Short films have their own specific features, including:
-A likelihood of ambiguity or the unexpected in the narrative;
- small number of characters;
-heightened use of mise-en-scène and music;
-Minimal dialogue and powerful themes.
Docufiction is a neologism which refers to the cinematographic combination of fiction and documentary. The term involves a way of making films already practised by such authors as Robert Flaherty, one of the fathers of documentary, and Jean Rouch, in the 20th century.
It also implicates the concept that fiction and documentary are basic genres, due to the ontological status of the filmed image as photography: the double is shown as being the same, as representation and reality. Being both, docufiction is a hybrid genre, arising ethical problems concerning truth.
Conventions of Documentaries
-Archival Footage and Photographs : Archival materials include old photographs, newsreel footage, and even shots from fiction films
-Talking Heads: These people usually are shown in their offices or in their homes
-Jiggly Camera
-Voiceover Narration
-Re-enactments
-Real People
Conventions of Drama/Fiction
Dramas are serious, plot-driven presentations, portraying realistic characters, settings, life situations, and stories involving intense character development and interaction. Usually, they are not focused on special-effects, comedy, or action, Dramatic films are probably the largest film genre, with many subsets.
Monday, 13 July 2009
Wednesday, 8 July 2009
Pin Point
http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/insideindies/shortsfest/dl/pinpoint.m4v
Film by James Kim
This short is different from others i have looked at; it is much shorter and is also an animation (rotoscoped). It's about a evil orphanage caretaker who tries to poison the children, and then one of the girls there makes a voodoo doll and takes revenge. It may be a animation, but it seems a bit violent, especially at the end where in the last scene the little girl goes with scissors to cut off the head of the voodoo doll, and so not much is left to the imagination.
I do however like the idea of an animation, though I believe for my project that it would be best not to do an animation as I don't think i would have the skill, time nor right software to create something to a realistic standard as I would want to.
Film by James Kim
This short is different from others i have looked at; it is much shorter and is also an animation (rotoscoped). It's about a evil orphanage caretaker who tries to poison the children, and then one of the girls there makes a voodoo doll and takes revenge. It may be a animation, but it seems a bit violent, especially at the end where in the last scene the little girl goes with scissors to cut off the head of the voodoo doll, and so not much is left to the imagination.
I do however like the idea of an animation, though I believe for my project that it would be best not to do an animation as I don't think i would have the skill, time nor right software to create something to a realistic standard as I would want to.
Storyline Ideas
Contemporary Issues
I want to make my film relvant to contemporary issues, these show possibilities:
- Sex and relationships
- Knife/Gun crime and violence
- Poverty and homelessness
- Media Obsessed/ Social networking
- Love
- Child abuse
- Drugs
- Politics
Bullet Proof Vest
http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/insideindies/shortsfest/dl/bulletproof.m4v
Dir: May Lin Au Yong
Nine-year-old Jyeshria wants a bulletproof vest—and she's dead serious. In a city riddled with gun violence, fed up residents take action.
I like this above short, I think it is very powerful in making people aware of the violence in Richmond, California and how people live. The whole clip is in black and white and has voice over, and shows the area and the children, and their protest to stop the violence. I think it is very effective in its documentary form as it shows that it isn't fiction and that it is a serious issue worth considering.
The Camera angles portrays the neighbourhood through the people's perception; different cuts of the area as they are speaking about it, over the shots and it embodies how they feel about what is going on. Showing that it has potential, if the violence could stop, for instance the shot of the play area - it seems hostile and so perhaps they do not like playing there as it is dangerous, but does not look so different as others. Those speaking rarely look directly at the camera when they speak, which is a feature of documentaries. I think the black and white emphasises how they are feeling, there is no "colour" in their lives and I think this is an effective way of highlighting the point of the film.
The use of the documentary form is effective and goes well with the narrative; this would work well for my Short as it can be done in 5 minutes. If i were to chose the documentary genre I would also chose a contemporary issue that I wish to raise as the genre would enable me to raise awareness and highlight the elements I would need to through direct speech as well as shots to emphasise what they are saying.
Dir: May Lin Au Yong
Nine-year-old Jyeshria wants a bulletproof vest—and she's dead serious. In a city riddled with gun violence, fed up residents take action.
I like this above short, I think it is very powerful in making people aware of the violence in Richmond, California and how people live. The whole clip is in black and white and has voice over, and shows the area and the children, and their protest to stop the violence. I think it is very effective in its documentary form as it shows that it isn't fiction and that it is a serious issue worth considering.
The Camera angles portrays the neighbourhood through the people's perception; different cuts of the area as they are speaking about it, over the shots and it embodies how they feel about what is going on. Showing that it has potential, if the violence could stop, for instance the shot of the play area - it seems hostile and so perhaps they do not like playing there as it is dangerous, but does not look so different as others. Those speaking rarely look directly at the camera when they speak, which is a feature of documentaries. I think the black and white emphasises how they are feeling, there is no "colour" in their lives and I think this is an effective way of highlighting the point of the film.
The use of the documentary form is effective and goes well with the narrative; this would work well for my Short as it can be done in 5 minutes. If i were to chose the documentary genre I would also chose a contemporary issue that I wish to raise as the genre would enable me to raise awareness and highlight the elements I would need to through direct speech as well as shots to emphasise what they are saying.
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