Week 2 Journal

Tuesday 9^th January 2018

This is the first day back from the Christmas holidays, and what any way to kickstart the new year by being involved in a Q and A session with editor ‘Mark Day’ (Editor of Harry Potter Order of the Phoenix to Deathly Hallows Part 2, Ex Machina and the Legend of Tarzan). We were invited by Dan to attend this lecture before the holidays, immediately this sparked an interest as number 1 I was unsure of what the lecture would be (as some of us did not receive an email) and the last lecture I attended was extremely helpful as I learned about movie showcases and festivals, this gives me an idea of how I could help myself grow in this film industry later! This one was surely one of the best lectures I have attended so far in this academic year.

I went into the lecture unaware of what was to come. And as soon as it was revealed that Mark was to do a live Q and A, I was hungry for information and knowledge from such a veteran in the editing industry.

The live session took place on Skype and was projected onto the screen, which helped me connect to him. It was like Mark was speaking directly to me. But me being me I did not ask any questions, I was sitting at the back of the theatre taking in every word that Mark had said, I was very interesting to hear his personal opinions and his previous work in his career, I felt like I had grown stronger in knowledge. This lecture pretty much useful to me as I am personally torn toward what job role I should take on if I was to get into the film industry in later life, it was great to hear Mark’s advice in editing and how he got started, and I believe if Mark can do it. I can.

Wednesday 10^th January 2018 with TAL

Another day of script sharing has come upon us. At this point of time I have already produced an array of edits, I am very keen to hear any comments and implement them into new edits.

Once again, this sharing session took the form of each of us standing in front of the class and sharing our new edits. All of us shared our edits and the ones that I heard were great, it was brilliant to hear each of my peer’s work being critiqued and improve over the passing weeks, the amount of development was evident as nearly everyone had a solid idea of their characters, plot and mise en scene.

After lunch, I shared my latest edit. It was my chance to once again impress Tal and my fellow peers. I read my script out loud and again was subjected into a short Q and A. I was asked to change the ending as it seemed too fantasy like of Louise embracing Mark after doing these embarrassing and quite disturbing actions instead change it to him never being noticed and never getting the girl (the new edit is so brutal!), shorten the opening description, and also do some research on American vocabulary, as I read the script without thinking I read the character lines in an US accent, as I was reading my script I realised that it resembles an SNL skit (also what my peer said to me during the Q and A and afterwards), this then came to me that the character’s nationalities and location should be reverted to an American setting. I pictured Mark to be a strong and tall jock like man with a tendency to be reserved and shy, and Louise to be a Californian girl with a wealthy background. I was at first unsure but I had a clear image in my head telling me afterwards “This is perfect!”, so with these comments I implemented them into a new edit (which can be found on Basecamp).

After the rest of us shared our scripts, we watched the movie “You, The Living” a 2007 Swedish film directed by Roy Andersson. Upon watching the movie, I was honestly left with confusion of what the film is about, and why it is so random with the events that unfolded. While watching this I got a ‘Wes Anderson’ vibe from the colour pallets and the absurdity of the content in his movies. But after watching the film and talking to my peers I started to understand the movie, it compilates a range of skits that connect to each other which tackles a bunch of issues like rejection, romance, comedy, death, and everyday life. The weird and distorted look of the film was all artistic and the plot very enigmatic, it was meant for audiences to questions to ask what is happening and who these characters are. This was personally not my type of movie but it was interesting to experience a new genre in film.

Thursday 11^th January with NEIL

I had a small meeting with Neil regarding scripting. Like Tal’s session, I showed Neil my latest edit. After Tal’s session, I had completed a new script edit with American setting and vocabulary, a changed (and improved) ending, and shortened descriptions and stage directions.

Neil loved my new edit and gave me quite a few good comments, he advised that I can add more voice overs for Mark, he mentioned a film called “As good as it gets” featuring Jack Nicholson as a man who plays a character like Mark, being a misunderstood person doing the wrong things to get respect from others like accidentally insulting them or doing a ‘stupid’ action. And also to apply more feeling toward Mark every time he is scolded by Louise after bothering her like flinching etc, this was said to put more emotion to his character and so readers / audiences can sympathise with him more.

That night, I had once again completed a new edit with these comments tied in.

Friday 12^th January with ERICA

Another film was laid in front of us today, this time we were given the pleasure to watch “Gummo” directed by Harmony Korine in 1997. The film chronicles the life of two teenage boys Solomon and Tummler who take part in a range of things including hanging out, listening to heavy metal, killing cats and collecting dead animals to sell and so many heinous actions. While at the same time displaying the lives of others in this ‘tornado torn’ town ranging from 3 sisters with two of them practicing how to be strippers and the younger sister being consumed in their actions and even being seemingly controlled by them, a 12-year-old gay transvestite who also kills cats who ultimately rival our anti-heroes and his ill grandma, and even a man pimping out his down syndrome suffering wife to Solomon and Tummler in the film. The movie I personally thought was great to watch, it kept me on my toes due to it extreme content and controversial coverage on themes like sexual abuse, sexuality, prostitution and morality and so many more themes that appear in the film alone. A small number of my peers did not really like the film due to its extreme nature and how it ends abruptly and that it did not have any confrontations and rises in storyline. Gummo is supposed to simulate extreme realism and portray the gritty reality of life, it presents the unjust and negative version of America and how corruption can take over in years to come, the non-linear narrative still connects as characters still interact and that it takes place in the same area that these characters live in. Not all movies are all flying action and explosions, it can be more psychological and gritty like Gummo, which is believe is a powerful ingredient in making an effective piece of film.