BA(Hons) Film Tim Francis

CPD BAF1302 & CPR BAF1303

Coloured coded to show the difference between CPD in BLUE

and CPR in RED

and the overlapping things in common are depicted as GREEN

There are a couple of segments in black because thet do not respond to any kind of alteration (I think they were screenshots) but they are colour coded above and below with text

This film I shot is a book signing that is for the task Andy James set today 09/01/13 for us asking the question of how to turn a realism type film into a naturalism piece.....and the sound I recorded of how audio is to be 'converted' in a similar way.

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This is further research on the link between REALISM & NATURALISM in the cinema

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REALISM & NATURALISM IN CINEMA

Realism and naturalism in the arts generally were a response to romanticism in the 19^th century

REALISM

The roots of realism connected with the cinema date back to Stroheim and Murnau from silent cinema.

The Italian neo-realists of the 1950’s came close to establishing ‘realist perfection’. The perfect and natural link to actuality, which brings about a feeling of truth.

There are enlightenment, critical and socialist realism.

Frierich Engel the social scientist , philosopher and a father of Marxist theory has been credited with the expression ‘typification’ – ‘the truthful reproduction of typical characters in typical circumstances .

The actual structure of a film as a medium of placing reality makes it suitable as a realist construct.

German Expressionism was a form of realism that later influenced horror and noir in Hollywood.

In the 1930’s John Grierson documentaries concerning social realism were later introduced into narrative cinema into such movements as Italian neo-realism 1940/50’s ..the Free British Cinema and The British New Wave and the cinema verite in 60’s France.

Images on screen are not reality, but what the French film critic and theorist Andre Bazin called ‘TRACINGS OF REALITY’.

Realism dwells on the human rather than the divine and Naturalism achieves definition as realism’s supplement.

The element of ‘deep focus’ in Citizen Kane 1941 restored the visible continuity found in reality. The action is not broken into pieces but is allowed space and time to unravel. Not focusing on the image the camera captures the whole field of vision.

Ken Loach with the 1960’s and onwards -Cathy Come Home, Poor Cow, Up The Junction. Kes… exceeded realism and naturalistic tendencies on screen. He tended to chase the headlines for contemporary themes.

More recently in the 90’s he created more narrative and character led offerings in the shape of Riff Raff, Ladybird Ladybird, Carla’s Song, My Name Is Joe, Hidden Agenda.

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NATURALISM

Andre Antoine in 19^th century theatre of bourgeois drama was known for a ‘slice-of-life’ realism on the theatre stage. Utilising realistic décor, controversial stories and naturally delivered dialogue. This created the mood and scene for the audience to suspend belief easier. Which translated later to the cinema screen.

Naturalism made its way from literature to cinema in the 1950’s and 60’s reflecting the economic and social malaise in post-war Britain.

With Bazin’s and Kracauer’s (German born writer sociologist and film theorist.. His book ‘Theory of Film: The Redemption of Physical Reality is on my reading list.) view of naturalism is that it becomes a ‘hi-fi’ realism of showing the same characteristics of realism but nevertheless it is presented as more realistic and raw.

Naturalism in the cinema comes across as documentary, docu-drama such as my previous ‘Trip Noir’ module submission. And the British New Wave and ‘Free Cinema’ of Lindsay Anderson ‘If….’ ..’O Lucky Man! ‘Pilgrim’s Progress ‘ and ‘This Sporting Life’…. and Tony Richardson’s ‘The Loneliness of the Long Distant Runner’ and Karel Ziisz’s ‘Saturday Night, Sunday Morning’….

I VALUE THIS RESEARCH TO TAKE WITH ME THE PRACTICE OF SIMPLIFYING AN AUDIO AND MAKE IT MORE INTO ‘REALISM’

AND MAKE IT OVERTLY CLEAR TO VIEWERS FOR THE IMAGES TO BE CONSTRUED AS NATURALISM BY MEANS OF SIMILAR TECHNIQUES

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The following is a classic example of what we have been discussing from Tarkovsky's 'Sculpting In Time'
1986 I am currently reading.

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“I once taped a casual dialogue. People were talking without knowing they were being recorded. Then I listened to the tape and thought how brilliantly it was ‘written’ and ‘acted’. The logic of the characters’ movements, the feeling, the energy- how tangible it all was. How euphonic the voices were, how beautiful the pauses, … No Stanislavsky could have found justification for those pauses, and Hemingway’s stylistics seem pretentious and naïve in comparison with the way that casually recorded dialogue was constructed…This is how I conceive an ideal piece of filming: the author takes millions of metres of film, on which systematically, second by second, day by day, and year by year, a man’s life, for instance, from birth to death, is followed and recorded, and out of all that come two and a half thousand metres, or an hour and a half of screen time (It is curious also to imagine those millions of metres going through the hands of several directors for each to make his film- how different they would all be ! )”.

Andrey Tarkovsy …Sculpting In Time 1986

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Kelly McDonnell - still from film ..actress/dancer for Sinews of Peace

One of the most visual ways to ‘advertise’ film artifacts are at specially designed industry festivals. In 2012 one of my films ‘Sinews Of Peace’ these was accepted at Tribeca in New York, which was personally supported by being in attendance. It received mentions and reviews in a few editorials both sides of the Atlantic:

REVIEWS for Sinews Of Peace

”Tribe magazine is pleased to announce Tim Francis from Plymouth will show his short film, Sinews of Peace in NY at the Tribeca Film Festival” Tribe is a digital arts platform, showcasing the best in creative arts practice in 100 countries & 500,000 people.

“Plymouth student debuts work at international film festival”. 247 Magazine March 27, 2012. (65,000 + readership)

“From an abandoned farm to the Tribeca Film Festival “ Filmmaker Magazine, American quarterly publication (60,000 readers) Apr 24 2012.

‘Sinews Of Peace’ by Tim Francis beat competition from 2,700 others for a screening place at the Tribeca Film Festival, New York Plymouth Evening Herald. March 30,2012 (60,000 plus circulation)

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GROUP DISCUSSION

09/01/13 Room 1.22 PCA

This turned quite well with everyone bringing something to the table to discuss their prospective filming ideas. Some brought more than others and some brought nothing. But Andy managed to illicit some evidence of forethought on each person’s intentions.

Sam …offered for his project that “cool dialogue is good to hear”…and philosophical rampage wouldn’t sometimes be real and the subject could just as easily convey realism with a mutter or chewing his nails etc.………He commented on how he was not very good at meeting any kind of deadline …so we all offered some techniques in helping with personal motivations to form good habits etc.

Bev…Is willing to try a realistic script where there is a type of falseness to it…maybe a conversation between two people and a mock set with a window offering a different view on the actual making of the film to let the viewer know of the difference and they can see the artifice…maybe using projectors etc.…..I offered maybe to search graphic design or architecture students for ‘Auto Cad’ type designs of her mock-up set…and drew her attention to Pipilota Rist , the Swiss vide installation artist who specializes in projections merging etc.…with ‘EVER IS OVER’

Also showing her the 'virtual space' type theory paintings of Georgio Panini
{Italy} (1691 - 1765 )

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Frieda wants to work with colour filters to experiment with the texture of film that makes a film that pretends (kind of ) to be a film..influenced by Malcolm Le Grice ,Larry Clark and Boris Leeman...to explore tracking and dolly work and their relationship

Ben will probably go for a documentary type film as advised previously by Andy...he liked the idea of the photo exhibition he had seen at the Tate Gallery from William Klein and Daido Moriyama and would like to be inspired by this......

William Klein and Daido Moriyama Tate Gallery

Ben also would like to involve his love of Salsa and Kung Fu in some connection and experiment with the people who come to his group meetings. We offered some advice on filming techniques he could maybe utilise.

Isaac would like to kind of make two films ...maybe in the vein of the original 'Alice In Wonderland' ...with less nonsense and a bit more suspense ...kind of dark ..with references to 'Seven' the movie and Lars Van Trier ..he is in good company...I added that Nicole Kidman really impressed me with her acting ability and ventured that the method of the set from Von Trier could have increased her motivation as a stage actress would normally interpret.....Andy suggested the 'Total Theatre ' magazine and the 'London Mime Theatre' which I will also check out

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How do I generate ideas for filmmaking

… and develop them

(This was from the lesson on 16/01/13)

There have been times when I have turned over in my mind a kind of sequential images to portray a scene. This has led to at times clarity of vision and most other times a kind of confused plot conundrum.

I’ve also written down some really vivid dreams as soon as I’ve woke up….these have been developed into further sequences in some of the films.

Method writing with different characters in mind has been helpful, and allowed for greater intuitive collaborations.

Listening to music and making my own , and playing different instruments builds up a montage of visions that combine to enhance a storyline .

Letting the characters develop by means of deepening their motives and assessing their interaction with each other. Thus creating a flow of the actors can feel free to interpret their roles and develop their improvisations individually . giving themselves scope to be ultra-creative, but nevetheless remaining with the confines of the original script.

Real life experiences are a major source of ideas and how best to develop them takes many forms…such as recreating some, or using them as a base to compound an idea…and reliving other peoples’ experiences to rework them into a story.

Lately I’m getting so much inspiration from paintings by the original Masters…I either research those that have influenced filmmakers and find out a lot more of their biographies and further investigations into their work and political and social climate.

I am trying to develop this knowledge into a kind of therapy art which as in the works of Andrey Tarkovsky will find its own divinity in the poetics of film.

Also when the modules have been assigned to us in the last two and a half years the parameters have been set . This has enabled me to , at most times, to instantly envisage a plot or storyline ,or at least a direction to take, to research further information connected to that original thought.

I’m also interested in developing Suzie Templeton’s animations with self-made puppets and still photography to then produce a segment of my final film in animation.

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This is a lighting exercise with cut out silhouettes that Kat and I produced in a rolled up pice of paper with holes in shining the light and moving and interconnecting both....with additional audio and some effects for storyline to emerge.

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PITCH

Pitch is like a mini-artist statement and can reference one’s track record and who collaborators could be.

If one is pitching for fine at it would be conceptual in relation to other filmmakers, or gallery spaces and distributors.

ESSAY

What type of things would push me and what would an audience think of my work?

Where would my work fit in with existing artists?

How would I use my medium for my particular style and vice-versa?

What do I have in common with my aspirations?

But how are my inspirations not like me in another way?

TREATMENT

A treatment is a kind of back up to the pitch in writing. Will be what I’ve learned and maybe not what I want to show the rest of the world.

SPACE IN CINEMA

DEEP SPACE …This can be a two dimensional surface but with an illusion of depth.

With several longitudinal planes on a one point perspective.

Shaping change, size dimensions and textural diffusion.

Colour and tonal separation and up/down position.

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FLAT SPACE …The walls are frontal and there are no longitudinal planes or converging lines.

The actors are staged on the same horizontal plane.

They’re the same size and have the same amount of textural detail and any movement will be parallel to the picture plane.

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LIMITED SPACE …The depth cues can include size change, textural diffusion and up/down positions and tonal separation. But there are no longitudinal planes, only frontal surfaces.

Longitudinal surface is central in creating limited space.

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AMBIGUOUS SPACE… This can portray an impossibility to distinguish an actual size and spatial relationship in the frame.

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MOCK PITCHES

24/01/13

In our group of 9 we discussed and presented our versions of how we would Pitch for our individual projects.

Lewis intends to use projections in the gallery space to make a work of art incorporating the ability to simulate windows on the wall. He is looking for an Arts Council type funding opportunity.

Isaac will conceptualise two series of films leading to final composition. He wants to create a fictional space from real spaces. Wanting it to be an independent art piece not necessary in a gallery space.

Eve has a title ‘Chain in your face’ for her film. She is making it as a dry comedy with an undercurrent story with a reveal finale. I t will feature communication issues and personas. One of the scenes will be at a party with a ‘Jacques Tati type feel.

Alix (new student) is intending to use animation and stills involving the charity N.S..P.C.A…concerning child abuse and to be in black & white.

Eve asked what kind of b&w and I suggested there are plug-ins to give a ‘Super 8’ look because that was the preferred type of finish Alix wanted. I also suggested she could shoot in colour for better image to work with in post for desaturation then. Thirdly I advised to watch ‘a local filmmaker called Jojo who had invoked video and some animation into a film concerning sensitive type issues.

Ben is not really happy with his chosen work for his project but wants to complete something worthwhile. He will take a camera to his Kung Fu class..

I advised him that whatever he did would show through if his heart was in it 100%.

Bev is interested in conveying what a question about how the viewer perceives things and how much is recognised. Two characters will be used and the audience will know the story and its unravelling before the characters. A lot of mise-en-scenes with a twist at the end. But hasn’t worked out a script yet.

I asked if she’s concentrating on the structure and trying to fit a story to it instead of vice-versa to just tick the boxes as it were and she realised that her story would be better served by developing it now….She had taken my advice from the last session and watched ‘Pipalotta Rist ‘ the Swiss installation/projector filmmaker/artist that I had recommended for her.

Tim. I explained my own project would take the form of a post-apocalypse story with five tribes left alive. With Sedna/Mandy a dual role as the preordained leader of the all-woman tribe as the Sea Goddess mythological character. That I wrote the Treatment as an extended piece of writing in a free flow context recently. It became a type of screenplay with camera position and different camera appliances. Dolly and tracking and overhead shots etc. for every scene. I would be considering this work as in a business type installation setting with an eye on the festival market and this 15 minute film is my calling card to develop this actual storyline with increased character development and interaction for a Feature Film type funder.

Or indeed, the script as it is, to be a viable commercial proposition for outside purchasers to professionally develop a production for distribution.

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I watched Suzie Templeton's films and enjoyed her description in person in our college's Studio Theatre about her work.

These stills from the animation film 'peter and the Wolf' made by her has inspired me to contemplate making my own puppets for my final film .

I will try and morph myself running into a dog .

The first two stills from the film below show the lifelike recreation of the end product

There were 25 frames per sec needed for the production and she took 2 stills per movement , approx 9,000 photos for the 5min or so film.

The second two photos show the actual size of the puppets and how incredibly small but flexible armatures they have.

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Puppet outfits & cut-out figures for back-scenery

24/01/13 Laser induction was an interesting learning curve.

I’ve an idea to use cut-out figures that I design as props for added scenery in my final film.

Also to design the clothes to laser for the puppets to wear that I make for the animation scenes.

I intend to manufacture the puppets’ clothing for Sedna and myself for what will be screened.

I can take a design into Photoshop and with the grey scale save it as a jpeg and load into Illustrator and complete a Vector design.

The designs can be either engraved, cut or both using, for example, Raster or Kiss Cut.

SNOOP DOGG

I'm also interested in how 'Snoop Dogg' transforms/morphs into a dog for his 'What's My Name' video a few years ago

Below are the stills of the transformation and also the brief video clip.

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The book by Tony Grant 2002 AUDIO FOR SINGLE CAMERA OPERATION is one that I will have to permanently get hold of as a workable manual in broadcast audio. Everything from which type of Mic to the usefulness of a one-man operation as a cameraman who needs to have that professional complete sound at his, or her fingertips.

His experience with the BBC as a freelance lighting cameraman and consultant relies inherently on his sound engineering pedigree. In his career he has covered sport, drama, corporate and commercials and I can apply the basics of what he has to teach us at every turn and gradually the more complicated stuff will also become a fixed everyday attitude to filmmaking for me…. well I hope so..At least I can learn from his photographed lay out of kit to compliment a well written knowledgably account of how I can use sound importantly.

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These are some story boarding ideas for my final film project I've been playing around with ...I will upload some more definitive ones soon

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Further Research

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Researching Mike Figgis provides me with a very sound piece of logic. That having your creative fingers in many art pies can pay dividends. Keyboard player with Bryan Ferry in the early days followed by performing in the theatre and making his first low-budget feature around the 40-year-old mark. Eventually making Internal Affairs and Leaving Las Vegas with an Academy Award nomination. He’s had his fair share of ‘flops’ …but isn’t that just another word for a fickle public at large just unable to “get it”….His digital forays have empowered his standing with the four screen Timecode .

Interestingly his company ‘Shooting People’ which champions the use of the small camera to be more of an independent artist in the true spirit of the word. Giving us the Fig-Rig , the steering wheel look-a-like perfect easy to work in ‘capturing movement at a steady angle with lightweight maneuverability.

His mobile phone worldwide combination of snapshots to make a film commands great respect.

Which leads me nicely into his book Digital Filmmaking 2007. Very good for me right now to read this book for aspiring filmmakers with a lot of valuable tips. Ironic really when you consider the advice is how budget filmmaking can utilize ideas, ingenuity and vision rather than depending on funding to magically appear.

Very useful and interesting about Super 8 back in the day.

He can let you into the private world of the insecurities of the industry but spins together interesting an illuminating tips on lighting (pun definitely intended)

He has a valid observational critique of what matters to him ..and indeed us …He explains that he made his first film on 16mm, then began using 35 mm…and later working in Hollywood with professionals ..and he had to say…he wasn’t impressed….CLASSIC.

BELOW is the Mini-Script I wrote largely as a continual piece of work . I had the images of the scenes in my head ,with which type of camera angles and shooting equipment to use with the location in mind and the interaction of the characters I developed. So I was able to conceptualise the actual continuity of the story as I was actually writing. This proved exceptionally beneficial and reminded me so much of the way I used to write my school essays over 40 years ago.

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MINI-SCRIPT

Tim Francis

‘THE UNCOVERING’

Fade in

Scene1

Shot 1 (long take)

Sun coming up on the horizon from an over–the–shoulder shot of a figure to left of screen. We can make out four figures seated in the distance and raising their hands slightly in a rhythmical fashion, staring at a lone figure close to them, swaying back and forth. The camera is then concentrating in close-up on ‘Prospector’, the tribe leader’s face and his gaze towards the sultry woman on the edge of the bay in the distance that is the centre of the activity. There is a pull-focus from his face to that of ‘Mandy’ who is weaving her body in a ritual tribal movement.

She is idolising the sunrise and dancing in a trance to the frenetic opening music we hear, that will reappear at rousing times throughout the film.

Camera pulls back and pans to reveal four of the survivors in the ‘Time’ tribe who are drumming on their African Djembes which we pick-up as a switch in music.

‘Arty’- intelligent, captivating and is always conjuring up food for the group.

‘Carla’- considered scary for her strange ways, but has a gift for poetry and music.

‘Jocelyne’- the life and soul of the tribe who is the philosophical tutor to the younger members.

‘Dawn’- the effervescent curator of the tribe’s lost aeroplane museum.

The camera now has all five of them in view and she is in unity with them, enraptured in dance, to their pounding rhythms and eventually she glances out to the sea and we view what she sees in an over-the-shoulder shot. -The waves breaking on the foreshore and the camera zooms-in slowly as to be inside the waves, the drumming stops and the lone sound of waves engulfs us and we are immersed in them.

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Scene 2

Shot 1

…Into the animation portrayal of a mermaid-type creature swimming underwater in a euphoric state to sound of the other piece of soft, enchanting music that will feature throughout the film.

… After a while, there is a close-up of the mermaid’s face.

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Scene 3

Shot 1

Transitioning to the face of Mandy still with the same soft music as she glides majestically toward her father who is again in awe of her beauty and loving nature.

‘Prospector’- Mysterious, sometimes with magical powers who leads them all on his quest to find ‘Sedna’, goddess of the “sea: their only hope of survival.

Prospector greets his daughter with the words “Mandy the light of my life, today is your birthday and will be the day we will find you.”

She looks at him quizzically and then smiles and starts pirouetting around and around, spinning ever faster till she becomes a blur as a transition to scene 3

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Scene 4

Shot 1

The old Mercedes convertible is in the distance approaching the static camera, to the highly rhythmical African drum and bass music. It becomes clear there are four of the people from the opening scene in the car and two running behind as guards and Prospector is stood up on the driving seat hands raised to the sky in salute. Each member is shot in profile with their individual credits on screen and characterised by voiceover.

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Scene 5

Shot 1

Side-on shot of the car by camera 2 as it passes by acting as a cut-away transition for next shot.

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Scene 6

Shot 1

Dolly and crane shot picking up on where static camera was in shot 1 and lifts up to film an aerial view from above with the car and runners passing below.

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Scene 7

Shot 1

Captured by two static cameras with panning and one roaming camera.

All main characters are sat beside the lake with the rest of the all female tribe gathering together to listen to Prospector giving his farewell speech.

“The vision you all know I keep having, of the other three womanless tribes left alive, is calling to me to find them. They demand I have to run and run and run and don’t stop till I find them in order to bring their elected men back to you.”

Mandy runs to him, he embraces her and he turns them both towards his people and declares.

“Mandy, my daughter has come of age inheriting her true life-force and the rising of the New Age of Myth.”

He takes her by the hand to the side of the lake and we hear him whispering to her.

“Recite the magic poem I’ve taught you since you were a little girl. All the time stare directly into the lake until she appears”.

“Who appears?” she questions.

“You will see and then you will know why!” he reassures.

She starts tentatively but the ever-louder supportive murmur of her people encourages her to complete the verse.

“I saw a child carrying a light.

I asked him from where he had brought it.

He put it out and said..

Now you tell me where it has gone!”

Like a volcano erupting under the sea the sudden gigantic splash of revealing water has everyone spellbound at the emergence of ‘Sedna’ the Goddess of the sea.

The whole tribe, apart from Prospector and Mandy fall to their knees in recognition of their shared collective dream, during the last month that foretold this revelation.

“Worship me not!” Sedna demands in a voice that is not of this world.

“My presence here has demanded I swim through the underworld and all its underground rivers to surface and manifest when my people need me. Soon the ‘Terror Tribe’ will attack you all tot here will be eliminate you from the face of this earth. They will do this because it is their belief that the massacre will be beamed cognitively into your previous life, when billions roamed the world. The resulting fear and panic will maintain their forefathers’ hegemony and control, in the cybernetic virtual world that became the life of your people. Once finished with us here they will destroy the other three tribes and kill themselves for the glory of their promised eternal afterlife.”

Various close up shots of individuals in the crowd shouting out defiant and derisory comments aimed at the ‘Terror Tribe’.

“As you can see my earthly appearance is as if I am a twin of your leader’s daughter Mandy. This is because it is written that she will lead you into victory and salvation. With my spirit soon to be within her for you all to witness. She will empower you to be blessed with the New Children from the coupling with the chosen menfolk from the other three womanless tribes.”

Spontaneous mass giggles and winking and suggestive poses by some and varied vulgar, womanly comments are heard.

“I will be walking on this earth amongst you to guide Mandy into the hills for the initiation and on the return we will be as one, unified as the universally proclaimed leader.”

There are turbulent ecstatic wails, cheering and applause from the crowd and a dance of joy ensues to the African drumming as Sedna and Mandy walk off out of shot accompanied by Carla and Arty guarding their journey. Shot by a static camera facing the same actress (as she is playing both parts, and she walks to the left of screen and then to the right of screen and edited with crop and motion in post, to show her as two separate women)

Camera cuts to Prospector waving goodbye and departing in the other direction.

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Scenes 8/9/10/11/12

There will be shots of Prospector continually running in different locations and presented as split-screen images combined with fast-paced audio both music and motivational tension effects. Then the camera will capture an Aaron Valerio (Walker) painting and animation of Prospector coming to life and eventually morphing, bit by bit into ‘Bella’ the dog. Bella will feature throughout the ‘Terror Tribe’ scenes as their sniffer and fighting dog.

These shots will be interspersed with 2 cuts-away scenes of the ‘Time Tribe’ at home preparing defences, and of Sedna and Mandy during initiation.

Also glimpses of the ‘Terror Tribe’ on the march are introduced to the viewer in two non-consecutive scenes interjected with occasional menacing attributes to provide us with the impending violence and genocide as they head toward the ‘Time’ village.

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Scene 13

Shot 1

The ‘Terror Tribe’ are working their way to the ‘Time Tribe’.

The camera captures them from distance as they weave their way on foot through the countryside.

Shot 2

Close-up of their leader ‘’Stefarq” setting the pace at the front conversing with ‘Walker’ his second-in-command.

They talk about how many roast potatoes they used to eat as kids and how they used to butcher their farm neighbours’ cows for steaks. The talk eventually turned to what they were going to do with the women. They all knew this was going to be massacre of an all an all-female tribe and they were relishing the anticipated sexual gratification coming their way.

Shot 3

A roaming camera is capturing the “Terror Tribe” as they move along, then “Walker”, who is scouting ahead on point duty, silently gestures to his group to stop and be silent. An over-the-shoulder shot of “Stefarq” gives us a view of the trail and “Walker” backtracking to the vantage position which overlooks some of the ‘Craft Tribe’ in a makeshift camp taking a break from their foraging for edible vegetation and berries to take back to their village.

Shot 4

A static camera is high above the trail of the “Terror Tribe” and records “Stefarq” giving the signal to the silently amassing warriors to encircle the enemy’s camp. The same camera position captures them gradually descending and closing in on their unsuspecting prey.

Shot 5 (one of many)

“Stefarq” gives his bird impression whistle to signify the blitz-like attack of the camp. As one, the warriors storm in amongst the relaxing vegans and embark on a bloodbath with guns, machetes, knife, spears and even hammers on the unsuspecting victims. Some of the gatherers’ boys were raped before being finally slaughtered.

There is an overview camera and a roaming camera to capture the choreographed action scenes.

Shot 6

The “Terror Tribe” are filmed regrouping after satisfying their blood lust. There is a close-up of “Stefarq” and “Walker” locking eyes on each other and the camera pans to their blood splattered faces and hands and clothes they wear as they move everyone onto their next target…the “Time Tribe”.

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Scene 14

Shot 1(of many)

There is a long take with the crane and dolly amongst the “Time Tribe” capturing varied shots of the women preparing themselves and their defences from an attack. Tracking and panning shots to each other gleaning the slightest expression of mounting fear in their facial features and body language. Incorporating gradually elevated all-encompassing shots of the isolated group.

Shot 2

Showing the contrast of the insecure and frightened tribe, a receding camera on track framing the revamped and heroic figure of “Mandy/Sedna” strutting in a straight line with the click of her heels on the ground being the only sound we hear.

Shot 3

Then capturing a continuation of same shot from her rear with camera on track following her every step…click, click, click and click her heels giving a confidence to her

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Scene 15

Shot 1

Static camera captures “Prospector’ running into the “Music Tribe’s” village and people are amazed to see him and their leader ‘Joel’ welcomes him with a improvised rap.

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Scene 16

Shot 1

A static camera captures the bulk of the remaining “Craft Tribe” members searching and shouting for their gatherers and stumble on the remains of their slaughtered tribe.

Shot 2

Camera close up picks up the anguished expression of one and pans to another who is crying and another who is getting angry and pan down to the youngest member who has been violated before decapitation.

The audio picks up a shout of “We have to warn our friends in the “Music Tribe” and “We are all doomed anyway because this poor boy (camera zooming in on the young dead gatherer) was the only living person who knew where the “Time Tribe” lived”.

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Scene 17

Shot 1

A static elevated camera captures the “Terror Tribe” moving faster along a trail

Shot 2

A close up shot of “Walker“ as a scout up ahead, picking up the scent of their quarry with “Bella” sniffing the trail.

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Scene 18

Shot 1

An elevated crane shot above and from the rear of the “Time Tribe” seated, but at their posts listening to a pep talk from “Mandy/Sedna” who is captured by zooming in gradually.

Shot 2

Static camera from the face of “Jocelyne” and “Dawn’ panning to the African drums they are playing. These two rapidly promoted ‘Generals’ of the all-women group are the life and soul of the tribe. They have been the philosophical guardians and bringers of fun to the shared gatherings. Now they are preparing their ‘troops’ for war.

Shot 3

With the drumming fading in the distance there is a tracking shot of “Mandy/Sedna” making her way to the sea for a last period of chilled-time reflecting on what she her past and what she has to do now. (With the repeated soft music)

Shot 4

Elevated camera captures her walking back to the hurriedly fortified defences when she hears the sound of a bird she has never heard before…

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Scene 19

Shot 1

“Attack! Attack! Attack! “ Screams “ Stefarq” (The elevated camera picks up the “Terror Tribe” running amok into the village.

Shot 2

Close up roaming camera picks up “Stefarq” charging in and picking each of his victims one by one chanting out his own style of verbal sound effects as he stabs and shoots his way through the melee “Take that…pow…bam…ooouf” he gleefully adds as a sort of perverse after-effect but uttered at the same time as each fist of sharpened steel or boot of vengeance catches an innocent face or groin.

A static camera is used for the choreographed fight/action scenes of other members of his tribe with the ‘Time Tribe’ members.

There is a shot of ‘Mandy/Sedna’and ‘Walker’ glancing at each other. ‘Mandy/Sedna’ becomes separated from the main action during a hand-to-hand combat with ‘Stefarq’. He gains the upper hand knocking her unconscious and is poised to start raping her when ‘Walker’ knocks him to the ground shouting, “Enough is enough!”

‘Stefarq’ is initially shocked to realise that his second-in-command is changing allegiance so dramatically. He feigns a friendly hand of forgiveness to ‘Walker’ but lunges suddenly with his knife in his other hand. ‘Walker’ manages to avoid it but is tripped to be at the mercy of the tyrannical ‘Stefarq’. Who raises his machete to finish him off?

Spectacularly there is an arrow piercing ‘Stefarq’s’ neck and his vexed, surprised expression is captured as he falls to the ground dead.

Transitional shot to ‘Prospector’ lowering his bow and both him and ‘Walker’ rush to ‘Mandy/Sedna’ to comfort her as she regained consciousness to witness how ‘walker’ had saved her and her father’s return.

The rest of the ‘Time Tribe’s’ women have started to retreat and run from the remaining onslaught of the ‘Terror Tribe’ but Jocelyne and Dawn stand their ground and rally their tribe to turn and fight with the sudden influx of help from the ‘Chosen Ones’ of the ‘Craft Tribe’ led by ‘Joel’ swelling their ranks for the counter-attack. The camera is capturing the surprised but pleased look of relief on the women’s faces towards their ‘saviours’ who are equally depicted as extremely happy to be with them.

There are further shots of ‘Prospector’, ‘Mandy/Sedna’, and ‘Walker ‘teaming up with ‘Jocelyne’ and ‘Dawn’ returning to the battle and they stand victorious when all the ‘Terror Tribe’ are killed.

Transitional shot to ‘Mandy/Sedna’ and ‘Walker’ passionately embracing and kissing.

Then there is a camera over view of the men and women pairing off in a respectful way.

FINAL SHOT

‘Mandy/Sedna’ and ‘Walker’ happy in bed with the man on top, whispering, “Glad to be of service Ma’am. It must have been written that we men would come out on top”

With a lighting turn of speed she comes from underneath and sits astride him and declares. “I wouldn’t be so sure of that if I was you!” as the camera picks up her portrayal from behind her and her head turns toward the lens and her face stares directly toward us and she winks.

END

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These four pages are part of the 10 page extended Treatment (as if meant for professional use) and designed for someone to read , who has no idea of the story .. to understand it graphically from just reading through.

I'm writing a different set of Educational Treatment pages for the module with no possible distracting background images....these are of the imagined mythological Sedna and one of the silhouetted 'Terror Tribe'.

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RESEARCH

READING PARTS OF RICHARD PEPPERMAN'S

THE EYE IS QUICKER

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Richard Pepperman’s book ‘The Eye Is Quicker encourages me to develop a craft in telling a story with structure. Editing can be taken a break form and discuss the pace of it in a sharp straightforward focused way.

He works in the School of Visual Arts and explains that the eye is definitely quicker than the hand for the film editor. The exact correct time to make a cut can have severe consequences on the joining of those two images. The eye proves hungry in devouring the intricate amount of meanings from a set of images to the brain. To embrace the how and why of the skill for this is made easier for me in editing with the combined facility of matching sound or music, or vice versa the image needs often to compliment the change of image. He has sound advice to always make the ‘cut’ in action (if possible). This is a safe cut, not always invisible to the viewer but can be not so obviously detectable. When done badly a ‘mental hiccup’ is paramount to the eye responding while the conscious brain queries ‘What happened?’

If the story concentrated with a series of images can enchant the audience it will be accomplished by form and purpose. In most of the arts the idea is the same. To let the pieces of the story , like words in a book , fall away and leave the whole harmony of the story complete to digest . Remembering all the time that cinema is not real life but a an amalgamation of stop and go and all life in between.

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This is my PITCH to my tutor and real potential funders I had invited in early Feb2013

I was meant to pitch to the whole class of fellow students...but they had all finished earlier and went home....This was my correct allotted time and if I had not had the local funding businessmen there , I would have had only one tutor to pitch to.

But it turned out quite well even though I had to adapt the pitch to fit the new scenario and more to explain to the actual funders than anticipated because my original one was aimed primarily for the students as potential funders also and would have been briefer.

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Filmed in the studio theatre for the 'Satefarq' role and om Christmas Day for the 'abandoned city' look , where 'Prospector ' is running and searching for the other tribes.

These are a couple of test shots for casting 'Stefarq' the leader of the 'Terror Tribe' in my final film....and a few clips of myself 'playing Prospector' the father of Mandy/Sedna....running and running in an abandoned city ?

These are a few shots of one of the locations I will be using for the film ...

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Joseph Campbell’s book ‘The Hero With A Thousand Faces’ is opening up so much of the mystery of myths. More importantly I am digesting what he has unearthed from around the world and using that knowledge directly into my final film project –‘The Undiscovered’…maybe a working title…to see if it grows on me for a definitive meaning to explore in the film, as the original title I had in mind was the ‘Uncovering’…. Maybe I should provide an online forum to decide on the choice of names and promote the idea of the film a bit more with online discussion…. there could be commercial, or if not, an entrepreneurial angle to nurture is not a bad second prize.

In his book Campbell shows us that uncovering some of the truths that were, for example, hidden in religion and let the original meaning surface again. Referring to the old teachers who were aware of what they taught and their symbolic ramifications for us to hear.

He uses a lot of psychoanalysis to unlock the speech patterns, as it were, of the symbols. He brings to us the connections throughout history, from all parts of the globe, myths and folk tales that constantly weave their magic for us.

My mythical creature of ‘Sedna’ is so captivating; whichever of the stories you want to believe of her, that I selected the ‘actress’ to play her very carefully. There were several initial possible choices. The more I observed ‘Sascha’ who is a fellow student, the more I became of her natural tendency of displaying a kind of dual personality. Not in a bad way, just a sort of demure serious girl when alone and a youthful exuberant , confident young woman when with her friends. This may be the actual case for a lot of people , however the connection stuck and the innate beauty of her spirit won me over to be able to cast her opposite Joel , another confident keep-fit film student. I imagined, in the sense of the more infamous pairing of superstars in a big budget movie, that a sexual attraction between the two leads would spark a delightful, or absorbing chemistry. The first meeting proved the assumption correct and the at first weighing each other up and verbal challenging evolved into a mutual respect that guarantees me a lot of maneuverability in plotting their on screen trysts.

These are some test-shot photos of cast...

Directing the actresses for the final film 'THE UNDISCOVERED'

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More cast set in the locations for shooting

'The Undiscovered'

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These photos above and the 3min test film below is a guide for the location side of shooting during the next couple of months.. and showing areas of location to cast and crew with the idea of what is expected in the script....The chroma aspect of transforming them in post is not complete yet, these images are purely to accompany the treatment to tell the film's story and to show the cast how they are represented on screen and how to improve and possibly deepen their characters.

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3min test shots of green screening for cast in some of the locations .This is a good guide to crew and cast as to what and where to film on the actual locations for the film.

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TREATMENT for Film as part of CPR MODULES

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ALL THE ABOVE IS RED........................................................................................................................................................
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ESSAY CPR & CPD MODULES

this is all green below (it won't let me colour it either)

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These are some stills from the 3 min 'The Undiscovered' Test film for cast & crew to study and further their knowlede and experimentation with their roles.

Most stills work very well to inspire and imagine a further scene developing with each image. I can use this as a very intricate plot and character interaction with scope for including extra ties-in graphic, action, sultry and sensuous abstract as well as metaphor of social and political observations.

Each of the actors will be able to elaborate on their role and come up with individual interpretations of their own and their fellow actors development and interplay.

The crew will be able to decipher best camera angles, position , perspective and pre-location management. The features of the characters help me with deciding how best to portray their inherent essence and try to reach in and bring their spirit alive.

red

all red above

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RESEARCH

Reading about Beyond Cinema: ‘The Art of Projection, Films, Videos and Installations from e.1965-2005.’is handy if you have a love affair with 16 mm. Even if you haven’t it has that majesty that propels you to want to know more about film and video art. The Hamburger Bahnhof in Berlin was the home to the curators of this amazing film and video series of projections. Featured at the installation was my heroine of the projection world..Pipilotti Rist and the artist as a living art himself Bruce Naumann. I will follow this research up by further investigating the work of the psychologically minded Eija-Lisa Ahtila and conceptual pieces by Rodney Graham both adhering to the 1960’s developments. Also interestingly is Marcel Broodthaers, Dan Graham and Valie Export concerned with identity and body image and film cooperatives.

There is an abundance of work here for me to check out as my interest professionally post graduation is in this field. I love the way an image has no boundaries within a frame and equally I can say something else not readily as a direct response to a theme but as a n connection with the location itself.

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RESEARCH

Raindance Producers’ Lab Lo-To-No Budget Filmmaking is a great starting place for me to begin the journey. I t shows you how to make and sell films,,,just the ticket …simply laid out and a no-nonsense approach to setting up a production company , all shown nicely on a CD-ROM also with budgets, publicity interviews and trailers. Elliot Grove who runs the Raindance Festival and I remember him when I visited there with the college. Purportedly the largest film festival in Europe and he pulls no punches in telling you how to break down a script and get it shot with whatever equipment you have. He gives an insight to life behind the scenes which is always tantalising and interesting. I can definitely use a bit of gossip to further knowledge in that particular direction. Especially since the two guys who were running Prime Cuts last year offered me a sort of internship then and they were going to be collaborating with Raindance….so it’s a small world when you’re inside it.

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THE EYE IS QUICKER (Richard D Pepperman) is becoming my favourite research tool for insights into the world of editing in general, bur the advice and reasoning fro the author enables me to grasp the world of post-production fluidly.

The depiction of the knife throwing scene in ‘The Gangs of New York’ led me to watch it over and over and be amazed how Thelma Schoonmaker relished her cuts to deliver the tension between Daniel Day Lewis and Cameron Diaz. I can try and take this professionalism used in post with marrying the finished result with the choreography on set, Anticipating the editor’s role during the shooting can make for a wonderful coupling of understanding and enhance the editor’s job.

The author further explains how Martin Scorsese acknowledges how when he makes a movie it’s like starting all over again.

The use of a cut away is the editor’s device ‘to get out of trouble’ and is proof of the adage of a picture can tell the story of a thousand words. A perfect way of story showing can be manifested with the profound insert, close-up or otherwise. These are invaluable tools for me to take into my final film and beyond.

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RESEARCH
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I'm researching different ways to bring out the best in novice actors and these excerpts from literature published by Bruce Miller are very illuminating.I like the way he can enthuse an audience of potential actors or as individuals to partake in some game exercises which bring out the various aspects needed .........below is one of those LISTENING !.........

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DIRECTING NOVICE ACTORS

Telling a story through actions .

Of course dialogue is an important part of the storytelling process, but it is only one of the tools necessary to get the story told. Too often students are focused on the words and themselves rather than on their scene partners. They cite their objectives and tactics and then fail to apply them to what is going on in the moment. They rely on the literal meaning of the dialogue rather than on its use in the context of the situation. As a result, they fail to find the story arc the playwright has provided.

Ultimately it is the moment-to-moment give and take that happens onstage between actors that makes the stories being told believable.

Three kinds of LISTENING

1. An actor must be able to listen to the script. This kind of listening involves homework—taking the script home and reading it. From this work, the actor must be able to imagine the script’s story and its potential for making moments—moments that come from reacting to new information, verbally or otherwise. Finding these moments will give the actor a head start when actually trying to listen in rehearsal.

2. An actor listening on stage must be able to hear what an audience hears. That means paying attention to what a scene partner is saying and the manner in which it’s being said. This is no easy task. An actor’s focus is easily distracted by the need to find lines, deliver them effectively, and remember blocking.

3. An actor must be able to listen with all her senses to what’s going on. The third kind of listening is an extension of the second. An actor must be able to see, hear, and react to all the information being put out by a scene partner and the environment, not just to what is being communicated through dialogue.

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RESEARCH

AN EXERCISE IN STORY STRUCTURE

Collect a series of one-line pieces of dialogue that will require a response. Read the line out loud to your students and have them respond physically with beginnings, middles, and ends. You can do this as a group exercise where all your students do the responding at the same time, or you can select individual students to come in front of the class and try responding as the class observes and analyses. Or you can select several students to go in front of the class, and have them respond at the same time. The class can then decide who had the best moments and why. You get the idea. Below are some examples of lines that might make for good moments with beginnings, middles, and ends.

Hey you, come here!
The news isn’t good; the cancer has returned.
I love you.
I know you took the money.
I’m here to tell you you’ve won the Publisher’s Clearinghouse Sweepstakes.
You can have the car tonight.
I saw Ginny-kissing Matt.
We’re having liver for dinner.
Rover was hit by a car.
The doctor says the tumour is gone.
—B.M.

Bruce Miller is director of acting programs at the University of Miami. He is the author of The Actor as Storyteller and Head-First Acting, and a regular contributor to Dramatics magazine and Teaching Theatre. You can reach him at bmiller@

RESEARCH

Bruce Miller

Director of Acting Programs; Associate Professor of Acting

MFA - Temple University

Bruce Miller is Director of Acting Programs and teaches acting, directing, and script analysis. His articles on acting appear regularly in Dramatics Magazine and Teaching Theatre. His textbook on acting craft, The Actor as Storyteller, is published by Mayfield Publishing Company. His most recent book for drama teachers and students, Head First Acting, is available at bookstores. Miller’s stage productions have received many citations including the Moss Hart Award for "most outstanding production" by the New England Theatre Conference in 1992. He has been a recipient of the E.E. Ford Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence, and has been recognized three times by the Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers. He regularly conducts acting workshops for teachers sponsored by the Educational Theatre Association. He is a member of AEA, SAG, and AFTRA; and holds an MFA in Acting from Temple University.

Phone: (305) 284-4128

E-mail: bmiller@miami.edu

I am emailing him to ask if he is interested in allowing me to participate with him in the future as part of a possible M.A in film I would like to pursue in the U.S.A.

I am requesting our college to order in his book 'The Actor as Storyteller'(An Introduction to Acting)

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RESEARCH

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THEATRE TO FILM ACTING

Watching our beloved Oscar winners portray desperate prostitutes, dangerous gangsters, gay activists and troubled musicians. What they gave us in their superb film performances was the heart and soul of these characters, and sometimes heart and soul can be loud, aggressive, pensive, and even hysterically funny. And the size of the performance doesn’t matter one bit, as long as it comes from an authentic place. And that’s because what we consider overacting is not so much the SIZE of the performance, but its lack of authenticity.

Point is, film acting and stage acting are identical in that the creative impulse remains unchanged. And so does the quest for character, the moment-to-moment work, and the need for actors to possess something called an imagination. Yes, there are technical differences, but not anything to worry about. There are things like hitting marks and matching action, but the main difference between acting for the stage and acting for the camera is really just one of logistics.

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TECHNIQUES AND DIFFERENCES OF

THEATRE AND FILM

Unlike the theater actor, who gets to develop a character during the course of a two- or three-hour performance, the film actor lacks continuity, forcing him or her to come to all the scenes (often shot in reverse order in which they'll ultimately appear) with a character already fully developed.
Since film captures even the smallest gesture and magnifies it 20 or 30 times, cinema demands a less flamboyant and stylized bodily performance from the actor than does the theater.
The stage is more friendly to the unattractive, the overweight, and the flawed, while film—despite the advantages of makeup, lighting, soft focus, etc.—is relentlessly cruel to any sign of imperfection in the actor or actress.
The performance of emotion is the most difficult aspect of film acting to master: While the theater actor can use exaggerated gestures and exclamations to express emotion, the film actor must rely on subtle facial ticks, quivers, and tiny lifts of the eyebrow to create a believable character.

In short, film demands a fundamentally different kind of performance work from its actors than does the stage; as D. W. Griffith himself put it, the stage actor projects an emotion or a character to an audience, whereas a film actor must in some way embody and perform these emotions in as true and believable a way as possible. Though some have made the theatre-to-cinema transition quite successfully (Olivier, Glenn Close, and Julie Andrews, for instance), others have not, and there are many examples of silent stars who fell off the movie planet after sound was introduced. They just weren't able to compete with the bell-voiced theatre actors who instantly flooded the studios.

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Theatre Acting.. and its connection to film.

I’m reading the book by Michael Chekhov called “TO THE ACTOR” and part of it describes an analysis of theatre acting since post second -world war Britain.

In the late 1950’s The Royal Court Theatre led the way for a new kind of acting. The previous teachings were denounced as Bourgeois, individualistic, shallow and technical.

Then came R.A.D.A. with its working class and regional roots with training by John Fernald. Mentored by left-wing directors sometimes from aesthetic, sometimes from political perspectives. Investigating mask work, improvisation, theatre games and embraced the theories of Berndt Brecht. Brecht is credited with the ‘Epic Theatre’ and ‘Dramaturgy’. He was born in Bavaria in Germany and left for Scandinavia when Hitler came to power in 1933. Eventually moving to America when the war began. He returned to Berlin in the post-war years and became a huge influence on the strategy and psychology of the theatre.

The theatre atmosphere in England soaked up references to Joan Littlewood at the ‘Theatre Workshop’ in the East End of London.

There was the innovation of the National Theatre at the ‘Old Vic’ and Peter Hall at the Royal Shakespeare Company.

The revolution of acting brought about the dominance of the director. Experiment became all about the design and concept and they were both under the control and auspices of the director. The creativity and fantasy from actors became stifled and the need for instinct and gesture were losing their appeal.

Having lost control of their own performances actors started to leave the theatre. It could never match the money of film and television and if there was to be no creativity rewards in the theatre then remaining would be futile. The theatre’s loss became film’s gain and a future for British Cinema was established.

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RESEARCH

Reading the book 'TO THE ACTOR' by Mikhail Chekhov opened my eyes to the how the 'Method ' came to be and changed...

VLADIMIR STANISLAVSKI VERSUS MIKHAIL CHEKHOV

WHAT DO I WANT?

WHO AM I?

These are the motivations in brief, but very much the essence of Vladimir Stanislavski’s method of theatre acting that became avant-garde in the late 19^th century and held sway in Russia with many influential devotees. The admirers of his technique of teaching acting stretched eventually to America and the attribution of his style of thought was taken up, by among others, Lee Strasberg. There followed a plethora of soon to become, famous actors/actresses who were known as ‘disciples of ‘METHOD ACTING’.

His influence continues with all actors aspiring to give emotionally truthful, many-layered performances based on observation of their own lives. They aim for the credibility, whether approaching from inside out or from the outside in. The result is always the same; the recognisable truth…what else is there?

Mikhail Chekhov (nephew of the famous dramatist) worked with Stanislavski and the teacher stated that his protégé was an outstanding student.

However, eventually Chekhov came to view acting differently. Stanislavski’s worked from experience and Chekhov from the imagination. Which he states is never ending but experience can become used and stagnant. Autobiographical acting would lead to degeneration of talent.

He crystallised Rudolph Steiner’s Eurhythmy, insisting on the vital importance of sound. Whereas Stanislavski sought the subtext, the emotional life behind the word, rather than engaging with the words themselves.

Chekhov wrote in ‘The Path Of The Acts’ ..”f you grasped one phrase, one gesture of the character you had access to all the rest; everything would fall harmoniously into place.

Here was the origin of his famous ‘PSYCHOLOGY GESTURE’ ..the embodied essence of the character, a transforming and liberating principle of being which awakes the character into instant and complete life.

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During a pastoral tutorial with Dan I voiced my concerns with creating my final film with 'political/social' undertones represented with subtle use of metaphor (or otherwise) and he referred me to remember the work of Sam Fuller.....

I'm aware of his work and read a few biographies about him and have watched and discussed several of his movies.

When I originally viewed 'Pick up on South St I was amazed at the energy and gritty portrayal of Richard Widmark's character and his complete disregard for the prevalent political climate he eschewed.

Sam Fuller

Writer, Fighter, Filmmaker

Samuel Fuller, 1912-1997

“Young writers and directors, seize your audience by the balls as soon as the credits hit the screen and hang on to them!” - Samuel Fuller

INT. SUBWAY

A pickpocket makes his way down a subway train, his eyes scanning the passengers. He picks out his mark: a pretty brunette streetwalker with pouty lips and a painted-on dress. He eases up close to her, newspaper in hand. Their eyes meet and remain locked. A sexual attraction is obvious. Like an act of pre-coital foreplay, he slowly opens her purse, his fingers lifting her wallet with surgical precision.

INT. APARTMENT

A woman swings her handbag at the camera: a point-of-view shot from the perspective of a man getting the crap beat out of him. A hot sax solo blares on the soundtrack. The woman is a prostitute, the man her pimp, a drunken slob who’s holding out on her. As she continues to beat him, he tears her dress off, as well as her wig, revealing a completely bald head. She knocks him senseless then squirts soda water in his face so he can see her. He has eight hundred bucks on him, but she takes only what she has coming to her, stuffing $75 into her bra and throwing the rest of the bills in his drunken face.

Those are my thumbnail descriptions of just a couple of ballgrabbing opening scenes by Sam Fuller the ballsiest of American filmmakers. His movies are tough, honest, visceral, unflinching. They’ve often been called pulpy, but if that’s true, then they’re the most poetic pulp fiction that’s ever been created.

Fuller was known for using intense close-ups, off centered framings, and shock editing in many of his films, which were often about men facing death in combat. These scenes were both violent and tragic. Fuller often featured marginalised characters in his films. The protagonist of Pickup on South St is a pickpocket who keeps his beer in the East River instead of a refrigerator. Shock Corridor concerns the patients of a mental hospital. The leading ladies of Pickup on South St, China Gate, and The Naked Kiss are prostitutes. These characters sometimes find retribution for the injustices against them. White Dog and The Crimson Kimono (1959) have definite anti-racist elements.

The above is a definitive film about Fuller by his daughter I watched and a lot of people are influenced by him ...such as Jim Jarmusch Quentin Tarantino and Martin Scorsese praised the way Fuller captured action with camera movement.

This is Jeanne Eagels who was a Ziegfeld Follies girl who went on to become a major star in the cinema and was posthumously nominated for an Oscar for her portrayal in the above film...

'THE LETTER'

Sam Fuller was the first reporter to break the story about her sudden death (still controversy if it was heroin)

I had the notion of creating a 'backlife' for my 'SEDNA' character in my final film and base Eagels as one of her former characters...but will not develop the idea.

FOR ANDY JAMES' LESSON ON 21/03.13 I researched various films for an example of a shot I want to create in my final film project.....I settled on a perfect scenario that captures exactly the sense of time speeding up ...but only by the viewers actual curiosity being aroused...by the skilful use of this fantastic one shot by Pascal Aubier for the film LE DORMEUR(1974)

I've seen this film before but it was called to my attention this morning again. I was reading Andrei Tarkovsky's book 'Sculpting in Time ' on the train traveling to college....and he describes the scene himself .......

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SCULPTING IN TIME

One shot …

The camera controlled with virtuoso skill moves in to take in a tiny dot on a sleeping figure..

The dramatic denouement follows immediately. The passing of time seems to be speeded up, driven by our curiosity. It’s as if we steal up to him as cautiously as the camera.

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This is my practice shots of a similar scenario where I want to pursue the use of pan, tilt and pull focus and further pan and telephoto use to isolate or identify a character

I am demonstrating 'getting my work out there' by arranging my own film festival to show to thousands of festival goers.....

This is the poster I visualised and collaborated with our IT adviser Tendei to make about the Cinema Marquee I will be running in this year's Volks Fest at Newnham in Plympton....the last weekend in May 2013...Thousands of people will be there for the weekend....this is a perfect vehicle for our film students to feature their short films...and for other students on different courses to photograph their work and I will edit for them collectively to be screened....they can send me their work digitally and I will compile a playlist.

There are several other projects I am organising there ... :-

e.g....

for 6 secVINE films made on a smart phone via Twitter at the festival by hundreds of people and sent to me for re-editing collectively and shown on the big screen back to the public as a great form of film interaction.....there will be improvised music played to silent films ...of old and new.....plus many other features.

The clips are of some of the acts for this year and I edited them to appear in the phone as an illustration of what the attraction for film at the Cinema Marquee will be like.

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This is a glimpse of shooting a part of the final film(The Making Of) with kelly's yoga instrumental in the women only tribe being alert for the attack of the Terror Tribe (filmed with a Canon 7d with a 70 to 200 lens.

REFLECTIVE LOG

THIS IS BLUE COLOUR CODED (BUT WON'T LET ME ALTER IT )

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DATE	WHAT HAPPENED	WHAT I THOUGHT ABOUT IT. WHAT I LEARNED.	WHAT I COULD DO WITH THIS PLAN/ACTION.
20/01/13	Rented an art Space by the river in Calstock.	I thought this would be perfect for a lot of uses. I learned that speculating to accumulate is sometimes necessary,	I will use the space for projecting my films and test clips from the green screening to arouse interest. This also serves as a good way of ‘Getting my work out there’. I will also use it as a base for storing equipment and green screening potential actors etc.
22/02/13	Had a talk with my art space landlord about a stretch of river bank in a private house I had scouted for laying out the complete track and dolly.	I thought the place was ideal with its proximity to the river and its secluded positioning Away from the village. I learned that one contact can sometimes lead to another, and so on.	This is the best location in the area and I can store the equipment in a huge store under the house. I will buy a padlock for the double doors and adapt the insurance.
02/04/13	Scouting for Locations.	There were great possibilities in looking at the tin mine ruins. I learned that by using the old with the new I could attach a feeling of rebirth in the film.	I can use the location as an atmospheric setting for the pre-emptive strike on the Terror Tribe by the Time Tribe.
05/04/13	Advertised online in Buy & Sell Facebook page for Calstock & Tavistock area etc for actors.	I thought it was a good idea to create interest and find some more suitable actors. I learned that even a small amount of advertising can have a knock-on effect.	The feedback was good and I’ve created a data-base on file for future use with their names. It also sparked an idea to portray Millie as a child summoning Sedna
08/04/13	Meeting Gavin the saxophonist.	I thought he was a very talented musician who put so much physical movement into his live shows, which would translate well visually on screen. I learned he agreed to the idea for his music to be used for my film.	There is scope to use his ‘Evocation’ piece to my quick fire segment of b&w stills of implied battle scenes. I will use his You Tube version to practise editing until I receive his official recording.
10,18 &27^th /04/13	Invited Dawn and Jocelyne, the two main characters to Calstock for filming in costume.	I thought they were very active in preparing their costumes and be very professional as actors considering they were amateurs. I learned that to look after people during production, paid dividends in performance value.	I can use this experience and always refer to it in my mind –as the best way to create harmony on set and everyone goes away with a positive recollection and willing to resume further down the line.
24/04/13	Meeting another musician.’Ilodica’ and filming and recording him in college against a green screen.	I thought this would work with the bridge as backdrop .I Learnt to make the most of an opportunity.	I will use part of it for the ‘outro’ to the film. Keeping linked in with him for future collaborations will be beneficial.
07/05/13	Meeting to suspend me from college	I thought that this was the most unfair and one-sided interpretation of events. I learned that whatever I consider to be the truth –others will determine their own	I will use this experience to always work independently with or without support.
08/05/13	Met with Fred Beake (My narrator)	I thought that using a Zoom recorder for Fred’s voice was second best to recording him live to the film images. I learned that I could adapt to the situation and viewing the film myself and writing the voice-overs for him to read and transferring from the now banned area of the recording suite in college and find a quiet spot at the university.	I can utilise this by using the experience to be able once again not in a position to depend on any institution that can withdraw its facilities at any given moment. Thus creating a future of self-sufficiency and a free workflow between collaborators.
11/05/13	I travelled from train to Torquay to record Fred Beake again , at his home this time.. for my voice-over narration	I thought this was a good opportunity to write down further ideas for the eventual full length film I intend to make of this final film. I learned that a creative spark never stops and I can adapt myself to change.	I intend to make use of this short college module as a calling card for a feature length film with the live musicians who appear in the film interacting with the viewing by playing their musical contribution live.

ALL THE ABOVE REFLECTIVE LOG IS MEANT TO BE BLUE COLOUR CODED

This is mid-April 2013 in Calstock...renting an art space to project my films and create interest in clips from final film....very good way of 'getting my work out there'

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Transcript of notes taken whilst researching areas of

Recommended Reading Material

‘The Eye is Quicker’…Richard Pepperman

The book is a firm favourite of mine and I had it loaned out for a very long time, reading it from cover to cover a couple of times.

I actually used the quote he made from Luis Bunuel… “In all films, good or bad, cinematic poetry struggles to reveal itself.”

I learned very quickly about his ideas for film editing concerning ‘STORYSHOWING’ as opposed to storytelling.

Each of his chapters gives us a quote that enlightens the subsequent advice very eloquently. Chapter two he uses V.I. Pudovkin’s: …“Editing is the creative force of filmic reality.”

The pictorial-type drawings of stills from stills of scenes in various films is one of the best aids to understanding techniques, I have ever seen…..I especially am interested in how by drawing the stills then the copyright laws take on a different meaning…I mentioned this to Andy James my tutor to pass on to other students as worthwhile further investigation.

His analogy about mental hiccups in editing for when .. “a ‘cut’ is made too soon after a movement begins doesn’t allow for an ‘evolution’ from the quick-eye’s reflex to a mindful response”.

“I never cut for matches, I cut for impact”. –Sam O’Steen

Throughout his book Pepperman refers to the ‘beats’ of editing as crucial to the film as they are to music…and he uses a lot of film clips to demonstrate how they could have been different…if the shot sequence was rearranged…I thought at first how could he take such liberties with other filmmakers’ creative commercial successes….but then when really picturing what he advises and relating them to the particular film’s storyline ..he has a valid point …and it helped me evaluate my own work with editing to assess if any changes are needed .

“Cut for proper values rather than for proper matches”. –Ed Dmytryk

The exerpts from THE EYE IS QUICKER the book from Richard Pepperman ..below..is also meant to be BLUE colour coded

Mike Figgis…Digital Filmmaking

I like his way of explaining how to use any digital filmmaking technology with an emphasis on shooting, lighting, framing, camera movement and the editing concerns of sound and music. He enthuses the reader with the knowledge that a compact camera and editing software on a laptop can take a filmmaker easily anywhere in the world. The examples in his own career are an insight into the filmmaking world. He registers with the reader that each and every one of us can be the auteur and director of his/her movie/film. It’s an easy read and he treats everyone on an even keel with non-industry advice. The advice on working with actors and the practical lighting is sometimes surprising and interesting. He digresses into Super 8 and likes to talk about the ‘good old days ’a bit too much but nevertheless an interesting easy referral book of reminding us that any one can make a film. The story where he makes sure that looking after your camera (OWNING IT) is sound advice…he’s got his first 16mmexpensive camera and his camera assistant had left it under the table on a tiled floor when going to the toilet , and at the mercy of different drunks in the Soho café…he reiterates that if you consider yourself that you OWN the camera a lot more care and respect would go into looking after it…Like another analogy of a soldier taking his gun apart and putting it back together…in order that that piece of equipment could save his life someday then the same for knowing one’s camera could save the day for an important shoot.

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Audio for Single Camera Operation…. Tony Grant 2002

VELOCITY = FREQUENCY X WAVELENGTH

The higher the frequency, the shorter the wavelength of the sound.

In his book there are a lot of descriptions of how sound actually works and how it affects the ear and more importantly for the filmmaker how that relates to a cinematic experience and how best to address these issues. He gives very practical tips throughout….such as….

“Most people can hear up to at least 20 kHz.

On location avoiding picking up noise or vibration transmitted through the floor when using a stand-mic, where wooden floors are a menace…if so the stand needs to be ‘acoustically isolated, from the floor to minimize the disturbance, using some form of absorbent material-thick foam/sponge rubber for example…and the same with a table stand.”

He investigates a lot about the location, shooting for the edit, cassette handling and sync(ing) …mixing mics …splitting tracks…working with assistants …stereo mixing ..live broadcasting and a host of invaluable sound and camera topics.

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FURTHER READING RECCOMENDATIONS

Raindance Producers

Lab Lo-To-No Budget Filmmaking.

This book by Elliot Grove in 2004 deals with the elements of budgeting and preparing a schedule…including script breakdown….He has an interesting personal history of being of Amish heritage from a farm with no training in film.

He’s had no formal film school training yet has “ …acquired dozens of producer credits on shorts and features, having worked as a scenic artist and set designer on over seven hundred commercials and sixty-eight feature films, and running Europe’s largest independent film festival for twelve years”.

Everything he has learned was by watching and doing!

He writes about the example of a friend of his who convinces 50 people to sign a loan agreement at Barclays for £1000 each and the bank agreed to loan him £50,000 for his first feature film ‘Welcome to the Terrordrome,’…Each of them would receive a percentage of the profits if it did well and if not they still had to pay off their debt…It didn’t do well but those 50 people were credited as producers on a feature film that was released in a cinema…. A transferrable asset to be cashed in later as Kudos.

I like his stories he has accumulated over the years with insight into how directors and producers kind of conned their way into the film industry’s financial sector.

Seven Essential Steps for Becoming Rich and Famous by Making a Low Budget Film starts off very interestingly.

I like his perception of 90 minutes per minute of film footage to a lab by 90minutes equals a one and a half feature.

There are so may practical and useful insights and advice in this book to teach an alternative film business class on how to succeed….and why not !

One of his recommended low budget films to watch is ...EL MARIACHI
and here is.its trailer ..

I watched this a few months ago when researching for ...

BEYOND CINEMA: THE ART OF PROJECTION: FILMS, VIDEOS AND INSATALLATIONS FROM 1965-2005.

(Found it when researching part of our recommended reading for the BAF1303 Creative and Profesional Realisation.)

This is the video installation by Peter Weis with the dancer William Forsythe featured in the above and it's good to upload it now to this blog

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Lights, Camera, Action: Working in Film, Television and Video.

By Langham, J. (1997).

These were notes I made about this book in February this year

A book that has an insight into the world of the media including educational qualifications and career options. It goes into detail about technical stuff that affects getting a job.

He writes that … “In short, the working world of British film, television and journalism was just as wary of educational qualifications in media studies as universities were suspicious of media studies as a valid intellectual discipline”.

This book could is not the most enticing read but he does have a lot of valid information about the film industry.

“The film industry has always had to cope with the market-place. Costs are only recovered by effective distribution, and distribution depends on marketing and advertising”.

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The following are some stills from the finished film and some extra 'Making Of' photos.

above is GREEN

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ARTIST’S STATEMENT.

My films are intrinsic to the way I can talk to you as a fellow human being. They are visually aesthetic, aiming to sometimes relate to a sociopolitical consciousness. Other times they can be just for fun and not necessary technically av ant-garde, or even clever. I love the idea of creating art into my films from various sources that kind of creep up on me. Contrastingly a spark of inspiration will set me off on the latest quest, full of insightful passion and a lust for abstract adventure. I long for the day of when I can just make a simple film with simple pleasures; but my calling at the moment seems to be directing me in the pursuit of empowering women with mythical undertones. This then corresponds with a use of metaphorical aspirations to widen my serious contemplations of how a peaceful world could be. The resulting art/film becomes a journey of creativity that never ceases to amaze my logical and practical nature with my freedom-loving, spiritual and left field interpretations.

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Biography/C.V.

TIMO FRANC (Tim Francis)

Tim Francis was born in Plymouth U.K. 18 September 1955. The family unit was very influential in his social and spiritual growth. In his youth a keen sportsman and socialite and extremely passionate in his social discourse. He has a creative mind and has spent his entire life building, making and investigating something or another. He attended Widey Technical School in Plymouth and started his first college course at 16 years of age. Where he attained a 100% for his City & Guilds Course in Craft Studies. He became a qualified builder and worked extensively throughout Europe setting up his own construction company and learning to speak German. Returning to the U.K. he became an employer with 75 workers and managed several large general building contracts simultaneously but specialized in creative landscaping where his creative intuition helped with the design and application of natural materials working with stone-masonry and sculptured soft-landscapes.

His professionalism and dedication to teach apprentices and ex-offenders from ‘Working Links’ has prompted his current field of endeavor. September 2012 saw him attending art workshops and a 3-day conference in Rotterdam and graduation from his BA (Hons) Film Arts 3-year degree course at Plymouth College of Art in 2013 has become the catalyst to engage in Arts in the prison and probation service. He will visit Marseilles in France for another 3-day conference to reduce recidivism across Europe and he will become the organiser of art facilitators within this field.

His filmmaking has taken him to support his acceptance into New York’s Tribeca Film Festival (Robert De Niro’s 2^nd biggest worldwide Independent Film Festival) The only person from Plymouth to achieve this and his contacts from there has allowed him to feature other international filmmakers’ work in film installations he curates.

His cinematic aspirations are based entirely as an artist where beauty can survive conflict without grande sytagmatique with influences by the Russian artist/writer Nicholas Roerich.

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Evaluation of my own creative and professional journey on the modules.

The brief had a great effect on me to previsualise links between the two modules. This helped determining the separate aspects that would enable them to run in a parallel fashion. The overlapping of the realisation and development parts enabled a free-flow of ideas and inspirations. This was to be expected and allowed for; and for this essay I will explore the conceptual values learnt and utilised, throughout this year.

The initial mini script/treatment I had written evoked a great feeling of mystery and magic in my previsualisation. As I was furthering the plot in my mind and playing with characters’ motivations, a flood of images, some surreal and a few esoteric ideas began to emerge. I knew that the story line would keep evolving and characters would develop and some not function at all. I enjoyed this process immensely, and still do. When it’s from my imagination and there is a clear progression to entice actors and actresses into my make-believe world, then this is an agreement to live another life together. This is only temporary, but I’ve noticed a pattern of consistency of being able to empower the actresses, especially with a feeling of creative spontaneity. The actual realisation for creating a virtual reality from fantasy into a film is the most fulfilling aesthetic endeavour I have ever been involved in.

The script would have taken a different route had the original location and the intended main actors been available for longer periods. I adapted it to suit the circumstances following a few changes in my professional approach. This short film was and is suited for a calling card to make a feature length version. With that in mind I knew that I could return to the original plot at a later date and decided to diversify the value of making this film mostly in Cornwall. I like the legends and myths of both Devon and Cornwall but the Celtic heritage always seems to hold a more intriguing fascination for me. I researched a the goddesses and giants and the mystery of ancient tales from Joseph Campbell’s book ‘A Hero with a 1000 Faces’ and it is a constant reminder of the power of myths throughout the world.

The goddess of the sea Sedna is one of my main characters to remain throughout and I decided to link her to the goddess of the river, Tamara. As sisters in the story I could expand on the Giant Tavy connection, with a metaphorical and humourous empathy. He has made an annual appearance in Calstock for twenty years and his inclusion allowed me to take the story one step further. There is now a huge scope and potential following to increase his involvement in the feature film, especially with his fan base of a choir and school adoration projects already in place.

“Humour is the touchstone of the truly mythological as distinct from the more literal-minded and sentimental theological mind. Their entertaining myths transport the mind and spirit; not up to, but past them, into the yonder void”.

(Campbell, 1993 p154)

Throughout the production, which started six months ago, I have lived every stage of its development, like I was nurturing a fragile baby. My involvement has included the green screening in college for test shots at the beginning through to projecting various clips from early rough edits at an art space I’ve rented. These installations have been personally rewarding and professionally the ‘getting my work out there’ has been the cream topping of my efforts. My professional life is improving rapidly, with managing the Cinema Marquee at this year’s Plymouth Volks Fest. This will include my curating short films that have been submitted from around the world, with my own and local films from Falmouth College, Plymouth University and the PCA. There are a number of individual artists’ films also with scope to shoot a drama at the fest with the use of a cherry picker for three days. I will be organising live musicians, some famous and various local ones, to improvise along to some of my films screened silently.

I have also been awarded European funding again to attend a three-day conference in Marseilles in June. This is for a career opportunity with many interested international art agencies to facilitate my film and other art mediums within the prison and probation system. There is a wonderful opportunity here to push my film practice across most of Europe’s art innovations for social change.

My professional integrity was somewhat shaken with the recent suspension I received from college. At first, the confusion surrounding the whole issue of my studentship was brought into question. The whole episode has brought a cloud over my learning experience at PCA. I have come so far from the very early days and my commitment has been 100%. The initial shock of this was a serious detriment to my studies but has now been superseded by something more powerful. Down deep I have found a professional resolve and motivation to succeed. This would normally have developed post-graduation, but my own independence from college life has started now.

I still aim to demonstrate professional working practices and whenever I am confronted by other peoples’ non-agreement, I will learn from this and understand their agenda and navigate around the problem.

“Two students expelled for making a movie in which evil teddy bears attack a teacher must be allowed to return to school, a federal judge has ruled”.

(Fox News, 2008)

My strong points are my aesthetic creativity and networking skills in new areas and with new people. The European market is opening up for creative practices that involve resource led economies introducing art as an interactive way of life. This is where I will ply my filmmaker’s trade in a similar fashion as when I started working in Germany in 1978 in construction; by treating it as the biggest adventure there is and to be immersed in the culture of, wherever I am, and to become the best film artist possible.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Campbell, J., (1993) The Hero With A Thousand Faces. New English Edition. London: Fontana.

Fox News .com (2008). Washington County Parents: {online}. Knightstown, Ind. Fox News. Available from: file:///Volumes/Data/when-teddy-bears-attack-student-get.html

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Critical Review of the Film and its Production

Disclosure (Greek for Apocalypse) is a film set sometime in the future with only five tribes left alive and the all female Time Tribe are about to be attacked by the Terror Tribe. It involves the mythical tale of sisters Sedna and Tamara, goddesses of the sea and the river Tamar. Sedna is summoned to guard the giant Tavy’s orchard while he is constantly searching for his elusive love, Tamara.

Protector, Sedna’s earthly father runs and runs to search for Kiran Massoud, Tavy and Tamara’s son who will empower the women to defend themselves.

The whole production lasted 6 months, mostly single-handedly using green screen test shots at the outset to set the standard for the actors and actresses. I knew that there would be a running marathon for my role as Prospector and filmed myself over a period of time in the same outfit on Bodmin Moor, Dartmoor and a ‘deserted’ Plymouth City Centre on Christmas Day. I planned for the characters to be based loosely on Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest’ (his closest play concerning an apocalyptic-type scenario). This was partly inspired by my career opportunities within the Prison and Probation Service to facilitate art workshops. The reason is because there is scope to secure commissions for art works connected with Shakespeare in Prison. My intention was to use real offenders in the crewing and acting side of the film. This was not applicable for this short but will be for the feature that will organically grow from this.

I experimented with Vsevold Pudovkin’s five editing principles and on reflection can do better. There is dramatic value of the disorienting arrow-shot at the beginning and end of the film. (I taped a miniature camera onto the arrow and it recorded its flight). The first use of it is to CONTRAST with the title shot and location. The second one is to signal the end of hostilities and the metaphoric post-battle harmony for the victors. Huge apples indicate the power of nature with the rounded shapes representing the romantic, soft organic, childlike safe environment miles away from the imminent attack by the Terror Tribe.

PARALLELISM was used in the scenes with Prospector running through the deserted city and interspersed with shots of Sedna guarding the Giant’s orchard. Which will be expanded on and developed in the feature length version. This is also an intercutting technique creating a sense of two actions happening simultaneously, in two different locations.

Master Mickey features SYMBOLISM with the axe replacing the beheading of the Terror Tribe character.

LEIT MOTIF (reiteration of theme) is compounded again with the arrow shots and slightly different poses but in a similar way with Sedna’s and the other members’ use of the crossbow.

SIMULTANEITY takes effect partially in the scenes of Prospector and Kiran Massoud racing back (Will they be in time?) to prevent the Time Tribe’s slaughter. The use of the telephoto lens was to simulate the type of image of Dustin Hoffman in ‘The Graduate’ to try and add tension to the scene.

‘The Graduate’. (1967)

“This telephoto shot gives a dreamlike aspect to the character’s desperate yet seemingly futile pursuit. Hoffman is running as fast as he can but he does not appear to cover any appreciable ground”. (Mamer, 2009 p24)

‘Disclosure’ (2013)

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Using split screens for Prospector’s frantic search for the Giant’s son Kiran is also incorporating the feeling of a growing tension; I could improve this technique with some actual footage flowing from one screen to the next.

A kind of montage of the fight sequence with the jazz score accompanying the rapid screening of stills provides an increased impetus with a kind of ‘middle-eight’ to the film. Arguably working as a bridge, not just musically, but visually to the subsequent action scenes, delivering a payoff.

There are several smash-cuts and effected images throughout to give a distorted and edgy feel to the storyline’s progression. The use of slow motion and a freeze-frame effect is to draw the viewer in to take notice of the content. I used unmotivated light underlying the effect on the shot of Kelly for the first time to adjust the viewer to the character’s metaphysical attributes. Some of these don’t seem to work when viewed the first time.

The coming alive image of Sedna, springing out of the painting viewed by Millie was one of my favourite previsualisations coming to fruition. Partially inspired by the painting on the hotel bedroom wall in ‘Barton Fink’ (1991). This scene runs in tandem with my dissertation concerning artworks that have inspired filmmakers. I tried ‘Ken Burns’-type zooming-in of the painting in my film portrayed with a penetrating gaze by Millie, that didn’t work and remains on the ‘cutting-room’ floor.

Barton Fink (1991)

Disclosure (2013)

The use of a rectangular doorway with Dawn throwing the knife demonstrates the logical nature of control and how a ruin can give rebirth to an aesthetic of modernity. It also illustrates the shape of a coffin beckoning in the violence of internal conflict within the characters, which helps dramatise the external scope of choices made.

By creating a shallow depth-of-field and utilising a pull-focus effect I was able to reveal Jocelyne’s identity after Dawn, in an intimate framing for their characters’ immediate introduction.

There was an incredible amount of track and dolly laid out and the crane used considerably for shots that unfortunately are not all shown here.

Discovering the joys of dialogue in the elongated sequel will bring a refreshing chance to deliver phenomenological communication. This combined with spatial metaphor will be a sure-fire way of approaching a more complete cinematic language. The narration as a Master-of-Ceremonies –type overview with partial interaction with events reassured cohesion and soothing resonance with a patriarchal contrast with to the matriarchal future.

This fantasy led type of production allowed me the freedom to include many symbolic and semiotic references. The symbolism generates a philosophy for the viewer to refer to their metaphorical interpretations. The semiotic in contrast acted as the visual rhythm of a social and political understanding, within this post-apocalyptic setting. A kind of translinguistic parody of post-modern ideology affecting the simple life of a shared heritage. The varied amount of dialectical visual reasoning implied here consolidates the contradictions in the world, especially with the mixed messages of society’s struggle to communicate a global survival. I’m not sure if I’ve achieved this message.

This film provides numerous connections with current and ancient beliefs and is rich in dynamic colour and abstract eschatological discourse, visually and spiritually enchanting for the spectator.

BIBLIOGRAPHY/REFERENCES

Barton Fink photo available at : - http://facultyfiles.frostburg.edu/phil/forum/Fink.htmhttp://facultyfiles.frostburg.edu/phil/forum/Fink.htm

Disclosure photos available on application at timofranc@googlemail.com

Graduate Photo available at :- http://cinemashock.org/2012/03/08/telephoto-lens-in-the-graduate/

Mamer, B., (2009) Film Production Technique Creating the Accomplished Image. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Co Inc.

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Above is Green

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POSTER FOR FILM ( BUT COULD BE IMPROVED ON)

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"MAKING OF'

DISCOVERY

(IF I CAN LOCATE THEM...I WILL TRY LATER TO POST STILLS OF WORKING WITH THE TRACK & DOLLY & CRANE AT TWO LOCATIONS )

POSTER

THE END !

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UPDATED CRITICAL REVIEW

The screening of Disclosure to the rest of the class and tutor was very interesting and rewarding. I had made several versions of the film and settled on this particular one to illustrate the theme of the story anticipating the kind of feedback I needed. The film for this module will stand on its own merit as a poetic, mythical and visually colourful piece. I wanted to find out, from like-minded but objective students, any ideas for further development of characters or storyline, to embellish on, for the intended feature sequel. I took Andy’s advice and steered the answers more directly to this actual film and how it could be improved on.

The lengthy running clips all over Dartmoor, Bodmin Moor and Plymouth City Centre on Christmas Day were a popular choice to reduce the screen time. There were criticisms by some people not understanding the story too well and I tried to explain as well as I could. On the whole the response was favourable and there were more ideas readily discussed on various characters’ motivations and the value of myths in society being a positive factor.

I criticised myself for playing a full fifteen minute version to elaborate on the amount of work in production and editing over more than six months of filming. I didn’t like the way I forgot to take into account the colour discrepancy of computer to projector and seeing it for the first time on a big screen led me to sculpture a bit more contrast and reduced saturation with mid-tones in 3-way colour corrector.

I respected the advice given by my tutor Andy James in an email about form and content and to evoke the key ideas and elements without needing to spell them out. I re-edited the film with doing just that with the clips of myself as the character ‘Prospector’. I rearranged this aspect with considerable reduction of the split-screen effect. I reworked the original still photos of characters edited against a green screen with the different locations used as the backdrops.

The mythical content of the Giant was included more with a poetic feel to the contrasting Sedna guarding the Giant’s orchard. The inclusion of more of Joel as the Terror Tribe leader led me to think about how I could represent him as a film-type tribute to the big-screen with him actually depicted on the equivalent of an outside screen in Calstock. This in turn has created an idea of how I can project the film on to that actual information board at night to ‘get my work out there’ even more.

This way of working to screen and receive feedback has been well thought out and if all the other students took on board their own particular advice as much as I did then it is very beneficial.

FREE CINEMA

Tuesday 11^th June 5.45 till 7.45 pm Jill Craigie Cinema in the Roland Levinsky Building at Plymouth University is Timo Franc’s Film Summer Show (Short films made in the last 3 years

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THIS IS THE PROGRAMME OF FILMS AND SYNOPSIS THAT WAS HANDED TO ALL THE PEOPLE ATTENDING MY SUMMER SHOW ABOVE ON THE 11/06/13

Timo Franc Films

I…WHY DO I SPEAK FRENCH depicts Jocelyne Mas and her two tongue-in-cheek ‘Sistas’ debating the use of African Drumming.

2…DEVONPORT is a fast moving one-minute ‘drive-by’ of this historical old town in Plymouth. U.K. Where I literally hung out of Jocelyne Mas’ car at speed to film. The final edit was from over 300 clips (With Timo Franc music)

3…LARS AND JORGEN, JAMAICA is my version of one of Lars Von Trier’s Five Obstructions challenge to his former film tutor Jorgen Leth (His was set in Cuba, this one is in Jamaica)

4…CAFÉ CONCRETE is a combination of four local artists’ music set to an evening of their collaboration with Café Concrete at Voodoo Lounge in Plymouth U.K., filmed from a Kodak Play waterproof pocket-camera placed in a pint of beer and walked around the club…and Super 8 footage I filmed in Totnes)

5…LIQUID AFRIKA is the result of a student collaboration of experimenting with an overhead projector and light with paper cuts-out. I edited the piece through an animation process to evolve into this beautiful new piece.

6…GAZING AT THE GAZER was made for an Imperfect Cinema night at Jack Chams bar in Plymouth, U.K. It was at time of the first Arab Spring revolutions and inspired this tale of a ‘Facebook Generation at War’.

7...TANGO is a three-part film working closely with the Tango dancers and musicians and the use of three cameras in the Callington location in Cornwall. I wrote the first piece of music especially for the edit.

8…SLAVERY is a demonstration of Plymouth’s history a slave-trading city with its ramifications still prevalent today. (With music produced by Corny and featuring many local collaborators in different events with Amber and Bev singing.)

9 …FRANCE is a collage of life from France on a trip with Jocelyne Mas that I made to show at another Imperfect Cinema night on our return. Monsieur Gadolphe, the Resistance Fighter has recently passed away and his dog Eden is soon to be adopted by Jocelyne Mas.

10…ISABELLA & HER OL’ MAN…is a personal testament to how proud I am of my daughter Isabella.

11…VENTURA DIAMOND is an impulse piece of creativity I absolutely loved making. I was listening to the old vinyl recording of the band ‘America’ and this particular song has always captured my imagination. The parody of how we celebrate the Queen of England’s time on he throne is open for interpretation.

12…SINEWS OF PEACE is the first film from a Plymouth Filmmaker to be accepted for Robert De Niro’s International Tribeca Film Festival and again indebted to Jocelyne Mas who is a perfect leading lady.

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AND ALSO FOR THE PART TWO OF MY SCREENING ...

TIMO FRANC FILMS part 2

I…MAKER FESTIVAL is a film documentation of the Cornish Fest I made in 2011. (I made the mostly instrumental track and edited the footage to it.

2…TRIP NOIR is a fantastic piece of method acting for real and a satirical reference to filming techniques from Film Noir’s use of shadows and ‘Dutch-Angled’ shots.

3…MANHATTAN CARTOON is a series of animated stills from filming in New York, setting the scene for the Manhattan Step-Out with actual audio of a real serial killer.

4…MANHATTAN TRAILER is a brief prelude to the following full film with the use of David Cameron’s perception of gun control for the U.K. aired on the American David Letterman Show. (The rapper from the Bronx I interviewed in the film comments on the violence that could be in Connecticut just prior to the mass shooting there where 26 people were shot and killed.

5…MANHATTAN STEP-OUT is the film I made in New York while supporting my Tribeca Screening. This trilogy of films is made to interweave a picture and sound of New York's lifestyle, reputation and nerve centre of the world. These three films are an illustration of the ‘Father, Son and Holy Ghost' as the original Greek translation of the bible depicted as 'Generate, Unique and Progressive'. The two collage-type sequences set the scene of the glory and turmoil of a 24 hour major city and the viewer is directed toward the narrative of the serial killer as the begotten son or 'Shiva' undergoing a campaign of death and destruction, parodying and alluding to how violence in society is deemed necessary in times of war for survival but not tolerated as a rebirth in peace. (With self-composed and music produced by J Reaper)

6…DISCLOSURE is humorous take on a post-apocalypse scenario with open invitation for mass metaphorical analogies connected with the plight of the all female Time Tribe about to be wiped-out by the Terror Tribe and how they survive. Shot on location in Calstock in Cornwall and borrowing heavily from the Giant Tavy myth and integrating Sedna the Goddess of the Sea as the inspiration for human kind to continue. (with music produced by Josh Harper and J Reaper and vocals by Amber Elena and Bev).

CPR & CPD RESEARCH PORTFOLIO

Wednesday, 9 January 2013

Sam Fuller

Writer, Fighter, Filmmaker

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