VIDEO & SOUND PRODUCTION - Project 1

30/8/2018 - 3/10/2018  (Week 1 - Week 6 )

Ng Shu Zhi (0327158)

Video & Sound Production - Project 1

LECTURES

Week 1: [holiday]

Week 2: We had a lecture on composition in cinematography. We learned about close shots, wide shots, over the shoulder shots, middle shot and many more.

Week 3: We had a lecture on storytelling in film where we learned about story and plots in a story. There are 3 acts, the beginning which is the set up of the story which introduces the characters, middle where there is confrontation to the story and the end where there is the resolution.

Week 4: We had a lecture on different people who work on a filming production together and their roles then we got into groups of 3 to divide the roles between us to film a few scenes from the short film, Lalin.

INSTRUCTIONS

WORK

 PSA ideas:

1. LGBT rights: Love is love no matter what gender
2. Suicide Prevention: Message: Breaking the cycle of depression leading up to suicide

I had chosen to do the PSA for suicide prevention

The video I had chosen to be inspired from was Barnado's Break the Cycle video whereby there is a line of events which just keep repeating itself and in mental health there is also a theme about trying to break the cycle of thoughts and actions to help someone relieve themselves of their stresses and pain.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhU4Ee-8Y6s Here is the video to Barnado's Break the Cycle video

ACT 1

1. We have the main character (MC) staying up late at night to study for their exams, they look up at the clock and it's very late which makes the MC sigh in disappointment.
2. Then cut to a new day where the MC's results come in and it's an F which makes the MC shiver with fear
3. Cut to back at home, the MC's parents are scolding them for their grades calling them worthless and degrading them then slaps MC
4. Cut to a scene in the toilet where the main character is silently crying and harming themselves via cutting.

PLOT POINT 1

The story repeats itself again

ACT 2

This time the sequences keep repeating themselves again and again but as each sequence repeats itself, it gets cut down to the major part of that 1 scene and the pace of everything repeats itself faster as it repeats.

CLIMAX

In act 2 as the pace of the sequences get faster, there will be a flashing image of MC holding their head like they're going insane and screaming and as the sequence gets faster, the screaming gets louder.

ACT 3

We see a scene or image that signifies the MC had committed suicide. Either by hanging where we only see an image of the hanging rope, or by overdose where we only see an image of the pill bottle falling from the MC's hand. Then we put up the message for suicide prevention.

STORYBOARD
For the storyboard I had divided each scene accordingly by numbers

First scene
Location: Bedroom

1. The main character is in the dark studying with the sound of a clock ticking in the background.
2. Then we see a middle close shot of main character struggling on their studies and looking up to the clock's direction
3. We see the clock at a very late time.
4. Main character sighs while their head collapses into their hands out of frustration.

Second scene
Location: classroom

1. We see a close up of the classroom table then the exam marks are slammed onto the desk.
2. We see a low angle wide shot of the main character looking down at their exam grades.
3. Then main character picks up their mark to find out they have failed. [either by having the F grade on their paper already or they take it out from the envelope dramatically then it cuts off to the next scene]

Third scene

Location: home living room

1. Over the shoulder shot seeing the parent scolding main character.
2. Over the shoulder shot seeing the main character trying to say something then the parent slaps the child.

Fourth scene

Location: home toilet

1. Wide shot of main character sitting on the floor with their face red from crying and they're cutting themselves in the toilet.
2. [May or may not put this] Close up of cutting of the wrist.

Fifth

1. Everything repeats itself but at a faster pace and in the background have the voice of the main character scream getting louder until we see only the image of the rope.
2. Then put out the message

Types of lighting and mood

For the video I wanted to do something a little more realistic but play around with lighting to get different types of effects for difference scenes. 

For the beginning scene where the main character is studying alone, I want to make it seem more lonely so I thought about maybe having the room be dark with only one light source like in the example image but since the main character is a student, I would like for the light source to only be one lamp.

Then in the classroom scene, something just like simple natural window light is okay for this scene.

Then when going into the darker scenes where the parent is beating their child, I wanted to do something with blue lighting or I could also go with the original source for the video idea "Barnado's Break the cycle"

For the toilet scene I wanted something more eerie so I thought of using high contrast lighting.

I could also go for a more realistic lighting to immerse the viewers more to make it look more realistic and that it's something that does happen in real life.

Then at the end when the main character commits suicide, it will be dark showing only the rope and for this I would like to use high contrast lighting on the rope.

CHANGE OF IDEA
To cater to the possible client, FastJobs I'll be changing some parts to my acts to make have it cater the client's needs and commercial uses.

First scene
Location: Bedroom

1. The main character is in bed tossing and turning with the sound of a clock ticking in the background.
2. Then the main character gets fed up and gets up from their bed, looking up to the clock's direction
3. We see the clock at a very late time. At maybe 3am. Have the lighting be very dark to show its night time.

Second scene
Location: waiting room

1. Cut to seeing the same type of clock set at the same time and same position but at 3pm in the afternoon
2. Pan out from the clock to see the Main character in an interview for a job.
3. Then main character leaves the room with the interviewer giving a thumbs down.

Third scene

Location: home living room

1. Over the shoulder shot seeing the parent scolding main character because main character didn't get a job.
2. Over the shoulder shot seeing the main character trying to say something then the parent slaps the child.

Fourth scene

Location: bedroom

1. Wide shot of main character sitting on the bed looking at their social media, then over the shoulder shot seeing friends post their work pictures.
2. Close up on main character's face crying over no job.
3. The main character lies back down on bed and starts tossing and turning.

Fifth

1. Everything repeats itself but at a faster pace and in the background have the voice of the main character scream getting louder until they get a recommendation from their friend to go on FastJobs and get a job.
2. Cue the cheesy explanation of how to use FastJobs.
3. Then main character posts a pic of them at work with their colleagues and everyone is happy.