The two production days were extremely enjoyable and taught me a lot about working with a crew and the challenges that can arise!

The shoots were scheduled for a 930am arrival and approximately 530pm wrap. I needed to pick up the main actress on my way to the shoot and unfortunately on the first day, went to the wrong address, meaning we were about 20 minutes late. We were also lucky enough to have some external crew members who helped with make-up, lighting movement, and other general tasks that helped make the set efficient. Unfortunately I misplaced the kettle plug for the smoke machine so could not achieve the shot I was looking forward to! A perfect reminder to triple check all my gear before a shoot.

The main process for the shooting day involved discussing specific shots with the director – before then setting up the frame, lighting, and set, which then allowed Charlie to direct the actors before we were ready to film. This method was really efficient and allowed me to collaborate my own ideas and visual style with Charlies vision for her film. a good example of this is the shot peering through Natalies bedroom door as her mother tells her to clean her room. I had been trying to find a good shot from inside the room that could translate Natalies depressed mood and lack of attention to what her mother was saying. Seeing as there had already been numerous mid/close ups of Natalie on her bed, I tried to find some variation, which led me to testing the shot from outside the room peaking through the crack in the door as her mother opens it. I was really pleased with this shot. Another successful shot was

A main challenge in my role was the execution of particularly difficult shots, specifically the tampon scurrying away from the table, and the clothes that attack Natalie. The tampon shot required a smooth focus shift half way through the action. Seeing as this was my first time attempting this, the shot (although brief in the scheme of the film) was extremely difficult to get, and required many takes. Seeing as some of the shots were also required to be shot in tight and cramped spaces, for the scene depicting Natalies wardrobe attacking her, I needed to not only film the scene but also throw the clothes at Natalie. None the less, it was extremely a fun process coming up with ways to achieve these more difficult shots. The scene with the dropped birthday cake was also extremely time pressured, as the candles were burning very quickly -It wouldn’t take long before they were completely gone. This required extremely efficient and clear communication with the boom operator to ensure they stayed out of frame, as well as with the actress playing Natalie’s Mum to ensure she knew the correct height to hold the cake. Fortunately, The first take was a success and we didn’t need to go out and buy more candles!

I was really pleased to be paired with Charlie and her script for this assignment! seeing as I had never worked on a short film in a group before, I was unsure of the exact roles I would need to complete and the manner in which we would organise pre-production documents and work towards our eventual film day. The groups initial meeting was really helpful in creating a timeline for the completion of the project – as cinematographer, I was tasked with annotating the script, writing notes, and creating a mood board (also supplied with the directors mood board) for how I imagined the script could be executed. During this exercise, I thought the addition of smoke would be perfect for the wardrobe scene, which I proposed to Charlie who agreed. With knowledge of what the set would look like, I was also able to annotate sections of the script which I thought may be harder to film. For example, The scene where the tampon scurries away, which was achieved with marking a focus shift.

During this meeting I also discussed a gear list with Charlie, where we planned and scheduled all of the required gear available from the loans store. I decided on using the FS5 camera as we had done a workshop on it in class a couple of weeks earlier and I liked its quality over cameras I had used in previous studios. The function of the ND filter (which was used in a few exterior shots) as well as the overall interface and controls of the camera was also a lot easier to learn and get used to. We also decided on getting the LED light panels since we were filming in a small room and the wireless lights were the easiest to use in that environment, as crew can easily hold them in places tripods may not fit or be as practical (e.g. on the bed or inside the wardrobe).

The group was extremely organised with having back up plans for actors and filming locations in case of any changes. About a week into pre production the set needed to be changed, however we were almost instantly supplied photos of the new filming location so that we could continue planning. Unfortunately due to medical reasons I could not attend the set the day before shooting, so could not assist in planning for the shoot days or get to scope the set prior to filming. However considering I had images of the set aswell as a great idea of the myself and the directors vision for the film, I was confident and felt well prepared when production eventually rolled around.

‘Food for Thought’ Script

Research:

When conducting research for my short horror script, I focused on a select few readings from class – and sourced inspiration from films (not particularly horror) I found interesting and which included specific elements aligning within the ‘post-horror’ genre.

An early reading in the subject (Neisewander, 2019) raised the idea that post horror elements have always been present in horror films, and that modern horror films with deeper thematic elements are being misplaced when considered in a new genre. This encouraged me to consider the content of my script – and led me to  blend ‘old horror’ visuals and graphic content with ‘post-horror’ pacing and use of metaphors. The films that instantly came to mind where David Cronenberg’s ‘The Fly’ (1986), where similar to most of Cronenberg films, a lot of the horror lies in his creation of disgusting visuals accompanied by the protagonists sense of helplessness. Once Seth emerges from his teleporting machine, we know there is no hope for him – and it becomes quite hard to watch. The other work that came to mind was a particular scene from David Lynch’s ‘Mulholland Drive’ (2001), In which a man who had been dreaming of a horrifying face hiding behind a fast-food restaurant goes to the restaurant to inspect if it is real. The sense of dread created by lynch in this scene, and the lead up to the eventual jump scare is perfectly executed. As the audience watches the man approach the back of the store, we know what to expect, but the silence and strange nature of the interaction fills us with uncertainty. This led me to consider creating a script where the looming threat is uncertain and relatively unknown. Neisewanders article informed me that a ‘post-horror’ script does not have to take a solely deep, thematic approach to its content, but rather, can be considered ‘post-horror’ through its unique blend of horror elements – thus leading me to take inspiration from two vastly different films. When considering deeper themes to approach in this script, I looked towards many coming of age horror films such as David Yarovesky’s (Brightburn) (2019), Thomas Alfredsons ‘Let the Right One In’ (2008), and Scott Derricksons ‘The Black Phone’ (2021). All of these films have a coming of age element in which the young protagonist must overcome some sort of adversity largely on their own – when those around them cannot understand what’s going on. ‘Brightburn’ also carries an unforgiving tone, where the young protagonist continuously acts against the authority of the adults around him, similar to my film, where Mac remains dismissive of the imposing adults and officials around him.

Bibliography

Neisewander, J. (2019) ‘“Midsommar” and the phantom genre of elevated horror’, The Observer, 10 September.

Reflection:

I faced numerous challenges when coming up with my script. Originally, I had written three pages of an idea where a man is attacked by the appliances in his house. On reflection, this idea was light on themes and could not really be excel beyond its first scene. I decided to start from scratch and instantly struggled to think of an idea. After a day of not being able to naturally think of an idea, I began to mind map, keeping in mind advice from an earlier tutorial (Marshall, 2023) – I focused on giving my character a single motivation within that, creation tension through high stakes. In this case, it was constructing a character who desired to challenge authority. Luckily enough, I was eating dinner when completing my mind map – so I imagined what it would be like to be forced to eat the same thing every day. This led me through a thought process which resulted in a rough idea for ‘Food for Thought’. My main struggle up to this point had been finding an idea which held its ground long enough to fill a five-to-ten-page script – so I began to write down the different places Mac could be, and characters that could influence him towards breaking the rules.

Knowing I wanted to focus on a coming-of-age type story, I instantly thought of emphasising his mother’s fierce disapproval as a motivating factor of his rebellion. For adolescent boys in particular, I feel that acting against parents advice and order is very common – thus I decided to make it a factor in my script.

In terms of including metaphors, I thought the idea of rectangular black food was perfect – as it can represent all that is known and familiar to somebody seeking to grow and learn as they get older and become more independent. The actual foods represent the unknown and growing curiosity that comes with adolescence; the good and the bad – the safe and the dangerous.

One of the main challenges I came up against whilst writing this script was effectively filling time between my initial ideas for the story. For example, the time between Mac waking up and later being chased by an enforcer. I overcame this struggle by noting down several different ways he could get from one point to the other, and choosing the most effective and plausible route which also gave suitable context and created high stakes for the character. This was achieved by the inclusion of the radio report, and disagreement with his mother.

Bibliography

Marshall T. “Shock: A New Horror”, Class Lecture, Media and Communications, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, City Campus, 2 August, 2023

The Initiative Post

Jordan Peele, possibly the most prominent horror writer and director in the world, particularly when discussing the ‘post-horror’ genre. Peele’s films, including ‘Get Out’ (2017) and ‘Nope’ (2022) are two of the main reasons I decided to preference this studio in the first place. The writer and director consistently implements post horror elements into his films, particularly considering ongoing racial issues in the United States.

‘Get Out’ was a genre changing film when it first came out in 2017. Donald Trump had just been elected President of the United States, and countless protests and discussions where being had at the time in relation to racism and the discrimination of African Americans. Although the movies main story line follows the blatantly racist Armitage family, who lures in African American men to sell to their wealthy associates, Peele also litters the film with subtle suggestions of micro-aggressions and a lingering racism in the United States which many people deny the existence of. The setting of the film being in a remote country residence, the Armitage houses massive pillars (referencing slavery plantations in the Deep South), and Dean Armitage constantly referencing African American athletes and their ‘biological advantages’, all point to over-arching racial issues still prevalent in America. Deer hunting is used as an effective motif in the film to draw similarities between the hunting of the animal to the constant threat and danger Chris (and African Americans in the over-arching message of the film) is under. We see Chris and Rose hit a deer on the way to the house, as well as hear Dean express his desire to rid the whole countryside of the “pest”, later seeing the deer head hanging directly over Chris as he lies trapped underneath the Armitage house. Peele’s attention to detail in codes such as Mis en Scene, location, and dialogue all slot perfectly with the idea of post horror and the genres emphasis on holding deeper meanings. Even the constant use of the colour red, where the Armitage’s and their house guests are seen wearing the colour consistently, while Chris is often seen wearing blue, is a direct reference to the political parties in America, their perceived stances on racial issues, and the following effects they have on even more subtle racial issues. Overall, the focus on such an important issue is a prime example of how horror has evolved to not only display a quality story with all the elements of classical horror, but also how it can now be used to comment on contemporary issues and topics.

‘Nope’ is the most recent film in Peele’s oeuvre, and follows the story of a brother and sister attempting to capture proof of a UFO that has been terrorising their Hollywood horse stable and surrounding ranches. Although this film also explores deeper themes in relation to exploitation, and spectacle, one of the main factors which singles this out as an outstanding post-horror film is its use of sound. Seeing as the movie focuses on the issue of spectacle and peoples obsession with commercialising tragedy and violence, the movie refrains from direct visual horror, and instead uses sound to provoke mental imagery of the horror occurring off screen. This is noticeable in the Gordy scene when a man is dismembered off screen by a domesticated chimpanzee, but most prominently in the scenes involving the UFO. The UFO typically hides behind clouds in the sky, and only attacks when it is being looked at. Peele uses the echoing sound of the crafts victims to signify when the craft is approaching its targets. The scene where OJ turns his back to the craft, which hovers directly behind him is a great example of how peele effectively uses sound to strike fear into the audience in a manner that is not of traditional horror ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjIuwUo5BDE ) . Sure, victims screaming is typically heard in horror films, but it is not usually the source of fear, rather the result of it.

This is one of my favourite movie scenes, also from Nope, where a crowd of people paying to see the alien ship suck up trained horses are instead the chosen target of the ship. An interesting fact is that Peele combined the screams of people on roller coasters, with the directed screams of actors told to imagine the most horrifying thing they could think of. This also ties into Peele’s idea of spectacle and the enjoyment many people seem to get as a result of others struggle. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EchHwdXVT3I

Reflection 1 – Analysing Short Horror Films

In our first week of classes, our class was put into groups and tasked with finding a short horror film that could be classified as ‘Post-Horror’, before showing it to the class and explaining the characteristics that align it with this genre. The group I was in found a horror short titled ‘In Sound We Live Forever’. The short followed a couple in a remote location who are hunted and eventually killed by a mysterious stranger. The first half of the 10 minute flick is absent of any physical performance, with the audience only hearing the events unfold, and being shown what remains of the killers first attack. Whilst watching the short, I instantly noticed the vibrant, pretty colour scheme, with the slick red car perfectly matching the natural colours of the grass, and blue sky. The story instantly made me think of slasher/crime films such as ‘Zodiac’ and ‘Scream’, although the style in which the film was made appeared almost at times like a ‘Moonrise Kingdom’ or generally more light hearted romance. This led me to discover a key factor in post horror, that although the over arching story may remain the same (e.g. haunted house, ghosts, murderer, cult), it is the experimentation with that genre that makes a film fit into the post-horror category. ‘In Silence We Live Forever’ runs on an idea that has been executed countless times, however, the films unique use of colour, and more evidently sound, essentially re-imagines the whole slasher sub-genre, and as a result captivates audiences and holds their attention, whilst also encouraging deeper thought into the films meaning and plot through the analysis of its unique execution of sound and colour codes. This is certainly something I will take into account when developing my own horror short!

Reflection 2 – Writing a Short Horror Script

In our second week of classes, we where introduced to writer duet, a script writing website that allows you to easily navigate and complete a script. We where then tasked with writing a two to three page horror scene which could then be elected to be filmed in the next weeks class. The scene was encouraged to include some post horror elements, including the implementation of deeper themes. I decided to write my scene about a lazy student whose house essentially starts attacking him through its appliances and rubbish. Even in the short amount of time spent writing this scene in class, I gained a massive amount of knowledge and skill in how to format, and correctly write a script.  Whilst writing, and attempting to include a deeper theme and meaning into the scene, I honestly found myself struggling and as a result, the quality of the writing began to suffer. In order to enhance the quality of my scene, I decided to primarily focus on ensuring the scene itself was entertaining and ‘simple’. By this, I mean making sure I did not include unnecessary dialogue or plot points for the purpose of making the story more complex and thought provoking. I found that when doing this, the dialogue I did include became dramatically more effective and realistic, and when focusing on keeping the story relatively simple and easy to follow, the deeper meaning and themes of the scene became more clear and effective. Additionally, when I was not specifically focusing on ensuring I include a theme or deeper meaning, it naturally occurs in a much more effective manner. My main take away from this exercise was that when writing a script, ensure that the quality of the story itself is at the forefront of your mind, and not, at least at the beginning of the script writing process, the complexity of characters or thematic elements of the film.

What I want to get out of this studio

I am really looking forward to the coursework included in this studio. Having already learnt and discussed the characteristics of post-horror in week one and two of classes, One of my main goals by the end of this semester is to have an almost complete understanding of post-horror and what codes/conventions can be identified as fitting into the post-horror category. Additionally, through our practical exercises I am really looking forward to developing my film making skills, and hope to develop a fundamental skillset in camera work, directing, cinematography, and sound, which I can then carry forward into other subjects and projects that are not related specifically to post-horror.

Although this studio is predominately focused on contemporary horror films, I also look forward to developing a richer understanding of the history of horror films, and how they have evolved over different decades. This includes aiming to learn how the development of effects and common themes assisted in the evolution of the horror genre. For Example, in week one we  learnt about the impact of ‘The Blair Witch Project’ and how it pioneered a new kind of hand held horror, and contributed a new kind of realism in horror films.

To combine both the theoretical and practical aspects of this studio, and create an outstanding short horror film is my main goal whilst completing this studio. This should entail the combination of theory, including the studying of deeper themes and film making techniques in post horror films such as David Robert Mitchells ‘It Follows’, and Ari Asters ‘Midsommar’, with practical exercises such as script writing, and filming to eventually develop a intriguing and layered short film, which fits into the post-horror genre, and hopefully conveys a succinct understanding of post horror through the use of camera angles, dialogue, colour grading, and deeper meaning. I also aim to develop my editing skills, and develop a basic understanding of tricks and styles in horror post production. This could include aspects such as colour grading, and pacing.

My major goal for this studio would also be to complete a short horror film at a high enough quality to enter into a film festival.

Reflection from my studio:

Juanita Ebbs and Aaron Alvarez short documentary ‘How to Dress Like Me’ was centred around a small and quirky costume shop located in Melbournes north, and the people (Dan Knight in particular) who help to make the place so special. I particularly loved this work because I think it was centred around the most basic ideas and aim of people and places, being to accurately represent an interesting physical space, as well as depict a persons genuine character. After watching the documentary, I felt that Dan’s dialogue came across as nothing but genuine and exciting, perfectly matching the colourful, and sometimes bizarre footage of Rose Chong’s costumes and decorations. I particularly liked the beginning of the documentary, where Dan explains his interactions when he tells people he works there. Being someone who previously knew nothing about the shop, it felt like I was getting an answer to a question most people would ask about the business. In effect, this sets the tone for a documentary that perfectly captures the personality of  a person, and the place in which that person connects to.

In addition to Juanita and Aarons film, I also really enjoyed ‘Intoxicated’, Made by Charlie and Jaden. This film revolved around the life and musical career of Sylvie. A main talking point throughout the semester in People and Places was the conversation surrounding the ethics of Documentary film making. A key case study surrounding this conversation was the documentary ‘The Wolfpack’, which was criticised for possibly taking advantage of the children, and ignoring many aspects of the family dynamic and possible trauma’s in which the children experienced. I think that Charlie and Jaden where able to perfectly adhere to a respectful well thought out ethics charter. One of the things that makes this documentary so engaging is the way it goes beyond the musical aspects of Sylvies story, and addresses many social (and sometimes personal) issues that young women faced in the 80’s. Sylvie’s personal stories and general knowledge is eye opening and was clearly extracted in a comfortable, and respectful environment. Additionally, Sylvie detailing her contribution towards fixing many of these issues certainly achieved the subjects aim of finding people who’s stories are reasonably unknown, but definitely worth being heard.

Reflection on Ready Camera One:

One key idea I believe must have been taught in Ready Camera One was the placing of cameras to effectively portray the events occurring in real time. I particularly noticed this in the short clips of ‘The Privilege Quiz’, where there are clearly cameras set up to display what is being completed in the gameshows activities, such as the card stacking activity. This would also translate to depicting specific contestants and the host of the shows. in ‘The Privilege Quiz’, this is evident as there are multiple cuts to a view which only shows the hosts, as well as cameras which depict solely the contestants and the activities they complete. This idea is also well presented in ‘Are You Smarter than a Dumb Infant Child?’. The camera that captures the host sitting on his desk is really well set up, perfectly capturing his movements and reactions to the show, as well as perfectly capturing all the fine details of his superbly thought out teachers desk, such as the apple, books, and submission cabinet. This show also sets up and frames their contestants really well, with the transitions between host, contestants, and the whole set looking very professional.

A4- Final Artefact (MY LOCAL)

A4 Reflection: Ethics

A4 Reflection: Working as a Solo Media Practitioner

A4 – Reflection on Representing the Real World as a Part of Non Fiction Media Practice

A4 – Reflection on Final Artefact

Looking back at my final film for this assignment, I am overall very happy with how it turned out. I think that majority of the shots are well framed and considered, and that the editing really improved the quality of the documentary and lifted the appearance of the shots. Being completely responsible for all of the stages of film making was also extremely valuable and will certainly help me become more organised and skilful in future projects.

If I where to continue this project and try to enhance its quality to a festival or feature standard, I would definitely focus on getting more content, and spending a considerably longer time filming in the pubs and area surrounding them. As mentioned earlier, I would mainly try to focus on getting more intimate and personal footage. This would include capturing more audible and clear conversations and scenarios, such as a family or couple eating dinner, where their conversations and actions are more focused on for a greater length of time. This could also include things like ordering their food, or even what the other person at the table is doing whilst their partner is in the bathroom. I would also get more footage of behind the bar, and conversations / exchanges between staff. This altered or more exaggerated kind of approach to making ‘MY LOCAL’ would be more similar to Wiseman, who typically stays in one venue for the whole duration of his film, however films different jobs and sections of that location. For example, in his film ‘The Store’ (1984), Wiseman filmed both inside a boardroom meeting, as well as in specific shops where staff where being trained and people where shopping. However, all of this is occurring and relating to the same department store. The main reason I would focus on capturing these kinds of moments is because I think it would make the film more relatable and intriguing to audiences. As opposed to the more brief and distanced shots in my film, getting this closer and lengthier footage would really put the audience into the subjects position, and force them to consider when they have been in similar situations, and how that differs/connects to what is unfolding on the screen. Also seeing different roles playing out in a pub, such as the manager, food runner, and different customers would add more of a narrative to the film.

An extension to this film would also be to access footage in a pub with a live band. This would add a whole new dynamic, atmosphere, and draw to the film. Visiting a pub such as the workers hotel for example, and getting permission from a local band performing to include their music would connect with audiences in a whole new way. It may encourage older audiences to reflect on how the live music scene differs from when they where seeing live bands as teenagers / uni students, and incite a sense of nostalgia. the inclusion of music at a venue would also add a level of engagement within the film, particularly if it was accompanying footage that it suited.