Experience with Camera

Had fun playing with depth of field, and focus. the quality of the shots was amazing. We had to take some shots indoors, the lighting wasn't strong enough, so we stepped up the ISO, and the grain was definitely more visible.
The first set of shots taken outside had the florescent white balance set so they were blueish, it sucked that we spent a day outside and got weirdly colored shots, but at least we know it's not gonna happen again. Its funny how unnoticeable it was until we looked at everything as a whole.
Interesting experience all in all.

Readings

So, here is the deal, I feel like the readings on the cameras are much more helpful now that we have the cameras at our disposal. Now that I can practice what I've read it makes sense.
Lighting
Very interesting, Key light(main) Fill light and Back light(secondary) and then there's the background light. I never did put into consideration that the different lights can be manipulated to that extent, to give the subject the feel that you want. A question that I would ask about that is, wouldn't you want to do all the manipulation in the post production? Is it more advisable to just get everything in a 'flat or default' way and then work it out later?
I liked the lighting simulator.
Getting the light right for every shot might be a task.

Cast

We are really looking foward to working with talent that is not from the school, just because most of the people we know from the school who would fit into some of the roles would not agree to act e.g. Jill :)
So far we've been able to get a couple of successful characters, they are willing to involve some of their friends as well. We also have a facebook page calling for actors, NB we already have our main characters, I'm just talking about extras.
We were discussing the other day that everyone has to look like they belong in the scene and everyone has to support the main character as best they can otherwise her character will not reach her potential.
Back stories have been written so that the talent can identify with the characters even more.
Of course, we have a bunch of students from the school who we can fall back on if our cast fails us.

Group Meetings

Alright so we have been meeting up, trying to get our story tightened up, and working up our schedule for the preproduction and production process. Working with the camera has been good, I can already tell that it'll take time before we can get comfortable around the equipment, not only because it is expensive but because we're still getting used to the settings and trying to figure out exactly what we can do with the camera. You know, to make the shots look interesting and so on.
I think the group is working efficiently as a whole. Considering the fact that we started out with a new story, the decisions we've been making havent been as crippling as I thought they would be, in terms of agreeing with each other and moving on, and making progress.

Melchin

The visiting artist talked about a number of his works. He really emphasized the fact that he went through a whole lot of research before he actually did any piece. He said he felt like informing himself on the subject only made the art better in the overall. He also mentioned that during his research, he would come to find out that the pieces he would decide to make are more or less subjects that have influenced him or affected him in his life at one point or the other, and, even though at face of it he didn't realize it, the research and finality of the work showed it to him. He spoke of how much he has travelled and how that too has come to influence his work. Infact one of the major topics he raised and maybe his biggest project to date was influenced by his visit to NewOrleans, to see what he could do to help with the Hurricane Katrina situation that was going on. He said something very interesting that I related to quite well. He said he came to realise how small he really was in comparison to the whole situation, and that he felt helpless. to be contd..

Structure

Who is the story about? (Hero/Protagonist)



What does the protagonist want? She wants a baby



What is in the way of the protagonist to get what he/she wants? She's a widow, but wants a child of her own, (doesn't want to be with another man)-because of her husband



What does the protagonist need? She needs to move on with her life and let go of the past.



What is in the way of the protagonist to get what he/she needs? Her connection to her passed husband




What is the beginning situation (not more than 2 sentences).
Elizabeth is really lonely and looks into insemination, which goes against her husbands beliefs.


1st turning point (1 sentence)
she is caught with the idea of insemination and other protesters start shunning her.


New Situation (not more than 2 sentences)
elizabeth questions her need to have social reinforcement


2nd turning point (1 sentence)
questions her husbands beliefs vs her own

Final Situation (not more than 2 sentences)s we are left to choose

Elevator pitch

Elizabeth Fulton, an awkward lonely pro-life activist considers artificial insemination.  

The theme of the movie is the personal struggles of a pro-life activist.

The central point is that the girl realizes that there is another side other than what she grew up believing.

The central goal is to represent each side of an argument leaving the viewer to come up with his/her own conclusion.

The movie in abstract terms is an unmarried activist wants a baby.

Short Synopsis-

The setting is 2012; Memphis, TN. The main character is a 29-year-old white widow named Elizabeth Fulton. She hopes to keep her husband's pro-life/religious beliefs alive by being a protester. She works as a secretary for an office downtown. She is reserved and awkward. She is lonely and desperately wants a child of her own. Elizabeth starts considering her options with artificial insemination. In the process she is caught by one of her fellow activists. The group shuns her. She starts to experience the other side of the argument. Her conflict is deciding if she wants to go through with the procedure or try to make it right with her group.

The tone and execution of the film will have little to no dialogue/actions through body language and camera angles. Wide angles will be used to emphasize the main characters loneliness. The appearance/aesthetic of the film will be real, down-to-earth, not a lot of make up or harsh lighting.

Objective- Elizabeth wants a baby but is not sure what direction to take- The audience will leave the film making their own decision based off Elizabeth’s struggle from both views.

Target Audience- the film will be geared toward individuals who have strong beliefs either pro-choice or pro-life.

Taxi Driver

There is no doubt that even in the intro of the Taxi Driver, a lot is said about the character without any kind of dialogue. Every shot told us something about him, the context was enought to explain the main character's basic makeup. I could already tell that he was a mid twenties kind of guy, just because of how he saw the city in the beginning shots, when the suggestion of intoxication is made.
The writer keeps us wondering and asking questions about Travis like he was in the marines? why is he a cab driver now, why does he want to work long hours.