The main focus of this post is to justify the sound and music we’ve chosen for our Film Noir Opening piece. We’ve chosen a really soft, downbeat piece of music that still has quite a dark quality for the titles that sound-bridges into the first scene. This, in my opinion, creates an effective juxtaposition of sorts between the heavy, electronic, upbeat music used for the flashbacks that people won't expect. I used a royalty free sample courtesy of Apple. I added; a bitcrusher, distortion, reverb and an echo to create a really nasty sinister tone to it whilst keeping that really tragic kind of melody it has. In my opinion, it does sound really noir, but updated, which is essentially the key to our entire piece of work.Next, we have the voice-overs. The reason we collectively decided to include a voice over is because we felt that the audience may be slightly confused and needed some insight into the character’s mind. I think the way it turned out is really effective. It compliments the scene, clarifies what’s happening, sets the audience up for the flashbacks and improves their relationship with the character. The voice-over of the girl is one of my favourites though, and the way it’s edited, in my opinion is really effective. We applied heavy reverb to her voice and added delay and a really eerie echo which is not only frighteningly ghostly, but makes the audience wonder why the male character is hearing this and makes them question his innocence.Finally, the music we used for the flashbacks, is a piece by an artist named Peaches. The music had a very grimy, seedy electro feel to it and we liked that it had very subtly appropriate lyrics. The line; “seems you got a little bit more than you asked for” also builds the sequence up and builds suspension and awe, things we definitely wanted to create in this opening body of work. Unfortunately, the music, named ‘More’, we used for the flashback sequences is not royalty-free so we will have to research how to propose to XL Recordings/Kitty-Yo, the owners of the song, for permission to use the material, organise to pay royalties, etc.
By Benjamin Halliday, editor
Friday, 30 April 2010
Editing update, Titles
For A Killing Conscience, our Film Noir Opening Sequence, we've chosen a really simple typeface and layout that clearly displays all information whilst keeping that noir feel.
First, we experimented with flashy reflective titles that whooshed, spun and flew across the screen with white backgrounds and modern black, glossy text which we all thought looked amazing, not stopping to think; "does this have anything to do with our noir?". Well, after screening our opening sequence to an audience, we realised that the glossy, professional titles don't work with our piece - some actually said they were confused because the titles set the film up to be something
it's not. We couldn't help but agree and swifty deleted the title sequence in search of a new one.
First, we experimented with flashy reflective titles that whooshed, spun and flew across the screen with white backgrounds and modern black, glossy text which we all thought looked amazing, not stopping to think; "does this have anything to do with our noir?". Well, after screening our opening sequence to an audience, we realised that the glossy, professional titles don't work with our piece - some actually said they were confused because the titles set the film up to be something
it's not. We couldn't help but agree and swifty deleted the title sequence in search of a new one.
Old Title:
Collectively, we sat around as I went through title ideas
I thought would be appropriate and we ended up finding a really sleek, simple, noir-themed one which is dark and shady and it fits out work perfectly. On a black background, the text appears to be typed as letters appear one-by-one on screen. The typeface and colour we decided to use is white Gill Sans which is a modern approach to the old noir typewriter style typeface. Information such as the production company, acknowledgments, and name of our film are displayed seperately, which I really like; it gives the audience time to digest and fully-read the information and looks a lot better than trying to pack everything on in one go.
Here's a screen-shot of the title style we've decided to go with:
By Benjamin Halliday, editor
Group meetings
First group meetings
Our first group meeting was when we started the project to get our initial ideas together. But after we had got all our ideas in we had to keep meeting or talking every now and then to make sure we where on the same page as each other, understood what was going on and when we were filming next etc.It was also very helpful if anyone had any other ideas that we could have added into the shoot. Because everydy we realised there was new things we could pop into it to make it better.
After our first shoot, we looked back on the footage and realised it was nothing like how we wanted it to be. It was really dissapointing and we started to panic. As that shoot had taken us about 10 hours to do, and we were running out of time till it had to be finished. We had a meeting and we had to decide what to do. As we knew we couldn't have stuck with just the footage we had or our film opening would look terrible. So we came up with another day, time and location for our next filming session. We had to come up with a whole new idea that would be just as good as our last one, but also work. It also had to be a reachable target for the time we had left.
Luckily it all worked out. The panic was finally over.
Group meeting at the editing stage
In the editing stage we had to have more meetings of how to piece everything together that we had filmed. But because there was four of us, we couldn't all bundle round one computer as there were other things we had to do. So we had two at a time round a computer. Ben at all times as he was the main editor. When we were not editing we decided we should do blog work and finish off little tweaks that we needed. Before the editing we all decided on what kind of idea of what we wanted it to be. But as the editing went on we'd all sit together at a certain point and screen it so we could all decide how it looked. This process really worked as we finished it and we all loved how it looked. And in between we got work done which was perfect.
by kira knight
In the editing stage we had to have more meetings of how to piece everything together that we had filmed. But because there was four of us, we couldn't all bundle round one computer as there were other things we had to do. So we had two at a time round a computer. Ben at all times as he was the main editor. When we were not editing we decided we should do blog work and finish off little tweaks that we needed. Before the editing we all decided on what kind of idea of what we wanted it to be. But as the editing went on we'd all sit together at a certain point and screen it so we could all decide how it looked. This process really worked as we finished it and we all loved how it looked. And in between we got work done which was perfect.
by kira knight
Pre - production paperwork
Pre production was a very important part of making our film. Without it we would have had no structure or order when making the film
The pre production we undertook included storyboards, resarch and shot lists.
Research was one of the first things we did. We looked at past neo noirs and contemporary noirs to get the sort of feel of the film we had to make. As none of us had made an opening sequence before, let alone one which was of a contemporary noir nature. We did surveys to get information of what sort of thing people of our age group would want to watch. So we could get our idea perfect for our film.
We had to write a quick synopsis of our film, this was about 150 words just so we had our idea on paper. We then wrote wrote a more detailed synopsis, which was more helpful in a sense because as it had more detail, thus it was easier than having to remember every little idea.
Then again, this is what the storyboard was for. We had the type of shots, the duration and what kind of sound would be on it, followed by a quick description of what the scene was all about. This was important mainly to know what sort of sound we would have under the scenes we were shooting, and the duration of the shot.
The shot list was probably the most important of our pre-production work. This is because it had all the shots we needed and the description written down. We did it for every shot we needed. So if we forgot anything we could go back to it everytime and it would be perfect because we'd look at the shot type, what was happening in the scene and where it was being filmed.
I never realised at first how important pre production could be. I thought it might just be extra hassle. But without it, we would have had no idea as a group where to start. It gave a lot more structure to our filming and deffinitly saved us in times of trouble.
credited to Kira Knight
The pre production we undertook included storyboards, resarch and shot lists.
Research was one of the first things we did. We looked at past neo noirs and contemporary noirs to get the sort of feel of the film we had to make. As none of us had made an opening sequence before, let alone one which was of a contemporary noir nature. We did surveys to get information of what sort of thing people of our age group would want to watch. So we could get our idea perfect for our film.
We had to write a quick synopsis of our film, this was about 150 words just so we had our idea on paper. We then wrote wrote a more detailed synopsis, which was more helpful in a sense because as it had more detail, thus it was easier than having to remember every little idea.
Then again, this is what the storyboard was for. We had the type of shots, the duration and what kind of sound would be on it, followed by a quick description of what the scene was all about. This was important mainly to know what sort of sound we would have under the scenes we were shooting, and the duration of the shot.
The shot list was probably the most important of our pre-production work. This is because it had all the shots we needed and the description written down. We did it for every shot we needed. So if we forgot anything we could go back to it everytime and it would be perfect because we'd look at the shot type, what was happening in the scene and where it was being filmed.
I never realised at first how important pre production could be. I thought it might just be extra hassle. But without it, we would have had no idea as a group where to start. It gave a lot more structure to our filming and deffinitly saved us in times of trouble.
credited to Kira Knight
questionare and findings.
We asked ten random people, aged 15 - 21] their views of films so we could could an idea what would attract our audience for our film opening we are making. We found out from the results that horror and thriller put together are popular. Even though romance came out on top, together horror and thriller came as the next popular. They believed that an opening of a film is important and a cliffhanger ending is good. [which is perfect because this is what we planned to do] Not many people had heard of noir, which meant we had to cater to their needs more. For example giving in a very modern twist to noir characteristics so it was still interesting to the young audience we are trying to attract. Themes of film were all quite popular, but murder, parties and fights came out on top. Two of those, murder and parties, is what sort of theme we want to use for our film anyhow.
So from our results, the film we are planning to make should be perfect for the audience we are making our opening for.
Credited to Kira knight
cinematography treatment
Cinematography in our film is going to be vital in our film. The type of shots we use will help distinguish the type of film we are trying to convey to our audience.
The opening shots willl all be in the bedroom. These shots will be used with a tripod to give a smooth feel. As at this point we are in real time so we will use continuity. In this, we will also use high and low angle shots of the charecters to give the impression of the charecter that we want. For example There will be a high angle shot of our charecter 'Ben' sitting on the bed with a cigarette. This will make Ben look vunrable and lonely which is what we to portray. There will be a close up of 'kiras' body in the bed dead. It is important shot, and gives a lot of detail, which is what close ups are perfect for. The shot will need to linger to give a bigger impression of the fact she is beaten, bruised and dead.
In contrast to this the flashbacks we will use will be very gritty, uncontrolled shots. We will get this effect by using a hand held camera. The handheld camera will also make it as point of view shot from bens persepective of that night. We see it through his eyes. When we edit, we will then chop them up in different places to make them even more abnormal to the audience. There wont be any structure as such. Aka, no continuity. This because they are flasbacks of a very drunk not, and in reality when people remember things it will be at different times and not in order how the night has gone. So we want to make it seem like this with our mixed up shots in different places. The shots will seem uncomfortable and confusing. Which was a convention of classic film noirs.
by kira knight
The opening shots willl all be in the bedroom. These shots will be used with a tripod to give a smooth feel. As at this point we are in real time so we will use continuity. In this, we will also use high and low angle shots of the charecters to give the impression of the charecter that we want. For example There will be a high angle shot of our charecter 'Ben' sitting on the bed with a cigarette. This will make Ben look vunrable and lonely which is what we to portray. There will be a close up of 'kiras' body in the bed dead. It is important shot, and gives a lot of detail, which is what close ups are perfect for. The shot will need to linger to give a bigger impression of the fact she is beaten, bruised and dead.
In contrast to this the flashbacks we will use will be very gritty, uncontrolled shots. We will get this effect by using a hand held camera. The handheld camera will also make it as point of view shot from bens persepective of that night. We see it through his eyes. When we edit, we will then chop them up in different places to make them even more abnormal to the audience. There wont be any structure as such. Aka, no continuity. This because they are flasbacks of a very drunk not, and in reality when people remember things it will be at different times and not in order how the night has gone. So we want to make it seem like this with our mixed up shots in different places. The shots will seem uncomfortable and confusing. Which was a convention of classic film noirs.
by kira knight
Tuesday, 27 April 2010
Using Copywritten Music
Breifly, I touched on the subject in the last post about using music owned by Peaches, XL Recordings and Kitty-Yo Recordings. Royalty free music would have ideally been our first choice, though we were so deadset on this song because of the noir feel, the lyrics and tone. So, in order to use this piece of music, research, communication and permission is key.Upon research, I've found that we need to obtain two licences; A synchronisation licence and a master use licence. The synchronisation licence must be gained from the National Music Publishers' Association (NMPA) who holds rights to a large number of songwriter's, artists and producers' work. To obtain this, I would need to mail the legal team working the company and propose to use this particular song, explain our film, and negotiate royalties with them. I would need the master use to reproduce the recording in our noir. We would need to clear this right with both XL Recordings/Kitty-Yo Recordings as they own the recording we're proposing to use. Similarly to the synchronisation license, we would need to contact the business affairs departments of these record labels and, again, negotiate prices and propose.Fees are determined by how long the song is used, how many times the song is used, how it will be used, and where the film is distributed. For us, as students, reduced fees are available. In our proposal, we would need to provide a synopsis of the film and it's budget, explain how we intend to use the song and how our body of work will be distributed. Now knowledgeable of how we could use the song "More" in our piece, we can switftly move on to complete other areas of post-production!
By editor, Ben Halliday
Second and final script.
INT. BEN’S BEDROOM. BED’S HOUSE. MORNING
The room is dark as the curtains are closed on the large window that takes up the whole of the central wall. Clothes lay strewn across the floor; coins, cigarettes and their packets litter the side of a large desk to the left side of the room. To the right, against the wall is a single bed with two inhabitants sleeping under the duvet. One is a boy in his late teens named BEN, his head leans against the head of a girl of a similar age named KIRA.
CUT TO:
INT. BEN’S BEDROOM. BED’S HOUSE. MORNING
BEN wakes up, he rubs his eyes wearily and slowly gets out of bed, walks over to the window and opens the curtains. Sunlight floods the room.CUT TO:
INT. BEN’S BEDROOM. BED’S HOUSE. MORNING
Upon the desk is a mirror which Ben looks into sleepily, he realises that he has blood on his face and proceeds to rub it off, but it doesn’t.
CUT TO:
INT. BEN’S BEDROOM. BED’S HOUSE. MORNING
BEN realises that the blood is not his. He is shocked and turns to look at KIRA.
CUT TO:
INT. BEN’S BEDROOM. BED’S HOUSE. MORNING
BEN anxiously walks over to KIRA in the bed who still hasn’t moved. She appears to be fine so he rolls her over so that he can see the right side of her body.
CUT TO:
INT. BEN’S BEDROOM. BED’S HOUSE. MORNING
The right side of her face is covered with a large bruise to her eye and cheek, and her lip is cut and laced with dried blood.
CUT TO:
INT. BEN’S BEDROOM. BED’S HOUSE. MORNING
BEN looks indifferent and suspiciously walks over to the window and closes the curtains. He then starts to pace up and down the length of the room repeatedly. His voice over starts whilst he is pacing.BEN(Voiceover)What a stupid bitch! I fucking new something like this would happen. How did she even end up in my bed?! I told her no a million times. No one even wanted her here anyway. Looks like we got what we wanted.
The room is dark as the curtains are closed on the large window that takes up the whole of the central wall. Clothes lay strewn across the floor; coins, cigarettes and their packets litter the side of a large desk to the left side of the room. To the right, against the wall is a single bed with two inhabitants sleeping under the duvet. One is a boy in his late teens named BEN, his head leans against the head of a girl of a similar age named KIRA.
CUT TO:
INT. BEN’S BEDROOM. BED’S HOUSE. MORNING
BEN wakes up, he rubs his eyes wearily and slowly gets out of bed, walks over to the window and opens the curtains. Sunlight floods the room.CUT TO:
INT. BEN’S BEDROOM. BED’S HOUSE. MORNING
Upon the desk is a mirror which Ben looks into sleepily, he realises that he has blood on his face and proceeds to rub it off, but it doesn’t.
CUT TO:
INT. BEN’S BEDROOM. BED’S HOUSE. MORNING
BEN realises that the blood is not his. He is shocked and turns to look at KIRA.
CUT TO:
INT. BEN’S BEDROOM. BED’S HOUSE. MORNING
BEN anxiously walks over to KIRA in the bed who still hasn’t moved. She appears to be fine so he rolls her over so that he can see the right side of her body.
CUT TO:
INT. BEN’S BEDROOM. BED’S HOUSE. MORNING
The right side of her face is covered with a large bruise to her eye and cheek, and her lip is cut and laced with dried blood.
CUT TO:
INT. BEN’S BEDROOM. BED’S HOUSE. MORNING
BEN looks indifferent and suspiciously walks over to the window and closes the curtains. He then starts to pace up and down the length of the room repeatedly. His voice over starts whilst he is pacing.BEN(Voiceover)What a stupid bitch! I fucking new something like this would happen. How did she even end up in my bed?! I told her no a million times. No one even wanted her here anyway. Looks like we got what we wanted.
FADE TO FLASHBACK:INT. BED’S HOUSE. STAIRS. FLASHBACK OF THE NIGHT BEFOREBEN walks down the stairs. AMY sits on the right side of the stairs, mid way down. she looks ill. Ben taps her caringly on the head.
CUT TO:
INT. BED’S HOUSE. LOUNGE. FLASHBACK OF THE NIGHT BEFOREBEN sees AMY and KIRA sit on a sofa next to each other. KIRA pours a shot.
CUT TO:
INT. BED’S HOUSE. LOUNGE. FLASHBACK OF THE NIGHT BEFOREOn the left side of the room is another sofa. BEN sees CAMERON and EMILY sit on it with their legs entwined, flirting.
CUT TO:
INT. BED’S HOUSE. LOUNGE. FLASHBACK OF THE NIGHT BEFOREKIRA comes up to BEN drunkenly clutching a bottle of vodka.KIRA(Inebriated)Hey babe, you look so good tonight! Do you wanna dance or something?BEN(Disgustedly)You’ve had too much to drink!KIRA(Frenzied)Too much?! Not enough! I mean just…AMY appears in front of BEN and shoves KIRA hard out of the way bitchily. AMY looks directly at BEN.AMY(Smugly)Come dance with me!
CUT TO:
INT. BEN’S BEDROOM. BED’S HOUSE. MORNING – PRESENT DAYBEN walks over to the desk and picks up one of the cigarette packs, gets out a cigarette and then sits on the edge of the bed. Meanwhile KIRA’S voice is heard as a voiceover.KIRA(Echoed and overlapping)What have you done to me? I feel so alone. I just wanted a friend. You hurt me.
CUT TO:
INT. BEN’S BEDROOM. BED’S HOUSE. MORNING – PRESENT DAYBEN sits on the edge of the bed with a cigarette in his mouth.BEN(Voiceover, concerned)My god, what the hell am I going to do? I barely remember a thing! Anyone could have done this – even me…He searches for a lighter – patting down his pockets and looking around – but doesn’t find one so he takes it out of his mouth. He rubs his neck tensely then stares pensively into the air.
CUT TO:
INT. BED’S HOUSE. LOUNGE. FLASHBACK OF THE NIGHT BEFOREBEN sees KIRA sits on the sofa that she had previously done with AMY. However this time she is sitting with MADELEINE and sobs mercilessly on her shoulder. Then she stops and stands up defiantly and walks out of the room.
CUT TO:
INT. BED’S HOUSE. LOUNGE. FLASHBACK OF THE NIGHT BEFOREBEN sees EMILY and CAMERON standing in the doorway of the room flirting with each other. KIRA appears from the corridor. She walks over to CAMERON, grabs him and kneels in front of him, begging him for his attention.
CUT TO:
EXT. BED’S HOUSE. GARDEN. FLASHBACK OF THE NIGHT BEFOREBEN leans out of his bedroom window for a cigarette, as she goes to light his cigarette, he sees EMILY and CAMERON in the garden below. They intimately embrace. However KIRA runs out into the garden from inside the house and pushes them apart. EMILY stands back in horror as KIRA violently slaps CAMERON.
CUT TO:
INT. BED’S HOUSE. HALLWAY. FLASHBACK OF THE NIGHT BEFOREBEN sees CAMERON walk up the stairs with a bottle of alcohol in his hand. He stumbles drunkenly.
CUT TO:
INT. BED’S HOUSE. LOUNGE. FLASHBACK OF THE NIGHT BEFOREBEN looks wearily into a large mirror hanging on the living room’s wall. He rubs his face indicating that it has been a long night. KIRA bounds up behind him bright eyed and bushy tailed – a far cry from the state that she was in in the previous scene. This angers BEN. He turns around.
CUT
BEN stares at KIRA, who looks fanatical.KIRA(Excited)Are you ready for your dance yet babe?BEN(Fustrated)Look, I told you before!KIRA(Frantic)What have I done?!
CUT TO:
INT. BED’S HOUSE. LOUNGE. FLASHBACK OF THE NIGHT BEFOREAMY sits spread out on the left side of the room against the wall. She is drinking. BEN sits on a bean bag opposite it and KIRA lays on the floor with her eyes closed in-between. BEN looks at AMY.BEN(Concerned)Do you think she’s ok?AMY turns to look at him.AMYWho cares!? She’s a dirty mess.Just as she finishes speaking AMY throws a cigarette packet at KIRA. This rouses KIRA and she opens her eyes.KIRA(Infuriated)Leave me alone, you dirty skank!!KIRA gets up and leaves.
CUT TO:
INT. BED’S HOUSE. LOUNGE. FLASHBACK OF THE NIGHT BEFOREBEN sees various people throughout his lounge feeling the effects of his party; EMILY passed out on the sofa on the left side of the room, a boy being sick into a bucket and on the other sofa loads of girls still drinking.
CUT TO:
INT. BED’S HOUSE. LOUNGE. FLASHBACK OF THE NIGHT BEFOREKIRA sits curled up in the corner of the room, sobbing and clutching a near empty bottle of vodka.
CUT TO:
INT. BED’S HOUSE. LOUNGE. FLASHBACK OF THE NIGHT BEFOREThe lights flicker on and off, and the room appears to spin to BEN as he sees everyone dancing to loud music.
CUT TO:I
INT. BEN’S BEDROOM. BED’S HOUSE. MORNINGBEN sits on the edge of the bed; he stares forward, deep in thought. He hears loud footsteps coming towards him and then the bedroom door opening so he turns his head to see who it is.INT. BEN’S BEDROOM. BED’S HOUSE. MORNINGThe door handle slowly turns, and opens an inch.
END.
By Myself, Amy Meitiner, Group Director and Producer
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)