The Promenade – Trailer

The important points learnt when writing/directing/storyboarding/editing your own production

1) Your diary becomes you new best friend

2) You have to keep organised and plan ahead

3) Even though storyboarding is useful, shot lists are a lot easier and efficient

4) Listen to your actors, they come up with some awesome ideas. Even if it means editing the original script.

5) Research beforehand is the most important thing, researching into previous films that are in the same genre, research into the actors that are main idols of that genre, analysing specific functions of the genre and old and modern ways that the genre is represented

6) Before placing an actor in a role watch a lot of their previous work, it will show you what sort of style suits them and will also give you inspiration in writing the script. Taking note of what mannerisms they are strong at. Although don’t let that put their talents in a “box” if the opportunity arises try a new vision / take them out of their comfort zone.

7) Don’t be afraid to try something a bit different

8) If things don’t go the way you planned, stay positive, there is always a plan B

9) The lighter the filming equipment the easier it is to be a one ‘wo’man production crew

10) It is a lot of hard work doing everything, rewarding but also very tiring.

Altering the Cinematography in Silent Movies.

Ok, before I start this post I just want to mention that I haven’t seen The Artist yet. I only saw the trailer the other and really want to see it. Therefore I don’t know if they stick to the traditions of the silent movie or “mix it up” like I intend to. 

 

Before I discuss The Promenade I am going to discuss the reasons why I decided to write a second silent movie. I love the silent movie era, i love everything about it, the way that comedy was made out of anything that could be found, the way that everything was mainly done in only Long Shots or Close Ups and the fact that the camera was kept rolling non stop for parts of it with not many cuts because the editing was different and was cut together. 

I love everything about this era, i love love love films about the beginning of Hollywood Land before the talkies and after the talkies were introduced. I love the way things were edited, I love the way sets were created. I found it fascinating studying Jimmy Cagney gangster films and the way that the same set was pretty much used in each and everyone of his films. I love the way that sound was originally added to films, especially the cartoon industry. One of my biggest dreams is to visit the old studios in Hollywood. Just everything about the production side of this era just amazes me so much and I really wish i was there to witness it. That may explain why my favourite movies are all set around this era such as Singing In The Rain, City Lights and Roger Rabbit. 

I cam up with the idea of The Promenade one day on the bus to work, I had been thinking about doing another film short but i wasn’t sure what to do. Then I decided to bring back to life a character I created when i was 17, Mr Alf. Mr Alf is loosely based on Charlie Chaplins most famous character The Tramp, However, Mr Alf has different characteristics – he is upper class, posh, clumsy and spends a lot of time in his own world. He has a signature jump which happens at the end of each film to connote that everything has gone the way that he has wanted things to go.

 

The Promenade is a silent movie comedy based around 4 main characters – Mr Alf, Betty, John De La Mar and Scurvy. Mr Alf goes to meet Betty for his perfect first date but things start to go wrong when Scurvy realises there is no treasure at the beach and decides to make Betty his wife. Whilst this is happening we join John De La Mar on his first ever holiday at the beach. In the early 1900’s only rich people could afford to visit the beach and I wanted to bring this point to view. 

 

The silent movie does have a lot of modernisms to it, in the way that some of the characters are but I felt that this was an important vision to have to show that silent movies can be produced in modern day era. One of the main things that I wanted to focus on was the cinematography and the camera shots. In my last film I included modern day shots of Over-The-Shoulder and Extreme Close Ups. In this production I am including the same including running pan shots and low and high angled shots. I am introducing dream shots as well. There are two dream shots in the production and I have started working on them today and find that they are quite a challenge to emphasise in black and white. I dont want to use too much text to explain whats happening I want to use editing techniques as much as i can to emphasise feelings and emotions. I have fond blurring transitions a potential way of creating the dream sequences, once i have more footage i will work on this more. 

 

I am very lucky to have a great team of actors and actresses working with me on this project. One of the things I love about silent movies is the fact that expressions and characteristics are a big big part of the films and make the films stand out from the rest. All the characters in each and every film of Chaplin all have very strong expressions and characteristics to define these.  The actors I am working with are very good at being slapstick and emotional when needed and the great thing about silent movies are that you can direct over the top of the film and tell them things need to be emphasised. 

 

There will be more posts soon in regards to The Promenade but I am going to leave you with one of my favourite ever scenes in a a Musical . Its not a silent film but it is a film solely based around the transition of silent films to talkies. This is Donald O’Connor In Singing in the Rain. The dancing is amazing and the movement and facial expressions just make this absolutely amazing.

 

Holz

 

Hollywoodland