SassProductions edit of Pringles Productions Directors Workshop

This is our edited version for the Pringle Productions director's workshop cut.

The Plane Ticket (AS Media Director's workshop 2K13)

This is our final edit of our Director's Workshop.

Directors Workshop Evaluation

In this video we talk through several questions, giving an insight into our directors workshop experience

Film Actors

Breakfast at Tiffany's - Audrey Hepburn - was a British actress and humanitarian. Recognised as both a film and fashion icon, Hepburn was active during Hollywood's Golden Age. She was ranked by the American Film Institutes the third greatest female screen legend in the history of American cinema and been placed in the International best dressed Hall of Fame. She is best know for her roles in 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' and 'My Fair Lady'.

The Hole - Teri Polo - Is an American actress, most well known from playing the mother in 'Meet the Parents' and then again throughout the trilogy in 'Meet the Fockers' and 'Little Fockers' and is also know for her roles in 'The West Wing' and most recently the star of ABC Family's 'The Fosters'.


The Parent Trap - Dennis Quaid - is an American actor known for his comedic and dramatic roles. First gaining widespread attention in the 1980s. Some of his notable credits include Footloose, Playing For Keeps and of course the parent trap.
                         

Natasha Richardson - was an English actress of stage and screen. She won the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical, the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical, and the Outer Critics Circle Award for her performance as Sally Bowles in the 1998 Broadway revival of Cabaret. Some of her notable films included Patty Hearst, The Handmaid's Tale, Nell, The Parent Trap, and Maid in Manhattan.

Lindsay Lohan - is an American actress, model and recording artist. She began her career as a child fashion model when she was three, and was later featured on the soap opera Another World for a year when she was 10. At age 11, Lohan made her motion picture debut in Disney's remake of The Parent Trap, a critical and commercial hit. Her next motion picture, Disney's remake of Freaky Friday, was also a success at the box office and with critics. With the release of Mean Girls, another critical and commercial success, Lohan became a household name and a frequent focus of paparazzi and tabloids. The two films earned her several MTV Movie Awards and Teen Choice Awards.

Bend it like Beckham - Part 1

1.) What was interesting/different in this film opening in comparison to others you have seen?
Within the opening of this film they only use the names of the Studios and production companies which were involved in the making of the film. Non of the cast or crew were involved in the opening and non of their names were mentioned.

2.) Which titles/credits were shown?
'Kintop Pictures' etc
'A Gurinder Chanha film.' - Director and Writer

3.) Why were they in that particular order?
The producers are put first as they are the ones who have put the film together and with film wouldn't have been made without them.

4.) Anything to comment on this?
The producers are put first because they are well known and allow the film to get better advertising and therefore more people are going to watch it. Just like how they have 'name dropped' with Beckham in the name to tell everyone before they even know what it's about that it's got a strong celebrity presents which people love to see.

5.) How were the characters introduced?
The characters are introduced one by one and we see the main character day dreaming of playing football with David Beckham, this straight away emphasises

6.) What about the narrative and genre?
This film is predominantly a sports drama but can be categorized into 3 different genres; sports, drama and Comedy - Therefore this is a hybrid genre film.

7.) How was the setting/scenery introduced?
We see the main character in her room which is a stereotypical teenagers room however, rather than being filled with girly props it's filled with football and David Beckham memorabilia. We then follow the main character and her sister into London town and them through the park and onto a field/pitch. All of which are hugely important and are the main settings for the rest of the film.

How do you add variety into a sequence of footage

For most of our preliminary task, we have a fixed shot on Sophie singing. To give our film a better variety of camera shots, we could have showed Lizzie's and Roshnee's reactions to Sophie's brilliant singing. Instead of using a fixed shot... We could have used a shot reverse shot, to show the audiences reactions. During the rest of the film, we could have used different angles and movements such as: high and low angle shots or panning.

Film Directors

Director: Is a person who directs the making of a film. Generally, a film director controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects, and visualizes the script while guiding the technical crew and actors in the fulfillment of that vision.

Blake Edwards - Edwards’ career began in the 1940s as an actor, but he soon turned to writing screenplays and radio scripts before turning to producing and directing in film and television. His best known films include Breakfast at Tiffany's and the hugely successful Pink Panther series.

Joe Dante - is an America film director, actor, producer and editor. His films often mix fantastical story lines with comedic elements. Dante's films include Piranha, the howling and Gremlins.

Nancy Meyers - is an American write, producer and director. She is the writer, producer and director of several big-screen successes, including The parent trap, something's gotta give, the Holiday and It's Complicated. Her second film as director, What Women Want, was at one point the most successful film ever directed by a woman, taking in $183 million in the United State

Film 3 - The Parent Trap

Year (1998)

Director: Nancy Meyers

Actors: Lindsey Lohan, Dennis Quaid, Natasha Richarson, Lisa Ann Walter, Elaine Hendrix

Credits:
Dennis Quaid
Natasha Richardson
A Nancy Meyers/Charles Shyer film
Lisa Ann Walter
Elaine Hendrix
Simon Kunz
Ronnie Stevens
Polly Holliday
and Introducing Lindsey Lohan
Casting by Ilene Starger
Costume Design Penny Rose
Music Composed by Alan Silverstri
Film Editor Steven A Rotter


Titles:
Walt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney Pictures Presents
The Parent Trap

Film 2 - The Hole

Year: (2009)

Director: Joe Dante

Actors: Chris Massoglia, Hayley Bennett, Nathan Gamble, Teri Polo, Bruce Dern, Quinn Lord.

Credits -
The Hole

Titles -
Bold Films

Film 1 - Breakfast at Tiffany's

Year: (1961)

Director: Blake Edwards

Actors: Audrey Hepburn; George Peppard; Patricia Neal; Buddy Ebsen

Credit -
Audrey Hepburn
George Peppard
in Breakfast At Tiffany's
Co-starring Patricia Neal
Buddy Ebsen
Martin Balsam
Vilallonga
with John McGiver   Alan Reed
Dorothy Whitney   Miss Beverly Hills
Stanley Adams  Claude Stroud
Elvia Allman  Cat (Frank Inn, Trainer)
And also starring Mickey Rooney as 'Mr Yunioshi'
Director of photography Franz F Planer A.S.C
Art Direction - Hal Pereira Roland Anderson
Edited by - Howard Smith A.C.E
Special photographic effects - John P Fulton A.S.C
Process Photography - Farciot Edouart A.S.C
Set Decoration - Sam Comer Ray Moyer
Assistant Director - William McGarry
Costume supervision - Edith Head
Miss Hepburn's wardrobe principally by - Hubert deGivenchy
Miss Neal's wardrobe principally by - Pauline Trigere
Makeup supervision - Wally Westmore S.M.A
Hair Style Supervision - Nellie Manley C.N.S
Sound recording - Hugo Grenzbach - John Wilkinson
Technicolor color consultant - Richard Mueller
Music - Henry Mancini
Screenplay by George Axelrod
Produced by Martin Jurow and Richard Shepherd
Directed by Blake Edwards


Titles -

A Paramount Picture
A Jurow-Shepherd production
Based on the novel by Truman Capote
Song 'Moon River' by Johnny Mercer and Henry Mancini
Technicolor

SassProductions Evaluation of Preliminary Task.

The evaluation of our preliminary task.

Preliminary Task: SassProductions - Sophie's Big Break

Film Plot 3

Title - Intern-ational

Genre - Action/Comedy/Romance

Characters -
The Main Character - Samuel
The Intern  - Lauren
The Boss - Mr Korsak
The Best friend -Tommy
The Assassin - Francesca
The assassins clumsy helper - George Johnson


Setting - Set in Boston, Scotland and Russia.

Brief Plot Outline -
Whilst on the mission of a lifetime to take down on of the worlds most recognised assassins Samuel's boss (Korsak) gives him a new intern to train (Lauren) who throughout the film is seen as one big harassment and impossible to train to become a 'assassin hunter' (like a bounty hunter but not a bounty hunter). We then follow as, off the clock, intern Lauren ends up meeting and falling in love with the assassin's clumsy helper 'George'. All of these disasters then unveil to reveal the real identity of 'Francesca' to be Samuel's high school sweetheart. However, can all be forgiven for the one you truly love? Even after she's killed 100's, killing Samuel's best friend Tommy, in the process.

Film Plot 2

Title - EARTHQUAKE!

Genre - Natural disaster

Characters -
Teacher - Mrs Hunt
Student 1 - Jackson Thorne
Student 2 - Julia Star
Student 3 - Adam Luther


Setting- In a school in the mid-west of America (Ohio)

Brief Plot Outline -
As the school year starts and a new class arrives, it's clear from the beginning this day won't go down without a fight. It's half way through English when Jackson askes to be excused from lesson. Mrs Hunt unwillingly allows him out of the class room. However, as quick as Jackson closed the classroom door, the earthquake began, 6.2 on the Richter scale, and the ceiling was coming down quick and hard. As the class follow protocol and protect themselves under tables from the falling debris Mrs Hunt goes in search of Jackson. Worried about their friend and with a 'no man left behind' policy, Julia and Adam go after the two once the earthquake has stopped. Only to find themselves lost, with no school left to search though.

Film Plot 1

Title - Love is all you need.

Genre -  Romantic, Comedy

Characters -
Sasha Grey - American (News Anchor)
Jason Greene -  (Student)
Sarah Greene  - (Nurse)
Jonathan Basset - (Vicar)
Frankie Torres - Italian (Chef)
Arizona Harmon - American (Lawyer)


Setting - London.

Brief Plot Outline - Film opens with Frankie proposing to Arizona, on the rooftop of his restaurant. Throughout the film we then follow the couples relationship until we get to their wedding day. Meanwhile we follow Jason falling for his American neighbour 'Sasha' and his sister Sarah's race against the clock to find a baby daddy. However, the vicar doesn't go forgotten as we also delve into his character as a clumsy, adorable, caring guy who fails to find love everywhere he looks. As the movie comes to an end we see the gathering of all the characters coming together at the wedding of 'Arizona Harmon and Frankie Torres'.

Pulp Fiction opening scene and titles

Camera Work -
> Shot reverse shot
> Two shot is used to show the relationship and equality between the two characters
> Mid shot is used for the majority of the opening scene to make the audience focus on the characters and their actions/reactions
> Close ups are used on the characters to show the conversation between the two
> They are also used to show the intensity of the situation.

Editing -
> Credits are made to stand out
> The background is made black so that they audience can't be distracted by anything else
> The names of the cast and crew are made to stand out
> This shows their importance in the making of the film
> Certain names are made bigger than others. E.g Quentin Tarantino; John Travolta; Samuel L Jackson; Uma Therman etc because they are what sells the film (make it a hollywood hit).

Sound -
>There are two songs used through the titles
> Both of these songs are upbeat songs
>This shows the irony of the film itself, although it is about criminals all in all it's quite a cheery and happy film
> The songs used are quite old school and give off a 70's vibe
> As does the rest of the film, this is common in Tarantino films as he likes to give them that edge
>This music also gives of a rebellious feel. which again fits in very well with the story line and the characters
>In the opening scene we also hear, in the background, the sound of plates and cutlery clanging about
>This gives an added feel of being in a diner, without the audience even realising it.

Mise-en-scene -
> Detailed decor in the diner/coffee shop
> Windows behind the couple show the outside of the diner to add to the realism of this scene
> The body language of the two characters seems oddly comfortable and relaxed for the topic that they are talking about
> The lighting in this scene seems to be quite sarcastic in that it is always bright and the sun is glaring outside of the diner
>This contrasts with the real situation where the two are planning chaos and pointing guns at innocent people.

1.) What's interesting about the camera work in the diner?
Throughout the diner scene we mainly see the two characters together in a 'two shot' and it revolves around the mid-shot used. The way the camera is angled at the edge of the of the table to make the audience feel like they could be sat in the diner, listening to that very conversation, being in that situation.

2.) What genre of film would this be classed as?
In my opinion this film would be a kind of hybrid genre, mixing in some crime, action and comedy. Tarantino is know for his crime/action comedies and therefore is also know for creating 'hybrid' films with a little bit of a few different genres involved.

3.) How does the film appear to be satire/humerus?
Although this film appears to be quite dark and serious crime/action. It soon becomes clear that this film is much more comedy that you first think. It is clear that the comedy that Tarantino is portraying in this film is far from 'slap stick' comedy.

4.) What is the significant's of the opening titles?
The opening titles are clearly supposed to be a very important factor for this film. The screen is turned black so that all the audience are able to focus on is the names of the majority of cast and crew members. The names of the more important people in this film are made slightly bigger to show their importance, for example: Tarantino; Danny DeVito; John Travolta; Samuel L Jackson and Uma Therman etc.

Actors

Although many actors inspire me I am most inspired by actors and actresses that work with in fantasy and action films. For example: Robert downey Jr; Chris Hemsworth; Scarlett Johansson; Cobie Smulders; Dwayne Johnson etc. This is because I think it takes extra care and detail into making these kind of characters come to life and act as though these things are dramatic and unrealistic things are really happening to them.

However this is completely different for the actors and actresses that I love, they tend to be in more romantic comedy kind of films. For example people such as: Jennifer Aniston, Katherine Heigl; Simon Baker; Melissa McCarthy; Sandra Bullock; Eric Dane;  Gerard Butler; Zac Efron etc. This is most likely because these actors and actresses tend to be more 'advertised' and therefore are more well known and can be better related to.

Harry Potter - Opening Credits

This sequence begins with the classic Harry Potter theme song as we are taken, along with the camera, through the clouds and over houses until we get to Harry Potter's house, on Privet Drive. Along the way we also see the Warner Brothers sign and of course the title of the film 'Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets'. We first see Harry Potter through his bedroom window, going through an old magical memory book where there are moving pictures of his past mom and dad and his best friends, Hermoine and Ron. This sets the tone for the magic which goes on throughout the Harry Potter films. Whilst he is flicking through the pages of this book, there is uplifting, powerful music in the background which emphasises the momentos that Harry is looking at and gives the audience a chance to empathise with Harry over missing his real family and friends. We then see Harry disturbed by his 'Uncle' where we then follow Harry to the kitchen of his uncles house that he is staying in to be greeted by his extremely old fashioned and disrespectful family. The whole house and his families clothing suggest that they are all quite old fashioned at heart. We then see evidence of this old fashioned nature when we see his aunt in the kitchen finishing off the cake whilst Harry's uncle and cousin are in the living room getting all dressed up before the neighbours come round for dinner. From this we see how poorly Harry is treated by his extended family and how bad it is that he is forced to live with these people after the tragic accident which caused his mother and father to die.  This therefore instantly puts the whole audience on Harry's side and therefore sets the tone for the rest of the movie.

Grease - Opening Credits

The beginning of Grease starts off with Danny (John Travolta) and Sandy (Olivia Newton-John) on the beach together, we then watch them act quite playful together as soft, quite old fashioned, romantic music is played over the top. This kind of montage along with the music could be representing the character of Sandy and how she in herself is quite old fashioned and has quite old fashioned standards. It then goes into the animated title sequence where we then follow over exagerated versions of the main characters as they prepare for school. This then sets the subtext for the movie before it has even properly begun. The colours used are all quite bold and happy colours to show that this is a happy and uplifting movie. The music used for the sequence is 'Grease is the word'. This song is so iconic and so important to the film, this adds to the feeling of the movie and sets the tone of happiness and enjoyment.

Friends - Opening Credits

Because this is a sitcom which revolves around the 6 main characters, the title sequence does just that. It revolves around the six main characters, portrayed by Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matthew Perry, Matt Leblanc and David Schwimmer. This sequence is know for being fun and kind of interactive. Throughout the sequence we are shown mini clips of the characters from the season; dancing and just generally having fun. The song used for the sequence is 'The Rembrandts - I'll be there for you.' This song is now a classic to those who watch the show, even now, ten years after it's final episode. The song itself revolves around friendship and looking out for each other which is why it is such a perfect song for the show. Throughout the sequence we also see a lot of clips of the cast sitting on one very specific sofa, to this day this is one of the most iconic pieces of furniture used in 90's television.

Pretty Little Liars - Opening Credits

Seen as this is a 'teen drama, mystery-thriller' the opening titles are mysterious and alike to the program it revolves around the four main girls who appear to be at a funeral, standing over what is presumed to be the body of their best friend who's death is investigated throughout the program. I starts off with showing a girls face, we then watch as the face has make up put on it, along with nail vanish and finally shoes are put on her feet. This could represent the 'pretty' in the title. However make up is often represent as the secret to covering up things, therefore this could show that this body that is being 'covered up' with the make up could be hiding some secrets and lies. The music used throughout the sequence is 'Secrets - The Pierces' This song increases the suspicious-ness of the girls in the sequence, it also adds to the suspicion of their involvement in what happened to this body that we see and what is meant by 'pretty little liars'

Monsters Inc - Opening Credits

As the creators of the film are Pixar is makes sense that the entire sequence is animated. Throughout the sequence it follows the making of the doors which play a key part in the film. By using the many different colours and designs for the doors this shows that they are each different and bring attention to the details. This also helps to engage the audience as this film is aimed at a much younger audience, who might be easily distracted or bored by a less appealing screen. Throughout the sequence we also are introduced to a few of the monsters from the film, this could be to familiarise the audience with a few of the 'monsters'. We then are taken on a mini journey with the monsters as we watch them going in and out of the doors eating and moving the letters which in turn spell out the creators 'Pixar Animation Studios' and then also following that to spell out the title of the movie 'Monsters Inc' and finally pushing it into the right place and font to make it look like the official Monsters Inc logo. The music used throughout is quite lighthearted and is made to be quite playful by the use of the piano throughout, this therefore advances the interaction and entertainment value of the sequence and the fun and enjoyment the audience are getting from it.

Genres of film

Although all film making is intriguing and interesting to me, I am in particularly fascinated by sci-fi films. Mainly because of all the CGI used within them. For one I find it amazing how an actor can act and react to something that in reality is not there and physically doesn't exist. I also love the fact that the screen writers are able to come up with the crazy ideas that come with sci-fi films. For example, the main focus being on aliens and super humans and just generally out of the ordinary experiences. Although it's great to see a cute rom-com with the classic Katherine Heigl and Channing Tatum character who fall in love and overcome all the obstacles, sometimes it nice to see some physical obstacles being overcome by huge explosions and alien invasions.
Somewhat similar to sci-fi films are disaster films, which i also love and find completely fascinating to not only watch but to see how they are made. For example watching behind the scene footage from 'Twister' with Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton is so amazing just to see how something that in reality looks nothing special and a little like two crazy people throwing theme selves around, turn out to look like an amazing storytelling piece of art.
As a director I am a huge fan of Steven Spielberg and find that all films that he creates are outstanding and are so well made. From films as far back in his career as Jaws, Raiders of the Lost Ark and E.T to his most recent pieces such as Super 8, War horse and Lincoln.
However I am also blown away by the works of other Directors in complete opposite ways; for example, Judd Apatow who has worked on so many films that I love, focusing more on comedy with titles such as 'Knocked Up', 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall', 'Bridesmaids', 'Wanderlust' and more. I completely appreciate the attention to detail that has to go into films like this purely to make them relate-able and funny to audiences. As we all know comedic timing is so important within films such as these and without directors, producers, writers and of course actors with this inner skill it is near impossible to make a great comedy film.

Casino Royale - Opening Credits

This title sequence is more planned out than most and therefore has a bigger impact on the audience. With this sequence it is clear that they have kept with the running theme of the film, as the whole thing revolves around poker and card games and is all round classy; alike to what a casino would appear to look and feel like. The whole of the sequence has been made digitally and uses mainly silhouettes, this shows the discretion of James Bond and in general spies. However this could also represent the impersonal formalities between Bond and his 'victims'. The colours used within the sequence are explicitly red, black and white. Again this emphasises the casino feel within the film itself. It is clearly pointed out throughout the sequence where Bond is and where his foes are, this is deciphered by Bond begin portrayed as being only the black silhouette and anyone apposed to him being in the 'red'. The music used within the sequence is 'You know my name' by Chris Cornell. This song shows the calm before the storm, although the song starts already being quite bold and powerful the music continues to build on itself before the big impact finish. This could also be representing the contents of the film by representing the death of the main villian, which is seen to be the pinnacle moment in the film. The rise in the fullness of the music could also embed the power that Bond has against his enemies because as we all know Bond is one of the most renowned spies in the business.

Mission Impossible - Opening Credits

Throughout this title sequence we as the audience are taken on a journey, along with the spark travelling down a rope to eventually reach a fuse box, causing an explosion. This in itself is a metaphor for the film. Showing the intense, fast pace of the story lines. The way that the sequence is made consists of the camera seeming to be on some kind of track where by it never comes to a halt or stays in one place. This also emphasizes the past and 'mission' that will take place during the film. The music used it the classic mission impossible soundtrack; This indulges the audience in a little excitement and suspense, even before the film has begun.