Evaluation

Remember to be specific and highlight which research or planning you are

discussing – this can be done through screenshots.

For my FMP I intended to make a narrative short film on the subject of obsessive
personalities. I chose this medium because I have been successful when
producing shorts in the past and felt that the experience would help me to
create a high quality piece of work. My goal for the project was to produce a
simplistic piece as I felt these kinds of shorts are often the most effective. They
tend to lack any overwhelming confusion or pointless information. To do this I
knew I needed to limit various factors, such as location and how many
characters I included. I think a simplistic short was the most appropriate choice
for FMP because it would allow me to showcase my practical skills instead of
focusing on my plot and characters. These are areas that I often find myself
spending too much time on and it can make the production of my piece messy
and unorganised.

I chose the subject of obsession because it was something that interested me a

lot and I felt it had a lot of potential. I personally have never seen this topic
shown alongside the romantic narrative so was interested in trying that idea out
for myself. I decided during my research that I wanted my short to be both
narratives based as well as informative, because it would make the production
as accurate as possible as well as interesting. My main goal for the piece was
to produce a piece that drew the audience in had them rooting for the main
character as she begins to form a relationship with another character. I wanted
the audience to develop this connection, so that at the end of the film when it
was revealed the relationship never really existed, they were left shocked. This
was my goal because I wanted to produce a piece that left the audience
thinking and highlighted the two realities of obsessive disorders. They would be
able to see the situation through both the eyes of someone with the disorder
and from an outsider’s perspective.

How did you use your findings from your research to plan a production?

The research I conducted had a big impact on the planning stages of my

production. I used my findings throughout to ensure I was producing accurate
and detailed plans that reflected the goals I had for my short film. I conducted
both secondary and primary research, so that I was confident in my findings
and felt I knew enough to continue working on my own production. This was
extremely helpful as I was able to get an insight to both previous productions,
my topic as well as my audience.
One of the first areas I researched was my medium. During this research I
looked into the history of short films as well as their purpose. I found it
interesting to learn that filmmakers often use shorts to experiment with
themes and plots, sometimes using topics that are controversial. This is
because there is little budget for the short and it is not expected to make a
large profit, and therefore they have a lot more freedom when working. Further
on in my research I learned that shorts often follow a single subject narrative,
which means it follows just one characters story. Most of the time the conflict in
the short is resolved by the end as well, leaving no room for continuation. This is
mainly due to the time limitations making it hard to shift between various
storylines and characters. Upon learning this I decided that my short would
have one main character, who the audience will follow throughout. This was
reflected in my planning, particularly in my script as the film is shot almost
entirely from the main character, Kylie’s, perspective. The only time this will
change is towards the end of the short. I feel researching my medium helped
me to understand how and why short films are produced and allowed me to
consider these factors within my own planning. In this area of my research I also
looked at which short films won awards at The Oscars, Independent Shorts
Awards, and The Baftas, giving me the chance to highlight was makes short
films successful and why it is important to include these elements.

This part of my research continued as I began looking into the codes and
conventions of short films. To get a more developed understanding of these I
began watching and analysing short films myself. I found this really interesting
as it helped me to identify which elements where used and what effect they
had overall on the short and its message. One short film that stood out to me
was ‘The Neighbours Window’, which was directed by Marshall Curry and went
on to win awards at The Oscars, the Sundance, and Tribeca Film Festivals. I
really admired how Curry used a really simple concept and was able to
develop it and take the audience on a journey within the space of 20 minutes.
The simplicity is noticeable throughout as the majority of the piece takes place
in just on location, with only one main character. The audience experience a
range of emotions throughout the short and a twist at the end leaves them with
both mixed emotions and something to reflect on. The message of the short is
that there are two sides to every story, however this is only revealed right at the
end. I wanted to use a similar concept in my own work as I felt a simple
concept would be the best choice and would allow me to develop my ideas
throughout planning. I was also inspired by the twist at the end of the piece,
which is noticeable in my planning.

In my own piece the story follows my main character, Kylie, as she develops a
relationship with a boy in her class, the audience would witness this entirely from
Kylie’s point of view until the last scene when they see the reality from an
outsider’s point of view. This is similar to the twist in ‘The Neighbors’ Window’ as
the audience watch the short from one character point of view but at the end
learn about the situation from the opposite side of the story. Another area of
this research that is reflected in my planning is in my character research. In
Curry’s work he includes three main characters, a middle aged couple and
a younger couple, of which the audience only learn about near the end,
from one half. The main character is the older women, and her husband is
used mainly to learn more about the situation. He is someone for the wife to
share her concerns to so that the audience can learn about them also. I
used this technique when working on my character development. My own
piece has three characters and one of them is close to the main character, her
name is Ella. Kylie tells Ella a lot about her interest in their classmate and also
expresses some concerns to her. Ella does the same in return and overall the
character helps the audience to understand the situation as clearly as possible.

The part of my research that had the biggest influence on my planning was my
content research. In this area I began learning about obsessive personalities
and how they develop. I found out about various disorders that link to these
personality traits and what their symptoms involved. One disorder that really
stood out to me was Obsessive Love Disorder (OLD), which is where a person
becomes obsessed with another person to the point they believe they are in
love with them. Symptoms of the disorder include, obsessive thoughts about the
person, the need to constantly contact and interact with the person, and the
need to monitor the other persons actions. I felt this disorder accurately
reflected the relationship I imagined between my two characters and therefore
I decided to refer back to the research within my planning. This is most obvious
in my script, particularly in the montage sequence, where it becomes clear that
the character is deliberately leaving the house to see her classmate at the
same time every day. This is a lot like the symptom where the sufferer feels the
need to keep constant contact and interaction with their ‘loved one’. When
writing my script I tried to write my main character in a way that showcased the
symptoms listed in my research, making my work seem realistic.

Why would your production have met the needs of your target audience?

During both the research and planning stages of my FMP I was constantly
considering my target audience and how I could appeal to them as much as
possible. This was important to keep in mind because in order to produce a
successful short I would need to meet the needs and interests of my audience.

Before I began planning I conducted both primary and secondary research on

my audience. The secondary research was predominantly used to help me
identify which groups I would produce my film for. In this research I looked into
the viewing habits of different demographics. I used data collected by the BFI
to help me and was able to identify that the age group 15-24 were the most
active audience and they made up the majority of audiences in 2018. From this
I decided that my target audience would be of a similar age group. I also knew
I wanted to produce a piece that would interest anyone within this group, so I
needed to find a way to make my work as diverse as possible. Once I had
established my target audience I began completing primary research, which
consisted if a survey that I asked my audience to fill out. This survey asked about
things such as their hobbies, favourite genre of film, and spending habits. I
then used these answers to build an audience profile that I could refer to
when planning, ensuring that my work reflected these interests so that they
could appeal to the audience. For example, in the survey I asked my
audience which apps they used the most. Instagram was one of the most
popular answers. I decided to incorporate this form of social media into my
script as I felt it would make my piece both appealing to my audience and
appropriate to the characters I was writing about. Therefore, throughout my
short Kylie would use direct messages and image posts like on Instagram. There
are a few moments similar to this in my script that I have included to make my
work relatable for my audience.

Above: results to questions about my target audiences spending habits and whether
they prefer to watch TV series or films.

When developing my characters I decided they should be in a similar age

group as my target audience as it would appeal to the audience a lot more
and would allow them to identify themselves within the short. While planning I
wanted to create three very different characters to make it more likely that my
target audience would have someone to relate to. As a result I had one
relaxed and outgoing character, one who thinks a lot and is inside her head a
lot, and a third character who is described less clearly so that the audience
can create their own outlook on him. Some of the language used in my script
reflects the use of social media, which has a big influence on young adults. For
example, the words ‘bio’ and ‘DM’ are used, which are abbreviations for parts
of the app itself. This was included in my script as I felt my audience would
understand the phrases and they were appropriate for the characters.

I also considered my target audience when choosing the topic for my short.
Mental health is something a lot of people deal with, making it a very universal
matter. However, it is also a topic that a lot of young people are passionate
about, and therefore I felt it would be a good choice for my short. I wanted to
do something a little different in this area though, as a there are a large number
of shorts on things like depression and anxiety. While these shorts are very
popular, I still felt a change would be more appropriate. One topic that is not
always addressed a lot when discussing mental health is obsession. Many
people only know about OCD and do not realise there are other disorders
similar. This gives me the chance to educate people on the subject, while
also creating and interesting narrative. I have also incorporated the topic of
relationships into my short and it had a big role in the narrative. This is again
something that is important to young adults, and popular films often have an
element of relationship in them. I think showing the effect mental health has on
relationships would appeal to my audience as it is something a lot of people
deal with.

What codes and conventions did you plan into your production?

One key convention of a short film is the storyline, which is often very simple so
that they are easy to follow and can be told in the short period of time
provided. This was really appropriate for my short as my goal was to produce
something of a simplistic nature, to avoid overwhelming the audience and
ensuring my message was as clear as possible. Short films also tend to include e
a twist in their storylines, which creates interest and prevents the audience from
guessing the ending. I decided to include a twist in my own work by changing
the perspective for the last scene. The change would allow the audience to
understand the situation from an outsider’s point of view and would show them
that everything is not as it seems. I wanted to include this element so that the
audience would be left with something to think about once the short had
finished. I also felt it may prompt the viewers to watch the film again so that
they can see the narrative unfold with a new outlook. Short films also tend to fall
between 3 and 20 minutes long, which is appropriate for my short as I planned
to make it 6 – 8 minutes long. However, my script ended up being 9 pages long,
and usually a page of script corresponds to a minute of film, so my short may
be slightly longer than planned. Though it will still fall within the typical time
length for a short film.

The use of characters in short films is also an element that tends to be simple.
There is often 1 – 3 main characters in a short, as there is limited time to
showcase a backstory or character development. By including only a few
characters it also helps to keep the audience engaged, as the storyline is easier
to follow and there is no overwhelming excess information. Again, I felt this was
something that would help me meet my goal of producing a simplistic short.
Therefore, I only included three main characters. The whole short would be told
from the perspective of one of them, other than the very last scene which
provides a different point of view. The audience would learn a lot about these
characters through the dialogue and their interactions with one another,
allowing them to pick up snippets of information as the narrative develops. This
prevents the audience from becoming overwhelmed, and consequently losing
focus on the narrative and its message.

How effective do you feel your planning materials are? Could they be used by
another person to produce your project? If not, what could be improved?
When creating my planning materials I wanted to be sure that they were at
a high standard. Producing materials that where effective would make the
filming process a lot easier and are therefore it is key they are done well. I
hoped to create materials that could easily be used by someone else. I felt
my script and storyboards where the most Important elements of planning as
they explained how the narrative and film would play out. Without these,
filming would be extremely hard, and time would be wasted trying to figure out
how each shot should look. I kept this in mind when writing my script and made
sure to include stage directions so that the actors would be able to understand
the scenes and the action. I also described which shot types and camera
angles I would use in the stage directions, making it easy to visualise the
moments from a camera’s perspective. I used a similar method within my
storyboards. I wanted these to be as detailed as possible as they are an
essential material when filming. I made sure that the action for each shot was
described briefly so that links between the storyboards and script could be
made. I also included which shot type would be used as well as some angles.
Finally, I used drawings to show how much of each frame the actors and
objects would take up, again making it clear how each shot would look.

Left: A picture of one of my

storyboards.

I also produced some materials that would help organise the filming stages.
These parts of the planning where important so that filming could go smoothly
and without any issues. This included location recces that described the
environment and mentioned any issues that might be faced there. They also
listed solutions to these issues so that they it is easy to avoid any problems. For
example, when filming at the park uneven ground may be dangerous. The
solution to this was to go to check the ground before filming and alert anyone
of uneven ground. This should make it less likely for anyone to trip. I also created
equipment and props lists, so that all necessary items could be collected
before filming began. This would save time on the day as everything would be
ready to use, saving time and making sure shooting could go ahead in an
organised manner.

What were the strengths and weaknesses of the work you completed?
Overall, I think my research is one of the strongest areas of my FMP. I spent a
lot of time on this and made sure my work was completed thoroughly. The
research helped me a great deal throughout my planning stages and was
therefore a very important part of my work. I completed research on a
range of things, such as my medium and its history, codes and conventions
of short films, and my audience. These all linked closely together and helped
me to establish what my short needed to be successful. A lot of my research
involved looking at short films by other filmmakers and analysing what made
them successful. I think this helped my work a lot because I now knew what was
expected within my own work for it to be at a high standard. I completed both
secondary and primary research, meaning I collected my own data and
looked at research done by other people. My primary research was particularly
successful. I used a series of surveys as well as a focus group to gather
information from my target audience. This helped me to decide what I would
include in my short to appeal to them and what they expected from a short
film.

On the other hand, I think I could improve on my storyboards a lot. They include
a lot of written information; however the visual parts are very limited which
could make them difficult to use. The drawings I have done tend to show just
the actors’ position in each shot. I have included little detail or drawn the
background to make it clear how the actor is sitting or standing. I think these
are things I can work on in the future to ensure my storyboards are completed
to a better standard. I will work on this by putting aside more time for my
storyboards so that I can add these details, despite finding drawing
challenging.

I also think I could have conducted more research in LO1, particularly on my

client. This research is crucial to help me understand what is expected of my
short film. In this case my client was Raindance Film Festival. To improve my
research I could have looked further into past winners and entries. This would
have helped me understand what the festival looks for as well as what makes a
successful entry. I did complete research on the entrance requirements for the
festival and was able to identify how my short would fit into the criteria so that I
was familiar with the expectations when planning my work. However, I feel this
could have been improved on a lot and I would have found the planning
stages a lot easier if I had a better understanding of who I was producing my
work for. I will spend more time on this in the future so that it can be done to a
higher standard.

What areas do you feel you need to improve on most in second year?

One area I really want to improve on in second year is LO1. Overall, I found this
the hardest when working on my FMP. This includes my idea development,
proposal and client research. I found this quite hard because I needed to have
a rough idea of what my production would be before I could continue. The
part I found hardest was writing brief as it was new to me and needed a lot of
detail. The brief included information on my audience, client and final idea
and therefore the rest of LO1 had to be completed to a high standard as a
lot of the elements link together. To improve this in second year I want to
complete more research before I begin writing it out. When developing my
idea I put out a survey that asked what people though of my three ideas,
and this proved quite successful. I might decide to use more surveys in LO1 in
the future to receive similar results throughout. I will also conduct more research
on my client so I can really understand what they are looking for, and therefore
have a stronger idea of what my own work will include. Overall, I think these
changes will have a positive impact on my work and my brief, and I will see
significant improvement.

Another area I want to work on in second year is my script writing. I found this
part of my planning took the longest as it was the most challenging. I wanted to
create a script that was consistent throughout, but it was hard to do so. I think
the area I struggled was laying out my narrative in a way that remained simple
and communicated my message clearly. when working on this in the future I
will spend some time planning out my narrative beforehand. I will do this by
choosing an order for the events to take place in and writing a brief summary
of each scene. This should help as I will then have these notes to refer back to
when writing, making the script writing process a lot easier and quicker. I also
want to work on my storyboards as I feel the drawings could be completed in
more detail. At the moment my storyboards are very simple, often with just a
drawing of where the actor would be. I think by going into more detail on the
drawings it will become clearer how each shot should look, and the material
will be easier to use when filming.