Shot for Shot: Director's Statement of Intent

NAME: _______Kent Thalman______

DATE: ________10/04/16______

DP: ______Hailey Davis_____

FILM 3: SHOT-FOR-SHOT DUPLICATION DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT OF INTENT

This statement of intent is designed to train your mind, eye and heart to shoot purposefully. You should prepare it well before shooting. Briefly—but thoughtfully and specifically—answer the following questions. Be sure to make your answers specific to the assignment as listed on Learning Suite.

1. What film or TV show is this from?

2. In 3-5 sentences, what has happened in the story before this scene?

This is from Signs by M. Night Shyamalan. Before this scene, Graham has heard that aliens might be visiting the earth. He does not believe this. He has stopped by the house of a man who has just called him, who says that he is leaving town, and locked an alien in his closet, warning Graham not to go in.

1. What is the theme of this film?

The theme of this film is: Signs from God are given to all, but we must choose to see them.

1. What is the story—the beginning, middle, and end—of your scene in three or four sentences? In other words, what happens as the scene starts, as it progresses, and as it ends?

Graham enters and attempts to coax who he believes to be a meddling teen out of the pantry by impersonating a policeman. Met by silence, he tries peaking under the crack of the pantry door with a knife, but to no avail. He leaves, then turns back to try again just as an alien hand reaches out for him, and he chops off its fingers with the knife.

1. What, specifically, must the audience understand narratively in order to engage in this scene? How does the director communicate each piece of information?

Not much. Just that there is a rumor/belief that an alien attack on earth is eminent.

1. What is the narrative, emotional and thematic purpose of this scene in the larger story?

This scene strongly establishes that aliens are truly on earth, and that they are hostile towards humans. They are to be feared.

1. What emotion do you think the director wanted the audience to experience in this scene? Why? How did the director achieve this? How do you intend to do this?

Fear. The scene preceding this one was Graham's brother watching a news report of a sighting of an actual alien. Before that, a man tells Graham not to look in his pantry because he just locked one inside. This establishes a sort of dramatic irony/suspense, because we know that Graham doesn't believe in the aliens and also has to see things to believe them. He is going to try and see this alien! His pacing and delaying of the alien's reveal really ups the suspense as the scene progresses. This is what I'll do (obviously as it's a shot for shot). But the performance of the actor also creates a fearful curiosity which reads well on screen. So casting will be a major consideration.

1. What is the first image of the scene? What is the final image of the scene? Why do you think the director chose these specific images?

The first image of the scene is the kitchen looking towards the entrance via the pantry door. This shot establishes a tight space, and shows Graham enter the frame with a clear purpose of wanting to see the alien. It establishes an objective. The last shot is a CU of Graham's face screaming after chopping the fingers of the alien. This shot is visually and performatively indicative of the doubt leaving Graham. It's also very frightening.

1. Why is this scene personal to you? What previous personal experience(s) does it remind you of? Ask yourself, “Why do I need to make this scene?”

I love this film and this scene. I love the themes of this film, and I love Graham's character. This need to see something, but that desire being unhealthy is pretty familiar to me. The events of this particular scene aren't the most indicative of the film's theme, but it is indicative of the emotions and feelings of the character, that are personally relatable to me.

1. Which specific visual elements (line, shape, space, tone, color, rhythm, movement) do you notice the director is using to purposefully communicate the emotion of the scene? What other elements is the director using to evoke emotion? (Be specific! Don’t just say “art direction,” although that’s a start, say, “scattered clothing on the bed, open closet doors…” etc.)

The first shot is full of horizontal and vertical lines, but the whole space is just slightly canted. On top of this, all the toppled over chairs in the frame create lots of diagonal lines much sharper than the tiny cant of the camera, which creates contrast of line within the frame. Likewise, triangles contrast the rectangles. Even the lighting creates a diagonal overtop of Graham in the first shot. The tone is pretty low key, or high contrast. This is so we can see the light moving under the pantry door. The camera movement is a series of mild dollies and tilts mostly. The former create a little bit of depth and even open space for just a brief moment. This heightens our interest in the character's predicament, although it is thus far a very quiet scene. The low angle close up of Graham is full of diagonals in the frame. The whole frame other than Graham is all diagonals! But it's tonally low contrast, and Graham is the brightest object in frame, so we look at him, and only feel the diagonals. This is brilliant. I'm seeing loads of diagonals throughout the scene now. The point of attention in the frame is either via lighting (the object is bright such as the knife) or eye line of Graham. Right at the end, Graham walks slowly away, then really fast on the Z axis back to the door, right before the hand pops out (also moving on the Z axis). This creates a deep space pop right at the end of the scene. And the shot of the alien hand is the world's most canted shot ever. Cuts the frame into two congruent triangles. Terrifying!

1. What focal lengths does the director appear to be using? Why?

The biggest one is the first shot is a tighter lens (maybe a 50mm). That same angle cuts to what looks like a 24mm right when he gets the knife. This creates major leading lines or depth in the shot, which is a deep space spike in the scene.

The whole first half of the scene is pretty much on a 50mm. When we see the knife (tracking shot) that looks like a 35mm to me. The moment he grabs it, it's a 24mm. That's it. I think that Shyamalan keeps things very simple, but never lets a detail slip. He uses these few lenses to create pops in spacial treatment at the exact moments he wants to.

1. In a bulleted list, describe two or three potential obstacles the filmmakers faced in creating a successful scene. How do you think they overcame these?

I think that the space was a little tricky/small. They handled this well, and kept us oriented. But not too oriented, which played to their advantage. Their lens choices revealed just enough at the right times.

The pacing of the scene risks becoming very boring or slow. But the actor's performance lends a huge hand to this problem. Also, the use of visual components via production design and shape is huge!

1. In a bulleted list, describe two or three potential obstacles you may face in creating a successful scene. How can you be prepared to overcome these? Be specific!

The biggest one by far to me will be finding the right location. The ceiling and wallpaper and chairs, etc, all add so much to this scene, and will hurt it if they are missing, or just plain white walls. Luckily, this style of architecture is pretty common in South Provo, so I'll have to scout around.

The performer. I have a couple of people in mind, but one is probably too round. But he is the better actor. The other consideration for this role would be shaped well, and is a really good actor who I think could do a great job, so I'll probably ask him.