Posters

The Call to Adventure

The Call to Adventure from James Tubb on Vimeo.

This is my final film for this project. I am very happy with it but it may need to make some small changes after getting feedback. Overall I like how stylish it feels and I like the visuals. My one major concern is whether the music track is distracting and or monotonous to the audience or not, I personally can't decide so I'll see what feedback I get.

Ashen Wireless

Ashen Wireless from James Tubb on Vimeo.

As I have stated in a previous post, over the course of this project I have taken out camera equipment in order to familiarize myself with it. On one such occasion I was feeling pretty down, I felt a sense pointlessness, emptiness and felt distanced from everything. Rather than wallow in my room, I decided to put these feelings to constructive use and decided to make a film that captured those feelings.

The resulting film is Ashen Wireless and I am very pleased with how it turned out. I am particularly fond of the 'bad-TV' aesthetic, which creates a sense of distance between the audience and what is happening on screen. I also like how the film is designed to perfectly loop and I think I would make a good instillation piece. Overall I find the film darkly hypnotic and I can watch it on loop for quite some time, losing myself in the visuals and atmosphere.

I found the method I used very liberating, it was inspired by the method my friend Isaac had been using: Go to a location, film what seems interesting and then make an atmospheric film out of it. After shooting I spend sometime in a sound suite and created a suitable atmospheric audio track. I like this method, it's very relaxing, and I may use it again in the future.

Evaluation of Creative and Professional Development

Over the course of this project both my skills as a creative professional and my practice have developed and improved significantly. One of the important ways in which my practice has developed is the discovery of a new method of storytelling. At the beginning of this project I was attempting to create a fictional world by focusing on the setting, history, politics etc, but I eventually came to the realisation that this method wasn’t working for me. I had become so bogged down in the details of the back-story and setting that I was neglecting the story itself, so I decided to leave the back-story for a while. I have recently decided on employing a different approach to telling a story that is inspired by the web-comic Homestuck, something that has swiftly become one of my favourite narrative experiences. The story of Homestuck starts out very simply, with a character in a simple location and a straight forward premise/motivation. The back-story and setting then builds organically as the main narrative progresses, the story of Homestuck now being a truly epic and complex tale. This approach is very different to that which I had at the beginning of this project and I believe it is an approach that will serve my practice well. The moral or lesson here basically is: Start out simply and then build from there as the story goes on.  

I have also improved my skills of characterisation through the use of two new techniques s. The first technique is to use a character’s home or personal belongings to describe their personality, thoughts, feelings, desires, passions etc. I began using this technique after a friend suggested it and I found it to be very effective when developing characters. It help make them feel more like real people by adding the essential little details that seem unimportant but mean the difference between a fiction person and simple words on a page.  The second technique is one I like to refer to as ‘Blowin’ the Amp’. This technique is to create a simple moment early on when introducing a character that perfectly sums up and communicates to the audience what makes them tick and what kind of person they are, preferably with saying anything. This technique shows the audience what kind of person the character is instead of simply dictating it to them and allows for a more cinematic aspect to the film. Both these techniques help to create well developed characters and I intend to make great use of them in the future.

I have also begun to develop a personal visual style and feel for my films. Often in the past I have been guilty of neglecting a film’s visuals in favour of the script but this time I made a conscious effort to also pay close attention to how I wanted the film to look. Through experimenting with the equipment and editing software I have manage to begin forging what I hope to become an individual style and feel to my films. I intend to continue experimenting with slow pace, high contrast monochrome, close-ups and static camera shots further, as well as other techniques, in the hope of creating a style that is all my own.

I have also developed my professional skills considerably over the course of this project. At the beginning of this project I had little experience of using a camera, so one of my goals was to make myself familiar with the equipment. I made a point to taking out the camera a number of times in order to experiment with it and familiarise my style with using it, manipulating focus and depth of field etc. Not only did this result in me become very familiar with using a camera but it also resulted in the creation of an experimental film that I’m am very happy with. I have also experimented with the editing software, Adobe Premiere Pro, and music creation software, Logic Pro, and in doing so have become confident and familiar with using the software.

For this project I had to organise both shooting on location and finding and working with actors, these were both very new to me and as such I was quite nervous at the idea. However, I knew that with a location and professional actors my film would be a lot better than otherwise. Finding a location proved to be a lot easier than I had expected, most of the places I asked were very co-operative. Finding actors was somewhat harder but not as difficult I had envisioned, I found casting call pro to be very effective, posters on the other hand was not and I doubt I’ll use that method again. Once I found actors, working with them went well and I found it quite easy. I really like what a professional can bring to the characters and how they can bring the characters to life.  

There are a few things I plan to do, regarding to my practice, after the course is finished. The main thing is that I plan to build an audience, primarily through the use of online media such as YouTube and podcasting. I feel that my practice is well suited to online media like YouTube and I think that it will be a great way to build a loyal audience. I also plan to read more and further develop my writing style by analysing and appropriating the techniques of my favourite authors, such as Jules Vern and H.P. Lovecraft. Lastly, I plan to write more and experiment with creative outlets other than film. I feel that my practice is suited to more than just film, particularly books. I love film and still intend to make films but i think writing books can afford more creative freedom in a number of ways.  

Positioning your Practice - 2nd Version

Position your Practice

I am a storyteller. “Why, whatever do you mean by that James?” I hear you cry. Well, I mean that my practice is primarily, if not entirely, focused toward a film’s narrative. The stories I like to tell are mostly character driven along with some sort of message or theme. Although I like stories with a meaning, it’s not nearly as important to me as the characters and narrative. I enjoy making use of humour and comedy but I also take great delight in mixing it with horror and darker more serious themes, creating a wonderful juxtaposition that complements both the comedy and the horror.  I like a story to take it’s time and not rush things, I find this helps to create tension, atmosphere and helps to immerse the audience into the piece.

My favourite film director is not Kubrick or Tarantino, although I am a big fan or both. No, my favourite director is Kevin Smith. Ever since watching Clerks I have wanted to make films like him. His dialogue is a particular love of mine, it is the exact kind of ‘over-written’ conversations, often picking apart pop-culture, that I love, and often do, have with my closest friends and also the kind of conversations I enjoy writing. I’m also a big fan of his static camerawork, I think it’s both charmingly simplistic and helps focus the audience on what the heart of his films are, that is that interaction between the characters. However, Smith’s films tend to be smaller scale than the films I aspire to make, but regardless the interaction between characters and the use of static camerawork is a big influence on my practice.

 Throughout my childhood I watched a lot of British sitcoms, Red Dwarf and The Young Ones being two of favourites. Watching these played a big part in shaping my sense of humour and as such influenced my practice a great deal. At their best, or at least in my humble opinion, these shows revolved around a small cast of unique characters interacting with one another, often in a single simple location with little to no outside influence. It’s these shows that made me and my brother pick up a camera and start attempting our own ‘T.V. Shows’ as kids and without this I doubt I would be making films today.  However, being sitcoms, these shows are very episodic in their storytelling, with little narrative flowing from episode to episode. This means that they’re are not able to tell as grand or epic a tale as I would like to make.

Homestuck has recently been a big influence on my practice. Having been introduced to in earlier this year by a friend it has quickly become one of my favourite stories to experience. There are many things I love about Homestuck but it is the characters that I love most, each is very well developed and feels like a real person with thoughts and feelings. The audience, here meaning me, cares very much about the characters and becomes intensely immersed in the story, something that I wish to bring into my own practice. Homestuck’s method of storytelling is also of particular interest, the story starts out simply, with a character, a simple location and a straight forward premise/motivation. The world, narrative and back-story are all then aloud to organically grow/build as the story progresses, until the point where it is now a truly epic tale. This method has been a great influence on me, my own method of focusing too much on back-story and setting proving not to work for my practice. I intend to use a similar method for my own storytelling in the future.

Over the past year I have begun to read a lot more and have discovered two of my favourite authors, Jules Vern and H.P. Lovecraft. Jules Vern’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is what got me into reading. Vern’s writing, to me, perfectly creates a feeling of adventure, scientific curiosity and a love of exploration that I have grown very fond of and would like to bring into my own practice.  H.P. Lovecraft’s stories are a very different beast and are my current favourite brand of horror. His dark tales aren’t just horrifying, they are drenched in an overwhelming feeling of dread and evitable doom. His tales often warn of an unimaginable and unknowable terror that is beyond the feeble comprehension of man and it is this fear of the unknowable that is at the heart of his horror. I would say that Lovecraft is my main influence in regard to horror and I certainly intend to bring some of his influence into my own practice.

Serio Leone, the director behind The Good, The Bad and The Ugly and Once Upon a Time in the West, has also notably influenced my practice. His westerns feel epic and I really admire how they take their time and never rush though the story. They are a slow and quiet build of tension until the final climax of the film that puts you on the edge of your seat. It’s because of him that I wish my films to take their time and have a slow pace.

I feel that my practice is suitable to more than just film. I am also keen to pursue other creative outlets, for example writing books and music. I wish to read more and bring more of what I like about authors like Lovecraft and Vern into my own practice by experimenting with writing stories in their style. I intend to maintain the creative network I have found whilst at college and fully intend to keep creating in order to improve my skills. I intend to explore a number of methods of ‘getting my work out there’, for example podcasting, film festivals. My primary intention to build an audience through the creation of a YouTube account, not only do I think that YouTube is a great method of creating an audience, I also really enjoy it and think that my practice will suit the format. 

Experimentation

One of the goals of this project was to get more familiar with using the equipment, particularly the cannon 5D. To achieve this I have got out the camera a number of times for experiments. As a result I got a lot better at using the camera as well as manipulating depth of field and focus.

Editing

I've been editing The Call to Adventure, and although I really like to footage, I think it still needs work.

I still need to film the shot of the watch being smashed, I've got the equipment now, ready to shoot.

So far it's looking pretty stylish, which I like. I spent some time in a sound suite and created a jazzy soundtrack for the film but the volume levels still need work.

I've been thinking that the voice over of carol may not be needed, I feel that the visuals can easily communicate what the voice over dialogue says and letting them do so would give the film a more cinematic feel. One of my flaws filmmaker is to rely too much on dialogue and not enough on visuals, so relying a little more on the visuals I think would be good for both me and the film.

All in all the film is coming along nicely, but it's not finished yet.

"Do I look like a guy with a plan?"

I would like to talk a bit about my plans for after the course.

Over this project I have developed my skills and discovered new techniques of storytelling. I think that these are the begins of a process of storytelling that will serve me well.

1. Start out simply, with a character in a simple location and a simple premise and/or motivation, then let the world, back-story and narrative organically develop as the story goes on. 
2. Develop the characters by describing their passions, interests, desires and flaws through the use of their surroundings and/or belongings, for example their room or whatever they keep on their person. 
3. Create a moment earlier on, preferably while introducing the character, that perfectly communicates to the audience what the character is like and what drives them, for example smashing a dead parent's pocket watch or turning an over-sized amp to full and destroying half the room. 

I have also begun developing a personal style and feeling of film. I like it to be slow and take it's time, I like the use of close-ups and I like a stylized look, such as high contrast black and white with minimal lighting. I'm in the process of developing a personal style so it may change quite a bit but I think this is the beginning of a style and feeling all my own.

Lastly I would like to talk about distribution. I am a big fan of YouTube and I believe that my practice will be well suited to it. I like how personal and close the audience feels to creators on YouTube and I also think it is a great way to build and audience, or 'tribe' as Karin puts it. I think that on YouTube I will be able to build an audience whilst still having a lot of creative freedom. I think that a series on YouTube would be a good project and will most likely be my next creative endeavor. I am still interested in other forms of distribution and I still would like to create feature films, probably with the use of crowd funding, however I think that the first step is to create an audience, with the use of YouTube and other social media. 

'Blowin' the Amp'

Over the course of this project I have been attempting to improving my writing skills when it comes to characterization. One method I have started to use is to put a simple moment in the film that perfectly sums up the characters without having to say anything to the audience. In The Call to Adventure Carol's moment is the calm smashing of her father's watch. 

Now I think about it, this idea was most likely inspired by one of my favourite films of all time, Back to the Future. In the film the protagonist Marty Mcfly is introduced in the famous Amp scene, in which he turns all the settings the massive amp up to full, plugs in his tiny guitar and destroys the amp by playing a single chord, wrecking most of Doc's garage and propelling himself across the room in the process. After looking upon the mess he's created he simply smiles and exclaims "Rock 'n' Roll". This simple moment tells us a lot about Marty's character before saying anything or even showing his face, it tells us he's curious, a bit of a trouble maker, optimistic and confident in the face of a problem, the kind of guy that revels in excitement and also a risk taker. Before the story even begins we are already familiar with our protagonist and know what kind of person he is, and it is this that I wish to bring into my own storytelling.

   

After a suggestion by a friend I have been employing another new method of developing characters.   The idea is instead of describing the character's history and background, you describe what their room looks like and what is in it. In doing so you can simply and clearly describe what kind of person they are, what their interests are and what they desire. 

This lead to one of my favourite pieces of writing, the character description of Carol Beatrix. Sadly despite how proud I am of it, it is no longer relevant after the combination of Carol and Luna. However the technique is still great and I intend to make use of it a lot more in the future. It was really effective in making the character seem like a real person to me, with thoughts, feelings, passions and desires, and this made writing them a lot easier and, in my humble opinion, the writing  a lot better.   

Below is the character description of Carol Beatrix.

Carol Beatrix

Carol is a daydreamer, she spends most of her time with her head in the clouds, in her own little world of imagination. She has quite a short attention span and finds it hard to focus on one thing for a long period of time. She is incredibly curious and has a hard time resisting her longing for adventure. She also loves playing games but can’t stand it when people cheat, there is very little in the world she hates more than dishonesty. She has a passion for reading, writing and drawing, and often writes short poems or draws quick sketches and doodles in her free-time. She considers herself a pacifist, regarding violence as ‘silly’.  She tends not to plan ahead much, preferring to make things up as they go along. She is quite shy and tends to keep to her-self, it’s been this way since childhood and despite her cheerful and positive disposition, it has made her quite lonely and sad deep down. Her one true friend in the world is her dog, Lewis, who has been her loyal companion for six years.

She lives in a small one room flat on the slightly less seedy side of the city docks. Covering most surfaces are piles of books, all of which Carol read half of before her attention shifted to another book. She often reminds Lewis that she intends to finish everyone, when she can get around to it. In the corner is a worn looking arm chair that Lewis likes to sleep in. Carol can be quite messy, tending to leave her clothes screwed up in piles on the floor. On a shelf in the bookcase next Lewis’ chair, Carol likes to keep her collection of trinkets, random interesting little objects Carol has picked up on her travels. Carol has a large collection of games with which to amuse herself, like most of her belongings they are usually found on the floor in a pile. She rarely plays them though, having no one but Lewis to play against, and he isn’t a very fun opponent. One of the most important parts of her flat is the cupboard where she keeps her sweets, Carol has an insatiable sweet tooth and makes sure to always have a healthy supply of sugary treats. She is a particularly big fan of strawberry flavoured lollypops and it is rare she doesn’t have a few on her person.

  Carol’s favourite spot is to sit and read is in front of the window, which provides a good view of the docks and the ocean. She can often spend hour gazing out and daydreaming, watching the ships and the people come and go, it is a view she has sketched many times over. 

Inspiration

I think I'll talk about what inspired the look and feel of the film.

Originally I had intended for the film to be 1st person perspective from the protagonist's point of view, but after watching Double Indemnity and The Maltese Falcon I decided to aim for a more film-noir inspired look. I always wanted this film to be in black and white but after watching the two film-noir classics films I wanted to really make use of the monochrome, something I didn't think I could do with a 1st person perspective. The films are beautiful, very moody, dark and stylized, so this feed into the look of my film.

Another film that inspired the feel of the film was Once Upon a Time in the West. That film, particularly the opening scene, is very slow, it's takes it's time and doesn't rush. I really like this, it draws the audience in and builds tension. I really wanted a similar feel in my film. 

The very opening of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels also influenced my film. The opening shots are a series of extreme close-ups of yet unknown people, one of whom is explaining the rules of '3 Card Brag'. I really like the close-ups, they create a sense of mystery, anticipation and excitement. These shots inspired my own use of close-ups in my film.

Setting the scene

After reviewing this blog, I think it's a tad thin. To remedy this I will try to explain why I started this project and go into some of the creative thinking behind it. 

In this first post I will talk about the steampunk fantasy world that the film is set in. Last year, I got really into reading and since I have been reading authors such as Jules Verne, H.P.Lovecraft and Neil Gaiman. I was inspired by these authors as well as other interests, for example the television series Sharpe and the Monkey Island series of games, to try my hand at creating a steampunk-esque inspired fantasy world for some of my narrative ideas to take place in. 

So I began to craft a fictional world, going in depth into aspects such as geography, politics, history, beliefs and the mechanics of life and death. However I eventually realized that I was getting too bogged down in creating a back story and decided to leave it for a while. 

I have since been inspired by the web-comic Homestuck to take a different approach. The story and world of Homestuck is created largely as the comic goes on, starting at first with a simple premise, a protagonist in a simple setting, and a few other characters. The story and world builds as the comic progresses, to the point where it's now a truly epic and complex tale. I think such an approach to story telling could be good for me, as it would help me avoid getting too bogged down in the back story and, more importantly, get me to actually start writing as opposed to constantly preparing to write but never actually doing so. 

Here is some examples of my writings on the back story of the fantasy world. The first is an account of the fantasy world's history.

A Brief History of Fantasy world

The Radiant Dragon

In the beginning the world was dark and dead. Not a single light shone nor a single plant grew. The great Radiant Dragon, an old and wise creature that has existed since the dawn of time, used his blessed flame to breathe life into the lonely looking world. With this flora grew, fauna were born and light poured down from the sky.

One of the most unusual and most interesting creatures to be created was man. He resembled and ape, yet had no fur. He could swim the sea yet had no fins. He was not the strongest, nor the fastest, however he ruled the other creatures with tools and traps. The Radiant Dragon patiently observed man from a far, occasionally guiding and sharing with him his wisdom.

In time, the Radiant Dragon created a race of smaller dragons from his own flesh and blood, using his life-giving flame to bring them to life. He loved his children very much and they loved him. The Radiant Dragon never abandoned man however, continuing to guide and teach him. However his children fought with man. They were jealous of the Radiant Dragon’s attentions.

One day the dragons tried to kill man, and the Radiant Dragon defended him. The dragons were too strong in number however, and managed to overpower him. With his last dying breath he let out a roar that torn open the ground. He and his children were swallowed by the earth and buried.  As a final dying gift to man, the Radiant Dragon gave him his life-giving flame.

The War of the Waves

Eons later, man has spread out over the world and shaped it into his image. The western continent was made up of five kingdoms: The kingdom of Drayg, a wealthy people from a land of beauty, the kingdom of Lyndwerm, hardened from an eternal winter, the kingdom of Weck, a kind people from a humble land, and the kingdom of Jabre, a quite kingdom with a casual people.

Expeditions into the south-east ocean had discovered that realm of Silant, a land of tropical islands and swampland dispersed over a vivid blue sea. Its people were savage and primitive, or at least that’s what the far more ‘cultured’ peoples of the west thought. They colonised the realm and enslaved its people.

The main two powers in the ocean were the kingdom of Drayg and the kingdom of Lyndwerm. For a time there was an un-easy peace between the two kingdoms, however it didn’t last. Drayg entered into a dispute with Weck over a number of islands that Weck had colonised. Lyndwerm came to the aid of Weck and soon a war broke out.

The war lasted three years and claimed many lives, not all of whom were soldiers. Although Drayg was the wealthier, and thus better armed, the combined forces of Lyndwerm and Weck outnumbered them. It looked as if Drayg was defeated.

The Rise of Darius the Great Dragon

Prince Darius of Drayg was the youngest of the King’s three children. His brother Meinrad was the strongest fighter and his sister Treasa was the best hunter and marksman. Darius was, being neither strong nor fast, was forever in their shadow. His father, King Arnold the Golden Eagle, was tough and expected only the best from his children. He had no love for Darius because of his shortcomings and only saw him as a disappointment. His mother, Queen Amanda, loved and spoilt him. She was very protective of Darius and tended to treat him like a child.

Darius was power hungry and arrogant. Fiercely intelligent, he would spend all of his time in the palace library reading. From a young age he wanted to prove himself, particularly to his father, whom he hated.

Darius was twenty five when the war of the waves was ending. After and long period of sickness his mother died, King Arnold took out his grief on Darius. Darius, hungry for power and seeking vengeance upon his hateful father, hatched a plan to take power for himself.

Posing as a royal of Lyndwerm, he hired an assassin to kill his father. The assassin was a poor one and Darius knew this. Just as he planned, the assassin killed his father and was captured whilst attempting escape. The assassin confessed to them that he had been hired by a royal from Lyndwerm. There was only one possible outcome, all out war with Lyndwerm.

The Imperial War

...

The Suicide King

The Suicide King was once a mortal man who loved life and feared death. He ran as fast as he could and for as long as he could but ‘twas in vain. Eventually all things must end. Eventually he felt death wash over him like a flowing stream. He couldn’t help but let himself drift off and sink into its lapping waves.

When he awoke, he found himself in an uncanny land. It was like the world he just left but all colour and life had drained out, leaving everything an eerie shade of white. He too had no colour, appearing white, except for that his heart emitted a vivid red light from within his chest. His heart was heavy and weighed him down. He was not alone in this world, there were others like him, who too had passed away.

There were also hideous creatures stalking the dead world. They were famine ridden creatures that and were as black as death. Upon they’re thin, sickly bodies there was nothing but large and ravenous mouths, each with more razor sharp teeth then anyone cares to count. They would hunt down the lost and wandering souls who found themselves here. When they caught anyone they would tear into them and devour the poor soul’s bleeding heart, leaving the body to fade away.

The Suicide King watched them do this from a safe distance. The whole thing had a horrible feeling of permanence and no matter how far or how fast a soul ran, he couldn’t escape. He decided he would need to find a way to trick them into leaving him be.

The Origin of a Barmaid

Alice Beatrix was born in a small unremarkable village in the rolling hills and fields of the Drayg countryside. Her up-bringing was a quiet and largely un-eventful one. Her parents were kind and giving people. She would wander the countryside around her village daydreaming. She loved to draw and read. Many people told her to get her head out of the clouds but her parents never did. When she reached eighteen she moved to the port city of Beveridge, in search of excitement.

Three years later she is a barmaid in a small tavern, and has grown restless.

Haul & Luna Lugus

Haul and Luna Lugus are the children of a reasonably wealthy family and grew up in their manor in the dense forests of Lyndwerm. Luna and Haul were always very close siblings and were hardly apart. Luna was a very bright child and Haul was often causing mischief.  When Luna was nine and Haul was six a fire broke out in their father’s study, killing their mother. Grief stricken, their father hung himself from the willow tree in the garden, leaving Haul and Luna orphaned. Ownership of the manor passed to their uncle, Ichabod  Lugus, a wicked and sadistic man. Haul and Luna were raised by Castor, their father’s loyal friend who treated them as if they were his own children.

Their father was a historian and archaeologist of some note. He had participated in many expeditions, it was on one of these that he had met their mother, who had only been a student of biology at the time. Around the time of their mother’s death, he had begun to act strange. Fourteen years later, whilst reminiscing over some of their father’s belongings, Luna found their father’s journal which told of a great treasure in the far off lands of Spiru. Haul proposed that they journey to a claim the treasure, in hopes of buying back their home from they’re wicked uncle.

Haul is a jolly and friendly fellow, who, although now a man, is still a child at heart. He has a habit of finding, or often creating, trouble. Haul enjoys the simple things in life and can often be regarded as messy, lazy and not very bright. Haul has a helpful nature and is always willing to lead aid to those in need. Most of the time his solution to a problem will be to smash something and he will always refuse to run away. Haul is fiercely loyal to his sister and will follow her to the ends of the earth. Haul primarily acts with his heart and out of emotion.

Luna has always been the smart one, even as a child she had a mind beyond her years. She has a love of science, she would often as a child take apart her toys to see how they worked and then try to put them back together. Ever since their parent’s deaths, Luna has taken care of her brother and is very protective of him. Luna likes to lead a quiet life, however she is often dragged into trouble by Haul. Although she can be cynical, sarcastic and often moody, above all else she loves her brother. Unlike her brother, Luna acts with her head and out of rationality and logic.  

The second is a document containing rough descriptions of the various kingdoms and their peoples. 

Fantasy World – Locations

Old Kingdoms of the Western Continent

·         Jabre & Weck: The Twin Kingdoms – Once one kingdom, it was long ago split up between a pair of twins, a prince and princess. The two kingdoms have a constant friendly rivalry between each other.

·         Jabre: The Quiet Plains – A kingdom of endless plains and sky. It is considered by outsiders to be miserable and dull but it’s people love it for it’s quiet atmosphere. It’s people are very laidback and casual but are considered by some to be lazy ‘good-for-nothings’. It’s people have a love of music and social gatherings. It’s primary export is livestock.

·         Weck: The Green Country – A kingdom of thick deciduous forests and moorland. It is the poorest of the five kingdoms. Its people are known to be humble and fair, who are always willing to help. It is also the most religious of the kingdoms and its forests are considered somewhat sacred. Its primary export is agricultural goods.

·         Drayg: The Golden Hills – The southernmost kingdom. It is a picturesque and calm land of rolling fields and white chalk cliffs. The wealthiest of the five kingdoms, it is home to a very artistic and intellectual people who are often considered somewhat snobbish and spoilt.

·         Lyndwerm: The Winter Forest – The northern most kingdom. It is land is covered with dense pine forests and snow capped mountains. The northern most coast borders upon a frozen ocean of ice. The harsh terrain makes for a hardy and practical people. Its primary export is minerals and timber.

Colonies

·         Hydran: The Dry Ocean – A land of endless desert and scorching heat. The south is mostly sand dunes whilst the north is filled with dry rocky canyons. It is considered the harshest realm in the known world and has yet to be fully traversed. Its people are happy and very excitable. It has long been the victim of frequent invasions and attacks by the neighbouring realm of Silant. This ended however when Hydran was colonised by the empire a decade ago. The people of Hydran were so grateful to their saviours that they began to adopt western culture for their own, but in a strange and overly eager way. They never got the culture quite right and quite often, Hydran seems more western than the empire does. It is rumoured to have once been a great ocean in eons gone by.

·         Silant: The Dead Paradise – A large ocean filled with tropical islands. Swampland is common place and the whole realm has close ties to the occult. It is a land of poverty and forgotten people. Its people are proud and strong nomads, but are often wrongly considered as primitive scoundrels by outsiders. The realm was colonised by a number of the western kingdoms one hundred and fifty years ago and ever since relations between its people and the Empire have been very tense if not outright hostile. Its people were enslaved and its culture destroyed and replaced. It is mostly used as a trade route, making it home to many pirates. It is known as a chaotic realm where all manners of pleasure, debauchery and adventure can be found. Traces of Silant’s lost culture can still be found for those who are willing to look as well as in the natives that still hold on to the ‘old ways’.   

Free Realms

·         Spiru: The Living Forest – A humid realm of dense rainforest, filled with all manner of strange and dangerous flora and fauna. It is a very spiritual realm who people feel a very close connection to nature. Most of its people lead a peaceful life of non-violence and ancient wisdom. It is a land of spectacularly beautiful vistas and scenery. It is also home to many jewels and precious minerals, making it a target for those seeking their fortune.

Filming

Today, Wednesday the 8th of May, and yesterday, Tuesday the 7th of May, were the shoot days of my film.

The first day went okay considering that we lacked an actor to play the protagonist, though my friend Kat was kind enough to fill in for Luna. We got some shots but I later decided that they weren't the look I was after. I was quite nervous and I think this manifested itself negatively in my directorial role. I wasn't as decisive as I need to be and to be honest didn't really do my job that well. 

However, it was useful as a test shoot. When reviewing the footage that evening I knew what I wanted and how I could achieve it the next day. I decided that I needed to give more direction to the cast and crew and be more decisive and self-reliant. I also quickly re-worked the script so that another actor wasn't needed. My decision was not based on compromising and practicality but upon my feeling that the roles of Carol and Luna are very similar in a lot of important ways, both are intelligent  witty, shy, introverted girls driven by curiosity. I feel that by combining the characters I can create a deeper more well rounded character. 

The next day, went a lot better, I knew exactly what I wanted and made a lot of effort to be decisive and give the cast and crew direction. Not only was I able to get the footage I wanted in the visual style I was looking for, I was in fact able get more footage than I had intended to, to such an extent I had a hard time thinking of anything else we could do. 

After very quickly reviewing the footage, I am very pleased with it and I'm eager to start editing. I have an edit suite booked out for tomorrow. 

I have also made sure it is possible to film again in the Bay Horse Inn  next week if needs be, but hopefully this will not be needed.

Here is that final script:

Relaxation and Progress in Totnes.

Yesterday proved to be just what I needed, a relaxing afternoon in Totnes. It wasn't all relaxation though, as the primary goal of the trip was to find a suitable location for my film.

I am delighted to say that we found one  location that could could serve our purposes, The Bay Horse Inn. I phoned them today and they confirmed that shooting would be possible on both Tuesday and Wednesday next week from 1:00 to 4:00. This is certainly a relief. 

All that is needed now is to find two girls to play the roles of Luna and Carol. I have yet to hear back from the three city college students that expressed an interest. I have sent an e-mail today to the manager of the Theater Royal Young Company asking for actors. As a last resort I may have to ask if some friends can play the roles, but this is only in case all other plans fall through. 

"Don't Panic!"

There are still a few issues to sort out for filming. 

Unfortunately, it is no longer possible for me to film in the Minerva Inn. This is due to a communication about when the filming will take place. This is very worrying as it means I currently have no location booked. I have  asked Skiving Scholar about filming in The Basement bar, which should suffice but they have yet to confirm whether filming is possible. I have also made an effort to book a few hours in the Studio Theater next week in case i cannot find a location in time. I am going to Totnes in search of a location, the town has many pubs that will suit the aesthetic and seeing as the one actor I have is based in Totnes it is certainly worth a look. 

I have auditioned a two actors, one is a Totnes based actor for both the roles of the Suicide King and Haul. He is a very good actor and I really like his input and portrayal of the characters. The second actor was for the role of Carol, but unfortunately due to her lack of experience I don't feel that she is good for the role. I am in the process of talking to three city college students who approached the college of art for performance work, they have confirmed that they are interested but have yet to reply to my last e-mail regarding meeting up to go through the roles and practicalities of the project. The actor from Totnes did express that he may know some people that are interested in playing the roles of Carol and Luna and was happy to help. 

I have equipment booked out and props ready, however I still need actors and a location. I am trying to remain calm, but time seems to be slipping through my fingers and it's hard not to panic. I have two to three weeks left to get the film made, and once the shoot is done post-production should be quick and simple. It's just organizing all theses logistics is tricky and I'm not very good at it at the present moment. 

A much needed kick up the...

I haven't updated this in a while, mostly due to me concentrating, perhaps a little too much, on my dissertation. However now it is done, it is time to concentrate on making my graduation film. 

After meeting with Dan, I have a list of things I need to do before filming: 

1) Book Location
2) Confirm crew
3) Get props
4) Schedule Production
5) Finalize Storyboards
6) Cast Actors

 As of today, I have booked a location, namely The Minerva Inn, which is perfect for the film, better than C103 by far. I have also inquired at Skiving Scholar about filming in the basement bar. The manager assured me that it wouldn't be any problem to film during the day, however due to the Minerva Inn suiting the film so well Skiving Scholar will act as a back-up. 

I have confirmed my crew, Isaac as Camera Op and Producer and Ben as sound recordist. 

I have acquired most of the props needed, a pocket watch  a deck of cards, a bottle of rum, and now simply need to purchase a hammer, which shouldn't be difficult. 

I have rough schedule for production, I hope to film in the next two weeks, with a focus on next weekend as that is when the Minerva Inn is available. This makes getting actors quickly a must, which is my primary focus now. 

I have a storyboard, albeit a rough one, that will serve my needs. I see no reason why this storyboard will not serve it's purpose effectively. 

Casting Actors is now my primary focus. I will start advertising on casting call pro, Plymouth university as well as a number of other places suggested to me by Kev. 

I will also need to book equipment and perform a lighting test on location. It maybe that I will not need lighting equipment on the shoot, but of course I'm not taking any chances, so I will perform a lighting test tomorrow or Saturday, depending on equipment availability. 

Dan has also expressed some concern over when the film is set. While it is true I had initially intended to set the film in a victorian/steampunk setting, I have since decided that this isn't that important and I have grown fond of a looser approach to the time period of the piece, steampunk now being more of an aesthetic guideline. This is not a matter of me compromising to make things simpler, but rather me learning what I regard as important to the film. I feel that this new approach will be liberating and a allow the film to develop a unique tone and style all of it's own. For example, one of my primary influences the Monkey Island series takes a similar approach to it's setting, fully embracing historical inaccuracy and making it a key part of the game's charm and quirky tone and style. 

Despite some well justified stress, I now feel very positive about the film and I am confident it will be quite the success. 

The Call of Adventure: Treatment.

Introduction:

It’s all well and good for Frodo and Sam to take the One Ring to Mordor and throw it in the fires of Mt.Doom, but what about the bar-man at the Prancing Pony in Bree or the local blacksmith of Minas Tirith? What is their story? What’s their perspective on events?

This project isn’t about the heroes who save the day, it’s about the secondary characters who pour they’re drinks and watch from the sidelines.

Aims:

I wish to tell a story from a new perspective and provide a small and limited view of a large and epic fantasy world.

 I also aim to fully take advantage of the visual and audio aspects of the film and use them to explore the themes of a new perspective and a limited view of a larger story.

 It is also important to create deep and well rounded characters, because shallow and pointless characters can really bring down a good story.

Description:

The film will be shot in monochrome and with minimal lighting. Not only will this create a film noir aesthetic but will also to make things simpler, for example I will needed fewer props and the set becomes less important, and this would make setting the film in a fantasy steam-punk world a lot easier.

 I will use atmospheric sound and music, used minimally to focus on the characters and the actions. Sound and music will be used to complement the film and create an atmosphere.

I will also balance the narrative between the storyline of the protagonist and the ‘heroes’, the ‘heroes’ are important but the protagonist is the main focus of the story.

Methods:

I will need to learn to use the camera as this will be the first time I am behind the camera and I wish to have a more hands on approach to the camerawork.

I will experiment with lighting, sound and other aspects of the film in tests. The aim of these will be attempt to use them to create a certain effect.

 I will need to finish the script and make sure it is as good as it can be. I don’t think that the film can be good unless the script is good.

 I will also need to organise actors, crew and location, it will be important to organise these earlier and not leave them to the last minute.

Requirements:

I will require a cannon 5D, since it is the camera I am used to and I find it intuitive and easy to use, and 24 – 70 lens, which a very versatile lens.  I will also need a tripod to get the shots intended.

For sound I need a marantz and microphone, another option is to use the zoom but I will need to learn how to use and experiment with it first.

I will need a rustic looking bar to serve as the location. I do have one in mind, namely the warehouse bar in C103, a nightclub on Union Street. It is very rustic and beaten looking and should be perfect. I am also very familiar with it.

Lastly I will require four actors, two women and two men, including voice actress for the protagonist. I have one person from college in mind for one of the male characters. I feel he perfectly suits the role and should be willing to take part. 

Position your Practice

Identifying your particular or distinctive contribution:

I enjoy turning the established on its head and subverting it somehow in order to provide new and strange perspectives.

I value symbolism, meaning and subtext in a story. I like for there to be a message and for it to mean something.

I am primarily concerned with narrative and characters. I consider myself primarily a story teller.

I enjoy humour, I find it hard to take things seriously and enjoy things that don’t take themselves too seriously.

I also like things to have a bit of darkness to them. If there isn’t any darkness I will quite often be put off. I also find victims and villains more interesting characters then heroes, I find them more compelling and complex characters.

Defining your area of practice:

I like a darker and stranger view on life. I find things more interesting that way. For most of my life I have been a big fan of Tim Burton, ‘Nightmare Before Christmas’ is one of a number of films I can’t remember watching for the first time, I have simply always loved it. I love how it’s bright and vivid, darkly strange and so very unique. I think that watching this film at a very young age may have began my love of dark and strangely unique things.

I also consider myself a ‘metal-head’ and I think my love of heavy metal music is another example of my love of a dark and strange view of things. Metal at its best embraces the things that most music would rather ignore. It revels in the dark, the evil and the grossly horrific and accepts the darker emotions like sorrow, anger and hate as well as the lighter ones like love and joy. I love this different approach to things typically considered ‘bad’ and try to apply it to my own practices.

I also revel in what is perhaps best described as ‘Over-Written’ Dialogue. Kevin Smith and Quentin Tarantino are good examples of this. Kevin Smith is my favourite director and is perhaps my biggest influence in regard to film-making. Not only do I love his charmingly simplistic approach to film, for example the camerawork in ‘Clerks’ is as simple as it can get, but the long monologue-esque speech is the kind of conversations I love to have. I’m honestly not sure which came first, my love for ‘Over-Written’ Dialogue or long in-depth conversations in real life.

I have only in recent years have been introduced to the genius that is Quentin Tarantino and he has quickly become one of my favourite film makers of all time. The dialogue in his films have a great way of engrossing you and bringing you in, and that, for me, is because they are infinitely more interesting that everyday conversations.

The dialogue in the ‘Legacy of Kain’ game series is also another example of characters talking in nothing but long monologues. The dialogue in the cut scenes is beautifully epic and paints a picture with words in a way that inspires me. It also has a strange and dark take on serious and ‘heavy’ themes like fate and free-will, which may also go towards explaining my love of it.

I’m not sure why I respect and value symbolism, narrative and meaning as much as I do. There’s probably something I watched or played as a child that started it but I’m not sure what that is. Two great examples of these things being used perfectly are the works of Alan Moore and the video game Silent Hill 2. The stories that Alan Moore tells, like ‘Watchmen’, ‘V for Vendetta’ and ‘The Killing Joke’, really feel like they matter, because they’re about something more than just entertaining an audience, they’re about ideas of power, political ideologies and sometimes something as simple as trying to stop fighting with enemies before it’s too late.

Another thing I love is meta-humour and pop-culture references. My love of comedy is simple enough to explain, I love it because I don’t like to take things too seriously. To me pop-culture references, when subtle and tastefully done, are a playful wink to the audience and the sign of someone who has a love for what they do. Kevin Smith and Quentin Tarantino do this and that to me displays that they honestly love films and wish to share that love with their fans.  

An old love of mine is probably to blame for this obsession, and that love is the ‘Monkey Island’ series of adventure games. ‘Monkey Island’ is smart, witty, and silly. It never takes itself seriously and actively pokes fun at itself. I have played these games since childhood and still enjoy them as much as ever.  

TV series like ‘Community’ and ‘Spaced’ are also clearly made for and by fans and are frequently filled with references and meta-humour.

That last thing to mention is a providing a limited View of larger world/story. To me, providing a limited view of something bigger makes it seem epically huge and vast, while providing a full view of it only makes it seem small. For example the horrific monsters of H.P. Lovecraft feel terrifyingly colossal on an almost un-imaginable scale. It makes you feel small and insignificant, providing the feeling inevitable doom that makes Lovecraft’s story so great.

The games in the ‘Myst’ series on the other hand allow you to explore a unique and strangely beautiful world whilst providing a story that is told almost exclusively through journal entries. This makes the story feel epic and larger than just your part in it. It also forces the player to take a more active role in the story-telling, the story is not simply handed to them on a silver platter, they have to work for it and it is that work that makes the player appreciate the story all the more and feel like the game respects their intelligence.

Your plans to sustain your practice:

To sustain my practice I intend to pursue a variety of creative outlets like Films, Books, and Music etc after college in free time. I feel that a loose and free approach is best and will help my creativity best as well as attempting build a career and audience.

Your Plans to ‘Get your work out there’:

One of my intended methods for building a career and audiences is the creation of a YouTube channel, which I feel is both be entertaining as well as prove to be a great resource for creating an audience. I also intend to make use of film festivals and possibly podcasting. 

Background People

It's about time to update this blog. The idea has progressed somewhat and I think it'll be wise to address each progression individually.

Firstly, after a very productive and insightful session last Thursday I have decided to really focus upon the main character not being the traditional hero or protagonist but rather a secondary character in the background of a larger narrative. For this end I have created two adventurer characters, Haul and Luna Lugus to be in the foreground of the film. They will be answering their call to adventure whilst Alice serves their drinks and watches from the background of their story. I plan to use focus to explore and experiment with this idea.

Secondly, after a wonderful chat with Isaac, in which we shared or ideas and opinions, I have decided that perhaps a first person perspective would be a good idea. I really liked it in my film, The Keys, it means that the audience only get a limited view of a bigger a picture, which ties in nicely with the idea of a secondary character's view of an epic adventure. 

I will attempt to complete the final script in the next couple of days so I may move on to experimenting with the visual style and organizing the shoot etc.