Acting For Camera

In The Canvas Chair

The Main Careers

The Producer:

Without the Producer there would be no Directors, Cast or Crew. The Producer is the head of the entire project and is responsible for all other hires. They have creative freedom over the entire project and will most likely produce the initial storyboard and concepts. They are also responsible for raising the funds for the project through either the bank or convincing investors to help fund their ideas, of course with a return on investment. If they get the required funding then in the first instance they will hire writers to produce them a script based on the storyboard and concepts for the film they are hoping to produce, if the script isn't up to their expectations they can work with the existing writer to change or even hire others to try to write their concept correctly. A good example of this is the film 'Five Nights At Freddys', one of the Producers 'Scott Cawthon' went through nine whole scripts before deciding the correct one. Watch the first 10 minutes HERE! This was because his creative vision was to make the film lore-accurate to his previous franchise. Producers MUST be outstanding communicators, this is a Producers bread and butter when it comes to film-making, they need to communicate their film visions with the writers, investors to get the right funding and also marketing to generate the buzz required to gain public interest. Once they get the envisioned script they hire Directors that they believe would be a perfect fit for emulating their creative vision into a movie. They will oversee ALL big decisions to make sure they are making the correct choices, within deadline and budget.

The Director:

The Director's role in the film-making process is to turn a vision into reality, without them there wouldn't be a film, just a script. Directors are masters of Interpretation and Creativity, they are given practically any script and interpret it to make the visions of the project for a film within the set deadline, they are brilliant communicators having to interact with almost every role to make sure they are working at their full potential. During filming, Directors will do what their name implies, they will Direct both the film crew and actors and tell them where and when to move, this is also referred to as Blocking. With a lot of films that release, you'll notice they will have two separate versions, the normal copy which was usually set for Theatrical Release and there is also usually a Directors Cut that releases not long after. The Directors Cut is the same film but with scenes that were scrapped in post production (These Scenes will usually get cut for lack of relevancy to the film in general), a good example of a cut scene due to relevancy is in the film Spider-Man: No Way Home, which released in 2021. There is a scene where all the three Spider-Men get a chance to talk about their individual experiences as being their own Spider-Man, in the Theatrical Release the scenes mainly involves them chatting about past villains they have faced, this is used as a way to catch the audience up if they haven't watched the previous films, in the Directors Cut however, this scene goes on for an extra minute or two where they are just generally chatting as themselves through their character. While this was good fan service, this wasn't relevant for the plot so they cut it out of the Theatrical Release. Click HERE for the Original Theatrical Release. Click HERE for the Directors Cut version. In my projects I hope to reflect a similar mindset in the way I direct it. If you click HERE! you can watch some of my directing for my own project!

The Assistant Director:

When people refer to 'The Assistant Director' There are more than one Assistant Directors that help in the filmmaking process. All of these having their own individual roles on set and not.

First Assistant Director:

The role that always gets associated with being the main Assistant Director is 'The First Assistant'. The First Assistant are there on set with the Director assuring a smooth filming day, which they have arranged. They are the main lead when it comes to making a clear and efficient schedule for the actors and crew to follow. They are also in charge of assessing possible filming locations and assuring whether they are appropriate and safe for the filming process in general.

Second Assistant Director:

The Second Assistant Directors are in charge of pre-planning which Actors are required for the day at hand, this means they get the necessary Actors required for the shoot they need. This helps so you don't have Actors that aren't required for that day which could, in-turn cause clutter and an unhappy work ethic, along these lines, they schedule the location where the cast and crew go for a day of filming, they also arrange the appropriate transport of equipment (including the Camera's and Wardrobe), without them there would be no planned transport, no actors and no shoot.

Third Assistant Director:

The Third Assistant Directors are mainly in charge of Crowd Control and Extra's in public locations of filming. This is so the other Directors can be assured of a peaceful shoot while filming in the day

The Casting Director:

Without the Casting Director I can guarantee your favourite films wouldn't have been a cannon into fame for some actors, a Casting Directors job is to find new talent, they do this by working closely with theatres and Universities to find what they believe could be the next big star. In films the Casting Director will meet with the Producer and Director in which they will be given a description for the characters, they will use their newly aquired information to find the perfect Actor for the job. If the project is a remake of an older film, they will also watch and read media that's related to their current project. This is to help them envision who they believe is the correct choice. The Casting Directors also need to assure that the Actors they are hiring have a proper understanding of the industry they are getting into, by giving them scene's to read with different emotions or different scenarios in general.

The Camera Operators:

The Camera Operators job is to record the scenes that are being filmed. Without them and their knowledge in film angles and lighting, a lot of film angles help portray the emotion of a scene. Alot of films specific camera angles surprisingly help with the emotional impact as well. They can chose wether the camera pans on the actors faces to show their emotion.

The Effect of Camera Angles:

When it comes to cinematogrophy, Camera angles add alot more to a film than you might think. Its a technique that when used effectively, can grab and immediately focus an audiences attention on what the Directors are trying to portray. This is done by 'Framing'. Framing is where you decide exactly what is in the frame of the camera. This can be a range of things from the Actor to a tiny prop in the background.

Extreme Long/Wide Shots:

An Extreme Long or Wide Shot is used in film to show the scale of the world around the Actors. These angles are used quite commonly when characters are Traversing through a big and either derelict or empty open area. A commonly used set piece is a desert, this is because deserts don't usually have water or plant life, Showing how alone they are in such a vast area. The two examples I have found are from the films 'Lawrence of Arabia' and 'The Martian', these are both representing similar scenarios but in different genres and time periods

This Extreme Wide shot is from the film 'Lawrence of Arabia' this film is a classic and will be remembered as a staple in the industry for many years to come. I chose this scene because this is a perfect example of the Extreme Long Shot. In this you can see the characters riding Camels, Not communicating. Just traversing the desert's many different environments. This scene wouldn't have worked with any other camera angle because it brilliantly captures how alone they are in such a huge environment.

This Extreme Wide shot is from the film 'The Martian' as the name implies the main character is stuck on the desolate planet of Mars. similarily to 'Lawrence of Arabia' these camera angles are ideal to show the vast landscape and how separated you are from the rest of humankind. It gravitates the fear also knowing that the main character is the only living creature on Mars. Millions of miles away from home. This angle works phenomenally with the situation the character is stuck in.

Long/Wide Shot:

Usually in film, alot of people can't necessarily see the difference between Extreme and normal Long shots, which is an understandable situation. The main focus of Long shots aren't necessarily to show you the surrounding world in a large scale. Alot of film-makers choose to implement these in scenes that show possible concerns for the character. I know it sounds strange but sometimes the further away the long shot is usually tries to implement the larger the situation. It's a good technique that not many people pick up on when it comes to it. But when it is used effectively it portrays such a good scene. I found two examples of Long shots. Both trying to portray what their current situation is.

Avengers Infinity War was one of the most highly anticipated movies of the 21st century. With over a whole decade's worth of movies building up to it. When this film released, people were not dissapointed. In this scene the characters are in Wakanda. Home of the Black Panther. They are trying to keep the Space Titan Thanos away from the infinity stones, this is because he wants to destroy half the universe. He sends an army to retrieve the stone to fulfill his wish. Long shots are used in this when panning over Wakanda. It shows how the aliens are trying to break through the defences while the hero's are all standing strong. I believe this is to represent the different types of threat both teams show. the aliens are more savage, meaning they could be more violent. While the hero's are stood watching, meaning they are smarter.

Back to the Future is my favourite film trilogy of all time, like many others. This scene is a staple to me. As it shows the main character Marty McFly, wandering around his home town in the 1950's. In this scene we can see long shots are used to show off the town square. Where you can see Marty who sticks out due to his 1980's style, alongside an environment that is unfamiliar to him. The long shot here shows to me that Marty is confused as the world he has entered. He is in awe and also trying to grasp that the town he grew up in feels almost alien to him. You can see members of the public staring at him also. Not seeing his as a threat, but more seeing him almost like an alien. To me this scene brilliantly encapsulates the problem Marty is in and builds the time period he has gotten himself into perfectly.

Middle Shot:

Middle Shots in film-making is usually the most used angle for beginner film-makers. It is probably the most commonly used Angle in cinema as it is a perfect way to show off characters emotions and also the scene around them. Its a good technique when you want an even level. These are mostly used in scenes where Actors have to react to their surroundings. Mid shots can be used for any type of emotion also. Even if the premise sounds repetitive, there is no real limit to how many different types of shots come out of Mid shots. I have two different examples of middle shots. One is a snippet from my very own film project!

Groundhog Day is known as an American Cult Classic. This is due to its originality blended in with its fantastic Acting. The premise is local weatherman, Phil Connors, Is stuck repeating the same day (Groundhog Day) Which he hates, over and over again. The scene I've put in is his reaction to the first loop he experiences. Thanks to the middle shot you can see clearly his concern, panic and fear to reliving the same day again. While also having the background of the scene showing people's repeated routine. Alongside reactions to Phil's erratic movement, which to the other people in scene is just their normal day to day.

In this little scene from my project. It shows the character Liby in middle shot interrogating one of the characters called Commander Watson. While I've only put in the one line, I wanted to show both the rage and pain that Liby feels. For context Liby is a cartoon character come to life, this happens due to all of her friends being binned and deleted over and over again. Causing her to snap and break free. While filming it was decided to have the shot be a middle shot but also from Commander Watsons perspective. We also wanted to use height as a way to show who is in control of the current scenario.

Close-Up & Extreme Close-Up:

Close-Ups and Extreme Close-Ups are angles used to mainly show the characters emotions and nothing else. It is a classic technique used in film-making when done correctly leads to some of films most memorable scenes. This is because all the audience can focus on is the Actor and nothing else. In my opinion these are some of the best scenes also, it allows the Actors to fully show their talents to the best of their ability in a close up range. In the below examples I have a shot from my own personal project and an example of an Extreme Close-Up shot, Arguably films most famous one.

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly is undoubtably one of the most recognisable films in history. From its sound design to memorable scenes and phenomenal acting. This scene shows an Extreme Close-Up of Clint Eastwoods character with no name. In the middle of a Three-Way Standoff. While there are no words spoken, The camera angle perfectly represents what is happening. It shows the three characters focusing in the shoot-out, You can see a wide range of emotions such as Confidence and Fear. The sound design on top of this makes this scene really pop. The Score add suspense to the angles making this a perfect mashup of different aspects of film.

In this little scene from my project. It shows the character Commander Watson being threatened by the antagonist Liby, In this snippet the Actor HollyAnn perfectly shows the emotion of concern due to reaction of Liby's comment. While it is a short shot HollyAnn gets the job done perfectly.

Over the Shoulder:

Over the shoulder shots are usually done as a way to have a more cinematic eyeline with another character, This is used for mainly showing the relationships between two characters. This can be any kind of relationship also, Ranging from lovers to enemies. This is a very good technique used in more grounded films. What I mean by that is I find these angles are used in more slower scenes, usually where characters either exchange their backstories or have an important decision to make that affects the plot of the film. Below are two contrasting examples of the Over the Shoulder shots.

This scene is from a very well known film called 'The Wolf of Wall Street' This scene shows the characters getting to know each other over dinner. The over the shoulder shots are the most effective angles that could've been used here and it shows. If it was a middle shot I feel like the characters wouldn't feel as close and connected as they are here. I believe the Acting here is phenomenal, especially in their eyes. This scene I find the eyes also do alot of talking. The contact shows connection and interest in the other person which you couldn't have gotten from a middle shot

In this little scene from my project. It shows an Over the Shoulder shot of the character Liby standing over HollyAnn's character Commander Watson. We've chosen to have HollyAnn's character sitting purely to show in this scene who is the ringleader and who is the puppet. I think this was chosen well as it shows both the power and dominance of the character Liby.

Birds-Eye:

A Birds Eye View is known for its high location above either the Actor or the Set. The reason this is called the 'Birds Eye View' is mainly because it is supposed to represent a bird in flight observing the surrounding area. This camera angle is used usually to show the scale of the Actor in comparison to the set they are about to enter. This is a very effective method in film acting. Even though most of the time barely any words are spoken, There is visible concern and possible threat on the screen. I found two different examples of the Birds-Eye view in film, One showing a character's scale in comparison to another. The other one is the characters scale in comparison to a set piece.

This is a scene from 'Five Nights At Freddys' the way they used the Birds-Eye view is to show the true scale of the possessed animatronics compared to the human characters. Alongside this the reason why I picked this specific shot is because of the deeper meaning this has also. In the film the animatronics are possessed by children, they meet a young girl called Abby who wants to build a fort with them so they can all play together. This shows that no matter how much bigger scale the robots are inside they are all still just children.

This is a scene from one of the most famous horror movies of all time, The Shining. In this scene you can see multiple birds-eye views as the Torrance family makes their way up to the 'Overlook Hotel' where they will be staying for the winter to keep an eye on it. The way the camera is used in this scene is phenomenal as it manages to capture how separated they are from the rest of the world and how far from safety they are in-case of any mishaps.

Errors:

You'd be surprised on how big of an overall difference this makes. One thing I notice about films, a lot of speculation and theories circulate due to certain camera angles and specific props in the background. While alot of the time this is intentional, there have been situations in films where it was a mistake. This alongside continuety errors, sometimes end up leading to completely wild speculations. Sometimes however these little errors can be a blessing. The speculation and questions circulate around the internet bringing in new fans who also find this interesting. One of the best examples of this is in 'Star Wars'. One theory speculates that the Storm-Troopers aren't properly trained for what they are assigned to do. This theory comes from one scene where a Storm Trooper hits his own head which you can watch HERE, Even though Star Wars was well recieved. Things like this also bring up more questions. Bringing more fans in.

Genres:

Action:

Action, is commonly given to a film that includes more intense scenes for the audience, as the director believes it is a fun and unique way of progressing the story. This can range from simple fist-fights to full-on massacre's. When making an Action film co-ordination is key, the Director will hire a Stunt Coordinator. The stunt coordinator is in charge of hiring Stunt Performers, a stunt performer is an actor who has been professionally trained in stunt-work, a lot of the time being utilised as background characters. However there are a few performers that will do the stunt's for a main or side character, this is due to a lot of actors not being trained in that specific area, the performer will mostly share a similar body-structure and face shape so they can pass as the character they represent working with the correct angles on top of this. they are referred to as Stunt Doubles.

Here is a very well known scene from the 1989 film 'Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade' with a unique take on an Action sequence.

Here is a photo of all the Spider-Men and their stunt doubles from 'Spider-Man: No Way Home'

Horror:

The 'Horror' genre is very divisive on its way of story-telling, some people love the adrenaline they get from watching these films, while some find it too much to handle and would much rather watch a film they can switch their minds off too. But for those who enjoy the genre, with this comes many sub-genres attached too it, two of the most popular sub-genres for horror are 'Slasher' and 'Psychological', both of these genres tackle different aspects of what scares an audience. Slasher films usually tell a story about a psychopath who ends up going on a rampage taking lives as he does it. It's very popular for different reasons, some people like the gore that comes with a slasher film, while others get enjoyment out the suspense that gets built up during the film. Psychological horrors however are renowned for being the scariest aspect of horror, due to its implementation of using mental states to frighten the audience. While a lot of psychological horror don't revolve around jump-scares, it scares audiences by showing them that certain life experiences can effect people for the worse, which makes them question certain things that they have also experienced, even though they most likely won't relate to the main character they might find them selves being unsettled by their actions.

Here is the trailer for one of the original slasher films that defined it's genre 'Friday the 13th'

Here is a scene from 'Doctor Sleep' showing the psychological effects caused by 'Danny Torrance' returning to the 'Overlook Hotel'

Western:

Westerns, are one of cinema's oldest genres starting in 1903 with The Great Train Robbery, the genre revolves around the mid to late 1800's, alongside some of the stereotypes that surrounded the century such as Gunslingers, Sheriffs and typical scenario's you'd expect them to be involved in. The appeal of these types of films come from cinematography and interpretations from the Directors alongside Historians alike. They portray the 'Wild West' to have wide-ranging and beautiful views, with a more simple and to some, ideal life in America (This is referred to as the American Dream). Some directors however try to make a more unique interpretation of the wild west, integrating other genres alongside this, most commonly being Sci-Fi.

Here is a scene from 'Back to the Future Part III' showing a good example of how characters react to a western setting due to merged genres

Here is a scene from 'Django Unchained' representing how the film industry percieves 1800's America

Comedy:

Comedy is a type of film that uses humour as a way to advance through the plot, this can be utilised in many different ways, as there are different sub-genres of 'Comedy', the most used form of comedy in film is 'Alternative Comedy', while this admittedly covers a wide variety of humour, it stems from the concept of surrealism, they will have actors in a realistic environment but sometimes with strange circumstances alongside this, making it more unrealistic, which is why it makes people laugh. It answers questions that people would realistically never ask because of the strangeness of it. The risk with comedy you'll find is only appealing to a specific audience, people have different senses of humour making the film not necessarily appeal to a wide margin. While alternative comedy mostly appeals to an older audience, children on the other hand usually have a limited palate. Most children's films you'll find nowadays go by the basis of 'Potty Humour', where the jokes derive from bodily functions that children find funny.

National Lampoon's Vacation is an American cult classic, following Clark Griswold and his family driving across country to the theme park 'Wally World', while this is happening they come across many high jinks that slow them down.

Scooby-Doo is a live action hybrid of the franchise with the same name, it was used as a revival for the series which many teens remember fondly as a childhood film. While having some more adult jokes, its aimed at families and younger children, this scene is a perfect example of 'Potty Humour' as it shows two of the main characters 'Shaggy' and 'Scooby' having a farting competition.

Spoof's/Parodies:

A Spoof, also sometimes referred to as a Parody, is an interesting take on Comedy as it takes pre-existing material and exaggerates it in a shorter segments to promote the comedic aspect. While they are made for pure comedy, Spoof's can be based off of a variety of different genres, this can be anything from a simple Romantic Comedy to a Drama film, with parodies the opportunities are endless, they have a whole industries worth of film to pick from. Below are a few spoof's I've worked on with my uni peers:

Titanic

How I Portrayed the Character:

In this spoof I played the male lead character Jack Dawson, in the film Titanic Jack is portrayed as your stereotypical male love interest, He is naive due to love but overall very outgoing, optimistic and witty with his words. As this was a spoof I wanted to use his specific character traits and over exaggerate them, however the one I represented the most ended up being his optimism. I wanted to portray this version of Jack as someone who wants to keep optimistic no matter the circumstance he is in. This is a good gateway to comedy as this can be shown in many different ways.

What was Parodied:

The scene that was parodied was in the last act of the film where Jack and Rose were floating on a broken door in the freezing ocean after the Titanic sank. When we remade this scene we researched possible concepts we could use as the basis for the scene. We came across an online review board where people shared their confusion as to why Rose didn't move over so Jack could also climb on the door and survive, we saw this and chose to make a reference to it as our baseline, we also decided on using their social classes as another way to make humour, as Rose comes from a wealthy family while Jack was on the lower end of the social ladder.

Watch the Spoof here!

The Breakfast Club

How I Portrayed the Character:

In this spoof I played one of the main female leads called Allison Reynolds, she's your classic American goth, lonely and anti-social, alongside this in the film she also shows lack of interest to the situation she is in, this being detention. I ended up making a more over the top rendition of what a goth is, I did this by using the core stereotypes and over exaggerated them. Giving many different opportunities for a comedic and over the top performance.

What was Parodied:

The scene we chose to recreate is probably the most recognisable scene in the film which is also referred too as the Detention Dance, when we chose to remake this scene we wanted to find a way to make it unique and different enough to consider it a spoof, the concept that was brought up was to have it gender-swapped, we thought this was a good idea considering all the characters were their own male and female stereotyped characters.

Watch the Spoof here!

Mean Girls

How I Portrayed the Character:

In this spoof I played one of the main female characters Karen Smith, in the original film where she was introduced, she was portrayed as your stereotypical American 'Dumb Blonde', these characters are usually portrayed as Dim-Witted and Unaware of the situation around them. While this character might sound challenging to play if you get into the correct mindset its quite a simple character to play.

What was Parodied (Scene 1):

In the film Mean Girls, one of the most recognisable scenes takes place in the cafeteria where the Plastics invite new student Cady Heron to sit with them which eventually leads to them welcoming her to their clique, in this scene we chose to over exaggerate all of the current stereotypes that are portrayed in this scene, as we believe this could make for a comedic and unique take on the already famous scene.

What was Parodied (Scene 2):

In Mean Girls, we chose to recreate a scene thats not as well associated with the film as some others, but in this Parody we wanted to try a variety of different scenes with different techniques to try and show different forms of comedy, giving us a better and wider understanding on the whole, this also helps us learn to talk to characters that aren't currently there.

Techniques:

Characterisation:

When on set an Actor will most likely have times where they are on and off, this is the same in both camera and stage acting. Different actors adopt different techniques to maintain their characters, there are many different ways they do this, one of the most recognisable ones being Method Acting. Method acting is a fairly recent technique which came from America and is where the actor plays the character both on and off stage, while this is mostly implemented for actors in film, there are a few theatre actors who use this technique also. A lot of actors chose not to do this however, instead they'll find a solid balance between themselves and the character they portray. On top of this no matter what type of technique an actor will use they have many similar levels to portray their characters effectively, which are as follows:

Emotional:

Emotionally preparing for a character can be quite challenging if you've got no baseline, many actors chose The Stanislavski Technique, this is where you use past experiences as a way to fuel the emotion your portraying to the audience, as an example of this if an actor were to play an emotional scene in a movie, they would have to recall or create an image in their minds that make them feel the same way. A good example of this technique is shown in The Graham Norton Show, where actress Amy Adams describes her technique on crying on cue which you can watch HERE!.

Vocal:

A lot of actors, both on stage and screen, will end up recruiting a Vocal Coach, A vocal coach is someone who will guide the actors vocally for a character they have to portray, this is due to their selected character having a different accent or tone than their natural voice, sometimes this would be a major change while others could be quite minor but vital to interpreting the character in a correct way, this is a way for Actors to adapt to their characters, associating the specific voice with the role they are playing. HERE is a video of a vocal coach reacting and describing actors vocal performances in recent films

Facial:

When researching or getting info on a specific character to play, to have an effective performance you need to focus on all the small details as well as the more noticeable ones, especially in the face. Even though it may not sound like too much, its the smaller details alot of audience's will pick up on, this applies to screen more than stage. I say this because in films there is always a set angle for the scenes, so actors don't have to be concerned with certain audiences not seeing them as they will all see the same thing, Actors on stage need to be more exaggerative however, this involves both how they portray their emotions in character as well as reactions, this is because they will be seen from all angles so they will have to stay in character no matter what scenario.

Body Language:

Being able to physically act like a character isn't as easy as it looks, it takes a considerably long amount of practice which can range from casual characters to more over the top ones also. You'll notice in theatre that the actors will have more wide movements in comparison to films, this is due to visibility.

Professor Schmirnoff

The Character:

The main character of the story who I play shares the name of the project, Professor Schmirnoff. When I made the character of Schmirnoff I made him a mix of both the Doctor from Doctor Who, alongside my very own character called Yakov Schmirnoff, Schmirnoff is a fairly insecure character, which he covers up with optimism and a fairly outgoing persona. When making him I adapted some of my personal memories and made similar ones for him, which I changed however to match the origins of the character. Considering this I chose to use the Stanislavski Technique by using my own memories to help portray the character better. To help keep in the zone and focused on the scene I was filming, I would find the base emotion my character had and correlate it to a memory representing the same thing, for example nearer the end of the film Schmirnoff talks to a man named Chad about his past and why he chose to come to earth, in this conversation he mentions the loss of his people and his own family, for this scene I brought up a memory of the loss of one of my grandparents, this helped me keep a straight face during the filming process.

Watch the Film here!

Here are some other type's of film crew

Post Production (Visuals):

Editor

Colourist

Compositor

Post Production (Sound):

Sound Designer

Sound Editor

Music Supervisor

Stunts:

Stunt Co-Ordinator

Stunt Double

From Script to Screen:

Step 1: The Concept & Script

Almost every project, from painting to music all start with one major component, the idea. It all starts with a Producer who wants to put their imagination to screen. Without this aspect of film making, the rest becomes obsolete. From romance films to pure gore-fests, with todays technology almost anything is possible. While the producers make the foundations for their desired film they'll hire on a writer to build upon it. The writer will expand on the producers idea's and make a screenplay that will most of the time, include all of the producers requests and some tweaks alongside this to breathe life into it. Sometimes however, producers might not like the interpretation that a writer wrote up for them, so they can either ask them to re-write or tweak the script, or hire a completely new writer to try again. Restarting the cycle.

Here is the first page of script from my project 'Professor Schmirnoff'

Step 2: Story-Boards

When the Producer approves of a script for their upcoming film. They will hire up to two storyboard artists (Sometimes known as a Visualiser, To draw the envisioned shots with characters and intended sets in the background. This helps the Director get a comprehensive understanding of what to make film-wise and how to do it. Even though Story-Boards seem like a time-consuming method of understanding a film, it turns out that the artists when given the correct direction, including the level of detail, can usually sketch from 10 to 40 panels in a day, if done consistently a full film storyboard could be completed in under a month. Which, for film making is an impressive feat.

Here is some of the storyboard for the film 'Star-Wars: A New Hope' by Story-Board artist Joe Johnston

Step 3: Hiring Cast & Crew

Being given a job in the film industry is a notoriously difficult task. While some actors and crew have connections within the films production team, others have to rely on their own research and personal agents. Below is the process of both the Cast and Crew when it comes to finding a place on the film set.

Crew:

Getting a job as film crew, while difficult, also has alot of openings when it comes to the career path. One of these being internships, if their an aspiring member of film crew being able to work with experts in the field, opens alot of connections for them, in the film industry having just one good connection could single-handedly make their career. Another, more risky way to try get into the art of crewing is by producing and directing their own smaller projects. A good example of this is a fourteen year old named 'Preston Mutanga' who made LEGO versions of famous film trailers, specifically Marvel films. One trailer however caught the eye of Sony, that being a LEGO rendition of the 'Spider-Man, Across the Spider-Verse' trailer which you can watch HERE!, Sony were so impressed they asked Preston to make a new scene for a LEGO Spider-Man variant which you can watch HERE!, This wasn't expected considering Preston only did this for fun, but it shows if they've got a true passion in making projects, they'll have a big chance making it in the industry.

Cast:

Becoming Cast on a film project takes a lot of skill and patience on top of that. For an actor to get recognised by producers and agents they must stick out from the rest. There are many ways to do this, from filmed projects to even working in theatre waiting for someone to come and notice their spark that makes them stick out. Some people however, similar to some crew also use connections to get into the industry. There are many different ways for an actor to meet casting directors and so on. Some people choose to do this by getting roles as Extras in films, while others hope to meet them at events. Alongside this however, they need to assure they have a professional headshot and film-reel, to show that they are serious about the industry. Once an Actor has gotten an Audition, the process to get through this takes time, skill and hope that you match the requirements for the character you want to play. They'd normally be asked to perform two scenes, one monologue they have researched, alongside a piece of script from the project they are auditioning for. This is to show to the Casting Director their skills of adaptation and how they percieve the character. If they manage to hit the nail on the head with that character. They'll be offered the role.

Here is a short showing of behind the scenes of 2021's most anticipated movie 'Spider-Man No way Home'

Here is a video showing some iconic Actors in their auditions for Iconic film roles!

Step 4: Scenic Construction & Location

Once the Cast and Crew have been hired the next step is utilising their hired Scenic Carpenters to create what the Producers and Directors envision for their sets. This can range from anything like a small woodland cottage or a space ship a million miles away. Scenic Carpenters are masters of their craft and can build almost anything thats put in front of them. Without them we wouldn't be able to transport ourselves to the world in which they are trying to portray. While Alot of sets are built for a studio, some Directors however want a more natural setting, this is when they get their First Assistant Directors to scope out a place that is well suited for their projects. This can range from fields to mansions. A good example of a house being used for a set is in the 90's classic film 'Home Alone', The premise is about a ten year old named Kevin Mccallister, who was left home alone by mistake when his family went on holiday. While this is happening their are two criminals who try to rob his house which he must protect. The director Chris Columbus wanted a realistic setting for the film. So him and the crew went to Winnetka, Illinois to find the right house for them. Due to this happening the house is now an Iconic building in Illinois, which is currently posing as a B&B.

Here is a video that shows the location of the Home Alone house, which has been turned into a B&B, made to be furnished the same as the original film

Step 5: Table Read

Once the Actors have been hired and the script has been finalised they, alongside the writers, producers and directors will all get together for a 'Table Read', This is where the actors and members of crew will introduce themselves and read through the script together to get a good overview and insight into the characters, their relationships with each other, and context for certain actions. This is also where the cast and crew can meet each other and get to know them, this is to help with chemistry on set giving a more fun work environment and an overall more enjoyable experience, table reads are also important for the script-writers, as it is a chance to make some tweaks on certain aspects of the script which might not be necessary. Alot of actors use table reads to make others aware of how they plan to portray their characters. Often reading as if it was their character saying it. This is a good technique to help their on-screen personas also understand each other when filming.

Here is a read through for the 50th anniversary special of Doctor Who, where you can see the main cast, directors and producers sat together reading through the script

Step 6: Filming the Film

When it comes to filming the process, on average it takes around one to five months to film an entire film, with five being a stretch. All cast and crew are given a set schedule written by the Second and reinforced by the First Assistant Directors. Within this time frame it gives the crew plenty of time to set up their equipment, assuring that it is all recording ready and not in frame for the camera's to pick up. While this is happening, you'll have your Actors getting into costume and makeup, running through their lines and making sure they will be ready to go on set and perform to the best of their abilities. Once everyone is ready to film, they'll get in position that the Director has Blocked for them. In a normal filming day, the Actors would have to redo the scene's countless times, giving the director plenty of material to work with so they can choose the best version that gives the best affect of what the Director was envisioning. Alongside this, with the many various film sets they'll be going all around the place filming different scenes, not necessarily being in chronological order either.

Here is a video including Tom Holland in the 2022 Action film 'Uncharted' going through the daily as an Actor on the film

Step 7: Post

Post Production of a film is where all the editors of all aspects come together and piece together the film, adding all music, sounds and effects that make the film what it is now. Post production is where most of the time is spent when it comes to making a film, this process takes about six to fourteen months. With sound adding in songs and mixing the audio so it all blends perfectly, alongside the editors who blend all the scenes together and make the flow of the film feel more natural. There is such a variety of careers in post production. The most time consuming effect in post is understandably CGI (Computer Generated Imagery), This is where animators add in things not as effective if done more practically. This can also save budget in films where the practical effect may not be necessarily affordable. Either way practical or not these effects are usually astounding in the way they were made.

This is one of cinema's most famous scenes from 1993's 'Jurassic Park' showing the animatronic/CGI T-Rex

Step 8: Promotion

Promotion is Vital in getting a film recognised, No ones going to know about it without it being shown as posters and trailers, even hints to a possible film coming. Many studios go about this different ways, while some go quite a normal route, releasing a trailer online and in cinema's for the world to see, alongside posters being shown on buses and billboards. Some choose to go about it a more unique way to get the movie to stand out. A great example of this is when 'Marvel' were promoting the film 'Ant-Man'. Instead of the conventional route of advertisement, in Australia, Marvel wanted to promote the Super-Hero's superpower of shrinking, they did this by making tiny scenes, billboards and bus shelters and placing them around Australia. While a weird way of promotion it did work! It circulated around the world, bringing people to watch the film.

Here are photo's of the tiny billboards which were used for promotion in the film 'Ant-Man'

Step 9: The Premiere

The Premiere of a film is a very nerve-racking experience for the whole cast & crew. Over a years work finally being shown to a public audience with varying reactions to their work, this is also a time for the actors and crew to shed their opinions on the movie to the publicists. Premiere's are always shown in a variety of big cities like Los Angeles, New York and London, this is due to where the film was mostly produced.

Here is the Premiere of the widely successfull 2021 film 'Dune' based on the book by Frank Herbert

360 Degree Video:

Here is a revolutionary new technique in online education, It's an interactive 360 degree's video explaining all the roles in the theatre. Made by us!

Enjoy!

In The Dressing Room

Characters

Professor Schmirnoff:

Influential Actors

Joaquin Phoenix

Film: Joker (2019)

Role: Arthur Fleck, The Joker

How they Portrayed the Character:

Joaquin Phoenix's Interpretation of the Joker is regarded as one of, if not the best in cinematic history. While Heath Ledger portray's the more Super Villian Persona of the Joker. Joaquin Phoenix however takes a more human approach to the character, giving layers to his psycological abandonment from the world around him. He started by losing 52 pounds for the role. Which he also stated "I think that's really what I started with. And, as it turns out, that then affects your psychology", alongside this he did hours and hours of research dedicated to mental conditions. So he can get a brighter understanding of the mental strain and pain it causes. The one he found himself prioritising however is called The Pseudobulbar Affect. This condition is where you have an uncontrolable laugh however the state you are in. That being Happy, Sad or Angry. You can see a perfect portrayal of this in the first 10 minutes, Which you can watch HERE. This clip is also a perfect representation of the character Arthur Fleck which he plays. In the first 10 minutes you can see that Arthur lives in Gotham City. A Crime Ridden town where the lower class (Including Arthur) are often mistreated. As you'll find later on also he comes from a rough history. Unfortunately this is something Joaquin Phoenix has had experience of. Ironically enough Joaquin didn't know much about the Joker. He really wanted his own interpretation of this character. Believing that he can use the struggles of Modern Society and Mental Illness to reinvent the character in a more 'relatable' light. Even the laugh of the Joker was influenced by research of pathological laughter.

How People Perceived his Acting:

As I stated earlier Joaquin's Interpretation of the Joker is known as the best in cinematic history. This is because Joaquin managed to find a level of the character that was both menacing and relatable. Even though he made the character his own there were still characteristics that correlated with the earlier incarnations of the Joker, Especially nearer the end of the film. But Joaquin's level of research into the psychological aspects and economic structure really added a human part to this otherwise mad-man. This made alot of the audience feel sympathy for his actions. Something which was unheard of for the other incarnations. His portrayal affected audiences showing that some villains. As insane as they can be, are in fact humans too.

How I Reacted:

I'd personally never heard about Joaquin Phoenix before this film, so when I found out he was playing this supervillain I was intrigued. I didn't know too much about this film either. I thought it was going to follow the premise of the insane Clown Prince of Crime. I couldn't have been more wrong. When I watched this film I was 15 years old and I didn't know too much about the psychological aspects and trauma that certain people go through. After watching this film seeing how Joaquin Phoenix played this character by using his own methods of research and his own implementation of this character it inspired me to make my own spins on characters and their franchises. It also gave me a deeper knowledge on how to make characters more in depth and relatable to a wider audience. This film changed my outlook on what makes a character a character to remember.

Austin Butler

Film: ELVIS (2022)

Role: Elvis Presley

How they Portrayed the Character

The lengths Austin Butler went to perfect the Elvis character is insane, and it shows too. His portrayal of the King of Rock & Roll was phenomenal, so good that alot of fans believe that Elvis was reincarnated in Austin for this movie. Which just shows how much he put into this film. Him auditioning for Elvis was a merely coincidental thing. One month prior he was being told how well he could portray Elvis. Which lead to his Agent suggesting the role to him. One of the things that gravitated towards Austin was the fact that both his and Elvis's Mother unfortunately passed away when both of them were 23 years old. This resonated with Austin, giving an extra bit of depth to embody the character. This helped him in auditions also, Which managed to get him the role. He stated that he used his pain to play the character (The Stanislavsky Technique) With 3 years of preparation Austin Butler managed to embody Elvis Presley in mannerisms and voice. His main focus was emulating the voice of Elvis. While pulling off a fantastic portrayal of this character it came with one HUGE downside. From his extensive vocal exercises, he forgot what his original voice sounded like. Leading to an identity Crisis. However he perservered and fought to make one of the best (In my opinion) interpretations of a famous person in history. Austins states on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' that he used to wake up at 4-5am just to get the mannerisms of Elvis. He used to watch interviews, his old films and even music videos to get both his on and off stage persona perfected. This dedication to learning a character skyrocketed him into stardom.

How People Perceived his Acting:

This performance was so influential to many fans (Including myself) the lengths Austin went too to portray the character was phenomenal and is widely praised. To alot of people no one else could be seen portraying the King of Rock & Roll with such flare. His characterisation helped him manage to portray the pain and suffering that Elvis went through perfectly. Showing that one of the most famous musicians in history unfortunately couldn't have it all. He acted alongside such staples in Hollywood (The main one being Tom Hanks) who even stated how in Awe he was of Austin Butlers portrayal.

How I Reacted:

Even though I was a fan of Elvis's music at the time, I'd never seen the pain he went through during his career. This film opened my eyes when it came to that. After watching this film I became more interested in famous figures of history and what they went through. To me I found it gave more power to alot of the songs I listen too. This film and the way Austin Butler portrayed the character gave me a new outlook on deeper meanings to songs and characters alike.

Ella Purnell

TV Show: Fallout (2024)

Role: Lucy MacLean

How they Portrayed the Character

Unlike the other two previous. Lucy MacLean was an original character for the 'Fallout' Show. Not appearing once in the corresponding game franchise. She was purely left to interpretation from the script. Which comes with both its perks and downsides. When Ella Purnell signed on for the role she had little to no information on the franchise she was coming apart of. She was very skeptical during the audition process. Believing that her performance in the audition had prevented her getting the role she wanted. Alongside this it was also an online audition. Which have recieved mixed responses from different actors. When she got the character she was filled with surprise. I say this because she believed she didn't make it through the audition. But her first step after recieving this character was finding out more about the franchise she was becoming apart of. The Fallout franchise is set in a world where humans chose to use Nuclear energy instead of Fossil Fuels. Which leads to a more 50's style future with different upsides and downs. Because of this also wars began and all of America got nuked and turned it into a wasteland. Ella's character Lucy was a Vault Dweller. People who live in shelters who want to bring back America when it is safe to return to the surface. Ella ended up playing 'Fallout 4' during the preparation for her character. Even though there aren't any characters like Lucy in that game. She found out the kind of world her character would end up in and used that to help push her character. Alongside this she also developed an American Accent. Which was so well developed majority of her co-stars believed she was originally American even though she's British. Ella's interpretation of the 'Fish out of Water' trope was very unique. Instead of trying to adapt to the new world she had entered she believed her character would keep her optimism more or less throughout the series, this worked perfectly for her co-stars also in both hers and their interpretation.

How People Perceived her Acting:

This performance has brought Ella into the spotlight as a talented actress. Boosting her and the Fallout Franchise into the limelight. Her performance and the way she acted with her co-stars has set a new bar for video game adaptations which is nothing to scoff at. People also related to the character of Lucy MacLean, Ella gave a realistic portrayal to her. She's a character who just wants to help people and be cared for in the process. Alongside that the Fallout franchise has had a surge of returning fans and even new players thanks to this shows popularity. Recieving the highest amount of players playing the games in years. This is a big win for the Actors and Bethesda who developed this Franchise as a whole.

How I Reacted:

I've been a fan of the Fallout franchise for years and when this show came out it was a happy surprise. It is a prime original series so the only advertisements I saw was on Amazon itself. When I watched Ella's portrayal I found myself relating to the character Lucy also. The last thing she wants to do is hurt people. She'll do anything to keep her family together and safe which is something I can relate to. Her character also gave a sense of familiarity also. As someone who loves the aesthetic of Fallout her character matched it perfectly. Her interpretation skills inspire me to hopefully be able to make a character of my own be as memorable.

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