Development / construction 2

I decided for the third section of my video I would incorporate some surrealist techniques and so began some research on different things used in history as to what I could take inspiration from.


I found this video very useful as it explains the general techniques with examples from their origins.

26/11/15

Development/ construction 1

First story boards 26/11/15

Preliminary

Preliminary



To make this piece I had to research match on action, it means showing an action in one shot that is then seamlessly followed from another shot with the same action. This taught me that the simplest way to display match on action was to show someone walking through a door from both sides beginning on the outside and then switching to inside the room as the person comes through and closes the door. this technique allows the audience to be more immersed in the scene and docent break that with action thats hard to follow.

Planning this video I created a story board that showed the different shots and dialogue i was going to use. This wasn't very difficult as the scene is quite short so i could plan exactly each shot i would use.

The filming went well, we used an empty class room as this scene wasn't exactly about the setting making sense as much as the action. so i set up chairs in the class room as i had them in my story board and explained to the actors what the scene would be. Directing simple movements like walking and sitting docent take much skill so the filming did not take long at all.

In the editing process i found that one of the shots I want to include didn't work so iI managed to (by filming extra when i was on set) make the scene continue and make sense quite easily. I played around with the timing of each shot to make the scene flow and make the joke at the end work.

Thinking of a concept/idea

Thinking of a concept/idea

The idea is to create three different styles that show three different characters and their flaw.
each character's style will reflect their flaw or explain it.

Social group representation

Representation of social groups

miese en scene
sound
camera angles
editing

Almost Famous

William Miller, 15 years old

This character's clothes are quite standard subdued 70/80's clothes, this shows a lot about his character as he is quite a quite reserved person and so his clothes are not flashy or making a statement. This helps us identify with him as he is around the target audience's age and we like him because he's accidentally awkward and funny in an endearing way. His hair is also not fancy it seems as though just like a standard teenage boy he does not take  much notice of it. He grows up with his mother and sister where we see the controlling of his mother that many teenagers can relate to allowing them to sympathise with William on a personal relationship level.

The music that William likes is quite rebellious and is also the soundtrack to the film, Stillwater is a rock band from the 80/90's that many parents did not agree with and as it becomes a massive plot point we are drawn towards the escapism and rebellion of what William is doing and what we could only dream of ever doing. What he's doing is really cool and many people will never have the chance to go through a journey on this level that will change them as a person so we are attached to what we see on film and romantically relate to the things that we only have small glimpses of in real life.

The colours used in the film are very reminiscent of the time it is set, it is said to not just be a film about William but a film about the time and this is very true, everything has been designed to remind and emulate the time period.

Penny Lane

This character is a very important character in the film, she teaches William so much about women and love. She is based on a real person who toured america with many bands in the early seventies. Her clothes are subtle flamboyant and seductive but in a more reserved way, her clothes are pretty and girly mostly. This helps normal girls relate to her as she is not massively rich, so anyone could be her and people hold onto this when relating to the characters. If there is a reasonable similarity of any magnitude between you and the person on screen the relation to them is much larger.

Some of the music that links to Penny Lane is quite magical music, it is more pretty slow music, it is showing Williams view of her and how he adores her in the end. He sees her as a pure perfect character that he is falling tenderly in love with, and this is reflected in the music.

Good Will Hunting

Sean assumes the role of psyciatrist and ends up as a friend to Will Hunting. His original relationship with Will is shown in his clothing and the setting in which the meet to talk. He is a simple dresser but uses warm dull tones like browns and greys, sometimes he has sunny yellows that show us his nice caring side, not many people relate to this character as psychiatrists aren't a large profession but also not many people become friends with geniuses and have fundamental part and impact in their learning and lives. We see some changes in clothing when they become more friendly, Sean wears a hat the first time they speak outside of his office and this is shown to be a massive turning point in their relationship where respect and understanding begin. It is not because Sean wore a hat but they fact that his clothing changed specifically in that scene shows some importance.

Lots of the shots show the difference and opposites between the two characters for example their living conditions show that Sean is more well off but this only brings us closer to him as we see his loneliness and therefore the reason for his massive attachment to Will. We feel sympathy for him but also see that his actions are selfless and humble. the scene show above tells us a lot about the characters and their love as Sean has a long monologue where the camera is held at eye level on Sean only until he begins to talk about love where the camera pans to include Will showing us his attachment to him. We can relate to this as many people find it attractive to hold deep platonic relationships with other people because of out social nature.

 

Will Hunting is the main character in the film, his clothes are quite plain and simple, this reflects his choice of lifestyle to be uncomplicated and unimaginative. He dresses to blend in as he desires not to be special at the beginning of the move he holds the same style of clothes but near the end we understand it is more humble and intelligent for Will to try to blend in rather than be flashy and outwardly special. We can relate to this because the attractiveness of being different due to being a genius is something no one can say they don't want but the humbleness is also part of the relation.

Submarine

Oliver Tate is the main character in submarine, his clothes are a big part of his character and reflection of his emotions. Throughout the film his clothes change for example when his depression is at its peak he wears the same clothes as his father, the only person he know who has depression so his emulation of his dress and action in some cases is a very important part of the film. It also allows us to connect with the slightly childish side of this emulation, children learn from actions and so his copying allows us to see his more mature mind towards depression. Near the end of the film we see this change and his acceptance of having to deal with his problems in his own way. Growing like this is not something the target audience will relate to but the parents and older people watching will be able to see the transition that they themselves went through.

The music in Submarine is very important, it was specially written by Alex Turner to fit the films feel and is a character in itself at some points. It seems to encompass the emotion and the slight aimlessness that Oliver seems to go thorough. This seems to be something that a lot of teenagers go through and so the music to compliment but not depress the person going through the same thing is a very attractive part of the film. 

Learning Comments

• The characters are the most important part of any coming of age film, not just the main character who will grow and change but the supporting characters who bounce off the main character and become a very integral part of the plot and the change of  the main character.
• Paying attention to the mies-en-scene will be quite important in my opening sequence, it can be integral and expositional to create an entire world in a piece of film.
• Playing to the appropriate social group is quite important, using miss-en-scene to create a world/feeling that they can relate to and recognise is very valuable.

Previous work analysis

Analyse previous student work

Learning Comments

• These pieces of work have allowed me to see some important things to involve in my opening sequence but also things not to include and the amount of thought and technical knowledge that will be useful.
• The look of the piece is quite important and it is easy to tell the amount of effort that went into a piece by the way it looks and things implemented in it. for example the camera quality and speed of the clips really effect Roses are Red making it uncomfortable to watch
• Colouring the footage to enhance the desired look is something that The Edge uses very well and is something I will be focusing on in my opening sequence to achieve the desired look and feel.
• I have seen in these pieces of work that the sound quality and the type of sound e.g. diegetic non-diegetic and how they fit in with the story or create a juxtaposition. This could include voice overs, music and dialogue to name a few. I can implement this learning into my work by taking great care in the sound design and look at what it is saying and enhancing as a story line on its own.

Narrative Theory

Narrative Theory

Propp - Character theory

Propp claimed that there was pre defined character roles that all stories inadvertently stuck to.
In Submarine we can link characters that we know to the roles that Propp proposed.

Our Hero is Oliver, although sometimes not that regal and correct he seeks to do good and help others in the only ways he knows. This can be seen in the opening sequence because we only see Oliver, showing us he is the most important part of the story, this is usually the hero.

The Villain could be split between Graham Purvis and Jordan's Mum's Cancer. This is split because the Hero has two self appointed tasks to complete which is what the whole story is based on, he must stop is parents from splitting up and he must be a good boyfriend to Jordan firstly so they can loose their virginity and then because he cares deeply for her. Both Graham and the cancer challenge his ability to do this.

The Dispatcher is Oliver himself, this isn't too unusual in coming of age films where a character goes themselves or inadvertently gives themselves a task to complete that eventually changes them as a person.

In some ways we could argue that the False Hero is also split because we see these two different challenges that out Hero faces being completely separate until the very climax so we see Books as the False Hero in Oliver's attempts to keep his parents together as his incessant reading leads him to take his reading as a definitive answer to some problems in both cases. Chips is also a False Hero because he is giving Oliver (what we see to be) completely the wrong advice about how to deal with his affections towards Jordan.

The Princess is Jordan as Oliver seeks to be with her for the whole movie and (SPOILER) in the very end he is 'rewarded' by the two of them coming together again.

There are a few un filled roles as is the nature of Submarine Oliver is left on his own for most of the picture, this isn't uncommon for coming of age films as we see a lot of character development from our main characters overcoming obstacles on their own.

Todorov - Equilibrium

Submarine is a great example of Todorov's theory since near to the beginning of the film we begin to see Oliver's equilibrium, of being on his own and trying to figure out who he is, broken by his inadvertent interaction with Jordan that brings them close. Then Graham moving into the next-door house. Then the rest of the film is Olivers sporadic and rocky attempts to resolve these problems. The theory is completed when a new equilibrium is come across, we don't see much of it but understand that it is equilibrium.

Levi-strauss - Culture reflections

Submarine slightly fulfils Strauss' theory of binary opposites as there is some conflicts of this sort in the story. We see Oliver fight for the good of his parents staying together rather than splitting, these sides (as everything in the film) is determined in Oliver's head and so we do not make the rightness or wrongness of a side we just observe. We also see Boy against Girl in the breakdown of Oliver's relationship with Jordana.

Barthes - Five codes

There is lots to argue that The Semantic and Symbolic codes are the most predominant in submarine as lots of meaning is implemented across the film, there is lots of symbolism that points us towards hidden meanings in the film allow the audience to look deeper into the characters. In some ways the two codes compliment each other as the symbolism adds to the semantic meaning.


Learning comments

• I had not heard of the last two theories but they are very interesting and adaptable to different films which is the point of them. I think they will be useful to me when making my opening sequence as it has opened my eyes to the way different narrative codes can compliment one another.
• The character types will be interesting to try and implement into my opening sequence, I will most probably have to rely on prejudices or obvious assumptions to keep a good opening sequence timing but also introduce characters and their place in the piece 
• The main character shown in the opening sequence is almost always our hero this is a common theme throughout all genres of film not just coming of age. 
• We are sometimes told a story in the opening sequence of a film and this is something I want to so in mine so using these character types and codes will really help me form a good narrative.