Collaborative Studies - Major Project
Due: Week 16 - 17/11/2014
Week 10We began generating ideas for this project while still working on project one and decided to play to our strengths. Our initial idea was to create our project using the medium of film.
The theme of the project is inside-out and we quickly decided to take an abstract view of this, focusing mostly on death.
A selected videos that were felt to be related to our core ideas were posted on our Facebook group. During the holidays some of the group met to discuss the plot further and those of us who could not make it kept up to date on Facebook.
Our group was also joined Allyson who is now the main actress of the short film.
Week 11
In our first class back from after the holidays we had an idea for the storyline and some scouting had already been done as to the location where it would be filmed. The plan for the film is to use our star actress Allyson and Pastels little niece Charley to create the appearance of mother and daughter. The story is simple but twists at the end (the rest is spoilers).
We still had to decide where we wanted to shoot the film and one of our planned locations on the Te Henui proved to be out of action due to maintenance when we walking there to take pictures to plan shots.
This lead to much discussion as to where we could film instead as Pukekura park had already been scouted and deemed too iconic and the rest of the Te Henui walkway was overgrown and not pretty and we wished to set our story in a park or garden that could not be easily identified and which could appear to be almost anywhere in the world and which looked lovely.
I was also tasked with organising the props for the following Monday. This required me to make two small, floatable boats made from flax wood and other natural materials, as well as two daisy chains, a cross that could be staked in the ground so as to look like a grave and some lily's and other flowers.
I also made some biscuits for the group picnic we planned for while we were filming.
Week 12
On the Monday I went to WITT where I met up with Alyse and Pastel and then followed them in my car to the Tupare gardens. We walked down to the bottom of the park near the lowest of a series of cascading pools. I set up the boats for later by tying the leaf sails on with some flax and then waited for the others.
After Alyse applied Allyson's makeup we decided it would be best for Alyse to go and get her recently injured toe checked by a doctor. As Pastel had given Alyse a lift to the park she did not have her car with her so I offered to take her to a Doctor because the rest of the group were far more vital to the filming at that time.
Alyse and I returned and hour or so later after she had gotten an X-ray which proved she had not broken her toe. By this point their wasn't much filming left to do as little Charley was getting tired. I did have to fish the boats out from where they had gotten stuck which required my to crawl down a bank through some bushes so that was fun.
At half-past one Alyse and I had the go back to WITT for our next class; 3D with Donna. At this time the filming had virtually stopped and Logan and Jay were planning to leave soon too so as to get the footage onto a computer.
Here are a few imges from the days filming:
In the first two images, Allyson or Charley are holding flowers that I brought. The last image shows Charley launching one of the boats that I made.
Week 13
Due to Labour Day, we had no class on Monday. Jay and Logan began cutting the footage and realised that we just did not have enough. They compiled a list of the shots we still need to get.
We decided to get the rest of our footage during our class on the coming Monday. It was my job to once again get the props ready. Due to time issues and other commitments, as well as the lawn at home being freshly mowed, I could not make a new daisy chain, however, I did get more flowers and the materials I needed to repair the boats.
Week 14
On the Monday I went to WITT where I met up with Alyse and Pastel and then followed them in my car to the Tupare gardens. We walked down to the bottom of the park near the lowest of a series of cascading pools. I set up the boats for later by tying the leaf sails on with some flax and then waited for the others.
After Alyse applied Allyson's makeup we decided it would be best for Alyse to go and get her recently injured toe checked by a doctor. As Pastel had given Alyse a lift to the park she did not have her car with her so I offered to take her to a Doctor because the rest of the group were far more vital to the filming at that time.
Alyse and I returned and hour or so later after she had gotten an X-ray which proved she had not broken her toe. By this point their wasn't much filming left to do as little Charley was getting tired. I did have to fish the boats out from where they had gotten stuck which required my to crawl down a bank through some bushes so that was fun.
At half-past one Alyse and I had the go back to WITT for our next class; 3D with Donna. At this time the filming had virtually stopped and Logan and Jay were planning to leave soon too so as to get the footage onto a computer.
Here are a few imges from the days filming:
In the first two images, Allyson or Charley are holding flowers that I brought. The last image shows Charley launching one of the boats that I made.
Week 13
Due to Labour Day, we had no class on Monday. Jay and Logan began cutting the footage and realised that we just did not have enough. They compiled a list of the shots we still need to get.
We decided to get the rest of our footage during our class on the coming Monday. It was my job to once again get the props ready. Due to time issues and other commitments, as well as the lawn at home being freshly mowed, I could not make a new daisy chain, however, I did get more flowers and the materials I needed to repair the boats.
Week 14
During the Monday class we once more went to the Tupare gardens to get our missing footage. Despite the mornings foul weather and the increased number of other people in the park due to the Garden Festival, we managed to get all the shots that we needed.
This included finally using the cross that I had made as well as fresh flowers that I had bought from home. Alyse and I were also able to find enough daisies for suitable daisy chains.
Here are some images from our second day of filming:
Editing on the footage was also begun.
Week 15
We all viewed the current version of the short film. This can be seen here or on our Facebook page.
We then went through unedited footage and figured out what could be usable as well as what was in each file. I went through the random 'Filler' clips and noted what happened and at what time.
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| My notes on the filler clips |
We also discussed what filter and transitions we might use to enhance our film. We also discussed what music we should use, although we had previously though of using a Wanderhouse cover of Ellie Gouldings 'Lights' and I still prefer this song although I understand not letting it look like a music video.
Another issue for discussion was the name and came up with a list of possible alternative as our original idea of 'Weeping Lily' would no longer work.
I talked to Jay and Logan later in the week. They had added a few more scenes and added a few new transitions to mark the flashback scenes.
Some effects still needed to be added, as well as credits but the film was to a nearly finished stage at that point
Since then the film has been completely finished and is ready for presentation on Monday. You can watch it here.
Plot:
A mother (Allyson) and daughter (Charley) spend time together in a park; making daisy chains, floating boats, walking together. They then sit together by a cross/grave. It is then revealed that the mother is dead by a series of flashbacks, showing the daughter doing everything by herself. She merely imagines her mother is there, and in a sense she is. The death mother is the inside out aspect of the film, for she is really a part of her daughter who is projecting her into real space.
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