#1 Introduction to Documentary

When people talk about the types of documentary, Bill Nichols’ articulation is the classic identification  that divides six modes to express each style. Although there are some arguments between his points and other academics, it does not affect audiences understand their theories, even adds more explanation on them.

While I read the summary of Bill Nichols’s seminal book, I prefer “the participatory mode" as my planning type in my documentary. It encourages filmmakers and protagonist or other subjects engage the film, in other words, the record could be affected by different participators but also present unexpected diversity.

It is debatable that how define the authenticity of documentary is, or we can say there is no only principle to describe the documentary, some producers believe the filmmakers have to be objective shooting their characters and avoid become a part of film. However,  from my point  of view, the subjects definitely knew the camera(s) there recording their action (except hidden the camera shows), so the perform already influenced by camera(s) and crews exist; which means the filmmakers already involved the process just may or may not in the screen.

Therefore, why not just naturally shooting the procedure between subjects and filmmakers? Based on different targets of documentary, we can understand alternative modes from other documentary, but my documentary will try to catch audience’s attention by watching “the participatory mode". In my opinion, led audiences comprehend not only particular subjects can be recorded, the ordinary people as crews can also be shot is important element to promote the film. Because audiences might find resonance connected to their daily life from the interactions among participatory mode, the more connection they see, the more interesting they want to focus on it.

Nevertheless, no matter which mode of documentary exhibited to audiences, there are always appear both weakness and strengths individually. If I towards participatory mode sketch my video, I will search these types film to observe how the directors balance the footage  between subjects and filmmakers, make sure the latter does not occupy much shoot than main character(s), otherwise it would digress to other topics becomes someone’s documentary.

#5 The reflection of Lenny

For this moment to rethink that all day shooting on our Lenny work, it is still impressed me the feeling. Although I have some experiences about nonfiction shooting during as a journalist, the complete fiction drama shooting with script is my first time.

Pre-production
After group our team members, we were look around RMIT campus to found great location for our scene before the day we shoot. We chose a triangle grass ground with few benches there, the wall behind the bench even with colorful painting and found a long yellow stairs behind building 8, it was a good preparation for the plot’s position.

However, neither of us took notes in our script for the deconstruction of footage, I just read the story and checked unknown vocabulary as well. It is shame we realized that how it terrible is that insufficient studying on script caused more busy work when we shoot. At intensive day, we roughly drew the sketch, analyzed what kind shot we want and hastily took equipment to started it.
 

 

Production

At round one, my job is 2nd AD, I was no idea what’s the duty of position in the beginning, so I read the article ‘Crew Role’ again and started my work. The shooting was going well, Kim as our director, we got two talented actors, so I just helped the team stopped passersby a while and observed surroundings to reduced noise, watched out our property and took photo as a production still photographer.
  

My second job is boom, I was enjoyed play this position as a tough job holding the boom long time, but I think I should be more careful on details because I made boom into frame few times that I find it after we upload film in suit. Fortunately, the quality is no bad, still can be used for another team’s production.

Moving to the third position, this time I am the DOP. As I mentioned before, I didn’t prepare a lot on script just thought it would be ok, so I got punishment that I don’t know what do I need for my screen, where was the right location between characters, which angle that camera should set up, I communicated with my director Leila quite long, then we actually got 30 minutes to shoot three scenes. Nevertheless, from the second scene I directed getting better and smooth under team member’s assistance. Although I think I should took few more footages for some particular part due to it is not enough material when I review them in premiere. I still get lots work to improve in this position, director is not kidding job!

Until final work, I am an actress to played Lenny. It was interesting that I quite enjoyed immersed the role, acted required action with drama tension to matched plot. The most funniest thing is I had to gradually died with disappointed on a bench in last shot, but it wasn’t easy, like my dead gesture, some part of body moved, we repeated few times to demonstrate the correct approach that director wanted. Under everyone’s attention, I felt little by shy to play it, but it’s pleased to made pleasure for everyone.

Post-Production

During this process, I still consider how to edit my footage to match the script. In my opinion, transfer the description of words into images of film is a subjective and challengeable task. Therefore, I follow Paul’s instruction to organize my footage into named bin as first step, separate different scene and sequence in premiere, the more details I created in previous work, the more easy to find each material when I doing rough cut. It is good habit that every time I should establish like this. 
In final part, I compress and upload two rough cut of scene, it is obvious that I still need insert more element for the tiny film, the urgent part should be settle down color grading for differ scene and put appropriate soundtrack and sound effect or keep nature sound to supply film’ basic soul.

https://drive.google.com/a/student.rmit.edu.au/file/d/0B3vPwG8v6SdgUUhMbXhtQWpIM1U/preview“>The scene 1
https://drive.google.com/a/student.rmit.edu.au/file/d/0B3vPwG8v6SdgSm1MWVdBQlV2M2c/preview“>The scene 2

#6 Taxi Driver Deconstruction

This is second time that we are asked to deconstruct a part of scene of Taxi Driver. To be honest, I was wondering how can we analyze it and reflect the scene differently with first time. However, as Paul saying, while we had shot and cut our Lenny film, it’s time to rethink our reflection with mature sight, because we immerse real work whole day. Wisdom comes from tons of experiences.

In the beginning, there is two seconds medium close-up shot on protagonist Travis who stays inside taxi and going to ask a woman out, it is a little low angle to shot him that demonstrate Travis is excite
d and prepared looking into particular building. Then it is a medium long shot tracks his step until Travis into the indoor, the footage switches to MCU again, this time the camera in front of him and with his vision to show the surroundings then gradually zoom into Betsy and Tom with mid shot. It is obvious that the smooth tempo of footage from outdoor to indoor may arrange at least three cameras to capture different angles on Travis.

I quite like the part at 0: 24, it set up middle shot that Travis looks like jumps in the frame to appears his excited gesture and clearly facial expression to reject Tom’s suggestion. Here is a interesting point, during this part until 0:31, we cannot watch Betsy’s face, but from 0:31 to 0:33, it quickly switches to close-up on Betsy and medium close-up on Tom’s leaving which is inform audiences that Travis and  Betsy’s conversation is begin. There is a 180 degree line angle can be observed among three characters until Tom walks out of the frame. It should be two cameras located in opposite side behind each character ( Travis & Betsy )to present each other’s’ angle during their conversation. Until 1:08, the footage change to middle shot with 180 degree line once again to illustrate their background and Tom’s showing.

As we can see, it almost set in close-up shot when footage turn to Travis and mentions his purpose every time, then it follows his action zoom out to Betsy (MCU) and the desk. It is significant that it use high angle here looking down to focus each item on the table. Continuing their conversation, after Betsy listens his long talking, it’s her turn. From 2:05 to 2:13, the shot stay in close-up frame to present her consideration; and then switches to MS to implies Tom is into the frame once again.

Looking into the shot in 2:14 to 2:25, it remains long seconds on MS to emphasize Travis’s nervous and his surroundings. The footage starts from 2:26 to 2:53 switching between MCU and MS several times during their conversation until Travis leaves the frame. Finally, the last middle shot arranges Tom close in and Travis leaving as reciprocal ending, then it stops at MCU on Betsy as last indoor shot. Music rising, the moving MS tracks Travis with his waiting to states there’s next scene is coming.

 

 

#7 My favorite scene of Kill Bill

Film genre is an  usual topic when people talk about the movie. Action is one of my enjoyable style when I make a decision to watch. Since I was a child, I could always repeated the fighting scene to observe how the protagonist smoothly acts the charming action, I cannot explain until I know what is the aestheticization of violence. Here is the answer, although some conservative groups argue that aestheticization of violence is a controversial and negative material in screen which may cause immaturities adverse demonstration, it cannot be denied the element is an art within visual effect that impressed fans with it powerful image and astonishing story.

Quentin Tarantino is a well-known director who generates plenty aestheticization of violence on his movie. Kill Bill can be his highly admitted work which is one of film contained Asian martial arts and Western action in top rank. There is a amazing and my favored scene impressed me that I want to discuss with it.

scene  O-Ren-Ishi severs a head

The scene is described an antagonist O-Ren, her tough and stunning action to deal with internal fight in the gang. O-Ren, the top Japanese leader who has challenged her background of mixed race from another member that she quickly beheads him answering the suspicion. I quite like a part from 0:45 to 0:57, after the guy has beheaded, others just freak out and hold their breath stop there but the bleeding keep flow out. The frame shaped a strong contrast, everything is unmoved except the red bleeding. In addition, the sound provides huge impact here, only man’s scream with bleeding gushed. All of constructions designed a unchallengeable woman and her stable authority.

From 1:08 to 1:18, obviously, the frame is going to focus on the character to indicates her monologue after the killing. It starts medium long shot (MLS) within O-Ren packs up sword to medium close up (MCU) on her half-length picture, the footage creates a tension that audience unconsciously to expect next turning point. From 1:41, it is also significant that the shot directly switch to close-up (CU) then extreme close up (ECU) on her facial expression to keep going her final speech.

The scene from the footage of debating council to the end of transfixed council, it seems target on the whole gang member, but it is unquestioned that the tough woman O-Ren is the most splendid element penetrated the scene on aestheticization of violence.

#4 Prompt Readings-Sight & Hearing,Sound Design

This is second time to write our reflection about relative filmmaking, I chose ‘Sight & Hearing’ and ‘Sound Design’ as my reflective readings.

In the first article, ‘Sight and Hearing’ has attracted my attention, due to its content appears as slogan instead of chapter of textbooks, it makes reader more willing to focus reading and looking for key points. Furthermore, short and clear sentences are often interest people to read with curiosity. As we know, the more concentrated essence is more rely on powerful strengths to condense and present it, otherwise, it won’t be published and shows author’s unprofessional knowledge.

However, the shorter content does not equal it is easy to understand. For example, there is one content saying: When a sound can replace an image, cut the image or neutralize it. The ear goes more towards the within, the eye towards the outer. I could not figure it out at first time reading, once I looking into previous and following context, I realize that it is talks about separated audio and video or better quality of audio but worse image will make the film getting worse, if the sound and image could not combine as a complete film, they are just distracted audience’s attention. Ironically, earlier post I have mentioned that I thought good soundtrack may can fix tiny defect of image in video. Now it makes clear, different material cannot be complemented each other, filmmakers should have blueprints on both sound and image before the video has shot.

Looking into ‘sound and design’, there is one paragraph has attracted me, ‘a sound designer must be sensitive to all sound, pleasant or unpleasant, exciting or unexciting, significant or insignificant, well performed or poorly performed’. It reminds me the experience when we shoot group Lenny production. I get the chance to be sound position, wore the headphone looks like nothing special, but it really made me intently listened into all the details than other crews.

For instance, while we shot actors had conversation in corridor, there was a sensor door made annoying sound due to many people pass there. I tried to ignored that and focus on my scene audio, however, once I concentrated on sound more, the low buzz bothers me more than usual. Therefore, I interrupted the shooting and told them my point. What makes me surprise is my crew members didn’t hear that buzz or just skip it to continue our shooting. At that moment, I suddenly realize that ‘you are what position you stand’. Maybe I was too sensitive for them, but from my point of view, I was responsibly contributed my obligation as a sound.

‘The more aware you are of sound, the better you will be able to articulate the literal and aesthetic sonic requirements of a production’. For me, as a sound designer is not only generate background music, insert sound effect or mix differ channel audio during video editing, the role is like a mother; to argue with low noise, to stop passerby walking and daringly to interrupt film shooting; all of these just to make sure can protect the baby, to produce a qualified sound.