Fiction Adaptation: Shot List

Here I have included my shot list for the shoot on Monday. I have broken it up into the scenes so that I can refer to a particular section if I need to. This also helps to organise it a little more and give it more structure. I have introduced each new location with an establishing shot to set up the scene and familiarise the audience with the location. In order to give the audience a connection with the characters, I have included a few close ups, I will use these particularly with Imogen to show her reactions to the dream and the flashback. The shot list should aid me when shooting by allowing me to remember how I'd planned each of the scenes by breaking down the structure of them.

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Fiction Adaptation: Filming Locations + Recce

In terms of location for the Fiction Adaptation film, I have decided on where I am going to shoot it. The poem is set in Brighton on the beach. However, after a group critique with Helen and the rest of the group, I decided to choose alternative locations that are more practical for filming. I could include a few sound elements to give the suggestion of a beach location or use the sound of waves to symbolise it. I have decided to set the majority of the film in a bedroom environment. I felt like this would give me opportunities for exploration as I wouldn't be too limited for time. I have adapted it so that the main character wakes up from a dream distressed and is comforted by her sister. I have asked Rosie if I can film at her house in Maidstone. As the main character is a student, I thought it would make sense to use a real students bedroom to film.

In terms of the other location for filming. I have decided to film at the Riverside in Maidstone. I made this decision as I wanted to incorporate the canal boats and river to compliment some of the text in the poem. For example 'I see a tanker resting on the horizon'. Although the imagery won't be literal to match the words of the poem, it should be representative of them. I have requested permission to film at the Riverside and Kent Film Office have informed me that the permit is in progress. I have decided to film the characters walking to a bench where they will sit and talk, this scene will also include a short flashback.
I think that the decision to choose simpler and more accessible locations for filming will make the process easier for me which should result in allowing me to have more time to film to allow me to get as much coverage as possible.

Fiction Adaptation: Casting

For this unit, we have been asked to create a practical film which will be fiction based. Therefore, I will be needing some actors to convey the narrative to the audience. I decided to interpret the poem and give it my own narrative as I wasn't completely sure what the intention of the story was from then poets point of view. I also felt like this would allow me to be as creative as possible when it came to filming. For casting, I will be needing three characters, two girls to play the sisters and one guy to be the ex-boyfriend. I had put up an advert on Casting Call Pro, looking for actors that were of similar age to me. I decided to do this because I felt like acting students would be the best demographic to advertise to as many actors choose not to be in student films. However, I had problems finding actors that looked right for the parts and were of the right age.
Therefore, I have decided to ask a few members of UCA to act in it. I decided that this would probably work best as they might understand the brief and intention of the piece better than an actor as they have been working on the same brief. I also felt like they might feel more comfortable acting together, knowing each other rather than choosing a mixture of UCA students and actors. When casting the two sisters, I wanted them to not look too unalike so that it would be believable. I decided to ask Ida and Imogen with Imogen playing the main character, who I have named 'Millie and Ida being the sister 'Rachel'. I remember Imogen acting in Plamen's production of the same poem from last year so felt like she might remember it, making the performance easier for her. To play Nathan, I have asked Troy. I have seen him perform in previous projects including the last News project and thought he seemed really natural on screen. He is also good friends with the girls so thought the relationship would come across quite natural.

News Genre Workshop + Lecture with Zoe Sale

Today, we had a lecture with Zoe Sale about the effect of News. This will help us when writing our critical analysis, giving us some background into the genre of news of which we have to talk about in reference to our own work. She showed us a Channel 4 documentary titled 'Sri Lanka's Killing Fields' which documented the final weeks of the Sri Lankan Civil War. Over the course of the programme, it showed the devastation of the war and particularly the effects on innocent civilians. The footage was incredibly shocking and graphic with gory scenes that resulted in the programme being shown at 11pm. Zoe talked through with us, the events of the programme and why they decided to show certain scenes. She told us that the programme received lots of complaints despite the late showing time because of the material shown and the effect it had on the audience. We were then told to work in pairs to find policies for showing extreme material on the news or in documentary. I worked with Saskia and we found that BBC had a policy in place when it comes to showing graphic material. They explained that they aim to 'reflect the world as it is, including all aspects of the human experience' which is saying that they intend to show what is real whilst 'protecting the vulnerable'. I think that this is a suitable approach for a news channel as they aim to tell the events of the world as they are to inform audiences but filter out material that they deem as too harmful. Therefore, not showing anything unnecessarily without a need to. Zoe also showed us a few real life stories of people who had had near death experiences. The material shown was somewhat upsetting but with a positive ending. I think that the ending is what made the story more watchable. If they had ended with a scene of the person dying it would have felt very dark and upsetting. I found the lecture and workshop helpful as it allowed us to learn a little more about how news channels choose what to show, with their audience and demographic in mind.

Fiction Adaptation: Research - Experimental Film

What is Experimental Film? 
Experimental Film is a very wide ranging genre that defies the conventions of traditional narrative and documentary cinema. It doesn't always necessarily tell a story and won't necessarily have characters. It can be literally anything. In contrast, experimental film can be an aesthetic art form. It takes the most expressive elements from artistic mediums and combines them through sight and sound to creative something completely new and original.
There are many reasons for choosing to made experimental films. Creative freedom means that you are able to express your visions and be as 'out there' as you'd like to be. Narrative film making can be very focussed on restraint in how you go about putting something together, whereas with experimental filmmaking there are no boundaries.

Spontaneity is another factor. When it comes to narrative film making, people tend to stick to the schedule and get the shots they need to tell the story. However, when constructing a piece of artwork, a certain sense of spontaneity is needed. Sometimes shots that are chosen on the day of filming can be the most creative and successful when it comes to editing and the final film.
Personal expression can take place heavily in experimental filmmaking. This related back to creative freedom, as there are no boundaries. This means that the film maker is allowed to express the tone and feeling of the piece in whatever way they want to and put their own personal stamp on it.
I found this information very interesting and inspiring to read about. This unit allows us to be as creative with imagery and sound design as we'd like and being experimental is definitely something I would like to achieve. I think that to make sense of the poem, which is very abstract and artistic, I want the imagery to reflect this and compliment it rather than shying away from bring as expressive and symbolic as possible.

Fiction Adaptation: Progress Meeting + Essay Feedback

Today I had a meeting with Helen to discuss my planning progress for the fiction piece. In terms of script, I have written a first draft which is in a table form like we did for the documentary unit. However, Helen suggested I complete a more detailed, theatrical script which tells the reader a little bit more about the actions of the characters and delves more into the narrative of the piece. In terms of location we discussed the riverside in Maidstone that I have applied to film at through Kent Film Office. She agreed this would be a good place to film, providing I fill out a risk assessment, taking into account the risks of filming near the water. In terms of pre-production, Helen advised that I give meaning to everything in the piece, using the visual imagery to symbolise what the poem is saying to justify it. This will give the piece a more 3D feel as the characters should come across like real people with a viable story in order to engage audiences. In terms of casting, I will be advertising on Casting Call Pro to find actors for this piece. 

Helen also gave me some feedback for the essay. She said that I was writing well and just need to make a few adjustments including adding more quotes and references from theorists to further analyse the subject matter and allow me with more factual material to compare the programs I am looking at. In terms of word count, I was over the word limit and need to cut down the essay considerably to allow for the adjustments. 

Fiction Adaptation: Kent Film Office

For a small scene in my Fiction Adaptation piece, I will be requiring to film at Maidstone Riverside. The characters will walk along the riverside and sit at a bench to talk. As it is a public place, I have enquired about permission to film there by contacting Kent Film Office. I am planning to film on 5th, 6th and 7th December and have told them what I plan to film there. It takes at least a week to get a response from them but hopefully they will have no problems with this, as there aren't many health and safety risks.