Screen Production 3 - ARTS3061
This page is dedicated for the class activities and assignments completed for the course Screen Production 3 as part of my Bachelor of Media degree.
My Favourite Film:
Week 1 - Morning Routine
Directed by Sally Ip
Edited by Sally Ip
Starring Carl Stewart
Music: "PIMP" Instrumental by 50 Cent
The aim for this film was to manipulate dance-like footsteps and combine them with the common feeling of disorientation and sleepiness while headed to class in the morning that comes with being a university student.
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We experimented with several different techniques to express the students' disorientation, including canted angles, tracking through large crowds, shakey handheld filming. These techniques were also employed to make his task of getting to class seem incredibly strained and difficult. Varied focal lengths were also utilised to create subjective POV and through this display the visual confusion and sleepiness that the character is feeling.
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To improve upon this film, greater coverage including more close-ups of the character being disoriented in his sleepy state and long shots to better situate his confused self within the large crowds and emphasis the frenzied state. I would also like to better choreograph the tired walk 'dance' to match the rhythm and beat of the song, as well as connecting actions and movements between shots to link with more fluidity, and like a choreographed dance.
Week 2 - Double Digit Chase
Directed by Sally Ip
Edited by Sally Ip
Starring the hands of Sam Vaynman, Sienna Sobott, and Ashley Zhu
Foley and Voice acting: Sam Vaynman and Sally Ip
Through this film we aimed to shoot an effective action film with just hands. This allowed to us to focus on elements of cinematography including camera movement, shot angles, shot-types to elevate and emphasise suspense and action. Close attention was also paid to coverage during shooting and pacing while editing to maintain momentum, rhythm, and interest.
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Moreover, this project demanded that we intensify action and drama through voice acting and foley SFX. Voice was used to further personify the two main characters, creating a ferocious blood thirsty yet cowardly creature in one, and a cautious yet brave one in the other.
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The character arc of the protagonist hand also signifies a visual change, with the camera now moving away from the hand instead of chasing after it, conveying a switch in power and control between the protagonist and antagonist hands.
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Week 3 - Lighting Techniques
Edited by Sienna Sobott
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Lighting experimentation in preparation for the production of our short film, Mi Casa Su Casa. The three lighting set-ups we tested were, Three Point lighting, Noir Lighting, and Single Source Lighting.
Three Point Lighting
This lighting technique and style was important for us to experiment and familiarise ourselves with as this was going to be our foundational lighting set-up for most of the scenes, especially the conversation sequence that take place in the opening scene that is part of our final film. Consisting of a key light source, a fill light compensating for some of the harsh shadows created by the key light, and a back light to help separate the subject from the background, we wanted to use this lighting technique using different light sources to create a naturalistic look that doesn't attract too much attention to itself.
Noir Lighting
Noir lighting on the other hand consists of one uni directional light hitting the subject in a way that creates harsh shadows. These shadows are not compensated for but rather emphasised. This style of lighting was useful for us to research and experiment with because even though we start off the film with neutral lighting, we wanted the rest of our film to be anything but subtle. Therefore, we considered using noir lighting for when Ryan arrives back at the share house and Andy mysteriously emerges from the shadows and reveals that he's replaced him as the leader of the share house. Backlighting was also used for Andy's lighting to highlight his theatrical and over-the-top antics, and his performative and manipulative actions designed to mislead the roommates and Ryan.
Single Source Lighting
We used this opportunity to plan and troubleshoot our nighttime outdoors location scene. Here, we used an LED light source and used a golden reflector to bounce the light from a low angle onto the subjects' faces. Moving and rustling the reflectors helped to mimic the flickering of a fire that's sat in front of our characters.
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Week 5 - So Much Slapping Coverage
Directed by Sally Ip
Edited by Sally Ip
Starring Sam Vaynman and Sienna Sobott
Music:
Vivaldi: The Four Seasons, Violin Concerto in F Major, Op. 8 No. 3, RV 293 "Autumn": I. Allegro
Performed by: Michelle Ross, Eric Jacobsen, and Karen Ouzounian
For this short film activity we aimed to shoot enough coverage by treating it as a complete scene that consisted of rising action and tension, a climax of chaos and battle, and a falling action. Therefore, we prepared to film this as an action sequence that necessitated enough coverage that covered and showed the main action, and built tension and suspense through close-ups and inserts.
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Shooting in a studio space allowed us to control lighting and create low-key noir lighting that supported our goal of designing an atmosphere of mystery as we edge towards the violent climax. Further, for the purposes of establishing hostility and conflict between the two opponents, the lead-up before the slapping begins was purposefully made much longer than the climax itself. The coverage and editing for the two characters were kept parallel and equal up until the climax so as to establish them as competitors, and to suggest that either could end in victory or defeat.
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Week 8 - Convenience
Directed by Sally Ip
Edited by Sam Vaynman
Starring: Sam Vaynman, Sienna Sobott, and Ashley Zhu
Music: The Second Waltz, Op. 99a, Performed by André Rieu
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The aim for this film was to convey a sense of intense urgency, the continued motif of drinking and flowing water to indicate going to the bathroom, to intwine those together closely to express the man's desperation for the bathroom. We also worked toward adapting the story and script to make it as engaging, effective, and comedic as possible.
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Montage editing was used in the opening sequence in particular to effectively and efficiently communicate the character's growing urge to go to the toilet. Tracking shots of passersby's using long voyeuristic focal lengths were used to establish subjective POV. Close-ups were used to heighten a sense of confrontation and the build-up of the man's freneticism and urgency. These paired alongside the fast moving rotating camera intensifies the man's frantic state and propels the viewer into his dizzying and disorientating mindset.
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Colour symbolism was an obvious motivator in our decision to make the film black and white up until the man spots the apple juice bottle and relieves himself. The introduction of the yellow that's reminiscent of urine signifies release for the man as well as for the film since much of the tension and pressure developed via the camera movement and close-ups in the beginning is quickly let go.
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