Pedro Almodóvar

I`ve been recently reading a ´Film Craft´book on directing, the book gives each chapter too a particular director allowing them to share their knowledge about film-making. The first chapter is dedicated to the Spanish film maker Almodóvar. Below are some bullet points that I think may be helpful for me when I come too making my own films. This is not a word for word copy its more of my interpretation of the points he makes in the chapter. 

• He says that he writes and takes notes all the time, maybe up to four ideas are on the go at the same time until he decides on the one idea that is worth pursuing. He also goes on to say that he never really has total confidence that the project is going to work and come together, but there comes a time, with any film maker, were you know the trade and craft of film making, its like a language, and once you understand this you have to put your own stamp on the film, your own point of view, emotions and vision. The film has to have your own personal mark. One of the tasks as a director is getting that point of view across to your crew which could be made up of many different people. There are no rules that govern this process, its up to you as a director to find what works for you and what gets the best results.   
• As a film maker you have to have bags of common sense and you have to be strong as a boss and you will need to demonstrate this all the time throughout the film making process. You will be making 100 decisions every moment. He likens a film to an out of control train and the director has to stop it from going off the rails. This is something that not all directors can handle, some very talented film makers do not have the resilience to be able to cope with the film making process. Its not just the technical side of film making that can be a big issue its also the human element of a film that can destroy directors. Working with your crew and particularly your actors can be a real fight for a director.       
• Almodóvar seems to be a devil with detail, he says that he repeats himself to his cast and crew over and over until he works out what is going to work for the film, he has a strong sense of what he wants already in his mind but if he wants a particular color he´ll have his team go through all the different shades of that color so its understood completely what he wants and what will work. Its the same for any dress props like chairs and tables, he´ll hand his art directors photos of particular objects for them to try and bring onto the set. Its all about trial and error, trying things out and tweaking them to get the best possible results. He does however say this style of film making is more painstaking than it could be. He also says this attention to detail is also used on the appearance of his actors. 
• Even during the script writing process he is already thinking about color schemes and composition. Never give up on the little details. He says that when writing the script he is already working out what information to share with the audience or what information to withhold to help drive the narrative, he´s also conscious of the way his characters are built up throughout the course of the film. Even the atmosphere and music is all being thought about while writing the script.   
•  Everything you see while writing the script or making the movie can effect your creative choices, by looking art or watching other movies, these things can add depth to your writing. Everything informs your writing. He says that having depth to your films is crucial, some elements are never explained in the finished film but they are present, they give the actor that bit of extra meat to chew, gives a situation that bit more dramatic tension.   

Cinematography Reflective Essay

I've noted a few things already on my blog regarding directing, working with actors and the collaborative process of filmmaking so with this essay I don't want to repeat myself even though directing is my number one preferred specialism. With this essay I want to discuss the slight differences I noticed in myself while shooting our final film Menlimontant.


I directed during the first filming week. It was tough because nobody knew anyone and the various job roles were only lightly explained. I felt it was a real battle on set, a battle that was a lot harder than it ever should have been. Four weeks later I was the DOP on the final shoot, I had the experience of directing under my belt along with production management and art direction and felt really excited about being able to have a say on how the film will be shot. 

The most noticeable difference I saw in myself was that I’d managed to pick up a relatively strong understanding of the camera’s functions. I understood how the camera worked much more than I did when I directed so I was able to discuss in detail with my directors how we could shoot the film. I commented on the different effects the lens has on the look of the film and how it could change or shape the story we wanted to say. It’s all basic stuff but I felt in control and comfortable, I felt like I could trust my decision making again. The shoot I directed taught me that every shot counts, composition matters and this made me lose a little faith in myself because beforehand I just shot things without ever really thinking about the true meaning behind every shot.

When storyboarding Menlimontant I felt my filming vocabulary was stronger and even though I didn't always know what to do I had a pretty good understanding of what ‘not’ to do which is just as important in my opinion.  

When it came to the shoot day itself we had some initial problems with my storyboard even though much of it told the story in a way we all thought was right a few shots didn't work. We had a good hour or so discussing what we could do. In a way I felt like a tool my directors could use to help them get the shoot back on track, they asked for my advice, they asked me show them various shots, different lenses and such, I really enjoyed the experience because I knew that I was communicating in a helpful and knowledgeable way. In the end we did get one or two shots that didn't have purpose or meaning but we always looked for different angles, shots that did tell the story. I hope that the strongest shots we did get come out strong in the final film, I understand it’s not perfect, far from it, but when I look back at the film I directed and then I see this one I do see a vast improvement and that’s really encouraging me to keep going.  

Menlimontant, 2012

Lens Video

I found this very helpful video shortly after I bought my DSLR, I think its a great basic introduction to the various lenses in photography/film.

Menilmontant Story Board, 1st Draft

Menilmontant Story Board, 2nd Draft

Notes On Composition

• Flat composition is bad, diagonals can take you into the frame.
• Look for frames within the frame, foreground & background.
• Get perspective right. Know what lens does what. (telephoto lens & wide angle lens). Different perspective results in a different story.  
• Your in control of what the camera sees. The camera does not show the truth, you control the truth. 
• You can have a scene but by changing lens, angle, lighting ect... you can change the meaning of the scene to any way you wish. 

Important elements of good composition;

• Focus 
• Thirds
• Looking room
• Lead in lines
• Frames within the frames

Technique Over Technology

Its all about making the film and not what camera your using to make the film. Good stuff on screen will always trump the kind of technology your using. The camera is only a means to an end! Respect the camera your using and get the best out of it, don't think that by getting better cameras your films will become better. People will judge your film not what you've filmed it on.

Made In Dagenham, 2012

This is the 3rd film I worked on while at the Northern Film School. I was the art director for this shoot.

Human Traffic, 2012

This was our 2nd shoot at the film school. I was production manager so I had very little creative control over the film. I did however edit the film.

Made In Britain Final Cut, 2012

This is the final cut of the the short scene we did in our 3rd week at the film school. I think it's OK given the circumstances, however if I was given the chance to re-shoot it I would do a lot of the shots differently. As you can see there are some jarring moments throughout!

Oldboy Essay

Oldboy & The 3 Act Structure

Does Oldboy Use The Classic 3 Act Structure To Help Tell Its Story?

The Intent

The classic 3 act structure does not appear to have a definitive definition amongst writers/analysts  because in many cases writers/analysts all have very different ideas regarding the structure of story. “Since screenplays never show act breaks, an "act" is really a theoretical concept. Screenwriters talk about three acts, meaning the beginning, the middle, and the end.” (Johnaugust.com/glossary, John August, 2003). The rest is very much up for personal interpretation.
  
From what I can understand during my study of the 3 act structure I believe that Oldboy (Park Chan-Wook, 2003) Is best described using Syed Field’s interpretation of an act structure. I can see the hook or inciting incident, the 1st act plot point, the midpoint, the 2nd act plot point and then resolution. So what I intend to do in this essay is to break down Oldboy into these five sections and try to explain how each part is used to develop the story and keep the lead character moving towards his overall goal.

The Film   

Oldboy is traditionally a revenge movie. Our hero Oh Dae-Su is captured and imprisoned for 15 years and once released he sets out to get revenge on the man who locked him up. The antagonist, the man who Oh Dae-Su wishes to kill is also out to get revenge, revenge on Oh Dae-Su who, when still at school, witnessed the antagonist, Lee Woo-Jin, having sexual contact with his own blood sister. This in turn triggers a tragic event in which Woo-Jin’s sister is forced to commit suicide rather than live with the rumors of incest. The great twist in the tale comes in the form of the beautifully innocent Mi-Do who is the love interest for Dae-Su who is later revealed to be his own grown up, forgotten about, 20 something year old daughter. The coming together of Oh Dae-Su and Mi-Do in a sexual relationship is completely pre planned and manipulated from the shadows by Lee Woo-Jin. This is Lee Woo-Jin’s act of revenge.      

The Hook     

These opening scenes are what is sometimes referred to as the inciting incident, ‘this is the point in the story when the Protagonist encounters the problem that will change their life.’(Abundant Productions LLC, abundantproductions.biz/syd-fields-paradigm).

The film begins strongly as we are first introduced to Oh Dae-Su in a powerful opening scene where he is on  top of a tall building clutching a weeping man by his necktie as he looks almost certain to fall. Oh Dae-Su’s appearance is cast in shadow and he says to the hapless man that he’s going to tell him his story and with that the film immediately cuts to the inside of a police station. Oh Dae-Su is clearly very different; he’s drunk, washed up and shouting obscenities. This is such a huge contrast from the Oh Dae-Su we had just met moments ago and this clearly tells the audience that Dae-Su is going to change at some point in the tale.

A friend comes to bail out Dae-Su, it’s late in the evening and he calls home at a phone booth to wish his young daughter (Mi-Do) a happy birthday. Then suddenly like vapor Oh Dae-Su disappears, leaving a frantic friend in absolute panic. Dae-Su is snatched and taken to what a first appears to be a state prison.

This opening segment of the film is clearly the inciting incident that grasps the audience’s attention and thrusts the lead character into a life changing situation.     

The 1st Act Plot Point

Now that Oh Dae-Su has encountered the great problem that has kick started the film, the story is now going to start building towards the act 1 plot point, this point is going to dramatically change our hero’s life and is going force Oh Dae-Su to act, ‘The last scene in Act One, Turning Point One is a surprising development that radically changes the Protagonist’s life, and forces him to confront the Opponent.’(Abundant Productions LLC, abundantproductions.biz/syd-fields-paradigm).

The next time we see Dae-Su it is two months later. He’s trapped inside a strange apartment of some kind. He’s not the only one locked in the building but he is isolated and looked after but by people unknown. A TV broadcast explains that Dae-Su’s wife has been murdered and the blame is pointed squarely at Dae-Su, the penny drops and he knows that he is being set up. Oh Dae-Su makes a pledge that he will find and kill whoever is behind this plot. This is the first stage of the antagonist’s great plan. Dae-Su will spend the next 15 years locked in this room and the audience now understands the protagonist’s main goal in the story.     

What we start to see now is Dae-Su’s slow transformation into the man we saw in the opening shot. He begins to question his morality and understands he’s lived a life with many possible enemies and so he writes a journal documenting all the horrible things that he’s done, it starts as a means to discover who could be behind the plot to but it quickly turns into a way of keeping his sanity. This along with some intense physical training prepares him for his eventual release and his revenge but also gives the audience tangible evidence that once Dae-Su is released he is physically capable of achieving his goal.

The moments before his release are quite strange but very important for the story. At points during his imprisonment sleeping gas is seeped into his room so that he is unconscious when his captives clean and maintain his living space, but this particular time a hypnotist visits him. Dae-Su is put to sleep and the next moment he is awake, on top of a tall building and the audience is brought back to the opening scene.

Dae-Su's release is the 1st act plot point because now he is forced to act. Dae-Su is driven by his need for justice and he spares little time thinking about why he has been given back his freedom. This is the second stage of the antagonist’s grand scheme.   

The Midpoint

‘An important scene in the middle of the script, often a reversal of fortune or revelation that changes the direction of the story. Field suggests that driving the story towards the Midpoint keeps the second act from sagging.’(Abundant Productions LLC, abundantproductions.biz/syd-fields-paradigm).

Soon after Dae-Su’s release he’s encountered by a nameless man who hands over a phone and a wallet full with cheques. Dae-Su acknowledges that his situation is far from over but nonetheless takes the opportunity to go to a decent restaurant and have a good meal.

In the restaurant our hero is served by Mi-Do, at this point in the story neither characters, or the audience, are aware that they are father and daughter but there are hints of familiarity. Dae-Su dismisses this by saying he saw her on a cooking program once upon a time. The initial signs of a possible relationship between them are set in motion and Mi-Do offers Dae-Su a place to rest at her home.

The two begin to work together to try and track down the person behind his imprisonment and begin their search at local restaurants. While imprisoned Dae-Su was treated to the same take away meal every single day from a place called Blue Dragon. During this bonding period between the two characters it becomes clear that the antagonist has connections with Mi-Do. Only a young girl, she’s into internet chat rooms and online the antagonist has been in regular contact with her.

Dae-Su manages to successfully recognize the take away food and tracks down his place of imprisonment. After an incredibly brutal and dangerous fight Dae-Su discovers some audio tapes with Woo-Jin explaining that Dae-Su was locked up for talking too much. This is the next clue that will eventually lead to the meeting of Dae-Su and Woo-Jin. Woo-Jin gives our hero two options, the chance of revenge or the chance to find out the truth about his capture. Dae-Su cannot act out his revenge without knowing the truth and the antagonist slips away. Both Mi-Do and Dae-Su attempt to escape the watching eye of Woo-Jin and here the film begins to reveal that Dae-Su is in love with Mi-Do.

The hero’s goal has taken a slight shift in direction, Dae-Su no longer wants to just act out his revenge he now wants to know the truth, he understands that the rabbit hole goes much deeper than he first envisioned. This goal will drive Dae-Su through the remaining portion of act 2 and into the final act.

The 2nd Act Plot Point

‘A dramatic reversal that ends Act 2 and begins Act 3, which is about confrontation and resolution.’ (Abundant Productions LLC, abundantproductions.biz/syd-fields-paradigm). This is the point Oh Dae-Su will go to confront Woo-Jin and have his final showdown.

The 2nd half of act 2 begins with Oh Dae-Su and Mi-Do having sexual intercourse. This is crucial character development that's needed to add serious emotional impact latter in the showdown portion of the story.

Dae-Su and Mi-Do continue to unravel the mystery and the next set of clues lead them to begin their search online. They discover a link between our hero and the antagonist, both attended the same school and they later discover that Woo-Jin’s sister, who also attended the school, was killed by drowning after falling from a nearby dam. Oh Dae-Su suddenly recalls a memory from his days at school and the film takes the audience into this memory. In the memory we see a young Dae-Su accidentally encounter Woo-Jin and his sister having sexual contact, in confusion he speaks out to a friend which starts a rumor that spreads throughout the school thus leading to the suicide of Woo-Jin’s sister. It dawns on Dae-Su that this is the reason he is being punished. Dae-Su, with the truth at last, still feels the need to take his revenge. He leaves Mi-Do to confront the antagonist alone.        

The Showdown

‘About midway through Act 3, the Protagonist will confront the Main Problem of the story and either overcome it, or come to a tragic end.’(Abundant Productions LLC, abundantproductions.biz/syd-fields-paradigm). Oh Dae-Su’s confrontation with Woo-Jin propels the story into the final act.

Dae-Su confronts Woo-Jin with what he’s remembered but the antagonist laughs of Dae-Su’s certainty of the truth. Woo-Jin reveals that being locked up for 15 years is not a severe enough punishment and that he had chosen to take Dae-Su’s daughter and raise her, then, when she was old enough, hypnotize her and Dae-Su to make them one day fall in love. With this truth Dae-Su begs Woo-Jin not to tell any of this to Mi-Do, he even goes as far to cut out his own tongue to show no more rumors will spread. A lonely and mentally disturbed Woo-Jin accepts this and then takes a gun to his head and takes his own life. Dae-Su has to now live with this knowledge and this is Woo-Jin’s final act of his master plan thus successfully achieving his goal of revenge. The death of Woo-Jin also signals the end of Oh Dae-Su’s goal, though it’s up for debate whether or not he successfully achieved what he set out to accomplish.        

The Resolution

The resolution is when; ‘The issues of the story are resolved,’(Abundant Productions LLC, abundantproductions.biz/syd-fields-paradigm). Dae-Su appears, months later, in the middle of a snowy wood talking to the very hypnotist that brought Mi-Do and Dae-Su together. In the end the film leaves the door wide open for interpretation, there is no solid conclusion to Dae-Su’s story. Does he use the hypnotist to help him forget that Mi-Do is his daughter or does he simply live with the lie and bear the burden of his actions.  

The Summary

I do believe that I have provided enough evidence to suggest that Oldboy does indeed use all of the elements of a classic 3 act structure to help tell its story. Within each section of the 3 acts Oldboy successfully moves its narrative forward while giving the protagonist and the antagonist enough motive to act.  

Lighting

Cinematographers use lighting to enhance and/or create atmosphere and mood in the scene. It's important that they get full control over the lighting and have continuity that helps connect shots together.

Hard light is usually smaller than the subject so it casts a very harsh light that causes there to be very dramatic shadows.

 

Soft light is larger than the subject and will create less shadow resulting in a much softer and lighter image.



There are various lights that film makers use on set;

• Blondes (2000v) These are absolutely lethal if handled the wrong way. They are very powerful lights and there are many safety precautions when using these lights. 
• 300s are industry standard film lamps. They have a lens that allows you to distribute the light.

Lighting by Kelvin; daylight is usually 5600 degrees kelvin (blue) and tungsten lighting is usually 2300 degrees kelvin (orange).

You can bounce harsh light off walls to create nice soft lighting. Soft light makes people look much better than they are so you'll usually see models and superstars in soft light. Harsh light ages people. 

You can also use a defuser (material, mesh) to lessen the strength of the light or reflect the light using things like a poli board.   

Basically harsh light only really illuminates the subject head on and is easy to control, soft light on the other hand lights up a lot of the set and is much harder to control. So you have to manage a pleasant balance between both sets of light to get the set lit the way that will enhance the film and composition.     

Its also important that you are aware of your actors when they are placed directly in front of powerful lamps because they are so bright and very hot it can cause a bit of distress. 

REMEMBER; Shadows are a good thing, play about with them and they can really enhance the set and what you see on camera. 

ND filters are basically sunglasses for your camera. When you need your iris open and lots of light going into your camera things can start to look over exposed so by using an ND filter this reduces the burnt out. Most larger cameras come with ND filters built in but DSLRs need to have them bought separate. 

Also by using gels placed over the lamps you can change atmosphere on your set.

In the end its about getting what really needed on screen and shooting it in a way that appropriate for the story. 

Zebra & Peaking

Zebra is an exposure indicator that can used when filming, it's a special function the camera can do. It indicates what's burnt out in your frame using thin black lines so you can adjust your exposure accordingly.



The way you measure it is like so -

• 0% is black
• 100% is pure white

Neither have any detail.

The standard TV broadcast setting is usually set at 70% but when trying to create film it's recommended to be cranked up to 80%.

Peaking is a function that helps you get the right focus. This is indicated using a red outline around the things that are in focus. On some cameras peaking appears blue.

Technique

Bad technique and boastful filming can break the illusion of the story so it's important that we know the basics and try to shoot the film in the best possible way.

• The eyes need to be in focus, the key is the eyes because the eyes show emotion. Unless your deliberately trying to focus elsewhere you should always have the eyes in focus.  
• Don't film a static subject/object handheld, only moving subjects. It looks strange.
• In the film people can be too dark, shadow is good at times, but they should not be too bright. Your shots should never be over exposed.
• The cameras perspective dictates the left and right on set. Clear line of communication.
• On tripods the locks should be loose because the camera needs to be ready to move even in a static shot. 
• With a wide angle its harder to spot things that are out of focus, on close ups its the exact opposite, be careful on close ups.
• The camera tilts up while zooming in and the camera tilts down when zooming out.  

Cinematography Notes

Cinematography basically means storytelling through moving images. We use things like composition and lighting to support the story. In the end we are just taking a series of still images and watching them back very quickly so each frame has to have as much attention given to it as any stills photo.