Monday, 24 April 2017
Weekly reflection 24/04
This week I intend to start production and film my first edits of my film (I will obviously allow time to do reshoots. So far I will book the green room for tomorrow to film some of the giant scenes with Tobie: film two layers separately - the hand, with Tobie running separately, and combine these later using effects. I am anticipating this to take around two hours.
I have developed the script to near completion (see below) however I will amend it by centering the speech as in a true film script, having researched an example from the internet. The reason the speech is centred is to make it easier for the actors to know their lines.
I have developed the script to near completion (see below) however I will amend it by centering the speech as in a true film script, having researched an example from the internet. The reason the speech is centred is to make it easier for the actors to know their lines.
FMP SCRIPT FOR FILM (Revised):
INT. GREEN SCREEN ROOM - DAY
DIRECTOR
Toby, we’re going to start shooting in the
next five minutes. Before we start the scene,
we need two cups of tea on the set please!
TOBY
OK, coming right up!
Toby walks out of the door. END SCENE.
INT. CORRIDOR JUST OUTSIDE KITCHEN - DAY
Toby walking down corridor towards camera, trips, falls into kitchen and lands off screen.
Toby on floor, sits up, rubbing head. Stands up and walks further into the kitchen. Reaches up to cupboard, opens cupboard door, no boxes of tea there. Walks out door.
EXT. OUTSIDE OFFICE BUILDING - DAY
Toby walking, looks around puzzled, hears stomping, looks side to side then up, looks surprised.
Starts running, looking back.
EXT. ROYAL CRESCENT - DAY
Toby runs through the gate of the Royal Crescent, still running and looking behind him.
In the distance, Toby runs across screen, followed by a giant’s lower legs and shoes. Toby continues running. See a giant’s hand coming through the sky, picks him up, fades to black screen.
INT. GIANT’S BOOKSHELF - DAY
Toby wakes up on a giant bookshelf and stands up and sees a giant box of tea bags. Toby walks to the giant box of tea bags, then pushes box off shelf. Toby loses balance and falls off shelf.
INT. CORRIDOR JUST OUTSIDE KITCHEN - DAY
Box of normal size tea bags falls on floor next to Toby’s head (his eyes are closed). Toby wakes up in same position he was in when he tripped. Stands up, rubs head, looks at tea bags and looks confused. Takes box further into the kitchen, looks in box, cuts to black screen.
THE END
----------------------------------
My plan for tomorrow is to aim to complete my film from start to finish. The first scene will be filmed in the green screen room with the director and actor. The camera will be filming the hand up close from one angle as it moves to pick up the yet to be filmed actor. I will take into account the scale of the actor and the giant by measuring the distance of camera to subject and adjust when later filming in the Royal Crescent.
I will develop more to my storyboard as it is useful to see if each shot fits together well and I will be doing this on Monday.
In my research over the last fortnight I found the information on scale models an interesting aspect because it showed me how you can create an illusion in filming. I also discovered with scale how camera angles impact the illusion of perspective - in my case of a giant walking across a screen, filmed low down at ground level. However, once I filmed the scene I realise I may need to do some more recce's to find a place where the pavement is lower than the grass so that the camera is more level with the feet of the giant. I intend to use camera angles that are at ground level but slightly tilted up that will help show a perspective to show the giant appearing bigger than what they are.
Saturday, 22 April 2017
FMP Research on using forced perspective in film
Research: Film scenes that use forced perspective
1. Hagrid from Harry Potter
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9GwIeh5FIY
- Low camera angles, looking up
- Harry is filmed looking up, Hagrid is filmed looking down
- Big shoe shot: filmed very close to the camera to create the illusion that Hagrid is very tall.
How can I use this research to produce my film?
- I can film the shoes from very close to the camera, the camera will be tilted slightly, looking up.
- The character in the background in my scene will be filmed looking up into the sky, from where the giant's hand will come.
2. Dinner scene, The Hobbit: The Unexpected Journey
- CGI was used to create the illusion of perspective.
- I believe they used this technique because they were filming the film in 3D. I think forced perspective works a lot better than CGI because you can tell that it is CGI and doesn't give it the same effect.
How can I use this research to produce my film?
Within my film I will use a bit of both: green screen and forced perspective. I will use the green screen for when Toby is on the giant's bookshelf and when the giant picks Toby up with his hand. I will use forced perspective when the giant is chasing Toby and you see the giant's shoes.
Research: information sources that have shown me how to create forced perspective
1.
- The video above was helpful to see how make forced perspective believable and it gives technical aspects and easy tips on how to do it with a low budget.
- In this film, they had the model car on a table painted with the same surface as the road. The model used was a scaled model of a real car. The used the same scale to measure how far away the model car and table should be from the actual road.
How can I use this research to produce my film?
- To film my film, it's not so important the size of the giant in relation to Toby, so I will not go into the technical details of measuring.
- Another thing I learned from this video is I can incorporate some after effects in my film, too, maybe dust when the giant stomps.
2.
I watched this video to determine if forced perspective was a practical technique to use in my film. I think that forced perspective requires a lot of planning and thought. I will experiment with different forced perspective techniques. This will help me decide if this is an appropriate technique to use within my film
Techniques used to create forced perspective in this film: rotating table, big props and small props. It was a very complex scene with many techniques and lots of things fall in place to make it work.
How can I use this research to produce my film?
I can't use these techniques in my film because we don't have the resources available to do this. But I like the final effect of the forced perspective so will try to replicate on a level that is achievable with the resources available at college.
Conclusion from this research.
For the giant scene of my FMP i intend to film using two different techniques , such as forced prospective and green screen .
Green screen ... I will film the giant separately using the green screen and then super impose the footage on top of the character running in the background which will be filmed in the Royal Crescent. The advantages of using green screen are that making the actions match up more accurately and gives prospective more realism. A problem with green screen is that because you film each layer separately the lighting will become inconsistent . this is because natural light will look different to artificial light .
Forced prospective is more difficult to film and requires more setting up . it requires the actions between the actor and the foreground to be in perfect unison . Focus is the difficult thing with forced prospective , keeping the area between the actors in the foreground and the actor in the back ground clear and in focus .
1. Hagrid from Harry Potter
- Low camera angles, looking up
- Harry is filmed looking up, Hagrid is filmed looking down
- Big shoe shot: filmed very close to the camera to create the illusion that Hagrid is very tall.
How can I use this research to produce my film?
- I can film the shoes from very close to the camera, the camera will be tilted slightly, looking up.
- The character in the background in my scene will be filmed looking up into the sky, from where the giant's hand will come.
2. Dinner scene, The Hobbit: The Unexpected Journey
- CGI was used to create the illusion of perspective.
- I believe they used this technique because they were filming the film in 3D. I think forced perspective works a lot better than CGI because you can tell that it is CGI and doesn't give it the same effect.
How can I use this research to produce my film?
Within my film I will use a bit of both: green screen and forced perspective. I will use the green screen for when Toby is on the giant's bookshelf and when the giant picks Toby up with his hand. I will use forced perspective when the giant is chasing Toby and you see the giant's shoes.
Research: information sources that have shown me how to create forced perspective
1.
- In this film, they had the model car on a table painted with the same surface as the road. The model used was a scaled model of a real car. The used the same scale to measure how far away the model car and table should be from the actual road.
How can I use this research to produce my film?
- To film my film, it's not so important the size of the giant in relation to Toby, so I will not go into the technical details of measuring.
- Another thing I learned from this video is I can incorporate some after effects in my film, too, maybe dust when the giant stomps.
2.
I watched this video to determine if forced perspective was a practical technique to use in my film. I think that forced perspective requires a lot of planning and thought. I will experiment with different forced perspective techniques. This will help me decide if this is an appropriate technique to use within my film
Techniques used to create forced perspective in this film: rotating table, big props and small props. It was a very complex scene with many techniques and lots of things fall in place to make it work.
How can I use this research to produce my film?
I can't use these techniques in my film because we don't have the resources available to do this. But I like the final effect of the forced perspective so will try to replicate on a level that is achievable with the resources available at college.
Conclusion from this research.
For the giant scene of my FMP i intend to film using two different techniques , such as forced prospective and green screen .
Green screen ... I will film the giant separately using the green screen and then super impose the footage on top of the character running in the background which will be filmed in the Royal Crescent. The advantages of using green screen are that making the actions match up more accurately and gives prospective more realism. A problem with green screen is that because you film each layer separately the lighting will become inconsistent . this is because natural light will look different to artificial light .
Forced prospective is more difficult to film and requires more setting up . it requires the actions between the actor and the foreground to be in perfect unison . Focus is the difficult thing with forced prospective , keeping the area between the actors in the foreground and the actor in the back ground clear and in focus .
FMP SCRIPT FOR FILM
INT. GREEN SCREEN ROOM - DAY
DIRECTOR
Toby, we’re going to start shooting in the
next five minutes. Before we start the scene,
we need two cups of tea on the set please!
TOBY
OK, coming right up!
Toby walks out of the door. END SCENE.
INT. CORRIDOR JUST OUTSIDE KITCHEN - DAY
Toby walking down corridor towards camera, trips, falls into kitchen and lands off screen.
Toby on floor, sits up, rubbing head. Stands up and walks further into the kitchen. Reaches up to cupboard, opens cupboard door, no boxes of tea there. Walks out door.
EXT. OUTSIDE OFFICE BUILDING - DAY
Toby walking, looks around puzzled, hears stomping, looks side to side then up, looks surprised.
Starts running, looking back.
EXT. ROYAL CRESCENT - DAY
Toby runs through the gate of the Royal Crescent, still running and looking behind him.
In the distance, Toby runs across screen, followed by a giant’s lower legs and shoes. Toby continues running. See a giant’s hand coming through the sky, picks him up, fades to black screen.
INT. GIANT’S BOOKSHELF - DAY
Toby wakes up on a giant bookshelf and stands up and sees a giant box of tea bags. Toby walks to the giant box of tea bags, then pushes box off shelf. Toby loses balance and falls off shelf.
INT. CORRIDOR JUST OUTSIDE KITCHEN - DAY
Box of normal size tea bags falls on floor next to Toby’s head (his eyes are closed). Toby wakes up in same position he was in when he tripped. Stands up, rubs head, looks at tea bags and looks confused. Takes box further into the kitchen, looks in box, cuts to black screen.
THE END
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Giant put Toby in teacup, drops teabag in and pours in hot water
--------------------------------------------------------------------
INT. WITHIN GREEN SCREEN ROOM - DAY
DIRECTOR (narrated)
Toby, we’re going to start shooting in the
next five minutes. Before we start the scene,
we need two cups of tea on the set please!
TOBY
OK, coming right up!
Toby walks out of the door. END SCENE.
INT. CORRIDOR JUST OUTSIDE KITCHEN - DAY
Toby walking down corridor towards camera, trips, falls into kitchen and lands off screen.
Toby on floor, sits up, rubbing head. Stands up and walks further into the kitchen. Reaches up to cupboard, opens cupboard door, no boxes of tea there.
Walks out door.
(VOICEOVER, Toby thinking out loud)
I dunno, here I am stuck in this job for 5 years....all they basically ask me to do ...to make teas and coffees all day...pay me next to nothing. And they never buy any teabags!
Walks out door.
EXT. OUTSIDE OFFICE BUILDING - DAY
Toby walking, looks around puzzled, hears stomping, looks side to side then up, looks surprised.
Toby
Oh S&£@$!
Starts running, looking back.
EXT. ROYAL CRESCENT - DAY
Toby runs through the gate of the Royal Crescent, still running and looking behind him.
In the distance, Toby runs across screen, followed by a giant’s lower legs and shoes. Toby continues running. See a giant’s hand coming through the sky, picks him up, fades to black screen.
INT. GIANT’S KITCHEN - DAY
Giant put Toby in teacup, drops teabag in and pours in hot water
Toby
Help me, help me! I'm down here...where have you taken me? Aaaaaaa!
INT. CORRIDOR JUST OUTSIDE KITCHEN - DAY
Box of normal size tea bags falls on floor next to Toby’s head (his eyes are closed). Toby wakes up in same position he was in when he tripped. Stands up, rubs head, looks at tea bags and looks confused. Takes box further into the kitchen, looks in box, cuts to black screen.
THE END
Thursday, 6 April 2017
In Camera Research
http://www.canonoutsideofauto.ca/learn/
The link above refreshed my memory with camera settings, exposure etc. . I have done photography in the past, but that was many years ago and I needed to refresh my memory about the settings because I've chosen this project to challenge my film making skills. Because in previous projects I've focussed on after effects and post production techniques and in this project I've chosen to use in camera techniques primarily. In my test footage, the sun was too bright and this made the screen very hard to see causing me great difficulty to focus the shot. I also needed to adjust the ISO because it was too high making the sky too bright. I also put the setting on AV (Aperture Priority), which meant that the shutter speed was controlled automatically. Instead I need to use manual settings to get everything in focus for the two main characters.
The smaller the f number, the shallower the depth of field. I'll need to take this into account with my film. This will help because I will be controlling the depth of field which will keep the runner and giant both sharp and in focus.
ISO the higher number the brighter it gets
Shutter Speed and Aperture, the higher the number the darker it gets
Forced perspective - how to create it
I learnt from this video that with forced perspective you have to have (in this case) the items that are smaller in the foreground and the bigger items in the background with a gap in the middle and the shadows cannot cross the line.
This photoshoot was to experiment with forced perspective whilst two characters were sitting at a table. For the most part it was a learning curve. The cardboard was slightly warped and didn't show the illusion I wanted and the table was too short to continue this illusion. I forgot to change the camera settings to the appropriate modes and the ISO, shutter speed, aperture and the focus were all out and not tuned correctly,
The link above refreshed my memory with camera settings, exposure etc. . I have done photography in the past, but that was many years ago and I needed to refresh my memory about the settings because I've chosen this project to challenge my film making skills. Because in previous projects I've focussed on after effects and post production techniques and in this project I've chosen to use in camera techniques primarily. In my test footage, the sun was too bright and this made the screen very hard to see causing me great difficulty to focus the shot. I also needed to adjust the ISO because it was too high making the sky too bright. I also put the setting on AV (Aperture Priority), which meant that the shutter speed was controlled automatically. Instead I need to use manual settings to get everything in focus for the two main characters.
The smaller the f number, the shallower the depth of field. I'll need to take this into account with my film. This will help because I will be controlling the depth of field which will keep the runner and giant both sharp and in focus.
ISO the higher number the brighter it gets
Shutter Speed and Aperture, the higher the number the darker it gets
I learnt from this video that with forced perspective you have to have (in this case) the items that are smaller in the foreground and the bigger items in the background with a gap in the middle and the shadows cannot cross the line.
Research
Forced Perspective - 17 Examples
This was quite inspirational because it had a range of different pictures, a few of which I will incorporate in my film and are the style that I'm going for. Below are examples of images from the website.
On the right is similar to the scene in my film where the giants hand picks up the runner. This shot excludes the foreground to exaggerate the perspective.
This image on the left is quite similar to the scene where the runner is getting chased and you only see the feet. In my film this will be similar to the way that it is shot because the camera is on the floor giving the illusion that the foreground is bigger than the background.
This was quite inspirational because it had a range of different pictures, a few of which I will incorporate in my film and are the style that I'm going for. Below are examples of images from the website.
On the right is similar to the scene in my film where the giants hand picks up the runner. This shot excludes the foreground to exaggerate the perspective.
Proposed Research
Proposed Research
I intend to research in several different ways such as:
I intend to research in several different ways such as:
- I need to research the forced perspective and different forced perspective, to make the giant scene the best it can look by using perspective.
- I will watch scenes of old films that involve giants to analyse the techniques that they use. I will make notes and analyse.
- I also intend to do several recce's to find a location that has a flat surface preferably grass with a lowered area where I can position the tripod. If none of this works I will result to green screen for the whole scene.
- I might do an interview with Toby who was a runner for five years, to find out the mechanism by which tasks are allocated to runners.
- I intend to record test footage which will explore forced perspective and will narrow down techniques and different ways of filming the scene.
Monday, 3 April 2017
Presentation feedback
Presentation feedback
when i presented my idea in the presentation , the majority of the feedback was that my idea was to ambitious . It included three scene styles, which were shadow puppets , prospective and noir with a runner as the centre of the story .
The puppets would have been too time consuming to make . And i do not have experience in making puppets so would have to experiment .
The feedback on the noir scene was that it did not fit with the story , too jarring .
The main point was that i was trying to include too much in my short film .
The one with best potential would be the prospective scene as it would fit with the story idea .
I feel that doing three different scenes with various styles would mean that i would not be able to focus on getting my film as polished as i could , possible spreading myself too thin .
when i presented my idea in the presentation , the majority of the feedback was that my idea was to ambitious . It included three scene styles, which were shadow puppets , prospective and noir with a runner as the centre of the story .
The puppets would have been too time consuming to make . And i do not have experience in making puppets so would have to experiment .
The feedback on the noir scene was that it did not fit with the story , too jarring .
The main point was that i was trying to include too much in my short film .
The one with best potential would be the prospective scene as it would fit with the story idea .
I feel that doing three different scenes with various styles would mean that i would not be able to focus on getting my film as polished as i could , possible spreading myself too thin .
advantages between green screen and forced prospective .
For the giant scene of my FMP i intend to film using two different techniques , such as forced prospective and green screen .
Green screen ... I will film the giant separately using the green screen and then super impose the footage on top of the character running in the background which will be filmed in the Royal Crescent. The advantages of using green screen are that making the actions match up more accurately and gives prospective more realism. A problem with green screen is that because you film each layer separately the lighting will become inconsistent . this is because natural light will look different to artificial light .
Forced prospective is more difficult to film and requires more setting up . it requires the actions between the actor and the foreground to be in perfect unison . Focus is the difficult thing with forced prospective , keeping the area between the actors in the foreground and the actor in the back ground clear and in focus .
Green screen ... I will film the giant separately using the green screen and then super impose the footage on top of the character running in the background which will be filmed in the Royal Crescent. The advantages of using green screen are that making the actions match up more accurately and gives prospective more realism. A problem with green screen is that because you film each layer separately the lighting will become inconsistent . this is because natural light will look different to artificial light .
Forced prospective is more difficult to film and requires more setting up . it requires the actions between the actor and the foreground to be in perfect unison . Focus is the difficult thing with forced prospective , keeping the area between the actors in the foreground and the actor in the back ground clear and in focus .
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