Shop window test

This footage is the shop window part in my script. I want to illustrate the actress see the reflection of her heart. But in this video I did not composite the heart animation in front of her heart. I just choose several shop window could reflect the actress well. Finally I find a shop that place a mirror in the shop window, so the frame of reflection is better than other glass window's reflection.

The video below is the window without mirror in.

In this video I used the LED light. But it is not brighten enough. So the reflection is not good.

In conclusion, after this test, I will use the first place to shoot this scene. And I will use the LED light to bright the actress's face. The frame quality is not good when shooting in the night. Therefore, I will use the professional camera instead of it. And the tripod is necessary. 

The script revision

I have attend the language session this Wednesday. I ask Stephen(tutor) to correct my grammar mistakes. After this tutorial, I realise one mistake could change the meaning of the sentence. Following is the native English script.



          INT. SOPHIA'S BEDROOM DAY

          Words on invitation card:

          My dear friend Sophia,

          Our wedding will be held in 11th September 2014. We sould be
          delighted if you could join us!

          Ann & John.

          Sophia holds the card. She scowls and looks to other side
          thinking something.

          EXT. TO INT. SKY TO BEDROOM DAY
                    Rumble

          Visual effects: A flash of lightning hits Ann's head.(The
          frame is from clouds dropping through the roof to her eyes.
          Then the frame cuts to black.

                              ANN
                    Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh

          CU Side Face:She opens her eyes.

          MS Front: She sits up in bed and pants for breath. Her hands
          touch her face, nose, everything is fine. She calms down.
                    Bangbangbang...(Door knocking)

                              LOTTE
                    Ann.. Ann.. Are you ok?
                    Bangbangbang...(Door knocking)

          LS:Ann puts on her slippers and goes to open the door. At
          the same time, the camera focuses on the photo on the wall
          that shows John kissed Ann's hand.

          Ann opens the door, her hair is matted with sweat.

          Ann looks at Lotte. Her mouth is moving, but Ann cannot hear
          Lotte's voice, it is distorted.

          Visual effects: An image appears in front of Lotte's heart.
          The frame illustrates the breakfast on the table

          Ann closes her eyes and shakes her head. When she opens her
          eyes, the image is still there.

          Lotte waves her hands in front of Ann's eyes. She is
          wondering why Ann is not answering at all.

                              ANN
                    No...no...yeah... OK..OK.

          Ann closes her door, she turns back and looks at the lens in
          wide-eyed excitement.

          Ann sent a text to John
                    Come to my house right now! I have
                    an important thing to tell you!

          INT. KITCHEN DAY

          Ann is having breakfast. Lotte is washing dishes.
                         Door bell rings

          Lotte looks at Ann, and goes to open the door.(Lotte is in
          an her nightdress)

          John stands outside. Lotte is staring while whispering.

                              LOTTE
                    Why are you coming here?

                              ANN
                    Baby.

          Ann stands far behind them.

          Lotte turns back, face to Ann. They stand side by side.

          Visual effects: John's heart shows Lotte is kissing his
          face. And Lotte's heart illustrates John is kissing her
          face.

          Ann's eyes are dull.

                              JOHN
                    Baby..Ann..Ann...

          Ann walks forward bumps into Lotte and John and runs away.

                              LOTTE
                    Ann.. Ann..

         

          EXT. STREET DAY

          Ann walks on the street. She wipes teardrops. She sends a
          message to Sophia

          Ann: Where are you?

          Sophia: Home.

          EXT. OUTSIDE SOPHIA'S FLAT AFTERNOON
                    Ring...(Door Bell)

          Ann presses the bell button.

          Sophia opens the door

          Ann hugs Sophia and cries.

                              SOPHIA
                    What's wrong with you?

          Sophia pats Ann's back. Then Sophia holds Ann by the
          shoulders and looks her in the eyes

                              ANN
                    John is a liar.

          Sophia's bows her head. Her left hand play with the handle
          of door and constantly swirl it.

          Visual effects: Sophia's  heart shows she saw John and Lotte
          arm in arm on the street.

          Ann's eyes are frightened. She shakes her heads slowly,
          while walking backwards and shouting:
                    Why don't you tell me the truth?!

          She runs away.

          EXT. STREET NIGHTFALL

          Ann walks towards the shop windows and sees her reflection.
             

          Visual effects: She can clearly see her heart broken into
          pieces and being blown away by wind. she wipes her tear and
          walks.

          Ann stands on half way across the road, the traffic lights
          turns red. Everyone brush against her, everyone's heart is
          revealed. Everyone's voice is distorted. It is loud and
          noisy. She cannot endure, she tips her head back and roars.
          She roars. Her voice echoes through the night.(the frame
          zooms out from her head backwards to sky).

          End.

         

         

         

                             

                             

Mind Reader VFX Test

The footage below is the technical test of heart image. In the shooting process, for tracking points easily, I attach two pieces of paper to Kelly's cloth. And use two masks to cover the papers in post-production process. After That I put the heart image layer on the top of this footage. 

After making this VFX, I found that the track point is very important. It will make the heart image follow the people fluently. And the colour of the point should better be green screen colour, because the colour of paper is similar to the sky. So if I use colour key, the sky would also be key out. Therefore, in the final shooting, I would use the green point. 

What is more, the best way of tracking point is mocha plugin. It is more accurate than motion track.

3D model making reflective journal

This model is what I was making in the past few weeks. To finish a 3D model footage, I should firstly shape the form. Then, apply colour and texture on it. Finally, animate it and set the camera angle.

The first picture is the head model I download on internet. (I do not need the eyeball and eyelash in my film, so I delete them.) I composite a teeth model with the head one. Then, I model the tonsil. Finally I apply all of the materials.

At the beginning I want to make this tonsil vibrate. But when I apply the materials on the model, I find that only apply the material is not enough, textures is more important to make the model real. But the textures is not ready for use. Until now, I did not find the way how to make the material and textures natural. 

After I touch MAYA, I find making a 3D footage is not as simple as I think. My first idea is just animate the model which has already been done. But I did not find the model that I need. So I should make it myself. My particular requirement make me investigate the function deeper and deeper, nearly out of my ability. But I will never give up. 

The difference between the 1st draft script and 4nd draft script

In the first draft I always want to use VFX to explain something. Because I want to make the film more Fairy Tale, even though the VFX is not necessary sometimes. Such as use a bulb above Ann's head to show her new idea. After tutorial, I realise it will make the film complicated. Because the VFX is not used for the plots development. It more likely use VFX for VFX. 

Therefore, I reduce much of VFX in my script. I only use VFX to illustrate Ann's heart reading and the zoom in from sky. I do not reduce this part is because I want to add some fantastic element in film. And I have changed the Sophia's part. I make this part more realistic rather than absurd. It is better for the story telling.

In conclusion, everything I make in the film is to make the film better. But the key is that the things I add in film is not the more the better. Sometimes, simple is a good way to show the atmosphere of film. And the story telling is a logical thing, everything I set in the film should work for tell the story.

Shot test

This is one of the shots in Mind Reader. I want to zoom into the actor's mouth. I borrow a hand hold boom to move down camera. At the beginning, I use GoPro camera, but the frame looks like fisheye lens. Therefore, I use DSLR instead of GoPro. However, because of hand hold, the camera is not steady, like the footage shows above. So I decide to use AE to solve this problem.

This shot video is I use AE 3D layer to make the zoom in effect. I think it is better than hand hold. 

I have also test the actor roar in the night. It also creates the same problem. So I come out two ways to shot this shot: one is the method I describe above. Another one is like the photos below. Zoom out from close up actor's face to long shot then tilt up to sky.

After this test of shot, I find that each shot of film is not that easy to set. If I want to make a particular shot, I should think about the practical aspect of making the shot. Besides, try to change a bit. If the shot is beyond my ability, I should change it rather than do it in lower effect.

Mind Reader 4th

          INT. SOPHIA'S BEDROOM DAY

          Words on invitation card:

          My dear friend Sophia,

          Our wedding will hold in 11th September 2014. Welcome your
          attendance!

          Ann & John.

          Sophia hold the card. She scowls and look to other side
          thinking something.

          EXT. TO INT. SKY TO BEDROOM DAY
                    Rumble

          Visual effects: A flash of lightening hits Ann's head.(The
          frame is from clouds dropping through the roof to her eyes.
          Then the frame cut to black.

                              ANN
                    Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh

          CU Side Face:She open her eyes.

          MS Front: She sits up in her bed and pant for breath. Her
          hands touches her face, nose, everything is fine. She calms
          down.
                    Bangbangbang...(Door knocking)

                              LOTTE
                    Ann.. Ann.. Are you ok?
                    Bangbangbang...(Door knocking)

          LS:Ann takes on her slipper and goes to open the door. At
          the same time, the camera focus on the photo on the wall
          that shows John kissed Ann's hand.

          Ann opends the door, her hair is sweated.

          Ann looks to Lotte. Her mouth is moving, but Ann can not
          hear Lotte's voice, it is distorted.

          Visual effects: A image appears in front of Lotte's heart.
          The frame illustrates the breakfast on the table

          Ann closes her eyes and shakes her head. When she opened her
          eyes, the image still there.

          Lotte shake her hands in front of Ann's eyes. She is
          wondering why Ann is not answering anything.

                              ANN
                    No...no...yeah... OK..OK.

          Ann closes her door, she turns back and look at the lens in
          wide-eyed excitement.

          Ann sent short message to John
                    Come to my house right now! I have
                    an important thing to tell you!

          INT. KITCHEN DAY

          Ann is having breakfast. Lotte is washing dishes.
                         Door bell rings

          Lotte looks at Ann, and goes to open the door.(Lotte is in
          an night braces skirt)

          John stands outside. Lotte is wide her eyes while whispered

                              LOTTE
                    Why are you coming here?

                              ANN
                    Baby.

          Ann stand far behind them.

          Lotte turns back, face to Ann. They stand alongside.

          Visual effects: John's heart shows Lotte is kissing his
          face. And Lotte's heart illustrates John is kissing her
          face.

          Ann's eyes are dull.

                              JOHN
                    Baby..Ann..Ann...

          Ann walks forwards collide Lotte and John and runs away.

                              LOTTE
                    Ann.. Ann..

         

          EXT. STREET DAY

          Ann walks on the street. She wipes her teardrop. She send a
          message to Sophia

          Ann: Where are you?

          Sophia: Home.

          EXT. OUTSIDE SOPHIA'S FLAT AFTERNOON
                    Ring...(Door Bell)

          Ann presses the bell button.

          Sophia opens the door

          Ann hugs Sophia crys out.

                              SOPHIA
                    What's wrong with you?

          Sophia pat Ann's back. Then Sophia holds Ann's shoulder and
          looks her eyes

                              ANN
                    John is a lier.

          Sophia's eyes look down. Her left hand hold the handle of
          door and constantly swirl it.

          Visual effects: Sophia's  heart shows she saw John and Lotte
          cross hand on the street.

          Ann's eyes is frightening. She shakes her heads slowly,
          while walks backwards and shout:
                    Why don't tell me the trueth?!

          She runs away.

          EXT. STREET NIGHTFALL

          Ann walks towards the show windows again, it reflects
          herselves.    

          Visual effects: She can clearly see her heart broken into
          pieces and be blowed away by wind. she wipes her tear and
          walks.

          Ann stands on the center of crossroad, the trafic lights
          turns red. Everyone brush against her, everyone's heart is
          revealed. Everyone's voice is distorted. It is loud and
          noisy. She can not endure, she raised her head up towards
          the sky, she roars. The night was vibrated by her sound.(the
          frame is zoom out from her head backwards to sky).

          End.

VISUAL EFFECT PRACTICE

This video is the visual effect practice of my scripts Mind Reader. This video is set for the beginning of my film. The flash of lightening shot Ann's tonsil, but the animation part I did not finish yet. 

The reason why I set this scene is that I want to make this film more fairy tale. Using the flash of lightening's angle of view to start the story, would make this story more childish curious. This opening gives the hint that this story would be supernatural.

Mind Reader (3rd draft)

          INT. BEDROOM DAY

         
                    Rumble

          Visual effects: A flash of lightening hits Ann's head.(The
          frame is from clouds dropping through the roof to her
          tonsil, it is vibrating)

                              ANN
                    Ah.....(Through out the hitting
                    process. It sounds more and more
                    closer.)

          She lays in her bed, screamed.

          She sits up in her bed and pant for breath. Her hands
          touches her face, nose, everything is fine. She calms down.
                    Bangbangbang...(Door knocking)

                              LOTTE
                    Ann.. Ann.. Are you ok?
                    Bangbangbang...

          Ann takes on her slipper and goes to open the door. At the
          same time, the camera focus on the photo on the wall that
          shows John kissed Ann's hand.

          Ann opends the door, her hair is sweated.

          Ann looks to Lotte. Her mouth is moving, but Ann can not
          hear Lotte's voice, it is distorted.

          Visual effects: A image appears in front of Lotte's heart.
          The frame illustrates the breakfast on the table

          Ann closes her eyes and shakes her head. When she opened her
          eyes, the image still there.

          Lotte put her hand on Ann's shoulder. She is wondering why
          Ann is not answering anything.

                              ANN
                    No...no...yeah... I will come soon.

          Ann closes her door, she turns back and look at the lens in
          wide-eyed excitement.

          Ann sent short message to John
                    Come to my house right now! I have
                    an important thing to tell you!

          INT. KITCHEN DAY

          Ann is having breakfast. Lotte is smoking.
                         Door bell rings

          Lotte looks at Ann, and goes to open the door.(Lotte is in
          an night braces skirt)

          John stands outside. Lotte is shocked while whispered

                              LOTTE
                    Why are you coming here?

                              ANN
                    Baby.

          Ann stand far behind them.

          Lotte turns back, face to Ann.

          Ann and John stand alongside.

          Visual effects: John's heart shows Lotte is kissing his
          face. And Lotte's heart illustrates John is kissing her
          face.

          Ann's eyes are dull.

                              JOHN
                    Baby...Ann...

          Ann walks forwards collide Lotte and John and runs away.

                              LOTTE
                    Ann.. Ann..

         

          EXT. STREET DAY

          Ann walks on the road. She pass by a show window
          carelessness.

          Visual effects: The show window reflects the blood drops
          from her heart. Suddenly, Sophia jumps out in the image and
          says
                    I'm always stay by your side.

          EXT. OUTSIDE SOPHIA'S FLAT AFTERNOON
                    Ring...

          Ann press the bell button.
                    A sound of something is knocked
                    over comes out.

          The door is open.

          Ann's eyedorps falls down.

          Sophia looks back over and over again. She is twisting the
          tail of her cloth between her fingers.

                              SOPHIA
                    W...what's wrong w..with you,
                    Ann?(Distorted)

          Ann wants to say something, but she sees Sophia's heart
          image she strangled her boyfriend and hide him behind the
          door which she looks over and over again.

          Ann use her hand covers her mouths, her eyes is frightening,
          she shakes her heads, walks backwards and runs away.

          EXT. STREET NIGHTFALL

          Ann walks towards the show windows again, it reflects
          herselves.    

          Visual effects: She can clearly see her heart broken into
          pieces and be blowed away by wind. she wipes her tear and
          walks.

          Ann stands on the center of crossroad, the trafic lights
          turns red. Everyone brush against her, everyone's heart is
          revealed. Everyone's voice is distorted. It is loud and
          noisy. She can not endure, she raised her head up towards
          the sky, she roars. The night was vibrated by her sound.(the
          frame is zoom out from her head backwards to sky).

          End.

         

         

         

                             

                             

Lighting Workshop

Last week, we had a lighting workshop. The tutor gave me lots of information about the colour temperature that is the different lighting environment create different hue on the screen. We set a scene from film Let Me In. This scene looks simple which is a girl stand in front of an information desk. However, it used 4 lights, two reflectors to make up this scene.

From this course, I know that an excellent film is not only about a good script or a good editor. It is a conclusion of  every precise details of the film, such as good actors, good lighting and so on. Besides, gel is not the only way that can change the colour temperature, the camera colour balance could also done that. For my project, I could change the colour temperature in editing process. Finally, colour temperature is an important part of Fairy Tale film as I mentioned in my previous casestudies. Therefore, understand the difference of colour temperature is significant for my project.

After this course, I have a query that is how to set lights outside at night, if there is no rechargeable battery? If this problem could not be solved, I might change the scene of my script, that is what I do not want to see.