second draft music

Music for media first draft.

This is my first attempt at creating some music for the montage date sequence and the credits. I think the music is a little amaturish and will attempt to create a more profesional score.

My Edit: First Draft - Happily Ever After

I still need to add titles and music.

My First Draft Poster

Poster and analysis of an existing poster

Thumbnail

I am going to try and make a poster which starts with a single image from my film which effectively relates to the story and represents the characters. I am going to make my first draft of my poster using the Thumbnail  I am currently using. I have looked at many different posters that fit under the genre of a romantic comedy (click here to see those posters) and I am going to try and make my poster to look like an advertisement of a Hollywood Romantic Comedy.

Romantic Comedy Posters

1. Everyone.
In these wedding photos every main character is in the shot. These are usually used for films with a lot of side stories and subplots.


2. Pick me up
In these wedding photos the man is usually shown picking up the girl. They show that the film will be more rom than com.


































3. The Back to Back.
These posters show the two main characters back to back. This suggests pretence, that they are not really as friendly as they are acting and that there is hidden meaning and selfish intentions behind their actions.

4. Two guys and one girl.
This either suggests a love triangle or a medling friend who thinks he's helping. This fits the catagory of mine and Callums film and I will therefore base my poster on this. "This means war" has a similar style to what I am going to try to emulate.

5. "Men Are Inept and I Have to Do Everything Around Here!" type poster.
This type of poster usually shows a man with a problem of some sort with a woman who is attempting to 'fix' him.

Thumbnail.

Professional films use thumbnails to represent their film in a single image usually taken from the film. The title of the film is usually part of this thumnail. This thumbnail is my first attempt at finding a picture that represents the film. I decided that as a comedy, the thumbnail had to be comical. However I don't feel that this thumbnail represents much in terms of characters and storyline so I created a second thumbnail which I have used in the YouTube video and I will also use this second thumbnail as my the premise for my poster.

I used a shot from the wedding as I beleive it effectivly shows the story in one shot. It shows Callum looking sad and disappointed which shows how is character feels about the situation and points out the irony of the title (the word 'Happily' being right above his head). It also stands out as a wedding is not usually associated with disapointment. Poppy is looking happy because her character wanted the wedding and I (Benjy) am looking proud of myself because my character managed to get the two characters together, my character thinks he's helpful but makes things worse.

My Edit: The school scenes from Happily Ever After.

Bruce Partleton said that the fades inbetween the cuts are often unneccecery. The tracking shots are also a bit shakey. I suggested putting down wood but Bruce said it was to do with the bumps in the tracking joints.

My Edit: Media wedding sequence

Callum and I decided we would play on cliche and stereotypical imagery. As a result I (as location manager) picked a church with a high roof. This allowed me to do a long tilt downwards  to establish the location.

In the final piece i will use wedding bells as a sound-bridge between to two clips, this will establish the fact that this is a wedding. 

The piano piece is generally known as "Here Comes the Bride" or "Wedding March" and I used it to add the the cliche and stereotypical atmosphere of the film. Our film is intended on being a blockbuster Rom-com. A convention of blockbuster films is simple narrative. One thing that sets British blockbusters apart from American blockbusters is its use of subtlety in narrative and music. Aspects of my film will conform to British Blockbuster conventions but as an overall product it will conform to American Blockbuster conventions.

Meeting and interview with Age and Sons resturant about filming.

Before we filmed the resturant sequence we had a meeting with age and sons. In evaluation of this meeting, Callum and I should have been more prepared for questions about insurance. Also we should have planned out what we were going to say, so that we could have answered questions more coherently and concisely as we mumbled, went off topic and found it hard to get our points across.

My Edit: a shot of people at the wedding.

Inspired by Split Screen: A love story. I attempted to fill seats at the wedding with me and Callum to make it look like there were people watching the wedding. This was also going to be used because we didn't have enough actors and actresses. In evaluation, the attempt didn't look as good as I was hoping, mainly because the split lines are quite visable in places and also because I couldn't fill the seats that much because of litterally 'getting in my own way'. The shot also didn't work well in the whole film anyway.

Redraft Synopsis

Instead of the film opening with two characters (Benjy and Callum) discussing girls, the film now starts with a panning shot from the back of the classroom. This will give the impression of a full classroom. Callum admits to liking a girl in their class (Poppy) and Benjy makes it his mission to put them together. The next scene is the conference room (instead of the cinema). Benjy tells Callum he is going to train him how to get Poppy. Next there is a shot of a clock moving from 10:00am to 1:00pm and then a shot of a school bell ringing (as opposed to before which was a montage in the cinema) Benjy then says to Callum to say "how do you like your eggs? Fertalised" as a chat-up line. There is then a batman style "SLAP" title across the screen and it cuts to Callum rubbing a handprint on his face from where he had been slapped. Benjy then suggests a second chat up line which we don't hear him tell Callum. Benjy says "say..." then it immediatly cuts to Callum saying it. This chat-up line is equally cringeworthy and creppy and is "My friend and I bet you wouldn't take your shirt off in public". It cuts to Callum holding an ice pack between his legs. Benjy suggests a final chat-up line ("I put the STD in stud and all I need is U") and Callum decides against using it and instead aproaches the girl normally.

The girl agrees to go on a date with Callum and the date is seemingly going great until Callum goes to the bathroom. The door shuts revealing Benjy who tells Callum he has a plan. Callum tells Benjy to not do anything and that everything is going fine but Benjy ignores this and tells him to "wait until the bill arrives".

Callum spends the rest of the evening trying to avoid paying the bill by moving the subject away from the bill. When the bill finally arrives it is Benjy wearing a suit. He states that Callum asked him to ask her to marry him and pulls out a ring. Callum tries to explain he didn't say that but is interrupted by the girl saying yes. The scene quickly cuts to a wedding. Wedding bells can be heard before the fade to the new scene.

the guests at the wedding will be played by me and callum, cropped lots of times and pasted to make it look like the wedding is filled with guests.

credits begin to role up and it cuts back to the wedding where Benjy begins to say "when callum first asked me to be his best man" but is interrupted with callum shouting "I never asked you that!".

Feedback

S. I have clearly learnt what has inspired me from split-screen: A love story, which needs to be documented
I. I need to insure that the journey of my production is clearly visable and that includes my analysis, experimentation with music and the new idea for my film.
T. To re-draft the synopis and my storyboard and to document and upload all the processes. Look at the work of Einstein who is a russian film maker who is well known for montage editing in the 1920's. Man with a Movie camera.

Notes for the second draft of 'Happily Ever After'

Analysis of Splitscreen: A love Story

Analysis of Cinematography

The lighting is very cleverly used to come from the same angles in both sides of the screen. This shows the audience that the two sides of the screen are connected. Every camera angle is exactly the same on both sides, continuing to let the spectator see that the two sides of the film are a connected story. During the escalator sequence, the two sides are going in opostite directions. This implies that the two storys are traveling towards one another.

Analysis of Sound

The first sound we hear is an F major paino chord with the overlay of two seperate alarms. Immediatly the audience knows that we are hearing two seperate stories. The F major shows it is a happy story with a happy begining. The sound motif of the same F chord is used throughout the sequence alternating between A minor. A minor is the common key signature of classical french music which is cleverly used as half of the screen is set in france. Other than the initial alarm sounds (where you hear two) in all the other shots you can only hear one sound effect, for example, when you see the shower you can only hear one shower sound effect, same with the train and walking etc. This brings the two split screen visuals together. Two seprerate visuals but the same soundtrack helps strengthen the way the film presents that the two stories are connected.

Analysis of MISE-EN SCENE

The film starts with the words 'splitscreen: a love story' coming out from either side of a point right in the middle of the screen. This introduces the splitscreen motif. The next shot is curtains. The split being in the middle of the screen shows two seperate curtains which are opened simultaneously. This connects the two sides of the screen. Once the curtains are opened, the audience can clearly see that the two different sides of the screen are paris and new york.

feedback from Miss Stone

• Look at original music
• put all current blog work on the blog by Sunday
• make a closed question questionnaire of 10 questions. Distributed to at least 20 people in our target audience.
• Start putting music experimentation on the blog
• Look at what we want to change about out current film piece.

Happily Ever After - improved rough cut

Happily Ever After - Rough Draft

Location searching

Location searching

Location searching is a vital pre-production stage of filmaking and commercial photography. Once scriptwriters, producers or directors have decided what general kind of scenery they require for the various parts of their work that is shot outside of the studio, a search is begun for a suitable place or location outside the studio. Location searchers also look for generally spectacular or interesting locations beforehand, to have a database of locations in case of requests.

Location searchers often negotiate legal access to filming locations. Callum and I had a meeting with the manager of age and sons.

Location Requirements
 You have to consider many factors when finding a suitable location to film,

Overall Aesthetic

Financial cost to production

Logistic feasibility

Availability of parking, facilities, crew and talent

Availability of electrical power

Availability of natural light and artificial light and weather conditions

Permission from cooperations of the location owner and neighbors, local government and law enforcement

Shot List
Considering shots when considering locations is a vital part of location searching. Callum and I took a camera and tripod with us to out locations to check how filming might work. This allowed us to decide and alter our storyboard.
A shot is an uninterrupted sequence of frames taken by a video camera. In other words, this is the continuous film taken from when the camera has been turned on to when it has been turned off.

Actor List / Starting Positions I will need to choose the actors that i want in my film, once i have chosen i will need to create a script which will let my actors know what they have to do and when. It's easier for them as the actor knowing what's going on but also for me as the Director of the film.

Props and first day of filming

On Wednesday 20th June, Callum and I had our first session with Poppy May as our actress. The filming at school was very productive and all the required filming got done. The school scenes and the bathroom scenes were all filmed there. Looking over the footage we recorded, we have decided to re-record all the audio to put on as an overlay afterwards. We hope that this will allow our film to have a clearer sound quality.

At about 2:30pm, Callum and I arrived at Ramsgate where we looked at props for our Wedding Sequence. Poppy has told us that she has a white dress which she will wear on Wednesday 27th June (our next filming session). We bought a tiara from poundland along with Ballons, confetti and white sheets. We went into several shops to look at things people usually buy for weddings.

Meeting with Age and Sons

We had been speaking to Age and Sons via email and the owner had said that she couldn't see a problem with filming there but she wants to know more about what we would be doing. We went along for a meeting on the 21^st June 2012. We asked if the meeting could be recorded and she said it could be. The meeting recording will be uploaded to youtube soon. During the meeting we discussed the storyline of the film and the sort of shots we would be using. She encouraged us to look around the fine dining section of her restaurant. We had already been there taking photos while location searching but she had made a few changes. When we came back we told her where we'd like to film. She told us she had no issue with us filming but had some concern over the insurance..what if one of us got hurt?

She allowed us to use the uniform that the waiters use so that everything will look like a proper restaurant. She also told us how the bill would be given and presented. At the end of the meeting I gave her my card which she referred to as professional she also likened the project we are doing to the BBC Production of 'True Love' starring David Tennant. Though we are aware that we aren't professional film producers or anywhere near, it does show us that she treated us like adults and gave us a better insight to what a meeting would be like in the media industry.

In evaluation Callum and I got huge insight into the complications of filming. If we are to have future meetings about filming somewhere, we will go prepared to answer any questions about liability. As it turns out, we are covered by their insurance as we count as the public and they are insured if the public injure themselves inside the restaurant. We thanked her for her time and we very pleased with the meeting. We will send over a small box of chocolates to thank her for giving up her free time for us.

Fonts for 'Happily Ever After'

Something I noticed about the titles of these proffesional and extremely successful films is that all the words are in capital letters. This isn't the sort of look I want for my film but it was interesting to look at how exsisting films create a romantic title. The look I am going for resembles pride and predjudice the most but I'm going to look at fonts rather than exsiting films to create an idea of what I want.

working title - Happily Ever After

At the moment, Callum and I are giving our film the working title 'Happily Ever After' because it appropriatly matches the narrative of the short film as well as being ironic as Callum's character is not happy with the result of his pursuit of the girl. For this title I will be experimenting with script fonts and calligraphy which matches a film beloning to the romantic genre.

Reply from the restaurant that I emailed to request permission to film.

Time Management.

This is how I so far and plan to manage my productivity in June.

Deadlines:

Miss Stone wants in two weeks time:

.At least 1 minute of footage
.A sound track which i have created by myself or in garageband
.At least two inspirations of other real existing short films.

Similar exsisting videos.

This video was made by the youtube partners 'Britanick'. It makes a similar joke to the one we are planning on making although our ending result and punchline is different. These youtubers make other shot films similar to the style of film we are trying to create.
They made a 15 minute film entitled "eagles are turning people into horses" which follows the same cinematographic style as well as simmilar editing to what Callum and I are trying to create.

Emailing a restaurant to request permission to film

Second Idea -Script

First we see two guys sitting at a desk in a classroom writing. The sounds of a teacher talking can be heard. Callum looks up and stares off to the right. Cuts to a girl working hard. Cuts back to the two guys. Benjy speaks.

Benjy: You like her don't you.
Callum: Yeah.
Benjy: Are you gonna talk to her?
Callum: maybe. I don't know how I would though..
Benjy: what you need (looks at camera) is a plan (winks)

Dark room. Just Benjy, Callum and a white board can be seen. The rest is black.

Benjy: Ok. This is our plan. First...(montage)

Callum: (stands up) Let's do this.

Benjy rubbing callums shoulders

Benjy: Do you feel ready?
Callum: (nods)
Benjy: remember you ask 'How do you like your eggs?' Then you say 'Fertilised'
Callum: Hey would you like some fertilised eggs?

cuts to callum rubbing his face with a slap mark on it.

Benjy: ok...plan B

Cuts to callum
callum: my friend and I bet you wouldn't take off your shirt in public.

Cuts back to Benjy and Callum

Benjy: well at least you didn't get slapped.

Callum: (lifts up a bag of ice) not there!
Benjy: oh OH!!!!
Callum: fuck this
Benjy: ok. This one is bound to work! (hands callum a piece of paper with 'I put the STD in Stud and all I need is U' on it)
Callum: No. No way in hell! Im just gonna talk to her!

Callum approaches the girl

Callum: Hi. I'm sorry for being weird. Do you maybe want to go out with me sometime?

Girl: yeah, I'd like that.

In the restaurant

Callum: see this is nice. We're having a great time. No crazy schemes.

Girl: Yeah I'm having a lovely evening.
Callum: I'm glad to hear it. I just have to use the bathroom.

Cuts to Callum washing his hands. As he looks up Benjy is seen in the mirror.

Benjy: Callum!

Callum: (panicked) WHAT ARE YOU DOING!? GET OUT!
Benjy: I have a plan!
Callum: no! It's going great! Don't do anything!
Benjy: Trust me! Just wait until the bill arrives!
Callum: No! Benj... (benjy is gone)..benjy!?
Girl: that was an amazing meal. We should probably get the bill.
Callum: NO! I mean... theres so much I still don't know about you. What's your favourite colour?
Girl: haha what? CHEQUE PLEASE!

Benjy arrives.

Benjy: Callum asked me to read this

Callum: no I didn't!
Benjy: this past three our date has been incredible. Would you do me the honour of marrying me -signed Callum
Callum: That's not my signature! I never asked....
Girl: YES!

Callum:...what?

Cuts to wedding. Callum looks scared. Benjy looks pleased.
Benjy: When Callum first asked me to be his best ma...

Callum: I NEVER ASKED YOU THAT!

Second Idea - synopsis

The film opens with two characters (Benjy and Callum) discussing girls. Callum admits to liking a girl in their class and Benjy makes it his mission to put them together. Benjy tells Callum (after a dramatic film sequence replicating a 'battle-plan montage') to say "how do you like your eggs? Fertalised" as a chat-up line. Callum returns having been slapped.Benjy then suggests a second chat up line which we don't hear him tell Callum. Benjy says "say..." then it immediatly cuts to Callum saying it. This chat-up line is equally cringeworthy and creppy and is "My friend and I bet you wouldn't take your shirt off in public". callum gets slapped once again. Benjy suggests a final chat-up line ("I put the STD in stud and all I need is U") and Callum decides against using it and instead aproaches the girl normally.

The girl agrees to go on a date with Callum and the date is seemingly going great until Callum goes to the bathroom. The door shuts revealing Benjy who tells Callum he has a plan. Callum tells Benjy to not do anything and that everything is going fine but Benjy ignores this and tells him to "wait until the bill arrives".

Callum spends the rest of the evening trying to avoid paying the bill by moving the subject away from the bill. When the bill finally arrives it is Benjy wearing a suit. He states that Callum asked him to ask her to marry him. Callum tries to explain he didn't say that but is interrupted by the girl saying yes. The scene quickly cuts to a wedding where Callum looks panicked and Benjy looks pleased with himself.

credits begin to role up and it cuts back to the wedding where Benjy begins to say "when callum first asked me to be his best man" but is interrupted with callum shouting "I never asked you that!".

iCan - context edit

This is the context edit for the iCan idea. We would have made the screen circular and we would have animated the can a bit more but we decided this wasn't enough to push us and started working on new ideas. This was edited and filmed by Callum.

Initial Ideas

Due to the success and productivity of working with Callum Hurley (www.remasteredmedia.blogspot.com) last year for my AS level media studies, I have decided to once again work with Callum. Last year, Callum and I both supplied our own edits and versions of our final piece, the result of this was we did twice the amount of work in terms of experiemental edits. Unfortuantly for me, Callum's edit scored a higher mark than mine, in order to avoid a repeat this year, we are both going to edit our own versions but select one (the one our teachers deem the best) and use that as our final.

We both want to step outside our comfort zone and try something completely different to what we have done before. In order for us to push ourselves we decided on a genre that we haven't previously explored. Comedy. We hope Comedy to be a genre that most other people in our class won't be doing.

Our first idea for the comedy was an apple styled advert for a made up product called the 'iCan' which was based on two cans connected by a piece of string. We made a context edit for this but then decided it wasn't difficult enough and wasn't going to push us. We showed the context edit to Mr Cunningham who said we should continue with it as a side project but not use it for the actual A-Level.

Our Second idea and the one we are currently exploring is a short film based on one friend helping the other friend get a girl to go on a date with him.