Plannig: Synopsis

Short Film

Genre: Drama

Title: In Pursuit of Success

 We have planned to work on short film that has been inspired by true events of a person’s life; Qayanoos Khan, a teenage garbage collector from a district of Azaad Kashmir,  who attained the first division in his Matric Board Examination.

The inspration/idea mentioned above is the just the foundation of our film, the story and presention is modified according to our ideas. The character, Ali, is a ‘rickshaw’ driver,just a mere kid around the ages of 15-16, who works hard and struggles everyday just so that he can earn money to pay for his hosehold expenses aswell as his examinations, and hence secure his future.

The film would not only focus on his struggle but would also show how his efforts bore him fruit in the future. This would be shown in transitions, i.e. the film will keep shifting from one phase of his  life to the other one to keep the audience attentive and entertained. The decison to change the chronological order of the scenes was made in light of the fact that keeping the correct order of the scenes would make the film predictable and might even bore the audiences.

Throughout the film, hints would be dropped so that viewers are able to get an idea that the lives of two characters being shown is interlinked somehow, whereas in reality it would be just one character and this would be revealed completely in the end of the film- the two people that audience were vieweing throughout was actually one person shown in two different stages of his life.

The target audience for this media product would be the masses and it would reach them through television and internet. Local TV channels like could air the video since it would be something relating to the struggles and problem that the lower socio-economic class of Pakistan is going through. The video can be advertised in newspapers as well.

Short Film

Genre: Drama

Title:  The Insight

In this short film we plan to show how our perception works in a different manner to other people, meaning to say we perceive people differently to what they actually are and we judge them according to our perception, we never truly see others for who they are but for who we think they are.

The story of the film is how this one man is perceived by everyone to have a negative character. We show a day of his life where he goes to his office where his employees perceive him as a very strict, rude and an uptight boss who makes compensations for no one and who does not care about anyone. At lunch, the Cafe that he goes to, the waiter over there also hesitates to take his order. Since that cafe is the one he goes to regularly, people over there have also a very negative perceived image of-person who does not really laugh or smile. Amongst his friends he is considered the boring and the non-adventurous one who does not indulge in anything exciting- even this man’s neighbors do not want to befriend him, they avail every chance they get to avoid him. Returning home will mark the conclusion of the film. As soon as he enters his home, his perceived character totally changes. He is now a very soft, calm, loving and a very polite person. When he enters his home, his close friends and relatives are already there and his true self comes forth when he is shown greeting them and spending time with them. 

The video can reach it's target audience through internet since it would be uploaded it on YouTube. Almost everybody these days has an access to internet, they can easily view it and also we can receive their feedback about the video via YouTube. But, since the video will be uploaded on YouTube, the audience for this would now be limited, obviously people who do not understand English, or who do not have computers would not be able to view the film. We could refer to this peoples category as category C; people with low wages, probably illiterate as well, no access to computers or internet. Whereas people from category A and B would be able to view this. A; the high socio-economic class and B; probably the middle class which consists of literate people who have access to internet, can speak and understand English but are not very well off.

Media technologies used would be the camera and the editing softwares.

From among these two ideas, the first one was accepted- however, we were asked to work on it again and produce a better, new, more detailed synopsis.

Planning: Initial Synopsis

Since we have decided to work on a short-film, our ideas for it basically revolve around the real-life situations that take place around us all the time.

The first idea basically focuses on the ‘Rat-race’ that is going on everywhere(usually among teenage girls). The back biting, back stabbing, fake faces of people, their complexes and competitions-it would focus on all this. Complex and competition is common among so many people-everybody is worried about what clothes they wear, what desinger’s bag they carry-the actual identity of a person is rotting away. Instead of our  personalities, our materialistic possessions have started defining our identity. Even we, ourselves, don’t know who we are because we're engrossed in all the worldly things so much that we care more about what and how others think of us and mould ourselves accordingly everytime.

Another idea we had in mind, focusing on the same concept, was inspired by a short-film made in India; 'Raasta' which tells a story of two boys begging for food and money and how one of them always gets it and the other is left behind. Anyways, coming back to the idea, the concept we wanted to show was that such a child observes the social class in our country and thinks of all the things mentioned above; how people are getting richer and richer by every passing day that they are losing their sense of humanity.

Locations and characters won’t be a problem for shooting. Video can be shot at school as well, or anywhere outside school. We can ask girls from our batch, emphasizing on girls from the Dramatics society to volunteer for acting out in our video, this might give us an edge since we want to focus more on visuals and facial expressions rather than dialogues and a whole script, they might be able to exhibit the idea properly through their acting.

However, since the idea is very general and we might need a vast cast, and many of girls might not be able to act out willingly.

As for the second idea, we would need to shoot almost all of our scenes on the roadside which can prove to be difficult with the on going traffic and everything. moreover, getting permission to shoot somewhere outside like this might be a problem. As we would be shooting outdoors, the entire schedule would depend on the weather and lighting, eg shooting in bright sunlight would be a bad idea as the video would be too much overly exposed. Hence, dependability on weather and outdoor scenarios increases.

This product would be made for masses and would reach the targeted audience through televisions, internet-since the focus is on the high economic class, they would obviously have an access to the internet-the video can be uploaded on YouTube, this way getting feedback from the audiences would also be easier. Moreover, the video can be advertised through English newspapers and magazines.

Technologies that would help us put our project together would be the cameras and softwares for film making and editing.


Another idea was to focus on memories of school life of an individual as it is one of the most prominent memory in one's life. Another main reason for choosing school life memories was also because for me, the time of my school life holds great significance. Coming back to the idea, we would be focusing on an individual's memories and showing them through a flashback-starting from their childhood till their graduation.


The video can be very easily shot in school since building, students, and all their is to create an association is present withing the four boundaries of the school. Moreover if we work withing the school it would be easier for us to borrow a film making camera from the school.

But, as we need to show the childhood time in our video, we would be needing to use juniors and getting the permission to make them act in them movie can be difficulty since they have fixed timetables. The main disadvantage of making such a film can be that not everybody has a shiny school life, some people are actually bullied and left behind during their entire academic years, therefor the video might not fulfill the purpose an meaning completely. 

The representation of this media product would be the youngsters-students of all ages who could easily relate to this. Apart from these youngsters, even if any elderly person would watch the video he/she would also be able to relate to it. however, the main focus still remains on the youth. 

Videos can be uploaded of YouTube, channels like MTV that the youngsters are likely to watch could play the video on their channel. Since the film would be related to the student life, reviews could be given in the magazines that are circulated among different institutions.
Technologies used would be the same as mentioned above.


Mahnoor's Ideas
The first idea revolves around the failure, disappointment and defeat of a young man who is unable to get hold of a job due to his economic class and status. His misery leads him to the decision of committing suicide suicide but somehow  he is unable to. The reason being that he’s the only one in his household who is earning due to the death of his father, his mother is ill and he has two other younger siblings who need to be taken care of and cannot earn a living, hence, he's the the one left with the responsibility. The boy is educated enough that he can speak English and understand it and is a fast learner but just because of his class, he is rejected from every job interview that he goes to. After getting another job refusal he goes onto a bridge where he views the city from some height looks at it's at its vastness, it's then and there when he thinks about commit suicide by jumping off the bridge but just at the last moment he stops and thinks that he’s not a loser but a fighter and fighters just don't quit so easily. He realises that it's not the world that is at fault and its people, these things are just performing their function of ‘the rat race’ but the problem is with him, he thinks he is weak and vulnerable and if he's assuming that his situation would never improve, he’d never be able to pull himself up so he realises that it's ‘ the eyes go where the mind goes ‘and with a positive attitude, counting the blessings of his days,he climbs back down from the bridge and thinks of what he needs to do now. 

Later in the film his success is shown through images which would portray the idea that hard work always pays off and one should never quit.

Pros 

· Almost reality based
· Main one character so follows the conventions of a short film. Based in every day location and focuses on every day issues.
· Targeting a low socio economic class so a boy to play out the character can be easily found, the kids of the workers or maids at work place or homes can be used.
· The entire shot would be shot in natural sunlight so no such electric lights would be required.

 Cons
· Although the characters will have to be paid
· Location wise shooting might be difficult cause scenes on the bridge so might need to use cranes or very high zoom lenses so can be expensive.
· Excess Sound might be a problem like on-going traffic, people talking and also distractions of people who use that bridge etc.

Media audience
The media audience would be all classes of Pakistan as the film revolves around an issue that the lower socio economic classes of Pakistan face every day and how it has magnified the difference between the people here who belong to middle or higher social classes and those who belong to lower social classes. The target audience, since are Pakistanis, they would easily understand urdu as that is are native language so the dialogues would be in Urdu with English subtitles. This film would be played on TV as well as internet (YouTube) as people who are belonging to the upper class will also view it so they have internet access and probably every family in Pakistan owns a t.v although more research needs to be carried out on this. Posters and magazine reviews will also be there and contact number and info will be given on the posters as well as on TV and internet.

Media technology
The use of a camera, a movie camera, various zoom lenses and macro lenses, adobe premium etc.

Media agencies
Hum TV, Geo TV, PTV, Jang newspaper, Daily times, The Times etc

The second idea a story of a young mother, with the son approximately3-4 years old, who suffers through brain tumor. The story starts in a way that the family enters into a doctors room for the wife's appointment, when they're all seated, the doctor breaks the devastating news to the family. He looks at the women addressing her, telling her that her results came back showing that she has brain tumor, the husband wife look at each other in a shock. The next scene shows her in the hospital bed and a close up of her face show only her eyes. With each blink a memory from her life is replayed in front of her eyes starting from her childhood where her mother is brushing her hair, then to when she becomes a young girl playing with her friends, then to when she turns into a beautiful women who is proposed and wedded, then when she become a mother. Then the doctor comes on prepping her up for surgery and the final sweetest memory of her childhood plays in front of her eyes where she is on the swings, she’s laughing while her mother is pushing her with a huge smile on her face and the young mother can’t even look at her child. She then goes into surgery and that’s where the scene cuts off leaving the audience in suspense if she survives the surgery or not .the last scene is of her in a garden, giving swings to her child, fully recovered. The idea was basically to show the love and struggle of a mother for her son.

Pros
· Clothes can be taken from the hospital or can also be easily seen.
· A simple young girl can be taken to play out the part .at the most 4 people need to be used.
· Easy shooting due to ground level and smooth ground like the hospital floor.

Cons 
·Difficulty in shooting like in the garden(shaky camera)
·Need to take permission from a hospital to use a room and a few equipments.

Media audience
It will be for all classes so basically for the masses. mainly for women who are mothers .

Media technology
Software for editing like adobe premium, camera, movie camera.

Media agencies
YouTube, hum TV, geo TV, magazine, Daily Times, The Times, Jang newspaper.

Media category
Video

Media representation
All women of Pakistan but also all mothers of Pakistan who work and struggle for their family

Planning: Idea discussion-

Yesterday we discussed our  ideas for the short film with the teacher which, unfortunately, didn't sound very impressive to him, so we would now work on some more ideas and stories to present to him the next time.

My partner and I want to focus on something that has become a part of our culture and something that is common among our people here in Pakistan. For instance, if we want to focus on child labor or what and how the low socio-economic class in our country is struggling and making a living, or anything likewise, a Documentary would be more suitable to focus on such issues. But since we want to work on a short-film, it's going to take a lot of hard-work and brains to make an appropriate story line for matters like these.

So, now, we have about a week to go during which we will hopefully come up with an adequate storyline that is approved, and start working on it.

Research: Audiences Feeback

Our research was concluded by carrying out a questionnaire survey in which questions gained audiences' preferences for Short-films.

The survey was published on SurveyMonkey and people were asked to fill it out. As much age variation as possible was obtained.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/9SBBQQ5

Screen shots of the results gathered:

Deconstruction of Media Product(2)

The next scene is also from Jerry Mguire; part of the ending to be more specific.

Scene starts with a close up of shot of one of the supporting charatcer's, the background is very well lit and showing christmas accents. The setting used for this scene is the protagonist's house- the settings have been, therefore, worked on accrodingly; very soft and cozy look has been created inside the house. As for the lights, flats lights have been used throughout the scene giving characters' a very soft look and making their faces glowy and entirely visible. 

Colour palatte used for the costumes is complimenting the genre, also the costumes colours are very pleasing to the eye-pastel colours are used.

The screen shots from the moive above are showing the use of the colour palett for characters' costumes.

The shot then cuts away to the long shot of the protagonist-low key lightings are used here to add to the nght time effect. The long shot zooms in and stops at mid-shot to focus on Jerry. The use of low key lighting here, in the close up shot, is also complimenting the character's emotions of regret and sorrow, yet, reilief as well.

Meanwhile, the shot cuts away to the heroine to show viewers her presences and  to convey it to convey it to them that he is thinking about her.

The next shot shows enterance of the hero into the house, asking for his wife. Use of long-shot has been done here so that his enterance does not seem very abrupt, meaning, that in the previous shots, close-ups have been used a lot, so, also to break that pattern, use of long shot has been very apropriate here. 

This long shot, however, zooms in to a mid-close up of the character placing emphasis on his facial expressions while he speaks. During this scene, the camera is pannig with character's movement to keep him in focus thorughout. 

Even when the shot cuts away to the heroine, camera movements are the same as with the protagonist; camera panning with the character moving. The change in positioning and camera movement, however, is more visible in the shots of the heroine. As it can be seen, from relevence with the painting behind, the actress is positioned on the left of it at first, and as she moves to the right, camera has also panned with her keeping her in focus at the exact same position as in the first frame. 

In the two screen shots below, use of 180degree rule has been made evident in a mid-long shot.

The camera, in the next shot, keeps zooming in on characters face when he is confessing his feelings to the wife. This much use of close up has been used so that emotions are accentuated and aundiences are able to understand and relate more to the character's position and feelings.

Apart from the camera work, rule of thirds is being followed here as well and the use of soft lighting 

As seen in the few shots above, the camera is slowly zooming in to the character's face; this has been done so that the intensity of the dialogues is increased, so that his facial expressions and gestures can make the audience feel the character's pain. Working out the shots this way engrosses the audiences completely into the film and plays with their emotions as well- what is actually required by the director.

Deconstruction of Media Product

Scenes from 'Jerry Maguire'

The film falls under two different genres which are drama and romance respectively. Codes and conventions of the genre have been followed in the film as characters' development is very close to real life and such that a person can relate to them. In context of romance, very soft lighting, colour palette and, very typical of the genre, happy ending after the major distances between the couple has been followed.

The scene of which analysis has been done is from the first thirty minutes of the film and starts with the close up shot of the protagonist. Low key lighting in this part of the scene is used mainly because of two reasons, night time is being shown and secondly because the character is distressed and worried, hence, use of high key or bright lighting would not have been appropriate.

Extreme close up of the protagonist's eyes is then immediately shown after the close up to highlight the moment of realisation and the reality check. From the above picture, work of light can be analysed as well. Low key side-lighting is used, highlighting  just the left half of the character's face, and a tint of blue has been added to the light to give it s moonlight effect- this would make the viewers perceive that light is coming through the window, creating a very natural effect. 

During this scene the protagonist is remembering meetings with other people from the past, therefore, the voices of those people has been used as a background score, along with the  voice over of protagonist's own narration of how he is feeling at this particular moment.

Further during the scene, lighting is changed- very soft light has been used here to focus on the character's distress. 

The scene slowly zooms, once again focusing on character's guilt  and regret. The Top camera Angle has also been used in this part. 

Since the entire scene is focused on the reality check and different realizations the protagonist has, variations of close up shots have been effectively used throughout to engross the viewers more and for them to understand the character's feelings and emotions more deeply.

 

The above shots are highlighting perfectly the use of close up shots in the scene and how these shots are capable of creating an impact on the viewers. The use of lighting here is once again the same as used in the first scene, i.e. low key lighting. In this part of the scene, eyes, I believe, are truly depicting how the protagonist is feeling; guilt, realisation, tension and enthusiasm to put everything back alright can be very well seen through the eyes. 

This scene of the film is falling under the drama genre, as character being shown here is very close to real life. Apart from that, the entire misc-en-scene is reflecting the wealthy, well settled character. In a previous part of the scene, where use of bright lighting has been made, it seems as if the character is in some hotel room; meaning; a very posh look has been created. Even later in the scene when long shots, following the composition rule of thirds,  have been shown, the entire background and setting of the room is giving a very high-class look, reflecting well on the character's requirements.

During the scene, from the part of realization hit till the end, a song has been used as the background score along with the character's own narration, as mentioned previously as well.