Tuesday, October 31, 2006

1. Write VO Haiku

2. Shot list

3. Storyboards

4. DIY Equipment

5. Crew
Thematic bridge - Twilight/cloudy/rainy okay/Golden hour w/ blue-shift
Three crew members: dolly grip, camera, actress
Dolly w/ steadi-rig

Leaf - Daylight/cloudy/damp
Three crew: dolly grip, camera, leaf blower
Equipment: Dolly w/ steadi-rig, leaf blower

Perspective - Daylight-various/Dusk okay/Rain okay
Two crew: driver, camera
Equipment: car, camera, stead-rig/tripod, sunroof or side-door attachment

Fingerprint - Studio
Two crew: camera/gaffer/grip, finger
Equipment: tank, camera, tripod, vertical dolly, light kit, gels, background, glass plate, fingerprint residue

VO - Haiku
Silence anchor-image(s)

Thursday, October 26, 2006

So after much deliberation, I think I've decided that I'll be developing these haiku shorts visually, more or less in my head, then describe them verbally in haiku form, and then, from both the haiku and what I've seen in my head, I'll draw up the storyboards, which will then become the shots and so on. By doing this, I can accomplish two things: 1) each of these cinematic haikus actually comes from a more traditional haiku; 2) the three stages of ideation: abstract visualization, descriptive visualization, drawn visualization--ought to allow a thorough refinement of my vision for the piece.

I've written three haikus so far, and in no particular order, they are:

hand enters water,
stretches toward the bottom and
leaves a fingerprint
----------------
the autumn wind blows
a lone leaf along until
it's crushed underfoot
----------------
it towers above
the seattle city skyline:
forced perspective

The first haiku will again make use of the 30-gal aquarium I acquired for the first project. This time, hopefully, I will put it to proper use. This haiku will adhere editorially to the traditional structure of a haiku, use three shots, the first and last will be 5 seconds, the middle 7.

For the second haiku, I am hoping to capitalize on the cliched shots of some sort of mundane object lent beauty by its being "blown in the breeze". The film American Beauty and its "most beautiful" plastic bag of all time moment is the first thing that comes to mind. As well as the feather at the beginning of Forrest Gump. Etc. This time, obviously, that shot will end with a cynical thump, as nature's "beautiful object" is crushed under the foot of modern man. It will be done in a solitary tracking shot, following alongside the leaf, until the foot of man enters from the top of the frame, crushing the leaf and moving callously on. We, meanwhile, will linger for a few brief seconds more on the crushed leaf, before we too move on.


And for the third haiku, which is obviously an allusion to the Space Needle and how it has been the apparatus for the visual commodification of Seattle. I've grown up here, and I've only been up twice. It's a touristic blight on the cityscape, a city typically misrepresented through the exaggerated framing of the Space Needle so as to make the building appear to be either larger than any other building in the city, or at least comfortably nestled in the heart of downtown, which it surely is not. The structure of this haiku will likely differ from the first one--certainly from the second--though I haven't quite decided on its time-based structure yet. I have a few key images that I'm planning on collecting, but this one will likely sort itself out completely in editing.

Haikus four and five are obviously still on the drawing/thinking board, but possible ideas include:

-An entirely voice-over haiku, with the screen either black, or anchored on a solitary, undistracting image that is lent meaning through the haiku being read. In the case of the former, there would be, I think, instances, perhaps at the shifts from line to line, where brief anchor/contrast images would flash on-screen, if only to break up the monotony and add some visual point-counterpoint to the VO.

-For the fifth one, I had considered constructing a haiku that bookends the rest, similar to the bookends on "32 Short Films About Glen Gould", to provide an entrance into and therefore, an exit from the series. The benefit of this, just like with "Glenn Gould", is that these a) intstruct us on how to read the segments that follow; and b) provide closure at the end, by making us feel there was some unity to the piece. Of course the problems that arise are thematic ones: how can I have a three-line haiku, translated to cinema, split in two, and on top of the structural problem that causes, have it relate to the rest of the films in the series? The first solution that comes to mind is the have the second haiku open with an image that resembles the one in the first part of the first haiku, thematically linking them, and have the fourth haiku end with an image that will thematically resemble the second half of the first haiku/coda. Of course, this too opens a can of worms: from short to short within the series, would all not have to follow this same motif, so that the beginning and ending thematic links don't feel too forced or out of place? I've also considered a three-way split of this haiku, one segment at the beginning, one in-between haikus three and four, and the final segment acting as coda at the end. Again, that opens its own set of issues. (Just thought of this, I may use one of the haikus I had earlier discarded as not fitting. Briefly: we open tight on a railing at the gasworks park Seattle observation area, a woman's hand enters the frame and we follow it as she traces the cold iron, feeling its grooves and imperfections, then rack focus to the skyline. Then still tracks alongside her hand w/ skyline in focus. Then rack focus back to her hand and stop camera mvmnt as her hand exits frame, fade to black over ambient sound...These three segments could be easily broken up over the course of the film--it might work!)

Other issues:
-Constructing a vertical rail for the camera on the second haiku so that I can have a steady shot dollying down alongside the finger in the tank. There will be a zoom, to enlarge the image and decrease the depth of field, but that will also make a rail or vertical dolly that much more necessary.
-Do I need to rent a leaf-blower for the blowing leaf in the second haiku? This would provide a more organic "breeze" than pulling the leaf along with a string, but it also makes it more unpredictable for framing. Ultimately, I think this unpredictability will be desireable.
-Capturing a fingerprint underwater for the first haiku: I don't think I'll use some sort of in-tank residue; I'm thinking I'll need to put a glass plate with a fingerprint on it between the tank wall and the camera. The problem this raises is a lighting on. I'll need multiple light sources, and I'll have to massage it quite a bit in-camera.

Friday, October 20, 2006

Nine hard-learned lessons from my first real Crit:

1. Do not, EVER, allow yourself to become married to the material you're pursuing.
2. Always ask yourself, what is the bare minimum required to convey the essential idea--the barebones, no shit essence of what you're trying to communicate.
3. Be leary of your set-ups: if it feels like you're trying to project meaning onto the shot, instead of setting up the shot to communicate your idea, then you're bassackwards and you don't fucking need it.
4. First, before you do anything else, ask yourself, "What am I trying to say? What do I want my audience to get out of this?" And if you don't fuck around and are honest with yourself, then all you'll need to ask next is, "What is the most elegant way to say it?" and voila!
5. SB: "Part of this class is being able to tell the difference between a good idea...and a bad idea. You're trying to stay structurally or conceptually pure to your idea, so you say, 'I gotta have this scene.' -- You don't gotta have that scene."
7. SB: "You don't need to illustrate stuff." Imply it!
8. SB: (para) Let the audience stitch it together in their heads. "Use our minds as your editor."
9. Credits, cool though they may be, are not necessary for a 90-second short film. Especially when it takes 4+ hours of work to prep them. Cool. Very cool. Not needed. Waste of time.

Of course, when I say you, yourself, etc. I really mean me, myself, etc. And why are these so hard-learned? Because I did the exact wrong thing on every one.

I have my work cut out for me: I have just discovered that I'm probably as self-indulgent as any spoiled, big-budget filmmaker or any pretentious indie "auteur." I didn't even know it. But I gotta lose it, and it ain't gonna go easy.

Thursday, October 12, 2006

Apparition is now "live" at myspace.com. Just click on the videos section on my page and you'll find that as well as several other of my videos.

Wednesday, October 11, 2006


Last night was the shoot for DXARTS 451 Project 1 a.k.a. "Apparition" (bad title, I know). First shot was at about 2100, and last shot was at about 0630 the following morning. Chris, my lead actor, had to work at 8am, poor guy, and towards the end he was continually falling asleep during set-ups, especially when I was setting up the Camera Obscura shot. Other than the ridiculous filming hours, it went pretty smooth.

I would be remiss, if I didn't first acknowledge the massive amount of help I received from both Chris (who is usually much more comfortable behind the camera); and my brother, Ryan, who played the barely-there, titular apparition, as well as helped out with some grip-stuff for the dolly shot and the titles. There is no way in hell I could have made this without their help.

They are both cineastes however, and my girlfriend, Marie, is not. She enjoys the casual movie, but she doesn't quite comprehend our fascination with the construction of moving pictures; nor does she have any plans to pursue any sort of filmmaking-related career. So when I say that she spent hours on her day off, when she could have been doing much more relevent things (like homework), helping my ass create--nay, not helping: making--the title cards for the film, that should mean a hell of a lot. She worked meticulously and diligently to research the fonts, lay them out and construct the actual card that I merely taped to the aquarium and backlit before filming. And of course, since she was busy hibernating through most of the shoot making them, I'm sure I came off as unappreciative. Well Babe, thank you so much for your help. You know better than anyone that I couldn't have done this without your help (or your Visa). I know I get cranky and terse when I'm working, but I don't appreciate what you did for me any less.

As far as the finished product is concerned, I'm relatively happy with how many of the images look in their final form, but I'm not very satisified with how it plays from shot to shot. The montage is particularly rough, having only a few inserts and virtually no master shots. We were unable to use coverage to construct the scenes because of the assignment's constraints. I kept saying to myself, if only I could use Final Cut. In fact, there is one insert in particular that could benefit quite a bit with having about 10 frames sliced off the beginning--but that's neither here nor there. Fact is, I could edit only in my head and while I may not be entirely happy with the result, I did find the assignment's constraints intensely challenging--in the best way possible. It was remarkably refreshing to not be able to edit after the fact. It forced me to rehearse my actors, the blocking and photography, which is not something I have done in the past. I usually just let the camera roll and use bits from conversations, rehearsals, etc. in addition to the intended footage. While that has provided some fantastic material in the past, it is in some ways sloppy filmmaking, relying on countless takes, and makes for a heavily edited film. Apparition, on the other hand, is a bit breezier and more relaxed editorially. Is it better? Well if not, I hope that it is at least progressive; that is at least one more step toward the development of a more rigorous, cohesive visual aesthetic.

Forward motion: that's all that matters.

Anyhow, I fell in love with photographing things in the 30-gal aquarium I acquired for the project, so I hope to actually experiment some with it in less narrative-centric forms. Until then though, I only have to catch-up on three-plus days of Spanish homework and two days of Comp Lit. Oh well.

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Black FADES IN to INSERT OF OBSCURED SUN… cuts to:

TITLES –
a film by
ERIK LEDREW

The screen is black. And then suddenly light flickers, illuminating the frame: a MAN is screwing in a light bulb.

(ECU PULLS BACK, LOCKS OFF ON TRIPOD LOOKING DOWN STAIRS)

When finished, we follow his hand down, and while he exits to presumably throw away the dead bulb the frame remains frozen on the descending staircase before us, symmetrically stretching down to the basement.

It’s virtually pitch black down there. The light at the top of the staircase doesn’t penetrate it.

He returns to descend the staircase.

He steps off of the last stair (ECU FOLLOWS FEET FROM LAST STEP, STEPPING OFF, TO FIRST CONTACT ON TILED FLOOR) and flicks the light switch (CUT TO: WS HANDHELD, AS HE WALKS TO SWITCH AND THEN ECU OF SWITCH FLICKING). He flicks it a couple of times. (MCU ON HEAD/SHOULDERS OF GUY LOOKING FROM SWITCH TO LIGHTS AND BACK)

He steps away from the meager light, reaching for the other light switch—the one in the laundry room. (RETURN TO ECU OF LIGHTSWITCH FOLLOWING HAND RELEASING IT, DOLLYING BACKWARDS INTO LAUNDRY ROOM AND ENDING ON ECU OF OTHER LIGHTSWITCH)

He flicks it. Again.

He goes upstairs. (HOLD ON ECU OF LIGHTSWITCH UNTIL HE COMPLETELY EXITS FRAME)

He opens a cabinet with an empty light bulb box: no luck. He shakes it, tosses it back in and closes the doors. (STARTS BLACK UNTIL CUPBOARD DOORS PART, REVEALING MS WIDE-ANGLE SHOT FROM INTERIOR OF CUPBOARD AND ENDS IN BLACK WHEN DOORS CLOSE)

He returns to the basement, (MS PERPINDICULAR TO STAIRCASE) this time walking to the small desk against the far wall (CUTS TO MWS FROM OPPOSITE END OF THE BASEMENT WHEN HE STEPS ONTO THE GROUND). He turns on the desk lamp, (WS FROM LOWER TO THE GROUND, LOOKING THROUGH JUNK) a ray of light in this well of darkness.

He angles the light into the laundry room. (CUT TO: MS FROM OVER-THE-TOP OF THE LIGHT, LOOKING INTO LAUNDRY ROOM)

He is having trouble getting lamphead to adjust. He looks from laundry room to lamp and back and forth then:

A flutter. (A HAND, WAY OUT OF FOCUS FLUTTERS IN FRONT OF CAMERA IN DEAD-SPACE AREA NEXT TO HIS HEAD WHEN HE IS LOOKING AT LAMP)

He walks into the laundry room.

He opens the washer. (CU OF HAND OPENING LID)

The clothes are still in several inches of water. (MS, OVERHEAD)

No matter. He opens the dryer. (CU OPENING DRYER DOOR)

He begins to unload the wash, while droplets of water drip off the clothes and form a little puddle at his feet. (CU ⇒ MWS, Man IN FOREGROUND, FACE IN CU ON LEFT THIRD LINE OF FRAME, DOORWAY IN MWS ON RIGHT THIRDLINE, OTS OCCUPYING CENTER OF FRAME, LOCKED OFF ON TRIPOD CUTS TO INSERT OF WATER DROPLETS HITTING FLOOR )

A shadow begins to inch its way across the floor, slowly. It crawls up his body, blotting out the light. (MWS FROM OVER TOP OF LIGHT AGAIN, BUT PUSHED IN CLOSER THIS TIME)

He continues to load the dryer. (BACK TO CU ⇒ MWS, BUT THIS TIME HANDHELD, FOLLOWING HIS FACE AS HE GOES FROM WASH TO DRYER AND BACK) He is oblivious—but there is nothing behind him.

He comes up to grab more clothes out of the wash, and there is a definite, humanoid shape behind him. It stands in the doorway, immobile, featureless. It’s front steeped in shadow. A puddle spreads about on the floor around it.

He goes back down to the dryer. He comes back up and it is gone.

He goes back down to the dryer with more clothes. He comes back up and it is standing right behind him. Water streams off of it. (CUT FROM HIM GOING TO PULL CLOTHES OUT OF DRYER, TO CU OF HIS FEET IN FOREGROUND, “IT” IN MCU B/G, CENTER-RIGHT FRAME, WATER SPREADING OUT FROM ITS BASE)

A larger puddle spreads out around its feet.

He is still oblivious. (CUT BACK TO CU OF HIS FACE HANDHELD GOING FROM WASH TO DRYER, CLOSES IT, AND BACK UP)

He takes the last load down to the dryer, and when he comes back up it is gone.

So is the puddle. (CUT TO ECU OF SAME SHOT FROM EARLIER, BUT ONLY PUDDLE FROM THE CLOTHES IS THERE)

He walks away from the washer and dryer— (CUT BACK TO LOCKED-OFF SHOT AS HE WALKS INTO LIGHT, CAMERA HAS SLIGHT DOLLY UP)

only to slip in the first puddle, still in the doorway. (ON slip CUT TO RAPIDLY SETTING SUN)

He begins to drown. But not in the millimeters-deep puddle. He is choking on water, spewing it forth as if his body is drowning itself (QUICK CUTS—CUT TO MCU OF FEET SLOSHING ABOUT IN WATER GRAPHICALLY MATCHED TO MOUNTAINS IN SETTING-SUN SHOT, TRACING LEGS LEFT TO RIGHT, UP TO SPASMING KNEE. CUT TO MCU OF ELBOWS TRACING THEM LEFT TO RIGHT UP TO SHOULDERS SLOSHING ABOUT IN WATER. CUT TO CU OF WRISTS, TRACING THEM UP TO HANDS GRASPING NECK. CUT TO ECU OF SILHOUETTED CHIN DOLLYING LEFT TO RIGHT TO MOUTH SPEWING BACK-LIT WATER INTO THE AIR. CUT TO VERTICAL WS LOOKING STRAIGHT-DOWN ON SPASMING BODY IN PUDDLE.

His face is contorted in shock, fear and pain. (CUT TO MCU ⇒ ECU DOLLYS IN TO RIGHT EYE, REVEALING REFLECTION)

In his eyes there is more than fear, there is death itself. (IN REFLECTION, SKULL ENTERS STREAM OF LIGHT FROM SHADOWS)

There is one last image his eyes—those perfect camera obscurae—ever see. Through his water-distorted pupils, through the fear and the motion and refracted single light, is the unmistakable image of a gleaming white skull, smiling at him the rictus of mortality. (CUT TO REVERSE: POV, SEEN THROUGH WATER, MOVING AND THEN STILL SHOT OF DISTORTED SKULL. CUTS TO BLACK, PAUSE, THEN:

“APPARITION”
(working title)



So I've finished my script and shot list at...5:38 a.m. Since I haven't got a chance to do any test shots, I've selected screengrabs from a few films that are serving as primary sources for visual inspiration. It should come as no surprise that they're all from films noir--except Citizen Kane--since it could be said in all fairness that "a study in light and shadow" is more than a requisite for the genre, but one of the defining points of the noir aesthetic. So despite that my short is more of a horror film than any of these are, I hope to make it more than their brethen when it comes to the visual aesthetic. The screengrabs are from Touch of Evil (dir. Orson Welles); The Third Man (dir. Carol Reed); and Asphalt Jungle (dir. John Huston). These, in addition to the shots in my head, are going to serve as examples of the lighting scheme I want to emulate for this project.

Sunday, October 08, 2006

Today I was planning to go on a tandem paragliding excursion from the summit of Tiger Mtn., during which time I was going to be able to bring my (well-secured) camera with me to gather some b-roll for three inserts: a medium close-up of feet jumping off of a cliff; a wide POV shot of the camera tumbling over the edge of the cliff; a wide shot of the sun setting behind jagged mountains. I wasn't positive I could get the last shot, since I the trip would take place earlier in the day, so I did plan back up for that one. Now though, it looks like that may be the ONLY shot I'm going to get. I don't really need the paragliding excursion for the last two shots, but without the first shot, the feet jumping off of the cliff, I don't think any of them would make sense in the larger context of the video I'm making. So that's my current dilemma: will I be able to get the first shot? Will the other two make sense without it? And if not, is there an alternate visual metaphor I can establish, or should I just scrape them altogether?

I also didn't have any time to shoot this weekend, as I had hoped, mainly because I had to work, but also because, as Noel helped me realize, it would be much easier to film the "visual metaphor" shots off of a playback screen, instead of integrating them into the video live. So in order to that, I had to push back the shoot.

I'm still working on test shots; later today I'll be doing some lighting tests on location (in other words: the basement of my house); and I've got some errands to run, supplies to pick-up. And hopefully the clouds will burn off, so I can at least catch the sunet. I'm not optimistic though: I will probably just have to be late to work tomorrow...

Thursday, October 05, 2006

This is only a test...