Three Images (March 26th, 2017)

 I found this tree last Sunday on a walk with my family. It looks like a huge spider, and when you look up through the branches, I felt like there was a great sense of rhythm to the image. I also liked that since it was such an overcast day, the tone of the image is really just the dark and light with very little color to distract.

I found this yesterday at lunch. There were all kinds of objects in the art room (I'm guessing for artists to practice drawing), I thought the half head looked weird so i propped it up on the chair with all these lamps. Again, having such strong light and dark contrast seemed to work well in capturing the rhythm of the image. I realize that tone and rhythm are two separate things, but I think they compliment each other quite nicely.

This was supposed to be another test in rhythm that admittedly just doesn't work for me. I tried to find a grouping of flowers that would stand out strong enough to have it be a very solid and even sense of rhythm instead of this rather chaotic image you see here. I also tried to have the dandelion thing in the back stand out when compared to the blue flowers or bright green leaves.

Requiem for a Heavyweight - (Scripted One Take)

NAME: _Matthew Taggart_

DATE: _March 22^nd, 2017_

FILM # & TITLE: _One Take, Requiem for a Heavyweight_

DP: _Daniel Tu_

TMA 285 DIRECTOR’S REFLECTION

Overall response (2-3 paragraphs):

This was the best experience I’ve had creating a scene for this class. I was really happy with the preproduction phase of things, and trying to figure out what makes this scene tick. I feel like this is the deepest I’ve ever gone into the feelings and motivations of a character, probably because this is the first time I’ve tried to do a strait up dramatic scene, and not a drama scene mixed with horror, sci-fi, of comedy. However, I think it made me realize it’s just as important to go that deep even if it is another genre.

I came to set prepared in terms of acting and blocking, however, being stuck in traffic for two hours before we were supposed to roll did get me a little stressed, but I was able to work through that before the actors got to set. Daniel’s enthusiasm for the project as well as the actor’s energy helped me get back on track. I feel like since I felt so prepared, I wasn’t as worried about the little things that I DO wish I had time to fix. I was able to focus on what was going on in the present.

I do think I might have bit off more than I could chew though, since the scene went much longer than I had anticipated. I think it was effective, and needs to be 9 minutes, but you start seeing more cracks along the way because of that. The focus pulling got trickier as the night went on, which distracted from the performances. In addition, the lighting was tough, and I do think jarring (particularly at the end when Mountain and Grace are at the bed). We did come up with a solution to this problem, but by the time we filmed it, the rest of the take was a little rougher. That being said, I’m glad I tried something outside my depth. I feel like I learn best when I’m in the deep end, even if I’m not as good a swimmer as I should be.

Briefly discuss the following:

What, specifically, did you want to communicate? Were you successful? Why? Why not?    

I wanted to communicate the feeling of not fitting in, not being comfortable with who you are. The feeling of being too scared to take control of your life. I think people got the concept of being uncomfortable with yourself; which is a valid component of what the scene was about and what I was going for. I think this came from the honesty of the actors in the scene. In addition, I think the blocking helped convey those feelings as well.

How, specifically, did you try to communicate this?       

I tried to get close to the actors when they were putting all their feelings on the line, or far away when they were trying to come to grips with their feelings.

What did you learn about storytelling:   

All the busy work we do in class really does work to our advantage. The more prepared you are, the better off you’ll be. In terms of storytelling, I feel like this was true as well. I had thought the scene out in my mind so much that when it came time to “tell the story” I was able to adapt and make better decisions than if I had just tried to wing it. Also, finding something to connect with your story personally makes it stronger.

What did you learn about working with actors and getting performance:  

I feel like my experience on this one was that I came prepared to set, and my actors saw that and therefore felt more comfortable to let their guard down emotionally. I also felt like running lines with them at the table before running it through in blocking allowed us a chance to discuss what we thought the characters were meaning when delivering their lines as well as trying out new ways to approach the material. This led to the final performances to be much better than I had anticipated.

What did you learn about blocking the camera and actors?     

It’s a fine line between natural and fake actors blocking. I think I leaned heavier on the blockings that felt natural, though there are moments that make me unhappy, such as when Grace walks over to Mountain at the window, that felt unnatural to me. The reaction of the class also made me realize that Mountain dropping the wine bottle wasn’t as natural or effective as I wanted it to be.

What did you learn about visual elements such as lighting, composition, framing, etc.?       

I learned that lighting a one take is even harder than you think! Getting eye lights on the actors would have been nice, as well as somehow making the silhouette on the wall work without blowing them out when they return to the bed. Even though you can’t tell from this take, I did learn it was better to see the actors than to have great lighting. (Understandably you want both, but I found a better option under the circumstances)

What did you learn about design and art direction?     

I purposefully tried to keep things dark for this film, so that hopefully Grace, in her white robe would stand out even more strongly as a beacon of hope and salvation for Mountain. I do wish however, there would have been more dressing on the set (still dark) but just to make it look more lived in. Also, I wish she had been wearing white underwear or kept the bathrobe all the way closed so as not to see anything dark on her. I think these choices did have an effect on the project, some unwanted.

What did you learn about the Production Process such as pre-production, collaborating with crew, securing equipment, etc.?    

I was grateful to collaborate on this project more so than with the others because I feel like everyone brought something that strengthened the overall outcome of the project. The actors each had ideas that were better and more effective than what I had in mind. For example, Mountain’s delivery of the lines accusing his trainer of betraying him were much different than what I had in mind. The same could be said for Daniel. I knew I wanted to see the city out the window, but Daniel changed the blocking slightly after suggesting we could see more if we framed it just a little different.

What was it like to watch your film with an audience? Did they understand it? Miss the point? Why did they respond the way they did?  

I feel like everyone in class understood what was going on, and got the main points. Some of those points came after a little reflection, and to be honest, I think I’m okay with that. It seemed like it made people do a little of the work themselves but all of it was on screen for them to decode. It wasn’t a riddle in other words. I think it might have been a little difficult at times because the scene forced you into someone else’s mind, where you had to decide what you would mean if it were you.

Any other observations or notes:

I had a great time shooting with Daniel, and appreciated his excitement and work ethic on this project. Holding the camera for 9+ minutes isn’t easy even with a shoulder rig, and he didn’t say one negative thing. 

3 Images (March 18th, 2017)

 For six years this was my back alley way to get from my apartment to my garage. I loved walking down this street everyday. Since I was back to film there, I decided to take a picture and I realized that there were lots of lines that make this even more enjoyable. Lots of vertical, and lost of horizontal. My only problem really is the exposure, I would like to have seen more on the fire escape side of the two buildings so you could make out all the lines there more easily.

 This was one, where my goal was to essentially create a very subtle coke advertisement. I just loved the way this bottle was lit up in the setting sun, and how the line draws you to it. I think it would be better if the image was flipped, but still pretty happy. It reminds me of the shot in Superman (1979) where the cheerios box is so lit up on the Kent family breakfast table.

Okay, so this is kinda a cheat since it's a shot from the capstone, but I tried all day to get an image of the director and DP that had this type of framing, and when I finally did, I was pretty happy with the results. Oscar's placement as well as Maria's isn't ideal, but I do like the rest of it. This is the negative scanned into my computer and inverted in photoshop. Also, I can't do much about the solarization on the negative, so for this, don't read too much into tone, or black and white. It's all about the composition for me.

Film 4: Foosball Fight! (one take of a dramatic event)

NAME: _Matthew Taggart_

DATE: _March 13^th, 2017_

FILM # & TITLE: _Foosball Fight_

DP: _Matthew Taggart_

TMA 285 DIRECTOR’S REFLECTION

Reflect on how your film turned out. Have the courage to evaluate your work not just with a self-congratulatory eye, but also with a critical eye. Step back; pretend the film wasn't made by you. Be exacting. Be demanding. Don't let yourself off the hook. Be completely honest about your performance!

- Turn in a hard copy of this statement the next class session after your film screens

- Post this to your blog with your film the day after your film screens

Overall response (2-3 paragraphs):

I felt like this was one of my less successful films this semester, not due to a lack of effort, but because I focused those efforts in the wrong places, and/or became distracted when things didn’t seem to be going to plan. I felt like in the version of my head that existed in the planning stages, the people playing would have been more excited and energetic. When that didn’t happen, I lost enthusiasm and therefore focus.

In addition, it’s hard for me to think in terms of a one take due to my experiences shooting for other projects where you are allowed to focus on one thing in terms of the main point. In this way, I did manage to film this event in a way where if I was to edit those attempts together I would have a strong piece since the first time I focused on the players, next their hands, and then the game, with the version we saw in class being a version where there was a little bit of everything.

If nothing else, I was reminded to slow down and observe before doing anything else. This has been a principal that I’ve come to understand in terms of planning a fictional film, but I think is just as applicable to a live event. I should have taken more time to watch this group of players go through a game or two before filming them so that I could determine how my plans on paper could translate effectively with what was actually happening.

There were several moments and shots that I was happy with, shots I felt conveyed the feeling I was going for, but I’m not really satisfied with just moments or shots anymore so it’s hard for me to be more praiseworthy than that!

Briefly discuss the following:

What, specifically, did you want to communicate? Were you successful? Why? Why not?    

I wanted to show how much we invest in simple games, and that while we are playing them, they seem to be much more important than they actually are. The overall piece itself was a little too disjointed, and so I feel like some of that intention was lost.

How, specifically, did you try to communicate this?       

I tried to communicate this by filming the players at angles to emphasize both the importance they were injecting in the game, as well as the importance that was actually there in the grand scheme of things. I also tried to communicate this by showing people getting excited when they scored a goal, or angry when they lost control of the ball to an opponent.

What did you learn about storytelling:   

Similar to telling a good story while in the car with friends, it’s important to be concise. No one needs to know about the life history of a character if the story is about them tripping and spilling their food. Unless there is a family history of this type of thing happening. Get to the point, and tell a funny story. In my case, the film wasn’t funny, but I should have picked what I wanted to tell the story about, and stuck with it.

What did you learn about working with actors and getting performance:  

In this case, I would have been better off to watch the “actors” play a game before filming so that I could observe what they were going to bring to the table. From there I could have adapted my shooting plan better to capture what they offered. Since I couldn’t ask them to do anything, this would have been a much better way to focus the viewers’ attention on aspects of their performances that I felt would communicate my intention best.

What did you learn about blocking the camera and actors?     

Similar to the above, but in addition, I should have watched what was going on and moved away from my shot list. Not forget it entirely, but not worry so much about capturing what I had written down if it wasn’t going to help tell the story.

What did you learn about visual elements such as lighting, composition, framing, etc.?       

With the framing of some of these shots, I felt like I chose good angles, only to see once in post that I was just a little off. It reminds me of some advice I once read to aspiring photographers; “If you think you are close enough distance wise, take two steps forward and then shoot.” I seemed to have fallen victim to this for several shots where I think I almost had it, but wasn’t close enough.

What did you learn about design and art direction?     

For this exercise, I wish I would have found a more interesting foosball table and location to use. That being said, I think the dorm room aesthetic did help remind people of their own experiences playing foosball or similar games at this stage in their life. In this way, it did connect the audience and bring them into the world I was trying to communicate.

What did you learn about the Production Process such as pre-production, collaborating with crew, securing equipment, etc.?    

In my mind’s eye, there were a lot more foosball tables around than I thought. Before committing to this idea, I should have scouted more and found a place that I was excited to shoot in.

                  

What was it like to watch your film with an audience? Did they understand it? Miss the point? Why did they respond the way they did?  

I actually think they did understand the overall piece. There was some confusion if the piece was about the game or the players, which is understandable since I didn’t commit to one specifically. I do think that everyone seemed to think back to when they have played foosball or other games, which was a smaller part of my intention, so in that sense I think part was communicated successfully.

Any other observations or notes:

I shot several takes of this, and just couldn’t wrap my head around it while shooting. In this case I just got into my own head too much.

3 Images (March 11th, 2017)

This was my first image, and I wanted to show the two shapes, a diagonal line in the form of the bridge, going over the solid horizontal line of the river. To add even more difference between the two, I held the shutter open to make the river blurry. My hope was that it would cause even more contrast when compared to the crisp bridge.

Here I wanted to attempt to show an organized group of rectangles and lines at the bottom, with a more chaotic and somewhat vertical lines at the top. I liked the contrast, and as I'm posting this, it looks like my kid and his arm made a cameo. If there is one part of this photo I don't like, it's that it feels flat overall due to the tonal qualities.

I just thought this was funny. All the dumpsters were lined up and uniform, and then there's this loudmouth garbage can begging for attention. Reminded me of class photos from grade school. Anyways, I just liked the way this image felt balance wise, again due to all the garbage cans being stacked in such a pleasing manner.

Scripted One Take (Directors Plan for Film 5)

NAME: _Matthew Taggart_

DATE: __March 7^th, 2017_

DP: _Daniel Tu_

FILM 5: SCRIPTED ONE TAKE

DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT OF INTENT

This statement of intent is designed to train your mind, eye and heart to shoot purposefully. Prepare it well before shooting. Briefly—but thoughtfully and specifically—answer the following questions.

1.       What film or TV show is this from?

A tv movie titled: Requiem for a Heavyweight, written by Rod Serling.

·         Have you ever watched this film?

No.

·         Do you have the actual script of the film—not a transcript?
Yes.

2.       After reading the entire script, in 3-5 sentences, what is the story of the entire film?

A prize fighter named Mountain has reached the end of his career having just lost his last fight.

He tries to find work in another field with the help of a young woman named Grace, who works

at the career center. Because Mountain’s old trainer and business partner is in dire need of money,

Mountain is torn between helping his friend, at great personal risk to his own health, or following

Grace and trying to build a new future.

3.       After reading the entire script, what is the theme or message of this film?

Everyone needs a purpose in life, and having part of that purpose be helping others is what

separates real men from children.

4.       In 3-5 sentences, what happened in the story immediately before your selected scene?

Mountain is seriously considering getting back into the ring for his trainer Maish. He won’t be

boxing, he will be wrestling, a seriously humiliating prospect. As he is about to put aside his

pride and help his friend, he learns that Maish bet against him in their last fight. He runs away from the event, leaving behind Maish to deal with is debtors.

5.       In 3-4 sentences, what is the story—the beginning, middle, and end—of this scene? In other words, what happens as the scene starts, as the action rises, and as it ends?

Mountain, having fled the scene of the wrestling match finds his way to Grace’s apartment. He

feels safe there, though he doesn’t fully know why. While there he pours his heart out to Grace,

and they both realize they are in love. Grace asks for the light to be off, and fearing that it’s due

to his disfigured face, Mountain decides to leave, grateful all the same that Grace didn’t turn him

away.

6.       What specific story details must the audience understand in this scene in order to remain oriented and engaged in it, as well as in the rest of the film? What specific moments/details must you be sure to shoot in order to communicate each piece of information?

The audience must understand that Mountain is a former prizefighter. His speech details a little of

this, but also visually I will include details like scars and bruises on his face and hands, as well as

a generally unkempt appearance. Grace on the other hand will be much more fair and soft. This will be a sort of beauty and the beast dynamic between the two characters. Lighting will also play a part in how the viewer will see each of these characters, as well as their overall physical

appearance and shape in the frame. Mountain will be a much bigger actor compared to the petite

Grace.

7.       What is the narrative and thematic purpose of this scene within the larger story? In other words, how does this scene affect or change the theme of the film?

This is the scene where Mountain faces his demons by exposing himself emotionally to another

person who is equally as sensitive as he is. They may look different outwardly, but inwardly they

are very much alike. This is where Mountain realizes he is in control of his destiny, and it’s up to

him to apply value to what meaning his life has. He decides that he is somebody.

8.       What is the progression of emotions that you want the audience to experience while watching this scene? Why? How, specifically, do you intend to do this? 
I want the audience to feel sorry for Mountain, and then realize that he is a good person despite what his appearance my make someone judge at first glance. I feel like the progression should move from pity, to hope, to admiration with a little sadness that the two characters didn’t get a chance to be together. I plan to have the audience feel this progression by the way the lights will change depending on the location of actor on set, as well as the camera angles shifting from high to low to demonstrate the feelings the characters are experiencing.

9.       What is the first image of the scene? What is the final image of the scene? Describe why you chose each image.

The first image will be of Grace answering the door and seeing Mountain. This first shot will be

evenly lit and we will see everything relatively clearly. The last shot will be basically the same

framing, though this time the light in the room will be dark so that when Mountain leaves, his

face will be dark. I chose this to show how much each of these characters have changed from the

beginning of this scene to the end.

10.   Why is this scene personal to you? What specific personal experience(s) does it remind you of?

The character of Mountain reminds me of people I knew growing up in a small town. They still

sit around talking about how great the glory days of high school are like something from a Bruce

Springsteen song. I’ve worried about falling into that trap as well, and seeing this character take

charge and realize it’s better to move on in life rather than stay stuck in the past is motivating for

me to keep trying. As far as personal experiences, I don’t know that I have one specific memory, but just an overall feeling. I read a Star Trek book when I was a kid that dealt with Captain Kirk having a midlife crisis and wondering if he’d made a difference in his life. For some reason, that book and theme has stuck with me since I was 12. So whenever I’ve done something, I’ve worried if I’d make a difference. I relate to Mountain’s worry that he’s a nobody, not so much in the outward fame and popularity he’s seeking, but in the internal aspect. I really think Mountain is worried he hasn’t made a difference to people, his friends etc rather than success in the boxing ring, and that’s what I connect with. Am I somebody to people I care about? Have I made a difference for them?

11.   How should the lighting feel in this scene? Use the most descriptive language you can. Why? You may include sample image(s). (Not from the actual film!)

I want the lighting on Mountain to more contrast than on Grace. Mountain will be very heavy and

dirty, while Grace will remain clean and pure. However, everything will be clear in the frame at

the beginning. In the end, the light on each character will be different than it was in the beginning.

Grace will be lit from the hallway as Mountain leaves, this will be somewhat harsh, whereas

Mountain with his back to the light will appear in darkness. Even though he’s in darkness, there

won’t be much contrast on his face. I want to show that they have changed dramatically over the

course of this scene.

12.   Which two specific visual elements—line, shape, space, tone, color, rhythm, movement—do you intend to use to purposefully communicate the emotion of the scene? (You will be graded on your execution of this plan.)

When they begin to kiss I want to focus on their shadows being cast on the wall, putting them on

equal ground. This will be accomplished by contrast of tone between the wall and their shadows.

I also want to use space when Mountain is baring his soul by moving in for a close up that will

bring us into his world. When we come out, we will back away so that Grace can come into the

scene and comfort him while reminding the audience that in the grand scheme of things, these

two characters problems are very small.

How will you utilize the principles of contrast and infinity of these components to help build intensity to tell the story more purposefully.

The camera will move to wider shots to cover things when these characters are moving around

setting things up. The camera will move closer when we are getting into their heads. I will also

use the lighting going from harsh vs. smooth, to all shadows, and then back to a reversal of

smooth vs. harsh. I think this will guide the viewer through the personal journey of each character.

13.   In a bulleted list, describe three-four potential obstacles you may face in creating a successful scene. Describe how can you be prepared to overcome these? Be specific!

·         Blocking – I know the location, and I have a good idea in my mind, but I worry it might be the winged witness that is doing the driving now. I plan to overcome this by visiting the location before we shoot and pre-blocking it out to make sure I’m thinking it through correctly.

·         Overall Directing – what I mean by this, is that I know this scene will require a good among of technical prowess to accomplish successfully. In my past projects I feel I might have been too occupied with the technical things and not as worried about the performances of my actors. Similar to my blocking worry, I hope that by rehearsing it in my mind several times, on location by myself, and then with my DP and actors, I will be able to get the movements down well enough so that I can focus more on the actors while we are actually filming.

·         Ability to communicate with my DP to get what I want – I feel like I have done a good job communicating with my DP’s on past projects, but I worry because this is one take, it might be a little harder. I am going to draw up story boards so that Daniel can see what it is I am going for. I want this to be collaborative, but hopefully this starts us off somewhere that’s easier to adapt than just heading in with my shot list.