Note

I have another initiative post on the way, if I don’t get this in time for tomorrow, that’s ok, It will be good for reference later, for some reason I cant find where premier is exporting my file.

Initiative Post #2

I went to AFI library and found an interview with documentary filmmaker Donn Alan Pennebaker, whose name I remembered from the film ‘Don’t Look Back’ about Bob Dylan- I haven’t seen the film, though I am a huge Dylan fan!

In this interview Pennebaker questions the documentary form using his own work as example of films only ‘pretending to be documentaries’. As a filmmaker he has the hindsight to understand that films, even documentaries, serve as entertainment: ‘They are half documentary, half soap opera. The part that interests me is the soap opera’. Pennebaker seems to approach making documentaries, though he doesn’t explicitly state this, in quite a free and unique way. Instead of posing questions to the audience or choosing to inform them with his films he instead looks to show ‘the unpredictability of life that made them interesting’, he believed the best way to communicate his thoughts as a film maker was through ‘Poetry or whatever it is’. He also praises a ‘documentary’ film called Warrendale because ‘He (the filmmaker) had the wit to see it was a drama and to go for the drama in order to get that’.

The idea of documenting in a stylised way, in order to entertain excites Pennebaker and again links back to the idea of there being more truth in fiction than commercially produced, money driven, ‘information’ based documentary. He criticises documentarians who make ‘films about things people don’t know about’ and instead wishes to show an audience rather than educate, or spoon feed information to an audience. I think this is a good state of mind to be in when entering documentary production, to have an open mind ready in order to capture a slice of reality or develop a stylised piece of drama based on truths spawning from reality. Pennebaker sees the world as a canvas and suggests there are no rules in regards to documentary making, there is no right or wrong as long as the approach is unique and entertaining. ‘If they’re looking at the wrong things, where are the right things?’

 

Location Scouting Reflection (note to self-add the video)

Its ironic that a scout hall was my place of choice whilst thinking about locations to scout.

The character who resides in the hall is an eccentric hippy  who one could imagine living in an old, run down, scout hall-perhaps he got it cheaply because it was built with asbestos? In terms of aesthetic value, Scout Halls hold connotations of the past, they are nostalgic by nature and capture a feeling of simpler times. The character, now known as ‘Hippy’ resides there. He is a character damaged by modern times and wishes to live in the past and not think of the future, he is a hermit of sorts-happy to live in his own, introverted world.

The location also cooperates with the quirkiness of the film-both characters are stereotypes and binary opposites of each other, there dialogue certainly indicates that everything is supposed to be off-beat, not fluid at all.

I used to do Scouts back in the day and all Scout Halls have a lot of echo inside them. This, I don’t think would be too much of a nuisance because the environment I want to depict isn’t a homely one, its an escape from reality, a sanctuary, a hide-out-but not a home.

In terms of acquiring this location, I think I should be fine-they only use the hall 3 times a week. On a Monday night, Tuesday night and Friday night. Other than that, its not in use. However I cant confirm if they would let me use it because I haven’t spoken to anyone about it yet. But I see no reason for them not to let me use it.

Short Film Idea at this Stage, The Most Fruitful One

I saw a movie called The Darjeeling Limited on Friday Night and I really loved it, It was quite self-conscious and self-reflective to a point that it didn’t get much critical acclaim upon its release (and still hasn’t). Its a film Rolling Stone regards as Wes Andersons worst, nonetheless I really liked it.

Because I don’t have a brother, the idea came from the idea of brotherly disconnect that Darjeeling Limited is based on. One brother is rather pathetically trying to connect, whilst the other feels as though the relationship is damaged beyond repair. I think its a cool idea for a short film because the resolution is quite open ended and would make the audience think about the two brothers future.

On Thursday I intend to film some of the dialogue and get some good shots in, I just need to pick a rather homely, unpopulated location, which will be tough around Melbourne Central!

Short Film-Family Reunion.

A still image of the door is on the screen, as if it is taken from the conservatives perspective. Time is taken and the door is opened, by the hippy brother. The hippy brother is wearing loose fitting, cotton ‘slacks’, a plain t-shirt, big jacket and (notably) dark framed ray-ban sunglasses. He looks strangely at the camera (his brother), squints a bit until a big, rather stupid grin slides across his face.

Hippy Brother: It’s been ages dude (awkward, rather lengthy pause)

Hippy Brother: How longs it been (another lengthy pause)

Hippy Brother: I thought you was dead or married or something……or both?

The Camera now has an image of the conservative brother from Hippy’s perspective. He doesn’t look amused, the actor delivers a dead pan, numbed expression.

The Camera then flips back to Hippy Brother.

Hippy Brother: (another pause as if Hippy is waiting for conservative to react. He throws his arms up) Come on in and see the natural habitat.

The Conservative looks cautiously around the room, he gazes around the walls and looks up at the ceiling instead of down. As he walks around the camera moves to, it’s not stagnant.

After a little bit the shot changes and reveals the hippy looking anxiously at his older brother, he scratches his head and wriggles. Looking nervous he breaks the silence with a hearty yet fake laugh, he shakes his head from side to side as he laughs. Whilst doing this he says in fake disbelief.

Hippy Brother: How longs it been?!

Conservative: 3 years, 7 months and 26 days-Ball Park.

Hippy Brother: Yeah man! Right on! (he slaps conservative on the back, unintentionally condescending)

Hippy Brother: I’m grabbing an orange

As Hippy says orange conservative says his line, there isn’t even a second break, the lines effectively intersect. The conversation is evidently out of rhythm.

Conservative: So what are you up to these days?

Hippy kind of stumbles around, a few pots and pans smash, a glass breaks he doesn’t care.

Hippy: Here we go (Hippy looks at lemon) this will work a treat

Conservative: I thought you were getting an Orange? (hesitantly)

Hippy Looks around as if the Conservative is crazy. He states what he believes to be the obvious.

Hippy: ‘Yeah’.

He bites down.

Hippy: Where were we at? Ahhhh what I was doing over the last…….how long was it?

Conservative: 3 years, 7 months and 26 days

Hippy: Ahhhhhh, yep. I think this place speaks for itself! (the place is a beaten up dump). I’ve been doing a lot of self-prospecting you know (pause) I always thought, we only have a certain amount of time on this earth right, why spend that doing things for the man you know, why not just relax, why all this rushing around and pushing when you can just kick back. (this is acted with big gestures, in a relatively stylised over the top way)

Conservative: So in other words why do something when you can do nothing (some pauses) Sounds like you’ve got things all sorted out then.

Hippy: yeah, well, yknow, it doesn’t sound that good when you say it like that, but I guess that’s what I mean (looking down at the floor, his eyes dart around as if he is staring into the eyes of ants. Anyway this is still something! (awkwardly and suddenly looks up, with a hint of desperation in his voice ……………..Do you want an orange (the hippy is now munching the orange and in a huge bite the juice quirts on the conservatives jacket. Laughingly he responds

Hippy: Well you can have some anyway (In a failed attempt to be sincere he does a loud fake laugh and grabs a lot of tissues and wipes the juice of the front of his brother’s jacket).

Hippy: There you go, as good as new, well maybe slightly worst (he fake laughs and pats his brother on the shoulder)

A large amount of silence occurs

Conservative: I have to tell you something-mums dead (he blurts this out without pauses, he looks forlorn).

Hippy (still wearing sunglasses he looks blankly, numbly at his brother)

 The End

Short Film Idea #2

At Glenferrie Station on Sunday Night I witnessed (and was involved in) some very nice human interactions-that would make for an interesting, feel good Drama or even Documentary film.

It all started when I had to wait 18 minutes for a train and wanted to fill in some time.

I went to Subway, and the girl at the counter was giving me my change, I asked her ‘What time do you guys close tonight?’. No doubt at this stage (It was about 8) she was sick of serving customers, she said rather monotonously ’11:30′. I kind of half smiled and said optimistically ‘Not too much longer’. The tone of her voice changed as she gave me my food and said ‘Have a good night’, perhaps this is the first time in history that someone in a fast food store actually meant it! Consequently I left happy that I turned a moment that should have been ordinary into something memorable.

I was then walking up the ramp at Glenferrie Station and a cleaner was wheeling his bin ahead of me, he was yelling over his shoulder to a fellow cleaner who had finished his job for the night. They both humbly said ‘Av a goodnight!’ to each other, and once again I could tell they both really meant what they were saying. There was a sense of camaraderie in there conversation that I wish I could have captured.

Now thinking about these moments more, they would perhaps be more suited to a drama film, created and presented in a style of a documentary. Similar too but less stylised than Jacque Tati’s Playtime perhaps?

Lastly I had to take a train to the city and then a train back out to Eltham, unfortunately I had to wait 20 minutes for my second train, so I decided to go for a walk around the city for a little bit. There was a very nice touristy atmosphere around Melbourne on Sunday Night, it wasn’t too busy but it wasn’t eerily quiet either. I got the feeling most people were (unusually) observing there surrounds and were caught up in the moment, living life in the present instead of thinking about the past or future. With the jazz guitar playing and the mellow lights it had an atmosphere that complemented the interactions I had witnessed on my journey.

Short Film Idea #1

1: A quick comedy.

Two men middle aged men are sitting on an ordinary park bench, reading newspapers and complaining about life. Almost every sentence Man 1 says begins with ‘Life’s Hard Work!’ and every sentence Man 2 begins with ‘I know, I know’ spoken in a disgusted,pathetic tone. After much humorous complaining and a moment of silence Man 1 says ‘look there’s our lift’. The camera then changes perspective and captures the road, a limousine pulls into shot. As they are walking towards (they have been revealed as privileged)  it Man 2 says ’20 seconds late, disgusting’. Man 1 says ‘Just can’t catch a break’. As the limousine exits the shot there is a homeless man on the other side of the street eating a sandwich with a content, satisfied smile on his face. The End.

– The only concern I have now is with the ending, I’m not sure if I should forget about the old man bit and just end the film with the two men leaving in a limousine, I feel as though it may be better in the long run if I’m not trying to say anything-because the dialogue will be quite absurd and offbeat.  

Sample Dialogue-This is unrefined, not very funny dialogue, but it captures the type of tone I’m trying to get at

The shot begins with two men with newspapers covering their faces. The man on the right throws his down on the ground in a rage.

Man 1: The one thing about life, man, is that it really gets you down.

Man 2: I know, down man, really down, never ending man.

Man 1: If life could spit, it would spit in my face. It would slag right on me!

Man 2: I know, slag man, your face man, no restraint man.

Man 1: Life just sucks.

Man 2: If I could say one thing to life, you know what it would be?

Man 1: no, what?

Man 2: You’re ugly-! That’d show it! (as if to inform the other man).

Man 1: Some people have no respect

Man 2: And the rest have very little

 

 

 

 

Elevator Edit- Brydan Meredith

 

I think I’ll talk a bit less about my premier abilities in this post and more on the thought process behind the aesthetic decisions.

This edit was a bit of an abstract one, practically because I didn’t have a heck of a lot of footage to edit with and there also didn’t seem to be enough action in the shot to warrant multiple edits without creating weird jump cuts.

The idea behind this, is that the character trying to get onto the lift is antagonised by the thought of someone bumping into him and/or he has been bowled over in the past by the same antagonist who bowls him over in the lift at the end. It is up for interpretation.

One of the key choices I made was to have the character wait for a considerable amount of time between the flashbacks and the actual opening up. This was done to create tension, after including quick flashbacks every couple of seconds, I chose not to continue to flash back in order for the audience to feel tension, as if something that should be happening isn’t it and something of the ordinary, something bad is about to happen, and rather eerily it does.

I was proud of this edit because I turned what was filmed, a farcical attempt to board a lift, into something much darker- a psychological drama of sorts. To me it felt as though I was doing my job as the editor by creating new meaning to the pre-existing footage and stamping my own ideas on it. To me not is that quite exciting, but it also emphasises the power of editing-which I didn’t exploit in my first ‘Basketball Edit’ which was rather practical.

In terms of Premier I was able to separate the audio track taken from the camera and fill in silent bits with atmosphere noise. This edit took me much less time than the other, because I felt better acquainted with the program, which is also a plus.

What Didn’t Work.

– I think lack of shots restricted the potential of the scene and editing process, however, I believe it was prescribed in the task too only take one shot. In the long run this forced me to think out of the box whilst in the edit suites.

– Lack of shots. We only had two takes,though I drew from both, one of the takes was quite scrappy and didn’t quite go as planned-students walked in the way of the camera and the timing of the lift messed up.

-Exporting. Again, this video looked great on the Editing Suites but once it got turned into an Mp4 file and put on a USB it lost a lot of quality.

 

Basketball Edit- Brydan Meredith

 

 

This is the first full piece of media I have edited on Premier by myself, and it ended up taking about 2 hours-quite some time for an edit should have taken only about 15-30 minutes.

The first thing that really stumped me was the audio, when I co-edited ‘Pollution’ with the help of my classmates and when I was first learnt to cut and crop on the day Paul took us to the suites the clips I was working with had there own in built sound that would be edited as the video was.

For this video it was obviously quite different, and I would be lying if I didn’t say I was about to go to tech support wondering where the sound was, fortunately I caught on after looking and listening to all the files.

The big issue for me in this edit was syncing the sound and the images together on each track. The clapper was quite handy because I could hear what he was saying as well as see the board. I quickly learnt how important it was to listen to each clip from start to finish and label each clip in the bin section.

In terms of editing experience I utilised the zoom and the cutter next to the digital ‘tapes’ for the first time (previously I had only used command O and I on the clips I was editing, I also discovered how easy cutting a pasting was, and how convenient it was having the audio and video on different tracks-it made them both easy to recycle, as you can probably see in this video I copied and pasted the video of me throwing 3 times.

In terms of decision making, I thought the quick edits gave the film a pacey feel which made it more entertaining. By having myself (the actor) in the first shot for a couple of additional seconds allowed for the audience to establish me as the protagonist, in turn wanting me to succeed in throwing the ball into the hoop-though I never did.

What worked

– The Pace/Quick Edits. This was most beneficial because it gave me much needed experience with Premier, I now feel as though I can crop, trim, cut and past as well as sync audio to a respectable standard.

– The Contrast between the two basketballers. It was well established that I was incompetent and Joel was quite good. The last editing choice I made was including Joel out of character asking the cameraman if the camera was rolling. Within the context of the film it looked as though he was sort of showing off after his shot. My appearance after my failed attempt was also out of character, I was actually smiling because I got a swish, but within the context of the film it appears to be more of a defeated smile.

What Went Ok

– The sound. Because I had to sync up 3 separate sounds for each clip of the basketball hitting the back board some of the syncs are better than other. The middle 2 are spot on, whereas the 1st and 4th are slightly off, probably to a point a standard watcher wouldn’t notice, but as the editor it hurts my ears.

What didn’t work

– My Premier Efficiency. Obviously I’m learning and getting my first taste of serious editing software but it take probably a bit too much time, but the important thing is that its done in the end. I’m keen to continue to get better at Premier, this requires more experience, but I feel as though I now have my foot in the door.

– The Exporting. For some reason the clip was super clear on the Macs in the editing suites, but on my USB the MP4 files looked absolutely horrible. It might be because the classic incompatible Apple/Microsoft software?

What I need to get better on.

– Transitioning between shots. I need to work out how to fade in and out on Premier……I felt that kind of narrowed my options.

– I still don’t know what some of the tools do on the bar next to the clips, but that will come in time.

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