time. Like i had mentioned before i have streamlined the themes to solely centre around feminism and male misogynistic character traits. I intend to send the script out to peers so that they can review it - paying specific attention to the critique provided by those who had read previous drafts - hopefully they can give me an analysis of how they feel the story has progressed.

Production Meeting

Yesterday i held my first production meeting with my team.

Annie-Rose = Camera Operator
Karol = Sound Recordist
Chris = Special Effects
Artur = Art & Design

The meeting last 45-50 minutes and was very productive. Karol got me in contact with Kevin McAleese who is now considering doing the sound mix for the project. I asked Karol to learn about using solid state recorders as we are shooting on DSLR. This brings me to Annie-Rose, we agreed using a Canon 550D was the best way to go, so i've started looking at a wide angle lens to purchase - it makes the entire piece more 'cinematic' - according to one of my tutors. I'm sending Annie-Rose my storyboard on Sunday night to look at for our next production meeting which will be on Wednesday 9th May. I spoke to Chris about how he intends to shoot the portal sequence, what we are going to do is shoot sideways as he approaches the portal so the camera see's the mirror, then remove the glass, put in a green screen and then shoot it one way through the mirror and then the other way through the back of the mirror - to give the reflective effect of a mirror. We intend to do screen tests on Wednesday 9th May to confirm that this will work. Artur and i discussed the style of the mirror/portal and he believes that Ikea has the style i am going for - he will post up pictures of the mirrors he has and the mirrors Ikea has tonight (which i will post here) and i'll decide which one to use by the end of the week.

The date i intend to film on is now Thursday 24th May. This date suits the owner of the location the best. Chris has pictures of the location which will be posted to me at some point this weekend.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/58mm-Wide-Angle-Lens-Canon/dp/B003VNF116/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1336153974&sr=8-1

This is the lens i am considering buying.

Weekend Progress

Last Thursday i booked out equipment for the shoot. The shoot will hopefully take place between the 18th and 21st. I picked this date because the shop i hope to use is closed on Sundays, which is the 21st. However over the weekend i began to think about what camera i intend to use. I started looking at the picture quality of DSLR cameras and i'm edging towards shooting on a Canon D6 instead of a Sony Z5. The limitation of using the Canon D6 is that the majority of shots will have to be static but thats a small price to pay for superior picture quality. I'll talk it over with my DOP Annie Rose before deciding 100%. I'm going to email a contact of mine (Brian Mulholland) to see if he can get me in touch with actors. I'm going to hold a production meeting this Thursday to discuss effects with Chris and shots with Annie Rose. 20 days to go.

Feedback on Original Script

I received feedback from a tutor about my script. He enjoyed the script, labelling it ambitious and had the following critiques.

• There isn't a plot
• I have to decide whether the film will be based on a narrative or purely iconographic
• Action needs reiteration, repetitive/monotonous action to make the location feel surreal 

He suggested i watch the film Catch 22.

Based on this i intend to redraft the script this weekend to refine the overall piece and receive further critique. I'd like the have the script roughly finished by 3rd of May as i'm intending to film around the 15th May. This should give the actors enough time to learn the script thoroughly. Speaking of which, i contacted 2 actors for the main character role and one for the supporting role today. All 3 are from Belvoir Players Drama Group. Hopefully they will get in touch over the weekend. If they don't i should be okay, i know 2 actors who would play the role. However i recently attended Film Devour and met several actors there, i like the idea of directing actors who i haven't worked with before - build up contacts. 

Surrealist Theory

I researched Surrealist theory in depth when originally writing the script. This is how i interpreted what i learnt.

Surrealism is split into two groups - Automatism and Illusionistic. Automatism is without conscious censorship, eg dreams. Illusionistic is composed of bizarre juxtapositions and layered semiotics. This makes normal objects and action appear abnormal. Common, unthreatening items become dangerous and threatening.

The main force behind Surrealism was Andre Breton, in the 1920s he described Surrealism as 'pure, psychic automatism'. In order to create an engaging film i took the illusionistic approach.

I have reservations over the audiences interpretation of my final film however as long as they are engaged with the piece i will consider it a success. In order to increase the likelihood of this i'm going to choose feminism as my main theme and build around the semiotics already in place in the script.

Props

I have started collecting and making props. A friend from my class has started making my portal. Surrealist Art generally references windows, doors as portals. I have taken this idea and decided to use a mirror as my portal. In regards to shooting this i have taken into consideration the reflective nature of mirrors and decided to perform screen tests on Thursday 26th April with another friend who intends to do the special effects for my film.

This is how portals/wormholes are depicted in Donnie Darko. This isn't what i'm going for but the way the portal moves is an effect i how to utilise.

Portals

I originally wanted to write a short film based around alternate worlds/realities. I started researching portals by watching films such as Being John Malkovich and Donnie Darko. Both of these films use the idea of portals to express different areas that were previously unreachable. In BJM the main character travels through a portal into the mind of John Malkovich. I want to emulate this sense of surrealism/absurdity.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120601/ 
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0246578/

This is what happens when John Malkovich discovers the portal and travels into himself. Charlie Kaufman is probably my favourite screenwriter and will factor into my redraft heavily. I also intend to reread Surrealist Art theory.

Beginning

Working on the theme of a 'transforming moment' i've decided to redraft a script originally intended as my Final Year Project. The script was originally conceived as a critique of contemporary social behaviour. I've already redrafted the script twice as the themes were originally too vague, however i now think the issue is that there are too many themes. Therefore im going to redraft the script again, focusing on one theme.