For this unit, we had to create a project inspire by York. From this I chose to create an awkward romance, set on a park bench - inspired by museum gardens. Whilst also choosing to embrace the Autumnal season.

1. York Short Film
Matthew-Burniston

2. Planning

3. Concept
The story will follow a guy starting to spark a romance on a park bench
with this girl (in Musuem Gardens.)
Through this film I will be focusing on the meet cute between to
characters, with focus being drawn to dialog between two characters
and the development of the unconfident guy becoming more confident
around this girl as time passes.

4. Plot
Start:
The protagonist starts of by receiving a phone call from his friend – telling him not to worry about
his current dating situation and that there's someone out there for everybody. Whilst the
protagonist holds a disbelief for this. Eventually ending the call, followed by getting finishing to get
ready to leave the house and get breath of fresh air.
Middle:
Walking in the park for a while chooses to sit down for a bit (his earphones in,) both randomly and
convenient for the story to happen sits next to this girl. At the start of the scene he starts of shy,
uncomforted by the idea of conversation – leaving the girl to start the conversation.
Ends:
Gradually over time he will gain in confidence at the pair will start to connect well. Eventually
leading up to her having to be somewhere, though having enough time to wright down her number
(finally having hope.)

5. Mood Board

6. Colour
By collecting all the colours I used in my mood board (-a lot images being selected around the theme of
autumn, as that's when I'll be shooting the video,) meaning that I'll be using loads of oranges.
By using the 'Save To Web'
feature on Photoshop, I could
break down the colours in to as
many as I wanted. Bringing
down the colours from 256 to 8
By picking the average colours out with photoshop it came out a lot
different that thought – showing a lot of beige and a lot less oranges
than expected.
A similar colour scheme to
what I might be able to use
(using the very autumnal
oranges and yellows,)
much like to what I think I
may be looking into using.

7. Research

8. Shooting It
With one of the last problems on my previous project (whilst also on previous shoots,) was my being set ready – being able to juggle dirrecting
my actors, conveying the right meaning in my shots, sorting out the lighting and all in just the way I planned in a cleaner, more stress free
manor. To try and avoid this for another time, I started digging around the internet looking for better ways to overcome the confused mess I
had previously been working.
Guerrilla filmaking (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdlIjHm_J38&t=68s)
Watching one video, one thing they suggested was test shot for refference on lighting – will I need additonal lighting, refflectors and/or
deffusers? Another thing suggested was keeping the film small, make sure you don't plan for anything outside you budjet. On top of this,
simplyfy my crew. When using audio for you project, don’t use the audio on the camera, it can make your film appear cheaper and can easily
put people off you film. When doing a shot list, just write down a few simple shots – lessen the guessing (though this somethings I've worked
with, it's something I for sure need to work on.) Another, suggestion was shooting with as many naturual lights as possible.
Shot lists (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhXMpBk3GDA&t=48s)
The way they planned their shots for their film in this video is by using a stand in and taking pictures on location. Also allowing them to gain
perspectives on lighting. Whilst composing this in post, think over the movment and the postioning and what reflection of emotion would this
convey – e.g. eye line on level, above makes them feel overpowers, whilst the opposite has the opposite effect or by moving the camera out
could convey the wold feeling a lot bigger, etc.. After finding your shots, move it around accroding to the shooting order, that way you can you
use the same lighting and camera set up, rather than constantly having to re-setup everything.

9. Research Notes
• When writing and planning, keep it to what you know.
• Go out and experiment with you set – whats required to get the perfect lighting
and how busy will it be?
• Don't use the camera's microphone, use a boom mike or dub the piece.
• Shoot with as many naturual lights as possible.
• Organise shoot around what camera and lighting postios are being used.

10. Pre-Production

11. Characters And Casting
Character Character Description Possible Casting Choices
Frazer
Who Are They:
The protagonist.
What Kind Of Person Are They:
Introvertive, quiet, romantic, lonely, lack of hope.
What Part Do They Play:
They're audience eyes into the story, whilst setting up the plot points
and narrative goals for the story.
Callum Tuff
Tom
Who Are They:
He's protagonists' friend.
What Kind Of Person Are They:
Supportive friend, doesn't quite understand the protagonist.
What Part Do They Play:
They push the protagonist to get out there and display their goals.
Matt Burniston
Lucy
Who Are They:
The Protagonist's love interest.
What Kind Of Person Are They:
Extravertive, friendly.
What Part Do They Play:
They give the protagonist hope again and will act as the love they've
been looking for.
Sophie Schulze

12. Props, Costumes And Locations
Props Costume
2*Phones 2*Scarfs?
Notebook – with stories, scribbles and the word
'hopeless' scribbled into the back.
2*Coats?
Pen 2*Boots?
Woollen Hat?
Place Location
Tom's House TBC
Frazer's House TBC
Park Museum Gardens (York)

13. Shooting help/notes
Help
• When shooting the dialog scenes, shoot the whole dialog from all the different angles.
• Shoot 3 takes of each dialog.
• Dialogue should be shot from two separate sides, as to not confuse the audience.
Notes
• Tom will have a much cleaner more homely house, where's Frazer's will be really mess and not
really match him as a character – he's trying to pretend to be somebody he's not.
• When the character Frazer first meet Lucy, he will be pushed to the corner of the composition (off
the vertical line) as if he was trying to escape the film – in parallel the confrontation of
the conversation. However Lucy, will be placed on the line, occasionally trying to break over free
to share one. The top horizontal line however will be matched to Frazer as the story is from his
perspective. However, when they start to become a lot more comfortable with each other, they
share a single vertical line – acting as one.

14. Storyboarding and Shot List
No. Description Shot Size Shot Type Movement
1.1
Tom on the phone.
'Hey, you don't need to stress about how
things ended or even why.-'
ELS
Rack-
Focus/
Single
Static
2.1
Frazer gathering his stuff, his phone on the
kitchen the counter.
'-She's in the past man.'
MS Single Tracking
1.1
Tom on the phone, Rubbing his forehead.
'Look there's someone out there. Someone
better!'
MS Overhead Static
2.2
Frazer's gathered all his things and
approaches the phone.
'Thanks.'
CU Single Tracking

15. Storyboarding and Shot List
No. Description Shot Size Shot Type Movement
2.3
Frazer ends the call.
'What?'
CU Overhead Static
2.4
Frazer leaves the house.
LS Single Static
3.1
Frazer's walking through the park and
turns to admire the view.
MCS
Eye Level/
Single
Tracking
3.2
The view overlooking the bottom of the
park.
ELS POV Static

16. Storyboarding and Shot List
No. Description Shot Size Shot Type Movement
3.3
He turns behind him, finding a bench and
sitting on it (next to a girl.)
LS
Two Shot/
Eye Level
Static
3.4
The girl next to him glances over, smiling at
him.
MCU Single Static
3.5
Frazer's flicking through his notebook,
eventually landing on a page with
'hopeless' scribble in the back.
CU Overhead Static
3.6
Suddenly Lucy leans over towards him,
causing him to jump.
'So what you writing?'
LS
Two Shot/
Eye Level
Static

17. Storyboarding and Shot List
No. Description Shot Size Shot Type Movement
3.7
Frazer looks both scared and confused at
her.
MCU
Single/
Eye Level
Static
3.8
She smiles, extending a hand in good
gesture.
'Sorry, my names Lucy.'
MCU Single Static
3.9
He awkwardly relpies, not shaking her
hand.
'Hi? I should back on. probably get'
MCU
Single/
Eye Level
Static
3.10
She lowers her hand.
'I should back on. probably get.'
Then shuffles away.
'Course!'
LS
Two Shot/
Eye Level
Static

18. Storyboarding and Shot List
No. Description Shot Size Shot Type Movement
3.11
She shuffles back over back and starts to
mind her buisness as before.
MCU
Single/
Eye Level
Static
3.12
She moves back over to Frazer.
'Sorry, so you're a writer?'
'Kinda?'
'Nice. So is that where all your words have
gone?'
LS
Two Shot/
Eye Leve
Static
3.13
'Because like you're quiet, but you right a
lot. You put words in books?' MCU
Single/
Eye Level
Static
3.14
Sympathetically smiling.
'Oh?' MCU
Single/
Eye Level
Static

19. Storyboarding and Shot List
No. Description Shot Size Shot Type Movement
3.15
'Sorry. That's just me trying to be funny? I
like stories though.'
'How did you know I'm writing stories?'
'You know, you seem like the type of
person who has stories to tell.'
'But you don't know me.'
'Go on then. '
She moves shuffles over to him – the pair
now being paired on one verticle line as if
a single character.
LS
Two Shot/
Eye Level
Static
3.16
'Well my name's FRAZER,I guess I write my
own little stories. It's not for anyone really,
just my own little adventures to get swept
up into I guess.'
MCU
Single/
Eye Level
Static

20. Storyboarding and Shot List
No. Description Shot Size Shot Type Movement
3.17
'Cool.'
MCU
Single/
Eye Level
Static
3.18
'Not really. So go on, what about you?'
'Me?'
'Sure.'
'I guess we all have our own little stories?
I'm not really anything special.'
'Says who?'
'You're right, don't think you really do
know.'
LS Single Static
3.19
She smiled, liking his words.
'Thanks' MCU
Single/
Eye Level
Static

21. Storyboarding and Shot List
No. Description Shot Size Shot Type Movement
3.20
She checks the time on her phone.
CU Overhead Tracking
3.21
She puts her phone away and gets up,
turning to face him.
'You're right, don't think you really do
know.'
'Sure.'
She walks off, stops and walks back.
'Wait! You couldn't give me a bit of paper
and your pen for a sec?'
He opens his notebook and tears out some
paper.
'Just bear with me some more?'
Pulling out her phone.
LS Single
Static To
Tracking

22. Storyboarding and Shot List
No. Description Shot Size Shot Type Movement
3.22
She checks the number and copies it onto
the paper.
MS
Hip Level/
POV
Static
3.23
She hands him the note and he put it in his
notebook.
'Oh?'
CU Overhead Static
3.24
She walks of, stopping and turning back to
wink at him.
'Call me, yea?'
LS
Single/
Eye Level
Static
3.25
He goes back to the page from before and
scribbles out the '-less' from ' hopeless.' CU Overhead Static

23. Evaluation

24. Production Notes
• In terms of what was originally planned for this work, I cut out the opening of the short
film – due to things like timing and not drag out an otherwise simple story. On top of this
I've also had actors drop out causing for a complete, recast (hence I'm acting in my own
short film.) Furthermore, because I was acting in it, it made it slightly harder to direct
(with the obvious lack in acting quality.)
• Because this was harder to direct, some of the visual elements added were missed out
on – such as when Lucy was meant to lean over and break her post, eventually sharing
line with Frazer, as one (but instead only slightly moving over (but not enough for it even
go as intended.) Although Frazer, trying to escape the frame was. However, it only makes
the frame seem slightly off balanced, especially out of context.
• One of the things I really wanted to work into this project was the rule of thirds – having
been researching how to make my footage appear more cinematic and this being
one the biggest suggestions I found (I would also work this into my visual story telling.)
On set I made of lining up Lucy on the line and they upper horizontal line up between the
characters eyes (on the long,) along with everything else being correctly lined up to the
rule of thirds. Even checking this all-in post, especially with the adjusted ratio.

25. Self-Evaluation
Strengths
• The colour grade I've used provides a warm feel to the production, whilst also bringing out the Autumnal look and
feel I was aiming for.
• In comparioson to last year's dubbing in my FMP, I'd say this was inmprovment, with more indepth noises and
acutual post dubbing being applied.
Weaknesses
• The audio is a bit quiet.
• Though I'm fairly proud of the dubbing, it doesn't always match and often likely holds back the product from what
it could've been.
• In my opion, I'm not too proud of how the dialog turned out in the end, maybe being a bit too bland or midioka at
best.
• The acting could be far better. My actors having dropped out, I had to choose to act in it myself, casting Tamezier
(also) knowing I could rely on her to show up, as well as Charlie being also reliable enough to show up and help
operate the camera when I couldn't.
• On some of the close ups of me, you can see the ligting conditions have changed and the sun is out, where it
wasn't before.

26. Peer Feedback 1
Positive
• Intercutting of reaction shots/close ups provide some nice variety to an otherwise static shot.
• The awkward actions of the character feel genuine and relatable.
• Grading provides a warm, positive feeling atmosphere while not being too overbearing. It also helps to
highlight the beautiful look of the autumnal leaves.
• Background noise (which I presume is added in post) is a good addition as it reinforces the park scene with
birds tweeting, etc.
Negatives
• Dubbing works in some areas, but not in others. The levels seem to fluctuate, if they were consistent they would
blend in better.
• Whereas the rest of the film has quick pacing, the section where she writes her number down feels too long.

27. Peer Feedback 1
Positive
• I like the colour grading and camera work.
• I liked the of the hopeless being scribbled out to hope.
Negatives
• Dubbing doesn't match mouth movement.
• Also stays at the same volume.
I liked it overall, very nice.

28. Feed Back Evaluation
• One consistent thing I picked up from my feedback (and even I had an
issue with,) was the dubbing – it doesn't really match up and the
vollume needs fixing, not always 'consistent.'
• People also seemed to like the colour grade that went along with my
video, feeling it to be warm and fitting.
• The first feedback comments on the awkawardness of the charcaters,
feeling it makes them more relatable.
• The phone number scene was too long.

29. Bibliography

30. Bibliography
YouTube:
• D4Darious. (2017). Mastering Composition + Cinematography with Will Smith. Available:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIvGRytmRaw. Last accessed 25th Oct 2019.
• Studio Binder. (2019). How to Make a Shot List in 2019: A Step-by-Step Guide. Available:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhXMpBk3GDA&t=48s. Last accessed 12th Nov
2019.
• Shutterstock Tutorial. (2019). Guerrilla Filmmaking: How We Shot a Short Film in Two
Hours | Filmmaking Tips. Available:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdlIjHm_J38&t=68s. Last accessed 12th Nov 2019.
Screenplays:
• Tess Morris (2015). Man Up. p0-p107.
• Wes Anderson (2014). The Grand Budapest Hotel. p0-p117.