Major Project: Critical Reflections
With Double Exposure finished and ready for submission and viewing, I am able to reflect on this project.
Double Exposure is a psychological thriller with a duration of 14 and a half minutes. It is a student short film and everything I set out to create. The final script sat at just over 15 pages, meaning that it fit to the script by 30 seconds.
I feel the film successfully follows the script through its attention to detail, the emotions, tones and moments explored within it find their way on screen through the hard work and collaboration of the production team and myself.
I personally am very happy with the film's visual side, also its narrative story and the performances of the actor. The one key area that sticks out to me within Double Exposure is the audio quality. Something that due to the high professional standard of all other areas of the film is highlighted as amateur and cannot help but stand out. Unfortunately, I feel this brings the film down. However, I am still proud of the film and what we as a production team have achieved. The problems within this film serve as lessons to the next and with practice, trial and error lessons are learnt to go on to achieve better works.
Collaborating with all members of the production team has made for an enjoyable and successful project that stands to date as still the best piece of work, to date, I have had the pleasure to work on.
Below is the first 3 minutes of DOUBLE EXPOSURE.
What Went Well
What I Could Improve
Final Reflections
The research I conducted into Directors and short films was something that I not only found very beneficial to my work but it was also something I really enjoyed. Learning from the likes of Stanley Kubrick was something that was eye opening and very insightful into my future as a Director.
The experience of working as a Screenwriter and Director is something that is hugely valuable, it has allowed me to understand and be excited for a future within these roles, a goal to strive for and something I want to improve upon and experience more.
This is my first major professional short film, and one I will always remember. I look forward to developing my skills and improving myself at a Screenwriter and Director.
As a film it think Double Exposure is a great start point to improvement and development within the industry and my skills as a Director and Screenwriter.
I end my final post at university with a quote from Francis Ford Coppola:
Double Exposure is a psychological thriller with a duration of 14 and a half minutes. It is a student short film and everything I set out to create. The final script sat at just over 15 pages, meaning that it fit to the script by 30 seconds.
I feel the film successfully follows the script through its attention to detail, the emotions, tones and moments explored within it find their way on screen through the hard work and collaboration of the production team and myself.
I personally am very happy with the film's visual side, also its narrative story and the performances of the actor. The one key area that sticks out to me within Double Exposure is the audio quality. Something that due to the high professional standard of all other areas of the film is highlighted as amateur and cannot help but stand out. Unfortunately, I feel this brings the film down. However, I am still proud of the film and what we as a production team have achieved. The problems within this film serve as lessons to the next and with practice, trial and error lessons are learnt to go on to achieve better works.
Collaborating with all members of the production team has made for an enjoyable and successful project that stands to date as still the best piece of work, to date, I have had the pleasure to work on.
Below is the first 3 minutes of DOUBLE EXPOSURE.
What Went Well
- I feel that the time spent casting and finding the appropriate actors for roles hugely benefited the performance and understanding of the characters.
- Working with actors was one of my favourite and most beneficial uses of time as it meant for fantastic performances, understanding of narrative and great collaboration throughout the production.
- The entire production process from writing to submission felt like a professional and industry standard production, something that I take pride in being a part of.
- The film is visually very pretty, shot brilliantly by our DOP Harry who consistently provided great work. A great opportunity to collaborate with an understanding and motivated DOP.
- The film is edited very well, each cut feels seamless through cutting on action and a variety of methods. Providing helpful alternatives throughout production, collaborating in detail during post production, Megan's unseen work has brought this film together to the impressive standard it is now.
- The collaboration with our Producer Wez was consistently and always helpful. His positive attitude and organization provided any and all things we required.
- I feel that as a Director I succeeded in my role within Double Exposure, bringing the detail of the script to the screen and creating a film that fit my vision from the early beginnings of writing.
What I Could Improve
- Something that can always be improved on is attention to detail. The beginning of the shoot was stalled and I feel like issues such as these need to be sorted way before the shoot.
- The audio issues highlight for me the importance of a professional sound recorder and professional equipment.
- There are still a few shots and camera placements that I wish I had captured that would improve the film, also a few performances that with a longer shooting period, we could have re-shot. However, an issues such as budget and time within a student film will always be present.
Final Reflections
The research I conducted into Directors and short films was something that I not only found very beneficial to my work but it was also something I really enjoyed. Learning from the likes of Stanley Kubrick was something that was eye opening and very insightful into my future as a Director.
The experience of working as a Screenwriter and Director is something that is hugely valuable, it has allowed me to understand and be excited for a future within these roles, a goal to strive for and something I want to improve upon and experience more.
This is my first major professional short film, and one I will always remember. I look forward to developing my skills and improving myself at a Screenwriter and Director.
As a film it think Double Exposure is a great start point to improvement and development within the industry and my skills as a Director and Screenwriter.
I end my final post at university with a quote from Francis Ford Coppola:
"Art depends on Luck and Talent"
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