Blog Post 2 - Short Film Production Analysis

This project has been particularly useful in developing a practical level of experience, by working on a film set, alongside a crew and using professional equipment. This project also provided an opportunity to work alongside students from other creative subjects, such as scriptwriting and music composition. I felt that this was a good experience for seeing what goes into the process of film production and has allowed me to develop a deeper understanding of all elements from concept to the final outcome.

                           

Prior to shooting, we collectively reviewed the original script, titled “The Birthday Card” and discussed any parts that we felt would need to be altered by the writer. We agreed specifically that the ending should be changed in order for us to create a more visually engaging ending. As opposed to featuring an intense encounter between the two female characters at the end, which was the original concept, both the producers and director met with the script writer to develop an alternative ending. It was decided that there would be a more elusive ending following Nick’s death, by having no encounter between the two female roles and leaving it up to the audience to decide what happens once the final scene has concluded.

As well as this, before we began shooting, a detailed screenplay, shot list and storyboard had been developed within the group. Constructing this during the planning process was beneficial in providing the entire group with the opportunity to input ideas until we had collectively established a clear concept of how the film was going to be produced and the aesthetic that we wanted to achieve.

With a familiar background in photography and cinematography, I have developed an intense passion for the visual aspects of film. I find that composing a balance between the conceptual and aesthetic is the foundation upon which film production is established. Having done prior experimentation with direction, production and cinematography on a variety of solo projects, working on this film has been an initial experience as production designer.

With this role, the responsibility of planning and arranging the props to be used on set was assigned to me. Besides ensuring that the physical elements detailed in the script were provided, I also wanted to deliver the conceptual essence of the production in a visual sense. In order for an authentic representation of the script to manifest on screen, prior to filming, I was sure to visit the chosen shooting location. This not only allowed me to familiarise myself with the available space, it also gave me the opportunity to plan how each shot would be designed in regards to the placement of necessary props. I documented the layout of each of the rooms that we would be shooting in, which allowed me to further plan what would be placed in each shot, not only to add to the aesthetic palette, but to also connote towards the aspects of each character’s personality.

When reading the script, I had felt that the overall feel, in terms of design was that of a sophisticated and somewhat organised indoor space. This was specifically insinuated in the description of the characters, which states the nature of their work life and the relationship between them, which had been provided in the original script.

For the focal scene between the two main characters in the bedroom, I wanted to achieve a simple look, however desired for there to be an obvious element of ‘his and hers’. As a result, there were various items such as: perfume, aftershave, books, etc - placed on the cabinets either side of the bed, to enhance this aspect and further highlight the fact that there is some sort of segregation between the two characters. This also presents an opportunity to express the personalities of the characters, hence there was no random placement of props and various objects within the scene.

Planning the shoot for the living room scene required thought of what would be visible in the frame. A vast majority of the planned shots feature the female lead seated at the table. For a more natural feel, food and drink was placed on the table and to enhance the aesthetic appeal I decided to place a vase of flowers in the centre of the table. This not only created a centre point in some of the shots, it also added some sort of dimension to the home and the life of the two characters that we were trying to create. It was the little details in terms of design that I wanted to be present.

Although the scheduled shooting days had been detailed and planned prior to filming, it became clear that particular areas of improvement centred around time management, professionalism when working amongst the chosen actors, and planning what equipment was to be used for each scene. Although there was a system of following the script and storyboard, the first day of shooting proved just how much our time on set was limited, particularly when working with actors whose schedules are not as open as others involved. Therefore, for the rest of the shooting days we were sure to reach the location with plenty of time prior to the arrival of actors to set up and to know exactly what shots were to be captured and in what order. This meant that every member of the team had to ensure that they were following the responsibilities that fell under their specific role.

From the final film, it is clear to see that the group as a collective whole, made an effort to make the production look as professional as possible. Throughout the process, reshoots had been scheduled following an analysis of rough cuts in order to better the final outcome. The overall edit, depicts the story with clarity with each shot placed in order and for a succinct duration.

Working on this project, provided me with the opportunity to learn about the practical elements of short film production, which can ultimately be applied to the production of other materials, including feature film. The principles remain universal and for this reason I would like to further explore short film production working in different roles, in order to build up a level of experience that will help in the professional realm of filmmaking.