Directions Unit: Directors Statement
After deciding on my chosen director and film to redirect, i needed to work out how I could turn a successful full length feature film into a 7 minute film, directed in my own style. I knew from this that I wanted to tell the story and leave it with an open ending. I would start off having a beginning, middle and an end; all scenes I chose to film needed to tie in with each other. When I took on this project I knew it wouldn't be easy, and despite this, perhaps I underestimated it a little. When the wheels are in motion, and I’m organising a complex cast, location and props, it all adds up. But what better time to experiment than when I’m at University and have the opportunity to explore new ideas.
The house I wanted to film in wasn't going to be easy. I needed a slightly run down old house near a train track. The train track wasn't essential as the scenes I chose to film didn't require it, only smoke and the sound effect of a steam train which could always be added in post production. The house I found belonged to a friend, and is currently in restoration. Although it is a house built later than the 1950s (house was built in the 1960s), its interior could still be very effective given its current state.
Another part I needed to organise was casting. I needed five males and one elderly female. I initially gathered a cast together of people between the ages of 19-25. After discussing this idea with Simon I realised I couldn’t change the age of the cast and needed to keep that aspect traditional to the original script. I immediately set out to look for a new cast on Casting Call Pro. I posted an advert for each of the cast and also set about privately contacting actor and their agents who may be suited to the parts. This method seemed to work best for me as all the actors I chose in the end were ones i privately contacted. These actors were also really good at their parts and had mastered their profession.
After sorting out that casting and location, I then started to think about costumes and how I would really bring my characters to life. Costumes are very telling in a story, and the way a character dresses can often express their personality. For example, a hat, cardigan and extra long scarf suggests eccentricity. A clean, fresh suit and trilby hat is very gangster esc, ideal for Louis. A scruffy long suit with pink shirt suggests a dippy person, perfect for One Round. I wanted to keep the costumes as close to the original film as possible and I feel as though this was achieved, and this was manly down to the actors themselves. They had all clearly put a lot of work and effort into getting their costumes together. I told each of them what I would like them to ware, and they were able to play about with this a little. I said if they had any trouble putting their costume together, then to let me know and I could help, but mostly they were all fine.
Props were another issue in themselves. There were so many essential props I needed to add to the piece and none of them were particularly easy to get hold of. I didn't let this stop me and trued to find any solution I could. This included a lot of searching and phoning around, especially for the instruments.
In terms of my direction style and camera approach, I planned on using inspiration from the film 'Point Blanc'. After watching a clip in a lecture, I was immediately inspired by its use of sound to evoke emotion, and create tension. In this the protagonist was walking fast pace; his footsteps were heard even when the scene cuts to other people. This showed he was on a mission. It is tension like this I would like to re-create with The Ladykillers in my opening scene. This scene is Professor Marcus' arrival where he approaches Mrs. Wilberforce's house. I had this idea of having an old ticking clock shot (ticking audio being the emphasised). This clock will tick even when Marcus in walking in shot to approach the house. The tension will be cut as soon as he knocks on the door, similar to Point Blank when the protagonist bursts through the door. This idea is also very much inspired by Alfred Hitchcock; a director I have researched myself. If I keep reverting back to a close up of the ticking clock it shows a build up of tension, and how time is running out for Mrs. Wilberforce. Even when she isn't in the same room as the clock I will keep referring back to it to remind my audience and give them the feeling that something is about to happen when the doorbell has ruing that stension is dropped and the clock close up will not be looked at again. It gives the audience a false feeling of suspense.
The house I wanted to film in wasn't going to be easy. I needed a slightly run down old house near a train track. The train track wasn't essential as the scenes I chose to film didn't require it, only smoke and the sound effect of a steam train which could always be added in post production. The house I found belonged to a friend, and is currently in restoration. Although it is a house built later than the 1950s (house was built in the 1960s), its interior could still be very effective given its current state.
Another part I needed to organise was casting. I needed five males and one elderly female. I initially gathered a cast together of people between the ages of 19-25. After discussing this idea with Simon I realised I couldn’t change the age of the cast and needed to keep that aspect traditional to the original script. I immediately set out to look for a new cast on Casting Call Pro. I posted an advert for each of the cast and also set about privately contacting actor and their agents who may be suited to the parts. This method seemed to work best for me as all the actors I chose in the end were ones i privately contacted. These actors were also really good at their parts and had mastered their profession.  |
After sorting out that casting and location, I then started to think about costumes and how I would really bring my characters to life. Costumes are very telling in a story, and the way a character dresses can often express their personality. For example, a hat, cardigan and extra long scarf suggests eccentricity. A clean, fresh suit and trilby hat is very gangster esc, ideal for Louis. A scruffy long suit with pink shirt suggests a dippy person, perfect for One Round. I wanted to keep the costumes as close to the original film as possible and I feel as though this was achieved, and this was manly down to the actors themselves. They had all clearly put a lot of work and effort into getting their costumes together. I told each of them what I would like them to ware, and they were able to play about with this a little. I said if they had any trouble putting their costume together, then to let me know and I could help, but mostly they were all fine.
Props were another issue in themselves. There were so many essential props I needed to add to the piece and none of them were particularly easy to get hold of. I didn't let this stop me and trued to find any solution I could. This included a lot of searching and phoning around, especially for the instruments.
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| Point Blank |
I have used inspiration for my ending from the ending in Oceans 11. I liked the tracking shot across the characters which in this film is quite emotional. However, in recreating this iconic shot I would be making it satirical; something Alexandre Mackendrick endorsed himself. Because this shot is iconic and well known, my audience will find it funny; then with the additional line of "dear god' from the Major at the end, the humour becomes even more satirical.
I wanted to get bits of the house even in medium close ups because it shows the age and ware of the house -lopsided. Eg. stair banister in frame creates this cramped look of a small house. In terms of production design, I plan on making the interior of the house look old and ditzy. I wrote this in the script at the beginning. I feel that given her age, Mrs. Wilberforce would struggle with the upkeep of the house, and maintenance would be an issue.
All mood and tone elements are a result of my shot size, camera angle, camera movement, lens, blocking/staging, lighting, costuming, music, sound, editing. For example, I wanted the scenes filmed upstairs to be dark and feel cold, so I brought down the exposure and created a blue colour grade. This is because it is the basis of their dark, sinister plan to involve Mrs. Wilberforce.
Sound Design
My sound design was very much based on building suspense, surprise and humour.
The sound design in Chucklevision is to exaggerate sound to create an element of comedy. I have also been inspired by the ways their sound foley is actually sound effects. These are comedy sound effects. For example, if one of them got hit with a plank of wood, it would make an unrealistic, animated, exaggerated 'donnggggg'. Comedy sound effects like this, I too would like to implement into my piece to create humour. A place I could do this is with the monkey picture hanging on the wall, that no matter how much Marcus tries to adjust it, it goes back into place. I would like to introduce a sound effect similar to this:
I wanted to get bits of the house even in medium close ups because it shows the age and ware of the house -lopsided. Eg. stair banister in frame creates this cramped look of a small house. In terms of production design, I plan on making the interior of the house look old and ditzy. I wrote this in the script at the beginning. I feel that given her age, Mrs. Wilberforce would struggle with the upkeep of the house, and maintenance would be an issue.
All mood and tone elements are a result of my shot size, camera angle, camera movement, lens, blocking/staging, lighting, costuming, music, sound, editing. For example, I wanted the scenes filmed upstairs to be dark and feel cold, so I brought down the exposure and created a blue colour grade. This is because it is the basis of their dark, sinister plan to involve Mrs. Wilberforce.
Sound Design
My sound design was very much based on building suspense, surprise and humour.
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Recording ticking
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| Alfred Hitchcock |
The sound design in Chucklevision is to exaggerate sound to create an element of comedy. I have also been inspired by the ways their sound foley is actually sound effects. These are comedy sound effects. For example, if one of them got hit with a plank of wood, it would make an unrealistic, animated, exaggerated 'donnggggg'. Comedy sound effects like this, I too would like to implement into my piece to create humour. A place I could do this is with the monkey picture hanging on the wall, that no matter how much Marcus tries to adjust it, it goes back into place. I would like to introduce a sound effect similar to this:
In the beginning when Marcus is stalking Mrs. Wilberforce's house, there is a gradual build up of music. The clock is constantly ticking in the background, above the music. The build up of sound changes again when Mrs Wilberforce hits the pipes and the pipes make a loud noise. At this point the music cuts off then fades in again when she fills the teapot up to wash it out. The sound of a train going by also overlaps this as an additional build up of sound, also informing the audience that she lives by a train track (foreshadowing how they all die). The doorbell then sounds accompanied by an out of tune violin sound, brought about by Alfred Hitchcock, when a violinist was tuning their violin, Hitchcock liked how suspenseful the sound was, and asked them to recreate it for the film Psycho. After this all sound cuts out and aquifer music track plays until the door is opened.
When editing my film, I wanted to focus a lot on audio, because sound can be just as important as visuals.
My Sound/visuals were also inspired by the tommy gun shootout scene featured in Millers Crossing. I found it really clever how throughout the scene the record is still playing; the music from the record becomes the dedicated music for the film. I wanted to recreate this in my own way in The LadyKillers, by having a record player play a record, then that record becomes part of the actual music in their moment of panic.
My edit style is going to be very fluid; I want stuff scenes to flow smoothly, allowing my audience to understand how a character got to a certain position in the scene without showing the whole movement process. I want my scene changes to fade in/out to differentiate them and hopefully my edit style will tell the story. When editing my last scene, I would like to make the drop of all the money humorous by many it slow, to exaggerate the amount of money falling. I will make the music jump and then calm down to exaggerate shock, and the slowness of the fall. In my edit I'll have quite a few cuts, but I don't want these cuts to look too obvious; you're a good editor when you don't notice the editing.
When editing my film, I wanted to focus a lot on audio, because sound can be just as important as visuals.
My Sound/visuals were also inspired by the tommy gun shootout scene featured in Millers Crossing. I found it really clever how throughout the scene the record is still playing; the music from the record becomes the dedicated music for the film. I wanted to recreate this in my own way in The LadyKillers, by having a record player play a record, then that record becomes part of the actual music in their moment of panic.
My edit style is going to be very fluid; I want stuff scenes to flow smoothly, allowing my audience to understand how a character got to a certain position in the scene without showing the whole movement process. I want my scene changes to fade in/out to differentiate them and hopefully my edit style will tell the story. When editing my last scene, I would like to make the drop of all the money humorous by many it slow, to exaggerate the amount of money falling. I will make the music jump and then calm down to exaggerate shock, and the slowness of the fall. In my edit I'll have quite a few cuts, but I don't want these cuts to look too obvious; you're a good editor when you don't notice the editing.
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| A lot of fluid cuts |
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