Script Development

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Following on from our sessions with Steve Coombes, as part of the first project we have been given the task to write a 10-page script for a short story. The brief is ‘The Meeting’ which means that our script must include a meeting of some kind between 2 or more people. The 10 pages must include a full story and cannot be a section from a longer story, which means that it cannot be too complex. When planning a storyline we were instructed to think about the characters first and develop an extensive character profile to allow us to understand who they were going to be and what their aims are. This then lead me to think more about what the aim of the story would be as this is likely to be the main focus so I could build the problems my characters would face around that. In one of the sessions with Steve Coombes, he talked about different characters including the ‘hero’. The hero is someone who doesn’t know who they are yet but wants to find out.
They know that they can observe but struggle to experience things for themselves. This helped me to establish some of my main characters’ qualities and aims. I chose a young girl who is seemingly plain and ordinary but has an underlining ability to write novels, but doesn’t know this yet. She struggles with self-confidence, which means that she is afraid to expose herself and put herself at risk to judgement. I then thought about the location. I was on a train from St. Pancras and decided to set the meeting on a train, as this is a confined space where we often have to interact and meet people because of the close proximity and similar situation. I decided to make her main goal to be to write and sell her biggest story but the main conflict was that she is unable to overcome her fears and anxieties in order to reach it.
Another thing I learnt from the screenwriting sessions is that you need to break a hero in order to make them which means they need to face problems whether they are obvious physical problems or psychological ones. As an audience we are able to the see the growth and development in the character enabling us to want to root for them and see them succeed. I decided that I wanted the person she would meet to be the antagonist in the story and he would become her biggest conflict but in disguise. I wanted him to be kind, suave and charming so that it would gain both her trust and the audience’ trust to make the ending as surprising as possible. I also wanted the character 'John Smithers' to be older than her so that he can easily influence her and make an impression on her. When deciding on my ending, I had a few different ideas including having her release the novel herself and gaining confidence or him telling her he was a book publisher and offering to publish the story. However, I decided I wanted the story to end on a cliff-hanger and to not be happy so that the audience would be shocked and feel slightly puzzled about it. As it was only a short story, I felt that this ending was the most appropriate as the audience have the opportunity to like the hero and root for her but won't be so invested in the story that they would be disappointed with it.

In terms of my script, I wanted to have the meeting as the majority of the story and the train journey would be where most of the story would take place as this is where we see the character Natalie discovers that she may be onto something with her story and that it could be worthwhile. I also wanted the opening scene to be important as she is making her way to the train station, worrying that she may miss the train, therefore this creates a certain amount of drama and suspense for the audience. For this set of scenes, I wanted to give the audience little hints about her as a person so that we discover little things about her without having to describe her character directly to the audience. She is quite anxious when travelling to the train station, worrying that she is going to miss her train therefore I put in very short sections of dialogue where she has is speaking to other people on her way to the station to create a little more suspense and a sense of urgency so the audience is aware that she is running out of time. When she discovers a few queues along the way she speaks to a man in front of her, who reassures her that she will have enough time to catch the train. I wanted this conversation to also signify how vulnerable and sensitive she is because she needed that little bit of reassurance. With the meeting itself, I wanted her to be very polite and shy at first, which would be expected, even when John knocks the coffee over her laptop breaking it, she doesn't get angry and argue with him, she tries to deal with the situation and reassures him that everything is ok by saying things like 'No really, don't worry about it' whereas many people would be outraged and blame the other person straight away. I wanted John to respond in an equally polite way, apologising profusely and offering to pay for it, in order to give the impression that he is very kind and sympathetic but also trustworthy. With his character, I carried out the polite tone but I wanted to give away subtle hints through some of his dialog about who he is and what his job is such as 'Never written a novel, no' in reply to Natalie when she is talking about her writing.
In terms of the action, I included description of both of the characters, talking about what they look like so that the audience is able to picture the main characters. In order to set the scenes, I described some of the locations, particularly the first location where Natalie is walking through London on her way to the station, in order to set the scene and put emphasis on the busy environment. This will also help me when filming as I will know what kind of scene I'm looking for in order to replicate it. In some of the screenwriting sessions we were instructed on how to use Final Draft which is professional software for writing scripts. It was very simple and easy to use as it remembers headings and character names you have previously used so you don't have to type them each time. We also used size 12 courier which is the most widely used font for scripts as it is easy to read and looks very formal. For my script, I decided to use Celtx which has a very similar set up to Final Draft. I found the process of writing a script quite daunting but once I knew how to use the tools and how to start scenes and introduce characters, I found it relatively easy to tell the story through the script. 

Camera Workshops - Continued

The Chair
For the second camera workshop, we were able to go into studio 5 which is being used currently for the Jools Holland set. It is the largest studio space in the studios for filming. We were given a simple task to experiment with the cameras a bit more and focus on looking at different shots and angles. The brief was to shoot a person walking towards a chair and sitting down. We were told to be as creative as possible and use a variety of shots. I decided to do some shots standing still with the camera catching the movement as well as tracking the movement and following Saskia with the camera. I also experimented with height by holding the camera at different angles in order to cover a wider amount of shots and make each cut look different. I wanted it to be a series of very quick shots to make it seem quite dramatic even though the concept is very simple and straight forward. I used iMovie to edit the video as this is the editing software I am most used to. It is very straightforward and you can edit the clips on the timeline quite simply with smooth cuts. I then paired some simple background music to create a bit of drama as well as a short sound right at the end of the video to finalise the journey she took to get to the chair.

Audio

In the next workshop, we looked at audio which is an incredibly important aspect when making a film as bad volume or wind disruption can make a video seem of poor quality and make it less enjoyable to watch. When shooting on a large scale such as outside, film makers will usually use a boom which is a huge microphone on a pole. Accompanying the end of the microphone is what is called a 'dead wombat' or 'dead cat' depending on the size. This is a furry cover for the microphone which helps to cancel out any background noise which could interfere with the audio in the video.  We were given a small task to go outside to the car park and grounds of the studios to experiment with the boom and the audio, using some of the tools on the camera as well as trying out different angles and stances for the boom. Saskia and I took it in turn to film each other and hold the boom at different angles. We also filmed a short conversation with Troy and Saskia to see how the audio would turn out for each of the voices. I learnt quite a bit about the sound controls on the camera and how to use the 'dead cat' as a way of keeping wind sound to a minimum. However, depending on how everything is set up, there can still be issues with sound which are tricky to work around. 

180 Degree Arc

For the last workshop we looked at the idea of the 180 Degree Arc. This is a general rule in filming which suggests that you should not cross the invisible line and enter the other side of the shot. If you switch to the other side of the arc then the positions of the people in the shot will switch sides, which will confuse the audience as everything will look distorted and disorientated. For the task we were given a script to read and take it in turns to film each other saying the lines whilst keeping the rule in mind. It had to be done in 4-5 shots to get a variety of angles and distances and experiment more with the camera. As well as this rule, Fergus told us about how characters should enter and leave a scene. For example if they enter from the right then they should exit to the left in order to get the impression that they are getting somewhere and progressing. I found these workshops all very beneficial for learning about the cameras and the rules of filming. I feel much more confident about shooting with the cameras in future, using some of the tools and methods I have experimented with.

Screenwriting

Screenwriting entails writing for the use in mass media such as films, television programmes or even video games. All scripts begin with an idea and basis for a story, upon which a screenwriter will devise a way of showing and telling the audience that story through directions and dialogue. For this project we will be writing a ten page script for a short story, which for me is quite a daunting prospect  as I have never written a full script before. We have had some sessions with the screenwriter Steve Coombes who has worked on television programmes including 'New Tricks', 'Outlaws' and 'Hustle'. An important statement he made was that screenplays are all about moments. A defining moment in any piece is what makes it memorable and is what the audience will take away with them. Anything that can be shown and demonstrated with the camera should not be said with dialogue as this can often be a much more dramatic and emotive way of telling the story and expressing how a character is feeling without them telling the audience directly.

There are several stages when pitching a script before the final copy is chosen for a production. The first stage is called the 'Elevator Pitch' which is around half a page and is a brief summary which should be exciting and interesting for the reader. The next stage is a treatment which is 5-10 pages long and should be a rough outline, explaining how the script will unfold. The 'Bible' comes next which is 10 pages and includes treatments for every episode of the series, going into detail and elaborating the characters and events. The final stage is the 'Green Light' where the series comes together, the crew begins to shoot and a new draft is written every 2-3 weeks.
Timescale is also important when writing a script as a screenwriter needs to think about the elements they could include such as time lapses or flashbacks. It could also be one main story or a series of short stories depending on the events or purpose of the piece.

Characters are an incredibly important part of any script as good characters are what is going to make the audience feel invested in a story, particularly if the characters are likeable, as this makes you want to root for them. To make a character interesting, you often have to put them in crisis where they must make life changing choices that have a great significance to the story. Transitions in life can also be very interesting for any character because this allows the audience to sympathise with them whilst creating exciting moments and conflicts which are gripping to watch. Characters are usually failures and must have flaws. This is important because your character should never be at the top, as this often makes them more likeable. We as an audience, also then get to see them grow as a person which makes us feel like they have achieved something and bettered themselves.
Steve Coombes also talked about the different types of characters that are often used. The most common include the hero/heroine who doesn't know who they are but goes on a huge journey of discovery to find out. Monsters are another type of character. An example is Jordan Belfort from 'The Wolf of Wall Street'. As a character he is full of flaws which make them very interesting to watch onscreen and can be either hated or loved depending on how the character is played. The last stereotypical character is the 'woman' who is usually very picky and has to make a huge decision. A character should be a cluster of moments in order to maintain the attention and interest of the audience.
Dialogue is also incredibly important as many scripts are often let down due to bad dialogue. Good dialogue should serve a purpose for the story and show what is significant. However, it shouldn't be too direct in showing how someone is feeling as this should be told through moments. Dialogue must also not be too formal as this will not come across as natural and realistic. People often speak in different dialects and use slang or abreviated words which is important to include in order to make a script seem unforced. You must also consider your characters when writing dialogue as many aspects including age, occupation and background can have contributing effects to how a character will speak.

Visual Research

As I have been developing my ideas for my short film, I wanted to find some visual research that would get me thinking about some of the important aspects when filming. The main location of my story sets place on a train which is where Natalie will meet John. I want to film in London at Pancras International which will give the impression of a busy and hectic environment, as my character is rushing to make her train. I have decided to shoot the first two minutes of my film which means that I won't be using trains too much but they will be featured during the video. 

Another aspect to think about is where in London I would like to film. London is an incredibly busy city which will make it quite challenging for me to film in, however, I was planning on finding a location that isn't too central to give me a little more time to get the right shots. This is the kind of street I would like to film in. 

'Soft' Trailer

We were given the task to create a trailer for the short film 'Soft' (2007) by Simon Ellis. A trailer is a collection of some of the best and most interesting moments from a film and the aim is to attract the audience and make them want to see the film. I wanted to include some of the most exciting events in the film including some clips from the fight sequence but without giving away too much about the ending. I decided to use a few short clips right at the end to create drama and suspense in order to get the audience' attention. For the first part of the video I used clips that showed the build up to the fight as well as some of the moments where the Dad was alone and trying to compose himself as this is something that only the viewer gets to see as he tries to hide this from his son. As a viewer during this scene we know that he has just escaped the bullies but I wanted to conceal this from the audience making them wonder what had happened to him. I started the video with the opening title before going straight into a clip of the son hiding from his Dad when he comes home. I wanted to tell the audience something about their relationship straight away so we would know that there was a distance between. I also used some music, starting off with quite a calm and slow tempo as he walks to the shops and then changed it to some faster music in order to create suspense as he is returning. However, I decided to cut the music from the final clip where the son says "Are you scared?" to put emphasis on the line and focus the audience' attention on him. I finished the trailer with a simple black screen and the words 'Soft' in a simple white font in keeping with the opening title. 

'Soft' Trailer 

Camera Workshop 1

Last week we had a couple of days using the cameras in the studios in order to introduce us to the equipment at Maidstone before we begin to use it for any of our own projects. For the first session we watched a few videos explaining several different camera shots and angles. We were then asked to get into groups of three to experiment with shots and use of focus. We used Sony XD-cameras for the workshop which seemed very complex at first because of all of the buttons and features it has. When shooting, I soon noticed that it was very difficult to keep the camera in focus as you zoom out as you have to multitask and manage each element of the shot. We experimented using a rack focus by having two people stand with one person in the foreground and one in the background. It is very easy for your subject to go out of focus therefore every new shot you set up must be put into focus properly. Using the manual focus you have to switch between each person, bringing them into focus. For the second half of the first workshop we were given a very simple brief where we had to incorporate a bag and exchange it between two people in some way. Using some of the shots we had experimented with, we decided to create a short film where a bag was stolen. We decided to not include faces to create a bit more mystery and suspense. Using a range of shots including closeups on the bag from different angles this made it the focus of the video so that the audience was aware that it was important. However, we only had a short time frame in which to complete the shots for the video so we kept it relatively simple whilst experimenting and learning about the cameras. After completing filming, we imported the clips to Adobe premiere to edit them together. We also included some appropriate music and made it grey scale to give the video a slightly more edgy and modern feel. I found this task quite exciting, particularly using the cameras for the first time, I also feel like I have learnt quite a lot and feel confident in setting the cameras up and using them in future. It was also quite satisfying seeing the project finished and edited. 

The Bag

Moments

'What can be shown should never be said, good writing should allow you to show how people are feeling rather than having to say it.' 

Memorable moments are very important when filmmaking as they are what the audience will take away with them and use to define a film. When you ask someone about a film that they have enjoyed, they will usually describe a moment that they remember as being exciting or significant to the story. Moments can be anything from fast paced action to a sentimental conversation, as long as they show the audience something important and it is key to the storyline then it can be referred to as a moment. When I think about moments from films and television, ones that have significance are usually events that make me feel something because I then associate the moment with an emotion. This helps to engage you as a viewer, also allowing you to feel empathy and understand what the characters themselves may be feeling in the situation. Good moments in film/television have to have all of the correct elements in order to work and be successful. The characters and what they're saying must be believable so that it seems sincere and what is happening in the situation should also have an aspect of realism to an extent. Other aspects such as a fitting location and accompanying music can add to the situation to make it as memorable as possible. 

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas - Gas-chamber scene

A particular moment from a film that I remember is the gas chamber scene at the end of 'The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas.' This is a very well known ending scene from a powerful and shocking film which is why it is so prominent and memorable for me and many others. The film is set in World War 2 Germany in a concentration camp. Bruno is son to the SS Commander at the camp. The main storyline focusses on the friendship between Bruno and one of the Jewish boys at the camp - Shmuel. Bruno is a naive boy, sheltered by his family from the cruel reality of goings on in the camp. The scene I have chosen as being the most memorable moment shows Bruno and Shmuel being ushered into one of the gas chambers for a 'shower' where they are actually gassed and killed along with hundreds of other Jewish people.

Prior to this, Bruno has dressed himself in the garments that the inmates are given as a way of getting him into the camp to be with his friend. This disguises him from the SS members so they cannot recognise him and they think that he is just one of the Jews. This is an immediate tell for the audience that it is likely something will go wrong for the main character Bruno. Suspension is built up through this scene as his family discover that he is missing, his mother starts asking people if they have seen him and discovers his clothes outside the gates to the camp. As she realises where Bruno is and what might happen to him, she begins to panic. This is turn creates a sense of urgency and tension for the audience. As we find out that Bruno and Shmuel are being taken into the gas chamber, it becomes a bit of a chase as we want to know if they will be saved or not. The scene finalises with an SS member pouring the toxic gas into the chamber covering the inmates. There is confusion and commotion among them before the shot switches to a wide shot of the gas chamber door, allowing the audience to understand and imagine what is happening inside. This shows the harsh reality of what happened in the gas chambers without having to show it visually.
I think this scene is particularly powerful because of the way it is shot. I think it creates a good sense of realism without being too overbearing and allows the audience to take in what is happening. Drama and suspension is created from the moment where we see his family realise that their son is missing, right through until we see their reaction to the incident whilst they are running around in an attempt to save him and after realising that it is too late to do anything. This is most prominent when we see his mother loudly crying in the rain outside the gates holding his soaked clothes in her hands.

As an audience when we see a character is in such obvious pain and despair, it in turn makes us imagine what it would be like to be in that situation allowing us to feel empathy for them. There is also a very memorable shot of Bruno's father when he suddenly realises that the killing of the innocent Jews - something he never gave much thought to, has so much meaning when it happens to his family thus making him understand why it was so wrong in the first place. As an ending, I think this scene is the ideal shocking moment making it memorable as it highlights the reality of concentration camps during the war and the devastation it caused for so many people.

Broadchurch

Broadchurch is a British TV drama written by Chris Chibnall. As part of my research, I have been looking at a few well known dramas and have chosen to watch and analyse Broadchurch. It is a crime drama and based at the seaside town of Broadchurch in Dorset. I watched the first series which focusses on the murder of Danny Latimer, a local in the town. We are introduced to the two main characters, detectives - Alec Hardy played by David Tennant and Ellie Miller played by Olivia Colman. They are called in at the beginning of the first episode to investigate the body of the murdered boy on the beach. As an audience we follow from Miller's point of view as she discovers the body which sets the tone for the series as we now know that a serious crime has taken place.  Miller and Hardy meet when she discovers that he was given the job role she wanted which instantly creates tension between them so we know as an audience that there is likely to be some conflict between them. As the series unfolds we are given clues as to possible suspects including Danny's father Mark when his fingerprints are found near the scene of the crime and blood is found on his coat, he is then accused of killing Danny when we find out he is in-fact trying to hide his infidelity. We also then suspect a shop owner Jack who finds Danny's phone and desperately tries to convince his family of his innocence. Several other details are revealed about some of the locals which leads the audience to believe that any of them could be the killer,  also continued tension mainly between Miller and other characters creates drama and suspension. As a series, I thought it was incredibly eventful with a number of twists and turns, keeping the audience on their feet to keep them guessing. I think this is a really important aspect of any crime drama as they don't want the killer being found out and easily guessed before it is revealed. I also began to root for Miller as she is continually disagreeing with some of the characters including Hardy and her husband Joe about who the killer is. I think in this sense, she is the 'hero' of the series as we learn to trust her and see her as a good person as she refuses to bow to pressure from Hardy about who she should put her trust into. We also see her grow as a person and see her become stronger as she soon discovers that the people of the town are not as good as they initially seem to be. By the end of the series, we see her discover something very serious about her husband Joe which makes us feel sorry for her as she struggles to digest the news. In terms of the character Alec Hardy, I got the impression that he took his job very seriously and was very determined to find out who the killer was, which allows the audience to put their trust into him and think of him as quite a strong minded and driven character who we look up to. However, he doesn't have the same level of goodness and empathy as Miller which is why she was much easier to warm to. The first series as a whole was very fast paced and exciting throughout with characters that made me feel quite tense and even scared, particularly as we find out some disturbing events from their pasts. I also thought it was very successful in choosing a killer who was under the radar that we wouldn't expect, giving the series a final twist and leaving the main character very scarred and affected by the revelation so that we long to find out more about her and what she will do in the next series.
In terms of how it has influenced any of my future projects, I would say that as a crime drama, I think the fast paced feel and constant unveiling of characters and the events of their pasts is a very good way of showing the audience subtle things about each character without giving away too much. This is also a great way of diverting the audience and making them believe that someone is the killer and then proving that person is innocent to show that it could be anyone. I think this is because of good writing and story line which is crucial for making a successful crime drama and something that I would like to explore in my own work.

The Meeting - Pitch

24 words: An aspiring writer meets a seemingly friendly stranger on the train, unbknownst to her, he plans to sell her biggest story as his own.

Natalie Carson is a shy and ordinary girl from Nottingham who is currently working in London as an assistant to a Journalist but aspires to be a successful novelist herself. A recent University graduate, she is still trying to find her feet and work her way up to where she aims to be. She has been working on her biggest story yet with dreams of having it published so she can have the career she has always wanted. Whilst on the train home one weekend, a stranger knocks her and spills coffee all over her laptop, breaking it. With a calm and friendly disposition, he begins talking to her. Distressed that the details of her story have been lost, he convinces her to recite the story to him, word for word. Unknowingly to her, he is a book publisher himself who intends on selling her story as his own. 

Genre:
Drama 

Characters: 

Protagonist - Natalie Carson - Brown eyes/mousy brown hair, aged 22, plain-looking, recent Uni graduate, naive, shy, gullible, intelligent, kind, underestimates her writing ability.

Antagonist - John Smithers - Blue eyes and dark hair, aged 37, smartly dressed, well mannered, friendly, nonchalant,  smooth, secretive. 

Main location: 

Train from London st. Pancras to Nottingham - Day - Natalie is currently working in London doing office work but aims to be a writer, she is going to Nottingham to visit her family for the weekend.