#12 Being a filmmaker

This class has taught me several useful tips on how to create a relatively short film by using a hands on approach that should satisfy any aspiring filmmaker. Apart from the fact that I've attained knowledge regarding film production prior to taking this class, I still was able to learn a multitude of different techniques required to understand the basics of filmmaking. My ideas about being a filmmaker have completely changed now that I've seen the amount of work that goes into several genres we explored throughout the course of the semester. As a filmmaker, it would be impossible to lead a full-scale production on your own; a group of people by your side that know what to do is imperative if anyone wants to create a film with a solid foundation. As a whole, the idea of filmmaking should not be the simply the study of what to do, but also what can be done.

Pre-Visualization Materials for Wild Card Project

Script:

EXT. small field - daytime

Rick is dragging a body bag across a small field. He is calmly crying. After a while he begins to grow angry. He turns over his shoulder, and yells at the body bag.

rick

SHUT UP!

Rick angrily kicks the body bag, which squirms after the impact. This reveals the possibility that someone is alive in the bag. Rick slumps down and sits next to the bag. Rick covers his face with his hands, with an exhausted exhale. Camera reveals that a woman is standing behind him. Rick stands up to face her.

Woman

Did I die on that bridge?

RICK

(stunned by her presence)

Yes, you did.

WOMAN

Its okay... I'm here now.

RICK

Why did you have to leave?

WOMAN

It was my time to leave, but you can't stay here.

RICK

Even in death, I'll go wherever you go.

Rick unzips the body bag as he makes his proclamation. He sees himself in the body bag.

WOMAN

You have to let me go.. and stop blaming yourself for my actions.

RICK

How am I supposed to do that?

WOMAN

You'll find someone else soon enough. This isn't the end of road for you.

RICK

There is no one else..

WOMAN

Look.

The woman points in another direction. Rick hears the sounds of a shovel digging dirt, and he looks over to see the woman standing somewhere else digging the hole.

woman (Digging)

Bury this burden of yours.

WOMAN

I'll be with you in love and memory.

RICk (bodybag)

Listen..

Rick in the body bag widens his eyes.

RICK (BODYBAG)

Listen to me. Don't let her go.. she only exists here.

RICK

No, you're wrong.

RICK (BODYBAG)

I'm wrong?

RICK

We're wrong, we're both wrong.

The woman has a change of heart.

WOMAN

Why did you let me go?! I don't want to continue living in this... abyssal place. Take me back to the real world, with you!

WOMAN (DIGGING)

Don't listen to her! I am wrong! You need to wake up!

Rick covers his ears from all of the torment.

RICK

I'm not listening to any of you anymore. I've been asleep long enough.. it's time for me to wake up.

He walks towards the grave, and lays in it.

WOMAN

You're making a grave mistake.

WOMAN (DIGGING)

Climb back up. You must leave!

RICK (BODYBAG)

WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!

The woman starts to pour dirt into the hole, burying Rick in the grave. Rick proceeds to wake up in front of a tombstone. He places a relic on the grave.

End.

Overhead:

Storyboard:

#11 Crew Position for Wild Card Project

As director, I hope to achieve every and all demanded aspects of the film my group and I will soon create in the coming weeks. This will be a test to see how prepared I am in regards to my previous "skirmishes" on different sets these past few years, and taking on this assignment will hopefully display just how skillful I've become. Preparing pre-visualization materials and filming shouldn't be a problem as I have faith that my group will create the best final wild card short film there is. Time is the biggest factor in this assignment, and I personally value it enough to know that should each of us fall victim to it's constraints, I will personally keep a flexible schedule do that everyone is happy in the end. As far as the film goes, there shouldn't be any worries as we now have a good amount of time to complete this assignment.

#10 Experience with Experimental Editing

Not only was it was piece of cake, but the entirety of the project was simple enough for everyone (hopefully everyone) to comprehend the assignment's requirements. The editing process was enjoyable as it did not require extreme measures to concoct an entirely meaningless film; meaningless does not mean the assignment was at all a waste of time, but instead it was much easier to film and edit. One of the biggest terms thrown about was "choppy", a word that was implemented into the final product of particularly my group's project. It was inspired by the experiment conducted in the film A Clockwork Orange, by the late and famous Stanley Kubrick. In the film, one of the members of a gang is arrested and put into some sort of asylum, where he is subjected to watch an ongoing reel of film that had only good and/or "selfless" items. Overall, it was fun adding the sounds with different clips that made no sense whatsoever.

#9 Sound Recording

Although it was amusing listening to the immensity of sounds recorded in the past few days, it was not only boring, but there was absolutely no overwhelming physical work performing during the recordings (not that it's a bad thing to relax for a couple of weeks). In terms of the content captured for use, the creativity knew no bounds; there was an opulent amount of things to concoct and an enormous amount of fun (ironically) that was taken out of this. Besides the slow paced work involved with simply standing or walking around in one area to record sound, the experience wasn't memorable, and was also useless only because sound was a topic everyone should have down right about now. Some of the items that were recorded included human (yes people) voices making sounds and singing, as well as a game of pool, made up of some of the things we recorded. 

#8 Editing the Master Shot

The master shot was a more challenging assignment; luckily this project is a step up from the documentary shoot, as it requires more time and effort to concoct. Due to the tedious work involved in the master shot sequence (and my idiotic mistake of shooting without sound), the editing was obnoxious during the first half of the process. Pairing sound is always a very time-consuming task the pushes the boundaries of patience; all filmmakers should have this virtue. Usually the rough cut of a short film has an extremely high chance of being a whole, that is if not for the final editing/cut preceded within post-production. Near the end of the "rough cut", there were more minor adjustments needed that involved a few overlaying techniques; this was one of the few tasks performed during the beginning of editing. Sound was the major problem in post-production, as it halted most of the other jump cut and dissolve edits throughout the short film.

#5 Previsualization

Adobe Premiere was the highlight of the entire project; this is the editing software of our decade, if not the year (with the exception of it's sibling program Adobe After Effects of course) although it didn't consume the entire experience itself, it was extremely helpful. The sound wasn't of much use because the H4N wasn't all that simple to figure out at first. Only after shooting the entire program was I able to figure out how the wee little mechanism worked. Premiere stole the show, especially because of its versatility shown through the enormous amount of effects it had; this included transitions for some of the shots, and the overlaying options for the clips which helped the sound flow smoothly.