Evaluation

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Drama strand module evaluation

In this module we were put into group to produce a series of drama pieces that dealt with emotion and how emotions can tell a story and how audiences react to them.

Pressure is the first film we produced where you used only music and sounds to convey meaning. The story around Pressure is of a young girl being overwhelmed with her grades and everything around her whilst she journeys through the tough time. This piece was directed by Kelly Purcell and produced by myself. I was happy with the finished product. This short is two minutes long.

The production ran almost smoothly with only some minor setbacks. We mostly shot it in chronological order because we felt this will be easier as the story was told in a non-linear way. From the first shoot, I knew that we were making a strong film and the audiences will understand what is going on. My collaboration with Kelly is marvellous as our communication skills were on point, as they needed to be. I believe everyone played a key part in this production. Even though it was only two minutes in length, a lot a time and effort was put in to make this it is.

The two setbacks we had with this production was the crews scheduling and the actresses scheduling. With the crew, it was having time with other projects currently going on at the time but we managed with the time we had by using a shooting schedule. The actress’ availability was challenging for the crew and me, as her availability was very limited. We could only shoot on the weekends and usually only one day in the weekend, which made it very tricky. The actress was going through her GCSE mocks and needed time to revise for them. The weather also made a major part in our setbacks but we did overcome it. When the weather changed, we resumed shooting the exterior scenes.

Whilst filming the short, the inspiration came from the short film we watched in session A Changed Man (2003) because the emotion of the piece is present from the first opening shot, as the film focuses on the main character’s facial expression and you can see the struggle. With opened Pressure with a zoom-out shot of our main character looking through the camera to convey that she is in some sort of a trance. The opening shot was my idea as I think it was powerful and it sets the mood of the piece. The editor decided to intercut other sequences in that part but I’m unsure that I was too happy with the editing choice but the director approved it so I did not question it. I can say that the decision was to give the piece structure but this could’ve been done some other way. Originally, the Father character was going to disturb her from her trance but this got changed at the last minute.

Furthermore, I feel that we worked closely to the brief and produced some hard-hitting piece of work and we are all proud of it. This was done with the guidance of our lecturer and the reassurance from the members of the film crew.

Pressure Part II is the follow up to Pressure as we follow now follow the young woman through her loneliness and the pressure of making the right decision for her future. This piece included synced dialogue and music throughout. Kelly Purcell again directed and I produced, I was also the sound recorder for the project. This short film is ten minutes long in length.

Due to end of semester timetables and deadlines, we had to make do of using the screenwriter Isabel Raven to play the main character. We had tried and seek actual actors/drama students to be a part of this but again their schedule made them unavailable for the last two weeks of filming.

Pressure Part II was a bigger scale so everything had to be planned well to get all the scenes and additional footage. The production was very overwhelming due to the short time we had to shoot, edit and distribute the film. Even though we did not seek actual actors for this production, I was glad that Isabel agreed to play Hannah as she did fit the characterises and did look like the age of the character she was portraying.

I have to admit, I do not like the final cut of the film. I thought the reputation of the story was irritating and fell flat halfway through. The sets were the best thing about the piece as I did seek various locations including the office space in Sheffield Hallam University. To be fair, the office scenes were the most difficult place we shot in due to the time limit, because of the actual space and the three people conversation we needed to complete the brief. The other locations were used perfectly as Hannah’s apartment was shot on different locations but the transitions of sequence emerged together well.

Isabel’s performance was quite strong and that was surprising, as she has no previous acting experience. George, who was the editor and assistant camera-person was a stand in for an actor who did not show for the shoot. He also excelled in the role. My favourite shoot was the night shoot as the lighting and colours of the surrounding works well. Usually night shoots can be hit and miss but this was fantastic.

Again, I wasn’t happy with the final product of Part II because of the reputation and duration of the film but other than that we did not move away from the brief and completed the task to a high standard.

Pressure Part I Behind the Scenes

Photography by: Tony Ansell

Friday 30th October 2015 Call Sheet

Pressure Part 2 treatment

Working title: Pressure (Part 2): The Taunting Years

Genre: Drama

Target Audience: 14-45 age range

Tagline:

Is there such thing as a biological ticking clock? Do we live a life of pattern? Do we follow or find our own way?

Brief Synopsis:

(50 words)

Hannah is exactly where she dreamed she would be. Her sheer will and determination excelled expectations as she now leads her own company. Hannah has achieved everything she aspired for in her career but there’s one thing she’s missing: A life, a relationship, a companion. We watch Hannah battle to either overcome or succumb to the pressures of life and society and the demand for coupledom.

Main Character Biography:

(250 words)

Hannah Timms spent the early years of her life studying, struggling with the education system. Her academic grades would tell her she’s a failure, but her creativity in arts told a different story. For Hannah studying books and writing essays was difficult, but music and art showed a unique talent. The music she could compose was remarkable and the songs she could sing were beautiful. This self-taught star found her escape in music and used this talent to guide her into her future.  She worked tirelessly over the years to prove to herself and society that academic grades don’t dictate your life. Her goal was to prove that individual talent can surpass the guidelines of education and she can still live a life of success and happiness. Hannah did just that, working from the foundations up Hannah developed her own music production company. Unfortunately once reaching this goal Hannah quickly realised her settling loneliness. Her stature at work completely contrasted against her life at home. Friends had family, children, they were engaged, married, or expecting. Hannah is just Hannah. This pressure to find a partner in this new era of her life now opens up new battles that she must understand. She must now find a way to invite the possibility of someone new to share her life. Hannah is a strong career orientated woman, her independency is abundant. Prompted by society Hannah’s biological clock is ticking, and she must decipher what she wants in her life now and figure out new ways to achieving it.  

Brief Description:

(500 words)

Hannah is in an office, it is clear she is the boss from her smart appearance and confidence.  One of her employees enters her clean organised office for short meeting. Out of politeness, Hannah asks them if they have had a good weekend. They respond with stories of a family camping trip and ask what Hannah got up to and whether she has a love interest or not yet. Hannah brushes this off as an inappropriate comment, and adds that she’s single and that’s how she prefers it to be. At the end of the day we see Hannah drive home. This is a clear transition in mood, at work there are bright lights and Hannah seems comfortable, as soon as she gets into her car the lighting is dark and she seems stressed. This hints that she is heading towards something doomful, which is her home, where she is lonely and unfocused. On the journey she is stopped by a red light, it is a pedestrian crossing and a couple walk across the road holding hands and laughing. Hannah looks annoyed, rolling her eyes and accelerating quickly once the light turns to green. We follow Hannah to her large attractive home. Inside she opens a ‘meal for two’ ready meal lasagne, she cuts it in half and eats it at her dining table alone with a glass of red wine. She takes the rest of the wine to the lounge, where she sits and scrolls down Facebook, looking at her friend’s happy lives.

The next day another employee enters Hannah’s office. He explains that his wife has asked if she would like to come for dinner at his house, and adds that she can bring her partner if she wants to. Hannah looks unimpressed and says she will give it a miss. On her journey home a different couple stop the pedestrian crossing. They take extra-long to cross the road, too caught up in each other’s company; Hannah gets annoyed when they haven’t crossed by the time the green light is on show. She starts peeping in frustration and curses under her breath. At home Hannah retrieves the second half of the lasagne out the fridge. She gets a new bottle of white wine and eats in the lounge. After her food she returns to Facebook. Looking bored and frustrated she shuts down the laptop and looks across to a shelf. On the shelf lives a memory box full of pictures, tickets, posters, drawings, gifts and certificates. Looking through the stuff, Hannah disregards a picture of her and an ex-partner and goes on to find a travel poster about a ‘gap year experience’ under her breath she says ‘if only’. The moment is then interrupted by a Facebook message, it’s an ex-partner and he wants to rekindle their romance. He says he’s off to Milan for the weekend and would love it if she would join him.

The following day Hannah is alone in her office contemplating her offer to go to Milan. She seems distracted, flickering through papers and constantly checking her phone, re reading the message from her ex. For the final time we see Hannah’s journey home, she reaches the same traffic lights but this time without any pedestrians, the mood and pace has altered here as we feel a sense of urgency. Hannah rushes inside her home, straight up to the bedroom and starts chucking her clothes into a suitcase. In the end we hear Hannah on the phone ordering a taxi; the suitcase is packed beside her. As she leaves the house with her case but in her hand we notice the ‘gap year’ traveling poster.

Directors Statement of Intent:

(250 words)

Much like the first film ‘Pressure’, this film will follow the same theme and mood. The protagonist here is now facing new pressures from a different era in her life. Again socially and psychologically we explore the impact of her new life and the social demands. Using wide shots and utilising empty space will emphasise the protagonist’s loneliness and sense of isolation. Juxtaposing between wide open shots to tight close ups of her face and eye level will convey her emotion and create the opportunity for spectatorial empathy. The pace throughout this film will alternate between the fast franticness of her work life and the grey, slow and gradual pace of her home life. The low tones used in her home life will resemble the same style and mood in the first film to create a correlation between this specific mood and this character. Similarly the use of slow gradual imagery, fast anxious shots will allow for the development of pressure as in the existing film. In the final later part of the narrative, Hannah is contemplating two eventualities on her life. This becomes much faster paced and intense, as this is the captivating moment, the turning point to the film. What Hannah decides dictates her future. In her inner realisation, the colours naturally become more colourful and brighter and thus the mood of the film has a sense of guidance and upcoming resolve. The sense of ambiguity throughout this time leaves the spectator in the unknowing and builds tension. It isn’t until the final moment of the film that our questions are answered in the close up shot of a clenched poster in her hand. The resolution teaches that our lives are to be lived for ourselves, society and education cannot dictate our future, we are responsible for our own happiness. Hannah choses her independency and understands that what she appeared to want (partner), wasn’t truly what she needed.

Pressure Part I

Pressure Part I

Shooting Sch: Part I