Month: March 2019

Although I’ve never done an update that focuses more on my emotional state than the logistics and specifics of something I’ve been researching or recently completing, I felt that this one was warranted. My group is finally planning to film our first rough cut, on Saturday, March 2, and there’s a lot of preparation that I want to make sure to have in line. Tomorrow is the only day that we’ll be shooting, and it’s rather stressful, so I’m hoping that everything is properly in place before we go to our planned location tomorrow. 

First is the technology that stresses me out. I don’t know how to use it. I’ve borrowed a Canon T4i for the shoot, but I only borrowed it recently and have never actually touched an official camera before today, let alone use it. This is a risky move on our part, seeing as we plan to use this camera that we currently don’t know about, and it would seem that using a phone camera would be more of a viable option for our group to utilize. 

However, our group came to the consensus that we wanted a rack focus at least once in our opening. A rack focus is the filmmaking technique of changing the focus of the lens during a continuous shot. When a shot “racks” it changes the depth of field from one object in the frame to another (Studio Binder). This cannot be achieved with a normal phone camera, where the focusing aspects are much more automatic than manual. In order to achieve this technique, we need a more advanced camera that can change the focus manually to a desired object. Besides, if the camera is more advanced and official, it may capture a better image than the phone camera.

Second, the location. We secured the location a little while ago, as stated in a previous post. However, all we have to go off of was the photos presented on the website. I’m trying to be optimistic about it, however I have a constant nagging thought that hotels often embellish on the quality of the rooms in their pictures. I’m hoping that this isn’t the same.

But never mind that. That’s just me stressing about stuff I can no longer control. What I can control is the props and items that my group plans to bring to the set.

Bianca, the production designer, was in charge of garnering the majority of the props. She traveled to multiple stores to get the items that will be placed in the room and the costuming for our character, sleepwear and a robe. I aided in this endeavor as well. I gathered more options for the costuming, different variations of sleepwear, to allow for some choice and revision if needed. As we have yet to actually place our actor in the costume, this worried me and I opted for this plan of action.

I also am bringing a lot of tools for lighting. A motel room is an enclosed area and I’m not sure how many windows the room will contain. Besides, we plan to have a darkened setting and I’m not sure how well our recording devices pick up light in a dark area. As I stated, I don’t know the camera I borrowed very well yet. As a result, I decided to bring a multitude of lighting sources to brighten the room we’ll be filming in.

The two largest light sources are a LED lantern light that shines brighter than it probably should. They both have emit a fluorescent, white light that may be useful depending on the situation. There are also two yard lights that I’m bringing that emit a large, yellow light that might end up also being useful.

Mostly, I’m just hoping all goes well. It’s a lot to take on the whole filming process in one day. Especially since we won’t be able to go back to reshoot, since this one night at the motel will cost over $100 (I’m quite bitter about that if you cannot tell).

It’s a lot to take on, so I’m just hoping we’re able to complete everything and still maintain a quality and creative project.

Sources:

• https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/rack-focus-shot-camera-movement-angles/

Behold the gorgeous piece of art that is our film’s storyboard, brought to you by a group partner and our cinematographer, Katelyn!  In order to get a better visual as to the shots that would show up, as designated by the script, a storyboard was in order. A storyboard is a sequence of drawings, typically with some directions and dialogue, representing the shots planned for a movie or television production. You can get the gist of the shots we plan to use.

I have offered to redraw this storyboard and any future storyboards that may be necessary if we choose to alter the film to give a clearer image of how the film will play out shot by shot. I have a bit more experience with art, so I will hopefully be able to clear up any misconceptions that may occur with the current storyboard (if you’re reading this Katelyn, no offense).

However, I want to make it clear that this storyboard and any ensuing storyboards are originally the work of Katelyn and are created in direct collaboration with her. I am just acting as her connection between her brain and the paper, so she can properly and clearly present her thoughts and ideas.

Either way, a walkthrough of the shots portrayed in the storyboard would probably be for the best.

1. The title sequence is planned to begin with an establishing shot of the Super 8 motel, where we plan to shoot. This will orient the audience to the setting in which the action will take place.
2. An aerial shot will follow directly after, the camera positioned above the character, Lionel. The audience push in, drawing closer to Lionel’s sleeping figure.
3. After a few shots of Lionel waking up confused, he will grab a red cloth off his nightstand before sitting up on the edge of the bed. A mid shot of him is then planned to occur, a figure in a red dress appearing suddenly behind him. Her face will be obscured in dark lighting and by Lionel’s own figure, so the audience will not be able to see her.
4. After turning around and finding that the girl behind him is not truly there, Lionel will walk into the bathroom with the cloth still in hand. A rack focus, in which Lionel is in focus in the foreground before the sink comes into focus in the foreground, will occur. This will draw attention to the sink.
5. As Lionel comes up to the sink, we will get another aerial shot, seeing a phone lying in the sink, ringing. We will see Lionel confused before he picks up the phone
6. During his conversation with the mysterious man, he is told to get in a now full tub of water. Lionel is planned to sink slowly into the water, the red cloth still in hand (I know it looks like he doesn’t have any clothes on in the drawing, but I assure you, he will).

Of course, all of this is subject to change, like the script, but this is the general plan and how we plan to go about the title sequence going into it.