Our production takes inspiration from both David Attenborough's Planet Earth and Pete Vs Life
The Planet Earth intro is one that shows some of the footage from the episode, then fades in to multiple shots of different animals, all whilst slowly panning around the Earth
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01mzh5q/Planet_Earth_Live_Specials_A_Monkeys_Tale/ (Intro starts around 40 seconds in)
This could work for us, as we could show the subject of our production waking up and moving around their bedroom, then move in to a title sequence of different shots of people carrying out different tasks, particularly students. This could also be done by showing different aspects of a students life, such as a student card, a college book, pens on paper etc.
The Pete Vs Life intro is a very different approach. It shows all the key characters of the episode with 'vital statistics' next to them, with a narrator giving a short voice over about what is going to happen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0Fx3xlAxHA
This could be used although would have to be changed and adapted to our production. For example, showing the main subject of the 'documentary', as well as his 'mate', and a group shot of all his friends, all with vital statistics and things such as 'eating habits' that would be found on a nature show. The voice over would have to be less sports themed and more in line with a nature show, but could still be used and made effective.
Sunday, 30 September 2012
Tuesday, 25 September 2012
Distributor research
Possible distributors for a Mockumentary/short nature film
Channel 4 was an initial thought, due to their previous series Pete Vs Life, which is similar to what we are hoping to create. Because they have already had a show similar to our short film they would know where to advertise and how to market it properly
BBC was a second choice as they are also known for this form of film, although they are more serious nature documentaries and not a spoof.
Another possible choice would be ShortsInternational, as they are a company specifically designed for distribution short films of all genres. They would also be ideal as they aren't tied to one country, and so could aim the marketing at the different relevant demographics in different countries
Like ShortsInternational, Microwave would be a good choice as they are experienced in distributing short films. Microwave are based in London, so they would have a more concentrated knowledge of the UK film industry and distribution, but anything larger such as Cannes Film Festival in Europe or any over-seas distribution would be less effective.
Future Shorts is also an option for distributing short films, as they have experience with a wide range of genres, including comedies and things relevant to our production. Future could be a possible good choice as they claim to be 'eager for new talent' and are looking for the latest ground-breaking, undiscovered talent, meaning they would probably be more likely to take on an unknown production such as ours.
Channel 4 was an initial thought, due to their previous series Pete Vs Life, which is similar to what we are hoping to create. Because they have already had a show similar to our short film they would know where to advertise and how to market it properly
BBC was a second choice as they are also known for this form of film, although they are more serious nature documentaries and not a spoof.
Another possible choice would be ShortsInternational, as they are a company specifically designed for distribution short films of all genres. They would also be ideal as they aren't tied to one country, and so could aim the marketing at the different relevant demographics in different countries
Like ShortsInternational, Microwave would be a good choice as they are experienced in distributing short films. Microwave are based in London, so they would have a more concentrated knowledge of the UK film industry and distribution, but anything larger such as Cannes Film Festival in Europe or any over-seas distribution would be less effective.
Future Shorts is also an option for distributing short films, as they have experience with a wide range of genres, including comedies and things relevant to our production. Future could be a possible good choice as they claim to be 'eager for new talent' and are looking for the latest ground-breaking, undiscovered talent, meaning they would probably be more likely to take on an unknown production such as ours.
Film Proposal: Scenarios & story
The film would start off with the narrator entering the bedroom of the subject, ideally picking through messy clothes describing the 'natural habitat' oh the subject. From there the subject would walk to get food and find there is no milk, at which point the narrator starts describing the 'fight for survival' and the 'hardship' that the subject goes through on a daily basis, continuing to talk about the search and survival of the fittest as the subject walks to the shop to purchase milk.
The subject would then be seen at college/with friends, being described as a 'social creature', discussing various rituals that happen such as checking hair in a window. The subject is clearly seen with a girl who is described as his 'mate'. One of the subjects friends would then point out that they havn't seen the latest film/tv show etc and are behind, at which point the narrator comments on the 'fast paced and ever updating life, and subjects being shunned if not up to date'
The subject is then left alone and dejected, wandering around. The narrator describes the 'need for a pack' and how exiles are left to rot and ridiculed by the pack. The subject then goes home, buying a scratchcard on the way. They win £10 and are happy, with the narrator discussing the effects of luck in the harsh world of the subject. The subject puts on nice clothes, being narrated as 'plumage' and 'pheromones' and leaves to visit his girlfriend. During this journey, including the subject entering the girlfriends house and walking to the bedroom the narrator is describing the 'dominant male' and the 'alpha male' and the search for a 'more suitable, older, wiser mate' ending with the subject entering a bedroom and walking in on the 'mate' and the narrator, with the narrator saying 'such as myself', possibly in to the camera.
The subject would then be seen at college/with friends, being described as a 'social creature', discussing various rituals that happen such as checking hair in a window. The subject is clearly seen with a girl who is described as his 'mate'. One of the subjects friends would then point out that they havn't seen the latest film/tv show etc and are behind, at which point the narrator comments on the 'fast paced and ever updating life, and subjects being shunned if not up to date'
The subject is then left alone and dejected, wandering around. The narrator describes the 'need for a pack' and how exiles are left to rot and ridiculed by the pack. The subject then goes home, buying a scratchcard on the way. They win £10 and are happy, with the narrator discussing the effects of luck in the harsh world of the subject. The subject puts on nice clothes, being narrated as 'plumage' and 'pheromones' and leaves to visit his girlfriend. During this journey, including the subject entering the girlfriends house and walking to the bedroom the narrator is describing the 'dominant male' and the 'alpha male' and the search for a 'more suitable, older, wiser mate' ending with the subject entering a bedroom and walking in on the 'mate' and the narrator, with the narrator saying 'such as myself', possibly in to the camera.
Film Proposal
A David Attenborough nature style mockumentary about a students life. Film the student waking up, preparing for the day, going to college, eating etc. Overdub a naration of the activities in the style of a nature documentary.
Truman Show-esque, where the person's life is filmed but they are unaware of it. Have a narrator following them around, or dub the narration on after.
Truman Show-esque, where the person's life is filmed but they are unaware of it. Have a narrator following them around, or dub the narration on after.
Film Ideas
A 'Pete Vs Life' kind of show, short film about a day of someones life with commentary, like a sports show.
Possible ideas: Witnessing a murder
Walk in on girlfriend cheating
Walk in on an affair
Possible ideas: Witnessing a murder
Walk in on girlfriend cheating
Walk in on an affair
Man wins lots of money on lottery/scratchcard, shows how he spends it all
Someone gets kidnapped, shows the house, person trapped, person dying and the body being left somewhere.
Nature documentary about a students life, done David Attenborough style.
Tuesday, 11 September 2012
Short Film Websites
http://www.filmsshort.com/short-short-films/ - Short Short films
http://www.virginmediashorts.co.uk/#page=1&filter=date - Virgin Media Shorts
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/short-films - Channel Four short films
http://www.bbc.co.uk/filmnetwork/ - BBC Short films
http://www.virginmediashorts.co.uk/#page=1&filter=date - Virgin Media Shorts
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/short-films - Channel Four short films
http://www.bbc.co.uk/filmnetwork/ - BBC Short films
Short FIlm Analysis - Callum
Virgin Media Shorts - The Result
The first film I looked at was a Virgin Media short film called The Result. This film starts off with a woman who looks small compared to the desk she is sat at. She appears to be professional as she is dressed in high class clothes, not casual clothing. Her high status is reinforced when she uses an intercom to call someone in.
The camera then cuts to the man called in, and shows him walking down stairs and through the door, at which point the camera focuses on the door plaque, reading 'Dr Sharp'.
Following this there is a series of shot reverse shot, including the dialogue 'we have the results' and 'its bad news', giving a sense that the man may be dying. However this presumption is broken when the Dr says 'You cannot sing', and the man is devastated.
This focus on sound immediately brings to the attention the lack of non-diagetic sound in the film; everything is silent other than noises that would be heard in the room, which echo around. At the end a young girl walks in, dressed in white and smiling. This could be seen as she is innocent and about to be crushed, or that she is a hope for the world that is apparently fixated on performance ability.
Short film 2: The Elevator.
In this film, the main character is initially unknown. It shows a lift that slowly gets more and more crowded by overweight people, until a man gets out a calculator and estimates the weights of people.
This is done by showing a close up of the person in question, then the phone he is using as he adds up their estimated weights.
This culminates in a result of 2001lbs, at which point the camera cuts to a shot of a warning in the lift saying 'Max Weight 2000lbs'.
At the next floor, the door opens and a seemingly slim man is shown. He then moves and an extremely overweight man is shown walking towards the camera, in show motion with apocalyptic music.
The man exits the lift and gets in another, which appears safe. Once inside, people start coughing and sneezing, and on the next floor the doors open to a sign saying 'Swine FLu Clinic', which is shown in a close up.
The first film I looked at was a Virgin Media short film called The Result. This film starts off with a woman who looks small compared to the desk she is sat at. She appears to be professional as she is dressed in high class clothes, not casual clothing. Her high status is reinforced when she uses an intercom to call someone in.
Following this there is a series of shot reverse shot, including the dialogue 'we have the results' and 'its bad news', giving a sense that the man may be dying. However this presumption is broken when the Dr says 'You cannot sing', and the man is devastated.
This focus on sound immediately brings to the attention the lack of non-diagetic sound in the film; everything is silent other than noises that would be heard in the room, which echo around. At the end a young girl walks in, dressed in white and smiling. This could be seen as she is innocent and about to be crushed, or that she is a hope for the world that is apparently fixated on performance ability.
Short film 2: The Elevator.
In this film, the main character is initially unknown. It shows a lift that slowly gets more and more crowded by overweight people, until a man gets out a calculator and estimates the weights of people.
This is done by showing a close up of the person in question, then the phone he is using as he adds up their estimated weights.
This culminates in a result of 2001lbs, at which point the camera cuts to a shot of a warning in the lift saying 'Max Weight 2000lbs'.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)