fmp-research-development-blog

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Episode 2

Scene 1 A box of chicken opens and quick cuts between a ultra-zoom on someone biting some fries and then another quick cut to someone drinking from an cup with a straw however this shot lingers for a really long time until the cup is empty and the straw makes that loud sucking noise, camera zooms out as the character moves the cup from their mouth starting to talk but then looks in the cup and brings it back to his face for the last sip and the camera zooms back in and out again staying in sync with the cup remaining focused on it the whole time. Conversation begins and Dan and harry are talking about what they have to do to become roadmen, “we could ask someone” “yea or just google it”  

Scene 2 Harry and Dan split up, Dan interviews a roadman scene cuts between Dan trying and failing to talk to the public and Harry researching English history and roadman culture its origins and creating a checklist of what it’s going to take to become one. Cuts back to Dan talking to a roadman taking notes on a little note pad. Screen cuts in half while both discover the importance of drugs and both shots slowly zoom on them as they both whisper “weeds” super-fast travel montage of Dan going to Harry's house knocks on door harry answers and they both shout “wacky backy”

Scene 3 We google where to get weed, Dan turns to camera says I’ve got it. Camera zooms on computer with a screen grab form the footage of us outside smooth cut to us actually there, we go into funny farm and Dan follows with the camera Harry goes to buy herbal cigarettes thinking it’s the other kind of herbal, improv-comedy dialogue. Ultra-zoom on the cigarette being lit and an angle change to a side view camera zooms out to reveal the boys are sitting In trolleys in a tunnel near town with the camera on a tripod passing the herbal cig to each other time lapse of the boys messing around in the trollies waiting for the “effects” to kick in. both talk about how they aren’t feeling anything and that they think they have been scammed. Both are very disappointed and harry pushes his trolley into a wall, cuts at the exact time of the trolley hitting the wall to Harry's front door slamming.

Scene 4   Boys are both fuming talking about how everyone thinks they are a joke and they need to step their game up, boys decide they need to start road properly. Gearing up montage with classic road music changing from our terrible tracksuits into new all black Adidas tracksuits putting little shanks all over us taping trap phones all over the inside the jacket. Boys get on bikes and ride around the area (hood) intimidating passers-by until they come across a Roadman (josh Dan’s friend) he stops us whilst really intense music plays as if a fights going to take place but he smiles and says do you boys want to sell some food for man. Boys look confused at each other, Harry says “I worked for deliveroo for a while but I doubt that’s what you mean” the roadman explains that food means drugs and if we wanted to start slinging dope he could hook us up. Unsure the boys say they will think about it just as the pair start to pick up their bikes the Roadman starts to count a huge wedge of money. Camera zooms from being focused on the wedge of cash to the boys in the background who look at the money and then each other.

Scene 5 Edgar Wright style Whip cuts to the boys shaking hands with the Roadman being handed Tesco bags, riding bikes, unlocking Harry’s door, kicking the door open and sitting on the sofa with the two Tesco’s bags in front of them Dan leans forwards and as he touches the bag a loud phone rings making both of them jump, the boys rootle through their pockets pulling out phones none of which are ringing. Harry lifts up sofa cushion to reveal tones of trap phones taped to the bottom of the cushion he finds the one that is ringing and takes it off. Close up to pressing the answer button, harry putts phone on speaker. It’s the Roadman who tells them you sell all that food by Friday and to take two thirds of the money and drop it in a tree by the bus stop where they met the first time at 8.30 on the dot.

Scene 6 Montage of the boys riding their bikes to Morrison’s buying loads of zip lock bags and riding home, dividing and bagging the weed (actually chopped parsley but viewers don’t need to know that) boys set zoom on a hand grabbing a handful of baggies as the pair exit with their tracksuits on and camera whip pans to the boys sitting on a wall calling at passers by “fresh herbs for sale” giggling after each person. Eventually a man walks towards them and says “I hear you boys are selling herbs” comedic dialogue results in the boys making their first sale episode ends with a zoom onto the cash in Dan’s hand as he smiles frantically.

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Ive Written The Episode 1 Storyboard

Episode 1:

Scene 1 Scene starts with a view of a road that pans up Katy Perry can be heard faintly in the distance getting louder car flashes across frame and camera cuts to inside the car me and Dan are in Dan’s mums car jamming to a Katy Perry TUNE. Dan’s mum turn’s music down “mum turn it back up” conversation continues.  Pull into driveway and all get out with a different angle to introduce the camera man and to show that the films will be shot from multiple angles rather than just the handheld style. Dan is excited to walk his dog (Flufflez.)

Scene 2 whip pan to walking the dog in a wood; boys are talking about what they are gonna do for their video project and decide to make a documentary about urban culture for college. Me and Dan both look at him and say “dude” Dan says “have you met my dad” Dan explains that his dad is a road legend” (lord of the rings style Rotoscoped map storytelling of the origin story of Dan’s dad.

Scene 3 figure walks in foreground of one of the scene wipe cutting to the boys all set up getting ready to interview Dan’s dad, angle changes to the perspective of the boys camera and a figure can only just be seen and really bad pixilation covers his face just in case Dan’s Dad doesn’t want to be in it one of us will do the voice. Dan’s dad doesn’t want to be interviewed and says “I’ve changed my mind fuck off” me and the camera man quickly leave but the camera records from around the corner Dan’s dad is abusing Dan saying he is a pussy and an embarrassment “your hurting my feelings dad” “WHAT the fuck are those bruv” Dan is told he cannot stay anymore as he is not road enough and to come back when has become a “MAN”. Dan leaves room looks embarrassed when he sees the camera is still recording.

Scene 4 Cuts to the boys being kicked out and me saying to Dan that I can’t believe this and what are we going to do. Boys find a bus shelter and huddle for warmth. Night captured in time-lapse from above. Morning breaks and camera slowly pans to the sky and quickly back down Dan is gone from frame I wake up and call out where are you Dan. I panic and and get up look around frantically (camera looks around frantically to simulate the characters panic) camera guy calls out he’s over there whip pan onto Dan (likely a reverse pan technique, camera focused on Dan and whips away. during the edit played in reverse to look like the camera has whipped onto the frame) he is sitting in the middle of the road meditating.

Scene 5 I walk over and he tells Me “it’s been in front of us the whole time” looking confused I ask what do you mean he says “the road, we have to embrace the road” camera angles at the road and sinks into it like a fade to black but just filming directly down until it hits the ground. Smooth pan from behind a wall (to basically fade out of the black in a side wipe but using the wall) reveals the boys sitting on a smaller wall talking. The boys decide they are going to go and steal some road garments from Dan’s dad’s old road box.

Scene 6 But they want to wait till night time so while they wait they want to try some road cuisine (montage of the boys walking in and eating at chicken shops) until night. boys return to Dan’s house at night time with headlights on and break in (comedy stuff happens) lots of trying not to make noise harry checks the fridge for any cheese strings comes back peeling the little strips off it to make hair. The boys go upstairs and look through his dad’s old roadman box and find two legendary outfits (already purchased) episode ends with the boys finding the tracksuits with a holy spotlight with angelic voices humming. Slow zoom and episode ends.

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I love Edgar Wrights style of humour and would love to develop a similar style. this video really highlights the more layered approach in his film making and i would love to have visual comedy in my film just as much as comedic dialogue, slapstick and costumes as these are obvious and i would like to strive towards a more intelligent form of comedy.

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we had some trouble with audio during filming of the first sample found this guy on youtube and he had some really interesting knowledge about what mic choice is right for what situation, fingers crossed the media store have some fancy mics i can book out because i really don’t have the money to fork out of a selection of microphones

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Although i want my film to remain funny i do really want to convey the serious dangers of “road” culture and how young people are caught into the lifestyle from a young age. however i want these facts to remain as foreshadowing, until one of the later episodes where all the fun and comedy is drained and all the viewer is left with are the gritty facts that many young people face. whether its drugs, debt, illness ect, that causes a household to resort to crime or if it is simply to afford a new pair of Jordan’s. temptation is always there and it is easy to get stuck in the lifestyle.

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MOVIE THOUGHTS - Apollo 18

Not much to say about this one really, its terrible. But from a movie maker standpoint the camera work is quite interesting although hard to follow the continuous switching from one CCTV camera to the next many with different video qualities is a cool concept as it allows the characters to make eye contact with the camera and acknowledge its existence as well as really conveying the size of the spaces they are tucked into showing the tight crampt spaces that astronauts have to work in.

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MOVIE THOUGHTS - Hardcore Henry

Really cool film to be honest, I was not sure at the start but once the action built up it was a really enjoyable film experience. Now what makes this movie truly unique is that it is shot entirely first person using a crazy head rig to allow the actor to see but also have two cameras each controlled separately. The effect of having the film remain in the first person is scenes seem like they are shot in one continuous take, They are not, the scenes are a smoothly edited series of very fast whip pan transitions. However the editing is really effective and ties together the action set pieces into a continuous string of awesome visuals and violence.

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Really strong convincing acting to convey a powerful message, I would like to have some darker undertones present amongst the more comedic surface of our final film.

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Sample video

Although I am quite unhappy with the final product we had allotted a really limited time and only had a phone to film with and was more of an exercise in editing than a storytelling masterclass. with a Gimbal we could have captured the infinite zoom FAR better with a smooth continuous zoom rather than the jumpy mess we created. We where very rushed towards the end of filming and only had the chance to film one take of the ending and looking back this is where the film really falls apart as any logic present is totally lost. We only had a shoe to prop up the phone so the angle was incredibly poor, the dialogue is practically inaudible (in future we will use a proper mic setup and use cameras and equipment to avoid the mess that this is) however from a progression standpoint, it can only get better from here (i hope)

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Update

the original blog has now been made into FMP-Harry-Ross  and will now only be used for my samples and finished products. More of a highlight reel whereas this blog will be used for more of the written planning and research.

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Student symposium primary reasearch  -Harry Ross

It was really interesting to hear form the ex-students as although they all have had very different progression in in their lives they all repeated a few things, many spoke about the importance of taking advantage of the workshops and ability to really experiment with a huge variety of skills, methods and work in ways you are not very comfortable with. Initially I was not sure about doing a film for my FMP but after hearing wills talk I decided that although film media is not one of the techniques I came wanting to develop and I doubt I will leave college and pursue a career in film media. I did really enjoy the two week project and think I may as well continue to experiment as I may not get an opportunity to spend eight weeks working with film media again and I would really like to see what I am capable of. I was surprised by how many of the students spoke about their time at university and how many of them wished they hadn’t gone as they would have progressed themselves more than when they were in further education, because of this I am going to really make sure that university is one hundred percent the right choice for me.  In the future I would like to continue to focus on experimentation as much as possible as more skills cannot be a negative. Although I am very interested in persuading a career in blacksmithing and my desire to do this has not changed however I am open to other techniques and styles of working. In reflection I would have liked to have talked to will about Dan and I’s film as although his film style is totally different to what we want to go for he would have been the most relevant person to talk to in reference to our FMP.

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Episode 1 brainstorm loose planning (will likely change)

Scene starts with a view of a road that pans up Katy Perry can be heard faintly in the distance getting louder car flashes across frame and camera cuts to inside the car me Dan and the camera man are in Dan’s mums car jamming to a Katy Perry TUNE. Dan’s mum turn’s music down “mum turns it back up” conversation continues.  Pull into driveway and all get out with a different angle to introduce the camera man and to show that the films will be shot from multiple angles rather than just the handheld style. Dan is excited to walk his dog (Flufflez) whip pan to walking the dog in a wood; boys are talking about what they have been up to and ask the camera man what he is going to do over the holiday he says he has to make a documentary about urban culture for college. Me and Dan both look at him and say “dude” Dan says “have you met my dad” Dan explains that his dad is a road legend” (lord of the rings style Rotoscoped map storytelling of the origin story of Dan’s dad figure walks in foreground of one of the scenes smoothly panning to the boys all set up getting ready to interview Dan’s dad, angle changes to the perspective of the boys camera and a figure can only just be seen and really bad pixilation covers his face just in case Dan’s Dad doesn’t  want to be in it one of us will do the voice. Dan’s dad doesn’t want to be interviewed and says “I’ve changed my mind fuck off” me and the camera man quickly leave but the camera records from around the corner Dan’s dad is abusing Dan saying he is a pussy and an embarrassment “your hurting my feelings dad” “WHAT the fuck are those bruv” Dan is told he cannot stay anymore as he is not road enough and to come back when you have sprouted some nuts. Dan leaves room looks embarrassed when he sees the camera man. Cuts to the boys being kicked out and me saying to Dan that I can’t believe this and what are we going to do. Boys find a bus shelter and huddle for warmth. Night captured in time-lapse from above. Morning breaks and camera slowly pans to the sky and quickly back down Dan is gone from frame I wake up and call out where are you Dan. I panic and so does the camera guy we get up and look around camera looks around frantically to simulate the characters panic camera guy calls out he’s over there whip pan onto Dan (likely a reverse pan technique, camera focused on Dan and whips away. during the edit played in reverse to look like the camera has whipped onto the frame) he is sitting in the middle of the road meditating. we walk over and he tells us “it’s been in front of us the whole time” looking confused we ask what do you mean he says “the road, we have to embrace the road” camera angles at the road and sinks into it like a fade to black but just filming directly down until it hits the ground. Smooth pan from behind a wall (to basically fade out of the black in a side wipe but using the wall) reveals the boys sitting on a smaller wall talking. The boys decide they are going to go and steal some road garments from Dan’s dads old road box. But they want to wait till night time so while they wait they want to try some road cuisine (montage of the boys walking in and eating at chicken shops) until night. boys return to Dan’s house at night time with headlights on and break in (comedy stuff happens) lots of trying not to make noise harry checks the fridge for any cheese strings comes back peeling the little strips off it to make hair. The boys go upstairs and look through his dads old roadman box and find two legendary outfits (already purchased)  

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IN-MOVIE GRAPHICS - CHARACTERS INTRO  although this is all in chinese and highly stylized it is this drawn style we want to use to introduce the backstory of Dans dad.

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History Of The Title Sequence: some really interesting film styles that would be fun to experiment with.

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Youtube

We have made a youtube channel to put all of the videos we make on click here  to take a look

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The Movies

(videos with a line through we have watched) 

The films we are watching are;

Apollo 18 - Because of the surveillance style camera shots

The Cornetto Trilogy - For whip pans and zooms 

Limitless - For the infinite zoom

This Country -  Documentary style and humour

Hardcore Henry - Use of first person POV

The Office - Documentary style and the humor

The Blair Witch Project 2 - ‘Found footage’

Anuvahood  -  Roadman dialect and visual comedy

Alan Partridge Isordil - mockumentary style 

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Edgar Wright and the Art of Close-Ups from David Chen on Vimeo. Really interesting interview with the director of the Cornetto trilogy. I really like his style of filmaking combining visual comedy with the more graphic violence and gore to create a truly unique style.