Post 7 What's in the news?

Whats In The News

This is a story I found in the news at the moment. It is a bout a family deciding weather to bury there relativise in England or Nigeria as they were Nigerian born but lived in England for the most of there lives. 

I thing this would make a very interesting short film as you could start the film with the deceased as a child when they lived in Nigeria. Next you could almost change the mood of the short film and instead of filming a standard story you could film it as a montage showing all the important parts of there life as they grow up. For example you could show them traveling to England, struggling in an English school on there first day there or even them trying to get there first job. 

Sticking with the montage idea I believe that you could show the gurney the young Nigerian boy, or girl had to take to get to England and all the perils they ad to face long the way. Next you could cut to the family with the asses of the deceased and then show there gurney back tho Nigeria and reenforce how much easier it is to travel there now. Not only would they be traveling back to Nigeria they would also take the same roads, transport and way there deceased relative did.

With this story you could have a young girl who has set up her first social media account.

You could start the short film with the girl starting high school, meeting new people, making friends and exploring the school. In her first form time some of her new friends could be taking about instagram, facebook, snapchat and other social media apps. The young girl could be asked what her account is called and the explain to the other kids that her parents won't let her get an account. The kids could then start making fun of the girl.

In the next scene it could cut to the girl at home arguing with her mum about seeing up social a social media account saying that all her friends have one and she doesn't. The young girl could then storm off to her room. The camera could focus in on the young girl as she is debating to set up an instagram amount even though her parents have said no. Finally in this scene you see the girl set up her first instagram account and upload her first photo.

The next day.
At school the next day the girl walks in to school and people could be sniggering and laughing at her. Form time. Confused and upset the girl asks one of her new friends in form why people were looking at her and laughing. Her friend explains that she didn't put her account on private and some of the boys in the year above had got hold of her image and photo shopped it so she looked all crooked and deformed.

Finally at the very end it could cut to the girl crying on the way home and bursting in to her house and having to explain to her mum and dad what she did and what happened.

Post 6 I've watched a new film

Post 5 Why are there short films?

Why Are There Short Films?

With short films you dint have to keep your audience attention for as long as you do with regular 90 minute films, this is why I believe this is an appealing aspect for young directors. As well as not having to entertain people for as long with short films it is a lot easier to leave your audience with a message due to the length of the film. For example With the shorter films your key focus can be on leaving your audience with a message where as with the standard longer films you have to keep your audience engaged while trying to leave therm with a message. This message may get lost in the movie as some directors will add complex plots, explosions and love interests to keep there audience engaged. 

Post 4

Generating ideas' idea

We were given the task of choosing numbers witch determined the characters, setting, plot and genre of a short film and were told to create a short film of with what we were given. 

Making My Idea

Scene One

In scene one you could start with the security guard starting his first day at work being warned about all the spooky and haunted objects and rooms in the castle he is about to look after. Being a cocky and ignorant man he didn't listen and began to look round the castle, going in every room and touching every artefact he could. 

Scene Two

In scene to the security guard will find a golden diamond encrusted plate with a skull on it. Attached to the plate it will say 'He who holds the plate will be cursed and will be turned in to a bird for the rest of there lives'. Being an ignorant man he picks up the plate, nothing happens, he then puts the plate down and walks of with a swagger about him as if he's proud that he picked the plate off.

Scene Three

Morining. The guard is awoken by a bang. worried that the castle is being broken in to he starts to tun down the long corridors of the castle. As he's running he notices that everything has got bigger in the castle and that the hall ways have got longer, confused he runs back to grab his flash light but the releases that it is almost the same size as him. Finally the security guard runs to the nearest reflective object to relieve that the curse was true and he had been turned in to a crow. 

Post 3.2

Genre

What is genre?

Genre is a style or category of movie for example there are many different types of genre in and around the film world for example: romance, comedy, horror, action and adventure and many more. 

Different genres apele to diferente tips of people so some movies contain more then one genre meaning there audience is a lot bigger. For example rom com is a romantic comedy. 

Post 3.1

Vladimir Propp 

Vladimir Propp was a Russian folklorist who is known for coming up the the identification of characters in movies. For example the hero the villain and the helper are the three main characters of all movies.  

The Hero 

The hero is often the protagonist or major character or characters that the audience associate most strongly with. As well as that the hero is also character the movie is build around. For example in the in the 007 series James Bond is the hero, this is because he is the character sent on quests and as well as that he is the character that is notorious for winning the girl. 

The Villain

The villain is the character who contrasts the hero, trying to stop them from completing there quest. In most movies the villain is morally bad mirroring the hero goodness of the hero. The villain is also there to torment and ruin the time of the hero in the movie. For example in Harry Potter the main villain is Lord Voldemort even tho he dose not fully aper till the forth movie. He is he main villain because he is trying to kill harry and stop him from for filling his goal. 

The Princess

The prinses is often the reward for the hero or may be wooed by the false hero. The princess may be seen very little in the movie perhaps only appearing at the end or they could be a integral character that accompanies the main character during the movie. The prises also dose not need to be a character it could be an object for example in the movie Kung-Fu Panda the princess is the ability of Kung-Fu and the abilities of the dragon warrior.  

Post 3

3 Act Structure 

What is a three act structure? 

A three act structure is where there are 3 main parts to the plot or stripped. Many conventional movies and screen plays now use this conventional method. 

Three Act Structure 

Three act structure is split in to 3 sections, the set up, the confrontation and finally the resolution. 

The Set Up 

The set up is probably the shortest act of the 3 act model. In the set up you meet the main characters in the movie as well as being introduced to what is going to happen in the movie. Most Act ones are made to grip the audience and keep them interested in the movie.

The confrontation

In the confrontation this is where the main action starts, for example in fast and furious 5 this is where the main characters make the first host and burn all the cash of the millionaire. As well as starting the main quest of the movie the confrontation is where romance may start to blossom between characters. 

The Resolution

The resolution is the last act of the three act structure. In this act all parts of the story are brought together and all unanswered questions are answered. Not only are all questions answered there is usually a drop, this drop may consist of couples having an argument, a kid napping or for example before the main robbery  in fast and furious 5 the main characters are caught by the police meaning they can't complete there final goal.  

Even though there are many films that stick to the 3 act structure middle there are films that don't. For example Un Chien Andalou has no set structure and jumps from scene to scene without any logical links between them.  

Post 2 Research into existing student made short films :(

Post 1 Research into existing professionally made short films

The Most Beautiful Thing

1) I believe that this film is very creative because of the lack of speaking. Due to one off the main character being depth a lot of the feeling in this film comes from facial expression and movement from the actor's. As well as that I am a fan of the idea that the boy in the film is to nervous to write down his feeling and the girl can't express them because she is way to nervous to speak.

2) The setting in this short film is all centred around the bench that the two main characters meet at out side of school. There are scenes in witch you see both of them, in school, there bedroom, and in the street but the bench is the main setting in this movie. The bench is a very good setting as it is a quite peaceful place where both characters can express there affection for one another and grow there friendship.

3) The costumes for this film were very simplistic and plain. Because it was a American school that the film was based on there 'school uniform' is just plain cloths so the costume was very boring. I feel because the boy was a nerd he was not wearing any branded cloths and didn't really fit in to any fashion categories, where as the young girl wore quite fashionable cloths as well as a 'cool' rucksack. To reinforces the fact the boy is lonely and a nerd he was wearing glasses and had a laptop caring bag.

4) This films genre was definitely a love film. Both characters are outcasts and don't have many friends and struggle in social situations so it understandable that they would fall in love with each other. The other small genre in the film is jealousy, the boy got jealous when he saw someone els flirting with 'his girl' but did not trust her enough to listen to her side of the story.

5) The editing in this movie is very clean and slick and works very well.

6) This Short film uses  any camera shots and may different angles. For example it uses hots such as an over the shoulder shot, many different close ups, establishing shots and wide shots. The reason they might have used all these different types of shots is because seeing the character from a range of angles helps keep the viewer gripped on the scene. With a lot of the shots the camera is shaky and not fully forced on the character witch could of been avoid if they had used a tripod.

7) I really like the consept of this movie I believe that the idea is very unique and it is very well done.  I feel tho that there could have been more character development on both characters I feel that I didn't know enough about each of them to really feel much when they announce there love for one another.

8) There isn't much sound in this piece there is very little music added over the movie and if it is it is there just to fill gaps where there are silences. The music that was applied was applied very well, used   in the scenes where the main characters where communicating via not book.

9) Casting

I Miss You

1) This short film is very creative because there is no speaking between characters only the voice over form the man in the film. I am a fan of the idea that he is telling a story and the movie in the background reflects what he is saying. As well as that the idea that what he is saying is a spoken version of an email he is sending to his ex.

2) There are many different locations in this movie due to the fact it is based on a story that is being told. Some of the location are the party they met at, the movies, a lake and there are many different shots in and around the house of the main character. 

3) The costumes in this movie are very representative of the modern day person as it is set in the present. For example both male and female change outfits from scene to scene but both keep up with modern day factions and trends. 

4) This piece is definitely a love story showing us the beauty of relationships but also showing the hardship of a break up and the pain it can leave people in. I think this type of movie works with the genre because you don't need to hear the speaking to know that there in love you can see it from the movement and the facial expressions of the characters. 

5) Editing

6) The director used many different camera shot during this piece due to the fact of the setting consistently changing. For example during the oping scene there is a close up of the characters to sort of introduce them but as the movie continues there are wide shots, over the shoulder shots and '2 shots'.  

7) I really liked this movie due to the fact that is it short and snappy. For example there is no speaking potween each character only the voice over which cuts out a lot of un needed dialog. I don't really like the ending though I feel they director could have done more with it. 

8) During this movie there is no direct speaking potween characters only the voice over describing what is happening and telling us the story. While he is speaking there is music playing in the background but only very silently but it helps when there is breaks in the speaking.

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