This is a script that evolved a great deal through its seven iterations and as a result of rehearsing it with the performers. Of all the scripts I have written, this is the one that has received the most input, re-thinking and revising. I feel that it is a very thorough script as a result and served as a strong foundation on which to build and develop the Pilot episode further.
Embedded below is the 7th draft/shooting script.
The other drafts and variations of the Pilot script can be viewed in this Google Drive folder.
Busybody and P.S. are two earlier scripts that I wrote that have had clear influences on the EYES Pilot script.
Showing posts with label Influences. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Influences. Show all posts
Tuesday, 17 September 2013
EYES Pilot - Evolution of the Edit
Presented below is a record of the evolution the EYES Pilot experienced during its five month editing process. These videos are testament to my wish to keep developing the Pilot's narrative and the overall EYES concept during the editing process, watching the videos will reveal how the Pilot evolved from the script. You can either view each edit as a playlist or as an individual videos.
EYES Pilot - Reflective Commentary
Here I have produced a reflective commentary for Pilot as means for me to more directly discuss my intentions for my approach with the Pilot and the EYES Project as a whole. These reflective commentaries actually serve as a sneaky short cut into understanding the project as a whole.
The first reflective commentary is just a traditional commentary track running playing over the Pilot.
The second reflective commentary is more of a video essay in which I spend a bit more time discussing various attributes of the Pilot and their place in the overall project.
Ways of Being: The Spectator and the Spectacle
A seven month research project that operated alongside the orchestration of EYES and which culminated in my undergraduate theoretical dissertation: Ways of Being: The Spectator and the Spectacle.
The paper was praised for its originality, progressive thinking and received the highest mark that has ever been awarded to a Film and Screen Studies dissertation at Bath Spa University; as well as being awarded the Media Futures Research Award!
As my guiding tutor and primary marker, Dr Suman Ghosh, commented: "The mark of 85 is an exceptional mark, rarely awarded, and only to work of exceptional quality. I am pleased to say that both examiners agreed that this was the case with your work."Additionally, the Head of the Film and Media Department, Dr Terence Rodgers, commented that: "This is certainly one of the best FL dissertations I have read for many a year".
The paper is a consideration of the epistemological, ontological and metaphysical downfalls of film theory’s understandings of the spectator and the spectacle; with particular emphasis directed towards the neurobiological implications of the spectator’s body.
The thesis argues that these shortcomings are representative of wider ranging issues of complacency engulfing the film industry and film exhibition as a whole. Furthermore, the fundamental disruptions of the digital upgrade of cinema, and the expanding means through which film content can be experienced, are explored in relation to the pressing need for film theory to reassess itself.
Drawing on a plethora of empirical and non-empirical research, the dissertation is a highly progressive expression of how film experience has always been about transcendence and, as a result of its digital re-birth and diversifications, it is now becoming even more so.
Other materials pertaining to the project can be viewed in this Google Drive folder.
As a result of my enthusiasm for the project, I unearthed so much data that the first draft I wrote warranted a request for a larger word count submission. As such, the primary content I eventually submitted totalled just fewer than 15,000 words, with the Appendix and other supplementary material bringing the overall word count to 30,000 words! Furthermore, I still had additional ideas and data that would have allowed me to write more!
This research project had a huge influence on EYES and vice versa; in fact, I refer to EYES as being the practical expression of what I explored in Ways of Being. I believe the high marks both projects were awarded are testament to their mutually beneficial relationship to one another.
As of June 2013, the research started in this project is ongoing and I am building a website to host it: www.ways2interface.com. I have been very fortunate to stumble into an area that is not receiving much research interest and I am very keen to build up a network of interested parties to change this. Therefore, please contact me if this is an area of interest.
The paper was praised for its originality, progressive thinking and received the highest mark that has ever been awarded to a Film and Screen Studies dissertation at Bath Spa University; as well as being awarded the Media Futures Research Award!
As my guiding tutor and primary marker, Dr Suman Ghosh, commented: "The mark of 85 is an exceptional mark, rarely awarded, and only to work of exceptional quality. I am pleased to say that both examiners agreed that this was the case with your work."Additionally, the Head of the Film and Media Department, Dr Terence Rodgers, commented that: "This is certainly one of the best FL dissertations I have read for many a year".
The thesis argues that these shortcomings are representative of wider ranging issues of complacency engulfing the film industry and film exhibition as a whole. Furthermore, the fundamental disruptions of the digital upgrade of cinema, and the expanding means through which film content can be experienced, are explored in relation to the pressing need for film theory to reassess itself.
Drawing on a plethora of empirical and non-empirical research, the dissertation is a highly progressive expression of how film experience has always been about transcendence and, as a result of its digital re-birth and diversifications, it is now becoming even more so.
Other materials pertaining to the project can be viewed in this Google Drive folder.
 |
| On top of EYES and my other final year projects, getting Ways of Being up to the standard I wanted was a tall and exhausting order! |
As a result of my enthusiasm for the project, I unearthed so much data that the first draft I wrote warranted a request for a larger word count submission. As such, the primary content I eventually submitted totalled just fewer than 15,000 words, with the Appendix and other supplementary material bringing the overall word count to 30,000 words! Furthermore, I still had additional ideas and data that would have allowed me to write more!
This research project had a huge influence on EYES and vice versa; in fact, I refer to EYES as being the practical expression of what I explored in Ways of Being. I believe the high marks both projects were awarded are testament to their mutually beneficial relationship to one another.
As of June 2013, the research started in this project is ongoing and I am building a website to host it: www.ways2interface.com. I have been very fortunate to stumble into an area that is not receiving much research interest and I am very keen to build up a network of interested parties to change this. Therefore, please contact me if this is an area of interest.
Thursday, 5 September 2013
Monday, 26 August 2013
Useful Resources
While I was orchestrating the EYES project, the following resources were invulable in helping me achieve the project's success. I would highly recommend each of them!
Thursday, 22 August 2013
Sunday, 11 August 2013
Saturday, 10 August 2013
Birth to Death as told by Cinema
I came across this hugely influential video yesterday, this is the power of cinema in 3 minutes.
Tuesday, 6 August 2013
Friday, 19 July 2013
EYES Pilot - Rough Cut 7
Another day of hard work means another rough cut.
This one has some significant changes in it. The most significant changes are a major re-thinking of the lower weir flash back scene/memory with Ella (Letitia Ringshaw/Tish) and the changing of Ella's name to Turner. This change of name is something that I have contemplated on for a while now. It comes from an artefact of sound I found in one of the shots of Boris (Mykel Elledge) playing with Rubik cube by the weir.
While fiddling with the cube, Mykel whispers something along the lines of 'turner', 'turn it', 'turning'. Regardless of what Mykel actually says, I always heard it as Turner and figured it would be a nice unintentional ghost/subtextual element to incorporate; as such, I have placed the 'Turner' bit of dialogue at three points in the pilot and this dates back to rough cut 1. It is only now that the cohesion of the whole thing is starting to come together that I have decided to directly connect this whisper of 'Tuner' to Tish's character and remain that character Turner.
This one has some significant changes in it. The most significant changes are a major re-thinking of the lower weir flash back scene/memory with Ella (Letitia Ringshaw/Tish) and the changing of Ella's name to Turner. This change of name is something that I have contemplated on for a while now. It comes from an artefact of sound I found in one of the shots of Boris (Mykel Elledge) playing with Rubik cube by the weir.
While fiddling with the cube, Mykel whispers something along the lines of 'turner', 'turn it', 'turning'. Regardless of what Mykel actually says, I always heard it as Turner and figured it would be a nice unintentional ghost/subtextual element to incorporate; as such, I have placed the 'Turner' bit of dialogue at three points in the pilot and this dates back to rough cut 1. It is only now that the cohesion of the whole thing is starting to come together that I have decided to directly connect this whisper of 'Tuner' to Tish's character and remain that character Turner.
Wednesday, 17 July 2013
Dream - Motivational Video
I just came across this - very inspirational!
"This is what I believe and I am willing to die for it. Period."
My course is set.
"This is what I believe and I am willing to die for it. Period."
My course is set.
Friday, 12 July 2013
Monday, 20 May 2013
Rise: A Reflection on Being Enterprising
What follows is essentially my final reflection or plea, if you like. I have put a great deal of work into this project and its holds a great deal of content. I will now allow it to speak for itself.
My attitude this year can best be summed up in the following image.
I would also like to take this opportunity to direct your attention to a resource that has had a huge impact on the project and changed the way in which I think about storytelling as a whole and my attitude towards making a living from that venture.
Synopsis:
The writer's guide was developed through the Australia Council's Story of the Future project to explore the craft and business of writing in the digital era. It includes case studies from Australia's rising generation of poets, novelists, screenwriters, games writers and producers who are embracing new media and contains audio and video content from seminars and workshops, as well as extensive references to resouces in Australia and beyond.
The Writer's Guide has been my bible while undertaking this module and formulating EYES.
Another resource that as had some impact on the project and my thinking in storytelling in general is Getting Started in Transmedia Storytelling. While the guide's strong emphasis on transmedia is not something that I have completely incorporated into my project (it was a strong component in the initial planning stages), you will see that it has still had an impact on my vision for the EYES web series.
By understanding the fundamental influences these guides have had on my thinking, you should be able to understand my intentions for the EYES project and my personal approach to the business aspects of the Creative Enterprise Project module.
My iPad ran out of memory while recording this, hence why it suddenly cuts off. However, I feel that it says enough and acts as a good introduction to what I have done artistically with EYES...
...as well as my intentions for doing so, from an enterprising point of view.
Collected in the notebook below are the online resources I've looked at in an effort to improve my professional image in relation to the module.
This seven month experience has been utterly exhausting, but undoubtedly rewarding!
I believe I have risen a great deal in the last seven months.
My attitude this year can best be summed up in the following image.
 |
| 'Deshi Basara' means Rise. |
I would also like to take this opportunity to direct your attention to a resource that has had a huge impact on the project and changed the way in which I think about storytelling as a whole and my attitude towards making a living from that venture.
Synopsis:
The writer's guide was developed through the Australia Council's Story of the Future project to explore the craft and business of writing in the digital era. It includes case studies from Australia's rising generation of poets, novelists, screenwriters, games writers and producers who are embracing new media and contains audio and video content from seminars and workshops, as well as extensive references to resouces in Australia and beyond.
|
| The Writer's Guide |
The Writer's Guide has been my bible while undertaking this module and formulating EYES.
Another resource that as had some impact on the project and my thinking in storytelling in general is Getting Started in Transmedia Storytelling. While the guide's strong emphasis on transmedia is not something that I have completely incorporated into my project (it was a strong component in the initial planning stages), you will see that it has still had an impact on my vision for the EYES web series.
 |
| While my approach can be considered slightly messy, it is highly intricate and progressive. |
By understanding the fundamental influences these guides have had on my thinking, you should be able to understand my intentions for the EYES project and my personal approach to the business aspects of the Creative Enterprise Project module.
My iPad ran out of memory while recording this, hence why it suddenly cuts off. However, I feel that it says enough and acts as a good introduction to what I have done artistically with EYES...
...as well as my intentions for doing so, from an enterprising point of view.
Collected in the notebook below are the online resources I've looked at in an effort to improve my professional image in relation to the module.
This seven month experience has been utterly exhausting, but undoubtedly rewarding!
 |
| My enrollment in the CEP module has been out of a desire for self-improvement. |
I believe I have risen a great deal in the last seven months.
The End User: Target Audience Considerations
As I've noticed that the Creative Enterprise Project module has a strong emphasis on target audience, I felt that it would be good for me to present what I feel is the target audience for EYES and the research/reasoning that helped me deduce this.
As I said in the vlog, I term my target audience as being in the 'mostly young adult' demographic (mid teen - pushing through the 30s).
To understand the type of content I am trying to create for that target audience, see Rough Cut 2 - Reflective Commentary.
Below are the research and resources I spoke about in the vlog. These were invaluable in helping understand what a target audience is, how to identity one and how to create content designed for a target audience.
ReelSEO - The online marketing guide. This is quite literally a toolbox for young creatives like myself.
IPF Marketing Guide: How to Build an Audience for Your Web Series - a step-by-step guide for doing just that. However, the time window of the module would not allow me to follow the guide through and through, but the guide has made for good referencing in times of need.
Here are links to the two television shows I mention in the vlog: Twin Peaks and Being Human.
To understand the type of content I am trying to create for that target audience, see Rough Cut 2 - Reflective Commentary.
Below are the research and resources I spoke about in the vlog. These were invaluable in helping understand what a target audience is, how to identity one and how to create content designed for a target audience.
ReelSEO - The online marketing guide. This is quite literally a toolbox for young creatives like myself.
IPF Marketing Guide: How to Build an Audience for Your Web Series - a step-by-step guide for doing just that. However, the time window of the module would not allow me to follow the guide through and through, but the guide has made for good referencing in times of need.
Here are links to the two television shows I mention in the vlog: Twin Peaks and Being Human.
Sunday, 19 May 2013
EYES Pilot: Sound Design (Rough Cut 1)
Due to various technical problems, Daniel was not able to produce a version of the second rough cut with any sound design. Therefore, what follows is the work Daniel has already done for the first rough cut. As the second rough cut is my indication of what the final cut will look like, this should be seen as a demonstration of the direction the sound will go in for the final cut.
Mock-up: A Trailer to Sell the Idea
The EYES mock-up trailer was a component I was very keen to implement into the project, as I felt it would help to strenghten the overal presentation of EYES being a web series proposal package.
The purpose of a mock-up trailer is akin to Kickstarter campaign video - to get funding!
Black Dynamite is a comedy homage to the Blaxploitation films of the 1970s, the film was released in 2009. Below is the original mock-up trailer followed by the trailer made from the finished film.
Prototype is a film currently in production thanks to the funding its mock-up trailer managed to secure.
Below is the initial vision I had for the EYES trailer material:
EYES Season 1 Trailer - This will be produced and exhibited online and two versions will be produced: a standalone one (2 mins), that would feature footage from the Pilot, and one to fit on the end of the Pilot (30 secs). I'm keen to do this because it would allow me to hint at what happens in the rest of the first season and would demonstrate that EYES has a story that can continue beyond the Pilot. Producing a mock-up trailer is also a very current concept and demonstrates an understanding of advertising and a completely different style of editing. My plan is to write a trailer script based upon the treatments of the other season 1 episodes and then film this footage alongside the Pilot. Likewise, the two edits of the trailer will be edited during the same period of the Pilot.
Overall, the development of the trailer really just suffered from lack of time and my inability to invest any real attention into it, as I said in the vlog it became apparent to me that it would require an equal amount of time as the Pilot.
I had many Ideas for the trailer, its contents would have been comprised of snipet-scenes of significant turning points in the first season. However, this plethora of material was part of the problem - I just didn't have the time to sit down to work my way through these ideas and structure them into a form that was aesthetically pleasing. You can read all that exists of the script here.
More time would also have been required to insure that everything that was in the trailer synced up with what was in the Pilot episode. This is was even more problematic when you consider that I was rewriting the Pilot at the same time. Therefore, on top of the Fencing documentary and my dissertation, I think I made the right choice in disbanding the trailer.
However, after we completed production, Daniel (EYES' sound designer) put the following video together to showcase some sound design he had done and to demonstrate a possible idea for a teaser trailer.
While a trailer created from the Pilot's footage did interest me, it was something I felt I wouldn't have time to do and I have been proved right. Ultimately, a trailer was an embellishment too far and something that will have to be tried another time.
The purpose of a mock-up trailer is akin to Kickstarter campaign video - to get funding!
Black Dynamite is a comedy homage to the Blaxploitation films of the 1970s, the film was released in 2009. Below is the original mock-up trailer followed by the trailer made from the finished film.
Prototype is a film currently in production thanks to the funding its mock-up trailer managed to secure.
Below is the initial vision I had for the EYES trailer material:
EYES Season 1 Trailer - This will be produced and exhibited online and two versions will be produced: a standalone one (2 mins), that would feature footage from the Pilot, and one to fit on the end of the Pilot (30 secs). I'm keen to do this because it would allow me to hint at what happens in the rest of the first season and would demonstrate that EYES has a story that can continue beyond the Pilot. Producing a mock-up trailer is also a very current concept and demonstrates an understanding of advertising and a completely different style of editing. My plan is to write a trailer script based upon the treatments of the other season 1 episodes and then film this footage alongside the Pilot. Likewise, the two edits of the trailer will be edited during the same period of the Pilot.
Overall, the development of the trailer really just suffered from lack of time and my inability to invest any real attention into it, as I said in the vlog it became apparent to me that it would require an equal amount of time as the Pilot.
 |
| The Trailer was something I was very keen to do. |
I had many Ideas for the trailer, its contents would have been comprised of snipet-scenes of significant turning points in the first season. However, this plethora of material was part of the problem - I just didn't have the time to sit down to work my way through these ideas and structure them into a form that was aesthetically pleasing. You can read all that exists of the script here.
 |
| The trailer would have opened with something like this. |
However, after we completed production, Daniel (EYES' sound designer) put the following video together to showcase some sound design he had done and to demonstrate a possible idea for a teaser trailer.
While a trailer created from the Pilot's footage did interest me, it was something I felt I wouldn't have time to do and I have been proved right. Ultimately, a trailer was an embellishment too far and something that will have to be tried another time.
Video-centric: The EYES Website (that nearly was)
Initially the EYES web series concept proposal was going to be hosted on an original website that would demonstrate the EYES web series franchise presence on the internet and how it would engage with my intended target audience.
As I knew building an original website would take up a considerable amount of my time, I started work on it back in November. Following a meeting with the University's Publishing Lab, I invested in a domain name eyeswebseries.com (and got another one free eyeswebseries.co.uk) and a web hosting package through 1&1, it was a special offer package that gave me 6 months free if I signed up for a year.
However, due to my other work commitments and devoting the whole of the Christmas break to researching my dissertation, I was not able to devote any substantial time to the website before Christmas. Therefore, the actual building of my website did not begin until the end of January. In addition to hosting through 1&1, I started to build my website on Wordpress.org using a wordpress theme I had purchased on themeforest.net.
The way that I kept describing my vision for the website was 'video-centric' and, as such, the design of the website would need to place the pilot episode and other video content at its center, as the episodes of the web series is its primary content. While searching for website templates to use, one in particular caught my eye. 'This way' is a theme that epitomises the term 'video-centric'.
Below are images of the template's operations as a demonstration website.
I saw the EYES concept working very well within the 'This Way' theme! The whole aesthetic of the 'This Way' template and its alignment with my video-centric stance was something I really liked.
The Blu-ray menu feel of its presentation ensures that the content is always playing and always present; this has an awful lot in common with my vision for the narrative of EYES as being cognitive and something that is continuously very active and always moving. Also, It would have nicely fulfilled the marking criteria for my website:
Website: show good awareness of target audience through the site design; website design should reflect the content of the project, so that the two things work together to tell a story.
Below are slideshows of the some of the Posters and Visual Design Elements I prepared for the project and which would have been incorporated into the website. These images together with the images of the 'This Way' theme should give some idea of what the eventual website would have looked like.
Additionally, I have some items stored in my EYES Website notebook.
Ultimately, the reason why I was not able to complete the website was due to problems installing the 'This Way' theme into wordpress. I spent a great deal of time trying to solve this problem on my own; when that didn't work, I contacted the chap who made the 'This Way' theme via his forum. He was able to provide me with instructions for how to fix the problem, but it would have required a great deal of re-coding and time that I didn't have. Therefore, I believe I took the right decision in abandoning the website. It was an instance where an element wasn't working in the current paradigm - therefore, I discontinued it.
However, I did briefly toy with trying to build a simpler website from a free wordpress theme, to fill in for the 'This Way' website.
Again, though, I abandoned this concept because I was having trouble changing the mechanics of what is essentially a basic blog template into something that is closer to being video-centric. While I was able to engineer this particular theme to look something like my original website sketch, I was not able to make the operations of the website work the way I wanted them to function. Again, this would have required a great deal of coding!
While the loss of the EYES website is disappointing, ultimately, it has worked out rather well. Firstly, I haven't yet completed a final cut of the Pilot and I'm not going to showcase a rough cut on a fully polished website! Secondly, I can use my web hosting package to build a website for myself! This is actually something that I've been wanting to do for a while and something I had put in my initial submission of the EYES Planning Portfolio:
Professional Profile - This is not something I have to necessarily get marked on but it would be a nice side result of my project. At the moment, I have various online profiles scattered about all over the place and I've always wanted to make an About.Me style hub page that I could integrate all of my other profiles into. Basically, an online CV/professional identity page that would go beyond and be more personal than a LinkedIn profile. Providing I pull it off, EYES and the CEP module would act as a nice testimonial to all the skills I am going to flaunt on this page.
Therefore, the website has a longevity that will persist beyond my participation in this module and, surely, that is the point of the module!
As I knew building an original website would take up a considerable amount of my time, I started work on it back in November. Following a meeting with the University's Publishing Lab, I invested in a domain name eyeswebseries.com (and got another one free eyeswebseries.co.uk) and a web hosting package through 1&1, it was a special offer package that gave me 6 months free if I signed up for a year.
 |
| My original 'Video-centric' plan sketch for the website. |
However, due to my other work commitments and devoting the whole of the Christmas break to researching my dissertation, I was not able to devote any substantial time to the website before Christmas. Therefore, the actual building of my website did not begin until the end of January. In addition to hosting through 1&1, I started to build my website on Wordpress.org using a wordpress theme I had purchased on themeforest.net.
The way that I kept describing my vision for the website was 'video-centric' and, as such, the design of the website would need to place the pilot episode and other video content at its center, as the episodes of the web series is its primary content. While searching for website templates to use, one in particular caught my eye. 'This way' is a theme that epitomises the term 'video-centric'.
 |
| I was always prepared to invest some money into the website. |
Below are images of the template's operations as a demonstration website.
 |
| 'This Way' enables video content to be the body of the website. |
 | ||||
| As shown above a video is the background of the website. |
 |
| It has a playlist function that gives the template a Blu-ray main menu feel. |
 | |||
| It has a popout menu, again adding to the Blu-ray menu feel. |
 |
| Other pages/sections of the website appear as modules over the main video. Again, like a Blu-ray main menu. |
 |
| The template's are customisable. |
I saw the EYES concept working very well within the 'This Way' theme! The whole aesthetic of the 'This Way' template and its alignment with my video-centric stance was something I really liked.
 |
| A Blu-ray menu with the film playing in the background. |
The Blu-ray menu feel of its presentation ensures that the content is always playing and always present; this has an awful lot in common with my vision for the narrative of EYES as being cognitive and something that is continuously very active and always moving. Also, It would have nicely fulfilled the marking criteria for my website:
Website: show good awareness of target audience through the site design; website design should reflect the content of the project, so that the two things work together to tell a story.
Additionally, I have some items stored in my EYES Website notebook.
Ultimately, the reason why I was not able to complete the website was due to problems installing the 'This Way' theme into wordpress. I spent a great deal of time trying to solve this problem on my own; when that didn't work, I contacted the chap who made the 'This Way' theme via his forum. He was able to provide me with instructions for how to fix the problem, but it would have required a great deal of re-coding and time that I didn't have. Therefore, I believe I took the right decision in abandoning the website. It was an instance where an element wasn't working in the current paradigm - therefore, I discontinued it.
However, I did briefly toy with trying to build a simpler website from a free wordpress theme, to fill in for the 'This Way' website.
 |
| This is closer to my original sketch for the website. |
Again, though, I abandoned this concept because I was having trouble changing the mechanics of what is essentially a basic blog template into something that is closer to being video-centric. While I was able to engineer this particular theme to look something like my original website sketch, I was not able to make the operations of the website work the way I wanted them to function. Again, this would have required a great deal of coding!
While the loss of the EYES website is disappointing, ultimately, it has worked out rather well. Firstly, I haven't yet completed a final cut of the Pilot and I'm not going to showcase a rough cut on a fully polished website! Secondly, I can use my web hosting package to build a website for myself! This is actually something that I've been wanting to do for a while and something I had put in my initial submission of the EYES Planning Portfolio:
Professional Profile - This is not something I have to necessarily get marked on but it would be a nice side result of my project. At the moment, I have various online profiles scattered about all over the place and I've always wanted to make an About.Me style hub page that I could integrate all of my other profiles into. Basically, an online CV/professional identity page that would go beyond and be more personal than a LinkedIn profile. Providing I pull it off, EYES and the CEP module would act as a nice testimonial to all the skills I am going to flaunt on this page.
Therefore, the website has a longevity that will persist beyond my participation in this module and, surely, that is the point of the module!
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