Introduction to AS coursework

My name is Ela and my candidate number is 9426. The other members of my group are Amber Mota (candidate number 9114) and Godgift Emesi (candidate number 9044). We are group number 3.

To access my work, please click on the labels on the right, entitled 'AS Research and Planning', 'AS Construction', 'AS Evaluation' and 'AS Preliminary Task' and ignore the rest that is classwork.

My Film Opening Sequence (Group 3: Ela, Gift, Amber) (New Guy)


My Film Opening Sequence (Group 3: Ela, Gift, Amber) (New Guy)

Saturday 21 February 2015

R+P Post 20: Reflections so far/looking ahead

I think our team has worked well for the pre-production stage as we have turned up on time to meetings and organised our time efficiently to get the test shoots and rough cut completed before half term. The preparation stages for the test shoots (storyboard, animatic) have been useful for the filming process and allowed us to edit the rough cut quickly. Apart from a few cast members being unable to attend, the test shoots went well overall and we were able to notice any lighting or camera issues before the main shoot.
Some of the issues we encountered during pre-production were lighting issues in the school corridor after 4pm, and the sound of the wheels on the dolly which meant that we could not properly hear the dialogue in the shot. We have been able to minimise the sound of the dolly wheels and organise our shoot times immediately after school so that the daylight does not affect the lighting in the scene. We noted down these errors on set and afterwards in order to avoid wasting time during the main shoot.
The rehearsals have been particularly useful as we have choreographed the actors' movements to make the scene more realistic and include the conventions of a teen comedy.
So far, we have extended existing shots and included some more shots to make sure that there are no jump cuts and the whole sequence follows continuity principles. (For example, the first shot will last 6 seconds instead of 3, as we decided to take out a shot that was not needed). I'm confident that we will be able to make the appropriate changes necessary before our main shoot, provided that we continue to be organised during group meetings and study periods. This will make post-production and editing much easier after we have filmed the footage.

Friday 20 February 2015

R+P Post 19: Our rough cut

We will upload the footage from our test shoot and using Adobe Premiere Pro, compiling the best takes into a rough cut video. The rough cut will be based on the timings of our animatic, although we plan to alter these slightly during editing, as some of the timings are not suitable in practice. For our rough cut, we will include titles, soundtrack, sound effects and dialogue to make it as similar as possible to how our final opening sequence should look. It will allow us to see if our camera and editing techniques are effective for our main shoot and able to connote the genre well. During the editing process, we must consider continuity principles and make sure that none of our shots break the 30 degree rule or the 180 degree rule.

Reflections: The rough cut was an important stage of the editing process, allowing us to try new ideas with the shots we planned to use and visualise if the sequence worked as a whole. Directors produce rough cuts to allow shots to be re-ordered, removed, shortened, or otherwise changed. Often, there are plot holes (missing shots/segments which require that new scenes be filmed) as was the case in our test shoot. We plan to film more scenes of the inside the house so that the shots in the split screen are all completely different.

For our actual opening sequence we have learnt many things that must be changed, including issues with camera framing, actors movements, background noise, and the lengths of some takes. The rough cut has enabled us to notice any mistakes in filming as well as editing. After having spoken to our teachers about the rough edit, we wrote a list of changes we would make in order to have the appropriate shots for our main shoot.


Wednesday 18 February 2015

R+P Post 18: Our test shoot

Our test shoot will take place in 2 different locations (inside the house and in the school corridor) on Wednesday 4th February and Saturday 7th February. To prepare efficiently for the shoot, we will create 2 separate shoot-boards in advance (see post 13), which will help us to speed-up the filming process and work out the order of filming the shots. We also will sign the shoot organisation form to sort out the transportation of camera equipment to our house and back to school.


For the test shoot, we do not plan to include all appropriate costumes and props as we want to test the lighting and will not have the full cast available on that day. After the corridor scene test shoot, we will have a rehearsal with all of the actors in order to choreograph their movements as this scene is particularly difficult to manage. The timings of dialogue and action during this scene must be precise, so it is essential to inform the actors of how the shot is going to be filmed. As well as a test shoot for the corridor scene, we plan to film a run-through to show where the actors will be in the shot.

Reflections: A test shoot was crucial to our project as it allowed us to notice and fix any lighting errors in particular, and see if our ideas were possible in practice. The second test shoot (inside the house) required more editing techniques rather than camera techniques as we planned to include a split screen and short takes. After having filmed the test shoots, we have decided to produce one long take for the final scene as this was effective in showing the isolation of Arthur's character as he walks through the school corridor. An issue with this scene was the noise that the camera tripod made (wheels on the floor) however, this can be minimised by using speed cream on the wheels. For the other location, we plan to change a few camera angles and shoot earlier in the day (before 11am) for better lighting. Overall, both of the shoots went well apart from minimal issues that we will fix for the main shoot.

Run through:

Test shoot:

R+P Post 17: Our planned costumes and props, hair and make-up

COSTUMES -

Arthur: pyjamas, t-shirt, hoodie, jeans, trainers/boots
Emos: black clothing, accessories, piercings, tattoos, black shoes
Nerds: shirt, smart trousers, glasses, cardigan, formal shoes
Chavs: tracksuits, hooped earrings, casually dressed, handbags
Hipsters: vintage clothing, glasses, tie-dye shirts, creepers, skinny jeans
Athletic group: tracksuit, baggy shirts, sweatpants, football shirts, running trainers, baseball jacket


PROPS -
  • Arthur's character will be holding a map of the school in the corridor scene, that he uses to find his way to room 3. This map shows the large and confusing building in which Arthur cannot find where he is supposed to be
  • The emo group will have iPods and headphones during the corridor scene. This connotes typical teenage antisocial behaviour 
  • The nerds in the classroom will have a chessboard on the table, as well as science textbooks and backpacks, suggesting their preoccupation with work and studies
  • As Arthur walks through the corridor, the athletic group will be throwing a blue basketball/football around
  • A set of house keys that Arthur takes from his kitchen counter at the end of the morning routine scene
  • An alarm clock, toothbrush, clothes, and juice carton are all used in the first part of the opening sequence, as part of Arthur's morning routine. These are stereotypical items used in morning scenes
These props were our own items, and connote stereotypes incorporated in our film (the basketball implies the typical hobbies of young, sporty teenagers) (the chessboard and textbooks are typically attributed to nerdy or studious characters).


HAIR/MAKE-UP -

Arthur: messy hair
Emos: dark straight hair, black eyeliner/eyeshadow, dark lipstick, pale skin
Nerds: tied back hair, neat, very little make-up
Chavs: gelled/tied back hair, heavy eye make-up, brightly-coloured lipstick
Hipsters: curly hair, winged eyeliner
Athletic group: short hair, no make-up


We will use this combination of costumes and props to represent social groups that would be typical in a London school. These stereotypes are well-known to the target audience (British people aged between 15-24) and would provide entertainment as the characters are familiar and recognisable. As a group, we decided to represent these particular groups as their costumes are very different to each other, therefore the social segregation within the school would be clear to the audience.
The film references for costume, props, hair and make-up would be "21 Jump Street" (the car park scene in particular), "Mean Girls" (the dining hall scene) and "Juno". Although these are examples of American films, they incorporate similar representations of certain characters based on their costume and appearance. (for example, the 'plastics' in "Mean Girls" are portrayed as girly/feminine as they wear pink, skirts and make-up). Another film reference would be "17 Again" as Mike's clothing and props in the house (basketball, books, folders) clearly portray him as a teenager. We will use a mobile phone, basketball and casual clothing to establish Arthur's character. For the corridor setting we must consider costume continuity between shots, making sure that the actors are wearing the same clothing on both shooting days. All of our costumes and props have been sourced from the school drama/PE department or the actors themselves, which will make the iconography of the opening sequence more realistic.



Photos of our cast in costume:
 Michael (as Arthur)

 Alisha (hipster)

 Seb (emo)

 Amy (girl crying)

 Seth (nerd)

Examples of British teenage behaviour and schools are shown in Wild Child:

 The girls are perceived as gossipy, competitive and initially the school is presented as an unpleasant environment, as films often include the stereotype of British people being rude or unwelcoming. The school in Wild Child is also focused on academic and sporting success to demonstrate the competitive nature of British schools.

Sunday 15 February 2015

R+P Post 16: Casting

The cast required for our opening sequence is around 10-20 people. In order to communicate regularly with our actors (to remind them of rehearsals and shoot times), we created a Facebook group and Whatsapp group chat. To inform the actors more formally of the times and dates they will be needed, we will send out letters to each cast member. The letters will state the importance of the actors' commitment to the project and that they should notify us if there will be any issues. This is useful as it demonstrates that our project is of high importance and that we rely on the commitment of our cast.



Our cast list consists of a mix of males and females of different ethnicities, as we want to represent the multicultural society of Britain. As it is difficult to find a high number of reliable actors, Gift and I have decided to be a part of the production as characters in the background of the corridor scene. The film reference for our casting would be "21 Jump Street" as the car park scene clearly conveys the different social groups in a school through their appearance and costume.

We decided to organise an audition process to cast the actors, and made our decisions based on their suitability/similarity to the characters, appearance, and availability on the shooting days. This was useful as we wanted our characters to be realistic, and some potential actors did not fit the criteria.

Cast list:
Michael Gargaro (as Arthur)
Willem Troost
Alisha Shah
Amy Bauco
Seb Curtis
Will Curtin
Shayam Utting
Seth Hoskins
Okkor Habibi
Najid Rehman
Monica Aghadiuno
Luke Eves
Bonttu Tesfa
Gift Emesi
Ela Yokes

Our cast photos:

R+P Post 15: Our planned filming location and set design

Location 1: ENGLISH CORRIDOR (The Latymer School, Haselbury Road, Edmonton, N9)


We have chosen this setting as it will require little adaptation (it realistically connotes a high school environment) and would be effective for a long take (lasting approximately 40-50 seconds). This setting is suitable for the tracking scene along the corridor as there are several classrooms for the characters to be entering and leaving and there are no major lighting issues (there are no visible windows). Also, because it is a narrow space, the school can appear more crowded despite there being a limited number of actors.


This video shows the features of a typical school corridor with posters, bulletin boards, lockers etc.

Location 2: HOUSE - BEDROOM, BATHROOM, KITCHEN, HALLWAY (Chingford)

The first half of our opening sequence shows the morning routine of Arthur, so we decided it would be appropriate to design the set to fit the conventions of a typical boy's room. We will re-design the room slightly and add props such as a basketball, clothes, etc. The influences for our second location are Evan's room in "Superbad" and Josh's room in "Big". In typical comedy films, the inside of the house is usually shown as modest or untidy to establish character and make the scene appear more realistic. We also chose this room as it is suitable for filming and big enough for camera equipment/lighting. Below is an example of how we will design our set, and a map of the actual room.

This example of a messy bedroom is taken from Google Images


Our set intends to resemble a family home, similar to the Scavo's house in "Desperate Housewives:


R+P Post 14: Our Production Schedule (shoot and edit)

SHOOT SCHEDULE -

Test shoots:
Wednesday 4th February 4:30pm - 6:30pm (for location 1: corridor)
Saturday 7th February 10:30am - 3pm (for location 2: inside house)

Actors rehearsals:
Thursday 12th February 4pm - 5pm (for location 1: corridor)

Main shoots:
Saturday 21st February 9am - 2pm (for location 2: inside house)
Thursday 26th February 4pm - 6:30pm (for location 1: corridor)

Back-up shoots:

We chose these dates for filming as the school corridor is only available after 4pm on certain days, and we agreed on the weekend shoots according to the availability of our actors.

EDIT SCHEDULE -

We have not arranged a formal editing schedule for our rough cut, as we each plan to contribute to the editing during our lunchtimes, free periods and group meetings (refer to R+P Post 1).

Reflections: The animatic has helped us to edit the test shoots with the correct timings and titles. The rough cut was produced more quickly as we had made a storyboard, animatic and shoot-board prior to filming.
For our main shoot however, we have organised a schedule so that the editing of the sequence can be completed quickly and efficiently during group meetings and after school.

Friday 13 February 2015

R+P Post 13: Our Shoot-Board

The purpose of creating a shoot-board is to prepare us for the test shoot. This will involve detailed descriptions and pictures of each shot, including framing, relevant costumes/props as well as the shooting location and actors required. We think it would be quicker if each shot has been prepared in advance so that the time spent filming on set will be minimal. It also means that the camera and actors will not have to change location for each shot. 



Reflections: The shoot-board proved to be essential and made the filming process much more organised, as we could tick off the shots we had taken and film scenes in the most efficient order. It has also given us an indication of the takes that must be re-done and which shots were the most effective. Our group has made two separate shoot-boards (as our main shoots will be at different times in different locations). Recording the number of takes has also been useful as we were able to take note of any errors and correct them before the next shoot.

Thursday 12 February 2015

R+P Post 12: Our Animatic

As a group we decided to produce an animatic (video of successive shots) and add the soundtrack and our planned titles. This will allow us to visualise the timings of our shots and if they will be effective, without any continuity errors. Animatics are commonly used by directors to assess the timings of shots and see if each scene moves continuously onto the next. 


Reflections: For our group, the animatic has given us a better idea of how the scene will look and feel and allowed us to work out camera positioning. Overall it is an inexpensive and less time consuming method of testing the opening sequence (as actors were not required). The animatic has helped us to develop our project as it allowed us to test the effectiveness of our titles and soundtracks as well.

R+P Post 11: Our Storyboard



FINAL STORYBOARD:


We decided it would be useful to make a storyboard to allow us to visualise our ideas of the shots and follow the continuity rules. The shots have been colour coded on our storyboard (YELLOW: close ups, GREEN: mid shots, PINK: long shots). We will use arrows on each shot to indicate camera and actor movement and stated any tracks/pans/arcs in our sequence. The images for the storyboard will allow us to complete the shootboard more effectively.
The storyboarding process, in the form it is known today, was developed in the 1930s and Walt Disney Productions to find potential problems before they occur and save time during the production process.
In order to put together our storyboard we will create a timeline of shots to make sure that the opening lasts exactly 2 minutes and each shot lasts for the correct amount of time. The timeline will include basic descriptions of what will happening in each shot and for how long the shot will last. Below is the timeline for the first 30 seconds of our sequence.

 

Construction of the timeline:

R+P Post 10: Reflections so far/looking ahead

Our group has researched the genre of our film and references well, which has given us ideas for our opening sequence. The AS prelim has helped us with editing techniques, however we must consider the practicalities of our shoot, for example issues with lighting (if we are filming after 4pm) as well as background noise (as the filming location is public) and managing a large number of actors. As a group, we intend to find appropriate costumes and manage the actors so that the shoot can be completed in time. So far, research into the target audience and the conventions of teen comedy films has been effective for our pre-production stages.

Monday 9 February 2015

R+P Post 9: Our script

Our opening sequence will not include a lot of dialogue as we intend to establish the setting and characters through visuals, soundtrack and camera techniques. For instance, the types of people in each social clique will be narrated mainly through costume and props as well as their facial expressions. We will only use speech to indicate to the audience that it is Arthur's first day and to show the different topics of conversation in a high school environment. This is effective in "Little Miss Sunshine" as the family is presented so that the audience is directed towards their facial expressions and gestures, rather than dialogue. (The dialogue is almost inaudible and soundtrack plays over it).


SCRIPT:

(SFX alarm clock ringing)

Camera starts, Arthur asleep in bed
MUM: 
Arthur get up, you're going to be late
ARTHUR: 
(groans)

Arthur switches off alarm and gets out of bed
(SFX alarm clock stops)
MUM: 
Arthur!
ARTHUR: 
Yeah.. I'm up
(Music track begins)
Arthur picks up keys from counter and bag from floor and leaves through the front door

(Music stops)
(SFX door opening) (SFX loud talking/school background noise)

Arthur walks through school corridor to find room 3 and enters
(SFX door slams)
HEADMASTER:
I assume you are the new student, take a seat



Above: an example of a film script (Mean Girls)

R+P Post 8: Our opening sequence idea




Opening sequence idea: Our film opening will focus on the movement of Arthur through a familiar setting (house) during his daily routine, but then his entrance into an unknown and intimidating environment of a new school. We aim to show the contrast in his character in the two different settings and begin the narrative through close ups and split screens (as demonstrated in "127 Hours"). The lack of dialogue may also appeal to the audience as the scene progresses quickly and moves onto the next action. Another reference for the second part of our opening would be "She's The Man" as the corridor tracking scene effectively presents the main character's confusion and shock in a chaotic situation. We aim to shoot a scene lasting under a minute including a tracking shot of Arthur attempting to find his classroom through the havoc of the corridor. It intends to present his feelings of intimidation as he is ignored and disregarded by his peers and is unable to approach them confidently to find the headmaster's office. After being woken by his alarm, Arthur reluctantly gets out of bed and gets himself ready for school. The scenes will show him brushing his teeth, opening the fridge, walking around his bedroom and putting on a jacket (as a split screen). He then takes his keys from the counter and walks towards the front door. The next shot is a 'match on action' of opening the door at the side entrance of the school. Receiving glares from other students, he makes his way along the corridor attempting to find the headmaster's room with a map of the ground floor. During this tracking scene, Arthur encounters several segregated social groups of friends, moving in between classes and pushing through the crowd. He eventually reaches the room he has been looking for and scrambles in, slamming the door behind him. He is greeted by the headmaster (not in the frame) who encourages him to introduce himself (voiceover from the corner of the room). The final title appears on the front of the door. (Below is a timeline of our opening sequence)


Titles:
1. Institutional production company - EGA Productions (as part of Zodiak Media)
2. Actors names
3. Music credits - freeplaymusic.com, Royalty Free Music
4. Director and producer credits
5. Film title - The Climb

The opening credits will be as above at intervals of around 10 seconds (timed appropriately to match the soundtrack). The titles will interact with the objects on the screen and will follow the movements of the main character for effect. We have chosen a font appropriate for a film of the comedy/drama genre that is also easy to read. The opening credits are noticeable in each shot and draw attention to the actor's fast movements out of each frame. A reference for our titles is "Juno" as the main character is alone in the opening credits, and Arthur is similarly portrayed as an outcast. Also, she moves into a new setting with 'match on action' shots, which we will incorporate into our film. The font and animated design of "Juno"'s opening is also typical of indie comedy films (such as "Superbad"). 



Setting: To convey the busy and fast-paced lifestyle of Arthur, our film opening will be shot in several locations: a boy's room, bathroom, kitchen, hallway of his house, school side entrance and school corridor. The room will be adapted to fit the conventions of a typical boy's room, and the use of brief dialogue and costume in the school corridor will present the different topics of conversation and segregated social groups in a high school. Key characters will be used in the background of the corridor scene to match the typical conventions of a school (teenagers, people pushing past, chaotic atmosphere). We will also use props to represent character stereotypes (such as a messy room, sports kit etc). A reference for set design is Seth's room in "Superbad" or Regina's room in "Mean Girls".

Camerawork/editing: To convey the fear and intimidation of Arthur in the unfamiliar school setting, we will use POV shots to allow the audience to sympathise with him and infer that he is left out and alienated. These shots also create the effect that he is being stared at and is the centre of attention (this was used in "Mean Girls"). To speed up the movement from his house into school, we will use a 'match on action' shot, as it suggests to the audience that Arthur is completely unprepared for his entrance into the havoc of the school corridor and had not anticipated such hostility from other students. It creates the effect of being 'brought back to reality' and he realises he is not as welcomed as he would have liked. The close-ups during the morning routine will reinforce the isolation of Arthur, and present him as more relatable and personal with the audience. Additionally, the use of split screen also speeds up his morning routine, suggesting that he has a busy and fast-paced lifestyle. It also indicates the insignificance of the day to Arthur, as he does not appear nervous or concerned at this point (until he faces up to the reality of his social status at the new school). We may also use an 'eyeline match' in between the corridor tracking shot, as this demonstrates that he is inferior and feels intimidated by other students that glance at him and make judgements. 

Sound: Our opening in particular will be more reliant on soundtrack and sound effects as this conveys our character more suitably than through dialogue. Music will be playing throughout most of the 2 minutes apart from brief intervals of sound effects (such as the school bell). During conversation, the soundtrack ("Muscle Men") will quieten and the sound effects will be used to indicate a change in the setting or situation. The sound effects we intend to use are (in order or appearance): alarm clock, voiceover of mother shouting from downstairs, school bell, footsteps, door opening, school atmosphere/background noise, door slamming shut, voiceover of headmaster from outside the frame. "127 Hours" uses similar music and sound effects to convey the fast-paced lifestyle of the main character as well as his isolation. The only dialogue in its opening is a voiceover of a recorded phone message, and our film opening is also lacking in clear conversation.

Sunday 1 February 2015

R+P Post 7: Our film's title and plot outline

Title: The Climb


Synopsis: The social climb of an attractive, but underestimated 16 year old that joins a new school in London, expecting to be at the height of popularity. He finds himself alienated and decides to begin his social climb by throwing a party and ends up being disloyal to his real friends. He realises that he has lost his identity and become caught up in an unpleasant situation.


Beginning: Arthur joins a new school in London but starts to notice a social hierarchy and finds himself an outcast. He makes friends with a group of nerds in his class.
Middle: He devises a plot to climb the social ladder but can only do so by betraying the handful of genuine friends that stuck by him.
End: After he encounters problems with the new group he comes to the realisation that he has lost his true identity and turns back to his old friends. He realises that being popular isn't the most important thing in his life, and is glad to have his genuine friends again.


References: A reference for a film with a similar narrative structure would be "Mean Girls" or "Superbad" in which the main characters become distracted by social status and come to realise who their genuine friends are by the end of the film. (new equilibrium). The beginning, middle and end of "Mean Girls" are clearly depicted through Cady's changing perspective and realisation of her own mistakes in a new school. This film also demonstrates the difficulties of fitting in at a high school which our film aims to represent. Another comedy reference would be "Pineapple Express" as it contains similar themes of friendship and loyalty between the 3 main characters. The beginning sets out the character of Dale Denton, but following a series of events he finds himself in a friendship with Saul and Red that he had not anticipated. This type of ending is typical of comedy or indie films (including "Superbad", "Little Miss Sunshine", and "Mean Girls") in which arguments are resolved and here is no further conflict between characters.



Narrative theories included:
Todorov - Todorov saw underlying structures to narratives. He argued that stories all begin in "equilibrium" which is disrupted by a problem to cause "disequilibrium". Then more events take place before a "new equilibrium" is established. (Our film follows this structure in its narrative, the new equilibrium is reached through Arthur's realisation of his true friends and that he has been caught up trying to prove himself to other people).
Levi Strauss - Binary opposites as a conflict between two sides (in this case, conflict between the "popular" and "unpopular" at school).
Barthes - Barthes suggested that narrative works with different codes which the viewer tries to make sense of. The most obvious is the use of enigma codes which will be solved by the audience throughout the plot. Enigma codes are typical of indie films as they make the audience work but allow them to enjoy the film when solved correctly. (They are incorporated in our opening sequence during the corridor scene to connote social stereotypes).