Metaphors in my Short Film

AUTUMN:
At first, I chose this name for my main character purely because I liked the name. However, as I thought about it, I realised that the season is between Winter and Summer; two juxtaposing times of the year. One of them is cold, and the other hot. I decided to make this a metaphor for the transition between Reality and the Underworld. ALSO, I took a lot of inspiration from Alice In Wonderland for my film. As Alice transitions between reality and 'underland',  she literally falls down a hole. I recently realised that Autumn is another name for Fall.
*mind... blown*

Feedback and More Ideas

Turn barbie into something more gothic

• Monster high dolls
• Wooden doll
• China doll

Dollhouse - dark colours
Can paint the dollhouse black and grey??

Clothing:

• corpse bride
• nightmare before christmas
• aesthetics
• willy wonka

Moonlight coming in through the window of room

Poorly-lit room

Small night light in the corner of the room

What to have completed this week

By end of week, Friday, have completed :

• The treatment: overview(introduction), synopsis, resources justification (of creative choices)
• Overview of each characters : short paragraph, who are my characters? + add a little bit about them (within the treatment), 4-5 sentences each
• Shotlist

Shotlist:

Must match shot types and angles to synopsis

Order of subtitles in the treatment

Introduction

Synopsis

Resources

    Setting

    Characters/People

    Props

    Costume

Justification

Synopsis: don't need to specify every single shot of the entire film

Alice In Wonderland Notes

Mise En Scene

Cinematography

Characterisation

Narrative

• Opening scene: dark evening
• [setting the scene] outside shot of a bright yellow window with a man walking back and forth, muffle dialogue
• Cinematography: rule of thirds used quite a lot
• Colours are very brown, off-white
• Steady cam shot, moving back as the character walks toward the camera
• Yellow lighting
• Adults: darker clothing
• Alice: white dress, blonde hair, fair skin but dark eyes
• Very minimum lighting
• Little girl; intelligent, describes her dream about a fantasy world
• Blonde little girl
• Flash forward 13 years
• Colours, predominantly black but other colours are 'bright'
• Warm lights when with father
• Cold lighting when with mother
• Main girl; white pale skin, blonde hair, dark eyes
• Normal world: bright and colourful
• Everyone is wearing shades of white and cream, but everything still has either a cold or hot undertone depending on the characterisation/mood

• Hamish dude: unattractive, rude, has a snobby look on his face, automatically don't like him
• It's clear that Alice doesn't fit in as she doesn't want to conform to society's expectations
• Violin music playing throughout the whole scene
• Roses: white/red possibly a symbol as Hamish's mother is upset that the roses are white and she wants them red.
• She sees glimpses of her dream in the real world: rabbit in a waist coat, blue caterpillar
• Point-Of-View Shots as Hamish proposes to Alice
• These sisters could be the real life version of twiddle dee and twiddle dum?!?!?!

• And Hamish has red hair so he could be the mad hatter?? Or else it cold represent her father
• Red Queen = potential step mother
• Idk I'm just making these up
• Unstable camera movements as it follows Alice's through the bushes as she runs to catch the rabbit
• Point-Of View shots as she runs through the bushes
• Normal world: cool undertone - blue/white lighting
• Entrance to wonderland: warm undertones - orange lighting
• Gravity confusion, this is where everything starts messing with your head
• Room is quite dark lit by very carefully placed orange/yellowy lights in the corners AND the candles
• High and low angles, zooming in and out to create the effect that she is growing/shrinking
• Voices having an argument about her not being the 'right alice' because she doesn't remember this from the first time
• Flowers are snobby just like the average person in the 'real world'
• Colourful with a cool undertone
• Twiddle dee and twiddle dum bicker and exchange thoughts to each other just like the sisters

• Absolum- wise, blue, CATERPILLAR: yet to become it's true self by turning into a butterfly
• Now that I'm analysing this I am realising that there are SO MANY MOTIFS AND METAPHORS WOW THIS IS BEAUTIFUL
• It's so clear who the bad guy is when we see it: Dude with he heart eye. His hair and costume is dark, he has a scar, everyone associated with him (red cards) are all coloured black and red - very evil colours when put together as opposed to the rest of the characters
• RED QUEEN: Castle is dirty white/grey and red, dull
• I don't know if it has anything to do with Tim Burton's style but the Red Queen has a sculptured bush at the front in the shape of her head, and this really reminded me of Edward Scissorhands.... recurring theme????
• RED QUEEN: Huge over exaggerated head
• She pronounces her words like a baby - eg. drink = dwink
• The bad guys black heart changes to a red heart when he's around the Red Queen - disloyal, two faced
• Bandersnatch (huge dog)
• The woods are dark and creepy and foggy
• The shape of the moon turns into he smile of the cat
• Tea party table is very messy 
• 
  

What I need to do for this task

The things that I need to complete for this task

• Research 
• Brainstorming
• Possible Scenarios
• Example of supporting evidence
• Shot list (2-4 Minutes)
• Treatment (400-500 words)

RESEARCH:

A lot of my research had been done during my last task when I had to research Tim Burton and his signature film style.

BRAINSTORMING:
I will be posting and uploading my idea process throughout the entire task to show evidence of my brainstorming.

POSSIBLE SCENARIOS:
Each possible scenario that I could picture in my film I will write down and put into my blog as a part of my brainstorming

EXAMPLE OF SUPPORTING EVIDENCE:
Research, Screenshots

SHOT LIST:
Once I finish my storyline in concrete, I must put together a shot list that specifics every shot that I am planning to show - most importantly in the style of Tim Burton, using the tapes of shots that he would use.

TREATMENT:
Includes: Characters, Synopsis, Prop List, Set Ideas

Storyline Brainstorming

• A girl doesn't have any dolls or toys, and isn't allowed to play with barbies.
• Her parents are very strict (in her perspective and the audience's perspective)
• She becomes bored one night and finds a dollhouse in a cupboard in her house that her parents had hidden because of its special powers 
• She begins to play with it a lot and hiding it from her parents 
• One day her parents almost catch her getting it out of the cupboard 
• She hides in the cupboard  as they walk by (dark POV shots) 
• Suddenly, real life dolls pull her aside and she begins her parallel universe journey Her mother finds the cupboard door open?
• Deep and meaningful conversation in the cupboard
• Narnia: cupboard going through another world

***Danny Eflman Music

Characters:

AUTUMN - 11-years-old, innocent, curious, introverted, some can argue that she is going insane as she starts hallucinating/having a dream about a real life barbie doll

MOTHER - parent-age, protective of her daughter, but very strict, barely shows emotions

BARBIE - begins as a lifeless doll, becomes real, manipulative, creepy, piercing eyes, haunting enough to be locked away by the Autumn's parents, it is unclear whether she is in the girls dream or actually is a cursed doll

Storyline:

• A young girls bedroom. Camera slowly pans from the end of a bad to the head, revealing Autumn, an 11-year-old girl, snuggled in the sheets. 
• Silence is broken by a plate smashing in another room. Her mother is yelling and she goes to investigate. Her mother tells her to go back to her bedroom immediately, as she wasn't permitted to leave her room. 
• On the way back, Autumn hears a creaking door sound. She takes a couple steps back and discovers that one of the small cupboard doors in the house is open. She finds a dollhouse and a barbie and ken. 
• She peeks over to where here mother is in the kitchen to make sure she doesn't see her. Autumn then drags the dollhouse back to her room, attempting to be quietly. She pulls it across the ground for a couple seconds and stops to look around, she does this again, she then starts dragging is as quickly as possible. 
• The audience hears her mother call "Autumn?!?" from the kitchen. She quickly hides the dollhouse in her cupboard and jumps into bed. Her mother rushes in to investigate the noise. 
• Once her mother leaves, Autumn keeps looking at the cupboard in which the dollhouse is in. 
• She begins to close her eyes but before she sleeps, she hears noises coming from her cupboard. Curious, she investigates and finds that the doll in the dollhouse is missing. 
• Her mother is shown finding that the small cupboard door is open, and the dollhouse isn't inside. 
• Shot cuts back to Autumn in her own cupboard, her mother calls her name right before the cupboard door closes and she is locked in. Autumn finds that she is unable to get out.
• The light in the cupboard doesn't work so she gets out the flashlight on her phone. 
• She points it around and we see what she sees. The barbie doll isn't in the doll house with Ken. 
• Then we see her face looking surprised at whats in front of her. 
• The flashlight then reveals that the barbie doll has come to life. 
• Autumn isn't afraid, she circles the doll, then slightly jumps when she begins to move.
• Barbie: "Are you ready to go?" Autumn "What are you?" Barbie: "You don't remember me?" Autumn doesn't reply, looks down and shakes her head in confusion. Barbie: "You're still young. You look like you haven't changed since I saw you last" Autumn is still really confused. After a moment she says "I'm sorry? What-" Barbie: "Come with me"
• The barbie doll walks over to the cupboard door and opens it. They are now in a different location. The audience sees Autumn emerging from a dark cupboard in the middle of a public area.

Our task

Student Name:	Teacher: Mr Andrews
Unit: 6 Auteur Theory and Cult Fiction
Draft Due: Monday 25 July Week 3B	Due Date: Friday 5 August Week 4A
Individual Design Task – Design Suite (Treatment and Shot List)	Length:  Treatment (Synopsis) 400-500 words Shot List 2 – 4 Minutes
Assignment Details
Context: In Focus is a popular online screen and media organisation, aimed at a demographic in their late teens to mid-twenties. They are developing a series of short films, which will pay homage to a series of highly influential directors renowned for their unique auteur approaches to storytelling.
Task: Develop a Treatment and Shot List for a 2-4 minute sequence, which pays homage to the unique style of your chosen director. Your design suite must consider the key concepts, Representations and Languages. In film criticism Auteur Theory is a “theory of filmmaking in which the director is viewed as the major creative force in a motion picture.” – www.britannica.com/art/auteur-theory  You have studied and analysed the codes and conventions employed by your selected auteur film-maker to convey a unique style across their body of work. You are to develop a 2-4 minute scene or sequence which reflects this style. Your film sequence should incorporate specific techniques employed by your chosen director, such as signature style, recurring themes, plot and symbolic codes/motif, music and editing techniques, which distinguish them as an auteur. Your production may pay homage to iconic or well-recognised shots or stylistic devices within the scene/sequence. Your design task must demonstrate an understanding of the Key Concepts of Representation and Languages associated with the Director’s style. Each design suite must demonstrate appropriate cinematic structure, techniques and information using appropriate language conventions of the selected formats. Your work must adhere to Australian broadcasting classification guidelines for a PG classification (http://www.classification.gov.au) As part of this task, you are required to submit a production folio which includes the following:
Research Brainstorming Possible Scenarios	Example of supporting evidence Shot List (2-4 Minutes) Treatment (400-500 words)
Purpose: To develop understanding of established techniques, codes and conventions used by film-makers to create meaning for specific audiences.
General Objective: Design	Time allocated: 3 Weeks
Key Concepts:  Representations Languages	Conditions: This is an individual Design Suite task. Individual Task Shot List (2-4 Minutes) 400-500 Word treatment Summative

SCAFFOLDING:

1. Explore a variety of Film Productions by your selected Director. 
2. Compile a detailed list incorporating specific techniques employed by your chosen director, such as signature style, recurring themes, plot and symbolic codes/motif; music and editing techniques, which characterise them as an auteur director. 
3. Complete in class activities and document discussions on your blog. Semantic web, brainstorming activities and similarities/differences chart.
4. Brainstorm your concept, narrative, character, stylistic choices (refer to the resources on BlackBoard if required) and discuss this with your teacher (and peers).
5. Note feedback and reflect on suggestions.
6. Refine your concept and plan the specific elements that you will incorporate into your production.
7. Keep an ongoing record of your planning brainstorming and reflection in your Production Folio (or post on the Blog). 
8. Conference with your teacher to finalise your concept and ensure that it is suitable and within the project scope.
9. Use the resources provided on BlackBoard (or similar) to:

1. Write the Treatment (including an overview, synopsis, character outline and justification for the production 400-500 words) and S
2. Shot List/Shooting (Script 2-4 minutes) for each shot that needs to be gathered, in the order it is to be shot.

1. Submit your Design Suite and blog/folio on the due date. Ensure all planning is posted on your blog or visual diary.

Reflection / Brainstorming 2 for Design Task

Today in class I decided to used the white board to plot down my thoughts and brainstorm a storyline or my task. This really helped my brain fathom my ideas as it was quite clumped and blocked by an initial idea that really couldn't progress much further.

My initial idea was to have a child in an orphanage, grow up without parents. She would dream about them and one day before she goes to sleep she sees them in real life, but it is unclear whether she is dreaming a lot. This idea stemmed from the fact that Tim Burton's movies usually incorporate innocent children lying in bed (either being told a bed time story or they go into a parallel universe).

Now that I have backtracked to square one, with the help from some of my friends, I have brainstormed other ideas that could be even more achievable. The image above shows the progress and the writing at the bottom is the storyline idea that I have settled with.

This is what it reads:
"Girl isn't allowed to play with dolls because her parents are too strict
She finds a dollhouse in a cupboard in her house that her parents had hidden because of its special powers
She begins to play with it a lot and hiding it from her parents
One day her parents almost catch her getting it out of the cupboard
She hides in the cupboard  as they walk by (dark POV shots)
Suddenly, real life dolls pull her aside and she begins her parallel universe journey
Her mother finds the cupboard door open?"

Obviously, the idea is still undeveloped and still need a lot of work and details but I am keen to go into it further as this idea seems solid and doable. My friend Bella had offered to let me use her house for some of the scenes as she has a 'creepy cupboard' in her house that she believes would be perfect for this film idea.

Challenges:
I guess the only challenges I know right now that I will have in the future is trying to fit the storyline into the time limit that I a given.
Also, I must make the 'real life' dolls look something like the actual dolls. So I must work closely with the appearance of my actors and my props.