RESEARCH PLAN
MEDIUM
What is a short film?
A short film is a film in which is shorter length to a feature film. There have been no set boundaries between the length of a short film and what it should typically be, however the Academy of Motion Picture and Science stated that a short film should be an original motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes or less which does include titles and credits. All other aspects of short films, such as actors, storyline and special effects are irrelevant in short film, the only differing factor to a feature films is the length. However, short films do endure typical conventions in which aren’t typically seen in main stream media and feature length films. Harvard Reference: N/A. (2018). Short Films vs. Feature Length Films. Available: http://www.sheffieldav.com/education/short-films-vs-feature-length-films. Last accessed 20th March 2018. This YouTube video I have found very helpful in understanding the rule and typical features of short films. As someone who hasn't had that much experience surrounding making short films and how film festivals want the films to be presented this video was very helpful. The man discussed the seven things you may be need to know about film making. The rules being:
Top film festivals in the UK
This is a list of some of the top film festivals in which I could submit my short film into, they have a range of categories in which my film could be put forward for this is due to it being eligible for the awards.
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Rules in making short films?
Use a simplistic storyline for your short film, this is due to only having a short amount of time to convey a specific emotion and feeling to the audience. The more simplistic the idea the easier the film is to manage and budget, use one to two actors, use realistic locations you can easily use, have a simplistic storyline and don’t use any high budget special effects. This will make the filming and planning process a lot smoother as everything is more manageable. You have to remember that short films are niche storyline which aren’t shown in mainstream films, therefore do not need all the extras in which Hollywood enforce. Harvard Reference: Stéphanie Joalland. (2012). 7 Rules for Writing Short Films. Available: https://www.raindance.org/7-rules-for-writing-short-films/. Last accessed 20th March 2018. Codes and Conventions
Short films obvious characteristic that differs from feature film is the length. However, short films also share different codes and conventions which separate them from other films and videos. Here are some of the prominent codes and conventions within the genre: Storyline The storyline is generally kept simple, for many reason one being for production cost. There is generally limited dialogue, characters will be developed and grow through actions and visually rather through speaking. Characters Because short film has a smaller length then a feature film and the storyline being very simple. There should be limited number of characters in order not to over complicate the story. There should be from 1 to 3 main characters within each short film as creating back story’s. This will engage the audience into the characters more. Twist Having a twist in a short film is a very key convention in short films. It makes the short film tell a story in a different more engaging way to the audience. However, this doesn’t have to be used all the time. Creativity Short films are more creative and niche then typical feature films, this allows filmmakers to have the choice to make the ideal film they want to and fulfil their creative ideas. They can go against the mainstream media and typical films that are generated from it. Directors such as Martin Scorsese and Tim Burton who established film makers make short film despite their mainstream success. Budget Due to short films generally not generating any money, the budget for short films are a lot lower then feature films. This give the film a more homemade arty look due to it being made by experimental artist and film makers. Film makers sometimes make funding pages in order to get more money for the film. Niche Audience Due to creative nature of short films the films develop a smaller and more niche audience. This can be beneficial as those watching the film are more passionate and into the film and it also means you have more choice of the type of film you produced. However, less people will watch the film so there is less film recognition. Harvard Reference: Naomi. (2012). Codes & Conventions of Short Film . Available: https://naomishortfilm.wordpress.com/2012/01/17/codes-conventions-of-short-film/. Last accessed 20th March 2018. The UK Film Festival
I decided on entering my short film into the UK Film Festival, this is due to the UK Film Festival being beneficial for student film makers as they have category dedicated for this demographic. Also, this film festival is well known in showcasing undiscovered talent to big film industries company. Those who have done this competition have gone on to win awards and get jobs within the industry. All of this would be very beneficial for me. The awards I am eligible for:
The award I am going for:
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Short Film Examples
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Example One- Alone
This is a successful short film which was made in 2013 which won two awards, cinematography and sound design, in the Halifax film festival. I thought this short film was very effective due to how it used the conventions of short films. For example, the film has a very simplistic but straight forward storyline which is generally seen amongst short films. This means the film will be easier to shoot and fund for. Secondly, the film only retains one character within it which allows us to really understand them and get a full character development within it, this make the film more simplistic yet easier to get the idea across within it. Another convention this short film retains is a twist at the end, the whole film you believe this man to be alone in a Post-Apocalyptic world yet the lights turn on within a house suggesting someone is in there. This gives a tense palpable feeling at the end which will leave the audience on a cliff hanger and therefore engaged. |
Example Two- THE CALL
This is another example of an award winning short film, 'THE CALL' has won awards from all different film festivals world wide such as European Film Festival and Hollywood North Film Festival. I think this short film is perfectly explained as short and sweet. The simplistic storyline of a man sitting on a bench having a phone call works alongside the typical conventions of short films. By doing this it empowers the storyline more and makes the film more emotional at the end. There is only two characters within the storyline, by doing this it allows the audience to understand the relationship and dynamic between the father and daughter. We as an audience invest more into the characters as wee can witness their character development. I really like the added simple twist at the end of the film, that the story the man was sharing was in fact true. This made the short film even more emotional and heart felt as someone watching it. |
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Survey
I created a survey via SurveyMonkey to discover what people thought about short films, I wanted to know typically what engaged people and the things they would expect to see in a short film. Here is my research and findings from the survey:
I created a survey via SurveyMonkey to discover what people thought about short films, I wanted to know typically what engaged people and the things they would expect to see in a short film. Here is my research and findings from the survey:
My first question within my survey was 'What is a short film?', I asked this question as I wanted to know what people perceived a short film as. This information will give me an insight into the research in which I already collected. I got many varied responses on what a short film was to different people. I got many responses about length of short films, one person said 'A film under 40 minutes', this was similar to the research in which I collected. As according to Academy of Motion Picture and Science a short film is a film under 40 minutes in length. However, the results I got showed confusion on the typical length of short films, one person said 'A film that is less then 20 minutes long'. Two of the answers I received addressed the typical conventions within the film which makes it differ from the conventional feature film. One person said ' a narrative, cinematic, factual or fictional piece of media that is less than 45 minutes' where as someone else said 'A short production that follows a story arc within a short space of time'. From these results I can defer what people expect to see within a short film and how long people expect the short film to be.
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The second question within my survey was 'How long do you think a short film should be?'. This was a very good question to ask as I am curious for when making my film how long it will be and if it will engage the audience for that long. I got a varied response for this answer, the joint favourite response was for 11-15 minutes and 16-20 minutes in length with 42.86% chose for. I think this is a good amount of time as I can tell a story effectively in that amount of time and not rush it, yet it isn't too much so you can film everything for this length. The second highest response was 5-10 minutes which 14.29% of people chose as the option. This is also an effective amount of time to make a short film. According to the secondary research in which I did, short films are all under 40 minutes in length in order to be classified as a short film. But they should be 10-15 minutes in length to keep the audience engage and keep watching, also this will help in submitting the film into competition as it will be the right length.
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For the third question I asked 'What are the typical things you see within short films?' I asked this question in order to see the typical conventions people expect to see within short films. The people who answered this survey gave differing views and ideas on what short films had within them, this was helpful as I could see and focus on different things people would expect to see within short films. One person responded with 'Simplistic but engaging storyline, excellent cinematography, a small amount of central characters, well edited footage, effective music, etc...' this response covered some of the conventions in which I had covered. I could tell that people prefer simple storylines, therefore I will use this in my own short film and I also can defer that people like minimal amounts of characters within the storyline which will allow the audience to be able to follow the short film easier. I had two responses which spoke about the characters, one said ' 3 or fewer main characters' and another said 'Strong characters' this informs me that the film relies on the character and that I may need to do research into the dynamics of different friendship and behaviour. Another noticeable response was 'conflict' which I personally think is what I should base my entire narrative upon (Todorov's theory).
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For the fourth question I asked 'What engages you within a short film?, I got two leading responses for this question. The highest response being 'Storyline' as 85.71% of people answering the survey said. I personally think this is a very important aspect for the short film as the whole production relies on the idea and the idea makes the audience feel something emotionally. The second highest response was camera work/visuals which 14.2% of people asked voted for. When doing secondary research I found out that short films rather show information then tell it with long lengthy bits of dialogue. By focusing on camera work and visuals I will make my film more engaging for the audience watching my film.
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GENRE
What is genre?
Genre comes from the French word for 'type'. It means different types of the same medium for example short film. This means you can get loads of genres for medium which all have different target audiences and codes and conventions. These are some examples of prominent genres: horror, action, adventure, romance and comedy. There are many other genres and also sub-genres which are varieties of different genres. Harvard Reference: N/A. (2018). What is genre?. Available: https://www.bbc.com/education/guides/z98n4j6/revision. Last accessed 21st March 2018 |
The codes and conventions of a psychological drama are:
· Highly character-driven – The film focus’ on inner conflict within the characters rather than on screen action conflict. The whole story is driven by the characters rather than the plot. · Emphasis on conflict – This conflict gives dimension to the plot and makes it have that drama element to it. · Usually conflict is from one person, internal rather vs themselves · Can hold mild horror/psychological horror elements · Unlike thriller there is usually no violence, as the emphasis is on the characters and relationships and dilemmas. Harvard Reference: N.L. LeBlanc. (2009). Psychological Dramas. Available: https://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?239118-Psychological-dramas. Last accessed 24th March 2018 Todorvo’s Narrative Theory
Todorov’s theory is used commonly through out Psychological dramas, it sets a clear beginning, middle and end for the storyline and shows progression of characters. The theory is that the narrative moves in chronological order with one action following another. This is the breakdown of the narrative: 1. The narrative begins with an equilibrium 2. An action/event/character disrupts the said equilibrium 3. Mission to restore the equilibrium begins 4. The narrative continues to climax 5. The equilibrium is restored and there is a resolution. This can mean character progression. Harvard Reference: N/A. (2018). What is narrative?. Available: https://www.bbc.com/education/guides/zqdhrdm/revision/3. Last accessed 24th March 2018. |
Psychological Drama
Psychological dramas are a form of subgenre of dramas. They centre around the characters life and psychological problems. The source of conflict within these films emerges from not- only the character themselves but the conflict that has accumulated inside of them. Commonly, this arranges from the past of the protagonist, mental health problem or tragedy that has scarred them but been ignored causing mental destruction. Harvard Reference: N/A. (2018). Subgenre-Psychological Drama. Available: https://www.allmovie.com/subgenre/psychological-drama-d542. Last accessed 24th March 2018. Drama Conventions
Drama’s deal with human emotion, usually they are serious and have realistic characters in which the main characters have some form of confliction, with themselves and others. The themes in Drama’s can be anything if it goes with the plot of the film. However, thers are some obvious themes such as: poverty, mental illness, drug addiction, injustice, corruption of power and racial prejudice. There are also more subtle themes such as: loss, broken friendships, failed romances, family issues and affairs of the heart. Harvard Reference: Chelski. (2009). Genre: Drama Conventions . Available: http://chelskifilm.blogspot.co.uk/2009/10/genre-drama-conventions.html. Last accessed 24th March 2018 |
PSYCHOLOGICAL DRAMA ANALYSIS
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Analysis One This short film is called 'Delusional' and it is the first Psychological Drama short film I will be analysing. I am analysing short films of the same genre as mine to see how they put together a film of this genre. This is everything from the sound, lighting, narrative and cinematography used within the film. This short film is about a detective trying to uncover why a boy killed his entire family, yet the boy blames the killing on a puppet he discovered. The audience will have to discover if it was the puppet who went through with these terrible crimes or if it was the boy himself with an unsteady mental health. |
Lighting
The lighting in the film also has a blue tint to it. This could of been achieved by using blue gels over the lights when filming. However, because the shots aren't lit up typically that much I believe this blue tint has been added in post production through colour correcting. The blue tint in all shots makes the scenes look a lot colder, reinforcing the cold nature of the short film .It makes the darker shades look closer to black yet whites stand out. From this shot on the right, taken at 1:59 into the film, you can see that the light hints the puppet so your eyes are drawn to it. This may also be down to the positioning of the puppet, in the front of the shot, but the puppet stand out. This helps in creating tension as the audience are left watching the puppet waiting for it to do something bad.
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This short film uses low key lighting through out all of it scenes. Low key lighting reflects the tone and the atmosphere of the film and what the film maker is trying to make the audience feel. Low key lighting is a lot darker and has a lot more shadows in it then usual lighting for filming, this is because it might want the moment to appear more frightening or hint to the audience that something bad is going to happen. The shot on the left is the opening shot to the film, straight away we can tell that this short film isn't going to be happy and has a dark nature to it. This can act as an warning to those watching the film, hints the films nature, but it can work in generating hype and excitement from the audience.
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Camera angles
This short film worked really well in using its shots to create meaning and fear amongst the audience. For example, this shot on the left of the screen is a mid shot of the investigator interviewing the suspect to the murders. This shot is used as a shot reverse shot, cutting back to a shot of suspect, this is used for continuity reasons and allows the scene to flow better. This can link to the editing, using L and J cuts, which can quicken the pace within the scene and make it appear more dramatic and tense for the audience watching. I like the framing of the shot, as you can see part of the suspects shoulder in shot, this shows to the audience the proximity of the character and from that we can understand their relationship and who has the authority within the situation.
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This shot film 'Delusion' has a variations of shots within the film. For example, there is a close up shot of the suspect lying in a hospital bed. The suspect wakes up dramatically within the shot and due to the closeness of the camera we are able to see the characters facial expression properly and understand the fear he is going through. By having a close up shot we are able to read the character thoughts more effective and thus understand them better. However, this is one of the few close up shots within this film, and I believe its used at this specific moment into the film, 4:22 minutes in, because this is the first time we realise that this suspect isn't crazy and the puppet is evil. We now see this character as a person suffering and can align with them easily.
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Narrative
The narrative and plot line for this short film is very simple yet effective. The film is only filmed in two locations and there are only three characters within the film. I think this works well, it links back to the conventions to short films and how they are typically set up. By keeping the storyline simple it makes the film more accessible to make and works better. For my own short film I am following a similar narrative structure as this film. I will use flashbacks to inform the audience information, better to show rather then tell past facts. I think this will work a lot better and give my psychological drama a more disjointed look to it.
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This short film has used a non-linear narrative in structuring the film. This means the narrative is disjointed and not in chronological order, this is shown within the short film through the use of flashbacks. The flashbacks illustrate to the audience pasts events and allow them to understand the each characters intentions and the reasoning behind their actions. For example, in this short film 'Delusion' we learn that the main character killed his family because a puppet told him too, this is all shown in flashbacks. I like how the chaotic and disjointed vibe for the films narrative adds to the psychological drama genre and makes the film appear more tense and interesting to watch. The short film keeps you on your toes as the film maker only shares specific information to the audience when needed.
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Mise-en- Scene
Another prop in which we see at 0:33 minutes in, is a pair of handcuffs around the boys hands. We can defer from this information given that his character has been arrested. This prop helps with the flow of the narrative and allows the audience to understand visually what is going on within the scene. The fact that the boys hands aren't thrashing around or fiddling, they are still and content, illustrates to the audience that his character is angry or that threating. We can see that his character may be a nice guy or isn't that guilty.
Clothing
This is a shot of the main characters clothing within the film. The boy is wearing dark colourless clothing, this could signify many things. One being it illustrates to the audience that his character is darker and troubled as black is a colour that represents evil and horrible things. This could also be used to add to the tone of the film and make it appear more serious and realistic, this makes it look better after colour correcting and work better. Another reason for the baggy style of clothes is that the film makers want the audience to understand that this character is prison as these clothes are the style in which is typically warn by inmates.
The image to the right is of the second location within the film. These scenes are always shows within the past. As you can see from the location, there are books about, glasses and picture frames, this reinforces to the audience that someone lives in this house and it has been personalised. This is the opposite look of the police station, from this we can see the harsh reality and can see where everything went wrong for the boy.
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Props
This is the first prop shown within the short film, shown at 0:21 minutes in, this is prop is the main character details in which he holds whilst getting his mug shots taken. This is used to show to the audience that this character is in prison . It sets the scene, giving clarification of the situation to the audience without actually telling them that the main character is arrested. From this prop the audience can generate assumptions about his character, they can defer that he is troubled in some form of way. The third prop in the film is the puppet. The puppet is shown as evil and creepy, however that may be due to the suspect illustrating it in that way. The puppet is ironically wearing white, which is suppose to represent innocence and purity which goes against the things the film presents it to be. This may be interpreted as the puppet on the outside appearing nice and looking like a toy, yet its evil and that's where it falls you. The puppet acts as the McGuffin within the storyline, it the item that drives the plot forward, yet its physical form wouldn't take anything way from the storyline.
Location
The first location of the short film 'Delusion' is the police station/interviewing room. We can understand that this short film is set within a police station due to the way police stations are typical set up, they look bland and lifeless. I think it looks lifeless as prison is place of punishment where you serve your time for the bad things you have done, it's not suppose to be a happy uplifting setting. The entire set up of the room reinforces to the audience what the suspects life will be like behind bars, boring and unsettling. In a way this makes us pity the main character as we can see his fate clearly. The dark grey and bland muted colours make the police station appear more serious and daunting to the eye, as an audience we get a taste of what it is like in the character shoes.
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Analysis Two
This is the second short film in which I am analysing, the title of it is called 'Images' and it is about boy who has some form of mental disorder which is generated from the death of his brother. The boy stops taking his mediation which results in hallucinating that his brother is still there in his life.
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Lighting
This film has low key lighting through out it which goes against the typical conventions of a psychological thriller and what you expect to see. This is because the director/film maker is trying to subvert the audience from believing that something bad is happening within the film, they want you to believe everything is normal and a boy is just having flashbacks of his brother before he died. Yet, this intensifies the twist at the end of the film when as an audience you realise that they aren't memories the boy thinks his brother is still here and he is pretending he is. The use of high key lighting subdues this and hides all the bad that will happen, it creates an element of shock at the end. However, to show that something sad and monotonous is happening within the film it has been colour corrected to be dull grey shades and with an undertone of blue. This allows the audience to distinguish this isn't going to be a happy film. Yet, the bright high key lighting signifies light and happiness which is trying to be presented as the normality within the film.
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Camera Angles
Close up
This close up shot is seen at 6:08 into the film, this moment in the film the boys is remembering and thinking about his brothers death. You can tell from the characters saddened facial expression his character is going through a lot of physical and emotional trauma. The use of a close up shot reinforces this as we as the audience can see exactly how the boy is feeling up close. We understand his character is struggling and misses his brother. This shot allows us as audience to empathise with characters and perhaps align with him. |
Long shot
This long shot is presented at the beginning of the short film at 0:19, this shot helps in establishing the scene to the audience. We can make assumptions about what the short film is about, we understand that it is set inside a home that appears to look very lifeless. We can defer that this short film may not be of happy nature, the use of the colour grey in the shot, from the colour of the walls to the table cloth. This gives the film negative and sad vibes, this gives you an insight into what the will be about and contain. |
Mid shot
The film commonly uses mid shots throughout to allow us as the audience to see the proximity of the characters and their relationship. This is a much easier way of understanding information rather then being told it, for example the brothers sit close together which shows they are close and comfortable around each other. Where as when it is the brother and sister on their own they are stood far away from one another and the sister is framed nearer to the camera showing she has authority. From this information we can defer the family has broken down due to the grief over their brother’s death. |
Pull Focus
This pull focus is used as a transition into the next scene, flashback to the past, it is done very cleverly by pulling from the foreground to the background as it changes scenes. This makes the scene look very professional and draws the audiences attention to the specific points. For example, when the camera pulls the focus to the background who are forced to look at the older brother face. This means you can manipulate what you want the audience to see. |
Narrative
The storyline is about a boy called Evan dealing with the death of his brother, his mental health is on the line due to his refusal of taking pills. The narrative hints that he has some form of Schizophrenia or PTSD because he keeps hallucinating and seeing his brother, this illustrates that he is dealing with something bigger then grief and sadness. His mum is busy working and really only has his sister to look after him. These screenshots are from the short film the first screenshot is the view in which his sister is looking out onto, showing Evan talking to himself. The dark colours illustrate the raw harsh truth of the situation. The second screenshot shows what Evan sees, him and his brother play fighting, the light colour in the video shows the happiness and dream like feel insinuated by this clip.
I believe they did this in order to shine a light on mental health and show the harshness and the raw truth behind this issue. It helps in getting rid of the negative stigma surrounding this topic. There's a narrative structure element within the short film for example the use of flashbacks are used effectively to inform the audience about the past and why the characters are the way they are. We can understand the sadness Evan's character is enduring due to the connection he has with his brother. |
Mise-en-Scene
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Costume
Our main character Evan is wearing a casual outfit, hoodie, T-shirt and shorts, this illustrates that he is not planning to go anywhere fancy or even leave the area of his house. This indicates he may not be socially capable for leaving the safety of his home and where his brother lives. His outfit also illustrates he doesn't take care in his appearance due to not wearing the most fashionable clothes and basic items. The dull washed out colour of his clothes signifies his emotions and how he is switched off from the outside world, we can see that his character is sad and dull constantly. His clothes illustrate to the audience straight away his characters emotions and how he feels. This means as an audience from the beginning we could work out the narrative. Evan's sister is wearing a well put together formal outfit, blouse and waist coat, this is mainly because her character works and has a full time job. This contrasts with Evan's character, this allows us ot understand that her character has coped better with the death in the family and how she is moving on from the situation. She obviously takes care in her appearance due to her clothes looking nice and ironed and clean, we can defer that she has expected the death in the family. The dark waist coat indicates her mature tastes and shows she is older then Evan and has taken the role of the 'mum' in their relationship. |
Props
In this short film there are a lot of props used in order to show meaning and act as a transition into another scene. For example there is a scene when our main character is staring at a playing card in his room. This acts as a transition into a flashback of him and his brother. This McGuffin allows us as an audience to see our main characters emotional connection to his brother. We can defer the constant pain experienced by the main character as every little thing reminds him of his brother and has memory linking to it. As an audience we empathise with his character as we understand how bad his mental health has reached.
Again, coins are used as another prop which transitions our main character into a flashback with his brother. The movement of the coins being thrown works effectively in linking the two scenes together and we can see the connection between the two moments. Everything reminds him of his brother. Colour correcting has also been used within the scene, before the transition the scene has cold blue toned colours and wen it transitions into the flashback the scene becomes warmer and more yellow toned. This is used to show the emotional difference between each scene, we can defer how happy our main character was with his brother. Another prop used within the film are pills within a wooden box. The pills signify our main characters control, if he takes the pills he will never see his brother again, the denial of taking his pills shows that he is not mentally capable of getting over his brothers death. He would rather sacrifice his mental health then being with his brother once again. |
Location
This is a screenshot from the short film 'Images', this is from the opening sequence within the film where there are jump cuts of the boy making himself food. The whole film is located within a modern minimalistic house. This is because the narrative is based around family who is coping with the death of their brother/son. The house appears empty with only crucial items in it for example a table, yet the items in which personalise the house are missing. This gives off negative connotations surrounding the idea of family and love, from this we can indicate this is a broken household. Also, the walls and the furniture are all dull shades of grey which indicate the emotion of sadness and emptiness, from this I can defer this house is no longer a home it is just a house. The film being shot in the house sets the scene by illustrating that this character has a mundane boring life due to being anti-social and not wanting to leave his home. It also allows us an audience to understand the narrative, there are family issues and we are going to set the scene where it all happens. We can see the impact of the brother/sons death in the household by having an insight into the characters home lives. The fact the film isn't shot completely in low key lighting suggests that nothing too dark or sinister will occur in the film. It shows that the family is recovering and are out of the darkest stages of grief, we can defer there is still sadness within the household because the shots taken aren't very bright or full of colour, due to colour corrections. As an audience we can understand that nothing horrific will occur in the film and this shows something bad has already happened
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Survey
I created a survey in order to get an overall view from people what they thoughts about Psychological Dramas and what they expect to see in them. This information will be really helpful for me as I can focus on the things people like about the genre and base my film around that.
For the first question within my survey I asked the question 'What is the most important aspect of a Psychological Drama?'. I gave four options for this questions: character, storyline, script and editing. The most popular response out of the four was storyline in which 87.5% of people asked thought this was the most important aspect. The second favourite was characters in which 12.5% voted for. Nobody voted for either script and editing. From these results I can defer when it comes to making my psychological drama I should focus primarily on the storyline and characters in order to please my audience and give people what they want. This result also lines up with the research I did as the conventions of this genre say the film is more about the character and the storyline rather then script and the action within it.
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For the second question I asked 'Do you like watching Psychological dramas? why? why not?' generally all results from this question remained positive as it appears that this genre is popular amongst many. The response appeared to have similarities, many said that they like that short films make you think. One person said 'They get into the mind of a difficult character' some one else said 'Yes, the storyline are interesting and there are plot twists' where as someone else said ' they're interesting and make you think'. From all these responses I can defer that people enjoy the depth of the storyline and the character development which challenges the way they think. From this information I know when creating my own short film I will focus on creating a really though out script which can be thought provoking and powerful, as this is generally why people love these films. However, for this question I did receive one negative response which said 'No, they've never interested me', this is a fair comment as not everyone is going to like this genre of film. But because the feedback is mainly positive in shows me that I have picked a genre which is well received by many.
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For the third question within the survey I asked the question, 'What persuades people into watching Psychological Drama?'. I got many different responses for this question, one person said 'The thrill of seeing what happened without being involved' and another said 'I think its the characters and their development'. From this information I can defer that people like watching this genre due to the excitement and how they live through the characters within the storyline. I will use this information and apply it into my short film, I will make everything thrilling and on edge to further engage the audience.
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CONTENT
SOCIAL STATUS
Personality of trait of people who are well liked
For my research I wanted to look into personality trait of different people, I can use this research in creating characters and what they would typically be like. Firstly I was focusing on a character who is typically a leader and is liked by everyone, this is what I found out about these characters. 1. They aren’t insecure- They are confident about themselves, but not in an arrogant way which makes them seem sure of themselves and more approachable by others. 2. They’re genuine- By never trying to be anyone you aren’t and not appearing fake to others people will respect that and like you more as a person. 3. They don’t judge- If you are not judgmental and smile and actually seem to like people, people are more likely to feel comfortable around you and want to be friends with you. 4. Positivity- People like you if you are happy and you are nice to be around, this is infectious as other around you will feel happier around a happy person. 5. They don’t compete- Conversations are competitions and they don’t try to one-up others as this makes other feel bad about themselves. 6. Not shying away- Popular people have friends and they get these friends by being confidents and asking for their numbers or to hang out where as others might not do this because they aren’t confident in themselves. Harvard Reference: Evan West. (N/A). 10 Traits of Likeable People. Available: https://www.lifehack.org/articles/communication/10-traits-likeable-people.html. Last accessed 27th March 2018. Popular people are described by others as attractive, athletic and wealthy. However, popularity is also do with being linked to your peers. There are two forms of popularity, the first one bing ‘popular-prosocial children’ and ‘popular-antisocial children’.
The prosocial popular people are nice people who are friendly to others and try hard at school. If they do face conflict with another they handle it in a constructive way, rather than resorting to aggressive tactics. Where as the antisocial popular people are more ‘cool’ they are looked up at by others, yet they aren’t necessarily nice to others around. This could include manipulative girls and boys who use a mix of being kind and mean to enhance their own personal social status. This means many other peers fear and admire the ‘cool’ kids. Harvard Reference: Eileen Kennedy-Moore Ph.D.. (2013). Popular Kids. Available: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/growing-friendships/201312/popular-kids. Last accessed 27th March 2018. |
Cliques and Hierarchy
By the time a child has reached the age of eleven they are a part of a clique or a friendship group. This can determine their social hierarchy, people tend to hang out with people are similar to them and therefore this introduces cliques. Dominant Cliques It is said that 1/3 of students are in the dominant clique. This group involves political manoeuvring in order to maintain a high social status. Wannabe Clique 1/10 of people are a part of the ‘wannabe’ group, they haven’t been accepted into the popular group so tag along with them and hang on the outside. They get a tiny amount of approval with makes latch on until they get full acceptance. Middle Clique Then there is the middle group in which 1/2 of students are in. These tend to be smaller individual friendship groups who are loyal and caring to each other. These cliques dislike the popular groups as they see them as stuck up (snakes).However, they do look down on less popular kids. Bottom Clique The bottom of the social hierarchy, which is 1/10 of students, are the people who don’t belong to a clique or are socially isolated these people are usually a target to bullying. Harvard Reference: Eileen Kennedy-Moore Ph.D.. (2013). Popular Kids. Available: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/growing-friendships/201312/popular-kids. Last accessed 27th March 2018. Characteristics of an outsider
There are many speculation surrounding ‘loners’ and introverted people, some people isolate themselves due to anxiety or being shy where as others just like to spend time on their own. According to the psychologist at Wellesley College there are loners do not belong to a clique due to fear of not be accepted by others. These are some traits in which introverted and people with loner qualities share: 1. Self-Awareness- Loners are not afraid of their own emotions are able to embrace their feelings. This allows them to get to know themselves better and therefore can deal with situations easier. Due to loners understanding themselves very well they can understand other easily s well and are very observant. 2. Level-Headed- Loners has incredible focus due to the time they spend having self-reflection this means they can deal with crisis and stressful situations easily. 3. Loyalty- Even though loners are well known for having no friends they still can have them, just because they do not crave friendship. However, they do understand loyalty and standing solidarity for someone. 4. NEVER co-dependent- Loners will never have to depend on other people even if they are in a relationship. They are strong and know themselves too well to not need anyone. Harvard Reference: N/A. (2017). People Who Like To Be Alone Have These 10+ Special Personality Traits. Available: http://www.higherperspectives.com/like-to-be-alone-2491116960.html. Last accessed 27th March 2017 |
BULLYING
Bullying
Bullying is usually defined as behaviour that intends to hurt someone this could be physically or emotionally, and it is often repetitive. Bullying takes many forms such as simple teasing, to threats, name calling, physical assault and cyberbullying. It can shred confidence of people and make them feel little and small against others. Harvard Reference: N/A. (N/A). Bullying at School . Available: https://www.gov.uk/bullying-at-school/bullying-a-definition. Last accessed 27th March 2018. Types of Bullying
There are four types of bullying. The first type of bullying is verbal, this is when people name call each other. The second form of bullying is social which is spreading rumours, leaving people out of plans and purposely trying to break up friendships between people. The third type is physically, this is the old school traditional type of bullying which involves physical contact such as punching and hitting. Finally, the last form of bullying is cyberbullying which has become the most prominent in recent years, this involves using the internet or other social media networks to harm others. Used in different ways There are different ways in which bullying becomes prominent. The first reason for it is IMBALANCE OF POWER, this is when a bullying uses their strengths this could be their popularity or power to manipulate others. They may pick on people who are physically weaker then them or those who can’t stand up for themselves. Another reason is INTENT TO CAUSE HARM, this is when the situation and bullying doesn’t occur naturally or happen by accident it’s when the bully goes out of their way to cause harm. Thirdly, there is REPETITION, this is when events happen over and over again and the bully targets the same person each time. N/A. (N/A). Facts on Bullying. Available: http://www.bullyingstatistics.org/content/facts-on-bullying.html. Last accessed 27th March 2018. |
Facts about Bullying
· There are over 3.2 million of victims each year · 30% of boys and 40% girls at the age less then 14 will discuss bullying with their peers · 160,000 teens skip school every day just to avoid bullying · Over 67% of students believe that schools respond badly to bullying Harvard Reference: N/A. (N/A). 11 Facts About Bullying. Available: https://www.dosomething.org/us/facts/11-facts-about-bullying. Last accessed 27th March 2018. Signs of a child being bullied
· Bruises- this could relate to physical abuse which is a form of bullying. The child may try to cover up the bruises to family members through baggier clothes or makeup. · Becoming withdrawn- This means they are not as engaged in everyday life e.g. not talking or they may not do things that they used to do like hang out with friends. · Changes in behaviour- They could become more distant or more aggressive at home. This is the victim emotional reaction to the bullying. · Suddenly doing less well in school- Their mind is preoccupied with the emotional draining of being bullied that they don’t put as much time and effort into working on their education. · Worrying about going to school- This may indicate that something bad or negative is happening at school which results in them not wanting to attend. Harvard Reference: N/A. (N/A). How to spot the signs of bullying . Available: https://www.bullying.co.uk/advice-for-parents/how-to-spot-the-signs-of-bullying/. Last accessed 27th March 2018. |
SUICIDE
Suicide
Suicide is the action of killing yourself, it is horrific when tragedies like this occur and it can be led by anything for example mental health problems, bullying or just thoughts of there being no hope in someone life. Hard hitting facts about Suicide
· Every 40 seconds there is one death to suicide · For the age range of 15-24 years old suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death · For those 80-90% of people who take therapy or medication their treatment for depression successfully · Lesbian, gay, and bisexual kids are 3 times more likely to take their own life than a straight kid Harvard Reference: N/A. (N/A). Suicide Facts . Available: https://save.org/about-suicide/suicide-facts/. Last accessed 27th March 2018. Real life Suicide attempt stories
In March 2005, Kevin Berthia climbed over the railing of the Golden Gate Bridge attempting to jump off. Yet, he was stopped by highway patrol office Kevin Briggs who talked to him for an hour convincing him not to kill himself. When Briggs was honoured by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention for his tireless efforts Kevin Berthia presented the honour and was able to show Briggs his family in which would never existed if he didn’t save him that day and convince him not to kill himself. Harvard Reference: Morris M. . (2013). 10 Suicide Stories With An Incredible Happy Ending. Available: https://listverse.com/2013/09/11/10-suicide-stories-with-an-incredible-happy-ending/. Last accessed 27th March 2018. |
Signs of being suicidal
There are many signs that someone want to commit suicide, these signs can vary from physical changes to behavioural changes. Physical Changes · Loss in personal hygiene or appearance- illustrating the person doesn’t care anymore · They may lose weight or gain weight · Their sleep pattern changes- not enough or too much sleep · No energy Conversation Signs This is the conversations you share with someone which may be a hint to show they may do something. · They don’t believe they have a future · They want to escape their lives as they can’t take it anymore · They feel alone as if nobody loves them · They feel nothing they do will make them feel better (helpless) Behaviour · Self-harm · Suicide note · Quitting activities in which are important to that person · Give away belongings to people · Misuse of alcohol and drugs · Withdrawal of family and friends · Reckless decision making · Emotional outburst Harvard Reference: N/A. (N/A). Recognising suicide warning signs. Available: https://www.suicideline.org.au/resource/recognising-suicide-warning-signs/. Last accessed 27th March 2018. |
AWARDS CEREMONIES
Many speeches at the Oscars and other award ceremonies are used to draw attention onto issue within the world or to get a message across to other. When the award is won by someone they do thank the cast the crew and loved ones, but it’s the memorable speeches which leaves an impact on the audience which are the real show turn outs. For example, in the 2015 Oscars ceremony Graham Moore won the award for the best screen play he told the audience how it is okay to be weird and different. This went viral as the hashtag stay weird began spreading. I want to embody this in my own short film, with the acceptance speech.
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Structure of Awards Evening
Four Sections will be involved within an awards night: 1. Drinks reception – Everyone at the beginning of the night is chatting with one another and networking. This is when most of the publicity photos and interviews occur 2. Dinner- Generally it is a four-course meal in which people sit on tables with around 10-12 guest on. The award ceremony and the people in charge decide on the seating arrangements 3. Award Presentation- If filmed this is the part in which is televised and showcase people winning their awards and giving acceptance speeches. 4. Post-show bar and entertainment- The rest of the night is free for everyone to have fun and enjoy the rest of the night. Harvard Refencing: Rob Henson. (N/A). What to Expect at an Award Ceremony. Available: https://awards-list.co.uk/what-to-expect-at-an-award-ceremony/. Last accessed 27th March 2018 |
PRACTICAL TASK
This is the practical aspect of my research, this is where I find out new different techniques in which I could use in my short film to make it better. I will be focusing on editing techniques especially as this is my specialism for this unit. But, I do want to look into camera techniques as well as this is an area in previous units I haven't been as strong at and I want to improve it.
This is my first attempt of the technique, I tried editing it on premier pro with the mask on, but it wouldn’t let me, or I didn’t completely understand how to do it. Instead, I did this technique which is similar, yet the cut is from one cut to the other just following the momentum of the camera movement. Instead of editing one clip over the other.
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Transition
This is a YouTube video which explains masking and how to do it. Masking is a transition from one scene into the other to make the transition look like one shot, it works effectively and look good if done correctly. It overall just makes you short film look more professional and visual pleasing to watch. I watched the tutorial through and decided to have a go at this technique. I filmed and edited the example together and this is the final product of it all. Here is another example of this transition technique in use. As you can see the quality isn’t that good of the video, yet from practicing this I will improve and now I understand how to do the technique successfully. I tactfully cut the shot when the item wasn't on the screen and then cut to the next shot. You have to plan your shots before you edit in order to get this effect in your videos.
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This is a tutorial for editing transitions which are swirling into each other. I really wanted to learn this transition as it looks really engaging and cool to those watching it. This tutorial was a very long complicated process involving lots of different effects in which had to be added in order to achieve this technique. Though this process took a while I think the result was worth all the effort. |
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This is my attempt to do the same swirling effect shown in the tutorial above. I thought it was really successful and worked really well in how I put it together. The tutorial was easy to follow which made this whole process a lot clearer to do. I really like the way this effect turned out it gave the video an engaging look as your eyes are drawn to the screen when the camera flips around. To improve this clip for the future I would add in some music to the video and cut between or transition between shots with the beat, cutting to the beat, this will make the video look more professional and have a bigger impact. |
ARTIST/PROFESSIONALS
In this section of research I will be researching into film makers who due to their own individual style and expertise have inspired me and my film making abilities. I will research into how they got into film making, their signature moves and their styles we see in every day cinema. This will help me in creating my own short film as I can take inspiration from both of these film makers and try to capture their subtleties shown on camera.
Quentin Tarantino Quentin Tarantino is an American director, script writer and actor who has been critically acclaimed for his unpredictable and violent films such as 'Pulp Fiction' and 'Reservoir Dogs'. He has changed mainstream media as a whole due to his unique forms of story telling and film making. He has won several awards, including the Academy Award for the best screen play for 'Pulp Fiction', Golden Globe and a BAFTA. Harvard Reference: N/A. (N/A). Quentin Tarantino Biography . Available: https://www.google.co.uk/search?source=hp&ei=nlm5Wq-UHsbisAe4paLYDA&q=quentin+tarantino&oq=quenti&gs_l=psy-ab.3.0.35i39k1l2j0i67k1l4j0j0i67k1l2j0.8733.9715.0.11992.7.6.0.0.0.0.111.557.4j2.6.0....0...1. Last accessed 26th March 2018. |
Tarantino's Films
Reservoir Dogs
'Reservoir Dogs' is a film made by Tarantino in 1992, it was Tarantino's first debut film to hit cinemas after a long life of writing storylines and screen plays. The film when it hit Sundance Film Festival was unheard of as it was a low-budget indie film with no major stars within it. However, it supposable violence and cool 70s soundtrack really helped in growing its popularity. Even though reservoir dogs has been said to be too violent Tarantino has explained there are other films out there which are just as violent. Unlike, typically Hollywood mainstream films there are elements of moral justice within the film as the protagonist killing has its backlash as they are punished for their crimes. One of the best aspects of this film in which Tarantino uses effectively in telling the story is the use of pop culture references, its influential how the character wax lyrical about their favourite films. It allows the audience to see the men for more then criminals. Harvard Reference: Nicholas Barber . (2017). Why Reservoir Dogs is actually an anti-violence short film . Available: http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20170117-why-reservoir-dogs-is-really-an-anti-violence-film. Last accessed 26th March 2018. |
Pulp Fiction
Pulp Fiction is Tarantino's second film, releases in 1994 for the Cannes Film Festival and it was the film which really brought Tarantino's name to the spotlight. Starring John Travolta, Uma Thurman and Samuel L. Jackson 'Pulp Fiction' reinvented gangster films for ever. The film was a commercial film even though it was an independent film, it brought in $200 million worldwide. The film had a massive impact due to its mix of comedy and violence which further allowed the audience to sympathise with the characters. The film also highlighted pop-culture as it has an interesting soundtrack, good dialogue and unique camera work. All these factors helped in making 'Pulp Fiction' an success. Harvard Reference: Tom Brook . (2014). Pulp Fiction at 20: How was a phenomenon was born . Available: http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20140514-how-pulp-fiction-shook-up-film. Last accessed 26th March 2018. |
Honourable Mentions
Tarantino's Trademark
Glorified Violence
Tarantino is well known for the us of violence within his films, he has once said ‘Violence is one of the most fun things to watch’. He has a lot of blood shed within his scenes, this can sometimes be seen in a more cartoonish way for example Kill Bill, however on other occasions it is more realistic. Violence is crucial for Tarantino’s plot lines and narrative development; all character carry some form of weapon e.g. gun or knife. The violence allows the film storyline to continue, sometimes acting as the climax feature of lots of violence and death. Harvard Referencing: G.S. Perno . (2015). Directors' Trademarks: Quentin Tarantino. Available: http://www.cinelinx.com/movie-stuff/item/8757-directors-trademarks-quentin-tarantino.html. Last accessed 26th March 2018. |
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.Extended Dialogue Scenes
75% of Tarantino films consist of dialogue amongst the characters, its in these scenes where Tarantino introduces the audience to the characters and plot line of the film. By doing this it is allowing the audience to understand the action before any of it takes place. The dialogue doesn’t have to majorly have anything to do with the plot line they just have to give the audience an insight into how the character think and interact with one another. For example, in the beginning of Reservoir Dogs where an conversation about tipping the waitress turns into an argument. Harvard Referencing: G.S. Perno . (2015). Directors' Trademarks: Quentin Tarantino. Available: http://www.cinelinx.com/movie-stuff/item/8757-directors-trademarks-quentin-tarantino.html. Last accessed 26th March 2018. |
Title Cards
Tarantino uses title cards in his film to organise the story telling, this is due to a lot of Tarantino films not occurring in chronological order. He uses flashbacks too show a characters past or motives and he has flash forward in time to show an event which will occur. By using title cards he can clarify to the audience where the scene is set and what day it is, past or present. This is used in Pulp Fiction, the title cards are used to show different segments of the film as they are broken down for example ‘Prologue- The Diner’ and ‘Epilogue- The Diner’. They were also used in Reservoir Dogs to illustrate which character was which by putting their name on screen. Harvard Referencing: G.S. Perno . (2015). Directors' Trademarks: Quentin Tarantino. Available: http://www.cinelinx.com/movie-stuff/item/8757-directors-trademarks-quentin-tarantino.html. Last accessed 26th March 2018. |
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How he tells a story
Tarantino has a non-linear narrative throughout all of his films. This is due to his films not occurring in chronological order, the film has flashbacks and flash forwards to tell the story. This allows the audience to be exposed to information at different times within the film, this makes the scenes more impactful then others. Tarantino also uses violence throughout the film, this could be the climax of the film where everything has been building up too. Harvard Referencing: G.S. Perno . (2015). Directors' Trademarks: Quentin Tarantino. Available: http://www.cinelinx.com/movie-stuff/item/8757-directors-trademarks-quentin-tarantino.html. Last accessed 26th March 2018. |
What I am taking from Tarantino
From researching into Tarantino and the influential ways in which he makes films I have decided what I want to take from this research. I want to pick atypical music to have within my film where necessary, this will help in setting the tone of the film and make the scene more impactful and engaging to the audience to watch. For example, if I have a running scene I will put an energetic high beat song in. The beauty of Tarantino's work is the music be puts within his films his before very unheard of, yet after due to the films influential power they become hits in themselves. Another thing in which I am taking from Tarantino is the use of non-linear narrative meaning I will use flashbacks and flash forward within my film to allow the audience to see events as they happen. Just like Tarantino I will put title cards in the places to illustrate the setting, what year it is and characters. This will overall help in getting rid of confusion within my short film and make the whole film as lot understandable. |
Alfred Hitchcock
Alfred Hitchcock is an English director, producer and screen writer maker who is one of the most well known film makers of his time. Known as the 'master of suspense' due to his psychological flare in films, which created a distinct viewership of his content. Hitchcock has created some of the most thrilling films of his time. Due to his rough lonely upbringing by his parents, one time his father sent him to prison for 10 minutes as a punishment for being naughty. His upbringing has shaped who he is as a person and the type of films in which he has created. Harvard Referencing: N/A. (N/A ). Alfred Hitchcock Biography. Available: https://www.biography.com/people/alfred-hitchcock-9340006. Last accessed 27th March 2018 . |
Hitchcock's Films
The Birds
Hitchcock's film 'The Birds' to date is one of his most famous films, made in 1963 the horror flick contain birds attacking people in an homicidal manner. The film is based on true event of bird attacks due to domoic acid, this makes the film even more thrilling. On screen the film was gripping to watch and this reflected in the response as the film was critically acclaimed and won an Oscar for the Best Newcomer Actress and won the award for the best motion picture for OFTA Film Hall of Fame. Harvard Referencing: N/A . (N/A ). The Birds. Available: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056869/awards. Last accessed 27th March 2018. Harvard Reference: Jackie Burrell. (2015). Alfred Hitchcock’s Bay Area movies . Available: https://www.mercurynews.com/2015/01/12/alfred-hitchcocks-bay-area-movies/. Last accessed 27th March 2018. |
Psycho
Alfred Hitchcock's film 'Psycho' made in 1960 broke boundaries due to its explicit sexual nature and burst of violence throughout. However, this worked in making Psycho one of Hitchcock's biggest hits. This film shaped film making s a whole, after this copy films were generated and it awakened the box office potential of sex and violence. This film is most famous for its 45 second shower film which shows the killing of a women. This scene is iconic due to its detail shot by shot filming. This is where the Hitchcock montages was created from. This was the first time in American film making that the lead character had been killed of three quarters the way through the film in such graphic nature. This made Psycho stand out and become a hit. Harvard Referencing: Stephen Robb . (2010). How Psycho changed cinema. Available: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8593508.stm. Last accessed 27th March 2018. |
The 39 Steps
This British thriller film made in 1935 called 'The 39 Steps' was as step forward in the erotic and sexual side of film making. Some scenes were seen as provocative and were unheard of in mainstream media at the time. This classic film is filmed in black and white due to this helps budgeting. Harvard Reference: Michael Sragow. (2012). Rewatching Hitchcock’s “The 39 Steps”. Available: https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/rewatching-hitchcocks-the-39-steps. Last accessed 27th March 2018. |
Honourable Mentions
Hitchcock Trademark
Cameo's
Alfred Hitchcock is well known for appearing in his own film. In total Hitchcock has appeared in 39 out of 52 of his total films. It brings a sense of humour to the film and works as an Easter egg for the audience who know of what Hitchcock looks like. This could also act as marketing strategy to get more people to watch the film. He held such high honours as 'Guy on the bus' and 'man walking dogs' yet he isn't credited in the films. Harvard Reference: Logan Rhoades . (2015). The Signature Trademarks Of 14 Famous Directors . Available: https://www.buzzfeed.com/mrloganrhoades/the-signature-trademarks-of-14-famous-directors?utm_term=.wd5bndaGq#.rqe3MqdOo. Last accessed 27th March 2018. |
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Blonde Actress
Hitchcock is well known for casting blondes as his lead protagonist within the film. Actress such as Ingrid Bergman, Joan Fontaine, Grace Kelly, Kim Novak and Tippi Hedren. When asked why he casts blondes as the main characters he said ‘Blondes make the best victims’. This may be due to blood standing out next to the light colour of the characters hair. Harvard Reference: David Zou. (2012). 8 Trademarks of Hitchcock Movies. Available: http://www.tasteofcinema.com/2012/8-trademarks-of-hitchcock-movies/. Last accessed 27th March 2018. |
Point of view
Hitchcock is known as the master of suspense and he fufils this through the use of point of view shots which uses the camera as eyes. This gives the effect of voyeurism within the film and makes it more engaging to the audience to watch. Harvard Reference: David Zou. (2012). 8 Trademarks of Hitchcock Movies. Available: http://www.tasteofcinema.com/2012/8-trademarks-of-hitchcock-movies/. Last accessed 27th March 2018. |
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Macguffin
Hitchcock uses mcguffin throughout his films. A mcguffin is plot device which helps to drive suspense, this can be something the character pursues throughout the storyline, but the audience might not understand through out the story. One of the most well-known mcguffins is the military secret in The 39 Steps. Hrvard Reference:David Zou. (2012). 8 Trademarks of Hitchcock Movies. Available: http://www.tasteofcinema.com/2012/8-trademarks-of-hitchcock-movies/. Last accessed 27th March 2018. |
How to tell a story?
Hitchcock most interesting scenes were one which long passages of dialogue between different characters. He did this to get across the plot line to the audience and to tell them information they needed in order understand the events of the film. The scenes were never dull as they showcased the essential information, thus intrigues the audience further and intensifies the narrative. Hitchcock’s films generally follow a linear narrative, this means the events happen chronologically which makes the film straightforward and easy to follow. This also meant that the audience received information at the same time the characters did, this meant the audience could align better to the character and therefore really become invested into the film. Hitchcock mastered the technique of storyline and received critical acclaim for his films. For my short film I really want to make the storyline simple and easy to follow by the audience, this will ensure the audience are able to follow along and thus get the biggest impact of them. Harvard Reference: Adweek Staff. (2009). How Alfred Hitchcock can make you a better storyteller. Available: http://www.adweek.com/digital/alfred-hitchcock-storytelling/. Last accessed 28th March 2018. |
What I am taking from Hitchcock
From this research I have discovered more about Hitchcock as a director and the reasons behind his success. For example, I want to use the plot device of McGuffin, to drive suspense within my film and show character development for my characters. Another aspect in which Hitchcock does well is keeping his storyline simple yet effective with a flare of violence involved to shock the audience. I want to have a simple plot for my short film, from a technical perspective this will make the filming process easier to film which will up the quality in my work and the overall message at the end of my film will be more hard hitting. Overall, this research has given me ideas on how to go about doing my film and what to have in, by learning from the greats you can see their own trademarks and styles which made them stand out. |
PLATFORM
Advantages of Facebook ads/ promotion
1. Facebook has a lot of users- This means your short film promotion will be accesses by many people and seen a lot. Thus getting the message across and generating interest from viewers 2. Facebook ads/promotion is free- You can make an online page on Facebook easily without charge. This means this is beneficial promotion as its costing no money so you won’t lose out if you don’t achieve that much recognition. 3. Advantage if Newsfeed/Friends’ Activity- If anyone clicks on your promotion page/ad and like/comments on I, it will appear in their ‘friends’ feed. This means you get further promotion and more people are exposed to it. 4. Viral- You ad/promotion campaign can become viral if enough people share it around. This means your short film will gain more recognition from others. Harvard Reference: Sawaram Suthar. (2018). The Basic Advantage and Disadvantage of Facebook Ads. Available: https://thenextscoop.com/basic-advantage-disadvantage-facebook-ads/. Last accessed 26th March 2018. Advantages of Instagram for promoting
1. Instagram is easy to use/access- This means the media account can be management effectively with little to no confusion. People prefer to use something that is easier as it become more engaging and enjoyable. 2. Simple free way of promotion- Because Instagram is free use of promotion you might as well as exploit as much as you can. This means you get the most out of something which is for free. 3. Instagram is visually pleasing- It is a platform which is only used for posting pictures or videos this will allow the audience to be engage visually to the site. Harvard Referencing: n/a. (N/A). The pros and cons of Instagram Advertising . Available: https://keymediasolutions.com/news/social-media/pros-cons-instagram-advertising/. Last accessed 26th March 2018. Advantages of Twitter for promotion
1. Reaches a large audience- Twitter has a large number of users, 157 million people, this means a lot of people will look at your page. If you use a hashtag this can generate people who are interested in similar things to follow your pages. 2. Customer Service- Due to twitter being a two-way communication with follower/audience. This means you can generate a positive relationships with fans or potential audience of the short film. 3. Brand- You can create a brand on twitter and show to the audience exactly how you want to be perceived as and brand. 4. Cost- Twitter is free, meaning you can use this to the full and get as much awareness about your short film out via this page. Harvard Referencing: N/A. (N/A). Advantages and disadvantages of Twitter for business . Available: https://keymediasolutions.com/news/social-media/pros-cons-instagram-advertising/.. Last accessed 26th March 2018. Harvard Referencing: Kurt Wagner. (2017). How many people use Twitter every day?. Available: https://www.recode.net/2017/7/27/16049334/twitter-daily-active-users-dau-growth-q2-earnings-2017. Last accessed 26th March 2018. |
Disadvantages of Facebooks ads/promotions
1. Difficult in getting attention- Due to users of Facebook using it for their own personal uses: communicating with friends and adding photos to their own profile. Ads/ promotions pages aren’t really looked at. To get noticed you need to make sure your work is as creative as possible in order to draw attention. 2. Negative comments- People could post negative comments about my film on my page which could change potential audience members view of my short film, thus they may not watch it. 3. Competition- There is loads of new online pages being made daily on this social media site, this means it is harder for your page to get noticed. Harvard Referencing: Sawaram Suthar. (2018). The Basic Advantage and Disadvantage of Facebook Ads. Available: https://thenextscoop.com/basic-advantage-disadvantage-facebook-ads/. Last accessed 26th March 2018. Disadvantage of Instagram in promoting
1. Instagram use is for smartphone- You can access Instagram on a desktop but you cannot post or comment on it. This means it is restricted to those who have phones to use the site. Which could result in less people using the site, particularly those of the older generation who will not have the correct technology to use Instagram. 2. Chain followers- Many people follow accounts in order to get a follow back. This results in people not actually following for the content but more to impress their friends. This means the promotion will not work and will go by in noticed. Harvard Referencing: n/a. (N/A). The pros and cons of Instagram Advertising . Available: https://keymediasolutions.com/news/social-media/pros-cons-instagram-advertising/. Last accessed 26th March 2018. Disadvantages of Twitter for promotion
1. Maintenance- Maintaining the account takes time and effort and you can lose followers if you do not post constantly. 2. Negative criticism- People can complain on the twitter page for the short film, and these negative comments and look badly on my brand and make other people visiting the page not want to look further. 3. Time sensitive- If you don’t tweet or post things at the time your followers and viewing the account you will miss them and all your work will be for nothing. 4. Limitations- Twitter limits you to 140 characters for every tweet so this can restrict what you have to say and get you message across. Harvard Referencing: N/A. (N/A). Advantages and disadvantages of Twitter for business . Available: https://www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/content/advantages-and-disadvantages-twitter-business. Last accessed 26th March 2018. |
The advantages of YouTube Promotion
1. Viral-ability – YouTube has millions of user surfing it on the daily, this means many people will access the site. Also, you do not need to have a subscription or have a login to go on YouTube, unlike Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. This encourages many people to use the website more. 2. Popularity- YouTube is ideal for achieving massive audience which helps in boosting your promotional campaign. YouTube is the second largest search engine. 3. Strong support system- Due to YouTube being owned by the search engine Google, the site is known for its reliability and helps in supporting videos uploaded. The video have better quality due to this. 4. Higher ranking- Due to being owned by Google, YouTube is the priority in the search engine over any other online video streaming sites. This makes sure that more people are attracted into watching YouTube videos. This means more views which means more people know about the promotional campaign. Harvard Referencing: James Dean Fairley . (2015). The Pros and Cons of YouTube Business Marketing . Available: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/pros-cons-youtube-business-marketing-james-dean-fairley. Last accessed 26th March 2018. |
Disadvantages of YouTube Promotion
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For the first question within my survey I asked, 'What platform would you expect to see a short film promoted on?', I had six choices for this question: Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter, YouTube and other. The joint most popular answers were Instagram and Facebook which both had 40% of people voting for. I thought these two would be seem more frequently then the others because the platforms are easily used and are very visual. Also, a lot of well established production companies use these sites as well for promoting their films. The second highest result was YouTube, in which 20% of people voted for. YouTube is generally used for behind the scenes footage and trailers in order to generate hype for the short film. From all this information gathered from the survey, I know I need to look into creating social media platforms for my short film on Instagram and Facebook as this is where the promotional campaigns generally occur.
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The second question within the survey asked 'Which social media platform do you spend the most time on?'. I wanted to ask this question because if I knew which site was commonly used more then others it would make sense to promote on that site where mass people can see my film. Otherwise, it would be a waste of energy promoting if nobody is going to see it. The favourite response in this survey was Instagram in which 60% of people agreed with. This was followed by a close second of Snapchat, in which 40% of people voted for. Every other platform receive no votes. From this information I can defer that Instagram is the most favoured platform followed closely by Snapchat, from this information I really want to base my campaign around it. I could make an Instagram page promoting my short film and create a post to add to the Snapchat stories viewed by everyone in order to get the word out about the short film.
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The third question within the survey asked 'What site do you think would be better to post my short film on?', I gave five options to choose from: Vimeo, Dailymotion, YouTube, Facebook and other. The obvious most popular answer of the survey was YouTube in which 80% of people asked voted for it. It was followed by Facebook, in which 20% of those asked voted for and all the other options had 0% voting. From this research I now know where people would preferably like to see the short film posted. This persuades me decision to post my short film on YouTube as I will get the largest audience from it.
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In the fourth question within my survey I asked the question 'Why do you think this site would better for promoting a short film?', this was a follow up question to the one previous which discussed what platform I should post my film on. One mention which came up a lot was having a mass audience, one person said 'A large audience' where as another said 'It has the largest audience of all these sites which means more people will see my short film'. From this information I can gather because YouTube has the largest usage and audience it would make sense to post on there as it will be seen and past around more. Another person spoke out the logistics of YouTube saying 'Everyone can access this platform and they don't need an account', for all the other site you need to make profile to be allowed to go which is time and effort, but YouTube is free for anyone to venture on whenever. This means this site is also used a lot more. There was another view within the survey from a Facebook perspective which discuss multi culturist and age of their users, 'Lots of different groups are on Facebook! Old, young'. This means the campaign will reach mass amount of people. From these results I can defer these sites are important due to the number of people using them and how this can promote my film further.
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The final question within my survey was 'What age range are you in?'. For this question the result was very one sided as everyone asked (100%) were in the first category of 15-20 years old. This is useful information as I can relate the answers shows in previous questions to their age, we can seen what this generation typically thinks like and their views. This is also helpful because my target audience for my short film is in fact for the age range of 15-20 year olds, so I want my short film to be as accessible as possible for them meaning I should follow the results from this survey of what they like and what sites they use the most to cater my short film around this. This will get the biggest response as my target audience ae more likely to watch my short film.
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Focus Group
This is a focus group discussion about platforms and which we feel are the most effective for the type and genre film we are making. We discuss this and give each other ideas on how we could typically promote our films further and get the biggest response from them.
This is a focus group discussion about platforms and which we feel are the most effective for the type and genre film we are making. We discuss this and give each other ideas on how we could typically promote our films further and get the biggest response from them.
Conclusion
In conclusion, from the information gathered from both the focus group and the survey I have decided that I will be posting and promoting my short film on YouTube. This is because its favoured the most for my target audience, 80% of people voted for my short film to be posted on YouTube, and is also liked and easy to use. From my independent secondary research I discovered the advantages and disadvantages of YouTube and have discovered that is the most used platform site which means many people will use it and it is very reliable because its owned by Google its protected. There are other aspects such as when searching in Google YouTube videos are shown before any other video from other site. This ensures that my film will be watched. The disadvantages of it such as how competitive the site in because there is so much content on it are problems, yet the advantage weigh over the disadvantages. |
I will also be promoting my short film on Facebook and Instagram to get the word out about my film to more people. I will be posting my short film on Facebook as well due to it also have a wide range of users in which can share and pass it on, more likely to become viral.
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Target Audience
15-20
The target audience for my short film is the age rang of 15-20, this is because this is the age range I want to influence within my film. My short film is promoting good behaviour and being kind to one another, in a world of technology and bullying it is very important to have this message still spreading. I feel its very prominent to learn about this. I will target this film towards this age range due to category to their individual taste, for example using younger adults so they are more relate able to them.
ACTORS/CHARACTERS
For this section of the research I was researching into the actors I could possibly use for my short film. As I need to know this information before I get on to pre-production, where I must write the script and storyboards about these said characters. I also needed time in advance to organise auditions, in which I will be holding in the pre-production part of this film making process. Therefore, I needed to link up the research I had done, about personality traits and character backgrounds, to come up with these character profiles. As well as this I need to fit actors into playing these parts, they have to look and act like the right part in order for the whole production to be successful.
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Character Profiles
Will Anderson- In depth character profiles
Will Anderson- Brief character profile
Jake Beckett- In depth character profile
Jake Beckett- Brief character profile
Actors
In this section I will show the process I went through to pick the correct actors for the roles. In the beginning of the process I sent a message out on my social media asking around if any actors who are the ages of 14-18 would like to be in a short film. I got four responses from my social media saying they were interested in the part. As well as this I reached out to actors who are working for a production company, thus meaning I have more choice on who I pick for the role. I then auditioned the actors and depending on who acted the best and if the role suited them I chose two actors for my short film. Even though, some actors dropped out due to timing schedules I still management to locate the perfect actors for my short film. I will post the audition segment of this process on my pre-production tab and the messages between me and the actors discussing filming dates, so it will be easier to access. However I do have here have the profiles of the two main actors I am using for my production for the role of Will Anderson and Jake Beckett.
Will Anderson- Luke Dixon
Luke Dixon I thought would be appropriate for the role of Will Anderson, this is due to in his audition he conveyed the characters vulnerability and broken characteristics in a realistic and effective manner, the auditions and also the messages between Luke and I discussing his character in further detail are on the pre-production tab. I created him a profile in order to show his experience within acting and also how his characteristics fit perfectly for the part. I like the fact that he is smaller then the person who plays the role of Jake Beckett as this shows Jake has more authority over him as it the 'stronger' character.
Luke Dixon I thought would be appropriate for the role of Will Anderson, this is due to in his audition he conveyed the characters vulnerability and broken characteristics in a realistic and effective manner, the auditions and also the messages between Luke and I discussing his character in further detail are on the pre-production tab. I created him a profile in order to show his experience within acting and also how his characteristics fit perfectly for the part. I like the fact that he is smaller then the person who plays the role of Jake Beckett as this shows Jake has more authority over him as it the 'stronger' character.
Jake Beckett- Hamza Parweez
I believe Hamza would be appropriate for the role of Jake Beckett, due to him having great on-screen chemistry with Luke Dixon who I want to play the role of Will Anderson (audition on pre-production booklet). Both actors worked effectively with one another and made the scene flow better and more naturally. I created this character profile to illustrate Hamza's experience with acting and how he physically looks. I used my character profiles, the Jake Beckett character profile, to see if the actor would suit the role and would work effectively on-screen. I decided to cast him for the role due to all these attributes.
I believe Hamza would be appropriate for the role of Jake Beckett, due to him having great on-screen chemistry with Luke Dixon who I want to play the role of Will Anderson (audition on pre-production booklet). Both actors worked effectively with one another and made the scene flow better and more naturally. I created this character profile to illustrate Hamza's experience with acting and how he physically looks. I used my character profiles, the Jake Beckett character profile, to see if the actor would suit the role and would work effectively on-screen. I decided to cast him for the role due to all these attributes.
LEGAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES
In this section I am discussing the potential issues and lawful problems surrounding the making of my film. One of the biggest potential issues is scenes within my film being of upsetting nature. This is due to them having themes of suicide and death through out them. The film is about a guy who was going to potentially kill himself and thus to some people this is a sensitive subject or something which brings up bad thoughts and memories. To solve this issue when introducing my film I will do a disclaimer stating that the film does cover the topic of suicide and if people mentally can't handle that they should turn away and not watch the remainder of the film. I think this is the best way to handle the situation as you want to be respectful and kind to those who can't understand these issues.
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For me there be may be copyright and plagiarism problems with my film. This is due to I used music from establish artists within my film, even though the songs are not mainstream songs and are old as well it is still copyright. I tried to adjust the songs my changing the tone and the speed of them in order for not to be picked up as copyright on YouTube. I have also bought the rights to some music, this is to ensure that I can use the music for whatever within my film. This means I won't be caught out for copyright as I have bought the rights to use that specific music. |