Brief -
Alone
A national Tv channel has released a competition open to all non professional media producers. The company are looking for entries from young film makers to produce a single camera production. The film should be aimed at young people aged 16-22, and make use of single camera techniques. The piece should be no longer than 15 minuets. The winner will have their film aired on national tv.
I started by gathering some initial ideas and thoughts i had, some of these included...
- A story about three friends that have been in each others lives since birth, they have just done their exams and they are getting ready to leave their school and say goodbye to people as they are leaving and starting new chapters in their adult lives. Lisa, Byron and Luke promise that no matter what they will always have time for each other. They try to make this summer the best they can by going out and having parties, making memories they will remember. However things start to go pear shaped when Byron's dad has been offered a promotion, meaning he will be moving to London, Lisa has been accepted into her first choice university to study biology. Luke is left on his own, feeling lost without his best friends and no college prospects
- A story of determination and friendship following the journey of a busker, kicked out of the family home because he does nothing all day. His mother hopes it will be what he needs to get his life back on track. He and his furry K9 friends are left on the street desperate for food and shelter from Stormy nights and scorching summer days, he tries to find a way to earn money through busking. Eventually the right person walks by and offers him a place to stay for a while, he gracefully excepts this offer. Fast forward a few years and he will be successful, with a secure job and a home of his own.
Final idea -
Lisa, Luke and Byron are just finishing college, despite promising each other that they will always have time for each other, Byron's dad has taken a promotion which subsequently means he will be moving away from everything and everyone he knows, Lisa has been accepted into her first choice uni to study Biology, and Luke is left alone in a world with no hope. He is living at home with his mum, two sisters and baby brother, she is soon to be married to a business man from a new type of life, he was ready to propel the family into a life of luxury. Luke isn't interested, he thinks his mum is selling out, a furious argument kicks off and he leaves. Anne had hoped her son would return but he never did. Left wandering the streets, he tries to make a bit of money for food by begging on the streets but with little luck as he is ignored by everyone that walks past, he begins to reconsider his approach. The thing few people knew about Luke was that he really enjoyed playing and writing music, however he felt embarrassed by it so not many people knew. Luckily he had taken his guitar and sheets with him, he starts to busk on the streets. he was disregarded again but soon enough people started to listen, he started drawing crowds and giving him there spare change in exchange for a few minuets of peace in busy city centers. Luke was beginning to learn what its like to have nothing and how easy he had it before, he felt so alone, he saw thousands of faces each day but not one cared enough to stop and talk to him, not to give him money but to just give him the time of day. One day a familiar face walks past, Lisa. She suddenly stops in shock, looking him up and down before she gives him a big hug. She explains that she has had to come home because her father has recently passed away, she wouldn't mind the company. She reminds him of the life he used to have and gives him the fight to make things right with his mum and get a job.
Themes -
Homelessness in young people - Although the Government has improved the homelessness legislation, many young people are still experiencing problems,research has found that people who become homeless at a younger age are more likely to face long-term difficulties as they struggle to get started again. The film will explore the life a young man in his twenties after he has left home, i intend to highlight some of the struggles people in this position might face such as finding a place to sleep, earning enough money to eat and rebuiding their life and the relationships they once had.
Grieving - Grieving as a young person can be a difficult time, it might be the first time that something like that has happened and you could be unsure of how you 'should' feel, especially when its a friend or relative. The film explores how Luke copes with grieving his dad, whilst fearing his mother is trying to replace her late partner. The anger and frustrations felt by Luke might be considered relatble to many young people, as they struggle to deal with the death of a parent.
Audience Research -
My primary demographic will be boys aged 16-22, statistics have shown that boys are 72% less likely to express how they feel when they loose a loved one than girls, this means that young men aged 16-22 will be able to build a relationship with the main character as they understand how he is feeling. Furthermore, My secondary demographic will include the parents of these young people, i am trying to interpret the feelings of these young people in a way parents can understand.
Filmic inspirations -
'A street cat named Bob' - ’A street cat named bob’ is a British biographical film, based on the book with the same title, directed by Roger Spotisswoode. The film is about a homeless man an ex- heroine addict named James Bowen, he lives on the streets and down to his last bit of change. James ends up in hospital after a drug related incident, his social worker gets him a council flat and a prescription to methadone in one last attempt to get his life on track. On his first night in his new home, he finds a cat with a wounded leg going through his rubbish. James is worried so he takes him to a vet, consequently meaning he misses his appointment with his social worker, he names the cat Bob and gets him neutered before letting him free. Bob keeps following James and they soon become friends. James busks to earn a living, he makes bob part of his act and he draws more crowds in. This characters and film have been a huge inspiration to me, Luke's determination to sauced and have a better life has been inspired by James. Although my final idea bears no resemblance to this story, it was used heavily in the early days of pre-prouction, however it became increasingly obvious that animals are extremely hard to work with. Instead of focusing on the bond between Luke and his k9 friend, decided to further explore grieving and homelessness amongst young people as i felt this was an issue that isn't properly discussed.
Character development -
I began by writing down questions i would ask my character about themselves and the lives they lead, these were questions like - What is your name, What is your biggest fear, are you an introvert or extrovert and have you ever been arrested. It is important i know and understand my characters so i am able to predict how they might react in certain situations, this will hep to make my characters more convincing and my film more realistic.
Luke - It has taken him to loose everything to understand the value of what he had. He stubborn, despite realizing how wrong he was, and trying his best to show hes changed, he would never tell his mum she was right. He is grateful for everything that he has, not everyone is given a second chance.
Anne - She kicked her son out just after she got married, her husband came from a different life and was ready to propel her family into that lifestyle. Luke wasn't interested, she thought he was holding the family back so she kicked him out thinking he would come back, but he didn't. She regrets her choices, feeling guilt everyday because she should have tried to help her son rather than casting him aside.
Lisa - A vision of positivity and energy, her smile is infectious. She is always trying to see the best in bad situations, and ready to help anyone that needs it.
Costumes -
Luke - He has a dirty face, heavy beard and scruffy hair. He is wearing an over sized jumper, a ripped t-shirt and dirty track suit bottoms. This is far from the life he used to have at home.
Lisa - She usually wears flowery and bright colored skater dresses with a pair of sneakers, she stands out against dull crowds. She could wear soft eye shadow to match whatever dress she is wearing. Her hair is neat and in a bun
The characters costumes will me used to develop the characters further, the way that they are dressed could reflect the moods they feel. Overall, Lisa should always wear bright and colorful clothing, this will help to present her as a figure of positivity and life. In comparison Luke will be dressed in mostly black, this is supposed to reflect the idea that most teenagers that leave home for various reasons , they might be struggling to find their identity. I have chosen to use black because i feel it properly reflects the absence of identity and internal feelings felt by Luke.
Casting -
I will write up contracts for each of my cast members, this will help to ensure that they cannot pull out of the production unless they are ill, it also confirms that our production team has been given consent to use their name and image for distribution.#
In terms of the age and gender of my actors, my short film will have two main characters which will be male and female. I have chosen to use this dynamic because it shows binary opposition, which helps to make my film balanced.
Settings -
I will be mostly filming in public areas, to create the impression my character is busking to try and make a living. I will need to film in subways and town centers, some of the places i would like to film in could include - Sunbury Subway. Feltham Shopping center, Staines shopping center, Brentford underpass. I would like to film in these locations because i believe filming here will make my story seem more realistic, more people will pass and i will be able to create interesting angles for varied shots. l In order to film in these locations, i will first need to contact the relevant parties, busking is not illegal however some counties may require a permit. I will be completing a location recce for each place that i film in, this will outline the reasons i have chosen the location , how accessible it is and what features does it have that make the setting ideal to shoot in, for example, how near it is to train and bus stations, and whether there are toilets or places to get food near by.
Risk Assessment -
Faulty Equipment - If equipment is faulty, it may collapse and cause injury to someone or damage to equipment, to avoid this issue i will be running a risk assessment on all equipment before it is used on each day of filming. I will also ensure the equipment is set up safely and securely before filming.
Slips and trips - I will run a risk assessment of the areas we are filming in EXT and INT, this will be to prevent any trip hazards that could cause harm or injury to cast and crew members.
Overcrowding - Although we have a small cast and crew, to prevent over crowding i will only be calling the necessary actors required. Overcrowding can be a trip hazard, but also a fire hazard in the event of a fire.
Risk assessments will be carried out in all filming locations, this should help to prevent any accidents or injuries that could happen on set. Should anything happen, first aiders will be on hand and anything major will see the claimant to the nearest hospital.
Legal and ethical considerations -
There are a number of legal and ethical constraints in the media industry that are important to follow. I will be following these rules too prevent viewers and members of the public from taking offence to sensitive material, they covers topics such as discrimination, offensive stereotypes, privacy and other issues that are not enforced by the law.
Canon 5D MK 4 - light weight DLSR camera, which makes it easy to transport when filming. This camera also shoots in 4K which will give my production the professional quality i am looking for.
Canon EF lens set - a collection of different lenses, this will help to create different artistic effects with the composition of my scenes. For example - wide shot, deep and shallow depth of field to draw attention to an object or character.
Manfrotto HD - This tripod is made from aluminum, making it light weight and easy to carry. I need a tripod so my shots are clear and stable which will give my film the professional quality i need. Additionally, this tripod as spikes which will be vital for stability when shooting outdoors as it has spikes which will secure it to the ground. .
Seinhiesser k6 - high quality microphone, i need a microphone to pick up sound when we are outdoors as wind and ambient sound could effect audio quality which could distract the viewer from the narrative. Using this microphone will help to ensure all dialogue is clear..
Zoom h6 - A recorder set, However this set is best used with headphones, it will allow me to keep track of the quality of my recordings.
Budget -
We have a budget of £2,500 , which will be spent on the following...
Equipment -
Contracts -
Travel -
Props-
In total, the production has cost. We only plan to be filming for a week, however the left over sum will be used for expenses if we go over time as equipment hire and contracts will need to be extended further.
Plan B -
Storyboards -
Ideas generation -
My idea started with Luke and his K9 friend, their friendship was at the heart of the story however it soon became clear to me that training an animal would be difficult given the timescale, to overcome this issue i chose to combine an earlier idea i had and replace his k9 friend with a human friend.
Originally, Anne had kicked her son out because he was wasting his life away on her living room sofa whilst she struggled to raise his two younger siblings. I decided to change this because it seemed unrealistic, i adapted the narrative so that he has left home after his mum told him she will be getting married to her boyfriend who is a rich business man, scared that his mum is trying to replace his late father, he leaves home never to return again. Anne is left racked with her own guilt, now she lives with the trauma that she let her son walk away because she chose her own happiness.
Filming beginning - 10-08-19
Before filming, i completed paperwork to help things run smoothly and i was organized and calm. I completed a call sheet, this was helpful because it made it clear which actors where needed when, helping to avoid over crowding on set and enables cast and crew to organize their breaks. I also did shot lists for each of the key scenes, this will help me to have a clearer vision of what my production will look like when filming, of course it may be adaptable but it gives me a good starting point. I also made sure each actor had a copy of the script, (paper and electronic) this meant if they did not know their lines it would be easy to refer back too, preventing wasting valuable time.
I also created a filming schedule, this will help me to be organized and focused. It helps me to visualize what should be happening as i have included a synopsis of the scene and the actors that i will be needing on each day.
camera Setup - I was shooting mostly on manual, this allowed me to adjust the scene in the way i wanted. This meant that i was able to adjust how bright or dark the composition is, i could also change the shutterspeed which will create the illusion of movement. Furthermore, i used the night and scenery modes when shooting outdoors or in low light conditions. This was an effective choice because it really helped to enhance the colors of the scene, which created a more intense atmosphere.
10-08-19 - EXT- Kieren - Sunbury
We started by filming short shots of a few seconds, these shots have been taken in different locations and they use varied camera angles. I will be editing these shots will be together using different opacity's to create the impression of passing time. This section will be used to communicate the loneliness Luke is feeling, and how difficult his life has become. When i was shooting these shots i had to consider how the subject was framed, i also used lines and angles to create interesting compositions and an abstract viewpoint. An example of this would be the high angle shot of Luke on the stairs, in this shot i have used the lines of the stairs to create depth and levels. Furthermore, i also did a POV shot from Luke's perspective as he walks through some trees, this is intended to create a more personal and meaningful perspective for the viewer. I experimented with close ups of Luke as he plays his guitar, this is meant to reflect his passion to the audience. I did some close ups of his feet as he walked, this is show how dirty his shoes are getting. These shots will also help to create direction. Using varied shots and experimenting with different effects will enable me to be more creative when editing these shots together. Some of these shots might be slightly over exposed, they will be color corrected in editing. I have used natural lighting for this section, i believe this would give a much more realistic impression, some shots seem quite cold and dark, this will create sympathy for the character. I will enhance this effect further refine these shots.
11-08-19 - INT - Kieren - Kira - Elm Court
Today we shot the second scene, i used the tripod to set the camera up in a stable and secure position in front of a wide window, with the blinds down. In this scene Luke and his mum are arguing, they appear as silhouettes. In order to get this effect I had too adjust
the white balance settings to daylight as this gave the best colour for the sky in the background of the shot. I also had to experiment with changing the position of the slats to create dark shadows, and completed several test shots until i had the effect i was looking for. I also had to cover the window on the right side of the room as this was interfering with the lighting i wanted. I have chosen to use silhouettes in this scene to indicate the idea that Luke is still very much finding his own identity, with the stress of his beast friends leaving, his mum getting marries to her new boyfriend so soon after his fathers death, his heart is feeling black and cold.
Additionally, this scene has a monologue that goes with it, we also recorded this piece at the same time using a voice recorder. We recorded this in a big room which provided some echo to the actors voice, making it seem deeper. I will take the sound out of the video clip using the slice tool and replace it with this monologue in the final edit, or i could keep it at a low volume which will give depth to my production.
12-08-19 - EXT- Kieren - Kira - Kingston
We went to Kingston to shoot the busking scenes and Luke and Lisa's reunion. We shot Scene 6 first, we chose to film on a bench outside a church. Luke has been sleeping here most nights, Lisa walks past and notices him, stopping in shock. We tried to make it so she pulls one of the strings and sits down but it seemed way too awkward so i just sat down next to him. We set up the tripod in front of a bench, this helped to ensure the image was straight and secure. We shot an establishing shot first, this helped to ensure we got all the action. Then we shot some close ups, with the camera zoomed in on each other characters as they say there lines. I will cut between these shots in editing to create pace and atmosphere as the audience are able to see the characters facial expressions.This scene uses binary opposition to create a balance between gender, this is emphasized by their clothes. Lisa is wearing a black floral dress, whilst luke is wearing all black.
Then we went on to film the busking scenes, I got my actor to stand amongst the crowd playing the guitar whilst i was shooting from various heights and angles. I did wide and long shots, high and low angles, close ups. These will be edited together to give the impression that time is passing, in editing i will use creative filters to create mood and atmosphere. I made sure people walked past the camera, this helped to create the illusion people are just walking by and ignoring him. I also did some shots in an arc, this was an effective choice because it helped to establish the setting that surrounds the character.
13-08-19 - EXT - - Kieren - Josh
We shot some evening and night shots, this will help to create variation between time in my scenes, this is effective because it gives the impression these events are going on over a period of time, making it more realistic and convincing.
Today we also shot the third scene, i used a tripod for this so the image was straight and stable which creates the professional quality necessary. As this is before Luke becomes homeless Kieren trimmed his beard and washed his hair. We were shooting in the evening as the sun was setting, this helped to create aesthetically pleasing colours in the sky which set the tone of the scene and created a darker and more intense atmosphere. First of all we shot an establishing shot from the end of the pathway of the house, this was so i could refer back to this in editing if anything goes wrong. Then i began working of different shots to create pace and tension, I did a shot of Luke as he is walking up the path, side angles and close ups of his feet as he is walking. I will be cutting between these in editing to create pace and tension. I did a close up as he knocks on the door and when Byron opens the door, this will help emphasize this action to the viewer. Then i worked on doing some over the shoulder shots of the dialogue between Luke and Byron, when doing this it was important i shot from Kieren's right shoulder, and then reversed this so i was behind Josh's left shoulder for continuity.I have used a deep depth of field for these shots, ensuring that the viewers attention is on the characters responses and facial expressions. I will cut between these in editing so the camera movements remain dynamic, static shots will become boring for the viewer and it takes attention away from the action. We changed the dialogue slightly, Byron tries to help Luke by giving him the guitar rather than him already having it, we chose to do this because the dialogue seemed clunky and we thought this helped to make it run smoother. I took some shots as Luke walks away from the house, the dark natural lighting enhanced the mood of the scene and created the effect that the character was walking into a world or darkness. Then i did a long shot of Byron standing at the door, the lighting is warm which suggests a happy family environment, something Luke hasn't felt since his dad died. Overall, this scene worked but it seems to dark which interferes with the quality of the image, I will be re shooting this sequence at the earliest possible convenience using better lighting conditions and i will use digital editing techniques to enhance the mood of the scene instead.
14-08-19 - EXT - Kira - Kieren - Josh
We shot the first scene in the morning, where the three friends are together. At first the mood is happy and relaxed, they are sad because Lisa is leaving to go to university but the moods are high until Byron breaks the news that he has to leave because his dad has been given a promotion then the mood becomes less happy. We shot an establishing shot first so i can refer back to this in editing if anything goes wrong. Then we did some close ups on each of the characters as they say their lines, i can cut between these to show the characters emotions as feelings. I also did various two shots and three shots, this is because i need to show the audience that Luke is quiet and clearly scared and upset his friends are leaving him.The use of repetitive two shots are to show Byron and Lisa's excitement in contrast to Luke. I have also been experimenting with shooting the action from behind to keep my camera movements varied and dynamic. When we were re-shooting the scene using different shots, it was important we remembered how we moved and how we said things because failure to do so can lead to poor continuity. When editing this scene i will enhance the color of Lisa's dress, this will help to portray her as a figure of happiness and positivity. Contrastingly i will apply a darker filter on Luke, this will be to reflect his mental state.
We chose to reshot the third scene, using better natural lighting conditions as the footage was too dark and could distract the viewer from what is going on. However due to availability conflicts and time, josh was unavailable so we used Lisas character instead. Although i believe this may interfer with the quality of my production as my film only features two characters, i didn't have the time constraints to wait. i believe this was more effective because it helped to increase the image quality, we used similar techniques as stated above.
Editing -
Before i started editing, i filled in editing decision lists for each scene. I chose to do this because it will give me a template to work from, so i am able to visualize the scene better. Whilst doing this, it will give me a good chance to look through the footage so i can decide what could be used and what i should delete.
I started of by importing my clips into Adobe Premier Pro, i placed them on the timeline, making sure they were put in the order of the sequence to avoid any mistakes or confusion, this was effective because it helped me visualize the final sequence much clearer.
I began working on the first scene,Where Luke and lisa are discussing their summer. To create my over the shoulder shots i imported clips from each side and put markers in to make it clear where i needed to cut. Then i selected the slice tool and separated each line the character says. When i was putting these clips in order, i referred to the script to ensure the dialogue was in order. When i had finished, i deleted the section of clips that i didn't use as they were no longer needed. I will go on to colour correct this scene as the sun makes the image appear quite yellow, i will need to balance this out using blue. I will also make this darker as the sun is glaring on one side of the composition which may distract the viewer from what is happening on screen.
Then i moved on to the next scene, this is where Luke is arguing with his mum. This scene didn't need to be edited that much, i used the slice tool to cut the irrelevant pieces out at the start and at the end. If i were to leave this in, it would make my film appear really unprofessional and it would distract the viewer from the narrative. I also played with the brightness, contrast and exposure to make the bold lines and human figures as dark as possible. Moving on, i may choose to add a transition from the scene before so the sequence seems less rigid and the action flowed smoothly, i tried different transition but none seemed as effective as using the fade to black tool at each end of the clip it fades in and out, this was because the scene uses lots of negative lines so it looks like a match cut. I may also choose to edit the audio at it seems to echo a lot, this may also distract the viewer from the narrative. Then i moved on to inserting Lukes monologue, i inserted the clip on a different audio track, and opened the audio effects tab. I began playing with different tones and levels, at first muting the orginal audio so i had a better idea of what the monolgue sounded like. Then i unmuted the audio, and began adjusting it so both audio files could be heard in the audio effects tab. This created the effect that luke is talking over the arguing, this is effective because it helps to introduce the narrative to the audience. I also boosted the monologue using a male voice, this boosted the bass and gave it more depth.
When editing the third scene, i had a selection of establishing shot to choose from. I chose to pan down from the top of the building as Luke is walking into the building. I chose this one because i felt most of my camera movements are static, this helped to make it more dynamic and also created interesting imagery. I had taken some from further away, but being closer worked better because it gave a greater impression of scale. The building could be representative of the way Luke feels, his world is beginning to engulf him. i may choose to make this shot darker to create a darker tone and atmosphere, color is important because it can be used to visualize feelings and emotions. I have also demonstrated the 180 degree rule, Luke presses the key on the panel and then the camera cuts to the other side of the door as he walks in. I chose to do this to avoid continuity issues as he dont open the door when he presses the key. I have cut between various shots - using close ups, long shots, wide shots etc- to create pace and tension as the audience may be wondering who Luke is visiting, When editing the over the shoulder shots, i used the same technique i used in the first scene because i felt it worked effectively. I also need to adjust the colour balance of this scene, it appears very orange and yellow due to the amount of tungsten light. I fixed this using color balance adjustment to even out the scene, making it appear more realistic although inside the doorframe is still slightly yellow. However, this could also convey the warm family enviroment lisa has in comparison to how cold and defeated luke is feeling in this moment
Additionally, i will be demonstrating non-continuity editing techniques as i will be using a montage to depict Lukes time on the streets. To do this i have compiled a selection of clips of a few seconds long and placed them next to each other on the timeline. I will apply a film dissolve transition, this help to present the idea that events are happening over a prolonged period of time. i tried to do this using a wipe transition, but it seemed to clunky and rigid. i chose to use a dissolve because it allows the images to pass smoothly which will be easier on the viewers eye. I will also add some audio to this, which will help to enhance the mood and atmosphere of the sequence. When i do this, i will need to unlink the image with the audio, download a piece of music i feel fits this sequence, delete the original audio and replace it with the song. I might also need to adjust the speed or duration of the audio clip, i could do this by double clicking the audio i want and selecting the speed/duration tab.Additionally, i will also apply a crossfade with constant gain transition so the audio flows seamlessly through, making the sequence seem less rigid and like the audio belongs there.
When i watched the cut back, i noticed some of the clips and monologue needed to be trimmed further, keeping this in will distract the viewer from the story and it will interfere with the quality of my film. I also dragged the cursor over the image and audio clips, and moved them forward slightly. Then i selected the type tool, and added my films title. when i highlighted the writing i was able to adjust the size and font, the font i used is meant to look like luke has written it in his rage, its meant to look untidy. Then i applied a fade transition to the writing, fading into the establishing shot. i have chosen to do this because it helps to introduce the narrative to the audience. At first i looked at some credits graphic templates, i wanted to use a more realistic looking one, because i believe it would make my film look more professional. However every time i dragged and dropped the one i wanted to use, Adobe either crashed or it made the image go black and white and upside down. it is for these reasons that i decided to go against it and use the same style and format i used for the title for continuity reasons.
Lisa, Luke and Byron are just finishing college, despite promising each other that they will always have time for each other, Byron's dad has taken a promotion which subsequently means he will be moving away from everything and everyone he knows, Lisa has been accepted into her first choice uni to study Biology, and Luke is left alone in a world with no hope. He is living at home with his mum, two sisters and baby brother, she is soon to be married to a business man from a new type of life, he was ready to propel the family into a life of luxury. Luke isn't interested, he thinks his mum is selling out, a furious argument kicks off and he leaves. Anne had hoped her son would return but he never did. Left wandering the streets, he tries to make a bit of money for food by begging on the streets but with little luck as he is ignored by everyone that walks past, he begins to reconsider his approach. The thing few people knew about Luke was that he really enjoyed playing and writing music, however he felt embarrassed by it so not many people knew. Luckily he had taken his guitar and sheets with him, he starts to busk on the streets. he was disregarded again but soon enough people started to listen, he started drawing crowds and giving him there spare change in exchange for a few minuets of peace in busy city centers. Luke was beginning to learn what its like to have nothing and how easy he had it before, he felt so alone, he saw thousands of faces each day but not one cared enough to stop and talk to him, not to give him money but to just give him the time of day. One day a familiar face walks past, Lisa. She suddenly stops in shock, looking him up and down before she gives him a big hug. She explains that she has had to come home because her father has recently passed away, she wouldn't mind the company. She reminds him of the life he used to have and gives him the fight to make things right with his mum and get a job.
Themes -
Homelessness in young people - Although the Government has improved the homelessness legislation, many young people are still experiencing problems,research has found that people who become homeless at a younger age are more likely to face long-term difficulties as they struggle to get started again. The film will explore the life a young man in his twenties after he has left home, i intend to highlight some of the struggles people in this position might face such as finding a place to sleep, earning enough money to eat and rebuiding their life and the relationships they once had.
Grieving - Grieving as a young person can be a difficult time, it might be the first time that something like that has happened and you could be unsure of how you 'should' feel, especially when its a friend or relative. The film explores how Luke copes with grieving his dad, whilst fearing his mother is trying to replace her late partner. The anger and frustrations felt by Luke might be considered relatble to many young people, as they struggle to deal with the death of a parent.
Audience Research -
My primary demographic will be boys aged 16-22, statistics have shown that boys are 72% less likely to express how they feel when they loose a loved one than girls, this means that young men aged 16-22 will be able to build a relationship with the main character as they understand how he is feeling. Furthermore, My secondary demographic will include the parents of these young people, i am trying to interpret the feelings of these young people in a way parents can understand.
Filmic inspirations -
'A street cat named Bob' - ’A street cat named bob’ is a British biographical film, based on the book with the same title, directed by Roger Spotisswoode. The film is about a homeless man an ex- heroine addict named James Bowen, he lives on the streets and down to his last bit of change. James ends up in hospital after a drug related incident, his social worker gets him a council flat and a prescription to methadone in one last attempt to get his life on track. On his first night in his new home, he finds a cat with a wounded leg going through his rubbish. James is worried so he takes him to a vet, consequently meaning he misses his appointment with his social worker, he names the cat Bob and gets him neutered before letting him free. Bob keeps following James and they soon become friends. James busks to earn a living, he makes bob part of his act and he draws more crowds in. This characters and film have been a huge inspiration to me, Luke's determination to sauced and have a better life has been inspired by James. Although my final idea bears no resemblance to this story, it was used heavily in the early days of pre-prouction, however it became increasingly obvious that animals are extremely hard to work with. Instead of focusing on the bond between Luke and his k9 friend, decided to further explore grieving and homelessness amongst young people as i felt this was an issue that isn't properly discussed.
Character development -
I began by writing down questions i would ask my character about themselves and the lives they lead, these were questions like - What is your name, What is your biggest fear, are you an introvert or extrovert and have you ever been arrested. It is important i know and understand my characters so i am able to predict how they might react in certain situations, this will hep to make my characters more convincing and my film more realistic.
Luke - It has taken him to loose everything to understand the value of what he had. He stubborn, despite realizing how wrong he was, and trying his best to show hes changed, he would never tell his mum she was right. He is grateful for everything that he has, not everyone is given a second chance.
Anne - She kicked her son out just after she got married, her husband came from a different life and was ready to propel her family into that lifestyle. Luke wasn't interested, she thought he was holding the family back so she kicked him out thinking he would come back, but he didn't. She regrets her choices, feeling guilt everyday because she should have tried to help her son rather than casting him aside.
Lisa - A vision of positivity and energy, her smile is infectious. She is always trying to see the best in bad situations, and ready to help anyone that needs it.
Costumes -
Luke - He has a dirty face, heavy beard and scruffy hair. He is wearing an over sized jumper, a ripped t-shirt and dirty track suit bottoms. This is far from the life he used to have at home.
Lisa - She usually wears flowery and bright colored skater dresses with a pair of sneakers, she stands out against dull crowds. She could wear soft eye shadow to match whatever dress she is wearing. Her hair is neat and in a bun
The characters costumes will me used to develop the characters further, the way that they are dressed could reflect the moods they feel. Overall, Lisa should always wear bright and colorful clothing, this will help to present her as a figure of positivity and life. In comparison Luke will be dressed in mostly black, this is supposed to reflect the idea that most teenagers that leave home for various reasons , they might be struggling to find their identity. I have chosen to use black because i feel it properly reflects the absence of identity and internal feelings felt by Luke.
Casting -
I will write up contracts for each of my cast members, this will help to ensure that they cannot pull out of the production unless they are ill, it also confirms that our production team has been given consent to use their name and image for distribution.#
In terms of the age and gender of my actors, my short film will have two main characters which will be male and female. I have chosen to use this dynamic because it shows binary opposition, which helps to make my film balanced.
Settings -
I will be mostly filming in public areas, to create the impression my character is busking to try and make a living. I will need to film in subways and town centers, some of the places i would like to film in could include - Sunbury Subway. Feltham Shopping center, Staines shopping center, Brentford underpass. I would like to film in these locations because i believe filming here will make my story seem more realistic, more people will pass and i will be able to create interesting angles for varied shots. l In order to film in these locations, i will first need to contact the relevant parties, busking is not illegal however some counties may require a permit. I will be completing a location recce for each place that i film in, this will outline the reasons i have chosen the location , how accessible it is and what features does it have that make the setting ideal to shoot in, for example, how near it is to train and bus stations, and whether there are toilets or places to get food near by.
Risk Assessment -
Faulty Equipment - If equipment is faulty, it may collapse and cause injury to someone or damage to equipment, to avoid this issue i will be running a risk assessment on all equipment before it is used on each day of filming. I will also ensure the equipment is set up safely and securely before filming.
Slips and trips - I will run a risk assessment of the areas we are filming in EXT and INT, this will be to prevent any trip hazards that could cause harm or injury to cast and crew members.
Overcrowding - Although we have a small cast and crew, to prevent over crowding i will only be calling the necessary actors required. Overcrowding can be a trip hazard, but also a fire hazard in the event of a fire.
Risk assessments will be carried out in all filming locations, this should help to prevent any accidents or injuries that could happen on set. Should anything happen, first aiders will be on hand and anything major will see the claimant to the nearest hospital.
Legal and ethical considerations -
There are a number of legal and ethical constraints in the media industry that are important to follow. I will be following these rules too prevent viewers and members of the public from taking offence to sensitive material, they covers topics such as discrimination, offensive stereotypes, privacy and other issues that are not enforced by the law.
•Anyone of opposite gender or race will be
treated fairly and equally
•Any religious beliefs of cast and crew
may be observed and practised where appropriate
These ethical considerations will be followed so that everyone is treated fairly and equally, and to avoid any cases of discrimination.
Equipment -Canon 5D MK 4 - light weight DLSR camera, which makes it easy to transport when filming. This camera also shoots in 4K which will give my production the professional quality i am looking for.
Canon EF lens set - a collection of different lenses, this will help to create different artistic effects with the composition of my scenes. For example - wide shot, deep and shallow depth of field to draw attention to an object or character.
Manfrotto HD - This tripod is made from aluminum, making it light weight and easy to carry. I need a tripod so my shots are clear and stable which will give my film the professional quality i need. Additionally, this tripod as spikes which will be vital for stability when shooting outdoors as it has spikes which will secure it to the ground. .
Seinhiesser k6 - high quality microphone, i need a microphone to pick up sound when we are outdoors as wind and ambient sound could effect audio quality which could distract the viewer from the narrative. Using this microphone will help to ensure all dialogue is clear..
Zoom h6 - A recorder set, However this set is best used with headphones, it will allow me to keep track of the quality of my recordings.
Technical considerations -
I will be hiring a sound kit, this will include a recorder, microphone and boom, for use when filming in outdoor locations, this will help to ensure all sound is picked up as best as possible.
I will run checks on the image of my camera, ensuring it is not to overexposed which will ruin the quality of my film, this will also create less work in post production. To overcome over exposure issues, i may use the zebra function when filming
All camera batteries will be charged at the end of each day of filming, this will avoid any battery issues whilst on set.
I will be hiring a sound kit, this will include a recorder, microphone and boom, for use when filming in outdoor locations, this will help to ensure all sound is picked up as best as possible.
I will run checks on the image of my camera, ensuring it is not to overexposed which will ruin the quality of my film, this will also create less work in post production. To overcome over exposure issues, i may use the zebra function when filming
All camera batteries will be charged at the end of each day of filming, this will avoid any battery issues whilst on set.
Budget -
We have a budget of £2,500 , which will be spent on the following...
Equipment -
Contracts -
Travel -
Props-
In total, the production has cost. We only plan to be filming for a week, however the left over sum will be used for expenses if we go over time as equipment hire and contracts will need to be extended further.
Plan B -
- I will charge my camera battery the night before, however if i am shooting all day this might drain the battery quickly. To overcome this issue i will take two fully charged batteries with me as a back up.
- To avoid continuity errors, we will film most outdoor scenes in the same day or days where the weather is similar, this means that if it rains, our whole production is not effected
Storyboards -
Ideas generation -
My idea started with Luke and his K9 friend, their friendship was at the heart of the story however it soon became clear to me that training an animal would be difficult given the timescale, to overcome this issue i chose to combine an earlier idea i had and replace his k9 friend with a human friend.
Originally, Anne had kicked her son out because he was wasting his life away on her living room sofa whilst she struggled to raise his two younger siblings. I decided to change this because it seemed unrealistic, i adapted the narrative so that he has left home after his mum told him she will be getting married to her boyfriend who is a rich business man, scared that his mum is trying to replace his late father, he leaves home never to return again. Anne is left racked with her own guilt, now she lives with the trauma that she let her son walk away because she chose her own happiness.
Before filming, i completed paperwork to help things run smoothly and i was organized and calm. I completed a call sheet, this was helpful because it made it clear which actors where needed when, helping to avoid over crowding on set and enables cast and crew to organize their breaks. I also did shot lists for each of the key scenes, this will help me to have a clearer vision of what my production will look like when filming, of course it may be adaptable but it gives me a good starting point. I also made sure each actor had a copy of the script, (paper and electronic) this meant if they did not know their lines it would be easy to refer back too, preventing wasting valuable time.
I also created a filming schedule, this will help me to be organized and focused. It helps me to visualize what should be happening as i have included a synopsis of the scene and the actors that i will be needing on each day.
camera Setup - I was shooting mostly on manual, this allowed me to adjust the scene in the way i wanted. This meant that i was able to adjust how bright or dark the composition is, i could also change the shutterspeed which will create the illusion of movement. Furthermore, i used the night and scenery modes when shooting outdoors or in low light conditions. This was an effective choice because it really helped to enhance the colors of the scene, which created a more intense atmosphere.
10-08-19 - EXT- Kieren - Sunbury
We started by filming short shots of a few seconds, these shots have been taken in different locations and they use varied camera angles. I will be editing these shots will be together using different opacity's to create the impression of passing time. This section will be used to communicate the loneliness Luke is feeling, and how difficult his life has become. When i was shooting these shots i had to consider how the subject was framed, i also used lines and angles to create interesting compositions and an abstract viewpoint. An example of this would be the high angle shot of Luke on the stairs, in this shot i have used the lines of the stairs to create depth and levels. Furthermore, i also did a POV shot from Luke's perspective as he walks through some trees, this is intended to create a more personal and meaningful perspective for the viewer. I experimented with close ups of Luke as he plays his guitar, this is meant to reflect his passion to the audience. I did some close ups of his feet as he walked, this is show how dirty his shoes are getting. These shots will also help to create direction. Using varied shots and experimenting with different effects will enable me to be more creative when editing these shots together. Some of these shots might be slightly over exposed, they will be color corrected in editing. I have used natural lighting for this section, i believe this would give a much more realistic impression, some shots seem quite cold and dark, this will create sympathy for the character. I will enhance this effect further refine these shots.
11-08-19 - INT - Kieren - Kira - Elm Court
Today we shot the second scene, i used the tripod to set the camera up in a stable and secure position in front of a wide window, with the blinds down. In this scene Luke and his mum are arguing, they appear as silhouettes. In order to get this effect I had too adjustthe white balance settings to daylight as this gave the best colour for the sky in the background of the shot. I also had to experiment with changing the position of the slats to create dark shadows, and completed several test shots until i had the effect i was looking for. I also had to cover the window on the right side of the room as this was interfering with the lighting i wanted. I have chosen to use silhouettes in this scene to indicate the idea that Luke is still very much finding his own identity, with the stress of his beast friends leaving, his mum getting marries to her new boyfriend so soon after his fathers death, his heart is feeling black and cold.
Additionally, this scene has a monologue that goes with it, we also recorded this piece at the same time using a voice recorder. We recorded this in a big room which provided some echo to the actors voice, making it seem deeper. I will take the sound out of the video clip using the slice tool and replace it with this monologue in the final edit, or i could keep it at a low volume which will give depth to my production.
12-08-19 - EXT- Kieren - Kira - Kingston
We went to Kingston to shoot the busking scenes and Luke and Lisa's reunion. We shot Scene 6 first, we chose to film on a bench outside a church. Luke has been sleeping here most nights, Lisa walks past and notices him, stopping in shock. We tried to make it so she pulls one of the strings and sits down but it seemed way too awkward so i just sat down next to him. We set up the tripod in front of a bench, this helped to ensure the image was straight and secure. We shot an establishing shot first, this helped to ensure we got all the action. Then we shot some close ups, with the camera zoomed in on each other characters as they say there lines. I will cut between these shots in editing to create pace and atmosphere as the audience are able to see the characters facial expressions.This scene uses binary opposition to create a balance between gender, this is emphasized by their clothes. Lisa is wearing a black floral dress, whilst luke is wearing all black.
Then we went on to film the busking scenes, I got my actor to stand amongst the crowd playing the guitar whilst i was shooting from various heights and angles. I did wide and long shots, high and low angles, close ups. These will be edited together to give the impression that time is passing, in editing i will use creative filters to create mood and atmosphere. I made sure people walked past the camera, this helped to create the illusion people are just walking by and ignoring him. I also did some shots in an arc, this was an effective choice because it helped to establish the setting that surrounds the character.
13-08-19 - EXT - - Kieren - Josh
We shot some evening and night shots, this will help to create variation between time in my scenes, this is effective because it gives the impression these events are going on over a period of time, making it more realistic and convincing.
Today we also shot the third scene, i used a tripod for this so the image was straight and stable which creates the professional quality necessary. As this is before Luke becomes homeless Kieren trimmed his beard and washed his hair. We were shooting in the evening as the sun was setting, this helped to create aesthetically pleasing colours in the sky which set the tone of the scene and created a darker and more intense atmosphere. First of all we shot an establishing shot from the end of the pathway of the house, this was so i could refer back to this in editing if anything goes wrong. Then i began working of different shots to create pace and tension, I did a shot of Luke as he is walking up the path, side angles and close ups of his feet as he is walking. I will be cutting between these in editing to create pace and tension. I did a close up as he knocks on the door and when Byron opens the door, this will help emphasize this action to the viewer. Then i worked on doing some over the shoulder shots of the dialogue between Luke and Byron, when doing this it was important i shot from Kieren's right shoulder, and then reversed this so i was behind Josh's left shoulder for continuity.I have used a deep depth of field for these shots, ensuring that the viewers attention is on the characters responses and facial expressions. I will cut between these in editing so the camera movements remain dynamic, static shots will become boring for the viewer and it takes attention away from the action. We changed the dialogue slightly, Byron tries to help Luke by giving him the guitar rather than him already having it, we chose to do this because the dialogue seemed clunky and we thought this helped to make it run smoother. I took some shots as Luke walks away from the house, the dark natural lighting enhanced the mood of the scene and created the effect that the character was walking into a world or darkness. Then i did a long shot of Byron standing at the door, the lighting is warm which suggests a happy family environment, something Luke hasn't felt since his dad died. Overall, this scene worked but it seems to dark which interferes with the quality of the image, I will be re shooting this sequence at the earliest possible convenience using better lighting conditions and i will use digital editing techniques to enhance the mood of the scene instead.
14-08-19 - EXT - Kira - Kieren - Josh
We shot the first scene in the morning, where the three friends are together. At first the mood is happy and relaxed, they are sad because Lisa is leaving to go to university but the moods are high until Byron breaks the news that he has to leave because his dad has been given a promotion then the mood becomes less happy. We shot an establishing shot first so i can refer back to this in editing if anything goes wrong. Then we did some close ups on each of the characters as they say their lines, i can cut between these to show the characters emotions as feelings. I also did various two shots and three shots, this is because i need to show the audience that Luke is quiet and clearly scared and upset his friends are leaving him.The use of repetitive two shots are to show Byron and Lisa's excitement in contrast to Luke. I have also been experimenting with shooting the action from behind to keep my camera movements varied and dynamic. When we were re-shooting the scene using different shots, it was important we remembered how we moved and how we said things because failure to do so can lead to poor continuity. When editing this scene i will enhance the color of Lisa's dress, this will help to portray her as a figure of happiness and positivity. Contrastingly i will apply a darker filter on Luke, this will be to reflect his mental state.
We chose to reshot the third scene, using better natural lighting conditions as the footage was too dark and could distract the viewer from what is going on. However due to availability conflicts and time, josh was unavailable so we used Lisas character instead. Although i believe this may interfer with the quality of my production as my film only features two characters, i didn't have the time constraints to wait. i believe this was more effective because it helped to increase the image quality, we used similar techniques as stated above.
Editing -
Before i started editing, i filled in editing decision lists for each scene. I chose to do this because it will give me a template to work from, so i am able to visualize the scene better. Whilst doing this, it will give me a good chance to look through the footage so i can decide what could be used and what i should delete.
I started of by importing my clips into Adobe Premier Pro, i placed them on the timeline, making sure they were put in the order of the sequence to avoid any mistakes or confusion, this was effective because it helped me visualize the final sequence much clearer.
I began working on the first scene,Where Luke and lisa are discussing their summer. To create my over the shoulder shots i imported clips from each side and put markers in to make it clear where i needed to cut. Then i selected the slice tool and separated each line the character says. When i was putting these clips in order, i referred to the script to ensure the dialogue was in order. When i had finished, i deleted the section of clips that i didn't use as they were no longer needed. I will go on to colour correct this scene as the sun makes the image appear quite yellow, i will need to balance this out using blue. I will also make this darker as the sun is glaring on one side of the composition which may distract the viewer from what is happening on screen.
Then i moved on to the next scene, this is where Luke is arguing with his mum. This scene didn't need to be edited that much, i used the slice tool to cut the irrelevant pieces out at the start and at the end. If i were to leave this in, it would make my film appear really unprofessional and it would distract the viewer from the narrative. I also played with the brightness, contrast and exposure to make the bold lines and human figures as dark as possible. Moving on, i may choose to add a transition from the scene before so the sequence seems less rigid and the action flowed smoothly, i tried different transition but none seemed as effective as using the fade to black tool at each end of the clip it fades in and out, this was because the scene uses lots of negative lines so it looks like a match cut. I may also choose to edit the audio at it seems to echo a lot, this may also distract the viewer from the narrative. Then i moved on to inserting Lukes monologue, i inserted the clip on a different audio track, and opened the audio effects tab. I began playing with different tones and levels, at first muting the orginal audio so i had a better idea of what the monolgue sounded like. Then i unmuted the audio, and began adjusting it so both audio files could be heard in the audio effects tab. This created the effect that luke is talking over the arguing, this is effective because it helps to introduce the narrative to the audience. I also boosted the monologue using a male voice, this boosted the bass and gave it more depth.
When editing the third scene, i had a selection of establishing shot to choose from. I chose to pan down from the top of the building as Luke is walking into the building. I chose this one because i felt most of my camera movements are static, this helped to make it more dynamic and also created interesting imagery. I had taken some from further away, but being closer worked better because it gave a greater impression of scale. The building could be representative of the way Luke feels, his world is beginning to engulf him. i may choose to make this shot darker to create a darker tone and atmosphere, color is important because it can be used to visualize feelings and emotions. I have also demonstrated the 180 degree rule, Luke presses the key on the panel and then the camera cuts to the other side of the door as he walks in. I chose to do this to avoid continuity issues as he dont open the door when he presses the key. I have cut between various shots - using close ups, long shots, wide shots etc- to create pace and tension as the audience may be wondering who Luke is visiting, When editing the over the shoulder shots, i used the same technique i used in the first scene because i felt it worked effectively. I also need to adjust the colour balance of this scene, it appears very orange and yellow due to the amount of tungsten light. I fixed this using color balance adjustment to even out the scene, making it appear more realistic although inside the doorframe is still slightly yellow. However, this could also convey the warm family enviroment lisa has in comparison to how cold and defeated luke is feeling in this moment
Additionally, i will be demonstrating non-continuity editing techniques as i will be using a montage to depict Lukes time on the streets. To do this i have compiled a selection of clips of a few seconds long and placed them next to each other on the timeline. I will apply a film dissolve transition, this help to present the idea that events are happening over a prolonged period of time. i tried to do this using a wipe transition, but it seemed to clunky and rigid. i chose to use a dissolve because it allows the images to pass smoothly which will be easier on the viewers eye. I will also add some audio to this, which will help to enhance the mood and atmosphere of the sequence. When i do this, i will need to unlink the image with the audio, download a piece of music i feel fits this sequence, delete the original audio and replace it with the song. I might also need to adjust the speed or duration of the audio clip, i could do this by double clicking the audio i want and selecting the speed/duration tab.Additionally, i will also apply a crossfade with constant gain transition so the audio flows seamlessly through, making the sequence seem less rigid and like the audio belongs there.
When i watched the cut back, i noticed some of the clips and monologue needed to be trimmed further, keeping this in will distract the viewer from the story and it will interfere with the quality of my film. I also dragged the cursor over the image and audio clips, and moved them forward slightly. Then i selected the type tool, and added my films title. when i highlighted the writing i was able to adjust the size and font, the font i used is meant to look like luke has written it in his rage, its meant to look untidy. Then i applied a fade transition to the writing, fading into the establishing shot. i have chosen to do this because it helps to introduce the narrative to the audience. At first i looked at some credits graphic templates, i wanted to use a more realistic looking one, because i believe it would make my film look more professional. However every time i dragged and dropped the one i wanted to use, Adobe either crashed or it made the image go black and white and upside down. it is for these reasons that i decided to go against it and use the same style and format i used for the title for continuity reasons.
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