Sophie Marriott A Journey Through Sorrow Directors Statement

VISUAL STYLE AND CINEMATOGRAPHY

For my production A Journey Through Sorrow the visual approach I am taking is mainly handheld, as I prefer the way it looks in comparison to static shots. I like the fluidity of movements as I feel it creates more of a personal interaction with the viewers. By thinking of how the visual elements look from the viewers perspective, it makes it easier for the director to convey emotion in the right way. Although handheld can be problematic in reference to footage not looking smooth, I believe that having a slight movement, barely noticeable, throughout can add to the overall effect of the story. It can make the story seem more real, as if you are watching it happen in front of you, which can be a great element to have when dealing with an issue that does happen in the real world. As my story shows the story of a girl trying to be reunited with her father, it is similar to the TV series Long Lost Family which can be classed as a documentary so this approach will be similar to that. I also like handheld shots, as you are not restricted in your movements or positions with the camera like you would be if you had to set the camera up on a tripod. One of the main advantages of having lesser restrictions with handheld, it makes it easier for the camera to track the character and follow them so it becomes a story from their point of view. My influence for choosing this approach comes from my love of Alfred Hitchcocks unique and interesting directing style. He essentially turned the audience into voyeurs when they watched one of his films. The reason Hitchcock incorporated this theme into many of his films is solely down to the fact that people like to watch other people, it is an instinctive behaviour to observe others whether its a good or bad situation.

Figure 1: Rear Window (1954) This still from Hitchcocks Rear Window (1954) is a perfect example of voyeurism as the whole filmed is based upon the premise of spectating. Hitchcock makes the audience conscious of the fact that they are an audience but he cleverly draws them into the plot as the story unravels and we are also seeing what the main character is seeing. In my own work, the majority of the shots will let the audience just observe the character and their actions. Following on from this, I feel that close ups and medium shots will best compliment this approach as they will further show the emotions of the character. The close ups will primarily be of the main girl when she has to adjust to new locations and to the unidentified package (the details about her father). As there is little dialogue in the script this approach, inspired by Hitchcock, will work best as many of his films focus on the action and performance rather than what they are saying. However, I will use one or two wide shots as the establishing shots to let the audience know the situation that the character is in and to set the scene of the

story. Also by having varied shots it will be easier for me to edit scenes differently. I have always loved the idea of showing a story purely by visuals so I would like to apply it to this project. There is one specific shot that I would like to use in my production and that is the infamous zoom track shot, otherwise known as a dolly zoom, created by Alfred Hitchcock. This shot requires the camera to dolly/track in whilst simultaneously zooming out at the same speed, which creates a disorientated effect. This still from Vertigo (1958) shows the zoom track shot in motion. It is highly effective in showing how the character is feeling, especially as it is shot from his point-of-view. As it is such an interesting shot, I would love to incorporate it into my 4 minute piece but it may not work well with the rest of my shots as they are quite naturalistic.

Figure 2: Vertigo (1958) Alfred Hitchcock has been a huge inspiration for me as his style of directing is so unique that it is hard for it to be recreated to his standard. One of Hitchcocks earlier films, Notorious (1946), contains one of his most recognized scenes in the history of film-making. It starts off with a high and wide shot then slowly pans around the room and zooms down to end up as an extreme close up on Alicias hand holding the key. Figure 3, 4, 5, 6: Notorious (1946)

High, wide shot

Camera pans

Zooms down

Extreme close up

This particular scene has shown me that you can start your shot from a wide angle and turn it into an extreme close up in one take, which is an incredible skill to have, but it is one that I wish to learn when filming this project. It wont be possible for me to recreate something like this but it has inspired me to think about how to change shots during one take instead of cutting to get a close up or long shot. Following on from thinking about shots and what to actually shoot to tell a story, Steven Katz writer of Film Directing: Shot by Shot - Visualizing from Concept to Screen, states visual recognition between shots, however, is only half the strategy of the continuity style. Most often the relationship between shots is one of implication or inference. What Katz appears to be saying is that the audience uses their own logic to connect shots together to make a sequence. He uses this as an example: we see a wide shot of a man approaching a door. This is followed by a cut to an extreme close-up of the man's hand turning the doorknob. Even if the doorknob was too small to attract our attention in the wide shot, we expect that it is connected to the previous shot since it makes logical sense, even though we could be looking at another doorway in a different place and time. This suggests that audiences do not need to see every single action of the character; they can piece two shots together by using their own logic and imagination. This made me think about the shots I want to use and what I actually need to show on screen because unnecessary shots use up seconds that could be used for a much more visually pleasing shot.

TONE, MOOD AND LIGHTING

The tone and mood of the piece is sorrow. I will achieve this by using the approach I have spoken about and by the use of natural light for the exterior scenes. As I will be filming during February, it will be cold and dull outside which coincides with this emotion. I want to emphasise the dark tones, possibly greys and blues, during post-production if the footage picks up too much colour or if it is not particularly cloudy on the days of filming. I feel that pointing out these undertones in each scene will vastly effect how the emotion is portrayed. For the scenes where the secondary character is present I will allow it to be more colourful to show the contrast between the two characters. Figure 7: Gladiator (2000) This is an example of colour grading from the film Gladiator (2000) directed by Ridley Scott. The top image is the footage that they shot on location. The bottom image shows what the footage has changed into after colour grading in postproduction. By adding this blue hue, you can recognise the sadness and sincerity of the scene which creates a more powerful image. By taking away the natural colours, it desensitises the

situation and makes it depict reality less. It could also be said that by draining the colour, it is showing how the character is feeling at this moment in time, in this case Russell Crowe is in battle therefore he could be emotionally drained from the continuous fighting and murders. Figure 8: A Journey Through Sorrow (2014)

These are stills taken from my footage. As you can see, the colours are noticeably different. The image on the left is shown to be more colourful, this is because the secondary character is present and she is about to bring some good news to Lola. I have incorporated colour into the scenes where other people are to simply add a contrast in characters and their own emotional state. In the image on the right, there is a distinct blue tone throughout the shot, which emphasizes sadness, and sorrow that Lola is feeling. Another inspiration for this dull colour scheme comes from the TV drama Misfits whereby a group of young offenders are equipped with super powers after a storm. Figure 9: Misfits

Figure 10: Misfits This cinematography works incredibly well with the supernatural theme because there are periods where the set/location does not look real but instead looks like it has been created using CGI. This colour grading, along with the extensive use of effects, helps add to the grittiness of the story. An observation I have made when watching Misfits is that although the characters, writers and storyline change each series, the overall style stays consistent and never strays from its original grey toned colour scale.

LOCATIONS AND PRODUCTION DESIGN

For the bedroom location, in which Lola wakes up in and then later opens the package, I have drawn my inspiration from the American TV drama Desperate Housewives. The set design for this production is a great example of consistency as each house has its own style that reflects the characters within that household. The interiors of these houses are extremely detailed which furthermore adds to the personality of the character.

Figure 11, 12: Desperate Housewives set I am using my own bedroom so I will furnish my room differently to how I would usually have it to add a bit of persona to the room. It will be simplistic in dcor, black carpet and white walls with a pink/purple duvet set to make the room feel more feminine. I have also decided to add tiny details to further make the room more feminine - such as a rose plant, box of tissues and a freestanding mirror. This is to emphasise the idea that this is an all female household and that there is no trace of masculinity. Also, by adding these small details it adds an element of realism and gives the room a more lived in feel. I want the room to feel homely and to be represented as Lolas place where she comes to escape the harsh reality. Another location I will be using is my Nan and granddads house for when Lola exists the house and decides which way she wants to go. I chose their house instead of mine because they had a long driveway so I felt I could do more with camera angles and coverage. The rest of my film will be shot in a small lane and local park. Figure 13: Gorse Road This is the location I have chosen for the tighter location. As you can see, it is a very small lane and I thought it would fit well with the scene as Lola is unsure of where she is at this point in the script. By using a smaller location, it will give the impression she is trapped and confused. The surroundings are houses and hedges but I will frame the shot so you can only see the hedges, which will add tension and suspense.

Figure 14: Broomhill Park This is where Lola and Sarah will meet and Lola will be given the package. I wanted them to sit down and exchange small talk and the package because it would feel more natural for them and their characters. My reasoning for using a park is because I knew I would get a lot of natural noise and there would be a lot of people walking by, this would add to my story by showing that other people are happy and continuing with their lives whilst Lola is feeling depressed and cant break away from wanting to find her father. Figure 15: Broomhill Park This location is the entrance to the park and I will be using it for when Lola decides which route she wants to take. The most obvious reason I chose this place is due to the fact the pathway splits into two which would give me a good shot of her looking both ways, pausing then choosing on pathway. I am also using these open locations to show that Lola can be vulnerable and nave.

PERFORMANCE/CASTING

Figure 16: Actors

From left to right: Sinead Hope, Aimee Saunders and Hannah Darby. Sinead Hope will play my lead character, Lola. She has had some previous experience acting in music videos so I know she is used to taking advice and

direction from people in this industry. Aimee Saunders will play my second character, Sarah, who delivers the package. Aimee does not have any acting experience but we have worked together on previous projects so I know she will cooperate with my crew and myself. Aimee will also be the camera operator for my shoot, which means she has a clear idea of the shots and performance I want to achieve. Hannah Darby is the passerby who walks infront of Sinead (Lola) and she will be on the phone laughing and smiling, a clear contrast to how Lola feels.

SOUND DESIGN
Throughout my 4 minute piece, I will keep the natural sounds because they add to the reality of the story. For the interior scenes, I will try to pick up sounds such as the bed creaking when Lola wakes up and her yawning. The alarm that wakes her up and the phone ringing will be done during the production. For the outside scenes, I would like to hear as much background noise as possible such as footsteps, birds chirping. By using the natural sounds, it gives the sense that you are there in the scene with the characters and makes everything seem more personal. As I will be filming in a local park, there are opportunities to pick up atmospheric noises such as dog barks, trees rustling and footsteps. If these sounds do not over power the scenes, I will keep them in because they help to create the environment in which the character is in. I will use foley or prerecorded sound effects during post-production if there is a problem with any of the audio in the footage. I have found a few royalty free music tracks that fit well with sorrow and provoke a lot of emotion but I am unsure of whether I will use it or not. Music can add intensity to scenes but it can also do the opposite. If I choose to use the music I have found, it wont be a continuous 4 minute track as it doesnt have the same effect as when music fades in during dramatic moments and fades out on the less dramatic moments. There are points in the film, e.g. the dialogue, that doesnt necessarily need to be backed up with music.

EDITING
When I edit my footage, I will use the continuity style of editing. This is where the editing is barely visible and the shots flow from one to another without creating any distortion for the audience. This technique relies heavily on the director using the 180 degree rule in which all the shots have to be filmed from one side of the action and can never cross the imaginary line, this is to lessen the risk of confusion for audiences. Continuity editing is vastly used in Hollywood films. Figure 17: Tsotsi (2005) A good example of continuity editing comes from Tsotsi (2005) directed by Gavin Hood. In the opening scene, Hood focuses on Tsotsis face and his expressions and cuts to the actions then back to his face. He does this through most of the scene but the audience does not question the jump from close up to

medium shot as it looks natural. In the book, Film Directing: Shot by Shot Visualizing from Concept to Screen (Katz, Steven) he references Lev Kuleshov, the Soviet filmmaker and theorist, and the now famous experiment demonstrating that the meaning of shots in sequence can be created entirely through editing. The experiment Kuleshov conducted was similar to the scene in Tsosti in which the audience is shown a close up, then the action, then another close up. This suggests that continuity editing is the basis for all editing techniques that exist today but they have been merely adapted and changed during the evolvement of different technology and the individual preference from a director. Katz later proposes the idea of Q & A patterns in which the audience sees a characters reaction (the question) and then there would be a cut to the object causing this reaction (the answer). This style of editing is used largely by almost all directors but the way they choose to tell the story depends on their own directing style, as more shots can be added in-between and there is no limitations to the length of shot. After researching about continuity editing, it made me think more about my shots and how I can put them together in a sequence. I will use the Q&A style when Lola sees the package that is in Sarahs pocket. I will show Lola looking down towards the direction of the letter, cut to a close up on the letter showing the words confidential (slightly masked by the pocket) then cut back to her face to see the expression. I will ensure that I have enough coverage to give me a variety of shots to choose from when it comes to post-production. This will allow me to play around with different angles and seeing the best effect it will give me. It also means that I wont be forced to use a shot I am not happy with. I am going to film certain parts of the script in a couple of angles, for example, Lola waking up will be filmed from a front/side close up and then a wide shot of her getting up and stretching. By going from a close up to a wide shot it also gives the audience a sense of the room and an insight into her life.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
http://lib.myilibrary.com/Open.aspx?id=314911 Katz, Steven (1991) Film Directing: Shot by Shot - Visualizing from Concept to Screen

ILLUSTRATIONS
Figure 1: http://www.connectsavannah.com/savannah/film-rear-window-usa1954/Event?oid=2330933 Rear Window (1954) dir. Alfred Hitchcock Figure 2: http://www.theclapperbored.com/2011/08/25/dissecting-directorshitchcock/ Vertigo (1958) dir. Alfred Hitchcock Figure 3, 4, 5, 6: http://archoffilm.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/architecture-of-keyin-alfred.html Notorious (1946) dir. Alfred Hitchcock Figure 7: http://gurneyjourney.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/color-grading.html Gladiator (2000) dir. Ridley Scott Figure 8: Film stills from A Journey Through Sorrow (2014) dir. Sophie Marriott Figure 9: http://www.comicvine.com/forums/battles-7/original-misfits-vs-newmisfits-1509666/ Misfits TV Drama Figure 10: http://www.scifinow.co.uk/news/51135/misfits-series-5-newtrailer-for-final-season/ Misfits TV Drama Figure 11, 12: Desperate Housewives film set, credit: Sophie Marriott 2011. Figure 13, 14, 15: Locations for film. Taken by Sophie Marriott. Figure 16: http://www.starnow.co.uk/sineadhope Sineads StarNow page Figure 17: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0468565/ Tsotsi (2005) dir. Gavin Hood