production journal 3

This week in our production group, we started to plan and film our short production video. We planned to film our introduction and part of the main scene  in Abril, like mentioned before in the production journal. We have found our location for filming these scenes which is located at a friends house, her name is victoria and we already have conformation from her parents that we can film on the weekend at their residence. For next weekend we will film at victorias house and after that we will the need to film our city scene and find an actress which will participate in the film.

Production Journal Entry #2

So far we are looking for new ideas and other types of shots that we can invovle in our film. So far we have this main idea of what we want to film:

Part 1

Guy, daily routine, seems stressed out, tired. Use of vague, sombre chromatics. Jump cuts (uncomfortable step in sidewalk and routine at house). Music in reverse, sinister feel.

Part 2

When he goes to sleep, slow motion. Eye shots. Change into sunny setting, bright saturated colouring. ‘Dreamed’ action. Surreal ambience, unconnected shots.  Clear music. He throws himself in the pool (slow motion, uncanny shots), Still, peaceful moment. Eye transition again, ‘waking up.’

Part 3

Same shadowy frames as before, but more melancholic music (strings, slow minor chords). Wakes up, looks himself in the mirror, static feel. Contrast to fast-forwarded shots.

we have 3 possible actors, we are in the decission process of eliminating one and staying with 2. I have offered myself to be the actor in part 1. I think if i act in part 1 it will be easier since the group wont have to

Production Journal Week 1

In the first week of the prodction journal, we got our group together and started to brainstorm ideas and at the same time we started to think in a production group name. We have yet to figure out what the main topic of the film will be but we are confident and have a vague idea of what we want to accomplish for this years filmstudies film project. We also did a check on what equipment we have to use, the possible filming sites that we could use and if they fit into our ideas. For now, we have a go pro (for underwater or other extreme filming conditions.) we have a sony nomal handycam. Both cameras film in 1080 hd which is great since we have in some ideas to film slow motion effects (i.e: water dropping into a cup) and whith the 1080 hd this will create a very good slow motion picture since with the the SD formats, with the high amount of frames per second (fps) that we will be including in the film the hd format will cope and the picture will remain clear and not distortion like the Sd film could.
Also, we were thinking in smashing the light tubes and using black lights (uv lights) with highlighter ink which would create good effects but we still have yet to see how we will incorporate this into our film.

Production Journal

today we talked about making a psychadelic short film. we also are talking about the theme and what we are going to film.

In the group we are Carlos Juni-Santos Espina- Tomas Wetzel

we are thinking of involving many  slow motion or high motion shots
also the possibiliy of having reverse filmation

Film Noir Script

Film Noir Opening Scene Script By: Ramiro Villegas & Tomas Wetzel

(Private detective in his office (black overcoat, black suit, EVERYTHING BLACK AND GREY)
(Walks over to cigar box and pulls one out, starts to smell it ect.)
(When about to light it, secretary comes in saying that there is a woman that wants to see him...)
Setting: Downtown Chicago.
Secretary:  Max, you have a visitor...

Max: Well let her through darling.

Juliet: (walks to the door, and lets the person through the door) Good morning, Detective.

Max: how do you do, my lady

Juliet: im in troubled moments

Max: Well tell me darling, my services are available to for your needs.

Juliet: Well, .... (She seems nervous or trying to think something up.) im in a bit of heat, you see last week I went out one day

Seven

Noir elements of opening:

Setting:

• Dark, cold setting made through dark lighting.
• The constant fact that it was raining created a certain grey and dark mood.
• The setting of the dark and abandonded buildings which are in dark cold nasty places helps create the setting in the film.

Characters:

• they are cold and bold.
• there vestiment is always the same, dark colours.
• the work in which the charcaters specialize is in violence and crime. this helps convey this dark mood.

Sound:

• Diagetic sounds - sirens wailing in the distance.

Summary of Notes:
        After seeing the beggining part of the movie, we can see the diffferent factors from the Noir movies and especially from seven. One of the main and most important factors that I took into hand was the blueish and cold lighting that the movie genre has. There are many contrasts in seven, one important and big one that is very obvious is the contrast between the new detective (brad pitt) and the old detective (morgan freeman.) we can see that brad pitt the new detective believes that the world can be saved and that crime can be stopped. he is always around and in bright lighting when he is alone. When the other detective there is always a dark and cold setting. One particular example is from the beggining of the movie. The office of the old detective before the new one moves in is cold and dark, but once the new detective occupies his office there is a sence of bright light. We can also see the effect of contrast between the two from the editing sequence that the editor uses. The editor switches between both characters which allowed the viewer to view and take in the contrast.
Also, the noir films concentrate and occur in dark and cold themes. These movies are set in a world with no MORALITY and with no hope. It is a world  full of crime of violence resulting in an dead end street for the detectives.
Another Noir theme that is very typical in the Noir movies is showing the presence of a maze, something that can trap you and lead to dead ends. Things that can lead you to having no hope, no morality and live in a world full of crime and death. One clear example of a maze is from when the old detective goes to the library to investigate on the seven killings that he believes will occur. The director shoes how there is a precense of a maze from when the detective is looking for the books that he wants. The long lines of never ending books and the same basic shelves that are repeated and repeated. The representation of a world of repetition of repeating crime and death.
Another theme that appears is the shot of a headline or a news report which lets the viewer know what has happened or is going to happen. It lets us advance through time faster and easier. There are clear examples of this when the murder of the attorney occured (2nd killing.)
Another theme that we could see is the gluttany of the victims house, all the colors of the victims house were cold and dark. Showing no sign of life. Non-Diagetic sounds, loud high pitched noises and sounds of doom and evil are key examples of the noir film mood represented in the film.


       

Textual Analysis - Pulp Fiction

BLOG OF NOTES

-THE CHARACTERS THAT WERE INVOLVED IN THE SCENE ARENT YOUR TYPICAL CHARACTERS. THEY ARE IN SOME CASE OUTCASTS, (MANY EARINGS AND DRUG ADDICTS.)
-IRONY OF THE PERSON SAYING TO STEP INTO HIS OFFICE WHEN ITS HIS ROOM AND HE IS IN HIS PIJAMAS.
-THE NARRATIVE DRIVE AND THE MAIN IMPORTANT THING IS THE DRUG THAT VINCENT VEGA HAD IN HIS COAT IN WHICH HE LATER PICKS UP MARCELLAUS WALLACES WIFE. THIS DRUG IS A KEY THING IN LATER SCEENS. TARANTINO HAS A TENDENCY TO DO THIS. 
- WE CAN ALSO SEE THE USES OF LIGHTING SHOWS THE MOOD OF THE CHARACTER WHEN HE IS UNDER THE EFFECT OF DRUGS AND WHEN BEFORE HE CONSUMES THE DRUG. THE LIGHTING IN THE SCEENE WHEN HE BUYS THE DRUG IS COMPLETELY AND PERFECTLY LIGHTED, BUT WHEN WE START TO SEE THE DRUG KIT AND VINCENT UNDER THE EFFECTS, WE GET SLOW MUSIC WITH DARK COLORS. THESE DARK COLORS COULD RESPRESENT THE WORLD OF THESE DRUG/OUTCAST PEOPLE AND HOW THEIR WORLD IS DANGEROUS AND SCARY.
-THE PRESENTATION OF THE DRUGS BEFORE THEY WERE CONSUMED WAS THAT THEY WERE IN THIS PERFECTLY LIGHTED AMBIENT, THIS SHOWS THAT TARANTINO IS TRYING TO SHOW THAT ITS NOT BAD OR THAT ITS COOL. THE WAY THE SHOTS OF THE DRUG KIT ARE OPENED AND USED IS SHOWED AS IN SOME WAY A TEMPTATION, TRYING IN SOMEWAY TO WANT YOU TO TRY IT,
-THE CLOSE-UPS AND SLOW MOTION SHOTS OF VINCENT ONCE UNDER THE EFFECTS IS SHOWING HOW HE ENJOYS IT AND THE SLOW MOTION FACIAL ACTING WORKS PERFECTLY.  

TASK 2:

-THE FALL OF MARCELLUS WALLACE (A GANGSTER BOSS) MANY CRIMINAL MOVIES ARE ABOUT THE RISE OR FALL OF AN IMPORTANT GANGSTER/LEADER OF A VIOLENT, CRIME ORGANISED GROUP. IN THIS CASE; MARCELLUS WALLACE HAD HIS FALL WHEN HE AND THE BOXER WERE CAUGHT BUY TWO PERVERTS WHICH RAPED MARCELLUS. AFTER THAT MARCELLUS WENT PRETTY MUCH DOWNHILL.
-STREET-GANGSTERS: IN GANGSTER MOVIES, THE STREET-GANGSTERS WHICH USUALLY WORK FOR THEIR BOSS ARE MATERIALISTIC, STREET SMART AND INMORAL. AlTHOUGH THE STREET GANGSTERS IN THIS MOVIE LIKE VINCENT FOLLOW TO A CERTAIN EXTENT THESE RULES, I BELIEVE THAT TARANTINO CHANGED UP THE RULES FOR HIS CRIME MOVIE AND MADE IT SO HIS CHARACTERS HAD DIFFERENT AND UNIQUE QUALITIES THAT STAND OUT FROM THE REST.
-THE RIVALRY PLOT: LIKE EVERY GANGSTER ORGANIZATION, THEY HAVE A CERTAIN WAY OF MAKING MONEY, JUST LIKE MARCELLUS WALLACE IN WHICH CREATES ONE OF THE 2 PLOTS IN THE MOVIE WHEN HIS DEAL WITH BUCH IS TERMINATED AFTER FAILING TO LOOSE A FIGHT. THESE FIGHTS AND SHOOTINGS THAT BOTH CHARACTERS HAD TOGETHER, IS VERY MUCH LIKE THE TIPICAL FIGHT SCENES THAT THERE ALWAYS IS.

Production Journal - Week 10

After this weeks hard work, toto prodctions has came to a great advance in its post-film prodction. After passing over the film from the camera, the group divided the film shots and labeled them each with the different names that corresponded to them. This is helpfull due to the fact that later in the editing process, the editior doesnt take forever to find a certain clip. we also started transcribing and jotting down the shots that we are going to use in cronological order. Friday of Week 10, toto prodctions presented the 1st draft of the documentary to the executive producer and after showing it we discussed the futur changes that we could make to have it be better. We decided on making it shorter since it was too long and mixing in more B-roll in the film durring VO.

Production Journal-Week 9

Durring this week, our group (TOTO Productions) made all the filming and shots that were needed to be taken done. During the day that we filmed, we did successfully 4 total interviews and and made a lot of different shots for VO's. Overall I believe that us as a team did a great job on completing our objectives. Although we did really well on retrieving the film, we failed in having many face to face interviews and all the Taxi and Bus drivers that we thought that might wanted to be interviewed all said no or they wanted to make a large amount of profit from an interview. To some extent my team did follow the plan to a certain extent, but we also filmed as we went, For instance we stopped at the Aulaplata SUR Office to have an interview in which was successful although we couldn't film her face. I did fulfill my individual role as I choose were the shots were made and the rest of the group took care of everything else. Manuel was the talent and Carlos was the Cinematographer. In Post-Produciton, my job is the editing part of the documentary and i believe that we are going at a good speed and the group will finish the Documentary before hand. Over all, i believe that filming day was very successful and we finished the day with more than enough of film footage which is a very positive thing for the documentary and for the team when it comes to post production.

Production Journal Week 2

Once we had our pitch approved, we now as a group had to choose who was going to do what. After looking at which person is better off doing, we ended up with Manuel Denegri as being the talent since he has good expierience and is very open to being the one who asks these questions and makes the interviews. We also decided that it was good for Ernesto Trovato to be the Researcher and he is the one who looked for all the sites and the information along as the group as a whole did. Also, Carlos Juni was choosen as the filmer since he has great idea for different shot places and is capable on fulfilling this job. I was choosen as the Editor since i am the more expierienced person who knows about editing and ideas when it comes to editing the film. This week, we also started to creat our storyboards and we are starting to through out our ideas and jotting down on paper what we feel will be succesfull in the film later on.

Production Journal Week 1

The Pitch:

What We are Doing?

      

     Toto Productions are presenting a film pitch for filming how serious the driving situation has came to in Argentina. Showing the crashes, Confirmed facts, and interviews form both the law and the people of Argentina.

Why We Are Doing IT?

     We are doing this documentary, because the driving in this country had gotten to a great extreme and its time for people to know and realize the intensity of the situation.

How will we do it?

     We will film this in many different locations helping to give and all around show of what happens when it comes to driving and their conduct. We will show the opinions of the people through interviews and show through our own filming what the truth is.

Although this wasnt the groups original idea and pitch, we like our new pitch and are happy with the choice that we made. After Mr.Wise approved of the pitch, we went to work and started furthing planning. One idea that i believe on doing in the editing process is using B-Roll footage in the beggining intro. I got this idea from the work that we did on when working on the documentary: Capturing the Friedmans. In Capturing The Friedmans, the idea of using the b-roll mixed with the film that was filmed by the film crew in the iterviews. On top of that the editing crew used a Voice Over on this mix of film to make it a great documentary and this is what inspired me to use these ideas.

Production Journal #2

This week, more calls were made out to the future people that might be interviewed and we are still strugglining to make contact and organize interviews. Also, after the finalized research was made, we started to download the B-Roll and we are making good progress on getting that done with so the editor can start making the intro to the film. Also in the group, the first draft of the talents questions were produced and once this is done i believe that the pre-production research and preparation will be done with.

“POH”

Foot Steps are Heard as the two characters foot steps are hood walking down the steps and entering the subway station. In New York City.

            Antonio and Roberto both in black overcoats, hats, and cigarette in their hands. Latino Suits (silk shirts ect.) and worn out suitcase. Train is approaching (hear subway sounds and shoes hitting the ground.) Cuban Accent.

A: Okay, so you’re saying that if I put a piece of chicken between two buns it a burger?

R: yes man, it’s a burger.

A: Bull shit

R: Man, why u so stubborn?

A: are u fucking with me man?

R: What ever man.

A: U so stupid.

R: What ever man, I know what a burger is and what a sandwhich is man

A: U still talking about that?

R: I’m Just making my point.

A: What ever man.

R: U know what, lets go ask somebody.

A: Are you kidding me man? I’m not talking to no one over a burger.

R: what ever man. I’m right.

A: u always right? Right?

R: Yeah I am, got a problem.

A: nope, just asking man, Tranquilo

R: stupid sandwhich, (chuckles) so stupid.

A: Man, you see u go again. Grow up stupid.

R: Man, can we just get this thing delivered and be over with it. I wanna go to the club, and instead im with u.

A: Whatever man, then don’t come back to me crying for my help when u need it. (sarcasticly/ in a joking way)

R: yeah, yeah man.

            The two walk off in the distance with the brief case in the hand as they go up the subway steps and out into the city.

Quentin Tarantino

1) Tarantino, has many and several trademarks that appear in his work. One of the most important trademarks that we can see are the recurring themes that appear in his movies. For example, in at least 8 of his movies he has the recurring scene of foot fetish. We can clearly see this in his movie "Pulp Fiction" and in the Kill Bill saga. Another important trademark that we can see, is the mexican Standoffs that appear more than once in his work. Quentin Tarantino, got this idea and uses it from his favorite movie "The Good The Bad and The Ugly." "Pulp Fiction" one of Tarantino's well known films, has a clear example of a Mexican Standoff when Vincent Vega, Yolanda, and Jules Winnfield are against each other.

2) Tarantino instead of studying at a film-school, was a video clerk and learned and created his own style through that.

3) Although being a big success, Tarantino was critisized by many as his film "ripped-off" the famous Hong Kong movie "City on Fire"

4) For me, both the movies belong to a Volatile Criminal genre, which Tarantino himself has perfected.

5)

POV Shot:

The POV shot can create the effect that someone is watching and you're seeing what the "person" is seeing. This makes the viewer believe that there's someone their creating tension and scenes of "ultra-violence" like the ones seen in Tarantino's films.

Close-Ups

There are many close ups used in Tarantino's movies, the effect of having close-ups, is that we can really see the facial expressions of the characters which helps you understand more of the characters feelings. Also, in a thriller the close up on the "victim" character, allows to create a great thriller effect since they show in which direction the actor is looking but not what they are seeing. This means that the viewer has to rely only on what the character is able to transmit to us through her facial expressions. (this effect creates tension.)

Corpse POV:

This shot, shows the great violence that is able to transmitted since we can see all the blood and how through expressions we can perceive what the "victim/corpse character" is feeling moments before fading away. Showing how their last moments of their life's, was feeling the pain and agony of their maker. 

6)

Mirror Shot:

The Mirror shot, creates the effect of insecurity in the character. The ability to show the weakness of the character and how he is lacking in self confidence. Probably implicating that he/she is going through a painful, desperate time; looking for answers. It could also be a time for auto reflection and for deciding their next move. 

7)a) A Mexican Standoff is where in a normal standoff, one has the chance of survival and one doesn't. In a Mexican Standoff, the chance of standing down or not dying doesn't exist. There's no winner, survivor in this situation. 

b) The term possibly comes from the mexican- american war which was in some reason a "standoff."

d)

Pulp-Fiction

True Romance.

Production Journal #1

After this weeks work, our group have advanced and picked up a lot this week. We have completed almost all the research that we wanted to do and at the same time we already have some interviews made. We have struggled with contacting one interviewer but at the end of this week we finally made contact and are in the process of organizing interviews. I think that overall this week as a group we have done a good job. I believe as a group we need to focus and concentrate more on the task, becomming more responsable and doing the taks that are set out.
The main outline and planning of the documentary was going to be about public schools and what are there conditions, but now after we have encountered a problem which doesnt permit us film, we have had to change ideas for the documentary and we are now going to produce a film on the dangerous streets of Argentina. This produced a setback to the group since research and everything we had before was thrown away and we now had to start again. But as a group we have caught up with the other groups and we are back on track.
For next week, I am wishing to have all interviews completely organized and ready for filming after the winter holidays.

'Capturing The Friedmans'

On the Surface:


'normal family' torn apart because of what the father and one of his son were accused for child molestation. 
- lack of physical evidence
- Child Pornography


Deeper Meanings:


- Judicial System 
- Power if Roomers and the rate of escalation that they have.
- the truth? no physical evidence ties in with how the judicial system had to put the blame on somebody, obviously the Friedman Family was the most explainable person to put the blame on.  


In Pre-Productions, i would before going out and filming; i would research and try to find all the material that i could get before starting the live film. For instance all the old films that they got their hands of the home videos filmed by the Friedman Family helped the documentary and is a key example of Pre-Production research material. 

TOTO productions Documentary Overview

 Documentary Overview:

            In this Documentary filmed and Produced by Toto Productions and in cooperation with Manuel Denegri, Carlos Juni, Tomas Wetzel and Ernesto Camilo Trovato. We are producing a Documentary on the dangerous streets of Capital and of Quilmes.

            The Documentary will start with flashes of clips of crashes and ambulances and medical helicopters (everything that has to do with crashes and effects of dangerous streets.) for around 45-60 seconds. It will then fade black into a black screen were a white text will appear with an important fact about crashes and the amount of deaths that occurred in 2010. A voice over will start when this text appears of Manuel Denegri talking and having his opening speech to the documentary. This is basically there to set the main points of the interview, to give the viewer a better understanding of what point we are trying to make to the public. From the voice over (10-15 seconds) we will switch over to a medium shot of Manuel speaking in front of a hospital/street. We have 10-11 Interviews, which will be alternating throughout the first 2-3 minutes that will also involve in the midst of this mixing of different interviews, clips and other things. When clips of crashes or something that has to do with dangerous streets; there will be a continuous voice over of the speaking person. We will then go to an intersection in capital or Quilmes and film with 2 cameras for around 2 – 3 hours the traffic and how the people are driving. We will then look through it and grab the important clips that we want to use and show. After that we will switch to interviews with law enforcement officers and also with municipal people. We will show their views of the driving in their area and what they believe should be done as people who work for making the streets a better place. Clips and other relating things to the topic will pass through in the midst of these interviews and with continuous voice over.

            Once completed showing the clips of the interviews, Manuel will have his ending speech of our groups thoughts (changes, the reality of the streets, who’s making them unsafe.) and this will be filmed him next to a grave that is next to the streets which are all around Argentina (wont be hard to find one, Medium-close up.)

END OF DOCUMENTARY

Capturing The Friedmans-Documentary

Capturing The Friedmans-Documentary

Pre Production Process:

       Arranging Interviews and conducting extensive research to help make the Documentary reach its full potential. The research of film footage and of old newsreports which were published durring the time of the Friedman Case are good Pre-Production material. Making and getting contacts which will help this documentary are vital in the pre-production process. These interviews, would obviosuly want to be all related with the case and the victims of this "crime." This means contacting Law enforcement officers which were incharge of the case at that time and obviously every body else that was in the law enforcement that took part of the case. Also, the parents and the kids which were victims of this crime were also contacted and interviews were arranged. The family members were obviously contacted, although Seth (one brother in the Friedman Family, leaves and goes west in the midst of the case. He didnt want to be involved nor did he wanted to be interviewed.)  

Film-Footage:

  

    The Friedmans durring the case and before, were always filming what was going on in the house. This means everything from fights/arguments all the way to family time and when they were having fun together as a family which was hardly ever. The raw, old film material was used a lot and was important to show how durring the case the family went separating. This raw material involved the Friedman family and especially Arnold and Jesse Friedman. They would always be trying to back up their father and not face the reality of that Arnold really did it. They were filmed at their house and also at the Court House, Jesse was the one who mainly appeared in the Court House filmations. There film footage that was filmed live at that momento was obviously in the court house and the fights that occured at the house, the Interviews were filmed by the film crew/company that made this documentary.

Post-Production:

     In the post prodcution process, this is when all the editing is done. Grabbing all the filmed footage and other recourses that they have and cutting and shortening film footage to what they want and then putting it in the documentary. The edditing process of voice overs that are talking when other clips are being shown and not the interviewer. Also, i believe that the film-makers did not use a narrator throughout the documentary because they had the interviewers tell you the story. This in the end gave out a better effect to the viewer and made it overall better to watch. By not using a narrator it gives you the ability to sence and pay more attention to what the interviewers are saying so you can fully understand what the documentary is about.

Messages:

     For me, the film makers wanted to leave an important message to the public and show what are the consequences once these assumptions or actions that are made about young children and how the public reacts. I feel that the Film-Makers left the message and showed how when these assumptions came out about Arnold Friedman (and then later Jesse Friedman) and how he had Child Pornography, the public was terrified. As the Investigators dug deeper into the fact that he was in this child buisness and found out about his classes they started to interview and pressure the children to come to "confession" although there are some kids who never were under abuse at all. But with the police being pressured by the public for an answer, they made the kids confess eventhough it might of been a lie. Later in the documentary, a x-student of Arnold confesses to of lied becuase of police pressure. Also the film makers show how mass Hysteria creates people to make and do actions that can be wrong or not true but they still do it becasue of how the public and the people around them are acting.

 

Toto Productions Pitch

Toto Productions Pitch:

What We are Doing?

      

     Toto Productions are presenting a film pitch for filming how serious the driving situation has came to in Argentina. Showing the crashes, Confirmed facts, and interviews form both the law and the people of Argentina.

Why We Are Doing IT?

     We are doing this documentary, because the driving in this country had gotten to a great extreme and its time for people to know and realize the intensity of the situation.

How will we do it?

     We will film this in many different locations helping to give and all around show of what happens when it comes to driving and their conduct. We will show the opinions of the people through interviews and show through our own filming what the truth is.

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