Half-Hearted Final Cut

Blindside Studios Logo

Blindside Studios Logo by Brooke van de Water

For this logo sequence, I want it to represent not just "Half-Hearted", but "Blindside Studios" as a company. Each face represents a different genre of film that Blindside Studios creates and produces- Mystery, Comedy, Tragedy, Sci-Fi, Drama, Horror, Romance, and Thriller. I chose to use facial expressions to do this as they all represent a different mask, the idea enforced at the end of the sequence, the subject is wearing a mask. This use of masks is closely linked to "Half-Hearted" as the film is situated around masks and identity. Each facial expression will flash quickly, only one half of the face visible as it is more effective, until at the end it ends on the subjects face, fully exposed, with a violent gash. This is effective because it prepares the viewer to expect violence and mystery in the upcoming film. The shot of the mask is then shown, to again reiterate to the viewer the use of figurative masks to be in the film.

LOGO FILM SCHEDULE

Friday 1st July 2016

Time	Description	Location
1:40pm	Transport gear to salvation room and set up	Salvation room
2:00pm	Talent arrives	Salvation room
2:05pm	Finish set up and go through script with talent	Salvation room
2:15pm	Start filming Blank face -half light half dark lighting	Salvation room
2:30pm	Mystery face -same lighting	Salvation room
2:35pm	Crime face -same lighting	Salvation room
2:40pm	Tragedy face -same lighting
2:45pm	Action face	Salvation room
2:50pm	Drama face	Salvation room
3:00pm	-M.U.A. arrives -go through what is needed and set up
3:10pm	Thriller face -same lighting -MAKE UP on talent AND mask   -film putting mask on   -blank face in mask   -eyes open in mask	Salvation room
3:20pm	Film talent with mask on -eyes shut the eyes open	Salvation room
3:30pm	Finish filming and pack up	Media Room

My plan was to have a make up artist (M.U.A.) come in and do the make up for this shoot but in the end, she couldn't make it. So, I bought fake blood and scar effects from a dollar store, and used that combined whatmy own make up to create the effect on my talent's face. This was a challenge for me as I didn't know how to apply the makeup. However, I practiced the make up at home (as the talent was my father) and managed to create the look I was going for. The following photos are examples of my work:

Because I practiced the makeup before the shoot, when it came time to do it for real I felt a lot more prepared. The following photos are of the actual shoot:

FP CCR Question 1

FP CCR Question 2

FP CCR Question 3

FP CCR Question 4

Treatment for Half-Hearted - contribution by Brooke van de Water

Treatment for Half-Hearted

Prepared by Blindside Studios - Brooke van de Water and Alexis Phillips-Ogle

24 May 2016

The film

It is proposed that the film will be of 2 to 3 minutes duration, and will be filmed at the following locations: 32 Hobson Road, Albany, Auckland. We chose this location as it was easily accessible because it was my (Brooke van de Water) house.

Our main reason for choosing this location was because of the large paddock next door to the house. We want to contrast the indoor shots, which symbolise safety and civilisation to the outdoor shots in this film, which symbolise the onerousness and wildness of the paddock at night. This in turn shows how inside the house, Kieran is domestic and composed, whereas as soon as he steps outside the door, he becomes sinister and animal like. For the walk scene at night, we originally wanted it to be inside the abandoned barn on the paddock, however, when we went and filmed the reccie shots, it turned out to be unusable. So, we reworked our plan and managed to film in just the paddock alone. Inside the house for the kitchen scene, we really like the aesthetics of the kitchen and the size of it, because it symbolised the perfect, small couple home. However, we do have a possible secondary location-kitchen at our school- which again is a convenient location and can be easily adapted to create a similar house feel to that of location 1.

Problems
Problems encountered so far during this film is that of the film and audio quality. As mentioned in Question 1, at location 1, the audio quality wasn’t good because it was very hard to obtain a clear sound in an echo-prone space. Also, because we are filming at night, it was very hard to get good lighting. Some shots became very pixelated and grainy because (me being new at camera op.) would ignorantly use gain to let in more light.

Another issue was the weather, it is becoming really hard to schedule an outdoor film shoot because it is constantly raining and stormy (classic Auckland weather). So, Alexis and I decided to try filming during the day, and lowering shutter speed and F stop to make the scene seem like a night scene. Also, on the time we did have to film in the rain, we used an umbrella and a bag to cover the camera (and yes, it survived).

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This film will include the following:

Characters of the Film:

Madalene: Madalene is the girlfriend of Kieran. She represents bitterness (as that what her name means) and the “villain” of the film. She is symbolic of the convection-challenging female abuser. She “wears the pants” in the relationship. She is obviously rude and crude and has no shame in showing it.

Kieran: Kieran is the opposite of Madalene. He represents darkness. And darkness is only seen where there is a lack of light. Kieran’s turning point in the film is when the night scene occurs. As soon as he is “in his element”, he becomes who he truly is- darkness.

Camera Work:
I (Brooke van de Water) being the camera operator have planned to use deliberate angles, lighting, and movements to create the shots I want. For example, I am using tracking shots to make the viewer feel as though they are following on behind the characters, as if they are a part of the scene.

I used high and low angle shots to make the viewer feel unbalanced and slightly uncomfortable, to prepare them for what is to come in the rest of the film. For example, in the kitchen when Kieran drops his knife, I used a high angled shot on a tilt to make the viewer feel as though they are intruding into the scene and feel unbalanced.

I have also decided to use white lighting was used to make the scene have a more natural lighting feel to it, rather than an edited feel that is created with yellow light.

One of the most significant shots in "Half-Hearted" is the 'shadow shot.' 

This shot is representative of the hidden identity of Kieran in the film and the mask that he covers himself with- his glasses.  

The two shadow shots are used subtlety, and are cut between multiple times. This is effective because it shows how his identity is revealed minimally through the film and only for a spilt second does the viewer see the real Kieran, and then its gone. Yet the raging questions are left in the viewers mind as the sequence progresses.

Narrative:

The movie opens with Michael and Madalene conversing in the kitchen, leading to an argument. The couple then go for a walk outside until the scene turns sour and Kieran goes to harm Madalene. Flash back shots of the scene then show until it ends on Kieran slamming a knife onto a chopping board. 

The rest of the film then goes on to see the end of Kieran and Madalene’s argument, and how he didn’t kill her, he just hurt her, but he just walked away- back to the house. Kieran and Madalene resolve their argument, but not all loose ends are tied up- like the knife. It has disappeared. The rest of the movie tracks Kieran and Madalene’s daily relationship and how they learn to live together on a daily basis, until at the end we see Kieran with the "lost" knife, discovering he had it all along, and ending with a repeated shot from before- the knife slamming on the board. This dramatic closing scene leaves the viewer with the question, and self answer- is Kieran still the same psychotic man we see in the beginning? Well, yes. Yes he is.

Mise-en-scene/setting:

In the kitchen shots, Alexis and I are focusing on every small detail of the scene. As we are filming in our second location (our school house) we had to take out things to make it look more homely. For example, school certificates and a child's medical report were not apart of the background we wanted for our shots. We are analysing each shot to make sure it is exactly how we want it -within reason- and are making sure each object in the frame suits the shot and helps build it. Outside, we again are checking that the setting, objects, and positioning inside the frame made sense to the scene- and that each object has a specific place. For example, the large rubbish bin and children's playground were excluded from the shot, as these aren't seen in your everyday couple's home.

Credits/Logo:

For the design of the logo, I'm planning to do something that represents “Blindside Studios” as a whole, rather than just the movie, yet still including parts of “Half-Hearted.” Each facial expression in the logo represents a different genre of film that Blindside Studios produces- Mystery, Comedy, Tragedy, Sci-Fi, Drama, Horror, Romance, and Thriller. The special effects make up was done by me on my father, who is the face of "Blindside Studios." I chose to use my dad's face because he had the grunge look I was going for, and his face could be made to look quite intimidating quite easily because of his structure (not just because he was an easy person to grab, although that too).The mask at the end of the sequence is symbolic of the mask theme in “Half-Hearted”, identities being hidden and covered by a mask (Kieran's glasses). The gash on the my father's face is also symbolic of the violent thread in the film and how it is a key convention of Thriller films.

I have chosen the font "mom’s typewriter." I chose this because I felt that they way the font was shaped that it gave off a paranormal feel and created a mysterious, nearly ominous effect. 

Summary:

Beginning:

During the opening sequence, characters are introduced and credits of who they are and the roles done by Alexis and I are acknowledged. The scene is set by the establishing/wide shots and the placid mood is set.

Middle: 

Madalene and Kieran argue in the kitchen as Kieran makes a mess dropping his knife, causing Madalene to spill her nail polish over the table. They then proceed to walk outside to go for a walk in the paddock, as Kieran requested, and the scene closes with Kieran looking uncomfortably back into the camera and walking into the darkness. 

Conflict/Tension:

First point of tension: Madalene and Kieran argue in the kitchen. Kieran drops his knife and Madeleine spills her nail polish, blaming Kieran, and storming off to walk outside (as Kieran asked). 

Second point of tension: when Kieran walks after Madalene and looks back at the camera with a mysterious and frightening look on his face.

Conflict: When Kieran pushes Madalene over in the paddock and the scene flashes back the to kitchen scene. Each clips plays along (muted) to uncomfortable non-diegetic music, followed by a shot of Kieran slamming a knife onto the chopping board, and then flashing back to the final scene as Kieran reaches to attack her at the closing of the film.  Viewers re forced to respond in a negative way and question immediately what Kieran's intentions are.

End:
Kieran and Madalene walk through the paddock, Madalene constantly in front of Kieran, his mental dialogue carries across the scene; accompanied by suspenseful music. Kieran then angrily pushes Madalene over, causing her to react frightendly. The scene flashes back to multiple replays of the previous scene until a shot of Kieran slamming a knife onto a chopping board is shown. The scene then cuts back to real time and Kieran reaches down the grab Madalene, ending with his final line of mental dialogue: "So, she can't live around me."

By Brooke van de Water