Broadway film: Social anxiety

This is my Broadway film Social anxiety first draft.  I still work with sound and color grading.

About Broadway film and documentary editing

Last Friday, my Broadway film is wrapped. Thanks everyone help me to finish the short film. My classmates, Roger, Paul and Ella help me to finish my first feature film. Special thanks my actors, they gave me lots of advice in the filming. Because we only have one day shooting, so I miss a shot is Forest from the desk back to cooking area. But I try to use other footage to make it more smooth and reasonable. I already finish 2 scene rough cut. I try to finish all the rough cut in this week. Because Eric's house has a little narrow. How to set up the camera became a problem. I went to Eric's flat many times but some shots in my mind is totally different in actual shooting. I can failed to draw lessons. I will take camera to shoot some footage in the next time.

About my documentary, I try to make my documentary storytelling, people will not feel it odd. How to link my interview not too stiff. Lynda tutorial is good website, I try to watch some editing skills make documentary more narrative.  I plan to make two kinds of documentary about cafe racer. Next week, Jin and Eric will finish their filming. I can concentrate on my editing work. I know editing is a big project. It is not easily than shoot film. I will looking forward to finish my documentary as soon as possible.

Speed ramp in lynda website

I learn 'speed ramp' in Lynda website and Youtube tutorial. I learn these skill because I choose the music doesn't quite go with the style of music. So I try to speed up my footage and match it to the beat. I learn use M key to make a mark in my music track. Then I will have the beats to cut to. When I adjust speed of footage, I can select video quality for video improvement.

I also got a very busy month. I help them to shooting their films include Broadway film and their project. It is too busy and too tired, but I also gain lot of experience from their shooting. I know how to communicate with actor and how to set up light and sound. Roger also taught me what kind of shot size can express different meaning in your film. We learn how to teamwork in our small crew. Everyone give me lot of help, it is a unforgettable memory in my period of master. I still prepare my Broadway film because I need to filming it in this Friday. I almost finish all the preproduction work. 

Short film for Broadway

I finish my shot list, call sheet, production schedule and location agreement. Simultaneously, Roger and Paul help me to confirm actors. Last week, we could have a chance to rehearsal our script but main characters have some reasons unavailable to rehearsal. I already prepare my props in the film. I need two costume  to each main characters, because it has two day in my short film. I also still revised my shot list. I want to make film looks like more better. We watch a short video in Broadway that is Roger's final project in his master phase. It is like a work of art. He use pinhole camera to make it and combine B/W photography. It is looks like a photo but we can see people cross the road. It is a very interesting and creative work. 

I still editing my documentary and we help Shirley to shot her film, I am camera man.

Broadway session

Last Friday we watched a film called 'Dig Your own Grave' cinematography by Roger. The film is a black comic gangster film. A hitman prepare to kill a people. The victim also work for gangster but he want to stolen money from his boss. However, hit-man had not killed the assistant. Thus, many strange things is happen. The film is black and white film.  The female leader sit in the room, this shot is very impress me. Because I can feel she is vicious people. In addition, light is very important thing in cinematography in the film. So I will consider how to set up light in my short film. 

Ella and Roger help us to make a schedule for our shooting day. I will shoot my film between 02/06-03/06. 

I have three character in my short film. Forest and Julie is main characters. Forest need a causal costume and a formal costume. Causal costume should wear a casual shirt or hoody and a sport pants or causal trousers. Formal costume should have formal shirt and a suit trousers. This is for Forest. 

Julie also need two costumes no standard. Because Julie have to go to Forest house two days.

Quitus need a costume. It is also no standard.

About props. I will prepare olive oil and two steaks for cooking and I also will buy a bottle of wine and a bunch of flower.

I will make shot list about my short film in this week.

Reference:

Dig your own grave (1990) Directed by Tim Cunningham [film]. IMDb.

Casting and recce checklist

This week Broadway offer many excellent actor/actress for us. Roger and Paul help us to choose actor/actress who are suitable for us short film. They give me lots of advice. Because my main character is a nerdy guy. So it is hard to choose one. Roger decide to help me send a message to Facebook. I decided to shoot in Eric's studio. The studio include open kitchen and table and I need else equipments. Roger also help me to revise my script and he also ask me some questions.

Is it a comedy?

The short film is romantic comedy film. It is not a pure comedy.

If it is a comedy, will the humour be in the script or the performance?

Humour will appear in the performance. Because the main character is a introvert person. So detail of performance has a big effect in the film.

Is it a drama about Forest?

Yes. Forest is main character in the film. It is talk about a loser how to successful.

Is this really the most realistic way that people make relationships?

Yes. It is based on a true story about myself. So I want to produce it.

Should short films be rooted in reality?

True story can help us to make logical and more realistic story. Almost short film I think are based on the true things.

Can short film be more than a cartoon?

Cartoon is more virtual than short film. Good or bad is more aggressive in cartoon. But film is more complicated.

Is Forest a good man?

Yes. He is a simple and kind guy. He like Forest Gump to some extend.

Is Quintus a good man?

Quintus can become a bad guy. Because it can make dramatic conflict. Quintus wants to laugh at Forest in next date. However, Forest still looks like nerdy, Forest impressed Julie with his sincerity.

Is Julie a realistic character?

No. Julie is virtual character. But she is a absolute godness. 

I go to Eric studio to finish my recee checklist.

First, there are three plants as props in my short film.

This a open kitchen in the studio, it has a little bit dark so I need some light to make it better. Toplight can increase luminance but the light looks like too weird.

This picture shows the table and laptop position. it can show actor/actress their position before we shoot the film.

This is my recce checklist. There are dress code and some props need to prepare. Others props already require in this studio.

Talk with actors in Broadway

We had a fascinating session in Broadway. Roger taught us how to improve our characters in short film for Broadway. Firstly, Roger give us a script. Shirley and I try to read though it. However, we do not know what emotion express. So we try to understood it by ourself. Then Roger help us to analyze the script. The relationship of these two characters and environment and what situation. This is why we should write down our characters features. This is my two characters,

Forest(24-28) (male) medium build. He is a engineering student.  He like to use mobile talk to people but he afraid communicate face to face. He is a upright and simple. When he nervous, he will a little bit stammer. He is a not bother about small matters.

Julie(26) (female) petite build. is a lively and confident girl. She study in art & design school. She like to smile to people. Julie love to accept new things. Julie like to talk with people, she is very outgoing. She want to find a mature and humor boyfriend.

We got a new timetable for Broadway short film. It can help me to manage my project and the short film. In the afternoon, we working with actors. There are three actors we got. They gave me lots of constructive suggestions, such as Julie said: Forest. Can I use your laptop? This sentence is too odd because they are not familiar in first date. So someone use your laptop that is privacy. Because Forest is a social anxiety boy, so Julie feel so embarrassed. They give me  advice: Can you put on some music? In addition, Forest pour not enough oil in the pan. So egg is burnt. I wrote it in my script is egg is become black. They also give some good suggestion in my plot, such as Forest too nervous he make the fire in the kitchen. I need to add more dialogue in my script.

They are too professional they have very good emotion expression and good reaction in the performance. They all have good arc of these actors. We also interpret our script to them. We practice our communication skill with actors. We had a unforgettable afternoon in Broadway. 

Short film script for Broadway session

In the end of master course, we will shoot a short film, one location, two characters, no death, no high building. I want to shoot a film that inspired by myself and classmate. The story base on a truth thing but I use exaggeration way to make it more tension. The main character 'Forest'(24) has a litter bit social anxiety. He afraid talk to people face to face. Because he is not confident and bashful to  talk with girls. However, he is good at reply the message he taping so fast and message can give he think about how to reply better. One day, he find a goddess in social network. He talk with beautiful  girl, he write lot of flirtation words. The girl feels what a confident and humor man. The romance blossomed, they plan to have a date. Suddenly, Forest feels uncomfortable...

I talk the story to Roger and Paul, they give me lots of help. Such as how to build a character more realistic. A character should have strength, needs and weakness. Forest good at use mobilephone talk to people. He need to find his goddess. His shortage is talk to people face to face, we can say he has a little bit social anxiety. We watched a short film 'The dawn' that rewarded Golden bear. It is talk about a woman prepare to leave the room. She just finish a one night stand. She notice a man drop to branch. The man prepare to suicide because he discover his wife is extramarital sex with other. He feel so shame. The woman not only climb his room to take care of his baby but also to kiss the man revenge his wife. It is a good example to help us set up our story. Thus, according to Roger, a good story has three parts, first part is background and set up. Second part is development. Third part is resolve. I still write my script.

BAFTA short film

We watch BAFTA short film on last Friday in Broadway cinema. It is a very special experience, I first time watched some of short films in the cinema. Everyone has its own short film, when we finished watch. I really like Mining Poems or Odes. Although, it is a Scottish documentary and the voice-over has strong Scottish accent. The film still attract me, because it has excellent photography and color grading. The documentary use different skills to express 'a common welder became a poet.'  I like the slow-motion picture, sparks fly on the air that looks like fireflies fly at night. 

Other short films also impress me. Such as 'Over', the film is very interesting. We do not know the film will talk about firstly. However, we notice the time has changed, we know it was a flashback film. Finally, a man from the airplane drop to the ground. It is a very creative way to express the true story. 

In the morning， we went to Broadway to finish our edit work. Unfortunately, we have not finish it, we have to finish rest of work in this Wednesday. Because we need to start a new work in this Friday.

 

Reference:

BAFTA. (2016). Mining Poems or Odes. Available: http://www.bafta.org/film/awards/british-short-film-british-short-animation. Last accessed 07 Mar 201

Editing the footage and short statement

We went to Broadway to edit footage about 'post to China'. Everyone edited footage of other people. I am responsible for Zoey's part. For the tempo of video more coherence, I cut the video from outdoor of tea room to indoor of tea room. Then I tried to combine the introduction part and explanation part. I use 'dip to white' transition effect to explanation of Zoey in the Broadway studio. Next week, we will add English subtitle and background music for the video. Roger also give us some advice about editing sometimes. In the afternoon, Roger revise my statement of my research project. We need to present the statement on next Friday. Roger hope us to express confidence and natural.
My research project is a documentary about café racer culture. My documentary has two parts. The first part will be shot in the Ace Café, London. The second part will be shot in the Mandrill Café and the Ace café in Beijing. I hope to explore the sub culture and language of the café racer in Britain and China.

 We will watch some BAFTA short film on next Friday afternoon. BAFTA is British Academy of Film and Television Arts. This award also call ' British Oscar'.

'Post to China' shooting day

Last friday is shooting day for Broadway session. We based on the shooting plan by  Shirley.  Firstly, Jin went to record store to buy 'Beatles' record. I have to collect wireless microphone in Waverley store. So I had a little bit late for first place. Then Zoey shot at the tea room. Zoey want to make a peaceful and comfortable feeling in the tea room, so we use some tilt up shot and pan shot that can make the scene more  cozy. Thirdly, we went back to Broadway studio to shoot Eric's part. Eric use the mobile phone to check the weather. Thus, we need to use close-up shot on the phone. Then Eric go outside without umbrella. However, weather forecast is inaccuracy, Eric got wet in the rain. He return the room to got the umbrella. Eric had to made his coat wet, he go to toilet splashed water on his coat. Shirley shooting location in the Waverley studio. It is an amazing place. Although, we go to Waverley building but we never known Waverley studio is an incredible place. It is like a Shangri-La of Waverley building. Shirley measured size of head and cut cloth. She wanted to made a British lady's hat. So I shot different angles of shots and different shots. As a cameraman in that day, I felt so special in this environment. In the noon, we had a break to rest. Until 2.30pm, I was shot in Gill's store. Many people went to shop buy stuff, we wasted too much time for wait. Luckily, we finished filmed about 20 minutes. We went back  Broadway cinema at 3.00pm. Roger change the studio plan, everyone sit at chair to introduction. Then others ask four questions stand back to camera. Finally, wrapping the pack and show the object. I know how set up the camera and sound that can help me to finish shooting documentary in last sunday. I gain a lot of filming skills and mise-en-scene. Roger teach me how proficiency to use manual focus and set up white balance. In this friday, we need to edit these footage and add english subtitle.