Analogue recorders like the Nagra used 1/4" tape and the mini Nagra (cassette recorders) used 1/8" tape.
At the school big productions use Fastex Recorders and smaller productions tend to use Zoom.
Audio used to be measured in CPS but its now measured in Hz.
Audio, like film, in digital format can be copied multiple times without a degrading effect appearing in the material. Analogue tape re used caused a large amount of hiss. Dolby along and did their best to erase the hiss from tape.
Digital sampling frequency -
44.1 khz is CD quality
48. khz is a higher quality used for film.
The mp3 is the most common audio compression but there are others like wma. and AAC.
Saturday, 10 November 2012
Writing Characters
The character check list -
- Name -
- Age -
- Gender -
- Sexuality -
- Physical Appearance -
- Present Circumstances -
- Values -
- Flaws, Contradictions -
- Social Class -
- Education -
Opposites attract, different characters who have to come together to solve the great problem in the film makes interesting storytelling.
The characteristics you choose for your characters need to reflect the genre and themes of the film.
Made In Britain Storyboards
These are the storyboards that I used when shooting in production week one. They had to be cut down quite drastically.
Casino Storyboard Practice
This was a scene taken from the film 'Casino'. I was penned in to direct this scene in our first production week but I was moved onto the 'Made In Britain' shoot instead.
Art Direction Introduction
Production designer is the HOD, responsible for the style of the film.
Art Director works on behalf of the production designer.
Stand By Art Directors are the go to person on set for the crew. Usually on set all the time, from the start to the finish of production.
Props Guys help the Stand By Art Director on set. Cook food, move things, props ect... (One will be called the Charge Hand, his role is to make sure the scene is set for filming - also called the Props Master)
Costume Designers liaise with most of the other departments and get the style of the costumes required for the scenes. (avoid color clashes and strobing)
Costume Supervisor is the stand by costume person.
Production Buyer is responsible for the art departments budget. Crucial for production.
...................................................................................................................................................................
Dressing Props - Props that are needed to dress the set.
Action Props - Props the actors will interact with.
...................................................................................................................................................................
Location Recce - Scouting the location, take photos ect...
Tech Recce - This is a tech assessment of the location. Most of the departments will go out and try to make a plan of whats needed and how the scene will be shot.
Composite Set - A larger set (studio) made up of rooms - corridors ect...
Art Director works on behalf of the production designer.
Stand By Art Directors are the go to person on set for the crew. Usually on set all the time, from the start to the finish of production.
Props Guys help the Stand By Art Director on set. Cook food, move things, props ect... (One will be called the Charge Hand, his role is to make sure the scene is set for filming - also called the Props Master)
Costume Designers liaise with most of the other departments and get the style of the costumes required for the scenes. (avoid color clashes and strobing)
Costume Supervisor is the stand by costume person.
Production Buyer is responsible for the art departments budget. Crucial for production.
...................................................................................................................................................................
Dressing Props - Props that are needed to dress the set.
Action Props - Props the actors will interact with.
...................................................................................................................................................................
Location Recce - Scouting the location, take photos ect...
Tech Recce - This is a tech assessment of the location. Most of the departments will go out and try to make a plan of whats needed and how the scene will be shot.
Composite Set - A larger set (studio) made up of rooms - corridors ect...
Essay Writing
When forming a bibliography use this structure -
(For Books) Author - Year - Name of book - Edition - Book Publisher.
(For Films) Film name - Director - Year.
Like a story an essay has a beginning, middle and end.
(For Books) Author - Year - Name of book - Edition - Book Publisher.
(For Films) Film name - Director - Year.
Like a story an essay has a beginning, middle and end.
Story Notes
A Story.
Stories embrace the fundamental story principles, they involve a character or a number of characters who go through transformation and who change lives and themselves as a result of having gone through life's ordeals and having made certain decisions and choices.
Acts;
Stories embrace the fundamental story principles, they involve a character or a number of characters who go through transformation and who change lives and themselves as a result of having gone through life's ordeals and having made certain decisions and choices.
Acts;
- Exposition - set up.
- Conflict.
- Crisis
- Catastrophe
- Catharsis
Character;
Elements that make up a good character.
- Good/fine with moral purpose.
- Fitness of character.
- True to life.
- Consistency.
- Necessary or probable.
Theme;
- You need to know what the idea of the film is.
- Ideas make films interesting.
Diction;
- Genre
- The expression of the meaning in a way which is appropriate to the plot, characters and the resolution.
- The protagonist needs obstacles to over come. Sometimes the obstacles come in the form of an antagonist.
- The antagonist should always have a goal - but his goal should not be to stop the protagonist.
- Both goals are needed to make the story work.
Audience Knowledge.
- 1. Audience and character have equal knowledge.
- 2. The audience knows more that the character.
- 3. Character knows more that the audience.
Reaching the resolution;
- Passage from ignorance to knowledge. Character and audience. When the character fully grasps the importance - the realization of whats really going on.
- All stories need this moment.
- The resolution must reflect the events of the film. The final act is usually the hero discovering inner strength
Sunday, 4 November 2012
Acting Improvisations
Over the next few weeks my friends and I are going to be doing a little experiment with acting improvisations. Here are some helpful notes for reference.
When doing an improv the actor must make an offer to the other actor and vise versa to keep the scene and dialogue alive. To make a block (not make an offer) is likely to kill the scene dead but at times it may be used to create dramatic effect and bring some intensity into the scene.
The characters who the actors are improvising usually need strong motivations so that the actors can keep pushing the scene.
Keith Johnstone - is a drama instructor who has had a major influence on the art of improvisation. Below are some extra notes.
When doing an improv the actor must make an offer to the other actor and vise versa to keep the scene and dialogue alive. To make a block (not make an offer) is likely to kill the scene dead but at times it may be used to create dramatic effect and bring some intensity into the scene.
The characters who the actors are improvising usually need strong motivations so that the actors can keep pushing the scene.
Keith Johnstone - is a drama instructor who has had a major influence on the art of improvisation. Below are some extra notes.
- Don't over think the scene, be boring, be obvious, say the first thing that comes into your head. This helps the scene and its characters appear spontaneous and more real.
- Always think; action - reaction.
- Every movement and spoken word has meaning, observe the other actor and react to his actions, tone of voice, position on stage and props.
- While improvising you may try to out do the other actor by elevating your self above them. i.e; actor A says his favorite book is war and peace to try and show superior intellect, actor B may respond by saying that war and peace is also his favorite book, this punctuates actor A's attempt to be superior while establishing actor B's intellect.
Saturday, 3 November 2012
The Tower, 2012
Very muddy concept, this was supposed to be a scene from a larger production. As it is I think it's a bit of a mess.
Thursday, 1 November 2012
Budget Experiment
The short film 'Threads' (Production Management) had a budget of only 10k and in small groups we had to try and come up with a budget for the film. Here's my take on it -
Actors (age 18 - 20) - £199.20
Speaking Actors - £2,340
Non Speaking Actors - £123.80
Director/Writer - £800
Producer - £800
Crew - £1,485.60
Editor - £200
Power - £30
Travel & Transport - £271.40
Hotel - £1,400
Insurance - £700
Contingency - £500
Food - £200
Props - £550
Equipment - £400
We never got to find out just what the actual budget for the film was but I what I learned very quickly is that there is no money in short film and 10k is not a lot to play with.
Actors (age 18 - 20) - £199.20
Speaking Actors - £2,340
Non Speaking Actors - £123.80
Director/Writer - £800
Producer - £800
Crew - £1,485.60
Editor - £200
Power - £30
Travel & Transport - £271.40
Hotel - £1,400
Insurance - £700
Contingency - £500
Food - £200
Props - £550
Equipment - £400
We never got to find out just what the actual budget for the film was but I what I learned very quickly is that there is no money in short film and 10k is not a lot to play with.
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