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.