WEEK I
"Broken Leg"
With twelve distinct shots & a flashback, make a short film.
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We needed a fast, simple yet entertaining concept that could be made within the time constraints of the class - and what better idea than to have a broken leg?
To follow the guidelines:
TWELVE SHOTS: conflict allows for many shot reverse shots of a silent conversation, laced with contempt
FLASHBACK: Mystery of how her leg became broken begs for a backstory
To enhance the narrative:
LOCATION: The Built Environment Building, which conveniently has a lift and staircase beside each other at its entrance - which become the basis of the climax of the narrative.
Ideation
Ideation
Writing Exercise
GOAL: To turn these silly shots into something intense and dramatic.
Editing process
Inspired by old, comedic heist movies, I added a grain overlay to give it more of a 'vintage' look.
In comedic films, a climax is still often built up to with the same undertones the rest of a film is written with. This means that though the climax is still dramatic and intense, it doesn't feel out of place. I play into this by emphasising the comedic nature of our short film, especially through font.
Large text to emphasise the conflict..
I combined the large text with the Zoom Motion Blur in the picture below to place an emphasis on the stairs - a pivotal focus in the narrative.
My editing style also consists of using large, engaging text to emphasise a story (as I typically edit short form reels), which is something I had fun experimenting with including it in a film.
Maintaining the atmosphere of comedy by using funny, light-hearted music as background music.
AUDIO
On my best friend:
The stage lights are blaring in my eyes, a sea of muffled faces in front of me. My mother was sitting in one of those many seats two days ago, taking time out of her long day just to (begrudgingly) watch me curse on stage. Today, more people are there, though I can’t tell where. If I look for a bouquet of pink flowers resting atop a girl’s lap, I might be able to identify her, but with the flashing pink on stage, everything has muddled into an amalgamation of the same colour. Mid-show, my fellow cast member comes up to me, half-laughing: “Dude, someone in the first two rows brought a professional camera!” A smile grows on my face - that felt all too familiar.
It didn't matter that I was performing for a small society in UNSW - my best friend always shows up, and always goes to great lengths to express her support. It manifests itself in gifts - in the bouquet of flowers she had bought me, in the presents she gets me for my birthday. It manifests itself through words, through the pages of heartfelt letters she writes for me each year. Most importantly, it manifests itself through her actions: asking me to go eat noodles with her on a dreary day, or taking a long, Vivid walk in June, even if the light show itself is more than underwhelming. Above all, I am constantly reminded that our friendship is strengthened by simply spending time with each other, no matter how mundane nor extravagant the event.
I often hope that my appreciation is also felt by her, as I send out yet another silly message, containing nothing but an update on the smallest, most trivial thing that had occurred in my life. As much as she thinks about me, I always remember her too.
After all, a strong friendship manifests most pertinently, not materiastically, but through an evident connection. That's why she's my best friend - and I wouldn't trade any of this for anything else.
Used the 'Zoom Motion Blur' filter and a fog overlay to emphasise the characters' sentiments:
The motion blur creates a sense of franticness, matching the protagonist's stress.
The fog overlay implies the antagonist's malintent by darkening the edges.
Flashback differentiated using a film/burnt edges overlay.
