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CRITIQUE OF PROCESS

This term I took on three on-set roles: Production Designer (That’s Our Cue), Sound recordist and Boom Operator (Mid-Mortem) and Boom Operator (One More Day).

The film ‘That’s Our Cue’ interested me for production design as it was set in a location, I had no prior experience with. While the film was not very heavy on Production Design, I enjoyed working on it. I made posters to avoid having any of the bar’s original posters in shot and to cover up a large mirror and glass screen that were predominant in most shots of the film. The producer informed me that it might be beneficial if we had noiseless Billiards balls that could be used on set. I decided on using racquetballs as an alternative, but we scrapped the idea and instead developed pre-planned positions for the balls on the pool table to help with continuity and the director had choreographed a sequence with the actors that would prevent unwanted noise over dialogue, so I was also overseeing the continuity of these sequences. I was also in-charge of costume, but I wasn’t very happy with the outcome as we couldn’t source a lot of accessories that fit the director’s idea. In the end we decided to manage with what was available and it turned out well. I was overall happy with my work on this film.

I was the sound-recordist and boom operator on ‘Mid-Mortem’. I was originally supposed to help with sound with the group’s rehearsal but later joined the group for the actual film. Day 1 of the indoor shot was a fairly easy process. However, we were missing an extra LAV mic as the producer had mistakenly booked one set, so we adapted and only put them on the actor that required the most coverage in each scene. This took some time out of the schedule as we had to keep switching the mic between the actors, so this is something I will keep in mind to mention to producers on future films. Day 2 was filmed outdoors in a fairly busy park, so the sound recording was a little more complicated. We had constant background noises so I couldn’t get the cleanest sounds. As I had joined the group pretty late, I was unable to go on a recce and the outdoor location had changed a couple days before the shoot, so I believe this could’ve been avoided if I had some prior knowledge of the location. Since I was both sound recording and boom operating, I was unable to provide good notes to Keri who was filling the sound reports. I was satisfied with my time on set, but I feel that my work definitely has room for improvement.

While I was not an HOD on ‘One More Day’, I was the boom operator. I had joined the group late, So I had no prior knowledge of the location we would be filming in. Luckily Day 1 was slated for insert shots so I was able to get an idea of how dialogue would sound. Day 2 went very smoothly in terms of sound, and the dialogue recorded was clean despite some momentary disturbances.

My work on all of these films have been an opportunity for me to improve my skills in these roles and I hope to pursue them in future projects and only get better at them.

CRITIQUE OF FINAL WORK

My Critique of Final Work will be focusing on ‘Mid-Mortem’ and ‘One More Day’. I was part of the sound department for each of these films and think they are the right films to examine my performance and how it delivers in the film.

‘Mid-Mortem’ follows the story of Cath who upon seeing her own dead body lying on a pavement, is confronted by a being from the ‘Simulation’ who appears to delete Cath from existence. They are both confronted by the fragility and value of life when they end up stuck together due to a glitch in the simulation. The film perfectly executes this story in its dialogue, performances, and visual effects. As explained in the Critique of Process, as sound recordist, and boom operator, I had run into a few issues on set. The interior location despite being a fairly quiet room, had very creaky floors and squeaking chairs, which I was unable to remove in sound recording. These issues have been fixed to a suitable level in the Sound edit by Yat Lee and Michael Hood. In my opinion those sounds aren’t as distracting, and they act as part of the atmosphere. The dialogue levels are also up to a level that it covers up those errors. The exterior scenes are visually appealing, and the actors’ performances play a vital in role bringing the scene to life. As the sound recordist, the location was particularly troublesome for me due to the constant background noises. However, the dialogue has been cleaned up enough to a level that the background noises although very slightly present do not distract or take the viewer away from the film. The film ends with a flute sequence which while being nicely synced and spaced, feels a little out of place in the film as there is no motivation for score earlier in the film. In conclusion, I am happy with how the film has turned out despite the circumstances with sound. Viewing the final output does make me feel positive that despite disturbances on set there is potential to fix dialogue, however, leaving these issues to be fixed in post-production is not a practice I wish to follow often.

In ‘One More Day’, Cam and John struggle to survive in a hopeless and desolate bunker. Cam tries to install hope into John who has seemingly given up after the death of his sister Sarah and being unable to fix the radio. My role in this film was that of the boom operator with sound recordist - Gabrielle Hafner. I was also part of the postproduction group for this film as the Dialogue editor with Sound designer as Gaby. The dialogue is clean and the way it has been edited to match      the space suits the film’s tone. The sound design is crafted nicely, wherein each element such as the tinny pipe noises and the radio static set up beats throughout the film and fill in the silences. I am glad to see how my work on-set delivers in the film.

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That's Our Cue - (HOD - Production Design and Art Dept.) 🎱

My role in this film was HOD for Production Design and Art Department.

This film wasn't very heavy on production design as we had a location that was already well decorated and fit the director's idea.

However, there was a mirror along the back wall that needed to be hidden to avoid crew reflection. I discussed with the producer about the potential methods to cover up the mirror.

Window frosting, but it won't completely hide the shadows/ reflections. I'm not sure how much of the camera + equipment will be visible, but we won't be able to completely hide them.

  Peel and stick wallpaper - but it will be hard to get off and can leave residue or the water activated window films, those are easier to remove, but it will mess with lighting in some scenes.

  Just taping posters/fabric/chart paper. Will need dimensions of the mirror if we're going with that.

(my notes) 👆

Eventually, I decided on using brown Kraft paper as it wasn't a very dominating or distracting color and suited the wood panels on the wall. It was also the least damaging option because I didn't want to ruin the location decor.

The wall however was very blank so I made a few plain '8 ball' posters, which were initially printed but due to it reflecting the light, I painted the posters on colored card paper instead to avoid that.

While it isn't a very noticeable detail, the reason I chose to paint the 8 ball on the posters was a reference to the magic 8-ball which would be reflective of the characters' choices and indecisiveness.

I also made a few printed posters to stick around the location and a glass panel to prevent reflections.

(blurry picture 😭)

Scrapped idea -> Noiseless Pool Balls

An idea the group had initially was to make noiseless pool balls, so that it wouldn't interfere with location sound. I did some research and came up with the idea of using Sponge balls or Ball Pit balls as they wouldn't make much noise on impact.

Scottpropandroll is a youtube channel run by Prop Master Scott who has made countless videos on how props are made and used in film. Luckily, he also made a video on what sort of balls are used in billiards scenes and this is where I foun dout that painted racquetballs are what get the job done!

However, after checking with the director it was confirmed that instead of this method the pool balls would have specific placements and the actors would have choreographed movements. On set I was also taking care of continuity of thw billiards table in shot.

COSTUME

John (director) and DOP (Lewis) had decided on a Tony Soprano theme in terms of costume for both the characters. Unfortunately the actors did not have a lot of options that would match the idea, so we had to scrap the idea and go with what was available. I wanted to create some sort of distinction between the two characters so I bought a plain black tee for Robert's character and Peter wore a checkered shirt.

Robert's character also wore his wedding ring on the wrong hand as a sign of his distress in the situation and a representation of the way he copes with responsibilities in his marriage.

(Budget Breakdown)

In the end I was happy with my work on the film and while this film wasn't too heavy on production design, it has given me an understanding of minute details that could make the set more authentic.

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One More Day (Boom Operator)

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Mid - Mortem (HOD - On-set Sound)

Role - Sound Recordist and Boom Operator

I had originally helped this group as the sound recordist for their rehearsal shoots, but later officially joined as HOD for on-set sound.

DAY 1 - Indoor shoot

The first day of production consisted of filming scenes taking place inside the flat. We shot at Lisa's (Simulation Agent) flat on 6th November. The flat was located in a fairly quiet neighborhood which worked really well for avoiding external noises. There were a couple of issues in the flat as the floorboards were very creaky and there were only certain spots I could move around in while booming to avoid the noise. The producer had mistakenly only booked 1 set of LAV mic, so we had to prioritise the character who had the most coverage in each shot and who would be more difficult to cover with the boom mic. This took some time out of the schedule as I had to keep switching the LAV mic between the actors for different slates.

I experienced some issues with the shots taking place on these armchairs as they were quite noisy and would squeak or creak with the slightest of movements. As we were running late I couldn't fix this issue on set, but I was able to record pretty clean dialogue.

Day 2 - Outdoor Shoot

We filmed the exterior scenes on 7th November at Victoria Park. As the location had changed a couple of days before the shoot from the curb outside Lisa's flat to Victoria Park, I didn't have a clear idea of the area we would be filming in. Due to the location change we were now filming in a corner of the park that was fairly noisy. Throughout the shoot we were experiencing a number of disturbances for sound and since we only had one LAV mic it made recording dialogue a little more difficult. Towards the end of the shoot, the location got a little quieter and I was able to record dialogue well.

Unfortunately, due to the area of the park we were filming in, we couldn’t have a lot of crew in the area, so Keri (writer + script supervisor) who was filling sound reports had to be at a distance from set, so I was unable to give her proper sound notes for some sequences. I had also attempted to take notes on the Wingman app, but it wouldn’t connect with the mixpre3 that day.

Despite these circumstances I was happy with my time on set but wish I could’ve planned ahead to avoid some of the issues we faced with sound.

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On Set Production - Class Exercise

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SET DECOR - ARTICLE 2

The French Dispatch - Set Decor Magazine

Interview with Rena DeAngela (Set Decorator)

Adam Stockhausen (Production Designer)

the film takes place in the fictional town of Ennui-Sur-Blasé, which was to be a version of post-war and pre-war Paris. Adam Stockhausen described a version of Paris with all its architecture intact that wasn’t scrubbed clean. The chosen loaction was the village of Angoulême.

Black and White Scenes

Since the scenes were predetermined to be shot in Black and white they needed to work with colours that would work well in Black and white shots as well as in colour. To test the set design colours with b/w shots. Rena even used the black and white filter on her phone to see how well they were working together. 

Felt Factory 

An old felt factory outside of town was used to set stages, as offices, carpentry mill, paint shop and set dressing storage. The interior of the prison was set in a an old empty factory. 

Cadazio Gallery 

Paris prop houses and flea markets were used to source all the artwork, tapestries, arbor, furniture and rugs. 

Le Sans Blague Cafe

The cafe was inspired by 60s French Films. They did not want it to look like a cliche romanticised Parisian cafe, but a post war cafe which is evident with the subtle modern pictures such as the plastic furniture, bold colour combinations - red and yellow. 

The Barricade 

The art department used genuine junk automobile pieces to build the first barricade. The other was designed to resemble a barrier made of typewriters, globes, and school chairs. The set dressers also constructed the structure in two sections on wheels for portability.

The Dispatch offices

Each office was designee dot represent a writer’s personality in one frame. As the office scenes were shot at the end it gave the design team a better idea of who each writer was.

Sazerac’s cycling tour

In the sequence, while most of what we see on the narrow roads was Angouleme in its perfection, everything else was designed and added by the set design team like the - garbage and workmen and their accoutrement, graphics sign painters and faux cobblestone street

Article link (click here)

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Creative Exercise 2

Before

After

(Color palette)

By Sanjana and Gonçalo.

———————————————

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CREATIVE EXERCISE 1 - Camera

This is my home. For now.

Growing up while constantly moving across different countries I have been unable to connect with a region emotionally to an extent that I could label it as home. For me, home was quite literally, the place where I would at the end of the day, go back to, only to eat, bathe, sleep etc. The setting may change from, an apartment, to a bungalow, to even a small room in a shared student flat (current). However, what truly makes a place 'Home' in that moment for me, is being able to go through my mundane tasks while experiencing new things and meeting new people outside of this setting. Cooking the familiar foods, creating art and films, watching the TV shows I've grown up viewing with my family and even something as uneventful as ironing clothes, are what make home for me.

---------------------------

The topic allowed me to explore a wide range of meanings I associate with Home and Place. Initially wanting to capture home as a people, I switched the idea to my room being my home as I felt that I was able to be authetic in my representation of home with how I would spend an uneventful day.

There is a narrative to the photographs as we start with the morning shot from a window and end with a midnight shot of one window lit on a building, with ordinary tasks laid out between the shots. I decided to take pictures, instead of filming clips, however i wanted the shots to still have a cinematic look to it (like movie stills). Taking black and white pictures was tricky initially as I was not able to maintain a stable contrast and the pictures did not capture the cinematic essence I was hoping for. However using a B&W LUT helped me experiment with how I would like the scene to look as it would as a film.

I enjoyed setting up the scene for each picture. It would have been easier to just click the pictures on a random day in the natural state of my settings, however it helped me understand the importance of set design and playing about with objects and colors and how they would appear on screen.

I am overall pleased with the shots I have got, but I believe there is definitely room for improvement in terms of contrast and framing.

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SET DECOR - ARTICLE 1

Knives out - Set Decor Magazine

Interview with David Scheslinger (Set Decorator)

When tasked with designing the Thrombey mansion, David asked himself - "Who is Harlan Thrombey, and what do the objects he surrounds himself with reveal about his character?" The same goes for Marta Cabrera.

David's process begins with research in the form of images of how the set should look and feel. This is shared with the production designer. A comparison of their research allowed them to develop a visual idea of the set, which he then presented to the director to finalise ideas. He mentions that communication with the Director and Designer is vital to design the best possible set. Working with vendors who have large inventories allows him to accommodate purchases within a tight budget.

As the film revolves around the murder of an accomplished writer Harlan Thrombey, it would be key to display his passion for his stories and the success he has earned from it. David accomplishes this by decorating Harlan’s mansion with a criteria in mind - “How does this object relate to one of Harlan’s Books?” He implies the importance of having objects with a true purpose on set instead of purely for decorative purpose. In discussions with the director, Rian Johnson advised placing one of Harlan's books next to a significant piece of the Mystery. So David compiled a list of Key Objects, and Rian came up with book names to go along with it.

Wheel of Knives, Harlan’s Literary Awards, Harlan’s Books, Doll House Crime Scenes and the base for the Stash Clock were all fabricated by the design team. Rian and DP Steve Yedlin blocked the scenes with the idea of a halo/crown behind the head of each person being interrogated. They wanted something that would not be solid, so light would come through and would give off a sense of movement in the knives as they were all being thrown to the center.  Rebecca Greene then found a preexisting metal circle, acting as a frqme to hold the knives and hanging it off of chain from the balcony.

(Wheel of Knives)

(Harlan's Books)

David stumbled upon a grandfather clock with a figure that has it's hands up to their mouth as if to say "shhhhh", which acted as the perfect Stash Clock for the film. Despite his initial worries about the clock being too on the nose, it blends prefectly with the room and the other antiquities present in it.

(Stash Clock)

As an added touch to the significancy of Harlan's books, David and his team were inspired by crime scene doll houses by Frances Glessner Lee in the 1940s, to create their own dioramas that are scattered accross the home.

(Crime Scene Doll Houses)

SOURCING

 George and Judy Jagg - Knives and Oddities, bronze sculpture of two German Shepherds

Newel Antiques - collection of furniture and objects

local collector - original magic posters, vintage Ferraris, Wedgewood, Music Boxes, Coins, and Automatons (vendor also arranged transport and delivery of the abojects)

Article Link (Click here)

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FILM ADAPTATION 

Film Adaptation - SCHEEP

(notes) 26th January 2023, Thursday:

The group met to discuss the short stories we read. During the tutorial with Joe we discussed with him the three stories we had in mind -

A Service of Love

The Cop and the Anthem

The Love-philtre of Ikey Shoenstein

We planned on thinking further about how we would develop these stories.

(notes) 28th January 2023, Saturday:

Our group met to discuss which of the shortlsited stories would be most suitable to adapt for us. As we developed the idea, 'The Love-philtre of Ikey Shoenstein' seemed to be a more interesting story to develop. There were some parallels with the story and the modern world that we could incorporate into the adaptation, such as having Ikey/Isaac be a con artist who poses as a wellness brand owner. The brand would draw inspiration from an actual brand 'GOOP' (known for its quirky products), from which we are also inspired to come up with few brand names for Isaac - Gloop, Gleep, Doop.

(story idea)

(SYNOPSIS)

We also decided on our roles.

Producer/Production Designer - Sanjana

Director - Keri

DOP - Michael

Writer - Sean

Sound - Yat Lee

Editor - Finn

9th February 2023, Thursday:

In our tutorial with Joe we decided on the specifics of the film, such as tone, genre, cinematography and story outline. The group also discussed our presentation for next week.

16th February 2023, Thursday:

Presentation slides - https://livenapierac-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/r/personal/40532868_live_napier_ac_uk/Documents/Presentation.pptx?d=w124f5cbe89684dab89958fbb9892497f&csf=1&web=1&e=Up3gfK 

CASTING:

I have put out a casting call (Attached below) on several facebook groups, with descriptions relevant to what the director wants.

(casting call)

Location:

In terms of location we want an office space for the first act which is set in Isaac's Office. At the moment we are thinking of using one of the classrooms at craiglockhart campus, however I am actively looking for another space that looks like an actual office.

As for the dinner scene, we will be needing a location that comes with a kitchen, dining area and a hallway. We will be needing the three areas as the dinner sequence involves two separate conversations that are intercutting along with a scene involving all the cast members. At the moment we have the tower boardroom in mind as it is equipped with all three spaces.

As a last resort we have our director Keri's flat.

SET DESIGN:

For Isaac's brand, I have made the following labels. I want his brand to look believable and something that is more likely to draw people to its products. It should contrast Isaac as a person, while he is skeevy and awkward, his brand is inviting.

In terms of set design, I hope that the dining area contrasts the awkward and tense atmosphere. It should be bright and inviting, which would clash with Rosy's and her father's displeasure over Isaac and Chuck's presence respectively.

As for the Isaac's office, it has to be a cluttered space, the complete opposite of what his brand presents. It should look sketchy and representative of Isaac as a person.

PRODUCTION LOGISTICS

28th February 2023, Tuesday:

SCRIPT (click to read)

We recieved 12 responses from the casting call for Rosy, Isaac and Chuck, however we are having trouble finding a grown actor to play the Father. The director, Keri has suggested that her fathe rcould play the role in case we don't end up finding anyone.

While going through negative checks I have also discovered that Gloop, Gleep and Doop are existing brands and it would be difficult to get permission given how we are portraying the brand in our film, and so the DOP, Michael, suggested the name SCHEEP, which would alos imply that the customers of this brand are also 'sheep' who are blindly consuming the products. And so, with the new name I decided to redesign the logo for the spray.

9th March 2023, Thursday:

We had a group meeting today and we reviewed the audition tapes that we'd recieved and we have finalised the actors for Rosy, Isaac and Chuck. We are still having trouble finding an actor to play Rosy's father, however Keri's father has agreed to play the role.

Today we also discussed how we wanted these characters to look-

Isaac

Plain clothes 

Weird tie

Half tucked shirt 

Rosy

mismatched dress 

Long teacher cardigan

Chunky colourful accessories  

Chuck

Jumper 

Corduroy pants 

Old people clothes 

comically large bowtie

slicked hair (innocent looking)

I contacted the actors regarding their costumes for the production days and we will be relying on what they already have and what the crew can source.

Production design-

I have also started working on the props we would be needing. I am hoping to source most of the props from what everyone in the group has.

(Fake certificates for Isaac and product logos)

13th March 2023, Monday:

(schedule)

15th March 2023, Wednesday:

I sent the Kit list compiled by Michael (DOP) and Yat (Sound) over to Leo to be approved.

(Kit list)

23rd March 2023, Thursday:

We have had some issues regarding booking equioemnt. I was delayed in booking equipment as the production dates and Locations were still being finalised so I could not have risk assessments. We finalised the location for Isaac's office which is a classroom at Craiglockart campus (pictured above). Due to the delay we were unable to book a lot of the equipment, and so I discussed with the storeroom and my group and we were able to book alternatives.

The location for the Dinner scene (Tower Boardroom) could not be booked, after which I contacted Film Edinburgh to book one of the locations listed on their site however they responded that their locations are unavailable to students. We asked our tutor, Joe, if he could assist in helping us find a location. He directed us to 'communications' to book the River Suite at Craiglockart. However, I was unable to book that room either as it is not available to students. eventually with two days remaining for the dinner scene production day, we have decided on using Keri's flat.

24th March 2023, Friday (DAY 1 - Isaac's Office) :

We filmed the sequence in Isaac's office today. The shooting went smoothly, as the cast and crew worked wonderfully together. We did have some issues with sound, as a generator in the classroom would turn on an off every 15 minutes, which caused some hinderances.

There were also classes being conducted in the adjoining rooms, however I had checked with resource booker and scheduled breaks when the classes were happening, so that the noises didn't interfere with the production.

Production Design -

25th March 2023, Saturday:

I scheduled a day between the two shoot dates so that the cast and crew would not be overworked and we would have time to fix any issues that would arise.

Today I also worked on making fake food for the dinner scene, for continuity and to avoid health and safety concerns. The only real food we would have on screen will be a salad that would be consumed by Isaac. I have checked with the cast and crew for allergies and will ensure that on day of production, the food is covered and preserved.

(Fake food)

26th March 2023, Sunday (DAY 2 - Dinner) :

Due to a change in locations, the DOP and Director had to modify a couple shots where the space was cramped. Despite this the hsoot went smootly without any major hitches. We did have issues with the batteries and they would die very quickly on the camera and we were not provided with chargers for the Zoom H4N.

Production Design -

Production design was not very complex as the new location was already very bright and colorful. The dinner setting comprised of fake candles, dishyware, fake flowers, a painting and fake food.

8th April 2023, Thursday - 21st April 2023, Friday:

The Editor, Finn, had started on the edit. We had some hitches at first as a couple of the audio files were missing but we ended up finding them on the backup hard drive.

We were also having issues as the cut was going over time, due to which the director and editor had to work out on which shots to remove and bring the final cut down to 8 minutes. The final cut was then passed on to Yat, for sound design, while Finn worked on color grading.

On the day of the crit, AVID would not export the color-graded and credited version of the film synced with the sound design. Due to this editor had to export the timecoded version, sync it with the sound design and submit the film.

27th April 2023, Thursday - SUBMISSION AND CRIT

FINAL FILM (CLICK)

FEEDBACK

The film was well recieved in its writing style and comedic elements. The writing was very strong. The tutors mentioned that the film was similar in style to an old late night TV show. They also said that the film was saved by its characters and they liked the little quirks such as Chuck's meek nature and comically large bowties. However, there were some inconsistencies such as the actors changing their accents. They also mentioned that the film looked underexposed. I would agree with the feedback and keep these points in mind for future projects.

As this was my second time taking on the role of the producer, I think while some duties I was familiar with, the rest were a little difficult to fulfill. Some things I would have done differently would be scouting for locations and booking equipment earlier, along with discussing issues with producing with my group to get everyone's input. The production documents were also a little difficult to track. With regards to production design, I believe I could have done more, especially to make the office set look more believable and less like a classroom.

Regardless of the hindrances, I have enjoyed the role and believe that working on this film was a very educating experience. I am glad to have worked with such a wonderful team and would love to work with them again.

END

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Critical Self Reflection

The Anniversary

Which Role(s) did you undertake?

I was the Production and Sound designer for our film. 

(Blog posts about my work in each role has been linked)

What feedback did your film receive in the crit?

Our group received a range of feedback from the tutors. Aspects of the film such as cinematography, shot choices, and set design were largely liked by the tutors. The tutors could tell that a lot of effort had gone into this film. There were some interesting comments on sound design. David Lumsden pointed out that the sound of ‘Francesca’s’ footsteps doesn’t work very well with the clip as they don’t sound very accurate. David Byrne, however, said that the sound was replicated nicely. Zoe noted that production and sound design was good, but the characters’ voices could have been louder and the droning sounds that were added to create a shift in tone gave a sense that something ominous was about to happen but didn’t create the effect intended. As Zoe had seen previous drafts of our film edit, she was pleased with the choices we made for the final cut. However, the scene with the bags didn’t work out the way we wanted it to as they were too quiet, and many things were happening at once. We also received some good feedback on the offscreen presence (McCaig) as he was well constructed. Catriona and Paul also mentioned that they would’ve liked Lady Francesca’s lover to be McCaig. Sam liked that Francesca pouring the milk was reflective of her coming out on top and the shift in the power dynamic.  The actors also received praise for their performances, and they were consistent with the cinematography.  

What resonates with you? What do you think about the feedback?

Receiving feedback was a helpful experience. the positive comments reflect our group effort and teamwork. I feel that our work really paid off.  The constructive criticism was very useful as we now know what errors to look out for and how to convey a story in a better manner. I agree with the points made on sound design. I will make sure that to allocate more time for sound to achieve best results. I was glad to hear positive comments about the production design, although I do agree that a better jewellery box could have been chosen, Unfortunately I wasn’t able to find any inexpensive jewellery boxes near me after the ones I bought online were delivered in the wrong dimensions. So, I had to DIY one out of an amazon parcel the night before our shoot. I will make sure to not leave so little room between preparing the props and the shoot day for my next projects. Overall, I was pleased with the feedback we received, and it felt like our work was recognized.

How were you able to use feedback you received in class and tutorials when making your film?

We were given some wonderful feedback in the tutorials. The screenwriting seminar with Kate helped develops our narrative. We got the opportunity to each throw in our ideas as Kate helped facilitate the group to build the story. The Script to shoot workshops were informative on parts of filmmaking that needed to be done for a smooth production. the tutorial with Demelza shaped our narrative even better and she also gave us advice on set design and where we could get access to props. With all the feedback we received, we formulated our story. As we progressed into postproduction, tutorials with Zoe were useful as she told us what shots worked and didn’t. This was also when she suggested the idea of a pianist in the room, playing a piece to add to the world building. Each tutorial helped shape our film into a better one. 

What do you consider to be your film's strongest points? and what do you consider doesn't work so well?

In my opinion, the production, cinematography, script, actors, and set design work well. Our Producer, Katelyn, did a tremendous job. She developed a schedule, helped keep the whole production process on track. She took her job seriously and amazed me at how great she did even though she was recovering from a concussion. John (Director) and Lenny (DOP) developed a shot list and storyboard that worked very well with our script. Their work is greatly reflected throughout the film, and it is evident how much thought they had put into the cinematography. Ethan (Writer) wrote multiple drafts for the script, and I believe he came up with the version that effectively conveys the story. The dialogues suit the tone of the film and our actors Fabiana (Lady Francesca), and Duncan (Lord Campbell) delivered them excellently. In terms of set design, I feel like I could have done a lot better (e.g., gotten better candles, replace the jewellery box) but I am really pleased with what I came up with. 

Despite the work our group had done, there were some weak parts that I felt could have been improved on. For example, our characters have been married for 10 years but they don’t look like a couple that has been. Maybe reducing the duration of their marriage would have helped. I also wish that I could have improved on parts of the sound design such as replacing Francesca’s footsteps with a more accurate sound. I also agree with the tutors about how the bags sequence didn’t work well and sounded muddled. 

In what ways did your group work well together? In what ways could it have been better?

Our group worked very well together, and it is reflected throughout the production of the film. Everyone’s input was respected and considered, and we were able to amicably discuss production. I felt very comfortable around my group and the whole process was an enjoyable experience. I think we were also quick to overcome problems. For instance, when our producer had to step back for a while due to a medical emergency, the rest of the group stuck to schedule and took over parts of the producer’s job to get the film done on time. I had a wonderful time working with my group. 

Try to summarise your main points of learning through the process of making this film.

I learned quite a lot from the process of making the film. Having an interest in production design I was excited to take up the role. The entire process of designing the set, scouting for props, and finding resources are experiences I think will help me for any future projects. I have also learned that its best to not leave menial tasks for the last minute as they take away an effect from the film. This was also my first attempt at sound design. I didn’t realize how much I would enjoy the process. By the end of production, I knew my way around the basics of ProTools. I hope to improve on it.  Watching my groupmates work has given me a deeper insight into the other roles in filmmaking and how each element is co-dependant. The errors that occurred during the process have helped me understand how to avoid them in future projects. 

What have you learned from seeing your classmates’ films? Did anything stand out to you and why? 

Watching my classmates’ films was a wonderful experience. Everyone created interesting films, a few that I loved more than others. Listening to the feedback for all the films depicted a range of things that could and couldn’t work for a film. What stood out to me was the way each group responded to the problems that arose during the making of their film. a variety of problems could occur during production, and it helped to know how to avoid them in the future.  

[sanjanajustwatched]

Sound Design - The Anniversary

I was new to ProTools and didn’t know a lot of how to go about its various editing features, except the basics that I had learned in the first ProTools tutorial. Luckily, John (Director) accompanied me throughout this process. Juliet and Leo helped us as well. By the end of the edit, I had learned quite a lot. 

I began by editing the dialogues, removing echoes, and adding room tone, which didn’t take up a lot of time. John and I worked on separate ProTools sessions to get the editing done before our deadline.

 We then decided to work on world building, during which we realized that a few of our sounds weren’t clear and so we made a list of sounds to be recreated in the foley room. Working within the foley room was an amazing experience. Experimenting with the various objects to find the right sounds felt rewarding. Ethan (Writer) and Katelyn (Producer) helped replicate sounds in the foley room, while I recorded them. They’d done an excellent job!z

 Unfortunately, Ethan and I had to re-record the sounds, due to a technical problem that couldn’t be solved at the time. However, during the easter break, I was able to recover audio from both sessions with help from Petros. Once everyone was back from their break, we added in the recorded audios from the foley sessions. 

 From a feedback session with Zoe, we also decided on adding a piano track for the first half of the movie (adding to the offscreen presence), to emit a sense that there was a pianist in the scene away from the shot. This really helped blanket the monotony of the initial audio. John’s flatmate was kind enough to learn and play a piece for us that we recorded and added to the final edit. We also added a couple of droning noises to indicate a shift in tone of the later parts of the film. It emphasised the shift in the power dynamic of the couple. 

We are very happy with the way the audio has turned out and this entire process has given me a better understanding of sound design!

(Originally posted on 26th April)

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Script to Shoot Workshop

MARKED-UP SCRIPT 

SHOT LIST

STORYBOARD

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Set Design - FN2 Film (The Anniversary)

Set plays a huge part in films. They give a deeper look into the story and its characters. For this film, we decided on an extravagant looking setting.  As the film is set in the dining room, we chose the Seigfried Room at Craiglockhart campus. 

(Siegfried Room)

We found the perfect spot to set the scene, right in front of the large windows. We set up two long tables to indicate the distance between the husband and wife. The idea was to lavishly decorate the table creating a beautiful scene, in contrast to the situation between the couple. 

(set decor plan)

The objects around the house must speak more about the husband to clearly exhibit his dominance over decisions made in the household. So our Producer Katelyn and I went out to charity shops to hunt for lavish looking props and set decor, that would fit in our budget of 40-50 pounds.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1wmJ2kazxHRWhKCl44fk6-ZjKBG9ktu9mjPPJGUzklLk/edit?usp=sharing (slides of props we found)

These slides were then shared with the group to get their opinions as well, to figure out what would suit the theme, what props would look good under the lighting etc. 

Mid-way through purchasing the props I realised that we were going over budget (64 pounds) , so I decided to get the essentials from charity shops and the rest online (which I was able to return for free) with a few DIYs. 

Final Budget - 34 Pounds

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FICTION FILM PROJECT GROUP BLOG POST #2

SANJANA 

We attended the ‘Intro to Pro tools” session with Demelza Kooij. She gave us some feedback on the tone of the dialogue, suggesting that we write our characters as sophisticated speakers, to suite their age and status. We also discussed on the possibility of adding the final car scene into the film, however we realized, it would be difficult to get the actress to the other side of the window in a short span of time. Along with this Demelza also advised us on how we could go about selecting our props. So, this week our producer, Katelyn, and I went on a hunt for props for our film. We visited about 9 Charity shops and shortlisted a bunch of props that fit our theme and budget. I have compiled the images and prices of the props which will be shared with all group members, to finalize the props. 

ETHAN

For my role as the scriptwriter, I have been working on the script and developing it to a point where it is finished, meeting all the requirements of the brief, and can be used for filming. This is good, as it means that it can be sent out to possible actors who we are auditioning for roles so they can have a good understanding and knowledge of the material in time for their auditions with us. This will ultimately make it easier for the group to decide who to cast, as we can see who reacts to the material the best. 

JOHN

This week I have been working alongside our DOP (Léon Ibarra) to create our storyboard. I started the storyboard on my own and then got together with Léon to co-create the rest. During our discussions we discussed the use of high and low angles to show a power dynamic between our characters. We also brainstormed ideas for including camera movement in our film as we were told at our Script to Shoot lecture that they are rarely seen in early student films so we felt we wanted to incorporate a few. Léon and I also produced an equipment checklist that included all the equipment we would like to book out and then forwarded it onto our Producer (Katelyn Hill). Next I am going to mark up our final draft of our script according to the storyboard and shot list Léon and I have produced.

KATELYN

In film Narrative two I helped out with searching for the production design props we will use on Friday with Sanjana, we found a litany of things and are now going to discuss in our group what props we believe will be the best for our film. we also realised we needed to find out the length of the table we will be using for any table cloth we may use, we are currently thinking about buying from pound fabric and then sewing a seam on the edge ourselves to cut down on costs.I ended up checking on how john was getting on with his production points. So far they are brilliant.I sent off the updated risk assessment to Zoe, and have begun the process to get both the Signfield room and the Wilfred room , although both will not be filmed in the Wilfred room will be perfect for an use in for what will store the objects we don't need in the sigfelid room and as they have adjoining doors we can show the back of the butler walking in and out. It has turned out to be tow of the more complicated rooms to get in to but the end results going to be worth it. Me and John had a wee look round the other day and the room looks gorgeous, we got pictures and are all discussing how to best use the space.Today we will all be in a group call to discuss how we should go forth with casting, John put out the post, and I will be replying to the emails from current actors who are interested in work, we currently have over eight people requesting the casting dates. I have created an base line plan for this and will discuss if this will work with the others later today. We will also be discussing the props for production design, what we all have done and where we are at with completing it by the twenty first and the set dressing.I look forward to being able to complete the call sheet and get the equipment, hopefully by the end of the week.

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FICTION FILM PROJECT - POST 1

Sir William Quiller Orchardson, Mariage de Convenance, 1884 

ROLE - PRODUCTION AND SOUND DESIGNER 

I’m part of a wonderful team with members that contribute generously to group discussions, are accepting of everyone’s ideas, and are quick to set plans into action. We were able to develop ideas for a plot as soon as we finalised on the film idea. The plot was inspired by a spacious room that we came across at Craiglockhart. It has tall windows and large table which immediately set the scene for a dramatic and regal narrative. And this is a segue into my role for the production of the film. I am the set designer.  For the set I am inclined to dress the set-in props that depict more about the husband to assert his dominance and the fact that he has the first say in most decisions and visions of the couple’s life. What I really like about our film is that we consider set and props as one of the elements that drive the story and reflect on the characters. This is an aspect I am very excited to collaborate on with my group. My other role is that of a sound designer. Our offscreen presence, the butler, is an essential part of our sound design. Throughout the film we will also depend on diegetic sound to move the story forward. Background sounds also give us an insight into the wife’s life, in a way symbolic to her status in the household. However, we are still deciding on whether to use background music at certain points of the film. I’m excited to prep for my roles and am optimistic about the production process.