Final Costume Choices

There have been changes to the ideas suggested in the original concept phase for the costumes of the characters, Rhys, Lucy and Kathy. Both Kathy and Lucy do not wear necklaces in the actual short film as the risk of them catching on the rope would have been high and it would break health and safety guidelines. The style of clothing has also been changed. Previously both Lucy and Rhys were wearing formal clothing, but in order to create more impact it was decided that they should wear more casual items as it would help the audience relate but also add to the horror aspect of the piece because the danger they are in could faced by anyone. It also strengthens the bond between the audience and the social genre that the short film “two” is also classified under. The social genre explores humanity and its boundaries and by wearing casual, widely found clothes it represents the fact that the difficulty in making decisions can affect society as a whole. These changes were all implemented in order to produce a successful film that the audience can relate to easily and flows consistently. It was also implemented in order for the comfort and safety of the actors involved. Cost of replicating the outfitted planned also played a small part in the development of the costumes.

The costume worn by Kathy Miller (played by Saskia Brett) consists of a dark blue and green dress. The colours used in the costume are consistent with the original idea put forward. It represents an inversion of the traits traditionally associated with these colours. Kathy is not a trust worthy character or reliable as these tones represent. The fact that the dress consists of muted colours conveys the difficulty that Kathy faces in feeling emotion. The consistent use of a dress symbolizes her femininity and allows for a variety of audiences to interact with her. The wearing of her hair down emphasises this point of her appearance.  The style of the dress can signify to the audience the privileged background that Kathy comes from. The cut of the dress highlights the fact that though Kathy cares about her appearance, the femininity and the attention often derived from fitted dresses are not important to her. The dark tone of this dress represents the danger they are in and the horror genre of the piece. It also conveys the cold and empty nature of the room. Kathy’s hair is another factor that conveys femininity. The curls in her hair and the colour help to make her more flamboyant and approachable than someone with straight hair. It is another feature used to represent her rebellious nature.

Kathy’s boots are used in order to detail that her individuality is important to her. The colour of the boots remained brown in order to contrast the colours of her costume with her personality; a theme that is continued with her contrast to the traditional female stereotype. The style of the boot focuses her youth in the audiences mind and makes her an easier character to form a connection with, as her lack of emotions may otherwise hinder the process. The style of the shoe shows that Kathy rates comfort higher than aesthetics, contrasting with both Lucy and Rhys in this factor. It reinforces the fact that Kathy does not hold a profession that requires formal dress. Her individuality is a key feature to this outfit. By wearing these two items together is shows Kathy as a blend of stereotypes.

Lucy Morgan as portrayed by Emily Smith has the most significant change of costume of any of the characters. Originally her costume was going to portray the professional aspect of her personality but after careful consideration I decided to change her costume into a more casual style. After reviewing other films and discussing the idea with my peers, I felt a developed costume would make her more human and approachable and that casual clothes would do this. Her demeanour and language would still portray her as a professional but her clothing would strength the human aspect of her personality and the audience would be able to relate to her as a mother, friend and partner instead of just a worker.

 The long sleeve top, Lucy wears signifies her modesty and maturity compared to Kathy whose style of clothing represents her youth. The colour white was carried across from the original concept of costume. It represents her cleanliness and the fact she takes large amounts of pride in her appearance. Other connotations that are attached to the colour white are the belief of perfection, a trait that would be important to Lucy for her to get as far professionally as she has. The blue stripes that are found horizontally on the t-shirt are portraying her confidence and approachability. These are two factors that are normally found in Lucy’s personality, but are missing in the crisis when panic takes over. The blue also represents the same mystery and unknown that the colour purple represented in the first idea. The style of top that Lucy wears is a symbol of youth but also of the emotional development that Lucy has. Much like with the inversion of messages in Kathy’s profile, the colours and style are used to represent the equilibrium of the characters and how they would normally react.

The jeans that Lucy wears are also symbolic of this fact. Instead of wearing a skirt as previously stated, trousers were chosen in order to protect Emily from the cool conditions of the location but also as a strong contrast between the two women (Kathy and Lucy). Lucy’s hair is straight for this piece in order to convey the professional tone of her work and personality. It also represents her femininity that is not often portrayed as openly in her costume.

The final character is Rhys Miller, played by Baz Cloud, who like the character of Lucy has had his costume edited dramatically from the first idea. I felt it would add more emotion to the piece for them to be dressed in casual clothes which allows the audience to relate to them more easily.  One feature that was kept from my first plan for Rhys is the colour of his shirt. Rhys is wearing a white v-necked t-shirt. The style of the t-shirt represents his youth and is one of the personal touches in his costume. The choice of white as the colour was because it represents the flawlessness nature of Rhys’ personality. It also is interpreted as a key to the profession he holds and the importance of always looking fresh and presentable. The style of shirt is also common and could be described as being a feature of a stereotypical males outfit. This helps Rhys blend into his surroundings as he is not recognisable, a feature that was essential in the first concept.  Rhys’ hairstyle is also important. It is one of the only features that show a part of his individuality. It also has the ability to be restyled into a professional appearance, which would be crucial in Rhys compartmentalised life. The trousers that Rhys wears are also an example of the view of normality and equilibrium that exists within the characters live before they were captured.

Ancillary Task - Film Review Example

Film reviews include a variety of aspects and traits that make them recognisable and simple to understand. The conventions used within a film review offer the chance to not only incite interest but portray the content of the film and its production. It also creates a range of views and interpretations that allow the audience to develop their connection with the film, raising debates and questions that previously may not have been considered.  Film reviews are also designed to entertain and give basic knowledge about the film e.g. genre, director, cast/crew. Below is an example film review that I have written previously. It contains some of the features expected within a film review and offers room for development and basic features that a review on the short film “two” should contain.

Alice in Wonderland - Tim Burton

Why is a raven like a writing desk? The answer to the riddle eludes us all and continues to in Tim Burton’s new imagining of Lewis Carroll’s highly acclaimed series.  Alice returns to Underland aged nineteen and finds the world in disarray under the rule of the Red Queen. The narrative offers an exciting and thrilling insight into the world of Alice Kingsley and her attempt to liberate her new found allies. The stunning visual imagery conveys the importance of mise-en – scene to the director, and what a perfect story it is for his world renowned style.

Mia Wasikowska plays the imaginative and stubborn young girl, who breaks all of society’s norms, refusing to wear stocking and her corset, forging a strong connection with a modern day audience. She is confident, cautious and dubious at her surroundings, rejecting everything a high class society would have expected of her. These features are crucial to her success in Underland, standing up against the Bandersnatch repeating with confidence that this is her dream.

The Hatter, mad eccentric but naive with his desires, is her kindest ally and offers a chance for the audience to engage in the passion of Underland and most importantly conveys the human need for friendship and familiarity. The moral and the most importantly concept of self discovery are represented by the bond created by Alice and The Hatter. With his vibrant red hair, and ever changing accent, Johnny Depp’s interpretation is the embodiment of Underland and the unique tones it creates.  A never ending friendship helps to bond the two realities together. The Dormouse, Cheshire cat and Absolem; Barbara Windsor, Stephen Fry and Alan Rickman respectively, add to the theme of friendship and the importance of casting within the film; continuing the Burton tradition of British casting.

The production of the film was shot using predominantly green screen. This allowed the changes of reality and to connote the importance of the characters and locations. Without this technology the content of the film would not be as vibrant or as stylised as they are. Green screen also had the chance to add depth and reality to the film, an important aspect of Burton’s new vision.

Although some may question the “muchness” of the film compared with the other recognisable styles in Burton’s previous work. The pataphysical state of Underland and the perversion of normal boundaries certainly connect strongly with his other films such as Beetlejuice. The Fantasy genre that the film possesses, allows the mise-en-scene to be in control of the film, also with the importance of the unusual and yet with the use of verisimilitude, relatable characters. The film culminates with the battle between Alice and the Jabberwocky, the long shot used as a classic image of victory for women and Underland.  In the words of the Hatter “You would have to be half mad to dream me up” and with this triumph, it shows that Burton had the vision to succeed with this challenge.

Ancillary Task - Typography for Poster

Typography is an important feature in representing the genre and the themes of a film. It is also important that the font is memorable as this is one of the most iconic features and is crucial for accurate representation of the film and its advertising. Legible and clear writing are also important for the information to be communicated effectively.The Font is one of the most important factors of a poster and should be considered in great detail.

Font

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Music within two

Sound is an important feature of any film. It helps the audience to connect with a piece and reinforces the information already known through visual imagery. It supports the content that the audience have just witnessed and helps them to suspend belief and adds to the possible interpretation of realism in the plot. Sound be it non diegetic or diegetic adds an extra dimension to a film and often helps to make it a success. In the case of a short film in which the director isn’t able to explore information about the characters and themes of the film as in depth as a feature length would, the music is a strong representation of emotion and conventions of the genre. As short films are artistic by their nature it also conveys the importance of showing the audience information subtly.

The music used within my production was found at http://incompetech.com/m/c/royalty-free/ and is royalty free which means it can be used. The pieces I have chosen are from Kevin MacLeod and were chosen due to the tone that exists within them and the fact that they would focus upon the surreal and yet dangerous situation that the characters are in.

A soundtrack is used throughout my short film. It creates an extra dimension to the film and explores the narrative and the emotions that the characters feel. A non diegetic track named “Private Reflection” is played over the film from the beginning till the point of Rhys making his decision. It helps to bridge all of the different scenes and reactions together. The tone of this piece of music is ethereal and strengthens the danger, darkness; as the situation the characters are in is completely unnatural. The base of the music ties all of the voices together, a symbolic gesture of the decision that has to be made. The lone voice that makes up the lead of the piece and performs as a solo for the majority is a representation of the lone choice that Rhys has to make and the fact his decision is the entire premise of the film.

The final track that is being used is “Touching moments three” The soft piano is melodic and is representational of the love that is hidden by both Kathy and Rhys. The simple melody creates strong emotions of sadness which signifies the intense sensations that Rhys is exposed to after having decided his sister’s death. The two tracks are edited so that they link together and portray the contrast of emotion.

Diegetic sound is also crucial to a successful and realistic production, so that the audience can connect to it. Within the production of “two” diegetic sound is found in the dialogue and movement of the characters. An example of this is the friction of rope against skin and the trap door opening. This sound effect is not shown with synchronous action but instead is played over the top of black screen. During the mixing process it will be insure that a balance is correctly found between the diegetic and the non diegetic sound. The soundtrack does not have as much sound perspective as the diegetic actions.

The last piece of sound that is used within “two” is the non diegetic voice over of Lance (The Villain); and at the end of the film Rhys Miller’s. The dialogue at the start conveys Lance’s perverse pleasure about his actions but also highlights the power he has, as he is not required to be at the scene. To the audience this represents the danger and the insanity as well as the choice that they may have to come to terms with. The voice over in the epilogue from both Rhys and Lace conveys the contrast between characters. Lance shows enjoyment and pleasure where as Rhys is broken and dejected. It reinforces the moral message about the difficulty in making decisions, but it also signifies the social genre of the piece. It leaves the audience unsettled by the amalgamation of the soundtrack.

Overall, the soundtrack is used in order to strength the emotions and themes of the film for the audience. The music within itself also acts as a method of advertising, if it features a memorable motif. Within the short film “two” the music is in place to support the action but also to reinforce to the audience the horror of the choice between life and death.

Filming Day One

Before filming began it was important to survey the location that was my friend’s cellar. This allowed me to find the angles and features of the room that were not suitable representations of my narrative and would cause problems during filming; an example of this was the window. Another feature that was important was securing the rope and testing it to make sure that it was the safe. The same needed to be done for the person tied to the chair. All pieces of rope used quick release knots in the sections that had to be tied, so they would break under pressure. Knots were only tied in the necessary places. The rest of the rope was just tucked in or sat on so there was no tension in it and the actors could control it. The aim for the first day of filming was to achieve the majority of camera shots planned and to cover all of the dialogue. This was undertaken in order to have consistent light and positions of the camera and the actors. It also meant that it portrayed important pieces that needed to be reshot due to a variety of factors; such as background noise, not being framed correctly and faults in the delivery of lines.  In order to assist the actors of the piece, the lines were read aloud before and they had to read them, due to the time constraints when learning a script.

Short Film Script - Second Draft

Shot opens with a black/blank screen with narration from the villain (Lance) over the top

                                                                        (Prologue)

Lance: (Cold, emotionless) who decides humanities survival? Who plays the God in our lives?  I worship every breath, every tear, and drop of blood that beats within wasted souls. I decide who lives and dies. It’s(loud, angry) my (momentary pause) choice! I’ll make sure you welcome the silence and yet wish it never came.  

                                                                    (End of Prologue)

An abrupt flash of light bridges the two scenes. It’s a dark screen; a close upshot to the inside of a bag. The sounds of heavy breathing and frantic scrabbling are heard over the top.

Rhys: (Heavy breathing) what?
(Whispers) Kathy? Lucy?

Lucy: (Sobbing) you have two minutes to decide. Follow the human flaw and choose. Think carefully for one of them must die (Breath hitch) don’t dare to defy me; I designed every detail. You have two minutes to decide. Enjoy my game Mr Miller. Good luck! (Crying)

Rhys: Kathy? Lucy? Are you alright? Are you hurt?

Lucy: (Highly emotional) Oh god! I can’t (Sob)

Kathy:  (Sarcastic) Of course! Having the time of my life!

Rhys: (Angry, weary) Now is not the time Kathy! (Confident, assured, masking fear)  You’ll be fine. I promise! Both of you!

Lucy: (Whisper) Please, Help me!

Rhys: (Assured tone) Kathy, move gradually to the right.... Don’t put any tension on the chord

Lucy: (Screams as the noose pulls tighter around her neck)

Rhys: (Angry, confidence slipping) STOP, Just Stop! (Directed at Kathy) I’m sorry! I’m so sorry (whispers to them both)

 Kathy: (pause, before continuing quietly) Rhys, I’m nothing to you! Always a disappointment, always kept as the dark secret. It’s painless isn’t it; like choosing between heaven and hell.

Lucy: Please no! That’s not right (Whispers to self) (Pause)  

(Directed at Rhys) Promise me you’ll make sure Ben and Amy are cared for. Help them deal with this. Help them get over me (Voice steady, though still crying)

Rhys: (Serious tone) I’m meant to protect both of you. I can’t.... (Looks at both of them, eyes not focusing)
(Turns to Kathy) I always taught you it was wrong to make promises that you can’t keep

Kathy: (Voice calm) Promises are there to be broken. Mother taught me that.

Lucy: (realisation. Anger) What! No! Rhys you can’t do this. This isn’t what we agreed! This isn’t how it’s supposed to go.

Kathy: (Calmly, Confidently) don’t resent him. His biggest fault is he cares too deeply. He couldn’t live knowing he’d orphaned two children. He’s too generous for that.

Lucy: (Yells angrily) Shit!

Rhys: (sadly) I love you, Kath.

Kathy: (First time with emotion) I know.

(Dialogue stops. Reaction shots of Rhys and the decision he has had to make. Final shot a close up of Rhys’ eye as he blinks. Sound of the trap door opening on the black screen)

                                                                       (Epilogue)

Lance: (Simultaneously, Gleeful full of pleasure) and then everything stopped counting

Rhys: (Simultaneously, cold and emotionless) and then everything stopped counting

                                                                  (End of Epilogue)

 

Props Facts and List

Prop’s List:
- Rope
- Chair
- Wedding Ring
- Ear Piece

There are only a small number of props required within the production of this short film. This is largely because the tension is created by the dialogue, narrative and location as well as in the acting. It is also an important feature because of the minimal number of locations used. All the characters within the short film are immobile; Rhys tied to the chair, Lucy and Kathy by the nooses around their neck reinforcing the fact that they cannot interact with a large majority of objects. It represents to the audience that this is a location emotionally unconnected with any character due to the lack of personal content, connoting the danger the characters are in.

Due to the fact there are only minimal props within the piece means that each item needs to imply a crucial fact about the characters behaviour. The ear piece is a central point within the film. It is the only connection within the main structure of the film to Lance, the villain, who is holding them in the location. The ear piece while crucial for communication also represents the importance of technology and the modern era that the short film is based in. It also conveys the only piece of technology in the film, contrasting with the traditional roles and methods used, reflecting the danger and conflicting nature of Lance’s personality.

The wedding ring is a crucial statement about supporting the character and her background to Lucy. Lucy’s ring represents that she is married and has a family, supporting Rhys’ decision to save her. Lucy represents a traditional role and character, with simple and stereotypical roles. Despite the fact that her position and career represent her as serious and intelligent, when faced with danger, she portrays a variety of conventions of a damsel in distress. Her ring reinforces her partial dependence when compared to Kathy.

The rope and chair are the most important props within the short film. They are the construction of restraint and danger within the piece. These props symbolise the peril that the characters face. Being bound in the chair with rope is not only a physical restraint but is a symbolic restraint of Rhys’ mental choice. He has been forced into this decision and cannot choose otherwise. The rope that creates the noose upon the necks of Kathy and Lucy is literally a line between life and death. This metaphor is commonly understood for dying and this acts as a visual representation. Rope is also a dangerous object and conveys the inevitable passing of one of the characters.