Waking up at 4:30 - BDM331

Woke up now to blog. After a looong time I'm getting some free time and I'm here again.
I've been logging major events in my notepad so that I can just come here and pour all of it.

So, internship. I've been doing internship with James Wilkinson and Ash Bartlett, for SIT's TVC.
Firstly, we started off with Fashion department. Day one was an indoor shoot in the fashion department itself. Jessie Gillies (no relation with Patrick Gillies) , was the model for the day. My job was clapping the slate, 1st AC and sometimes grip.
Second day was fun but really cold. We went out in the Daffodil Bay hoping that it wouldn't rain.
But it did. :@ . Then again, we were under canopy of tall trees so the rain water was really less when it got to us.
I was an extra, acting as a grip in this one. Apart from that, I was assistant to Steven Woller. This was an amazing opportunity for me to learn good things from him. Extremely talented and he has a great way of teaching things, that is, by asking questions. I really enjoyed being his assist on the JIMMY JIB. Yeaaaaah... That was my first time building the jib and seeing it that closely in action. Mr. Woller says it takes lot of time and practice to ace the art of handling the jib. Agreed.
Day 2 was the second part of Fashion department itself. That was a wrap on fashion department.

Bones of Essimer - Level - Intense_production - BDM331

Shoot had started and it was much more intense than expected.
Full day long shoots. Night shoots. Fighting the cold. Trying to keep the mind attentive.
I was feeling like one of the slaves from the Essimer.
My job was pretty much around the camera. Security and taking care of that 40grands worth thing, was my job. I took care of F55 like my own baby. It was a great experience. Never before in my life I was just dedicated to the role of camera department alone. I learned heaps of things.
After effects of that: now people are calling me for again and again for being the 1st AC and Cinematographer on their individual films. Which kinda feels good. I just wish I had the time to be on everyone's shoot.

I think camera department was flawless. I'm not saying that because I was in it. It's because even under pressure I found camera department a step always ahead.
All over. Everything was awesome (Except the pink shirt).

PEACE OUT!

Film Noir - BDM234

So far we have seen what COLORS can do. But how does it feels like without colors?
We were split into groups and my group had three students in it including me.
Moseley, Lana and me. (hmmm...Sounds like a movie's name).

Genre - Film Noir.

Getting inspiration from famous 'film noir' films, we went for the typical detective/suspense/classy/smokey/dark...kinda feel and look.

Andrew played the detective and he acted really well. The make up mattered a lot.
We filmed the whole thing on BlackMagic. It was my first time with BMC. I didn't like it very much, to be honest, in comparison to Canon XF305.
Basically, FILM NOIR is a black film. Lighting plays a major...major...major role.
We used cardboard blinds a lot to give that 'part light part shadow' effect.

I enjoyed the filming. Ash, Adam and Seth came down to help us and it was really great of them to do that. It was fun.

Make up is really important. Use of red colors(or dark colors) is beneficial when filming a Film Noir.

The famous blinds. 

Bones of Essimer - BDM331

Pre-production was fun. It was my first time when I involved in designing a set for shooting. Art directors did a good job. On the other hand, I had no slightest idea about what were we making. Then I started looking at the storyboards and communicating with Brandon. I understood that they wanted more and more hands on the set. I became like one of those slaves of Essimer. Lol.
My job was 'DESTRUCTION'. Yes...I had to break wooden palletes and provide wooden planks that could go into making of the set props.
Apart from that... I drilled things, cut things, tied things, hammered things, glued things, spray painted things, brush painted things, chopped things, cleaned things, pushed things, pulled things and nailed things. 'PHYSICAL REALM...YO'

Things Learned:
1. A lot of planning and preparation is required, even for pre-production. (pre-production for pre-production).
2. Team work is essential. If you stand 'alone', you'll be just standing.
3. Team briefing. Apart from 'team briefing' being a good excuse for taking a break, I think it's a nice way to keep track of the progress.
4. Wear gloves when working with wood and iron.
_________________________

These kind of scenes were pretty common then.

As I said...my job was to convert this...

...into this.

A little bit of painting.

Made fake shackles.

There was this particular hoarding in front of tin shed that I used to see all the time. Which said "SAVE EVERY DAY 3.99 NZD".

A hoarding of a supermarket or something. For me, half of that poster, was like a message, asking me to work extra hard to "save the day". Just a booster.

"save every day"

Genre Exrecise Homework BDM-234

Film Genre- FILM NOIR
Basic story line:

Two friends meeting in a garden casually. Both of them are hot heads and one of them is unrealistically unreasonable (assume his name is X). Both talk about a bar fight that 'X' was involved in the previous night. 'X' tells that he hospitalized a guy who was asking 'X' for the money that 'X' just lost in a bet game. The other friend(assume his name is Y), tries to tell X that what he did was wrong and unreasonable. This conversation gets hot and both start shouting at each other. Finally, 'X' in anger, tells 'Y' that he is going to kill him if he didn't shut up.

'X' - I'll kill you now.

'Y' -Lets see, you killing me now. Lets see.

'X' - I'll definitely kill you now.

'Y' - Lets definitely see, you killing me now. Lets see.

'X' - Oh yeah?? You gonna jump me? Lets BET on that.

 

The screen goes blank. And in the next scene, it's a doctor telling a nurse to put the new injured patient in the bed next to the guy who was beaten up in a bar fight.

Then a shot of, injured 'X' lying next the guy from the bar, in the hospital.

Can you save a cat? "Famous" BEAT SHEET by Blake Snyder - BDM204

The Blake Snyder BEAT SHEET originated from SAVE THE CAT, the book, written by Blake Snyder.

The Beat Sheet is divided generally in 14 different parts.

1. Opening Image.
2. Theme stated.
3. Catalyst.
4. Debate.
5. Break into ACT 2.
6. B-Story.
7. Fun & Games.
8. Mid Point.
9. Bad guys close in.
10. All is lost.
11. Dark night of the Soul.
12. Break into ACT 3.
13. Finale.
14. Final Image.

___________________________

1. Opening Image – A visual that represents the struggle & tone of the story. A snapshot of the main character’s problem, before the adventure begins.
2. Theme Stated (happens during the Set-up) – What your story is about; the message, the truth. Usually, it is spoken to the main character or in their presence, but they don’t understand the truth…not until they have some personal experience and context to support it.
3. Catalyst – The moment where life as it is changes. It is the telegram, the act of catching your loved-one cheating, allowing a monster onboard the ship, meeting the true love of your life, etc. The “before” world is no more, change is underway.
4. Debate – But change is scary and for a moment, or a brief number of moments, the main character doubts the journey they must take. Can I face this challenge? Do I have what it takes? Should I go at all? It is the last chance for the hero to chicken out.
5. Break Into Two (Choosing Act Two) – The main character makes a choice and the journey begins. We leave the “Thesis” world and enter the upside-down, opposite world of Act Two.
6. B Story – This is when there’s a discussion about the Theme – the nugget of truth. Usually, this discussion is between the main character and the love interest. So, the B Story is usually called the “love story”.
7. Fun and Games - This is the fun part of the story. This is when Craig Thompson’s relationship with Raina blooms, when Indiana Jones tries to beat the Nazis to the Lost Ark, when the detective finds the most clues and dodges the most bullets. This is when the main character explores the new world and the audience is entertained by the premise they have been promised.
8. Midpoint – Dependent upon the story, this moment is when everything is “great” or everything is “awful”. The main character either gets everything they think they want (“great”) or doesn’t get what they think they want at all (“awful”). But not everything we think we want is what we actually need in the end.

Hoooooooooooooofffff.....

9. Bad Guys Close In – Doubt, jealousy, fear, foes both physical and emotional regroup to defeat the main character’s goal, and the main character’s “great”/“awful” situation disintegrates.

10. All is Lost – The opposite moment from the Midpoint: “awful”/“great”. The moment that the main character realizes they’ve lost everything they gained, or everything they now have has no meaning.

11. Dark Night of the Soul – The main character hits bottom, and wallows in hopelessness. The Why hast thou forsaken me, Lord? moment. Mourning the loss of what has “died” – the dream, the goal, the mentor character, the love of your life, etc. But, you must fall completely before you can pick yourself back up and try again.

I don't even understand why I'm writing all this. I don't believe you need Blake Snyder's beat sheet to write a solid script. You can get help from this, to move forward in your story if you are stuck/ don't know what to do next/or if you're at level zero. Very useful for beginners. But...I'm definitely not gonna use this to write a script.

Basically, I start with something very usual from life that can target the audience from all the age groups. Then stir it up with something even I don't know about. I enjoy doing it that way. I see a linear process there.

I have to show evidence of my research here in the blog...So, moving on...

12. Break Into Three (Choosing Act Three) – Thanks to a fresh idea, new inspiration, or last-minute Thematic advice from the B Story (usually the love interest), the main character chooses to try again.

13. Finale – This time around, the main character incorporates the Theme – the nugget of truth that now makes sense to them – into their fight for the goal because they have experience from the A Story and context from the B Story.

14. Final Image – opposite of Opening Image, proving, visually, that a change has occurred within the character.

Thank God it's over. Don't wanna repeat Snyder's beat sheet ever again. Ciao.

Beat Sheet for the silent movie "SEE THROUGH" - BDM 204

SEE THROUGH. Original Script by Arjun Sethu.
SHOWSTOPPER PRODUCTIONS!

< Only the Beat Sheet here >

Main Character/Protagonist - Nathan White
Objective - To save a stranger from death by overcoming his(Nathan's) own fear and insecurity.
Dilemma -  Pleasure comes with pain. What Nathan thought that was extra ordinary, gave him a reason to be paranoid. He is just a silent spectator of some terrible event and the thought of not being able to help a person who might probably die in front of him, haunts Nathan. How will he help? Or will he try to help at all?
Subverting Audience's Expectations - Yes, there is one. But can't reveal. Sorry. :)

So, the beat sheet.

• Nathan White opening a package.
• Finding out something extra ordinary about his new object.
• Using it to please himself and enjoying the new power.
• Getting into something that's not his problem.
• Finding out a deeper secret. Digging out a bigger power.
• Overcoming his fear and using the opportunity.
• Ending the movie....but...Not yet...
• Taking it to a new level and giving a scope for next part - "SEE THROUGH AGAIN". ;)

Yep. Beat sheets are meant only to help the writer. You might not get even half of the story from the beat sheet. Well, that means my beat sheet is good. If you understand/find out the details, then it defeats the purpose of being the beat sheet.

Thank you for reading! :)