EVALUATION FILM PROJECT
A lot has happened since the last update and a lot about our film has changed. This started when we struggled to find somewhere to film our dystopian footage as all of the studios were booked up. We also came across a problem when we realized, to film outside at night, we would need power for the lights which would be a problem. Eventually, we found a small room that wasn't a studio but was suitable for filming as it contained a white wall, a table, and a chair, which was exactly what we needed. As for the Utopian footage, we decided on using a green screen, in a crew member's house, adding the alleyway in later on.
With our plans set we were able to start filming, however, our first attempt at using a green screen did not work very well as the room we were in was very small which meant that it was difficult to light the green screen properly, leading to an uneven green screen with a hotspot that was pretty much unsalvageable. Another problem was that the subject was closer to the background than we would have liked, meaning that there was green spill on the subject, shadows appeared very easily, and the lights to light the green screen were also lighting up the subject. Eventually, we were able to move the lights so that they did not light the subject, but we also did not have a separate light for us to be able to light the subject separately, with the lighting choice we wanted. This meant that the subject was not lit, and the green screen was unusable, although the footage was unsuccessful, this was an opportunity to learn from our mistakes, realising that we needed more time to set up lighting before we brought our actor in so that we had time to adjust. Something else that we planned, was to test the footage as we shot it, to make sure that the green screen worked before progressing and wasting time on footage that was not going to be suitable.
Our dystopian shoot went well, however, one of our problems was that some of the footage, although stable, was not suitable for the majority of the footage itself was an adjustment. Although, there was a decent amount of usable footage, with the exception of the footage that we had taken of a clock, which was too unstable and therefor not usable, which make a considerable difference to the length of time of the film.
Our second utopian shoot went a lot better than the first, as with a lot more preparation and better equipment, we were able to light both the background, creating a usable green screen, as well as the subject. However, we had come across some timing issues as different members of the crew and cast were not always available. In addition, we could only film at night, as the only room that was available had windows with curtains that did not block out enough light, and with no way to prevent this, we had limited time, having only evenings that our actor was available for to film.
Some of the footage turned out okay, although as for some of the filming I was not available to direct, the footage using things that we could only use once such as paint and the mask (since we only had one and shops were not open in the evenings) could not be reshot, despite not being usable. The party poppers we used also did not show up very well on camera, despite trying to shoot in slow motion as well. Due to unforeseen circumstances such as illness, we did not get around to filming anything to be used in the background, and even if we had of done, there was not enough decent footage to go through with our previous intentions. Overall we were not having much luck as we did not have very much decent footage to work with due to the ideas of what exactly the utopian scene would consist of not being developed early enough, pushing the production back a long time, meaning that we did not end up with the resources that we needed or the time we needed to get it right. To develop and improve, we will develop the production of ideas, so that this kind of thing does not set us back in the future, especially since this is a problem that I find to be reoccurring, stopping me from having the time I need to produce the work that I want to make.
Next came editing, which was difficult to start off with as there was not much usable footage. However, a positive was that the green screen worked and I was able to remove the background very easily, although in the small room we had not been able to pan the camera on such a small green screen, meaning that we planned to do this in editing instead. However, trying to replace the background and also panning with effects looked terrible and with not enough of this footage we decided against this original plan, but also needed a new one. After getting some feedback and advice at tutorials we decided to use the fact that the lighting of our subject wasn't the best, realising that we had the asset of after effects skills to our advantage, we decided upon using silhouettes and appropriated imagery for the utopian screen for the majority, which ended up working very well in our favour, as we were able to use imagery relating to freedom, creativity and such on the inside of the silhouette, using imagery relating to conformity and control on the outside of the silhouette, almost showing what the subject was thinking and what they were surrounded by and subverted to.
In the final edit, on the left screen, we showed the dystopian footage in short chunks, with the sound of a ticking clock used over all of this footage to symbolize repetition and the idea of everything being the same, unchanging, not unique. The first shot was off the subject's eyes, panning from right to left, alternating with the utopian screen. On the utopian screen, we decided to use robotic-like sounds such as white noise and technological sounds, to symbolise both innovation but also a robotic like a way of being, almost suffocating the subject. This screen started off black and white to symbolise how the subject was almost black and white, with the silhouette itself being white on a background, like a blank canvas. We then used barcodes in the silhouette itself, showing how the subject was still almost black and white, although with every barcode being different and unique, almost showing an emerging form of identity. On the outside of the silhouette we then also see binary code, containing only 0s and 1s, trying to show a more robotic and confined idea surrounding the subject. Following this was the silhouette being filled with fingerprints, a more defined sense of identity, yet still black and white. We then return back to the dystopia, showing a finger tapping, showing the seconds going by, all the same, repetition, not unique, with no element of freedom. When the second screen then resumes, the silhouette is filled with images relating to freedom and creativity such as birds to symbolise freedom, crayons to symbolise creativity. Art showing space and in turn almost ultimate possibilities, as well as collaged art showing creativity. All of this imagery flashes in a burst, like thoughts coming and going, like an explosion, a revelation. I also then created effects such as a space like effect, not using any actual images of space, only what I had created in after effects, to show more skills, also animating a rainbow effect. The film ends in all black with the sound of ticking used throughout, almost questioning whether life is all the same and always with be, using that repetition to represent this while showing a completely black screen as though to ask, what is next, or what is your choice, to carry on being the same, just another cog in society, or will you find yourself, your voice, and break free, break out of your silhouette, just another black and white figure, society's mould. We eventually decided to change our working title to the title of silhouette for this reason. In using silhouettes and due to their black and white nature but also in a way being able to represent identity due to every silhouette being unique, it quite nicely summed up what we were trying to show, while also relating to the content very specifically.
