Script

As previously discussed we are having no diegetic sound but will be using a narration voice over as it conforms to the conventions of a film noir crime. We have been writing the script using famous film noir scripts as inspiration. We have the general ideas down its just putting everything in order which has proved difficult as it will need to match up to the film footage. The timing may be an issue but we have tried to write it in sections so each section could be moved around individually. We have also chosen our friend Joe Johnston to be the voice as he is much better at an american accent than us. We decided to use an american accent as it will conform to the conventions of the hard boiled american crime stories.

First shoot

We've had our first attempt at shooting our footage. Some shots where difficult as the tripod we used was too rigid and didn't allow for smooth panning shots so we had to shoot these free hand. Unfortunately they weren't particularly steady so we will have to re-shoot these. Our biggest problem however was the lighting. When considering the mise-en-scene we chose to have quite minimal lighting to create a low key effect. However in doing this we did not put enough consideration into how the camera will respond to this. There was too much contrast in the lighting and the exposure varied dramatically and in a lot of the shots the character is undesirably silhouetted.

Whilst there are a few issues with our current footage, it shouldnt be too difficult to get back on track as we have a setting already set up, our actors are cast and we liked the camera angles we achieved last time, there was just a problem with the lighting. As there is no diegetic sound its quite an easy sequence to film as actors dont have to memorise lines nor do the shots we take have to go in a specific order, that is a decision we can make in the editing stage.

Potential sound tracks

Here are a few examples of the results we received when finding potential music. We searched in relation to the time era to ensure the music is authentic. It was very difficult however to find something appropriate which matched the mysterious and slightly creepy atmosphere we are trying to create when presenting a murder. However some of these songs may create an interesting contrast when juxtaposed with the murder scene. Once we have our footage roughly edited we could try out some tracks.

Casting

We only need two actors for our film opening so it was quite easy to cast. Firstly we chose our friend marcus to be the detective as he fits the typical dark haired character profile you would expect in a 1940's crime thriller. Secondly we chose Joe to play the part of 'dead body' because Joe knows how to keep still.

Props

The Key film noir era was between the early 1940's and the late 1950's. To incorporate this time into our film we used various props which reflect traditions of the time. One of which was this old fashioned black phone we managed to borrow.

We have a black trench coat for the detective to wear in true crime detective style.

Filming Location

We have found a room which should be sufficient for us to set our film in. It consists of a small lounge and a kitchen. Here is a rough plan of how we intend on arranging the furniture and our dead body. We need suffiecient room for our detective to be able to move around but the room has to look realistic and lived in.

Opening synopses

We decided to do a noir thriller, based on 40s film noir but set in present time; it follows a private detective who is employed by a woman to find her husbands murderer. Eventually, it turns out it was her all along, hiring someone else to contract the murderer so that she can distance herself from the crime. In the opening of the film the private detective is called to the scene of the crime, where he looks around the apartment for a clue. As he arrives at the apartment, he throws his cigarette and pushes the unlocked door open and steps into a messy room. Police tape and a white body outline indicated where the murder had taken place. He sits in the victim’s sofa and eyes up the two glasses on the table, next to the bourbon. He sparks up another cigarette and pokes a crack in the blinds looking outside. He draws back to the kitchen as the phone rings. He picks it up and answers but after a brief crackle and heavy breathing, it cuts off. He walks over to the table again and puts his cigarette out in the glass. The title appears as he leaves the apartment.


The story is told using narrative device by the protagonist, as is conventional of film noirs. Alec and I are currently writing the script for the narrative, which shouldn’t take too long. We will also film/edit it in black and white, to further connote the 1940s noir feeling. I has been working on the storyboard for the film, which we will upload soon. Once this is finished we’ll have an idea of what we need for filming, in terms of location and props.