Drama no.1 dad

So, the film is finished! And very happy with the result I am too. I think the whole group is. I think that it fur fills the vision that we had of it.

The process of making this film has been long but also enjoyable. As producer, when we got the final idea down I was keen to start planning as soon as possible, wanting to avoid a last minute shoot.  So I spent a lot of the Easter holidays tracking down actors so that we were able to audition them as soon as we got back to Uni. This meant that we had a lot of rehearsal time as well as plenty of time for the actual shoot.  Also sorting out the location was a slight difficulty. The original plans fell through but luckily we were able to shoot in the Bar where Katie (editor) works. Pre production was all done with in the allotted time and we were more that ready to start shooting.

The shoots, four spread over the week all went very well. The planning I think was integral, every one worked well together, to get the shot lists, story boards, props/costumes and schedules ready so that we could be as organised an efficient on the day as possible. I am very pleased with how well everything went. We got all the shots we needed and we were not panicking or in any mad rushes. We were able to be calm about the production and were able to enjoy it.

The edit also went very well. I was not as involved in this side as it was mainly the job of the editor-obviously- and the director. ‘Too many cooks...’ and all that. I went in a couple of times to see how it was going and to discuss ideas and changes that might need to be made.

So in general the process of this film’s fabrication was smooth and I feel that we have created a film that is entertaining and effective.

Our starting point of the script was a great one. It was a very strong and well written which made the whole process easier. It did almost come alive on the page and it wasn’t hard to visualise what it would become. When I saw the script I was very happy and I think that it contained everything we wanted in terms of story, mood, and theme.

The style of the film is very over stylised. For example the sound effects are very pronounced, which gives this idea of hyper reality. This is present in the dream sequences which help to reinforce that they are fantasy. The idea that things are always more amplified inside your own head is something that I think will resonate with the audience. This is one way in which we have tried to create this mood of tension with in the fantasies and to convey how Jack is feeling. The idea that everything seems amplified or worse inside his head shown by the over stylised way in which we have created the film helps to show how worried he is. The snappy editing also adds to this. It shows Jack’s thought process, each time something happens it is very quick and almost methodical, yet still ‘too much’. This shows the chaotic way in which he is thinking, reinforcing that he is scared of what the outcome is going to be. This style of editing is also comic and comes very much from the conventions that can be seen in the works of Edgar Wright. His films are probably the perfect example of over stylisation and hyper reality. However it always works because he uses them well. They have both a comic effect and an impact on the audience much like we were trying to give to our film.

The tone of the film is overall rather comic. The scenarios that Jack imagines are obviously over the top and the way in which the film is constructed lends its self to that. It is as the fantasies he is getting more and more absurd which it’s self is a comic idea. The scenes in the Gallery are also slightly comic. This is due to the relationship between Jack and George and their reactions to the situations. I think this is important or else I think the film could get a little on the dark side, being dragged down by Jack’s worry. Although this worry is completely justified and what a lot of teens would feel coming out, it’s not something that we wanted to convey in a way that was depressing or dark. I think the scenes in the gallery and the banter between the boys keeps the mood light. Again here the over stylising of things also adds to this.

The comic side of the piece I think is very important. Lucy (director) had a friend compose some music for the piece and personally I think that it really adds to the film. It works as punctuation and also helps to keep the mood light. There are a few musical ques, which I think really help to make the piece more effective and which help the audience to be drawn in. It also flows with the mood of the film ebbing and peaking with the scenarios and action on screen.

The mood of the film does have an ark. It builds as the scenarios get more and more ridiculous, building the comic element. However it then comes back down when Jack realises that he could lose his father. This helps the film to stay grounded in reality with out going too far into the realms of fantasy. It also shows that we do have a point to make with this film. That coming out is a serious issue and is not easy for some people.  However I really like that this film has a very positive out come. I would have been all to easy with this brief to come up with something that was dark and grey and depressing. Unanimously this is something that we agreed we did not want for this particular project. We wanted to do something different and fun.

 I honestly believe that we have achieved this. The film is funny and snappy and it still carries a message and has a strong story behind it. For these reasons I am incredibly happy with the result.

Finished!

Finished!!
So we’ve finished a final cut of our Edale film and it has a
proper name. ‘Two eyes, two sights’. I
must admit I am quite pleased with the final outcome. I feel it portrays our
theme well and fulfils what we were trying to create in terms of atmosphere.
As it begins with the shot of the train station it is quite
clearly a ‘normal’ scene but them it is quickly cut in with a flash of body
horror this is where the integration between the two Edales begins. It creates
the feeling that there is a bubbling of tension. In order to create an
atmosphere of the two rival worlds we decided to put flashes of one in the
other. This also helps to even out the pace of the film by beginning with these
short flashes it makes the pace through the whole film more even rather that
jumping around all over the place.
The purpose of the body horror here is to establish a sense
of unease. It also begins to portray our theme which is that there are two
sides to every story. There are two different world encompassed within Edale
and we are trying to show these and the tension between them there for creating
a ‘portrait of a place’. There is the tourist view of Edale, the biscuit tin
view if you will. A village filled with summer walkers and more hard core
winter hikers. Then there is the other side. A village such as Edale is steeped
in the ancient ways of this country, its ancient belief systems and the generations,
who have lived, worked and died there. This
is there fore a magical place. There is then a sense of two conflicting world
within the one place. We continue to show this through the film placing
elements of each world within the other.
The film is split into three parts. Tourist Edale, the
turning point and then the ‘witch’ Edale. The first part aims to show that
underneath all the beauty and picturesque there is something darker lurking
beneath the surface.
The turning point. We chose to have the shot of the nettles
here for an important reason. We feel that a nettle reflects the theme of the
film. Two sides to every story. A nettle even though it stings us is an
incredibly important part of the natural world. It provides perfect homes for
butterfly eggs and therefore caterpillars. It is also the perfect cover for
Corncrakes to nest. So like the Edale we are trying to create it has two sides.
To expand on this idea, and to relate it more to the film, a nettle is part of
the nature and beauty that the tourists come to see. Its vibrant green colours
the countryside in a way that is aesthetically pleasing. On the other hand it
is an important element in witch craft, used as part of spells and as food it
reflects our theme of the film perfectly.
To continue talking about this turning point we have incorporated
cuts that are reminiscent of a heart beat. This is important as a heartbeat
creates images of the life force of the village. This struggle between the two
Edales is what gives it its atmosphere that we are trying to create in this
film. Also the candle which we chose to intercut the nettle with. It is a
useful tool in the practise of witchcraft consequently its presence signifies
the presence of this other worldliness. Also it approaches the camera so it
conveys that the other world is coming close it reinforces the idea of one
encroaching on the other.
In terms of editing we tried to create a sense of tension,
the short bursts of the ‘witch world’ in the tourist one at the beginning
builds pressure between them. It shows that they are, not fighting, but they
are at odds with one another. This reinforces the idea of the portrait of a
place as we are trying to capture this through our use of editing. This editing crease a sense of unease through
the whole film.
The final shot cements this. We chose to use a canted angle
because it connotes disquiet therefore is sums up the film and what we were
trying to show.
AS a whole I feel that the film is mostly successful and it
completes our aims. However there are obviously still problems, it still does
not feel as if it flows perfectly. It still has a certain disjointedness that
is not just adding to a sense of unease but maybe confuses the audience
slightly. So as for things I would have done differently this is one. Also as a
whole I fell we could have been more organised with regards to story boards and
a location scout. I also think that we could have utilised the effects in final
cut pro to create an even weirder vibe to the film.
In terms of team work. I believe that Poppy and I worked well;
we both put in equal effort and expected that in return. I think that we are
both happy with the amount of work that the other did. Also we discussed ideas
and themes at length so that when we went to actually, physically make the film
we were very much on the same page. This was very helpful as we were both
comfortable with letting the other take a shot that they spontaneously came up
with, without having to worry about how it would fit in with our own vision of
what the film was supposed to be.
One other major thing that this project has taught me is how
much we take sound for granted. All the way through the edit I was always
thinking about sounds and songs that would fit so well and enhance the effectiveness
of the film.
So, to conclude our film ‘Two eyes, two sights’, I feel fits
the brief to create a portrait of a place and even though there is still room
for improvement, I am happy with the result and how we carried out the task
allocated to us.