Final Update

So here it is... the final project update. I probably should mention that all the artist lectures are on my dynamic imaging blog. That being said, the project is finally done.

Elimination State from Celia Mitchell on Vimeo.

I put a lot of work into this piece, and regardless of the little tweaks and such i had to deal with along the way, I'm proud of the way it came out. I registered it on Withoutabox.com, and made it both in build folder and DVD form for the final. If there was one regret about this film it was that I wish I had A) gotten more footage and B) hand more time to film in the location so that the lighting wouldn't have been such a pain. Still, given that, the post-production work, I believe it came out rather nice. I'm happy to call it a finished piece.

A direction to go from here

At the beginning of this semester I wrote a rather headstrong manifesto, charging head-long into something that perhaps I was not totally prepared for. Yet, despite my rather overgrown ambition, I think something good has come of it.

If I had to say what direction I would take for the rest of my Junior and Senior year, I think (and hope) it will be in the things that I love the most... all those fantastical, filled with sarcastic humor, and just a little bit of a bitter punch. I want to create something a little ridiculous, but still something that's me. What I've struggled with all semester is producing stories that are interesting. That's something I want to work on with my work in the coming semesters, more than anything. And for once, I want to work on the pure substance and quality of piece over the break... making more than a piece that just fulfills the requirements due to time restraints. I have the beginnings of an idea I may want to use for my Senior project, but I'm hoping that I will find the motivation to come up with enough crazy to make it as awesome as I want it to be.

Update for 12-1-10

Okay, so I'm done on schedule with my movie. *Takes a brief moment to celebrate*

That being said, I've now taken a few minutes to really look back at the work I've done for the last two weeks and view the final product. The sound work I believe is actually pretty good. The cuts are much, much better. The color correction though... that still makes me cringe. Six hours later of sitting there with multiple windows open for references of other scenes while color correcting as much to a "T" as possible and there are still spots that make me want to throw my hands up in the air. There are some spots that are quite nice, and others that are clearly not. Matching the different sources of light together with different angles of shots has been a complete nightmare. That said, the obvious lesson taken away from this is to attempt to always film in the same light or try harder to make it appear as if it is the same light throughout.

In the end, considering where I started with this project and how much it's changed since then. I am quite pleased with the end result, as I hope others will be too.

Update 11/17/10

So I got up to page 9 out of 13 in the script as far as editing goes. There are a list of things I don't like... The first of which, the lighting is inconsistent, in compensation for the fact that we didn't have more than two days to film at the main location, so color correction is way way off. Also, pacing is not good throughout. I never thought I would have to say it, but the cuts are too fast.

Another factor I am unhappy with is just how much footage was shot, versus the amount of time actually being used in the final edit. So far I'm going on 3 minutes. I expect it to be somewhere around 5... maybe a tiny bit more once I extend some clips.

That being said, one thing I am relatively happy with is the beginning, up until the credits stop.

Because I spent so much time cataloging, editing didn't go as quickly as I would've liked either. Honestly I'm a bit disappointed in myself. Stuff just didn't go at all as planned this time.

That being said, I'm going to spend today and this weekend editing the rest of my film until I get something that works and it's finished, so I have a full video lock. When I get back from Thanksgiving I'm going to spend the weekend dealing with sound.

Work Update 11-9-10

We went through a final rehearsal of the fight sequence Friday night. Then we filmed all day Saturday, and from the afternoon to evening on Sunday. So, I got all of my filming done this weekend. That took about 26 hours in all, so by the time we got done Sunday it was too late to do much else.

Filming for the fight scene went relatively smoothly. Filming for the other scenes took a little more time. Also, we were having constant problems with lighting consistencies (mostly because of the large amount of windows around us... when it got dark, stuff got dicey). I'm hoping some of it can be fixed in post production/color correction.

Digitizing is done. Because of how much work and time was involved with the project this week (as far as filming and digitizing goes), I'm going to request a work day so I can start editing in class. Attempting to start editing outside of class at this juncture would not result in anything usable in the final product in my opinion.

I realized, looking back at the shoes Brian (Chris) is wearing, that they are a bit too normal. I'll take the hit for that. I didn't even think about it until after I saw the footage. At the same time, it's just going to have to be that way, hopefully with me being able to edit around it as much as possible (getting that location again isn't really possible). On the plus side, everything is filmed. Now it's just up to me to be able to edit everything the way I need to....

Filming week 1

So we had several bumps in the road. I won't make any excuses. Many of the things that cropped up were simply a lack of foresight on my part... especially since this is such a long script, and the shots need to be so involved. I'm crossing my fingers that this next weekend will go a little more smoothly, but all I can do is cross my fingers, organize everything I can, and do the best I possibly can. The location we have is actually a lot more spacious (and beautiful) than I had originally thought. Which is awesome! Every time I see the full room in the sunlight, it makes me want to do a wide shot.

Anyway, this coming week on Saturday (and the beginning of Sunday if necessary) is Chris's close-up shots (which I'm going to cut down to the essentials in the interest of time), the wider shots, the fight scene, and the beginning and ending scenes.

On Sunday Evening, I'm going to film the Secretary's and Clare's scenes. I expect those to go quickly and smoothly.

Rough Sketch from two small scenes

First Sketch For 2 Small Scenes Cinema Project from Celia Mitchell on Vimeo.

This is a very rough sketch that I did of 2 very small scenes. Since most of the footage I have right now is from one person's point of view, or close-up, it's kind of impossible to put together any of the other clips...

Script Revised #4 (10-27-10)

Main Characters
Christopher Hilshire
Francis R. H. Holland

Secondary characters and extras
Clare Hilshire
Secretary
Guard 1 & 2

Locations
Large House
Office Interior

By Celia Mitchell

ACT I:
Opens with a hand reaching for the doorbell in the daytime. Two guards are lying motionless on the lawn.

Inside the house: Holland walks toward the door. Opening it without much thought, Holland is promptly greeted with a swift punch to the face.

Cut to Black

ACT II:
Holland wakes up, lying in a chair in his living room, not bound by so much as a rubber band. Chris is standing in the same room, looking out a window. Chris looks back at Holland.

CHRIS
You’re finally awake…

HOLLAND nervously looks around the room.

CHRIS turns his whole body to face HOLLAND

CHRIS
There’s no need to be afraid. I’m not going to do anything to you… yet…


HOLLAND catches his last word, his expression tenses.

CHRIS gives him a calm, cold smile. CHRIS takes a seat across from HOLLAND, looking oddly at ease.
CHRIS
So… I finally meet the man who has been pulling the strings.

HOLLAND looks suspiciously at CHRIS

CHRIS
So, this is how it’s going to work. I’m going to ask you a question, and you’re going to give me an answer. Sound fair?

HOLLAND
What is this? Who are you?

CHRIS
That doesn’t matter. What does matter is the work you do. Tell me about you.

HOLLAND
I don’t have to listen to this…

HOLLAND gets up from his chair.
CHRIS rounds on him, almost nose to nose. CHRISTOPHER takes out a black tactical Salute Knife. CHRISTOPHER caressing HOLLAND’s skin with the blade.

CHRIS
It would be in your best interest to stay put.

HOLLAND looks nervously at the blade and sits down.

CHRIS
You didn’t answer my question.

HOLLAND
I’m not afraid of your threats. I’m not going to tell you anything about me.

CHRISTOPHER bends down and points the knife toward one of HOLLAND’s fingers.

CHRIS
Perhaps I didn’t make myself clear. If you insist on keeping your mouth shut, I will skin one finger at a time until you start talking.

CHRIS moves his knife to the first finger on HOLLAND’s left hand, holding his hand down against the chair, and starts to draw the knife back towards HOLLAND’s skin.

HOLLAND
[Frazzled] WAIT!

CHRIS releases HOLLAND’s hand, looking up at his face.

HOLLAND
I work for the National Security Division.

CHRISTOPHER straightens up, waiting to hear the rest.

HOLLAND
I coordinate the deployment of agents to eliminate threats to the State.

Cut to: Flashback: Office Interior: CHRIS’s office is lit solely by a lamp on his desk.

A file slides over to CHRIS’s side of the desk. He looks up at SECRETARY.

CHRIS
What’s this?

SECRETARY
Orders came in for you. It’s a private mission. They’ve requested you go alone.

CHRIS picks the file up off his desk.

Secretary
[Hesitatingly] A group of doctors have been passing medicine and information to the rebels.

CHRIS looks briefly inside the file, shuffling through a couple pages, looking troubled.

CHRIS
There isn’t a shred of target info!

SECRETARY looks to the side uncomfortably, before turning to walk away.

Cut to: LIVING ROOM.


CHRIS
Who authorizes your orders?

HOLLAND
That’s classified.

CHRIS hits Hilshire across the face with the fist opposite of his knife hand.
CHRIS clearly unhappy glares into HOLLAND’s eyes before pacing in a circle around HOLLAND’s chair.

CHRIS
What was the last mission you issued?

HOLLAND
The last elimination was a group of physicians who turned defector, passing along their state-issued medicines and classified information to the rebels.

Cut to brief flashback:

CHRIS is holding a woman in his arms, kneeling on the floor, rocking back and forth.

CHRIS takes off her wedding ring. Visibly very distraught.

CUT to: LIVINGROOM.

CHRIS’s eyes flash angrily toward HOLLAND.

CHRIS
You slime-ball! Lying will get you nowhere!

CHRIS slams the knife down, point-first, dangerously close to one of HOLLAND’s fingers.

HOLLAND
I assure you, I’m very serious. They’ve been doing this for quite some time. Years in fact…

CHRIS
If they’ve been doing this for years, what changed to make them a threat?

HOLLAND
Things got personal. One in particular got a hold of classified files. Files located and encrypted on your own home computer, agent NOIR-31, Christopher Hilshire. Oh yes, you’re wife, Clare, was the one.

CHRIS stared at HOLLAND, stunned. He went through a few stages of anger, hitting a nearby chair before taking a deep breath and turning back to HOLLAND.

CHRIS
You’ve known it was me this whole time?

HOLLAND
[Smugly] Of course, my dear friend. What other agent in the field has a trademark of skinning the hands off those unlucky enough to be his victims?

CHRIS stared at him, not totally knowing what to say. But then, just moments later, he regained his composure.

CHRIS
But wait, you said classified files. What kind?

HOLLAND
Specifically, profiles of agents. Something that would make you an easy target in the future.

CHRIS
Agent profiles? I realize informing the dogs that do your dirty work, what’s actually going on, is below you, but for this, there should have been mountains of target info. Why wasn’t there any?

HOLLAND
It wouldn’t have benefitted the mission in any way, so I left out unnecessary details.

CHRIS
Unnecessary details…

Brief pause.

HOLLAND
You should read Clare’s file. You’re here after all.

CHRIS
[Defiantly] I have no intention of—

HOLLAND
Did you know that on ten separate occasions, she used your agent code number to get through the gates of a rebel lockdown zone?

CHRIS eyes HOLLAND suspiciously.

HOLLAND
You don’t believe me? How about this… She cooked dinner every Sunday and Monday, except on the anniversary of her mother’s death. Her favorite necklace was a sapphire that you gave her on her birthday. She once spent an entire evening caring for you when you fell ill after your first mission.

CHRIS’s eyes open wide, obviously recognizing the details in HOLLAND’s words.

CHRIS
What—

HOLLAND
That one day she was late meeting you on the lake, she was with her commanding officer in the rebel faction. She’s been playing you! She stole from you! The best thing you ever did was dispose of her. Her treachery would have destroyed you and the state. And the state is everything! Am I wrong?

CHRIS is quiet.

HOLLAND
AM I WRONG?

CHRIS folds his knife back up and puts it back in its rightful place on his belt.

CHRIS
[Mumbles] You aren’t wrong…

HOLLAND
She never really loved you. You should know that. She was just using you for her own gain.


ACT III:

CHRIS is silent, seeming to turn this over in his mind. But then, slowly, he cracks a cold smile.

CHRIS
You know… you almost had me there. If this had been about anyone else, then I would have believed you. But as it happens, I believe beyond any doubt that Clare loved me. And that’s all there is to it.

CHRIS turns to the window.

CHRIS
There’s only one more thing.

HOLLAND is silent.

CHRIS
Why did it have to be me?

HOLLAND rises from his seat.

HOLLAND
I would think that’s obvious. You were the best suited for the job. It was also thought that the best way to inform you of her treason was to see it with your own eyes. That way the satisfaction of ending her betrayal could be yours and yours alone.

CHRIS continues to stare out the window silently. His anger is still boiling as he mulls over his thoughts.
Taking the opportunity with CHRIS’s back turned, HOLLAND lunges forward to choke CHRISTOPHER. HOLLAND’s arms begin to take hold of CHRIS’s neck.

CHRIS grabs his arm, peels it back from his neck, immobilizes HOLLAND and snaps HOLLAND’s neck.

CHRIS looks down at the body that has just fallen to the floor, no remorse in his eyes.

CHRIS turns and walks out of frame.
END