Final Reel

Here's my final reel. There were so many clips I wanted to use, and I'll probably update it later, but I hope you enjoy it!

Final Project - Trumbo

             While trying to choose a final project, I found myself reading scripts about a very specific time during American History: The Cold War. I found this period of paranoia and fear to be a fascinating period, and I’ve always been fascinated with civil liberties, honesty, and what is right.  Even though I personally have some reservations about Communism, I found Trumbo’s story to be admirable, and I supported the idea that we should all be able to believe in differing worldviews. I was also glad that the scene was fairly short (only 2 pages) because it helped my actors memorize their lines quickly and I was able to focus on every element of the scene. I was extremely fortunate to get access to the BYU Law Building, as I don’t think the film would have been nearly as good had it been filmed elsewhere.  I was also blessed once more to work with great actors who came prepared and memorized, and my crew (Sariah and James) did a great job with all of the technical aspects.  I really wanted to focus on tone, color, and line while we were shooting.  We framed the first master shot so that the actors’ heads formed a triangle, and we dressed them so that the antagonists are wearing dark blue and red that contrasts with the brown background.  I wanted Cooper to wear tan and brown so that he would be more neutral and blend in with his environment, but I also liked him wearing white instead because he further contrasted with the other actors (although I felt like this symbolism was a tad obvious and over the top).

            We had some problems with the dolly. I should have checked the equipment more vigorously, but it turned out that I needed to check out another piece in order for it to run smoother. Fortunately, we were able to resolve the problem. I actually had more dolly shots planned, but after talking to Sariah, we decided to only do a dolly shot on Cooper because it would make his character stand out, and it would contrast from the two antagonists in the scene. I was very glad to collaborate with Sariah, and it felt like we were both contributing to the project in meaningful ways. If I could do it again, I would have prepared my shot list a little earlier, and I would have met with Sariah beforehand and discussed the scene in greater detail.  I feel like this would have helped things move better on set, although I honestly thought things ran fairly smoothly and efficiently. It was a fairly relaxed set.  I felt like the scene was an exciting and tense scene to shoot, although in retrospect I wish that I had chosen a slightly longer script.  It would have been a bit more of a challenge and would have required more preparation and thought. But as final projects go, I was very satisfied with the end result.

Edit: Sariah mentioned her ingenious setup for the light diffusion, and I think it deserves to be seen. Here are some pictures:

Photos - Final Week

1.

This was on the side of the broadcasting truck at work.  This boy's face is normally very nice looking, but I decided to take it from a low angle to make it look a little creepier.  Plus I love the sepia tones.

2.

2.  This is one of the control panels on the truck. I loved the colors and how it contrasted with the black panels, but it turned out a little blurry and lopsided, mostly because I took it quickly, worrying that I would somehow get in trouble from my boss for taking pictures.  It could be better, but I still really like the colors.

3.

This is one of the steps of a ladder leading inside the production truck (last truck photo, I swear). The jagged edges caught my eye, and I love how the yellow light contrasts with the dark blue background. Seems kind of eerie.

4.

I was trying to take a nap in the HFAC this week when I noticed that the spot I had chosen looked right up into the staircase.  I loved what I was seeing, so I pulled out my phone and shot a picture.  I love the black rectangle in the middle, which seems to go off into some abyss.  And I love the increasing range of tones on the bottom staircase.  Probably my favorite picture of the week.

 5.

I don't have a lot to say about this one.  I just think that's a lot of words to describe one soda.  Also I think the colors are interesting (and complimentary).

6.

This is buddy the elf.  He's on a shirt I own.  I thought his face looked funny while I was folding laundry the other day, so I took a picture of his face while slightly folded.  Nothing else to say except that it amused me.

Director's Intent - Final Project

DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT OF INTENT

1.       What is the story--the beginning, middle, and end--of this scene in three or four sentences? In other words, what happens in this scene as it starts, as it progresses, and as it ends?

In this scene, screenwriter Dalton Trumbo is angrily being interrogated by Congressman Thomas and HUAC investigator Robert Stripling about his affiliation with the Communist party.  He refuses to answer their questions in the affirmative, which only makes Congressman Thomas even angrier.  The scene ends as Trumbo stands up for himself and declares their actions to be unjust and unconstitutional.

2.       What, specifically, must the audience understand narratively? How do you intend to communicate that information?

The audience must understand what Trumbo is being accused of and the serious repercussions of the charges.  They must also understand why Trumbo is so against the charges and what he is fighting for.  Luckily, a lot of this will be communicated through the dialogue in the scene (especially since the accusation is repeated many times throughout the scene) but it will be important that my actors understand what they are trying to communicate, so I intend to talk with them and make sure they are clear of the character’s intentions and motivations.

3.       If this scene is from a longer piece, what is the narrative, emotional and thematic purpose of the scene in the larger story?

Narratively, this scene shows Trumbo’s determination to stick to his ideals and fight for his first amendment rights, which is made.  Throughout the entire film, Trumbo’s determination to fight the blacklist and end what he considers to be an immoral and unjust practice is what drives the narrative, so this scene is an early indicator of his constant desire to keep fighting for his beliefs, even if it ruins him.

4.       What emotion do you want to communicate in this scene? How do you intend to do this?  

I want to communicate a lot of anger and frustration.  One of the characters is literally beet red from screaming at Trumbo, and I want to show their frustration at trying to get Trumbo to confess.  I also want to communicate Trumbo’s righteous indignation throughout the scene.  I intend to do this by discussing with my actors what the characters are trying to accomplish in the scene.  I want all of my actors to believe that they are in the right, which would explain everyone’s frustration in their inability to convince the other side that they are wrong.

5.       What is the first image of the scene? What is the final image of the scene?

The first image of the scene is a close up of Congressman Thomas’ angry face as he sits at the stand, screams and bangs the gavel repeatedly. The final image of the scene is a wide shot of all three of them looking at each other angrily, nobody giving in.

6.       Why is this scene personal to me? What previous personal experience(s) does it remind me of? Why do I need to make this scene?

I connected to this script in a similar way to the Spotlight scene that I shot.  I read three different scripts trying to decide what to shoot, and I realized that all three of them had connections to Russian communism, the red scare, and the paranoia of the cold war.  I took this as a sign that some part of me really wanted to tell a story commenting on this subject matter.  The three scripts (Trumbo, Pawn Sacrifice, and Good Night, and Good Luck) were all fascinating. I especially liked Pawn Sacrifice because I love stories about prodigies and the incomprehensibility behind a genius’ mind.  But I settled for Trumbo because it also played to my love of justice, truth, and constitutional rights.  Even if I don’t agree with all of Trumbo’s communist views, I still respect his right to believe what he wants, and furthermore, I supported his campaign to express his views without fear of government action and repression. I felt like it was a very hard thing for him to do, and I wanted to pay tribute to that.

7.       What two visual elements (line, shape, space, tone, color, rhythm, movement) will you use to help communicate the emotion of the scene? (Be sure these elements apply to the assignment as listed on Learning Suite; only choose elements that you have read about or that we have covered in class.)

I want to use color to show the balance of power in the scene and to represent the concepts that are being discussed in the scene.  I know it’s cheesy and maybe a little too on the nose, but I really want the room to be filled with reds, whites, and blues to symbolize the American ideals that are being fought for on both sides, and how the main character seems to be in conflict with the American ideals of the times (1940s).  I also want to utilize space to show how alone Trumbo is in his fight (which he eventually loses) and how everything seems to be pitted against him.  I want to show his enemies in flat space, and keep the space feeling very claustrophobic and cluttered to show how everything is caving in on him and he can’t do anything to control it.

8.       What are two or three potential obstacles to creating a successful scene? How can you be prepared to overcome these? Be specific!

One obstacle will be to find a location that best fits the scene.  I plan on shooting in one of the courtrooms in the Law building, but there’s always the chance that the room won’t be available.  In that case, I will need to plan for a backup and find a similar room that will suit my needs.  There are also several props that will be required for the scene (and set dressing) so I’ll need to make sure that I know who will be bringing what and that I have access to the set dressing (such as a gavel and an American flag).

Master and Coverage

           I was really passionate about the scene that I chose to shoot, but I kinda underestimated how difficult it would be to shoot with 7 actors.  On set, I found it hard to give direction because there were so many actors, and many of the parts only had a few lines, yet required that all of the actors remained focused and present throughout the entire scene. In retrospect, I should have picked a scene with fewer actor. I did like the actors I was working with, however, and they were all very patient and took direction well.

            My biggest failure with this project was with how we continually crossed the 180 line and how the eye line was so inconsistent. Anna and I considered this on set, but it wasn’t until I edited the film that I realized how bad the problem was. I realized that this came about because I had two conflicting visual ideas in my head: first, I wanted the main character, Marty, to be in the middle of the master shot with everyone facing him. Second, I wanted the rest of the coverage to be shot as though it was from Marty’s point of view. Of course, by doing this, we crossed the line many times, and because of this, the film doesn’t edit together well.  If I could do it again, I would redraw the line so that everyone was on the correct side, and hopefully it would all edit together well. 

Photos Week 13 - March 18 - April 1

1.

This week, my pictures have a morbid theme to them: car crashes! How fun! But seriously, I ended up seeing quite a few battered cars this week, and I tried to capture the chaos and wreckage of the aftermath. This is the inside of a battered car found on campus that was cut in half. I went inside it and got this 2 shot of the driver/passenger seats. It's very dark, and doesn't have a whole lot of color, but I like how fractured the windshield is and the remains of the airbag. A little macabre, but I feel like there's a lot of drama in this photo.

2.

This is the front side of the car.  Way more chaotic, but also less colorful than the last one. It's also a little cluttered, and tonally it has even more affinity than the previous photo. But I still like the chaos of thee twisted metal.

3,

This was the area right behind the car, which was found on the southeast side of campus. I think the brightness settings kinda washed it out and desaturated the colors a little, but I like how there are all sorts of mechanical workings that you normally never see just hidden everywhere, and that without them, nothing would function. I think it's cool to pull the curtain back every once in a while and see the mechanics of life.

4.

 

Another battered car. I took this one rather quickly, and I think it shows in the composition (and in the fact that you can see my shadow on the left side). Still, I like the juxtaposition of something destroyed and chaotic in the midst of a quiet, peaceful suburban setting, although I don't think that feeling was quite captured here. I would've needed a wider angle, or I needed to show more of the houses in order to better portray this idea.

5.

This is a side view of the same car. I feel like this photo says what I was trying to say in my last photo a lot better. The contrast between the nicely cut green lawn and the battered red and grey of the car is much more striking. Also, I like photos that dirty the frame or divide the frame in half, like this one does. It allows for some interesting contrasts to be made.

Photos 3/21 - 3/25

1.

I really liked how dirty my license plate was looking, so I decided to get a shot of it.  I like the texture in this shot and the lines created by the plate, but I wish that there was a little more color or tonal contrast to make it stand out.

2.

This is a crazy tree.  I took a lot of shots of this tree, trying to capture its craziness and vastness.  Sadly, I don't think any of them turned out the way I wanted, but I like how the tree branches at the top show how large it is, and it adds depth to a picture that unfortunately, due to the chaotic lines, doesn't seem to have much.

3.

 I really really liked the color of these things in the bed of my friend's truck, and I love the horizontal lines.  This picture was almost my favorite that I took this week, except I composed it sloppily, so it's not as symmetrical or even as I would have liked.

4.

 

This one also didn't turn out the way that I wanted.  I wanted to capture the diagonal lines of both the wire on the fence and the fence itself, but the brightness is a little high here, and I didn't get enough of the top of the fence to create more depth in the photo.  Tonally, there's a lot of affinity as well. I feel like this one mostly turned out to be pretty boring.

5.

One more crazy tree shot.  I like how this one has a little bit more depth, and it's easier to see what's going on, but I still don't feel like I quite captured how crazy this tree looked.