Monday, April 24, 2017

Film 7 (final project) Scene from Brooklyn

Director's Plan:
NAME: _Matthew Taggart_

DATE: __April 8th, 2017_

DP: __Ben Haskin_

FILM 7: FINAL SCENE
DIRECTOR’S PLAN

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?
Brooklyn
a.       Have you ever watched this film?
No
b.      Do you have the actual script of the film—not a transcript?
Yes

2.       After reading the entire script, in 3 sentences, what is the story of the entire film?
A young woman named Eilis leaves Ireland to go to America and find a new life. She meets a young man named Tony, and falls in love only to find out her sister has died back in Ireland. Eilis returns to Ireland, begins to fall in love with another man, ultimately returning to America to be with Tony.

3.       After reading the entire script, what is the theme or message of this film?
I know this sounds cheesy, but really “Home is where the heart is”, also I think it could be something about family being more than just blood relations.

4.       In 3-5 sentences, what happened in the story immediately before your selected scene?
Eilis has met and had dinner with Tony’s family, after which meeting Tony told her that he loved her. Eilis didn’t say “I love you” back, but thanked him for a wonderful evening. She then discussed marriage with another girl at her boarding house. Eilis then goes to school and spends part of the evening in class learning to become a book keeper.

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?
Eilis exits the college and looks for Tony, who has a habit of waiting to walk her home. Tony isn’t there at first, but then appears and Eilis tells him she has something important to say to him. Tony thinks she is going to end their relationship, so he changes the subject to plumbing. Eilis tells him that she loves him too, and Tony is both relieved he’s not being dumped, and ecstatic she’s returning his affection.

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 needs to feel the anxiety Tony senses when he thinks he’s going to be dumped. The line when Eilis says: “I need to say something to you” and the action “Tony’s face falls.” Are two aspects of that. Also, the big key to me is Tony’s reaction to when Eilis says she loves him too. I think filming shots in a way that hint at Eilis’s true feelings will be important such as her excitement that Tony is in fact there to walk her home. Tony is just so scared she doesn’t love him that he’s missing the signs. Eilis is also scared because she’s never let someone into her life in this way.  

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 when Eilis first realizes that she can really make a new home in America. She is giving her heart to Tony, and beginning to take the big leap into a new life. She’s planting roots and not looking for a reason to return to Ireland, and really starting a new family.

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 remember the first time they told someone they loved them, and how scary but exciting it was. Also the audience will worry about what is going to happen since both Eilis and Tony seem a little nervous. I will do this by emphasizing those moments of fear and freedom in the space and depth of the shots.

9.       What is the first image of the scene? What is the final image of the scene? Describe why you chose each image.
First - Eilis enters the frame and stands alone as she exits the college. Final – Eilis walks off with Tony holding hands. I want to show that this is a scene about two people committing to each other, and really about Eilis taking that first large step into that commitment.

10.   Why is this scene personal to you? What specific personal experience(s) does it remind you of?
First, when I was 17 I told a girl that I loved her, and she didn’t respond which led to me feeling awkward the next couple of times we were together. Also, it reminds me of the first time my wife and said I love you. I claim she said it first in an offhand way, while she claims I told her at the 7/11. Neither one being the most romantic ways, similar to Eilis’s response to Tony’s proclamation earlier in the film. Nevertheless, this exchange is now something that has become a good memory in Stacy and my life.

11.   How should the lighting feel in this scene? Use the most descriptive language you can. Why should it look like this? You may include sample image(s). (Not from the actual film!)
I want this scene to look like a softly lit dream at sunset. Warm colors that build at the end to even warmer as Eilis tells Tony that she loves him back. I also want things to be slightly less warm on shots when Tony thinks it’s all over.

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.)
Space – When either of the characters are nervous, I want to cut into flatter shots of them, and when they are carefree and happy, the shots will have more depth.
Shape – The shots that are more balanced will be the shots when they are working well together as a couple. If they are nervous or unsure, it will be more of a dirty one shot to contrast the shots where they are together.


How will you utilize the principles of contrast and affinity of these components to help build intensity to tell the story more purposefully.
I think the most obvious will be the contrast between flat shots and shots with deeper space to illustrate when Tony and Eilis are nervous (flat) with when they are feeling more free (deep). Contrasting between these two types of shots will replicate the feeling of butterflies in your stomach when you are nervous and excited at the same time.

13.   In a bulleted list, describe three potential obstacles you may face in creating a successful scene. Describe how can you be prepared to overcome these? Be specific!
·         Lighting – I want this to be in the evening just at sunset. This means we will be racing against the clock to get all our shots. To overcome this, I am going to plan one way of filming this in a master so that we can get the bare bones, but also organize the shots so that I can get the most critical shots emotionally filmed during our best light of sunset.
·         Location – One reason I wanted to try this scene is because I feel like it’s easier for me to use shape, and line in an indoor setting and I wanted to try something harder for me. I’m intimidated to find these elements in the outdoors. I will overcome this by doing more location scouting than just relying on sites I already know. I will try to find a great location.
·         I’ve never shot a romantic scene before – I am going to make my shot list, but then I’m going to watch and re-watch other scenes of a similar nature and see if there are visual elements those scenes use to convey these feelings and emotions and then borrow and adapt that language for my own scene.

14.   Prepare your lined script including the director’s script breakdown as discussed in class; prepare your shot list.
Jeff – I did do this a little different than my last script in terms of the breakdown. For example, the shots 1K and 1L are maybes. I kinda want to see if I can let the scene play out as 1J in a master shot type situation. I just worry I might miss a good reaction in a close up if I don’t film 1K and 1L. In that way, I want to try to film a series of one shots rather than coverage in a master/medium/cu way of shooting coverage. Does this make sense? If you have thoughts, let me know.  

Director's Reflection:
NAME: _Matthew Taggart_ 
DATE: _April 23, 2017_ 
FILM # & TITLE: _Film 7: Brooklyn_
DP: _Ben Haskin_

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):
 This was one of my favorite films I completed this year, and I was very satisfied how it turned out. Billy asked me why I didn’t want to shoot my own scene for the final, and I told him that for me, I wanted to have one more experience of shooting something that wasn’t mine and then comparing it to the theatrical version and learn from what they did differently. Especially since this is a type of scene that I’ve never really tried before.
I really liked the way the overall look of the film came out, in terms of costume, color, and for the most part framing. If I had to do it again, I would have shot it over two sunsets so we could have gone a little slower and not felt like we were racing against the clock. I think we pulled it of, but there are a couple of shots that I had to ditch cause it was just to dark. Several of these not only revealed more about the characters, but also provided some nice changes in shape and line found in the frame.
Judging by people’s reactions, I also felt like this was one of my better films in terms of how people reacted. It was very gratifying to see people enjoy this scene especially since they are watching it without the benefit of the rest of the film to act as a build towards this moment. I also felt like it answered my questions I was having about lens choices. In some of my other pieces I feel like my lens choices made sense in terms of motivation, but just didn’t achieve what I wanted in the final piece. This film seemed like my ideas on paper translated well to the image on the screen.

Briefly discuss the following:
What, specifically, did you want to communicate? Were you successful? Why? Why not?    
I wanted to try and film something that was a little more out of my wheelhouse than normal. I wanted to communicate the feeling of falling in love and worrying if that love is returned or if it’s just you. I think I was successful in communicating most of this message since everyone seemed to like the scene, however I don’t think I captured the anxiety for the character Tony as much as I’d have liked. I think the edit in part favors Eilis’s dialogue and hardly shows Tony’s reaction for one thing. Another would be that I didn’t have Tony start off the scene in as panicked a state as might have been nice. T
How, specifically, did you try to communicate this?       
 I tried to convey this by shooting at sunset with warm and soft colors. I felt like this would be something people might associate with a beautiful painting or photograph, which in turn might make them, think of falling in love.
What did you learn about storytelling:   
 I think from this one of my main take-aways is that simple can be just as tricky to pull off, but even more effective. It’s easier for me to see how lines, angles, and lens choices could be used in something like a film noir, or a horror film, but obviously these same principals apply for a romantic scene. I think I just learned how effective they really are by trying a scene I’d never done something similar to before. You can illustrate a good deal about your characters in how you frame them, how you dress them and so on.
What did you learn about working with actors and getting performance:  
 I learned that it’s better to be authentic to the feeling of the character rather than being totally authentic. What I mean by that is this: We tried to shoot Eilis with an Irish accent, and even though the accent sounded good, it didn’t read well on film. Additionally I was worried it might distract from what the actor was saying. We opted to drop it and focus on what Eilis was saying as a person rather than worry about her Irish heritage for this specific scene. I also felt like using actors who already had a connection in real life was advantageous, but admittedly it’s something that irks me a little, since I wish I would have tried to get two actors who didn’t know each other to have a moment on film. There are pros and cons to both I suppose, and I am happy with how these actors did.
What did you learn about blocking the camera and actors?     
 I wanted to keep the blocking simple, yet very purposeful. I was really happy with how things turned out, especially since one of the shots I had in my plan was going to be more of a horizontal shot which we then modified to be a diagonal shot that would contrast with the previous diagonal shot. (does that make sense?) I think by limiting the blocking in this way, it allowed the story to be in the front, while all the angles, and composition would be more subliminal to the audience.
What did you learn about visual elements such as lighting, composition, framing, etc.?       
Obviously not to frame someone with a building growing out of their head! Honestly though, I from that shot I learned that using lines and shapes isn’t always the point. I was worried that by moving her head away from the building it would look too empty and thus be distracting. I was wrong. Just because the “rule” of eye guidelines is important, it doesn’t mean it needs to be the most obvious line in the shot. I should have remembered what my shot for shot looked like, and used the horizon or something else as a frame. To sum it up, I think my biggest ah-ha is to make a plan, but then still think it through when you are shooting. Ask yourself: Does my plan still make sense now that we have the shot set up? 
What did you learn about design and art direction?     
 Again, I went for very intentional colors and costumes. I knew I was going to be filming at this location. On the night of my location scout (and in the days between scouting and filming) I noticed that almost everyone I saw near the building was wearing blue. I therefore planned to have my actors wear red. This would make them stand out against any background people (as it turns out we didn’t really have any), and it would also make them pop against the light tan look of the building. I think this did help in the overall look of the film since it kept them warm even if the light started to dip towards cool.
What did you learn about the Production Process such as pre-production, collaborating with crew, securing equipment, etc.?    
It was really great to be able to work with Ben again as a DP. I had a good collaboration with him on the suspense scene, and it was nice to be able to build on the foundation we had established there. Since I had a pretty specific idea in mind for how I wanted to shoot the scene before we got to the set, it made it easy to move faster (especially since we were fighting the setting sun). Ben also brought a light panel that we used to give a little lift to the faces of the actors in several shots which was very helpful.                   
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 was glad that everyone laughed when Tony says: “Holy sh-t!”. The reason this pleased me was because it’s obviously a gag in the scene, and if people wouldn’t have laughed, I would have taken it to mean they weren’t caring about these characters. The fact that they did laugh made me feel like they had invested in what was going on and therefore found the reaction to be genuine for the character and a good release of tension. Additionally, I think everyone found the scene to be fun and pleasant to watch. Those were two of my main aims, so I think it was one of the more rewarding of my projects in those terms.  
Any other observations or notes:
I was pretty dang happy how this turned out. It’s by no means perfect, and there are plenty of things I would change if I had the chance to do it again, but in terms of what I’m taking away from this experience, I think it was a success. It gave me confidence that I really can approach any type of scene and make something meaningful. 

Wednesday, April 5, 2017

Master with Coverage: Scene from The Founder


NAME: _Matthew Taggart_

DATE: _April 5th, 2017_

FILM # & TITLE: _Master with Coverage: The Founder_

DP: _Pepe Callejas_


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):
Write an overall response to your film in 2-3 paragraphs: Were you successful at achieving what you set out to achieve? What are you proud of? What would you do differently if you could remake this piece? What did you learn? 
This was a script I really resonated with and I was very excited to make this scene. I feel like I was able to craft a world that was striking visually, and yet believable, nothing seemed to jarring or gratuitous in terms of production design or colors and tone. I’m really happy with how the piece turned out in that sense. I would have changed the curtains if I had to do it again, as well as adjust the angle on the table so that even if you could see the camera in the reflection I would have taken time in After Effects or something else to remove the reflection. I know that seems silly, but I really wanted my original framing of that scene, and I gave up too soon on it.
If I could re-do it, I think I would have attempted a camera move or some small item to add not only energy to the scene, but also make some of the argument more impactful. I had to scrap a shot of Ray’s reaction to what Ethel was telling him because it went against the 180 line. Even so, I would have added a small push to that shot so it would have really hit home. I feel like I had a solid master shot that still conveyed a good deal of emotion and translated the theme of the scene on its own. I plan on moving forward trying to get every shot to be that strong so that when the final piece is assembled there isn’t a shot that seems like filler.
In the editing, I wish I would have used the take when Ethel argues with Ray by talking in very quiet tones. I gave the direction to Emma to act as if Ray were a child who despite everything just isn’t capable of learning from his mistakes. You don’t yell at your kid for spilling milk, but you still need to let them know you are disappointed. I think her performance in that take was stronger, even if there were some technical problems with the take.

Briefly discuss the following:
What, specifically, did you want to communicate? Were you successful? Why? Why not?    
I wanted to communicate the idea that achieving your dreams on a personal level are just as difficult as achieving a good relationship. In this case, between a husband and wife. Based on most people’s responses, I would say that most members of the class understood aspects of this. I feel like I was successful in showing that it’s hard to achieve your dreams, and that it probably comes at a cost. Without being able to see the whole movie or read the whole script, I think everyone was able to see that in order for Ray to be successful, it was going to ruin (or at least highly strain) his already tense marriage.

How, specifically, did you try to communicate this?       
I wanted to communicate this by showing Ray burst in with excitement but then retreat when confronted with what his wife is saying to him. He’s realizing that in order to achieve his dreams, it’s going to hurt his wife, and he needs to determine if he’s prepared to go through with that or not. 

What did you learn about storytelling:   
I learned that there are elements in visual storytelling that may be effective, I’m just not fully confident in using them yet. An example of this would be the dutch angle when Ray yells back at his wife. It works, but I just don’t know if it works in the best way.

What did you learn about working with actors and getting performance:  
This scene was a further extension from the last film in that I feel like I was able to help the actors and get them to a place where they were able to convey the meaning of the scene in a way that was accessible for the audience. Upon reflection in class, I learned that I still need to work on helping actors deliver their performances where you can see they are connecting ideas and not just reciting lines. Also, in terms of intensity of performance, it would have been good to have the pace of the delivery increase with volume. I should have considered vocal fights I’ve been in with loved ones and used that to more accurately convey the feeling and emotion of the scene.

What did you learn about blocking the camera and actors?     
We had to change the original set up that I envisioned for the master shot so that our reflection wouldn’t be in the window. This kinda threw me off more than I thought, and as such there are a couple shots we took that didn’t work in the final piece because the 180 line changed. I wish I would have done better in blocking the actors, or having them be active in the frame. I think this would have done more to show the intensity of this fight between husband and wife.

What did you learn about visual elements such as lighting, composition, framing, etc.?       
In terms of the framing, I chose good and interesting compositions overall, however, I should have been a little more careful once those frames were set to make small adjustments that would have taken the composition from good to great. I say this because it was totally possible to do, it would have just taken a few more minutes to study the frame carefully. It’s a step in the right direction for me, but I’m still in need of practice when it comes to this principal.

What did you learn about design and art direction?     
I was pleased with how the overall look of the scene ended up. That being said, I wish I would have taken a little more time to make sure all the small details worked. I had the time, and I know it could have been stronger. There was something else I tried that no one commented on, and I don’t know if it’s because it was too obscure or just not strong enough, but I put a set of wilting flowers between Ray and Ethel. The colors of the flowers were red and yellow, the color of McDonalds (the only color present besides skin tones), I wanted this to be a symbol and foreshadow how McDonalds was going to lead to the death of their marriage. Again, I don’t know if it was effective, but I would like to continue using little items like this in the future.

What did you learn about the Production Process such as pre-production, collaborating with crew, securing equipment, etc.?    
Pepe was great to work with in the sense that I never worried about how he was going to set up the lights or get the shot I wanted. Again, anything that didn’t work in the film I attribute to me not taking enough time in the pre- or actual production process. I learned that the more you prepare, the better off you will be during production. You will have more confidence and be able to make adjustments faster.
                  
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?  
It was good to watch this with the class. I feel like they were able to understand what I was going for, and they picked up on most of the shortcomings I was aware of and were able to constructively mention other weaknesses that I didn’t see in any stage of production. Everyone seemed to respond favorably to the production design, and that’s great, but I’m not sure that they responded to the acting in the way I would have liked. This is probably because on some level, it’s easier for me to understand how to execute production design better than how to get great performances.

For Film 6 only – After screening in class, watch the actual scene you chose to shoot. How does it compare to your scene? What choices did the director make that were different than yours? What were the same? How did the director address problems you experienced?  

I haven’t been able to view this movie yet as it hasn’t been released on home video. I will watch it as soon as possible and make an amended note though. 

Sunday, March 26, 2017

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.

Wednesday, March 22, 2017

Requiem for a Heavyweight - (Scripted One Take)


NAME: _Matthew Taggart_

DATE: _March 22nd, 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. 

Saturday, March 18, 2017

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.

Monday, March 13, 2017

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



NAME: _Matthew Taggart_

DATE: _March 13th, 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.