Script

Ben's first monologue:

"Have you ever loved someone so much, it hurts? I have. Except there was something that I hadn't been told. However much I go through it, eye still don't understand why she couldn't have told me. A year ago... everything was perfect; I still had my Amy."

Ben's second monologue:

"We'd been together six months. There wasn't anything different about her; she was still beautiful, funny, kind: she was still Amy. I had no idea what was really going on. If someone had told me the truth I would have called them a liar. A week after her hospital admission her parents finally told me the truth: when she was younger she was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. They tried to explain it to me, but all I could think about was how she hadn't told me. All those hours we spent together, and she never even mentioned it. I went to visit her once, while she was in hospital, but it was like seeing a stranger. I'm still in love with her, but it's the Amy I spent those months with that I'm in love with. I don't know if she's the same person. I've spent a year without her, and now she's coming home."

Props

Now that I have completed my storyboard, I have looked through each scene and selected props which I will need to include. Some will already be in the rooms (e.g. beds/mirrors). However, others will have to be brought to location on the day of filming (e.g. skimming stones/mascara).

I am going to need:

Skimming stones x3

Beds x2

Mirrors x2

Mascara

Toothbrush

Mouthwash

Hair clay/gel/wax

Comb

Mobile phones x2

Coats x2 (one male, one female)

Suitcase

Storyboard: 'Early Days'

Scenes 37-44 are going to be cut and edited so that each clip is interrupted with another. This is to show how Ben was unaware of Amy's condition and that all the memories are mixing together and are overwhelming. If, when it comes to editing the film I find that it is too long, it will be easy to shorten the scenes 12 - 45 and/or cut any which are unnecessary.

Ben will have two seperate non-diagetic monologues. The first beginning scene 5 and ending scene 9. The other beginning scene 27 and ending scene 47.

Weather/Time of Day Intending to Shoot

As it is an English winter, this means that the weather could be sunny; overcast; foggy; rain; or snow, making planning to shoot with a certain type of weather very difficult.

Ideally, the reservoir scenes at the beginning would look brilliant in the mist, as it would create a haunting effect which reflect how the memories of Amy haunt and never leave him. The scenes in the wood should preferably have a sunny background, as this would create interesting light when beneath the treetops.

As sunshine connotes happiness, this would contrast with the change in  Ben and Amy's emotional state since Amy's admission.

However, as it is virtually impossible to know for certain how the weather will look, I have created a storyline which will suit any type of weather.

It is important that I do not film the scenes of the characters getting ready when it is dark outside, as it is meant to be the morning. Also, in the winter the amount of daylight is limited and so it is important that I film quickly. Therefore, I shall arrive at the farm at around 9am, and hope to finish filming at 3pm.

Final Fonts: Titles/'December 2009'

I need to make a decision on my font for the titles and 'December 2009'. I think it's important that I only have two different font types as I do not wish to detract the attention away from the speech.

'Rough Typewriter'

 

'Times New Yorker'

 

After looking at how the font would look when applied to the text, I have decided that 'Rough Typewriter' is better suited for my film. The reasons for this are that I think that 'Times New Yorker' looks too professional when considering the age of my characters, whereas 'Rough Typewriter' is more uneven which connotes both youth and confusion/unbalance (Amy's condition).

Actress: Amy

For the character of Amy, I have asked my friend Bethany to play her. Bethany was the most obvious choice for me as she lives nearby to the location; she took drama GCSE; and her appearance fits what I am looking for: she has capturing eyes which will be attention-grasping and present youth.

The look I have for Amy is one that is quite casual, similar to Ben's. I am thinking that she should either wear full-length leggings or skinny jeans, with a fur coat or leather jacket.

This is because by having them both wearing casual wear it shows they have similar personalities, and that they are comfortable around each other to not have to dress up.

Final Fonts: Film Title

 Now that I have chosen my film's title, I can apply it to the two fonts I am considering in order to get a better idea of what it will look like.

'All Over Again':

'Roughage':

After deliberation, I have chosen on using 'Roughage'. This is because I feel it has a more childlike presentation, which I like because it displays the youth of the two characters and their innocence. I feel that 'All Over Again' looks too harsh, which although is good for the theme of mental illness, doesn't represent the romance element, and so I felt 'Roughage' was a balance between the two as it has the scribbled harsh edges, but is not too ruthless.

Film Title

For my film's title, I want something which reflects the events and narrative, but without giving too much away. I am also looking for something quite short as it will be more memorable and very 'in your face'.

One of my ideas is 'North Pole South Pole'. I came up with this title because it mirrors Amy's bipolar disorder due to the distance between the two poles, reflecting her contrasting emotions.

Another idea is 'Early Days'. I feel this could be interpreted as the time when Amy was diagnosed with the disorder; how she became ill in the early days of her and Ben's relationship; or how it is now early days in returning home and recovering. 

After considering both for some time, I have decided that 'Early Days' suits my film the best: it has a number of connotations linking to the story and it is short and memorable.

Music Choice: 'All Good Things Come to an End'

I have chosen to use the song 'All Good Things Come to an End' by Nelly Furtado, in my film. My reasons for choosing this track are that I feel it is the song which suits my storyline the best, and both foreshadows events and represents current emotions simultaneously.

Now that I have chosen the song, I have explored several remixes to see if there is a sound I favour more to the original.

The Original:

Kaskade Radio Mix:

Instrumental:

Sprint Sessions:

Although researching various mixes of the song, I have decided to remain with the original. This is because I feel the 'Kaskade' remix detaches the emotion that the lyrics and music convey so well together, and I do not want to lose that effect. This is also the reason why I am not using the instrumental. The 'Sprint Sessions' style was still effective, but I feel that the sound of the original song is more suited to the opening scene. Also, it does not have the clear beat running underneath it, unlike the original. I feel the beat is important as it gives the song a more contemporary edge, suiting to Ben and Amy's age.

Choosing My Music

After looking at a few existing films and which songs they use, while also considering how the song would fit into my film, I have managed to narrow it down to three songs:

'All Good Things' - Nelly Furtado

I like this song as through the lyrics it foreshadows Amy's illness, but because it is non-diagetic, it displays how both characters were unaware of what was about to come as they can not hear it. However, the soft melody underneath the lyrics represents how carefree Amy and Ben were.


'Chasing Cars' - Snow Patrol 

I have kept this track to consider as I feel the lyrics are extremely effective in the emotion that comes through. The melody starts off soft, and then builds up to be very powerful. This could mirror the way in which Ben and Amy's relationship began so innocent and happily, but then Amy's condition built (much like to the music) until there was no escaping it.



'Growing Up Beside You' - Paolo Nutini

This track has a very natural sound to it, through the heavy use of acoustic guitars and voice, which could mirror how natural Amy and Ben's love for one another is. The lyrics also connote that Ben and Amy have known each other for a substantial amount of time and are therefore particularly close.

Music From Existing Films of Similar Genres

To help me decide on the track I am going to use in my film, I have looked at several films and what music they use in their opening scenes.

This is the song featured in the opening of 'How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days'. It is an upbeat track which reflects the 'chick-flick' romantic-comedy genre it is based upon.

This is the opening track from the film 'Sylvia'. I looked at this film as it features the theme of mental illness. In particular, Bipolar Disorder. It has a completely different tone to 'How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days', which displays the contrast between music depending on genre.

After looking at a romantic-comedy for the romance element that my film has, and then 'Sylvia' as a theme is Bipolar Disorder, I decided to look at 'Me, Myself, and Irene'. This is because it carries both the romantic genre and mental illness. As expected, the style of music fits in between the other two films as it is not too upbeat nor the opposite. This is the sort of music I think would be best for my film.

Actor: Ben

The actor I have chosen to use for the character of Ben is a 16 year-old boy called Scott. Although Ben is meant to be older than 16, Scott looks older than his age so this shall not pose a problem. He is also quite broad shouldered, which will be good as I want the character of Amy to appear quite petite to represent her vulnerability.

Scott lives very close to me so it will be easy to meet up for filming.

The look I have in mind for Ben is very casual and simple: jeans; trainers; tshirt; jumper; coat. The jeans are to be quite dark in colour but plain, and with grey trainers (most likely Nike or a similar brand). The tshirt should either be a polo or a standard plain white one, as it is only to be worn underneath a jumper. I have in mind a jumper which is dark blue, to be paired up with a grey hooded coat, cutting off at the hips and zipped up. I think his hair should be slightly gelled and his beard untrimmed.

My aim is to create a look for Ben which is casual and as one would expect of a typical teenage boy. It is also vital that his clothes are kept as simple as possible as in the opening scenes of Ben and Amy getting ready, one of the shots sees him putting on his jumper and coat.

Titles From Existing Films of Similar Genres

Before I settle on a font for my titles, I thought it would prove useful to have a look at existing titles from films of a similar genre to my film: romance. It would let me see whether there seems to be any similarities between the style and also get inspritation in case I find something which I would like to use in my opening.

The title from the film 'A Lot Like Love' has been kept extremely simple. The background is completely black with no decorative features. The text is a plain font in the centre of the screen so that it is the full centre of attention. The simplicity of this could represent the simplicity and blatant the character's love for each other is.

Similar to 'A Lot Like Love', 'Love Actually' also has the title on a plain black background. However, the text is at the bottom of the screen. This could connote that love is sometimes not all that obvious or easy to reach, although when it is recognised, there is no escaping it. The colour red stereotypically represents love, while the white connotes purity and innocence. 

In contrast to the other two films, 'The Notebook' does not use the black background. The title instead appears during the opening scene of the male lead rowing a boat. The way that this happens could suggest that the film is more about what is happening in the shot, rather than the title. The colour white, alike to 'Love Actually' represents purity and innocence.

From looking at these three titles, I have noticed that although in two of them the font style is very plain, 'The Notebook' uses a different style font completely. This shows me that there is diversity within the styles for titles in romantic films, which allows me to feel more comfortable in using a less simple font for my film's title.

'The Notebook' Opening Scene

The colour scheme throughout this opening is mainly oranges and blacks, reflecting the sunset which foreshadows the future events of the "sunset" of the characters' lives. It could also be a reference to the closing of Ally's brain, due to her illness. Orange also symbolises warmth, suggesting the warmth of someone's heart; connotating love and kindness.

The titles of the film are in a white font, representing innocence; purity; and something very obvious: seeing things in 'black and white'.

The boat on the river reflects the peace that these two characters so long for during the film. It also foreshadows and relates to the event further on in the film when Ally and Noah go on the boat together and re-find their mutual love for one another. However, it also has a haunting effect to it, which could be in reference to the haunting of Ally's parents upon her and Noah's 'young love'.

As the audience are unable to see who is on the boat, this adds to the haunting effect. It also creates a sense of mystery due to the audience not knowing who this character is, although by Ally standing by the window watching, there is the suggestion that he is a main character. It could also mirror the loss of identity that Ally suffers from by her illness.

A connotation of future events is presented when the birds are filmed flying across, linking to when Ally asks Noah if he thinks she was a bird in a past life: a small but significant moment in the film. Birds are also linked with freedom and innocence, mirroring the freedom and innocence both Ally and Noah felt during their summer together.

There are no close up shots during this opening scene, whereas a number of high shots are featured. This gives the representation of the audience being a bird, which is a running theme throughout the film. It also symbolises the vulnerability of people, both in the sense of love and falling victim to illness.

Level 1 Blog Analysis

As well as looking at just level 4 pieces of work, I also had a look at level 1 examples. This allowed me to compare the two and understand the different levels of research and work put in.

While analysing level 1 pieces of work, I noticed:

- Bad grammar

- Lack of organisation (the weather changed during the film)

- Few photos of location

- Lack of time management

- Not a consistent style within the blog

- Minimal research of existing films

- No specific examples of conventions of the chosen genre, although stated

- Missing a choice of potential locations

- No mention of mise-en-scene

- A basic understanding of shot types shown through photos, although not expanded upon

- A rushed and basic storyboard

- Standard English was not always used ('why' was written as 'y')

Level 4 Video Analysis

The site http://www.getaheadocrmedia.blogspot.com/, presents a number of blogs and films from other Media students which allows me to get a better understanding of how to meet the level 4 criteria.

I looked at one opening, which was graded a level 4, and compared it to the criteria:

Framing a shot, including and excluding elements as appropriate

The shots are framed very well; the character is always shot in the centre (unless otherwise appropriate for the scene) and the correct features of the actor are shown for the corresponding desired shot.
Using a variety of shot distances as appropriate

A wide variety of shots are used in this opening. For example, 11 seconds in there is a long shot, while at 35 seconds there is a close up.

Shooting material appropriate to the task set

It is clear from the storyline, mise-en-scene and all other material that this is a horror genre.

Selecting mise-en-scene including colour, figure, lighting, objects, and setting

The colour scheme appearing throughout the opening is of dark colours contrasted with a red, making it stand out and giving the impression of anger; danger; and blood. The setting is suitable to the genre; a church and graveyard has connotations of horror, while the urbanised area reflects the danger that the main character poses to so many people. The props relate to the storyline and are not unnecessary or out of place: a mobile phone is used when a phone call is taking place. The lack of characters make it easy to recognise the main character, which disallows ambiguity.

Manipulating photographs as appropriate to the context for presentation, including cropping and resizing

The designs for possible DVD covers have all been cropped, edited and re-sized relevantly.

Accurately using language and register

The pronunciation of words is clear and suited to characters (eg. the newsreader speaks with a clipped accent), while emotion is also reflected by vocal tone well.

Appropriately integrating illustration and text

Film titles have been included as necessary, in a suitable font size and style.

Showing understanding of conventions of layout and page design

Blogs are posted in chronological order and are presented in an easy-to-read layout, with titles.

Showing awareness of the need for variety in fonts and text style

The blog type has been left plain and simple, which makes it easier to read and forms a professional appearance. The film type is in the colour red with a shadow behind, which is well thought out as it could possibly be reflecting blood from the colour and schizophrenia from the shadow.
Using ICT appropriately for the task set

The editing and cutting of shots has been done effectively as there are no unnecessary clips that have been left in. Titles have also been added in through the use of ICT, while the colour saturation has also been adapted trhough ICT to suit the genre and storyline. The blog has been created through ICT.

Level 4 Assessment Criteria (48-60 Marks)

There is evidence of excellenece in the creative use of most of the following technical skills:

- Framing a shot, including and excluding elements as appropriate

- Using a variety of shot distances as appropriate

- Shooting material appropriate to the task set

- Selecting mise-en-scene including colour, figure, lighting, objects, and setting

- Manipulating photographs as appropriate to the context for presentation, including cropping and resizing

- Accurately using language and register

- Appropriately integrating illustration and text

- Showing understanding of conventions of layout and page design

- Showing awareness of the need for variety in fonts and text style

- Using ICT appropriately for the task set

Fonts - Titles/'December 2009'

I thought these two fonts (taken from http://www.dafont.com/) would be useful as the typewriter connotes a feeling of history and therefore, memory (a running theme throughout my film). The 'Rough Typewriter', with the unbalanced text guideline could mirror Amy's mind in the sense that she is not completely stable in herself. However, the 'Times New Yorker' seems to be much more matter-of-fact, which could display how the events have indeed happened and there is no changing them.

Fonts - Film Title

These two fonts (taken from http://www.dafont.com/) would be useful for the film title as the scrawly text could mirror Amy's life for the past six months: a blend of confusion; restriction (the mess could represent her trying to break free); and harshness.