ahbutlerfiction2019

[ahbutlerfiction2019]

Progress, execution and Covid-19

During the final week before assessment, I made the hard decision to return home due to the outbreak of Covid-19. I am currently self isolating/ quarantining at a family friends second home, alone, with no wifi, which I am doing so as a precaution before moving in with my mum for the next few months. I decided to, due to many factors. The people I was living with were not taking precautionary measures, and still risking us as a household, as well as the outside world. I could also tell that my mental health has been deteriorating quickly since the outbreak. I usually experience anxiety, especially in relation to hygiene and health when things worsen, so this event has really effected me, as it is with many of us. I have also been aware of my struggle with my mental health the last several months, and thought the best thing for me was to return home and completely self isolate for the time being.  I am also very worried for my mother who lives alone, and has underlining health issues. So I felt I needed to be closer to her. The last few days I have also struggled to get on with uni work and anything to be honest, due to moral, but I am getting through it.

The events has effected my work, however I know I have done everything I possibly can towards this project at this time. I ended up having to rely on iMovie, and I know aesthetically, my short film would look very different if things were still as they were, and we were not facing such scary times. Despite this, I feel happy with what I have created so far, and look forward to looking back one day to improve in areas, and add the credits at the end of the short film.

[ahbutlerfiction2019]

Self Evaluation

Within this project I have explored the concept of ‘Fiction’, by looking at short stories and poetry, fictional film, and filmmakers. I began the project by researching into video content via Nowness, which is where I believe I picked up inspiration and unconsciously included into my final short film. After looking through my blog, I can see there is a stronger connection with ‘The Sea Close By’, by Almus Camus, than there is to the movie trailers by Jean-Luc Godard. I started basing my project from the trailers dated back from 1940’s to 1970’s, with the once fashionable theme of “girl”, “boy”, “revolver” style. Throughout the creation of my fictional film, I have added evidence of a story like film, and slight hints to a style-like trailer. Developing my 16mm black and white film, may have added to the style I originally wanted, in terms of an aesthetic approach. 

I took a strong liking to Jean-Luc Godard’s films, and the way his marketing team created the movie trailers with taste, intrigue, and a sense of unique style. I thought it would be interesting to explore and create a piece that resonated to this, where most of the story plot is not exposed, and the way written words can play a part within sound, subtitles and moving image. I feel I have successfully captured most of these qualities however, despite missing the mark on looking like a French new era, trailer.  

There were many challenging parts to this project, the first choosing to film digitally, as a backup, and the other on a Bolex 16mm film camera. this required carrying heavy equipment, planning and executing more film shoots. Secondly, once I realised that the circumstances of a pandemic was about to take immediate effect, I knew I may have to rely on iMovie and an old laptop in the near future, so I decided to finish and export everything I had originally started on Adobe. This included two important sequences; my subtitles and large text as an RGB and Alpha channel, via Adobe After Effects. This allowed me to overlap the subtitles to the footage later on. I made a mistake of exporting my subtitles with my half-completed film via Adobe Premier Pro, which made the whole experience more tedious than it needed to be. Yet, I was able to work through it, replacing several clips, and readjusting the mediums accordingly.  

On iMovie, I started off with four sequences in one, with three different technical parts which needed placing together. The sound, texts, and the footage all needed alterations. Once I finally received the recordings, a day before my deadline it involved rearranging visuals to fit the narrator's voice over. Readjusting many small areas that involved separating, on a simplistic software became mostly strategic, yet I enjoyed being creative and finding new ways to apply. I feel this was my greatest achievements for this module, as well as being prepared and finding different ways to create. If I ever find myself in a similar situation, where I must finalize my work via a different editing software, I need to make sure I export sound, text, subtitles, and visuals completely separately, as this was my downfall. As for my visual aesthetic approach to the short film, I feel I could have made improvements, by adding credits at the end, and possibly adding “Coming Soon”, to add some grit to the short film, as well as the strong indicator that the short film is in a style of a trailer.    

[ahbutlerfiction2019]

Pier

When I look back at my film, I'm wishful to go back to the time where we were free to walk around, and sit at the pier, without fear of a virus, that’s consuming our worries. Every conversation we have goes back to the virus, the lockdowns and uncertainty of the future. The events of today are taking people from our lives. I feel now, the poem has become more poetic than it was before. You have the visuals and words of freedom, and then you have that sense of isolation from the sounds of the recording. I had two Northern Italian actors (all coincidental) to play the parts of my characters. The actor being the voice over and writer of Pier. The sound of poem itself slightly resonates with how things are currently. Looking back at the visuals alongside the words I feel there’s a link between the UK and Italy that has developed. I believe the UK are about to be in a very similar situation as the Italians are. Hopefully, if ever, this Pandemic quietens, and we can continue to live our normal lives we can be grateful, appreciate the beauty of everyday life at the pier, just as Carlo writes in his poem.   

The events of Covid-19 has effected my work, however I know I have done everything I possibly can towards this project at this time. I ended up having to rely on iMovie, and I know aesthetically, my short film would look very different if things were still as they were, and we were not facing such scary times. Despite this, I feel happy with what I have created so far, and look forward to looking back one day to improve in areas, and add the credits at the end of the short film.

[ahbutlerfiction2019]

As you might have noticed, Curious is misspelt. Unfortunately I have only just realised this and have no way of editing it. After stepping away from my almost completed film I’ve decided to make a few readjustments. 

Put

Extend

Replace

[ahbutlerfiction2019]

Progress: Part II

At the second part of the short film,

[ahbutlerfiction2019]

Pier: Part I

I have only just got hold of the recordings created by Linus De Ferrari (Carlo) the author of the poem. I’m feeling pretty happy with the outcome of the voice over. After speaking to him about what I was after during the time of filming on the 16mm, I told him I was after a track with some sort of old school, dusty feel. I’m pleased with the vinyl background noise, and the delivery of the poem.

So far the beginning just needs a few alterations at 0:11 and 0:39 with subtitles taken out, and replaced. I’m also tempted to take out the clip at 0.33; I feel I’ve made too much of a pause between lines. 

In the original draft I exported from Premier Pro, edited via imovie, and then exported again, just so I could overlap the ‘words’ (AKA, Curious, Jealous). I need to cut and replace where the subtitles are at the beginning. I am slightly concerned for quality since I am aware every time you export you lose the sharpness. Otherwise, I feel like my film is finally coming together.

[ahbutlerfiction2019]

Update

Due to the university shutting because of events out of all of our control..

Having a laptop dating back to 2010, with the software dating back to 2015, I’m soully relying on imovie for the final draft. I’m glad I took some measures into my own hands before the university shut. I finished the words (to the best I could at the time) for my short film, and the subtitles via After Effects. I also imported most of the footage to my memory stick incase I ran out of clips. 

For my final video so far, I edited what I could (to the exported drafts that I had previously edited on Adobe Premier Pro), and re exported it, and added in the titles. 

Looking back at the work I’ve done so far for my project there’s already several things I wish I could change, and add in terms of titles, words, and the layout. I regret not having the chance to develop my 16mm film, I still believe it would have looked better than what I have to show now. On the bright side, once the events of Coronavirus eases, and things start to settle etc, I’ll have a film ready to develop, and I can look at previous content, with a story to tell. 

[ahbutlerfiction2019]

Progress

16/03/2020

So far, I have the footage I need to create my project on fiction. I also have two short film parts, where I will need to join/form together. I also need to collect/receive the voice over (english and Italian version) of the author of the poem. Creating a few sound tracks of the background noise; ie. clock ticking, and the light noise of sheets rustling could be something I could work with.

Initially, and stated before I wanted to use 16mm film, and use the Bolex to create the visual narration of the poem. I have the film, yet I still need to develop and process. Unfortunately, due to circumstances out of my control related to the climate, I might not have time to do it anymore. Supposedly I should have done it on Wednesday, last week, but I hadn’t used up all the film. Tomorrow is the day I’m meant to work on the 16mm film, and might be the only day where I can do something with it due to the current climate. Hopefully it wont be a problem.

Luckily I thought ahead and created a DSLR version of the visual narration. The content/footage is different, but still involves and reflects the plot. 

[ahbutlerfiction2019]

Progress

For “Pier Draft 3″ At first I thought it would be interesting to experiment and follow “M” as an example for the font style. By doing this I used a range of colours from the film in the font, as mentioned below. During the process of adding the oversized words into the sequence I was a little unsure on how it was looking. After a few hours away from Premier Pro though I’ve decided not to follow suit.  I’m not keen on how it looks, the colours are a distraction, and so far it doesn’t work well. I might revisit it, but for now I think it’s best without. 

Below on “Pier Draft 4″  I experimented with having the font overlapping the clip/foreground; “Jealous”. The background for “Freedom” however, is plain black.  I do believe that the font style of “Freedom” fits with the style I’m trying to convey. 

As for “Jealous” I’m really not keen on how it looks. For one, the character Carlo, doesn’t seem jealous at all.  I do like the subtitles within the frame of the young man, and it could well be that he’s just not expressing his jealousy, despite feeling it. In any case I think the clip might be better suited within the “while flocks of birds greet me from above”, I just think it’s a bit typical. What I might try and do is add it without a paticular line. Just a pause; “...” . 

There’s still some adjustments needed. 

[ahbutlerfiction2019]

Below I have shared the process of why and how I chose the colours for a possible choice of style for the main texts. The key words will be highlighted as bold text throughout the ‘trailer’.

The main purpose of this choice is to represent the style, a link to the french new wave, and the poignant points of the ‘movie’.

So far, I feel the choice of language is good, and the colours represent the pier at sunset/dawn, during the winter season, and the impact of the words.

Of course, if the 16mm film is processed successfully, and the imagery works better, the colour will be in several grey scale modes, or simply in white.

[ahbutlerfiction2019]

To help, and prepare for the short film I have created the subtitles. This I believe will help me process and choose the imagery wisely. To emphasise the feelings and allow the audience to process the text, I’d have to make some of the lines stay on the screen for a longer period of time. AddING a few longer pauses in between is also something I’ll need to consider and convey. 

[ahbutlerfiction2019]

To help, and prepare for the short film I have created the subtitles. This I believe will help me process and choose the imagery wisely. To emphasise the feelings and allow the audience to process the text, I’d have to make some of the lines stay on the screen for a longer period of time. AddING a few longer pauses in between is also something I’ll need to consider and convey. 

[ahbutlerfiction2019]

Words

Fragile

Birds

Sheets 

Freedom

Waves

Curious

Darker

Jealous

Tight 

Kidnap