Pre-Production And Planning

Bellow is the shot list that i used for my film. As well as a few possible locations for my film and planning. I chose to do a shot list rather than a story board since i can list all the technical details better. It also means that although the shots won't change the staging can be modified to an extent.

Locations
Bellow are two locations that i will consider using for my film, I will list their locations and the date I plan and using them, and why.

Maidstone Cemetery - In my screenplay my first scene is set in a cemetery. Since I am planning on shooting the opening two minuets of my screenplay this will be my primary location. I chose this because it is the largest cemetery in the local area, meaning I have plenty of space for staging and establishing shots. Should I encounter a problem I have the option to move to a different part of the area, and avoid hazards such as un even terrain or public interference. 



Maidstone High street -
Should My Film extend past two minuets, or drastic changes are made to the opening of my screenplay. A very useful location to shoot in would be a high street. Since one is featured in the initial draft of my screenplay, it wouldn't be out of the question for it to feature in my film. This location could be useful for keeping the action in my film on the move, and allow for a different pacing. I would have to be more careful of the general public, and vehicles would have to be featured in my risk assessment, but different shots could be used to create an atmosphere.



Actor's Props And Other Requirements 
It is important to plan out the basic requirements of a shoot such as the use of locations actors etc.
Bellow is a list of things I will require.

Actors- I will require two actors, one of them will be playing the main charterer and will have the majority of on screen presence, the other is only required for 1 or 2 scenes. I plan to use the other members of my group to play a part in my film. The part is adaptable as the age of the characters is not specifically mentioned allowing for adaptability should I have difficulty getting hold of actors. 

Crew- I will require 2 crew members, I will be operating the camera myself in order to ensure my shot list is followed correctly, and I get all the shots required. while operating the camera i can also see how the staging will play out on screen, and direct the actors more efficiently.
I will also require a sound operator to hold the boom mic and check for dialogue and background noise while I direct the actors. Fortunately I have another member of my group who I am able to assign t that role.

Props- The only props I will require is a mobile phone (in my screenplay the character answers their phone, and has a brief conversation to demonstrate their stress). And a photograph, the photograph is used to trigger certain dialogue and reveal a small amount of background detail/story to the audience.

Rather than ring the phone on  location I will add the noise in post, that way I can be sure the timing will be spot on and it wont mess with the pacing of the film.

Location Details- I plan to utilize certain aspects of my location. The use of a gravestone is essential, as it gives my character something/someone to talk to. It also is an essential part of my plot.
The use of a bench or sign, while not necessary will be stylistically effective,as I can use pans/tracking shots to set the scene while obscuring certain details about characters etc.

Shot List

Shot #	Location	Shot Type	Camera Movement	Shot Description
#1	Cemetery EXT. \/	Establishing	Still	Shot of church for iconography purposes
#2	Ext.	Establishing	Still	Shot of Cemetery
#3	Ext.	Establishing	Still	Shot of sign, characters walk past
#4	Ext.	Close Up	Still	Feet walk past camera
#5	Ext.	Long Shot	Slight Pan	Character begins walking left to right
#6	Ext.	Close Up	Tracking Character	Camera follows characters face as they make their way to a destination
#7	Ext.	Long Shot	Tracking Character	The camera tracks a characters movement, traveling behind a bench before stopping and panning
#8	Ext.	Mid Shot	Pan	The camera pans behind a gravestone to reveal the approach of the main character
#9	Ext.	Long Shot	Still	The character is seen from behind approaching the grave
#10	Ext.	Mid Shot	Still	The character greets the grave as if the person lying beneath the soil can hear him.
#11	Ext.	Close Up	Still	The character begins talking to the grave
#12	Ext.	Mid Shot	Pan	The character crouches down to get closer to the grave, the camera follows this movement
#13	Ext.	Close Up	Still	The character’s phone rings and a photo drops to the ground as they get up
#14	Ext.	Close Up	Still	We see the character talking on the phone
#15	Ext.	Mid Shot	Still	We see the character become increasingly frustrated with the conversation before hanging up
#16	Ext.	Long Shot	Pan	The character hangs up the phone and bends down to pick up the photo, the camera pans down to show this
#17	Ext.	Close up/POV	Still	We see an over the shoulder POV of the photo and hear the character comment on it
#18	Ext.	Mid Shot	Still	The characters phone sounds and they stop mid sentence, visually annoyed
#19	Ext.	Mid Shot/Long Shot	Pan	The character apologises to the grave, before getting up and walking away.
#20	Ext.	Long Shot	Still	The character walks away from the grave towards the camera
#21	Ext.	Close Up	Still	The characters feet pass the camera
#22	Ext.	Close Up	Still	A different pair of feet pass the camera in the opposite direction
#23	Ext.	Mid Shot	Tracking Shot	The two characters bump in to each other and turn around in shock to realise each other’s identities

3 Short Films Analysis:

As part of my ongoing studies I was tasked with the analysis of three short dramas. I will be analyzing the production elements used, as well as screen writing techniques for each, explaining how they influenced my work. 

Soft

https://vimeo.com/19705053 

Soft is an award winning short drama directed by Simon Ellis revolving around a the father, son relationship of the two main characters as they deal with a threat to their home environment. 

The film opens with a mixture of professional and mobile phone footage. This is a stylistic technique that continues throughout. After the brake away from the initial mobile footage we are presented with a more standard high angel establishing shot. I chose not to use mobile footage in my film as i felt it would distract from the drama, however i liked the establishing shot technique, and opted for a low angle myself so that i could incorporate the iconography of my setting. Iconography is something that "Soft" didn't really utilize, however it utilized other stylistic techniques. 

The first one i noticed was the use of shadows. One character in the film has been injured in a fight and is apprehensive to reveal it, therefore half of his face is concealed in shadow. 

Something i took from this film is the use of tracking shots. The camera often follows the characters around rather than cutting away, something i used when i wanted my characters to move to a new location.  

In terms of sound, it is used only where you expect, there is little in the way of a soundtrack, and the main use of sound is pholey. Used when characters make a cup of tea, or when a car alarm goes off. I used little in the way of pholey sound however i utilized non dietetic sound to create bird cries and footsteps.

The use of camera shots is fairly standard, however there are some that use a jib, had i had access to one I could have created some emotive shots, however i felt although it made an effective establishing shot in this film, it was unnecessary for mine. The film made effective use of close ups, switching between over the shoulder shots to gauge characters reactions to one another. This is a technique i encountered later in my screenplay when tensions were high. 

The narrative in this film was linear however what was interesting about it was the fact it cut between characters and locations so the audience experienced it from multiple perspectives. This technique can sometimes be used to help you sympathies with the villain of the story, however in this case it is used so that we understand the emotions of our two man characters, as well us help as gain backstory for characters we would not otherwise receive.  

The editing changed pace slightly towards the climax of the film, utilizing fades and quick cuts to build tension and allow for the creation of montages, something i considered in my film but decided against. However it worked well here to re invent the atmosphere of fear and tension, in to one of anger.

Cold

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ke7tNSFPDg&t=214s 

Cold is a 20 minuet short drama made by Emily Diana Ruth in 2015. It revolves around one character on a quest to discover who her real parents were, and what happened to them. 

The film opens with a blank un focused establishing shot of a bright snowy setting. We then transition in to a tinted screen and we hear the voice over of the main character, at this point in the film we understand that we are hearing her thoughts. The voice over technique is a common convention in drama films, used at the beginning to "set the scene" and fill in some information the audience wouldn't previously be aware of.

 

In relation to mise en scene the film is shot quite stylistically. Depending on the genre and mood of the film, will denote the exposure and amount of color tinting used. The plot of this film is quite serious and mellow, as a result the exposure is kept relatively low. As a stylistic choice most of the film is shot at night or evening. The low light if used correctly like in this film, can be a very effective technique as it means that the audience has to focus more on the characters and events taking place. My film was well exposed, but after taking inspiration from this film I felt i should bring the light levels down slightly. 

This film relies heavily on it's soundtrack as it doesn't have a lot of dialogue. The track its self is very mellow so as not to distract from the dialogue, but is always present to maintain an atmosphere. Although this technique was effective in this film, my screenplay was dialogue heavy so i worried less about the addition of music, and kept it to the bare minimum. 

In relation to camera shots the majority of the film uses mid shots and close ups, this keeps you constantly focused on the main character, and the few extreme close ups used, help you to empathize with her. Occasionally the character will switch direction, or location, the film cuts quickly between shots, keeping your attention more on the character than her surroundings. Background detail was something that they did not focus heavily on in this film. Instead opting to focus more on the use of props to drive the narrative forward. Early on in the film we see the character clutching a photo and as the narrative progresses she picks up more papers and clues about her parents. Instead of  using dialogue to reveal this information, the audience interprets it from the props and information they are presented with. This is a technique i took inspiration from, i used a mixture of props and dialogue when writing my film.

To top it off there is the occasional POV shot used in the film, a technique i found particularly useful and used sparingly to focus on particular details/props that are important to the plot. The narrative is linear and easy to follow something I wanted to reflect in my screenplay. 

The narrative is pushed forward by the characters interactions with her environment, rather than other characters. The occasional discussion with another character will cause her to take an action but this is not focused on for too long and her search for clues, and innate curiosity is the primary drive. This is something i took on board and at the beginning of my film it is my characters interaction with props and their inner thoughts that is the primary drive. However i do rely on his reaction to other characters later in my screenplay. 

Our Brother

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vu8KUfs_PTY&t=105s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkRNnrzjz74

Our Brother is a 2014 two part short drama film directed by Charlie McDonnell, centered around two characters who deal with their brothers death in different ways. 

I drew considerable influence from this film when writing my screenplay/film. To start with this film primarily uses hand held camera shots. This is effective since it is easy to change angles and track characters as they move. It also allows for easy over the shoulder shots which is the main reason i chose to use hand held shots in my film.
 

Continuing on from this, rather than using cuts or fades, this film prefers to use pans and tracking shots, since the staging of the characters has them sitting, standing and moving around each other a lot, it is more effective to follow their movement than change location. This is a technique that allows for an easy to follow narrative, something i wanted in my own plot.

When it comes to the plot it is primarily motivated by the characters dialogue and reactions to one another, rather than major events or props (although they both feature in this film). Over the shoulder shots and close ups take up the majority of the screen time, allowing us to feel more connected to the characters and events, yet still allowing enough background detail for us to interpret where they are, and where they are going. 

Another piece of inspiration that i took from this film was the heavy focus on dialogue, this film negates most background noise, using minimal non dietetic sound (enough to create an atmosphere, but not as much to distract from characters dialogue). This was the exact effect i wanted in my film. 

Whats interesting about this film is it likes to play with the 180 degree rule. By using tracking shots and staging the characters so that they walk around each other they can mess with standard dynamics, without creating confusion. 

The lighting in the film is kept as natural as possible to give it a real life feel, and create an effective, immersive atmosphere. This technique is quite effective and is something i intended to reflect in my work. However one technique that I'm not convinced is entirely effective is the lack of cuts. Some scenes are played out using only a single shot or very occasional cut. The length of shots while it keeps the focus clear, can lead to a slight loss of interest from an audience, and is something I will not be using in my own work. 

As a whole the writing relies on the interaction between a brother and sister. Recently their other sibling died (death is always a big topic used in dramas) and they deal with it in very different ways. One of them wants to move on while the other is stuck in the past, and this often leads to tension and argumentative tendencies between them, making for an effective drama plot.

The idea of siblings was something i knew i wanted to do from the start, and this film gave me the confidence to go ahead with the idea, and provided options of how the characters should be presented/develop.

  

Screen Writer Analysis:

In this post i will be analyzing the work of two screen writers and commenting on how their techniques and how their work influenced me in my project. I will be looking at all elements of production: Camera angles and mise en scene, sound, and editing. I will  be analyzing the work of two screenwriters "Ryan Murphy" and "Steven Moffat".

                                      Ryan Murphy
 

Ryan Murphy is an American director and screenwriter and director known for shows like "Glee" (2009-2015) and "American Horror Story" (2011-Present). Ryan Murphy is notorious for building characters and story within a short space of time. Before each season of his shows he sits down and plans out each character in detail being sure to build back story for them and planning their ending far in advance. 

In American Horror Story Murphy uses the interaction and dialogue of other characters to reveal clues about the character they are talking to. It is the reaction given that creates effective story. To match this he plans out a series of close ups or over the shoulder shots so that we are always looking at the character that is talking. This is something i used in my script and film ensuring that although the camera may switch angles it is always focused on the person that is talking. Murphy uses quick cuts between shots to build tension but always stays on the 180 degree arc. I attempted to use this in my script and film however my film starts out relatively calm, so the building of tension through quick cuts was not an effective tool to use. 

In relation to staging Murphy always places his characters within close proximity to each other as the scene develops his characters will move around more and become more engaging. Dialogue is not something he focuses on too heavily and relies more on stage directions and background music to keep the narrative moving. Murphy always plans out in his screenplays so that non diagetic sounds can easily be added in, especially during establishing shots or sequences such as the opening  It is easy to see that the dialogue and camera angles are set around the characters, sounds and events, and not the other way around. 

This is evident in both AHS and Glee, since they use tracking shots and pans to follow the characters around a scene. Following on from this Murphy writes his screenplays with the intention to make use of hand held camera shots as much as possible. This is something I used greatly in my screenplay, i listed moving shots, pans and close ups that required the use of handheld camera shots. It allows for the audience to be more involved with the characters. As mentioned before Murphy uses quick cuts between close ups to capture the reactions of characters and a lone of dialogue can easily trigger flash backs or cut away's to different places or points in time. This technique is used to create effective backstory or to explain plot points to the audience. This is a technique i considered using in my piece but i felt it distracted from the current action and i could make better use of this time. However i did pick up on the addition of non diegetic sound which is a feature in both my film and a screenplay, however i felt the use of a constant backing soundtrack (used in most seasons of AHS) distracted from my dialogue driven screenplay. Murphy uses it to create an creepy atmosphere, but i felt my setting was enough.
 

Murphy is notorious for adding masses of small and precise detail in his writing to build a truly immersive setting. An example of this would be the props and lighting of locations like the coven house or asylum rooms in AHS, or the trophy wall in Coach Sue's office in glee etc. I was inspired by his planning of mise en scene which was what inspired the primary location of my screenplay, and for the inclusion of specific props that drive the narrative forward.

Murphy uses a lot of unique camera angles and tends to zoom in on characters quite a lot (seen mostly in moments of drama or when characters are reveling information). As well as tilts and pans that move on a curved axis moving up or down. Seen a lot in seasons 2 and 3 of AHS to make the audience feel uncomfortable. I reflected this in my screenplay/film being sure to list the use of pans that follow a careful path, e.g. behind a character to obscure their face, or behind a gravestone to get a low angle shot. I occasionally used the hand held camera to track the movements of a character on foot, helping the audience to feel more involved in the plot. Overall Murphy's unique style had a relatively large influence on my screenwriting. 

                                                      Steven Moffat 
 

Moffat is a well recognised, and frequently studdied screenwriter known for recent series of sci-fi series Doctor Who (began writing for the show in 2009-present), and BBC drama/thriller "Sherlock" (2009-present). 

When writing for both shows Moffat makes use of mise en scene very well. When it comes to setting Moffat likes to build up a scene, with basic background information and scatters props, and set pieces around with little specific placing, unless the characters are going to interact with them. Moffat relies heavily on props to drive the narrative forward, be it a sonic screwdriver in Dr Who, or a wallet/item found on a body in Sherlock. Other background detail is not focused on as much and he relies less on panning shots/establishing shots and more on wide angle shots, so that the audience picks up on background detail while the narrative is progressing. This is present in both shows since certain doors are not shown in Dr Who until a character needs to escape from it (at which point we may get a close up or POV of it), or in Sherlock certain details are panned over not zoomed in on until mentioned by a character. I was sure to include at least one POV/over the shoulder shot when writing my screenplay to give the audience clues as to the events taking place and what characters are feeling.

Like Murphy Moffat relies heavily on hand held camera shots, staging his characters so that they have plenty of space to explore, or break in to a run. Meaning hand held camera shots are essential for capturing movement and moving the plot along. Moffat primarily uses steady cam shots to follow a character, bt rther than follow them around the room he prefers to cut away to a different angel so that we see them walking towards us, building tension.  

This was something i used on my screenplay and film, i placed the camera beside or in front of a character so that we see them talking/walking, rarely do we see the action from behind, since i wanted my audience as involved in the dialogue/action as possible. I also made use of wide shots listing at least one or two to break up the chain of multiple close ups, which is something Moffat does regularly in dialogue heavy scenes so that we can see the staging of characters and how they are feeling towards one another.
 

As mentioned when it comes to editing Moffat likes to include as many shots as possible to demonstrate different perspectives, and give clues about the scene. In shows like Sherlock, th pace of the editing is very steady but speeds up, in to quick cuts at the end of a scene or a scene with major events/drama. Moffat does the same with Doctor who but saves quick cuts for montages or chas sequences, sparing his use of shots elsewhere. This is a technique i picked up on and wehn editing my screenplay fo the second time i decided it was best to reserve shot changes for when they were needed he most e.g. exchanging dialogue between two characters, or the opening of a scene.  

Moffat doesnt use as many unique shots as Murphy but does use more POV shots or wide angel shots to give a sense of scale between characters. He uses a mixture of low angle and high angel shots to give/remove power from characters at certain times, something i attempted to reflect in my screenplay/film. 

When it comes to sound Moffat uses non diagetic and foley sound very well, when writing he describes a setting both visually and audibly, so as to create an atmosphere. However he ensures the creeks, or beeps, or car engines sound natural and are barley noticeable. This is why i allowed for natural sounds of the environment and people to be left in both my screenplay and my film, although admittedly i didn't go in to as much detail as Moffat it was still an influence when deciding how to shoot my film. Moffat also uses soundtrack as a key tool, changing it at a moments notice in order to match a different characters situation, or a change in the narratives pace. Cutting between different characters is another tool that i noticed, to tell a story from multiple perspectives, e.g. seeing something from Sherlock or the doctors perspective, then cutting away to John or a companion to find out whats happening to them. This was something i considered but ultimately decided against as i wanted my story to be that of one character and one alone.

Moffat also uses a variety of visual effects and iconography in his writing, and although i used some iconography in my screenplay/film i felt visual effects were not necessary. Wide angle shots however were useful to me as i could show the characters spacial relationship with the environment and other characters. Meaning overall i took quite a lot of influence from Moffat but carefully selected the techniques i felt would be effective.