During post production I edited the film, which was a new experience for me which allowed me to grow in the field of filmmaking.
Working with the Editor
Due to time constraints, I had to become the editor and edited the entire film.
Changes to the Script
The script was kept relatively the same to the final film, except for a few improvisations and cutting out a sequence. We decided to cut out a small sequence because we thought it was too similar to an other part of the film, and I wasn’t sure we would have time to film it. There was also several improvisations by the actors, including the final scene, which was originally just two lines. For the final scenes I just left the camera rolling and just let the scene play out naturally.
Final Cut
I was gone for the feedback from the professionals, however I did receive feedback from Carlson who said, “I enjoyed the story and the editing.”
Original Vision for the Film
From a technical point of view I wouldn’t say that my vision was achieved. The editing process was possible the roughest and most chaotic thing I experienced in this class all year. I would have liked to had better sound in the film, but because of my inexperience in editing and disorganization of our files, I had to make the choice to sacrifice clean audio for a more complete story and final edit. From an artistic standpoint, I would liked to use different locations. While the locations I picked worked and told our story correctly, I would have liked to use less plain locations. Instead of using the green room, I would have liked using an office with more decoration. Using a different location would have given certain shots more personality and allowed the film to stand out more.
What I Learned
Learned a lot about editing this time, specifically about DaVinci Resolve. I had played around with DaVinci Resolve before, but my workflow and understanding of the program has benefitted greatly from my editing experience. Now that I have gotten past that first threshold of learning the program, I may even try re-editing the film just for fun and more experience.
No, it would of been better for the editor to edit the film, but I had to step in and get it done. I don’t have to much editing experience with DaVinci Resolve so it took awhile to get the film done
5/10
Published the film
30 Minutes
No, I had to step in for the editor and it stop me from getting other things done
Run the SET during the production phase by keeping all CREW INFORMED and ON SCHEDULE
Our planned schedule had been thrown off because of the lock-in
Absent, called and told team schedule for the next day
I told the time what was happening the previous day and kept to that schedule
It could have gone better running the set, It was the first day in the hallway and with a full crew
Instruct ACTORS on BLOCKING, PERFORMANCE, LINE DELIVERY.
We filmed a few test shots, no technical acting was done, but directions on blocking were given.
Absent
Instructed Henry on how I wanted him to react specifically with the volume of his lines.
Call for the start and end of each take by saying “standby”, “roll camera”, “action” and “cut”.
No, as both director and cinematographer I was filming the test shots mostly for practice and since no acting was really done I didn’t call for the start and end of the take.
Absent
I called for sound to start and announced when I began filming with the camera and called for action and cut.
Ensure that the other key roles (primarily camera and sound) have OBTAINED CLEAR IMAGE and SOUND from the scene.
As the cinematographer I would view the shot as it was being filmed an no sound was recorded.
Absent
Nate had to fill in as the sound designer on that day, so I made sure that audio was recording well even more than usual.
Make DECISIONS about when to move on to shoot the next scene.
I only planned to practice a singular shot, and didn’t move on from it.
Absent
We only filmed one shot, which I planned on for continuity and location purposes.
Write PRODUCTION NOTES for each day of shooting-before and after: a SET OF EXPECTATIONS for the day and a LIST OF WHAT WAS ACHIEVED or NOT ACHIEVED; notes on WAYS TO SOLVE PROBLEMS.
I didn’t write any notes down.
Absent
I didn’t write any notes down.
Produce NOTES for post-production regarding LENGTH OF SCENE, GOOD/BAD SHOTS and other NOTEWORTHY ELEMENTS to be handled in post-production.
These were test shots, which were not going to be put in the final film so I didn’t write any notes.
Absent
No, the last take was the only good take that we got, so I didn’t take notes on which take to use.
For almost every shot I went with the last take, on the few shots I wanted to use a previous take I always noted it on the script.
On-Going Discussions with Film Team
9. I messaged and communicated about the film to my teammates
10. I assured that the location was left as is by not modifying the location in any way so it would remain the same.
11. I assured that nobody was hurt, my evidence of that is the amount of injuries being zero.
Due to the lockout we couldn’t begin filming like I planned, but we used this limitation to our advantage to practice a difficult shot.
4/25
Absent called with team
5 Minutes
Yes, for the circumstances, being there would have one thousand times better, but calling my team and communicated with them was the best practice for the situation.
4/26
Filmed the beginning
30 Minutes
Yes, we filmed the beginning of the film, and got several takes.
4/27
Began filming the second segment
45 Minutes
No, I wish we got more shots done, but for the first day I don’t expect everything to rule perfectly.
4/28
Filmed Henry only shots
40 Minutes
Yes, for continuity reasons we could only film Henry.
Personal Comments (Optional)
Are there any other comments you would like to include? If so, please enter them here:
The pre-production of this film was mostly communicating with my team and making sure we are all on the same page for the film.
6. Z-Axis (Rack Focus)
7. Directing the Eye
10. Orientation
15. Rectangular
My concept for the film was take the very human struggle of perfectionism and place it in a space that I was familiar with, which is filmmaking. I wanted to make this film to express the theme of failure and its importance in our lives. I want to show that failure isn’t an end, but a new place for us to learn. My target audience for this film is our film class, by placing this story in the filmmaking world, I hope to make it more relatable to my fellow students and more impactful.
Genre / Style of the Film
For this film it is a Dramatic Comedy shot in style of low budget indie films.
I want to have the overall film look very natural and unprocessed to add to the realism and relatability of the film.
Sam Raimi is one my favorite directors and I want to use camera movements and angles in similar fashion that he does.
Consultations with the Production Team
Here is me communicating with our screenwriter Nathaniel My communicating with our editor Henry
Location Scouting
This one the locations we decided on during scouting
Casting Decisions
I have worked with Henry on my past 3 films which he played anger characters in all three, I thought he would be a great fit for the role of the Director which is a very angry character. I thought Gavin would be great fit for the Sound Designer character because he is our sound designer and would understand the character. Nathaniel isn’t a huge fan of acting and doesn’t love doing it, so is a great fit for the Actor role, because the Actor is also not a fan of acting.
Permissions
I spoke to Le Duc and gain has verbal permission to film in the green room.
Scheduling
What I Learned and Problems I Solved
I learned how to balance being both the director and cinematographer, and how to blend the two to make my films unique and my own.
A young film student works with an incompetent a team to make a film.
PROTAGONIST
Our protagonist is a “self taught” director that has large ambitions and no experience. He feels the need to make film for no real reason, just that he feels that he must. He is a very unorganized person and he suffers because of it. He is also very impatient and quick to point out peoples flaws, but completely unaware of his own flaws.
PROTANGIONST CORE WOUND / MOTIVATION
The protagonist loves film and feels required to create a great one
In the beginning our protagonist has massive dreams of his perfect film.
In the middle of the story the protagonist becomes angry and insufferable as his team can’t bring his vision to life perfectly.
At the end of the film our protagonist realizes the beauty in failure and that his film isn’t perfect but nothing ever is.
TREATMENT
From the protagonist’s point of view, so the world is more exaggerated at the beginning but as the film progresses and he realizes the imperfections of the world the his world becomes more normal and less exaggerated. The school would be the setting for the film because all of the characters are students. The parts of the film were the team are making the film will be very chaotic with uneasy camera angles and a lots of background noise.
0:63 Limited Space provides a feeling of helplessness and isolation
0:63 This example from Inglourious Basterds shows the isolation of the character of Shosanna as she runs away from the nazi forces that have just killed her family
0:73 The forth and final form of space is Ambiguous Space
0:77 Ambiguous Space is commonly used in horror and thrillers to portray a character’s slipping mental state
0:85 Ambiguous Space doesn’t properly portray people and things sizes which can add suspense to a scene
Project Timeline
First I will study my leader in my field (Jeff Cronenworth) and will take notes on his style and how it impacts the story. I will then study my training source (DEEP SPACE, FLAT SPACE, LIMITED SPACE, AND AMBIENT SPACE) and take notes on how the different types of space look and add to a story. I will next go to the location that my group plans on filming in looking for ways to use space to elevate my groups story. Next I will start working on a storyboard keeping the different types of space and the location in mind as I draw the storyboard. After that I will speak with my director and make sure that their blocking and vision for the scene will work with my framing and storyboards. If my storyboard and the director’s vision do not align I will adapt my storyboard until it helps me complete my SMART goal (By March 1, as Cinematographer, I will have evidence of using differnet froms of space by following DEEP SPACE, FLAT SPACE, LIMITED SPACE, AND AMBIGUOUS SPACE IN FILM for Session 4.) and contributes as much as possible to the story. Next I will speak to my editor and make sure he understands each shots order and importance to the story. Next I will make sure that my scene is lit properly and that the picture looks clean and not noisy. I then began filming with my group and operate the camera. After each day of filming I will download each shot to my computer. Once each shot is uploaded to my computer I will upload it to a shared google drive with the rest of my group.
Used Limited Space to create a feeling of isolation in the scene
POST-PRODUCTION – REFLECTION
21st Century Skills
Ways of Thinking (Creativity, Innovation, Critical Thinking, Problem Solving)
During production our team faced a multiatde of promblems which we came up with creative solutions that fit within our timeframe and skills.
Ways of Working (Communication & Collaboration)
I communicated with members of my team everyday and made sure that everybody’s ideas were heard. During days that I was gone I made sure to communicate with my team and stay in the loop.
Tools for Working (Info & Media Literacy)
I used our teams storyboard along with a Canon Rebel T3i to create the film.
Ways of Living in the World (Life & Career)
This session taught me about working in a team requries work from everybody, even if you can’t be there.
Reactions to the Final Version
Kaden- “You could use a pan to remove the tension from the scene.”
James- “Focusing on the dollar could have added context to the scene.”
Self-Evaluation of Final Version
As this film was my first time being a cinematographer, I am very proud with how the film looks, the film wasn’t noisy and the framing added to the impact of story that my team and I were trying to tell.
