After several postpones and cancelations we were finally able to recommence shooting on wednesday 24th April. The delays became particularly frustrating after a while as I planned my days around the assumption we'd be shooting only to find out the actors weren't coming in the evening. I appreciate that they have other commitments back home but setting a concrete date and sticking to it would have been much less of an inconvenience than a 'probably sunday if not definitely monday' only to cancel completely. With only a week until presentation I was well aware that every day we didn't shoot would mean less time and more stress for the final job of adding sound which would fall to me. There was a lot of shots to get through as we only had the actors for one more night so had to make sure we obtained everything.
They arrived later than expected which proved troublesome as it would be getting dark soon and we had several daytime shots we needed. First off was the establishing market scene filmed on the moor, as the salesman is introduced flogging DVDs. We set up the stall under one of the existing marquees creating a fake table out of stacked cardboard boxes, with an open box full of mine and Robin's DVDs visible in frame. We were selective with which titles should be visible, including The Prestige (2006) in the foreground as a nod to the magician theme, and having Pamela Anderson thriller Barb Wire (1996) as the film picked up by the customer, as it is the kind of terrible B-movie one would expect to find on a knock-off market stall. This was fairly efficient to shoot bar one or two takes where passers by would look directly at the camera.
Next up was a scene in which the salesmen is walking home and begins sparking the matches he was given, whilst unbeknownst to him magical things begin to happen. The first instance involves a cider bottle appearing next to a homeless man. As a small none speaking role I had offered to do it, and neglected shaving for 6 weeks to look the part, borrowing clothes from friends to complete the guise. We used a location next to the moor for convenience as the light was beginning to retreat, and the use of split screen would require identical lighting to be convincing. The bottle that appears was originally supposed to be a large 2 litre that would be instantly visible but we ended up using a smaller glass, which I hope will still be noticeable when it appears. As the crew was over the road I wasn't quite aware of when they started rolling so I'm not sure how my positioning will match up when split screened. The next match struck was supposed to teleport the salesman into the middle of nowhere, with the subsequent strike materialising a bike which he would painstakingly ride across a wide shot, signifying how far he had been transported, however this had to be completely revised on the night as it would be too dark by the time we got to a remote location as well as too time consuming to travel to and from it. This was instead shot in a car park, which is less effective as it doesn't give the impression of his being far removed and inconvenienced.
We then returned to our original location to get a few pick ups to fix continuity errors we had noticed from the first shoots, as well as the tracking shot following the car vanishing. These went reasonably well bar the usual sonic disruptions, however it did eat into the time remaining for the rest of the shoot leading to some stress. Said stress peaked when reworking the bike scene as it was improvised on the night which led to some producer/director arguments. I can understand Robins frustrations over the frequent rescheduling, especially as the one in charge of making the schedules; and I think the inclusion of shots not previously listed or practiced was the tipping point. Christi is somewhat idealistic and not all that pragmatic as a director and I think he assumes what he envisions in his head will work in practice without undertaking the necessary technical research to pull it off. When Nick teleports he wanted a crash zoom out from a close up of his face to the longest shot possible. He wanted to do this by changed lenses mid zoom which Robin assured him wouldn't work which resulted in a drawn out debate over its possibility. We set up tracks and tried to achieve it through a combination of track and zoom but it was impossible to smoothly operate these functions whilst keeping the focus in the right place as well.
We then filmed the steps conversation in the basement of another car park that several restaurants back onto. With only three camera set ups and satisfactory lighting already available this was a much calmer procedure and allowed for Christi to focus on the performances themselves, which became much improved with each take of this scene. We had already seen flares of brilliance in Jim's magician but here Nick's salesman becomes more relatable with nuanced bravado in the more intimate exchange.
Finally we were off to the underpass to film the climactic showdown. This was the scene everyone had been looking forward to the most but we were also running out of time and darkness at this stage. One particular grievance for me was the tweeting birds in the nearby trees that were constantly audible, as I'm worried it will detract from the dramatic confrontation with no chance to get any ADR from the actors. The acoustics in the tunnel meant that sound would travel round several times which was annoying when every overhead car echoed before silence resumed and we could continue a take. Amy once again starred as the girl I had asked was no longer available following previous cancellations. Her fate was another thing that had to be improvised on the shoot owing to lack of time. In the original script she was supposed to turn back into the tramp once the magician rectifies the situation and makes his own corpse disappear, however there was limited space in the tunnel to accommodate all the split screens, and the actors still had to drive back to leeds and were getting impatient. We instead just added a line ('what happened to that woman?' 'Don't worry about him') and shot a post credits pick-up of me in the tunnel the following day. We had also constructed a squib based on one of the party-popper tutorials from a previous post, however as the magician is shot from a downward trajectory the blood splatter would have to be on the floor, and the projectile didn't work upside down.
It was a relief when we finally wrapped on a night that had its ups and downs but for me on the whole was an enjoyable experience. Although the rejigged scenes will be slightly detrimental to the impact on the narrative I'm also very happy with a lot of the footage and performances obtained. The pressure is on now for me and Jordan in post to fully realise this vision in less than a week. Back to work we go.
Whilst reading a DC comic I noticed marked similarities to the final showdown in our film. A character is shot dead before he nonchalantly appears from offscreen/panel seeming completely unfazed by what has just transpired. This could be useful in informing the way we storyboard this sequence. Anyway here it is:
Deciding the tone for the films score was initially quite difficult as the themes range from comedic to dark and mysterious. In keeping with the contemporary urban setting and light hearted nature of much of the dialogue Christi wanted something upbeat and swanky, ala..
This works for some of the interactions and trip-hop is a good starting point as the slow-tempo beat can be applied to various tones and moods. Trip-hop is universally chilled and often up-beat despite its tempo, however there is still room to create a more sinister ambience within this as mysterious needs require. I also want to create distinct motifs that reflect the nature of each character. Trip-hop has the potential of representing both characters quite well, with the beat and bassier sections reminiscent of the market salesman's wheeler-dealer reality, whilst some of the instrumentation could be representative of the magicians playful and eccentric nature. Some of the jollier influences are as follows
The reggae oriented third track features a prominent bass line with a rhythm that compliments the drum beat and some heavily reverberated sounds. This is the type of orchestration I will try to incorporate into the market salesman's theme and it particularly suits Nick D, the actor playing him.
Surreal comedy Green Wing uses trip-hopesque beats when transitioning between scenes, using camera pans with the characters interactions becoming faster and slower as the speed is ramped accordingly. These interludes gel the bizarre antics of the staff in the same world and compliment the shows offbeat humour. The below clip features an example of such a transition, and it is a device I think will be effective when linking the salesman's mundane and magical worlds.
Whilst these are all fine for the more upbeat elements of our film, there is still the mysterious and more sinister sections surrounding the magician that will need suitable atmospheres creating. The following tracks by Phaeleh are consistent with the contemporary beats previously listed, but feature more exotic instumentation and a more ominous bass line in keeping with the artists dub-step roots.
Phaeleh utilises his classical training to infuse a diverse range of instrumentation with the bass music predominant in modern dance culture at the moment. The result is some relaxing ambient textures with a deep bass and half time beat that can create a multitude of moods depending on the notation used.
I already mentioned this Boards of Canada track as an inspiration for the score on the 2 minute film, it still remains influential in the mysterious and sombre tones it generates through the instrumentation and chord structures.
This song is a better example of the amalgamation of the two characters themes I envision. The intro features a line that evokes a mysterious and crooked character whilst the rest of the song is suitably smooth.
Cliff Martinez' score for the 2002 remake of Solaris creates a haunting and atmospheric world befitting of the dream like manifestations that surround the characters. These atonal melody of these songs is primarily performed on low-pitched bell pads, similar to a xylophone,with reverb applied that gives it an ethereal quality that can at times be both meditative and sinister. Something with tonal shifts like this is very inspirational when trying to conceive a score that conveys several moods and tension levels at different times whilst reflecting the nature of the characters. It is also a little too bleak and desolate however (representative of the character's psychological states) when compared with the world I hope to orchestrate for the magicians.
Although not a huge fan of the films, John Williams' original score for Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone (2001) perfectly denotes the sense of wonderment the titular character experiences as he and the audience are introduced into the extraordinary world of magic. I particularly like the first instance of the motif performed on some sort of chimes. There must be something about a glockenspiel that instantly brings magic to mind.
After getting a little to comfy over easter it was finally time for us to get this project off the ground and start shooting. We were already aware that there would be difficulties as the film uses entirely exterior locations and takes place predominantly at night. There was a busy schedule for the first night which was already delayed with the actor's late arrival from leeds. Never the less it didn't take too long for them to sink into their roles and bring the characters to life, and their performances only improved as the shoot progressed. They should also be commended for the sheer amount of cigarettes they blazed through in each take, and whilst i'm sure there will be a few continuity errors with the lengths of the cigs, their efforts are appreciated none the less. The portable lighting provided sufficient illumination and from what I can tell we got some pleasing shots. There were several technical difficulties encountered that left us with no choice but to call it a night prematurely on both days. On the first night my Marantz went through two sets of batteries far too quickly, and by the time we had replaced them the cameras SD card had filled up.
We took a break to clear the card and have some food but when we returned the marantz died yet again, and the following night the shoot was eventually abandoned when the cameras battery died.
We thought we would have a spare camera but this turned out not to be the case, but we will definitely make sure we do when we next return. On the first night the shots weren't properly slated which will make the syncing of video & audio more troublesome in the edit, but we made sure to amend this the second time around.
The main issue encountered, especially from a sound point of view, was the difficulty in controlling the outdoor shooting environment. Although we were in a quiet backstreet of town behind the cathedral, there were still frequent interruptions in the form of passing cars, busses, pedestrians and distant sirens, which was to be expected but annoying none the less. There was also a cathedral bell practice for at least 20 minutes and a police helicopter circling over head for around 15 minutes which made standing in the cold waiting for a take all the more frustrating.
Had the budget allowed it I would have deployed tire spikes and enforcers armed with crossbows at both ends of the adjacent streets to silence any inconsiderate disturbences but alas, this isn't Hollywood.
Pictured: not an enforcer.
Despite the problems faced and the subsequent schedule setbacks its been a valuable learning curve and still been an enjoyable shoot and I'm pleased with the footage so far.
After our two minute we intended to have a switch up in roles. I had originally wanted to do the art direction on this film as it offers a lot of creative potential with the characters and a change from doing sound would have been nice. As Amy will be taking art direction in level 6 and I sound it makes more sense to stick to these roles, however I was still able to help with assembling the costumes which was a useful insight.
Above is a sketch I did of how I imagined the Magician to look [sort of like Christi], and the beginnings of a storyboard/comic outlining the final scene that never got finished.
Some time ago when I returned home my uncle was between moving houses and his stuff was being stored in my room. I found an old jacket from his days in a band that I thought would be perfect for this film.
I had also coincidently been assembling a Joker fancy dress outfit which offers several valuable resources.
Between these our magicians should be well kitted out. I think the bright red jacket would be better suited to the Magician's eccentric nature and unpredictability whilst the purple is more befitting of the salesman as according to this gemstone website:
'Purple is the color of good judgment. It is the color of people seeking spiritual fulfillment. It is said if you surround yourself with purple you will have peace of mind. Purple is a good color to use in meditation. Purple has been used to symbolize magic and mystery, as well as royalty. Being the combination of red and blue, the warmest and coolest colors, purple is believed to be the ideal color. Most children love the color purple. Purple is the color most favored by artists. Thursday's color is purple.'
As the salesman will ultimately be tested on his judgement in the films climax and also find fulfilment in his new line of work I think he is better suited to this colour scheme. From this research I've also gained the invaluable knowledge that Thursday's colour is indeed purple.
Also lying around was a top hat and cane for the magician to wield.
Deciding that I probably look the most trampish in the group, the small role of the homeless man was given to me. To prepare for the part I've neglected to shave for the past month, as well as choosing to sleep rough three nights a week. Following some experimentation with hard drugs I now feel confident in the role, and will complete the outfit with a big parka and some fingerless gloves.
Although both period pieces, Christopher Nolan's The Prestige (2006), one of my favourite films, and The Illusionist (2006) both centre around magicians and forces audience intrigue to question the reality behind the illusions. Similarly to our script The Prestige centres many of its plot twists around the use of doubles (Christian Bale's twins and Hugh Jackman's clones). Our film will require the use of split screen in order to have two magicians onscreen at the same time, although we don't have the means to pull it off in quite the same way as this film does. The magician characters themselves also bare some similarities in their own self-assurance over their magical abilities, Christian Bales character in particular has a cocky charm and his methods remain mysterious which is something we hope to convey through our own magician.
This clip demonstrates the revelatory use of doubles in The Prestige
(This dubbed trailer was the only one not blocked on copyright grounds)
Christi's initial description of a gritty northern setting initial brought to mind the work of Shane Meadows on the likes of This Is England (2006) and Dead Man's Shoes (2004).
However when reading the script the larger than life magician character and his bantering exchanges with the somewhat unscrupulous market salesman seemed more akin in tone and style to a Guy Ritchie film, such as Snatch (2000) and Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)
The characters would seem right at home in this universe, all be it with a northern twang replacing Ritchie's signature cockney casting.
The collaborations between Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg on Channel 4 Sitcom Spaced (1999) and later films such as Shaun of the Dead (2004) are another good example of the blending of a supposed realistic setting that allows for an exploration in the fantastic. Primarily about twenty-somthing life in a London suburb, Spaced used this setting to explore and homage different cinematic genres the cinephile creators obviously adore, often resulting in surreal scenarios that make this show infinitely entertaining.
Wrights signature use of quick cuts and whip pans is also something Christi has described in his shot lists, which will hopefully aid in the comedic tone we aim to achieve.
E4 drama Misfits (2009) grounded the superhero genre in a gritty realistic setting, eschewing costumes and capes for prison jumpsuits as the super-powered parolees encounter and overcome other people granted with special gifts from a storm whilst they carry out their community service. This initially worked really well but after a while the formula began to stagnate with nearly all of the original cast eventually leaving. I think eventually moving back towards a more cinematic high-stakes 'save the world' arc would have benefitted the show, rather than just rehashing encounters with other supes' to reflect their own personal crises, which became tiresome by the third season. Its low-key incorporation of powers is possibly a desirable angle for the introduction of magic in our own film however.
Magicians Veil will feature gunshot wounds, and having some realistic blood splatter would increase the dramatic impact of the shots tenfold. Below are some tutorials for creating a budget squib/blood spatter device, the first involves a spring loaded party popper and the second a concealed tube and an air pump. Over easter I will experiment with creating one. http://www.effectsportal.net/index.php/splatter/
