Final Blog Post and Reflection for PP2

Production:

Our shoot for Audition was a success and went ahead according to schedule; we even managed to wrap up early and only took one day to shoot the entire thing, making it much easier for logistical reasons as well.

I was a lot more involved with this project than the other (That was Then, This is Now) because of the roles I took on, so the processes and ultimately the final product will be much closer to my heart. I was glad that I got to direct a piece that I felt comfortable with, so it was a good thing I got to take a crack at writing the final draft when the first one didn’t work out.

Nick and Emily were wonderful to work with and were very helpful during the collaborative process, that’s the thing I love about being on the production aspect of this industry; the very act of coming together and working with other people toward a common goal makes for a healthy and conducive environment without any politics in the office, because everyone ultimately wants the best outcomes for the project. It was my first time working with professional actors in ‘The Biz’ and it was really refreshing to feed off their unending supply of energy and ideas. The nature of the script also allowed for some improvisation on the actors’ part, so I think that really helped to keep the mood and energy up on the set.

It was a good thing that Sam, Mahendran and I went to the location the day before the shoot to dress the set, test for lighting and set up the camera, because it allowed us to start almost immediately the day of the shoot, which was a good move as it allowed us the right amount of time to catch the morning light. We finished the shots for the apartment kitchen scene in good time and the natural light was pretty consistent throughout, which helped.

 
Post-production:

I mostly worked with Sam, our designated editor, during the post-production process. Shooting a multi-camera style with only one camera proved more difficult in the editing suite because we had a lot of continuity issues to sort out and had to give up certain shots because the action onscreen didn’t flow as well; either the lines were delivered at the wrong timing or the framing wasn’t good. We didn’t really have a choice, but I’m beginning to understand more now that productions with bigger budgets have the ability to use more cameras, and the presence of multiple cameras recording the action from different angles at the same time really does help a lot.

After weighing the pros and cons of each take and working out the best possible scenario, I am pretty satisfied with the final product. It’s nice to know that we have two decent short films that I’m proud of putting in my portfolio and on my showreel. Charlotte’s piece was nicely shot and I’ve always been fond of the idea of playing around with voiceovers because in film, the two most important senses at work are sight and sound, so when we screw around with those elements it really manipulates the art and affects the viewer’s experience to a great extent!

 
General Conclusion:

Though I’ve taken on the role of the director before, I’ve never worked with professional actors prior to these PP2 projects, and I must say the experience has re-affirmed and further ignited my passion to pursue being a writer-director as a future career path. I’ve learnt that I really enjoy the creative aspects of conceiving an idea and portraying it across a medium such as film. Being able to oversee the overall creative look and feel of the project suits me perfectly, since I’m not too big on the camera specifications or the process of physically pushing buttons to edit the piece together; working beside an editor and a D.O.P suit me just fine. It’s the process of writing a script, creating a story and translating it onto film, that excites me the most. So this PP2 project has helped me realise to a greater extent what I can achieve in a professional work environment.

Having to work with pre-determined group members proved to be challenging at times, because naturally some people have to pull extra weight to cover the work load of others who aren’t as interested in the project, but it also served as training ground for overcoming potential challenges like this in the real world for future productions. It also gives me a certain sense of comfort knowing that when I do eventually go out into the real working world, I’ll be able to choose who I want to work with, and I can take comfort in the fact that everyone who signs up for a project usually wants to give their best effort for it, so it can only get better from here on out!

MI2: Self Assessed Reflective Blog Entry

I feel the value of the seminar series was mostly to expose us as media students to a wide range of career possibilities relating to Film, Television and Music primarily and having the industry professionals come in and be an engaging presence and point of contact was very useful as we got to pick at their brains and suss out for ourselves, the best or most fitting path for us individually. The themes of the seminar series also allowed for more specific and focused discussions regarding particular aspects of the industry, so structurally, the seminars were very effective in that way.

Having also been involved in the coordination of a seminar gave me a sense of what event-planning entails and how events like these are staged from the point of conception to execution. My role as a facilitator for the TV group seminar was something new for me, as it involved getting in guest speakers for the event and making sure everything ran smoothly during the day of the session. This conveniently tied in well with my networking report and it immediately allowed and mandated that I start networking and gaining contacts early in the game!

I discovered that I personally don’t immediately assume the front-runner/play-maker position in the team, but instead fulfill the role of being a good team player in the sense that I do fulfill my responsibilities well and give good suggestions for the team. I also learnt that I adapt well to change and am easily approachable, which makes the process of collaboration much more pleasant.

I also learnt in this industry of media, or any industry for that matter, that it doesn’t hurt to take an active role in seeking answers and opportunities everywhere. It always serves the individual best to constantly reach out to a vast and wide range of contacts in the industry, because you never know who’s kind enough to reply (and many of them actually do!) I found out that some working professionals are happy to help students with their enquiries, but I’m also aware of the fact that they might not always have jobs handy to give out and offer everyone, so turning a simple interview from the initial point of contact into a potential job opportunity, is a crucial and valuable skill that a soon-to-be fresh university graduate such as myself should strive to master!

It is also crucial to have an in-depth understanding of the business one is about to embark on and be constantly up-to-date with the changes and trends for the future, this is especially important in the rapidly changing and evolving industry of television. Hence, I feel that I have a fairly good amount of knowledge and expertise on how the television industry functions after doing research for my Personal Networking Report and speaking to various representatives from different departments in the television sector. My 6-month industry work experience at MediaCorp TV in Singapore was also an eye-opening and defining journey that has only enriched and further fueled my passion for all things TV!

I have learnt that my ability to adapt to change quickly, relate well to people and think fast on my feet, put together with my passion and love for television, will allow me to be in good standing to carve out a strong career within the television industry.

 

Grade: 88% (HD)

MI2: Self assessed/Peer moderated contribution and participation

In our first meeting we sorted out our roles in the group pretty easily, and I took up a position in the facilitation team along with Alex and Jenny. Our roles consisted primarily of searching for and inviting the appropriate media professionals, who represent the different and pivotal areas of the television industry, to the event. We were also tasked with organising the facilitation of activity during the actual seminar, such as guiding the guest speakers and attendees to the location and making sure that everything was in order.

 

In order to accomplish the first stage of the process, I sent out multiple emails to several media contacts in the industry and managed to secure Brett Sleigh from the programming and commissioning team at the SBS channel. Although an unfortunate last minute work emergency prevented his showing up at our seminar, he was still eager to help out in other ways. This meant that we had to quickly alter the seminar timeline and extend the interview time for the other three guests to accommodate the change.

 

On the day of the seminar, I assisted in the logistical aspects of arranging our props and refreshments for the attendees present, acted as timekeeper for the production and helped out in other general areas where needed.

 

My contribution to the seminar can also be measured through the idea generation (points to cover during the interviews, questions to ask the guests, breaking down of the seminar plan and timeline, etc) during the group meetings and massive email chains our group members were sending out, which proved very useful and efficient. I was present at every face-to-face group meeting but one (during the week I was unwell), and our group worked well together effectively brainstorming and accepting ideas from everyone, creating a good and cohesive working environment for us all.

 

The process of organising this seminar proved to be educational as it allowed me to deepen my understanding of how the television industry functions both in the Australian and global markets. The guests that we invited were very engaging and precise with they responses. Being able to speak to executive producer Ron Brown during the coffee break helped me understand the trials and tribulations one has to go through before succeeding in the business. He provided insight into his beginnings in the Australian market before transitioning into the global markets as well. Even though SBS programmer Brett Sleigh couldn’t make it to the seminar, he has agreed to do an interview for my Personal Networking Report. I am looking forward to learning more about the programming and commissioning aspects for an Australian broadcaster.

 

I’ve previously worked in the programming department for MediaCorp TV (Channel 5), the official free-to-air broadcaster for Singapore and have gained some knowledge about the process. This interview with Brett however, will give me more information on what criteria a community-focused network such as SBS takes into consideration when choosing programmes to commission, in comparison to commercially driven entertainment networks such as MediaCorp TV (Channel 5).

 

In conclusion, I reckon our group seminar went well and was executed smoothly. We started with big goals and aimed high (with Alex aspiring to get guests like Rove Mcmanus), keeping a positive attitude throughout the planning process and methodically altered our plans when problems arose, but always sticking with the same strategy of trying for the best results and producing a unique, never-before-seen-or-done seminar/talk show that was highly relevant to our topic and focus of the Television industry.

(584 words)

Grade:

88% (HD)

Casting

We had our casting session for the PP2 parts today, the directors for the Kate/Dan pieces have decided on casting Emily for the role of Kate and Nick for the role of Dan. We liked their energy, enthusiasm and i feel that they will be great people to collaborate with on this project.

Though we didn’t manage to get them to do a read through together, i feel that they will have great chemistry, just based on what we were privy to during the session. I’m looking forward to rehearsing with them both soon and getting prepared for the actual shoot (on the 23rd and possibly 24th) that’s quickly creeping up to us.

Thankfully, we don’t have a complicated shoot with too many locations, which is one of the reasons why we’ve decided to start the ball rolling early.

Location Scouting for The Audition

Sam, Mahendran and I went to do some camera testing/blocking at my friend’s apartment on Franklin Street. Here are some stills of the place.

 

Most of the action will be taking place in the kitchen and around the ‘island’; the table counter-top with the sink. It is generally a pretty small area, which shouldn’t be a problem for our hand-held camerawork, but we’ve got to get quite a bit of rehearsal in before actually shooting the piece. I am also planning on rehearsing the onscreen action and rough ‘flight-path’ for the actors to work with, so that the camera will be able to capture them within frame nicely. I am planning on having the actors do a ‘dance’ around each other as Kate helps Dan rehearse his lines in the Kitchen scene. Their body language should serve as cues on where each of their mindsets are at in their current relationship.

 

I’m hoping to get a rehearsal in on Friday the 22nd of August, before shooting on Saturday the 23rd.

PP2…new semester, new script, new motivation…

Time to start blogging for PP2! This is long overdue, but better late than never…turns out i won’t just be directing the Kate/Dan piece for our group, but i’ve re-written the script as well…which bodes well for me, as i now have renewed confidence and motivation with the direction i’m intending to go with…it also means that most of my research last semester with voiceover manipulation might not get put into practice for the Kate/Dan storyline or ‘The Audition’ as it is now called, (the research was meant for the Brian and Alex storyline which Charlotte’s now directing). I am still going along with Sam(the D.O.P)’s suggestion to take notes from the hand-held camera work in ‘A Guide to Recognising Your Saints’ and have drawn some additional inspiration from the Peter Berg created ‘Friday Night Lights’ television series that has recently victoriously survived the onslaught from the TV Ratings monster (as previously reported in earlier posts). The hand-held camerawork serves to bring the audience closer to the characters as it provides more intimacy between the viewer and the world onscreen, it gives the audience more to connect with greatly collapses the physical distance that tripod-mounted cameras usually give off.

 

I’m intending to contrast the fluidity found in the motion during the Apartment Kitchen scenes and the still, static, immobile-camera feel of the Audition scene. The physicality of the camerawork will also be contrasting the characters’ state of mind. The audience will be brought closer to the action onscreen during the Apartment Kitchen scenes when the characters relationship itself is slowly beginning to fall apart and the cracks start to show. During the Audition scene, the audience will be further removed from the action onscreen, just as Dan is realising where his relationship is headed and finally starts to connect with his inner emotions rather than the forced ‘acting’ of emotions in the Kitchen scene.

R & D for PP2 Studio (Director Role)

 

I’ve taken on the role of director for our PP2 studio project next semester. We have as a group, have come up with two separate storylines revolving around the characters and we are intending to explore and showcase these two stories using different story telling techniques.

 

 

Though these two films are standalones, there will be a point in which they intersect and that point will mark the passing of the baton from the first film to the second. This will be done in a simply constructed but carefully executed scene where the two male leads of each story line walk pass each other on the street and the camera does a swift and smooth 180 degree whip from Brian to Dan as they cross paths along the street.

 

 

 

 

The first film following Brian and Alex’s storyline will focus on the influence of a film’s underlying soundtrack through the exploration of different uses and ways of manipulating different aspects of the aural components in film, such as voiceovers and the ambient music. The main action occurring on screen will be Alex stumbling into the apartment drunk and Brian confronting her about her bad habits. This will be the final straw for Brian and will spark a huge fight between the two. While this is embodied in the visuals, all the other sweet moments that they have previously shared as a couple will come across through the audio elements.

 

 

The main focus of this film is to explore the different phases of a relationship and contrast the good times with the bad. Our scene will exhibit the traumatic times and troubled waters of an explosive fight between the couple through powerful visuals of the two engaging in an intense argument, where neither holds back any emotion. We will then mute the audio from the visual scene and place an underlying soundtrack that completely contrasts what the audience sees on screen.

 

 

The audience will be privy to all the other pleasant moments they have previously shared as a couple. The audio playing over the visuals will include all the tender moments couples have during the span of their relationship; the cute, cheeky and intimate moments will be showcased through laughter, kissing sounds, sweet phone conversations and thoughtful voicemails, etc. (basically all the little things that make a relationship work.)

 

 

We have decided to experiment with the sheer power of what the aural element can do for a film, because the visual and audio components of a motion picture have the power to effectively prompt and influence almost all of what the audience is going to feel.

 

 

The style of this piece will be in line with the raw, intense and unpredictable feel of the visuals. The camera movement will be hand-held and shaky, capturing the human emotions through facial expressions and body language. Hence, close-ups will occasionally be shot. I might also explore portraying this scene in back and white, to allow the action onscreen and the audio to get achieve most of the audience’s attention, without distraction from the colours emitting off the other objects in the room.

 

 

I have chosen the following filmic references to draw inspiration and analysis on how voiceovers can be differently used in film. The first would be Fight Club, where Brad Pitt’s character is revealed to have been a figment of imagination conjured up by Edward Norton’s character subconsciously. This is showcased in a montage that goes through all the significant points of the character’s progress throughout the film and Edward Norton’s voiceover effectively introduces a new layer and degree of reality, or lack thereof, to the story world, thereby offering a unique channel through which the audience can read the film and is addressed by the characters in the film itself.

 

Another example of the effective use of voiceover techniques can be seen in the opening scene of the film A Guide To Recognizing Your Saints, where the viewer gets to hear Robert Downey Jr’s voice narrating the setting and at certain points directly addressing the audience. This is a clever example of how the voiceover enters in and out of the story-world and its context, constantly treading the line between the diegetic and non-diegetic world of the film.

 

I also did research on the 1996 movie Trainspotting. Ewan McGregor’s character is constantly providing a narration throughout the film, albeit from his character’s point of view, it still gives the viewer an insider’s look at the events appearing on screen. Much like the audience is given the key to unlock the barrier between film and audience, they are granted access to the perspectives of the ones living within the filmic world.

 

 

 

The second film revolving around Kate and Dan’s storyline will also be a drama exploring the different viewpoints and varying positions in a relationship, which lead to miscommunication and conflict. The two characters in this short film will be shown as having two completely different opinions on where their relationship is headed. This will be depicted to the audience in a fashion that allows certain elements from both sides of the story to unravel, cueing the audience to pick up the pieces and subconsciously figure out how these pieces of the bigger picture fit together.

 

 

The film initially runs as one that is seemingly about a couple of normal people who just happen to be at different stages of their lives, and want different things out of their relationship. Kate, being older and more accomplished with her career life now wants to focus on settling down and planning for her long-term future ahead. Dan, on the other hand, is starting to feel like Kate is growing too clingy and wants to break away from the constraints and suffocation of the relationship. One is ready to commit for the long haul and the other wants to bail.

 

 

However as the film progresses the audience is given hints to suspect the mental situation that Kate is in. Although Kate is allowed to get away with some form of aggressiveness, from being a lawyer, there is also some semblance of instability and her behaviour insinuates some level of psychotic disturbance.

 

 

Hence, this story will be explored through the omniscient eyes of an impartial but all-knowing bystander. The audience will know the back-story of both characters and be exposed to the setting up of the inevitable conflict headed their way. The buildup of scenes depicting these characters plays the main and crucial role of setting the stage. The bulk of this film will focus on the precursor to Kate and Dan’s meeting in her office, before they head out together; signifying the end of the film.

 

 

The ambiguous ending of the film serves as an outlet for the viewer to imagine and deduce how they think or want the conflict to play out. There is no conclusion to the story made on the film’s part.

 

 

In keeping with the style of exploring the two contrasting realms of thought that the characters are living in, I have drawn inspiration from the French movie À la folie… pas du tout (He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not), starring Audrey Tautou as the psychopathic stalker. The two highly contrasting points of view were depicted brilliantly in the film; the clever process of putting focus on and revealing only certain crucial turning points along the same temporal line of the film’s narrative, allowed the film to effectively keep the audience in suspense and cut the rope that held everything together at the appropriate time.

 

Other filmic examples that use this technique of having multiple points of view from different characters revolving around the same situation include Crash and Before The Devil Knows You’re Dead. This theme was threaded through the entire script of Crash, often dropping hints to the viewer that there are several other different perspectives of how the characters are related to each other.

 

This motif is performed slightly differently with regard to Before The Devil Knows You’re Dead in a sense that the film mostly centers around one main event; the robbery of a small-town jewelers store, allowing this event to unravel throughout the film by going back along the temporal frame and resetting the action on screen according to each individual’s viewpoint and follow the ramifications of their actions.

 

Therefore, I am aiming to achieve that sense of ambiguity and room for further imagination on the viewer’s part with Kate and Dan’s storyline. By introducing a layer of mystery, I am counting on the audience to be intrigued by the premise, and conjure up their version of how the outcome of this storyline would turn out.

 

 

MI Final Blog Journal: Connections & Intersections

I see the value of this course as one that provides a stepping stone for us media students to gain an insider’s look into the industry that we are intending to infiltrate in the near future. The goals and outcomes of understanding this area of the media industry on a deeper level should assist me in getting a foot in the door and paving the way for a prospective future and career in this business.

I have learnt a lot about the inner workings of this industry and the importance of understanding group dynamics, especially because one is never fully in control of choosing who one has to team up with in the working world. I have also realised that I have good problem solving skills and am able to adapt well to situations that I have been put into. I am able to analyse problems calmly and assess the best possible solutions for the bigger picture.

It’s always important to maintain good relations with the people you are working with. Having a generally positive attitude usually goes a long way, because you never know when you’ll be needing the help of others, it’s always better to have an open door than a closed one. Though it is essential for one to possess self-control and not offend anybody, I have also learnt that I personally can be more aggressive in expressing my opinions and suggesting alternative solutions to any problems at hand.

In the process of seeking out responses from industry professionals, I have learnt that it never hurts to try. One can never be too shy about asking questions and seeking answers in this industry. The worst that could happen would be an absence of reply, but when responses actually do get sent back by people who have taken time out of their day to address your queries, the feeling is encouraging and it fuels motivation to pursue future endeavours. The research I have undertaken during the course of this project has allowed me to understand this industry on a deeper level and better appreciate the driving forces at the root of this machine.

Grade: HD

MI Final Blog Journal: Problems

Our very first problem was the topic question that we devised. After several changes we went from researching independent and documentary filmmaking, to ‘How to be a successful media practitioner while being a creative professional.’, which didn’t leave much room for us to do research on. Therefore, I suggested changing the topic to ‘How to prevent the pre-mature cancellation of critically-lauded television programmes’.

Also, the communication between the group was a challenge because everyone had different schedules and work commitments of other group members put a strain on the coordination of our meetings. As it was difficult to meet up in person, we applied more diligence in responding to each other online, keeping each other updated on the progress of our work.

The group in general were in sync with each other and agreed on similar tactics and approaches for the research topic. Apart from the occasional difference in opinion, we managed to agree on the main direction of approach and made compromises within our area of research to fit better into the general scope of the project.

Grade: D

MI Final Blog Journal: Strategies

Our overall research strategies were pretty solid and seemed to have paid off. We split the case studies up according to our individual passions and interests. Xavier did research on animated comedies such as Family Guy and Futurama. Emma researched on sci-fi themed programmes such as Firefly, (it’s sister movie) Serenity and Veronica Mars. I did my research on comedies and dramas such as Arrested Development and Friday Night Lights, with additional research on dramas Roswell and Everwood.

We also had the intentions of surveying the public to find out more about the targeted audiences and their perspectives on the status of their favourite shows, and interviewing some industry professionals to gain their insight on how the industry functions and the reasoning behind certain decisions that are made by the higher-ups at those huge network offices.

Though we didn’t get around to ‘surveying the public’ in the traditional sense of the word, we did interview the key figures in the public, such as the passionate fans who are the living examples of consumer power in the media industry we live in today. Emma got an email response from a representative at TelevisionWithoutPity, a fan-created community for the general public to share their opinions and find the latest scoop on their television shows. However, her other efforts to get responses from industry professionals were to no avail.

Fortunately, I managed to obtain a couple of responses from some prominent figures in the media industry. First up was John Consoli of Mediaweek. The responses he gave in the interview were helpful as he cited many examples of previous fan campaigns and efforts during the past few years. Having covered broadcast television, TV sports, along with media buying agencies for ten years at Mediaweek meant that his extensive background knowledge was reliable and credible.

Next came, Screen Hub editor, David Tiley. He provided the Australian point of view regarding the industry and explained how much of a stronghold ratings still has on the business of television.

Both interviews can be found on the Industry Professionals Insight page on our group website (http://mifanpower.wordpress.com/) which features our group research project.

Therefore, our strategy to divide and conquer proved useful in accomplishing the research and tackling the research problem from different angles of approach.

Grade: HD