Eleven: Final Film

Eleven: Final Poster

Eleven: Final Magazine Review

What have you learned from your audience feedback?

Development: 
We learnt a lot during the development stage of making our film. The idea has changed numerous times which has led me to re-write the script for the past two months. Talking to people about narrative theories and what they enjoy in a film has been hugely beneficial, as the people we talked to will be our audience. I've asked a majority of family friends what they thought of the idea and overall they had a good response, they felt sympathy towards our central character Blake.

Later there were a few complications with the story and characters. I was concerned about how they were going to come across to the audience, here are some of the concerns we had -

• To have an emotional or happy ending - was a debate one that kept on changing. 
• How intimate the relationship was with the Dad and the piano teacher. 
• To construct the Dad as a bad man or a sympathetic man. 
• Blake throwing piano books away or under his bed. 
• Blake's inspiration coming from Duke Ellington. 
• Every concern I had in the storyline and character arc's were discussed with our tutors, family and friends. 

Here is our original treatment. Our story idea has changed dramatically. Most of the changes have come from very useful feedback our classmates and tutors especially. 

Here is a small example from the first draft of the script: The opening has changed from Blake's last day of school to a football match with his father and best friend Tom. The feedback we first received was to immediately set up the subject of divorce, we made these changes after discussing it with our tutors.

Pre-production: 
Location, cast, props- Planning the film- What would suit our film. Storyboard.
Here is our storyboard for the opening scene. Our audience feedback said that a drama should involve an opening scene that establishes a settled environment. Blake is in a happy situation until a start of a breakup begins. 

We also received useful feedback on our location choices. The two houses we chose for our film were approved of by friends and family who I asked. Each house has a very different atmosphere and feel to it. This is exactly what we intended to achieve when location hunting. We wanted the piano teachers house to be arty and quirky. On the other hand Blake's family home would be more modern and tidy with good lighting.

Post-production: 

We have just finished our rough edit and have received some very useful feedback. One of our tutors has told us which scenes didn't work and how we could improve them. We have cut a few scenes which don't have much relevance to the story. Despite the script being finalised weeks before shooting and the edit, our tutors didn't see relevance to certain shots or lines of dialogue. Taking this on board I was immediately able to take these away to make our film slicker and more interesting. After our first rough edit I showed my family and tutors who were very quick to give specific feedback. We received some very important feedback which was vital to our story and visuals. When making this film, I was very aware about taking other opinions on board. I didn't want to get carried away with my own style and had to accept what was wrong about ideas and visuals. 

Audience Questionnaire:

Here is a survey for our audience to fill out. This will give us great feedback towards changing certain aspects of our film.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?PREVIEW_MODE=DO_NOT_USE_THIS_LINK_FOR_COLLECTION&sm=C8QwUMs8cIRGvj4l75%2FcUE8%2BUe4H%2BAJi7SlI%2Bd%2FM4h4%3D

How did you use media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?

How did you use media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages? 

How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?

http://prezi.com/ksmcyevxbrj0/evaluation-question-2/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy#

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products

http://prezi.com/vrmlkbobbhay/evaluation-questions-1/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy

Eleven: Film Feedback

Our finished film has been released on Vimeo. This has given us excellent feedback. Overall the response has been very positive! Twitter & Ask.fm have been the best sites for receiving feedback. The anonymous option was there on Ask.fm so people could comment without feeling offensive towards us. Fortunately we didn't receive any personal or negative feedback.

Eleven: A Survey

During the final stages of the edit on the film, we wanted to show a small select group of people the film that we had cut together so far to see what people thought of it. We decided to show the film class in our school to see what they made of it, what they liked best, which character they related to if any and what there favourite element of the film was. This was a fairly generalised questionnaire although in some ways quite blunt and specific. This was really helpful to me and my partner Jacob. If there was anybody who misunderstood the film or didn't relate to the correct character we would have to make changes in the edit.

Here is an example of one of our questionnaires. Overall the film received great feedback. We gave these out to ten people and looked over what they enjoyed/misunderstood in the film. The feedback was fortunately all positive. We used these questionnaires just in case there was any technical errors or parts of the film people didn't understand. We gave these out early so if any errors, Jacob would easily edit them before the release to all audiences. 

Eleven: Release Options

As we are imminent to the release of our short we are now in the stages of deciding the website I would like to post it to. One of the most prominent websites to post video media to nowadays is YouTube.com. Although this is the case, YouTube is possibly one of the worst video media environments for people looking for ONLY the film itself. During my research at the start of the year for short films I loved the website I found named Vimeo.com. The website Vimeo is the best possible website for Short Films, this is because it presents only the film and the credits, it doesn’t show views or analytics. This lead us to choosing Vimeo for the upload.

Eleven: The Sound Edit

Once we had picture locked the film, when we were happy with all the shots and where they were placed, we took the film into a sound edit. I began looking at the film in a way that I never had before, listening closely to the flow of all of the sounds and the atmosphere that these sounds created. I began to download some free wild tracks and foley background sounds. I used a website named FreeSounds.Org, this is an amazing website in which anyone who records or had any sounds in a database can put them online to this site for free downloads and free use (royalty free).  

Eleven: Final Sound Edit

We used SoundTrack Pro to add some more sound to the film. This is a software that allows for a very intricate tampering with the sonic quality of the film. I used the automation and some reverb and delay effects in the film to add atmosphere and tone to the film. Now I had added all of the sounds in the background to make the film flow from scene to scene, I was now able to add any of what I call, “Extra Noise”, this is sounds that are diagetic (in the world of the film), although are extras that I add after we have taken them on set. Some of the “Extra Noise” were foley sounds and some of them weren’t. One of the most standout “Extra Noise” sounds was the rain in one of the scenes in the latter portion of the film. This was not integral to the flow or atmosphere of the film although it sets tone and mood in a moment of stress or anxiety. I then did a final mix and master of the sound, we then bounced the final sound mix and brought it into our final edit ready for the picture grade.   

Eleven: Lighting

One of the main elements of making a Short Film that I was particularly interested in was the nature of making a professional looking product. During my research into this I discovered cinematic lighting and the three-point lighting system. I had never come across any lighting styles or set-ups before so this was a new find for me. I started learning about how to set up rigs like this so that I could do this one our film for the interior shots. The lights we are going to use are two Zyon Soft Boxes. These lights are strong halogen lights that have diffusers covers, perfect for a natural looking light and lots of coverage.

Eleven: Mise en Scene

One of the most important aspects of film is concentrating on the aim for realism, a large portion of this is the mise en scéne. When we began the discussion of all of the mise en scéne on the short, the first thought that came to mind was the realsim of the piece. This was reflected in all of our mise en scéne. The first way we incorporated this was in the costume. All of the actors were in clothes that were dull colours (black, whites & greys), and these were the own actors clothes, so it was as close to real is we could be. Secondly being the set/environment of the film. We filmed the majority of eleven in-doors so it was crucial we choose generic looking houses with no standout architecture or architectural features. We used what was available to us, my cousins house which worked perfectly for Blake's family home. Finally we used no make-up or hairdressing. This also added to the realism of the piece because it made our actors look like they were just living out these events, rather than staging them.

Eleven: More Cast

Simon is Tom’s father in the film. Simon is a character which was only there to be a “narrative harbinger”. Although Simon does have a full personality which is a back-story and subtext to the plot and narrative. Simon was imagined to be a man who does a lot to collaterally impact his son although unconditionally loves him. Simon is played by Russell Byrne, a great friend who was fantastic on set. 

Sophie is Blake’s piano teacher in the film and also the woman Andrew has the affair with. Sophie was quite a sophisticated character to play, she had to be completely guilty although still hold herself and teach Blake professionally. This was quite a task, because of this we then resorted back to CastingCallPro. We came across a Show Reel of an actress named Katherine Reilly, who was the perfect look for the role and a capable actress.

Jane is Tom’s mother in the film. Along with Simon she is a “narrative harbinger”, although she we had a clear idea of what we intended her to be. We wanted her to to be blonde along with Sophie and we wanted her to be loving yet harsh which she is. Jane is played by Annie Miles who encapsulates all of the traits that we wanted Jane to be. Annie is another great friend of ours who was extremely adaptable towards changing her character if we wanted her to. 

Eleven: The Cast

Eleven is a film that we wrote to show off a curtain situation in life that many young people endure, although not necessarily at the age Blake does. Therefore the acting was of prime importance to selling the story. Although we had a larger cast than there was interest, and we also needed a curtain look for the main three character, as we had a clear vision of what we wanted them to look like. We then went online looking for a website in which we could as actors to be a part of our project. We used CastingCallPro. Here is a rundown of all of the actors in our film and why we choose them.

Blake is the lead character, and although there was a lot of acting required we had a clear vision of who we wanted. Blake is my cousin and is incredibly photogenic and as a result of this and his trust in me to lead him through the project we choose finally to use him.

Andrew is Blake’s father in the film. We needed someone who looked rather harmless at first until you see the potential of the person. The actor is called Alex Walker and we found him on CastingCallPro. We choose him for these reasons and also the fact that he has a lot of acting experience so he was adept as working with a range of different directors.

Rachael is Blake’s mother in the film. Oona Kirsh plays Rachael. She was the perfect look for what we were intending the mother to be. She was soft and loving, and had the look of a mother, this was perfect for her role.

Eleven: Our Genre

Our genre is an independent Drama that appeals to all ages. I have researched some conventions of the Drama genre and included some of these key conventions to our film:

Exhibits real life situations with realistic characters, setting and narrative.
Portrays journeys of character development.
Purpose of a dramatic storyline that will move the audience emotionally.
Audience can somehow relate to the characters.
Structured with climaxes and anti climaxes to keep the audience tense.
The heart of the story is conflict.
A form of realisation at the end.
In most films it concentrates on normal characters that are dealing with a conflict or dilemma. Dramas often give actors a chance to stretch into a role that other genres wouldn't allow them to do. This is because drama films focus on building up characters that the audience can engage with.
Our film is more of a melodrama. Our plot appeals to the heightened emotions of the audience. These films often put the character in danger to appeal to the emotions of the audience.

The Protagonist:
The central character in the film who is often put under trails so that these characteristics can be exposed to the audience.

The Antagonist:
 The Antagonist will usually to the extreme length to get exactly what they want even if it hurts other characters. This character primarily looks out for them-self and seems to posse little empathy towards any character.

Our film breaks the convention as all does not end happily for the protagonists. It's a very sad ending for our central character Blake.

Directorial Inspiration: Steve McQueen

During the production of the film, me and Jacob would plan shots in styles of our favourite directors. Another director whom we are both hugely inspired by goes by the name of Steve McQueen. McQueen is a very special director in the way he makes films. He comes from an art background and always brings this aspect of his mind into films. He directed a film in 20011 named “Shame”. This film has incredibly dark subject matter which is filmed in the style  of documentary and naturalism. McQueen also has his art flare in his back pocket and uses this to explain narrative in single shots. Jacob and I were very keen to use some of McQueen's techniques in our film. 

Directorial Inspiration: Destin Daniel Cretton

During the production of “Eleven, we appointed roles very quickly, Jacob would would direct. We discussed the style we wanted and there were a couple directors that inspired us. When thinking of the premise of the film it seems fictional on the surface although is inspired by true events. The first director that Jacob was inspired by is someone who made a similar type of film. This director is named Destin Daniel Cretton. Cretton directed his first Short Film in 2008, called 'Short Term 12' (Short).The film was soon after picked up and made into a feature. The film is about a woman called Grace who works in a foster home, this film is also fictional although it is based on true events. Cretton shot this in a way that looked very much like a documentary, this is something Jacob will bring to the table when shooting Eleven. He used a wide variety of handheld techniques for example, shoulder mounts and stedi-cams. 

Eleven: Final Titles

We liked the idea of using minimalistic titles so the audience could focus fully on the narrative. Despite our passion for visuals, we didn't want to get carried away with titles and keep them as simple as possible. Here are the titles we're using in our film:

Eleven: Survey Feedback

This week I showed eight members of my class mates Eleven. I gave each of them the questionnaire that I made a few weeks ago. This was extremely useful for me and Jacob for improving our next short film. 7/8 viewers were eighteen years old which summarised what a younger market thought of our film. After looking through each survey this is what the majority of people thought:

Favourite character: Blake because of his cute and innocent character. The audience were sympathetic towards him.

Were you bored at any point? What moment? No audience members were bored at any point.

Were you confused at any point? Two audience members couldn't identify the relationships at the beginning of the film. This is the argument in the park.

Would you recommend this film to friends/family? All audience members ticked definitely and yes.

What was the best part of the film? It was a spilt between the narrative and visuals.

Overall how would you rate the film? The majority of the audience gave it an 8-Fantastic.

So far me and Jacob are very pleased with the positive feedback. Hopefully this will continue when showing a wider age range and type of film fan.

Eleven: Written Magazine Review

‘ELEVEN’. The title says it all. What is the world like seen from an eleven-year-old boy’s point of view? In this case the eleven year old is Blake, a boy who watches the gradual break-up of his parents’ marriage. In eight short minutes we see the fractures occur until – at the end – his parents are apart, and Blake’s happy family life is in pieces.   The trick of the film is that we see all this almost entirely through Blake’s eyes.  In fact the piece could quite accurately be re-titled ’P.O.V.’  – because the ‘point of view’ is at the very heart of the story telling, and it allows us to truly enter the feelings of the young boy. 

The danger of ‘family dramas’ is that they can end up like ‘EastEnders’ with endless niggling families in drab living rooms, or couples combusting in overblown rows in the streets. But ‘Eleven’ is subtler, with the young boy gradually picking up clues about what is going on around him. It is also intensely cinematic, telling its story through images – often fleeting images caught out of the corner of the eye of the eleven-year-old lad at its heart. 

Burgess and Rabin, the writers and directors of ’Eleven’, were inspired by the recent film adaptation of Henry James ‘What Maisie Knew’, which depicts a young girl’s life dominated by her parents divorce. Their take on this situation has resulted in a warm and sympathetic short drama that surely has appeal to a wide demographic. The themes of childhood, family relationships and break-ups are explored tenderly and effectively. Director Rabin’s quirky style of long shots and POVs, writer Burgess’ sparing use of dialogue, and a score of subdued acoustic guitar and lone voice create a world that the audience can enter, and it has resulted in a bitter-sweet narrative that is full of feeling.

The performances are especially note-worthy. Alex Walker as the father has a curt charm, that makes him a complex character, close to his son, yet still capable of betraying his wife and walking out on his family. Oona Kirsh as Blakes’s vulnerable mother is totally believable as the wounded wife. But the casting triumph of the film is Blake.....(?) as the young lad at the heart of the story. He carries a lot of the film, with scrutinising close-ups focused on him much of the time. We wonder what he is thinking and feeling and it is this that draws us into the story more than anything else.   This little film is certainly a testament to the power of the close-up and the reaction shot. 

Despite their low budget, Burgess & Rabin have put together a very creditable film.  The subject of divorce is a tricky one for such young filmmakers, but they have met the challenge with a beautifully modulated story. Their visual style perhaps owes something to Wes Anderson, and it will be interesting to see what path they take in their next production. I look forward to their future collaborations, and would definitely recommend ‘ELEVEN’ to all audiences. Heart-breaking and tear-jerking its subtle yet powerful narrative is complimented with strong performances

Eleven: Colour Correction

Once the fine edit on the film was finished we could then move into the minimal additions that we wanted to make to the visual style of the film. This being the colour correction and the colour grade. We finally sound and picture locked the film and then began to discuss what type of feel and tone we wanted. We first colour corrected, this essentially means taking your image and making all thee shots in the film match. We achieved this by using a plugin within Adobe Premiere Pro CS6 called “Fast Colour Correction”. This was our main tool for this portion of the editing process as it was the most efficient and achieved the best results.