We did it.

Final:

Website: https://alecmarsh1985.wixsite.com/switch

Film Festival Card:


Front:











Back:






















Short Film: https://youtu.be/FmagfQ2sv9k

CCR: https://youtu.be/BjBX4ooG0AA

Storyboarding and Scripting

Equipment

DSLRs are arguably the best cameras for personal use on the market. I am apart of the television production club at my school and I'm sure they would be more than willing to allow me to borrow lights and gel for the tone I am trying to go for.  In order to maximize the capability of my short film I need to use all of the equipment I have and can get. I purchased a Nikon D3300 DSLR as well as a LensHopper VP83F on-camera microphone. Having recently purchased these items, I am currently not 100% compatible with DSLR cameras. Luckily I found this article  to help me out. Not only will my shots overall look beautiful, but with the help of these tips I will be able to construct meaning through my film. I also plan on using some sort of stabilization such as a mono-pod or tri-pod. However in order to get artsy cant shots I'll need to use a DJI Ronan stabilizer. This allows for lots of movements such as trucks and dollys rather than the limiting pan and tilts. 

LensHopper VP83F

Nikon D3300 

DJI Ronin-M 3-Axis Handheld Gimbal Stabilizer 

Kroll, Noam. “6 DSLR Video Tips That Will Dramatically Improve Your Work + The Best Entry Level DSLR Today!” Noam Kroll, Noamkroll.com, 8 July 2014, noamkroll.com/6-dslr-video-tips-that-will-dramatically-improve-your-work-the-best-entry-level-dslr-today/. Accessed 19 Mar. 2017.

Multiple Personalities

I want to start off by saying coming up with this idea felt like it took years. In all my years of being a creator, I've never had this much trouble trying to come up with a plan. This is most likely because I am used to having the story handed to me and all I would have to do is present it. With that being said, at long last I've come up with the basic premise of my short film. To sum it up, the film will take place in the mind of the main character. Throughout the film he will be trying to uncover the truth behind the murder of one of his peers. After a long and mentally challenging journey, the main character learns that he has multiple personalities and is actually the one who has killed his friend. What does multiple personalities mean you ask? Well technically it's called DID and according to psychology today: "Dissociative identity disorder, formerly referred to as multiple personality disorder, is a condition wherein a person's identity is fragmented into two or more distinct personality states. People with this rare condition are often victims of severe abuse." With this plot I am going to need a MINIMUM of 2 actors, and a plethora of equipment. Through my research I've learned that thrillers are typically shot in low light. So why would I NEED lights? The tone still has to be set. Remember this is a PSYCHOLOGICAL thriller. I plan on using assorted gels on the lights to convey different feelings the character is having internally. Speaking of that, equipment might be an issue. I will talk about that in future postings as well as the importance of storyboarding. 


“Dissociative Identity Disorder (Multiple Personality Disorder).” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, www.psychologytoday.com/us/conditions/dissociative-identity-disorder-multiple-personality-disorder.

Inspiration

Again with a background in television production I've seen lots of unique content over the years. These past couple days I've sat and thought about how I want my short film to play out. Then I remembered one of my friends made this unbelievable five minute short film for a SkillsUSA  competition. They had 3 hours to edit and 3 hours to film using the thriller genre (which is perfect for me) and also had to use the line "dazed and confused" somewhere in the dialogue. 
You can watch it here:

I hope to incorporate some of the elements they used and give them my own personal twist. 

Psychological Thriller

I have decided to do a psychological thriller. This being for many reasons. 1. Most short films are...well...short with a twist at the end. I have started brainstorming ideas and I think I have one that not only fits the genre, but my resources as well. Speaking of resources, Psych thrillers are also not known to have too many special effects which is something I am not at all an expert in. Before I get started with my plot and storyboarding, I need to further understand what a psychological thriller is. A psychological thriller is actually a sub-genre. The main being thriller. Here is a list of the thriller sub-genres according to hunterswritings.com,

Thriller

• Psychological Thriller
• Crime Thriller
• Police Procedural
• Mystery Thriller
• Suspense
• Action Thriller

Now that I've narrowed down my sub-genre things just got a heck of a lot easier. I have now starting to specifically research what makes a psychological thriller. The following is a list of common elements I plan on incorporating into my short film:

• Suspense, tension, raising of stakes for the protagonist. Typically the pace of this tension is faster in a thriller against a mystery.
• The protagonist must be proactive rather than reactive. He must make things happen, go into action, not sit around with events happening around him.
• As with most good fiction, the hero needs to have grown and learnt and ultimately changed by the end of the novel. This character growth is what leads to the main character’s ability to get through his darkest hour, and win during the climatic ending.
• Typical structural elements to the plot – an inciting incident or turning point that makes the main character move from their everyday and go on their journey to solve the issue, conflict, pace, complications, a darkest hour where everything seems lost, a climatic battle and denouement.
• The ending should resolve all loose ends, but provide a satisfactory twist if possible. Good should prevail over bad. And the hero should have learnt something about himself or the human condition.
• No Coincidences – although they happen in real life all the time – should be avoided in fiction, even though they can provide character conflict. Readers aren’t satisfied by coincidental events or conflict.

“Elements of the Psychological Thriller, Mystery, Suspense and/or Crime Fiction Genres.” Word Hunter, 15 Oct. 2012, hunterswritings.com/2012/10/12/elements-of-the-psychological-thriller-mystery-suspense-andor-crime-fiction-genres/.

Genre

Let's see here...I'm working alone, have limited equipment,  and need to make my short film at least five minutes. Seems easy huh? Last year, I've learned that genre is the first and most important step when developing a film. According to a post on masteringfilm.com, the genre someone chooses is the difference between having a new blockbuster film in the works or having to go back to the drawing board. "The genre of script you choose ultimately showcases what your value is within the Hollywood system. Why? Because the genre is the first, and most clear, indicator as to whether you “get it” or not" (Kirkpatrick 1). So in other words, this is the most crucial part of my project. I'm more a Sci-Fi kind of guy, but according to a poll on IMDb science fiction and action movies were surveyed to be the hardest and most expensive projects to pull off. In that case, it's gonna have to be a no to Sci-Fi and any type of action. I hope to decide on a genre within the next couple of days so I can really get to work. Maybe a psychological thriller? I need more research. 



Kirkpatrick, Scott. “Screenwriting.” Mastering Film » Writing for the Green Light – The Genre You Choose Says A Lot About You, Mastering Film, 2015, masteringfilm.com/writing-for-the-green-light-the-genre-you-choose-says-a-lot-about-you/. Accessed 14 Mar. 2017.

Brien1951. “Poll: 20 Most Expensive Movies Ever Made.” IMDb, IMDb.com, www.imdb.com/poll/OX1iaj_x-q4/. Accessed 14 Mar. 2017.