Pre Production Revisions and improvements

I read the class's input in response to my original preproduction package, so i've decided to make a new storyboard and include some details about my movie that may make the concept stronger.

Terrain:

I included a park area within my movie, but overlooked the potential for a range in textures and objects the camera can come in contact with.  There are so many different surfaces and objects in a park that i could exploit.

wooden walkways

cold plastic surfaces

stepping stones *shoe could jump from one to the other*

tiling inside park bathrooms

Goal of the movie: Having some sort of destination in mind would aid in giving the movie a specific direction to take with out detracting too much from my original concept.  I also included moments where the camera does not move as much. There were concerns that my movie could cause motion sickness if the pace moves too fast for too long.  I still want my music to play as the shoes walk, but I have included moments where the sound is temporarily replaced with another sound effect or music track.

Revised breakdown:

The dirty sneaker belongs to an individual whose free time is spent playing recreational soccer.  The movie opens up with a shot of the soccer ball next to one of the two shoes.  The individual picks these objects up (one of which is the camera) and sets them down elsewhere.  We see the hands of the individual tying one shoe, then picking up the shoe that serves as the viewer's point of view.  A foot comes towards the screen, indicating that we are the other shoe.

Two people are needed to play soccer, so the first destination of the shoe is to the house of a friend.  I still want to include many different areas to travel between.  I'm thinking of having 3 for this segment:  From walkway of front lawn, to concrete sidewalk, to asphalt of street.  

From here the camera sits for a moment, and the sound of an ice cream truck can be heard.  The wheels of the truck are in the shot confirming the shoes' location.  Suddenly, a blob of ice cream falls onto "our" shoe, and ice cream covers the frame.  

As it is wiped off, the camera transitions to the house of the other individual.  The individual rings the doorbell once.  Then the individual rings the doorbell again.  Our view of the shoe moves up and down in rapid succession, denoting impatience.  The door finally opens and the camera sees another set of shoes and soccer ball.  The shoe turns, and takes its first step, which cuts to the park area. 

 The pace of the shoes slows a bit as they step across wooden surfaces, through sand, mulch, and grass.  (This is the area i can include most of my gritty textures.)  Dirt and mud accumulates on the shoe.  The dirt fills up the frame, darkening the view considerably.  The next shot opens as the soccer ball is kicked.  (the sound of the kick can be heard.) Dirt tracks from the shoe can be seen on the ball after it is kicked.

From there, I have two ideas.  I can end the movie there, or i can transition back to the closet from the first shot, where the individual takes the shoes off, puts them back into the closet, and closes the door.  One gives a definite ending whereas the other emphasizes the cyclic nature of wearing shoes each day.  I can film both, but which one would be a better fit for my movie?

Revised storyboards will be completed soon.

Preproduction Package for next movie:

The world is conveyed from the perspective of a dirty sneaker.  It's mostly about the rhythmic journey of a shoe from point a to b.  As it is worn by a "seasoned" pedestrian.  Through puddles, dirt, and mud; across asphalt and concrete. From location to location in rapid succession.  You see the shoes get pulled out the closet and have feet stuck in them. Movie cuts to a shot where a door in front of them opens to the outside world.

You see the shoe walk from the front lawn, all across memphis.

If you've ever seen one of those old school film movies, they have those transitions where the camera moves from side to side really fast in a blur to get to the next scene.

I also want to create a rhythm in the shots themselves. Maybe even do the entire movie to music. People walk with a distinctive pace in mind, and i can mirror that with music, and the times at which the camera will cut to the next shot.

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1: Shot list and Storyboard:

*my ideas are location dependent, so i included images that show the overall area of each shot. each shot is done in the style of this indoor test video*

EXAMPLE. When looped, appears as if walking in endless hallway. (creates smooth transitions.)

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1.  low angle  shot of shoes in closet. picked up. taken out of closet and sat on floor.   View from below of feet of person (face not seen) moving feet toward camera. (cut to black)

2.  cut to shot of door opening from shoe's perspective.  Room that was once dark becomes filled with light.  View of the outside world in detail contrasts a room that was once pitch black. (front yard)

3.  time slows as shoe takes first step. serves as the beginning of the long trek to the destination that the individual is walking to. Once first step is made, time of steps goes back to normal, establishing the pace of the walk throughout the movie.

....Each of the next shots are done with 3 steps a piece, in rapid succession.  The transitions between them visually convey covering a very large distance in a short amount of time on film.  Each location emphasizes the distance traveled, and the constance pace of the walk itself.  Depending on the area traveled the rhythm will slow or speed up.  (for example:  slower walks for uphill climbs, faster walks for downhill movements.)

4.  walk from the front yard.

5. walk to the sidewalk outside the house.

6. transition to sidewalk of shopping center parking lot

7. gas station, step in car oil (splashes on screen? small traces left in the following shots)

8. walk through field of grass

9. uphill walk through dirt and mud (mud accumulates on screen as pace slows down, stops at top of hill. small traces left in following shots)

10. shoe is cleaned off with stick. pace quickens as foot begins to speed up, walking faster.

Faster pace is denoted by the more frequent passing of environments.

shots 11 - 14.  neighborhood, sidewalk of street, park area, set of stairs (going up).

15. denotes the trek back to point a.  The shoe goes back down the stairs. As each step is taken, a shot of a previous location is shown again, cut in-between each step taken down the stairs.

16. the shoes are back home, and are thrown down, inside the closet, where the door closes.

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2: Additional Notes:

Although the focus of my movie has shifted away from an emphasis on closeup visuals, the variety in locations is important.  I am still scouting more areas (including a few shots on cooper st)  i add in this movie, as i feel that the greater diversity in environments and surfaces to walk on, the better.

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3: Q and A

a. The shoe's objective is to carry the individual from point a to point b, regardless of terrain, distance, or hazards.

b.  The major obstacles the shoe has in moving from area to area is the terrain itself. Different areas require different rhythms of walking, from trots to sprints.

c. The only action that the shoe uses to overcome these obstacles is a constant move forward.  The shoe serves as an extension of the wearer's body.

d. Different areas require different rhythms of locomotion, from slow trots to fast sprints.

e.  The shoe, when it can no longer fulfill its objective is entirely dictated by the user.  Fulfillment and failure work in a cycle that is repeated each day.  The shoe is laid aside to be worn once again when it is given a new objective.

f.  The main realistic doing that the shoe is engaged in is walking, although it is being portrayed from an unrealistic angle.

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4.  Breakdown

a.  2 actors. The individual who wears the shoe, and the implied presence of the shoe itself.

b. the shoe will be in all scenes, where as specific shots of the wearer will only be seen at the beginning, end, and the one shot where the shoe is cleaned off.

c. All locations are outdoors and located within a block of each other, up and down central avenue, due to the variety of locations and scenery in that area. Outdoor outlets are few and far in between, so it is imperative to use batteries when filming.  

d. Special effects(2):  simulating the look of a shoe walking through different areas and the look of mud and dirt getting on the camera.

e. No special costumes or makeup.

f.  Props?  No props, other than a pair of dirty shoes.

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5. Location Snapshots:

...included with storyboards.

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7. Days to shoot (2 or 3):

This friday, 4/17 for rehearsals, then next friday, 4/24 for the final shooting.  Saturday, 2/25 is needed in case something goes wrong.

Expanded film Idea

Idea of some of the shots I want:

Beginning:
Opening shot of shoe in closet. Frame is dark. Closet opens, and the "wearer" picks up the shoes, prepared to wear them.

Body of movie:
Mass amounts of dirt and other substances that the shoe comes in contact with serve as the transitions from area to area. As the movie progresses, the cuts and shots become quicker depending on where the shoe is going and what is stepping in.

I want a sequence where the shoe interacts with the world around it, kicking objects that may be painful to kick if it was not worn. (Rocks, metal, etc.)

The movie is about the shoe, but the wearer can be seen from time to time depending on the angle of the foot, just to indicate the correlation between the shoe's actions and the wearer's actions.

End:
Ending shot of shoes being thrown to the side, in the closet, covered in dirt. The door of the closet closes, ending the way the movie began, denoting the cyclic nature of the shoe's function.

Revised Movie Idea

Subject:  Document 24 hours of time from the perspective of a dirty sneaker.

Shortened to fit within a timeframe of 3 to 5 minutes.

Each day we spend most of our time wearing shoes of some sort to protect our feet from the ground.  It lets us walk where we otherwise would not be able to.  I want my film to document the trek through a number of dirty, gritty locations, some of which could even be hazardous.  There are a lot of surfaces and textures I could document to fully realize the setting.  I want a lot of close up shots so the viewer could get an extensive view of what we have under our shoes.

I'm still thinking of ways to portray this, but at different points in the movie I want to portray the up and down motion that shoes have as the individual who wears them walks.  The camera will become the shoe's eyes, and like my sandwich video, the eye's focus will change depending on what the shoe is doing, or it's current status (tied, or untied).

Right now, the only sequence I envision for my movie is to have it start in the morning before the person wearing the shoe goes off for his activities, and at the end of the day when the shoe is put back in the closet.  (I want a shot of a dark closet opening and the shoes being taken out, and then the shoes being put back in the closet as it closes.)

3 Ideas for Next Video:

#1: A continuation from first experimental idea, documenting life from the perspective of an inanimate object or multiple objects.

I really want to try to execute this video from the perspective of a shoe. My first video allowed the viewer to see such interesting textures when jelly came so close to the lens. Since shoes walk everywhere, I could create a visually rich movie that documents a shoe's trek through a large number of dirty, gritty environments.

#2: I am thinking about combination of stop motion light painting photography and full motion video to produce a film. I have seen a couple videos based on this concept in the past, and I think I could create an interesting narrative or documentation of a nighttime space using this technique.

#3: My favorite shot from Maya Deren's "Meshes in the Afternoon" is the one where she takes a few steps, yet appears as if she has traveled a great distance. I want to make a movie based around this concept that has the character move from one space to another by , exiting the frame of the shot in different directions by different means. I want to force continuity, and make the character travel where they would not be able to travel otherwise.

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Edit:  I just had another idea... where i could create a narrative that would be a combination of animation and video based around the interactions between living tattoos on a person's body.

Rehearsal Notes:

We were able to rehearse just about every scene in the movie this weekend. I went over the planned way of filming each shot and recording sound for the movie while leaving room open to suggestions and new ideas. Everything seemed to work out well. Although i wanted to pick up sounds of the wind as well as the streets below my filming location, I did have to be careful of the levels I set my equipment to. Little children in the distance could be heard if not too careful. Such is one of the issues with filming in a public place.

Rehearsal sparked many ideas as to how I would visually portray the fall from the building. I had my own ideas, and the crew had theirs. We decided to put them together and film them all to decide which methods were the most effective. The final fall in the movie will be depicted with a combination of these techniques.

There is no dialogue, but there is an emphasis on sound effects.  We experimented with recording sound specific distances away from the camera and actor to create the sounds we want.  I have recorded extra sounds during rehearsal that I may be able to use over my footage from this week's shooting to create a more fully realized environment for my movie.

I do have a couple of worries about filming the actual movie based on rehearsals. Things went so well during rehearsal because I had the sunlight and clear sky I wanted all day. The 5-day forecast for this week predicted rain, which would be a big problem. There was some earlier reports this week that the weekend should be sunny, so I am hoping for the sunlight to return.  I am currently working on backup plans just in case it does rain this weekend.

Additional Pre-production Information

Actors:
The only actor I have is in all scenes of the movie. He plays two different parts, his present self, and his past self.

Locations:

The Peabody Hotel roof, and a bathroom floor. The bathroom floor is more or less used for a few shots towards the end, to document the space. The Peabody Hotel roof is where most of my movie is shot, and there are plenty of ways to take advantage of the space.


Wide open space, with many outlets to use if any electrical equipment is needed.




There are a number of establishment shots I can get from this elevation. With the aid of a step ladder, I can get the shot I originally wanted for my movie. Here is the example again.




With a cheap digital camera, I filmed an example shot of the view I want of the city. (disregard my finger in the shot, won’t happen in the final movie.) Using the sound of rushing wind and car horns in these first person perspective shots, I want the viewer to become as immersed in the environment as the main character himself. At that elevation, the slightest wind blowing can be very loud, not to mention the sounds from the other buildings in the area. It may be a good idea to record my movie silently, and record sounds over it.


Lighting Quality:
Will be fine as long as it does not rain. I am checking the weather channel constantly, insuring that the day I shoot is a bright and sunny one. Bounce cards should suffice, but there are plenty of outlets I can take advantage of for other lights if necessary.

Conceptual drawing of the basic colors of the environment and how they contrast with the wardrobe of the main character.  The red cape helps the character stand out from the background, while creating a backlight with bounce cards, will help the rest of my character stand out from his surroundings.

Stunts and Special Effects:
Most of the major effects are camera based. No bumps, or falls, just specific camera angles to convey the environment and the character in specific ways.

Special costumes, makeup?
I want the character to appear child-like in appearance, so his current wardrobe consists of wearing clothes that are a smaller fit than what would be considered normal. Currently I have him wearing pajamas.

Conceptually, I like the idea of conveying a memory by having the memory’s subject appear as it does in reality physically, but with the mentality of that time. Any other ideas on making an adult appear as a child would be appreciated.


Props:
A bright red towel. I have a portable fan I plan to use to simulate wind if necessary.

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Planning went well for my movie. I have a clear distinct idea on how I will get my shots. By using the Peabody Roof, I can get the camera angles I originally envisioned when pitching my movie before spring break.

The weather is not a problem at the moment. Friday appears to be a bright sunny day, so I will try to shoot everything then. Currently I am redrawing my storyboard, blocking my shots, and trying to plan out every detail to limit the amount of time it takes to record footage.

Response: Puce Moment

It was not until I did a little research on the title that I learned that puce was a color.  That said, the film does a nice job of using the texture, and fabric, and little details of each dress with the soundtrack in the background to denote different moods and mentalities.  It almost seems as if she is picking which person she wants to be that day.  The perfume she sprays along with the sparkles of her dress work nicely together giving the woman a sense of extravagance.  The ending itself surprised me, where the viewer finds out that she made all this preparation just to take her dogs for a walk.  I think it does a good job of noting the glamour of the era expressed, that even the most mundane of activities are executed with a hint of flair.

In class exercise: 3/3

#1  I tried something different from what I usually do when I present information and tried to be extra forceful and convincing.  Ironically the one time I attempt to be intentionally forceful, I come off as preachy.  That is perfectly fine; I just need to practice this method of speaking more. I need to refine the way I convey my thoughts verbally.

From the feedback I received it seems that the major ideas behind my manifesto came across save for a few ideas that could be rewritten..  However, I do agree that the term "fun" should be changed.  It is a word that, when used in excess, makes my entire manifesto appear as if I feel everything in life should be fun, all the time.  I do not want that, so it will be changed.

I plan to rewrite or reword my manifesto so that the idea of working with a degree of satisfaction and excitement when creating one's movies is paramount.  I may even use that phrase somehow.

The conflicts in my manifesto that were mentioned did not seem to affect its overall quality, with regards to the idea of meticulous planning and blatant effort.  It does represent a current crossroads within my own work where I must push myself to make the effort first, then prepare a plan later.  I am happy that came across.

Someone mentioned that my manifesto tends to make everything black and white, but did not specify if that is a good thing or not.  It is something I need to think about. Do I want to leave room in my manifesto for answers that are not "Yes and No?"

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Currently, my essay and visuals are supporting the "original idea" I had for my manifesto where I create the storyboards and develop the shots I want from desire, and not any pre-conceived notions of if they will actually work in the long run or not. I know how I want my story to be conveyed and am working to make it become just that.

Even if they are supporting the mentality of my manifesto, I can push it further, with riskier camera angles, more developed storyboards, and ideas that I have not even come up with.

In short, the feedback I received was very helpful. It seems the core issue of my manifesto is the use of the word "fun", which I will revise. I believe changing that will fix everything else.  If not, I will revise further.  In the meantime, I will continue developing my essay, and storyboard.

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Oh... and any other comments about my manifesto or what I inferred from the class discussion, if anyone has any, would be appreciated.

Manifesto and Memory Essay (Updated with pitch details):

My Manifesto:

Today is the day that I have fun.

Fun in doing, not in thinking that I can do.
Fun in making, not in hoping I can make.
Fun in planning, not in hoping that everything works out in the end.

To create is to have fun, to have fun is to create better.

Better than those around me, who reject ideas that may not work out too well.
Those I fear may not like what I have to say.
SAY IT! Something left unsaid will never be verified.
The only way to know right from wrong is to try.

As I say this, I do not jump in headfirst.
Oh no! Organization is paramount!
I think, I execute, I think again.

The ideas I store in little files, just in case I want to come back to them one day.
All alphabetized and numbered,
But not ranked in effectiveness,
For a bad idea is a good idea that was not executed properly.

How do I execute properly?
Execute again.

My work reflects my feelings whether I like it or not.
I might as well have fun while creating
So my audience can have fun while watching
And want to share that experience with others
Who then create (and have fun while doing so)
So others can watch and then create themselves.

I want my work to inspire others to dare themselves to create.
But the only way I can make work of this quality is if I enjoy making it.

Gone are the days where I hope things will work out in the end.
Today is the first day I enjoy creating.


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Memory Essay:

I stand on the edge of the building, looking down at the many people below me. In my mind, I can do anything at this moment. There is no one else with me, all are below, unaware of the feat that is about to take place. I look around, short of breath due to the elevation I am at. The faint echo of car horns teases my ears. So high up I am. All I can see is blue, with little white clouds.

I tie my cape around me, almost ready for takeoff. My feet are cold, as if standing on porcelain, but I do not care. The only thing that matters is the red cape behind me, cotton soft, like the towels my mother bathes me with. It is the symbol of my ability; my belief that I have surpassed those around me, that in the four years I have been alive, I have achieved the power of flight.

I jump.

For a moment, I am weightless. I look around in pride at everything around me; the blue sky, the white clouds, the tile-shaped buildings below me. I blink as I descend towards the ground. Wind passes by my ear quicker than it ever has before. As I blink, the buildings move closer and closer, yet never seem to change in elevation. Something is amiss, yet I can not stop the speed at which I fall. Everything around me is a mess of wind and blurry visuals. Suddenly the edge of a building comes into focus. I try to make an emergency landing. The reflection of porcelain blinds me; I can not see where I land.

Everything becomes black, and a loud, clear ringing can be heard. I see green and yellow triangles.

I awake face up. My father is looking at me with extreme concern. His eyes lack their usual focus and his brow concaves upwards towards the middle of his head. Regardless of his demands I look left and right. What was once buildings and streets is now bathroom tiling. What was once sky is wallpaper. What was once my emergency landing strip is now the edge of my bathroom sink.

On the very corner of the sink, at the pointy end, there is blood.

I begin to cry.

STORYBOARDS:

Pitch Details/Desired elements for movie:

(Camera angles and wardrobe that contrast the main character with the world around him.)

Camera Angles:

Two points of view: third person, and first person for sensory shots from character.

Want the viewer to see what the main character sees, and hear the sounds he hears.

Views from above character to contrast his size with the size of the city around him.

Emphasize the scope of environment while making him stand out from it.

Sounds:

Car horns and traffic in the distance, the sound of rushing wind as he falls, sounds of each step he takes and the sound of his "cape" in the wind.

Visuals:

Bright red cape.  Contrasts the blue sky and white clouds seen from area.

Highly saturated, bright colors on main character, enhanced with lighting. (gels?)

Two color schemes:  

1. Muted greys with blue tint. (Bathroom)

2. Bright and colorful, saturated. (Top of building.)

grays,with blue tints.

On a bright day, colors of the environment will be bright enough that further saturation of the background may not be needed.

Scene Breakdown:

Scene 1:

Extreme low shots, of character, denoting his importance and his feeling of supremacy. Shots from above the character, contrasting the scope of the character to the environment around him.  Bright red towel around his neck, contrasts greatly with blue sky.  Sounds of traffic and wind in the distance.  Character's clothes blowing in distance.

Red cape sharply contrasts the sky.

example of one of the shots I want in the scene.

Scene 2:

After the character jumps, camera switches to first person view.  Shots that ascends slowly, then 

 descent towards the ground.  Animated blinks overlay descent, like iris ins and iris outs, with each blink transitioning into a change of scenery.

(Link to closest example of sensation i want to create as he falls with sound and video, minus music.  14 sec - 28 sec mark)

(I want to greatly contrast the mass amount of color in the child's imagination with the muted surfaces of the bathroom.)

Scene 3:

Very short; A shot of the main character falling on the bathroom floor.  Color scheme changes, paler, less saturated color scheme.  Bluish tint. 

Time Session Write Up:

My biggest concern when making this movie was being able to create an entire narrative that makes sense and is fairly successful without using dialogue.  I want the actions of the characters themselves to drive the narrative.  My idea is the same as before, centering around two guys spending the morning making pancakes, detailing their exploits and efforts to end their hunger.

Above anything else, this first (and only) day filming my movie was a learning expierence. Throughout the course of directing, arranging lights with my crew, and trying my hardest to get the shots I wanted I could immediately tell what was working and what was not working within all of the storyboards, the planning, the script, and anything else I made prior.  Despite all my planning beforehand, there were a few on-the-fly revisions to my script due to some new ideas during filming that worked better for my movie. Nevertheless, the entire session went smoothly, even if it did take all day.

My actors did their job, and in my opinion, did their job well.  I was able to get exactly what I wanted from their performances.  Time will tell if it was enough to produce a fairly decent movie, but that is what digitizing tuesday is for.  I tried to follow the rules of filming and lighting, breaking them when necessary.  I do have a small worry that my lighting is not working in some scenes but am looking forward to seeing how my work looks tomorrow.

Due to the schedules of my actors (having school on the only day i could shoot, and being unavailable at any other time), I ended up filming all of one actor's shots first, and another actor's shots second.  Any shots with both of them together were filmed last.   Luckily, it is all planned, so editing will not take as long as it would otherwise.

Quiz # 2: Lighting

1. 3 light sources in 3-point lighting?

• Key Light
  
• Fill Light
  
• Backlight (or Rim Light)

2. Backlight (Rim light)

3. Key Light

4. Fill Light

E.C.:  Background Light:  Used to light the background, and give definition to background scenery, or with filters break up the space in the background to add visual interest. Bounce cards can be used as well if necessary.

Rehearsal Notes:

#1 Breakdown of script:

(a) Number of actors: 2 (Tenchi Thomas and Pierre Thornton)

How many scenes will each actor be in? Length of Performances?

• Both will be in all three scenes. Their performance length in scenes 1 and 3 are about equal.
  

(b) Performance time: (in fractions of a full day. Fraction of day needed for performance is same ratio of time on camera.)

Scene 1:

• Tenchi and Pierre: 1/2 a day each.
  

Scene 2:

• Tenchi: 1/3 day
  
• Pierre: 2/3 day
  

Scene 3:

• Tenchi and Pierre: 1/2 day.
  

(c) Location: 1 location. Single-floor house. Open floor plan. Living room/kitchen.

(d) Stunts and special effects: (2)

• Fall in scene 2. Slips on watery pancake mix. (1 shot)
  
• Simulation of smoke coming from stove in scene 2. (2 shots)
  

(e) Costumes: (Already acquired)

• “Nathan”: Green Sweater, brown cargo pants.
  
• “Jack”: White and blue sportswear. Currently looking for red and yellow alternative, if needed.
  

(f) Props: (Acquired)

• Empty egg carton
  
• Box of generic pancake mix
  
• Flour
  
• Sugar
  
• Baking powder
  
• Salt
  
• Milk
  
• Veggie oil
  
• Plastic forks and spoons
  
• Extra clothes to place around set. (hats, etc.)
  
• Mop and bucket
  
• Bowls and skillets
  
• Eggs
  
• 2 game controllers
  

#2 Location Scout:

*cleaning and prepping for shooting was in progress when shots were taken*

closeup of kitchen area. Note how much daylight can be seen through windows. We will be blocking these to extend the amount of time we can film during the day.

living room has adequate spacing for lights

Sound Quality:

High quality silence with low echo. Acoustically sound; can carry sound from one end of set to other. Needs to turn off fridge to stop hum, and bathroom fans. Surrounding area outside set is quiet as well. Biggest issue with sound is the children and dogs inside and around set. Arrangements have been made to alleviate sound problems during actual recording of movie.

Available Light

4 – 6 ceiling lights (4 windows, 2 in each area.) Light quality is higher in living room than kitchen. Will need more lighting for kitchen.

Electricity:

3 readily available power sockets. (1 in each area, and 1 in the middle of both.) Can use a 4^th if needed by moving Television and 5^th if string an extension cable to bathroom.

#10: Rehearsal Notes:

The first rehearsal was definitely a learning experience. There were a lot of mistakes made and things that can be improved. That said, I believe it went much better than it could have gone had we not been prepared. We spent a lot of the scheduled time for rehearsal going over the nuances of the script. We discussed the motives of both characters, how long they’re on film, how they further the plot, their motivations, and how the viewer is supposed to perceive each character at every point of the film. This helped greatly when we began to film, although we still spent a lot of time working out kinks.

I am happy we did multiple takes of each shot. It gave the actors room to experiment with different methods of acting out the same set of lines and gave me an opportunity to experiment with framing and available lighting. Although we spent a lot of time figuring out how shots would work from different perspectives, I do wish that we filmed more of our shots from different perspectives with each take. The actors are working on their performances, something that shows with each individual take of the same shot. They are getting to a level I am comfortable with, but still have room for growth.

It was rehearsal, so we did not have all lighting and sound in place. This is most apparent in the kitchen scenes, where I discovered that the levels of natural and fluorescent light we have is still darker than the living room. This can be remedied with extra lights, so I’m not extremely worried. In regards to the sound, the hum the fridge as well as one of my actor’s kids can be heard in some shots. It is understandable due to the nature of rehearsal, and our set being his house. Nevertheless, all extra sounds will not be there when we do our final shooting for the movie. We have arranged to have the entire set perfectly quiet except for necessary sounds in the movie.

A list of props has been made for the film. Luckily, a lot of “atmospheric props” like pans, cups, and bowls is already in the set so acquiring the few props I do need is not a problem.

There are some scenes we did not shoot, mainly close-ups of the characters faces. I have decided to shoot any quick close-ups after shooting major narrative footage. If I shoot them all at once and break them up in final cut, I can limit the amount of times I have to reposition the camera.

None of the scenes became too problematic, although I did change the usage of a specific prop to lower the movie’s budget. At the end of scene 2: we no longer use a fire extinguisher to put out the impending fire, baking powder is poured over the fire instead.

Although we did not get a chance to shoot rehearsal footage of the entire movie, we did review the movie off-screen beforehand. The 15 minutes of footage I do have is for a little under the first half of the movie (3 – 5 takes for each shot.). After acquiring that footage, I made a HUGE mistake and double-tapped the record button after filming, which resulted in about 20 minutes of absolutely nothing. Luckily it did not erase anything I needed. In the future, I will be buying two tapes just in case anything happens to the first one.

#11: REWRITES: Earlier post of script will be updated with revisions.

(scenes 1, 2, and 3) Midday: Jack and Nathan’s house. The Couch

• Anytime it says "apartment" in the script, I have changed it to house. This lowers the amount of time I have to spend setting up and taking down equipment, now that I no longer have to drive across town in-between locations to get a shot of an apartment.
  

(scene 2: end) JACK RUNS AWAY FROM SKILLET, RETURNS WITH BOWL OF BAKING POWDER. DUMPS INTO SKILLET. POWDER MAKES CAMERA GO TO BLACK.

• Cheaper solution to putting out the “small fire” that gets started in the film. Smoke is used to convey the idea of fire, without burning anything.
  

(scene 3) JACK LOOKS BEHIND HIM TOWARDS NATHAN. NATHAN IS HOLDING TWO PLATES OF HOMADE PANCAKES.

CLOSE UP ON THE PANCAKES. CAMERA TILTS UP TO NATHAN’S FACE. HE SMILES AND SLIGHTLY NODS.

CLOSE UP ON JACK’S FACE. HE SIGHS AND SHAKES HIS HEAD IN REFUSAL.

• Fixed a typo in the script. Original line: “CLOSE UP ON NATHAN’S FACE. HE SIGHS AND SHAKES HIS HEAD IN REFUSAL.”
  

Pancake Panic *working title* Script, Revised Synopsis, and storyboard (UPDATED 2/09/09)

Revised synopsis:

Two guys who live together spend their mornings playing video games. One is calm, collected, and patient. The other is high-strung and likes to do things as quickly as possible. They both make a late breakfast at noon. One uses the last of the eggs to make pancakes from scratch. The other, out of spite, tries to make instant pancakes. From there, the two cook their breakfast with one trying desperately not to burn the kitchen down.

Script:

NOTE: The characters DO NOT have dialogue. They will only make expressive sounds that vary depending on the situation. The only other noise they make will be exclamations of [hey!]

SCENE 1

Midday: Jack and Nathan’s house. The Couch

{Establishes the setting of the movie, as well as the two character’s core personalities. Alternating shots of Jack and Nathan contrast their personalities. Nathan’s calm, collected, and patient. Jack is high-strung, somewhat impatient, and likes to finish tasks as quickly as possible. Video game scene introduces Jack’s somewhat competitive spirit.}

EXTREME LONG SHOT OF THE HOUSE THEY STAY IN.

CLOSEUP OF JACK ‘S HANDS HAMMERING ON A VIDEOGAME CONTROLLER’S BUTTONS.

Jack: *focused grunting*

SHOT OF NATHAN ‘S HANDS DOING THE EXACT OPPOSITE, MAKING SLOW, DELIBERATE BUTTON PRESSES.

CLOSEUP SHOT OF JACK’S EYEBROWS RAISED AND EYES TWITCHING. HIS EYES SHIFT RAPIDLY AS HE SCREAMS

Jack: *Ooh hoo hoo hoo!!!*

CLOSEUP OF NATHAN’S EYES. THEY APPEAR RELAXED. HE BLINKS ONCE, AND ONCE ONLY.

SHOT OF BOTH ON THE COUCH, FACING THE CAMERA. JACK IS LEANING FORWARD WHILE NATHAN IS RELAXED. BOTH CONTINUE THEIR ACTIONS FROM THE PREVIOUS CLOSEUP SHOTS. A SHARP “K.O.!” IS HEARD, SIGNALING THE END OF THE GAME.JACK JUMPS UP AND SHOUTS IN EXCITEMENT.

AS HE JUMPS UP THE CAMERA CUTS TO A SHOT OF HIS STOMACH AS IT GROWLS LOUDLY.

CUTS TO VIEW OF BOTH CHARACTERS FACING CAMERA. JACK LOOKS DOWN, THEN PLOPS IN SOFA WHILE RUBBING HIS STOMACH WITH BOTH HANDS. NATHAN LOOKS AT HIM AND SHAKES HIS HEAD LEFT AND RIGHT.

SHOT OF NATHAN LOOKING AT THE CLOCK. IT READS 12:OO PM.

Nathan: *hmm…*

NATHAN GETS OFF OF COUCH AND WALKS TOWARD KITCHEN. JACK FOLLOWS HIM.

SCENE 2
Midday: Jack and Nathan’s house. The Kitchen.
{Explains Jack’s motivation for cooking pancakes. 3 attempts are made.}

CUTS TO SHOT FROM INSIDE THE FRIDGE. FRIDGE OPENS, AND JACK LOOKS IN, SEARCHING FOR THE EGG CARTON. SMILE ON HIS FACE AS HE PULLS IT OUT.

SHOT FROM OUTSIDE FRIDGE OF JACK PLACING THE CARTON ON THE COUNTER, THEN OPENING IT. LOOK OF CONFUSION ON HIS FACE. CLOSEUP SHOT OF INSIDE CARTON REVEALS EGG CARTON IS EMPTY.

Jack: *huh?*

SOUND OF EGG CRACKING, CAMERA MOVES RIGHT, FOCUSES ON NATHAN, WHO TAKES EGG AND CRACKS IT ON BOWL. PANCAKE SYRUP, A CUP OF FLOUR, A TABLESPOON OF SUGAR, SALT, BAKING POWDER, A CUP OF MILK, VEGETABLE OIL, AND COOKING UTENSILS ARE SEEN NEXT TO HIM, EACH IN ITS OWN SPECIFIC CONTAINER.

MEDIUM CLOSEUP OF JACK AS HE LOOKS TO THE RIGHT. HE SIGHS IN SLIGHT ANGER AND FRUSTRATION AND STARTS TO LOOK IN THE CABINETS FOR SOMETHING TO MAKE. PULLS OUT A BOX OF “INSTANT-PANCAKES” MIX.

Jack: *ooh!*

MEDIUM CLOSEUP OF JACK WORKING ON THE COUNTER LEFT OF NATHAN. HE FLIPS THE BOX OVER AND READS THE INSTRUCTIONS. EXTREME CLOSEUP OF BOX’S INSTRUCTION LABEL.

INSTRUCTION LABEL: “ Blah blah blah blah 1 cup blah blah blah stir milk blah blah blah butter blah blah blah”

Jack: *Aha!*

JACK PULLS OUT MILK AND BUTTER, FROM THE FRIDGE AND POURS EACH OF THEM INTO A LARGE BOWL. HE TAKES SOME PANCAKE MIX OUT OF THE BOX, AND POURS IT IN AS WELL. HE HAS A LOOK OF SATISFACTION ON HIS FACE AS IF HE DID SOMETHING WONDERFUL. HE SCRAMBLES AROUND LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO MIX WITH. AS HE GRABS A PLASTIC SPOON AND MIXES HIS PANCAKE BATTER, HE GLANCES UP AT NATHAN.

SHOT OF NATHAN USING A WHISK TO MIX UP HIS FLOUR, SUGAR, AND SALT IN ONE BOWL. NATHAN WHISTLES WHILE HE MIXES.

SHOT OF JACK, CHUCKLING TO HIMSELF AS HE STILL LOOKS AT NATHAN. HE LOOKS DOWN AT HIS BOWL. HIS FACIAL EXPRESSION CONVEYS SOMETHING INSIDE THE BOWL NOT LOOKING RIGHT. HE RAISES HIS PLASTIC SPOON AND NOTICES THAT IT HAS BROKEN IN HALF. HE PUTS IT DOWN AND PULLS UP A REALLY CHUNKY MIX OF PANCAKE BATTER.

Jack: *Ha ha ha ha…..* [looks down] *oh….*

HE PUTS THE BOWL IN THE SINK AND TURNS ON THE WATER TO RINSE IT OUT. HE PULLS A NEW BOWL OUT THE CABINET AND TRIES AGAIN, EXCEPT POURING MORE MILK IN THIS TIME. HE LOOKS AT NATHAN WHO IS NOW MIXING HIS EGGS, MILK, AND OIL TOGETHER.

[CLOSEUP SHOT OF NATHAN’S BOWL. ]

JACK NOTICES HOW SMOOTH AND CREAMY NATHAN’S WET INGREDIENTS ARE AND DECIDES TO PUT EXTRA WATER IN HIS BOWL TO TRY TO GET THE SAME EFFECT. (HE MOVES HIS FIRST BOWL TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SINK.) HE TAKES A PLASTIC FORK AND MIXES HIS MATERIALS TOGETHER, SPINNING HIS HANDS VERY QUICKLY. SO QUICKLY, THAT THE BATTER SPLASHES EVERYWHERE.

CAMERA FOLLOWS HIM TO THE OVEN, WHERE HE GRABS A SKILLET, AND PLACES IT ON THE EYE. CLOSEUP SHOT OF HIS HAND TURNING THE EYE TO HIGH. HE GRABS HIS BOWL, TILTS IT TOWARD THE SKILLET, AND POURS SOME OF THE BATTER IN. THE BATTER, MOSTLY WATER, EVAPORATES QUICKLY. JACK GETS STARTLED AS SOME OF THE STEAM SHOOTS UP IN HIS FACE.

Jack: *screams*

EXTREME CLOSEUP OF NATHAN’S FACE. NATHAN HEARS A THUD, LOOKS UP. LOW SHOT OF JACK ON THE FLOOR, GROANING. DILUTED PANCAKE MIX IS SPILLED OVER THE FLOOR. GRINNING, NATHAN HELPS JACK UP, MUCH TO JACK’S DISMAY. JACKLOOKS AT OVEN AND SEES THE NATHAN HAS TURNED THE STOVE TO OFF.

Jack: *hmph*

SHOT OF JACK WALKING PAST NATHAN. CAMERA FOLLOWS JACK UNTIL HE SLIPS ON THE SPILLED PANCAKE BATTER. NATHAN WATCHES JACK FALL AND CRINGES SLIGHTLY. CAMERA PANS TO CLOCK ON WALL. READS12:20.

FADE IN TO NEXT SHOT OF THE CLOCK. READS 12:30 P.M.

CLOSEUP SHOT OF A MOP IN A BUCKET.

SHOT OF BOTH JACK AND NATHAN COOKING ON THE SAME STOVE. CAMERA SHOWS INTANT PANCAKE LABEL AGAIN, BUT WITH ALL OF THE TEXT MAKING CONCRETE INSTRUCTIONS.

CUT TO EXTREME CLOSE UP OF JACK’S HANDS POURING PANCAKE BATTER FROM BOWL INTO THE SKILLET, THEN TURNING THE HEAT TO HIGH.

LOW SHOT OF JACK IN PROFILE, GRINNING, THEN LOOKING TO THE RIGHT ATNATHAN. CAMERA PANS RIGHT TO NATHAN, WHO LOOKS AT JACK WITH A SMILE AND ONE EYEBROW RAISED. TURNS HEAD TOWARD STOVE.

EXTREME CLOSE UP OF NATHAN’S HANDS SPRAYING SKILLET WITH COOKING SPRAY, [QUICK CUT TO JACK’S EYES WIDENING] NATHAN POURS PANCAKE MIX FROM A MEASURING CUP INTO THE CAST IRON SKILLET NEXT TO JACK’S. TURNS HEAT TO MEDIUM.

LOW SHOT OF NATHAN IN PROFILE, SMILING. LOOKS AT JACK. CAMERA PANS TOJACK, WITH EYEBROW STILL RAISED, AND A WORRIED LOOK ON HIS FACE, LOOKS AT HIS PANCAKES.

CUT TO JACK’S HANDS MOVING SKILLET BACK AND FORTH TO MAKE SURE HIS PANCAKES ARE NOT STUCK. [SHOT NEEDS TO BE LOW ENOUGH TO NOT SHOW WHAT SKILLET HAS INSIDE]

SHOT, BACK IN PROFILE, OF JACK LAUGHING, SIGNALING THAT HIS PANCAKES ARE OKAY. CAMERA PANS TO NATHAN, WHO LOOKS WORRIED. LOOKS DOWN TOWARDSJACK’S PANCAKES. CAMERA PANS BACK TO JACK, WHO IS OBLIVIOUS TO THE SMALL AMOUNT OF SMOKE COMING UP FROM HIS SKILLET.

SHOT FROM SKILLET’S POV. OF JACK LOOKING DOWN.

Jack: *Woah!*

JACK RUNS AWAY FROM SKILLET, RETURNS WITH BOWL OF BAKING POWDER. SPRAYS INTO SKILLET. POWDER MAKES CAMERA GO TO BLACK.

SCENE 3
Midday: Jack and Nathan’s house. The Kitchen first, then the Couch.

EXTREME LONG SHOT OF THE APARTMENT THEY STAY IN.

SHOT OF CLOCK, READS 12:56.

SHOT OF JACK SCRUBBING SKILLET IN SINK VIGOROUSLY, TRYING TO SCRAPE OUT THE REMAINS OF THE BURNT PANCAKE. CAMERA TILTS UPWARD TO SHOW SHOW HIS FRUSTRATION IN HIS FACE.

Nathan: *Hey!*

JACK LOOKS BEHIND HIM TOWARDS NATHAN. NATHAN IS HOLDING TWO PLATES OF HOMADE PANCAKES.

CLOSE UP ON THE PANCAKES. CAMERA TILTS UP TO NATHAN’S FACE. HE SMILES AND SLIGHTLY NODS.

CLOSE UP ON JACK’S FACE. HE SIGHS AND SHAKES HIS HEAD IN REFUSAL.

MEDIUM CLOSE UP OF NATHAN.  SCRUBBING SOUNDS CAN BE HEARD. HE SHRUGS HIS SHOULDERS, AND WALKS TOWARDS THE COUCH, PLACING THE PANCAKES HE MADE FOR JACK ON THE COUNTER. [ CAMERA FOLLOWS PANCAKES UNTIL THEY REACH THE COUNTER. ]

CLOSEUP OF JACK’S FACE AS HE LOOKS DOWN. SCRUBBING SOUNDS CAN BE HEARD, BUT SLOWLY COME TO A STOP. HIS EYES SHIFT TOWARDS THE PANCAKES.

SHOT FROM BEHIND OF NATHAN PLAYING VIDEO GAMES WHILE EATING, TILTING QUICKLY TO SHOT OF PANCAKES. SHOT STAYS ON PANCAKES AS JACK’S HANDS PULL THE PANCAKES OFFSCREEN

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STORYBOARDS:

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Shots of my new shooting location.  All shots will take place in this area.

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Questions to be answered:

What are the character's objectives?
In the movie, both Nathan and Jake want to make and eat breakfast. Jake slightly wants to make his pancakes better than Nathan's, but mostly wants to eat as soon as possible.

What are each major character's obstacles to reaching their objectives?
Jake refuses to follow every step of making pancakes. Nathan does not have as much trouble completing his objective, although he does stop cooking to assist Jack on one occasion, and feared for his pancakes as they became burnt in another. His objective increases in scale as the movie progresses.

What are the actions the characters will use to overcome their obstacles and reach their objectives?
Nathan ends up multitasking, adding to his objective to help in completing Jack's objective. Jack, on the other hand, is determined to complete his objective via trial and error, as many times as it may take. Even if that means refusing for help until he can not refuse any more.

What are the ways and means the characters will use?
Jack resorts to mimicking (to the best of his ability) the actions of Nathan while cooking. He skips steps constantly, but he can realize quickly when he has made a mistake, and tries again to fix it. Nathan, on the other hand, deliberately plans out each and every one of his steps beforehand. He makes sure the amount of unplanned actions he goes through are minimal at the most, but is willing to change his strategy if necessary.

What adjustments do the characters make when their actions and means don't succeed?
Jack learns from his mistakes quickly... to a degree. To him, an expedient method must be proven false before a workaround will be figured out. However, if there is something that can be done that has the potential to speed an already speedy proccess more, he will try it in a second. Nathan failures are what they are. They do not faze his mentality, nor do they hinder him from doing any other action. He works with them, leaving opportunities for success. Even when Jack refuses his pancakes, Nathan leaves them for him, just in case Jack wants them later.

What realistic doings are the actors engaged in?
Playing video games, cooking breakfast, experiencing hunger, putting play before their own necessary needs, exhibiting traits of pride, impatience, uncertainty, confidence, and kindness.