During this unit, I think the most valuable thing I learned was how to handle a situation during a production when things go wrong. This was due to me having to reschedule the shoot by a week as my actors were unable to make the originally planned shooting days, and after trying everything I could, I could not find actors in time to avoid rescheduling. However, this taught me the importance of being calm and not worrying over things that I can not control even though I have tried my best to solve them, which I think was good to learn now whilst I am still fairly new at making my own films.
The other positive about this was that I then had an extra week to do more planning, which I think I have improved at since Script to Screen. This time I had a much clearer plan as had made more overhead diagrams, mood boards, and storyboards, and a more detailed shot list, which I was then able to put into my own production book and take on set. I think my storyboards could show depth better, for example the one depicting Cleo's low angle shot was only drawn straight on, but these did make the film better as it had more of its own style, because I had thought about my intentions and was able to better stick to and remember them by having the production book.
However, I did miss one shot, and was lucky that I got it anyway because there were so many mirrors in the hotel room. I had planned to film the character of Emma reacting to the computer at the end of the second scene from the front, but forgot and only filmed her from the back. I think this could be solved next time by me checking the shot list more throughly at the end of shooting scenes, or even using a clipboard so I can carry it around and tick the shots off one by one as they are filmed.
At the end of shooting scenes I also forgot to record buzz tracks for my locations, but I worked around this in my edit by using the silence from some of the takes with dialogue as the characters were not constantly talking in the scenes. However, with buzz tracks the sound in my edit would definitely have been cleaner.
I also want to develop planning how I am going to use sound and lighting more in my films, as although I did plan these this time it was not in great detail as I focused more on visuals. I think I could do this by allocating more time on set to setting up and positioning lighting, as I only used natural light in this film. Although, I did find that this was a helpful skill to have, especially when filming outside in sunlight, as I learnt how to use compass points to determine where the sun would be and then could plan my shot list around this so the sun acted as a sort of key light, separating my actors from the background.
However, from workshops and research I did get to learn how lighting can affect the tone and mood of a piece, and how this can affect the audience.
I also found from the research I did on directors such as Harry Winer, Steven Spielberg, and Sofia Coppola, as well as the TV shows, Feud: Bette and Joan and Vanished by the Lake, that I was able to use their styles as steady influences to develop my own style, which was interesting because it made me realise it was something that was already developing away from this research in my workshop films with the recurring L pattern seating arrangement I kept experimenting with.
By mixing together all of this practical research and mixing it with some theory, such as colour theory and film movements like German expressionism and French New Wave, I think that my style developed and helped me gain a better understanding of how to communicate deeper ideas about characters and their stories through screen language and production design, especially in terms of personalities and emotions. Comparing films and TV shows I had seen also helped to develop this, although I think that I could use more TV influences, as usually I research a lot of film.
However, even though my film was a recreation of the sequence so was an interpretation that was mixed with lots of other styles, I still think that it felt like the show Once Upon A Time, mainly due to how I wanted the mood of the piece to be hopeful. Also though, I think it was because of how I chose to focus on Emma and her search, which I was able to do through perspective and point of view, with both directing and editing.
Although in some of the shots I filmed, especially close-ups, I did not always stick to the planned perspective, even though I managed to still make this fit my intentions as I learned how to opacity mask out non-moving elements so that it is un-noticeable. This skill especially helped when I had to flip some close-ups after crossing the line in the fourth scene. I think I made this mistake because I was not thinking as it was near the end of filming, but next time I will make sure to take a second to think and not rush into things, as it is a mistake that does not take long to fix once you realise you made it. I would also like to make sure I go to every location next time before filming, as I did not have access to the hotel room until the day and I think this is why I did not always stick to the planned perspective because I found I sometimes didn't have the space I thought I would have.
Overall, I am proud of the film, especially since I was able to convey underlying ideas and themes, such as hope and cynicism, as well as foreshadowing such as by the presence of the mirrors symbolising The Evil Queen and using Emma's parents' theme when the jacket brings her closer to becoming the hero they want her to be, through visuals such as framing, and elements of production design and screen language. This is why I really enjoyed directing, and I was also able to meet and work with some great people who I will be able to hopefully work with again in the future.
I believe that my directing style has developed massively during this project, and will continue to develop as I gain more influences in both film and TV.
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