Film Coursework

OCD 
Possible title - ANNA - Symmetrical letters

YouTube stories on OCD:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXlMF8mfWsc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40t0CmdXKo8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lvzQWM8BKY

Camera Shot Ideas for Storyboard & Script:
  • OCD associated with controlled movements, even counting/blinking/stepping, organised surroundings. 
  • Instead of the pictures completely reflecting the theme of the film, I'm going to make it difficult to watch, e.g. subject being in the first third, instead of the centre, the voiceover cutting off before reaching ten, etc. 
  • Message of the film to break the misconceptions surrounding the disorder. Mixture of centred and off-centred images.
  • Perhaps a cyclical structure?
  • Split screen, action in the first continuing through to the second?
  • Wes Anderson - https://vimeo.com/89302848 - pouring of the drink down the centre. No non-diegetic music for an uncomfortable feel, trickling of water to shot to have long duration.
  • Voiceover (but not narrating constantly) 
  • Café scene - mise-en-scene of typical café setting like table, cutlery, drink etc. Close ups so like MC, zooming in and inspecting.
  • "Feeling ashamed or lonely. You may feel ashamed of your obsessive thoughts, or as if they are a permanent part of you and can't be treated. You might feel that you can't talk about this part of yourself with others. This can make you feel very isolated. If you find it hard to be around people or go outside then you may feel lonely." - justifies the Cafe scene 
  • Leonardo DiCaprio, who features in OCD inspired film The Aviator, has admitted in 
    he 'has to force himself to no step on every chewing gum stain' when walking outside.  


SCRIPT IDEAS - Red - Storyboard, Yellow - Short film reference, Blue - Research to explain why used

  • Development of a character/enigma? 
  • CAFE SCENE - [Prague?] The sound of people laughing and chatting can be heard, as well as the chinks of stirring spoons on mugs. Sitting alone is The Girl with a drink in front of her, but instead of drinking it, she's hovering her finger around the rim of the mug. Her face is focused, scrutinising. (long shot, side profile. Sat alone at a two-people table so dissymmetry shown) Voiceover continues. Pouring of water into cup centred. (inspired by Curfew, symmetry with MC in-between the two sets of stairs
  • Typical behaviour of a diagnosed person - guilt/shame of a thought or action can encourage them to hurt themselves - As voiceover goes on, The Girl clutches the teapot to purposely burn her hands. Her face shows visible, repressed pain. (Close-up shot of her expression) Voiceover could be whispering a religious prayer? (type of OCD)
  • Type of lighting shown in the picture gives the impression of warmth, which emphasises her loneliness. Mise-en-scene of tea also meant to give feeling of warmth. 
  • AT THE TABLE IN HOUSE - low-key lighting (Curfew and Stutterer - both have scenes at  night with this type of lighting. Sufferers often can't sleep, loose weight) Costume - daytime clothes to show she's shown no attempt at sleeping. Performance of The Girl seems as if she's shrinking in on herself and looks withdrawn. (behaviour of a sufferer is to make themselves small to avoid contact) (long shot to create distance)                                                      
  • Mise-en-scene of objects organised, knives (?) links to obsession of health and dying. Or just stationary. 
  • ON THE STREET - scene has a short duration. Just to show her going to step on a chewing gum stain she notices. (high-angled shot of her standing on it) BATHROOM - Repeated scene of The Girl washing her hands. BEDROOM - hoarding. All of these are behavioural traits of those diagnosed with OCD, so no voiceover to give context on what's happening. Occur consecutively. 
  • Either in CAFE or AT THE TABLE scene -'blisters. Sunburn. A third of all cancers are caused by the Sun.' (Curfew?)
START OF EVALUATIVE ANALYSIS-
CURFEW- voiceover (like in Stutterer) talks about the the risks of cancer due to smoking, but as my character doesn't smoke they could talk about the dangers of the sun/going outside - would link to a diagnosed persons obsession with health and dying.

STUTTERER-

ABOUT A GIRL - opening long-shot of the girl, not centred to reflect the feeling of being unstable, off-balanced. Silhouette to represent the darkness, lack of happiness of being in this situation. hitting a low point. Long shot shows the absence of people around her and how she's alone. Two-shot of them at the table - whole bodies aren't shown which feels too close, uncomfortable.

HIGH MAINTENANCE - 

START OF SCRIPT - 
CUT TO:
EXT. A STREET - A different day - DUSK
Anna hurries down the street, her shoulders hunched and face down in an attempt to avoid the onslaught of rain. Her hair is plastered to her head and cheeks while her lips tremble in the cold. A combination of heavy rain, cars splashing and Anna's feet slapping against the pavement can be heard.
She draws to a halt, staring at a spot of chewing gum stuck to the pavement. After a moment, she continues walking a few meters.
ANNA
(Voiceover)
What should take two minutes, takes ten.
When she stops a few seconds later, her expression is clearly frustrated as she trudges back to the spot. She forcefully steps on it in subdued anger before continuing forward.
CUT TO:
INT. A CAFE - DIFFERENT DAY
Anna can be seen sitting alone at a table, a mug and teapot in front of her. Everything about her body language seems uncomfortable from the tightly clasped hands in her lap, to her inwardly tense shoulders.
ANNA
(Voiceover)
I think things that I shouldn't - about dying, or harming. Sometimes sexual. To me, the only way to atone for these thoughts is to hurt myself. If I don't chose the way I suffer, God will and it'll be worse.
Her hands reach out to clutch the teapot so hard her fingers turn white at the knuckles.
(NOT FROM THE START,  JUST SCENES FROM WITHIN)

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Wong

Winter's Bone Style