“Noah” // Research on Screen Recording Technique.

At the initial stage of “Disconnected”, I was largely inspired by this short film, “Noah“, that did storytelling entirely based off a screen recording.

I wrote to the director and editor a couple of days ago asking if they could share the technique of how they did “Noah”. They just wrote back to me and introduced me to the screen recording program as well as the workflow.

I will attempt to try out their technique as part of my “Little test 3”.

A Little Test

So, today I took the interface of Omegle and made it into “The Strangers Network”.

Thereafter, I tested on screen recording as well as photobooth recording. The little test can be view here- https://vimeo.com/185019035/6a57678f3e

Photobooth recording was the top video, and the screen recording was the bottom video. Photobooth recording allows for audio recording as well, as such we’ll be using photobooth recording for our shoot.

After the test, we’ve concluded on the work flow for the actual day shoot, which have been added to the shot list document here –  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HLPjO18CkeZIGf5b2zhRbr1SoNvB-CnPzUPD_64CP6Y/edit?usp=sharing

 

Casting Day 1 – Benjamin Tan

Benjamin Tan

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View casting video here – https://vimeo.com/184858012/2ca0f5220f

Actor’s CV here – http://www.imdb.com/name/nm7406651/?ref_=ext_shr_eml_vi#lb-vi2303112985

Comments/
– I think he’s good in portraying JOE, especially so because I can imagine him with the 4am look.

– How he played JOE in this scene was to internalise the idea of the scene and play it out in his own way.

– I particularly like his little actions, like rubbing his arms or getting frustrated with Jake. But sometimes I do admit that it is a bit over the top.
Overall, I think he can play JOE, but we shall see with the other cast audition on Monday.

Set Design / Cast Required + Updates

A table with all things needed for the shoot day has been detailed here –

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PZXwEF7jOABXpivAM2eDqcQO_Y6CGcbaTgteYkMhMFI/edit?usp=sharing

Updates //

  1. Engaging Dylon for AfterEffects skills for screengrab recording + discussing the workflow with him.
  2. Cast audition with Benjamin on Thurs @ 1pm. Venue tbc.

Post Acting Workshop // Reflection + Updates

REFLECTION //

Through yesterday’s acting rehearsal, I’ve come to realised the importance of how an actor can make or break a character. If successful, the actor is able to play out the traits and qualities of a character, and this becomes believable for the audience. The opposite of this is true too, if a character overplays, it destroys the illusion and the reality of the imagined world.

Disconnected is a film that revolves around mostly one character and his reactions to situations. Through the rehearsals, I felt that it was really very difficult to bring out a natural reaction to a made up situation and that the character is not merely acting out step 1, 2,3  but rather really believe that he is in that situation himself.

I think one way to tackle this, as mentioned by Sebastian, is to have a really experienced actor or another could be that this actor already has a character of his own and is merely just playing out the role.

For my casting audition, I’ll be using the same scene which I used duing the acting workshop because that scene is the climax of the film and how the actor reacts to the situation is integral to the storytelling.

Updates on “Disconnected”//

  • Location has been confirmed, two individual rooms in the same apartment will be set up.
  • Casting for Amelia has been confirmed.
  • Casting call for Joe online as well as in acting school.
  • Acting rehearsals / table read on 7 Oct. Shoot date on 8 Oct.
  • Will be speaking to Matthew to come up with the workflow for the day of shoot as well as shot list.

Scene Analysis for Acting Rehearsal // Acting Workshop (22 Sept)

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Scene Analysis

  • In this scene, Joe gets caught off guard when the stranger he has been (webcam) live streaming with goes unconscious and starts foaming.
  • This scene is the turning point for Joe when he goes from the cheeky, charming fellow he is, to disbelief, to panicking and then to being quick witted.
  • In the state of panic, he calls his good friend for help, and through the conversation, he reveals to the audience more information about how he has been using “The Strangers Network” and that this has been a routine for him.
  • The phone conversation aided in Joe’s thought process as he recalls information about the stranger.

Plot Points / Actions

  • Joe is taken aback when he realises the girl he is live streaming with is unconscious and foaming.– How this will be conveyed through action: He stands up / places his hands behind his head & starts pacing around.
  • He becomes doubtful that it is a prank / is in disbelief.

    – How this will be conveyed through action: He shouts at the computer screen to get a reaction.
  • He checks once more on the computer screen and he realises that it is happening.
  • He doesn’t know what to do, he calls his friend.

    – How this will be conveyed through action: He goes to the bed and sits on the edge of the bed / goes back to the computer screen / back and forth.As he speaks to Jake, he expresses agitation and anxiety – He does this by raising his voice but trying to contain it at the same time (because it is late in the night)
  • He has an epiphany – he remembers a piece of information that is crucial to finding the stranger.– How this will be conveyed through action: Through his expression / jumps out of his bed. Perhaps he drops the call with Jake, as he is no longer important now that he has a solution. Overall, his actions are more rushed and quick as compared to before.

Characters & Props involved

Characters: Joe, Amelia (stranger) & Jake (Joe’s good friend)

Props:
-Blanket
-Computer & a mouse.
-A mobile phone.
-A bed.

Character Biography (Joe & Amelia)

Joe / Early 20s.

Joe, the protagonist of my film, is an opportunist, lonely and horny. He isn’t exactly very good looking or ugly, an average joe really, but strangely charming. Perhaps this is why he manages to get girls online to do what he wants to satisfy his sexual needs. He is desperate to wrap girls around his fingers and he craves and seeks sexual relief over the internet through pornography and through live streaming, where he meets and convinces girls to strip for him.

He lives in the moment and craves for instant gratification.

But despite all that, he has a conscience, but it is buried deep within himself as he is immune to whatever he has been doing and over time, it does not come off to him as wrong or perverse. That being said, in times of crisis, that conscience slowly emerges.

Amelia Lai (Stranger on the other side of the webcam) / Early-Twenties.

Amelia is good looking, fresh-faced, highly sort after kind of girl. She comes from a good family and she exudes positivity in her life and is full of love. She has a dog named Ginger whom she loves more than anything in the world, so much so that she has an Instagram account for her dog. Her strengths are also her shortcomings. She loves too hard and that became her downfall. In her previous relationship with her ex-boyfriend, she sent nudes to him. She isn’t the sort to do such acts but to please her then boyfriend, she does it. Unfortunately for her, her ex-boyfriend leaked her nudes online after they broke up and now everyone has seen her naked body. Thereafter, her relationship with her family became estranged. She is judged by her friends, expelled from school and left her all alone. This forces her to turn on to the internet to confide in strangers.

However, Amelia is not as strong as we wished she would be, so one night, she finally decides to end it all. She downs an entire bottle of pills and goes online to perhaps seek her comfort, from a stranger, as her life slowly waste away.