Final Draft Complete

I have completed the final draft of my film and acted on the audience feedback to create a better product. I replaced the missing shots replacement shots. For the spoken one have mixed shots of the bed with no one sat on it with shots of the male character sat on the bed to create a sort of stop start animation as the line is being said. For the second shot I have replaced it with a shot of the female charater rubbing her stomach which is used later in the film. I have also coloured the entire conversation in a blue newsprint filter to emphasise the fact that it is a dream sequence. This post will be updated later today when I upload my film to YouTube at home.


Here it is:

Audience Feedback

Once I had completed editing I created a questionaire to get feedback from my target audience. I then proceeded to show it to the rest of my class and collected their response. The results are detailed below.

First Draft Complete

I managed to film the entire thing over the course of three hours on Thursday 8 March. I then porceeded to edit the film together and completed the first draft within the space of a week. There were some problems with the editing as I had somehow forgotten to shoot a couple of lines. I solved this by removing a couple of lines which surrounded the first missing shot so that the film still made sense. For the other two I filmed extreme close ups which seemed to work as part of the film. Apart from these glitches everything else went really well and it worked as a short film.

Soundtrack

Over the weekend I had a think about what music I wanted to use and this is what I have decided on.

For the opening sequence I have decided to use the first verse of A Delicate Balance by Paul Thompson who is a friend of mine and allowed me to use it. I think that it suits the sequence because it describes a girl which in turn introduces the character to the audience and gives them some background.

For the rest of the film I have decided to use My Touch by Toro Y Moi from a demo he sent to labels which very few people have and therefore is not copyrighted material. I think that it suits the film as it fits the mood of the conversation and contains the following lyrics:

I'll stop talking to myself.

Doesn't matter if that helps.

It's a difference when I'm there in front of you.

Bellies must dance just in case,

I would fall into my place.

It's a difference when I'm there in front of you.

So you push me with your hands to wake me up.

So you push me with your hands to wake me up.

So you push me with your hands to wait for you.

Doo, doo, doo, doo.

I'll stop talking to myself.

Doesn't matter if that helps.

It's a difference when I'm there in front of you.

Bellies must dance just in case,

I would fall into my place.

So you push me with your hands to wait for you

I think these lyrics portray perfectly what the film is about showing that the film is in fact a dream sequence as the song represents in it's lyrics.

Finally Filming Today!!!

Today I am finally going to shoot my film after being ready for over a week but unable to cast actors. The shoot should be complete after this evenings filming session. I will begin editing on Friday morning and hopefully have a rough version without a soundtrack done by the end of the day. I will then be able to take that version home so I can begin work on the soundtrack over the weekend.

Actor Update

Unfortunately Patrick has had to drop out and it will be hard to find someone at such short notice to play Scott so I may have to end up playing him myself. It's a good job I'm not marked on acting ability because I am not that good of an actor.

Actors, Location and Schedule Update 2

I have now cast Patrick McCallion as Scott.

I am using Sam Kay's house for filming which will take place tomorrow as that is when his house will be free.

Filming will take place tomorrow afternoon after school and should last between an hour and an hour and a half depending how long it takes to get shots right.

Final Script

This is the final version of the script with adjustments made for the location which is being used.

Actors, Location and Schedule Update

I have finally found people who is can be in my film. I have cast Steph Smith as Jamie and will hopefully be casting Patrick McCallion as Scott tomorrow when I speak to him but I am certain he will be able to do it.

I am asking Sam Kay if I can use his house for filming when I see him tomorrow. It is an ideal location as it is near school and therefore easily accessible by the cast members and myself.

Filming will take place either on Thursdays lesson if Patrick is free or after school one day. It all depends on when he is free really as Steph and I are both Film Studies students so our lessons fall at the same time as we are in the same class making scheduling with her easier.

Soundtrack Possibilities

I could produce the soundtrack in a similar way to how WZRD (an alternative rock duo) produced the tracks on their recently released self-titled debut album. KiD CuDi is on lead vocals, guitars and drums with Dot Da Genius on drums, bass guitar, keyboards, piano and percussion mainly in production software. I know a few people who play guitar and I can produce so this would be possible and it would stick more closely to genre conventions. I don't think I need vocals on the soundtrack as it is quite a short film and I feel vocals would disrupt it.

I could also produce the soundtrack in a similar way to how Toro Y Moi  produced the tracks on his debut album Causers of This. He used production software to produce these tracks using drums, synths and piano etc. As I said in a previous post I know the basics in FL Studio its just a case of learning some of the more advanced stuff.

Location and Actor Problem

The location I have chosen is too far away for anyone at school to act in my film so I need to find a location closer to school so I can film it in frees/after school or during Film Studies lessons. One possibility is my friend Sam's house as it is only a 5-10 minute walk from school.

Another problem I have is that Sammy is unavailable to film at weekends and is busy during the week with three coursework deadlines coming up so it is now unrealistic to have her in my film. I now need to find another female actor who isn't too tied up with etc. which is going to be hard to find as deadlines are coming up in all subjects so most people will be busy trying to meet these deadlines. To be honest I think we have started working on this too late as if we had started earlier in the year coursework deadlines would have been less of a problem and people would have been available to be in my film.

Hopefully I will have found an actor over the weekend so I can start filming next week and begin editing the week after which will leave me a couple of weeks to do my evaluation.

Soundtrack

After researching the soundtrack of films in the genre my film falls into I have noticed they all have indie soundtracks so I will have to find copyright free indie tracks which may prove difficult or I could make my own in FL Studio which I have on my home computer. My soundtrack will probably fall into some sort of experimental indie as I am not using guitar (as I can't play it) which is a vital component of indie music instead opting for synths etc. as replacements.

I will be able to begin work on the soundtrack quite soon but I can't see it going anywhere until I have filmed it so I can match the soundtrack to the visuals. But I think I will start working on it over the next couple of days to get used to the software as I am quite new to it. I know the basics so it's just a matter of learning some of the more advanced stuff.

Storyboard

I have completed drawing out my storyboard and I will upload them later today as well as more info about them. In the process of drawing them up I have noticed I have placed a lot of similar shots which will obviously change during production. The timing of the shots is also questionable as it is hard to visualise how long it will take for things to happen so these will also change in production. I will update this post with pictures of the storyborad when I have time.

Casting and Location

I have cast Sammy Wright as JAMIE as I have worked with her before and I think that she is suited to the role. I have cast myself as SCOTT as I can't find anyone else to play him so I'm going to have to make do with myself as SCOTT.

I still have to find a location to shoot this as I was unable to acquire an apartment for a day. I have made an alternate version of the script so it will work in a house it's just a matter of finding somewhere to film it as I don't really want top film it at my house.

Newer Version of the Script

I have decided to change the characters names to JAMIE and SCOTT. I have also added an alternate beginning at the end of the script.

Her Secrets Script (Clean)

Here is the clean version of my script.

Her Secrets Script (Explicit)

Here is the explicit version of my script.

Splitting Up The Characters

I was thinking that there would need to be something to split the two characters within the course of the conversation to represent that he isn't really there, but I don't think that will be necessary because this is all happening in her mind so surely she wouldn't have something that splits them or maybe she will to remind her it's not real.

If there was anything to split them at all it would be the bed and they would have to sat/stood on either side which would split them up so they never touch and therefore reminds her it isn't real.

Knocked Up ‘I’m Pregnant’ Scene Script

This is the script for the 'I'm Pregnant' scene from Knocked Up which I primarily want to base the conversation in my film on.

Knocked Up 'I'm Pregnant' Scene

This is the scene in Knocked Up where Alison reveals to Ben that she is pregnant with his baby which was used as a trailer for the film. I have the film at home but the full version of this scene is not available online so this will have to do for posting purposes. This scene is done in a comedic way so I don't know how relevant this will be to my film as I am currently unsure whether I want it to be a comedy. 

If it was a comedy I think it would be hard to pull off as my actors would need to be able to act that way. I am also unsure whether my film will work as a comedy but I guess it could do considering the main part of the film is the conversation so that would determine it's genre and therefore make it work in that genre. Also I am wondering whether this would work set in a bedroom as opposed to a restaurant, I mean I think it probably will as the conversation is transferable.

As you can tell this isn't the full conversation as it has been cut down for the trailer so I think the conversation lasts about one and a half to two minutes if I am remembering correctly, I'll to watch this scene later and find out.

I will post a full analysis of the scene when I have watched it enough times as well as posting the actual length and a copy of this part of the script.

For my short film the opening sequence will be about forty seconds to a minute and the closing sequence will be about forty seconds to a minute also. As well as the conversation being about one and a half to two minutes. This will mean the full film will be about three and a half to four minutes long all together which is within the three to five minute brief for the film. 

Quick Idea for Conversation

She tells him she is pregnant and they have a conversation about protection/what's going to happen now. The conversation will be the kind of conversation she would want to have with the childs father if she had the guts to tell him that she's pregnant. Maybe the closing shot of the film could be her looking at her stomach and rubbing it with her hand. She would then look at her phone hesitating whether to call him, leaving the film on a cliff hanger.

Look at the conversation in Knocked Up where Alison Scott (Kathrine Heigl) tells the Ben Stone (Seth Rogen) she is pregnant. Also look at other films by Judd Apatow as many are to do with relationships and similar themes.

Another film I could look at is Juno as that follows a similar idea again. As it follows a unexpected pregnancy and they talk about what has happened etc.   

Inspiration for Opening 30 secs.

This is the inspiration for the opening 30 seconds of the film and I would like to follow this kind of concept for my film but obviously change some of the features including mise en scene etc.

First Idea

Woman wakes up after a night out and walks from the bedroom to the kitchen / living room, we see that there is a mess from the night before (a party?) she walks over to the table where there are photos scattered across it and looks through them. She walks back to her bedroom to find a man who wasn’t there before; we see slight bruising on the side of her face as a small portion of her face is out of shadow. They have a conversation about what happened and why he is there. Near end of conversation she goes into the bathroom and we can see them both in the mirror then she washes her face looks up and he is no longer in the mirror. Walks out of the bathroom and sits on the bed confused and depressed. THE END.

Name Ideas

Ask Her

Gone


Closer to the Edge


Addiction


Illusion

Another Life

Leave Me Alone

Just Another Morning

Obsession


Falling Clouds


Sleep!

Her Secrets

Summary

Out of all these name ideas we have chosen to use the name Her Secrets because it directly relates to what we are trying to show. We considered Illusions but we felt that it would have given the film away too much to the spectator. Although this is our first idea we think this will be best to do but other ideas will be considered before making a final decision.

Aims

·         Drama/Comedy/Coming of Age short film inspired by Judd Apatow.

·         Target audience of 15 – 20 year olds who have some knowledge of film.

·         Apply cinematography techniques developed at AS and early A2.

·         Explore conventions of genre and apply features from studies.

·         Apply theories of postmodern studied in FM4.

·         Use micro features to create a sense of unreality.