Harold Pinter's work is infuriating at best, but this film version comes close to making some sense of 'The Birthday Party'. Dandy Nichols runs a boarding house in which oddball lodger Stanley lives (very well played by Robert Shaw) and when two unusual menacing visitors arrive (Patrick Magee and Sidney Tafler) events start to get progressively weirder. The play is dark, claustrophobic, and extremely clever, and the film plays on this - I particularly liked the sequence with the torchlight which had heaps of atmosphere. Not seen much, this version is now commercially available again and hopefully will be eventually viewed in the same light as other Pinter movies such as 'Accident'. It deserves better than it has had so far.
This is again another type of media in the form of a play, The reason i linked this with our movie is because they both have the same feel and mood. they are both ' Dark,Claustrophobic and extremely clever'
Thursday, 26 November 2009
The Birthday Party- Family Reunions Can Be Murder
The Birthday Party: Family Reunions Can Be Murder!The mystery at the old mill is a deep-rooted secret that haunts the Hersel family. While most of the family would like to forget the past, two cousins have turned the decades-old mystery into a treasure hunt. Originally designed to be a children's game, the pursuit of fortune soon becomes an obsession, but not just for the two cousins. When the relatives gather to celebrate Aunt Bert's 80th birthday, the old mystery quickly resurfaces. The family is forced to come to terms with the mystery and a murder. Marshall Edmonds returns to help his son sort through the Hersel past. But first Marshall must solve the mystery at the old mill, and he will soon discover that the past and the present have a lot in common!
This is some research into a different form of media. non-fiction books. I like the opening blurb were it says ' while most family's would like to forget the past'. I think this linked in nicely with the story of our film as the women remembers things from her past that she does not want to forget, so she holds on to it, witch then makes her see things that are not actually there.
Monday, 23 November 2009
Birthday Party Film Script
The Birthday Party
Scene 1
Opening sequence
The film opens with a long shot of an outside of a house in the earlier hours of a cold winter morning. It then cuts to a long shot of a couples bed. The couple is sleeping deeply its dark and the only noise to be heard apart from the heavy sound of breathing whilst they sleep is bird’s songs outside. The shot jumps to a close up of a bedside alarm clock, still no dialogue just the ticking of the clock which when it hits seven goes of in a violent alarm this is also confirming that it is indeed early in the morning. A cut effect to the next shot which is a close up of a woman’s legs putting on a pair of slippers this cuts to a shot of some stairs and the same woman’s legs with slippers on rushes down them.
Scene 2
The shot opens with a long shot for the hall way through the door way of a little boy’s room with a little boy who is nine today. The boy sat up in his bed and the woman who is his mother knelt down beside the bed handing the boy a present.
Mother: Happy birthday Josh! Here is your present from me and your father.
The boy does not reply but is simple sat up looking at the present pleasantly.
The mother continues to get excited about the boys birthday and present eager to know if the boy will like it.
Mother: Well come on then Josh you silly sausage open it, do you want me to open for you? It is nicely wrapped isn’t it Ok I’ll open it for you.
The mother continues to open the present for the boy at this point the father walks past the door way stops at the edge peers in hesitantly, shakes his head, turns around and goes back towards the bathroom to get ready for work.
The mother continues with her excitement.
Mother: Look its that new ‘Star Wars’ Toy you wanted! Do you like it?
The boy says nothing but looks happy.
Mother: Oh I knew you’d like it.
Looking very please with herself she stands up and says come on then get dressed and come down for breakfast and we will plan your day and leaves towards the camera.
Scene 3
The scene jumps to the kitchen the shot is a long shot from the bottom of the table looking towards the boy at the end of the table with a bowl of cereal and the mother sitting on the side with a cup of tea.
Mother: So I was think I’ll go get dressed and you can watch some TV and then I thought we would go shopping and get you some party things? Maybe ’Ben 10’ or ’Spiderman’? Then we could go to the park for a bit and then come home where if I know your father, (jokingly) which unfortunately I do, he would have plan some sort of surprise party like he does every year for everyone’s birthday. So their will be a bunch of mine and your fathers friends there which I know is boring for you but it means more presents and cake. So how about that for a plan batman? Sound good?
The boy says nothing but smiles with a big smile on his face.
The shot changes to a shot from behind the mother looking towards the doorway where the father enters in the doorway.
Father: Well I’m off to work now, so I’ll give you your gift tonight.
Mother: (Playfully) I hope you haven’t planed any party’s or anything?
Father: (Playfully) No I wouldn’t dream of it.
The father leaves and the scene ends
Scene 4
The shot opens with a low down medium shot of the boy sitting on the stairs and the mother, who is dressed now to show the change in time, is putting on his shoes.
The shot changes to a worm eyed camera angle of a garden path leading towards a driveway the Mother and Josh walk up the pathway and get into the car.
Scene 5
This scene opens with a shot from out side ‘Tesco’ the car enters and the shot changes to a shot to a low down shot of beside the car so we see Josh’s feet step down out of the car.
The view is then changed to the front of the shop where the mother is entering the shop pushing a trolley with Josh in the front.
The shot jumps to a shot of a medium shot of a supermarket aisle the mother pushing the now fairly full trolley with the boy in the front come into the shot from the side.
The mother picking up some party plates turns to the boy.
Mother: These are very nice aren’t they Josh?
She puts them into the trolley the shot changes to a medium shot of in front of them and as the mother pushes the trolley towards the camera she continues to talk to the boy in an excited tone.
Mother: You know Josh I believe this Birthday is going to be the best one yet. Seems like only yesterday you where small enough to fit in my hand and look at you now, nine! (jokingly) You’ll be leaving home soon off to uni to become a Dr or something. Get married have me some gorgeous grand children. Then you’ll be looking after me and putting my shoes on.
The shot changes to a medium shot of a check out desk, the mother is having her items scanned, The man is smiling at her she responds to this friendly smile.
Mother: Its someone’s birthday today don’t you know Mr Shopkeeper?
She looks down at Josh with a playful smile. Weirdly the check out boy looks confused he looks down to see what the woman is smiling at strangely he looks down and around but doesn’t see josh he just looks past him.
There is a long pause as he does this then he says in a reassuring yet confused tone.
Check out boy: ….Oh right
The shot fades.
Scene 6
The scene opens with a medium shot from inside the car the camera is looking from Josh’s point of view at is mothers reflection in the front mirror.
Mother: Are you ok Josh? You’re a bit quiet today…
The boy doesn’t reply but the mother takes a gesture that we don’t see as a yes and continues.
Mother: Well good we wouldn’t want you being Mr grumpy on your birthday know would we? Come on lets go to the park.
Scene 7
At the park now with a long shot from behind the mother who is sitting on the bench reading a magazine and the boy is playing on the swing.
The shot jumps to a long shot from behind the mother and child it shows them walking across the park to leave.
Scene 8
The scene opens with another long shot of the house the same as the opening shot but this time with the mother and child standing at the door way and as they enter it changes to a shot from the living room looking into the kitchen where many gests are looking towards the mother and child smiling with party hats on, the table has a few presents on and there is a cake on the kitchen side. The father is standing there smiling and he turns to light the candles for the cake. The mother rushes over to help when the candles are a light the mother takes the cake for out of the fathers hands the father looks confused.
The camera angles is the from the position of the cake looking up at the mother in a worms eyed angle. It switches from this shot to a shot from the mothers point of view. The boy is sitting at the table and the guest around him begin to sing happy birthday. The shot switches back again the mother and farther join in. The shot switches back to the mothers point of view all the time she is slowly getting closer to the table.
Everyone (except the boy): Happy birthday to you happy birthday to you…
The shot switches back to the mothers face.
Everyone (except mother and boy): Happy Birthday dear Sue! Happy birthday dear Sue!
The mother however at the same time sing something different.
Mother: Happy birthday dear Josh! Happy birthday Josh!
The atmosphere becomes awkward the mothers face becomes confused and distorted. The shot switches back to the guests who now look confused to and start looking at each other in their shared confusion. Josh looks upset and as the mother puts the cake down the shot changes back to the mothers face a rush of realisation hits her and she is devastated and tears begin to roll down her cheeks. When the shot changes back to the guest the boy is gone, the guest look confused and sad. The shot change to the guest point of view we see what they see the mother is crying on her husbands shoulder.
The shot fades into the final shot which is a close up of the birthday cake with the candle numbers 45 on it. Using editing effects the shot fades to the same shot with the candles melted more and more this fade into shot continues to show the progression in time until finally the candles have melt completely and the film ends.
The End.
Scene 1
Opening sequence
The film opens with a long shot of an outside of a house in the earlier hours of a cold winter morning. It then cuts to a long shot of a couples bed. The couple is sleeping deeply its dark and the only noise to be heard apart from the heavy sound of breathing whilst they sleep is bird’s songs outside. The shot jumps to a close up of a bedside alarm clock, still no dialogue just the ticking of the clock which when it hits seven goes of in a violent alarm this is also confirming that it is indeed early in the morning. A cut effect to the next shot which is a close up of a woman’s legs putting on a pair of slippers this cuts to a shot of some stairs and the same woman’s legs with slippers on rushes down them.
Scene 2
The shot opens with a long shot for the hall way through the door way of a little boy’s room with a little boy who is nine today. The boy sat up in his bed and the woman who is his mother knelt down beside the bed handing the boy a present.
Mother: Happy birthday Josh! Here is your present from me and your father.
The boy does not reply but is simple sat up looking at the present pleasantly.
The mother continues to get excited about the boys birthday and present eager to know if the boy will like it.
Mother: Well come on then Josh you silly sausage open it, do you want me to open for you? It is nicely wrapped isn’t it Ok I’ll open it for you.
The mother continues to open the present for the boy at this point the father walks past the door way stops at the edge peers in hesitantly, shakes his head, turns around and goes back towards the bathroom to get ready for work.
The mother continues with her excitement.
Mother: Look its that new ‘Star Wars’ Toy you wanted! Do you like it?
The boy says nothing but looks happy.
Mother: Oh I knew you’d like it.
Looking very please with herself she stands up and says come on then get dressed and come down for breakfast and we will plan your day and leaves towards the camera.
Scene 3
The scene jumps to the kitchen the shot is a long shot from the bottom of the table looking towards the boy at the end of the table with a bowl of cereal and the mother sitting on the side with a cup of tea.
Mother: So I was think I’ll go get dressed and you can watch some TV and then I thought we would go shopping and get you some party things? Maybe ’Ben 10’ or ’Spiderman’? Then we could go to the park for a bit and then come home where if I know your father, (jokingly) which unfortunately I do, he would have plan some sort of surprise party like he does every year for everyone’s birthday. So their will be a bunch of mine and your fathers friends there which I know is boring for you but it means more presents and cake. So how about that for a plan batman? Sound good?
The boy says nothing but smiles with a big smile on his face.
The shot changes to a shot from behind the mother looking towards the doorway where the father enters in the doorway.
Father: Well I’m off to work now, so I’ll give you your gift tonight.
Mother: (Playfully) I hope you haven’t planed any party’s or anything?
Father: (Playfully) No I wouldn’t dream of it.
The father leaves and the scene ends
Scene 4
The shot opens with a low down medium shot of the boy sitting on the stairs and the mother, who is dressed now to show the change in time, is putting on his shoes.
The shot changes to a worm eyed camera angle of a garden path leading towards a driveway the Mother and Josh walk up the pathway and get into the car.
Scene 5
This scene opens with a shot from out side ‘Tesco’ the car enters and the shot changes to a shot to a low down shot of beside the car so we see Josh’s feet step down out of the car.
The view is then changed to the front of the shop where the mother is entering the shop pushing a trolley with Josh in the front.
The shot jumps to a shot of a medium shot of a supermarket aisle the mother pushing the now fairly full trolley with the boy in the front come into the shot from the side.
The mother picking up some party plates turns to the boy.
Mother: These are very nice aren’t they Josh?
She puts them into the trolley the shot changes to a medium shot of in front of them and as the mother pushes the trolley towards the camera she continues to talk to the boy in an excited tone.
Mother: You know Josh I believe this Birthday is going to be the best one yet. Seems like only yesterday you where small enough to fit in my hand and look at you now, nine! (jokingly) You’ll be leaving home soon off to uni to become a Dr or something. Get married have me some gorgeous grand children. Then you’ll be looking after me and putting my shoes on.
The shot changes to a medium shot of a check out desk, the mother is having her items scanned, The man is smiling at her she responds to this friendly smile.
Mother: Its someone’s birthday today don’t you know Mr Shopkeeper?
She looks down at Josh with a playful smile. Weirdly the check out boy looks confused he looks down to see what the woman is smiling at strangely he looks down and around but doesn’t see josh he just looks past him.
There is a long pause as he does this then he says in a reassuring yet confused tone.
Check out boy: ….Oh right
The shot fades.
Scene 6
The scene opens with a medium shot from inside the car the camera is looking from Josh’s point of view at is mothers reflection in the front mirror.
Mother: Are you ok Josh? You’re a bit quiet today…
The boy doesn’t reply but the mother takes a gesture that we don’t see as a yes and continues.
Mother: Well good we wouldn’t want you being Mr grumpy on your birthday know would we? Come on lets go to the park.
Scene 7
At the park now with a long shot from behind the mother who is sitting on the bench reading a magazine and the boy is playing on the swing.
The shot jumps to a long shot from behind the mother and child it shows them walking across the park to leave.
Scene 8
The scene opens with another long shot of the house the same as the opening shot but this time with the mother and child standing at the door way and as they enter it changes to a shot from the living room looking into the kitchen where many gests are looking towards the mother and child smiling with party hats on, the table has a few presents on and there is a cake on the kitchen side. The father is standing there smiling and he turns to light the candles for the cake. The mother rushes over to help when the candles are a light the mother takes the cake for out of the fathers hands the father looks confused.
The camera angles is the from the position of the cake looking up at the mother in a worms eyed angle. It switches from this shot to a shot from the mothers point of view. The boy is sitting at the table and the guest around him begin to sing happy birthday. The shot switches back again the mother and farther join in. The shot switches back to the mothers point of view all the time she is slowly getting closer to the table.
Everyone (except the boy): Happy birthday to you happy birthday to you…
The shot switches back to the mothers face.
Everyone (except mother and boy): Happy Birthday dear Sue! Happy birthday dear Sue!
The mother however at the same time sing something different.
Mother: Happy birthday dear Josh! Happy birthday Josh!
The atmosphere becomes awkward the mothers face becomes confused and distorted. The shot switches back to the guests who now look confused to and start looking at each other in their shared confusion. Josh looks upset and as the mother puts the cake down the shot changes back to the mothers face a rush of realisation hits her and she is devastated and tears begin to roll down her cheeks. When the shot changes back to the guest the boy is gone, the guest look confused and sad. The shot change to the guest point of view we see what they see the mother is crying on her husbands shoulder.
The shot fades into the final shot which is a close up of the birthday cake with the candle numbers 45 on it. Using editing effects the shot fades to the same shot with the candles melted more and more this fade into shot continues to show the progression in time until finally the candles have melt completely and the film ends.
The End.
Plot Research
Part of our film is very similar to the plot in sixth sense because in our film we have a women who is depressed and grieving about her sons death and she doesn't communicate with her husband at all.
The Sixth Sense plot summary:
Dr. Malcolm Crowe is a successful child psychiatrist and happily married to Anna. Returning home from an awards ceremony, Malcolm’s confronted by Vincent Grey, a distraught former patient who shoots Malcolm and commits suicide. Months later, a recovered Malcolm meets with Cole Sear, a shy and troubled 9 year-old boy. Cole has been experiencing disturbing situations he can’t fully understand. His mother, Lynn, is concerned about his withdrawn and fearful behavior and attributes it to her recent divorce and Cole being bullied by school classmates.
Initially, Cole is uncomfortable talking to Malcolm but comes to trust him and confides, "I see dead people." He says the ghosts don’t always know they are dead. Malcolm diagnoses Cole as delusional, noting he shares similar symptoms to Vincent Grey. Eventually, Malcolm realizes Cole really is able to communicate with the dead (as was Vincent). He believes the ghosts are benevolent and tells Cole the spirits somehow find their way to him for his help.
Since the shooting, Malcolm and Anna, have grown apart. She has become depressed and uncommunicative. Malcolm unsuccessfully reaches out to her, and is upset when it appears she is seeing another man.
The Sixth Sense plot summary:
Dr. Malcolm Crowe is a successful child psychiatrist and happily married to Anna. Returning home from an awards ceremony, Malcolm’s confronted by Vincent Grey, a distraught former patient who shoots Malcolm and commits suicide. Months later, a recovered Malcolm meets with Cole Sear, a shy and troubled 9 year-old boy. Cole has been experiencing disturbing situations he can’t fully understand. His mother, Lynn, is concerned about his withdrawn and fearful behavior and attributes it to her recent divorce and Cole being bullied by school classmates.
Initially, Cole is uncomfortable talking to Malcolm but comes to trust him and confides, "I see dead people." He says the ghosts don’t always know they are dead. Malcolm diagnoses Cole as delusional, noting he shares similar symptoms to Vincent Grey. Eventually, Malcolm realizes Cole really is able to communicate with the dead (as was Vincent). He believes the ghosts are benevolent and tells Cole the spirits somehow find their way to him for his help.
Since the shooting, Malcolm and Anna, have grown apart. She has become depressed and uncommunicative. Malcolm unsuccessfully reaches out to her, and is upset when it appears she is seeing another man.
Background Plot Research
Below is a copy of an article about a young boy who dies in a road accident which is the way in which the young child has previously died in our short film. This will help us with the emotions o what the mother is feeling because it describes how the mother of the true story is feeling which will give us a good idea of what a mother who has lost a child is feeling.
Boy dies after being hit by car while rollerblading
By MELLISSA TOPEY | Thursday, October 1, 2009 12:38 AM
Michael Gisondi
Family and friends remember the "beautiful blue eyes" of an athletic 13-year-old Sandusky boy hit by a car while rollerblading Monday night.
After suffering severe head injuries, Michael Gisondi was pronounced dead at 12:02 p.m. Tuesday with his mother, grandmother and loved ones at his bedside.
Michael's mother, Tammy Buckley, described her son as a great kid who loved hanging out and joking.
"He would bat those big blue eyes to get what he wanted," Buckley said of her youngest of three children.
In an assignment for Adams Junior High, teacher Babe Howland asked each student to say who they most admired.
Instead of a sports figure or celebrity, Michael wrote "my mom," Howland said.
Now Buckley's youngest child will help others.
"I'm donating his organs so no one has to go through what I'm going through right now," Buckley said through tears.
The last people to see Michael conscious were friends he was rollerblading with. By the time Castalia resident Deborah Lane saw him, it was too late.
Michael was apparently on his way home after rollerblading with a group of friends in the parking lot of Furry Elementary School, said Darrin Stanley, his mother's fiance.
He was told to be home by 8 p.m. At 7:47 p.m., he was hit by a 2001 Oldsmobile Alero on Strub Road, just east of Campbell Street. He was wearing dark clothing, and Lane, the driver, said she swerved and braked to avoid him but struck him as he attempted to cross the road, according to law enforcement reports.
Lt. Darryl Edge of the Sandusky post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol said Lane was reportedly traveling at 45 mph, the posted speed limit.
Edge said alcohol was not a factor.
The crash remains under investigation. No citations had been issued as of Tuesday evening.
In a 911 call, a distraught Lane told dispatchers a boy skated out in front of her and was not moving.
Buckley said she spoke with Lane.
"I told her it was an accident. I don't want her to hurt," Buckley said.
Buckley said the incident happened less than a mile from their home -- a home that is now in need of Michael's jokes, his family said.
The last time his grandmother, Sherry Ebinger, saw him was as she was leaving his house on Sunday. Michael was jumping on a trampoline and wanted her to stay.
Ebinger said her grandson loved the outdoors.
"His mom was always telling him 'You better be in before it gets dark -- you have to get a bath and get ready for school," she said.
His mother's fiance described him as a typical, "rambunctious" kid with pretty blue eyes.
When asked to talk about Michael, Ebinger's first comment was also on Michael's eyes.
Michael recently transferred to Perkins Middle School from Adams Junior High.
Carolyn Esposito, his seventh grade English teacher at Adams, said Michael had many friends there and the school would have grief counselors available.
She remembers a boy with a great personality who loved to joke around and play with his friends.
She said he loved playing football for the Sandusky Blue Streaks and would talk or write about it in his journals.
"He was an all-American boy," Esposito said.
Buckley said the funeral is scheduled for Friday at Evans Funeral Home in Norwalk.
A fund has been established in the name of Michael Gisondi at Citizens Bank for anyone wishing to help the family cover funeral costs.
Boy dies after being hit by car while rollerblading
By MELLISSA TOPEY | Thursday, October 1, 2009 12:38 AM
Michael Gisondi
Family and friends remember the "beautiful blue eyes" of an athletic 13-year-old Sandusky boy hit by a car while rollerblading Monday night.
After suffering severe head injuries, Michael Gisondi was pronounced dead at 12:02 p.m. Tuesday with his mother, grandmother and loved ones at his bedside.
Michael's mother, Tammy Buckley, described her son as a great kid who loved hanging out and joking.
"He would bat those big blue eyes to get what he wanted," Buckley said of her youngest of three children.
In an assignment for Adams Junior High, teacher Babe Howland asked each student to say who they most admired.
Instead of a sports figure or celebrity, Michael wrote "my mom," Howland said.
Now Buckley's youngest child will help others.
"I'm donating his organs so no one has to go through what I'm going through right now," Buckley said through tears.
The last people to see Michael conscious were friends he was rollerblading with. By the time Castalia resident Deborah Lane saw him, it was too late.
Michael was apparently on his way home after rollerblading with a group of friends in the parking lot of Furry Elementary School, said Darrin Stanley, his mother's fiance.
He was told to be home by 8 p.m. At 7:47 p.m., he was hit by a 2001 Oldsmobile Alero on Strub Road, just east of Campbell Street. He was wearing dark clothing, and Lane, the driver, said she swerved and braked to avoid him but struck him as he attempted to cross the road, according to law enforcement reports.
Lt. Darryl Edge of the Sandusky post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol said Lane was reportedly traveling at 45 mph, the posted speed limit.
Edge said alcohol was not a factor.
The crash remains under investigation. No citations had been issued as of Tuesday evening.
In a 911 call, a distraught Lane told dispatchers a boy skated out in front of her and was not moving.
Buckley said she spoke with Lane.
"I told her it was an accident. I don't want her to hurt," Buckley said.
Buckley said the incident happened less than a mile from their home -- a home that is now in need of Michael's jokes, his family said.
The last time his grandmother, Sherry Ebinger, saw him was as she was leaving his house on Sunday. Michael was jumping on a trampoline and wanted her to stay.
Ebinger said her grandson loved the outdoors.
"His mom was always telling him 'You better be in before it gets dark -- you have to get a bath and get ready for school," she said.
His mother's fiance described him as a typical, "rambunctious" kid with pretty blue eyes.
When asked to talk about Michael, Ebinger's first comment was also on Michael's eyes.
Michael recently transferred to Perkins Middle School from Adams Junior High.
Carolyn Esposito, his seventh grade English teacher at Adams, said Michael had many friends there and the school would have grief counselors available.
She remembers a boy with a great personality who loved to joke around and play with his friends.
She said he loved playing football for the Sandusky Blue Streaks and would talk or write about it in his journals.
"He was an all-American boy," Esposito said.
Buckley said the funeral is scheduled for Friday at Evans Funeral Home in Norwalk.
A fund has been established in the name of Michael Gisondi at Citizens Bank for anyone wishing to help the family cover funeral costs.
Thursday, 19 November 2009
Alternative Ending Ideas
We used shot planning sheets to get more detail into 3 alternative ending scenes. We wrote about the advantages and disadvantages of each ending.
This is our first ending which shows a newspaper neglected in the gutter blowing in the wind with an article showing about a young boy who was killed in a hit and run. The ending will start with a long shot of the newspaper with people walking past it and it will gradually get closer until the article takes up the whole shot and it stay there for about 10 seconds. This is our least favourtie ending becasue it doesn't let the audience have a there own interpretation of what happened and what happend to the child. This ending will be hard to shoot becasue we would have to create a newspaper article and it make it turn to one page without it flicking over to the next page.
This is our second ending, this is our favourite ending because this it leaves the film on a cliff hanger and leaves the audience thinking of what happened. The swapping of the birthday symbolises that it was the mother's birthday all along, and it was her imagination of the day with the boy. The candles will gradually melt, as the camera shot fades out, the time it takes for the candles to fade out will allow time for the audience to conclude there own ending and start piecing bits together from the film. The credits will roll in this ending shot with sad, dramatic music playing. I think this will be the most effective ending because it will give the audience freedom to make there own ending but it may be difficult to film this ending.
In this ending we will focus on a family picture which was shown briefly earlier in the film so the audience can relate back. There is a difference in the the picture at the end because the boy in no longer in the picture. This gives the audience a chance to come up with their own ending.
The negatives about this ending is the fact that it might give away too much, it might be better to leave the ending more open and let the audience have there own interpretation of the ending. It would be difficult creating to identical pictures but making the second picture believable enough.
This is our first ending which shows a newspaper neglected in the gutter blowing in the wind with an article showing about a young boy who was killed in a hit and run. The ending will start with a long shot of the newspaper with people walking past it and it will gradually get closer until the article takes up the whole shot and it stay there for about 10 seconds. This is our least favourtie ending becasue it doesn't let the audience have a there own interpretation of what happened and what happend to the child. This ending will be hard to shoot becasue we would have to create a newspaper article and it make it turn to one page without it flicking over to the next page.
In this ending we will focus on a family picture which was shown briefly earlier in the film so the audience can relate back. There is a difference in the the picture at the end because the boy in no longer in the picture. This gives the audience a chance to come up with their own ending.The negatives about this ending is the fact that it might give away too much, it might be better to leave the ending more open and let the audience have there own interpretation of the ending. It would be difficult creating to identical pictures but making the second picture believable enough.
Storyboards
Below is a copy of our storyboards which we created to help to create a shooting script, this is a basic layout of our film. It shows the different scenes, sounds, camera shots and a limited amount of dialogue. This will make it a lot easier when it comes to shooting the film and it will give us a rough layout to follow.
Tuesday, 17 November 2009
Target Audience
From our questionnaire results we decided that our target audience will be people aged 18 and above. this is not because our film has any bad language, violet or sexual scenes its because on the whole you would have to be this age to understand the plot of our film. the issue's raised in our film will have certain implications on our audience which we don't want a young audience to have. the film will help to show how certain individuals grieve over deaths of family members or close friends. it also helps to raise the issue and the illness that effects one of our main characters.
Monday, 16 November 2009
Questionnaire
Below is a copy of our questionnaire which we will be distrubuting to a range of people from all ages to see what there respomse is and it will help us with our ending which is currently what we are struggliung with.
Short Film Magazine Questionnaire
Hello, our names are Alex Conor and Kayleigh, and for our A2 level media project we are making a short film. I would greatly appreciate it if you could take some time to fill in this questionnaire.
(Please circle the appropriate answer)
1. Gender
Male Female
2. Age group
10-16
17-26
26-35
36-45
46+
3. Do you watch short films regularly?
Yes No
4. If not, why not? (You may circle more than one)
Don’t have the time They are difficult to find
Don’t know about them They don’t’ appeal to me
Other (please specify) ……………………...
5. What do you look for in a good short film?
To Be Kept In Suspense/ A Plot With Twists To Be Horrified
Sex, Violence and/or Bad Language An Obvious Plot With No Twists
A Happy Feel Good Film Other (please specify) ………..........
6. What television programme genre do you enjoy to watch from 6pm-9pm?
Drama Horror Comedy Cartoon Romance Action Sci-Fi Other (please specify) ……………….
7. What type of ending do you prefer?
Cliffhanger Happy Ending Sad Ending Unsolved Ending Other (please specify) ……………….
Thank you for your time
Short Film Magazine Questionnaire
Hello, our names are Alex Conor and Kayleigh, and for our A2 level media project we are making a short film. I would greatly appreciate it if you could take some time to fill in this questionnaire.
(Please circle the appropriate answer)
1. Gender
Male Female
2. Age group
10-16
17-26
26-35
36-45
46+
3. Do you watch short films regularly?
Yes No
4. If not, why not? (You may circle more than one)
Don’t have the time They are difficult to find
Don’t know about them They don’t’ appeal to me
Other (please specify) ……………………...
5. What do you look for in a good short film?
To Be Kept In Suspense/ A Plot With Twists To Be Horrified
Sex, Violence and/or Bad Language An Obvious Plot With No Twists
A Happy Feel Good Film Other (please specify) ………..........
6. What television programme genre do you enjoy to watch from 6pm-9pm?
Drama Horror Comedy Cartoon Romance Action Sci-Fi Other (please specify) ……………….
7. What type of ending do you prefer?
Cliffhanger Happy Ending Sad Ending Unsolved Ending Other (please specify) ……………….
Thank you for your time
Wednesday, 11 November 2009
Short Film Research
The reason why i have posted this film on the blog is because the opening scene links into the original idea that our group came up with. The selection of shots are very well organised to apply the sense of horror to the viewer, this is what we are trying to aim for in our short film. I think that the framing of the shot is key because the women is in the centre of the screen which means that she is main focus of the film, this also creates the effect that the viewer can see the surrounds equally and it can make them stand out more. The establishing shot of the empty woods with the crow sounding in the background makes it clear the film has a horror element. The shot where the camera moves out from behind the tree gives the impression that the character is being followed by someone or something, also the shot where the character turns around also gives the impression that they are being followed.
Monday, 9 November 2009
Original film idea. Film script for opening scene
Here is a rough film script for an opening scene of our original film idea, which was a horror film set in some woods the main characters would be teenagers. The horror aspect of the film would be that they were going to be gradually stalked, hunted and killed by something living in the woods possibly a werewolf or monster of some kind. However we have now decided against that idea although it was fairly well thought out we decided that:
A) It is not very original and similar story lines had been done many times before.
B) It would be hard to film killing or monsters scenes (although possibly the audience never sees the monster) with a low budget and has the danger of looking tacky or poorly bad.
C) It would be hard to establish characters so the audience grows attached to them in time to care or not care about them being killed and it would be difficult to fit everything in to five minutes.
Either way i thought it would be useful to post our first draft of the opening scene as a way of showing are progression.
Opening Scene
The film opens with an establishing shot of a long landscape of fields and pasture on a sunny autumn evening, in it sheep are running across the shot in the distance. This peaceful image is quickly ruined when the shot cuts to a close up of a path from inside some bushes on the side of the path. Suddenly something runs closely past the camera because of the blurred image, at this stage the viewer is not quite sure if the thing that ran past is a person, if is chasing something or if it is being chased.
The shot changes to a mid-long shot again from some bushes but this time looking down the path a boy runs down the path towards the camera with a scared expression on his face, The shot jumps to a worm eyed view from a babbling brook bank with the water in line with the camera but the camera pointing up. The boy runs through the brook all the time panting with a look of fear and exhaustion on his face his foot splashes in the water and he runs passed the camera and out of shot.
Then in a mid-long shot he runs out of the wood and into the open field the boy looks around him and then continues to run still breathing heavily with fear, the camera pans round tracking the boys as he runs past the camera and off through the field.
The next shot is a long shot from a birds eye view (We are going to shoot this from up a dead fallen tree at the edge of the field) the boys runs past and back into some woods as he does so the camera tracks him. The next shot is a extreme long from down a small hill in the wood, the boy trips and roles to the bottom the camera then switches to handheld and it walks up to the boy slowly as he squirms at the bottom of the hill .
As the pursuer gets closer and closer to the boys and the boy (still on the ground) tries to move his body back but half frozen with fear and half because of an injury he has done himself from falling down the hill he can not get up the boy begins to shot form help.
Boy
HELP!…HELP ME!…SOMEBODY HELP ME!!!
The Camera cuts to a close up of the boy’s terrified face.
With no reply and the pursuer over him now he shouts out in fear and desperation.
NO!…NO!…NOOOOO!!!
The camera dramatically cuts from the close up of the boys terrified face back to a peaceful scene this one an early morning long shot of a quiet farm. The sun is rising and the sheep are beginning to wake.
The camera jumps to a close up of a post a bird flies on to it. It then cuts to a long shot of a field where a group of teenagers are walking down towards camera with camping equipment tents, sleeping bags ect
END OF OPENING SCENE
Practice video
Below is an example of a practice video that me and my group created. We were given a set subject and the subject we were given was suspicion, we then decided to create and movie where the plot was that a boyfriend was suspicions of his girlfriend about another boy.
Monday, 2 November 2009
Fairy Story
Below is a example of a story which we were asked to come up with in our lesson as some preliminary research to help ideas develop for our final piece film.
The Three Little Pigs
I have decided for my story with a modern twist should be the three little pigs but with a twist of drugs. I have decided this because this story can help to educate the country about drugs but in a comical way. The story should have different characters the pig being replaced by a teenager and the houses are replaced by groups of people doing drugs.
For the first house I have chosen the drug ketamine and the teenager is asked by a group of friends to do some ketamine and they decide to and then they leave that house which is the equivalent of the pig blowing the house down, but actually the teenagers gets the effects of the drugs
In the second house then the teenager is offered cannabis by a group of kids who are friends with one of his friends the teenager takes the cannabis then has the effect from the drug then moves on to the next house.
In the third and final house the teenager is offered cocaine by a group of people who he doesn’t know and he decides to take the drugs then he has the effects of the drugs then he passes out and is left on the street by themselves then an ambulance turns up and the person I rushed to hospital then the story ends. This is effect of the brick house which the final pig has which the wolf cant blow over.
The difficulty of the houses to destroy for the wolf increase and this is shown in this story by the class of the drug increasing as the teenager moves through the story and he knows less people as the story develops and it ends in a dramatic way to make sure the message of the story gets across.
The Three Little Pigs
I have decided for my story with a modern twist should be the three little pigs but with a twist of drugs. I have decided this because this story can help to educate the country about drugs but in a comical way. The story should have different characters the pig being replaced by a teenager and the houses are replaced by groups of people doing drugs.
For the first house I have chosen the drug ketamine and the teenager is asked by a group of friends to do some ketamine and they decide to and then they leave that house which is the equivalent of the pig blowing the house down, but actually the teenagers gets the effects of the drugs
In the second house then the teenager is offered cannabis by a group of kids who are friends with one of his friends the teenager takes the cannabis then has the effect from the drug then moves on to the next house.
In the third and final house the teenager is offered cocaine by a group of people who he doesn’t know and he decides to take the drugs then he has the effects of the drugs then he passes out and is left on the street by themselves then an ambulance turns up and the person I rushed to hospital then the story ends. This is effect of the brick house which the final pig has which the wolf cant blow over.
The difficulty of the houses to destroy for the wolf increase and this is shown in this story by the class of the drug increasing as the teenager moves through the story and he knows less people as the story develops and it ends in a dramatic way to make sure the message of the story gets across.
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