Choosing A Script

After finishing my script and handing it in so that the other groups were considering whether to make it or not, my group and I had to choose the script that we would most like to produce. After sifting through scripts during class and at home whilst browsing minerva (our university website, where all of our work is), we decided to narrow down films to the ones that used themes that interested us the most, and that were doable for a production of this size (no budget).

We came to the conclusion that our favorite 3 scripts were:

The Industry by Liz Scott
This is a mockumentary about the film industry. I think this would work to make a really good short film, as last years winner of virgin shorts cgi-brows mocks one aspect of the film industry, and this would appeal to similar spectators. Convincing actors may be a problem, but we though that we could interview people in front of blue screen, as it would be something I would like to learn.



A Justified Presumption by Lyndon McGukian
This film is a lot more serious and current, as it follows a boy who is friends with an old man, who his parents say he shouldn't see. This I feel would create a heart warming tale, however due to parents and an old man in the script. We all feel that this would make producing the film difficult.

Treatment by Luke Phillips
This script is about a man with Schizophrenia, who does mad things without his medicine, without realising. Although we feel the script takes a naive look at the disease as his girlfriend is able to control him when he hasn't taken his drugs, we feel that we could develop the situations that he gets in to. This would mean making the film more of our own than the other two; but more work.

Although we have not yet 100% decided, I feel that we will probably do Treatment as we are all interested in translating the dual perception of the protagonist 'Vincent' to the screen. At this moment in time I feel that the other two scripts are too risky (A Justified Presumption, due to the actors) and too subjective (The Industry, whether the actors can be 'funny' with the lines). However, if these things weren't an option I think that we would have a much tougher job picking.

My Script... To Whom This May Concern

If anybody is wanting to make my film I have just found a cool local website! Its a taxidermy company called head and tails, who rent out loads of cool taxidermy. I'm not sure of the prices so you would have to inquire. But they even have rogue taxidermy animals available in their unusual collection here is one of their animals (the crowbit)...
And if they charge too much money you can always murder/strangle/suffocate and then stuff your own.

My Script... 2nd Draft

Its done my second draft is complete and is now out of my hands! After developing this script I feel that I have given all of the incidents causality and made its elements clear. When changing the script I added in more description to events, in order to make it so that I am the first director of the script making the reader envision things the way I felt that they should happen. For example in the first script where I had:

Konrad steps back and admires his creation, and proceeds to take photographs.

This has now changed to:

He grabs a digital camera out of a drawer and takes a photograph.

This small change about the description of something changes the way it is envisioned by the reader. As the second insinuates a close up of hands grabbing the camera and the a wide shot; as opposed to the first which only includes a wide shot.

One of my main issues was that he saw an article in the paper and from there seemed to decide that he was a taxidermist and he would make an animal. At first I thought of the film in a cartoonish way, where things would just appear, and everything would be very far fetched. However, I have now addressed this issue, as even though it slows down the script a little it is important to get you in to the story, and understand the circumstances more.

Did I mention I had !*!* 2 NEW CHARACTERS*!*! and they are better than Poochy and Rufus (left and right). Usually new characters are rubbish and ruin everything as we know it, but the one place they don't is in an undeveloped script. As I aforementioned that I wanted my film to be silly and cartoonlike, with fast paced unreal environment. It seemed some PEOPLE felt that it was necessary for there to be a medical test of some sort before he gets awarded to suspend belief in the story. It happens that these PEOPLE were right, so thank you. My two new scientists take on the roles of enthusiastic scientist (William) and not so enthusiastic scientist (Benjamin). This works as William, who is blinded by potential fame convinces Benjamin the same, along with the medical tests that return positive.

Although the script has adjustments to be made to it before it is put in to a production. I feel as if I have laid solid foundations for a good film to be made from it, as the story is told well, which is a good start for any film maker. Despite the fact that I didn't want anybody to take my baby like Angelina Jolie. I now hope that somebody does, as it would be quite a compliment. I feel that from this process I now know how to write a good script, that it leaps from the page in to the readers mind. So here it is have a look!

Scripts!

After browsing the Internet looking for the script for Darren Aronofsky's movie Pi to see how he dealt with an unwanted visitor at the door with somebody suspicious inside. I discovered an illegitimate cousin of IMDB called IMSDB, which contains a very wide range of scripts from released film. Although this site is very good, I am still uncertain whether the scripts are originals or reproduced by film fans. This should make good reading and help me develop ways of script writing, sadly there aren't any examples of short films that I have searched, as these would help more!

My Script... Developing My 2nd Draft of 'Hippophant'

After receiving feedback on the first draft of my script from fellow students and my tutor, I have decided that the elements of my script that needs to be tampered with are mostly to do with its narration. But I have decided that I am definitely keeping the end as it is because I feel it reflects my own personality and therefore artistic trait. However, In my second draft I need to:

• Establish the financial predicament that Konrad is in.
• Create characters that are scientists that run tests on the hippophant before it is unveiled.
• Take out the phone call and the TV report.

One of the most worrying comments about the translation of my script to screen, is that people are worried about the creature itself. However, I hope to build my script in to one that that uses strong causalities, where the object or idea is interchangeable. By developing strong characters and cause and effect scenarios, my script can be easily adapted in to any story surrounding the morals of fraud. So back to the drawing board!

Software... BumpTop

Just found this interesting new application for mac called BumpTop. It is a whole new approach to your desktop, recreating a real messy desk/office space. It looks pretty cool, including but the piles look like they could make everything a little complicated. But I'm sold on the secret walls! Sadly I can't run it because I have OSX 10.4, but below is a little introductory video.



P.S is anybody there?? Because I feel like I am writing these blogs for me!!

My New Group!

Although the knowledge of who is in my group was determined last year as we are all good friends at uni. I myself am a co-producer, which will help as me and the other producer can work together to get everything sorted. Consider this as its official revealing with their roles within the film we are going to make...

1. Gustav Newby - Director

2. Elspeth Wild - Co-Producer

3. Mark Davies - Camera

and last but not least 4. Josh Montague - Sound

Here is our group for our next untitled project. We don't yet have a collective name. But familiarise yourself because your going to be hearing a lot about them. So click their names to see their blogs and find out a bit more about them!

I think we are all hard workers, like-minded and determined which will get us focused and help us work well together. In our last groups we were all let down by others and just wanted and still do want to make some credible short cinema!

I Like Sound :)

Today I watched Paris Je T'aime which is a film that is made up from 18 shorts set in Paris, one of which is made by notable directors The Coen Brother's. Whilst watching, one of the many shorts really appealed to me, directed by the genius behind Belleville Rendez-Vous Sylvain Chomet, this short applies the knowledge of animated sound design in to a motion picture.



This film made me reflect on the possibilities of sound, and things that could have possibly been achieved if I would have worked more on it throughout the production of Man Without A Movie Camera.

My Script... The 1st Draft

After developing the principle ideas for my script I have written a first draft for 'Hippophant' (which is here). The sad part of the story is that the script can be used by anybody else on my course to make as their final film of the year, and it will be hard to part with my 'baby'.

I feel that maybe I need to add more stylistic elements due to its obscure nature, which I have found difficult to do without directing the film. I am thinking of changing the end, to the protagonist in a police cell? Or possibly just back at home? So please read it and comment, telling me how I could possibly improve it or what you like about it!

Hope you enjoy the read.

Inspired!

After taking a look at these photographs from Christmas day by photographer Ian Vists, I know exactly what I want to do for Christmas next/this year, and it isn't eating turkey, how cool would it be to make a film on Christmas day in these conditions (Click for whole Album)


Looking through the album, has made me think how amasing it would be... Sorry Mum!

My Script... The idea

After racking my brain for hours about what the hell I was going to write my script about it hit me and now Hippophant is my latest project.

The title evidently being an amalgamation of a Hippopotamus and and Elephant, follows a broke taxidermist Konrad Abagnale (another amalgamation of two world famous fraudsters Konrad Kujau and Frank Abagnale Jr.) Konrad however isn't any old animal stuffer! He is what is known as a rogue taxidermist, who puts animals together to make new ones. In fact there is a chance that one of his associates made this.

After seeing an article in the paper of a man who made million off of a new drug that turns humans in to dogs (La Vie d'un Chien). Konrad has an idea and makes himself a new animal, The Hippophant takes some snaps and posts it all over the internet creating mass hysteria! Soon enough he is contacted by National Geographic who ask him to bring the animal for it to be unveiled and reward him with a cash prize! He goes along and everybody believes him, leaving him with what he wanted... But then the trunk falls off! Leaving him back at square one.

I feel that it works well as a story due to its linear narartive, but the actual element of rogue taxidermy may prove to be very difficult for the film maker to recreate. Also the ending is quite ambiguous, which I personally like, but may change.

Man Without A Movie Camera

So it took a lot of work, and then when I exported it, it came out with the colours whiter than expected. Editing on screens can be deceiving, and even when the whites are white, everything sometimes look a little bit washed out and cold, and I have experienced this from my last 2 edits. The editing for this film was pretty straight forward after I had practice from the short advert me and Gus made. In the edit we never had much choice for shots as we shot what we needed, this may have made it a simpler job, but next time I think I will try to get a wider range of shots.


I had some good fun filming this project. But I didn't get to do the sound design that I wanted to do for it, I found my time being taken up by covering other people in the group and I can honestly say without my input the film would never have happened. As I played a big role in constructing the script, the casting, the shot list/schedule, making sure everybody could make certain times and the whole of the edit. Meaning that in the pre-production and post-production weeks my time was filled with doing work for this film.

I was happy however to be a part of the script writing as I know this would help me in the future. I felt that this was a good collaboration between me and Luke, combining ideas that we had came up with in class with Gus to make a light-hearted script. This was a change from our initial dark ideas for desire, one of which being a pedophile wanting a child.

In hindsight I'm glad I made it as I learned a lot of production techniques that will help me in making my next film. However, I am still cynical about working with people that I don't know, luckily on our next project we get to choose! I can now put this all behind me, and take on from it what I need to. Anyway here it is, so let me know what you think!