2/18/09

We spent the bulk of the lesson strengthening the script. Julien did almost all of the dialogue editing, as he was the most proficient at English. I also felt the need to let someone edit my screenplay, because I loathe screenwriting (but I love to come up with plots) and am not really good at coming up with strong dialogue - I unhealthily enjoy making the dialogue repetitive, and this is, in a way, really patronizing to the audience. I also tend to make lines unnecessarily long in hopes of lengthening the script (it's a very, very bad habit).

In my previous post, I said "I also intend to have the group work together at all times, as opposed to individuals working at home without really communicating with other members." After this lesson, it's been proved that the statement is useless (I can't think of a euphemism for "useless"). We as a group should have finished reading the screenplay and then conduct research on different aspects - cinematography, lighting, sound, editing and so on. But the lesson had turned into a screenplay-editing session. I didn't really mind, because I was eager to realize my weak points in screenwriting by having someone else edit my script. Next time, I would assign Julien to edit and improve upon my screenplay for homework. He could conduct research on cinematography during the lesson, so I could supervise him and give him advice when it is time to draw a storyboard.

But at least we had the screenplay honed. Towards the end of the lesson, I assigned homework for each one of my team members. This did not mean that I would be sitting at home doing nothing. I would assist them in every way possible by providing them with links on, for example, sound editing, lighting, cinematography, and so on.

There also wouldn't be any casting problems - I've already casted Alec and Sinclair. I've told them to start memorizing their lines, as we will be filming as soon as possible. Julien would also be an actor, as there are three characters in our film (it doesn't mean that he has to be the camera person just because he is the cinematographer; i think that cinematographers automatically assume the role of the cameraman in school projects, because there are not a lot of people involved in the film. Therefore, I'm assuming that a lot of people misconceive the word "cinematographer" as being synonymous with "cameraman").

As for sound, I sent Raphael several Dystopian sound samples that I mixed using Audacity, a free software. I then emailed him the script and told him to make a list of sounds needed for our film. I also told him to investigate different types of mikes and how to minimize ambience pick-up.

For lighting, I gave Chris several links on low budget lighting. I also introduced him to "gobo"s - "a template or pattern cut into a circular plate used to create patterns of projected light." Thanks for the quote, Wikipedia. Gobos are used to texture the walls of an interior location, to make the environment look more interesting. I told him to conduct further research on lighting, especially the ways of lighting up exterior locations.

Julien wanted to further polish the script, so I sent him the screenplay. I also told him to storyboard the first scene for homework. He would show it to me on Thursday, so that I could have a look at it and make necessary adjustments. As he is a photographer, I didn't tell him to research cinematography. After all, photography and cinematography is very similar (not so similar, but similar enough).

As for Hannah the editor, I did not really know what she could do before production. I will, in the immediate future, tell her to look up editing techniques and Final Cut Pro tips. I will also tell her to think about the costumes that characters would wear in a Dystopian environment, and ask her read about fake blood-making.

We have planned to shoot the first scene of the script on Friday. The dialogue-less scene stars Julien and is set in his apartment. I have chosen that location because his apartment has a post-modern feel that satisfies the Dystopian look. We'll be filming subsequent scenes possibly during the weekend at the Cyberport waterfront, which is nearby.