Tag Archive | film

Int. Studio: Shift- Grand Central Station Project- “The Stalker”

Nov18

The Stalker

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7_Gy_4I6Lg&feature=youtu.be

Grand Central Station Movie Project Write up

When I was first given the assignment I was not so sure about what my story plot would consist of. It suddenly hit me, “why not follow the theme of the rest of your pieces.” Which is exactly what I decided to do.

“The Stalker”, is similar to the rest of my pieces in regards to it being open ended. I wanted the viewer to be curious, and unsure about what will happen next, yet have the desire to continue watching. While staring at everyone around me in Grand Central Station, I thought about how you never know if someone is watching you, or if you are being stalked. I thought it was interesting how you don’t know the people around us in a public area, yet we trust them not to harm us and intrude on our personal lives. But what if that happened to you, and you were on a run, but there were people all around you but you could not go to them for help. That is precisely what my project consist of.

It begins with the setting of Grand Central Station front doors, where we are given a glance of the later revealed stalker waiting for her target. If you look closely in the frame, we are given a slight glance of the symbol she has imbedded upon her shirt. Later we hear the sound a girl walking through the doors and in the direction of the train schedule while heavily breathing. We are then given a closer view of the emblem on the other girl, but this time in another color. This suggests for the viewers to make the accusation that the two women have some correlation to one another. Next we are shown a wide angle shot of the stalker, walking towards a police dog surrounded by police. This frame allows the viewer to know that the stalker is in the premises of the station, but is trying to remain incognito. After this the scene consist of the girl being unsure of where to go next, yet also maintains a sense of suspicion and fear. This fear is a continuous emotion that the girl will remain to have through out the short film. We are next given a frame where the stalker is walking onto the escalator. Following that the girl gets on to the escalator as well, still unaware that the stalker is near by. Next, she turns, sees the stalker, the stalker waves. Extreme lose up of the girls face being in immense shock while a folley sound plays in the back of her panting. Scene crosses, to close up of the stalkers face grinning, girl turns. Close up of the girl screaming, folley sound of scream in the background.

I chose to have the climax of the film where the stalker reveals herself on a escalator to give it my own personal touch. Although this does not have any relevance to the film, I chose the escalator to be the place of the unmasking because it just so happens that escalators are my biggest fear. And since the continuous emotion of the movie is fear, I only found it most suitable to take place on the escalator. The moving stair cases also give the viewer that scary movie cliche effect. The fact that the girl has a chance to get away because the escalators are moving in opposite directions, but she chooses to take her time and scream shows the foolishness behind acting. It also hints to the viewer not only does she have a chance to get away, but the fact that the film will continue.

I chose to cut the rest of the film, because as a I stated before, it wasn’t about the main idea of what happens at the end, but what happens next. And the fact that I took that away from the viewer leaves them wanting more. Although I do believe I could have possibly conveyed this message a bit more clearer, I think that it was a great learning experience and intro into the world of illustrative drawing films.

Project 3: VIDEO+SOUND- “Drag Dealer”

Nov9

“Drag Dealer” Write Up:

                  Drag Dealer. As a common trait in my films, I leave the ending as open minded as I possibly can and unclear. I try to leave my audience with the question as to what happens next, or a mind blowing effect.
                 Right from the get go when we were given the foley sound assignment I knew I wanted to have my theme involving the use of illegally proscribed drugs and underage drinking. I gave it a drag queen touch, because I thought it was appropriate given that we are now in a time period where everything is in the open and anything can happen. I began the process by recording random sounds that you would most likely hear in a party. Such as a ruffling plastic bags, a broken glass bottle, a glass bottle moving around a counter, music playing, door closing, pills shaking, elevators opening, for the elevator buzz I filmed a tattoo gun, heavy breathing, and foot steps, and whispers. Following that procedure I chose to go a bit against the instructions, and go right into the movie making procedure. My original movie was sadly deleted, and I was forced to remake the film from scratch. I had to use last minutes actors that had no acting experience, and completely direct every expression they had to make by demonstrating it than have them rehearse it than re-demonstrated it than finally film them. The process was a bit tedious but it was a learning experience, which definitely was beneficial in the sense that I was able to connect better with the actors. For my main character, “the innocent boy in need of drugs”, I didn’t tell him his role. I chose to direct every move he made, another downfall was that he didn’t understand english quite well so I had to communicate with him through expression as to what he had to do, which definitely was revealed in the film. I believe the audience was able to feel his sense of nakedness, and overly exposed. The boy was meant to feel out of place, almost as if he is now entering the drug obsessed world where he was able to take a dive into the look of his future. In the following scene after he searches though the cabinets for the drugs, a drag queen, otherwise known as a “drag dealer, basically pulls him out of that shell and teases him with the drugs. After putting the drugs into the boys mouth, she pulls him out of the room, and into another. We don’t know what happens next, whether they continue their trip or decide to act upon their sexual needs. The ending is completely open ended, which I believe to be my little signature in each of my films.