BFI - British Film Institute

For a class trip we were taken to the BFI for a day and given a set list of activities to complete in order to help form our own ideas for a short film. During the day we worked in the mediatheque, watching a list of short films to gain ideas.

Lap - Meloni Pole

http://www.indiemoviesonline.com/watch-movies/lap

Lap was the first film I watched,which is about a lap dancer and a blind man that meet at a bus stop. I liked this film as it had a lot of interesting shots around this bus stop encounter, which was a visual reference I was thinking about using in my own short film.

A succession of low lit close ups are used for the mans glasses and the rain dripping off them, which works well to connote his poor sight as well as creating an intimate sense of touch that affects him, being blind and her job as a lap dancer. In addition to this the highlighting of the rain works well to connote a kind of pathetic fallacy when contrasted to the deflated emotion we see on her face in a close up of her leaning against a bus stop. A smooth transition of panning down the length of the bus after she gets on and walks down the aisles is a also interesting to the idea of mise en scene and pathetic fallacy as the camera is left on a close up of her window, with rain pouring down it, connotative of tears.

In addition to this as the narrative progresses the bus stop encounter is constantly referred back to in a number of interesting shots. For instance there is a rule of thirds shot at the bus stop, depicting her as being alone with the vast amount of space next to her. In addition to this her sense of loneliness is reiterated as another shows shows a mirror image either side of the screen, suggesting that all she has is herself. The repeated visual motif of her at the bus stop creates a sense of importance to this encounter and the importance of the decisions made there, which is something I wanted to incorporate into my own short film around my protagonists 'train journey'.

Johnny Go Home - John Willis (1975)

'Johnny Go Home' is another short film i watched at the BFI where the opening sequence was set in a train station.

I really liked the use of low key lighting and dark shadows as the train pulls into the underground station, as it makes as though the train is arriving in stages as it is only part highlighted. In addition to this the Ariel view of the busy station and diegetic overhead announcements build on a sense of tension as the shot is too busy to keep focus. Leaving an audience lost and confused, which is something I want to install in my viewers to empathise with my protagonist in my station scene.


Dreams of Leaving - Bill Nighy


I only got to watch the very beginning of this short film, however in the first few seconds of the opening sequence there is a man looking out of a window whilst a voice over acts as an internal monologue. I really liked this as it is how I wanted to start my own film and it worked really well, as the shot inside the train was compelling and the disjointed dialog added intrigue, that I think would compell an audience.

Snow on Saturday

In class we watched the short film 'Snow on Saturday', directed by Imogen Stubbs, about a family recovering after the loss of their wife and mother. I liked the film as it alluded to specific meanings through places and iconic imagery, which was something I was trying to incorporate into my own film through cinematic shots and personal settings. In addition to this I specifically liked the technique of flashbacks to narrate the story and give it structure. As 'Snow on Saturday' defies conventions of film structure by using a flashback as an opening sequence, and also throughout the film to structure the story and the resolution at the end. Which reflected similar ideas to my own short film, therefore I deconstructed the film with particular reference to the use of flashbacks as a structural device.

First we see an establishing shot of stone henge, which is reiterated through close up shots of the stones themselves and there composition. The location is bright and colourful, with a bright blue sky and vivid greenery in addition to the lighting being over contrasted, giving the setting an almost dream like feel. This feeling is carried on as sound bridges of laughter can be heard against close ups of typical family moments, such as the two adults chasing the two young boys and running around, smiling and happy. Whilst the soundtrack is happy and upbeat, connotative of a good time the sound bridges of laughter and echoing whispering seems almost eerie, foreboding that this is a past event. In addition to this there is a repeated image of a toy car being thrown into the air in slow motion, giving it a surreal representation of a dream or climactic moment. An image of the car mid flight is frozen and contrast is used to bring about a fade to black. On which embosses the words 'Snow on Saturday' in a simplistic, children font of thick white against the sheer black. After which a pan allows us to follow a car with the older man and the two younger boys we saw the beginning. The atmosphere changes as colour saturation is drab and the location is grey and boring, unlike our first establishing shot. This offers a contrast between the narrative that is suggestive of some sort of catalyst tragedy has taken place. This is confirmed as a voice over reveals that 'mum died' and 'Jamie stopped talking', which is instantly connotative to feelings of grief that mirror the demure grey background. A cut brings us to a close up of the youngest son, Jamie, in the bath playing a harmonica. The diegetic sound of the harmonica instantly disrupts the peace and quiet of the previous scenes and brings the narrative into sharp focus. Over this we hear the same voice over, who we assume is the eldest son, from the first sequence, mention that since Jamie's failure to talk they 'mustn't undermine his confidence'. Which is instantly undermined as we hear the dad tell Jamie to 'Shut up' from another room and thereby adds tension to our already fractured image we share of the family. Cut to a long shot of the three of them outside, walking to the van, composition depicts them as all being separate with large spaces between them, all intimacy has gone. A cut bring us to a shot over Jamie's teacher's shoulder, showing Mr. Snow in a low angled shot as if he is small and vulnerable. This is reminiscent of a child, with the connotations of the teacher and the ruler he is playing with absent-mindedly, indicating he has regressed since his wife's death. In addition to this his vague interest in the teachers concern indicates that he is not responsible for his children and emotional reserved. The teacher mentions the 'social services' as a indication of this fragmented family structure. Long shot to a Jamie being hurried down a tunnel by his brother pushing his back, the low key lighting indicates that there is no enjoyment left in the time they spend together. Cut brings us to an establishing shot of their living room, it is messy with packets of food everything and general clutter and neglect. The dad seems completely uninterested in his two boys sitting at a table behind him, as shallow focus only depicts the dads vacant expression, focused on what we assume is a TV. Camera cuts to the space in the background where the brother is trying to engage with Jamie. An over the shoulder shot shows Jamie turning in towards his brother, as a sign of closeness, as they talk about the family outing to stone henge we saw at the beginning. Close ups and two shots are used to represent the growing intimacy between them as they recreate stone henge out of toy cars, this appears to be a visual link to the opening sequence. Sound bridging is used, on a close up of Jamie, as dad remarks 'So what' to Jamie's efforts as a representation to the dads indifference to the teachers advice to engage and talk to Jamie. The camera's focus is still on Jamie as we see him break their creation and run out of shot before we hear a door slam and the same monotonous harmonica, representative of wailing, issuing from somewhere else in the flat. The brother appears to tell the dad off for ignoring the teachers advice to engage with Jamie, offering a contrast to who the responsible one is in this fractured dynamic. The dad makes some pitiful excuse to which he sarcastically replies, "Yeah like you'll do it on Saturday" which instantly gives us a link to the title 'snow on Saturday'. A cut to a close up of the table reiterates the visual motif of stone henge, as we see that the boxes have been position to look like the stones and painted grey, like they are trying to recreate their last family outing. Another flashback is then used to that particular outing, using close ups of the rocks in particular, to reiterate this theme. Shots of the family all laughing and playing together contrasts to the life they have now, a sound bridge of laughter is used to suggest that they need this back to be a happily family once more. Cut to a close up of the dad smiling as he seems to appear to have come to a resolution on how to get his family back together, the importance of this moment is also highlighted by the incidental string music. A cut to a scrap yard, indicates that time has progressed and that they are moving on with their life, which is shown through close ups of happy shots of them as a family wandering in and out of the market, displaying intimacy that had previously hadn't existed between them. Furthermore the voice over narration states that the dad is "making an effort" and suggests that his efforts have lots of "energy" and "importance". This connotes a positive change, although we are still left unknowing to what the dad is trying to accomplish in buying all these random things, as the narrator describes "the massive fairy lights were a bit bollocks". An establishing shot of a scrap yard increases the tension as we see the dad draw something on the floor of the scrap yard that we, the audience, and the narrator can't understand. Long, high angled shot of the scarp yard depicts a train passing behind it, to which seems to be a visual reference to the journey that the family has begun to undertake. A cut to another establishing shot of their flat, shows it to be tidy and organized now with the use of high key lighting to help emphasise this change. The dad is fixing something on the floor as he determinedly says 'were not going to be so whatters anymore', which reminds us of what he said to Jamie before. From which we get the impression that dad is trying to make amends for what he did and try and bring his family closer together by joining them again. Cut to a long shot looking down a the tunnel we saw earlier in a low key light so as the family look as though they are silhouetted. The darkness of their forms helps to connote the intimacy between them, as we see Jamie riding in dads bike basket whilst his other son is holding on to dad as he Rollerblades beside them, talking. This isn't contrasts the previous shot of this tunnel where the two boys where rushing and not talking as this time they seem to be enjoying it more and they seem to be closer because of it. Cut to a shot from what appears to be an inside enclosure looking out, this creates a sense of suspense as we aren't sure where they are now. The three of them are huddled together looking inside, don't know at what yet, to reinforce this sense of intimacy. Through their brief dialog we are told that it is 'Saturday' indicating a pivotal point in the narrative as we appear to have reached the event in the title 'Snow on Saturday'. Cut to an establishing shot of a scrap yard before a quick secession of jump cuts between happy scenes of them messing around and having fun that mirror the opening sequence. Happy upbeat music also reiterates this theme of family unity and sense happiness, as the lyrics 'happiness is in your hands' represents the struggle they have recently overcome together. Techniques of slow motion are also used in a long shot of their dad tossing Jamie's into the air, which acts as a visual motif of the car being thrown into the air before the title sequence. In addition to this bright colour saturation is used in a geographical match to the picnic scene on their trip to Stone Henge and the picnic they have recreated with AstroTurf. The bright colours also connote happiness as they are bold and cheerful, but also feel dream like, connotative of the trip to Stone Henge. Cut to a three shot of the three of them standing in front of a car, the dad looks serious indicating this is the purpose of their trip. The shot is at a slight high angle suggesting a need for height, furthermore the higher angle also gives us a closer look at the hook dangling in front of the shot. Jamie is centralised as they begin to talk about the way they should lift the car, whether it should be from the top or bottom. Our attention is kept focused on Jamie despite his faraway look. Then a flashback is used of the toy car being thrown into the air before it freezes and we see it is exhaust is facing up, suggesting this is the way it must be now. A cut back to the present scene shows Jamie in a slightly closer shot indicating a pivotal point. Then Jamie suddenly announces "the exhaust must face down", to which his dad and brother simultaneously turn in towards if in a state of surprised happiness, suggesting that they have overcome the last hurdle of grief as a family. Another quick secession of jump cuts is used as they begin to move the cars and machinery. After which a cut to a close up of a sign reading 'Saturday by Jamie, Tom and Bob Snow' referring back to the title in the same childlike handwriting. A cut then reveals a three shot of them all sitting together in a car, looking up at the moon. Calm harmonica music is playing which contrast to the previous harmonica sound Jamie was playing earlier. The camera begins to zoom out and a voice over who we now learn is Jamie's brother 'Tom' says "if mum was watching I'd want her to know we did something". This seems to represent the theme of the message and a cut to flashback of the mum and Tom blowing bubbles mirrors the last shot we saw and the intimacy that has been restored between them.

Opening Sequences

Save the Last Dance

Fade in brings us to a close up of some sort of machine and a diegetic metallic chinking can be heard. The machine part lowers and an action match is then used as a cut takes us to an image of a barrier being lowered. Board says ‘Track 2’ instantly connotative of a train station. Cut to a titled shot of an oncoming train where panning is used to see the train in a close up, yet blurring obscures our vision momentarily, giving a sense of suspense. This acts as a naturalistic wipe to a long shot of the inside of a train carriage. The camera tracks and turns in to face a girl sitting by the window, similar cut to the previous long shot of the train passing in its location. Cut to a mid shot of the girl in her seat, absent-mindedly looking out of the window. Her lack of interest in the camera instantly draws our attention to piece of paper in between her fingers, the ticket inspector appears in shot to collect her ticket. As the camera remains focused on her we assume that she is the protagonist. Her body language is turned in to the window and closed off from the outside. Cut to a similar shot of the train passing on the tracks in close up, with a slight pan to see the whole way down the train. Cut to a long shot of woman walking into the camera’s focus, down the isle, naturalistic close up as she rests momentarily to address someone, ‘Excuse me is this seat taken’. This becomes a sound bridge as the camera pans down to the girl, who is centralised within shot as she moves her stuff out of shot, focus is kept on her at all times. Cut to a two shot with the window framed between them, connoting their journey. Insert to a magazine close up, ‘Dance’ girl on front, tutu connotative of ballet, romantic colours of pink. Hand comes into the corner of the frame and turns the magazine so that we are now seeing it straight on. Cut to a mid shot of the black woman and continuity editing of action reaction shots are used to reiterate their dialog. The girl is framed tilted in towards the window, closed off, where the woman is framed with the train setting behind her much more involved within the journey, smiling happy contrast to girl who looks reserved and sad. She asks the girl if she dances, to which she bluntly replies, ‘I used to’. Cut to a close up of a girl’s torso as she dances, the camera pans up and reveals that it is the same girl as is on the train. The camera used to emphasise her dancing by focusing on her hand movements. Cut to an establishing shot of a blue house in a remote, countryside area, reminiscent of a home. Sound bridge ‘I have something for you’ brings us to a two shot of a woman approaching the girl from behind. She says ‘this is for love not for luck’ and places a chain around her neck, ‘you dance like an angel’, as it inserts to a close up of her neck as she fingers the chain. Cut back to a two shot of intimate hugging and she calls her ‘mom’, the intimacy is contrasted to a cut of her all by herself, looking out the train window. She is fingering the same necklace we saw previously, presenting the necklace as being important to her dancing and her mother. Sound bridge ‘you’re the best luck I’ll ever have’. Cut to a mid shot of her dancing again but this time in a different location and black leotard, appears more serious, close up of her legs. Sound bridge ‘are you okay’ to a school corridor location, camera pans in order to follow the girl and her friend. Their dialog alludes to the fact that she has an audition for Julliard, and her growing anxiety. Sound bridge of her friend ‘praying’ as we are brought back to a close up, almost from her reflections point of view, from the train. Her down cast gaze suggests that she is upset, and the diegetic whispered praying gives it a surreal feel, to which we assume it is a painful memory. Another sound bridge is used of her mother voices ranting about how busy she is at work and a cut to a two shot of her and her mom talking. The mother appears to be cancelling on her promise to drive the girl to her audition, the girls back is turned on the camera and the camera pans to follow the mother round the shop, indicating this is where our focus should be. Action reaction shots represent a brief conversation between them, where the girl insists her mum must be there, to which she ambiguously replies ‘I know’. Representing an air of mystery and building tension around this pivotal audition. Cut as the girl is marginalized to the side before the camera pans to her again gazing thoughtfully out of the window, as a visual motif. Cut to a close up of a board, ‘Welcome to the Juliard school auditions’. Momentary wipe of a girl dancing in front of the sign out of focus but her black leotard is representative of the previous scene when we saw her dancing in the same leotard. Cut to a two shot and close up of the girl and an official looking woman, informing her that she is ‘up next’. Cut to a long shot of the hall, all the girls are stretching, connotative of Ballet. Insert to a mid shot of her checking her watch and looking back, as though waiting for something. Cut to an establishing shot of an auditorium, with a group of stern looking people, smart black suits before the camera pans to stage. Close up of her face, anxious, turns from the camera as a cut to a previous scene of Sarah and her mother walking down the street, ‘I’ll be there, I promise before you audition’. Quick insert to a close up of the train wheels on the tracks, to which the diegetic sound breaks the narrative and seems to allude to something bad. Cut to her on the train framed by the window, fingering her necklace as a reiterated theme. Ariel shot, tilted, of her dancing, cinematic shot with bold colours and very professional looking composition. Close up again to her feet and legs, emphasis on the movements. Cut to mid shot like before dancing, jus head and shoulders. Cut to the outside of the train where the diegetic sound breaks the intimacy of the narrative and seems to build tension. Quick shot of her on the train before a sound bridge takes us back to her audition as one of people in the audience, who we assume is a judge, asks her a question about her contemporary piece. Action matching is used of the mother in car checking her watch, indicating that she is late. Continuity editing I used to depict her dance movements on the stage from the judges perspective. Jump cut to an over the shoulder shot in the same street location as before, close up mum giving her a kiss on the cheek, close up of mums face suggests she is proud, Cut to the train and window, tempo of music changes and speeds up, installing a feeling of tension. Parallel editing is used of her dancing, from the judge’s point of view, to close ups of the mum inside the car. We see the tyres veering suddenly to the left and diegetic sound of screeching is heard before the car wipes out of shot. Long shot of the girl on stage, cut to a shot head on with a van, as if it is about to hit us, foreshadowing this as an accident. More diegetic screeching is heard as cuts of close up vehicles veering out of shot, are interspersed between close ups of her legs as she begins to stumble backwards. Parallel narratives ads tension, as they seem to foreshadowing each other’s demise. Mid shot as the girl falls back as a cut depicts the jus peering over the steering wheel; before making a sharp right turn and wipes out of shot. Cut to the underside of a lorry over us, low angle as if we are on the ground, connotative of an accident. Cut a close up of her on the train, she gasps as if pained by the memory as her head turns to and from the camera as if trying to shake it away. Cut to a two shot of the girl and a police officer, obscured through a glass door. Cut to a wide shot of a stretcher being taken into an ambulance but we cannot see who’s in it. Cut to close up of the mum slumped against the cracked glass, with her eyes closed and covered in blood. Cut to Sarah gasping and turning towards us before collapsing. Cut to her back on the train as we hear long drawn out violin sounds, connotative of death. The camera zooms out as we see the rest of the passengers stirring form their seats in the background, indicating that her journey has ended.

Scarlet's Witch (2008) - 16 min

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmVwu-WZ8Kc&feature=fvsr

Found on Youtube: F.C. Rabbath Creations Entertainment

In the opening credits tracking is used down a winding road in a series of sepia shots which then give into a fade of a girl sitting in a car in the same sepia tones. This instantly establishes a link of a journey between the connections in colour of the two scenes. Furthermore the sepia effect gives it antique feel as though it is a long preserved memory of some significance. The mid shot of the girl also reveals a great deal of her settings through the windows, and over exposed lighting outside the proximity of the car also draw importance to the journey she is making. A cut to a close up of a swing and an establishing shot of a park, connote that she, the little girl is the main focus point. This is reiterated as a voice over begins to unravel into a story about a little girl. A cut to wide shot of the girl (Scarlet) and the playground instantly insinuates that she is an outcast amongst this group, which is again reiterated by the running voice over "she was a very selfish girl that didn't get along with anyone". A cut to a two shot of a man and woman instantly progresses the story as Scarlet walks into the space between them in the background in a shallow focus before the focus pulls and attention is drawn upon her and the man. A series of shot reverse shots are used in close ups to assist a small dialogue between her and the man (her father) in which she states that she wants to go. This instantly brings back connotations that she has made some recent transition in her life, possibly moving there. A cut to a close up of her father in deep focus shows a look of disappointment that suggests an heir of family disagreement or a dysfunctional family.

As the car in the opening sequence connoted my idea of depicting a train journey in my own opening sequence, and I really liked the subtle way in which they highlighted the importance of the journey through lighting techniques and exposure. In addition to this I liked the way in which they incorporated the narrative voice over cinematic shots to insinuate subtle moments in the characters life that allows us to empathise with their decisions, which is something I am trying to incorporate within my own work.

Audience Survey

In order to get a better idea on why people watch short films I created an audience survey, questionaire, to give me a better understanding on how to make my short film appeal to a prospective audience.

Short film questionnaire

I am asking this questionnaire so that I can get a good perspective on why people watch short films and what they expect from them. Also where people go to watch short films and what makes them appealing to a prospective audience, in order to enrich my understanding of short films in creating my own film.

Please tick the correct box for the following questions...

1. Gender? Male Female

2. How old are you? 10-15 16-221 23-29 30+

3. How often do you watch short films in a week? 1-3 4-6 7>

4. When you watch a short film what do you look for?

Narrative (catalyst, resolution, point of conflict, revelation, etc...)

Characters (protagonist, villain, hero/heroine, etc...)

Shots (cinematic shots, interesting angels, unusual camera effects, etc...)

Dialog

Cast and crew (famous stars, directors, producers, etc...)

If other please state

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5. Where do you watch short films? Internet Film festivals Cinema Institutes (e.g. BFI)

If other please state and why?

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6. What is your favourite genre?

Comedy Romance

Drama Documentary

Western Horror

Action Animation

7. Would you be interested in a short film about a girl’s life before she decides to run away from home? Please state any comments/ thoughts on the concept…

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Thank you for your time and co-operation.

What is a short film?

"A short film is a short story told in images" - Ken Dancyger and Pat Cooper 2005

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=TYUs0fvl9JMC&printsec=frontcover&dq=writing+the+short+film&hl=en&ei=zGuoTMCEFc6gOtDTtcEM&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CDYQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false

When coming up with a concept for our own short films we first had to explore what a short film was and what its conventions. Therefore we looked at codes and conventions explored in Ken Dancyger and Pat Cooper's book 'Writing the short film'. Within which they describe a short film as having:

• A simple plot
  
• Few locations
  
• Few characters (no more than three of four)
• There are a few secondary characters
  
• A sub plot
  
• The story must be dynamic
• The character must be moved in the course and experience of the story
  
• Fast paced

In addition to this we also came to the conclusion that short films should contain a 3 part structure, beginning middle and end. In which there must be a 'catalyst' or revelation which starts the narrative, a form of conflict and an ending resolution for the character. 'Often a story will revolve around a choice that presents itself to the character, who never returns to his or her former state; closure is obtained by virtue of making or avoiding that choice'.

Moreover in class we began verbalising some idea's from film makers that related to our own ideas. Fro instance also in Dancyger and Cooper's book I found the quote, 'The freedom of short film relative to long lies in the possibility of using metaphor and other literary devices to tell the story'. This related directly to my idea of using a pond scene as a metaphor for my characters revelation that her life isn't ideal but in fact 'shattering' like the ripples of the pond.