Update on cast and crew

I have now found all three actors that I need, and because there will never be all three actors in one scene, they can double up so one of them manages the sound.

Now I only need one person to help with the lighting, and I will direct and operate the camera.

Planning for pre-production exercise

One of the things I am focusing on in my project is lighting. Therefore, I have decided to experiment with lighting in my pre-production exercise. I am going to try and find a way of creating restricted areas of light, as well as experimenting with various colours of light.

For this, I will use colour filters over the lights as we did in our class project: The Moving Man. As well as this, I will try to use restricted light, which will mean using both conventional lighting (supplied by the school) and torches, which I will bring from home.

The pre-production exercise will most likely be a subject in a dark room under varying levels and colours of light. 

Synopsis

Initial ideas:

Characters (cast list):

Main character - A mentally unstable person whose friend committed suicide a while back. They feel responsible for the incident, and have never really recovered. They start to hear voices that get progressively louder and louder as time goes on.

They become convinced that their dead friend is haunting them. At the end of the film, they are driven mad and kill themselves.

Main character's friend - The main character's (living) friend who talks to talks to the main character. They are slightly unsympathetic at first, but they get more and more worried as time goes on. By the end of the film, they realise that the main character is suffering from more than just a mild delusion.

Dead friend - The main character's friend who killed themselves. They do not fully appear in the film, but the main character becomes convinced that they are haunting them. They are heard, and in some cases partially seen, but the only time they are fully seen is when the main character is remembering them when they were alive.

Synopsis

The film begins with the main character lying on the floor. The setting is dark, with a single light source. Whispering can be heard, but there aren't any recognisable words. As it grows louder, the camera approaches the main character's face and there is a fade to black.

The whispering grows quieter, but is still there.

The rest of the narrative is told as a sort of flashback. It follows the main character as they start to have nightmares (possibly taking place in a cemetery) about being watched by someone (the person is not seen apart from one hand), and hearing whispering voices. After a while, they begin to think that they are being haunted by 'her'. They try to talk to a friend, who seems unsympathetic at first (and asks the main character if they have been taking their medication), but as time goes on and the main character becomes more and more distressed and paranoid, their friend starts to be more concerned and tells them that 'it' wasn't their fault.

The main character then visits the cemetery, and starts to hear the whispering voices. At first, they think they are dreaming, but then they realise that they are awake and run away.

They keep hearing the voices even when they take their medication, and they become more and more upset.

There is then a sequence (in a different house) where the main character goes upstairs and the voices grow louder and are joined by other strange noises (similar to the part in the first Silent Hill game that I described) as the main character keeps going upstairs. They then see a door and knock on it, seeming a bit scared. They start to become more urgent, and eventually open the door. There they see someone who has killed herself. The voices grow very loud, and suddenly stop and the dead person disappears.

The main character seems to snap at this point. They go around the house throwing things and shouting. They then sit down and cry, muttering things like 'shut up' and 'leave me alone'.

The next scene is of the main character's friend. They seem to be uneasy. They pick up the phone and call the main character. The scene cuts to a phone ringing with an empty medicine bottle next to it. Then the film goes back to the start, with the main character lying on the floor in a dark room. The voices are becoming clearer.

The scene grows dimmer and the main character appears to be going to sleep. The voices become one voice and it is saying things like 'I'm sorry', 'it wasn't your fault'. Someone is in the room, but cannot be seen. They say 'I missed you'.

The film ends.

Extra ideas:

Props:

A photograph of the main character and the dead person (when dead person was alive) - this is on the desk of the main character at the beginning of the film, and as the main character hears the voices more and more, it seems to follow them around the house, being in every room. When the main character snaps and breaks things, they throw this picture at the wall.

A bunch of flowers - these are used in the nightmare sequence in the cemetery, as well as when the main character actually visits the cemetery. The main character is carrying them, but never puts them on a grave. At the end, the flowers are on the floor near the main character.

A medicine bottle/box - the main character takes medicine due to their mental problems (never fully explained). At the end there is an empty medicine container. This could mean that the main character has run out of it and so their illness isn't being kept under control, or that they have overdosed on something else.

Sound:

Whispers:

For the most part, the voices are distorted to the point where you cannot understand them. I was thinking of experimenting with sound editing programs. Primarily, I was thinking of reversing the voice, but I am also planning on finding other ways of distorting the voices and doubling them.

Other:

For the sound, I was planning on drawing inspiration from the Silent Hill games and using strange noises to unnerve the audience. However, unlike the Silent Hill games, I will use less obtrusive sounds to try and create an almost dreamlike atmosphere.

Pre-production plan

I am currently doing a number of tasks:

1) Finalising the synopsis of my film

2) Finding actors, locations and props

3) Planning my production exercise

My production exercise will focus on lighting, in particular restricted lighting with small areas of light in lots of shadow. In order to do this, I will use the TV studio and some lights, as done in the class exercise: The Moving Man, where I was in the lighting group. The lighting used in that was quite similar to the lighting I am planning to use, with a lot of shadows in them.

I have found two people to act in my final production, and I am thinking of locations I can use. Over the weekend, I will ask people if they can help by either acting, managing sound, or lighting. Possibly some people can double up, particularly the actors who don't play the main character.

As well as locations, I will also be thinking of props to use in my film, particularly ones that have relevance to the plot.

Over the weekend, I will be writing my synopsis of the film and posting it on this blog.

As soon as I have finished my synopsis, I will begin work on a script/screenplay and storyboards.

Production schedule

As part of my pre-production work, I have to create a production schedule detailing when I am 
going to start and complete various tasks. I have colour-coded the schedule depending on the category of task. Written material is in pink, Statement of Intention is in blue, production exercise is in dark green and filming/editing is in bright green. Red is important stuff like the mock exam and final deadline for everything.

As you can see, my first draft of the Statement of Intent is complete, and I have shown that I have already found a few volunteers to act ad help with my project.

I am hoping to start writing my synopsis and script/screenplay soon.

Statement of Intentions - initial draft

Statement Of Intent

My intent for this project is to create a live action, horror-influenced film. However, I am going to try and create more of a gloomy drama with horror features as opposed to a 'true' horror film. In order to do this, I am going to have a plot that relies more on the characters and their actions, and instead use horror inspirations in the style of film making. In particular, I am hoping to experiment with the use of light and sound to create unease.
For my film, there are two main influences that I will work from. One is a film, and one is a videogame series. They all share similar styles and themes in them, which is why I have chosen to use them as influences in my work.

Influence 1:

The first influence is a film called 'The Ghost'. It is a Korean horror film by Tae-Kyung Kim. From this, I have decided to draw upon the technique used in the film, where dreams and flashbacks give information and create atmosphere. The main reason for this in 'The Ghost' is because the main character suffers from amnesia, and gradually recalls things. In my film, I am planing for the character to be thinking back over the series of events that lead to what is happening at the present moment.
Also, I am intrigued by the use of lighting in the film. Instead of using the typical red lighting in horror film, it instead uses dark, shadowed lighting with green and blue tints, an example being the scenes with the main character's mother. During these scenes, the lighting is very dark, with lots of shadows in the room, and a green tint to the light, which helps with the horror aspect of the film, which is drowning, as it gives the feel of being underwater. This holds significance in the film due to the storyline, but I am still interested in the use of different colours in lighting to create atmosphere. In my own film, I am going to look at how to create atmosphere using different colours and levels of light.

Influence 2:

The second, and possibly stronger inspiration I have chosen is the 'Silent Hill' Playstation game series, in particular, the first and second games. I plan to study their style in mise-en-scene, sound, and camerawork in the cutscenes.
The mise-en-scene often contains a lot of symbolism in it, with small details such as pictures on walls and items on desks often holding significance to the plot or characters. There is particular emphasis placed on symbolism in nightmares and the fears and subconscious feelings of the characters. One example is the iconic monster 'Pyramid Head' or 'Red Pyramid', which is a monster that features a lot in the second game. It is found out towards the end of the game that it is in fact a nightmare version of a painting of the traditional town executioner costume found in town. This has symbolism because the main character has a desire to be punished that is manifested as Pyramid Head - a monstrous version of an executioner.
Mise-en-scene is used very effectively in the first game, with lots of things such as pictures of monsters/origins of monsters scattered around, and many items used in solving puzzles being related to children's books. These all reference the mind of the child from which the nightmare came from.
The soundtrack, particularly in the first game, is quite unique. Instead of using recognisable music, the soundtrack is mostly made up of scraping, squeaking and tapping noises that get louder and more chaotic when tension is meant to build. A good example of this is near the end of the game, where several items are needed to unlock a door. As they are put in one by one, the soundtracks starts out as silence, then an ominous hum, then a slight tapping starts. A high-pitched whistle starts soon afterwards, and the tapping grows louder and more echoing. Then the hum grows louder and the tapping turns into clattering, as if someone is hitting a metal sheet. By the time that all the items are in place, the noise has become metallic crashing, a screeching noise like a whistling kettle, all underlaid by a low, monotonous hum. This build of tension is created using entirely sound.
The videogames also use restricted vision extremely well. The horror aspect is almost entirely based on your character's vision being incredibly restricted, with predominantly dark locations illuminated by torchlight. For the most part, you are aware of a monster being nearby without knowing where or what it is. This helps give a feeling of powerlessness as well as fear and tension, which I am hoping to include in my film.






Finally, the 'camerawork' in the cutscenes, particularly the second game, is very well-done. There is a particularly effective close-up of one character where it shows her face and a knife that she was going to kill herself with, making both her expression (and emotion) and her intent clear in one shot. Another good piece of 'camerawork' is in a confrontation between two characters, where the angle changes rapidly, making the whole thing feel disjointed, unnerving and quite surreal.

My Film

In my film, I am planning to make a psychological horror-drama. I am going to use the theme that runs through both my inspirational materials, which is the idea of the past and the buried horrors in the mind of an individual surfacing to haunt them. My intention is not so much to shock the audience with these things, but to create a feeling of unease and mystery.
As mentioned earlier, to portray the main character's feelings of fear and isolation, I am going to look into restricted lighting, such as torchlight or single areas of light in darkened places to show how the character feels as if they are lost in shadows and darkness all alone. Another lighting device I will use is the colour of the light. I am especially interested in blue-tinted light, as it can either make something seem dark and shadowy or bleached out depending on the shade of blue, and also lends a dreamlike feel to the scene, which furthers the idea I am planning to use, where the whole story could be either a real haunting, or a delusion.
For camerawork, the two predominant shots will be close-ups to show emotion, and long shots to make the characters seem small and alone.
The strong symbolism used in 'Silent Hill' will be difficult to reproduce in a short film, so I will instead use mise-en-scene to signify whether or not something is a dream, and also refer to important plot devices, such as a photograph of the main character and their dead friend appearing a lot.
With sound, I am going to experiment with strange noises, particularly scraping and tapping, and other quiet noises to create an atmosphere of tension, as if there is something else there that cannot be seen. This will be used predominantly instead of real music.
Overall, through these features, I hope to create tension, mystery and unease, as well as portray the fragile mindset of the main character, and their growing distress as events continue.

Casablanca - A critical analysis

We have watched Casablanca as an example of Classical Hollywood Cinema.

The lighting is formalist in the sense that it is Chiaroscuro lighting, with emphasis on the contrast between light and shadow. There is an emphasis on shadows in that film, possibly due to the fact that a lot of the film is set at night, and so they had to create shadow to give that feel. However, Ingmar Bergman (Ilsa)'s face is nearly always evenly lit, putting emphasis on her looks, due to the fact that she is meant to be very beautiful. To a lesser extent, this is also done to the other people, however her face is always the most brightly lit.
The recurring motif of stripes also appears in lighting, with a lot of things like blinds creating stripes of light and shadow.

The sound is inherently formalist due to the fact that the film has a musical soundtrack playing in the background. The music is mostly modeled around two songs: 'La Marseille' and 'As Time Goes By', both of which are played in Rick's Café at some point. The music does suit the mood of the events in the film.
Dialogue is very straightforward, with little or no editing done to it.

The mise-en-scene is pretty realist, with items that are generally what would be at the location. The only really formalist aspect is the inclusion of the recurring motif of stripes, in costumes, chairs, and other things. Other props and costumes are typical of films at the time, and seem to be particularly inspired by film noir detective films.

The camerawork isn't very obviously formalist, but there are hints of formalism in there. One example is that Ingmar Bergman is usually only filmed from a certain angle, particularly with close ups of her face, which are nearly always shot in a 3/4-view from her left side.
Other than that, the camerawork is usually quite still, tending to cut to another camera instead of zooming or panning.
The two main kinds of shots used are long shots for scenes with multiple characters, and close ups of characters' faces if they are saying something important. The latter is used extensively throughout the film.

The editing is continuity editing, typical of Classical Hollywood Cinema, and many other films even today. The main features are:
1) Eyeline match, where a character is looking at something (usually off-screen) and then the camera cuts to a point-of-view style shot of whatever the character is looking at. An example of this is the aeroplane in the beginning of the film, where a crowd looks up at something out of shot, then there is a cut to what they were looking at.
2) Cross-cutting, where two simultaneous chains of events/scenes are intercut, switching from one to the other to build tension. An example of this is the ending, where the events at the airport are mixed with the major in his car.
3) Match-on-action, where if the camera angle changes, the new angle starts from exactly the same point that the previous one left off. This happens a lot in dialogue scenes, where the shot changes from a wider shot to a close up.
4) Directional continuity, where the angle changes, but the new angle is within 180 degrees, so it looks as though the subject is still moving in the same direction. This can be seen near the beginning where the man who gives the letters to Rick is arrested, and the angle changes as he is being taken outside.
All of these devices are used to create a sense of the editing being 'invisible', and it makes the audience focus more on the events as there is nothing to really distract them.

Casablanca

One of the most famous films of the Classic Hollywood Film era is Casablanca. It was made in 1942 by Warner Brothers studio, and starred Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, and Paul Henreid.
At the time, Warner Brothers were doing a lot of war films, deciding to focus on war films after the bombing of Pearl Harbour.

It was originally a play called 'Everybody Comes To Rick's'. The play was unproduced at the time, and had been inspired by a trip to Europe by one of the two writers of the play, Murray Burnett. There, he had visited a club very similar to the one at the start of the film.
The film itself was made during World War II, and is set in the war, as many films at the time were. It follows people in resistance against the Nazis. One part of the film that reflects that in particular is the scene known as the 'duel of the songs', where a group of German soldiers start singing 'Die Wacht Am Rhein', but are drowned out by the band, and then everyone else as well, singing 'La Marseillaise', the French national anthem. This is an iconic scene of resistance against the Nazis.

Classical Hollywood Cinema

Classic Hollywood Cinema is a style of film that was used during Hollywood's 'golden age' and started in the American film industry in the 1910s and 1920s, and lasted until the late 1950s. It may seem fairly realist at first glance, however it is actually considered a form of formalism.

Three films classified as Classic Hollywood Cinema are: The Wizard Of Oz, King Kong (1930s version), and Citizen Kane.

Features of Classic Hollywood Cinema include the narrative flow being made of small narrative fragments pieced together so the joining up goes unnoticed, sequences that happen at the same time but at different places intercut to raise tension, dialogue scenes being a series of over-the-shoulder shots from the participants, and point of view shots after showing a character's reaction to something.
The intercut narrative used to create tension is a formalist device, as it involves seeming two simultaeneous series of events, which would not be possible in reality. Also, the switching between third-person and point-of-view shots is also quite formalist.
The narrative itself nearly always ends with a solid resolution of the events that happened within the film. This can be considered a minor form of formalism, as this may sometimes involve improbable events.

German Expressionism

German Expressionism is a film style that was common in Germany in the 1920s, shown in films like 'Nosferatu' and 'The Cabinet Of Doctor Caligari'. It has influenced film making hugely, and even modern films use features from the films.

The key features of German Expressionism include distorted sets and props, like the strangely-shaped rooftops in 'The Cabinet Of Doctor Caligari', and dramatic lighting with emphasis on shadows, like the scene in 'Nosferatu' where Count Olaf's shadow is seen going up the stairs. In some scenes in German Expressionist films, the shadows were painted on the sets to make them more distinctive. In many films of that genre, the characters and their actions are symbolic, and the acting is very exaggerated and over the top, partially due to the need to show what is happening, despite the restrictions of lack of sound and very basic film equipment. The actors usually have a very distinctive appearance, with very dark makeup around their eyes.
Due to the technological restrictions of the time, the editing is very straightforward, with fairly long cuts, and the sound is restricted to the music used throughout.

The influences of German Expressionism are seen in many film styles over time. Film Noir used the same dramatic, shadowy lighting techniques, as do a lot of modern horror films, particularly those after a gothic/gloomy feel. The distorted sets and props are used in many films when a surreal feel is needed in many genres. The acting style has since mostly disappeared when dialogue was added to films, and cameras became better, allowing for actors to show emotions in more subtle ways.
There are also a lot of direct references to specific films, or scenes in those films, especially the two films mentioned above, such as the video for Living Dead Girl by Rob Zombie, which is extremely similar to 'The Cabinet Of Doctor Caligari'.
The appearance of characters from German Expressionist films has also influenced modern films like 'Edward Scissorhands' and 'The Crow', both of which use the shadowed eyes and dark clothing on their main characters. These films also use shadowed lighting and strange sets.

Run Lola Run - A formalist film

This afternoon, we watched the film 'Run Lola Run', which is a modern example of a form of formalist film making.
The film uses a formalist narrative, where the same twenty minutes are repeated three times, and in each one, subtle differences end up affecting the plot in big ways. In each scenario, minor characters also are affected by the events, with the narrative briefly showing what happens to the character through a series of snapshots.
Other formalist devices are used, one of which is the use of animation in the credits, and in the sequence where she runs down the stairs, which is the only part of the main narrative portrayed in animated form.
Another major formalist feature is the camerawork. A lot of extreme close ups are used, as well as bird's eye views and worm's eye views, the latter of which is also a point-of-view shot. One example of formalistic camerawork is the sequence where Lola throws the telephone receiver in the air, and the camera follows it, with multiple angles on it, looking up, down and on a level.
Closely related to the camerawork is the editing. Most of the transitions are jump cuts, and in one sequence, where Lola is running across the bridge, and the angle keeps changing from a side view to a front view. The film also uses split-screen at points to show what two characters are doing at the same time.
The lighting is mostly realistic, except in the scenes between each series of events, where the lighting is red. The mise-en-scene is also mostly realistic, but there is an emphasis on red objects, possibly to link to Lola's red hair, some objects being the telephone receiver, the man's bicycle, and the ambulance.

Lighting - experimental film

In the last lesson, the class started to make a short experimental film.
I was on the lighting team. Over the weekend, I had compiled a lighting script of ideas as to how we could light the scene, with different lists of suggestions for extreme close ups, close ups, medium shots, long shots and extreme long shots.
In the lesson, my group set up the lights and arranged them so they would light well without being in shot or casting any unwanted shadows. There were three lights, so we had one each. I attached a dark purple filter onto my light. After some experimentation, we found out that my light was good for bleaching out shadows and muting colours, so my light was used to balance the other, brighter coloured lights and to create a kind of surreal half-light.
In addition to operating my light and helping set up/put away the equipment, I also helped the other people who were in my group by suggesting which colour combinations would go well at different points.

Formalism and Realism - The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari

'The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari' is a German film from 1920. It follows a young man, Francis, as he tries to find the murderer of his friend. His friend was killed soon after a travelling circus act, Doctor Caligari and the somnambulistic fortune teller Cesare, told him he was going to die.

The film uses many things to suggest the delusions of a madman.
The film uses tinted film to create atmosphere, but this was a very common technique at the time. However, there are other things that suggest unreality. First of all, the plot device of a fortune teller who sleeps all the time, but tells predictions while he dreams. The props are often skewed or at an angle, giving a dreamlike atmosphere, and the camera is usually far away, suggesting a kind of detachment. This creates a surreal, formalist air.

The ending is also rather formalist, as it turns out that the events were all the imaginings of a madman.

One film that has inspired my idea:

A film that I have decided to use as inspiration for my project is 'The Ghost', a Korean horror film made in 2005, directed by Kim Tae-Kyung.
Three points of inspiration are:

1) The idea behind the plot. 'The Ghost' uses amnesia and the accompanying confusion about identity to create atmosphere because the ghost in the story seems to be tormenting the characters for no reason. I have decided to use a plot that involves a similar idea, but I will be focusing more on the psychological aspect as opposed to the supernatural.

2) The device of dreams and flashbacks. 'The Ghost' uses these very well to reveal what has happened without giving away the entire plot. I have decided especially to use the idea of the haunting mostly manifesting itself through nightmares, and hints as to what has happened appearing in these nightmares.

3) The lighting. 'The Ghost' uses green and blue lighting to create a chilling atmosphere, as opposed to the usual lighting colour used in horror movies, which is red. I am also going to try to use different colours and lighting methods in my project.

New inspiration

Recently due to various happenings, I have fallen behind in my work, and so I am still on the stage where I am forming ideas.
I have decided to stick with the idea of atmospheric horror, and I am now looking at ways in which I can use the idea, and how different techniques in lighting, camerawork and sound effects can add to atmosphere.
I have found this video on YouTube.
It is an animation, which means I cannot directly take the style. It also doesn't have a story or dialogue, which are both needed in this project. However, the lighting in this is very good, and the music is effective. The jumping transitions and use of surreal props also serve to unnerve the viewer. I will definitely look into how I can create similar lighting, and, if possible, find similar sound effects, particularly the high-pitched scraping/squeaking noise.

Small update - 'thought shower' - idea 1

I have been trying to think of ideas for what my project could be about/utilise. I have been thinking about the kinds of films I watch a lot of, and enjoy, as well as certain parts I particularly like.
I have thought of using an atmospheric horror style. Not the explicit gore and screaming, because - as far as I can see from the previous students' films - this has been used a lot.
I want to explore the more subdued kind of horror that uses the viewer's mind.

One scene, which, unfortunately, I haven't been able to get a clip of, is the scene in '28 Days Later', where the main character (Jim) has exited the hospital he was in to find himself in a London that is completely deserted.
For the most part, 28 Days Later is the kind of film I don't want to do, as it has a lot of very physical screaming-monster-and-bloody-violence horror.
However, the scene I mentioned earlier, with a seemingly empty London, is brilliant, and has that kind of chilling atmosphere I am looking for. The sickly, pale yellow colour cast on the light, which is used quite a bit at the beginning of the film, is very effective, and the soundtrack used is spot on. It's a remixed version of 'East Hastings' by Godspeed You! Black Emperor. I think the section of 'East Hastings' used is 'The Sad Mafioso'. It really does send shivers down your spine if viewed properly.
I am not planning to do anything as ambitious as block off parts of London during dawn hours, but I am looking for that unsettling kind of film. I think it might have something to do with the collision of the familiar (London) and the unfamiliar (London being completely deserted).
The scene I posted was shot on DV tape, which accounts for the slightly washed-out/bleached look. It works quite well here.

I will investigate into other films/scenes that have the effect of unnerving the viewer as opposed to going full throttle into explicit horror.
One problem I can see with this approach is the question of how I will create such an atmosphere in less than five minutes. I will try to investigate into this.

Gantt Project editing

Today I edited my Gantt chart. I put the first draft of the script in parallel with the storyboarding. I also extended the filming and editing times, and set the % complete bar on my scheduling to 85%, and the thought shower to 13%. The project is now set to end in mid-December.
Using Gantt Project helps me to put everything in perspective. I had to do a presentation with my Gantt chart, and I had to justify my ideas. The feedback I received helped me see what changes I needed to make.

If I find a video clip, I might add it later.

Blog number two - Gantt projects and phantom beasts.

I have finished my rough schedule in the form of a Gantt chart, and I have uploaded it to the course website.
I watched the sequel to the American remake of 'Ring'. Just like the first film, I think the Japanese version is better. They use less special effects in the Japanese Ring films, which I like. The American ones spend a bit too much time on quick shock value rather than letting little things get the viewer uncomfortable. Basically, the American ones are 'scarier', but the Japanese ones have a bit more to them in terms of plot. Even the prequel was pretty good.


This is something I found on Youtube the other day. I quite like it because it's a bit of a character study as well as a 'chiller'. That, and they did their research on the Black Shuck, the folkloric phantom dog.
Random fact: the picture I am currently using of the dog with a red outline is a stylised version of the Black Shuck.

This isn't really my first blog, but hey.

I have a blog already, but this is my first proper work-orientated one. My usual one's just going on about whatever is happening.
This one is for my Moving Image Arts. So posts will be about work, and maybe a couple of films. I will try to post when something happens. This is my production diary for storyboards, scripts, ideas, problems, progress and the such.
I will also put clips of videos and films that I find interesting.

This one has a nice concept: the idea of chance and where it takes you.

The bottom of the page keeps on flashing red text at me. It's a bit ominous.