Thursday, January 26, 2012

FILM LANGUAGE

FILM TERMINOLOGY
Learning FILMMAKING is like learning a new language.  It doesn't matter if we are producing short film, feature film, Indie film or Bollywood film, there are terms and concepts that we need to know so we can better articulate ideas and opinions from scripts to the final film itself.  It is important we know this terminologies so everyone working on the same production can understand the direction of the film production.  It is also good to know this terminologies so we can appreciate film that we watch. Discussing film will get better with everybody using the same film terminology. 

Shot type 
Long shot - shows background, establishes where you are. 
Mid shot - shows torso and some background.
Close-up - head and shoulders, usually used to show emotion. Draws our attention to face or object.
Point-of-view shot - helps us to see the action from a character's viewpoint and thus empathize with them.  
High angle shot - camera looks down on person/object, making them look vulnerable. 
Low angle shot - camera looks up at someone/thing, making them appear powerful.

Camera movement
Camera movements include:
Panning shot - where the camera moves slowly across from side to side from a fixed axis
Tilt shot -where the camera moves up and down from a fixed axis
Crane shot  - where the camera, mounted on a crane, moves around at a distance above ground level.
Tracking shot - where the camera follows the action, moving along tracks laid for that purpose, often pulling backwards from a scene.
Hand held – this technique is often used to suggest a greater sense of authenticity or/ and the point of view of a particular character or characters.  

Mise en scene (my favorite word when I was at Art School...he he he)
This term is used in film to describe what is in the frame and why. There are several areas to consider when talking about mise en scene:
  • Setting and props
  • Costume and make-up
  • Body language and facial expression
  • Lighting and colour 
Each of these factors combines to give the shot a certain 'look' or 'feel'. What is put in or left out of a shot can make a big difference to show what kind of film it is and how we are supposed to feel at this point. The right 'look' or feel can give away the message / story  to your viewer what your film trying to tell.  

Lighting
Lighting creates an atmosphere on screen. If it is dark and shadowy we might be made to feel uneasy, as in a thriller; if the lighting is bright we feel happy and confident. The filmmaker can use lighting to draw our attention to a person/object or equally, to hide them. 

Sound
There are three elements to a film soundtrack:
1. Dialogue - this can be used to give us clues as to character and what might happen next.
2. Music - this creates atmosphere, affecting us on a very emotional level.
3. Sound effects (SFX) - again, very effective at creating atmosphere. These sometimes do not fit with the image that we are seeing, thus creating a disorientating effect.

How do silent film era (the great Charlie Chaplin tell his stories without sound?...pure ACTING and great body language and facial expression). 

Editing
The work of selecting and joining together shots to create a finished film.

The term editing refers to the changing shots within a piece of film. The speed with which this happens has important role in creating atmosphere. For instance, if there is chasing  on the screen, the editing will be fast, making us excited and anticipating. A sad lonely story will probably feature slow editing to capture the emptiness. 

Editing terminology:
Cut- A visual transition created in editing in which one shot is instantaneously replaced on screen by another.
Continuity editing - Editing that creates action that flows smoothly across shots and scenes without jarring visual inconsistencies. Establishes a sense of story for the viewer.
Dissolve - A gradual scene transition. The editor overlaps the end of one shot with the beginning of the next one.
Errors of continuity - Disruptions in the flow of a scene, such as a failure to match action or the placement of props across shots.
Establishing shot - A shot, normally taken from a great distance or from a "bird's eye view," that establishes where the action is about to occur.
and continuity.
Fade - A visual transition between shots or scenes that appears on screen as a brief interval with no picture. The editor fades one shot to black and then fades in the next. Often used to indicate a change in time and place.
Final cut - The finished edit of a film, approved by the director and the producer. This is what the audience sees.
Jump cut - A cut that creates a lack of continuity by leaving out parts of the action.
Matched cut-  A cut joining two shots whose compositional elements match, helping to establish strong continuity of action. 

Title graphics  
The title and credits of a film can tell us what type (genre) of film to expect. A science fiction film may use a modern font with bright green colour on a black background. A ghost film will use old gothic font.  The fonts and color as well as movement gives the feel to the film.

This terminologies are the basics of film language. Film terminologies and glossary are rich and plenty and this gives us room to learn more!

sources adapted from:
http://www.filmeducation.org/staffroom/film_in_the_classroom/film_language/
http://www.learner.org/interactives/cinema/editing2.html

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Festival Filem Pendek silentSHOUT 2011

Tarikh:    7 Disember 2011 (Sabtu)
Masa:      2ptg.
Tempat: Pawagam Mini P. Ramlee, FINAS ( Perbadanan Kemajuan Filem Nasional Malaysia)


Sin Chew Daily
Penterjemahan:
"Pawagam Mini P.Ramlee di FINAS telah dibanjiri oleh penonton-penonton dari komuniti pekak dan  boleh mendengar, bersama-sama menonton dan mengundi  filem pendek  arahan orang pekak pilihan mereka.   

Antara filem-filem pendek yang ditayangkan ialah, “Bisikan Tangan, “Deaf Capoeira”, “Lip Read”, “Pelita Hati” dan “The Park”.

Festival filem pendek silentSHOUT 2011 telah dianjurkan buat ulung kalinya  untuk meraikan dan menayang filem-filem pendek hasil karya dan arahan oleh  pengarah filem pendek orang pekak di  Malaysia.  Pengarah-pengarah filem pendek orang pekak ini juga telah menyertai pertandingan filem pendek silentSHOUT, anjuran silentSHOUT Festival  yang disokong oleh FINAS.

Festival filem pendek silentSHOUT  ini memberi  peluang  dan tempat untuk  orang-orang pekak menjadi pengarah filem , pelakon dan crew filem berkarya dan mempamerkan filem-filem pendek mereka .  Melalui festival filem pendek orang pekak ini,  kesedaran dan kefahaman masyarakat terhadap komuniti pekak akan tersebar.   Aktiviti seperti ini akan merapatkan hubungan mereka.  

Khidmat jurubahasa telah disediakan di sepanjang festival supaya orang-orang pekak dan yang boleh mendengar boleh saling memahami.

Festival filem pendek silentSHOUT 2011 ini juga menganjurkan forum filem pendek, berpanelkan pengarah filem pendek. " - Sin Chew Daily. 

Maklumat tambahan
Genre filem-filem pendek yang berbeza, dihasilkan oleh pengarah-pengarah filem pendek Malaysia ini  memaparkan kebolehan mereka berkarya dan berkreatif menggunakan keunikan pemikiran masing-masing. Pengarah-pengarah pekak ini juga menunjukkan kebolehan meraka mengarah dan mempamerkan kebolehan bakat-bakat orang pekak untuk berlakon.  Filem-filem pendek oleh pengarah pekak ini juga menceritakan cara hidup dan budaya orang pekak. 

FINAS yang menyokong dari mulanya idea festival filem pendek  orang pekak ini, terus membimbing perjalanan silentSHOUT  untuk menganjurkan dan menjayakan Festival  Filem Pendek silentSHOUT 2011 dengan lancar. Pihak FINAS telah menyediakan tempat tayangan, crew teknikal dan komunikasi serta award pertandingan filem pendek orang pekak ini.

Festival filem pendek silentSHOUT 2011 ini juga menganjurkan forum filem pendek, berpanelkan pengarah filem pendek, Chen Yih Wen, pemenang BMW Shorties 2010; Margaret Bong, pengarah filem pendek “eyefinger” dan Josephine Koo, seorang pelakon pekak dari filem pendek “eyefinger” yang menceritakan pengalaman beliau berlakon dan bekerja  bersama pengarah yang boleh mendengar.   Filem pendek “eyefinger” telah dihasilkan dari dana pembangunan seni filem & multimedia FINAS.  Forum ini telah dimoderasikan oleh Kareem Koh, pengajar  filem silentSHOUT dan juga pengarah filem pendek.  Chen Yih Wen yang menayangkan filem pendek,”Memoria” dan Margaret Bong yang menayangkan filem pendek, “eyefinger” telah berkongsi pengalaman pembikinan filem pendek mereka serta menjawap soalan-soalan dari penonton-penonton yang hadir pada hari ini.  

Chen Yih Wen, Josephine Koo, Margaret Bong & Kareeh Koh
Pemenang Anugerah Festival Filem Pendek silentSHOUT 2011:
Filem Pendek Terbaik
Bisikan Tangan - Dir. Nethaneal Siegfred Enson
 

Cerita Terbaik
LipRead - Dir. Anne Laura Raymond

Cinematografi Terbaik
Pelita Hati - Dir. Farid Mahmud

"Best Effort"
Deaf Capoeira - Dir. Akira Chua & Yong Siew Ling

Pilihan Penonton
Bisikan Tangan - Dir. Nethaneal Siegfred Enson

Kelima-lima filem pendek; “Bisikan Tangan”, “Lip Read”, “Pelita Hati”, “Deaf Capoeira”, dan “The Park”, telah diterima dan akan ditayangkan di 2nd Hong Kong International Deaf Film Festival di Februari 24-26 2012, di Hong Kong. Filem-filem pendek ini akan ditayangkan bersama filem-filem pendek orang pekak dari negara-negara antarabangsa. Maklumat lanjut, sila layari: HKIDFF 2012 - Filem Pendek Orang Pekak Malaysia

silentSHOUT Short Film Festival 2011

Date:    7 December 2011 (Saturday)
Time:   2pm
Venue: Auditorium Mini P. Ramlee, FINAS (National Film Development Corporation Malaysia)


Sin Chew Daily
Translation:
 " Deaf and Hearing communities entered  Auditorium Mini P. Ramlee, FINAS, together watched the short films made by the Malaysian Deaf people, and voted for the Audience Choice Award.

The screened short films were "Bisikan Tangan", "Deaf Capoeira", "Lip Read", "Pelita Hati" and "The Park".

The short film festival was held by silentSHOUT for its first time, to screen the short films made by the Malaysian Deaf. The festival was well supported by FINAS.

silentSHOUT Short Film Festival provides a chance and platform for the Deaf to become directors, casts and crews, to showcase their work. silentSHOUT hopes that through the festival, the public will know and understand the deaf community better, and hopes that these kind of activities are able to foster positive relationships between deaf and hearing communities, and bridge the gaps.

Sign language interpreters were provided by the organiser so that the deaf and hearing audience understand throughout the festival.

Besides that, there was a short film forum during the silentSHOUT Short Film Festival. " - Sin Chew Daily. 

Additional Information
The entries submitted by the deaf filmmakers were all different genres. The deaf directors have used unique ideas to demonstrate their talent and creativity, and also proved the ability of the Deaf in directing and acting. The films bring out the deaf lifestyle and culture.
FINAS has supported Deaf Short Film Festival in the beginning, and  helped Short Film Festival 2011 for the success. FINAS has provided the screening location, technicians and the short films award prizes. 

The invited guests for the short film forum were Chen Yih Wen (winner of BMW Shorties 2010),   Margaret Bong ("eyefinger" film director), and Josephine Koo (deaf actress in the film "eyefinger"). The short film "eyefinger" was funded by FINAS (Dana Pembangunan Seni Filem & Multimedia FINAS). The forum was moderated by Kareem Koh, a filmmaker and who is also the silentSHOUT short film making workshop instructor. During the forum, Chen Yih Wen has shown her short film "Memoria", Margaret Bong has showed "eyefinger", and both of them shared their shooting experience. Josephine Koo shared her experience working with the hearing film director (Margaret Bong). Three of them answered the questions from the audience.


Chen Yih Wen, Josephine Koo, Margaret Bong & Kareeh Koh


Winners of  silentSHOUT Short Film Competition 2011:
Best Short Film
Bisikan Tangan / Whispering Hands - Dir. Nethaneal Siegfred Enson

Best Story
LipRead - Dir. Anne Laura Raymond

Best Cinematography
Pelita Hati / Enlightened Heart - Dir. Farid Mahmud

Best Effort
Deaf Capoeira - Dir. Akira Chua & Yong Siew Ling

Audience Choice Award
Bisikan Tangan 
/ Whispering Hands - Dir. Nethaneal Siegfred Enson

These 5 films “Bisikan Tangan”, “Lip Read”, “Pelita Hati”, “Deaf Capoeira”, and “The Park”, have been accepted and will be screened at the 2nd Hong Kong International Deaf Film Festival, in February 24-26 2012 with other international short films. For more information, please read:  HKIDFF - Malaysian Deaf Short Films




静响(silentSHOUT)短片电影节2011

日期:2011年 12月17日 (星期六)
时间:下午两点
地点: 比南利迷你影院,国家电影发展机构(FINAS)

星洲日报 Sin Chew Daily
或参考星洲日报报道:星洲日报网-静响短片电影节

“(八打灵再也4日讯)来自聋人及健听社群的观众涌入了国家电影发展机构 FINAS,比南利迷你影院, 一起观赏由马来西亚聋人执导的短片,并投选观众票选奖

当天播映的短片有之手Bisikan Tangan),聋与卡波耶Deaf Capoeira, 唇读Lip Read点亮心田Pelita Hati)和   公园The Park)。

由静响(silentSHOUT)第一次举办的短片电影节,播放由马来西亚聋人执导的参赛短片作品。此电影节获得了国家电影发展机构的全力支持。

 静响短片电影节提供机会与平台给这些聋人成为导演,演员和幕后工作人员,以展示他们的作品。静响希望借此短片电影节,唤醒社会大众对于聋人社群的认识和了解,并期望此类的活动能促进聋人及健听社群的关系,消除隔

当天,主办单位提供手语翻译员在旁翻译, 聋人及健听观众明白与了解整个电影节活动

此外,当天静响短片电影节2011也举办了短片座谈会。” - 星洲日报。


更多详情:
 聋人导演们所呈交的参赛短片全属于不同类型。 通过这些短片, 马来西亚聋人导演们各别运用独特点子与构想显示出他们的才能与创意, 并展示了聋人的能力 – 执导与演戏。这些短片亦带出聋人的生活作息与文化。 

国家电影发展机构由始鼎力支持静响所构思的聋人短片电影节, 并协助静响举办静响短片电影节2011取得圆满成功。
国家电影发展机构提供了播映地点,技术人员及短片比赛的奖金。

当天静响短片电影节2011也举办了短片座谈会,邀请来宾有短片导演曾忆雯(Chen Yih Wen)2010 BMW短片优胜者(BMW Shorties 2010); 黄洲珍(Margaret Bong) “eyefinger” 短片导演  和 许丽音(Josephine Koo)“eyefinger” 短片的聋女演员。该部短片 “eyefinger” 是由国家电影发展机构的艺术电影及多媒体开发基金(Dana Pembangunan Seni Filem & Multimedia FINAS)所赞助。
此短片座谈会由短片导演和静响短片电影制作坊的讲师 - 许书雄(Kareem Koh)主持。当天, 曾忆雯播映短片“Memoria”,黄洲珍播映“eyefinger”,并分享了短片拍摄经验。许丽音则分享她与健听导演拍片的经验 。 她们也及回答在场观众提问的问题。


Chen Yih Wen, Josephine Koo, Margaret Bong & Kareem Koh



静响短片比赛2011优胜者名单:
最佳短片
(喁喁之手)(Bisikan Tangan )- 导演Nethaneal Siegfred Enson

最佳剧情
唇读(Lip Read) - 导演Anne Laura Raymond

最佳摄影
点亮心田 (Pelita Hati) - 导演 Farid Mahmud

最佳精神
聋与卡波耶拉(Deaf Capoeira) -导演  Akira Chua 与 Yong Siew Ling

观众票选奖
(喁喁之手)(Bisikan Tangan) -导演Nethaneal Siegfred Enson
 
此外,这五部参赛短片将会在2012第二届香港国际聋人电影节 (2nd Hong Kong International Deaf Film Festival)与其他国际聋人短片共同播映。详情,请游览: 香港国际聋人电影节-马来西亚聋人短片

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Malaysian Deaf Short Films Screening at HKIDFF 2012 (Hong Kong)

5 Malaysian Deaf Short Films will be screened at the 2nd Hong Kong International Deaf Film Festival (HKIDFF), 2012 @ agnes b. cinema, Hong Kong Arts Centre, Wan Chai.

Lima filem pendek orang pekak Malaysia akan ditayangkan di Festival Filem Pekak Antarabangsa
Hong Kong kali kedua, 2012.

马来西亚聋人制作的5部短片,将在第二届香港国际聋人电影节播映。


For more info/ untuk maklumat lanjut / 更多详情
view / layari/ 查阅:
http://www.hkidff.com/schs.php

Feb 24 (Fri) 8.00pm 
Bisikan Tangan / Whispering Hands /窃窃手语
Director/ 导演: Nethaneal S. Enson 

Pelita Hati
Director/导演 : Farid Mahmud

Feb 25 (Sat) 5.30pm
Lip Read /读唇
Director/ 导演: Anne Laura Raymond

Feb 26 (Sun) 2.30pm
The Park / 公园

Director/ 导演: Anne Laura Raymond

Feb 26 (Sun) 8.00pm
Deaf Capoeira / 聋与巴西战舞者
Director/导演: Akira Chua, Yong Siew Leng

HKIDFF poster

 
Welcome to silentSHOUT
Selamat Layari silentSHOUT
欢迎游览静响