Directions: Production book and original plan v.s. final product

Production book:

From Producing and directing the short film and video, I was able to create my own production book that I could take with me on set which allowed me to keep my plan with me at all times so I could refer back to it. This was useful as it meant that most of what I originally intended ended up in the final film, and I could see from the contents of the book why I had made the choices I had made originally, which still allowed me to change the plan slightly when on location to better fit what I was aiming for. Even though this is something that a producer usually has, a director has one too, and I wanted to make my own because during the last production what I struggled most with on set was keeping all the different pieces of paper with my plan on together in a neat order. 

According to Producing and directing the short film and video, a production book normally contains:

-Drafts of script

-Broken down script and breakdown pages

-Budget 

-Schedule

-Art direction (props, wardrobe, costume)

-Cast and crew list with contact details

-Casting schedule and casting notes

-Glossies of actors

-Signed release forms

-Transport and meal plan

-Location breakdown with contacts, permits

-Insurance

-Breakdown of expenses with receipts 

(Rea and Irving, 2015:47)

However, I did not need all of these things so I made my own contents to fit want I needed and stuck it in the front of my folder so that I knew what order everything in the book was in and could access it quickly and easily:

This then helped me to organise my production book and easily keep things that I picked up during production such as receipts from my actors' transportation and the times that their trains arrived and departed so that I could be on time to get them to and from the station as well as get in contact with any of the actors or locations on set if needed.

Having all of my plans on hand especially helped when setting up the clothing store set, carrying paper props, dressing the actors in costume, and positioning the camera to get the shots I wanted as I was able to see it all planned in detail by flipping to the page I needed. It meant that my film was able to turn out with the same look that I wanted it to have. 

However, during production I did make some changes to improve upon my plan.

Original plan v.s. final product:

When writing the script for the sequence, I had originally intended to keep in the superimposition showing the place names of Boston and Maine. However, I decided to take these out and only keep in the superimposition of the years, as I wanted the story to not be place specific, but as if it could be set in any country as I think this could help further audience identification as they see their own surroundings reflected. The locations I picked also do not look like America, and I did not intend them to, as filming took place in England. 

Scene 1

I had originally planned to open with the close-up of the newspaper article which then titled up to reveal the character of Emma. However, I ended up moving Emma's close-up when I got to the edit as during production I did not get any coverage that tilted up to see her as quickly as I originally wanted, and I think it fit better if there was a close-up of the article, then the master shot to establish the scene and show the audience all the key characters in the scene, especially Cleo as she was not very evident to the audience if I used other characters close-ups.

I also added a point of view shot of the newspaper article when Emma sits down at the table to show the text on it more clearly, as I felt when she was holding it was only good for establishing its presence in the scene, not for showing why it was there.

Whilst on set I also filmed extra coverage such as Cleo standing up when she approaches Emma in close-up as the camera was already in the position it needed to be in to capture the shot due to previous takes, and I thought it would be useful to cover her in close-up for the whole scene just in case I wanted to use this angle in the edit. I then decided to show Cleo close-up from this angle as she says 'Tough break, Kid' in the edit, as I felt that this helped to introduce her character better than in a wide shot since it put the audience in Emma's position as she is facing them, and also meant that Cleo was introduced to the audience at the same time as she introduces herself to Emma, aiming to strengthen the audience's identification with Emma and place them in her story.

When the two characters sit down at the table I changed the original planned I pattern I intended to have them sit in to an L pattern, as this meant they were still directly opposed and could be in an I from a certain angle, but also were closer to each other, helping to create a false sense of security for Emma and the audience as Cleo pulls a chair around to sit purposefully in that position. I was inspired to do this from an experiment from one of my workshop films that I made during this unit, when after I had read Steven D. Katz's book Film directing: Shot by Shot and learnt about A, I, and L patterns, I tried out sitting some characters at a table in this shape because I thought it could be more interesting than an I pattern. Because I liked how this looked I tried it out in a few other films throughout the unit as I think it creates a balanced frame when filmed from a diagonal angle, but can also centre one character more than the other, who appears instead in profile, when filmed from straight on. This means the focus of the frame can change by filming from different angles, which can create more options when it comes to editing.

I also changed the characters' close-ups from shared to ones from an inside perspective, because I wanted to isolate each of the characters, since I thought this would make them seem as if they had nothing in common and this is the first time they have met, so they do not know each other. I also thought this could make the audience form an opinion about each character separately rather than in relation to each other, as I didn't want them to judge the characters' relationship too much yet because it has not really formed.

 Although I had planned to have each of the character's close-ups tilted at a Dutch angle so that they were both facing outwards, I decided to change this to them both being faced inwards. I thought that this created a disconcerting effect that makes it seem as if the world is folding inwards, which I wanted to create as this is when Emma realises Cleo knows what she has done and is going to turn her in, so it is as if her world eventually crumbles inwards by the end of the scene, as this stranger comes in and disrupts her search, taking away her chance at stability for a moment by interrupting her. However, Cleo and Emma also get to know each other's motivations during this scene, so by tilting these inwards they appear closer than they had in their non-tilted close-ups until this collapses before the jump cut at the end.

Scene 2 & 3

During the edit, I decided to move the exterior shot of the hotel to the beginning of these scenes, instead of putting it in the middle, as otherwise it disrupted the flow of the scenes, and was confusing for the audience as I had not yet established this was where the scene was set.

For extra coverage I also filmed two master shots for scene 2 because of the space between the beds which I had planned for being there being too cramped to fit the camera into. However, this just meant that I had more options in the edit, and still got my planned master shot, which I didn't use, and  the extra one which I decided showed the action better as Emma was framed from the front rather than profile, meaning the actor's performance was captured better as her expression could be seen clearly.

I also added a close-up of Emma putting the wallet back into Cleo's bag to break up action as this was more interesting than it being shown all in a wide shot. This was also extra coverage I decided to get because the camera was already in position for this angle to get a close-up of the picture of Tasha, and just had to be tilted down.

For Emma's reaction to seeing the finder website on Cleo's laptop I had to show this in the edit in the mirror instead of from the front of her as I forgot the shot during production. However, I think this worked better because of the mirror as it meant the audience were more distanced from her reaction, so it was more of a mystery as to what she is looking at until she leans in to look at it, and then it is revealed. It also fit with my aim to have a mirror/reflective surface in every scene to symbolise The Evil Queen, Emma's direct opposition as the daughter of Snow White, and the reason she ended up separated from her parents in the first place.

Because of space I also had to change my plan of framing Cleo in the doorway to be the corridor leading from the bathroom instead due to space. I didn't know there would be such a small corridor here, but it still worked the same as the door would, if not better because there is also a mirror here which show her in the door, but then helps to trap her in the corridor by reflecting her in the rectangle, boxing her in even more.

I decided in my edit to not using Cleo's POV shot of Emma, instead cutting to create zoom out effect so Cleo does not leave frame but Emma appears in it. I was able to do this as I filmed a master shot which was not planned but should have been, as I wanted to make sure all the action in the scene was covered and that I had options when editing. I think this fitted with my intention of focusing on Emma and her story which is at the centre of the narrative, as the cut of zooming out is motivated by Cleo's reaction to her and her taking, rather than Cleo's gaze. I also think this makes it more comical as it is unexpected and startling as it jumps out to reveal Emma. It meant that the actors could do more actions, such as turning the TV off and motioning to the handcuffs which they suggested, making their performances better as they are not just standing but interact with the space they are in.

When editing I also decided to show Emma watching Cleo leave at the end of the scene as it is almost as if this represents Cleo leaving Emma's life. I decided this because I cut out the scenes of Emma and Cleo where Cleo is seen to die, and instead jumped to the scene a year later straight after this. Therefore, I think this shows that this is the last time the audience are going to see Cleo, as they watch her leave along with Emma, also fitting with my intention to have Emma be the focus and point of audience identification. Cleo also leaves the scene to the right, in the negative direction, foreshadowing something bad will happen to her. 

Scene 4

Because of the studio being visible outside of the door, I decided not to frame Emma in the doorway, but use the master shot instead as otherwise the illusion of the lecture room being a clothing store would be broken, and this shot still enabled me to keep the same planned screen direction of Emma walking right to left. I found that her presence was still highlighted in the close-up, and this decision did lead me to have her leave out of the door instead. I decided to do this because it reminded me of one of the well-known posters for Once Upon A Time of Emma in her jacket, so if the audience are familiar with the show they will hopefully think of this image of Emma as the hero of the show.

I had to change the character of Tasha's close-up from being in screen left to screen right because of crossing the line during the scene when I realised Emma was also looking from screen left. However, this worked with the narrative as I realised that Tasha does not receive good news even though she still seems grateful and optimistic about the fact she at least now knows something about where she came from, but she doesn't quite have enough information to be able to move on entirely. She finds out she will never meet her mother and now must live with that reality so probably feels slightly negative which is symbolised by putting her in screen right as it corresponds to the typical screen direction used in Once Upon A Time.

During the edit, some of the shots I had planned and filmed did not make the cut, but I found that because I had so much coverage that this was not a problem and did not affect my intentions. It just meant I had options in the edit, and because I had scheduled using my script breakdown, I did not overshoot to get this coverage, but more or less managed to stick exactly to schedule.