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.

PRIMAL PLAN

After the exercise about Tony’s office, i decided to shot a dialogue scene between three people, so  I chose a scene from a famous film, which named Flipped. This is a dialogue scene between three characters. I choose this scene because of my method; I want shot a dialogue scene in this semester. Also, this scene is so moved and warm. And I already film two people dialogue scene in a kind of successful way, even it is not perfect. However the over two people dialogue scene still not so familiar for me, so I want shot it in this time to find what problems I might have. This scene have three interesting roles, their different trait may help me design some shot in some degree. In addition, the location of this scene is easy to find for student work.

 

Staff: Three actors, photographer, sound person.

Location: one classroom.

Shooting time: weekend of week 8.

Script

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well, this is a busy week, we had done two main things, Weekend scene and presentation. I will start talking about the scene I made in last weekend. Actually, I designed a backstory of Tony’s office scene, which help me to design the shots be more reasonable and emotional.

In my script, Giselle is a best assistant for Tony. She have been accompanying with Tony in many years. In general, Tony is used to accompany of her. In their relationship, Giselle have favorable expression of Tony. However, because the employer and employee relationship, Giselle afraid to say her real feeling to Tony. Also, Tony cannot understand his real feeling to Giselle. He thought the reason why he feels good about Giselle might just because she is a good assistant. However, he is wrong. Giselle has born intense moral suffering for many days. Finally, Giselle decide to say a lie to see what the reaction Tony will have. So she say she will getting married with a man who has courted her in many days. So, in this scene, Giselle come to Tong’s office, she goanna tell Tony one big lie which is her marriage. In fact, I think she still have a little expect. She want know what is the real feeling of Tony. And for Tony, I think when he heard this news, he feel terrible and depressed, but he still pretend strong in few moment. In order to show this feeling of him, I use a close up for his writing gesture. Furthermore, in the end of the scene, when Giselle ask Tony will him still want her, I think it is seems like a new start of their relationship. As a result, I changed the ending shot to a shot, which they smiled to each other.

I got numerous inspirations from this individual experience. The most important one is never forget daily check  what you shot, and roughly edit the footages too! It is a really necessary thing. Because I shot the scene at Saturday, however, when I came back to check it I found part of the shots are not really good, so I reshot it at Sunday. Another thing is when we framing our shot, we need notice the continuity between the different shots, even you may edit in other way. I should improve it in my future project. This scene I made in a different way, I have not show the walking process of those actors, while, I utilize the pause of one shot to instead of it. So we just can see Tony directly break in the frame. I think this is more interesting, also show their relationship so tight.

 

For our presentation, I think everyone did a good job. For myself, I talked about some basic elements about dialogue scene, and which way I may interest in. However, I don’t have a clear plan about my next project, such as the script, location and so on. So I think the most urgent thing is finding my script as soon as possible! Also, never stop thinking.