Directions Unit-In detail Ophelia

Ophelia

At first glance the item drawing attention is the body in the middle of the room but there are many other different details in the photograph. There are slippers on the stairs one after the other implying the women walked into the water willingly, this may also be supported by the pills and water on the coffee table next to the body, although the bottle of pills does not look empty. 

There are lamps in the room that are on but the power source is unsure, if this was a natural disaster I would doubt that there would be power to the house. 

There is a wedding photograph on the book case in the house implying that if this women lives here then she has a husband, the photographs on the wall are of a man, a women and a child. A wedding ring can not be seen. Nor can any sigh of fowl play on the body. 

Directions Unit- Ophelia Research

Polonius’s daughter, a beautiful young woman with whom Hamlet has been in love. Ophelia is a sweet and innocent young girl, who obeys her father and her brother, Laertes. Dependent on men to tell her how to behave, she gives in to Polonius’s schemes to spy on Hamlet. Even in her lapse into madness and death, she remains maidenly, singing songs about flowers and finally drowning in the river amid the flower garlands she had gathered.

Opelia is a character in the play Hamelt by Shakespeare(1600).

As depicted here in the film Hamlet(1996) by Kate Winslet. 

The drowning in the river sparks paintings and photographs names Ophelia. 

 Ophelia is a painting by Sir John Everett Millais.

This is similar to the photograph by Gregory Crewdson as it is a women in water, the women in the painting is said to have drowned. It was completed between 1851-52. 

There have been other images of Ophilia. 

 Arthur Hughes (1851-53)

This is a painting of a pale creature sitting under a willow tree, contemplating the waters at her feet, the garland in her hair and the herbs and flowers in her hands. He purposely painted her as fragile and unbearably sad.  

Alexandre Cabanel (1883)

This shows Ophelia slipping gracefully into the water using a broken branch from the willow tree.

John William Waterhouse (1894)

This is a painting of Ophelia putting a garland of flowers into her hair. She is sitting near the area where she meets her own fate. 

Stanley William Hayter (1963)

 This is a abstract painting. 

Directions Unit- Sound design

As part of a task set in a lecture  I worked with Aimee Saunders and Sophie Marriott, we came up with the following sound designs for both the thriller and drama.
Scene 1, Thriller. A house at night. Someone is woken by a sound. Afraid, they try to locate what cause the sound. They make their way through the house and out to the garden, where they finally discover the sound is coming from…….
Thriller-
The start of the narrative is the sound of banging in the background while being in a room we can hear a dog barking in the distance, we see a clock 04:45 the clock in ticking. We have a shot of a bedroom in which we can see a slightly open door where the sound of a dripping tap comes from. A slow sweep of the room reveals that the room has one window and a shadow of a tree is seen, there is also one person laying in the middle of a bed in the middle of the room. We can hear the tree tapping against the window. We hear the bed creak as the person shift weight from the middle to the end as well as the sheets moving. The person puts there feet on the floor as they stand the bed creaks until they are fully off the bed. As the character moves across the carpet we can hear the feet shuffling and parts of the floor creaking especially as the character walks down the stairs to the back door. The wind howls as the character turns the lock, we can hear the click of the lock and then the squeak of the door being opened.  The character slowly walks out of the house into the garden to discover the noise coming from a gate slamming against its post.

Scene 2, Drama. An injured solider returns home for the first time, finding it hard to readjust to life…...

Drama -
We start by watching the character come off a bus, hearing the heavy boots across the concrete floor. We move up the person to the face and hear breathing, he walks to open a door to a old and run down building of flats. We can still hear his boots but now they are followed with an echo as he walks up the stairs of the flats. We can see and hear the key fumbling to be put in the key hole as the soldier drops his bag to the floor. He picks up the bag slowly and continues into the flat, the door behind him slams causing him to turn rapidly to see where the sound came from at the same time as dropping him large bag to the floor causing a loud thud. We can hear muffled music above the sound of the solider walking down the hall way.  A series of loud bangs happen all of a sudden, we hear gun shots and helicopter propellers, he looks a the celling fan and hits the floor, as he hits the floor everything stops and all that can be heard is the soldiers breathing. 

Directions Unit- Character Developement

Character 1-
James is a 20 year old male, he was a only child that lived with his mother until he was 17 when he moved into his grandparents house after his mother became self involved and spent all her time out of the house in bars. He did not get the chance to spend time with his father as he passed when James was 7. He spends a lot of time with his grandparents in there house but moved out of their house when he turned 19. He has lived alone for a year and feel like he wishes he could be there for his grandparents more as his grandfather is unwell. He works in a local bar at starting shift at 10pm and finishing at 3am, he opens for the club owner and closes at the end of the night. He is a bartender. He sleeps most of the day due to his job which could be said to be part of his depression, SAD, Sessional Affective Disorder. He only has two friends Lawrence and Lisa, they work at the bar with James but try to use there days off to socialise with James but he does not respond to many of there attempts to get him to go out.

Character 2-
Sean is a 25 year old male, he has a big family, he still lives with his parents and some of his brothers. He has four brothers and two sisters. Ian, Rob, George, Scott, Philippa and Bronwyn. He does not currently have a girlfriend. He spends all his time outside and in pubs, selling his "products", he has known associates that also sell his products in other parts of Medway. He met James in the bar that James works in, around a month before James asked for a package of pills. Sean does not care who he makes money off, all he wants to do is move out of his parents house and away from his family. He finds the family to large and that he does not get enough attention from his parents and that he never has. He thinks his parents judge him for doing anything to get away from them.

Directions Unit- Research into SAD

Research into SAD, the disorder my character James has. 
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that has a seasonal pattern. The episodes of depression tend to occur at the same time each year, usually during the winter.
As with other types of depression, two of the main symptoms of SAD are a low mood and a lack of interest in life. Other symptoms of SAD include:
being less active than normal 
sleeping more
Read more information about the symptoms of seasonal affective disorder. 
Winter depression
SAD is sometimes known as "winter depression" because the symptoms are more apparent and tend to be more severe at this time of the year.
The symptoms often begin in the autumn as the days start getting shorter. They are most severe during December, January and February.
In most cases, the symptoms of SAD begin to improve in the spring before disappearing.
What causes SAD?
The exact cause of SAD is not fully understood, but it is thought to be linked to reduced exposure to sunlight during the shorter days of the year.
Sunlight can affect some of the brain's chemicals and hormones. However, it is not clear what this effect is. One theory is that light stimulates a part of the brain called the hypothalamus which controls mood, appetite and sleep. These things can affect how you feel.
In people with SAD, a lack of sunlight and a problem with certain brain chemicals stops the hypothalamus working properly. The lack of light is thought to affect:
the production of the hormone melatonin
the production of the hormone serotonin
the body's circadian rhythm (the body's internal clock, which regulates several biological processes during a 24-hour period)

For more information:


http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Seasonal-affective-disorder/Pages/Introduction.aspx

Directions unit- Development Lab

The Journey Through......Development Lab

Discuss in your theme groups

Who are your two main characters? Age, Gender etc, profile
James, 20's, brown hair, 6ft, plain clothes, main colours black. His sorrow is due to depression.

Sean- drug dealer- male- messy ( clothes torn, hair looking out of place, unshaved)- no actual view of face.

What is your "home" location?

A room, in  a house, bed with white sheets, plain room, no photographs, no desk, almost empty room.
Semi-detached house in a rural area, working class.

What are your other main location?

Chatham town and park in Rochester/ field

What is your package?

Paper bag-pills inside

Title sequence ideas?

• cold 
• frosted 
• dark 

Directions Unit- Sorrow Research

A one min film of the interpretation of sorrow, in a cartoon.
No dialogue, with a mood setting music, sorrow interpreted in the form of two aliens.



Another shot film that heavily plays on the music it has. This film has a lot of emotion for a film under 2  mins. The anger in Sorrow is present as well as the aim to give up due to sorrow.

Directions Unit- Sound Design Film Ideas

For my one minute sound design film I have to use this photo out of the selection of five given to us. Some of my ideas are based around the building of sound, for example starting with silence then looking at one element to add and sound and carry on adding sound. I would want to start at black and silence, then the clock, adding a ticking noise. Following with the top of the stairs and crying, and looking at the stairs having noises of steps being added in. Then a shot of the the window reflection adding the dripping noise or looking at the lamp in the right hand corner and the reflection. I decided it the sounds should be added on top of each other but not show the whole picture until the end, when the whole of the photo is shown I would then go back to silence. 

Directions Unit- Research Gregory Crewdson

http://www.gregorycrewdsonmovie.com

This is the website to find watch a trailer for the film about the artist Gregory Crewdson.

And this is the YouTube film:



This is a half an hour film, it introduces the work of Gregory Crewdson. We get into the opinion of the artist with an explanation of his work. It also includes other opinions in other interviews.

Directions Unit- Project Idea's

Part of the project for the Directions unit is to make a 4 min film.
Our tutor has kindly given us a script that we have to put our character names into and adapt slightly to our ideas.
Here is a rough idea of my first character;
My first character that is the Protagonist in the script is James, a male in his 20's. His surroundings will be plain and simple as if to insinuate a plain lifestyle that does not have much colour or much excitement. His clothes would be jeans and plain tops with a jacket, all his clothes should look "worse for wear" with small rips and a bit dirty. The room that he wakes up in would not have any photo's this would hopefully symbolise being alone.

My second character;
A female, dressed for winter, quiet and can look uncomfortable. In her mid 20's. Still no ideas on names yet.



Locations;
Location 1 is "home" and for the home I would start in a room and the outside being a house.

Location 2 is " home EXT" I would say this is a street that they will walk down.

Location 3 is "unspecified location" along another road with a bit more busy atmosphere, more people walking up and down the street

Location 4 is "another location" a town centre/square, with less people

Location 5 is "different location" through a archway moving into a different location acting lost.

Location 6 is "unspecified location" a park where we see the character is tired.

Location 7 is "different location" seeing feet coming towards at this point a bench area

Location 8 is "unspecified location" is the first character being shown fiddling with the coat

Location 9 is " home" again the original location.

Directions- Director's statement

Director's Statement-

A director's statement is a written document, which will also include images, that outlines the stylistic approach of the director. It will cover style, tone, mood and the general visual approach to the production. Including notes on performance, photography, production design, editing and sound. It should include reference material that has informed your directorial approach.

As part of our project we have to produce a director's statement about the 4 minute dramatic film. This is part of the 3 elements that we have to hand in.

Directions Unit- Gregory Crewdson

Part of the project brief for directions is to create a 1 min sound design film using one of these images. 

Directions Unit- Research into Sorrow

This is an painting by Van Gogh (1890).

This is a painting of sorrow by silent spirit wolf

Mother of Sorrow (1480) 

Directions Unit- A Journey Through…..

Today we started a new unit called Directions and within this unit we have to produce a four minute film, the film title is A Journey Through….. We had to choose what the journey would be through, we had to chose between Freedom, Sorrow, Loneliness, Anger and Love. I chose for my film Sorrow.

Sorrow is a feeling of deep distress.

The script that we are basing our films on are basic and therefor we can interpret them how ever we want, as I read the script I decided that it fit Sorrow, and I could direct the piece of work to be about Sorrow more than any of the other options.

Story Telling Unit- Sophie Marriott

I helped Sophie Marriott with her production on the two days she filmed, I helped with the camera and occasionally with sound.

Story Telling Unit- Helen Welsh

During Helen's filming I helped with the camera work on the first day of filming. I was the director for the first day, even though it is Helens work I tried my hardest to make sure her first two minutes everything that she wanted it to be.

Story Telling Unit- Danny Hewitt

During Danny's filming I helped with the camera work on set as well I as helping with idea's and how to film and what angles. We had two different locations for filming one inside and one outside we did this over two days.

Story Telling Unit-The Meeting

The Meeting Trailer, has some issues and parts I don't like. I filmed basically at the same angle which gives me the problem of having to use transitions in my work due to the fact that it does not flow without them. The background noise of the first few shots make the start of the trailer seem quiet and unnatural, the music can seem loud in places. There is a small part where I can see the camera jog.

Story Telling Unit- Editing

I added music from iTunes and have to change it with the audio of the dialogue. 

I added titles in parts of the time line.

I added Transitions.

I detached audio from the clips to enhance the sound and make it louder.

I also put clips on top of another so that I can hear the audio from one clip and see the other. 

While doing my editing I learnt to use most of the short cuts that we were taught in the Final Cut Pro workshop. I used colour match, this match colours of clips to other ones. I started the trailer on black and ended it on black and faded out the music at the end. 

Story Telling Unit- Titles

I wanted titles in my work therefore I had decide what tittles would fit with my work. I decided that a blurred title would fit my production and the music. I decided to have 6 titles fade in and out with a blur.
 It starts with black then the words come on blurred and then become clear.

Story Telling Unit- Production Reflection

On reflection of my filming I think that I was rushing and therefore did not get enough different types of shots. I took two hours to do the shoot, including stopping to talk about the script and teach the actors their lines. I had to do a few re-shoots the next day but that was also rushed as it was very windy therefore the shots were different colour and the actors hair was moving a lot more. The sound on the first day can be a bit quiet and in some of the shots I can see the boom mike. I can fix the boom mike being on the edge on the shot by zooming in on the shot as I was taught in the Final Cut Pro workshop.

I had an issue with my original actor Matthew Johnstone who had to cancel being in the production two days before I was booked to film. Luckily I had asked Mike Hoad before Matthew cancelled to be my back up Peter.

The camera work is not perfect due to the sun going in and out of the clouds but I should of adjusted the camera aperture and shutter. The skin colour of the actors on the camera does change due to change in light, it can be edited in Final Cut Pro but will not be perfect in comparison to having the original shots in the right light. The second days sound of Mike saying "seriously, your paranoid" is distorted and a bit loud. On the day I forgot to make sure that the mike on the camera was not turned on, it made the sound echo. I had to have Chris help me make the audio sound more natural but it is still very loud in  comparison to the other clips audio.

The actors had a bit of a hard time with the dialogue because I did not give them a script in advance, instead I wrote the script the day before. The copy I used on the day was a rough bit of paper with the relevant information on it, even though I had written the script formally on Final Draft.

Story Telling Unit- Finished Script

The Meeting Script

Story Telling Unit- Story Board Final

The first page has the introduction of characters.

The second Page has the park and the watch shots.

The third page has the end shots.

The fourth page has the Titles I am adding is Post Production

The story board did not change very much from when I first drew it up. In post production I am likely to move the order around as to dramatise the work. This helped me to visualise my work and therefore be able to evaluate. This in away was more helpful than the shot list as I could visually see the work and what I would like in the shot.

Story Telling Unit- Final Shot List

The Final Shot List used during Production. 

I created the shot list before going out on shoot. I used it to be able to remember and prompt myself to do the shots I had already planned. 

Story Telling Unit- The Trailer Script Final

The Meeting Trailer Script 2

To crate this I took out different aspects of my original script and put them in this script form to make is easier for myself and my actors to read and understand. On set we used the rough copy, while filming I changed the script to adapt how it would really be said in the situation. The trailer script was helpful for the dialogue as my script is filled with a long conversation. I thought to make this so that the actors would have something simple to read instead of a partly highlighted script.

Story Telling Unit- Edit Lab

Today is my edit lab in which I will be doing a precision edit. I already have a rough order of my trailer, I now need to work on Audio and time.

Story Telling Unit- Production Stills

These are photographs taken by Chris Sarmiento, who was on set helping with Audio and Camera. They are of myself, Danny Hewitt, Mike Hoad and Helen Welsh. 

Story Telling Unit- Music Choice for Trailer

Story Telling Unit- A draft of the Trailer script

The meeting trailer script .pdf

Story Telling Unit- Story Board for Titles

This is the story board for the Titles to be added in Post Production editing on final cut pro, these are ideas for what the Titles should say. Including my new Productions name 'R.S.Meats Productions'. I have under written under a few of the titles the current ideas of where they will be in relation to the clips I am filming.

Story Telling Unit- Practice with Camera before on site shoot

I set up the tripod and camera in my kitchen the night before the shoot in Rochester Public Park. I looked at the different settings and tried to get use to the camera before taking it out. This hopefully will make setting up the camera less stressful and quicker. 

Story Telling Unit- Character Profile Development

The characters of Jed and Peter have developed and I have written down their opinion on the Jamestown as it is now.

Story Telling Unit- Story Board 2

Story Telling Unit- Official schedule

This may be edited if my actor Matthew Johnstone is unavailable, the actor I have to play Peter instead would then me Mike Hoad.  

Story Telling Unit-Trailer Research, Drama

I watched two trailers that are both drama's to see the conventions used in the trailers. Such as music being slow and not much singing. There is also a lot of dialogue which is not present in action films. They have voice overs, this is either a character or a omnipotent like voice that follows the characters to tell parts of the story. They have very little transition as most of the film is cut straight, although they do cut to black and have titles throughout. These titles do not add to the story they more advertise the makers and actors in the story.

Story Telling Unit- The Meeting Draft 3

Meeting 3

Story Telling Unit-Story board so far

This is the start of the trailer, I have not been able to decide on other content at the moment so this is the start.

Story Telling Unit- Final changes

Both the Location and the Change have changed after I re-wrote parts of the script. Here are the past and present ones. The top is past the bottom is present in both photos. 

Story Telling Unit- Camera Workshop

During our camera workshop, Helen, Sophie and I had some problems with the audio. We experimented with the focus and light.

Story Telling unit- Production Prep Lab

Production choice.
Which is the best way to sell your story:
2 Min trailer
or
Opening 2 mins of script

The content. 
What are you going to shoot? Which elements are you going to choose?
Shots of the brothers, Peter in the hall way walking, Jed in the park walking to the bench.
Parts of the conversation, build up, back round to JonesTown

How are you going to shoot it?
Shot list? Story-board? 
Style, tone, mood?
Story- Board and shot list.
Mood-Serious
Style-Basic/natural.

Casting.
Who is going to be in your production? 
Jed- Danny Hewitt
Peter- Matthew Johnstone

Crewing.
Who is going to help you shoot the film?
Audio- Chris Sarmiento
Camera-Helen Welsh

Location & Production Design.
Where are you going to film? 
Filming in the hall ways of the flats and in Rochester Public Park.

Schedule & Production kit 
When are you going to film? Do you need a camera kit? 
Camera-12th-15th November
12th halls and public park.

Post Production elements.
Music? Titles?
Music- dramatic
Titles- include some leading words throughout.

Storytelling Unit- Soft Trailer with Sophie Marriott

A trailer from Soft the short film by Simon Ellis, made from extracts of the short film. Sophie and I watched the film and then chose our favourite scenes and after we had decided the atmosphere we then chose the music. After watching the trailer in the group we realised that at the start of the film it should of been a black screen and that at the end the music ends abruptly.

Story Telling Unit- Script Report