Film Meeting

Straight after the film pitches were assigned to each of us, I immediately went to find the producer for The Combing of the Hair; the film I will be designing for. We briefly discussed their basic idea for the film. My brief was:
*red, oranges, terricottas- Spanish colour scheme
*1940's
*Set in Spain- look into historical elements of the time

The first thing I did was to have a look on the internet to get an idea of what the fashion was like during the 1940s in Spain. I then went to have a rummage in the costume store to see what costumes were available. I found several costumes that fitted the brief I had been given and put them on a rail and immediately called up the producer to see if he could have a look at them to see what he thought. He was really pleased I was so on the ball and was happy with my selections. When I get back after my easter holiday, I will continue to source costumes etc.

I feel that I have already started to gain a relationship with the producer for the film. I feel I conducted myself well and have shown that I am hardworking and willing. So far, my organisation has been really good. I will have to ensure I conduct myself correctly and fight my corner if I feel that I am being taken for granted or being used to do jobs other than my own, but so far I feel that this project is going really well!

Film Pitches

This morning we went back to the seminar room to find out which pitches had been chosen by the tutors. I was really pleased with the choices; only one of the nine i wasn't keen on working on. We then discussed in our group of six, with Bunny, which pitches we 1. wanted to design for, 2. wanted to help assist and 3. wanted to co-create. Due to timetable issues with filming there had to be a slight change to our first schedual but I got to do the three I liked the most which is a total result! Due to the schedual change I am assisting two films and designing for one. These are:

1. Van Gogh's Chair by Vincent Van Gogh (ASSISTING)
The film is based on the idea that the chair is an animate object. It is pining for attention from an artist who is trying to paint still lifes and is nudging into every one, attempting to be painting. Eventually the artist gets fed up and attempts to bury the chair and then decides that actually it might make a good subject. The chair is then painted and is happy. The closing shot is the artist getting back to painting his still lifes and then the table slowly nudging forward. (in the studio)

2. The Combing of Hair by Edgar Degas (DESIGNING)
This film is about lust. The maid combing her mistresses hair is deeply in love with her. She is passionately combing her hair. We see flashback style intimate close ups of body caressing which we assume is a lesbian love affair. The combing becomes more agressive until we see the mistress in pain due to the tugging. We then see last nights passion is between the mistress and her male lover, not between the mistress and her maid, she is meerly peering through a crack in the door. (in the studio)

3. Ophelia Among the Flowers Odeon Redon (ASSISTING)
This is the painting that I have been recreating for the first half of this project! For this, the plot so far is just that Ophelia is reaching for some flowers whilst balancing on a tree branch and then falls into a stream and dies (on location).

I feel, for each of these pitches, I will be able to bring specific skills to them. I would love to work on location and I feel my organisation skill would really come into their own on such a project. I am also really looking forward to working on these films and forming relationships with the film crew.

Film Pitches

Today we sat and watched 4 1/2 hours of film pitches. The pitches varied in development stages but were all quite interesting. Most were inspired by paintings at the National Gallery but some were documentary ideas. There were some which were very much recreations of the paintings or very literal interpretations of paintings. Others, ones I found more interesting, were more abstract and creative. FOr example the 31st pitch was one inspired by Van Gough's chair painting. The chair would be an animate object which was pining for an artists attentions. The artist tries to paint still lifes etc but the chair keeps butting in and stopping the artist from doing his work. Eventually the artist tries to bury the chair to get rid of it but then decides it might make a nice subject and paints it. The chair is now content but the closing shot is that of the table edging closer to the artist. I like the cyclical element of this... it may never end! I also really liked an idea but I am concerned with how hard it may be to actually create. The idea was pitch 16 and is inspired by MY painting!!! Ophelia Amongst the Flowers by Redon. The idea is that a camera pans over a body of a woman in a stream and is one continuous shot. The camera focusses on specific important areas of her barely clothed body which is half submerged and surrounded by flowers which are highly symbolic. The idea would have to be part/ mostly created in the studio as no actress would be able to stay in freezing cold water for long enough to get a perfect shot. Another idea I like is inspired by a painting called Interior (I'm unsure who it is by) which was the 5th pitch. The idea is that you see a woman in a black dress (as in the painting) and we watch her comfort, what we assume to be a baby crying and wailing. We never see the baby though. We see her wandering around a baron landscape making comforting sounds and comments. The camera then pans to a small grave which has been pre dug which a shovel next to it. We see her bend down and place something into the grave. She turns to face the camera and we see her face for the first time and hear that the screams and wailing were all being made by her, she walks towards the camera with the shovel, raises it high, brings it down and then the camera goes black. This pitch idea is very gothic and nightmarish. I think it would be great fun working on location and creating such a chilling piece.

I will be interested to see out of all 31 pitch ideas, which will be chosen. None of the ones I like will probably be chosen!!!