The Brief and My Role

This week we were also given the brief for the first film we had to make. This was:

2-minute character study to be made in your groups.

You should create a 2-minute character-based study.

Your character must have a clear emotional need and you must convey this as the main focus.

Your story might have two characters in it, but there must be a main one, whose emotional condition is clear.

Your film should be an exploratory exercise for your main group piece, so the emotion portrayed should be evidenced in your longer piece.

These technical elements need to be considered:

1).        No sync dialogue. Although you can use inner voice or voiceover to help tell the story of the character.

2).        The world of your character. Consider all aspects of mis-en-scene to establish the story   world.

3).        The use of filmic motifs and key shots might be considered.

These dates are related:

Friday 21^st February               Look at development of exercise in groups.

Friday 7^th March                     Looking at rushes - you must have shot something by this date.

Thursday 13^th March              Present your finished film.

Please ensure that you are making notes and doing relevant research for this brief. This will help in your 2000 word evaluation.

My initial thoughts on the brief were that it could be very challenging to create an emotional attachment as well as an emotional want that are easily conveyed through the use of no sync dialogue in only two minutes. However, our Director, Chris Kenward, had already come up with an idea for a film before we were given this brief, so when presented with it, we all just had to discuss what we could do to make a sequence from the film he is imagining, so it fits the brief given. With the brief and already knowing the synopsis for Chris' idea, I think we can make a really interesting and experimental piece of film that can really engage the audience with our character and want to know the context behind the rest of the wider film.
My role as editor is a tricky one to begin with on this project, as in the industry, it is standard for the editor to not be a major part, if a part at all, in the creating of the film (in terms of actually physically filming it and planning for it) as to not warp or cloud their creative input in post-production. However, as this is only a small 2 minute film with a 5 man crew, it is necessary for me to be involved and help out my peers as much as I can. I hope that helping with the preliminary creative process will not change my outlook and influence when coming to the edit, as I could potentially not be viewing the film with a fresh set of eyes like an editor is meant to do. However, involvement now will help me visualise the directors image, as well as familiarising myself with what is expected of me and what the whole team want to achieve with the film.