• In what ways do you hope your final work (whether individual or group produced) engages its audience and communicated a key concern of the studio?

Our final group short film titled ‘Nepenthe’ displayed multiple key learnings that we were taught throughout the semester. For this project specifically, it was focused on the tableau shot. This shot refers to the arrangement of people and objects within the confines of our cinematic frame. Each frame is precisely composed and uses symmetry to create a harmonious picture. This use of symmetry and tableau shot is seen during our investigation scene. The objects within the frame like the lamp, water glasses, jug and folders assembled a sense of balance along with our two subjects directly opposed to each other. Each side had equal weight. This engages with the audience as it provides aesthetic attractiveness but also allows them to adjust their attention towards the environment in these particular shots. As opposed to the one-on-one close-up that only includes the character within frame, being the only focal point. This suggests that the audience should focus on the dialogue and facial expressions more intensely. This arrangement of people and objects are also important when wanting to show a sense of instability, like our flashbacks, to suggest that our character has elements out of her control and there is chaos that follows that. Showing both perspectives can significantly build an engaging film. Another key concern along with the importance of symmetry and the tableau shot is following a three-act structure. Throughout the course we were consistently reminded about the importance of this structure and how it can guide us to tell our stories in the most engaging way. This is demonstrated in ‘Nepenthe’ following the construction of the script, where beats and expressions were written in to show emotional climax throughout. In the beginning, our film is very monotone and expressionless, gradually building intensity with the use of editing in flashbacks and sound design. These postproduction elements immensely helped build our 3-act structure so that the audience felt exactly how we wanted them to, at each moment.

• Imagine you are going to keep working on that media piece (e.g. to screen it somewhere else like a festival, or develop it into a different kind of work, and so on) – what would be the core things you want to improve and extend and why?

The beauty of short films is that there is a lot left to the imagination. Questions are often left unanswered, and the possibilities are endless. ‘Nepenthe’ is definitely a film that could benefit from an extending storyline. As our film is heavily dialogue focused, I would like to see it go into a more abstract narrative with more establishing shots of this dystopian world that the film is set in. This would also be a good opportunity to further develop a more dominant colour palate that could match the surrounding environment that matches the futuristic and uninspiring place we imagine. Throughout the film we have a consistent colour palette that was helped by a LUT used on Jeremy’s camera. This gave each shot a cold, bleak, unwelcoming feel that is a direct reflection of the time period they are in. A restricted, lonely future. In the flashback scenes I think it would be interesting to try some green hues in the colour palette to signify almost a sickness that the character Grace feels in the flashbacks. Emulating some of our original inspiration. If we were to continue working on this piece, as a consumer I would like to see more of the environment and Lola’s everyday life. This could be shown through moments before and after the interview. Having these extensions would further develop and engage the audience in the fictional world we are trying to build. It can also be a way to show her true personality which is hidden throughout the interview. This can further her character development, further making her interview more compelling because we know how much of herself she is hiding/ lying about.

• Present all that you’ve worked on since Week 8 – your pre-production, experiments, images, clips, scenes, tests .This could include the draft edits, sound mixes and colour grades – and of course, the reflection associated with it. More scene deconstructions and analysis most welcome.

As the AD, pre-production was my main responsibility. In order for the production to run smoothly I was in charge of the practical elements that needed to be completed beforehand. In week 8 we collaborated on our elevator pitch, which was the starting point for our inspiration in terms of shots, colour palette and tone of the film. We decided it would be dark and temporally slow eventually building to disorder. Since our focus was on creating a tableau shot, we had a mood board that included surrealism art. These artworks incorporated different light sources, colour palates and focal points that we used as influences for ‘Nepenthe’.

Before anything I filled out a collaborative contract and everyone signed it. This outlined our group goals and responsibilities. I then continued to share all copies of location and personal release forms, insurance documents, safety checklist and made a risk management report. This ensures that in case of any unexpected events we are well prepared and equipped with the resources we need. Once that was completed, I moved forward with making a project timeline that would give a rough estimate of when things should be completed by so that we stay on track with our work. In addition to this, I also created call sheets that provided each actor with our plan, props and contacts for shooting day 1 and 2. After each group meeting, I made meeting minutes, which essentially record what our agenda and actions are for each sitting and the next. It also let others know who couldn’t attend what we discussed and what we need to do to move forward. All of these pre-production elements helped significantly with our shooting process as we knew it would be a long day and everything needed to be well prepared for how deliberately composed our shots were.

During filming the set was extremely important to develop the world we were trying to convey as well as symmetrical balance within the frame. The use of props and the character’s wardrobe was essential to build the aesthetic of the scene. For Agent 8 I slicked his hair down so that his character felt rigid and strict. This complimented his suit and tie which implied authority over Lola in the scene. The lighting was a massive element to not only create the colour palate, but also the symmetrical balance and focal points. The lamp was the main prop that dominated and influenced the frame and had the benefit of lighting the studio. Towards the end of pre-production, we changed the name to ‘Nepenthe’ meaning a sensation of forgetfulness or sorrow. This represents Lola’s character as the audience is positioned to sympathize with her even though her version of events may or may not be true. This element of an unreliable narrator pushed the audience to believe that what she’s saying during the interview is not truthful and she is protecting her freedom to think. The formal setting of the investigation and the unpredictable nature of the flashbacks created a large contrast. This was done purposely as the symmetrical balance in the investigation scene emphasized this formality and strict environment. Where as Lola’s flashbacks had the people and objects within the frame as erratic and unstable, demonstrating the importance of how symmetry and stability can be used to tell a visually compelling story.

• At least 300 words of the above 800 words must be on Collaboration (over the whole semester).  Working individually is just as valid a thing to write about as group work. Appraise how you went with it this semester – its pitfalls, upsides (discuss group work done during weekly activities).

Throughout the whole process, especially production, collaboration was an enormous part. Week by week during this course we were slowly building our skills alongside each other for what would eventually be used in this final project. Each week during class activities I would collaborate with someone different, having a variety of cameras and shot objectives to complete. This was important as I learnt quickly that each person offers something completely different and works in unique ways. For ‘Nepenthe’ as AD working on set meant that I didn’t have as much creative drive, but I was able to observe and examine the set. For day 1 I was in charge of the slate and taking notes on our shot list so that it would be easier for Yuyao to edit in post as she could not be there. We did not start as smoothly as hoped, we ran into difficulties with our shooting location and storage of equipment, which set us back a lot time-wise. This was partly due to the staff. We decided to film the whole script for every shot angle.  Since our film relies heavily on dialogue, it was hard for our actors to recite the lines verbatim so that we could keep continuity. On day 2 of shooting, I played the character ‘Grace’ and the environment was much more collective, where our roles would combine all together. This is where I got to use the digital camera and shoot b-roll that would be used for flashbacks. During post-production we had multiple meetings relating to how the edit would be envisioned. This was a difficult process because editing on one device is hard when it comes to collaborating. This was probably our biggest hurdle as editing is a very intuitive skill and everyone has diverse ideas. Nonetheless, I comprised a folder of sound effects and ambient music, so the editor had multiple options. It included sound that was thematic and had slow builds that would complement moments in the film that were intense adding, an off-kilter element as the story was unbalanced. The sound design was incredibly important as our recorded mic wouldn’t synch to our film during post. So any parts that we were struggling with we could mask with sound design.

•  Write one reflection on, or response to, the content of the Presentation in Week 9 by student work other than your own (minimum 500 words).

A presentation I would like to respond to from week 9 was the short film concept ‘Friends for Dinner’. This pitch centred around the story of a man who is invited to a friend’s dinner that eventuates into an awkward, unsettling evening that ends in a disturbing act. Immediately this concept intrigued me because I’m a sucker for watching a good dinner argument. I gravitated towards the themes of class and betrayal as those are compelling but hard concepts to achieve with a funny tone. The thriller, comedy, horror genre captivated me wanting to see how it would also be tableau. I did however have apprehensions about the visual concept since their inspiration included Hot Fuzz (2007) and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010). However, the inclusion of Get Out (2017) seemed like a more likely avenue as the subject matter and genre is more similar. I was particularly fascinated by the concept of the victim being sacrificed in this bizarre ritual, I found it both disturbing and funny. I think this twist is unique and an attractive way of keeping the audience on their feet. They had a great grasp on the tone of the film, linking to classic old-school thrillers that created a large amount of suspense. As their tone, style and genre are all very extensive, It may be a concern to have these done in detail given the 7-minute time frame. Some of the inspirational shots used are very contrasting in terms of lighting and colour which can be misleading or unbalanced within the film. Touching on the tableau shot they have made sure to centre it around a horror still. I like this idea of opposing elements, horror with art and beauty is a compelling image. The examples shown like The Shining (1980) is great to bounce off in terms of having objects and props to make a horrific image more aesthetically pleasing to the spectator. As an audience, I got a good grasp on the overall aesthetic of the film as they included a list of props and costumes which included gowns, wine, blood and candles which outlined this genre of class perfectly. They have done a comprehensive amount of work on brainstorming, storyboards and script drafts that will ultimately make the production easier. As this film involves a large number of genre mixing it will be important to have the dialogue and pace in accordance to these genres. However, a concern is the amount of work that will be needed for such a film. I think it will be difficult to achieve but ultimately will be a very interesting concept. Overall I am very excited to see the finished product as a consumer I enjoy nail-biting twists in a seemingly hospitable environment.