For this film I want the audience to see the character sat at his desk writing his letter. So I decided when you hear the monologue you will see shots of him at his desk writing. I didn't just want it to be shots of the camera on the tripod so I used the dolly to get tracking shots. I did this because I knew it would look better and I also I wanted to experiment with the dolly and see what sort of shots I can get.
For the editing process of the clips I started by adding adding 'Warp Stabilizer' I did this because I wanted the shots to be smooth and have good motion, the floor in the stdio was smooth however there are a few bumps so sometimes the stabilizer didn't work. So i had to take it of for a clips which is fine because I still feel like they look good. The other big thing I change with these clips was the colour. The bulb that was in the light gave of a warmer tone which I didn't wanted. I used 'Three-way Colour Corrector' for this. I feel like I was able to get the colours that I wanted. I know that changing the colours really helped with the mood of the film. I was able to make it look more dark but also have a more natural look.
For this project the research was very important it helped me get better understanding of the topic and how to make a film that doesn't sound fake.
When I did my secondary research it really helped me look at different types of monologues and how to write and good one. As this was a very important part of my film and the monologue had to be perfect. With the secondary research it also helped to get a good understanding of really life stories from people who suffer from mental health problems like suicide and depression. The two books were the key to this, when reading them it really helped me get the monologue to its best. I also decided to look at the stats of suicide in UK, I found this difficult to look at because I found out the rates were higher than I thought. Espacillay as the ages we're from 15 and older, this deffanity proved my point that suicide is a big problem and it needs to be talked about.
When it came to me doing my primary research it was a little more difficult because I was making a film about suicide I had to be more carful with what I do. I had to make sure I was considerate of people and there feelings, this is why I didn't do a survey. I felt like it could come across as inconsiderate and rude. I knew I could of done one but I wouldn't of been able to ask the questions I wanted to also I knew the answers weren't gaining to be yes or no answer. So instead decided I would do a focus group. This was a very important for me to do because I was able to ask the questions that would have longer answers also when I was doing this focus group you go see the emotion and hear the emotion, I know I wouldn't of got that with a survey. Plus from doing the focus I found out what sort of film people would like to watch.
Overall my research has really helped me with getting a better understanding of what sort of film I will make. I have a good understanding of what sort of monologue I should write and what scenes I shot film.
When I look back at my first ideas and what sort of film I wanted to make I think I have been able to accomplish it. I know it didn't go word for word scene for scene, but I know I got the message across. I wanted to make a film about someone's final thoughts, their final memories, and I think I was able to do this. When I watch the film back I know I have made a film that I am proud of.
However there were something that I did struggle with: I wish I had kept to a tighter production schedule. I think by not doing this I wasn't able to get every shot I wanted, and that I did have to cut a flashback out, also how I had to change the happy flashback. I have also struggled with the research: I wanted to focus on making the film and making sure it was the best it can be; so the research took a back seat and then I had to rush it and change what I wanted to do.
I have really enjoyed this project. I liked how we could pick the topic; I think this really helped make the project special to me. I was able to make a film on any topic that I wanted and I have wanted to make a film about mental health for a long time; I feel like it is something that people need to be made more aware of, especially after looking at the suicide rates of people in the UK aged 15 and above.
Also I enjoyed editing this short film, the reason I enjoyed this so much was I liked to see the film come together. My favourite scene to film was at the Clifton Observatory; the reason I liked filming this part so much was it was the happiest part of the film. I really feel like I was able to show that and show a good range of shots.
If I was to do this project again I would have liked to do the graveyard scene again. I feel like it is the weakest point of my film. It was rushed and the camera settings were wrong.
Overall I am happy with how this project turned out, I feel like I was able to get a better understanding of mental health before I started filming which really helped when creating this film.
Today I filmed my final scene, this was the first flash back in the film. I left this one to the end as it was more difficult to film. I needed to go at a time of day when no one would be there also the weather has been bad over the last few days which has made me push this shoot back a few days.
Overall I have happy with how the footage came out.
For another piece of primary research I wanted to do a test screening and get feed back from people about what they like about my film and what they think I should change to make it better. I asked people who have had nothing to do with my film. I think this is the best way to do a test screening because they will have no idea what the film is about.
The first person I asked thinks that the Bristol bridge scene could be a bit shorter, they explained it as they felt the monologue was very powerful and they wanted to keep that power throughout the film so making the flash back slightly sorter. I like this idea as i think it will help with the flow of the film.
One of the other comments I had about my film was the 'warp stabilizer', and how it work in some of the monologue clips. I had the same thought when I put the affect on the clips. I have tried to fix these clips but it hasn't worked. I know I will try other ways to make the clips smooth and have good motion.
For my primary research I had to more carful with what I did as my project is about suicide and depression. I didn't wan to do a survey as I would of been asking personal questions. So I decided I would do a focus group with people in college. This way I was able to talk to the people before and explain what I would be asking and making sure they were okay with the questions. After doing this focus group I was able to get a good understanding of what sort of film I should make.
I plan to do a test screening later one when I have done more editing. I want to do this because it would help with getting peoples ideas on how I could make it better.
I feel like my presentation went well I was able to get across my idea and explain what I wanted to create. After given my presentation I was told I need to be carful with how I do my research and create this film as it is about mental health. I now need to make sure I don't make sure my film is not disrespectful to anyone who has suffered from mental health.
For one of my flash backs I want to show a happy memory. At the beginning of the project I had planned to go to the beach to film this scene. However the weather was always changing so I decide to film in Bristol. I did this because this because I knew I could get the shots I wanted and if the weather did turn bad it wouldn't be a wasted trip. For this scene I wanted to show the character remember a good time, I didn't want to make it to happy because I felt like it would change the flow and it wouldn't work. So I decided to make it more of a chill scene. Im really happy with how the shots turned out.
For the editing of this scene I add 'Warp Stabilizer' just to make sure the shots were smooth. They were all ready quite good because I was using a wide angel lens. I didn't do any colour correction, I did this because I was as happy with how the natural colours looked.
This is the budget I have created for this project.
This list shows how much I would have to spend if I didn't have college allowing us to use there equipment. How ever as I am able to use the equipment form college the only thing I need to pay for is the petrol when we going to to location.
This is the budget for the whole project as I will be doing more location shooting I will only need the studio for one day.
For the first part of my FMP I wanted to record the monologue. I did this because the monologue is the main part of the film and I wanted to know how long it would be so I could get and idea of how long the whole film would be. Also I did this first because it's the most important part of the film the whole story is told in the in the monologue so it needs to per perfect. I also know if I record the monologue now I will have time latter on if I need to re-recored it.
To record it I used a shotgun microphone and zoom recorder in the studio I wanted to use the shotgun microphone because I knew I would get a sound because I was using a fuzzy which will help with the sound. I asked the actor to leave a few second brake when there was a flash back so when I edit it I know where everything needs to go. This will really help to get an idea of the flow and how the film is going to feel. After doing this I need to record the clips that are going to go over the monologue.
For my secondary research I am going to start of by looking at famous film monologues, Youtube videos and the facts and figures behind suicide and depression I will also look at two different books. I want to look at how they are filmed and how they are presented. When it comes to the facts and figures I want to see what the true facts are behind suicide and depression. Films Good Will Hunting -My first monologues I looked at the bench scene from Good Will Hunting. I choses this monologue because it the camera work was simple there was one two different camera angles. This doesn't take away from how powerful this monologue. The way it starts you have Robin Williams character taring Matt Damon's character apart say he is inexperienced and how he hasn't lived life. But when you get to the end the mood changes. The Robin's character changes he starts talking about how he doesn't know what Matt's character has been through. I think this is one of the best film monologues.
YouTube Videos Teen Suicide and Drug Monologue
-The reason I have chosen to look at this video is because of how simple it is. There is just one camera not cutting no special affects just one person talking to a camera. The reason this video is good is because of the way it was presented you can tell the person has so much emotion behind it. This video proves that the should be the main focus of a film/short film.
“Death must be so beautiful. To lie in the soft brown earth, with the grasses waving above one’s head, and listen to silence. To have no yesterday, and no tomorrow. To forget time, to forgive life, to be at peace.”
The reason I wanted to look at this book is because I felt like it would give a really good view on depression. The reason I am doing this is because I want to get a good understanding of how depression and suicide was talked about and dealt with in the 1900's. Suicide Rates The Guardian Office for National Statistics The reason I have used this data is I want to have a proper understanding of the facts and figures behind suicide in the UK. I feel this is a important thing to do when making this film because I want to make as truthful as I can. To make sure it wont disrespect anyone who is having problems with any mental health.
For this FMP we have been given 10 weeks to create a project. We were given some ideas of what we could create our project on. Within the 10 weeks we had to plan and research our idea and turn it into a piece of work. For my project I am creating a short film about suicide in the style of a monologue. I will be doing research into suicide and the stats surrounding it. I will also look at how to create a good and powerful monologue. I want to be constantly reflecting on my work weather that will be using blogger or asking people what they think.
Once I have done this I will reflect on what I have found and how it will help with my project. After this I will be able to plan my film in more depth, after I have done a plan I will talk to people to see how the feel about the film and what they think I could do better. Also I feel like asking people how they think about the idea will help me get a better understanding of the people who are going to watch the film. I am planing on using music through out the film to help with the mood, I will be doing a mixture of sooting in the studio and out side on location.
