Comments of Sherlock Holmes 1-1

Yesterday I have watched the series of Sherlock Holmes 1, I found that four flashbacks and one flashforward have been used in this film.

In 18min 55sec, There is a flashback which is used blurring and zoom-in to remember when the first time Sherlock Holmes saw Dr. Watson. They were speaking in the taxi, when they talked about their first meet, the shots changed to the office they met before. Sherlock Holmes was analyzing Dr. Watson's occupation and identification. 

This flashback proved that Sherlock Holmes is a detective because he can easily estimate what's Dr. Watson's occupation and what he had done before, and the flashback was treated as the foreshadowing of his crazy of cases and his cleverness.

In 46min, There is a flashback which is used higher contrast to memorize how Sherlock Holmes found the victim's handbag in a big dustbin.

The flashback proved that Sherlock Holmes is crazy about these kinds of homicides because he persisted on finding out the suitcase of the victim. At the beginning of the story, he had inferred that the victim may has a suitcase but it maybe dropped by the murder.

In 62min, There is a flashforward which is used dissolve and slow-motion to display what Sherlock Holmes was inferring what was happened relevant to the taxi driver. But something unexpected that the taxi driver was the murder.

The flashforward displayed that Sherlock Holmes was seriously and crazy about analyzing these kinds of homicides. This flashforward is also treated as accumulation of Sherlock Holmes's crazy.

In 74min 35sec, There is a tiny flashback occured by dissolving to some shots in the taxi by half of picture. 

The tiny flashback just showed and matched up Sherlock Holmes's words that he had  mentioned before.

In 63min 21sec, There is also a tiny flashback as well as 74'35", It used left-half and right-half for each to show that Sherlock Holmes was rethinking his inference about the homicide. The flashback also showed that Sherlock Holmes is crazy and serious about the homicide.

Comments of Memento

I have watched the film Memento for twice, today I watched it again and finally I made a good comprehension of the film's narrative structure. It's complicated and a bit difficult to understand, I was greatly confused about the story when the first time I watched it.

This film was directed by Christopher Nolan in 2000. It talked about a detective named Leonard who is unable to make short-memory due to attacking by two men, during the attack, his wife was killed by them and Leonard's head was crashed into mirror and bleeding seriously.

The story was generally developed from a telephone, Leonard was talking to somebody else on the bed, when talked about something happened, the shot was flashback to a coloured picture, after finished displaying what happened then backed to the black & white picture that Leonard talking on the phone. The story was reversed the timeline and told from the end to the beginning, the result was that Teddy was killed by Leonard by pistol. The beginning was that Teddy told Leonard something about his wife that shocked him, it was his wife still alive and Leonard shot the injection for her everyday, but he remember these were happened to another person who was also unable to make short-memory as him. But Teddy finished talking, Leonard didn't kill him, the beginning cannot match the resolution that confused me a lot. Maybe this is the feature of this film that suspended and rethinkable. 

Below the words, the papers were written as the things happened in this film, it helped me a lot that I can get when is flashback or the reality.

And a question that I still confused that is about the word Teddy told to Leonard at the last of the film, if Leonard shot the injection for his wife everyday as Teddy said, the film maybe all performed in flashforward, because Sammy's appearance was treated as Leonard's inference and imagination; if the words Teddy told Leonard was not true or he was lying, maybe all the film developed in flashback.

Comments of Sherlock Holmes

Tonight I have seen the old version of Sherlock Holmes. It is the first version of these series. The story is about the detective Holmes spent his working career with Dr. Watsons, they cooperated together and cleaned the Lord Blackwood for the citizens. And Holmes recognized the so-called magic which made all the citizens frightened.

This film used a lot of flashback and flashforward shots, it's better for me to learn from it.

How Holmes fight with the big man next with flashforward shot

Reading about the book 'The visual story'

These days I have reading the book 'The Visual Story', especially the chapter 9 which is named 'Story and Visual Structure'. The basic narrative structure is written there. Exposition, conflict and resolution, these three are treated as the basic structure of a story. It is useful for me to make research on temporal interruption like flashback and flashforward.

Reading about the book 'Producing & Directing the short film and video'

These days I am reading this book 'Producing & Directing the short film and video', especially the part named 'What is Non-Linear'.

The chapter is about Nonlinear editing in technical area. It talked about digital nonlinear editing, nonlinear off-line editing and film-style editing.

The nonlinear appeared changed the film editing, you can start whenever you want, move shots around, and change their length without having to produce generation after generation of dupes.

Things to be improved from the first film I made

From this film, I know that the story should be greatly ordered. Because many audiences gave feedback were in similar that the story is disordered and not logical enough. And as for the flashback, there is a big problem that when Roy remembering something happened before, the shot which was changed to without Roy. It should be Roy as the eye-witness person that he can see what totally happened during that period of time.

As for the technology, I think I should make more effort on adjusting the colour, the colour is totally different between some shots because of using different cameras. And more kinds of shots like pan shot, move shot, zoom-in or zoom-out, etc. I just used steady shots in most shots. So my postproduction suffered that I don't have many shots to change, even the film can not give more information to audiences.

Questionnaire and Answers from audiences

I have made the questionnaire to the audiences and get some feedback.

I have asked for three questions:
1. Can you understand the flashback in the film?
2. What do you think of this flashback?
3. If you were an audience, what kind of flashback is better in your own?

A:
1. I can't.
2. I guess is about relationship.
3. I thought this film should have logic

B:
I THINK IT IS A BIT DIFFICULT FOR AUDIENCES TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE MEANING AT THE BEGINNG, HOWEVER THE FILM IS FULLY LOGICAL AND PLENTIFUL STORY. FINALLY, I THINK THIS SHORT FILM SHOULD BE ADD MORE MUSIC TO CATER ATMOSPHERE.

C:

1. Maybe I can.

2. This flashback is to resolve the cause of death was the fat boy to grab his girlfriend in the car when using the fat so that the fat man was killed.

3. The most basic requirement is to be able to promote the development of the plot that clear things better system should be able to create an atmosphere, highlighting the emotion, suspense and other effects

D:

1. Able to understand the story of this film as described in flashbacks. Know that fat guy most likely to be murdered by the girl.

2. Feeling of the movie with a few flashbacks too uniform hue, although the final flashback memories of that red is to highlight the story of the bloody atmosphere used is very good, but a few shades disunity still feel a little strange little awkward

3. I think the director should put the story a little bit rich, because the actors are not professional actors, although other aspects of the eyes has done a good job, but still not able to convey more information that flashback up slightly disjointed film

E:

1. I think I mainly understand it. It shows the leading actor reflects on what happened in the day Lee died.

2. The flashback in this film is basically well-designed I think. It occurs in a proper time and introduces a significant part of the story. By presenting the previous scene, it uncovers the fact of this film.

Final Learning Agreement

School of Art and Design                                                                             2013/14

MA:	Learning Agreement

Name:

Ye Yuan

Course:

MA in Film Practice

Date:

26/11/2013

What is your subject of study?

My subject is learning about making the flashback and flash forward in films. Flashback is a technique in post-production as well as an interjected scene that takes the narrative back in time from the current point the story has reached. For example, in the film Citizen Kane (1941), the story then revisits Kane’s life in a series of nonlinear flashbacks that could be confusing, but the facts needed to understand it are presented in the exposition (Block, 2008).Flashback is to alert the audiences that the action shown is from the past. Flashforward is an interjected scene that takes the narrative forward in time from the current point of the story in literature, film, television and other media. It was said by Bordwell in 1985 that flashforward is unthinkable in the classical narrative cinema, which seeks to retard the ending. So I am thinking about making research on the mental activities of actors in films, because temporal interruption are interesting and can bring audiences to more different information.

What is your research question?

How to use flashback and flashforward to display the mental activities of actors ?

Research aim(s):

In order to understand the narrative and analysis how flashback and flashforward are used for displaying different background information to audiences in theories and in practice. And use temporal interruption like flashback and flashforward in a proper way when making films.

Research objectives(s):

What are the specific tangible project objectives?

Note: these are separate to what you personally need to learn in terms of skills and knowledge, see learning objectives below.

1. Analyzing narrative structures and how flashback and flashforward are currently used to display different background information to audiences in narrative theories.

2. Comparing and critically analyzing the temporal interruption happened specific in different places like exposition, conflict and resolution.

3. Combine both flashback and flashforward into one film in order to figure out what will happen to the film. Know about what the audiences are thinking and generate a critical conclusion.

Rationale

·         What is the wider context of your project?

                     

A film can be changed into a different style when using flashback and flashforward, One is about narrative and stories structures in films. Things like flashbacks and flash-forwards bring audiences temporal interruption as well as take audiences to another point from the current one that the story has reached. (Porter, et al., 2002). Most of the narratives structure follow a main line of events, actually, the story is the chronological succession that things will be happened or erupted in the end as the accumulation of the the successions. And some of them are different, the stories are unpredictable when using the flashback and flashforward, the temporal interruption can be placed on the exposition, conflict and resolution of the film. As for flashback, it describes more past events which are relevant to nowadays; flash-forward describes implications to some future events. Typically in films, flashback often functions to provide backstory in support of a main story line, being presented either as a continuous sequence or as a series of scenes showing only the crux of the backstory (Bae & Young, 2008).

·         How does the project relate to your previous experience/practice?

This project is related to my previous final practice in my BA learning. I have made a micro feature film in my final year, the film is talked about a couple's life. I used some flashback and flash-forward to describe the main characters' mental activities, I used flashback to describe the main actress who was memorizing their happy and sweet life before they broke up. And flash-forwards were used to foresee some worse things which will be happening to the couple after their quarreling. These flashback and flash-forward have many effects in my film, for example, some audiences showed sympathy to the main actor after seeing the film because some of them have similar experiences as the story.

              

·         How does it relate to relevant current practices, debates and theory?

Flashback and flashforward are better used in displaying the characters’ mental activities, giving different backgrounds to audiences, memorizing the earlier events before the current and etc. As for flashbacks, which are said as functions to provide backstory in support of a main story line (Bae & Young, 2008). Like “Citizen Kane (1941)”, a biography film which is talking about Charles Kane’s whole life. The films used a lot of flashbacks to talk about his road of setting up the newspaper offices. When Kane’s colleagues memorizing the earlier events, the shot is changed to the picture of what they were doing as the colleagues remembered immediately. It used flashbacks in order to support the main story line. Flashback is a narrative device that present story events out of temporal order, it describes some past events related to the present, typically in film media, flashback often functions to provide backstory in support of a main story line, being presented either as a continuous sequence or as a series of scenes showing only the crux of the backstory (Bae & Young, 2008). For example, flashback can depict a character’s recall of his or her own past events. As for flash-forward, it presents a character’s imaginations of possible outcomes and describes implications to some future events.

·         Why is the intended research significant? (So what?)

Flashback and flashforward, which are also called temporal interruption, are a kind of nonlinear narrative in films. It can be used as a way of exposition, such as the film ‘Citizen Kane’ (1941), which began with the death of Kane as the resolution of the film, after that the film began to flash back to Kane’s life in a long sequence. The narrator using the way as interviewing Kane’s drunk ex-wife and his old friends and colleagues to connect the story (Friedmann, 2012). Many films include flashbacks, but the flashforward can be better analyzed if it can be placed in different positions like exposition, conflict and resolution. So it is important to make research on it.

How does this project relate to your plans for the future?

I will make some films in future with flashbacks or flash-forwards. It can help me to describe character’s mental activities. Moreover, the main storyline can be backed by flashbacks and flash-forwards.

Methodology

·         Outline the research, creative and intellectual methods you will employ to develop your research project.

1.         Finding out and understanding the theory of how flashbacks or flash-forwards are used to display different background information to audiences. In this method, I can understand more about flashbacks in theories by accumulating, it’s better for me to practice in later days with theories of flashbacks.

2.         Watching some films like ‘Citizen Kane’ style and make deeper analysis on them, then analysis the effect of using flashbacks or flash-forwards in films. The film ‘Citizen Kane’ used a lot of flashbacks to memorize his glories. In this way, I can understand how flashback can be better used in drama films, how can flashbacks give a good narrative in films.

3.         Finding out some questions and work out them on the network or by reading in libraries then do the practices with more theories. In this way, I can understand more about flashbacks deeply.

4.         Make films with flashbacks and flash-forwards and try to combine them together in order to display more different information to audiences. In this way, I can have chances to practice using flashback and flashforward in a proper way.

5.         Gather more suggestions from more audiences, then try my best to improve my skills and solve more problems in my previous films and make them as the best.

·         Identify ethical considerations where appropriate.

If I want to shoot a film, the thing that I need to get is the permission. Some of the areas like government buildings and some private working areas don’t allow others to take photos and shoot videos in it. In addition, I should get the permission a few days before shooting a film and make great preparation on how to arrange timetables. As for the equipment, I should prepare for them and try to use them the proficient the better before shooting. And the batteries should be fully recharged so as to prevent from low battery status when shooting.

Learning objectives

·         Link to your personal skills audit and development plan; identify the skills that you will develop and knowledge that you need to acquire. Match the objectives against the MA programme learning outcomes.

1.         To find case studies about flashback and flash-forward in films

2.         To analysis how flashback and flash-forward work in films

3.         To figure out how flashbacks or flash-forwards are used to display different background informations to audiences.

4.         To imitate some methods of films when using flashbacks or flash-forwards in shooting my own films, and make deep comprehension in these methods then shoot in my own styles.

5.         To learn how to use different digital cameras like Nikon D90, Canon 5D Mark III and how to use the post-production softwares like Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe Audition or Final Cut Pro.

Submissions (practical and/or written work)

·         Describe your intended body of work, including your reflective journal and the summative critical review

I will make research on how flashbacks and flash-forwards work on films, and understanding the theories of how flashbacks or flash-forwards display different backgrounds and give more information to audiences. And finish my project of how to display mental activities in films with flashbacks or flash-forwards. As for my reflective journals, I write comments of films nearly every day and make some learning notes on it.

My reflective journal URL: http://yuan0329a.blogspot.co.uk

·         Specify the audience and communication context for your project.

The audiences may prefer the biography or feature films, and the story can be better ordered. We can communicate with audiences and learn together as a group in reality or online.

·         Describe how you intend to evaluate/ test project outcomes with your audience.

I will show the films to my audiences and make the questionnaire for them to fill. Afterthat I will make explanations to them, and let them understand my outcomes of my project. And I will acquire the suggestions from my audiences then I should try my best to answer the questions from my audiences, solve the problems and learn from the suggestions from them.

Resource implications

·         List what resources are required within or outside of the University

Digital Cameras, Computers, Studios, Tripods, Recording devices, Monitors, Rails and Arms.

·         Identify other organisations or individuals involved that you will rely upon and describe what role they will have

I consider that some actors and actress are needed, and I will find some proper scenes for shooting.

References

Cite material using the Harvard System referenced in the previous sections.

John W., 2006, Film Director of Photography. Cited in Chris J., Genevieve J., 2006, London: The Guerilla Film Makers Handbook, pp.260-261.

Welsh, J 2011, 'Hollywood Incoherent: Narration in Seventies Cinema by Todd Berliner', Journal of American Culture, 34, 3, pp.204, Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 27 November 2013.

Porter, M, Larson, D, Harthcock, A,& Nellis, K 2002, 'Re(de)fining Narrative Events: Examining Television Narrative Structure', Journal of Popular Film & Television, 30, 1, pp. 23, Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 27 November 2013.

CAGLE, C 2012, 'Postclassical Nonfiction: Narration in the Contemporary Documentary', Cinema Journal, 52, 1, pp. 45-65, Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 27 November 2013.

Bae, B & Young, M, 2008, A Use of Flashback and Foreshadowing for Surprise Arousal in Narrative Using a Plan-Based Approach. USA: Interactive Storytelling, pp.156-167.

Friedmann, A 2010, Writing for Visual Media. USA: Elsevier Inc, pp.167

 

Movies:

Welles, O., 1941, ‘Citizen Kane’.

Bibliography

Cite essential background or contextual material using the Harvard System of referencing

Farn,E., Chen,L., and Liou,J., 2003, A new slow-motion replay extractor for soccer game videos. Taiwan: International Journal of Pattern Recognition and Articial Intelligence.17(8), pp.1467-1481.

John W., 2006, Film Director of Photography. Cited in Chris J., Genevieve J., 2006, London: The Guerilla Film Makers Handbook, pp.260-261.

Welsh, J 2011, 'Hollywood Incoherent: Narration in Seventies Cinema by Todd Berliner', Journal of American Culture, 34, 3, pp.204, Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 27 November 2013.

Porter, M, Larson, D, Harthcock, A,& Nellis, K 2002, 'Re(de)fining Narrative Events: Examining Television Narrative Structure', Journal of Popular Film & Television, 30, 1, pp. 23, Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 27 November 2013.

CAGLE, C 2012, 'Postclassical Nonfiction: Narration in the Contemporary Documentary', Cinema Journal, 52, 1, pp. 45-65, Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 27 November 2013.

Bae, B & Young, M, 2008, A Use of Flashback and Foreshadowing for Surprise Arousal in Narrative Using a Plan-Based Approach. USA: Interactive Storytelling, pp.156-167.

Street, S 1996, 'Citizen Kane', History Today, 46, 3, p. 48, Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 30 November 2013.

Friedmann, A 2010, Writing for Visual Media. USA: Elsevier Inc, pp.167

Movies:

Greengrass, P., 2013, ‘Captain Philips’.

Daniels, L., 2013, ‘the Butler’.

Chou, J., 2013, ‘the Rooftop’.

Black, S., 2013, ‘Iron Man 3’.

Håfström, M., 2013, ‘Escape Plan’.

Knight, S., 2013, ‘Hummingbird’.

Wong K., 2013, ‘The Grandmaster’.

Michell R., 1999, ‘Notting Hill’.

Ross G., 2012, ‘Hungry Game I’.

Krokidas J., 2013, ‘Kill your darlings’.

Leterrier L., 2013, ‘Now you see me’.

Timetable

·         Outline your plan of action; give dates of developmental milestones linked to the PGC / PGD / MA stages; include personal tutorials and your vacations.

·         Identify a programme of events in which you intend to participate: lectures, exhibitions, tutorials, seminars, workshops, research visits, interviews, searches, on-line activities, etc.

16/12/2013 Write a short film screenplay with Lee.

18/12/2013 – 21/12/2013 Shoot the short film (try to place flashback in the resolution of the film)

1/1/2014 – 2/1/2014 Edit the first short film and make audience testing

3/1/2014 – 8/1/2014 Prepare the assessment (presentation)

10/1/2014 – 19/1/2014 Read the book ‘The Visual Story’ especially the part ‘Story and visual structure’ and shoot another film (try to place flashback in the conflict and combine flashback, flashforward together).

20/1/2014 – 24/1/2014 Edit the second film and make audience testing

25/1/2014 – 10/2/2014 Finish reading the book ‘Producing & Directing the short film and video’ and see more films, then do some research on flashback and flashforward in postproduction.

11/2/2014 – 10/3/2014 I will choose some good films and try to analysis how flashback or flashforward display different information in films.

11/3/2014 – 18/3/2014 Write a screenplay and make it into a storyboard

19/3/2014 – 26/3/2014 Shoot the third short film (try to place flashback in the exposition and place flashforward in the conflict).

30/3/2014 – 4/4/2014 Edit the third short film and make audience testing

5/4/2014 – 11/4/2014 Review the three films I have shot, try to explore how to present character’s emotion through flashbacks and flash-forwards in better ways.

12/4/2014 – 20/4/2014 Read the book ‘Director’ in shooting and editing parts. Watch some films in non-linear narrative and do research on shooting.

21/4/2014 – 27/4/2014 Write a screenplay and make it into a storyboard

28/4/2014 – 5/5/2014 Shoot the fourth short film (try to place flashback in the exposition and place flashforward in the resolution)

5/5/2014 – 12/5/2014 Edit the fourth short film make audience testing.

13/5/2014 – 20/5/2014 Review the fourth film and analysis the postproduction then find some problems in order to solve them. Get suggestion from audiences, other filmmakers or teachers.

21/5/2014 – 28/5/2014 Write the last screenplay and make it into a storyboard

29/5/2014 – 5/6/2014 Cooperate with other directors to shoot my screenplays.

6/6/2014 – 20/6/2014 Do shoot and edit film work then make audience testing (still thinking about what I will shoot now). Write my summary document and prepare the last assessment.

21/6/2014 – 7/7/2014 Deadline for the final assessment preparation.

8/7/2014 – 15/7/2014 Assessment Week

Agreed as a viable programme of study

Signature of student:                                 Date:   

Signature supervisor:                           Date:

Include this document within your submission at the end of each stage (PGC / PGD / MA).

Earlier time having lesson with Julius Ayodeji

Another photo is talking about Julius was teaching us how to find out what steady shot can show to audiences. And he advised us to see the film Goodfella's Restaurant, I didn't see this film but another film instead, I found out some steady shots can tell audiences what will be happened next. So I made my own short film like this, and tried my best to tell audiences what will be happened next in scene languages.

Earlier time having lesson with Julius Ayodeji

In earlier time I had lesson with Julius, the class was talking about the script-writing, Julius let us to follow two people separately for 10 minutes. The work seems like what Holmes had done before. After that I had follow two people in the street and wrote the stories onto the journal before.

Earlier time having lesson in Broadway Cinema

There are some photos showed me that Roger was showing his movies to us. He used an old photo as a filter then put in front of the camera. Then he shot the street view for a long time. He was showing his creative to us.

Earlier time having lesson in Broadway Cinema

I forgot the time of having lesson in Broadway Cinema with Roger Knott-Fayle. But some photos remained in my mobile phone, which told me that Roger was teaching us how to putting the lights when shooting. And I remember that I was practicing with Aris and Nick.

Some conclusion during making the film

During these days of making the short film with Lee, I found that the ability of cooperating with teammates is very important. We work together and very happy about that, so finished everything within our expects. We spent 3 whole days to shoot and spent also 3 or 4 days to make the post-production, after that we discussed together and made the critical thinking of it. Some positive things were found by us that we finished everything within our expectations. But there were also some negative things happened during making the film. We used two cameras as Sony EX-1 and Canon 5D Mark III, some problems were found as the colour of these two cameras are totally different. The same aperture, shutter and colour temperature are adjusted on two cameras, but the export are totally exceeded our expectations. The colour are more brighter and the wideness are better in Canon 5D Mark III, but in Sony EX-1, the pictures are a bit darker than 5D 3. So during the post-production, I paid more attention and made great efforts on adjusting the colour in Premiere Pro CC with the plug-in named Colorista II. I adjusted colours of the shots from 5D Mark 3 to meet the colour of the shots from EX-1, because the EX-1 was the main camera during the shooting. It spent me a great deal of time. So I will pay more attention to the colour systems of the cameras I will use next time. If dual cameras were used, the cameras with similar colour systems should be chosen before shooting.

shot on Canon 5D Mark III

shot on Sony EX-1

Finished the post-production of the short film

Yesterday I had finished the post-production of the short film, and finally checked with Lee. We combined our recommendations into the film together, I adjusted the colour and Lee advise me to plus the dark to every corner of the pictures. 

Here is my final version of the short film.

The progress of making the short film with Lee

Before Christmas, I was making a short film with my classmate Lee. We cooperate together, Lee as the main director and main cameraman of the short film, and I was the assistant director and the main post-production of that.

Here are some photos and outtakes of the film.

discussing in one more restaurant 

I was shooting

I was handling the microphone

Lee was checking the shot with the main actress

Preparing to shoot 

Shooting outside the automobile service factory

The actors/actresses and crews

finished shooting the last shot in the Newton Bldg

Photography work in the Casa Batlló in Spain

In earlier days I traveled to Spain and visited the Casa Batlló, I found that the architecture in there are so special.

Here are some photography works and I made some useful shots there. Every photo I have used what Roger had taught me. He taught me that put the main subject onto the 2/3 or 1/3 of the harsh, and try to remain some space at the opposite of the main subject.

the roof

Photography work of traveling to Spain

During these days I had practiced for taking photos in the ways Roger had taught me. The kind of photos can be taken in harsh style. The main body can be put in the 2/3 of the photo on the left or right. Using the current aperture number (F number) and ISO can make the photo better.

And every photo I use the RAW format to remain the widen of the colour. The photos may not be very bright and the contrasting is a bit lower. So the colour is not very brighten but a lot of color levels remained