3d model of the set

https://www.lynda.com/After-Effects-tutorials/Positioning-layers/97575/105052-4.html


this is the tutorial i am using to create a 3d space in after effects

after talking to the technicians the explained this is a easier method that cinema 4d

i think this is a good thing to teach myself.




https://docs.google.com/document/d/1V4a-TuhRgDHzyQhQo9ZV3AJXTgNVd78Pzm23hj2Fvyg/edit?usp=sharing


this is what i did on google sketch up

production design - studio guibly

An idea ive had for production design is to create a real life version of studio guibly esc style scenes.

this would mix with my own brand of visual methaphor

i like the idea of using plant life as part of the set. maybe intergrating it via turf or vines. maybe rock in the corner 

this picture intrestes me alot. i like the battle with nature this scene depicts. i may use this in my production design

maps and networks - the edit

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1OuiblLp7U8c8FxIcT-4Ju2d9zP22Xkzmn-I2Tkubfyc/edit


https://docs.google.com/document/d/1OuiblLp7U8c8FxIcT-4Ju2d9zP22Xkzmn-I2Tkubfyc/edit?usp=sharing


THESE LINK YOU TO THE GOOGLE DOC OF THE EDIT

Maps and networks - the edit basic

The Edit (basic- just pics)

Maps and networks - Final thoughts and development

Final thoughts 

I think my piece was a big experiment for me. I moved away from the narrative structure i enjoy and I am comfortable with. the piece relies alot more on the viewer engaging in critical way, they could easly dismiss it or even worse not be entertained. I think that is a big part of this. removing myself for the entertainment factor and more towards the art side. 

i believe all films mannage the relationship between art, entertainment, and technical. i think for this piece i focused more on the art side of film to better suit the audience who would be viewing it in a gallary like setting. I took alot of inspiration from artists like Douglas Gordon with his 24 hour psycho. mine is 16mins. I want my piece to be something you come back to. not just view all the way through. as the visuals are looped you could come back to the piece with a complety diffrent audio experience. I keep coming back to the idea of entertainment, i think this film rides the line of that, you could watch 2 cycles and be entertained but after all 5 be worn out. this is something i am aware of but enjoy having. if the piece is focused on the theme of meaning and interpertation then it is hard. trying to encoporate diffrent opionons is difficult and i think this feeling comes out from the piece. 

technical 

i think overall the pieces technical aspects are good, by no means perfect but it was a difficult task to get perfect. 

CINEMATOGRAPHY: i think the overall style and framing works well. if i was going to make one ajustment it would be to not cut out my actors head now and again. In the shoot i did address this with tilting the camera. however as discussed before the influence of the stick was a problem. i think if i was going to do it again i would use a sammari blade so i could view the camera at all times. the issue with the space made it impossible to see the camera all the time so little issues sometimes were unnoticed. i think lighting was good. i wish i had tried shinng a light through the window but that could of not worked. 

CHOROGRAPHY/ DIRECTION: I go back and forward with the idea of creating more of a emotion attactment to the character via looking into the camera (maybe its the entertainement factor again) the other movements I am happy with i think the look natural and work well. as a director i notice tiny details i want to control but realisticly a one take for that long is increadbly hard. and turned out good regardless. 

EDITING/ LENGTH : i think in regards to length of the piece this is something I would like to get opionons on from my teachers and my class. in my opionon there are a few things i could change in regards to length. 

• when he is stacking rocks speed it up. this would mean it could look unatural but if length comes up as an issue it could be something i could try. 
• editing out 2 of the rock towers in the first go. this could work with some after effects work added. issue id see is i like the pacing. or it could create a jump. again expermentaion is the key. 
• cutting out loops. this would be a difficult choice but could aid. it just thematicly wouldnt be good. however this depends on feedback as the piece does really on its coming back with a diffrent voice over. 
• doing diffrent voice overs for diffrent parts of 1 sequence. this one would be really killing the theme but if this is what it comes to i guess that would be alright. would be very baised on entertainment however. 

AUDIO: first thing id like to adress is the voice over. Its very difficult to tell when people say things wrong when your recording. it becomes a problem later. i could theraticly record again or work more on editing fine tuning to get words correct. (depends on feedback) 

i think the design of the audio work in favour of some parts rather that others. I like the faith one. and the art one. i think the science one I need to learn how to do shepards tone then that is good. i think the family one could work better if i made a kids only track without the "coaches" overtones. i think for the pleasure one this needs the most work. i think creating the tranquil envoriment could work without the heartbeats but i need to go out and record. something i dont mind doing. maybe take some inspiration for meditaion music. need to rerecord birds

again if entertainment became a factor i need to adress. could try and connect the pieces more with a more musicical track. again im reallying on feedback. 

AFTER EFFECTS/ VISUAL ISSUES : I'm slightly worried about diffrent screens showing diffrent things. VLR playe adds alot of brightness and ruins the fine tunned after effects of the black screen on the right. here are the main issues/ things i will change before final showing

• extras face .....I am aware of this but only came into awareness when viewing the encoding final edit. this was because of VLR bringing up the brightness. i dont mind it for the assesment as editng at this late stage could cause more problems than its worth. all i have to do is create a mask and edit the mask path as the actor enters and leaves. the mask will have levels on it to make it black. 
• right wall blackness. i think although my after effects is good i could of put more time into the right wall to make it look more natural. i think i might have to add a bluring effect to make it match in. 
• leaves on coat.....if becomes a issue i could blurr but for now it is okay. 

Overview of what i've learnt

• what kind of film i like making........... arguably not a create thing to say mid project but i think i really miss narrative in my film making, expereiemting was eye opening but there is something to be said about narrative being so inspiring. ive been watching alot of short vimeo style animations and the little stories in them are amazing like world of tommorow and cheating by bill plymton. i want to really get the sweet spot between art (meaning), technically (beauty), and entertaiment (story). i think using this project as refrence point a can do that.

• how difficult one takes can be. even when everything is right little details can drive you crazy

• voice recording. be more pushy and listen through 

• after effects. ive learnt alot over this project and feel alot more comfortable with after effects, i really want to push my knowledge of the program. 

• pro tools is better than audition.........

• I still need to work on simplicity. i think hopefuly over christmas break i really can get to grips with doing very simple things and making them great. I can go over the top with things making mountains out of molehills. not saying dont be ambitious but i need to really get a soildly great film i am very very happy with. but as ive said this project was about experimenting.   

  

• without narrative motivation can be an issue. 

• Im glad i did my shoot early 

Maps and networks : pics from my note book

Maps and Networks the shoot

The Final set 

these are the pictures of the set. I had to arrange the objects so they sat nicely in the frame, which we had to take many pictures of to make sure it was right. also It needed enough space for movement which I blocked out with my actor. 

Each object was important and worked in relation to eachother. using the lidl bag was good for hidding the bottle and bible and keeeping continuety between loops. 

the full blocked out sequence took a long time but it gave it a reality, not to much false cinema styling. 

ACTOR 

for my actor I had one guy in mind. my friend daniel. i felt like i didnt want a proffessional actor as it may of been difficult to be pushy with them. also i want the naturalism of a normal person. the main part was the look. I wanted a very natural looking person. so his long hair and beard was perfect. I made sure I could scedual the day of the shoot with him and have a day to chat with him also. 

Lighting 

Lighting was increadbly important to me. I decided to use completly arficial lighitng as it would be easier to control. with no spilling or changing natural light. I went and talked to Anne about lighting. I drew her and gave her notes on the plan i had for lighting and my placment of props. we talked through what would be the best idea for lighting. we decided on the fresnal lighting kit with 2 650s and 1 300. these would provide the key lighting and fill. then two pups to light up specfic objects. 

prelight 

for the prelight the main tasks was setting up the lighting arrangment, including the plugs they fitted into to not overload the system. then I had to position the lights so not to create to many shadows. then I relised that the two pups i had put in the corner couldnt cross the room as it would block out everytime the actor stood up so i pointed them straight at the objects. which looked good. 

I then used the camera to get the settings i would use. but before that i used filters on the lights to create a mutted light which was less powerfull and filled nicely. 

shoot day 

on the shoot day i decided i needed a few people to help out. I brought ethan and masie. and my freind tannay. ethan helped with the camera. and the other two with lighting under my direction. 

first issue was it started to rain. this meant i had to cover the electrics. 

i then set up the lighting and camera. we tried to positions of the camera one flat, one proped up. we used books to prop is as the tripod brought the camera furhter forward whcih wasnt an option. 

i then walked my actor through the actions till he was happy with it. 

then we went for the first shot. every time we shot i had to look from outside the door which was a pain but made me think alot about the actions. each time i told him what went well and what needed tweeking. his listoned perfectly. each time getting a little better, sometimes better sometimes not due to sircumstance. we did 7 takes.  

we had breaks in which we had food.