contents · web viewmy extended project - final product23. 23. chapter 724. project evaluation24....
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Canterbury College
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Thomas WelchYear 1 – Film and Television
Unit 8 – Extended ProjectAcademic Year 2017-2018
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CONTENTS
CONTENTS.........................................................................................................................................2
LIST OF FIGURES.............................................................................................................................4
LIST OF TABLES...............................................................................................................................4
DEFINITION OF TERMS...................................................................................................................4
Unit 8 - Project Proposal.......................................................................................................................5
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Project Action Plan and Timetable.......................................................................................................8
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CHAPTER 1.............................................................................................................................................9
Introduction..........................................................................................................................................9
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The Background of my Project..........................................................................................................9
Who am I?...................................................................................................................................10
What did I learn on my course?..................................................................................................10
What is my project about?.............................................................................................................10
Why my project is important?........................................................................................................11
CHAPTER 2...........................................................................................................................................12
Literature/Resources Review.............................................................................................................12
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Introduction....................................................................................................................................12
Literature Review............................................................................................................................13
Media Product Review....................................................................................................................13
Requirements for my Creative Media Production Project.............................................................13
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................14
CHAPTER 3...........................................................................................................................................15
Research Design Strategies and Experimentation.............................................................................15
Introduction....................................................................................................................................15
Research Questions........................................................................................................................15
Research Design..............................................................................................................................16
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Target Audience Research..............................................................................................................16
Skills and Techniques Research......................................................................................................16
Production Research.......................................................................................................................17
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................17
CHAPTER 4...........................................................................................................................................19
Writing and presenting my research findings....................................................................................19
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Introduction....................................................................................................................................19
Findings/Data analysis....................................................................................................................19
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................20
CHAPTER 5...........................................................................................................................................21
My Project...........................................................................................................................................21
.................................................................................21
Introduction....................................................................................................................................21
Pre-Production................................................................................................................................21
Production.......................................................................................................................................21
Post-production..............................................................................................................................22
CHAPTER 6...........................................................................................................................................23
MY EXTENDED PROJECT - FINAL PRODUCT........................................................................................23
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CHAPTER 7...........................................................................................................................................24
Project Evaluation...............................................................................................................................24
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APPENDICES........................................................................................................................................26
Extended project in creative media production Learning Outcomes and Assessment.................26
1. Understand the requirements of a creative media production project...................................26
2. Be able to use research methods to inform ideas for creative media production...................26
3. Be able to use skills, knowledge and understanding in the completion of a creative media project.........................................................................................................................................26
4. Be able to evaluate a creative media project...........................................................................26
BIBLIOGRAPHY....................................................................................................................................27
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LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1 Personalise it, make this front page yours, make it represent what you have worked on......1Figure 2- What is Research..................................................................................................................19Figure 3- How to ask good questions...................................................................................................19
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1 - Project Proposal......................................................................................................................7Table 2 - Project Action Plan and Timetable..........................................................................................8
DEFINITION OF TERMS
EP – Extended ProjectUAL – University of the Arts London
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Unit 8 - Project Proposal
Candidate Name
Thomas Welch
Candidate Number
86619
Pathway Film and Television
Project Title “Graduation Afternoon”
Section 1: Rationale (approx. 100 words)
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My project will be a short film which will be a commentary on class and mental health.
The way this will be shown to the viewer is through a couple from different social backgrounds and through this they will see the complexity of their relationship.
What will capture the interest of the audience is how they can relate towards the protagonist, as her mental struggle progresses to make herself feel good enough to be with her boyfriend.
I’ve been prepared for this with the other units of this course, especially in the camera equipment testing as well as learning editing on the AVID editing software.
Section 2: Project Concept (approx. 200 words) The concept of my project is a 7 minute live-action long short film with which i will attempt to make a very direct commentary on and about the nature of societal class and mental health. My major influences of this will of course be Stephen King, but also very much the work of Stanley Kubrick and how he used subtext to plant themes into his movies. My research will focus heavily on how to craft a narrative with visuals which further help to develop that subtext and atmosphere.
My target audience isn’t aged based, but genre based. The target audience I hope to attract are fans of King’s work but also fans of introspective and cerebral dramas.
My role within the project is that of a full creative. Directing, writing, storyboarding, editing, etc. The roles that won’t be filled by me are mainly the acting and I will also be having assistance with the audio recording.
My technical requirements for the project are A camera which can take high quality video, a Slider, a Boom Mic and a Glide Cam. The film will be edited on the AVID editing software.
Section 3: Evaluation (approx. 50 words)
I plan to reflect on my project by first looking back at the pre-production phase as detailed in my progress trackers and compare it with my production diary to consider how the idea evolved. Finally, I will examine my completed film as it is, give my final thoughts on that as well as the response from peer reviews.
Proposed Research Sources and Bibliography (Harvard Format)
BibliographyKing, S. (1999). On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft. Hachette .
King, S. (2008). Just After Sunset. Scribner.
Kubrick, S. (Director). (1980). The Shining [Motion Picture].
Taschen. (2005). The Stanley Kubrick Archives.
Write), S. H. (2017). What Writers Should Learn From The Dark Tower (Book Spoilers). Canada.
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Table 1 - Project Proposal
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Project Action Plan and Timetable
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Project Action Plan and Timetable
Project Action Plan and Timetable
Week Date WeekBeginning
Activity / What you are intending to do - including independent study
Resources / What you will need to do it - including access to workshops
119 Feb
Begin work on the Portfolio design and the “What I Learned” task.
The computers in the college, my home laptop and Microsoft Word.
226 Feb
Continue work on the Portfolio. Add the introduction.
The computers in the college, my home laptop and Microsoft Word.
35 March
Begin work on the Project Proposal and Literature Review.
The computers in the college, my home laptop and Microsoft Word.
412 March
Write the Existing Media Products Powerpoint. Write the “Understand the requirements” task.
The computers in the college, my home laptop and Microsoft Word, Powerpoint.
519 March
Start and Complete the Research Design Power Point. Rewrite weaker parts of portfolio.
The computers in the college, my home laptop and Microsoft Word, Powerpoint.
616 April
Begin project experimentation.
College computers, use of the TV studio. Tripod and Cameras.
723 April
Write the Research Results task.
The computers in the college, my home laptop and Microsoft Word.
830 April
Begin Pre-Production and Production board.
College computers, use of the TV studio. Tripod and Cameras, Avid Editing software.
97 May
Continue Production Board College computers, use of the TV studio. Tripod and Cameras, Avid Editing software.
1014 May
Finish both Production and post production.
College computers, use of the TV studio. Tripod and Cameras, Avid Editing software.
1121 May
Project Evaluation. The computers in the college, my home laptop and Microsoft Word.
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Table 2 - Project Action Plan and Timetable
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CHAPTER 1
Introduction
This is the Project Portfolio for my Extended Project, first year UAL diploma in Creative Media Film and TV. My project is an adaptation of the Stephen King short story “Graduation Afternoon”, which deals with themes of social status, depression and the apocalypse. This is the first chapter of my project portfolio, and will showcase about my writing, experimentation, my inspirations and many other things that are instrumental towards the journey in making an adaptation of ‘Graduation Afternoon’.
The Background of my Project My drive for making this project comes down to my absolute love for filmmaking and Stephen King’s fictional universe. I’ve had an intense want to make films ever since I was young and had a camcorder, and that spark of motivation has never died down. Over the past few years of being in the Media Department, I’ve been able to really test myself as to what i can achieve in a project, and this project will be the greatest test of them all.
Ever since I started reading Stephen King novels, I’ve become deeply in love with the universe and characters he created. There’s a large precedent for filmmakers to attempt to adapt a King work, for better or for worse, and I think I’m worthy of trying. The idea I’m running with is trying to adapt the work from a short story, keep it faithful to a point, yet also have enough freedom to go down my own storytelling path.
I’m going to have a full creative role for the project: Writing, directing, editing. This is to keep my vision direct and as part of that I want to see which creative role I’m best at, so that when it comes time for me to get a career in the Media industry, I’ll have a clear idea of what I want to do.
The basic premise of my film deals with a female student of a lower class considering her relationship status with her upper-class boyfriend at his graduation party, but all the while, she’s beset by visions of the world ending in a fiery inferno. This isn’t a traditional Stephen King horror story, but I hope my Target audience who are aware of King’s work would appreciate the reoccurring themes that are prevalent within his stories. In the end, King aims to make his characters, in the end, decent people.
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Who am I?
What did I learn on my course?
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What is my project about?An incredibly important subject in modern society to me is mental health with young people and how relationships can affect that state of mind both positively and negatively. What my project is about, other than just a love letter to Stephen King is to demonstrate is the individual responsibilities of people to think about how they act to other people. What one careless comment from one person can do to someone with mental health, and I plan to have elements of that within my project.
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Why my project is important? It’s important to tell a message in my film just as much as a story, hence why I added the themes of Mental Health. It’s relevant and I think is a discussion that needs to happen. As with any project as well, it’s to entertain. I want people to watch this and get a good message and enjoy what’s presented on screen.
This project is important to me because it’s an officially licenced adaptation, which is the highest possible achievement for me. I need to get it right, to prove it to others and to myself. Out of anything I’ve possibly ever done, this is the most important thing to me.
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CHAPTER 2
Literature/Resources Review
Introduction Resources about information for making adaptations of pre-existing work are in abundance both online and in person. These range from anything to Blogs, video essays and radio broadcasts, to magazines, non-fiction books and social media comments. Some of these will provide the basis for my Extended Project and the final product short film.
The aim of this chapter is to present a review of these resources which I have looked at regarding to how they’ll relate to my project. That the reader will understand how my research, study and consideration of these resources have informed my pre-production phase. The chapter begins with the Literature Report, where I examine different, opinion-based resources and reflect on my findings from them. That is then followed by the Media Product Review, which is me directly reviewing pieces of media I feel are directly related in some way to my what my own project is. The chapter will conclude with what my takeaways from the previous tasks were and how they will change my process going forward.
Literature Review How do you turn a Book into a Film?
The question of how you turn a book into a movie or short film is something that won’t have the same answer from person to person. What I’m trying to ascertain is a general opinion from people about how to adapt a book into a film and their reasons why such a film would turn out either good or bad. This applies to my project as my short film will be adapted off a short story.
My sources are:
“Lessons from the Screenplay: Quietly Going Insane Together” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dv8KroxoAhk
“The Book People: 10 Worst Book to Movie Adaptations” https://www.thebookpeople.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/article?articleId=10-worst-book-to-movie-adaptations
“Stack Exchange Forums-Movie| Why Movies are So Different From the Original Books”https://movies.stackexchange.com/questions/15318/why-are-movies-so-different-from-the-original-books
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1. Lessons from the Screenplay
Lessons from the Screenplay has been a film-based youtuber I’ve admired for many years with his video essays and analyses on what makes a great film. He looks at it with logic and depth, making you see things you never would have seen on your own.
My focus is his video “Quietly Going Insane Together” which details the scripting process and result of Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining. It features a look about how Screenwriters Kubrick and Diane Johnson’s script diverges from the King novel. How in the end, the moral of King’s book is not kept within the film, that some people, normal or innocent cant be redeemed, that they are doomed to a vicious cycle of cruelty.
Case in point, the character of Jack Torrance. In the book he is a flawed but ultimately good man who succumbs to his demons but in the end has a moment of lucidity where he saves his family from the machinations of the Overlook Hotel. In the Kubrick film however, he is a flawed man with potentially no good side who never receives a redemption arc and dies before he can murder his wife and son.
When you say to people about the character of Jack Torrance, on mostly all occasions they will think of the movie’s version. Perhaps because of the iconic performance by Jack Nicholson, but maybe also because the idea of an unredeemable father figure is a terrifying thought. It made me think how victims of parental abuse will hope their abuser will beat his demons, will become the person they want them to be. Maybe that redemption not taking place within the film is scarier than all the ghost children and women in bathtubs.
The essay’s points make me realise: Kubrick was a man with his own story to tell. If you look at his adaptations, the changes, however slight they may be completely change the structure or moral of the film. He used the source material as a template, but then forged his own narrative or subtext-filled path.
Despite even Kubrick’s day to day rewrites, he was not a man who would “wing” his scripting, so whatever his intention was for The Shining, it has resonated with audiences far more than King’s novel ever did.
2. 10 Worst Book to Movie Adaptations
In looking for resources, I came across “The Book People”, a British website which focuses on books and reviews. I found a “Top 10” list of what is considered the worst movies ever, with list placement based off scores taken from popular film review sites.
I wanted to look at a major, all audience-encompassing site as part of my resources because it would give me a good idea about what, generally, audiences and critics dislike in specific adaptations. Having seen a good chunk of films on the list, it also gives me my own perspective.
The top 10 spot is a good example, as it goes to Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, a film not liked by critics but seemingly liked by audiences, as it was very successful at the box office.
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My own take on this film is that is enjoyable, but as an adaptation I found it extremely confused. Whether it was meant as a sequel to the original 1951 Disney animated film, or a sequel to the book. It turned out it was neither, it was acting as a sequel to itself. Its script was so reliant on you having some idea of the story, I think its own story got extremely lost in the process. Having read both the novel, it gives me some perspective on both sides.
Number 7 is 2007’s “The Golden Compass”, based off Phillip Pullman’s “Northern Lights” novel series. It was a notorious critical and box office failure, due to a confused marketing team and script, despite the visuals obtaining praise. The starkest adaptation on the list is 2012’s The Lorax by Illumination Entertainment. A film I couldn’t stand from its inception.
The book, a bittersweet environmental fable removed any poignancy and subtlety the book had, and furthermore, its marketing sold out to sponsors with items that were frowned upon in the novel. It’s a film I had disliked for a long time, so I found it gratifying to know that I wasn’t the only one who disliked it for the same reasons.
3. Why Movies are So Different from the Original Books
For the final resource to the question, I decided to go even further into the public’s opinion, to a movie forum, The Stack Exchange. To a thread about how and why Hollywood changes details from the novel source. It gives interesting insight and opinions as to why changes are made, even the smallest and minutest.
Growing up and watching adaptations, detail changes, such as names or plot would annoy me, and I just wouldn’t understand why or how. A post in the forum detailing a reason piques my interest, as “studio meddling” and the developmental stage can make the details “lost in the fog”, so to speak. In some cases, I’m sure script writers give no care for the character names, but this seems to be more of an issue of the past, as modern films often directly keep the names and accurate plot points.
Another point a forum member brings up is Creative Licence. Which is an important part of any adaptation. Scriptwriters should be free to change what they deem necessary. Personally, I feel however, a change, however minute, must be justified within the script or the film.
Conclusion
I found these sources invaluable in informing my project going forward. The analysis on the Shining really helped me realise the best way to adapt a story and take it in my own direction, how to place subtext and really get to a guttural and emotional place when taking morals and characters.
The Top 10 list reaffirmed several points for me regarding what audiences do and don’t like. Confused films that get so lost in their own script aren’t fun for anybody, and the critical
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scores confirm that point. It also made me realised ham-fisted attempt at portraying morality, like in the case of The Lorax rarely ends well, as to be preachy-hypocritical will just speak down to your viewing audience.
The final source gives me a large amount of perspective on how people perceive change in movies. I need to take the people who are familiar with the story as much as people who aren’t, and still make it coherent and understandable for those first-time viewers. Any changes I will make during the scripting process, they will be deeply thought out.
What Makes a Good Teen Movie?
Asking the question of what makes a Good Teen Movie is a varied and near-nebulous question, however to specify, my question is what makes a good teen-based movie/story that successfully captures the feel and emotion of that age that speaks to the viewer. This applies to my project as the lead of my film is a female teenager going through personal life issues, something I feel is relatable to the audience.
My sources are:
“What makes a truly great teen flick” -The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/film/filmblog/2008/jan/31/thejunomachinehasarrived
Lessons from the Screenplay: “Where Story Meets Style” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_5lCnwDEo4
“12 Best Movie Prom Scenes” -The Intelligencer https://www.theintelligencer.com/entertainment/the-wrap/article/12-Best-Movie-Prom-Scenes-From-Carrie-to-12812536.php
1. What Makes a Truly Great Teen Flick
For my first resource for this question, I decided to find an opinion piece from one person who writes and reviews films for the industry. To find what a film critic would consider the essential elements to make a good teen movie. The article came out in 2008 to mark the release of the comedy film “Juno”, which now has become an iconic teen movie in its own rite.
The first point brought up is “A classic rite-of-passage journey”. As teenagers, at some point we all had to go on our own journey to find ourselves and the people around us would influence in the best way possible. The term “rite of passage” was always something I had in mind. The second point, coincidentally, is “a female lead”, which my short film will star.
The third point revolves around music, and how important a soundtrack can be to define the tone of a teen movie. What occurred to me reading this point is that its assumed these films will have a soundtrack consisting of 1980s music. Subconsciously I assumed that is
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what I would be using, but with thought, there are more unique avenues. The fourth point is fantasy, which too fits in amazingly well with my short film. Adding sci-fi, fantasy or other events into familiar settings. It’s a good way to connect your audience to a film. Jumping to the sixth point, “Teen Politics”. There is nothing more distracting in a teen film when kids talk as if they were written by adults. This is a point I hear a lot and it’s something I know all too well.
2. Moonrise Kingdom: Where Story Meets Style
I decided to go back to Lessons from the Screenplay as a resource because of its incredibly informative structure, and how it breaks down elements individually to help the viewer understand not just the visual choices, but the writing choices. Moonrise Kingdom is a coming of age story directed by Wes Anderson, and its growing in popularity and in consideration of being one of the best modern coming of age stories ever.
The video glosses over how the screenwriters would write scenes and important details, including the camera. I never realised this kind of writing style, and I already adore it. How you can write meta items into your script depending on their importance. Scripts are meant to be experimented with, is what I believe Anderson is trying to say. This applies to writing out the visuals as well which, as if writing out details in the script like a novel. As someone who enjoys placing prop or visual references into my films, this gives me some exciting ideas. In such a richly visual film, it then makes sense for these details to be written. I find this incredibly freeing creatively and my options are far wider than I ever thought they’d be when it comes to the scripting process.
By also displaying clips and moments from the movie, It made me aware, that like the plot of Moonrise Kingdom with its odd and sudden moments that come out of nowhere, it’s a perfect anagram for what life as a teenager can be like.
3. 12 Best Movie Prom Scenes
For this resource, I went in with a pre-set opinion. Prom stories have been a staple of storytelling for years and despite being a very American thing, had bled into the British consciousness. The resource is another list, but this time of prom scenes from movies.
Of course, I would choose my number one Prom scene as the one from Back to the Future, and its listed here. The films listed are the usual suspects for me, apart from one. Brian De Palma’s Carrie. Yes, its an iconic Prom scene, but its also a subversion of prom scenes. It isn’t happy, its bloody, its gruesome, its incredibly iconic. The idea of taking something presumed safe and then literally blowing it up. Honestly, I love subversion in film, so what this list has made me realise, is that you need to keep the audience guessing and at times shocked. Repetition of familiarity only works when you manipulate the audiences’ feelings of familiarity.
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Conclusion
These resources have truly helped me obtain a clear idea of how much freedom I can grant myself during the scripting process and just the creative process in general. How I can experiment with what I can write or describe. I know how Wes Anderson is an extremely well-studied director, but people look at his visuals more than his scripts, so I think I’ve found a unique path.
As for the soundtrack I know have a far greater understanding that teen movies aren’t just beholden to an 80s style. Focus on a soundtrack from another era of music could create an entirely new atmosphere, and a further way to connect to the audience. And my most important realisation is subversion. Something that will keep the audience shocked and on their toes. Some of these sources may be easy to find, but I find them invaluable for what I can learn from them.
What Elements Make a Good Short Film?
The question of what makes a short film good? Is rich and varied with a multitude of answers depending on person to person, but I feel it’s good to have multiple opinions on this, as it can help inform an opinion. This applies to my project as it’s a short film.
My sources are:
“7 Things to Know About Making Short Films” -Indy Mogulhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYnsKATCrdw
“How to make a short film with practically no budget” -Film Connection https://www.filmconnection.com/reference-library/film-entrepreneurs/short-film-no-budget/
“5 Tips on Making a Short Film as Powerful as a Feature” -Indie Wire http://www.indiewire.com/2014/09/5-tips-on-making-a-short-film-as-powerful-as-a-feature-69729/
1. 7 Things to Know about Making Short Films
Like with previous resources, I wanted to find a wide amount of resources and opinions. Again, going for another video essay, this time its by Indy Mogul, an incredibly helpful Youtube channel that advises with various aspects of movie making and production. The video itself states its purpose isn’t just to state obvious information with any film, but specifically with short films.
What the video has brought up is that traditionally, short films should be between 10-15 minutes for easier film festival exhibition, which is something I had never considered before, and I think it’s an absolutely genius and motivating reason to keep things at a minimum. Something else I had a thought about was brought up in detail is about exposition and how much is too much. An exposition filled story is no fun for anyone, so
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talks about how to cut it down or find other ways to address it were incredibly informative. Coincidentally, the topic of silent-visual exposition was brought up, something I myself experimented on for my Hello project. It gave me a great sense of things coming full circle.
One of the topics that really got me thinking was how short films are an excellent way to experiment. I had done so before my 2017 short film “Electric Odyssey” but having more idea structure from the get-go will help create a more consistent project which is still experimental.
2. How to Make a Short Film with Practically No Budget
This resource is by the site Film Connection. It’s a short essay with some essential points on how to be frugal when making a student short film, which is a necessity in almost every case and especially mine.
It’s a very basic guide, but what I really got out of it was some helpful tips on the proper channels to go through in a step-by-step basis. I get the sense that with a limited budget you really must adhere to certain things. I want to stay realistic in my goals so during the scriptwriting phase, everything written will be visualised and considered if it will be possible with the budget I’m working with.
3. 5 Tips on Making a Short Film as Powerful as a Feature
The final resource is from the site IndieWire and is of a topic of ultimate interest to me. It’s how to make a short film as impactful to the audience as a feature film. This is a major goal of mine going into my film, so this article is a dream come true.
Some of the points brought up are so incredibly informative, I find myself to be inspired by them. Advice such as “create a short film not to preview some bigger story”. Make it good on its own merits, and not merits on something else you have in mind.
Another tip that I found incredibly insightful and telling was utilizing any assets around you that you can. The college has a lot of available locations items I can use, so I’ll make sure to heavily research them prior to my scripting and eventual filming.
Conclusion
To conclude my literature report, I’ll begin by stating how Indy Mogul’s tips on short films probably have been the most eye opening of any resource I’ve looked at. It’s given me incredibly direct guidelines about how I can truly achieve a great short film in plot and visuals.
The second resource was more information I was aware of, however it started me on a line of thought regards to the most efficient ways to plan out and budget what’s feasible for my film, which is obviously something absolutely essential. The final resource again I find
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invaluable, which helped me develop some really good and strong plans for the final product push. To capitalise on what’s in front of me, not what possibly might not even be there. I can reach high while still being realistic, is what the third resource taught me.
I think generally, my biggest takeaway from this entire literature report is that planning is essential. I used to have a “we’ll do it on the day” mentality and that never yielded perfect successes for me, so those experiences mixed with what I’ve learnt here will be, to repeat the word, invaluable to me going forward.
Media Product Review+
The Shining (1980)
I’ve made it no secret how my main influence and favourite film of all time is “The Shining” by Stanley Kubrick. Like my project, this film was based off a Stephen King story, but in the years since its release, has far overtaken the original source novel in popularity and iconography. While I’m under no delusions about being at all similar to Stanley Kubrick, the idea of adapting King’s work into something that matches my own person vision akin to the way Kubrick did it is something I find relentlessly exciting.
I first saw this film in 2017 and it instantly became my favourite film. By the time of writing this document, I’ve seen the film 8 times, the latest time being for the purposes of analysing it for this task.
This film inspires me every time because of every little detail the movie has to offer. But what I think really influences me is the cinematography and the use of colour. The sets are incredible, but the framing brings it to life. It literally makes a building feel alive. The use of strong and vibrant colour reflects emotions and moments, yet the normal audience won’t notice it but however, it influences them to feel things subconsciously. I find that ingenious and it’s something I’ve tried to experiment with in my films ever since. To that point, I feel most of my films since have been informed by The Shining and my adaptation of “Graduation Afternoon” will be no different.
I think what I really learnt from Kubrick’s Shining was that while you can be faithful to the book to some extent, you don’t have to be beholden to it. To compare it with the book which I read sometime after seeing the film, apart from one scene I believe was done better in the novel, the film blew it out of the water. It’s a very visual book and King is a master of the descriptive, however I never felt engaged or in a sense of danger like I was in the film. It was still an excellent novel, but it fits one medium far better than the other in my view. With books you use your imagination which is
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oft-considered something books have over visual media, but Kubrick’s Shining forces you to use your imagination during it and many other scenes, while adding several different layers of subtext and intrigue to its plot.
I suppose it’s hard to say truly how much The Shining has influenced my project, however to my best guess: Enough so it sets my film apart from others but not enough so it seems like I’m trying to copy what Kubrick did. As with everything, I will try and strike that healthy balance.
Graduation Afternoon (2008)
“Graduation Afternoon” is a 7-page story in the short story collection “Just after Sunset”, written by Stephen King and published in 2008. It is the basis of my short film of the same name.
Over the past month or so, I’ve read it and re-read it to fully consider it. I’ve looked at it under different angles, theorised about meanings and moments within the story and overall just tried to create a perfect picture in my mind how I interpret the story. When comparing it to other parts of King’s work, it’s a far more straight forward and brief little scenario. However, I find it just as rich in character depth as his other stories. King has often said that fundamentally in his novels he tries to make relatable characters. If I were to compare Janice, the main character of Graduation Afternoon with Thad Beaumont, the tragic hero from The Dark Half, they may be in unbelievable situations, but they both have realistic mental journeys and issues which both have merit. Thad is wrestling with emotions about what kind of man he really is and Janice is someone who is trying to find a way to fit in with a crowd she, on a social level, never would’ve associated with and her mental struggle to prove to herself she belongs there.
Obviously this is my primary inspiration for my film, so its importance can’t be overstated. However the most important thing I think I’ve taken from this story is that you can tell a meaningful, layered and richly developed story without it being feature-length. The way the story is told within the novel really lends itself to an adaptation in my view, because there isn’t necessarily a set course of what to show, apart from the ending.
The writing itself, with King’s descriptiveness really helped to paint a perfect image in my mind about what I can do for both the scripting aspect of my short film, as well as different kinds of cinematography I can attempt to finally accomplish.
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Requirements for my Creative Media Production Project
The requirements in a short film such as mine are many, but within the media industry there are many different routes for different things.
As I am a student making a short film, major relevant roles such as Director, Scriptwriter, Storyboard artist and Editor will all be filled by myself. I’ve had experience with all of these in my previous years of short film making and I have a good handle on them all and are steadily improving all the time. My experience with editing grew substantially when I began using AVID, and for a film such as I’m planning, I’ll need that editing experience.
All the listed roles are essential for a film to exist and because I want my own vision of this film to flourish. The roles for other people will, of course be other essentials such as actors, voice actors and focus-test viewers during the editing process.
The purpose of the focus-test viewers is to gage their reaction during the editing, them watching rough drafts of the film and getting responses about what to keep and what to take out for the final cut. For film festival exhibition, I’m going to attempt to make the film under 15 minutes, aiming for around 10. This is part of the normal structure of how film exhibitors act. The shorter the film, the easier the distribution.
The college has excellent technology facilities, many of which I plan to utilise. The items I plan to use are:
Camera: The college has several excellent kinds of camera available to rent and provide the kind of quality needed for my film.
Tripod: A set-up which steadies the camera, with posable sections to flawlessly move the camera while recording.
Steady-Cam: A handheld, weighted device to mount the camera on, which when moving, steadies the shot, to give a glide effect.
AVID Editing Software.
All of these items would be available to rent from online sources, however as they are available from the college, I won’t need to spend anything to utilise them.
Ethically in a productive, workplace environment, certain rules should always be maintained. The most important thing to adhere to is equal respect to everyone, regardless of race or gender, as well as a zero-tolerance policy on harassment of any kind. Whether it be in the classroom or on-set, everyone should feel safe, comfortable and have basic workers writers available to them, even my film being a student production. When filming in public, it should always be kept in mind
Another part of the rights of people in a production is safety. Safety is a must for any environment and the best way to deal with this is by making a Risk Assessment, a document in which it examines all possible risks or dangers in working environments, whether it be on set, in a classroom/office or in public. A Risk assessment should be made for every location and should focus on obvious potential threats or ones that maybe aren’t so obvious.
The Target Audience i’ve always pictured doesn’t reflect age, it instead reflects interest. When IT came out in 2017, so many demographics went to see it, the story and iconography of the story transcended demographics, and I’ve tried to keep that in mind. I’m targeting the audiences who
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enjoy either the works of Stephen King, psychological thrillers and experimental student short films. Thrillers usually attract an audience of 20+, Stephen King films can attract anyone who likes horror films or literature and with short film watchers, I would imagine a range in between the 20s-mid 40s.
With my film, I have a very specific style I want to achieve. To create a kind of living environment visible on film. That around the characters things feel off, as if the very buildings and landscapes they’re in are alive and breathing. This adds into my want to create a very dream-like atmosphere throughout the entire film. People will have off or bizarre reactions or statements, odd items will be placed around the sets to further tell a visual story.
To accomplish these things, I plan to utilise various editing tricks such as crossfades, artificial lighting during the indoor scenes and that is something I plan to experiment with when it comes to Chapter 3. Other techniques I will use will be visual illusions; such as forced perspectives, which I will also attempt during my experimentation.
Conclusion
I’ve always made my inspiration clear, as it being from the works of Stephen King and Stanley Kubrick. Two creators who have inspired several of my projects and short films over the past few years. Their brand of horror, both literal and psychological always resonated with me and been present in my mind. As when I was young, things I saw or watched inspired me greatly to try and make my own movies and that has never changed.
My ideas have always motivated me and once I get into the momentum of planning an idea, I usually can accomplish anything within my project. My motivation I find for this project is that getting a chance to make an officially licenced adaptation, something I’ve wanted to do for so long, is such an exciting and inspiring thought, it pushes me forward to be the best I can possibly be creatively. I’ve always made films because I wanted to create, and this project is the best way I feel I can do that.
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CHAPTER 3
Research Design Strategies and Experimentation
IntroductionThis chapter demonstrates and explains the research I have undertaken for my project. It starts with me asking the necessary Research Questions, which is then followed by the full write-up of my Research Design and then finally the Research Methods used within my extended +project.
Research Questions
How Can I Use Lighting to Convey Emotion to the Audience?
The intent I have in researching lighting and their emotional applications for my project stem from my want to obtain reactions from my audience from things other than just the plot or the dialogue. A main characteristic of my project is that it’s an adaptation of a story by an iconic horror writer, and with that there are certain pre-set notions about what will be from that. As documented in my Media Product Review, I’m majorly inspired by Kubrick’s The Shining and that film was masterful in its use of lighting and shadow work.
My aim for this research is to find out how to generate emotional reactions from the target audience using staging and lighting. For the first part of the test, I will accomplish this by testing the lighting in a controlled environment, test the colour use with gels to change the colour of the light, and using manually shifting the light, create a “pulsating” motion as if the light is breathing. To put it simply, I want to create a visual environment on the screen that people respond to with either uncomfortableness or fear.
The second phase of this experiment is taking videos of similar framing to the first, however with natural lighting, and no other alterations. I will be filming this outside around the
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garden of my home. My attempt is to create visuals of more positive emotions in the audience, with calming and pleasant visuals.
As the final part of the experiment, I will test the successfulness of the experiment, by showing the footage from both previous parts to a test audiences and gage their reaction to see whether or not the intended effect has been accomplished. Afterwards, I will ask the audience specific questions to fully determine their thoughts, both their subconscious thoughts while watching it and their reflection after.
Research Design
My Research Design will be varied, due to the nature of my project. I have undertaken several kinds of research, and what kinds I will do after my production begins. Full explanations as to my findings will be in the following chapter.
Target Audience Research
The Target Audience for my project are fans of Stephen King. As he is an author with a varied catalogue of works in different genres, I could specify that it’s for fans of horror and thrillers.
To find out more general and varied information, I used “YouGov Profiles.com” to get a full read out of the exact kind of demographic that watches horror films. The information given to me states that Females between 18-24 are the largest consumer of horror movies. Refining my search further, I looked into the demographics of people who watch The Shining, and the answer I got were Males between 45-50.
One major thing I have not been able to get online is further first-hand experience. From the in-person knowledge I have of the horror fans community, I know that each person varies greatly, whether they prefer jump scares, or more psychological horror. When IT came out in 2017, both of these groups were catered to within the film. This led me to the thought process that when my lighting experimentation was completed, I would edit the footage together and create a short, horror-atmospheric test film, and use a select number of different people to see their individual responses, which I did successfully accomplish.
Skills and Techniques Research
For research regarding my skills and techniques, I plan to look in depth at how smooth camera shots are tracked. There have been several excellent videos about the subject on YouTube, ranging from behind the scenes of films to simply for the demonstration in the video. In-person however, I will research this by using equipment from the college to test out shots. Such as tripod movement and mastering the glide-cam.
The most important technical research I did was for the lighting. My resolve was to create a lighting test in-person and capture it on video. I filmed with both artificial lighting and natural lighting, however the artificial lighting is by far the most important element I wanted to achieve. I did this by using the TV-Studio space for the artificial lighting test, as I had made use of it before.
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To this end, I decided to seek out the media department’s resident photography expert, Dragan, who, in previous sessions of his that I’ve attended demonstrated his extensive knowledge of lighting. Dragan is usually working in the TV studio teaching lessons, and I was able to find him there on his own and he gladly assisted me.
Lighting experiment in the TV Studio. 25/04/2018
Using three boards with a black background and projecting blue and red lights onto them created an unusual effect, which is exactly what I was going for. So that one of the lights moved and pulsated, in almost a ‘breathing’ way, Dragan was able to manually move the light dial to create this movement, whilst I was on camera filming. He also helped me pick the best camera settings to use for filming.
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The next day, assisted by classmate Archie, I filmed the natural lighting experimentation. I did this by filming on the green just in front of the college entrance. Archie used a reflector to keep the sun out of the shot, and I filmed a few, short videos outside.
Production ResearchThere will be several people I need for my production, actors and boom mic operators, and all of them have been asked in advance. They have been kept up to date by both a mix of Facebook messaging, Twitter messaging and in-person updates about when they will be needed, and if there is some issue with them not being able to be involved, they can just contact with me directly. Previous usage of these sites inform me entirely about how they will be used for this upcoming production.
The research I’ve undertaken for Production Roles is not only via past experience making short films, but a site I’ve used continually is the Job Roles section on Creative Skillset.org. It has an excellent database of roles, what qualifications needed for those roles and what can be done within that role.
For the Production Schedule, I’ll create it in reflection of the calendar given by the tutors. To fit in exactly with dates, as well as people’s own schedule. People will be consulted beforehand, and I will also consider which days other than my normal college days to come in to complete the filming.
As this is a student film, filmed at the college, there is no budget. In my thinking about what I will need for this production, all the props and equipment I already own or will rent out from the college, so that won’t cost anything. The only expense I can calculate is the usual cost of travel from home to college, which is £10 a day.
Location research is something I’ve dealt with before in other projects, and the best way I do this is going to locations, exploring them for possible threats, and taking photos for visualisation purposes, as well as other pre-production purposes. If the places I film aren’t public locations, I’ll find the right people to ask and attain permission to film in those places. What comes from location research is then the Health and Safety research. Examining the locations for potential threats or things that could harm anyone involved within the production. Then whatever the location that I or any of my crew will be working at, the data collected from there will be placed into a Risk Assessment.
Visually, my research won’t be used towards storyboards, but instead concept imagery taken from location research, mixed with the ideas and plots presented within my script. I have a book regarding concept art from the original Star Wars trilogy, and this is a resource I will look towards for inspiration. A major visual inspiration will be Stanley Kubrick’s the Shining, so I will watch that film as research, and as a personal test to myself, try and recreate some of the shots as best I can.
All the props will be planned in advance with a list stating what I need. With two sections, there will be what I own myself and will use, then what I have borrowed, and to whom they belong too.
My hardware and workflow research has come from other projects I’ve created/assisted in. I have the correct kind of idea when to have breaks, I’ll work out a schedule of what scenes to film and in what order. A further thing I will do is make an asset list for all copyrighted or licenced items I use within my film, and accredit them to the exact people.
And finally for post-production, I’ll research the best kinds of AVID editing software short cuts, and different kinds of transitions and wipes. There are excellent videos on Youtube regarding different kinds of editing, and I think they are the best possible resource to watch as they give a step-by-step look at what and how to achieve these kinds of editing tricks.
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ConclusionAs we get nearer and nearer to the start of production, things are quickly ramping up in the best possible way. This time with Research has been absolutely invaluable, and to an extent changed my previous work ethic entirely.
Observations I have made during my research phase have given me perspective about how short films are made. The inventive way people make them and the passion and effort they put into them are inspiring.
Experiments and Tests was by far the most informing part of this process for me, because I’ve learnt so many skills from it. Most of all both of the Lighting Tests have granted me skills that I never would’ve previously had. All the thanks to my Tutor Dragen for assisting me with it as well, with him advising on what the best settings are for use on the camera to capture the best video.
Activities involving Focus Groups, Interviews and Surveys occurred after my lighting experimentation, in which 4 classmates watched my experimentation video and responded to it by writing out a survey of their thoughts. The thoughts they gave have really influenced me as they will inform parts of my project, such as atmosphere, noises and sound levels.
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Figure 1- What is Research
Figure 2- How to ask good questions
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CHAPTER 4
Writing and presenting my research findings
IntroductionThe topic of my project is an adaptation of the the Stephen King short story “Graduation Afternoon”, which deals with themes of social status, depression and the end of the world.
With my experimentation and research, I’ve come across many questions that I’ve needed answering by both myself and by others input to my research work. My research has been conductive in both quantitative and qualitative forms, in the hope I can strike a healthy balance between all types of research.
Below, you can read about my research findings in detail.
Findings/Data analysis After my Lighting Experimentation, I edited together the footage I had of both artificial and natural lighting, removing the distracting background noises to them, then added sound and edit effects to create a short video presentation, which I decided to show it to specific people in my class I feel would be in my intended target audience.
The Video itself is to test emotional responses to visuals and atmosphere alone, and as I wanted to keep this a distraction-free test, I used the back room of my classroom and turned the lights off. I picked 4 students of varying gender and personality in the hope I would obtain different emotional reactions from all of them. They sat down in the backroom and watched the video. The video itself can be seen below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwONXojV0VM
The results were interesting, with some of the four opinions lining up and then some not at all. I had the participants fill out a sheet with a few sections, asking what their thoughts were, both direct reflection and their initial involuntary thoughts.
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Cameron Scott-Millen partaking in the Emotion Test in the Classroom. 26/04/2018
Here are a handful of quotes from the 4 reaction sheets:
“Lights show the potential that a ghost is dancing around the room.” – Cameron. “Despite the peaceful surroundings, something seemed off.” –Tom “Typewriter noise added a good atmosphere, but was a bit loud” –Steven “Sounds were strange, alluring and mysterious” –Vivi
From this research, I believe I achieved the intention of finding out how people react to certain imagery and atmosphere, which was the exact intention. I’m extremely proud of the result, and I think it’s entirely informed my project.
When I began in Chapter One, it gave me time to really consider why I’ve wanted to make films. It began in 2007 with me trying to recreate scenes from Indiana Jones with my camcorder because I was inspired by the films, and that followed year after year with getting green screen sets and making films with my friends on webcams, there was never a point where I didn’t want to make movies. I would often get my parents to take me to film studio tours and places with information about the filmmaking world.
I found myself loving the work of Stephen King shortly after joining the media department in 2015. Through a series of events kickstarted by my tutor Dave and I discussing Clockwork Orange by Kubrick, which led me to watch all of Kubrick’s other filmography and out of all, The Shining took my interest the most. And thereon, I developed an obsession with the film and the novels and stories of Stephen King. When it came time during to start this year of college, I saw nothing else I’d rather do than create an adaptation of a Stephen King story, which is why I then researched possibly obtaining the rights officially to make my project and found King’s ‘Dollar Baby’ program, which allowed film students to obtain the rights for one American dollar.
Initial email confirmation regarding the story rights. 11/2/2018. Address removed for privacy.
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I love filming adore writing, and its my hope that my work on this production will be indication that a job as a director or writer in the Media Industry, such as film or TV, is a good possibility for my future employment, as these are things I absolutely want to do as a living.
The premise of my film is about Janice, a working-class student at her wealthy boyfriend’s Graduation party. Not liked by her boyfriend’s friends or family, she experiences an inner-journey that leads her seemingly to the apocalypse of the world.
As hinted at within the synopsis, there are strong themes regarding class-issues within Britain as well as mental health. Mental Health is something I care about strongly as do most people, and I hope that it’s a relatable point with my target audience. A female character with mental health issues isn’t a character archetype you come across too often, but I hope for some amount of my audience, it will strike a chord, but in general, I feel most people over the age of 15-16 can relate to a student trying to find their feet within the education system, while also having to balance self-doubt as well as connections to people.
A similar media product to my film I would have to say is my biggest inspiration, Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining. Other than being just a Stephen King adaptation, it also, in a sense, deals with the decline of a person’s mental health as well as how people around the person are affected because of it. In visuals, the two will share similarities in the kind of cinematography displayed with wide, grand shots of interior locations. This as well as the use of items such as a glide cam will capture a kind of tone or look that was in the film. Another film that in-part bolstered my idea to make this is 2017’s IT, as the characters within the film are so well rounded and well written, it’s a direct go-to for the best example of teenagers being written like real teens.
The Shining has legitimately shaped the way I think about filmmaking, through its use of location and props to tell a story as much as how its told by character dialogue or actions. Every element is flawlessly attended to, and each frame is a near-work of art. Every film I’ve made since seeing it has been trying to hold it up to its standard, it’s the end all. But it didn’t inspire everything. Case in point, the script.
For scriptwriting, I don’t look at either films, but instead I reflect to King’s novels. His 2008 short story collection ‘Just After Sunset’, in which the original short story “Graduation Afternoon” was printed. King’s writing style in itself is incredibly cinematic, with its detailing of surroundings, people and items, it almost presents a perfect source to adapt a screenplay from. I won’t be adapting it word for word or scene to scene whatsoever, however the writing style is a direct inspiration.
From Week 2, I developed ways to take the idea in 3 different directions. The original document can be viewed below.
These 3 ideas were created for different reasons. Some out of pure necessity, some out of passion for the project. The first idea, about total accuracy was something initially I thought I could do, but then when I began to think logistically about it and while it would be impossible to film in New York,
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nor would I have the kind of technology available to recreate it, the main issue was having my actor’s doing some imitation of the American accent, as I find that just a terrible idea that would lower the meaning of my work. The second idea was about going in my own direction, apart from how the story writes things, and this for a time seemed the most interesting to me and it to an extent it might have been the most viable, however it wouldn’t have been enough of a challenge, and I don’t think it would have been as fulfilling to me as a filmmaker and writer to not get at least some of what the original story put out there.
So, the third and final idea was the one chosen, with the input of my tutors, Jenni and Stephen. It’s the perfect mix between accuracy and doing my own thing, which also supplies several challenges I will have to overcome in the best possible way.
Conclusion It’s honestly difficult not to overstate how important this has been to informing not just my own project, but my whole ethic as a filmmaker. It’s made me recall as to why I wanted to make films in the first place, and having made me think back to those days, I get the same kind of enthusiastic motivation that I had back then. I think that’s a reaction that’s value can’t be understated.
As I now rush towards production with all engines burning creatively, I’ve learnt so much through just my own experimentation and research, it makes me truly think that it’s made me improve as a filmmaker, even before I’ve begun filming work. I’d be utterly remiss if I didn’t also credit my tutors and classmates who’ve provided support, advice and opinions on various pre-production works and thereby really giving me ideas and direct ways to refine certain ideas.
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CHAPTER 5
My Project
Introduction
So here we are. The Project. What you will see below is the documentation for the Pre-Production, Production and Post-Production, which also includes my Production Diary which will give a look at how the filming went from a first-hand perspective on set from myself, my cast and crew through pictures and videos.
It is my intention that this section will display the full range of my capabilities in planning and creating media products.
Pre-Production
Location Survey
These locations are ones that I plan to film at. With this survey I look at them for viability and safety. As most of these locations are public places, I will keep in mind the college rule that students can’t be recorded or photographed without their permission.
Another rule I’ve stuck to whilst surveying these locations is their viability for filming and how they will be filmed, as in how much space will they take up. Details regarding health and safety will be put in the Risk Assessment.
TV Studio.
The TV studio is the first location I had in mind for this production, and its purpose is to house the ‘Graduation Party’ scene, where several classmates performing as actors will be mingling and dancing. As this is a private area the Media Department runs, my use of it won’t distract the general student populace at large.
First Level.
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The First Level, just outside the Media Department and LRC. As again this is a public place, the only people who will be captured on video are my actors. It will only be a brief scene, however will feature two characters in a critical plot moment.
This is a very public place, however the filming here will be short and brief, and I will plan to film here during a time when students will be in their classes, so as to minimise any distractions during filming, as well as inconveniences to them.
Stairwell.
The Stairwell is a location just outside the Performing Arts entrance. I have used it before for other projects I have created, and know the area well. It will be the location where Janice witnesses the Apocalypse.
This location is usually very quiet and out of the way, so there should be no problem with disturbances, and to further make this a point, filming here will be done during lesson times for most of the students.
LRC
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The LRC will be used briefly within my film. As this is a very public place, I decided to ask permission to use it within the film, and staff member Sophia Barton assisted with confirming my ability to film in there, as well as keeping in mind the people in my surroundings to: 1. not disturb them and 2. Not catch them on video without their permission, which isn’t a problem as it will be a brief scene with only one of my actors.
Risk Assessments
TV Studio
Risk People Who May Be Affected
What Can Be Done
Measures Already in
Place
Risk Level Notes
Tripping Over Wires
Actors/Crew Warn people to watch their steps
Wires pushed to one side or secured.
Medium
Falling lights Actors/Crew Making sure the lights are properly secure-if moved
Lights are secured before use
Medium A teacher or staff member will be present throughout
First Level
Risk People Who May Be Affected
What Can Be Done
Measures Already in
Place
Risk Level Notes
Falling over railings
Actors/Crew Making sure no one leans/climbs on railings
The barriers themselves.
Low.
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Stairwell
Risk People Who May Be Affected
What Can Be Done
Measures Already in
Place
Risk Level Notes
Falling Over Steps
Actors Making sure no filming takes place on steps.
N/A Medium
Harmed by discarded items
Actors/Crew Making sure there’s no hazardous materials nearby to touch
N/A High
LRC
Risk People Who May Be Affected
What Can Be Done
Measures Already in
Place
Risk Level Notes
Tripping Over
Computer Wires
Actors/Crew Make sure crew doesn’t
put foot under
computer desks.
Wires are kept under desks.
Low
Character Profiles
Janice Gandolewski
Janice is portrayed by Georgi Holter.
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Georgi Holter
Janice is a 17 year old student who is obsessed with photography. She films all the time whatever she sees around her. She first meets ‘Buddy’ through one of her filming sessions at her college. Despite being a year behind Buddy, she feels confident in their relationship. Her concerns stem from how Buddy’s friends, family and other classmates consider her not good enough, due to her lower social status than his, as well as being on a photography course (‘hardly a respectable life career’).
Her personal obsessions other than photography are true crime stories (her first year film project was based off the infamous Bradley Gang in America) and thriller/horror novels, like those written by Capote, Denbrough and Beaumont. Her favourite kind of music is 1930s American jazz, such as Al Bowlly and Sidney Bechet.
Bruce ‘Buddy’ Hope
Bruce is portrayed by Cameron Scott-Millen.
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‘Buddy’ is a 19 year old, Law student, from the wealthy Hope family of Fleet, Hampshire. He first met Janice when she was filming in the Universities’ library, and it sparked a conversation which led to a relationship. He is confident if a little arrogant, and while he is books mart, he has an inability to read people. He is concerned at Janice never having told him “I love you”, but is not the type to bring that up to her.
His interests mainly revolve around tennis and skiing, the latter of which he is planning to do shortly after his graduation.
Shooting Script
: Opening credits – Displaying footage Janice has taken on her phone as titles roll. Video of locations
and places visible, ending with footage in the library where she is sifting through books on a shelf. The camera pans up to find Buddy standing
there, reading. He looks up to the camera and smiles.
: Cut to Janice and Buddy talking at cafe.
Janice: Big day, isn’t it? Graduation. Are you nervous?
Buddy: Ha. No. I just want to get out of this crapshoot uni town, we happen to call Fairhaven.
: Janice furrows her brow.
Janice: Aha, yeah… then skiing, right?
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Buddy: You know it. The Leydman Hill Jump calls to me. But before any of that… party time.
: Buddy smiles as the camera fades to the party. Party guests are visibly dancing and chatting away.
Janice is awkwardly milling around the room.
: She walks towards Buddy, but finds him talking to someone, so she backs up towards the wall.
: As she hits it, she finds she is the only one left in the room. She looks around frantically, and disembodied voices begin to become audible.
Voice 1 – Female: Oh, that Janice ‘something-unpronounceable.’ She’s Buddy’s friend… for now. Just a starting model, it won’t last. Not at all his class.
Voice 2 – Male: We’ll get him away from her. Skiing places are known for their ladies.
Voice 3 – Female: I hope this takes care of... the business. He’ll receive a lesson for his choice in women.
Voice 2 – Male: Yeah, I understand.
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Janice: NO-NO-NO!
: She screams, closing her eyes and when she reopens them everyone is back in the room, staring at her.
She makes a face of fear and embarrassment all at the same time. Before Buddy can say anything to her, she
quickly rushes out of the room.
: Running outside she finds herself collapsing onto her knees beside a stairwell.
Janice: I… I want to wake up. I don’t- I don’t want him to-
: Suddenly, an earth-shattering explosion is heard. Janice looks up in confusion and terror. Reflected into her eyes is a mushroom cloud exploding ahead of her. The wind picks up as we see her staring. As a red glow envelops her, the screen cuts to black.
: In a post credits scene, we see Janice walk back into the party, smiling as she walks towards the
crowd. She speaks seemingly to herself.
Janice: I’m awfully fond of you… awfully fond of you.
“Graduation Afternoon”© (November 2008) Stephen King
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Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Production Schedule
*Note- Breaks other than Lunch not listed, but will take place every hour and 15 minutes.*
DAY TIME LOCATION NOTES16/05/18 12.15 Media Department Equipment Pickup16/05/18 1.15 pm Lunch/Break16/05/18 2.15 pm LRC16/05/18 3.35 pm First Level17/05/18 9.00 am First Level17/05/18 10.15 am Pickup Shots17/05/18 11.30 am Pickup Shots17/05/18 12:45 Pickup Shots17/05/18 1.15 pm Lunch/Break17/05/18 2.15 pm Stairwell18/05/18 9.00 am Stairwell18/05/18 10.15 am TV Studio18/05/18 11.30 am TV Studio18/05/18 12:45 Stairwell18/05/18 1.15 pm Lunch/Break18/05/18 3.00 pm Media Department Equipment Drop-off
Equipment Timetable
Equipment Owner Pickup ReturnSamsung Galaxy Phone
Thomas Welch N/A N/A
Camera Media Department 16/05/2018 18/05/2018Tripod Media Department 16/05/2018 18/05/2018Glide-Cam Media Department 16/05/2018 18/05/2018
Concept Images
1. “Janice’s Inner Turmoil”
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This image depicts a moment that will be in the film, where Janice’s mental anguish is visualised. She cannot reach the safety and comfort of the blue, but instead the red of stress and judgement is shone on her by a cosmic spotlight.
2. “End of Her World”
This image depicts Janice witnessing a mushroom cloud, reflected within her eyes.
My Role in the Production
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As a Film and TV Media Student, and as this project is my brainchild, I have the most major role within it. The roles I take in are the: Director, Cinematographer, Script-writer, co-camera man, concept artist and editor.
Storyboards
Production Management techniques, (notes of team meetings, or daily diary reflections if
working on your own, production and post-production schedules; call sheets, etc.) Team and individual performance monitoring (weekly check against schedule) Development – Demonstrate development (photos from the shoot, screenshots
from computers). Keep daily production and post-production diary and reflect on your production
process. Feedback from Lecturers and Peers and Social Media
Post-production Describe post-production of your project. Assess your production and post-production process. Describe, and critically
analyse any production problems and the solution you experienced. Prepare material for edit and further manipulation QA Testing Critique of visual art Presentation and Publication (walk-throughs, voice over, portfolio) Preparing credits if applicable Editing (manipulating) Fine tuning special effects, mixing, colour correction, rendering, compressing, etc
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CHAPTER 6
MY EXTENDED PROJECT - FINAL PRODUCT
Present your finished practical project here
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CHAPTER 7
Project Evaluation
Critically evaluating your final media project against the agreed requirements and parameters. Answer the following questions:
Introduce the project in your own words What was the purpose of the project?
o What did you hope to learn? How much reference material did you find?
o Do you think you could have done more? If so, explain what you think you could have done
How did you develop your ideas? List five strengths and five weaknesses in your final design Was there a theme for the design ideas?
o Can you describe it? o Can you reference any influences here? - art movements, designers,
media companies/campaigns, etc. What experiments and exploration did you do?
o How did it affect your development? Find a similar type of design publication - place it next to your own - what
comparisons/difference can you identify? What were the key areas of development in this project? - use your daily
reflections to help you with this Which technical skills, processes, methods and techniques did you use? Review your proposal - what changed, what developments did you make, did you
manage to complete everything you set out to achieve? What did the client/lecturer think of your original concept/idea?
o How did that make you feel? What could you do to adapt the work produced to improve and develop it? Is the final work appropriate for the needs of the project?
o Does it sufficiently answer your brief? (Project Proposal) Reflect on your pitch to the board; how did you feel about it before?
o Did the pitch go better or worse than you expected? o What was the feedback from the client/lecturer about your pitch?
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o What do you think you could improve next time when doing a pitch? Did the project as a whole, go better or worse than you expected? What was the feedback from the client/lecturer on the project as a whole? What do you think you could improve about the project as a whole, if you did it
again?
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APPENDICES
Extended project in creative media production Learning Outcomes and Assessment
1. Understand the requirements of a creative media production project.1.1 Analyse the requirements of a creative media production project.
2. Be able to use research methods to inform ideas for creative media production.
2.1 Review a range of research sources to support a creative media production project. 2.2 Interpret research to develop ideas and effectively communicate to an audience
3. Be able to use skills, knowledge and understanding in the completion of a creative media project.
3.1 Apply practical skills, knowledge and understanding to complete a creative media project within an agreed timeframe.
4. Be able to evaluate a creative media project.4.1 Critically evaluate a creative media project against the agreed requirements and
parameters.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Make sure you use Harvard referencing. The bibliography should be continuously updated as the project progresses.
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
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