Manifesto and Essay

Manifesto:

Destroy all strict, boring outlines.
Nothing is sacred and everything is subject to mutiny.
Nothing should have to follow the lines of a rigid square.
Comedy is a virtue.
Laugh at yourself.
Laugh at those around you.
Laugh at things that shouldn't be funny.
But you don't have to laugh all the time.
I love action, speed, and dynamic images.
I love to try to save everything I can.
But if it fails, be ready to chunk it.
Heartily eat the shit out of life and spit out the bits and chunks that should have made it.
All that is held sacred will falter.

Essay:
The beating of hooves on the ground could be heard out in the open field. A chill wind was blowing through but the temperature was acceptable. A time keeper called out a two minute warning, telling me it was time to wrap up my warm up. My horse was sparkling clean and we were dressed in our colors. After a few more fences, we finished the warm-up and proceeded to the start box as they called out the one minute warning. I checked my stop watch and set it; my heart was pounding uncontrollably - from the excitement, worry, and the previous warm up. The horse was standing by the start-box, me on his back, tightly gripped on the reins, waiting in anticipation. My feet wriggled in the stirrups as the time keeper counted down from thirty seconds to the final ten seconds.
The sweat was rolling down my face now. The horse was anxious with me, unable to stand perfectly still. At the last ten seconds, I walked towards the box and at five seconds walked in, slowly turning around as I heard "five, four, three, two, one" read out to me. At one, my heart dropped and with a "Go!" from the time keeper, the powerful legs of the horse took off, departing from the fence of the start box, cantering the first 20 yards to the first obstacle. For the duration of the ride, all I remember was the thunder of horse hooves and my voice in a combination of yelling and praising the horse, along with my legs pushing and pushing his strong legs forward. I remember I had to yell in order to keep myself breathing.
Finally, at the last obstacle, I could feel myself pushing and pushing and as the horse's nimble legs took off from the ground, sailing over the jump, he landed and my heart felt elated, knowing it was just a calm canter the finish line left.

Storyboard:

Time Project Assignment Write-Up

The idea behind this project was to create an infomercial/commercial about a product that is supposed to rewind time, dubbed Time in a Can. Conceptually and Technically, it was moderately difficult to pull off. The idea itself is so overdone that it's hard to have original content. An additional conceptual issue was making it comical. Technically, we dealt with a lot of issues concerning spaces, daylight, and shots. The spaces tended to be domestic but it was hard to control every aspect of the space within the frame. Since we were in a house, we had to move around and out a lot of items that were unnecessary to the space, especially in the kitchen. Daylight became an issue to shoot in for one of the scenes because I had no experience shooting outdoors. Finally, the shots became a major issue because aesthetically, most infomercials are plain and not very interesting. So, I had a lot of issues making the shot aesthetically pleasing without being extreme and unrealistic. The approach was to shoot all day on Sunday according to the schedule I drew up. Unfortunately, due to actor's personal conflicts we spent all the morning and early afternoon tending to other business so that we could get to shooting. Frustrations lied mostly with actor's availability continually switching. Overall, I learned much more about giving directions and cues and learning patience.

Quiz #2

1. key light, fill light, and back light

2. back light

3. key light

4. fill light

5. background light, gives background definition

Rehearsal

1. Breakdown the Script to determine the following:
a. 3 actors, 2 male, 1 female. Versatile because they will have to do stunts and gesturing.
b. Male actor 1 will be in 4 to 6 scenes and Female actress will be in 4 scenes. Male actor 2 will be in 1 scene. Male actor 1's performance will be about 5 minutes in length for the final piece. Actual filming time will be around 3 to 4 hours. Female actress' final piece length will be about 5 minutes as well, filming time around 2 to 3 hours. Male actor 2's final piece will be about 15 seconds long and actual filming time will be about an hour.
c. There are 4 location requirements. One is outdoors and on a sleepy street and driveway. The other three are indoors in my own home. Power outlets are plentiful indoors. For outdoors, either a battery can be used or I can run an extension cable to the house.
d. 2 stunts - 1)Hit by a car, 2)Falling over on a bike. Expect several hours of rehearsal time to get this right.
e. Alien heads or makeup to make alien heads will be required. All other clothes will be regular average American type wardrobes.
f. Car, bike, TV, tin can, spray bottle

2.


11. In response to the rehearsal, I felt like there were major drawbacks and a bunch of minor things we could work around. My actors are extremely professional but my own demeanor is getting in the way. I've always had the issue of being silly on the set. I can be serious behind the camera but I giggle often in the scenes which is causing us to have a lot of retakes. This is a major issue considering our time constraints. I basically have two options in this situation. My first option would be to cast someone else for this role. My second option would be to collect myself beforehand. Because of the short time I have between rehearsal and filming the latter option is basically my choice.
Another major issue we have run into is the dog scene. I knew from the start dealing with animals was going to be difficult and possibly would not work. After many trials with the dog scene, I have determined that I am going to have to delete this scene. The only dog available for this shot is not cooperative. She follows basic commands but cannot stay on task long enough to get a good shot. This portion of the script will be rewritten.
The test shots were excellent. I was able to get the range and variety I had wanted and expected. Lighting overall needs help on the indoor scenes but the outdoor scenes are looking excellent. I am planning on using natural light coming through the windows for one of the indoor scenes but it still is too dark in the front. I need a good key light to illuminate the faces and figures of the actors.
Overall, the rehearsal was extremely successful and the actors understood their parts and really got into their roles (especially my stunt actor).

12. All scenes are okay to go except the dog scene is being deleted.

Script and Storyboard

Script:
(dialogue is subtitled)

Host: Ladies and gentlemen! My name is Tom and tonight it’s time again for the Mail Order Special Event Hour! And helping me this evening is my ever elegant co-star, Mary!
{Co-star enters wearing shiny gown}
Tonight, we have a new amazing product to share with you all that’s going to completely change your life. Absolutely, positively change your life!
We’ve all been in that situation where immediately after you do something you wish you could take it all back. Well now you can!
How is this possible? With new Time in a Can you can render up to an hour of your life meaningless!
The patented ingredients in Time in a Can work to restore time that you thought you had given up. With Time in a Can, anyone can make decisions without thinking of the consequences!
So how does this amazing product work, may you ask? Well, it’s really quite simple!
First, open Time in a Can after you realize that you fucked up. Pour the patented liquid time reversal agent on the subject or area where you want time reversed up to one hour ago. Then watch it happen! Your poor decision making is now a thing of the past!
Let’s see how one of our most satisfied customers uses this product!

Bad Dinner
{Customer is sitting down with wife with a plate of questionable food on the table. He eats it and after vomitting (yarn) he pulls out Time in a Can to reverse the effects}

Bike Accident
{Customer is riding bike and then falls off bike. He groans and reaches for the Time in a Can in his pocket and then reverses time}

Bad Sex {Customer is shown in bed and then the shot moves to the right to show he’s next to a female. He then pulls out Time in a Can. Reversal of video not necessary here.}

Hit by a Car
{Customer walks out into the street and gets hit by a car. Driver pulls out Time in a Can and reverses accident}

Host: That guy really loves Time in a Can! And that’s not all it can do! You can stop your neighbor’s dog from attacking you!

{Cuts to clip of dog chasing after guy}


It can win you over that girl you blew it with!

{Guy: Hey, baby, was your dad a thief? Because you stole my heart. Girl smacks guy. Guy reverses time and tries again. He just dips and kisses her.}

And even give you back the hour you wasted watching Steve Martin!
{Girl looks dull. Flicker of TV screen but not actually showing TV. Takes out Time in a Can and rewinds the time.}

So what are you waiting for? You and I both know you need Time in a Can.

Order now and you’ll receive Time in a Can for only $19.95. But wait! If you order within the next 10 minutes we’ll double your order! That’s right! 2 for the price of 1! But that’s not all! We’ll also include our instructional video! And if that’s not enough, we’ll give you Time in a Spray Bottle as our gift to you! That’s 2 Time in a Cans, the instructional video tape, and Time in a Spray Bottle all for $19.95!

Side effects of Time in a Can include vomitting, rash, sneezing, itching, bloated antennae, swelling of the breasts, toothache, earache, backache, stomachache, heartache, runny nose, bloody nose, black eye, pink eye, bad hair days, common cold, mildly common cold, semi-common cold, possibly-maybe common cold, estrogen imbalance, flat tire, visits from your mother-in-law, and erectile dysfunction.

Does not work on pregnant women.


Storyboard:



Questions:
a. To sell you this product.
b. Really nothing. It's their interpretation of the world and they're convincing you that this will change your life. The obstacles lie in consumer opinion outside of the screen.
c. They will give you "real life" scenarios of how this product works and why it's so great.
d. Use material evidence and video evidence.
e. They're going to succeed. There is no failure in an infomercial except in the actual audience's point of view.
f. Everything except actually reversing time.

Time Project Development

Genre - Comedy

Logline - Infomercial on Time in a Can, a product to rewind time.

Synopsis - Your host introduces you to the concept of fixing your shit by reversing time with the amazing product Time in a Can.
The host demonstrates through various scenarios how to properly use the product and how it can work for you.
The video also takes you through interviews with people who have tried it and how it's been successful for them.
The host also informs you that you may feel some side-effects of time reversal but that's perfectly normal.

Visual Aids -
Some setting photos (ideas):



Dog to be used in attack sequence:

She's great because she gets riled up real easily and without hurting you will attack and growl and snarl.

Notes and Storyboards:

Possibly make the characters aliens? Would get rid of spoken dialogue but would then call for subtitles.


Lighting Notes:
Want natural light for outdoor portions, i.e. the park, street, driveway.
Notes for indoor spaces -