FMP Pre - Production
- May 11, 2017
- 5 min read
Rationale
From the moment I started this course till now, my skills and understanding have developed much deeper than I thought they would. I have a firm understanding on how to use a camera unassisted, which wasn’t the case when I first started the course. I now think critically and carefully whenever I look through a viewfinder because I understand the importance of framing and that what happens to be in the frame is what the audience will see.
I have looked at different styles of cinema such as French New Wave, which was interesting to delve into as it was so cinematically different due to its long tracking shot, unprofessional acting, long scenes and dramatic jump cuts but I appreciated learning about it because of its subjective realism. I also had the opportunity to use 16mm film on the Steenbeck, this gave me a fundamental foundation to understanding traditional editing techniques as opposed to using contemporary editing software such as Final Cut Pro, and Adobe Premiere which I’ve excelled in using. I am now confidently able to use Adobe Premiere – mastering how to color correct which was a a problem I faced before as well as Adobe Bridge and Adobe Audition to edit auditory software. Before college I didn’t have any previous experience using Adobe After Effects but I am now able to create 3D Titles with motion. I have used reflectors and understand three-point lighting to enhance my subject and I believe that good quality sound is essential when syncing together audio.
Before I started this course I was focused only on the production aspect and not the pre production which I feel has strengthened during the course because I now value the importance of writing a shot list, story board, risk assessment and a soundtrack for each piece of production I intend on doing because not only is it the professional thing to do but it makes shooting much easier as you know what you need to do clearly.
Concept
The concept of my project is going to be about the hidden culture in weaves/wigs and how the trick is to make the hair look as if it is your own. I anticipate on creating a documentary, which goes deeper than hair but more about the perception of beauty. I am going to visit an exhibition about Hair by Sam Mcknight to give me an insight on of the most famous hairdressers in the world and his take on hair. The aim of my project is to inform people about the hidden culture that goes on around us but doesn’t affect many people. I am going to start my primary research by collecting vox pops whilst wearing an outrageous wig to find out what my audience know already and what they would like to find out. The resources I am going to need for my will be a Tascam. Although I am making an informative piece I would like my documentary to be visually pleasing as well as boring, in my documentary I will be incorporating different mediums such as interviews, stop motion and video installation. As I have an array of different wigs I will be trying different ones on for my opening sequence for “Hidden Culture”. I will watch Chris Rock’s documentary about Hair as secondary research to give me an idea on how he executed the similar topic although he travelled the lengths and breaths of different countries he still brought the culture to light. I will conduct a focus group asking people in my class what they think of my hair.
Evaluation
As a person who struggles with being organized I intend on recording my decision making through my blog where I will upload the journey of my documentary “Hidden Culture”. I intend on being organized, as this is my last final project so I would love for it to be my best work yet. I will be documenting my work frequently. As some of my friends are in their final stages of FMP work I will be acting in a few short films but because I have created a shooting schedule I have carefully planned when I will be able to film my own FMP so it doesn’t disrupt my own progression. Although I am not using any actors (purely because of unreliability) I will need to insure the interviews I do film need to be truthful and accurate.
I created this moodboard to show the creativity and versatility that is within the hidden culture of hair. I included different hairstyles from natural hair, to wigs, to bobs, to braids and even pixie cuts. I included celebrity Nicki Minaj because she is known for her notable blonde locks.
I also included creme's and serums Black women use for their natural hair as well as including the logo of Ali Express a wholesale company online which has found an increase in revenue doe the sales and distribution of virgin hair.
I decided to go to the Saatchi Gallery to get some inspiration on how I want my audience to view my work. I came across a video installation piece which was split over 4 screens therefore making it more visually impacting on the viewer. Upon visiting the Saatchi Gallery I found a vast majority of the artwork on display was through a screen including photoshop styled paintings and abstract art videos installations. This made me think about how audiences perceive media through different outlets, whether it's through a canvas , screen or a projection.
As part of my primary research I decided to break down the subject of my documentary via a visual representation of connections between concepts and ideas to help me develop my idea further and include more things into my documentary. Having completed the mindmap it has given me more concepts to include inside my documentary, I can include topics such as culture appropriation/culture appreciation.
Visit To Somerset House - "Hair" by Sam Mcknight
Good Hair - a documentary exploring how and why black women go through extreme lengths whether its financial or physical to get what they call good hair. I enjoyed watching this documentary because i felt it covered every area it needed; from relaxers to weaves to finding out when the trends of using human hair instead of your own natural hair became popular. He asked the opinions of men and asked them what they thought of the idea of women not being natural. Chris Rock even went as far as travelling to India to speak to the managers that are involved in the collecting , producing and distribution of human hair across the world. I would like my documentary to be as informative and interesting as this.
In October Solange Knowles made headlines with her brand new album "A Seat at the Table". Featuring on the album is her debut single "Dont Touch My Hair" This song has given me magnitudes of inspiration purely because of the lyrics :
'Don't touch my hair
When it's the feelings I wear'
'Don't touch my crown'
'You know this hair is my shit
Rolled the rod, I gave it time
But this here is mine
From the lyrics - visually I would like to create a scene in my documentary with a woman wearing a crown on her head - glowing.
From 2012 till now there has been a positive incline in the amount of women starting to embrace their natural hair and are ditching the weaves,wigs, and relaxers.
Although it has taken a long time for self acceptance and confidence more and more people are feeling comfortable.
Typically in the media, rarely women are seen with their natural hair purely because its seen as 'unmanageable'
'unkept'
and 'untamed' and so therefore are inclined to be wearing weaves and wigs and not embracing their natural beauty.
I conducted a focus group where i asked a pair of girls and a pair of boys several questions.
From my focus group i came to the conclusion that i have to redefine my target audience to women, because from interviewing the 2 boys and my vox pops boys just aren't interested in learning or knowing about hair unlike women.
POSTER ANALYSIS
Shot List + Storyboard
Location Report
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