2013 Post 2b- Ideas

In this post I have researched and explored different ideas that inspire me for my short film. Below I have searched the internet and found images that have provided me with interesting short film ideas:

 From creating this I came up with a logline for a fairytale based short film: Little red is headed for her grandmas, but problems arise when a stranger appears from the forest.

I also found a link to a site wherein students can come together on an online forum and discuss short film ideas, I have looked through ideas here and will make sure to showcase my short film on this website for feedback: www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=676527

Ideas also came to me through nursery rhymes, such as Twinkle Little Star:

“Then the traveller in the dark,
Thanks you for your tiny spark,
He could not see which way to go,
If you did not twinkle so.

In the dark blue sky you keep,
And often through my curtains peep,
For you never shut your eye,
Till the sun is in the sky. “

 

From these lines especially I came up with a logline for a short film based on this: 'Led by only a star, a traveller tries to return to his child.' I then formed the basis for a story for this film:

Character: A lost traveller trying to find his way home to his family. He is a middle-aged man, married and with one young child living in a quiet village in the north of Sweden. His living and passion is photographing the scenery and mountainous landscape situated a half a day's drive away, it is here where he can find an escape lost in the beauty of the clear night skys.

Problem: In this remote, mountainous region in Sweden, a snow storm hits and he is left stranded, without the use of his car. His village is the only civilisation for miles and wild animals roam those areas.

Solution: He must find his way back home by the constellations in the night sky, specifically one lone star that his child wishes upon for his safe return

What really caught my eye was the title of an article from BBC news: "Are smartphones killing memories?" from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22999245
Inspired by this, I formed the logline for a short film: A smartphone addict gradually loses their memories

2013 Post 2:How to write a good short film script?

After researching how to write a good short film script I have learnt several key aspects that greatly determine the success of a short film.
The story is by far the most important part to a good short film script, it must be compelling and keep the viewer engaged, and this can be broken down into different sections:

The structure: If the structure is weak the story will not be well-recieved

This simple structure is used the most for short films, it concerns:

•  A main character being driven towards achieving a goal
• Hurdles high enough for that character to cross
• A battle in which the main character tries to overcome their difficulties
• An ending that decides whether the main character can achieve their goal

In order to write a good short film script, the opening is key so that you can hook the audience and they usually focus on one moment or event to not complicate their concept. Many scripts tend to use a Three Act structure to help draw out their story and develop ideas; this makes it clear to determine what will occur and when.
I watched the video below to improve my understanding of this short film structure. The man clearly explains each section of the typical Three Act plot scenario, dividing each act into two sections that show how the film would progress, with the use of this helpful table: http://www.jordyvandeput.be/uploads/3-act-structure.pdf   I now have a better understanding of how to structure my short film and what typical scenarios I could use in order to reach my audience.

 

 

Formatting: If the formatting is poor your script is less likely to be read

A good appearance encourages the reader to read on as it is clear. For a good short film script, I have found that it is best to leave out too many technical details and infer them instead, typing the work on a program like Microsoft Word. The title should not be too long and should convey to the audience what the film is about.



An example of formatting from www.filmscriptwriting.com

In order to write a good short film script, having a developed main character that the audience can relate to is essential; they should be intriguing, fairly consistent and memorable for the audience as they will compel them to continue watching. For my idea of having a teenage school student as the main character, I will have to make sure they are presented as believable as possible by not referring to stereotypes.

These are links to articles which I gained research from: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1VlBbxLslE7ZGVlLrxoQsRRamrYs4LS7OyJzC0x4DRBw/edit?hl=en_US&pli=1
http://www.raindance.org/toronto/7-rules-for-writing-short-films/
http://www.filmscriptwriting.com/


I have learnt that my script and ideas will have to be based around what I have available to me in terms of actors, props and location so my film plan might involve being shot in a school environment and in housing areas nearby for a sense of realism.
Below I have found some script guidelines that will help me lay out my idea more clearly:
Who: A troubled teenager as the main character
Where: Situated in and around a secondary school
What(genre/events): A drama wherein issues arise for the main character and they try to overcome their troubles
Why:  To show the journey of a main character fighting their troubles
When: In modern day society

After completing this research I will have to make my script fit the tone of my film idea, a drama, therefore the opposition to the main character will have to be serious and difficult enough that it will provide a tense situation for the character to overcome.

2013 Post 1 - Researching Existing Short Films Part A

This post will present my research into an existing short film as a starting point for when I begin to create my own. By analysing a short film I can consider what I may need to include and what I am competing against.

The short film I have analysed is called 'Gasman' by Lynne Ramsay.



Mise-en-scene

• The film begins  with fairly dim lighting inside the house, connoting that the family's life and financial situation may be bleak although the girl's clothing is significantly brightly coloured which suggests that she is important.
• Props include domestic images of a mug and a woman ironing, these are everyday items that the audience can relate to and it is clear from the man smoking that traditional roles in the household are upheld.
• It is bright in the christmas scene inside, with glittering tinsel and balloons, and this gives off a cheerful atmosphere. Whereas outside it is dark, misty and the characters are shrouded in shadow to create an eerie feel.
• It is clear that the film was set in the past as the clothing is old-fashioned and the music is dated, but because it is christmas time the audience can relate to similar traditions.

Sound

• Diegetic sounds such as the grinding of the sugar under the toy car, and deep ambient rumbling of the industrial city in the background add to the tension during scenes of silence or hushed dialogue.
• There is a noticeable Scottish accent amongst the characters in the dialogue of the film, at times it is muffled or unitelligable so that the audience is disorientated and confused. The accents connote the characters as being working class and stereotypically loud or aggressive which is reinforced during the arguement between the father and daughter.
• There is a soundtrack playing christmas songs during most of the film, the jolly music contrasting the tense situations, which increases in volume in the pub to suggest happiness or an overpowering atmosphere. The music always fades away as the girl notices the other, linking the audience to her experiences.

Editing

• The majority of the film is shot with long takes which adds a sense of realism for the audience. Although there are moments of slow-motion which slow the pace of the film and is disorientating as the music continues playing normally, this connotes memory as if the audience were viewing the girl's past.
• There is a soft focus as the girl puts on her clothes, this adds to the memory and dream-like effect of the film as it is unclear, and there is a cut to a black screen to suggest the passage of time as if there are holes in the girl's memory.

Camera

• There are several shots wherein adult's eyes or the whole of their faces is not shown, this creates an air of mystery and was done to present the film through the girl's perspective and eye level; only being able to see the other children on an equal level.
• A wide shot is used to present all the men sitting together, showing the male authority during that time period, but the boy is shown sitting alone in a shot that uses rule of thirds in order to isolate him in a corner.
• Simple shot-reverse-shots are used during conversational scenes to provide a clear sense of what is happening to the audience, but there is an extreme close-up used when the man attempts to brush the woman's face as this is what the girl notices and it is unclear for her.

Below is the IMDb page for this short film: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0122498/