Tuesday 19th January 2010

After school Jack comes over to my house (Sonia has prior engagements and is getting final props such as Angel and Devil costumes. Matt has got prior engagements) for a camera masterclass. As we are using professional cameras, knowing the different elements of the camera and lighting and audio equipment will help in the film making process.

We learn about the shutter speed and how it can create a ghosting effect which we plan to use in the title sequence. Gain is another element we learnt about, along with lighting a shot.

Lighting:

1) Have a back light. Highlight something in the back of the shot to create depth. The back light can also be used to create a sort of ‘halo’ effect, or a white lining to the rim of the subject.

2) Have a side light (to light the subject).

3) A light lined diagonal to the subject (but out of frame) could create a ‘kiss’ on the side of the subject’s face, which creates depth.

4) Close the barn doors on the redheads slightly to create shape in the light and to soften the intensity of it.

5) Play with shadows. Create shapes in the picture with shadows and the light. Don’t be afraid to make the dark areas dark and the light areas light (but don’t over expose).

WARNING:

1) when turning on the redheads, make sure no one is looking in the direction of them as the light is strong.

2) DO NOT TOUCH THE BARN DOORS WHEN THE LIGHT IS ON OR IMMEDIATELY AFTER IT HAS BEEN TURNED OFF

Audio:

When using the boom mic, point the tip of the mic toward the speaker as it will get better sound (don’t just hold it).

Monday 18th January 2010

Spent the day updating blogs, planning finer details of the schedule such as costumes, props and set pieces, and going over things. Jack tells me him and Sonia will be away on a Geography trip on the 25th to 27th of January. I have to re-jig the schedule. All is happy and optimistic about the upcoming days.

Music

Jack has been put in charge of the music four our film. Music is important as it can help create a variety of different moods and atmospheres. We wanted something to create a funky yet tense atmosphere.

Possible Music:

• Theme from Sin City
• Cat People
• After dark
• Nothing else matters
• Planet Caravan
• If 6 was 9
• Voodoo child
• Sympathy for the Devil
• Sun King
• Blew
• Love buzz
• Dive
• Hairspray Queen
• Big Long Now
• The Little things 
• Fraternity Suite
• The scheme
• Revenge
• Fox's decision
• Blind
• Wraith Marsh

Schedule

Date	Scene	Cast/Crew Needed	Time	Location
Mon 18th	Finalising Planning	Son, Matt, Jack, Jem	P2.	Media
Tues 19th	Camera and Equipment Master class	Jack, Jem	AS	N/A
Wed 20th	DAVE and GARY dialogue	Jack, Matt, Jem	AS	DR1
Thurs 21st	-Card Tricks -All game play and close ups pre-fold (including establishing shots)	-Jack, Matt, Jem, Son -Whole cast	-P2 -AS	-BB -DR1
Fri 22nd	Catch up	-Matt, Jack, Son, Jem (and anyone needed)	Lesson	- Media
Mon 25th	Narration and Editing	Matt, Jem	P1, 3, 4	Media
Tues 26th	Editing and Uploading	Matt, Jem	P5, 6	Media
Thurs 28th	- Editing - Angel and Devil	Jack, Matt, Son, Jem	- P1,2 -AS	-Media -DR1
Fri 29th	- End of Dave and Gary dialogue scene - Editing	Matt, Jack, Son, Jem	- P3 -P5, P6	-DR1 -Media
Mon 1st	Editing	Matt, Jack, Son, Jem	P1	-Media
Thurs 4th	Any reshoots/editing	Group	P2	BB/Media
Fri 5th	Any reshoots/editing	Group	P2	BB/Media
Mon 8th	-Audience Feedback -Reshoots/reediting	Media Group	-P1 -P3	-Media -BB/Dr1/Media
Tues 9th	-Reshoots -Editing	Group	P5, 6	Media/ Loc
Wed 10th	Editing	Group	P1,2	Media
Thurs 11th	Editing/Catch up	Group	Lesson	Media
Fri 12th	Editing/ Catch up	Group	Lesson	Media

Ideas; Possible DVD Extras

CAST & CREW CREDITS

Director – Jack Blinman

Writer – Jemma Rowlston

Costume and Make-up: Sonia Wan

Camera: Jack Blinman, Matt Laverack, Jemma Rowlston, Sonia Wan

Editing: Matt Laverack

(However, due to the nature of the following casting list, some jobs shall have assistants)

DAVE – Matt Laverack

GARY – Jack Blinman

HOLLY – Sarah Owen

LUKE – Luke Goodliffe

LEO – Alex Gray

ANGEL – Jemma Rowlston

DEVIL – Sonia Wan

DEALER -

Character Profiles

DAVE: a working class man struggling to get money to pay for an operation to remove his newly discovered brain tumour that causes his to hallucinate. He is stubborn and detests GARY’s cocky behaviour, so plays stupidly to prove a point. He is not a pro.

GARY: a cocky player who wears a cowboy hats and take joy in beating (and ruining) people. He is known throughout the land for being the underground player not to play as he doesn’t care what he needs to do as long it he makes his fellow player’s lives a living hell if they challenge him. He is a professional player, liar, and in not a likeable person.

ANGEL: The conscience. The Superego.

DEVIL: The Id, who also seems to be out to ruin DAVE.

HOLLY: a rich, rebellious girl who can afford to lose. She plays high stakes games for kicks and to rebel against the society she comes from. She is a pro player from all the experience, but knows when to fold.

LUKE: a guy who takes the game too seriously. He hides in a hoody and behind other players comments, but hasn’t got the best poker face. However, he knows when to fold.

LEO: the dark horse, the red-herring. He looks and acts like the big threat, but he has no grudge or second objective, only to play a good game. He seems like the natural threat but knows when to fold.

DEALER: an ex-casino dealer who used to work in the pits. Loves card tricks and the game. Probably roped out of retirement by the gangs and thrown into dealing underground games to pay off some dept.

Story Board

Poker’s Advocate Story Board

Why Drama Studio 1?

Setting of Scene:

Drama Studio 1 is chosen as we have set our opening in an underground poker game. We have decided to fulfil our aim of making a visually striking piece and, with the help of the studio lights, DR1 will help this. The blank darkness also creates a tense atmosphere and disallows any distractions in the background as well as creates a clean mise-en-scene.

Location Scouting

Through-way between Drama and Music Departments is small and can be easily darkened. Would be ideal for tight shots that cannot be shot in main location, as well as for reshoots of tight shots.

Library Top class room

Top Library class room angle two

Top Library corridor

Elevator on Library balcony. The elevator could be used as an exit/entrance point for the game.

Elevator downstairs library

Music Room one - could be used for tight shots

Music room 2 - could be used for tight shots

Music room 3 - could be used for tight shots

Locker room - good for tight shots

Door to Locker room
Sixth Form Common Room- could be used as the main set as is big and busy, however, controlling the environment could prove to be a problem.

Round tables in the common room could be perfect for the poker table

Drama Studio 1 - simple black background with lighting that could be used. good for clean lines and cool setting.

Script

Poker’s Advocate

We are in a dark underground room. Only on, green plaid poker table stands solitary under a dramatic spot light, you want to see every breath and every twitch of the players and have no distractions; this is high stakes poker. Around the table sit five people and a dealer. Dave, our main character is the anonymous type – nothing about him tells you anything. He sits, nervously now we are in one of the higher stakes games. He isn’t too sure how got into the game full of pros, but he’s still playing…stupidly. But he was competitive and couldn’t turn down this game. Luke, sitting next to Dave, can be anyone – he folds at the beginning. Holly, left of Luke, is the high priced casual business woman. She plays these gigs for kicks; yes, high stakes is fun to her and her buckets of dosh. Gary is the cocky type. He knows what he’s doing and wears a cowboy hat just to confuse people (he’s very British). He is the main threat in this game; not a likeable game. Leo is quiet, possibly the red herring threat. There is liquor floating around and the pot is huge.

The titles and credits are shown in a quick montage of card tricks, flicks and flips, on top of chip stacks. Maybe ‘Poker’s Advocate’ could be shown written across the table in a birds eye view shot. Narrator flows over the top.

NARRATOR (DAVE)

Flush. Straight. Full House. Pair…

These have been running through my head for the past forty eight hours. I knew the possibility of getting them; 500/1, 250/1, 700/1… For me…

During the time Dave mentions the possibilities, the camera comes to rest behind his shoulder as he lifts his cards to see what he has. Straight after he says ‘for me’, the camera pulls focus to see the cards on the table. There is no match.

…I got nothing.

The whole scene is shot with revealing extreme close ups of eyes, lips etc. Luke smiles slightly to himself trying to put people off. Dave rubs his forehead with shaky hands. His head has been hurting recently. It’s kicked in again as in normally did when he was stressed. Unknown to Dave, he has a nice fat tumour pressing against his frontal lobe, and it throbs.

NARRATOR

Ugh, my head.

The NARRATOR acts as a typical narrator as well as a thought track for Dave.

GARY

Head trouble? … Wanna back out?

Gary is cocky, a real bastard. And Dave is stubborn, like Marty McDown when called a chicken. Dave is being tempted someone he REALLY doesn’t like. Dave looks up at Gary with a stubborn look, smoothing his face.

DAVE

Course not.

Confidently, Dave taps his finger on the table to stay. Luke, Holly and Leo fold in a quick sequence of tight extreme close ups of expressions and cards. There is a birds eye view shot to establish that only DAVE, GARY and DEALER remain. As it comes to DAVE’s turn, the cuts become slower and more drawn out. You can hear his breathing. DAVE’s hand loiters over his remaining chips; the exact amount he would have to put in to see GARY’s cards and end this game.

NARRATOR

What am I doing?

DAVE looks down at his chips, then rubs his head as there is increasing pain. We see it on his face.

DEVIL appears on DAVE’s right side, coming out of the darkness, peering round DAVE’s shoulder. Her movements are reptilian, dressed in red. DEVIL places DAVE’s hand on the chips and makes eye contact with him to explain. DAVE barely moves his head but his eyes follow her to show he sees her. All other players are oblivious to this exchange.

ANGEL, a blonde baby faced opposite of DEVIL appears on DAVE’s left shoulder. Moving more gracefully, she perches on the edge of the table to look down on DAVE with a disapproving, knowing look; ‘don’t do this’.

Cut to midshot of DAVE where both ANGEL and DEVIL are gone. DAVE makes his decision and moves the chips into play. DAVE has to show his cards – no match. GARY smiles and shows his winning hand, then takes the pot. DAVE is devastated and DEVIL is seen laughing evilly and fading into the darkness having known this outcome all along.

TITLES:

A sequence of card tricks with the credits flowing through them ending with a birds eye view of the table with ‘Poker’s Advocate’ written across it.

Proposal Form

Title of Project: Poker’s Advocate

Names of Students Involved and Roles Allocated:
Jack Blinman – Director, Cameraman, DEALER.
Matt Laverack – Editor, Cameraman, DAVE.
Jemma Rowlston – Writer, Cameraman, ANGEL.
Sonia Wan – Props & Costume, Cameraman, DEVIL.

(Editorial tasks are also shared out)

Estimated Time Allocated to Production: 2 weeks 2 days
Dates of Production: 18^th-29^th January 2010
Estimated Time Allocated to Post Production: 2 weeks 2 days
Dates of Post Production: 1^st-12^th February 2010

Brief Synopsis of Project:
Two minute opening to a film entitled ‘Poker’s Advocate’ with the plot line:

Dave has a brain tumour which causes him to have hallucinations in high stress situations. He is trying to find money for an operation to remove his cancer. We find him playing a high stakes, underground poker game with an array of players, which comes down to a tense bet. Dave’s tumour starts throbbing and he sees his conscience in the form an angle and devil like creature. He loses everything, having played the Devil’s advocate, and the devil is happy about it.

This is set as a Pre – title scene with titles consisting of card tricks and flips with titles running through them.

Equipment Required and Dates required.

Camera – 18^th-19^th January 2010
Tripod – 18^th-29^th January 2010
Lighting – 18^th-29^th January 2010
Microphone – 18^th-29^th January 2010
Editing MAC – 1^st-12^th February 2010

Locations: Drama 1 room (and all the lighting equipment in it.)

Costume and Props:
Poker Set
Poker Table
Cowboy Hat
Chairs
Drinking Glasses
Character Costume – jewellery, black tank top, casual clothing (refer to character brief).
Angel and Devil make up set – Eye shadows, red lipstick, glittery black, red, silver, baby blue eye pencil.

Casting (including extras)
DAVE – Matt Laverack

GARY – Jack Blinman

HOLLY – Sarah Owen

LUKE – Luke Goodliffe

LEO – Alex Gray

ANGEL – Jemma Rowlston

DEVIL – Sonia Wan

DEALER –

Further comments:
Extra lighting may be needed, however unconfirmed. There will also need to be decisions made on how the spotlighting will be directed.

"Action + stupidity = Decent!"

RESEARCH: High Stakes Poker

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_vYW4wwOOk

This is season 5, episode 7 of the high stakes poker championships.

We could use this for reference for the on screen graphics used to tell viewers what each person has. Styling of each player could also be researched from here; who plays poker in these situations? We also see from this that there is a dealer at high stakes poker games, thus we will need someone to deal.

The way the game is filmed could also be researched from this clip.

NOTE: If we are to use the graphics techniques; how? why? when?

RESEARCH: 'Rounders'

'Rounders' (1998), directed by John Dahl.

A young man (Damon) is a reformed gambler who must return to playing big stakes poker to help a friend pay off loan sharks

We looked at this film as it is widely regarded as the best poker film ever. It also gave us reference to the way poker is shot in films.

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gxEsHlW5qU

Notes:

Starts with Damon getting ready and going out, leaving his sleeping wife in bed and taking wads of cash with him. Dresses in dark clad with dirty red cap.

‘rounders’ no caps. White writing on black background.

Uses narration technique- starts with bold statement that sums up what Damon is about; reading people in a game

Relaxed, cool, jazz/blues music (piano, brush drums)

Rich orange glow to pictures

Silloette of Damon walking away from the camera through smoke

Uses CCTV footage of him going to door

Everything is dirty – underground

Narration tells story and background

Dialougue features real terms used in the situation

Damon is normally filmed from below – high and mighty

Lots of people in the underground games and lots of tables in the room

Narration has air of calmness, coolness

Music starts with tense violin note and slow piano notes. As soon as stacks of money is introduced, finger played cello with jazz beat comes in. Violin note is present throughout.

Damon is normally in the shadows of either buildings or his cap - mysterious.

Shot from below

CCTV footage

Walking through the smoke

Titles

Opening Shot

RESEARCH: '21'

'21' (2008), directed by Robert Luketic.

'21' is the fact- based story about six MIT students who trained to become experts in card counting and subsequently took Vegas casinos for millions in winnings.

A more in-depth analysis of this opening as we plan to base our clip around it's extreme close up shot techniques and quick paced 'throw you into the action' nature.

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnlDNBoZ1_Y

Notes:

Media Studies

Research Blog

21

• straight cut (fade) from production logo
• digitalised close up of the detail on a card ace (Jack)
• tracking up the line.
• Twist as zoom out to reveal the card – follows the lines of the design
• Slight hint of music in background, otherwise silent.
• Music is heavy base
• Have another card come down on top of jack – ace – 21
• Narration of lead character – uses technical terms/ tells story of winner, winner chicken dinner- makes it personal – puts himself in the game
• Close up of chips (all digitalised) – zoom up side of stack and over top to see high value of chips ($1,000)
• Clicky drumming with guitar – very vegas and cool.
• Camera runs round table basically over cards.
• Starts highlighting the card values as counting cards is mentioned – shows he is thinking about them and that.
• ‘shiny’ ting when 21 is seen (A&J)
• starts zooming out to see the cards are a reflection in an eye – again showing this is what he is looking for.
• Extreme close of the card rack as card keep coming out quickly (digitised) – diagetic sound of card coming out of the rack
• Extreme close up panning from birds eye view of cards on table. Top of card, closer to the camera appears with shadow – whooshing sound.
• Extreme tight close up of his eyes with the card reflecting in his glasses.
• Narration still going.
• As straight cut back to BEV of card, non-diagetic sound of him in game shouting ‘winner, winner, chicken dinner’
• Narration ‘winner, winner, chicken dinner’
• Card turns over to shows A coming down on a J.
• Straight cut to digitised extreme close up tracking down A of spades
• Straight cut to quick track around the edge of the table, seeing cards in between high stacks of chips.
• Timeless cut to quick track running around a stack of chips, running upwards like a corkscrew to show $5,000 stack
• As narration introduces character ‘first of all, what I was doing wasn’t illegal…’ cut to main character preparing himself in a disguise for that night – smoothing gel over hair, putting wig on, putting moustache on and glasses.
• Extreme tight close ups
• When puts on wig, pulls focus (blurred – clear as he lifts his head – in time)
• Cut to more cards coming down with the values lighting up
• Cut back to ETCU of his eyes and the cards reflecting in his glasses – sound of him talking during the game – happy and hyped.
• Fast cuts – seconds
• When mentions his amount up – digitised low shot of the stacks, tracking around
• Unsteady shot of him in play – clapping and smiling – wining
• Cut to low shot (dig) of card coming down (10/10)
• Sound of dealer saying ‘splitting tens’
• He repeats in games – cut to close up of him calling out ‘splitting ten’
• ECU of the tens splitting
• Zoom out, sweeping upwards to birds eye view shot – narration starts again
• To blackness – cut to zoom in on crossed arms of his partner – signals
• Cut to him in play
• Extreme close up of girl putting finger to eye as he mentions that signal
• Cut to him in play as he looks to see ‘a hand running through perfect flowing hair’ – another signal the narration mentions
• Extreme close up of hand running through hair, slo mo – camera follows the hand
• Music runs throughout this scene
• Cut back to him as his expression changes with realisation, slo mo – rising undertone to music to create suspense
• Cut to shadowed feet walking on shiny floor – lights reflect off floor – sound of feet walking – slo-mo
• Cut to midshot of shadowed man walking (his head) slo mo
• Cut to main character realising more – slo mo
• Cut to slo mo running feet of security (blacked out men)
• Cut to mid shot of security pushing straggler out of way
• Cut to main character (tight close up of profile with pulled depth of field pulled so lights behind him blurred)
• Cut to slo-mo him grabbing his and chucking them into a black bag (close up
• Cut to running blacked out man again running
• Cut to his feet
• Runs to black out camera and music fades out.

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We intend to use the narration technique and the close up shots to make our poker game more interesting and involved.