Reflection on Final Content

Are there any areas of the presentation you would like to give any more detail on?

One area that we would like to give more detail on is the additional characters that will feature in the short film. During the pitch we only said who they will be and briefly explained their role in the film in terms of what scenes they would feature in. However the main point that may have got overlooked, is not the action that occurs in the scene with these additional characters but rather the emotion that surrounds our main character when he interacts with these people. Ultimately, as the film is about himself, we are more intrigued about what he feels towards these other characters, because it is more about, the trust element that he will struggle with because he is so self-conscious. These additional characters are in place so that we can illustrate whether he chooses to reject the people around him or whether he will accept someone in to his life and risk being vulnerable to them. Furthermore, another point that we wanted to expand upon is the specific locations that we will use for the film. During the pitch we said that we would film in Brighton but we did not say any specific locations which would perhaps have given the audience a better picture. We ideally want to film the date scene during mid-night on an empty road, in which the scene itself is the ending of the date, this would allow us to again relate back to this idea of our main character deciding whether to allow this additional character into his life or not. Moreover we want to use the pier and the beach more, because that is one of the more iconic parts of Brighton which we want to use to our advantage. Lastly, we wanted to expand upon the nonlinear structure that we would be using, because whilst we said about putting our main character in certain situations, we will also be referring back to the desk area after every scene. We want to come back to the desk area, to continue to show the audience the struggles that he goes through. It would further provide the film with more of a structure, which would be how we start with a desk scene, move into a situation and come back to the desk.

What did your audience identify as the strengths of you short film idea?

One key strength that the audience identified was the tone that we wanted to create within our short film (1:00). We was able to explicitly illustrate what the tone of the film would be like, this is something that we spent a considerable mount of time on before the pitch, because we knew it is an important element to a short film. Especially the type of film we want to create, in terms of the drama genre, atmosphere ill play a big part in the engagement for the audience, and we was pleased to hear that our audience also identified this as being a strength of our short film. Moreover the audience identified the engagement aspect of the short film as being a strength for our short film (2:20). Through discussions it could be found that perhaps the opening would be the most engaging part for the audience as they would be left with numerous questions that would ultimately hook them and keep them watching to find out what had happened and what was happening to the main character. Lastly, within the Q&A it was found that a strength of the short film will be the interaction that the main character has with the other additional characters (4:20). The discussion unveiled the concept that the additional characters are placed on an emotional level, it is not about the action of the scene, but rather the ending of each scene and the emotion that either is expressed by our main character or how he feels about the action that has just happened. This would therefore be a defining feature in the short film which is who our main character will choose to reject or accept.

What did your audience identify as areas for improvement?

The audience found though an area for improvement for our short film is the portrayal of dyslexia for the main character, because it is a socially sensitive issue, we as filmmakers would need to be careful about how we illustrate the issue as well as trying to be more explicit too (2:50 & 9:50). This is something that we do need to carefully think about, because whilst we need to show our audience what the disability actually is we cant leave the audience thinking we are giving it a bad representation. We do not want to compound the social problems that already occur in society but equally we want our main character to be in a deep whole so when the hope comes at the ending the audience are left appreciative. Another improvement that the audience did arise is the structure of the short film and the plot line (5:51). They had highlighted how we need to have a stronger structure in place if we would be using non-linear sequencing for the short film. This is something that we need to think about more carefully because we don't want the audience to be confused about whats happening which would disengage them, thus not wanting to watch the film. The last improvement that the audience suggested would be to have some resolve at the end of the short film (8:30). We initially had said in the pitch that we would leave the film on a cliffhanger, which the audience suggested may not be the best way to end the short film. By giving the main character some hope at the end of the film would make for a more satisfied audience which in turn would allow the reception for the short film a lot better.

What changes will you make to your short film concept based on the feedback you received?

The first change that we will make is to add the voice-over element to the short film, which would firstly add to the tone and atmosphere that we wish to create, but secondly make for a more compelling structure to the film. The Voice-over will be the letter that he is writing to his parents, whilst throughout the film the audience will not know that this is the case in the final scene we will unveil this by the words he writes syncing up with what the voice-over is saying. We feel that this will enhance the emotional attachment that the audience will have with the main character. Furthermore, we will change the ending of the short film, we will now end it by our main character writing the letter back to his parents and finish the film with himself posting the letter. We feel that this gives the main character hope, that he can move past this barrier, which is something that perhaps the audience, by the end of the film, will be wanting for the main character. The last change that we will make for the short film would be the bokeh effect, in which this will be used throughout the situation scenes in the background. Our idea is that only the audience will be able to see the effect, where the main character struggles for words, they will come through during the bokeh effect.