Holly's blog

  what I still had left to do; I had a lot more footage but realised I had almost reached the time limit so was going to play around with the ending, of which the footage was not the best anyway, and also with the beginning too. There was also a section where there is no video, I was intending to use that to signify the filming I didn't get done however on time issues reflection I would of removed this. I did also not get a chance to import the sound I had chosen into my short film and I was hoping to figure out away to change the volume level of the argument at the start so it sounded more like it was coming from outside the room, not still the same volume as standing right in front of the camera. I also was in the process of working out how to colour correct he footage in the woods so it had more of a blue hint, in fitting with my Tim Burton inspiration.

 My Classics class came up with a play about the back story for Euripides' Bacchae. I asked if I could film it to practice my shots and editing. This is my first attempt at filming and editing a project on my own and this was recorded in November 2019. 

  Me and my class mate Amelia Briddon received a script from Narnia. We started by annotating a script with the types of shots that we would use.  Next me and Amelia grabbed our friend and set her up as our human tripod while another friend fed us the lines. We then took our footage and edited it in premier pro and uploaded it to YouTube. 

 I asked people that I know what they think of my short film: Here they are: My Nan, Jean: "It sounds very exciting to me! I love the inspiration from fairy tales and the settings idea, being an avid walker myself. I am concerned about how you will manage to get everyone to my house for some of the filming and how long that will take. I can't really think of anyway to improve it as I am not as creative a you." My Mother, Suzanne: "It sounds like you have thought this through very well Holly. I love the ballet inspiration being a fan of ballet myself and love the costume designs also being a sewing enthusiast . I am concerned about how when you get there you wont be prepared with types of shot. I think you should go up their and have a rehearsal first." My boyfriend, Ralph: " I think your short film sounds alright. I'd definitely watch it and I like the inspiration behind it, I am a fan of Tim burton myself. I am conce...

 My aim for this was to show the highs and lows of being in lockdown. I had crosscutting between day to day activities and me crying as this shows how in lockdown you can be having fun and then feel really sad and lonely the next minuet. I used a blue huge on the crying clips to separate them but also reflect mood. I chose the upbeat music to reflect the happy mood but to also juxtapose the sad mood too.

  We started very early in the morning around 8am. We took two cars to pick up everyone who was involved with filming before heading to Thetford forest. It was tricky to get everyone in the same place as there was no mobile connection but we worked it out in the end. We started to walk in a random direction until I found a spot I thought it would work for the shots. I then helped my two main leads get into their costumes and make up. We filmed for a few hours but unfortunately I had forgotten an SD card and my phone was dying so the last scenes were rushed and if it hadn't been for COVID I would of gone back to film the last section again. Then me and my two leads headed to my nans house while the other actors were dropped off at their homes. We filed the last few scenes we needed at my Nans house, I still need to film a little more but unfortunately due to COVID restrictions I have been unable to do that.

 I have recreated a student made 1 minuet short film called toast. After having first watched the video I took a screenshot and analysed the Mise en scene, editing and cinematography of every shot. The screen shots of the work are slightly blurry. Also the first shot is at the end of the post and works up from there. List of props I will need: Bread Toast Lighter Hairdryer Plate Oven  Actor: Suzanne (my mum) will be my actor, I have chosen her because she was the only person in my house available to help me but she is also very funny and can take direction well. Here is my recreation I could not get access to the music over the top but have kept in the natural diegetic sound. I also had to edit on my phone as I did not have access to premier pro so I was unable to do the slow constant zooms.

 This is the missing poster I have created to use in the opening and final sequence of my short film. I have used a real missing poster I found on line but changed the words to fit the film and the area I live. This is my friends ring she leant me for filming. It looks enchanting and fits with my desired genre. 

Colin: He is my dad and plays one of the cloaked figures the figures just need to be tall and require no               acting, he is 6ft1.  Cassie: She is a peer at my school and a friend so I know she will take me seriously and listen to me. She plays a cloaked figure and is 5ft9. Ralph: He is my boyfriend so will have to do as I tell him. He plays a cloaked figure and is 6ft3. Suzanne: She is my mother and I have been bouncing my ideas off her she will understand my vision and help explain it to others. She plays a cloaked figure and is 5ft7. George: He is playing figure and will be a main character. He takes A Level Drama and has been in many stage shows, I know he can take on direction well and has a lot of acting experience. Natasha: She has been in lots of plays and has done drama her whole life. She also takes A Level drama and will be able to follow direction but also act on impulse.

I want the sound in my short film to capture the essence of the genre. It should be twinkly and enchanting to reflect the fantasy side of my film but yet also haunting and unnerving to reflect the horror side of my piece. It also needs to be routed in classical instruments to intertwine with my ballet inspiration. I also am a musician myself and take A level Music Technology, so to me choosing good sound for my piece id very important and something I want to be proud of. First I found this composition. It was twinkly and had bass heavy electronic sounds blended in to it. It was haunting from the vocals. This song has a good feel about it however I'm not sure if it would be the best fit. I could cut parts of it up and use them intermittently when appropriate.    This song is a waltz and incredibly haunting. when listening to it I felt intimidated and scared, I think this would be excellent to use when the figure is talking to the girl and enticing her in like prey. This next so...

My final settings: Thetford forest: I want to use Thetfort forest as it has the thick foliage to be mysterious and scary but also the right amount of wonder and magic. It is not to far away from where I live, meaning that I can get there early when no one is around to be in the back of my shots, ruining my microelements. My Nan's room/house: The scene is meant to be taking place in the bedroom of the main characters recently deceased grandmother. By using my Nans room the mise en scene is super realistic and comes preconstructed. There is a scene in another room of my nans house I have placed my two actors in front of old black and white pictures which clearly shows the scene is taking place in the home of an elderly relative(s). In a school classroom: In a classroom in east due to COVID restrictions. Similar to my nan's house, the mise en scene comes pre constructed, it it will be naturalistic and obvious that the students are in a classroom/bathroom. 

  WE OPEN ON A WIDE SHOT OF A STREET LEADING TO A SCHOOL. IT’S FULL OF MISSING POSTERS FOR THE SAME GIRL. WE ZOOM SLOWLY INTO IT. CUTS TO A POSTER ON THE FLOOR WHICH SOME ONE STEPS ON LEAVING A MUDDY FOOTPRINT. ONE MONTH EARLIER… A MEDIUM SHOT SHOWS A GIRL DRESSED IN FUNERAL ATTIRE SITS ON A BED WATER IN HER EYES. SHE IS LOOKING THROUGH A JEWLERY BOX (CLOSE UP). WE CAN HERE TWO ADULT VOICES ARGUING IN ANOTHER ROOM ABOUT THE FUNERAL. A DISTURBING FIGURE DRIPPED IN BLOOD IS STARING THRIUGH THE WINDOW AND PRESSES ITS HAND AGAINST THE WINDOW (BACK TO MEDIUM SHOT). SHE NOTICES A DAZZLING BLUE RING; IT SEEMS TO CALL TO HER. SHE HAS AN URGE TO PUT IT ON. SHE PLACES IT ON HER FINGER. (CLOSE UP) GIRL: *Gasps* SHE IS IN A WOOD (WIDE SHOT). SHE IMEADEATLY TAKES THE RING OFF AND IS BACK IN THE ROOM. SCARED BUT INTRUIGED SHE PLACES IT IN HER POCKET (CLOSE UP). THE NEXT DAY IN SCHOOL. THE GIRL SITS IN A CLASSROOM SHE IS AT THE FRONT AND LOTS OF HER PEERS SIT AROUND HER. THERE IS ONE GI...

These are some useful videos I found of how to do SFX makeup easily without spending too much money. I would also use coloured contacts.    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0no7JKSegDE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0no7JKSegDE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxJ9NfunmKA

 Tim  B urton   Timothy Walter Burton is an American filmmaker, animator, and artist. He is best known for his gothic fantasy and horror films such as Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow, Corpse Bride, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Dark Shadows, and Frankenweenie. Tim Burtons style is called Gothic suburbia its a very distinctive style. He combines 19th and 20th century visuals and images to create a  gothic  sort of film that has dark implications hidden in a children's movie, that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. I really feel inspired by his style and work. I want my film to have a gothic feel with darker more morbid undertones.  Here is a great article I found all about Tim Burtons evolution of his unique visual  aesthetics and style article about Tim Burton's style

 Pans Labyrinth: I like the strong theme of mythical creatures and fairy-tale adventures all set in a wood Coraline: I like the the idea of the girl being happy with this new great place but then it's all really horrible and evil

  I would like the aesthetic effect of my film to be dark and gothic mixed with naturalistic images. This is fitting of the fantasy/horror genre