Barnaby Lockwood Professional and Employability 2 Blog · 2018-04-27 · Barnaby Lockwood...

BarnabyLockwoodProfessionalandEmployability2BlogOctober26th,2017AfilmIsawthatreallyinfluencedmethisyearwasGoodTime(2017),directedbyBenandJoshSafdie.Thefilmisacrimetragedy,followingquick-witted,desperatebutunsuccessfulConnieNikas(RobertPattinson)ashetriestorescuehisbrother,Nick,fromprisonandhospitalafterabankheistgoeswrong.Manythingsaboutthisfilmstoodouttome,thefirstbeingthecinematography.Therearelotsofreallyuncomfortablylongtakesthatareincrediblyclose-upwithadrasticallyshallowdepthoffield.Theeffectofthisinthefilmisthatwefocuscompletelyonhim,despitethefactthatthecharactergoesdownaroutethatweprobablywouldn’tnaturallysympathisewithasanaudience.ThislinksintotheotherthingthatIfoundreallyinterestingaboutthefilm,whichisitsnarrativepointofview.ThefilmunfoldsinwhatIthinkisareallyuniqueway.WefollowConnieasheattemptstorobabank,whichgoeswrong,yetatthispointwearesympathisingwithhim,asweseehisrelationshipwithhisbrotherashisdrivingmotivation.AsthenarrativepicksupweseeNicklesshowever,andweareleftwithConniedoingsomereallyimmoralthings.WearestillroutingforhimhoweverasourperspectiveofthestoryistunnelledthroughConnie’sperspective.WerealiseonlyintheverylastshotinthefilmthatNickisbetterwithoutConnie,andthathewasactuallyadestructiveforceinthefilm,selfishlyruiningeverythingforeveryonearoundhim.IfoundthistobeareallycompellingwaytotellastoryandItookalotfromthisfilmintermsofwritingespeciallyregardinghowtocommunicatetheauthor’spointofview,andhowyoucanmisleadtheaudienceinordertocreatealternativeaudiencereactions.November29th,2017IwenttoAestheticaShortFilmFestivalinNovember2017.Isawahugerangeoffilmsofdifferentstandards,fromstudentfilmstoprofessionalshorts.Iwasexpectingtoenjoythedramasthemost,andthatiswhatIhadplannedonseeingthemostof.HoweveramongmyfavouriteofthefilmsIsawatAestheticawereTransitionsandThroughBrokenFrames.Thisisthenatureofafilmfestival;thatyouendupseeinglotsofthingsyoudidn’tplantoduetoavailabilityofseatingatscreeningsorpurelylogisticalproblems.Transitionsinparticularwasafascinatingfilm,showingajourneyintoLasVegas,startingfromtheruraldesertthatsurroundsit.Iexpectedittobeaveryboring,asitwascomprisedofanumberofincrediblyslowtrackingshotsalongroads,graduallymakingit’swayintothecity.AureleFerrier,thefilmmaker,usedreallylongtakesandmuteddroningsoundstocreateawonderfullyeerieandsurrealatmosphere.Iwouldn’tpreviouslyhaveexpectedthistobethesortoffilmIwouldconsidermaking,althoughafterwatchingit,IwasremindedofsimilarsequencesIgreatlyadmireindrama-driven

ScreenshotfromGoodTime(2017),demonstratingtheuseofcinematography.

filmssuchasAPlaceBeyondThePines,BladerunnerandArrival.IfoundthisandtheothermoreexperimentalfilmsIsawinspiring,andtheyencouragedmetotryandthinkandcreateinamoreabstractway.January25th,2018IattendedatalkandQ&AbyJamesBridgerwhoisagaffer,lightingtechnicianandformeralumniofMMU.Hespokeabouthowhebecametobeinthepositionheisintoday;workingonfilmssuchasTheDouble(2013),TheTheoryofEverything(2014),Mindhorn(2016)andevenAvengers:InfinityWar(2018).Histalkgavemearealsenseofthedynamicwithintheindustry.Hespokeabouthowthroughworkingasafreelancefilmmakeroutofuniversityhemetotherfilmmakerswhohelearntheworkedwellwith.Thismeantthatafterhechosetodownthelightingtechnician/gafferroute,therewerefilmmakersinneedofalightingtechnicianthatknewhimandwouldaskhimtoworkontheirfilms.Herelayedhowheandagroupoffilmmakers(avarietyofcinematographers,gaffers,grips,editorsetc.)‘grewup’togetherintheindustry,andwouldallcalloneachotherandgeteachotherwork.Healsoreiteratedtheimportanceofaportfolio;gettingworkasacrewmemberespeciallyreallyreliesonyourshowreel.Onceyouhavestartingworkingonmajorprojectshowever,itwouldseemthatyourcareerpicksupmomentum.February8th,2018AnotherfantasticinspirationtomeasI’vebecomeincreasinglyinterestedinwritingthisyearwasThreeBillboardsOutsideEbbing,Missouri(2017),directedbyMartinMcDonagh.Thecharactersinthisfilmwere,tome,nearperfect.Thewaythefocusshiftedorganicallyfromtheapparentlead,MildredHayes,toOfficerJasonDixon,theoriginalantagonist,wasspectacular.ThecharactersinthisfilmweresospotontothepointwhereIfeltlikethestoryreallywroteitself.Astheaudience,ourempathiesblurgradually,asweseehowourheroineisflawedandherrivalshowsmoralityandcompassion.Thisfilmreallyshowedmethepowerofsolidlyroundedcharacters.Eachcharacterinthefilm,notjusttheleads,hadrealpurpose.Eachhadaclearlydefinedplaceinthestory,andthefilmwasarealtestamenttocharacter-drivenstory.WatchingthefilminspiredmeagaintodevelopandknowthecharactersbeforedecidingplotpointsoranythingreallytodowiththenarrativeasIthinkthisfilmshows,itcreatesamuch

MildredHayes(FrancesMcDormanc)andOfficerJasonDixon(SamRockwell)facingoffwithoneanotherinThreeBillboardsOutsideEbbing,

Misouri.

moremeaningfulstory.Thereissomeactionthattakesplaceinthefilm;Mildredburnsdownthepolicestationforexample,howeverthisoneofthemostdramaticmomentsinthefilmsnotbecauseofthespectacle,butbecausewearefocusedonwhatMildredisgoingthroughandhowsheisfeeling.WealsoseeasidetheOfficerDixonthatwehadn’tseenbeforeandrealisewhereourfeelingsasanaudiencearetowardshim.Itgiveshimtheopportunitytoshowselflessnessandcourage.Thissceneisabrilliantincarnationandreminderoftheideathatactionhastobebackedupbysomewell-crafted,characterdriven,emotionalgravity.February28th,2018InFebruaryIwasapproachedbysomethirdyearfashionstudentstohelpmakeanadvertaspartoftheircourse.AnotherfilmstudentandIactedcollaborativelytoproducethefilm,managingalmostalltheroles.Oneofthefashionstudentsactedasdirector,howeverwewereabletosteerherideasforthefilmonsettowardswhatwaspracticalaswellasofferacreativeinputinordertodevelopthefilm.Theirbriefwastocreateanimaginedsponsorship

campaignforJean-PaulGaunltierofFairywashingupliquid.Ourfirstchallengewaslighting,Iwaskeentoexperimentandpushmyselftoachievethebestresult.Thedirector’svisionwasforthefilmtolookverycleanandalmostclinical.IthoughttobesthighlightthisIwoulduseanLEDpanelasthekey,castingapalelightovertheset.Wetriedbouncing

lightoffthewhiteceiling,whichcastasofter,morenaturallightovertheactors.Wealsousedthezipdiscdiffuserstosoftenthelightforclose-ups.Wewerepresentedwithquiteachallenge,aswewantedtousethenaturallightcomingfromthelargewindowsinthekitchen,howevertheweatherthatdaykeptchangingbetweenovercastwithheavysnowtoclearskies.Notonlytheamountoflightbutthetoneofitwaschangingallthetime.Thismeantthatwehadtoconstantlyadjustlightingsetupsaswellaswhitebalanceinthecamera.Thisisoneofthedisadvantagesofusingnaturallight,andIhavelearntfromthisexperiencethepotentialproblemsthatcanariseaswellasgainedsomeexperienceinbeingquickthinkingandresourcefulonsetintheseconditions.Iamreasonablypleasedwiththecinematography,althoughIthinkitwoundlooksignificantlybetterifweweretohaveusedtripodsetupsandatrackfortheopening,movingshot.Thiswouldgiveamoreappropriate,smootherfeeltothefilm.April24th,2018IandthegroupsI’veworkedwiththisyearsubmittedourfilmstosomefestivals,whichwasanewexperienceforme.WeusedFilmfreeway.com,whichmadeiteasytoapplytoahugenumberoffestivalsfromallovertheworld.Weonlyappliedtofree-to-enterfestivals,whichmeantthattheprocesswasrelativelyeasy;weonlyhadtoprovideabitofbasicinformationaboutthefilmslikecreditsofallthekeycastandcrewmembersandabriefsynopsis.I’velookedatlargerfestivalssincesuchastheInternationalFilm

FestivalRotterdam(IFFR)whichrequireabitmoreworkonyourapplication.NotonlydoesRotterdamcosttoenter(€27,50forshortfilms),youneedtoprovideastatementfromthedirector,thebibliographyandfilmographyofthedirectorandfullcreditsofthecastandcrew.I’vealsobeenmadeawareofStudentfilmdepot.comandtheBFIFutureFilmFestival.I’velearntthatwhatafestivalmayaskforwillvary,butit’sbeneficialwheneveryoumakeafilmtoalsowritea50-wordsynopsis,alogline,alongersynopsisandastatementfromthedirector.Somefestivalsevenaskforaposter.Ithinkthisexperiencehasbeengoodpracticenotjustforsubmittingtofestivalsinthefuture,butforpitchingideasandfuturefilmstoproductioncompanies.Oneofmyfilms,APPY,wasselectedbyTheBeertownFestivalinBurtononTrent.Wefoundotherwisehowever,thatapplyingforfestivalsismostlyquitedisheartening.AlthoughFilmfreewaydoesoffersomeindicationastothestatusofyourapplication,wehaven’theardanythingfromtheindividualfestivalsthatwe’vebeenunsuccessfulinapplyingto.APPYwasalsoenteredintotheTomAinsworthShortFilmCompetitionrunbytheManchesterandSalfordFilmSocietyandwasshortlisted.Onthe21stofAprilwewereinvitedtoascreeningofalltheenteredshortfilms.Thiswasanextremelyexcitingopportunitytomeetfellowfilmmakersbothourageandintheindustry.Itwasalsoimmenselyencouragingtobeacclaimedwithalltheotherverytalentedpeoplewhowereshortlistedaswell.April25th,2018WhatIcanpinpointintermsofhowmytechnicalabilityhasdevelopedismyattitudetoandappreciationoflighting.Throughmakingfilmsthisyear(undertakingtheresponsibilityoflightingmyselfandobservingsomeoneelsewhiletheymanagelighting)Ihavelearntnotonlyhowtoconstructalightingsetup,butalsohowtouseittoconveymuchmoreinascene.I’mveryeagertodevelopmyknowledgefurtherasIgointonextyearandembarkonmoreprojects.Iwouldliketoberesponsibleforlightingmoreoften,asI’vereallyenjoyedbeingcreativewiththisaspectoftheproductionprocess,butalsoIwouldliketopracticeandexperimentasmuchaspossible.Mypassionforwritinghasonlygrownthisyear,afterseeingfilmslikeThreeBillboardsOutsideEbbing,MissouriandGoodTime.I’vealsobeenreadingbookssuchasIntotheWoods,byJohnYorke,andStory,byRobertMcKee,whichhavebeeneye-openinginsightsintonarrativetheory,structure,characters,andwhatwritingforfilmcanbe.Thelimitationsofwhatispossiblethroughwritinghavebeenstretchedforme,IreallyfeellikeI’mdevelopingmystyleandIcan’twaittoreallypushmyselftoseewhatIcanproduce.I’vebeenprovokedtotakethepeoplewhoinspireme,whichnewtomethisyearhavebeenCharlieKaufman,TaikaWatitiandAlexGarland,andfindoutwhoinspiresthem.Thiskindofresearchtakesyourightbacktothegrassroutesofcinematictechniquesandevencinemaitself.Asaresult,I’velearntalotthisyearaboutpractitionersIprobablywouldn’thaveotherwisehaveknownmuchaboutbuthavebeenveryinspiring,suchasplaywrightsArthurMillerandHaroldPinter.I’vefoundthisyearthatI’vebeengreatlyencouragedandsupportedbymypeers,whoareallimprovinggreatlyanddevelopingtheirownstyles.Iincreasinglyfindmyselflearningfromthem;fromtheresearchandpracticingtheyhavebeendoingoutsideofuniversity.AlthoughIthinkIalsohavebecomereasonablyequippedtoworkonaprojectinavarietyofroles.Iamhappywithhowmywritinghasdevelopedthisyearin

particular,howeverI’vealsohadalotofexperiencewithcinematographyandsoundrecordinganddesign.SoundinparticularisanareathatIhaveonlyreallyhadbasicexperiencewithbefore.ThisyearIwasinchargeofsoundonAPPY,whichbecauseitturnedouttobesuchhighquality,reallypushedmetolearnfastandworkataveryhighlevel.MygoalsfornextyeararetomakemoreofanefforttoseemoreQ&A’s,talksandextracurricularprofessionalexperiencesinordertodevelopmyunderstandingofthelevelofworkwithintheindustry.Iwouldlikethistoincludenotonlyincludefilmmakers,becauseasI’velearntfromresearchingplaywrightsandotherartists,moreabstractorlessseeminglyrelevantpractitionerscanalsohelpinfluenceyourworkinwaysyouwouldn’tpredict.