FINAL PROJECTS

PRELIMINARY TASK

FINAL TASK 



FINAL TASK - EVALUATION

FILM NOIR - RESEARCH

Film Noir Research

Production Log - Post Production

We decided to do our editing at home, as we thought it would be easier to do it there in one go, rather then it sections as we would be forced to at school. Also since we had used my own camera, it seemed to make sense to do the editing at home.

After watching through all the clips we made the decision to abandon some of the shots, firstly as they were not well enough lit, secondly, the film had to be restricted to 2 minutes, meaning we would have to cut down the shots considerably, or lose some less important shots entirely.Losing the shots we have doesn't effect the story of the film, and there was no comments after the first showing to an audience about it not making sense, so I think this was the right decision.

We have used three separate pieces of music, along with some sound effects (a siren for example) that although are not essential to the movie, give it a more believable feel and further enhances the tone we are trying to create.

After the first edit showing it was clear that we had to re-lighten some shots of our femme fatale, change the order of our credits and tighten up the voice over. With these suggestions, we will return to our film, make the enhancements and hopefully improve our film.

Film Noir - Above The Law - Location Photographs

These photos show where we plan to shoot Above The Law. In the shoot we will move the sofa and tree, out of shot.

 

This is where we plan to set up the main light source, atop the steps that can be seen here.

There are a few modern items which need to be moved and hidden from shot, for example, these speakers.

This is the rest of the room, which will be hidden from the viewer.

The location is my house in Conington. We have chose this location mainly because of the furniture, which matches the 1950's era which our film is set in. The setting is also practical to our script, the furniture allows the two characters to face each other as they sit, and also the cabinet allows for the femme fatale to take out the whiskey glasses and whiskey in the fashion which we intended.  

Film Noir - Above The Law - First Draft

Film Noir - Main Task - Risk Assessment

BBC Risk Assessment Form

PRELIMINARY TASK - DIARY ENTRY

The preliminary task didn't go exactly as was planned. The first issue was with uploading the footage, I did this incorrectly and lost of time trying to correct this error. I did recover the footage, but once I had done this it was apparent that several shots that we filmed were missing, and the camera had already be wiped by the time we went back to it. This wouldn't have been a massive issue, as we could edit what footage we did have into a reasonable film which met the filming criteria fairly well, but there was an issue with sound - as in some clips were missing any sound whatsoever. To get around this we had to re-dub the sound by getting our actors to return and read the lines once more. This worked fairly well but the film was far from perfect.

Positively, we did meet the filming criteria (the 180 degree rule was obeyed for example) and the fact we made a film at all was quite an achievement after all the difficulty we ran into. I learned a lot from the experience, and hopefully all the mistakes we made in the making of this task, will mean we don't make them again in the main task, which will hopefully benefit from what we learned from our mistakes in the preliminary task.

Film Noir - Props and Costumes

In terms of props and costumes our film basically requires:

• A trench coat (for main character)
• A trilby hat (for main character)
• A dress (for femme fatale)
• Cigarettes
• Whiskey
• Whisky glasses
• A handgun

All these props, and the costumes, are not only vital for the narrative of the film, but are vital in meeting the conventions of Film Noir. All the above costumes, and the props, can be seen in the majority of Film Noir movies.

Results and Conclusion - Target Audience Research

Results and Conclusion

Film Noir - Production Log

Filming for Above the Law has been completed. Jordan Forshaw and Emily Reid turned up at the shoot on time and everything we planned for, we did. The only issue was that we had some issues with trying to film outside in low light, this was due to the fact that we were using my own camera that although can film in a very good quality, struggles in low light. It was still a sucessful shoot though. All that remains now is to begin editing and record the voice-overs.

Film Noir - Main Task - Screenplay - Above The Law

Above the Law d2

Film Noir pre production - Actor Information

Tony Ray - Jordan Forshaw

Age: 16

Physical Description:

•  Average height around 5"9. 
• Ginger hair
• Athletic build

Experience:
Amateur actor, member of Sawtry drama group.

Detective Montana - Emily Read

Age: 17

Phyisical Description:

• Around 5"11
• Blonde hair
• Suitable figure

Experience:
Amateur Actor

Film Noir pre production - Character Bio's

Tony Ray

Film Noir pre production - Production Schedule

Production Schedule Above the Law

FILM NOIR - PRE PRODUCTION - SHOT LIST

SHOT LIST Above the Law

FILM NOIR - PRE PRODUCTION - STORYBOARD

LIGHTING WORKSHOP

 The above pictures aren't the greatest quality, but show some of the techniques that were demonstrated to us during the second part of the lighting workshop. Below is a list of 10 important rules that we noted during the workshop, and some further notes that I took throughout.

1. NEVER mount lights outdoors without constant manning.
2. ALWAYS switch lights off when not in use.
3. ALWAYS make sure light is parallel with one of the stand's legs.
4. ALWAYS use gloves.
5. NEVER look directly at lights
6. ALWAYS shout a warning before turning on the lights.
7. ALWAYS work with lights at a low level, before raising them up if necessary.
8. ALWAYS use the surge protector.
9. NEVER try and replace a bulb.
10. ALWAYS include lighting in risk assessments. 

FILM NOIR - Production Log

I am working with Harry Ellerd-Cheers. Last lesson, after completing our script, we read our scripts to the class as so we could recieve feedback on it. We did not need to make any drastic changes to our first draft according to the feedback from the class. Mr Sheppard suggested that the script may be too long, but as the script is only one and a half pages long, we are reluctant to reduce the script by much more. We may reduce some dialogue if we think it may go over the two minute limit, or try and keep the title sequence shorter, but as it is I think we're going to keep the script pretty much the same for the second draft, just with a few dialogue changes.

'ABOVE THE LAW' - FIRST DRAFT SCRIPT

Above the Law

TARGET AUDIENCE RESEARCH

Questionnaire

FILM NOIR POSTER ANALYSIS

 

Film Noir posters, from when Film Noir was in its prominent period, generally used cartoons of their characters, rather than pictures, this was most likely down to a lack of technology rather than choice but is one of the most noticable themes throughout Film Noir posters from the 50's.A theme that seems to recur, even in modern Film Noirs, is the slanted and brash title which jumps out at audiences and grabs their attention. Bright colours seem another theme, the 'Sin City' poster above has a black and white background but has coloured the character and has a bright red title as to ensure that potential viewers eyes are drawn to the poster. Although the films are black and white it seems that designers don't like having the posters in (entirely) black and white, as this risks not being attention grabbing enough.

FILM NOIR OPENINGIS ANALYSIS

TOUCH OF EVIL

This opening, from 'Touch of Evil', is one of the most iconic openings in Film Noir history, due to the fact that it is made up of just one lengthy crane shot. This interesting camera usage is typical of Film Noir, as is the fact that consequently, the footage is not edited together - as it is simply one shot. The use of diegetic sound is also note worthy in this scene, as the music from the car radio acts as backing music also, bringing the audience closer to the characters, as they are hearing the same thing. The fact this scene is set at night is typical of Film Noir movies, which take advantage of the darkness and shadows to create interesting lighting when blended with the black and white filter.




SUNSET BOULEVARD

This scene opens to a shot of sign which references the location, and the name of the film. The film then continues to a typical lengthy shot running over the top of a road whilst the credits roll. This is not a convention of just Film Noir, but of all films from this era. The backing music is orchestral, tension building and epic, something that is shared among most Film Noirs. This is used to engage the audience more and build them up to the coming scene or moment of importance. As the shot tilts upwards to show the action, a narrator begins speaking, which is another convention of Fim Noir used to further flesh out the story and character motivations to the audience.



DOUBLE INDEMNITY

This opening, as is typical of Film Noir, is shot at night. This means that we cannot see much in the very beginning, other than the lights of the cars, and the lit 'Stop/Go' sign. This adds a sense of mystery which is conventional amongst Film Noir, but also puts emphasise on the fact that the driver of the car continues driving despite the sign saying 'Stop'. This tells the audience that this is a character who is rushed and one who lives dangerously. Once he gets to his destination we can see that the character is dressed conventionally with a trench coat and hat, adding to the sense of mystery already created. This mystery is further aided by the fact the antagonist says very little and does not reveal what he is doing.

FILM NOIR - SIMILAR PRODUCTS

Film Noir, a definition:

• 'a movie that is marked by a mood of pessimism, fatalism, menace, and cynical characters; film noir was applied by French critics to describe American thriller or detective films in the 1940s'

Examples of Film Noir:

The Maltese Falcon:

Spade’s partner Miles Archer. Although he never really liked him, Spade is honor bound by his personal code of ethics to track down his killers.  Along the way he will get involved with the sultry Miss Wanderly and a group of criminals who seek a gold-encrusted falcon sculpture known as the Maltese Falcon.

Double Indemnity:

Late one night, successful insurance salesman Walter Neff breaks into his office building in Los Angeles.  Bleeding and in pain, he begins to recite his story into a Dictaphone for his colleague Barton Keyes to find the next morning. We learn how Walter began an affair with the captivating Phyllis Dietrichson and it isn’t long before she convinces him to help her murder her husband, Mr. Dietrichson, in order to collect his life insurance money.  The trouble is, the murder must look like an accident in order for them to collect on his insurance’s double indemnity clause.  The murder is done sloppily and it isn’t long before the authorities are on his trail.  Is it possible that he was betrayed?  As more details come to light, it becomes evident that Phyllis isn’t who she claims she is.

Laura:

'Laura' follows detective Mark McPherson as he investigates the death of famous advertising executive Laura Hunt.  Suspects include the venomous newspaper columnist Waldo Lydecker, the man who promoted Laura at the start of her career, her fiancé Shelby Carpenter, her rich aunt Ann Treadwell, and her housekeeper Bessie Clary.  As he begins to interview them, he begins to realize that every one of them was in love with Laura.  Even stranger, he discovers that he is beginning to fall in love with her as well, at least until Laura shows up alive one night at her front door

The Killers

It starts with one of the most famous opening scenes in film noir history where two hit men invade a small town and kill Ole Anderson (aka The Swede) who puts up no resistance.  The original short story was fairly short, so The Killers takes great pleasure in extrapolating the story and exploring the characters and their pasts.  We learn that the Swede (played by Burt Lancaster) used to be a member of a gang of thieves whom he was pushed into betraying by femme fatale Kitty Collins Colfax (played by Ava Gardner).  Like so many film noir characters, the Swede is fully aware of his transgressions and knows that he cannot escape his fate

Out Of The Past

Jeff Bailey (Robert Mitchum), who like the title indicates, is running from a past that he cannot escape from.  At the start of the film, we find Bailey as the operator of a small town gas station.  But one day, he is forced to meet with a gambler named Whit Sterling.  On the way to the meeting, he confesses his past to his girlfriend.  It turns out that he was once a private eye who was hired by Sterling to find his mistress Kathie after she shot him and stole $40,000 from him.  Bailey managed to track her down to Acapulco.  Too bad he ended up falling in love with her.  But one murder and terrible discovery later, he decided to leave her.  Now, his past has caught up with him as he travels to meet the man that he betrayed.  The only problem is that when he confronts Sterling, Kathie is there.  What do they want?  Why is she there?  Have Sterling and Kathie gotten back together after she shot and betrayed him?  And what do they want with Bailey?  Just as questions beget more questions, one man’s past will lead him to an uncertain future.  It is up for the audience to make the final judgment concerning the sad, strange case of Jeff Bailey.

Descriptions from: http://www.toptenz.net/top-10-film-noir-movies.php

What is most noticable from these plot summaries is the dreary and bleak feel they have about them. All of them contain some sort of crime, and all of them contain some sort of romance gone wrong. This fits in well with the above definition which calls Film Noir pessimistic, the plots of the five above examples seem to prove this. Also, all of them feature a male lead, but with a vitally important femme fatale character who is essential to the plot.