one shot event: film

https://vimeo.com/189589824

photos 9: rhythm

The rhythm in this photo is tonal, as it moves in a sort of gradient from left to right, from the shadow in the barn window to the mid-tone of the red barn to the light and bright sky. It also functions as rhythmic because the eye is moving back and forth along the gradient, and the shapes in the photo are geometric, also serving to lead the eye around the barn in particular.


The rhythm in this photo is created by the very obvious pattern of the subject. On the Icee machine are three flavors, and more specifically three colors, that are all shaped the same but create a tonal progression. Even the little reflections of lights between the flavor names and pumps create a pattern. I wish I had framed it a bit differently, so the words above the flavor names weren't visible - they're kind of distracting. 


The rhythm here is pretty obvious, as there's a clear pattern being created by all the cameras and lenses. It's pretty monochromatic so the tonal separation is created by shadows and different-colored parts of the cameras. I also like the lines that the shelves create, to guide the eye, and they blend in nicely with the brick wall on the left side of the photo.

one-shot of an event: beat list

NAME: Brenna Empey

DATE: 10/22/2016

PROJECT #3 BEAT LIST

After writing your Director's Statement of Intent, but before shooting, create a Beat List for your One Take film. Like a shot list, the Beat List will include the moments you are hoping to capture in your one take. To create the Beat List, do the following:

1. Visualize the event unfolding in your mind as you answer these questions:

a) Where is the action taking place? How will we know that?

It will be taking place in a basement apartment. We’ll know because I plan to start filming the subjects outside, so we’ll see what type of place they’re entering.

b) How will the action unfold? In other words, what are "beats" of the action? 

The beats in this scene won’t be communicated by movement, but rather by emotion on my subjects’ faces. This might make it tricky as a film but I think starting outside the house will really help. In a perfect world, my two subjects will discuss the prospect of getting their palms read before entering. The palm reader and the subjects will then introduce themselves, and we’ll sit down, and begin the palm reading. Then the beats will be emotional as the subjects receive information from the palm reader and react to it.

c) Who is involved in this event?

        A palm reader and two people getting their palms read.

d) Where is the drama in the event? Is it between competitors? Are there spectators? Is there some kind of physical risk?

The drama is with the subjects. I’ve made sure that my subjects are two people, who have never had their palm read before, so hopefully their reactions will communicate the emotions they’re going through as the palm reader gets things right about who they are, their past, etc. There will be at least one spectator and possibly more – but for sure it’ll be the other person waiting to get their palm read, or the other person who just got their palm read. There is no physical risk with filming a palm reading, thankfully!

2. Decide how you will communicate the above information to the audience in terms of beats or points of focus. In other words, what specific images/subjects does the audience need to see to:

a) understand what's happening;

I need to get an establishing shot of the apartment, I think, or at least an establishing shot of where we are inside the apartment, whether that will be a bedroom or the living room or wherever. I also need to make sure I get a shot of the palm reading book that my palm reader will be using, and definitely some coverage of the plants and incense she has in her house.

b) connect with the people involved;

A lot of my coverage will be of people’s faces, because I really want to capture my two subjects reacting to what the palm reader is telling them. I’m also going to get coverage of the palm reader reading from her book and really studying the palm, so we understand that she’s serious and not a fraud.

c) grasp, and feel, the drama.

Palm reading is all about feeling, so I need to make sure I’m getting tight shots of details. I want tight shots of faces (the palm reader and subjects), and tight shots of their hands during the reading process. Eyes are the windows to the soul, where we’ll see the most emotion in the subjects’ reactions, so I think I’ll need to spend a lot of time on their faces.

3. Decide where the camera will need to move in order to capture these images.

The camera will follow behind the subjects as they enter the apartment, and look around the apartment a bit to establish the space. When they sit down to have their palms read, that’s when I’ll get all my tight shots and really move in to capture close-ups of faces and eyes. The palm reader and the subject will be sitting across from one another, so I’ll mostly be capturing them in profile, but will be panning from one face to another a lot of the time. This includes tilting down to the palm being read, so I’ll be moving in a triangle a lot. I’ll also widen out to diversify the shots and get a two-shot of the palm reader and subject.­

4. Create a list of the above beats and images in the order you think they will occur. (Don't move past each beat too quickly--give the audience time to process the information!) For each beat/image, include this information:

a) The subject of the beat (what/who are we looking at?)

b) The why. Why is each beat important? What is the purpose of the shot in terms of story, drama, character? What impact will it have on the viewer? 

c) Include: 1) The type of shot (W, M, CU, ECU, etc.); 2) the angle and type (High, Low, OTS, POV, etc.); 3) any visual element(s) you'd like to take advantage of in the location (Flat or Deep Space, Horizontal/Vertical/Diagonal Line, Warm or Cool colors, etc.) However, remember that you are not to manipulate this event by giving direction, assigning wardrobe, production designing, etc.. 

·         Waiting to enter the apartment

a)      The subject of the beat is the two people who are going to have their palms read.

b)      The purpose of this beat is to show the anticipation of the people about to get their palm read. I hope they’ll talk about how they’ve never done this before and how they feel about it or what they’re expecting.

c)      This shot will be W and OTS on our subjects, warm colors because the sun will hopefully be setting when we film, and deep space because you can see all the way to the back of the apartment from the front door.

·         Meeting the palm reader

a)      The subject of the beat is the palm reader

b)      The purpose of this beat is show both the subjects and the audience the normalcy of this person, who they might not have expected to be so normal.

c)      This shot will be W three-shot on subjects and palm reader, warm colors because of the sunset, and flat space because I’ll back out from the doorway into a cramped stairwell that will make it flatter.

·         Entering the apartment

a)      The subject of the beat is the apartment/what’s inside it

b)      The purpose of this beat is to let the anticipation of both the subjects and the audience grow, because now we’re entering a new space, where we don’t know what is going to happen.

c)      This shot will be MED OTS, warm colors because the sunset will be coming in from the window (although this may be hard to do because the walls inside the apartment are white, and the furniture is black), and deep space because we’re moving into the apartment.

·         Palm reader and subject sit down/get ready

a)      The subject of the beat is the palm reader and first person who’s going to get their palm read

b)      The purpose of this beat is to show that it takes some prep before reading someone’s palm. I’m hoping that the palm reader will explain a couple things to the subject before she begins reading, and I hope I can get a shot of her palm reading book to bring the audience in on what’s happening.

c)      This shot will be W two-shot, warm colors, because now we’ll be able to see the warm-colored tapestry and warm-colored coffee table that the palm reader has in her apartment, and flat space because now I’ll be focusing on the small living room where the palm reading will happen.

·         Subject reacts to palm reading

a)      The subject of the beat is the person getting their palm read and their palm

b)      The purpose of this beat is to show how the subject is feeling about this thing they’ve never experienced before, and may not even believe in. In my experience palm readings are pretty accurate, so I’m hoping there will be feelings of surprise and disbelief on the subject’s face.

c)      This shot will be MED on the person getting their palm read, warm colors, flat space because the living room is so small and I want to focus on the subject’s face anyway.

·         Subject reacts to finger reading

a)      The subject of the beat is the person getting their palm read and their fingers

b)      The purpose of this beat is to continue the previous beat, but now the palm reader is reading a new part of the hand. In a perfect world, this beat would be more of the subject’s authentic reactions to what the palm reader is telling them.

c)      This shot will be MED-W so I can see both the face of the subject and their hand, warm colors, flat or deep space depending on where they’re sitting in the room because there’s more space off to one side of the couch than the other.

·         Palm reader answers the subject’s questions

a)      The subject of the beat is the palm reader

b)      The purpose of this beat is to show that the palm reader isn’t just here to mystify my subjects, but also to legitimize her practice of palm reading by being generous and willing to explain. It’s fun for a palm reader to the reactions of her subjects, too, and I want to capture some of that in her face.

c)      This shot will be MCU, moving back in on the palm reader this time, warm colors, flat space.

·         Palm reading ends and subject reflects

a)      The subject of the beat is the palm reader and the person who got their palm read

b)      The purpose of this beat is to bring conclusion to what we just saw and allow a moment for the subject to talk to the palm reader in reflection.

c)      This shot will be MCU to W as I move out to capture the whole image of them discussing the palm reading, warm colors because of the light coming in from the window, and flat-to-deep space.

one-shot of an event: director's statement

Director/DP: Brenna Empey

FILM 4 DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT OF INTENT

What is the story of this scene in two or three sentences? In other words, what happens in the scene?

Two people will have their palms read by a palm reader. It’s their first time doing something like this, so they don’t know what to expect.

What is the purpose of this scene in the larger story? (Or, if there is not a larger story, invent the purpose of this scene.)

There isn’t really a larger story beyond what is happening, but I’d like to think that my subjects are curious to learn who they are from another person, someone who can tell them things about themselves just by looking at their hands. Maybe they’ve come to a palm reader as a last hope as they try to get some answers about their lives.

What is the emotion I want to communicate?

I want to communicate unpredictability and surprise, because there will probably be a big difference between what the subjects want to hear and the truth of what the palm reader will tell them.

Why is this scene personal to me? What previous personal experiences does it remind me of? Why do I need to make this scene?

I don’t really know myself and I’m kind of fascinated when other people tell me things about myself. It could be things I already know but didn’t realize, or it could be things that I had no awareness of at all. Palm reading is one of those instances where I feel like I’m learning things about myself and realizing some repressed things about who I am.

What, specifically, must the audience understand narratively and feel at the end of this scene? How do you intend to make sure this will happen?

I want the audience to feel like the subjects have learned unknown things about themselves. It’ll really help that this is the subjects’ first time getting their palm read, which means they’ll probably be pretty reactive to things the palm reader is telling them. In particular, I hope I’ll get some authentic reactions to negative things that the subjects are hearing about themselves, maybe things they would never admit to.

What two visual elements (line, shape, space, tone, color, rhythm, movement) will you use to help communicate the emotion of the scene?

I’m going to use color and rhythm in the limited space of the small apartment to communicate the atmosphere of the scene. There’s a big tapestry and an incense burner in the apartment, which are both colorful and will help set the mood. Rhythm will mostly be attributed to camera movement as I move from palm reader, to hands, to subject and back again. I’m going to keep it rhythmic so it doesn’t seem sporadic.

What are some potential obstacles in creating a successful scene? How can you be prepared to overcome these?

Honestly, I’m just afraid that the scene won’t be interesting enough. My beats are dependent on emotion (the subjects reacting to things the palm reader is telling them), and I don’t know if that’ll be enough to keep the audience engaged. Thankfully I have two subjects, so if one of them isn’t very reactive, hopefully the other one will be.

shot for shot: director's reflection

NAME: Brenna Empey

DATE: 10/18/2016

FILM: Shot-for-Shot

DP: Jase Van Meeteren

TMA 285 DIRECTOR’S REFLECTION

Overall response (2-3 paragraphs):

In 2-3 paragraphs, write an overall response to your film: 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? 

            As I was thinking about what to do for my shot-for-shot, Blade Runner was one of the top choices but there was just one problem – it’s science fiction and very heavy on the production design end of things. I settled on this scene even though Deckard’s apartment is the type of place that wouldn’t exist in Provo, Utah, and just as I expected, finding a location was difficult. I think this negatively affected the piece, not in the sense that it didn’t look good, but in the sense that making the space work ate up a lot of my attention and time on the actual shooting day. I wish I had gotten to spend more time talking to my actors, and maybe more time for takes, rather than spending a lot on trying to imitate the space in Blade Runner.

            I do like how Rachel and Danny’s performances ended up, even though some people in class said Danny’s performance was a little flat. The cinematography turned out really well with our limited lighting options. If I were to do this scene again, I would spend more time with colors and costumes within the set itself, as well as in coloring, because my recreation ended up being too warm, lacking the industrial feel of the original movie. I might also cast someone else to play Harrison Ford’s character Deckard, not because I didn’t like my actor’s performance, but because I think Harrison Ford’s physicality is very different from that of my actor’s. I learned that casting the right body and face shapes are important even to the point that they can affect framing and mood.  

Briefly answer the following:

What, specifically, did you want to communicate? Were you successful? Why? Why not?

            I just wanted to recreate the general feelings of this emotionally-heightened scene, which are gradual defeat on Rachael’s end, and a range of shifting emotions on Deckard’s end. This is a difficult discussion for both characters, and I really wanted to draw that difficulty out of my actors. It was very different than previous assignments to come into this scene having a pre-written script and basically a pre-written shot list, but that didn’t make it any less of a challenge. I think, for my actors’ capabilities, I was successful in pulling out the emotions I wanted even though they may not be as conspicuous as in Harrison Ford and Sean Young’s performances in the original film.

How, specifically, did you try to say this? What visual elements, techniques, etc. did you use?

            The low, contrasty lighting of this scene really communicates a feeling of loss, hopelessness, and frustration. Deckard’s dialogue dominates this scene, and Danny (my actor) and I talked a lot about why this character acts the way he does. We concluded that he kind of just wants the conversation to be over with, like it’s an annoyance, but it ends with Deckard having a shift in mood as he tries to be more sympathetic to Rachael. For Rachael, Deckard’s words are devastating. That’s why the high-contrast lighting works so well, and we tried to recreate that as best we could in the recreation. Favoring the shadowed side of the characters’ faces let us take a peek into their psyche and see that this conversation is difficult for both of them, but in different ways.

What did you learn about storytelling:

            I really learned about how detail can affect the entire mood of a scene when I was doing this assignment. As I was trying to somewhat recreate the messiness in Deckard’s apartment, as well as the textures and colors, I realized that my recreation wouldn’t have the same poignancy because I couldn’t include all the details. There are vodka bottles all over Deckard’s apartment, which I didn’t have. The harsh textured light from the blinds on the windows adds a lot to the industrial, futuristic feel of the scene, and we had trouble recreating those with the same punch. All around, my scene ended up being much softer and homier, whereas the details in production design in the original scene make it very dystopian and industrial.

Working with actors and getting performance:

            I talked about this a bit already, but how I went about this scene was simply by asking my actors how and why they think the characters were acting in this way in this moment. It was an interesting process because I showed them the original scene from Blade Runner before we began shooting my recreation, so it was more like analyzing an already-existing portrayal of emotions rather than just reading lines and letting my actors come up with their own interpretations. We talked a lot about what Deckard and Rachael were feeling and why, and how they were reacting to their situation. I think my actors also had different strengths – Danny, who played Deckard, was great at taking Deckard’s emotions and portraying them in his own way. Rachel, who played Rachael, did a great job at imitating Sean Young’s inflexion and facial expressions.

Blocking — camera and actors:

            I was actually surprised when this didn’t come up during the screening of my recreation in class. Blocking seemed generally pretty easy at first – the two characters remain in their own spaces on opposite sides of the room – but I was really struggling with eye-lines when we were shooting. I think it’s because of two things: I messed up the blocking a bit, and the room in the original Blade Runner is a lot bigger than the space I was filming, and therefore there was less space in which the characters could exist. Because of this, eyelines were less extreme than I wanted them to be, and my characters were facing the camera more than they should have been. For the most part, though, the eyelines made sense for the space I was working in, even if they weren’t exactly the same as in the original scene.

Visuals — composition, framing, visual elements:

            This is the one area in which I really thought I would shine, but when I got into the editing room I realized a couple shots of Deckard were too tight! Most shots of Rachael were spot on, and the lines on Rachael’s end of the room were very similar to the lines in the original scene, so her shots looked pretty good. We had to manipulate the structure of the room on Deckard’s end, though, and basically create a wall where there wasn’t one, so the lines didn’t work as well and we had less space to work with. In the shots of him sitting down on the couch, we should’ve backed up or gone onto a wider lens.

Design & Art Direction:  

            I talked about this a lot already but it was very difficult finding a suitable location and recreating Deckard’s apartment. It took a lot of time out of our shoot, and a lot of manpower that I wasn’t expecting. I don’t have much experience in production design, which is why (unfortunately) a lot of my assignments in this class haven’t been art-inclined. I’m really glad I found this location, though, because the cubic design of the fireplace behind Rachael is a great recreation of the walls of Deckard’s apartment. To create the same sort of geometric shapes on Deckard’s side of the room, I laid a bookshelf sideways across a desk and filled it with books, and I think that helped the geometric feel of his side of the room. I wish we could’ve found a place with such stylized walls as they have in Blade Runner.

The Production Process — collaboration with crew, the logistics of making this piece:

            Getting ready for this shoot was, in general, pretty smooth sailing. The only hiccups were that my original actress dropped out a week before the shoot and I had to rush to find another one, and I had a bit of trouble finding a suitable location because Blade Runner is full of stylized science fiction spaces. The actual shooting of the scene was pretty easy, though. I really trust Jase as a DP which took a lot of stress out of how the lighting, framing, and camera movement would look in comparison to the original scene. Danny and Rachel both delivered satisfying performances after we discussed their characters’ feelings, motivations, and actions.

                  

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 happily surprised that most of the audience seemed to like the location a lot, because I was worried about how inaccurate it was compared to the original scene. The audience did help me realize that my recreation came off as too homey and warm, almost the exact opposite of the cold industrial nature of the original. What I found most interesting was people’s reactions to Danny’s performance – it read as flat and uninteresting to some people, while others really liked it. I personally thought Danny did a great job as Deckard but presenting his performance to an audience made me recognize reasons why it came off as lacking in emotion that I hadn’t recognized before. I think the general response to the warmer feeling of my recreation is totally justified, and I should’ve paid more attention to my colors while shooting and in post.        

photos 8: sense of movement

This photo creates a sense of movement with eye-line. The girl closest to the camera is making eye contact with us but her body is turned away, almost as if she's getting ready to join with the other people in the photo - they're all looking at something off to the right. We caught her in the middle of a movement, and she pauses to acknowledge the viewer. The direction that the other people are looking makes the viewer wonder what could possibly be going on out-of-frame as well, keeping our eye constantly moving to the right.


This photo creates a sense of movement with lines. The road receding off into the background is one thing, but the texture of the bridge is arguably even more interesting. The separate slats are going int he same direction as the road, but there are lots of them, giving that area of the photo a more staccato rhythm than the rest. The bridge also looks like a sort of gateway, drawing the eye into the photo and to the end of the street where it eventually stops. The movement is very one-dimensional, but moves very deep into the photo.


This photo creates a sense of movement with shape. These flowers typically stand upright when there isn't any wind, but just looking at the shape of the flowers here gives the impression that they're moving. They're all being swung to the right by the wind, reaching up into the top right corner of frame. I'm not sure I like the blurry flower in the foreground, but it's the one with the most interesting shape, so that's a happy accident I suppose. The contrast of the white flowers against the greenery also helps lead the eye from one flower to the next. 

shot for shot recreation: blade runner scene

https://vimeo.com/187611499