Friday 21 December 2012

Creative Project Realisation- Final Evaluation


Creative Project Realisation has given me a new set of production skills that I have gained throughout the course of the first semester. It has taught me the basics in new software that I was unfamiliar with before and has allowed me to bring these skills into my research project as well as in future films that I may want to display a specific visualisation for.  
My Major Research Project was a difficult experience to get my head around at first however it really pushed me to the next level of understanding the creative side behind the visual film. For example, at first my initial proposal idea was more of a scripted idea than creative full of difficult effects however after a tutorial with Susannah I realised that my idea needed to be more visually stunning, therefore I changed it to a neo-noir style action drama with lots of effects. The module helped me to think of a film from a visual perspective rather than from a narrative perspective, which is important for me, as my aim in the future is to direct film.
Beginning with the practice project was a great help for me as I was able to gain an understanding of what I needed to aim to do for the following major research project. We created a moodboard for the practice project on Adobe Photoshop and compared it to the others made by different people in my group; we quickly found that we all had separate images of the film and had to work together to get the best image out of all our ideas. I found this quite difficult as we had to compromise over different aspects of the film. This was an example of visually realising the best path to take in a story looking at what is realistic and what isn’t, this helped with my producing skills in the end. I feel more able to look at what is possible in a film now and maybe even look to do bigger things in my projects as I am someone who constantly avoids ideas due to the restrictions they may bring when creating the film.
The practice project was my first time ever using green screen therefore I was not sure of what to expect in the postproduction stages. As we only had a limited amount of time shooting and it was fully green screened I struggled to keep up with what we had and this led to us missing a shot. I feel that the shoot was not as organised as it should have been. For example we did first rehearsals on the day of filming as well us creating the costumes, this ate into our shooting time and the consequences of this were that we left out a crucial shot in the sequence which made the edit a lot more difficult. If I could have reshot this practice project I would have put a lot more planning into the pre production stages and had a careful plan and list of what we needed to get on the day so we could keep to a schedule.
Postproduction was a learning curve for me in the practice project and helped assist my major research project very much when creating the idea. It was the first time I had ever used both Adobe After Effects and Autodesk Maya. The results of outing our piece into After Effects showed that we had definitely made mistakes in the shooting stage. For example the lighting wasn’t flat. I had put a dedolight under the table as it was casting a light something that I thought would fix the problem in postproduction, however this added to the problem due to the light being so yellow. If I were to redo this project I would definitely think about other ways to flat light a green screen, or create the shots so any shadow cast is out of shot.
Overall my practice project did not go the way that I had hoped however I learnt a lot of new skills that I used to improve my major project when in the research stages. My workshops helped to aid the skills I needed to make my visualisation a reality for my final piece.
I began with inspiration from the Freudian theory of the “Structure Model of Personality” (Cherry, 2012). This was a theory that interested me as Freud discusses the way in which the ‘id’, ‘ego’ and ‘superego’ work together to ‘create complex human behaviours’ (Cherry, 2012). It basically says that your id, an instinctive survival component of your personality fight against your ego and superego to create a personality that is within the social and behavioural boundaries that you have been raised with. This seemed like a great starting point to develop my story as these opposing forces could be created into characters as a kind of extreme duality in the film. Therefore I began looking into thrillers, the genre is usually clear cut as having a hero and a villain, the two quite different from each other. I specifically looked into ‘Twist’ thrillers as this is a personal fascination of mine and fit in well with the theory of the id fighting the ego and superego as a sort of conscience battle. I researched many ‘Twist’ thriller films such as Shutter Island (Scorsese, 2010), Fight Club (Fincher, 1999) and Psycho (Hitchcock, 1960). Psycho was my main source of influence in the ‘Twist’ thrillers as it was the first of its kind and one of the most influential thrillers of our age. The film also has a lot of similarities of the “Structural Model of Personality” (Cherry, 2012), for example Norman’s ego and superego are so controlled by the way his mother brought him up that his id has almost vanished and he has been transformed into an extremely mentally scarred man. My final character has characteristics of Norman Bates, as I wanted him to have a dangerous feel as though he is on the boundary of good and bad. I think this is a good idea as when I developed my character the plotline of the story flowed out from this as if it made perfect sense, therefore the story world fits to the character instead of the other way around.
Throughout my research I quickly realised that it was becoming dominated by the noir look derived from the use of my setting, 1952 New York rooftops, I researched into the neo noir style and found Sin City (Miller, 2005) and The Spirit (Miller, 2008) to be extremely influential in the overall style of my piece, I even used the idea of rendering all colours to black white and red that when researching seemed to be fairly simple to achieve. The style I wanted was a gritty ‘novel adaptation’ neo noir look such as the Sin City and The Spirit. The silhouetted figures in the mist of a city gone to waste, a hell bent hero hailed in the desperate times as the punisher of crime. I think these are two very distinctive styles and because both films are mostly shot on green screen it is a lot easier to control and locations could literally be drawn instead of found and controlled in art direction. This is what I would do for my film to make a more visually stunning world around the characters.
The characters are based off a lot of different inspirations that I picked up throughout my research and planning stages, I did a lot of planning on what I wanted Eddie Norman, my main character to look like. I researched into the noir style and looked up Humphrey Bogart, one of the most influential noir actors to this date. His 50’s style private eye detective costumes and rugged exterior made him instantly look like a man who is on the boundaries of good and bad. This is what I wanted my character to look like even before researching into him therefore this provided the perfect inspiration within the creation of the character description, I researched his uniform then compared it with other uniforms from neo noir style films instead as I wanted to give it more than just a typicality to it. I decided to add in a red tie to make the connotations of this character into danger, so the audience never really trusts him. This will make it all the more interesting when the villain reveals who he is at the end.
Using the noir style means I could not ignore the lighting set ups. Lighting is extremely important in noir style films as it develops the extreme contrasts between dark and light emphasizing the duality of the film. This is perfect for my film and is something that initially attracted me to having a noir look; it gives a contrast that no other colour film can give and the audience sees it as a distinctive style that can be related with such films as Vertigo (Hitchcock, 1958) and Sin City (Miller, 2005).
Overall the development of my visual realization has coincided well with my story, when it came to seeing how I could realistically pull off such a surreal visual style it was my workshops in class that helped me to feel more comfortable with working out how to actually going about creating it. I resorted back to my workshop lesson in my blog for the green screen keying part and for Maya for creating a backdrop. These two pieces of software would allow me to create my unique style just the way I want it and would be a lot more beneficial to use rather then an actual location due to the risk and the lack of control I would have when I want my story world to be a specific visual way. This is exactly how Frank Miller approached Sin City (Miller, 2005).
The soundtrack I chose is from Shutter Island (Scorsese, 2010) as it is a great way to raise tension; the soundtrack gives off the impression of inevitable hopelessness, something that both my short film and Shutter Island share. If I were to use this soundtrack I would play it throughout the entire film. I think a soundtrack within this film is important, as there is no dialogue throughout. The soundtrack I have chosen has a lot of silent gaps throughout it and I think this adds to the tension so would suit the style I aim for.
This Major practice project was an excellent opportunity for me to learn about all the different approaches toward making a visual style become a reality. This and the practice project allowed me to experience new tools and gain new skills that I can use on different projects as well as gaining an understanding in industry skills needed for the future. I think overall my major project research, ‘Villain’ is a good idea as it is tricky to create but not unrealistic when making the product a reality. I think with enough time and equipment, I would be capable of creating this project the way I want making a distinctive visual style that is similar to that of modern neo noir films. If I were able to change anything within my project I would have spent more time in the development of my style. I feel that I rushed my research into genres and theories and focused too much on films as my influence. This means that my idea was a little more cliché when comparing it to other films, for example my character clothing is closely based on The Spirit (Miller, 2008) if I revisited my character I would have created a more distinctive description that maybe leads away from the conventional noir style. However I did try to avoid using too much of the same film and did look into the conventions of the genre styles I was aiming for.



Bibliography
Kendra Cherry; 2012; The Structural Model of Personality; http://psychology.about.com/od/theoriesofpersonality/a/personalityelem.htm

Shutter Island; Martin Scorsese; 2010

Fight Club; David Fincher; 1999

Psycho; Hitchcock; 1960

Sin City; Frank Miller; 2005

The Spirit; Frank Miller; 2008

Vertigo; Alfred Hitchcock; 1958

Major Project Research- Lighting


My project will be filmed mostly on green screenin a neo noir style therefore lighting is extremely important throughout the overall film. I want noir lighting on the characters as they stop into close ups or to meet at the end. This is where my project will be at it's advantage. The lighting really develops the noir style and audience members will see the extreme contrasts and complex lighting set ups and see the unique style different from most films.

Thursday 20 December 2012

Major Project Research- Gun wounds and bleeding



So I needed help on the how to make a prosthetic bullet wound for when Eddie shoots the villain in the chest and for the blood pouring from inside Eddie's shirt as he looks down. The video above is an excellent tutorial on how to make prosthetic bullet wounds and as the villain will be wearing his shirt on top of this it won't matter if it is perfect, although it's better to have it than not bother as it will make it look more real.
For the blood pack I had practice it already with squirting blood when filming my practice project and using the hand to squirt blood from. Here we used a syringe, filling it with runny fake blood and putting the pipe into the finger that was being chopped off. This is similar to the way we did this and I would repeat that way of doing it again.

How To Make Fake-Realistic Gunshot Wounds!!; stevestudiolife; 2011; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSRtiRBXD2I

Major Project Research- Gun firing



The gun shot tutorial is extremely common on youtube and is the best way to go about making my gun shot look real for the final product. I think as the gun will only be shot 4 times throughout the film it will be a sufficient enough to put over after effects. This is the way professional films add in muzzle flash in post production. I think my gun will look a lot better with this effect on it.

After Effects Tutorial- Realistic Gun Shots!; Lawton Records; 2011; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnjmOu7w2QU

Major Project Research- Colt Detective Special


This will be the gun that Eddie uses in the film, this is because when researching typical noir guns this was the actual guns that were used in the 1940's and 50's when this film is set. This is a very typical noir style gun as you can see by the picture of Russell Crowe with the gun in his hand in L.A Confidential (Hanson, 1997). I have stayed in the comfort zone in the noir style as I wanted to make sure the audience does not pick anything unusual about the film out and can be completely immersed into this short as everything is correct and accounted for in the style it is supposed to be in. This revolver will be the one that kills the villain at the end so it has to be strong but not strong enough to blow a chunk out of his chest and kill him instantly like a magnun would. I think this is probably the perfect gun to use and still look realistic in the film.


Colt Detective Special; http://www.imfdb.org/wiki/Colt_Detective_Special

L.A Confidential; 1997; Curtis Hanson; http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=colt+detective+special+in+noir+film&um=1&hl=en&client=safari&tbo=d&rls=en&authuser=0&biw=1277&bih=616&tbm=isch&tbnid=blWXab96mGTfIM:&imgrefurl=http://www.imfdb.org/wiki/L.A._Confidential&docid=E3FpmBUi_J-SVM&imgurl=http://www.imfdb.org/images/thumb/b/b2/LAC-Bud-3.jpg/601px-LAC-Bud-3.jpg&w=601&h=251&ei=0OTTUM2oAsuW0QXp64HQCQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=720&vpy=375&dur=3997&hovh=145&hovw=348&tx=183&ty=98&sig=105972740967480288129&page=3&tbnh=137&tbnw=274&start=46&ndsp=25&ved=1t:429,r:69,s:0,i:297

Major Research Project- Rooftops image




The rooftops they are running on will be 1950's New York rooftops, therefore the images above identify just what I am aiming for, however the lighting seems to be to bright on them therefore the image below shows the effect I want when they are on the rooftop. This will bring more obscurity into the scene and raise tension to the audience as we expect the unexpected.



Rooftops, 42nd Street New York; 1940; http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=1950+New+York+Rooftops&um=1&hl=en&client=safari&tbo=d&rls=en&authuser=0&biw=1277&bih=616&tbm=isch&tbnid=6pQG1vNwoa-_nM:&imgrefurl=http://www.artvalue.com/auctionresult--feininger-andreas-1907-1999-us-rooftops-42nd-street-new-york-2788075.htm&docid=UNXUTbFCyp_-RM&imgurl=http://www.artvalue.com/photos/auction/0/49/49440/feininger-andreas-1907-1999-us-rooftops-42nd-street-new-york-2788075.jpg&w=370&h=480&ei=S-HTUKarL-ns0gXv-IFA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=786&vpy=230&dur=1212&hovh=256&hovw=197&tx=103&ty=129&sig=105972740967480288129&page=1&tbnh=136&tbnw=103&start=0&ndsp=26&ved=1t:429,r:15,s:0,i:130

An industrial rooftop; 2006; Alex Reisner; http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=1950+New+York+Rooftops&um=1&hl=en&client=safari&tbo=d&rls=en&authuser=0&biw=1277&bih=616&tbm=isch&tbnid=KYblJMa2PjM1JM:&imgrefurl=http://alexreisner.com/nyc&docid=TOR6OPD8YSymDM&imgurl=http://www.alexreisner.com/img/nyc/pulaski.rooftop.jpg&w=260&h=211&ei=S-HTUKarL-ns0gXv-IFA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=1030&vpy=337&dur=162&hovh=168&hovw=208&tx=124&ty=175&sig=105972740967480288129&page=1&tbnh=143&tbnw=165&start=0&ndsp=26&ved=1t:429,r:25,s:0,i:165

Killers Kiss; Stanley Kubrick; 1955; http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=1950%27s+Noir+Rooftops&um=1&hl=en&client=safari&tbo=d&rls=en&authuser=0&biw=1277&bih=616&tbm=isch&tbnid=geyNJpXIZLz8vM:&imgrefurl=http://thehollywoodprojects.com/category/film-noir/&docid=piVSOZoZqIjHjM&itg=1&imgurl=http://thehollywoodprojects.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/rooftops.png%253Fw%253D300%2526h%253D225&w=300&h=225&ei=WeDTUMiYComo0QWHn4D4Bg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=606&vpy=152&dur=276&hovh=180&hovw=240&tx=82&ty=95&sig=105972740967480288129&page=1&tbnh=145&tbnw=188&start=0&ndsp=25&ved=1t:429,r:21,s:0,i:153

The Big Combo; 1955; Joseph H. Lewis; http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=1950%27s+noir+Rooftops&start=143&um=1&hl=en&client=safari&sa=N&tbo=d&rls=en&authuser=0&biw=1277&bih=616&tbm=isch&tbnid=GdizwMDAFTt-4M:&imgrefurl=http://romethesecondtime.blogspot.com/2009_12_01_archive.html&docid=02L-VIo-vIEaiM&imgurl=https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzn1l7EyttNhKCtUZNl4iegc8D0JXmz0sa2n6c0dbIIzd8KmIinOPzy5ncS1-K2lV9Ns8_wC4zLfaMS5YaUvSvBxlvIb6DjCBwek7p_S25qnGvFWStIGuabq4edAru_VdqtTeBJKTHgOU/s1600/The%252BBig%252BCombo%252Bnoir%252Bpic%252B1955.jpg&w=300&h=184&ei=NuPTUPigCKmg0QWD74G4BA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=998&vpy=46&dur=119&hovh=147&hovw=240&tx=76&ty=82&sig=105972740967480288129&page=6&tbnh=142&tbnw=215&ndsp=29&ved=1t:429,r:50,s:100,i:154

CPR Proposal- Visual Realisation Final


VISUAL REALISATION
The piece will be a noir style action drama that will be filmed in a low-key black and white visual style with a strong red as an additional colour throughout the film used for the colour of Eddie’s tie and the blood at the end. This will be the same shade of red for both parts. I aim to use these colours to emphasise the noir aspect of the film creating a neo-noir feel, much like graphic novel adaptation Sin City (Miller, 2005) or The Spirit (Miller, 2008). The red will be rendered in just the blood and Eddie’s tie as I feel this will make it a touch more visually appealing but entertaining for the audience. When rendering out the colour I will include a gritty spotlight feel to each shot making the contrast between dark and light so extreme that the shot’s look slightly fuzzy but still clear and sharp.

As this is 1952 New York, the noir period, black and white suits what I aim for. However this is an action drama as well therefore there will be quick cuts between Eddie and the villain running in fluid tracking shots gliding with the movement of the two characters to the side of them as they run along the rooftops. Their movement will be fluid as well, a neo-noir style such as the running shots in The Spirit (Miller, 2008). Villain is an action film therefore the shots will be quick cut to evoke tension. The villain will have his face obscured by his black balaclava and will wear low key black clothing; black trousers, black shoes, black 50’s style coat over a black suit. He also carries a light grey coloured crosshatch sack full of bank notes that overflow as he runs. Eddie is a typical plain clothed detective you would expect to see in a 50’s noir film; 50’s grey trench coat, 50’s suit underneath but with a strong red tie, 50’s grey trousers and a detective hat with a black ribbon around it.

The scene is desolate 50’s New York rooftops, a maze of obstacles and mist that obscure a straight shot of the villain; mist rises out of the ventilation shafts adding to the night air creating almost silhouette figures of the two characters. The rooftops are high up and have dangerous gaps between them, one specifically where Eddie almost doesn’t make it before he tries firing at the villain but misses. This shot would be done from a bird’s eye view as he jumps to show the height he is jumping from.

Lighting will be low-key; a Venetian blind spotlight effect that has extreme dark/light contrasts on Eddie as he chases the villain. This will be especially evident when he leaps over the ledge and rolls then shoots at the villain. He will stop in a ‘Close Up/Mid Shot’ to show this effect and the lighting will be fairly exposed; aimed just on his face and a letterbox effect on his eyes. This will be transposed onto the villain in the same shot as he reveals himself at the end to juxtapose the two faces as to emphasise the twist even more for the audience. The rest of the scene will be very low key and combined with the mist will create almost silhouettes of the characters.