8th and 9th June, editing/ talking/ FILM NIGHT

A lot has gone on, but I have very little time to update you. Mostly I just wanted to give a shout out to Miss Wong for being such a great teacher this year!

Thank you Miss Wong, I had a really great time during film, and I have now memorized the IB learner profile! 

27th May and 1st June, Planning and testing!

For the last two double periods we have been planning practicing different camera -related effects that we want to use. As we have not actually filmed anything yet, these classes can pretty much be grouped together, as they were both fairly uneventful. Last class we worked more on camera work. Primarily with attempting to under-crank, and with changing the picture to make it look like night. The under-crank was pretty successful, which was achieved by altering the shot rate. 

These skills are important for me to understand, as my role in the group has changed. Before I merely wanted to be the editor as that is the role that I have had for pretty much every project we have had this term, and I was comfortable doing so. However I decided to bite the bullet and ask to be cinematographer, like the risk-taker that I am trying to be (see below), as working behind the camera is not something that I have done much so far. Also, as Jeff has already story boarded, it means that there will be a basis upon which I have to work. That's not to say that I chose the role because I thought it would mean less work, but rather to give me a role that I can learn something from while still being able to do it; as editor, Jeff likes to take over sometimes. As it is his storyboard (primarily) I will have the freedom of the camera being in my own hands, while still doing it the way he likes it. Rest assured though, when I review the story board tomorrow, I will definitely comment on areas that I think could be improved (if there are any).

During these past classes, we have also accumulated an entirely new cast. Our actors are now:

Maggie - Valerie Tang

Tony - Charles Stone

Leslie - Henry Hsiao

This was due to the fact that none of our previously planned actors were available, and these ones are actually more Wong Kar-Wai. While planning we decided to split the days for filming into two, and have one extra day just in case of disaster. They are as follows:

3rd June (wednesday), 6th June (saturday), MAYBE 8th June (monday)

On these days we have to film in the following locations

WEDNESDAY

-Under the highway x2 (Pokfulam)

-Waterfront (Pokfulam)

SATURDAY

-Raphs apartment (Parkview)

-Phone booth (Parkview)

-Restaurant (Kowloon)

-Street (Kowloon)

-Taxi (anywhere)

MONDAY

Extra day for mistakes/ reshoots

 

As the end of school is fast approaching, we really don't have time to mess up. Cooperation is key, as is efficiency, so we are all going to have to step it up. We have decided to try to talk more, like the thinkers that we are (problem solvers!) because in the past, decisions have ended up mostly being made by Jeff....not anymore! I hope this works. 

Risk-Takers: Approach unfamiliar situations and uncertainty with courage and forethought, and have the independence of spirit to explore new roles, ideas and strategies. They are brave and articulate in defending their beliefs.

Thinkers: Excercise initiative in applying thinking skills critically and creatively to recognize and approach complex problems, and make reasoned, ethical decisions.

25th May, WKW films!

Today we got assigned our new, and final, groups. This is in reference to the Wong Kar-Wai-esque/ montage filled films that we are supposed to be making. I am in a group with Julien, Raph and Jeff. Originally we were going to have Chris too, but as one group member had to be eliminated, he graciously volunteered to leave. We are using the screenplay that Jeff wrote. Conveniently, it has all been storyboarded and planned, so really all that we have to do is film it. Excellent! My role in the group is somewhat garbled; I am supposedly in charge of casting (although we already mostly agreed on that in class):

Maggie - Maragaret Kutt (Julien's mom)

Tony - Terence (Julien's mom's acting friend)

Leslie - (Julien's wakeboarding friend - unsure yet as to who -)

I am also going to be the semi- editor. I say semi as I am missing the last week of school (I am going to the Caribbean, and no I am not sorry - hahah-) therefore I will be unable to completely finish editing. Also, having Jeff in the group inevitably means that he is going to have a large say/ opinion about editing, therefore he will probably do some of it himself. 

Today, as well as getting into our WKW groups, we also received back all our grades regarding assessments. I was satisfied with how I have done in film overall, though of course there is room for improvement, as there ever is. It was mentioned that I should do more research into the work that I am doing, which is definitely what I have planned for this project. As I am not particularly familiar with WKW films and how they are edited (I have watched a couple, but I am still unsure about what makes them WKW), I will watch more of those to get more familiar with the style. I am aware that he uses under-cranking a lot, particularly in fight/important scenes, however to be perfectly honest I have no idea how to actually achieve that effect.  

According to: http://www.imdb.com/Glossary/U

Undercranking is: The process of slowing the frame rate of a camera down, so that when the captured pictures are played at the normal frame ratethe action appears to be in fast motion. Historically, cameras were operated by turning a crank at a constant speed; hence "undercranking" refers to turning the crank too slowly.

Hmm..I am still unsure how the frame rate of a camera is turned down. I suppose that depends on the type of camera - note: must ask Jeff.

Anyway, so the new and improved me will research more and assert myself, particularly in this group. In fact I was a communicator today (see below), as when Jeff showed us the screenplay, I told him outright (but still politely!) that there were a few things I thought could use changing. So he sent me the screenplay and I altered it how I saw fit. Problem solved! Now I am happy with the screenplay (not that I was not before, but there were a few things that could have been better) and excited about the project. We are going to be scouting out locations on wednesday... hopefully all goes well!

Communicators: Understand and express ideas and information confidently and creatively in more than one language and in a variety of modes of communication. They work effectively and willingly in collaboration with others.

6th may, Viewing Blanche, feedback, montage and screenplay

Today we FINALLY got round to watching our film...except, it didn't go down as well as I had hoped. While watching today, I was not particularly impressed either, however I did not rate it as badly as everyone else seemed to. Even though it was a bit upsetting to see my groups' hard work be criticized so harshly, I think it was a good experience. Because of this, I think I was an open-minded learner today (see below), as I accepted that not everyone has the same opinions or likes the same things. It was interesting to see what things stood out to different people, and what other people liked or didn't like. See below for a summary of feedback.

Blanche

• Snappy, interesting beginning
• Appropriate music
• Slow pace during the chase scene
• Unclear plot
• Dragged on
• Obvious song loop (accidental double song)
• Good sound intensifying (getting louder)
• Strange transition between loud music and back to house scene - relevance unclear
• Bad ending shot
  

I think that honestly I have improved tremendously in film. Although people may not have thought this was as good as the last project that my group worked on, Plunge, Jeff was the 'initiator' of what went on during that film. This film was very much in Julien's and my hands. I am actually quite proud of myself. Of course it could have been improved, but I think it was a good effort. A note for next time; snappiness must be kept in mind at all times! I mentioned this in my last evaluation, and I tried to keep that in mind. However I think some of the scenes were storyboarded so that it was actually impossible to keep them snappy (not enough angles/footage to choose from). I think I should also keep in mind the time allotment. An issue with this film was lack of time. To be honest though, that is not a real excuse as we knew from the beginning how much time we were given. I was quite happy with the sound, as I was sound editor, (apart from that single ANNOYING added section that got into it), and I think that I did actually learn a lot from this project, even though I didn't manage to work on the sound on SoundTrack Pro properly.

After the film viewing, of which Blanche was the only film shown, we learnt a bit about our new project. Not only is it going to be focused around Wong-Kar Wai, but it is also going to include montage editing. Montage is a type of film style that is put in during post-production. The editor puts in certain shots after certain shots, so as to make the viewer feel certain things. These shots may or may not be events that are supposed to be happening at the time. There are 5 levels of montage:

Metric - Cutting is given a specified number of frames, and cuts to the next shot regardless of what is happening. This invokes the most primal emotional reactions in the viewers

Rhythmic - Cutting is also based on time, but it generally alludes to more complex meaning, and uses different shot speeds (i.e. sped up shots). Montage can also include audial elements (music, dialogue, sounds) - 'Rhythmic sound'.

Tonal - Rather than just having the film with metric and rhythmic cutting, other symbolic shots are put in to elicit emotional meanings more complex.

Overtonal - Overtonal montage is a cumulation of metric, rhythmic, and tonal montage to synthesize its effect on the audience for an even more abstract and complicated effect.

Intellectual - This uses shots which, combined, elicit an intellectual meaning. This also uses symbolic shots, but of a more powerful and metaphorical nature. The meaning can only be derived when these shots are juxtaposed with the original footage.

Eisenstein, Sergei; Jay Leyda (translator) (1942). 'The Film Sense'. Harcourt Brace and Company. OCLC 01289114.

Learning about these was actually very interesting, as although I never knew it was a type of editing style, I have seen in used many times. During class I was an inquirer (see below), because I remained focus and attentive throughout the presentation of the new topic that we were learning about. I was especially interested in the examples, of which there were several, and asked questions regarding what type of montage certain excerpts used.

We were also given a task to complete for next class; to find and draw inspiration from a picture for a Wong kar-Wai-esque screenplay. The picture that I have chosen is the following:

http://images-2.redbubble.net/img/art/size:large/view:main/567607-3-memory-does-not-make-films-it-makes-photographs.jpg

I like this photo because it is very sparse, and although usually a photo like this would be boring, there is something about the colors and atmosphere that I really like. I plan to write a screenplay about someone falling in love on public transport. I know that doesn't sound particularly Wong Kar-Wai like, yet, as I have not watched enough of his films, again 'yet', however it will hopefully work. It will be a very 'mundane' sort of screenplay, with little dialogue, and hopefully lots of scenery- and montage, of course. I think I will settle for the most simple type of montage, 'metric'

Inquirers: Develop their natural curiosity. They acquire the skills necessary to conduct inquiry and research and show independence in learning. They actively enjoy learning and this love of learning will be sustained throughout their lives.

Open-minded learners: Understand and appreciate their own cultures and personal histories, and are open to the perspectives, values and traditions of other individuals and communities. They are accustomed to seeking and evaluating a range of points of view, and are willing to grow from the experience.

4th May, Viewing films, feedback

Today we finally got round to viewing the films. Unfortunately, even though I was clearly very excited, we watched every film but ours. Although I was quite upset about that, it was still a very entertaining experience. While watching the films I tried to pick up on things that I thought were done well, and what could be improved, both as a sound editor and as a film student.

Through this exercise, and during the commenting (after the films), I was a reflective learner, a thinker and a communicator (see below). I was reflective in the fact that I noted in other films the parts that I had found particularly difficult (such as color correction), which I will at some point ask the group who made the film about. This will aid me in supporting my own weakness(es) by doing something about them. I was a thinker because I was quite critical of other films, and using my own creativity and reasoning gave constructive criticism that could be of use were the groups to edit the films some more. Finally, I was a communicator because I was able to get my ideas and thoughts on the film across both politely and loudly, through words and hand motions (another 'mode' of communication...body language!). During the films I took some notes, and I took noes on what others fed back on during the commenting period. Below is a summary.

Say Cheese

• Comical music at the beginning takes the edge off and gives it the wrong 'feel'
• Strange/ unrelated beginning... made me confused later on as to Sarah's part in the film
• Fast paced music, but too fast before action catches up
• Sometimes unclear what is happening
• Some interesting/original shots i.e. 'eye' opening and closing and running into camera
• Not enough portals
• Background 'buzzing' ambient noise obvious at some points
• Suspenseful ending
• Nice idea that could have been expanded

Babooshka

• Well-done, suspenseful beginning
• Obvious red-tint; camera alteration and editing obvious
• Continuity sometimes disregarded; person is in one place, then another withOUT portals
• Nice parallels between music and visuals (i.e. when Xiang yi jumps and the heavy music starts)
• Music is not a clear indicator as to what is going on - strangely heavy
• Mostly good background sound, until running on courts and footsteps
• End is unclear as to what happened

Wabbit Hunt

• Nice beginning music
• Very good idea - although not 'original', very good choice for portal project, and they made it their own
• Tastefully done transition between speaking and no speaking - appropriate
• Some obvious sound input (editing obvious)
• Very loud scream - a bit distracting and out of place
• Funny playground scene, but it goes on a bit too long
• Running sounds where previously there was not supposed to be any diagetic sound
• Strange transition to bus out of school - obvious change in pace that ruined the illusion a bit
• Dragged on slightly
• Very funny and entertaining

High Octane

• A bit quiet
• Some obvious sound editing - creaking noises put it
• Some nice angles - feet running away on steps
• Very nice 'sped up' style (from brick)
• Strangely comical fight scene - bit inappropriate (sped up style made it funny and weird)
• Music a bit strange for content - made me unsure what to feel
• Very high production value - a pleasure to watch

Reflective learners: Give thoughtful consideration to their own learning and experience. They are able to assess and understand their strengths and limitations in order to support their learning and personal development.

Thinkers: Exercise initiative in applying thinking skills critically and creatively to recognize and approach complex problems, and make reasoned, ethical decisions.

Communicators: Understand and express ideas and information confidently and creatively in more than one language and in a variety of modes of communication. They work effectively and willingly in collaboration with others.

Film Review: As tears go by

As tears go by
- a film by Wong Kar-Wai

Directed By: Wong Kar-Wai

Written By: Wong Kar-Wai

Released in: 1988

Starring: Andy Lau and Maggie Cheung

Genre: Crime/ Drama

The story follows a Kowloon-dwelling triad brother, Wah, inn his day-to-day life that consists mostly of bailing his 'little brother', Fly, out of trouble with the big guys. Amidst this temperamental scene, Wah's cousin comes to stay, and they in turn fall into a love affair complicated by Wah's triad life.
She has the power to change his life, but after Fly's promise to assassinate a squealer to up his rep, Wah has no choice but to leave his cousin forever and help his friend once and for all.

http://shangols.canalblog.com/images/As_Tears_Go_By_Aff3.jpg

A brilliant piece of cinematography. This was my first proper experience of a 'Wong Kar-Wai' film, and although I am not completely familiar with what makes it unique (yet!), I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed it, despite the language divide. At first glance, the characters are shallow and meaningless, but through great shots and interesting occurrences, they turn out to be captivating. As aforementioned, the shots and filming style added a lot to the film. Though they sometimes seem unconnected, such as the first shot of the film with the rows of television screens, they help to set up the correct atmosphere to put the viewer into the right frame of mind. Harsh, abrasive colors gave me a sense of what triad-strewn Kowloon might have been like, whereas the disjointed cuts (point of view, thoughts, where character is) show what the character is thinking and feeling while keeping up the interest of the viewer.

While watching this film I noticed a number of cinematography styles, and I learnt some new ones. One of these was a type of montage, where clips that were not necessarily related, or in the same vicinity, are linked together to create a certain feeling. This was especially the case when Wah dies at the end, and he gets a flash from the past of the phonebooth kissing scene with his cousin. This was really effective at making the audience sympathize with him, as they are reminded that he is human. It also let them know that he was definitely dying, as that could have been a cause for confusion. Another style of film that I noticed was where the scene was slowed down. However it was not only slowed down, as that is simply slow-motion; it had a certain, strange, quality to it. Julien told me that this is something called undercranking (I think that is what it is called), where the film is captured at a slower frame rate, so that it looks slower, but sped up. This method was used a lot, particularly during the fight scenes. This really have the viewer time to pay attention and realize what was going on, while at the same time be able to fully take in all the action. I really liked this, as while it maintained the illusion of belief, it 'mixed it up' and kept the viewer interested.

Overall, a very intriguing film.

29th April, Not viewing the films, Closer (!) and editing!

Today was a very special class. Originally we were supposed to be viewing everyone's 'twilight zone' films, however the year 12 theatre class were putting on a production of Closer so we watched that for the double period instead. Initially I was a bit upset, as I had been looking forward to seeing the films (and seeing what people thought about ours!) however by the end of the play, that feeling was totally gone! Although I have not actually seen the film version with Natalie portman (it's on my to-do list now), I thought it was amazing. Honestly it was the first play that I have enjoyed without forcing myself to stay focused. 

The plot line was what did it for me. Of course it was based around a pretty x-rated theme (sex mostly, and love) which I suppose kept the audience intrigued, but it was also the witty, snappy banter that was kept up through most of it. The pace was amazingly quick, but not too fast that it left the audience confused. While watching the play I tried to relate aspects of it to film, like the reflective learner that I am (see below), because I find that the best way I learn is to try to see what it is that I am learning outside of the classroom (as in real life examples). The snappiness of the play and the good reaction from the audience were aspects that I can relate to film making, as they play a part in the success of the film; holding the audience's attention/ suspense. Overall I thought it was a very enjoyable experience indeed.

Aside from having a great time in the play, the not-showing-of-the-films gave me time to edit the film some more, in particular the sound(!!) I think I used the extra time provided very well, and right now I am actually almost completely happy with how it all goes together. We also decided to change the film title to 'Blanche', which is the feminine word for 'white' in french, as we felt that 'Nettle' was too vague and sounded a bit weird. During editing I listened through the film and altered the sounds that didn't quite fit or were too quiet. I think my sound editing has gotten more comprehensive during this project. I did not really alter different sound waves (as in, getting rid of background noise) but I worked a lot more with making the whole thing mesh together and relating the background music and sound to the picture. Julien and I also worked on some editing of the actual film; we shortened up several of the clips and sped up some scenes to make the film more 'snappy'. I am actually quite happy with our final product now! Of course it could always be improved, but I think I have it my all. If people don't like it, well I can't do much about that.

Reflective learners: Give thoughtful consideration to their own learning and experience. They are able to assess and understand their strengths and limitations in order to support their learning and personal development.

27th April, Exporting and self-assessments!

Today was only a single period. It was also 'supposed' to be the day that we were to watch all the twilight zone projects, however no one exported their films, most likely because everyone thought that it was during this class that we were actually going to be exporting. Still, it turned out to be a good thing, because it gave me a bit more time to alter the sound. I stayed after school last thursday and friday, but there was still lots more to be done, hence my reluctance to export! During class I was able to alter the background music a bit, but I had large issues with it as the song is not long enough to fit the footage, so I had to cut it and paste other parts of the song in to lengthen it. It doesn't sound bad, but there are a few parts that are obviously not meant to be together. Haiz. Because there was not much I could do with the sound, I thought of other ways to create interest through the audio track, like the thinker that I am (see below). I altered it by changing the volume from the start of the 'day dream' scene, and making the music get louder with every change in location to differentiate between places. Then when it goes back to 'real life' at Julien's house, the music is still playing but it is quieter, to symbolize that the ideal is still there, and still unreachable.

I know that the sound was solely my responsibility, which is why I'm so worried about it! I have chosen to be happy though, because I think that although our group was not particularly experienced (honestly, yes, we have done film before, but in terms of knowing about editing etc.) we worked together really well, despite all the problems that we encountered (of which there were many, particularly with shooting locations and with sound!). I think of course there are still aspects that we could improve upon, aspects which would be improved upon if we had more time. Still, never mind. The sound is not stellar at the moment, though I tried my very best in the short time that I had (which was honestly about 2 hours in total as I could not do much without the actual finished picture). Hopefully it will be okay though!

Today we also had to self-assess ourselves on our last few projects and on our blogs. I think that this year I have actually improved from last year, not to be full of myself or anything. I have grown a genuine interest in how films work and what makes them good. Although I myself may not have mastered that skill yet (though Lord knows that Jeff has!), I have applied and committed myself much more this year during projects. And this is all down to how much I enjoy it, which I really do. 

Thinkers: Exercise initiative in applying thinking skills critically and creatively to recognize and approach complex problems, and make reasoned, ethical decisions.

22nd April, Sound editing/ logging/ editing/ planning!

Today we had a double period, during which our group worked on various different things. First of all our whole group watched the film through and pointed out parts that we thought could use tweaking. This was to give Jing-Ting, our editor, a starting off point. I think that the general length is pretty much ready now. While watching I kept a sharp eye out for what could be altered sound-wise, like the thinker that I am (see below). I then exported the soundtrack and worked on it from another computer, adding the songs and voice-overs that had already been recorded.

The sound that I exported was not actually used at all itself, I just needed it to know how long the general piece was. I then downloaded music to go with it (two songs from freeplaymusic.com) and sorted out when it should start and end. To be honest it was really difficult to edit the sound without the picture in front of me, so I think that I'm going to have to do it properly when the editing is done completely. This worries me, as that will not leave me very much time...

During class today we also realized (while watching the film through altogether) that there were some shots missing. We realized that this was due to errors in recording the time codes, and therefore we did actually have the footage, it had just not been logged. To remedy this, like thinkers, we got the tapes (which I handily had with me) and logged the shots that we needed. While watching the film we noticed more shots that we had to re-film. So we further planned for our last filming session, which happens to be today. We have 3 locations that we need to shoot at:

• Causeway Bay - we need to completely re-shoot the traffic scene, as in our original it is pretty obviously night time, which it is not supposed to be in the film
• My house - for the bedroom scene, which has been such a pain to film as we have had trouble finding suitable locations AND for the extra bathroom scene, so that it makes the transition between the food court and the bathroom more like a portal
• Juliens house - to re-film some roof scenes, in which there were papers in the shot (don't ask me why)

Over all, so far I'm not entirely happy with our film. It's not that I don't think we have put enough time into it, on the contrary we have put lots and lots of time into it, our issue is that none of us are exactly sure what we can actually do to make it better. Of course smooth transitions and cutting are essential, but we have pretty much done our best there. The issue now is 'production value', and I fear ours is not particularly high. The sound is really worrying me too, as that is all down to me. And it is so difficult! I still have tomorrow and friday to work on it, but it's more the issue of what to do! Hopefully the tutorial will help me.

Thinkers: Exercise initiative in applying skills critically and creatively to recognize and approach complex problems, and make reasoned, ethical decisions.

20th of April, Soundtrack Pro/ Recording/ Planning/ Editing!

Today we had a double period, during which I actually got to work on some sound, doing my own actual job for once! First off I recorded some sounds with Julien, mostly just panting and re-recording the voice-over. These I felt were important as we did already have some recordings, but they were not particularly good, and I want to maintain a decent level of 'production value'. I also know, as the reflective learner that I am (see below), that comprehensive editing is not my strong point, therefore I need good material to work with in order to produce something of a moderate standard. Today I also managed to choose music! I sat down with the director and went through some possibles, and we have decided on two tracks; one for the scenes at home - 'real' life - and one for the 'dream' like sequence. They are a bit out there, but I have decided to be more risk-taking (see below) - although this is definitely something I am not accustomed to doing, I will try to make it work. I put all the sounds that we accumulated today and put them onto Soundtrack Pro. In all honesty I have never actually used Soundtrack Pro, so today was definitely a new experience! I'm getting the hang of it though. My only issue now is that it is quite difficult to edit sound without the picture in front of me. I think I might export and import the sound into the actual film, so I can just get the timing right (I think the length of the film is almost done now). 

Wednesday will be our last possible filming day, so we planned for that today. We just need to record some shots that went wrong (i.e. out of focus, with props in the frame) as well as to film the morning/ bedroom scene that never seems to be film-able (IKEA, wing-on etc.)! We have decided to film at my house, as there are three bedrooms next to each other, so hopefully it will look adequately strange. We shall also film the bathroom at my house, so that the portal between the food court and the bathroom is 'stranger' and therefore more obviously a portal. I'm a bit annoyed at some of the shots we have to re-film, as really they should have been shot properly the first time. Still, I'm not the cinematographer/ cameraman so I suppose it's not my place to say anything, nor is there anything to say to turn back time so...Anyway, wednesday is the last day we can film, so we have to get it all done then. I am also going to record some ambient noise at Julien's house, as well as footsteps and other noises as in some scenes no sound was recorded (!!) which I guess was my fault for not noticing. Hopefully these sounds will be sufficient replacements. 

During class we also got a lot more edited. The transitions and cuts were made cleaner and altered to have more 'flow'. Something that I was particularly interested in maintaining this project was 'snappiness', as I know that was a definite flaw in our last project. As the reflective learner that I am (see below), I tried to keep this in mind while watching over/ editing our film (I deigned to help Jing Ting a bunch so as to speed up the process as well as to add a second opinion) as I don't want to repeat mistakes and essentially I want to eradicate this flaw in the projects that I work on from now on. To increase the snappiness I tried (and am trying) to encourage shorter cuts and shots, so as to keep the viewers interest. Also in terms of 'slugs', although I know that Ms.Wong is not a fan, I personally think they enhance certain situations, so while I did want them to be included, I insisted they be quite short. I hope it all turns out okay, because there is only a limited amount of power I have over how the editing is done...

Risk Takers: Approach unfamiliar situations and uncertainty with courage and forethought, and have the independence of spirit to explore new roles, ideas and strategies. They are brave and articulate in defending their beliefs.

Reflective Learners: Give thoughtful consideration to their own learning and experience. They are able to assess and understand their strengths and limitations in order to support their learning and personal development.

8th of April, logging/ editing/ planning and film title!

Today we did not get a lot of work done. There was an issue with logging the footage, which was very annoying. After that Jing Ting got to work on editing, but there was not a lot that I could do as the sound editor. I did, unfortunately, realize that there are several scenes where there is no sound at all - as in nothing was recorded. This is a huge pain, as although there will be a backing track, there was also going to be ambient noise. Aiyah. To deal with this, I have decided, as the Thinker that I am (see below) to leave all the 'dream' scenes silent, save for panting and the background music, so as to give them a more dream-like quality and so that the viewer feels like he or she is inside the protagonists mind.

Deciding on a title was one of the things that we did. Okay, it is not finalized yet, but an idea for the title of our twilight zone film project is Netle. This is supposed to be an allusion to stinging nettles, a plant that looks relatively harmless, but that stings you when you touch it. It is also spelt wrong, with one 'n' instead of two, so that it is more like 'net' - as in trapped. This alludes to the happiness that the protagonist in our film is trying to reach. A happiness that looks harmless, great even, but that ends up hurting him.

There is still an awful lot to do with this project, both in editing and in filming. Yes, that is correct, we have yet to finish filming all the footage. On the tuesday after the holidays we will finish everything. We have to. Then Jing Ting will hopefully finish the frame of the film (correct transitions and cut lengths) so that I can get to work on the sound! I need to record some panting and re-record the voice-over, as although I recorded it in Julien's house, so there is the natural ambient noise, his house has strange acoustics that make everything sound echo-ey, which sounds weird when played over the footage. 

Luckily for us, it was announced that there is an extension on this project! This is great, as now there is an actual possibility that we will be able to finish on time, and to our satisfaction! It will take a great deal of work, but I think that we can do it. I'm very happy with our cooperation as a group so far, though. We have all contributed ideas and I feel this is very much a joint effort. 

Thinkers: Exercise initiative in applying thinking skills critically and creatively to recognize and approach complex problems and make reasoned and ethical decisions.

6th April, Logging/ filming and planning!

Since last class, we have actually done a load of filming. We had originally planned to be completely finished with filming by the end of the weekend that has just passed, however we encountered some large problems. There were many locations that we had planned to use that do not allow you to film - company policy. This proved to be a huge problem for us as there is no way that we can change the plot of our film or anything now. To solve this, I thought that it would be a good idea to just do it anyway, so we ended up filming ninja-style out of my bag. Hopefully the shots will not be too bad and at least we have the locations and most of the shots that we need. We couldn't film the final scene at Julien's house either (the one where he dies on the roof) as it was too dark! This was very frustrating, as if only we had gone half an hour earlier, we would have been able to get the shots done. Instead we filmed the rest of the scenes that take place at his house. Now all that needs to be filmed is:

• Redo of Julien getting into taxi
• Park'n'shop
• Wing on
• Roof

These will hopefully get done on tuesday - if we stick to the time plan! - as we have the whole day after school. I'm actually really worried about having enough time to edit both the visuals and the sound. I have already taught Jing-Ting some simple steps to make things easier while editing, but I fear that we simply do not have enough time to get the whole thing to the standard that I envision this project being. As sound editor, I am very worried about  the visuals, as I cannot edit sound without having the exact sequence that the visuals will be in. It is really annoying too that both Jing-Ting and I are going on the history trip to Eastern Europe, so we will both be missing two possible days to edit. Along with this, we are both in the 25th anniversary gala dinner dance troupe, which has rehearsals on mondays for two hours, which we cannot miss, so we are missing about 4 hours to edit. I think what I will do is set a date that we shall have the cutting ready by, and then after that (basically so all transitions are visually good and match-on-actions shots work etc.) Jing-Ting will be able to alter color contrast/ other without changing where the audio will go. This was I can put the audio clip onto Soundtrack Pro and work with it from there - hopefully on another computer. Jeff suggested a handy tutorial to help me, which mainly focuses on getting rid of other sounds. I have had a look at it, but I don't think I can really take any of it in until I actually have the audio tracks to work with.

During class today we mainly logged and captured the footage that we have so far. The timecode recording has proved to come in very useful, however sometimes from the notes it is unclear as to which take was successful (it was not always the last one!) which meant that we ended up logging a lot of useless footage. I think that our film might end up being quite long, which I am a bit worried about as that will reduce that 'snappiness' of it as well as provide more material to edit.

During class today I think I was a thinker. While logging the different shots, we noticed that there were several problems with angles (to do with the portals) so instead of panicking, we thought it would be a good idea to just film them again. Although this sounds quite harsh, as filming takes ages and can be very tedious, it is a more desirable option over constantly worrying that something is wrong with it etc.

I think that along with a backing track, which may be quite simple, I will also include a tune or a haunting melody that represents the 'dream' (represented by the white figure) he is following, which will be the 'hook' that makes him follow it every time. I really hope we can pull this off!

By the way, I have realized that in terms of the IB learner profiles, I am always a 'thinker', a 'communicator' or an 'inquirer'. I think in future I have to try and expand my horizons by being more adventurous, and making the cut for a 'risk-taker', as in film I think that is where original, intriguing work comes from. 

Thinkers: Exercise initiative in applying thinking skills critically and creatively to recognize and approach complex problems, and make reasoned, ethical decisions.

30th of March, Reviewing 'Plunge' and Planning!

Today, to me, turned out to be a very productive day. We reviewed the final continuity editing/ Film Noir piece (ours); learned about some new camera related issues and worked in our current 'Twilight Zone' project groups. Watching Plunge for what feels like the 10th time was very inspiring. Not because, as one would assume, because it was so great that I want to make a film to match it. Rather quite the opposite; today I saw in Plunge all the flaws that could so easily have been avoided. As the editor for that film, I am actually a bit disappointed, as I remembered it to be better than that. I was also quite upset with the fact that very few people gave feedback to our film, despite the fact that most of my group gave lots of thoughts on everyone else's. Below are some notes I took on what I, and a few others, had to say about the film in terms of editing:

Plunge

• It dragged on a lot, with slow dialogue (acting could have been better)
• Transitions and cuts could have been 'snappier' to increase the pace
• The structure was not appropriate for the length of the film; the voice-over introduction set it up for a much longer piece and gave some unnecessary information
• Some audio problems i.e. different noise levels between cuts, brought down the production value a bit
• Could have been more sounds (phone buttons being pressed)
• Production value was overall quite high - :)

I also learnt a new word:

Diagetic Sound;
A sound that is created by something or someone visible on the screen or whose source is implied to be present by the action of the film. Non-Diagetic sounds are “added” sounds like music and voice overs.

http://hhh.gavilan.edu/grichards/hum4/terms_000.html

and a new term:

Production Value;
A method, material, or skill used in the production of a motion picture; the technical quality of such a method, material, or skill.

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/production_value

The Technician ('TT') also told us that from now on we have to reserve film equipment two days before filming...WITH a finished storyboard. This is both a good and  a bad thing, as it will mean we will actually always have to have a proper storyboard done, which is both tedious and actually a good thing because we will have something proper planned. We will also have to do proper shot logging, which I suppose will come in handy when we edit, but is still super annoying.

When we got into our groups, we basically just finalized our locations and ideas. Originally we were going to plan today, as we were hoping to be done by the end of this week, but that just really isn't possible as we don't have a storyboard or anything. SO instead we are going to film tomorrow after school; hopefully we will get three locations down, preferably the first three (IKEA, a traffic-y street and an office) so that we know properly the pace that the next ones will follow (as the protagonist will be running etc.). Today we are definitely a lot closer to actually knowing what we are doing than we were last time. 

I think that today I was both a thinker and a communicator (see below). We were having an issue with how the protagonist dies, whether he dies in the abstract 'day' or back at home. I reasoned that it would be best if he dies while at home, so that the abstract 'day' can be like a sort of drunken flashback, during which we will be able to use lots of shaky, disorienting shots to up the crazy factor. We also worked really well together in terms of planning. Tomorrow is not the best for me, as I have two activities, however we worked it out by deciding to film later, so that the cinematographer and director can finalize the shots and so that we can all be present while filming. Our aim now is to get done filming by the end of this week (sunday) so that next week (what little there is of it) can be devoted to editing. All in all, one of the most productive classes so far!

Thinkers: Exercise initiative in applying thinking skills critically and creatively to recognize and approach complex problems, and make reasoned, ethical decisions.

Communicators: Understand and express ideas and information confidently and creatively in more than one language and in a variety of modes of communication. They work effectively and willingly in collaboration with others.

Film Review: Kung Fu Hustle

Kung Fu Hustle

- From walking disaster to kung fu master


Directed by: Stephen Chow
Written by: Stephen Chow and Xin Huo
Released on the 23rd December, 2004
Starred in by: Stephen Chow, Yuen Wah, Yuen Qiu and Chan Kwok Kuen
Genre: Action, Comedy, Fantasy

Set in Canton, China in the 1940s, the story revolves around a town ruled by the Axe Gang. The protagonist (of sorts), called Sing, desperately wants to become a member. He stumbles into a slum ruled by eccentric landlords who are actually kung-fu masters in disguise. Sing's actions eventually cause the Axe Gang and the slumlords to engage in an explosive kung-fu battle. Sing turns out to be a kung-fu natural himself, and in the end gets everything he had ever hoped for.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0373074/

Originally I decided to watch Kung Fu Hustle because I had heard that it was a very funny Chinese film, and I wanted to both have a good time and practice my Chinese. I had no idea it would be the out-there, crazy adventure that it turned out to be! First of all I had to put on English subtitles, as I could not properly understand it all in Chinese. Then came the crazy plot; superhuman powers, impossible acts...it was full of everything that I do not associate with Chinese films. In my opinion it was a very Baz Luhrmann type film (like Moulin Rouge), rich in visual material, from crazy slow-motion scenes, to sped up running (like the cartoon type - legs going around in circles) and strong sounds. The plot was a bit poor, and kept jumping from story to story, so it wasn't entirely clear who the protagonist was until closer to the end, nor what the point of the film was.

The most interesting aspect of the film was definitely editing. The footage was very well put together, and had the right balance of close-ups interlaced with moving shots, even if it was all a little crazy. There were also some very interesting shots and ways of showing certain scenes. In a scene where someone gets punched in the face, rather than showing the punch, the screen gets punched and 'blood and flesh' are splattered onto the lens, which really gave me as a viewer the sense of being punched.

My favorite film happens to be Moulin Rouge, however that is more for the plot than the way that it is edited (although that adds to it too!). However despite the fact that Kung Fu Hustle was similar in style, and that it was very well done for the crazy type of film that it is, I'm not entirely sure how much I liked it. It is for sure that this is a one-off in Chinese cinema, and definitely a must-see for those who are tired of the average rom com/tear jerker/ superhero film!

25th March, Reviewing films!

Today, rather than properly planning out our first film session - which will hopefully happen on monday - we watched all the films from the last project and gave proper feedback on them, in relation to our former roles. Unfortunately we did not have time to get to ours, which was incredibly frustrating as I really want to hear what everyone thought. The ones that we did watch were really interesting though, and I think the fact that we have watched them before actually made for a better analytical experience, as I could focus more on the specifics rather than just trying to understand the plot. I mainly focused on, as editor, aspects of linear continuity, the different techniques/ transitions that were used and general 'flow'. Below are some notes on what I thought about each film respectively.

Natalia

• Some out-of-place shots that disoriented the audience
• Obvious changes in ambient light and sound
• Several faulty match-on-action shots
• Broke the 180 degree rule
• Quite slow (pace-wise), as well as lacking in flow
• No clear focus or aim in the film
• Nice closing shot, zooming out of the protagonist - shows how small he feels

Stratagem

• Dragging pace and slow transitions (pause between dialogue = unnatural)
• Some out-of-place shots (car keys being thrown) ruins the flow
• A couple of good match-on-action transitions - should have done more with that
• Some very obvious fade-in fade-outs; the 'waiting' scene was also strange, not only unsuitable for the theme of the film but also the camera work was quite jog-y, which was obvious when the scenes were cut into each other

The Broken Beautiful

• Nice 'drunk' effects - out of focus and jog-y
• A couple of strange black screens
• Continuity error with the gun
• Broke the 180 degree rule
• Songs could have been played throughout

Pulse

• Gritty room was a bit out of place
• Lighting was different in every location - did not flow well
• Flashback in black and white was too cliche
• Happy song with phone was out of place
• Nice closing scene - black screen 'don't wait up for me tonight'

Looking at these notes, I know that they are mostly all negative, however I feel like before I can even think about trying to produce a 'knock-out' film, it is important first to get the basics down and to eliminate all amateur mistakes. Most films made the same type of mistakes - mostly with match-on-action shots that don't flow, strange sound and innapropriate shots. In the films however there were also some elements that I really liked. The dream-like quality of 'The Broken Beautiful' had a really big impact. Watching these films also gave me new ideas into possible concepts I could incorporate in upcoming film projects, such as having a recurring track or symbol, using shots that literally show how the protagonist is feeling and keeping cuts to a certain time (possibly speeding them up).

Today I was definitely a reflective learner (see below), as I took into consideration all the aspects of editing that were being critiqued so that our next project can avoid that (even though I am sound editor in this one). I see the mistakes that I made reflected in other people's work, and during our discussion I now know what it is exactly that editing needs to bring to the project. It is not solely a matter of stringing shots together; it creates the mood and flow of the entire peace, ultimately 'making or breaking' it. During this project I will definitely work closely with our editor (Jing Ting) so that we don't risk making the same mistakes again.

Even though we were not working in our current film groups today, as sound editor I tried to take note of what could be improved sound-wise in other peoples films. When I actually get round to doing the sound editing, I will definitely go to Mr.Chiang and Ms.Wong for help when I need it - a concept that actually never really occurred to me, as I had previously planned to simply look up sound editing techniques online. I noticed that the main errors with other films were the change in ambient sound from shot to shot. The narration also sounded strange when it was on its own, as it was clearly filmed in a silent room; no background noise is very unnatural. As we have narration in our upcoming film, I will have to remember to film in a natural environment (preferably on location). I feel like I got a lot from this class, but I can't wait until next class, to see what people have to say about ours!

Reflective learners: Give thoughtful consideration to their own learning and experience. They are able to assess and understand their strengths and limitations in order to support their learning and personal development.