Directions | Development: Editing

I went straight into editing after wrapping with the shoot so I could have a rough cut ready for feedback with Simon and Mike Rymer.


I found it much easier to edit once I connected my laptop to a TV screen as I got a much better idea of how the finished product would look compared to a tiny window on my laptop; it also freed up space to edit on the timeline.

I filmed my scenes using both a DSLR and Sony EX cameras which could have caused me some issues with the video codec and rendering, however I avoided this on the shoot by ensuring both cameras were recording in the same format - 1080p at 25 frames per second - and I did not run into any problems in the edit.

I assembled about half of the footage onto the timeline.  The main point for improvement was the sound design, which I agreed with: since there was no dialogue other than the first few minutes, I needed to rely on the audio to build the atmosphere and tension as the drama would not come through any speaking.

I feel the pacing of the edit fits well, especially after Rick wakes up and sees the dead flowers - I am glad I drew focus toward them in the first scene so that when we see them again, we are aware that a lot of time has passed since Shane gave Rick the flowers.  I had some trouble with how I would place the latter scenes together due to the limitations we had with the second shooting location.  Despite this, I think that by bridging each scene with shots of walking down the corridor, the audience becomes aware that Rick has travelled through a lot of the hospital at this stage.

After my issues with audio in the story-telling unit, I had become used to using Adobe Audition, especially for capturing sound prints and removing audio.  This was a very useful feature for removing any unwanted background noise.  Since the first location was next to a road, this tool became essential for creating a post-apocalyptic atmosphere with no unnatural sound effects.  I also opted to add a fluorescent light buzzing wild track - we could not turn the lights off at the apartment block, so I made the most of it to appear as if the emergency generators have kicked in to illuminate the corridors.  Fade and gain envelopes were also vastly useful for editing individual audio clips.


I went into the edit trying to avoid the use of music, due to my desire to keep the the realism of the scene (even though this scene is from a show about zombies) but it became difficult to build atmosphere relying solely on diegetic sounds.  I found a royalty-free track at www.incompetech.com which fit very well with the tone of the scene and so I added it to the timeline to play once Rick finds the corpse and again when he discovers the undead clawing at the door.  This added a new layer of depth to the scene - Rick realises things were not normal when he sees he has grown a beard and the hospital is in disarray, but now he has found a corpse, the music triggers a deeper response as he discovers something truly dreadful has happened since he has been asleep.

I recorded a number of other sound effects myself and found some online as well.  The footsteps, some of the breathing, all the zombie sounds and generic movement noises were recorded by me, whilst the music, fluorescent light buzz and the hospital wild tracks were from the internet, whilst the dialogue, some more of the breathing and some more wild tracks were recorded on the day of the shoot.

I made extensive use of the FFT filter tool on Adobe Audition to muffle some of the dialogue, and the zombie grunts and groans.  This worked in two ways: the first instance, combined with the high-pitched generated tone, gives the impression of being dazed and confused as Rick is recovering from a gunshot wound; the second instance worked as the zombies were positioned behind a door which made it seem as though they were making those noises behind the door.

Mike Rymer suggested that I adjust some of the colour grading to make use of the lights we had available, as opposed to forcefully hiding the fact that unnatural lighting is used throughout.  Therefore I brightened and increased the exposure and contrast of the bathroom scene combined with the fluorescent light buzz track to harness the lighting rather than trying to hide it.

I also tweaked the colours on the scenes filmed in the apartment block so that the lighting looked like fluorescent lights and not tungsten as they actually were.  This turned out quite well in my opinion.

Still on the topic of grading, I upped the contrast, exposure, brightness and saturation of the first scene so that the contrast between the dream sequence and reality was much more distinct, giving the first scene an almost surreal feel to it.  I was inspired by Marc Munden in this scene for his use of bright and vibrant colours to emphasise the mood of his scenes.  Whilst his work tends to focus on expressionist themes, I did not want to deter too much from reality and so I kept the colours somewhat realistic so we are still aware this is not happening in the same instance as the rest of the sequence whilst not being too over-the-top.

 Overall, I am very happy with how the edit has turned out compared to my feelings at the start of the edit.  I initially was disheartened by the lack of depth and atmosphere, especially in the latter scenes in the apartment block, yet once the sound design and colour grading was complete, I was able to properly establish the mood of the scene and I am proud of the finished product.

Directions | The Shoot

I spent the weeks leading up to the shoot very nervous and worried that I would not be able to produce something worth the effort I had put into it, largely because of the issues I had with locations.  However on the morning of the shoot, I awoke with a nervous optimism about the whole thing.

I left home at 9:00 to pick up Will from Maidstone so he could work as my sound operator and assistant camera operator; then Aidan, my lead actor, so we would arrive at the first filming location for 10:15.  My sister and lead runner, Nikki, was already on location in Dartford and had already arranged the room as I needed it to film our scenes - this saved us a lot of time and allowed us to crack on with filming earlier than planned.

We began by shooting some of Aidan's (playing Rick Grimes) close-up and mid shots when he is in the bed before taking a break whilst we waited for the other actor, Darrell (playing Shane Walsh).  He arrived shortly after we expected him at 12:15 and we got straight into shooting.  Darrell was very nice to work with and he responded well with my directing.  We took about 8 takes from various angles and wrapped Darrell's scene within an hour - I also asked him to record some audio for an alternate opening I thought about the night before shooting which involved a blank white screen as voices called out for Rick after he has been shot to give us a better indication of the relationship between the characters and Rick's circumstances for being in hospital.

I paid for Darrell's travel expenses which totalled £19.40, rounding to £20 for convenience and he was on his way shortly after 1:00.  We then filmed Aidan's scenes after Rick wakes up, meaning switching from shooting on the DSLR to the Sony XDCAM.  We started by recording audio through the XDCAM, as the DSLR does not have an input for the Rode mic and recording through the Rode mic on the XDCAM would make the audio fit together better in the edit.

After the dream/hallucination sequence was complete, Nikki applied a small amount of makeup to Aidan to make him look more tired and dishevelled, and also sprayed some water on his face so he looked sweaty after waking up.  This was a small and subtle detail but I felt it was important to make Rick look rough due to the situation he has found himself in.

Part of this scene involved filming in a very small bathroom, but I was surprised and pleased with how much still fit in the frame.  This scene did not take long to film and we quickly moved on to shoot Rick falling out of the bed and calling for the nurse.  We realised that picking a suitable angle to shoot from would be tricky due to the limitations with space so we rehearsed the exact manner at which Aidan would fall to the floor that was both believable, practical, and did not show any of the set that we did not want in shot.

We wrapped filming in Dartford around 17:00 and headed back to my house (via Dartford Train Station to pick up Sophie, who was playing the corpse) to do some makeup and have some food before we went to a block of flats in Maidstone to shoot the corridor and stairwell scenes.  Unfortunately, we were only allowed to shoot from 19:00 onwards which limited us a great deal.  However we made the most of what time we had and were able to work through almost all of the shot list.

Upon arrival at the flats in Maidstone, we quickly set up the practical effects for the corpse scene.  This meant lying Sophie on the floor wearing the bloodied hospital gown, and then covering her and the fake entrails in fake blood - we ensured that none would spill onto the carpet by putting a towel and dog training pad underneath the hospital gown.  This was very effective and prevented any spillage onto the carpet.

The rest of the shoot did not go as well as the morning did, largely due to constraints with time and space: each corridor and stairwell looked exactly the same, so we were limited to how different we could make the scenes look, and we could only shoot until 22:00 - meaning we would be shooting about a third more of the script in half as much time as we had in the morning.  Nevertheless, we soldiered on and recorded all the scenes needed.

Directions | Production Notes: Scheduling

I have compiled a rough guide as to how the shoot will be scheduled so that myself and the crew know exactly where they need to be and when, which will save time on the day and should make things run smoothly:

Drivers:
Alex Hargood
Nikki Hargood

Crew:
Alex Hargood
Will Barker
Nikki Hargood

Cast:
Aidan Robinson-Jones
Darrell Griggs
Sophie Hitchings

9:00
Alex: depart to pick up Aidan (actor) and Will (sound) and then travel to first location.
Nikki: depart to first location and begin setting up hospital room

10:00
Alex, Nikki, Will: complete setting up hospital room and shoot Aidan's parts in scene 1 and 3.

12:00
Darrell (actor): Arrive at second location to shoot for scene 1

13:00
LUNCH
Wrap scene 1 then prep and shoot scene 2 with Aidan.

16:30
Wrap scenes at first location.
Alex: pick up Sophie (corpse) from train station and carry on to Alex's house for meal break and makeup.

19:00
All crew arrive at second location and prepare for practical effects: corpse and door.  Shoot remainder of scenes at apartment block.

22:00
Wrap shooting.

Directions | Development: Changes and Complications

As is the case with most productions, not everything has turned out entirely as planned.  Despite being able to come to a finished product, there have been some trials and tribulations with the production process.

I found the most trouble in this project came through trying to find locations for the corridor and stairwell scenes.  I had the perfect location for the hospital room scene, but the other filming locations were much harder to come by, even to the point where I was forced to alter the script to accommodate for this problem.  I had intended to use a corridor and stairwell at Maidstone Studios as these fit in with the aesthetic and mood of the piece.  However difficulties arose for several reasons:

• For the stairwell scene, I needed the lights switched off and for my lead actor to light a match - this was not possible to do in the studios because of health and safety issues due to a lack of visibility and a naked flame.
• I could also only film this scene on the Sunday due to prior commitments of my crew and talent, yet the studios do not open on weekends.  This would mean that a member of the site team will need to let us in to shoot and thus would cause disruption.

This showed me that the studios may not be the ideal place to shoot my scenes due to the logistics of when and what I would be filming and as a result, I will not be allowed to use the studios for my filming.  Therefore I had to browse for more potential filming locations.

I have also decided to prepare to alter the script in such a way that I can work around not having the stairwell scene:

• I could end the sequence just as Rick leaves enters the stairwell, and end by panning to the 'fire exit' sign, which would bring forth the idea that Rick does escape rather than literally showing us as we see in the original scene.  This would also allow me to cut the part where Rick finds the matches, as this would no longer be relevant to the scene.
• I could also potentially shoot the stairwell scene in a darkened room, as we would not see much of the staircase anyway due to the extremely low-key lighting.

The corridor scene would also require a desk for the telephone to be placed on - since this may not be possible with wherever I end up shooting this scene, I concluded that I could simply place a mobile phone for Rick to find which would work to the same effect.

Directions | Contextual Research: Danny Boyle + Days Later

After showing the rest of the group the scene I will be directing, several people suggested I look at Danny Boyle's 28 Days Later (2002), as the opening scene is very similar to the scene from The Walking Dead.  Whilst the scenes are not exactly the same, they both scenes involve the central character waking up from a coma into a post-apocalyptic world, but Darabont and Boyle have taken different approaches to explore the characters' reactions to what has happened.

Boyle utilises montage in the first scene of 28 Days Later which almost immediately gives the audience an idea of how the rest of the film will pan out, displaying violence and general turmoil across the world.  We are also introduced to the virus that breaks out and causes the world to fall into disarray.  Similarly to Frank Darabont, Boyle chooses to use slow dolly and close up shots to build the tension and atmosphere of the film.  This is effective in portraying the stillness of a post-apocalyptic world and creates a sense of mystery - when the camera dollies toward the action, it is as if the audience is being physically drawn closer to what is happening.

I found the colour grading of 28 Days Later a little jarring and almost difficult to watch.  The contrast has been vamped up and the saturation feels very uncomfortable; this is enhanced by the use of dutch tilt and low-key lighting which makes the overall look of the film seem very unnatural.  Even though I personally did not like this, I understand that Boyle has chosen to use this grading to emphasise the discomfort and unease of the central character, Jim.

I found it very interesting to have a quick look at a very similar scene, as the directors depict very different styles to highlight the same tone, however I feel Danny Boyle's style feels too forced; the visual style is not very subtle which is something I would aim to achieve in my own work.

Contextual Studies | Auteurs: Edgar Wright

Edgar Wright is best known for his action/comedy films, such as Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz (The 'Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy') and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World and I would argue that he stands out as an auteur through his distinct visual style and consistent ability to create visual comedy.

Before I explore Wright as an auteur, I must explain what I mean by the term.  I will be following Andrew Sarris' criteria that define an auteur that he outlines in 'Notes on Auteur Theory in 1962': an auteur is technically competent, understands interior the interior meaning of their work, and possesses a distinguishable personality as a director.

Wright is frequently praised for his filmography and public response to his directorial work has been consistently positive - Shaun of the Dead receiving 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, Hot Fuzz 91%, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World 81%, The World's End 89% - and so it is easy to argue that Wright's success at satisfying an audience is palpable.  Keith Phipps of AV Club writes that "Wright directs with an expert sense of rhythm but never lays his technical finesse on with Guy Ritchie thickness", highlighting Wright's talent in the pacing of the film.

One of Wright's most distinguishable motifs of his work is the use of montage which is used to juxtapose characters and their personalities.  In this scene from The World's End, we see the juxtaposition of the central character, Gary King (played by Simon Pegg) and Andy Knightley (played by Nick Frost regarding their attitudes to drinking: (0:24 - 1:13)



This is an excellent example of how Wright uses montage to create visual comedy by building tension through the repetitive action of the beer being pulled and ending on the anti-climactic action of water pouring combined with the score ending on the pouring sound.  In this scene, we can see how Wright has also utilised the extreme close-up shot of the four beers (and one water), which is another key feature of his work.  This typically portrays objects being used by the characters in quick succession, often used as a transition to another scene and/or location.  The video below demonstrates this perfectly in four of Wright's most prolific films (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, The World's End and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World):



Wright's style is predominantly effective through its ability to parody other genres, such as romantic comedy, horror, action thriller and science fiction.  By using motifs such as rapid dolly movements, close-up and montage, Wright is contradicting our expectations of these genres by bringing forth his unique and potent ability to create visual comedy.  His style has developed through his films, predominantly as a result of advances in filming technology and through an increase in budget due to Wright's growing success.  The 'Cornetto Trilogy' began with Shaun of the Dead at a budget of $6.1 million, Hot Fuzz at $12 million and The World's End at $20 million.  This has allowed Wright more freedom in terms of visual effects: The World's End relies heavily on CGI, for example.

Overall, I feel that Edgar Wright can certainly be seen as an auteur director.  His style is unique and stands out from other directors, as well as his technical ability for pacing and the build-up of tension.  He is also able to convey interior meaning by the well thought-out visual comedy to parody other genres.

Directions | Production Notes: Props/Equipment Checklist

I am coming closer to shooting my film and I feel I should focus on exactly what props, costumes and equipment I will need on the day so I have compiled a more comprehensive list of these objects to mark off once I have them:

(Bold represents items I have not obtained, Italics represents items I that are not entirely necessary but would add to the realism of the scene)

• Nasal cannula
• Bandages
• IV stand
• Medical machinery
• Hospital bed
• Bed sheets
• Clock
• Makeup for corpse
• Fake blood
• *I had an issue with ordering the fake blood: I had intended to order two 473.1 ml bottles of fake blood, which I did, however the person I ordered from only sent me two 28.3 ml bottles - one twentieth of the amount I ordered.  Therefore, I have had to reorder from elsewhere: this is annoying but only a minor setback, and I still have time to get more.
• **As if the first issue was not annoying enough, the second place I purchased a bottle of fake blood from cancelled the sale as their supplier had "damaged the goods", which forced me to purchase from a third (and hopefully final) seller.
• Matches
• Piece of wood for barricade
• Chain
• "Don't open dead inside" acetate sheets
• Dead flowers
• Flowers (I need to buy these the day before the shoot)
• Vase
• 2x Hospital gown
• Spray bottle for Rick's sweat
• Makeup for Rick
• Shane's police officer uniform
• Landline phone
• Miscellaneous debris - cardboard, wires, paperwork etc.

Directions | Contextual Research: Directing

In order to gain a better understanding of the practical and logistical side of directing, I read chapters of 'Producing and directing the short film and video' by Peter W. Rea and David K. Irving.  Rea and Irving have worked in the film and television industry for over 30 years; Rea's earliest credit was in 1981 as producer for 'King Cobra'; Irving's earliest credit was in 1980 as writer for an episode of 'Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color'.  The book covers the entire filmmaking process, from both the perspective of the producer and the director and so was useful in providing an insight into how the script becomes the finished product.

I focused on chapters surrounding logistics, such as locations, scheduling, lighting, and sound as I felt I was unsure as to how to approach these aspects of directing.

With regards to scheduling, Rea and Irving recommend grouping locations so to complete all scenes in one location before moving on, which saves time and money.  You must also bare in mind how long it takes to set up and pack away all equipment, also to save time: time and proximity should be key factors when choosing locations.  Communication is also absolutely vital so that everybody involved knows where they need to be, how long they need to be there and what they need to do.

"Organising and executing a quick and efficient move of the entire production company is an art unto itself"

As I have also learned from the workshops with Steve Finn, continuity is vital, so a director must aim to complete as many interior shots as possible so that there is enough coverage of a scene to make the action flow together.  They also stress that the director must examine the script for any special circumstances that will have an impact on the schedule - just off the top of my head, I know that I will need to leave time to schedule applying and removing practical effects, such as makeup and fake blood.

With regards to lighting and sound, Rea and Irving suggest that when scouting locations, you must consider:

• How will the scene be lit?
• Where is the light source?
• Will daylight or any other lighting have an impact on the mood you want?
• Is there enough space to place the lighting equipment?
• Is the location quiet?
• Can you hear traffic/any consistent noise and is there any way to silence these sounds?

Locations and their details set the tone for the film:

"Sometimes a key detail in the frame solidifies the credibility of a scene"

The flowers and clock in my opening scene come to mind when thinking of seemingly small details in the set.

Rea and Irving also advise that the director should consult the actors on things like the costume and props for their creative input: they are playing your characters and so to properly embody them, they should be able to provide their insight on how the characters should appear in the scene.

Whilst this is something I have already done in the past, Rea and Irving emphasise the importance of a shot list so that you know which specific shots you have filmed and have not filmed.  This is a very useful and straightforward practise that makes the shooting process run a lot smoother in my opinion, so this is definitely something I will continue to do.

Lastly, I wanted to read their advice on working with sound, as this is something I had trouble with in my previous shoot.  Here are a few of their recommendations when it comes to recording sound:

• Record 'clear' dialogue and avoid background noise in the voice track
• Match sound perspective with the camera angle
• Record sound effects to accompany the shot
• Record room tone (or wild track)
• Record the scene so the audio will cut smoothly

Bibliography:

Unknown (date unknown), in Available at: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0713765/ (Accessed: 6 February 2017).

Unknown (date unknown), in Available at: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0410253/ (Accessed: 6 February 2017).

Rea, P.W. and Irving, D.K. (2000) Producing and directing the short film and video. 2nd edition. Boston: Focal Press

Directions | Contextual Research: Marc Munden (TV Director)

As a lot of my work probably indicates, I am a great admirer of Marc Munden and his distinct style as a director, particularly through his work on Utopia and National Treasure.  Munden's work has a surrealist style to it, and whilst I am aiming for realism, the opening of my film features a dream sequence which would fit a surrealist tone and I also feel I can draw on the differences between realism and surrealism through Munden's work.

Munden began his career making films with his friend John Mathieson - cinematographer on Gladiator - and went on to be assistant for Mike Lee, Derek Jarman and Terence Davies.  He came to the attention of director, Paul Watson, who put Munden forward to make a 'Forty Minutes' documentary for the BBC.  His first full-length film was 'Christmas' for Channel 4 which was released in 1996; he then went on to direct a variety of other TV and film productions.

Munden's more recent productions tend to focus on controversial subject matters: Utopia explores ideas of population control and genocide, and National Treasure focuses on the trial of a TV entertainer suspected of sexual assault which relates to Operation Yewtree. In an interview with Den of Geek, Munden reflects on how he addresses these dark themes in Utopia by using bright and vibrant colour palettes to make the darkness and violence more palatable (though this was not his intention).  I feel this also adds to the absurd and surreal nature of the ideas presented in the series - I could adapt this for my piece to highlight the absurdity of a post-apocalyptic world through Rick's eyes.

As the interviewer in the Den of Geek interview puts it, Munden's 'graphic-novel style' framing is something I feel I could also utilise.  The plot of Utopia is kick-started by the murders of several people in a comic book store as two assassins track down a manuscript, and so the graphic-novel styling of the cinematography reflects the subject manner of the show.  Since The Walking Dead is based on a comic book, this is something I could incorporate into my own work, though it may contradict the realism I am looking for.


Bibliography:


Scott, L. (2010) Marc Munden, film director. Available at: https://theglobalherald.com/marc-munden-film-director/6868/ (Accessed: 1 February 2017).
Den of Geek. (2017). Utopia series 2: director Marc Munden Q&A. [online] Available at: http://www.denofgeek.com/tv/utopia/31294/utopia-series-2-director-marc-munden-qa [Accessed 1 Feb. 2017].

Directions | Farren Blackburn

Today we were lucky to have a visit from Farren Blackburn, who has directed for Daredevil, Doctor Who, Luther, and many more series'.

I found Farren very interesting to listen to, as he had a lot of experience in working with producers such as Steven Moffat - being a fan of Doctor Who and not a fan of Moffat, I was particularly interested in how Farren described his experience with working with him.  I was surprised at how Farren was left only two weeks of a six week schedule to run through the script and find locations etc.

Farren also showed us a clip from Daredevil that he directed and I loved how it was shot: using a single slow panning dolly shot to show so much action really resonated with me.  He explained that they cut out a section of the car that the camera was in to make room for the camera operator AND the sound person which surprised me and highlighted how difficult this sort of shot can be to achieve.

Overall, Farren seemed to be a very down-to-earth guy and it was refreshing to meet a director with so much work to do to be so laid back, which eases my nerves about directing my own work somewhat.  I found the whole talk very insightful and could probably have sat and listened for another hour or so.