Reflective Diary

5.1.16

Mark gave us the brief and explained what we need to do for this unit. I don’t what I am going to do yet but, this is only day 1. I still have time to decide.

12.1.16 – 19.1.16

During this timeframe, I decided that my specialist study would be on a cinematographer and during these two weeks I decided that I will be choosing Emmanuel Chivo Lubezki I was about to change my decision and do my specialist study on a director/auteur, however, I want to try something different and I think that it will benefit my in the future because I was thinking of doing cinematographer in the future as a career choice so that is what secured my decision choice. Then, I started to do some research on him and his work. I have to do a 1500 word essay on my chosen cinematographer so I started to research about him.

19.1.16 – 26.1.16

This week I found out his name, where he is from, what movies he has worked on and I decided that next week I will be watching each movie he has worked on such as Lemony Snicket: A series of Unfortunate Events, Children of Men, Dr Seuss: The Cat in The Hat etc. I also found out that he uses natural lighting in his movies using a website called http://variety.com/2015/artisans/production/the-revenant-cinematography-emmanuel-lubezki-1201661435/ and http://nofilmschool.com/2014/11/emmanuel-lubezki-cinematography-reel. The No Film School provided me with a showreel of Emmanuel Lubezki’s work so that I could get a glimpse of what to expect next week because I am watching those different films.

This week was very influential. I watched Children of Men, Lemony Snickers: A series of Unfortunate Events, Dr Seuss: The Cat in the Hat and Children of Men. After watching these movies, I felt that I know more about Emmanuel Lubezki, which will help me when I film. I understanding more about the natural lighting that he uses in the films he gets hired to do from watching To the Wonder (2012) and behind the scenes footage of ‘The Revenant (2015)’. Using the information I had acquired I have written more on my essay about his steadicam/handheld shots and tracking shots analysis how he works and how it will benefit my film.

26.1.16

I have finished the essay and I see reassuring patterns. I think that I have a good understanding of his skills and techniques that I can use to my advantage. I have the technique down. Now, I need to come up with an idea that will display those techniques.

26.1.16 – 28.1.16

Today I have come up with an idea for the unit 12 short film. I think that this idea will be useful in showing the techniques of Emmanuel Lubezki. This idea is described on my blog (on the development page). Next week, I will get feedback on the idea.

28.1.16 – 30.1.16

Today I got feedback from my peers on the idea for unit 12 and it was very positive feedback. I like how hung said that people could relate to it because that is what I sort of aimed for when coming up with it. And I wrote my opinion the feedback received.

31.1.16 -4.2.16

I have created a research page and tomorrow I am going to start researching relationships along with cheating in relationships and maybe arguments in a relationship.

4.2.16 – 10.2.16

I have read a few articles to do with relationships, which really helped me, get more of an idea of what I want and how I can make it more accurate. Also, I talked to them and how they will help me.

10.2.16 – 12.2.16

Today, I did a few experiments using the techniques of Emmanuel Lubezki and the lens I have and bought recently. I used my friend Jack, Karim, James and Carla to do these experiments.

I think that my concept is really good and I have the locations in my mind. I just need to write the rest of dialogue and other things that are necessary to complete it, for example, the situations and the setting. I used a script that I had thought of before because I thought that it would be good.

12.2.16 – 17.2.16

I have been writing this script more and I think that it is going really well. I distributed the first draft of the script to Carla and she said there was too much swearing. So, I reduced the swearing because I agreed with the feedback she gave and then gave her the updated version. She really likes it, which was good. Now, I have to finish the rest of it so I can get my actors and start filming. I contacted Jason and Carla and say said that they could do it. I am so glad that I have reliable friends to turn to. I think that it’s good to have great connections.

18.2.16

I have finished the script now, so I can distribute them to my actors Carla and Jason. Carla and I ran through the whole script using Skype, which was really good because, I could correct any mistake that I had made such as spelling, punctuation etc. There were quite a few errors that I had to correct.

19.2.16

After correcting the script it was my final draft and I will use this draft for the short film that I will be doing. Also, just to make sure it was okay to use. I asked Aline what she thought of it this feedback is on the development page along with my opinion on the feedback she gave. I did some more research on my ideas such as argument scenes in films and flashback scenes. I think that it was beneficial to do because, I can become inspired to do something similar, on the hand, it’s good to explore editing techniques that will help me in future projects.

20.2.16

Jason decided not to come today, he didn’t even inform me a few dates beforehand, which was really agitating. So, Carla and I had to message people who we knew and people who we didn’t talk to if they were free to film today. Unfortunately, nobody was available so we have to film tomorrow. We needed to film today because Carla wasn’t going to be available tomorrow, which frustrated me because Jason should have told me. Then, Carla said that she will do it. Even though she has a revise for a test, I didn’t like that she is missing out on revision but I felt much better that she could do it and now I have to find a male actor. Hung was also supposed to come but I didn’t message him because there would be no point of him coming.

After searching hard, I found an actor who can act in my film, his name is Bola and he wants to be a director but does acting. I am glad that I remembered that about him, otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to film tomorrow. I sent him the script and he loved it and that it is a good storyline. I think that I did a good job writing the script and coming up with the storyline but it was nice that someone else thought it was good too. I told him when we were going to start, which is 10-11am and what to bring. Also, I messaged hung telling him when to come to my house as well.

21.2.16

Today was an amazing day, I filmed quite a lot. The things I had filmed today were:The ending of the film; some of the flashbacks at the park, where Dylan sneaks up on Ana along with the stranger and the flashback where Ana teaches Dylan Portuguese. It was very productive and everybody did a great job. Before filming each scene, we would practice the lines and rehearse the movement. I think that my directing was good and the shots taken were fantastic. I used my Canon 550D attached with a lens that I bought 2 weeks ago; the 28mm lens by Mikaton. It was very good in capturing the moment and filming. I also used my standard lens 18-35mm lens.

I think that it went quite smoothly today, the only issue was that we had to change the park that I intended to film in and went to a different one. Bola (one of the actors) suggested a park called Spa Park near Exmouth Market. It is much nicer than the park I wanted to use, so I am very grateful that we moved. Also, the scene where Carla (who is Ana is the film) teaches Bola Portuguese is kind of grainy, which means we may need to film it again, next Saturday.

Next Saturday, we would be filming the rest of the movie, hopefully, everything will go smoothly so that I can finish it on time.

22.2.16

I woke up today and started editing the footage together that I had shot yesterday. I think that it looks phenomenal and it is getting me even more excited to film and edit the rest. The only problem with the footage is the sound, so we may have to have one day where we dub over the sound which may be difficult. But, I have faith.

I got a second opinion from my friend Tia. She said ‘it’s good but it needs to be fuller because it was looking a bit flat’. I took this feedback into consideration and added more contrast, which was beneficial.

27.2.16

Today was a good day. Hung, Patricia, Bola and Carla came over to my house, so that we can start filming the scenes I set out to do. We started filming around 12, we got most of the scenes done. I had to change one of the locations in my film, which I didn’t want at first because I didn’t want to change the script. However, I had to be open-minded and we filmed in a restaurant called Grillas instead, Grillas was suggested by Bola. It was a nice place to film plus, we got mini free milkshakes from the owner which was nice. We did 3 scenes in the morning and 1 one in the afternoon, so it was a productive day. We filmed the argument scene, the dates scene, the Portuguese lesson scene again and the montage scene at the park. I am pleased with the outcome of the footage , I think that I mirrored the style quite well.

28.2.16

I went to Carla’s house to film a scene. I had to change the scene from being a party to a small gathering of two. Unfortunately, the people I asked to show up did not, so we had to improvise. The only person that came was Hung however, he was already in a previous scene therefore,so he had to operate the camera with my direction. It went very well, it was kind of difficult but achievable. I had to act, which was funny. When I got home, I started to edit the footage that I filmed today and some of the footage filmed yesterday.

3.3.16

Today, I edited the rest of the film, I think that it looks great. Just need to make sure everything is correct so, I can upload it to Youtube tomorrow. I had to cut out a few scenes from the film however, I still think that it looks really good.

4.3.16

Today, I uploaded the video onto my channel. I absolutely love the result. Then, I got feedback on the final product, after that, I gave my opinion on their feedback and an overall conclusion on that page. Once, that was done I did the evaluation of the whole project.