This is my last scene in this semester. I want to continue research how to shoot a dialogue scene in an intense way, such as the usages of angel, perspective, and the choice of shot size. This dialogue scene mainly shows a bad situation between a man and wife. The man ask his wife to sign the divorce paper, however, his wife refuse it. I want use some detail shots to emphasize the interior struggle and sorrowful feeling of those two people. Also, use different shots to build the intense relationship between the two actors.

I will use lighting in this scene, because I will shot this scene in the evening, the lighting can be used to build a perfect atmosphere.

This scene I have shoot twice time on the weekend of week 10 and 11. The scene, which I did on week 10, is a bit of confused. Basically, what I mainly telling in this scene is a little confused, because it is lack of context, viewers cannot know the whole story from this scene. In addition, I have not designed some parts in this scene in a perfect way. For example, there is one shot cross line. The camera put on a wrong position. Also, in the end of this scene, I want to make a strong climax. So I put the shots of Kai, which he standing up in different perspectives, and edit those shots together. However, it seems too long. Some shots are not so necessary. As a result, I have re-shoot this scene on week 11. I have tried to fix those problems in this version.

In the version of week 11, in order to emphasize the intense effect, I add more shots of Aki. Because, Aki plays the role of only witness in this whole dialogue scene, which is imaged by Xiaocheng, Her action implies the significant information of the reality. So I add one more shot which her confusedly look at Xiaocheng, when Xiaocheng say something in the first time. This shot hint viewers that something seems weird in this moment. Also, I reduce the shots of Kai’s action. On the contrary, I changed it in a continuous way. And, I used close up of Kai and Xiaocheng to emphasize the intense feeling. Finally, I mainly used the shot of Aki, and the shot both have Aki and Xiaocheng to discover the reality, the whole dialogue is imaged by Xiaocheng, he is talking with himself in the whole time!

In this week, I have talk with Robin about the scene, which I did in last week. Robin gave me some useful suggestions. Depending on his suggestions, I will reshoot this scene in this weekend.

In addition, on Thursday I have help Ella shoot her scene. This was a meaningful experience for me. Ella designed her scene in a very clearly and creative way. She used lighting in her scene, which is I never did in my scene. In the filming process I realized that how lighting is important. The lighting built a perfect shadow of actors, making they both have a perfect profile. Also, some composition of frames in her scene is quit well. For example, there is a usage of high angel in one shot. This usage emphasizes the intense relationship between the two actors. This is a creative idea. And it is really wroth to study.

In this week, i have a conversation with Robin. He give me lots of good advises about my week 9 exercises. I think it is useful for me, i can fix the problems which i have in last project. Such as the problem about pulling focus. I haven’t perfect focus on both two people. However,  As Robin mentioned that i can use few ways to achieve it.  I will improve it in next time.

On friday class, i shoot a new scene with my classmates. The basic idea of this scene depend on the story of Infernal Affairs, but i changed the lines of characters. In the filming process, i meet a biggest problem which is the location. I choose a empty classroom to shoot, however,  when we shoot in a half way, students coming in for their class. So i have to change the location. I think it might seems a little weird in editing.

The dialogue scenes, which I already shoot are daily normal conversation. However, in some film, there are some dialogue scenes are mysterious, suspenseful or exciting. Those scenes mainly develop the plot and perfectly construct the whole film. In those scenes, director use special perspective to show some clues. Also the positions of camera are quite interesting. So, I want to shoot this type of dialogue scene, using a different way to show and imply the intense relationship, and potential information between characters. I pick up one dialogue scene from Infernal Affairs 3. I am so sorry I haven’t found a version with English subtitle. Actually, this dialogue scene shows the illusion of one character. This character is an undercover in police office, however he extremely want be a good person, so he image he is the good person who always defend Justice. As we can see that the director uses special perspective to imply this truth. The design of shots also can show the intense relationship between those three characters. I get an inspiration from this scene, but I changed the concrete Lines.

Script

The changing focus one:

In this one single shot I firstly focus on Polly’s profile, then I change focus to Kai’s face, in this part , I think I did kind of good job. However, when I start panning to Evelyn, the problem growly emerging. The obvious one problem is the space between Kai and Evelyn. This distance between them seems a bit of long, so the viewers will feel confused when they see the long white wall. I need move the position of Evelyn more close to Kai. In addition, when I panning back to Kai and Polly, I want focus on both of them. But I have not completed this goal. As Robin said there are few ways to achieve it. For instance, I can zoom out when I doing the pan. But it is not a good way, because it looks like a little weird. Moreover, maybe Kai can take a step back. Then I change the aperture to big numbers, so I can get a great depth of field.

The cutting version:

In this version, I made some changes in shot choice. For example, in the first scene, I change the fist shot to a tracking shot. So we can see Kai knocking the door, then Polly walking in the frame. Also, I design the position of Evelyn again. Before Polly opens the door, she stands behind of Kai. So in the shot 1 and shot 2 we can’t see her. I think it will give curious feeling to viewers when Polly asks Kai who is that girl in shot 2. Then, in shot 3 and 4, Evelyn walks forward to give a hug to Polly, so their position naturally change to a triangle shape.

In the scene 2, I design one shot from the back of Kai and Polly. This shot is aim to show Evelyn’s face expression when she see the interaction between Kai and Polly. Also I use a panning in their talking conversation. When Polly say that she want to go outside, I pan to Kai’s face wanting for his reaction, then I follow with Kai’s eye line slowly passing Polly and panning to Evelyn. This pan may more clearly show everyone’s reaction when they talking to each other. Their action line may clear too. Of courses, this scene is not perfect, but I really try some different shots to show the script. Those exercise help me understand there are lots of different way to construct your dialogue scene, as long as you know what effect you want, and what thing you want emphasize.

In this week, we have discussed the skills about correct exposure. Those useful skills help us cultivate a good habit before shooting. Such as the usage of zebra let us visually know the degree of exposure. We also watch some good examples of perfect lighting. From those examples, I get one inspiration that get full advantage of window. The lighting from the window is natural. Also, we may cooperate window light with other lighting to make more creative effect.

I got very meaningful feedback from Robin. The little exercise, which I did about three people dialogue scene have some obvious problems. One obvious problem is continuity. I have not notice the consistency or similarity about background in different cut. In addition, when I cut the dialogue between people, I forgot to maintain the similarity of frame size. As a result it looks a bit of weird. I am so appreciate that I can see what problems I have trough this exercise. I will change it and continue doing more different dialogue scene.

Week 9 exercise

The exercise I have done in last weekend is not so good. So I determined to reshoot this script in different way. Firstly, I design using the way of changing focus to show this scene. In fact, we can usually see this skill used in lots of dialogue scenes. However, in last weekend project I just use cut and track. So I think maybe I can try it, why not?

Storyboard

In addition, I also plan a version of cut again. Because I want fix the problem which I had in last project, such as the consistency of frame size and background. Also, in this version I want use panning to instead of the frequently cutting.

Storyboard

I shoot this dialogue scene on this weekend. Before I shoot, I already write the plan, script and storyboard. However, I have changed the script because of the limit of actors. The primal script is picked up from the famous film Flipped. This scene shows the warm relationship between the father, daughter and uncle who mentally retarded. It is hard to find a person who can act the uncle. So finally, I determined to change a story, which talk about three females.

New script

Reflection about Week8 individual exercise

 The back-story of this scene is that Lucy brings her daughter Julianna going to hospital to visit an old friend Polly. Polly never give up even she got a serious ill, she cherish every moment of her rest of life. Lucy want her daughter Julianna be encouraged by the strong and positive spirit Polly have. So, when she plan to visit Polly, she decided bring her daughter together. Finally, Julianna really completely encouraged by Polly, she realized not only herself, but also everyone should cherish and enjoy every live moment.

Because I just shoot this scene in one day, so when I do the editing, I realized some significant points. Firstly, when I shoot the dialogue shot, I need require that each character need leave pause after they say their one line. I haven’t done it, so there is a little hard to cut the dialogue so fluently and natural. Also, I need very precisely confirm the consistency of every character’s position and gesture, movements in different shot. For example, I did one medium shot of one character, but I haven’t confirmed the direction of another charater’s head. As a result, when I cut to a wide shot, I find it is a big bug! In addition, three people’s dialogue shot, I should really carefully focus the action line between the three characters. Their action lines provide a proper way to design the camera position. When I finish this exercise, I deeply thought shot a dialogue scene not so difficult, but the question is how to make shots be interesting and amazing? I need continue improve my skills, I hope after those lessons I can create better scene in next time.

This week we have done kind of impressive and really useful exercises. The good usage of depth of filed and exposure helps us control the frame be more perfect. Every one get an opportunity to be a camera operator, so we are able to clear see the real individual difficulties, and got a right way to solve it.

Before this week, changing focus in shooting is not easy for me. I cannot use an efficient and scientific way to do it. However, now I deeply realize the importance of sign. The one exercise I did is to always focus on headphone when William takes it from the box. I think the headphone is smaller compare with people, so I firstly choose a close distance between the subject and the camera. Then I make few points along with William’s movement, every point I have respectively adjust the focal length. I think I successfully completed this exercise. But, changing the focus from the foreground to background still not so easy for me, I will keep trying it. I hope I can perfect use it in my final scene.

We also did the long steady shot exercise. It is a small challenge for us. We need to adjust the focal length when a person is walking closer to the camera. We need make lots of signs in their walking process. It is easy to forget the accurate signs. And the speed for the pace affects the tracking, so the protagonist may look a little bit blurred.