Question 1.

In the film Clown Train how does sound contribute to the atmosphere of this film? Describe what you heard? Can you make reference to another genre film and how they utilise sound to create tension and a unique filmic space?

Sound in Clown Train helps to create the mood in the film as well as to inform audiences the genre, horror films. Especially at the beginning of the film, starts off on a black screen along with high pitched noise of the train going on the rail and sound from the flow of wind, it builds up a gloomy atmosphere and a sense of anxiety. It also makes me aware of where the setting is in the film. Moved to the scenes happening in the train, sounds become hollow, with an echo feeling which emphasises the spacious and empty carriage. Besides, it gives a sense of the protagonist being isolated, all by his own and the clown in the train. The inconstant flickering of electric light is some sort of the typical sounds in horror films which adds on to the unpleasant and terrifying feeling. Audiences can’t help but feel fear. Like in any other horror movies, this film has made use of the silence between conversations. It has heightened the tension in the story and draw audiences’ attention. I focused more deeply and had much more anticipation of the things going to happen next. I reckon sounds in the thriller film Gravity have contributed a lot to the atmosphere as well. The setting in Gravity is the space where there is no air, so is completely silence since nothing to carry sound. Audience hears the sound in the same way of the characters did. We hear nothing much when the spacecraft breaks into small parts. We can’t hear a bang when things collide with each other. Audience is like totally immersed in the massive space where we hear protagonists’ breath and their conversation through their space suits only.  It heightened the sense of the terrifying space- where we don’t have sound to get alert with the surrounding even we see it.

Question 1.

 In 200 words or less please outline your goals, desires – what you want to get out of this semester. 

I honestly haven’t thought of being a filmmaker since I am still quite new to all these film-making process and productions. I hope to develop further skills of the camera techniques and editing software, not only basic knowledge. This course gives me an opportunity to present my own stuff, run my idea and make it real.  I suppose I will learn about scriptwriting and get familiar with different roles in the production of the short film. I hope to overcome my weakness in creativity and analysis. I just can’t tell the right or wrong, good or bad things from others work. I hope to improve my critical thinking. I also hope that there is that one piece of work I participate in production can make me feel proud of in this semester.

Question 2. 

Consider  Jasmine’s lecture on Screenwriting and briefly describe one point that you have taken from it. A point that excites you, something that was completely new to you, perplexes you or even one you take issue with.

NO WALLFLOWERS, NO INTROVERTS, NO “NICE GUYS”

I enjoyed the point Jasmine made of thinking film characters larger than life. Jasmine reminded us how boring real life is and how we have to create a real but unusual character out of the ordinary life. The characters should be made bold then they can act out. I reckon myself haven’t put much focus on characters before. Jasmine mentioned about the generalization of film characters and we should avoid wallflowers, introverts and nice guys because they are usually boring. I wonder if there is always a nice guy in a story. These types of quiet characters balance the story, don’t they? They solve problems; brings out the ugly truths, and sometimes as the secret keepers. My mind related this to the movie “The Perks of being a Wallflower”. The protagonist Charlie is a loner; the type of characters tends to be boring. But he, being extremely observant, makes the story interesting. The way Charlie living in his head and on the other hand trying to figure out the reality is what makes the film so compelling. I guess film characters work better not only to be bold enough to save the world, to me sometimes I am happy to know that there is a character out there just like me, someone I can make connections with.

Question 3.

Select from one of the readings from week 1 or 2 and briefly describe two points that you have taken from that reading. Points that excite you, something that was completely new to you. 

Slogans for the Screenwriter’s Wall

This reading has very much outlined all the rules to follow and mistakes we always make in screenwriting. I am confused with the point “passivity is a capital crime in drama”. I guess it refers to passive characters. the ‘absorbers’ of an action, witness the drama happening itself. Being a watcher won’t bring about any change. There should be deep down inside the characters an instinctive, spontaneous desire to participate. But I think sometimes making the character passive is like making them more human, like every other man. They do things which are more likely to happen in real life rather than in stories. Not only active characters are the heart in dramas. Perhaps, the story may not be exciting as with all those active characters, yet somehow passivity creates a sense of reality. The character is feature passive because they are trapped in some dilemma? If the drama begins with passivity, it surely won’t end with it.

“Comedy is hard”. It is said that in the reading comic structure is simply dramatic structure but more so: neater, shorter, faster. I have watched a lot comedies, of the physical humour as well as the verbal jokes. Yes it is not easy. It is hard to intentionally think of a funny story compared to see a funny thing just happen in front of you. I guess that sense of humour is coming from the experience of everyday events.