Production Diary

28^th June 2011 –

During this week I am having correspondence with my actress Rosie Hakes and am sorting out costuming, make-up, props and timings for the filming. I had to consider the availability and the concerns of my actress, so this took some planning and giving her some guidance. We have decided on the costume today – She is wearing ripped biker jeans, a white vest top, a black leather jacket and orange and grey high heels. We will probably make the final decision on the make-up before the filming begins.

29^th June 2011 –

Today I talked more to Rosie and decided that the props we should use would be a brown leather bag that was big enough that it looked like it could hold the bare essentials for the character and a pair of Aviator sunglasses. We decided to keep it minimal as we did not think that the character in such a desperate time of need and seeking such revenge would care for accessories and anything but essentials. I also travelled to the location of the bus station and took photographs with a digital camera of the shots/locations of shots I would use, like real life storyboarding.

3^rd July 2011 –

On this day I prepared and charged the camera and put together the finishing touches to preparing for the filming shoot. I also thought more about certain shots in places and the use of extras. I decided not to employ any actual extras and use real people in a Ken Loach type manner, hoping that they would all act natural and continue with their own tasks and ignore us. I thought that this would make it look more realistic and there would probably be a wide range of different people present, for example school children, to girls having been shopping, people go out for dinner, people travelling home from work, and normal townspeople.

4^th July 2011 –

 Rosie was scheduled to arrive at 7:30 this evening. At this time the outside daylight would be sunset and would suit the timing for the film quite well as it would look like she had been travelling during the day and showed a passing of time, as it is the end of a day, showing that she must have endured an entire day before the time of the storyline. Whereas had it been set in the morning, it would have showed a new day, a beginning, not necessarily showing a previous occurrence.

Rosie arrived and we made our travels to Wycombe Bus Station with the video camera and digital camera for more screenshots. When we began filming at the bus station it was fairly busy, which was good for shots of extras, but as time passed and we did more shots, it emptied out a bit and became quieter. This was in fact a good factor as it gave even more insinuation of time passing. We shot about 8 minutes of footage, with made long shots, medium shots, close ups, ECU’s, low angle shots and panning.

We made different changes to the costuming in different shots, for example we took away the leather jacket for some scenes and Rosie carried it, the sunglasses were mainly on her head, but there are some scenes where she wears them, and also she sometimes puts her bag down on chairs.

The extras (members of the public) that were present were all very good about the filming and some barely noticed our presence. Luckily with the camera being quite small and unnoticeable, many had no idea and literally carried on with their own lives. A few people, did, however notice. This means a few shots will have to be scrapped and unused due to people looking at the camera, noticing, and even some children playing up and making noise in the background. Although, this final point can be ignored due to the lack of use of the real sound in the editing, as I have decided that the soundtrack will be played over the top of the visuals with possible voiceover’s, therefore there is barely any need for the actual sound.

With an extra prop, we decided to adlib with a children’s toy vendor, which I decided that the character should disinterestedly look at. I later decided that maybe after some disinterested use of the vendor that the character should buy a toy out of boredom and just out of instinct, as the audience work out that her thoughts are evidently elsewhere. Rosie performed this idea very well, and as I directed that she should fiddle with the toy she won, she should look very vague and distant. She then suggested that she improvise some more and see how the shot goes. This turned out to be much better as it looked more natural and Rosie went completely with the real events, and purchased a toy from the vendor and quietly sat with this toy, making it another prop.

7^th July 2011 -
Today the editing of the film began officially as I transferred the footage to the computer and began to open it up and work with Adobe Premiere. Looking at the footage I captured, I knew I would have more than enough material to cover the time with a selection of suitable and usable shots that were all acceptable. I was comfortable that I would not have to re shoot anything or create anything new. Therefore the editing could go ahead and I would be well on my way to completing the film. I also began to brainstorm how I would create the titles and make them look, to suit the colour palette and the style of the film.

25^th July 2011 -
I decided today that I should begin cutting parts of the film, and doing the first basic bits of editing, which involved getting rid of outtakes, shots that were unnecessary, and unwanted footage. This shortened a lot of the film that I had captured, making it easier to edit it further, and I was left with the decent, usable shots. I also sourced a microphone to create a voice-over and made sure it worked with the program I was using.

2^nd August 2011 -
The finalised editing has begun, and I’ve decided to create the final cut. I’ve edited down more of the footage to approximately one minute long for the teaser trailer. I also re-ordered the shots, as I filmed them out of order to make filming more convenient, rather than working in the sequence. I worked to editing the film and placing the shots to fit with the soundtrack. I also decided to design the titles for the film and made sure they fit in with the themes and the look of the trailer footage. I also edited the previous script I had created for the titles and made them stand out and be short and snappy in the trailer.

16^th August 2011 -
The editing was completed today, and everything was finally tweaked to finish the post production editing.  I recorded the voice over also, and fitted that into the appropriate spaces of the teaser trailer. I then decided to look back at the criteria and see if my trailer would correspond with it. I also decided to begin looking to creating my posters now, and moving on with the tasks, as the film was completed.

22nd September 2011 -
Production of the film poster and magazine began a few days after the editing on the teaser trailer was completed, and both the poster and magazine cover were competed today after lots of time was spent editing them and making changes as they progressed. I decided to keep the date of August 2011 for the film release and put it in the past tense for when it was scheduled to be finished. This is also shown in the magazine and poster.

Time Management

7^th June 2011 – Research and Planning for Trailer

17^th June 2011 – Finishing Research and Planning and beginning of creation of the film.

24^th June 2011 – Finish filming, Editing begins.

8^th June – Begin Evaluations.

This schedule was later altered for reasons due to delays, availability of actors and preparation.

7^th June 2011 – Research and Planning for Trailer

17^th June 2011 – Looking into the main task, and other tasks besides filming.

4^th July 2011 – Filming with actress Rosie Hakes at the bus station.

5^th July 2011 – Begin Editing and carrying out main tasks.

Script Drafts and Final Script

Script draft

Mindy: (voice over) Have you ever looked for something and not been able to find it?

(Titles) This Summer.

Mindy: (voice over) Did you ever expect it to be halfway across the world?

(Titles) A search will take place.

Mindy: (voice over) No, Neither did I.

(Titles) A search for a life.

Mindy: (voice over) I’m gonna find you. And when I do...

(Titles) A search for a possession.

Mindy: (voice over) You’re dead.

(Titles) August 2011

(Shots of Mindy on her search with faster paced music)

(Titles) Don’t miss

(More shots of Mindy and the bus station location)

(Titles) Departures.

 Script Draft

Sofie and Mindy are sat in the cafe, opposite each other. Each of them have a plain white mug, and are calmly drinking them. However there is an atmosphere created, both are internally uncomfortable, and the actresses must use the technique of Tempo Rhythm to achieve this.

Sofie: Where have you been? Where’re you gonna go?

(Titles) This year, This summer

Mindy: I’ve been around. I’m gonna go wherever I learn he is. Nowhere else.

(Title) One woman searches for her victory.

Mindy: (voice over) I have to find him. He’s out there somewhere, he can’t hide forever.

(Title) A journey of revenge must commence

Mindy: (voice over) (Both answering herself and the titles) And victory must be mine.

(Title) This August

(Shots of Mindy with Sofie Kavanagh and on her own)

(Title) There’s going to be

(Title) Departures

Final Script

Mindy: (voice over) I’ve been looking for you for a hell of a long time.

(Titles) In August 2011

Mindy: (voice over) My contacts and your clues will bring me closer.

(Titles) A new dawn begins.

Mindy: (voice over) Closer to my possession. Closer to the end of your life.

(Titles) Rosie Hakes

Mindy: (voice over) I won’t let you get away from me. Not now.

(Titles) Directed by Sophie Kemp

Mindy: (voice over) Not ever.

(Titles) “Behind the pretty words, lies a bloody reality.”

Mindy: (voice over) You can run. But you can’t hide.

(Titles) Departures.

(Titles) Coming soon.

Outline of a synopsis for complete film

The storyline for the complete film is that In Wyoming, USA; Mindy Belle would wake up in a large high ceilinged posh hallway in (her) house. She would be injured and there would be possessions spread all along the floor of the room, and a lot of it would be messed up and wrecked. She would find out that her husband has left her with his mistress, and has taken a very important possession of hers. The audience would not know the identity of the possession until the end of the film. Mindy then leaves the house, ready for revenge, and walks away from her home life in America, on a quest to find her husband. She would come to England, and have to travel around the country thinking that he would be here from the clues and from the people she meets along her journey. Many different meetings and bad events would occur along the journey to Mindy (i.e. she would be mugged, beaten up, captured, had items stolen, and had to pursue other quests in order to be able to travel on her journey) but at the end of the film, she would eventually find her husband, his mistress and her possession (her 2 year old daughter) in the south of France.

Soundtrack

The score for the trailer was comprised of music created by myself and friend, Joe Ashford. We created a piano song (with no copyright limitations) and added drumbeat effects to it to make it more effective. The music has a moody feel to it and the minor keys of the piano make it also have elements of sorrow, depicting one of the films main themes in Mindy Belle’s hurt. The trailer will have a lot more emotion in it with the music, and due to the lacking of dialogue, alot of the music will speak for the character and interpret the emotion from the facial expressions portrayed.

We created two tracks with the same basic theme/main melody but decided that one was significantly stronger than the other, and we completed and edited this one. The other track was also completed bt not edited. However, it could be reviewed and later could be used if the film was made longer and could be antoehr track that draws influences from the original theme.
The writing, recording and editing for the track took a couple of weeks and required the influence and help from myself, Joe and his brother Matt. The track is primarily piano based, but also uses drums and synthesisers.

Character Development

I developed Mindy Belle from different sources of research and she has different elements of characters from previous films. She has a strong element of ‘The Bride’ (Beatrix Kiddo) from Kill Bill in her, but also traits of characters like Thelma from Thelma and Louise in how she let her husband walk all over her and is now breaking free, She is also supposed to have lots of influences from typically cast Angelina Jolie characters. My character needed to have a sinister streak within her and a vengeful emotion in her as she deals with her revenge for her husband’s deceit. To develop her name, I needed a name with a deeper meaning to it.

Medea – a Greek name, means: either "to ponder" or "cunning". In Greek mythology Medea was a sorceress from Colchis (modern Georgia) who helped Jason gain the Golden Fleece. They were married, but eventually Jason left her for another woman. For revenge Medea slew Jason's new lover and also had her own children by Jason killed.

Mara - Means "bitter" in Hebrew. This was a name taken by Naomi in the Old Testament (see Ruth 1:20).

Lola – “Strong woman” Spanish.

Lulie – “Warrior Maidens”

Belle – “Beautiful Snake” (this has great meaning in that her beauty deceives you of the sly creature within.)

Mindy – This name has no specific meaning. But I wanted to use this name as it related to Medea and Mara, and I am using Belle as her second name to keep the beautiful snake element.

Another character idea I had was for the character that Mindy Belle meets in the coffee shop. This character needed to specialise in some kind of vengeful activity or have specific knowledge of weaponry. So I decided for Sofie Kavanagh to be a ‘friend’ or ‘companion’ in this scene for Mindy and these traits link directly to her surname meaning. This character would have the knowledge that could help Mindy find her husband.

Organisation of Costumes and Props

For the main protagonists costuming, I want to have quite plain clothing to show her trying to blend in with the crowd and look inconspicuous, to not draw attention to her or her actions as she tries to get away with her revenge successfully without being noticed specifically by the public and normal people. I want her attire to not be branded at all, quite plain with certain embellishments and not necessarily a fashion statement. I need her clothes to look clean, plain and quite feminine, while also practical in some respects.
A prop that may be used is a realistic (but fake) gun. I plan to perhaps borrow this from a friend, I feel this would make my character look far more believable and serious and would also provide a relistic prop that would make the trailer look more professional.
I decided to use props that would hold significance and perhaps have a metaphorical meaning to them. For example, I wanted my main protagonist to drop a mug in the cafe, so I decided to get a plain white mug as this was not the focus for the audience. As we see the mug fall to the ground and smash, I wanted for this prop to represent my characters emotional state, and her cracking up as she seeks her revenge. Of course, along with the cafe scene, this idea was scrapped, however, another prop that showed the same significance was used, in the form of the toy from the vending machine. (See Below)

I would base the characters costuming (and like much of the film) on The Bride from Kill Bill.

The final decisions for the costuming and props (which can be found in the production diary also) were made during the week of the 28th June 2011. It was decided that the costuming for the character would be blue ripped biker jeans, a white ribbed vest top, a black leather jacket, and grey and orange high heels.

This costuming was kept plain, quite American and unbranded, so that there was no particular significance to the clothing to the audience, other than it was basic and recognisably quite American.
The props were a brown leather bag that was large enough for the character to keep the bare essentials in and nothing particular else, showing her state of mind and desperation, and no such need for such commodities and objects of luxury. She merely needed herself and essential materials. I felt that the character needed a bag to show her travelling though, and her having soem things with her, to show her displacement and no base. Also, without a bag, the film could not develop to show her collect items along her journeys or have many props. Another prop was Aviator sunglasses, these are also quite central American and show her determination and strong figure with a pair of signature sunglasses.

Organisation of Actors

I have had correspondence with a possible actress for the film. The original actress for Sofie Kavanagh was dropped, and that scene may be cut, if not, I will take on the supporting role of Sofie.

The possible actress to play Mindy Belle is a friend of mine, Rosie Hakes. Rosie has previously had experience in doing promotional videos and adverts for O2 and is perfect for the role of Mindy. She is almost six foot which makes her a great height for low angle shots showing her superiority, and she is blonde and is feisty. She has a lot of features of a prospective Mindy Belle. She is also providing her own wardrobe, but to my design and preferences.
(Click Images to enlarge)

Organisation of Locations

I chose such locations as a bus station for the trailer. The bus station was the location for a main scene in the plot of the film, where our protagonist arrives at her destination to meet a particular person in this location to progress with her revenge plans and therefore the plot of the film. This is the point in which the equilibrium becomes more of the journey now. I looked at different options for the use of a bus station/stop, but I ultimately decided in the end that a bus stop did not have the desired effect and was look quiet and a small location. I wanted to create a large empty space of the bus station to make the character look isolated and lonely in a large world, but ever-determined. The bus station I chose was the one in High Wycombe. Here there are many different buses going to and from different locations, so the boards and the screens would give lots of locations, making it look mainstream and like a large important location. I wanted it to almost have an airport feel to it. I have decided to film at a time in the early hours of the evening, to use the sunset coming through the windows at the station to create an effect of passed time and a long journey and using connotations of orange with danger, hate and like a burning evil as orange can be a lesser version of red. Also, at this time in the evening, there would be lots of different activity at the bus station – creating the large space that could be made to be more confined. This shows the character getting lost within the crowds, and being isolated in a world which doesn't care, it also shows her struggling through the crowds of people and with all of the obstacles in her way.

I’ve also had the idea to use a location of a quiet cafe in the early morning. I want this cafe to look like a diner or greasy spoon and to make it look quite generic and plain, rather than using a big well known chain cafe/coffee shop setting. I also want this location to be quite quiet to create the effect of a private meeting being held in a particular place at a particular time to make it more exclusive and show the importance of no one else hearing the conversation. I also decided to film later in the morning when dawn was breaking to show the effects of time moving and different times and the time it took to move to the location. This idea was later scrapped.

I may also have filmed a few travelling shots to show that this cafe is out of the way and even more private as it is not very direct to a bus stop/station and that it is quite a long walk to arrive there, but our protagonist is determined and nothing gets in her way.