Final Film

Tom's Sound Design 
'Recondition' - Drama from SHU Film & Media Production on Vimeo.

Final Film (Without Sound Design)

Evaluation of Module

From September 2015 to April 2016 I have learnt and improved on many skills whilst building my portfolio of work for the creative project development and realisation module. I have enjoyed the module, however I have found each project challenging in different ways, which I believe has made me a more adaptable learner and more frequent problem solver.

My knowledge and understanding of the different mediums of films has increased convincingly. I have learnt common conventions of experimental film, documentary and drama, and I am more confident in different areas of the production which I had little experience before University. As well as this I have learnt even more so the importance of being organised, and this skill of mine has been put at the forefront of every group project in this module, and created efficiency when it came to planning. However, teamwork and relying on others is something I have struggled with in the past, and I have tried my hardest this year to put into practice in trusting others abilities in order for a project to be complete to a high standard. This is something I believe has been a valuable skill I have learnt for the future, and I have learnt to step back when necessary in order to reduce group confrontation, which in the end gave everyone a voice and enabled all opinions and thoughts of each group I worked in to be discussed and evaluated.

My technical skills in camera and editing have improved to great extents. I have learnt the importance of white balance and frame rate, as well as colour correction and how to structure a sequence in an edit in order for it to work as well as it should on screen to present the narrative. Although I have not taken it upon myself to be a producer for any project on this module, I do however believe my understanding of the role of a producer is something I have come to terms with, as previously to this module I didn't realise the amount of paperwork and responsibility the producer has in the pre-production stages of a film. Also reflecting upon this module I regret not putting myself forward for directing at some stage, because I do believe I have a creative mind, a great eye for detail and the level of organisation needed in order to make a successful film no matter the length and complexities of it.

Overall I believe the module has been vital in order to allow me to progress in the necessary skills I need to be successful during my second and third year of university. It has created a foundation to broaden upon and taught me things I never thought I would need to know being on a predominantly practical based course.

Evaluation of Drama Film

During the process of producing the film our group came under great stress regarding the script and how we worked together as a team. During our edit tutorial a week before the deadline it was highlighted that after re-planning our script we lost the inciting incident aspect of it which left it very bland with no drama. This improved the narrative and gave us more confident in working on it. 

After 3 sets of actresses cancelling on us last minute I managed to source us two females who were studying Performance for Stage and Screen in their first year at our university. They were keen, however with us only giving them the script the night before the first shoot they didn't know their lines on set. This pushed us for time as we didn't have long as it was. This was then where our co-operation and teamwork fell apart, as certain members of the team started clashing opinions and wasting time, this left the actors confused as to what they were doing. As well as this our specific roles became hazed as everyone was doing a bit of everything and there was no structure to the filming. I did create planning documents of shots for the whole script, which I didn't enforce on set because the director had a different vision to the rest of the crew. However for the final shoot I created more documents, this time for the structure of the shoot and what would be shot and the time frame I gave the team to execute this. 

As a cinematographer I do believe I did all that I could to ensure the quality of shots was to the best of my ability. To prevent wasting time I did decide that it was important to have two cameras set up to ensure we had a range of angles and shots in the time we had to shoot. I also booked out a slider and dolly to get some movement in the camera work, however with the set space not being big enough this meant I couldn't set it up. I was dissapointed that I couldn't because this would have created a really nice aesthetic to the cinematography. 

Skills such as organisation lacked with in our team, and this showed on set. This caused problems regarding getting enough footage which wasn't boring and unusable. With having the two cameras set up we couldnt match white balance which meant that the colour grading is different slightly. This meant that Harry needed to colour correct in post production to keep the aesthetic of the film to its highest possible. 

Our group would have benefited from meeting up in person more rather than communicating over social media, because this is what caused a lot of problems just to miscommunication. As well as this, we should have all conducted research prior to filming about our specific roles to ensure what our job title entailed for the project, and meant we would have guidelines to stick to, and we wouldn't clash and cause arguments over whose responsible for what. 

As far as the film goes, I am happy with what we have produced with reference to the amount of problems we had to solve. We have all learnt something from the project even though it could have been better given more time and our team work was more efficient. 

Role of Cinematographer

After research online I have found that the role of a cinematographer is a key aspect of the production stage. Where the Director of photography works alongside the art department in order to create the atmosphere for the film, the cinematographer is in charge of the shots executed which can be a vision of the directors or the director of photography's vision. The cinematographer is in charge of extra cameras which are on set, ensuring they operate correctly, and are in the right positions in order to create the best shots.
A key importance in the role of cinematographer is to communicate with the director in between takes to discuss the shot in order to create a better one on a second third or fourth take etc. Thus meaning that the cinematographer and director work closely together in order for the film to be executed efficiently and to the standard the director wants.
Camera operators usually begin their work at the end of pre-production, and therefore do not usually do paperwork for the film or planning. They are solely directed, working alongside the other departments such as audio, lighting and set design. All of these departments are controlled by the director themselves, as it is their vision for the film being produced.

Script Re-Write & Filming Plan

After our edit tutorial it was made clear that we had no inciting incident in our film narrative thus meaning we needed to re-write a section of the script to not only include this, but also to help make sense more of the situation the characters are in. This meant highlighting a back story, ensuring that the sound design is better to support the narrative and create more drama, and the actresses had more dialogue.
As well as this I decided to make a plan on behalf of the team to ensure that on the day of filming, because we will be short of time and we only have the actresses for a final 3 hours, it will be organised and everyone will know what they need to do, and the types of shots that need shooting whilst on set, to make sense of the narrative in the edit.

Filming Documents by Nat Clarke

Editing Progress

It was made clear that after the first two shoots, when piecing together the edit there was a variety of shots but however were not all usable for continuity reasons. However the shoots that created the sequence for the house scene in particular were of a length that meant it would need cutting down anyway in order to allow enough time for the other scenes in the film such as the park.
The cuts used all worked, however it was difficult to piece together a sequence without knowing what sound file went with what video file as this wasn't labelled on a clapper board or said by the director on the shoot. This made editing more stressful and time consuming.
As well as the problems with syncing up sound to the dialogue on screen it also highlighted how with the little dialogue we have in our script without the sound design present, although the edit is cleanly cut it was very bland and drew little attention to the point of the film. This to us highlighted how important the sound design is when creating a dramatic sequence of events.

Production Documents and Behind the Scenes

These behind the scene stills demonstrate the different locations in which we have had shoots in order to film our drama.

The locations we have used in my opinion really work for the film, and luckily at the park the weather was quite miserable which gave us the right effect we wanted to portray the negative atmosphere and mood of the main character.

Locations:

Crookes Valley Park, Sheffield

Crookesmoor Road, Sheffield

Broad Street, Sheffield

Production Documents:

Pre-Production for Cinematography

During pre-production I thought it would be a good idea to run through the script and make notes on both scenes regarding camera shots, equipment potentially needed and how to execute the shots to the best of my ability. With not really handling a camera for a project this year it was important for me to do my research and planning in order to create usable shots of a high standard that the whole group would be happy with.

I spent my time studying the script to ensure that my planning was effective, and that on the days of the shoots it was organised and efficient. This meant that on the day of the shoots although we had limited time, we managed to finish in loads of time so that we had time to experiment with more shots so that we had more variety for the edit.

Actors Workshop Reflection

During the acting workshop it was made clear to us that our script needed tonal development, because the character interaction was particularly dry. The actors played the roles well, but we noticed a lot of repetition with in the narrative that needed adjusting in order for the film to be more interesting to the viewer. Towards the end of the workshop the characters acted the draft script properly which gave me a chance to use the camera and trial different angles and shots in the studio to develop an understanding of actor movement in the image.
After the workshop as a group we sat down and made changes to the narrative in order to make the script flow between the characters better. This meant cutting out description of feelings which wasn't needed. Adding in more dialogue between the characters and then refining the purpose to the narrative. As well as this, we as a group discussed particular props we thought we could use to improve the aesthetic of the set, and camera equipment for different styles of shots.
I believe both of these sessions have increased our understanding of the story we created in terms on narrative and how we need to execute the shoots. It has also given us guidelines in how we believe the shoot will be structured on the day, and everything we need is planned accordingly for that to run smoothly and organised.

Drama Pitch Ideas

A Step Back in Time’

Pudding Bowl Analysis

Pudding Bowl presents a warmhearted period drama focused on a young isolated girl who is made a mockery by her own family. The mise en scene used highlights the decade (70's) that the film is set, which creates a homely setting for two young children and their single parent mother. The types of camera work used such as a timelapse of the mother cutting her daughters hair with a pudding bowl demonstrates the techniques parents used to use to cut their children's hair whilst being money conscious back when this film is set. This however could connote the mother punishing her daughter for being irresponsible with glue, even though she wasn't aware it was a form of distraction her son created to sneak out the house to play with his friends.
At the end of the film the young girl plucks up the courage to run out of the house and steal her brothers bicycle from the side of the road where he was sitting with his friends. The camera movement and the filter placed on this scene makes the audience sympathise with the young girl for being brave and putting her brother in her place. The non-diegetic sound / music creates a heroic atmosphere which creates a sense of pride the girl has as she flicks the hair that she has left on her head in the wind, laughing smug.

Evaluation

Documentary Evaluation by Nat Clarke

Bibliography

Skateistan. To Live and Skate Kabul. (2010) [online] Vimeo. 14th October. 

Tattoo Fixers. (2015) [online] E4. 23rd June. 

Curwen, Carly (2016). Pre-production [online]. Last updated 9th February. http://carlycurwencreativeproject.blogspot.co.uk/2016/02/pre-production.html

Under The Gun

Editing

The process of editing is slow but progressing really well nonetheless. With the feedback we were given from our tutor we decided that gripping the audience from the start with a comment made by our main interviewee was the best way to approach this task.
We knew that some shots needed slowing down to decrease the movement with in them, and we were also given tips on effectively cutting the interviews down to make sure we took the most important and interesting information from them. I believe we have done this well so far, and linked the interviews together as much as possible.
The aesthetic for this project is really important for us, and we believe the colour correction tools and vignette paint effect we created for each shot sets the tone of the documentary so that the audience could connect with the contributors and the environment we have set the film.
We have also decided to create a title and credit sequence for our documentary to increase the professionalism. This was created in Adobe After Effects using loyalty free footage and font we found online.

Pre-production

The pre-production research and documents were conducted by Carly, the producer for our team. This includes our call sheet, weather and location research and shot and equipment lists. Please use the link below:

Curwen, Carly (2016). Pre-production [online]. Last updated 9th February. http://carlycurwencreativeproject.blogspot.co.uk/2016/02/pre-production.html

Synchronised Sound in Documentary

Synchronised sound works in parallel with the moving image / film on screen. For documentary this specific type of sound is important to use to portray the truth behind the subject you are screening as a filmmaker. Whether this be sound from on set shoots, or a soundtrack, it is used to give the audience a better understanding of the environment the documentary is set, as well as the tone the director is wishing to execute.

Synchronised sound will be used with in our film because it allows us to record dialogue from our interviews separately to the footage on the xf100. This will be done using a Zoom
H4N and a shot gun microphone. Using this equipment along with a boom pole will allow us to capture crisper sound from the interviewee, increasing the quality and professionalism of our audio. This is possible because our sound recordist Frankie will use the boom pole to decrease the distance between the microphone and the person in question. Pointing the microphone directly towards the subject increases the lucidity of the sound recorded as this technique captures the most sound waves and frequencies, and therefore is a more effective way of capturing sound.

Documentary Pitch Ideas

Drug Documentary Pitch by Nat Clarke

Tattoo Documentary Pitch by Nat Clarke

Documentary Analysis

The poetic documentary had a theme of skating, with sub-themes of women's rights to skate, as well as war and peace. This is established through the locations used, shots and subtitled dialogue linking to the children skating in their home environment. The journalistic approach was taken by filmmakers to construct well thought out aesthetically pleasing shots, whilst displaying a topic (skating) which for children in Afghanistan is used as a way of being young despite the violence surrounding them, with the world at war in their home country. The particular grand scenery of buildings and landscapes explores the beauty of the country behind the doors of the war that the rest of the world see on the television. This reveals an insight into the culture of the people, particularly children who live in this area, and how there is beauty in every part of the world despite the bad. The use of still images to focus on the person in context being interviewed is effective because it creates an emotional connection between the child and the viewer through eye contact. This is a technique I wish to adapt and use in my documentary as I feel it makes the film more personal to the viewer, and explores the sensitive matter of war and peace, and their passion for skating in a wonderful way.