Journal Entry One
Fauve:
For me, one particular plot element that worked for me was the scene where nothing happened. After Benjamin sinks into the sand, Tyler is left wandering across the quarry, aimless and alone. The film cuts between angles and shots of cracks in the sand, using match cuts to line up big cracks and crevices shot from afar with tiny ravines in the sand filmed up close, creating a discombobulating effect where the audience is never sure what they’re looking at until Tyler steps into frame. It is interesting, however, that Tyler is the one to make sense of it all, when he himself is so utterly lost on what to do, unable to tear himself out of the tirade of thoughts and emotions spinning around his mind.
This empty space in the story embodies Tyler’s complete upheaval, the shock he’s gone into at the thought of losing his best friend – and the crushing knowledge that it was entirely his fault.
Tyler is shown to be so deep in the whirlpool of his own thoughts, the woman in the car is not able to even get his partial attention for a good solid while, and when she does, Tyler is morose and uncooperative – not quite the lack of will to live, but the unwillingness to do anything to help his own cause. After all, why does he deserve help, after he failed to help Benjamin?
This long, drawn-out moment in the film is what makes it so effective. Leaving the time for the audience to truly grasp what had just happened, the film then drills into the audience the cold hard facts about the situation – such as Tyler’s age, position in life, and the likely way this will affect him forever – even as Tyler cannot separate fact from what-if.
Journal Entry Two
Sevilla:
In Sevilla, we see the three protagonists embarking on a joyous road trip to the titular city. At the same time, we see two of those protagonists, much changed, making the journey without the third at a later time. Over the course of the film, the audience learns the fate of the 3rd, and watches the remaining 2 struggle with the memory as they revisit the site of his death a year later.
The film follows the theme of ‘too good to be true’, as the original road trip was nothing but rainbows and roses from the get go. This, coupled with the sombre, starkly different personalities of the 2nd trip, filled the audience with dread from the very beginning, a sense of foreboding that something bad was bound to happen. There was no conflict, only the sudden and unexpected arrival of the boat that killed the 3rd.
We learn, very early on in the film, the dynamic between the trio – we see that whilst two of them are clearly dating, it never felt like the other one was third wheeling in the slightest. In fact, it almost seemed like all three were in love with each other, and not just as friends (despite the relationship between the two being portrayed as monogamous). The audience is shown that despite all three sharing activities that may start to brew resentment in a regular relationship, they’re all perfectly happy – even more so for the presence of the 3rd – which is conveyed through the dialogue and blocking. This screenwriting perfectly juxtaposes the actions of the friends before and after the tragedy, painting a picture of long-lasting pain, sadness and regret – not at the other friend, but at the world around them and the things they have no control over.
Journal Entry Three
The Sound of Love, Scene 1 – Hubert’s Apartment:
In the very beginning of the script, the audience is introduced to Hubert’s apartment, and indeed Hubert himself. We make our way past the little humanised gadgets fighting a loosing battle against the chaos of dishes and clothes, and find Hubert tinkering over more steampunk-esq gadgets. Comfortable in the darkness of his home, save the solitary glow of the desk lamp, Hubert checks the time and realises something, motivating him to let the glaring light in through the curtains. Its Sally, who he opens the gate for, before quickly banishing the daylight from his cave once more. Then the lonely lamp shuts off, prompting Hubert to venture off to fix this new problem.
This is arguably the most important scene of the whole screenplay. It sets the scene, perfectly describing Hubert’s character, telling the audience exactly what Hubert likes, dislikes, and finds uncomfortable. It also shows us a brilliant metaphor for letting someone of the opposite nature in, with the blind and sunlight, and plants the seed of possible romantic interest in the way he handles their interaction. All of this was well shown through only a few lines of direction, a perfect example of ‘show don’t tell’, as was the setup of the ‘problem’ in the story arc, providing a motivation for action to occur.
Journal Entry Four
Jerrycan:
As HOD for Sound on A Dark Room, I particularly noticed the sharp cuts from music in the middle of the songs. Twice throughout the film, there is upbeat, non-diegetic music tracks playing while the protagonist rides his bike through the streets.
The first time, the decision is less jarring, as the music cuts from non-diegetic to diegetic when the kids enter the store, going from loud to soft and somewhat muffled, right in the middle of a musical phrase.
The second time, its far more obvious. Shutting off all music, from loud and upbeat while bike riding, to silence apart from the dialogue and wind noises, once again right in the middle of a word in a random spot in a musical phrase.
The sound designer’s decision to do this not once, but twice, shows the emphasis placed on the bike being a source of freedom for the kids, where everything is fine and everyone is friends whilst on the road. This comes back into play at the end of the films, where the music accompanying the ride is far more melancholy, and doesn’t end with the riding. This pushes the message that being uncaring kids only lasts so long, and potentially implies that the protagonist has crossed the threshold of ‘kid who doesn’t know any better’ to ‘young adult who is blamed for his actions’, however the film doesn’t show what actions these will be – instead letting the audience decide for themselves.
The jarring cuts also create a sense of ‘nothing is certain’, an outlook which these kids have growing up in this situation. They can’t even rely on the safety of their vehicles, as it could be taken from them at any time. The music reflects this fact, and shows that the kids – subconsciously or otherwise – understand and are used to the ever adapting, every-man-for-themselves method of living that they must choose.
Journal Entry Five
The project I’m working on – The Dark Room – is a story about legacy and finding meaning in life. At its core, it askes the audience “What will people remember you by?”, and questions the significance of life, the meaning we attach to it, and the legacy we leave behind.
The story revolves around Mark, who’s dead. He wakes up in a dark room, surrounded by nothing but analogue equipment and VHS tapes, the first of which tells him this unsettling fact. As the film progresses, Mark watches through all of the media and reads all the photo albums contained in the room – all the physical media taken of Mark when he was alive. As he nears the end of the pile, he begins to panic, unable to bear the possibility that this is it – the only lasting impressions of him – and watches as the tapes begin to deteriorate in front of his eyes. Playing the last tape, Mark watches his death unfold, triggering a similar experience for afterlife-Mark, and as the audience watch, he wakes up again, exactly the same as the start of the film – remembering nothing. With trepidation, Mark once again plays the tape telling him he’s dead.
My HOD role of Sound will play a crucial part of this story, ensuring the subconscious tension of the oppressively small room is conveyed to the audience, as well as ensuring the VHS tape decay is noticeable, with the sounds haunting and instilling dread into the audience. Most of all, the use of silence in a creative and precise manner will make the most impact on the film. As the film attempts to portray Mark’s utter loneliness, the silence, juxtaposed with the realistic and warped prop foley and carful use of dramatic music, will be heavy and obvious – weighing on the audience as much as it does Mark.