Well I have not posted in a long time. There is a little news but it is exciting.
Basically I am at the stage where I can collaborate with others on the sound, but that also means waiting for them to clear their schedules.
First, Joakim is busy in Oslo working on the sketches for the music. He expects to send me something by mid-November. Of course this is just the first stage. I will have any number of changes to make.
Several weeks ago I brought the latest edit up to Roland and the rest of the guys at Sound Disposition. From that showing we agreed the next step would be to spend a week playing and exploring. We will be using the sound library but also playing with instruments and other recorded sounds. By that stage I will also have Joakim's music sketches as well. Fundamentally we want the sound to affect the edit, to push back. I imagine myself recutting the picture to follow the sound design.
The playing session is scheduled for the last week of November.
Altogether I am quite excited about this next stage, if rather impatient.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Monday, August 23, 2010
Evolution just doesn't give up...
So I have just yesterday finished a new evolutionary edit.
I really feel that it the film is ready for the next two steps, so on Thursday I am bringing it to Roland and his sound design colleagues to get their feedback. The other step, is to brief the composer, Joakim, in Norway and get him to begin his sketches.
But I promised more on what the edit it contains.
I already reported that it now includes two sets of abstracts, the void, and Norway. I have done as I said, and began to differentiate them. The Norway footage no longer include slow-motion or any other non-natural effect. What makes them abstract is a combination of their position in the film, that is they break the film time, the juxtaposition of the individual shots, which by their nature are disconnected and incomplete, and then music and/or sound design. I haven't completely abandoned effects, however. Some of the pieces or incidental sound, such as the small boat idling, I have kept at 40% speed. I feel that music and sound effects provide an entry into the unconscious. The viewer might not be aware consciously of the effect, just know it doesn't sound right.
But more on what Robert and Nathan, the editor, gave as feedback...
I think I already reported that Robert said it was the first time he saw the film. I think I put this to the fact that I waded in, and began to attempt to bring a rhythm to the edit. Some of this came from my friend Sarah, who suggested I examine each element closely again - does it serve the film? Is it clear? Of course I had, and each element did serve the film and did point in the right direction, except that there were often three elements achieving the same thing. The viewer was confused because they excepted something new, not the same again. Some choices, and then some cutting.
Now Nathan being editor gave me some basic technical feedback...the way to cut from one shot to another, focusing on the reaction of Claire, instead of Paul's speech. Some of this I could respond to, some of this was impossible. I had made a lot of choices in the shooting which narrowed my choices in the edit. I could not regret it, as there was no other way to make the film. With experience I might have shot scene x differently, but I couldn't have known that before jumping in as I did.
Still the most fundamental suggestion was in cutting one sequence, the domestic fight between Claire and Paul that begins near the top of the film. Now to be fair, Robert and many others have expressed some confusion at this scene. Why does Claire stop Paul from leaving, when later she walks out on him, without even saying goodbye? My response was of course that she was conflicted. She doesn't know why she wants him to say. Relationships are messy. Nathan's and Robert's response was that not enough is revealed to account for this contradiction. So I removed the sequence. I struggled to solve some problems. This scene anchored the abstract sequence that started the film- what could I attach it to now? This was the most fundamental problem I needed to solve in this version.
So this was the edit that I saw with Cameron several weeks ago, and it was very strange the effect it had. Suddenly all the rest came clear. There were no pace problems, except perhaps some sequences were too fast. These were the bits I tightened up previously, fruitlessly trying to solve the more fundamental problem. I had to go in and restore some bits to sort out the rhythm.
So all of this I have included in this new edit which I will see for the first time at Roland's new studios on Thursday. More to report then.
I really feel that it the film is ready for the next two steps, so on Thursday I am bringing it to Roland and his sound design colleagues to get their feedback. The other step, is to brief the composer, Joakim, in Norway and get him to begin his sketches.
But I promised more on what the edit it contains.
I already reported that it now includes two sets of abstracts, the void, and Norway. I have done as I said, and began to differentiate them. The Norway footage no longer include slow-motion or any other non-natural effect. What makes them abstract is a combination of their position in the film, that is they break the film time, the juxtaposition of the individual shots, which by their nature are disconnected and incomplete, and then music and/or sound design. I haven't completely abandoned effects, however. Some of the pieces or incidental sound, such as the small boat idling, I have kept at 40% speed. I feel that music and sound effects provide an entry into the unconscious. The viewer might not be aware consciously of the effect, just know it doesn't sound right.
But more on what Robert and Nathan, the editor, gave as feedback...
I think I already reported that Robert said it was the first time he saw the film. I think I put this to the fact that I waded in, and began to attempt to bring a rhythm to the edit. Some of this came from my friend Sarah, who suggested I examine each element closely again - does it serve the film? Is it clear? Of course I had, and each element did serve the film and did point in the right direction, except that there were often three elements achieving the same thing. The viewer was confused because they excepted something new, not the same again. Some choices, and then some cutting.
Now Nathan being editor gave me some basic technical feedback...the way to cut from one shot to another, focusing on the reaction of Claire, instead of Paul's speech. Some of this I could respond to, some of this was impossible. I had made a lot of choices in the shooting which narrowed my choices in the edit. I could not regret it, as there was no other way to make the film. With experience I might have shot scene x differently, but I couldn't have known that before jumping in as I did.
Still the most fundamental suggestion was in cutting one sequence, the domestic fight between Claire and Paul that begins near the top of the film. Now to be fair, Robert and many others have expressed some confusion at this scene. Why does Claire stop Paul from leaving, when later she walks out on him, without even saying goodbye? My response was of course that she was conflicted. She doesn't know why she wants him to say. Relationships are messy. Nathan's and Robert's response was that not enough is revealed to account for this contradiction. So I removed the sequence. I struggled to solve some problems. This scene anchored the abstract sequence that started the film- what could I attach it to now? This was the most fundamental problem I needed to solve in this version.
So this was the edit that I saw with Cameron several weeks ago, and it was very strange the effect it had. Suddenly all the rest came clear. There were no pace problems, except perhaps some sequences were too fast. These were the bits I tightened up previously, fruitlessly trying to solve the more fundamental problem. I had to go in and restore some bits to sort out the rhythm.
So all of this I have included in this new edit which I will see for the first time at Roland's new studios on Thursday. More to report then.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
The edit progresses...
For the first time in a long time I have a lot to report.
But also realise why I have struggled to keep the blog up to date: editing is more akin to writing than directing. It is solitary, introspective and causes me to be more introverted.
So, to update from the last post, I finished what I refer to as the radical edit the week before last. However, it essentially remains unseen, except for the very first section, which I showed to David. He did not have a lot to say, but what he did say came down to this: this seems to open up a whole chapter, this is another film entirely, this is not what you wrote, or directed, this could work, but do you want it to?
So for now I think I will take a look at it myself another night but for now...
The other edit, the evolutionary edit was finished just before the radical edit and now has been seen by David, Cameron, Robert and Nathan the editor (more on that).
I was heartened by the reaction. Clearly we are making progress. Most importantly, the new idea, to develop the abstract sections were well received and have gone a long way to solving the issue that I have been struggling to solve for the past months: what is Claire thinking at the beginning? If the viewer cannot form their own idea they will become bored 1/2 to 2/3 the way through the film due to confusion. I have seen it enough times in viewings.
I created two types of abstracts: one focused on Norway, the other on the forest and the void. I have not been able to understand or articulate why this is the case, but I suppose I could start by stating Claire is preoccupied by both these questions.
I began, as I have already described, by slowing time and playing with film texture. Just yesterday I began to think that this might be appropriate for the forest/void sections, but not for the Norway sections. I am not sure why, but it would solve one problem, which is that some people confused these two parts, wondered why there was a Norwegian tree in the middle of an English forest. So this would go some way in ensuring no one confused them.
I am now in the middle of a new edit, which is a response to the feedback I received last week. Some of this came from Cameron, who came along as a runner on a number of our shoots, but very especially Robert and Nathan. Nathan is an editor, and he and Robert managed to give me a paper edit, which has been more than useful.
More on this feedback in the next post.
In the meantime I hope to have the new edit finished by the weekend.
But also realise why I have struggled to keep the blog up to date: editing is more akin to writing than directing. It is solitary, introspective and causes me to be more introverted.
So, to update from the last post, I finished what I refer to as the radical edit the week before last. However, it essentially remains unseen, except for the very first section, which I showed to David. He did not have a lot to say, but what he did say came down to this: this seems to open up a whole chapter, this is another film entirely, this is not what you wrote, or directed, this could work, but do you want it to?
So for now I think I will take a look at it myself another night but for now...
The other edit, the evolutionary edit was finished just before the radical edit and now has been seen by David, Cameron, Robert and Nathan the editor (more on that).
I was heartened by the reaction. Clearly we are making progress. Most importantly, the new idea, to develop the abstract sections were well received and have gone a long way to solving the issue that I have been struggling to solve for the past months: what is Claire thinking at the beginning? If the viewer cannot form their own idea they will become bored 1/2 to 2/3 the way through the film due to confusion. I have seen it enough times in viewings.
I created two types of abstracts: one focused on Norway, the other on the forest and the void. I have not been able to understand or articulate why this is the case, but I suppose I could start by stating Claire is preoccupied by both these questions.
I began, as I have already described, by slowing time and playing with film texture. Just yesterday I began to think that this might be appropriate for the forest/void sections, but not for the Norway sections. I am not sure why, but it would solve one problem, which is that some people confused these two parts, wondered why there was a Norwegian tree in the middle of an English forest. So this would go some way in ensuring no one confused them.
I am now in the middle of a new edit, which is a response to the feedback I received last week. Some of this came from Cameron, who came along as a runner on a number of our shoots, but very especially Robert and Nathan. Nathan is an editor, and he and Robert managed to give me a paper edit, which has been more than useful.
More on this feedback in the next post.
In the meantime I hope to have the new edit finished by the weekend.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Radical?
So my plans for my new edit have so far not come off. Basically just a matter of people being too busy to take a look. It will happen...I just heard from David who had a look yesterday, but in the meantime I have some more time to think and wonder, have I gone far enough?
This is not an entirely new thought. I have been thinking of this for a time, and this came as a suggestion from my friend Sarah on a number of occasions.
First I wondered if the straight, linear structure was ideal. Second, I imagined an editor swooping in, and then announcing a radical plan: move that here, that there, ignore the linear structure.
So I sat in the garden this evening thinking through this as a principle. Of course you can't just decide to be radical.
No, I had to wonder instead if what I wanted to do was attenuate Claire's journey, and to do so was to rearrange, and as a consequence break time. In essence this is creating a film that followed the dictates of an internal journey, expressed externally as sense, emotion, sound, rhythm, feeling, regardless of linear time.
So now my next step. At least I have to give it a try.
This is not an entirely new thought. I have been thinking of this for a time, and this came as a suggestion from my friend Sarah on a number of occasions.
First I wondered if the straight, linear structure was ideal. Second, I imagined an editor swooping in, and then announcing a radical plan: move that here, that there, ignore the linear structure.
So I sat in the garden this evening thinking through this as a principle. Of course you can't just decide to be radical.
No, I had to wonder instead if what I wanted to do was attenuate Claire's journey, and to do so was to rearrange, and as a consequence break time. In essence this is creating a film that followed the dictates of an internal journey, expressed externally as sense, emotion, sound, rhythm, feeling, regardless of linear time.
So now my next step. At least I have to give it a try.
Thursday, July 01, 2010
Crisis overcome?
It is one of those situations, where you wonder if the solution is a solution, or just desperation, a confirmation of the true extent of the problem.
What I mean is that these past two weeks I have been very busy editing new material, and making some mid-weight changes to the edit, particularly the first segment of the film. I had planned to show the new edit last weekend, but I had to postpone, as I had not finished all of them yet.
It comes down to fundamental problem with the film, which I have been struggling to solve: the story is still too abstract, the audience becomes bored about half-way through. I had struggled to increase the pace, but I think it really comes down to confusion, they don't know what is going on. My friend Sarah, after seeing an edit in April, said she did not know what Claire was thinking, specifically in the first segment. Almost everyone agreed that the first segment of the film was the weakest, that when Claire leaves Paul the story picks up. Essentially Claire is a passive character in the first segment, which is problematic.
So how to show what Claire was thinking? I dare not write and shoot more material. I believe that at a point you need to make your film with what you have.
So I looked within the film and realised that there was elements present, some developed, some undeveloped, which are abstractions of the story which is in a way all about what Claire is thinking. First there is the title sequence, which uses Claire's trip into Norway as background. In the story the viewer will wondered what this referred to and this was answered when Claire goes to Norway, 2/3 through the film .
Then there are what I refer to as the Rothko sequences, several scenes which are centred around Claire asleep, but referrenced unconscious elements, particularly sounds. In viewings these went unnoticed, and I knew in the back of my mind that I had either to remove them or develop them.
So I have decided to develop these and see where it takes the story. First, I decided that I could think outside of referring to these as Claire's dreams, which freed me to think about how they could take place in the story on a purely emotional level rather as some part of pyschological-realism, a Freudian dream of Claire's. Not for me, this.
So a battle to define these points, first, which means that I may have to radically reshape parts of the edit, shape it to an emotional journey, rather than plot. Of course the story has never been about plot, so this is a good thing.
Then to find and develop the material that would make up these sequences. In this I was thrilled to look about and find all the mistakes I had made could come to value, specifically sequences which I reshot because they lacked detail and did not form a coherent whole. Now these negatives were positives. For example, I reshot the forest sequence, at the end of the second segment, where Claire finally meets her fears. Now the old footage could be a part of an an unconcious idea that Claire has earlier in the story, which she later completes in full. The incoherence and lack of detail in these old version now becomes a plus, an expression of a half-complete idea.
Finally there is the form that these take. I set out some rough rules, first that the static shots were shorter, that shots with motion were slowed down - yes, I am afraid that this could be a gimmick. Sound is especially important, and I played with slowing down and/or reversing sounds that occurred naturally within these sequences.
An unintended consequence was that this meant that some of the other abstract sequences no longer had to carry as much meaning and could be shorter.
Where I am now struggling is seeing the whole picture whent these new sequences are included. For this I need an audience once again.
What I mean is that these past two weeks I have been very busy editing new material, and making some mid-weight changes to the edit, particularly the first segment of the film. I had planned to show the new edit last weekend, but I had to postpone, as I had not finished all of them yet.
It comes down to fundamental problem with the film, which I have been struggling to solve: the story is still too abstract, the audience becomes bored about half-way through. I had struggled to increase the pace, but I think it really comes down to confusion, they don't know what is going on. My friend Sarah, after seeing an edit in April, said she did not know what Claire was thinking, specifically in the first segment. Almost everyone agreed that the first segment of the film was the weakest, that when Claire leaves Paul the story picks up. Essentially Claire is a passive character in the first segment, which is problematic.
So how to show what Claire was thinking? I dare not write and shoot more material. I believe that at a point you need to make your film with what you have.
So I looked within the film and realised that there was elements present, some developed, some undeveloped, which are abstractions of the story which is in a way all about what Claire is thinking. First there is the title sequence, which uses Claire's trip into Norway as background. In the story the viewer will wondered what this referred to and this was answered when Claire goes to Norway, 2/3 through the film .
Then there are what I refer to as the Rothko sequences, several scenes which are centred around Claire asleep, but referrenced unconscious elements, particularly sounds. In viewings these went unnoticed, and I knew in the back of my mind that I had either to remove them or develop them.
So I have decided to develop these and see where it takes the story. First, I decided that I could think outside of referring to these as Claire's dreams, which freed me to think about how they could take place in the story on a purely emotional level rather as some part of pyschological-realism, a Freudian dream of Claire's. Not for me, this.
So a battle to define these points, first, which means that I may have to radically reshape parts of the edit, shape it to an emotional journey, rather than plot. Of course the story has never been about plot, so this is a good thing.
Then to find and develop the material that would make up these sequences. In this I was thrilled to look about and find all the mistakes I had made could come to value, specifically sequences which I reshot because they lacked detail and did not form a coherent whole. Now these negatives were positives. For example, I reshot the forest sequence, at the end of the second segment, where Claire finally meets her fears. Now the old footage could be a part of an an unconcious idea that Claire has earlier in the story, which she later completes in full. The incoherence and lack of detail in these old version now becomes a plus, an expression of a half-complete idea.
Finally there is the form that these take. I set out some rough rules, first that the static shots were shorter, that shots with motion were slowed down - yes, I am afraid that this could be a gimmick. Sound is especially important, and I played with slowing down and/or reversing sounds that occurred naturally within these sequences.
An unintended consequence was that this meant that some of the other abstract sequences no longer had to carry as much meaning and could be shorter.
Where I am now struggling is seeing the whole picture whent these new sequences are included. For this I need an audience once again.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
A crisis or a natural turn?
So I showed the edit this past week, over two nights.
One to Joe, who acted as our very capable 1st AD, and works as an editor and a filmmaker as well.
The other, two friends, Oliver and Julia.
A lot of comments, good feedback. Oliver and Julia especially were able to find their own meaning in the film, which at the end, is the kind of reaction I wanted.
But overall what I found difficult is that no can agree on what is good, what is bad, where it works and where it doesn't, and so the way forward. I know the edit needs work, I know that are some problems I won't be able to solve, but I thought at least I would be able to see some way forward. But I don't.
The fundamental problem? It is still too confusing. I have always intended it to be an open text, but it is still too open. I need to be clearer but I am not at all certain how to go about this.
So one can conclude either that there is no hope, which is something no one want to contemplate, or that I require an editor with greater skills than mine, and better skills than the average. This needs to be someone special.
I should explain. I have made some changes, and for the most part these changes have been successful, but now I believe that we need to make a lot more progress, a leap.
Next steps? I have some notes from the edit, some obvious problems, a way of making incremental improvements and I will make these and show them in two weeks time. And then I will begin the search.
One to Joe, who acted as our very capable 1st AD, and works as an editor and a filmmaker as well.
The other, two friends, Oliver and Julia.
A lot of comments, good feedback. Oliver and Julia especially were able to find their own meaning in the film, which at the end, is the kind of reaction I wanted.
But overall what I found difficult is that no can agree on what is good, what is bad, where it works and where it doesn't, and so the way forward. I know the edit needs work, I know that are some problems I won't be able to solve, but I thought at least I would be able to see some way forward. But I don't.
The fundamental problem? It is still too confusing. I have always intended it to be an open text, but it is still too open. I need to be clearer but I am not at all certain how to go about this.
So one can conclude either that there is no hope, which is something no one want to contemplate, or that I require an editor with greater skills than mine, and better skills than the average. This needs to be someone special.
I should explain. I have made some changes, and for the most part these changes have been successful, but now I believe that we need to make a lot more progress, a leap.
Next steps? I have some notes from the edit, some obvious problems, a way of making incremental improvements and I will make these and show them in two weeks time. And then I will begin the search.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Music and placement
I have revised the edit, added the new material, so where is it?
Well two shots did not work, both of them street shots. One, after the 'girl's night in/out', suggests them driving off into the city, into excitement. The other just as Natalie leaves Claire's flat, after she asked her to look after her flat. Claire looks up into the wider world, up and out. But none of this comes across in the shots we did. When JC and I did them I was not convinced. There are compromises and compromises, but this a step too far. So they did not work, but now, in the scheme of the film I wonder if they matter.
But I should feel a sense of accomplishment. If I accept this 'loss' then I have completed the film. It has been over two years now. How could it take so long? Well, one reality hit, in this 'slow cook' method, that as long as you think 'there is still more to shoot' you never have to accept that you have to live with what you have in front of you. So, in the back of mind I didn't want to give in, to accept that this is it, for better or worse. So the last part, the smallest missing bits have taken as long as the larger part of the film.
So here we go.
The other part that I managed was to consider music. When I showed the last edit to my friend Sarah she suggested considering music in the sense of the big piece, not the 'played through' soundtrack, which suited my way of thinking and prejudices (I really hate the soundtrack as compensation for the lack of this or this).
I decided to place some temp track music into key places and think of what they must do after. This then is the beginning of my brief to the composer.
The opening, over the abstractions of the soft-focus void, the tree and the subsequent blackout.
To start I need to establish the film and the sound, the overarching themes, set the tone, suggest Claire's whole position and the scene to come. I need to a lot more thinking what this should be about.
Claire and Paul drive across London to have lunch.
A minor piece that stands for the ellipsis, the argument that turns their afternoon .
The Club scene, which is incidental, but still needs to express the hope and joy they are able to have together, tells us why they are together.
Claire follows Paul into the forest.
This must continue from the opening sequence, and suggest much to follow.
Claire explores her new neighbourhood, and comes across the forest again.
This is a minor piece, it must suggest both an end to this segment, but it is also a continuation, a reminder of what Claire is running from.
Claire's realisation that she cannot run from this idea, she enters the forest and faces the fear she has been running from.
This should also complete the sequence started at the beginning, developed in the forest with Paul, and reinforced above.
Claire returns to the cabin in Norway.
This follows closely on the forest sequence above, and needs to now look forward to the future, but also must speak to Claire's past in the cabin as well. We are entering another part of the film, so there needs to be change of tone and sense here.
Claire goes swimming.
A minor piece, here a suggestion of the peace that Claire could find.
After Claire leaves Natalie at the cabin, a montage of the landscape, of the places that Claire has been , but now without her.
I realised that this sequence is a death of sorts, and it must carry us into this final sequence, as Claire disappears.
So now more showings, and a lot more feedback. I just have to face it and go forward and see where we are.
Well two shots did not work, both of them street shots. One, after the 'girl's night in/out', suggests them driving off into the city, into excitement. The other just as Natalie leaves Claire's flat, after she asked her to look after her flat. Claire looks up into the wider world, up and out. But none of this comes across in the shots we did. When JC and I did them I was not convinced. There are compromises and compromises, but this a step too far. So they did not work, but now, in the scheme of the film I wonder if they matter.
But I should feel a sense of accomplishment. If I accept this 'loss' then I have completed the film. It has been over two years now. How could it take so long? Well, one reality hit, in this 'slow cook' method, that as long as you think 'there is still more to shoot' you never have to accept that you have to live with what you have in front of you. So, in the back of mind I didn't want to give in, to accept that this is it, for better or worse. So the last part, the smallest missing bits have taken as long as the larger part of the film.
So here we go.
The other part that I managed was to consider music. When I showed the last edit to my friend Sarah she suggested considering music in the sense of the big piece, not the 'played through' soundtrack, which suited my way of thinking and prejudices (I really hate the soundtrack as compensation for the lack of this or this).
I decided to place some temp track music into key places and think of what they must do after. This then is the beginning of my brief to the composer.
The opening, over the abstractions of the soft-focus void, the tree and the subsequent blackout.
To start I need to establish the film and the sound, the overarching themes, set the tone, suggest Claire's whole position and the scene to come. I need to a lot more thinking what this should be about.
Claire and Paul drive across London to have lunch.
A minor piece that stands for the ellipsis, the argument that turns their afternoon .
The Club scene, which is incidental, but still needs to express the hope and joy they are able to have together, tells us why they are together.
Claire follows Paul into the forest.
This must continue from the opening sequence, and suggest much to follow.
Claire explores her new neighbourhood, and comes across the forest again.
This is a minor piece, it must suggest both an end to this segment, but it is also a continuation, a reminder of what Claire is running from.
Claire's realisation that she cannot run from this idea, she enters the forest and faces the fear she has been running from.
This should also complete the sequence started at the beginning, developed in the forest with Paul, and reinforced above.
Claire returns to the cabin in Norway.
This follows closely on the forest sequence above, and needs to now look forward to the future, but also must speak to Claire's past in the cabin as well. We are entering another part of the film, so there needs to be change of tone and sense here.
Claire goes swimming.
A minor piece, here a suggestion of the peace that Claire could find.
After Claire leaves Natalie at the cabin, a montage of the landscape, of the places that Claire has been , but now without her.
I realised that this sequence is a death of sorts, and it must carry us into this final sequence, as Claire disappears.
So now more showings, and a lot more feedback. I just have to face it and go forward and see where we are.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Production update
Well a long gap there.
For the most part I have been busy with other things, such as finding new ways to pay for the next phase of the film.
Last Sunday JC and got through the last of the pickups...but we may be still missing one shot. Hard to believe how difficult it is to just finish it. Still, that should be production. I am going off to iLab in a few hours to pickup the transferred footage. I have been two busy to allow this to sink in. I am now in a situation of having to live with what I have. Up until now I have always been thinking I could shoot this or that.
But I am away for a week, now, partly in Cannes. I am trying to set up on meeting, but generally just seeing some films and getting a bit of sun.
When I return it is time for the final rough edit and more feedback.
For the most part I have been busy with other things, such as finding new ways to pay for the next phase of the film.
Last Sunday JC and got through the last of the pickups...but we may be still missing one shot. Hard to believe how difficult it is to just finish it. Still, that should be production. I am going off to iLab in a few hours to pickup the transferred footage. I have been two busy to allow this to sink in. I am now in a situation of having to live with what I have. Up until now I have always been thinking I could shoot this or that.
But I am away for a week, now, partly in Cannes. I am trying to set up on meeting, but generally just seeing some films and getting a bit of sun.
When I return it is time for the final rough edit and more feedback.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
On to music
First my apologies for not posting very regularly. It seems the closer I am to finishing the film the longer it takes to get anything done.
The pickups were shot on the 30th, but JC and I haven't been down to iLab to take a look yet. We are planning to go tomorrow. Essentially I finished the shoot and was off to Norway to visit some friends in a cabin high-up in the mountains. An necessary break and worth it.
But it wasn't all play. I spent a few days in Oslo and met up with Joakim who did music for a short film of mine several years ago. I intend to work with him again and I met up with him to brief him on the first steps.
So how did I come to this, deciding to include music in the film? I have said many times in this blog that I wanted to avoid include music to cover for the inadequacies of the film. I think now that I was being too hard. First all films will contain some parts where the director feels it fails and mine will be no exception. Second, music cannot be seen as another element, not as a cover for failure, but as another layer.
Of course I added musical elements long ago. Remember the non-music I wrote about that Roland provided me? The difference now is that those were sounds. There was no melody. The difference now is that I am thinking of melody and the way I saw myself to this point was hearing some music I thought could work.
I heard this music by composer Melissa Hui on a BBC documentary. It is called And Blue Sparks Burn.
You can hear a sample of the piece on Amazon. No. 8.
Of course I cannot use this particular music. I would need permission and some sort of rights deal, complicated and expensive - but hearing it in the edit (a temp track) helps me think how music could be used and in turn allows me to write a brief for Joakim.
What do I hear in this music? First the first violin thread. It is singular, like a voice, seeming to suggest our Claire. It it has an emotional quality, a song, but it is not sentimental or hackneyed. And the piano is never complete, always suggest more. At least that's my starting point.
Finally, it is not my intention to have a soundtrack, music running through each scene. Rather we will hear a piece as part of a montage sequence. With the music I will now need to decide if these sequences stand by themselves or require more cutting. The music will help with the final process of the rough edits.
So more work. JC and I still need to shoot a few more pieces, I need to incorporate the pickups into the next edit, and then include the temp-track music. And then more reaction.
The pickups were shot on the 30th, but JC and I haven't been down to iLab to take a look yet. We are planning to go tomorrow. Essentially I finished the shoot and was off to Norway to visit some friends in a cabin high-up in the mountains. An necessary break and worth it.
But it wasn't all play. I spent a few days in Oslo and met up with Joakim who did music for a short film of mine several years ago. I intend to work with him again and I met up with him to brief him on the first steps.
So how did I come to this, deciding to include music in the film? I have said many times in this blog that I wanted to avoid include music to cover for the inadequacies of the film. I think now that I was being too hard. First all films will contain some parts where the director feels it fails and mine will be no exception. Second, music cannot be seen as another element, not as a cover for failure, but as another layer.
Of course I added musical elements long ago. Remember the non-music I wrote about that Roland provided me? The difference now is that those were sounds. There was no melody. The difference now is that I am thinking of melody and the way I saw myself to this point was hearing some music I thought could work.
I heard this music by composer Melissa Hui on a BBC documentary. It is called And Blue Sparks Burn.
You can hear a sample of the piece on Amazon. No. 8.
Of course I cannot use this particular music. I would need permission and some sort of rights deal, complicated and expensive - but hearing it in the edit (a temp track) helps me think how music could be used and in turn allows me to write a brief for Joakim.
What do I hear in this music? First the first violin thread. It is singular, like a voice, seeming to suggest our Claire. It it has an emotional quality, a song, but it is not sentimental or hackneyed. And the piano is never complete, always suggest more. At least that's my starting point.
Finally, it is not my intention to have a soundtrack, music running through each scene. Rather we will hear a piece as part of a montage sequence. With the music I will now need to decide if these sequences stand by themselves or require more cutting. The music will help with the final process of the rough edits.
So more work. JC and I still need to shoot a few more pieces, I need to incorporate the pickups into the next edit, and then include the temp-track music. And then more reaction.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Pickups - tomorrow
Just a quick note to say that tomorrow we are doing most of the pickups.
We start in the park in Wanstead, and finish in the flat in Dalston.
More details to follow, along with some updates on music and more.
We start in the park in Wanstead, and finish in the flat in Dalston.
More details to follow, along with some updates on music and more.
Saturday, March 06, 2010
Feedback and music
So I decided that I needed more feedback, particularly from some who have neither worked on the film or seen even parts of it previously. This past week I invited Paula, Ronny and Sarah to have a look. Ronny is involved in a way. He owns the cabin in Norway where we shot a third of the film, and he played a small part in it as well. Now Sarah knew nothing about it, but works in documentary in television, so would have a very different view on it.
This edit was the same I had shown in January. I wasn't looking for anything new, just confirmation of what I already knew, and this was the case. There was nothing new to report.
For example, the pace at the top of the Norway sequence is problematic. I did realise something new on this viewing, now that I had been away from it from two months: it is more than just pace or rhythm, but also the fact that Claire is alone for such a length of time. As Robert said long ago at another viewing, the audience already knows this. It looks beautiful but redundant.
So of course I can cut this sequence shorter. I think I know already that a lot of these shots don't work very well when they are shortened by themselves. I believe here you understand what Tarkovsky meant when he said that you can't impose pace upon a shot. Inherent in a shot is it's own pace. Rather I would have to remove shots entirely. My problem has always been not being certain what to cut. Here is where a real editor would do the job and I don't have one.
I thought of other ways that another voice could be added into this sequence, with radio and incidental music, and I will experiment with this on the next edit.
But Sarah's other primary comment: use music. Not incidental music, as I had always planned to use this, but a soundtrack. I have always resisted this, I did not want to use music to cover the failings of the film. Now I am a bit more philosophical: no matter how experienced I may be I will have failings. There is always the danger that a soundtrack could be used to just repeat what should be apparent on screen and in the scene, but I think back to the short film I did many years ago, when I worked with my friend Joakim. He added another layer into the film. So a soundtrack? I will at least consider it. Now I am busy going through my film music, using it to learn and feel my way through what is wrong and what is right for the film.
I still have plans for more making of videos, and then there is long-delayed pickups.
This edit was the same I had shown in January. I wasn't looking for anything new, just confirmation of what I already knew, and this was the case. There was nothing new to report.
For example, the pace at the top of the Norway sequence is problematic. I did realise something new on this viewing, now that I had been away from it from two months: it is more than just pace or rhythm, but also the fact that Claire is alone for such a length of time. As Robert said long ago at another viewing, the audience already knows this. It looks beautiful but redundant.
So of course I can cut this sequence shorter. I think I know already that a lot of these shots don't work very well when they are shortened by themselves. I believe here you understand what Tarkovsky meant when he said that you can't impose pace upon a shot. Inherent in a shot is it's own pace. Rather I would have to remove shots entirely. My problem has always been not being certain what to cut. Here is where a real editor would do the job and I don't have one.
I thought of other ways that another voice could be added into this sequence, with radio and incidental music, and I will experiment with this on the next edit.
But Sarah's other primary comment: use music. Not incidental music, as I had always planned to use this, but a soundtrack. I have always resisted this, I did not want to use music to cover the failings of the film. Now I am a bit more philosophical: no matter how experienced I may be I will have failings. There is always the danger that a soundtrack could be used to just repeat what should be apparent on screen and in the scene, but I think back to the short film I did many years ago, when I worked with my friend Joakim. He added another layer into the film. So a soundtrack? I will at least consider it. Now I am busy going through my film music, using it to learn and feel my way through what is wrong and what is right for the film.
I still have plans for more making of videos, and then there is long-delayed pickups.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Where to...?
Before I finish the all the last of the production, all the final little bits, I have been thinking of the next steps. That is outside of what needs to happen in post-production.
After all the work that has gone into this I really need something with this film. I cannot imagine not making another film, but to what value if no one sees this one? At a minimum I need the film to be seen at some important film festivals. I don't expect to get into the big ones, or even the medium ones. I cannot expect to be in Cannes or Venice, or Rotterdam. I mean the smaller ones. So how?
Over a year ago I went to Cannes to meet sales agents. My thinking was to get interest as soon as possible from the people who will eventually sell the film. But then I began to have doubts. What sales agent would want to sell my film? I am completely unknown. At the same time sales agents get films into film festivals, so if they thought it had potential, or that I had future potential they would take a chance on spending time and money for not return. They would be thinking of sales for my next film, or the film after that.
Another plan: find a co-producer. This would be someone who believes in the film and myself, and would take it to the next level, to finish post-production, and then work to get it into film festivals. Finishing post-production doesn't mean that we have a 35mm print. We could finish on DigiBeta. Let's face it, unless I am exceeding lucky no one is going to put up the money to finish it on film.
The problem with finding a producer is where to start? There are so many people calling themselves producers. Even if someone has a credit it is hard to know who has done what, or if they were any good. I have a few leads, that is people I could approach for names which I will try. Otherwise I would be trolling IMDB, looking at films and sending off emails to people who I don't know and don't know me. This could take a long time and would be probably be fruitless.
Finally, another plan: to finish it myself, then go to the film festival programmers and try to convince them to show my film. This is of course the last resort.
Any of these will take a lot of effort, work, and time could easily fail. So which plan?
After all the work that has gone into this I really need something with this film. I cannot imagine not making another film, but to what value if no one sees this one? At a minimum I need the film to be seen at some important film festivals. I don't expect to get into the big ones, or even the medium ones. I cannot expect to be in Cannes or Venice, or Rotterdam. I mean the smaller ones. So how?
Over a year ago I went to Cannes to meet sales agents. My thinking was to get interest as soon as possible from the people who will eventually sell the film. But then I began to have doubts. What sales agent would want to sell my film? I am completely unknown. At the same time sales agents get films into film festivals, so if they thought it had potential, or that I had future potential they would take a chance on spending time and money for not return. They would be thinking of sales for my next film, or the film after that.
Another plan: find a co-producer. This would be someone who believes in the film and myself, and would take it to the next level, to finish post-production, and then work to get it into film festivals. Finishing post-production doesn't mean that we have a 35mm print. We could finish on DigiBeta. Let's face it, unless I am exceeding lucky no one is going to put up the money to finish it on film.
The problem with finding a producer is where to start? There are so many people calling themselves producers. Even if someone has a credit it is hard to know who has done what, or if they were any good. I have a few leads, that is people I could approach for names which I will try. Otherwise I would be trolling IMDB, looking at films and sending off emails to people who I don't know and don't know me. This could take a long time and would be probably be fruitless.
Finally, another plan: to finish it myself, then go to the film festival programmers and try to convince them to show my film. This is of course the last resort.
Any of these will take a lot of effort, work, and time could easily fail. So which plan?
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Making of...Final Shot
Now this is the last of the Norway Making of... In the near term I will be looking at collating some of the material from our work in London.
In the meantime I have met with JC to discuss shooting the last of our pickups. He was rather keen to wait for the weather to warm up a bit, and I didn't argue. So that is our next step.
In the meantime I continue to put together materials for marketing.
In the meantime I have met with JC to discuss shooting the last of our pickups. He was rather keen to wait for the weather to warm up a bit, and I didn't argue. So that is our next step.
In the meantime I continue to put together materials for marketing.
Monday, February 01, 2010
Turning point
I have been struggling with this post for a few days, just finding the words to explain what I have been feeling. How to put it? I realised this morning that it wasn't so complicated.
It came out of the showing I had over a week ago. Isabella, Ana and Mark came over and I presented the latest edit. I had trimmed a little out of the first and third segments, remixed the sound in other parts, and added new sounds in other areas.
First, I felt more comfortable showing it to them, which I attribute to the fact that the majority of the pieces are in place. I always start a showing by listing out the missing pieces and this time the list was shorter and less critical.
Their was response was quite good. There was some criticism, some thought the pace too slow, but not everyone agreed. Mark thought perhaps, and rightly so, that instead of pace it might be an issue of rhythm, which is something I would leave for an editor. They did not agree on the meaning of this or that sequence, but they all had their own ideas, and since this has always been an open text, this was a great victory for me. They might for their own questions, but I had not confused them.
Fundamentally, the issues are all to do with post-production, whereas before the problems were to do with production, to what I needed to shoot.
It is true I have some more production work to do, some off-screen dialogue, the bedroom shots, which I have referred to as the Rothko shots, the odd shot we need to help with the passage of time and lead us into the next sequence. All told, about 1.5 days of production which I would like to do as soon as possible.
It is soon time to get on with the next phase of production, selling it. So soon this blog will now change, no longer about production, now more mundane tasks, meetings, trying to get money or interest from producers, funding bodies, film festivals, and sales agents.
Before that I think I need a break. I look back at this blog and I cannot believe that I started this in 2006! It really has consumed a large part of my life. I think I would like to set aside one month at least where I do nothing but the day job, have no obligations, no other project to finish, to have a normal life.
It is just part of my mental health. I have even been collecting material for my next project. I think that I need this, need my mind to rest from this project for a little while.
It came out of the showing I had over a week ago. Isabella, Ana and Mark came over and I presented the latest edit. I had trimmed a little out of the first and third segments, remixed the sound in other parts, and added new sounds in other areas.
First, I felt more comfortable showing it to them, which I attribute to the fact that the majority of the pieces are in place. I always start a showing by listing out the missing pieces and this time the list was shorter and less critical.
Their was response was quite good. There was some criticism, some thought the pace too slow, but not everyone agreed. Mark thought perhaps, and rightly so, that instead of pace it might be an issue of rhythm, which is something I would leave for an editor. They did not agree on the meaning of this or that sequence, but they all had their own ideas, and since this has always been an open text, this was a great victory for me. They might for their own questions, but I had not confused them.
Fundamentally, the issues are all to do with post-production, whereas before the problems were to do with production, to what I needed to shoot.
It is true I have some more production work to do, some off-screen dialogue, the bedroom shots, which I have referred to as the Rothko shots, the odd shot we need to help with the passage of time and lead us into the next sequence. All told, about 1.5 days of production which I would like to do as soon as possible.
It is soon time to get on with the next phase of production, selling it. So soon this blog will now change, no longer about production, now more mundane tasks, meetings, trying to get money or interest from producers, funding bodies, film festivals, and sales agents.
Before that I think I need a break. I look back at this blog and I cannot believe that I started this in 2006! It really has consumed a large part of my life. I think I would like to set aside one month at least where I do nothing but the day job, have no obligations, no other project to finish, to have a normal life.
It is just part of my mental health. I have even been collecting material for my next project. I think that I need this, need my mind to rest from this project for a little while.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
More making of...
Okay, so the feedback process continues. More on that later. In the meantime I have completed another making of video, this again from Norway.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Making of...
I am now just getting around to beginning the new edit. I have made a few visits to Roland's sound studio, just today raiding his sound library. The plan is to include the new sounds, spend a little time getting the levels right. I don't have speakers in my edit setup so getting levels right has been a problem. This means spending a load of time mixing different sounds into layers has often been a fruitless exercise. Tonight I am going to try to set up my projector and sound system to read directly off the laptop and Final Cut Pro.
I feel I really need a new victim to watch the edit, ideally this coming weekend. So that is the plan.
In the meantime I show some of the Making of... videos and with his feedback did some trimming. Here is the first, a short piece on one of the scenes we shot in Norway. First us setting up, then rehearsing/discussing, and then the actual scene. Note that the sound has not been done, and the actual footage is just the DV dub - this is not the full-fat film by any means.
I feel I really need a new victim to watch the edit, ideally this coming weekend. So that is the plan.
In the meantime I show some of the Making of... videos and with his feedback did some trimming. Here is the first, a short piece on one of the scenes we shot in Norway. First us setting up, then rehearsing/discussing, and then the actual scene. Note that the sound has not been done, and the actual footage is just the DV dub - this is not the full-fat film by any means.
Thursday, January 07, 2010
Editing geek
Okay, work has been progressing slowly. The plan is to re-work the new edit with some new sounds, and so I am meeting with Roland next week to go over it. I will be showing the new edit to some new victims next week.
In the meantime I have been busy going over all the other assets. I have completed a first draft of a producer's handbook, which is intended for potential co-producers and includes a long synopsis, director's notes, biographies of all the major cast and crew, the cast and crew list, 25 production photos, some making of... photos, and finally the state of the film.
I have also been logging and editing some Making of... videos. These are very much in the early stages but I will upload them here when I feel they are far enough long.
In the meantime some details of my editing system.
Yes, I did edit this on a Mac laptop, a two-year old 15inch, 2.2 GHz MacBook Pro.
Note the SATA Raid connector inserted into the ExpressBus. This links to my RAID Array below.
I am seeing the edit on a 27inch EIZO monitor. I decided to spend on the money on such a high-spec monitor with the idea I may end up grading the DigiBeta version of the film myself, hopefully with JC's help.
In the meantime the offline edit lives as MiniDV tapes, which I feed into Final Cut Pro 6.0 by way of an old Sony mini-DV camera.
And on the floor, doing the dirty work is a 1.8Terabyte RAID Array in a box purchased from MacGurus.
In the meantime I have been busy going over all the other assets. I have completed a first draft of a producer's handbook, which is intended for potential co-producers and includes a long synopsis, director's notes, biographies of all the major cast and crew, the cast and crew list, 25 production photos, some making of... photos, and finally the state of the film.
I have also been logging and editing some Making of... videos. These are very much in the early stages but I will upload them here when I feel they are far enough long.
In the meantime some details of my editing system.
Yes, I did edit this on a Mac laptop, a two-year old 15inch, 2.2 GHz MacBook Pro.
Note the SATA Raid connector inserted into the ExpressBus. This links to my RAID Array below.
I am seeing the edit on a 27inch EIZO monitor. I decided to spend on the money on such a high-spec monitor with the idea I may end up grading the DigiBeta version of the film myself, hopefully with JC's help.
In the meantime the offline edit lives as MiniDV tapes, which I feed into Final Cut Pro 6.0 by way of an old Sony mini-DV camera.
And on the floor, doing the dirty work is a 1.8Terabyte RAID Array in a box purchased from MacGurus.
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