Fiction Adaptation - Content Research

 Content Research

Link to presentation: 

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ufoJgmnFIgebGFKVmYcPERnKtRNsCW3_Nwdirq0NJJM/edit#slide=id.p

I created a presentation in order to get my ideas into a hard copy rather than just having them in my head. Through creating a presentation, it helped me communicate my ideas visually. 

The presentation I created contained the sonnet that I have chosen to adapt, an analysis of the chosen sonnet, a moodboard, video inspiration, possible locations, possible shot ideas, and possible audio/sounds that I can use. I sent this presentation over to my cast and crew so that they had an idea of the sort of thing I wanted.

I looked on Pinterest for inspiration. I wanted a black and white look for my film as I felt like it meant that the audience could focus on the story at hand without being overwhelmed by colour as well as the fact that black and white film often creates a distinct dramatic effect (Britannica, 2021). Through exploring images on Pinterest, I was given ideas for some shots that I could do in relation to the impact that sexual assault can have on victims/survivors. By creating a moodboard, I was also able to visually communicate the emotions I wanted to convey throughout the film, with the use of various shot sizes, colour and lighting. 

Figure. 1 First Moodboard Slide for Fiction Adaptation (2021) 

Figure. 2 Second Moodboard Slide for Fiction Adaptation (2021)

When thinking about the black and white colouring of my film, I looked at multiple films that used coloured/shot in black and white. 

One I came across that I really liked was the film La Jetée (Marker, 1962). La Jetée (Marker, 1962) is a science fiction film that explores a man’s memories after World War III (IMDB, 2021). The film consists primarily of still images, with one shot out of the whole film being a moving image. The film was shot in black and white. It is narrated throughout. I liked how a story was told through a combination of images and narration. The high contrast images within the film were something that I want to try out within my film using both still images and moving images. The film has also encouraged me to try and colour my film in black and white as I liked how it appeared on screen and the emotional impact it had on me as an audience. I wasn’t overwhelmed with colour, was able to easily focus on the narrative, and was struck with emotion through the use of powerful images. Within the film, close-ups are used, which I felt, alongside the black and white colouring, was incredibly powerful and forced you to confront the man’s memories head on. 

Figure. 3 Film Still from La Jetée (1962)

I used the presentation I had made to pitch my idea to lecturer, Katarina Sengstaken. 

Figure. 4 Fiction Adaptation Pitch Feedback

In response to Kat’s feedback on my pitch, I created a storyboard, incorporating some of the possible shot ideas I had used within the presentation/pitch I had made. With the film being about the impact of sexual assault and the senses, I wanted to experiment with a variety of shots. With experimentation in mind, I wasn’t entirely sure of all the shots I wanted to do, so made a preliminary storyboard with some of the clear shot ideas that I had. I felt as though the sequence of shots and types of shots would become clearer during filming and in the editing process. Some examples of the types of shots that I included within the storyboard are a close up of the female actor sleeping in bed and a tracking shot of the female actor walking down a road. Close-ups allow for the audience to gain an insight into the character’s world and adds emotion to the scene (Masterclass, 2021). 

For future projects, I would try to have more of a clear idea of all the shots I want to achieve and aim to create a clearer storyboard. 

Figure. 5 Fiction Adaptation Storyboard

I looked at shots with higher contrast lighting and inputted them into my moodboard. In order to figure out how I would achieve this, I spoke to Sam Creamer (Lecturer and Technical Tutor), whereby we both agreed that tungsten lights would be best to achieve a high contrast look. 

When thinking about the ending of my film, I have been researching short films that deal with the topic of sexual assault as well as short films that deal with other sensitive topics and looking at how they end. For example, the short film, (BLOOM, 2020), ends with two individuals crying with a voice over of people saying “It was not your fault” (BLOOM, 2020) in unison. Another example I looked at for an ending was the short film, (Sexual Assault Short Film by Andrew Parnell. . PSA, 2017), which ends with the victim crying and statistics about sexual assault and the lack of justice for those who have experienced it. When it comes to the ending of my film, I am going to choose the message that is left with the audience during the editing process so I can see what feels right when I have all the footage and know how the piece is going to be edited together. As this is a sensitive topic, I want to ensure that care is taken and the ending fits the footage and story. 

In addition to watching short films about sexual assault, I researched sexual assault and the impact it can have on people, as well as drawing from my own experience of being sexually assaulted. Flashbacks, anxiety, and paranoia often occur within those who have experienced sexual violence (The Survivors Trust, 2021), and these were some of the impacts that I wanted to convey within the film. 

During the shooting of the film, I will think carefully about the shot sizes, particularly in terms of the emotions that they can convey. The main type of shots that I want my film to consist of are close-ups as they will allow for the audience to be drawn into the emotions and experience that the character is feeling within the film (Masterclass, 2021). 

In future presentations, I will think about referencing the materials used within it so that the cast and crew are able to easily refer back to the inspiration and seek out similar research materials from the ones that I have provided. 

Bibliography:

“BLOOM” - A sexual assault short film (2020) [Online Video] At: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHAEo0ypspQ&ab_channel=EllaFields (Accessed 04/12/2021) 

Britannica. (2021) Film - Colour and black and white. At: https://www.britannica.com/art/motion-picture/Colour-and-black-and-white (Accessed 12/12/2021)

Fig. 1 First Moodboard Slide for Fiction Adaptation (2021) [Google Slides, Screenshot] At: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ufoJgmnFIgebGFKVmYcPERnKtRNsCW3_Nwdirq0NJJM/edit#slide=id.gfbfcd89b35_0_103 (Accessed 12/12/2021)

Fig. 2 Second Moodboard Slide for Fiction Adaptation (2021) [Google Slides, Screenshot] At: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ufoJgmnFIgebGFKVmYcPERnKtRNsCW3_Nwdirq0NJJM/edit#slide=id.gfbfcd89b35_0_103 (Accessed 12/12/2021)

Fig. 3 Film Still from La Jetée (1962) [Film Still, Online] In: La Jetée. France: Chris Marker

Fig. 4 Fiction Adaptation Pitch Feedback (2021) [MyUCA Tutorial Log] At: https://myuca.uca.ac.uk/webapps/lobj-campuspack-BB5d11c85256e5e/launch/setupForm.form?course_id=_17926_1&contentId=_370398_1 (Accessed 04/12/2021)

Fig. 5 Fiction Adaptation Storyboard (2021) [Storyboard, Screenshot] At: https://app.milanote.com/1MPTj416l3E00o/fiction-adaptation (Accessed 12/12/2021)

IMDB. (2021) La Jetée Film Description. At: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056119/ (Accessed 12/12/2021)

La Jetée (La Jetée, 1962) Full Film (1962) [Online Video] At: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fU99W-ZrIHQ&ab_channel=MatineeShow (Accessed 03/12/2021)

Masterclass. (2021) Film 101: What is a Close-Up Shot? How to Creatively Use a Close-Up Camera Angle to Convey Emotion. At: https://www.masterclass.com/articles/film-101-what-is-a-close-up-shot-how-to-creatively-use-a-close-up-camera-angle-to-convey-emotion#what-is-a-closeup-shot (Accessed 12/12/2021)

Sexual Assault Short Film by Andrew Parnell. . PSA (2017) [Online Video] At: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HkyrUFlkV8&ab_channel=CreativeDrew (Accessed 04/12/2021)

The Survivors Trust. (2021) The Effects of Sexual Violence. At: https://www.thesurvivorstrust.org/the-effects-of-sexual-violence-how-to-support-a-survivor (Accessed 04/12/2021)