Arts Award Portfolio

Here I will be documenting my progress in the BFI Film Academy.

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http://bfifilmacademy4.weebly.com/filmmaking-guide-pics.html - Evidence of my group creating our film making guide.

https://madmagz.com/magazine/651450?utm_source=m3&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=fuop - Our film making guide

http://bfifilmacademy4.weebly.com/feedback.html - A feedback survey for our filmmaking guide.

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Feedback Summary

Summarise the feedback from others? What do you think about this feedback? The most noticeable part of the feedback was from people who were not previously aware of what a team effort creating a film is in terms of all the different roles that are equally valuable in the creating end product. I am pleased we have inspired an appreciation of the other roles in film production such as sound engineering, which few people consider as essential despite the fact it makes up half of a film itself.

Do you agree – why? Do you disagree – why? While I was aware of many of the roles on set, I did not appreciate how important every part is, such as how ensuring an incorrect clapperboard can result in complications and confusion for the editors later on.

What parts worked well with the guide? We were able to express the importance of roles outside of the most well known roles such as the writer and directors. For example, several people responded stating they previously weren’t aware of what a producer or director of photography were, and that after reading they understood why such roles were essential.

What parts worked less well? In hindsight, labelling and annotating photographs we included in the guide would have been even more useful for those reading it, as many may not be familiar with the equipment we have used.

What would you do differently another time and why? Preferably I would have focused on the writing about the editing aspect of film as this is the area I am most experienced in, but it is also good experience to discuss other aspects of film I am not quire as familiar with.

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What happened on the project? We decided to make a beginners guide to making film so we could teach aspiring filmmakers who have no experience what it is like to work in the field and how the film industry operates.

What was challenging about doing the project? It was extremely difficult to write a relatively short description of the method of story creation within filmmaking as this plays such a big part not only during the development stage but throughout the film.

Check back to your project plan...did anything different happen to what you originally planned? If so, what and why? Our project has followed the outline of the plan we developed and we have distributed roles between the group so we all have a certain aspect of film to write about. However, some people swapped their roles (e.g. writing about directing rather than cinematography) so they could write about their particular passion.

What did you enjoy most about doing the project? I enjoyed being able to discuss film production from a business perspective, discussing the details of project planning and brainstorming for ideas.

What happened as a result of the project? Was there a product created? Did others learn new skills? We created an online product, and our intent was for people to understand the basics of film production; the reviews we received suggest we did this successfully.

What parts of your original project plan worked well? We completed the task on a time constraint, and we all were able to find aspects of filmmaking we could write about at length. 

What have you learnt about...

Leadership? I have learned how to run a project with several others, and have learned to be a good leader you need to be able to communicate your ideas well.

Yourself? I learned that I find roles outside of post-production such as lighting and director of photography very fun and entertaining, but when I study film production at university I will probably specialise in Editing/Post Production.

Planning? I have learned to manage time for myself and to help keep a group working to a structured schedule to make the most out of the time you have filming.

Working well with others?/Communication? Clear communication is essential in film-making as you are working with a large crew and lots of different ideas, and so you must be able to both voice your opinions and understand someone else’s interpretations.

The art form/activity involved? I have encountered many styles of film I was previously unaware of while taking part in the Film Academy, such as French New Wave or Soviet Cinema, and have gained a broader interest in film genres and styles.

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Unit 2

1. What is your main role in the project? What are you responsible for? My role in the project is to write about Story Creation in our alternative filmmaking guide. Our plan is to inform, educate and introduce beginners to the world of film.

2. Who is working with you/helping? What are they responsible for? I am working with a group of young people along with the help of Ally and Rosie. We have each selected a department within film to write about for our Filmmaking Guide.

3. What support might you need? Who might be able to help/in what way? I will need resources to research information, such as laptops, internet and my notes from previous lessons.

4. How are you going to deliver your project? What will it look like? We will upload our filmmaking guide to the internet so it is easily accessible to others with an interest in filmmaking. It will look similar to a leaflet but will be in an online format.

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Name of person doing Arts Challenge: James Lau

Your Name:  Shannon Kirrane

Date: 12/12/15

What skills or activity have they demonstrated? James has demonstrated a wonderful ability in directing and camera operating. He was given a time constraint of few hours to film multiple scenes and was very professional when working with actors.

How well did they do and why? James did very well throughout and was committed to getting as much as he could out of the course. He contributed lots of ideas and had a large impact on the overall quality of the project.

Any advice? Areas for development? He dislikes the producing but should develop his production and organisational skills as these help in every aspect of film making and he may have to learn to produce things if he making independent films.

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Task 7

1.Were you able to meet your arts challenge? My challenge was to understand all the roles on set so I can have a better idea of what I will specialise in at university. As I am now sure of what I want to specialise in, I have met my arts challenge.

2. Did you have to change your action plan or your challenge in any way? If so what changed and why? My plan was to spend an equal amount of time getting to grips with all the equipment - we were taught how to use equipment such as lights, cameras and boom microphones. I feel I distributed my time evenly and had a better understanding of all the roles on set by the end of the course.

3. What went well for you and why? I enjoyed producing the documentary and editing both the short film and the documentary as I am very organised and work better when I am given a deadline.

4.What was more challenging and why? I found the days on set the most challenging as we were working with professional actors and so there was more pressure to be as professional and mature as possible.

5. What have your learnt from doing your arts challenge? We have had many Film History classes so I have been able to learn about how film has changed and developed over the years. Additionally, I have been able to use state of the art cameras that I have not been able to experiment with before.

6. What would you do differently another time? In hindsight I wish I had spent more time experiencing directing and camera operating, however as it was not a priority of mine I spent less time on this than I did on something such as lighting or editing.

7. What arts challenge might you do next? I would like to improve my skills in editing and sound as I prefer the post-production side to filmmaking.

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Task 6

We have weekly sessions with Maggie Hoffgen, a freelance film lecturer, where we learn about the history of film so we can see how film has developed both over time and across the globe. We’ve learned about the development of British cinema from Albert Hitchcock to James Bond, along with film styles such as the French New Wave, German Expressionism and Soviet Cinema.

John Grey and Dean Brocklehurst have taught us about the style of short films, the processes behind producing a film such as scripting and storyboarding, and how to use equipment such as Canon cameras, camera stabilisers, and software such as PluralEyes and Final Cut Pro. John explained how to  utilise camera features such as ISO, aperture and shutter speed, and Dean also showed us how to use lighting to create an atmosphere and to improve the shot.

Louise Wallwein is a poet/writer/playwright who showed us various ways to brainstorm film ideas. First she encouraged us all to think or daydream for a few minutes, then writing three pages of whatever came to mind. She also had us select 5 images and make the story of a short film out of it, as screenwriters often have to deliver a film pitch in five ‘points’. Overall she helped our group become less hesitant with their ideas and made us more comfortable with thinking and speaking freely.

Jason Wood is the Film Programmer at HOME and he decides what films will be available. He creates different programmes involving the cinema. He explained how film programmers must find a balance between earning a high enough income from mainstream films in order to incorporate a wide range of films in terms of genre, language, and cultural insight.

Joe Nattrass works in sound production and taught us how to use various equipment such as sound mixers and boom microphones. He explained how working on sound is often a matter of problem-solving technical issues or repeating takes due to uncontrollable variables such as aeroplanes ahead.

Heidi Renton, a BBFC Certificator based in London, explained the history and reason behind age ratings in British cinema. She discussed how the guidelines of what is allowed on film have developed, such as how during WWII the ministry of defence banned horror films and other genres that were considered to ‘damage morale’. By 1999, the main guidelines in film-making was that there must be no nudity and no image of Christ or God. However nowadays, the rating of the film depends on the maturity of the intended audience, whether ‘bad’ behaviour is normalised/glamorised, the development of morality throughout and potential harm.

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The BFI Film Academy has taught us how to use various equipment such as Canon cameras, sound mixers, boom microphones, and software such as PluralEyes and Final Cut Pro. We got to learn with a hands on, practical approach which allowed us to understand first hand what the demands of film-making are like. The several roles on set were divided between eight of us, and we alternated between roles so we could experience all the responsibilities making a film takes. We have learned how to storyboard, script, and operate camera equipment and microphones amongst other things under time constraints so we understand the demanding workload that the film industry can have. Additionally, we have weekly sessions where we learn about the history of film which has allowed us to watch how film has developed both over time and across the globe.

Many of us in the group plan on staying on contact and creating short films together afterwards so we can all continue getting experience in film, so we are already establishing networks with other film-makers. For example, I'm primarily an editor and so if anyone in the group is working on a film and needs an editor, they can ask me to help. I'm currently writing a horror/mystery webseries so when I've completed writing the first season and begin production, I will ask the other people from my group to help with aspects such as sound, camera operating and directing.

The film academy has taught me about many roles in film-making that I wasn’t previously aware of, but now I definitely want to continue gaining experience in these departments, such as the Director of Photography or Production Sound Mixers.

Being able to learn about film-making both theoretically and practically has been an incredible experience, especially as I never had the opportunity to study film.

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Task 5 (11/11/15)

There are several roles that are considered to be most essential when making a film. The director exercises creative control over the project itself, while the producer keeps filming running smoothly by supervising and organising the process of making the film. The Director of Photography decides how to appropriately light and shoot the film. There are several roles related to sound such as the sound recordist and the boom operator who collectively work to record every audible detail so it is usable in the post-production process. An Assistant Director helps the set run smoothly according to the director’s desires, and finally there are roles such as the editor, who fashions the footage into the director’s ideal narrative.

As an aspiring film-maker there are several routes one can take to enter media production. One could contact BBC or ITV in order to set up an apprenticeship and if they have considerable experience they may be able to get a job within Media City. People can also study the History of Film at university to understand the theoretical process behind film-making and how it has developed. Additionally courses such as Film, Television or Media Production allow students to practice film-making and to specialise in a particular department within making film.

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The Martian - Film Review (Arts Award)

The Martian is one of very few science fiction films that actually delves into the ‘science’ of the circumstance it presents. In the new critically acclaimed film based on the novel of the same name by Andy Weir, a software engineer turned author, Mark Watney (played by Matt Damon) must attempt to survive after being presumed dead during Ares 3, mankind’s third manned mission to Mars. With thirty days of food for six crew members, he must find a way to survive until the next manned mission to Mars in four years time. At the same time, those at NASA discover he is alive by satellite photographs and attempt to deal with both the public relation issues of having left a man behind on another planet whilst also trying to bring his crew members safely home. The film highlights how many people can come together against all odds to save someone, whilst also showing the primal instinct for survival, even when death faces you at every corner.

The film managed to largely avoid the artificiality of Hollywood, although its exceptions are understandable given a ten hour novel has been reduced to a two hour film. The dust storm that initially sweeps Mark Watney out of sight of his crew, leaving him presumed dead, is certainly possible given the strongest recorded winds on Mars are sixty miles per hour. There is something particularly horrifying about how this is a possibility astronauts and the minds of NASA must face at any given moment, and how easily this could interfere with any action they are to take in space exploration.

However, many fans of the novel and the scientifically minded have complained that certain facts have strayed from the almost perfect scientific accuracy of the novel. Quoting the DC Comics series ‘Aquaman’, the novelised Mark Watney states “In space, no one can hear you scream”, referencing the vacuum-like atmosphere on Mars and the lack of sound. However in the film, director Ridley Scott uses dissonant sound effects and music to represent the dust storms; while it does highlight the arid, chaotic atmosphere of Mars and the pressure of the atmosphere itself, to stray from a principle of science in such an otherwise accurate film was disappointing.

What is of primary importance with this movie is that, no matter how debatable some of the content may have been, it is absolutely engaging, enthralling and absorbing to the degree that you feel almost like a part of the film; a citizen watching footage of a stranded astronaut, pining for his survival. With an unmatched, brilliant balance of drama, tension and science, to quote physicist Brian Cox, “The Martian is the best advert for a career in engineering I’ve ever seen.”

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I personally thought the Martian wasn’t that great. I thought the scenes on Mars were terribly boring and in hindsight I just felt like Matt Damon was in a random “red” desert. In fact I felt even less immersed in the movie - How come the character he played never lost his sanity in any way. It seems like a person who is trapped by himself in any place let alone another planet would begin to lose their minds even if they had a bit of contact with people at home. The scenes back on Earth with NASA were a bit more interesting as it involved a bit of character interaction but were still overall boring.

In conclusion I thought the movie was boring. Characters, plot, setting, visuals, and overall atmosphere were all uninteresting to me and I’d like to know why people thought it was good. I saw that you have an interest in science so you liked the movie, but what did you think of the parts I mentioned? (Characters, plot, ect.)

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I agree that characters were not explored and it’s noteworthy that the main character did not in fact experience a change in heart or spirit, but remained the archetypal unaffected hero throughout. However, given the writer stated he did not want the novel or film to become an epitome of loneliness and maintaining sanity but rather keeping productive, optimistic and working to save yourself, whilst also delving into hypothetical scientific detail regarding how one would survive, alone, on another planet.

I believe Andy Weir made a defining step in the science fiction genre by producing one of the first works of fiction that is incredibly accurate to our current scientific knowledge, whilst also offering a narrative that is almost unbelievable yet within humanity’s technological reach. Personally, I was so immersed in the film due to the strength of the narrative and the ideas it was trying to convey to the viewer, such as determination in the face of what seems hopeless. As the film is an adaptation of the novel, many factors had to be left out in order to refine it for cinema, but I feel those working on the film correctly selected the most important part of the novel; the harrowing narrative and the messages it is presenting.

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The Martian - Film Review (Arts Award)

The Martian is one of very few science fiction films that actually delves into the 'science' of the circumstance it presents. In the new critically acclaimed film based on the novel of the same name by Andy Weir, a software engineer turned author, Mark Watney (played by Matt Damon) must attempt to survive after being presumed dead during Ares 3, mankind's third manned mission to Mars. With thirty days of food for six crew members, he must find a way to survive until the next manned mission to Mars in four years time. At the same time, those at NASA discover he is alive by satellite photographs and attempt to deal with both the public relation issues of having left a man behind on another planet whilst also trying to bring his crew members safely home. The film highlights how many people can come together against all odds to save someone, whilst also showing the primal instinct for survival, even when death faces you at every corner.

The film managed to largely avoid the artificiality of Hollywood, although its exceptions are understandable given a ten hour novel has been reduced to a two hour film. The dust storm that initially sweeps Mark Watney out of sight of his crew, leaving him presumed dead, is certainly possible given the strongest recorded winds on Mars are sixty miles per hour. There is something particularly horrifying about how this is a possibility astronauts and the minds of NASA must face at any given moment, and how easily this could interfere with any action they are to take in space exploration.

However, many fans of the novel and the scientifically minded have complained that certain facts have strayed from the almost perfect scientific accuracy of the novel. Quoting the DC Comics series ‘Aquaman’, the novelised Mark Watney states "In space, no one can hear you scream", referencing the vacuum-like atmosphere on Mars and the lack of sound. However in the film, director Ridley Scott uses dissonant sound effects and music to represent the dust storms; while it does highlight the arid, chaotic atmosphere of Mars and the pressure of the atmosphere itself, to stray from a principle of science in such an otherwise accurate film was disappointing.

What is of primary importance with this movie is that, no matter how debatable some of the content may have been, it is absolutely engaging, enthralling and absorbing to the degree that you feel almost like a part of the film; a citizen watching footage of a stranded astronaut, pining for his survival. With an unmatched, brilliant balance of drama, tension and science, to quote physicist Brian Cox, "The Martian is the best advert for a career in engineering I've ever seen."

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Film History (21/10/15)

Dogma ‘95 (manifesto): protecting art; uninspired, restricting. Lengthens process. Pretentious. Anti-hollywood. By forcing it to appear natural, it’s artificial.// However, something you can do with any means of production.

Development of British Cinema

E.g. “Rescue By Rover” - easy to define as British. British film is generally hard to define - e.g. is it a British film if it incorporates culture of Britain? Or produced & distributed by British studio?

Hitchcock: most prominent pre Hollywood. Eg "Blackmail" or "Went the Day Well?", a propaganda movie aimed to increase morale.

David Lean created a propaganda film, “In Which We Serve”.

Also directed “Brief Encounter”, a black and white film adaptation of a play by Noel Coward and was highly important in British film. Called a “masterpiece of cinematography”, it had a highly poignant social context. It is a microcosm of the British middle class attitudes, in which a woman falls in love with a man while she is married with children. Socially shocking! 

Powell & Pressburger, respectively a producer (Powell) and a director (Pressburger) but overlapped in their roles.

They made “A Matter of Life and Death”, a film that is both surreal yet grounded in reality. They used colour while characters were alive and black and white whilst they were dead.  Propaganda in a sense as it aimed to mend the relationship between the USA and the UK. Also had audacious cinematography by Jack Cardiff, which became highly influential in popular culture and film-making.

Earling Studios (1902) - Oldest film studio that is still in the works. Produced classics of British cinema e.g. ‘The Ladykillers’ starrin Alec Guinness. Light hearted, subtle comedy; also mixes elements of a crime/thriller.

Hammer Studios - “Gothic Hammer Horror films” e.g. “Dracula”. They paired the actors Peter Cushing & Christopher Lee, who became an iconic duo. They developed a distinctive style of film and created many sequels.

James Bond - ‘Mr No,’ the first Bond, established iconic aspects of the series such as the theme tunes, elaborate visual style and Bond’s aesthetic; set the tone of the films as sophisticated and polished.

‘Kitchen sink’ - a ‘real drama’, now soap operas.

‘Angry Young Men’ - Working class men who wrote gritty and angry novels, which were adapted for film at the same time as the French New Age. Films were of a social realism style and focused on Northern working class life.

The Investment of US Studios - Michaelangelo Antonioni filmed in London as it was considered to be fashionable. Featured a nude shot of an actress, which allowed others to start testing the boundaries of censorship

”Kes” was directed by Ken Loach, who was a socialist with strong political views. The cinematography was by Chris Menges. The film was a social realism of Northern working class life, using non professional actors. 

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Film History (14/10/15)

D W Griffith (the start of Hollywood) - ‘Intolerance’ & ‘Birth of a Nation’ = views accurate to context

USA - filming began in North East. NY. Moved to Hollywood -> even lighting otherwise depended on summers. No poor weather in LA ruining shoot. + Lots of free land. BUT financial side still in NY

How Hollywood dominated the western world

started building large studios. Sound came about in movies. Sound cinema depends on language. English became the primary language in films, and so non-English speaking place lost business.

The Hollywood studio model was v efficient. The producer controls everything while actors/employees follow orders. Highly ctrl’d, re-used sets. Always get financial backing as people in NY are on wall street/get donations

markets during both world wars: EU didn’t sell to USA, USA did to EU. After the war, they exported films to people who had no/lost their film industry

Hollywood = adaptable. Aware of rival companies, hired people from there. ‘Poached’/had means of knowing what people wanted

System = flexible, If something didn’t work, they adapted methods.

50s - TV became competition to cinema/Hollywood.

filmmakers began co-producing for TV - showed films for a price.

Successful studios move w/ times; technical developments, production methods, co-production w/ tv.

Successful people w/i film ‘break off’, make own films.

EU saw film = art. Analysed Hollywood Films; took seriously; had certain niché in EU. Directors = ‘authors’

New Hollywood - classics pass; next generation directions emerge.

Vertical integration collapsed; developed greater freedom.

more freedom & high pay for people in film industry = increase in independent films

German Expressionism -  art movement (painting, sculpting, literature)

set design, make up, acting, lighting = emotion. ‘Trying to be art’. Taken very seriously.

response to post ww1; disoriented, alienated, uneasy.

e.g. The Cabinet of Dr Caligari - music matched tone & movement to music. placards. no speaking - exag. actions = dialogue

Soviet Cinema

political weapon. ‘pointing P to communism’. highlights social issues. Social/political responsibility.

Meaning comes from editing - ‘montage’ developed. Juxtapose two shots/ideas

Eisenstein - Battleship Potemkin (1926) - strike; w/c vs. u/c; reaction of authorities. people trampled by Russian citizens. All ages, genders. abilities seen; emphasis on mothers & daughters.

Editing = made it longer e.g. same shot w/ dif. perspective.

cross cuts b/w chaotic runnning to close ups on women & children

French New Wave

fresh talent e.g. non-pro actors/going against the grain

learned conventions of Hollywood model, subverted them.

Filmed on location/on the streets

‘About De Souffle’ internal monologue. Editing important. Gritty. Strong char. Fragmented editing; unaware of time passing.

Breaks fourth wall, direct address. Shots poorly matched; jumpcuts. Experimenting with Hollywood styles.

e.g. Festen ‘95. (Denmark) Vow of ‘chastity’ - manifesto filmmakers must abide. e.g. only available lighting, no pro actors, costume, or make up, hand held cameras, only in colour, location shoot only.

Film movements: 1) surrealism (France, 1920s)  2) poetic realism (1930s)  [precursor to new wave] 3) Japanese cinema (Ozu, Mizoguchi)  4) Italian Neo Realism (late 1940s)    5) Brazilian cinema Novo (1960s)

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Week 2 Task

My Arts Challenge

My personal challenge is to understand all the roles on set as my main skills are media editing and writing. At university I intend to study TV and Film Production, and so I want to decide on what sectors of film-making I will specialise in when it comes to that point during university.

1) How will you know that you have achieved your arts challenge? What will success look like?

As I am in the early stages of writing a horror/mystery YouTube series with a friend who is an actor and aspiring director, and will likely begin filming once I finish this course so I can implement all the skills I have learned on film-making. Success would be to take the valuable lessons I have learned in all sectors of the course - from film history classes to the practical days on set - and implement them in my own work to make it more professional.

2) Who or what will you need to help you achieve your challenge?

When we are on set, I will spend equal amounts of time experiencing the many roles within film-making and will discuss with the professionals who are assisting us why they chose their particular job in film making over other roles, as this will be an important insight to what I may study in university.

When I study Television and Film Production I may later specialise in Post Production Editing, and so I want to ensure I take part in editing the final product of our short film.

3) How will you record your progress? How will you show you are working towards the challenge?

My Tumblr page is how will I monitor my progress through class notes, photographs, videos and summaries of practical days on set. 

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(13/10/15) Scriptwriting Session

The general outlines of three separate film ideas. The class was put into three groups where we all aimed to refine and adapt the film idea we had come up with in the previous group.

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Filmmaking notes 10/10/15

Technique: ‘mind dump’; write 3 pages every morning. Reduces hesitancy w/ writing & increases free thinking.

Two types of short films; 1) the narrative of a full feature film condensed,

2) the ‘twist’ (a short film with a relatively simple concept that goes on to break its own rules or offers a surprising ending)

e.g. ‘Lights Out’ - short horror film. Monster becomes visible in only the third shot; so there is more tension when lighting is used to suggest presence.

e.g. ‘Touch’ - short ‘concept’ film. Uses one strong visual idea [Iconography] (tactility). Every camera shot relates to this icon; it is opening shot & the final reveal. Also, the sense of character is very strong and there is a clear definitive background, which is necessary in short films.

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Week 1 - Questions

1) What filmmaking skills do you already have or feel confident in? I have much prior experience with visual and audio editing and so I am very confident in these abilities.

2) What filmmaking skills do you not feel confident in or what would you like to develop/try out? I would like to develop my script-writing and I would like to fully understand the roles of producers and directors in filmmaking. 3) Write down some ideas for possible filmmaking challenges could you set yourself throughout your time on the BFI Film Academy with reference to the question above. I would like to develop my skills in script-writing and I would like to learn the responsibilities of all the roles on set, particularly that of the producer and director, and decide which I would like to specialise in for university.

4) What things might you need to consider when setting your challenges? E.g - help/support/personal restrictions. In my personal time I will research the method of scriptwriting and will find examples of short film scripts in particular to prepare myself for when we come to writing a solid script. When we are on set, I will ensure I spend equal amounts of time experiencing the different roles within filmmaking.