Short Film Research Dossier

This short film will be 10 minutes long and follow the screenplay that I have written previously.


Screenplay Edits

In the short film, there are several thing that need to be amended from the original screenplay. The first is the character of Joan, as we have limited people who are free to act in it and do not have anyone who fits the description of her. So, in the film there will instead be the character of 'John' who is of a younger age. We will also use lighting to conceal the identity slightly.

Themes

Short Films 

I watched two short films that influenced my research, the first was 'What Cheer?', This 2013 short films features a man that finds himself inexplicably accompanied by a 20 piece musical group after a family death.  Something I like about this film is that it takes two ordinary things, grieving and celebration, and combines them into a surreal plot line. From a filming perspective, I like the cuts between scenes here, especially with the costumes and sound effects, the juxtaposition of the grieving man and the energetic music band.  It creates a comedic effect, particularly when it is least expected, such as after the dream sequence. 

The second is 'Mythopolis', This film is what originally gave me the inspiration for my film idea
It's an animated 10 minute short that shows a simple and cute look at the lives of mythical characters. There aren't many spoken words, relying more on the character designs and plot. Although this one is an animation, I really like the plot and the little noises given to show emotion. It has characters that everyone recognises like the Minotaur and cyclops so that the story can be easily understood.

Inspiration

The main characters in my short film are based around the story of Medusa in Greek Mythology. In any version of this story, both in film and stories, Medusa herself is shown to be a cold and evil character, usually the main villain. A film that I watched as part of my research was 'Percy Jackson', a film that shows gods and monsters in a modern day setting. Medusa is featured in 'The Lightning Thief'  as a minor antagonist. The character is portrayed as an older woman wearing a veil who maintains her garden with stone sculptures. This helped me to develop my idea of this character in a modern day society and how she would behave.

Medusa in 'Percy Jackson' 

In the original myth, she is defeated by the hero Perseus. In my script, I have named one of the characters 'Percy' in reference to this, though the characters aren't similar. Also, her main cause of death is seeing her reflection in a mirror, in this it is a reflection in a glass eye.


(https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/V8R5B8F)

Audience Research

For audience research, I have created a survey asking about favourite genres and how people feel about short films. I feel like the responses to this will give me a better idea of which direction I should take the film.

Some of the questions asked about why people enjoyed particular short films, most referred to the style of it. Most seemed to enjoy films that were slightly unusual or different. I will keep this in mind during my planning.

Target Audience

The target audience for my film would be teenagers aged 16-19, likely female. A teenage audience would be more likely to understand the mythological aspects of the story, and a 'romance driven' plot would attract a female audience. A secondary audience would be older women or teenage boys.




Bibliography

Websites used:
Shortoftheweek
English Illinois
(http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/poets/a_f/bogan/medusamyth.htm)
http://screenplayexplorer.com/wp-content/scripts/Scott-Pilgrim-vs.-the-World.pdf

Single Camera Production

Single Camera Productions are shot with just one camera, filming one shot after the other. The opposite of this is a multi-camera production, and there are advantages and disadvantages for both.

In a single Camera production, the filming is usually done in a specific location so that shots can be reversed and the camera can move freely round, this is to give it a more realistic feel for the audience. This is seen in the TV show ‘Scrubs’ which is filmed in an actual hospital.  Single Camera also means that directors have much more control over shots, so they can make sure it matches a storyboard exactly. However, a disadvantage to this would be that actors have to repeat the same lines multiple time in order for a full recording of a scene. On a Multi-camera production, it would usually be filmed on a set, so the cameras will need to be fixed in order for the crew to conceal the studio. An example of this is friends, where the main apartment is inside a studio, so it can only be filmed from specific angles. 

Scrubs- Single Camera

Friends- Multi camera

Lighting on a Single Camera production is much easier, as every individual shot can be lit in a specific way. A good example of this is in Silent Witness, in which a character moves into a blue light source whilst telling a story, in order to show sadness. Multi-camera will need to light the entirety of the set, which means that certain shots could end up looking fake or flat. In single camera, it will usually have a key light on one side of a scene with a reflector opposite it to create a more natural lighting for the scene. Multicamera will have a large amount of lights set up round the set, which can make it difficult to film as they cannot appear in the shot. 

Sound in a single camera production is difficult, as there are difficulties in giving an actor a microphone while keeping it out of shot so they will need to just use a central microphone, this is one circumstance where multi-camera is better, as the mic can be on the set without ruining the film. Though, in single camera most sound is recorded in a separate take and then overlaid onto the footage. When filming with a single camera, it's important to film shots and sounds slightly longer than needed so that there's room for editing and there isn't an awkward transitions. In single camera, it is also more likely that sound will be recorded free hand rather than with a fix microphone, so it is important to make sure it isn't present in any of the filming. 

Editing single camera productions is also challenging, due to the large amounts of footage that has been filmed repeatedly. If one scene needed to be refilmed, there would be an extra version of every single shot in it. In multi-camera, this is easier as scenes are filmed in one take and there is less footage to handle. Although, a large advantage to Single camera is that if one shot has turned out badly, then that can be refilmed, whereas multi-camera may require an entire section to be redone.

There are certain genres that works particularly well with single camera due to the style of the series. Period Dramas, such as ‘Downton Abbey’, are usually filmed on large realistic sets, sometimes in actual locations to give an impression of the time period. Single Camera would allow this to feel more intimate and realistic, as it could cover the entirety of the set and would allow for specific lighting.

Crime Dramas, such as Sherlock, use Single Camera to make the audience feel more involved, and to allow for filming gritty scenes at night that can be lit properly. It also works well for scenes that are mean to appear rough or fast, such as chase sequences. Although, sometimes multicamera may be used in scenes where there are large stunts or effects, to make sure the action has been captured at a good angle without them having to repeat the scene. 

Sherlock- Single Camera

Horror films utilise Single camera to make the production more personal, and get the audience involved in the horror aspects of the plot.

Comedies, particularly fake documentary style ones like 'Parks and Recreation' and 'the Office' work well with this due to their styled natures. Most comedies shot in this style do not have a laugh track which makes them appear more realistic and usually achieve more comedic scenes.

Parks and Recreation- Single Camera

The Office- Single Camera

There are some genres that work better in multi-camera though. Sit coms, despite there being a large amount of single camera ones, work better this way as jokes and responses will feel more natural if they have been captured in the same take. Soap Operas also use Multi-camera sue to how quickly episodes need to be produced. Although, if the soap opera is filmed in a real location, single camera may be used due to the maneuverability of the cameras.  Multi-camera also works better for live shows such as X Factor because it means that the crew can quickly cut between cameras to get different angles as it is broadcasting and can edit shots in real time. 

X Factor- Multi camera

Overall, there are advantages and disadvantages to both styles of filming, which makes them suitable for different styles and genres. Single camera appears to work best for shows that want to appear more realistic, such as crime dramas or documentaries, and multi-camera is good for ones that want to show a lot of action, such as live shows or sitcoms.

Friends and Scrubs- Single Camera and Multi Camera comparison

Friends- Season 1 Episode 7.
The episode follows the events of the characters during a blackout, starting with the lights going out in the middle of a song and ending with the power coming back on.

The multi camera in this is used to capture more realistic acting, as scenes can be filmed in one take and the actors can genuinely react to each other. It also meant that multiple scenes which take place at the same time can be filmed together, such as when there are multiple characters in different parts of the apartment.

One disadvantage of Multi camera technique is seen in this, the location where the show was filmed was mainly studio sets which meant that there was limited angles to film from, so there are times when the action can appear stationary as there isn't room for actors to move.  There is also an issue with lighting as it can sometime feel fake due to lighting the whole set with the same lights.

Scrubs- Season 7 episode 1.
This episode covers multiple plotlines at once, focusing on growing up, hypocritical ideas and environmental awareness.

The single camera technique mean that the show felt more real as it could be lit in a certain way for specific scenes, and could have extra techniques such as the shadow of the blinds. Due to the nature of the set, which is set in an actual hospital, the camera could pan round the entire location without trouble, meaning that the audience felt more involved and the production felt more involved.

The disadvantage would be that scenes had to be filmed multiple times, and there were moments when it was clear that a line and the reaction were filmed seperatley. It also meant that there was a possibility for continuity errors.

Edge Of Darkness- Single Camera

In the opening episode, the story followed policeman Ronald Craven. After refusing to take part in a police matter, he visits his daughter to hear her give a speech. When the two return home, a man with a gun threatens Ronald, but ends up killing his daughter instead. The rest of the episode follows the father mourning for his daughter, going through her room and uncovering things from her childhood, and items, such as a gun, which imply she was doing things he was never aware of.

The opening scene has Ronald talking to two men in a large meeting hall. there is an argument over whether they should investigate an issue surrounding fixed election votes.

It is clear it has used Single camera techniques as many of the shots are showing the full environment, rather than giving close ups on the characters speaking, likely because this is an easier way to film a scene with less equipment. It also has shots that are very long, such as the conversation in the car as it is filmed from one source and there are no cuts.

Silent Witness- Single Camera

The Episode Choices in the series Silent Witness focuses on the events surrounding a drive by shooting at a popular nightclub and link it to a war between rival gangs in the area, both of whom have been supplied with guns from the same person. Alongside this main plot, there are the subplots of a unknown body being found abandoned and a family living in a nearby estate.

In the opening scene of Silent Witness: Choices, it shows various patrons outside of a nightclub, A black car then drives past shooting and hitting many people. It particularly focuses on two people in a car and their relationship by showing them discussing engagement rings: The owner, who becomes a major character, and his girlfriend, who is killed.

There are several elements of this that clearly indicate it's a single camera short. There are scenes which are lit in a particular way, so that the characters moves into the light source at an appropriate time, such as when the criminal moves into a blue light whilst telling a story to show sadness. It also has scenes such as the shooting where it shows multiple people at the same moment but from the same camera source, showing that the scene has been re-filmed many times to show everyone from the view of the driver.