MA:
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Learning Agreement
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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.
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.
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.
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).
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