Actual Idea (5) - Music

For the music I decided to use Taylor Swift's song Love Story as it tied in nicely with my research on her music videos. It's also easily recognised, coming #4 in the Billboard Hot 100. The lyrics also can apply to the narrative of my story, taken from wikipedia, Taylor Swift said:
"This is a song I wrote when I was dating a guy who wasn't exactly the popular choice. His situation was a little complicated, but I didn’t care. I started this song with the line, 'This love is difficult, but it's real.' When I wrote the ending to this song, I felt like it was the ending every girl wants to go with her love story. It's the ending that I want. You want a guy who doesn’t care what anyone thinks, what anyone says. He just says, 'Marry me, Juliet, I love you, and that's all I really know.' It's sort of told in a character kind of thing, where it's Romeo and Juliet, and it's not me saying that I'm getting married or anything...but I think it's fun to write about it."
In my short film, the male character isn't the "popular choice" which is why the female's father stops them from seeing each other. Despite wanting that "love story ending" my film doesn't end in that way and instead has an unexpected sad departure of the two characters.
However, I'm not using Taylor Swift's version of her song. On YouTube I found a beautiful piano version of her song by someone called TruePiano1. I asked permission to download it and use it in my short film and he granted it.
Here is his version of it:


I thought I could keep the music choice of Love Story consistent throughout but change the instruments playing it. Luckily, I had a friend and his sister (Matt and Rebecca) who are musical and could play Love Story on guitar. I'm hoping that Rebecca will also sing the end verse of the song which goes:
"I got tired of waiting, wondering if you were ever coming around,
My faith in you was, fading,
Then I met you on the outskirts of town ..."
I think this adds to the solemness of the end of my film when Jonny is looking for Shannon. It can also be interpreted that this is how Shannon feels and we get to see her point of view in this situation.

Though it isn't really music, I'm hoping to try and find a horror film sound effect for in the cinema which will help to make the scene more realistic. For the sound effects, I'm looking on the website http://www.freesound.org/ which has many effects availible for download. I've found a few files which I'm going to download and because the site is free I need to mention the creators name in the credits of my film.

Actual Idea (4) - Photos

I took many photos, not only to get test shots which would help me to see whether that was the right filming location, but also for my storyboards which meant I didn't need to draw them! There were so many that I decided to make an animation of them all from each scene. I didn't take photos for every scene as I could only get to certain locations once so filmed immediately when I got there instead and drew the storyboard pictures instead. Locations did also change due to different circumstances but these photos show some of my original ideas.






There were some issues with the photos, especially Scene 15. This was the window scene and it was extremely difficult.
This is a picture I took and unfortunately shows too much of the background in the window. I didn't realise that there would be lighting issues and because we took the photos during the day, the sun's glare reflected more of the background on to the window so I couldn't see Shannon who was inside as clearly as I wanted. I then decided that I would film during a night which did work better except that we had to use extra lights outside to show Jonny. (This will be further explained in another blog...)

Actual Idea (3) - Storyboard

For my storyboards, I also decided to do some research into it. I knew how to set out a storyboard from GCSE Media but I wanted to be sure that it was properly designed and had everything that was needed.

Key Points :
- lays out narrative of the whole film in visual form
- visually tests out transitions between scenes
- shows production team how many must-have shots you need so that a schedule can be planned. Also allows the designers to determine how long they will need to secure a location for.
- whether shots deviate from the script
- visual for actors to work off
- demonstrates how many shots and the variety of shots used
- 'test' locations

Storyboards are a key part to the Location Scout's job. They use the storyboards to find locations suitable enough that will fit well with the concept.
Location Scout and what they look for :
- concept and aesthetic requirements - does the location fit the ideology that the film is trying to communicate?
- ambient sound (traffic, birds etc...) - will this fit well with the concept or interrupt the filming?
- light conditions - too bright or too dark will influence whether extra screens or lights will be needed.
- coverage / cinematography - does the mise-en-scene fit well with the concept? and is there cover from the weather elements?
- site locations compared to other locations - if there is a better or more suitable location then comparisons need to be made to get the best space.
- parking / facilities nearby - food and toilet facilities are important, if there aren't any availible then arrangements need to be made. Is there enough parking for all the crew and trucks?
- cost - an important part, film budgets can vary and especially for a low budget film, it's critical to save any money possible.
- availibility of power - power is needed for cameras / lights and anything electrical so there needs to be access to power or arrangements need to be made for generators.
- exterior location, weather / lighting - will the weather / lighting interupt the filming or add to the mise-en-scene?
- permission - is it needed? if so it needs to be granted in advance.
VERY TIME CONSUMING AND COMPLEX! which is why the storyboards and planning needs to be done in advance and in plenty of time so that if need be, a change of location can be drafted and adapted in to the plans.

I decided to draft out a blank storyboard and then copy it on to the computer. It looked like this:

Because I'm not a very good drawer, I decided on taking photos for my storyboards which not only made it quicker but also meant I could get more of a visual image from the test shots. This helped later with my filming. However, one issue was that the people portraying my characters weren't always availible so I had to use stand-ins for them. I was also going to upload all of the storyboards seperately, but it made it easier to just put them all together as one file. I did have a problem with uploading them as after I'd scanned them, for some reason the computer didn't show them as jpeg. or image files, so I had to take photos of them with a camera and upload it that way!

Actual Idea (2) - Script

Originally, I decided to write a script to get a basic understanding of the variety of shots and narrative my short film will follow. I firstly drafted my ideas just writing it all out before typing it up on the computer to make it neater and more understandable. On the original copy, "Shannon" was "Jess" but I was able to amend this easily with a simple 'find and replace' option.

I then realised that I needed to create a Shooting Script and because I was unfamiliar with the layout, I decided to research into it before adapting my original script into a shooting script.

RESEARCH (taken from the book "Basics, Film-Making by Robert Edgar-Hunt"):
Conventions for a shooting script;
- script is presented as a final draft. No page number ammendments.
- header with the date and script reference.
- scenes are numbered alongside headers.
- (CONT...) is used at the bottom of a page where dialogue / scene continues over to the next page.

Pages:
- when amendments are made, you need to produce these on revision pages. These are additional sheets. It's more easy to slip between versions without the catastrophic effects later in the shoot.
- if your changes move beyond a single page then they begin to be marked A, B, C ...
- if you delete a page of script then issue a blank page with 'DELETED' or 'OMITTED' on it, otherwise that rogue page might stay there in error.
- when you issue revisions, it is convention to do so on different coloured paper each time to give a quick visual clue.
- when a line is changed, it is worth noting it with an asterisk in the far right.
Scenes:
- when a scene is added, do not change the scene numbers, use A, B, C ...
- if a scene is removed, mark it as 'DELETED' or ' OMITTED' and never reuse the scene number.
Script Considerations:
- Who are the characters?
- Are the characters characterised correctly?
- Is the tone of delivery of speech clear?
- Do the physical descriptions of characters work?

- Are settings / locations fully explained and explored?

- Are there any subtexts that you need to explore or draw out?
- What is the central theme or meaning?
- What is the cause and effect relationship between events?
- Do the scene transitions work effectively?
- What is the plot?

Also for my research, I looked at an example of a screenplay, taken from the same book. I decided to type it out which has helped me with how I should be setting mine out.

My shooting script turned in to 10 pages long from the original 7. I kept the scripts almost identical with minor changes throughout, i.e. instead of shot reverse shot constantly I kept with a mid-shot or over-the-shoulder shot.

Actual Idea (1) - Synopsis and Cast

My second idea was the idea I stuck with, not only due to time limitations, but also because it seemed more open to changes and developments. To me it was a simple enough narrative were the audience could enjoy it, but also had a twist on the end which brought the audience back to reality in the sense that love doesn't always get the happy ending that everyone wants.
I originally did another mind map to get all my ideas down, then developed them from there.

I decided that my target audience would remain the same, except that the audience would be aimed more at teenage girls because the "romance" genre is more appealing to them and they are probably more liable to want to watch it in comparison to males. However, the narrative will still appeal to males as there is a lead male protagonist which they may be able to relate to. Both genders would be in education, probably students, as the narrative is based on the central protagonists meeting in college. This will help the audience to relate more to the storyline.

I also wrote down all the basics of my idea on to a large A3 sheet.

My synopsis is:

"A teenage musician, Jonny, falls in love with a pretty girl at his college, Jess. Obstacles stop them from being together, a main being her Christian father who forbids her to be with him due to his appearance and background. Jonny tried desperately to try and convince her father about the situation but fails miserably. In her desperation for happiness, Jess decides to run away and live with her Mother who's recently moved to Spain (her parents divorced). Jonny catches her just in time, but when everyone thinks he's going to join her, Jess leaves and Jonny is left to carry on his life".
When some of my friends first read my idea, they were saddened that the two never got to be together in the end, but found that the ending was unpredictable and down-to-earth. They agreed with the message of keeping love in reality and how it doesn't always end the way we'd like it to.

For my cast of the characters, I knew I had to pick a selection of people who would suit the characters and had some experience of acting to create a higher level of verisimilitude (or believability). So, I decided to do some character profiles of my original cast.

JESS - She's young, pretty and energetic. Her bubbly personality is what attracts guys to her. Her parents have recently undergone a divorce, so her Dad is very protective over her.

LEE - Boyfriend (who becomes 'ex-boyfriend') to JESS. He is sporty and is very controlling over JESS. He likes to warn off other guys from her and start fights. He isn't one to mess with.

JONNY - The lead male who falls hopelessly in love. His appearance is unconventional for a smart and romantic male, which is what puts JESS' DAD off him in the first place. He likes rock music and this is often shown through his appearance.


JESS' DAD - He wants what is best for his daughter and dresses as a typical 'Dad' figure. He wears a cross around his neck to show he is a Christian which will influence how over-protective he is over his daughter. He has also recently been through a divorce which has made him insecure and more protective over his daughter.



Unfortunately, Jess was no longer able to continue to be involved within my project. So I had to change her character. Because their appearances differ, I decided to alter their characters slightly.



SHANNON - (or Shan) is pretty, smart and fun. She doesn't like to disobey her Dad but also struggles to keep to his rules. She's young and wants freedom to be with who she wants. Her parents have recently divorced which has made her Dad more focused up on her well-being.

First Idea

For my first idea, I decided upon a Romance genre for my short film. I decided to brainstorm my ideas which I later scanned in to the computer - bizzarely it scanned in pink!

Unfortunately some of the ideas were cut off, but this helped me to get my initial thoughts down. My idea was mainly set in a college / school environment as my target audience of students (male and female) aged between 13 and 19 would be able to relate to the film more. The story line was about an average male student who falls in love with the most popular girl in the school. It's a typical storyline associated with romantic teenage films, I think because the audience can empathise with the character(s). However, I would try to incoporate more comedy elements within my film to try and make it more enjoyable. Also, I would try to include more twists, such as having the male turn out gay at the end; instead of following the predicted pattern of liking the female, he in fact liked her boyfriend all along. I thought of many techniques which I could use in the film, influenced by my initial research in to short films. At the beginning, I thought about using parallel editing and possibly use a split screen to show the male and female protagonist getting ready for college (accompanied by modern pop music) and travelling to college to show that these two are destined to meet and possibly be together. I tried to keep location and cast numbers low so that they would be more managable and easier to schedule. Most of the props were associated with romance, i.e. flowers, but the file links not only to the theme of college and study, but can also be used as a flirtacious device. For example, I thought that the female could possibly drop the file and the male pick it up for her - hence how they meet.

This was the beginning of my script for the idea. I thought if I planned out the narrative with some ideas about the cinematography then I may have other ideas of what to include to make it more different. Unfortunately, I didn't go any further with this script as I thought that the narrative was too predictable and wasn't very different from the other storylines out there. So, I decided to expand on the idea and look at other possibilities that I could explore.

Audience Research

For my audience research, I decided to do a poll on my blog. To get voters, I advertised my blog on my facebook page which gave me a huge advantage, however, I was still unable to get more than 20 or so voters. Despite being a low number of people, I will still use the results from the poll and apply it to my final short film.
Below are the graphs displaying the results of my questions:

This graph clearly shows that more females voted compared to males, there were 17 voters in total. Unfortunately this means that my results won't be gender-balanced but I still do have some male voters which will hopefully be able to represent the male gender. I decided to use age groups as well as the gender to see how many people of certain age voted as this will contribute to the decision of my target audience. Judging by these results, I think my target audience will be aimed at Females aged between 14-20 and have a secondary audience of Males aged 14-20 as they are the majority of the voters, therefore this would make my product more appealing to them from the results of this poll.

This graph shows the voters favourite film genres. I believe that Horror has received the least votes due to the number of female voters as females are often stereotyped as sensitive and often scared-easily so Horror isn't a popular genre for them. Most of the voters voted for Romance or Rom-Com which is the genre type that I have chosen, so I'm pleased to see that it is well-favoured as this will make it appealing for the target audience.

I asked this question on what gender the voters associated with the genre Romance to see who my primary target audience should be aimed at. In my original idea, I was going to aim it at young males but after seeing these results, I will make teenage boys my secondary audience and teenage females my primary target audience. I think that the female gender is more associated with romance than boys is because many females read and fantasise about finding "Mr Perfect" or "Mr Right" and like to escape into the Romantic genre to find out about romance and what to (or not!) expect.

After my previous research on short films, I found that short films can last any length from 1 minute to 20 minutes and possibly longer! So I decided to ask the voters about how long they would prefer a short film to last and their answer was 5-7 minutes with a majority of 10 people voting. This therefore is the length of short film I'm going to aim for, however, I think if I go slightly over the 7 minutes, it should be ok.

Other Research:
I also did some other research with my group of friends. There were 12 of them in total with a mixture of genders, and we talked generally about short films and their expectations. I made a note of some of the key things I will take into consideration:
- The storyline has to be clear. I showed some examples of short films and most of them found that the more complicated or unclear narratives were less enjoyable. However, they didn't mind having an ambiguous ending or having an unexpected twist (either at the end or mid-narrative).
- The number of characters had to be small as, due to the short length of time, understanding who they all are and what relevance they have to the storyline is quite demanding and often complicates the viewer. Therefore, they recommended that I only had a small cast, unless more people as extras were necessary.
- They liked some of the comedy films, such as the video "A Hopeless Romantic" that I analysed. The boys especially laughed when the male lead got run over by a car as they didn't expect it. I am going to try and include some comical moments in my short film but the main focus is going to be on the drama.