Studio A:

Studio A is a TV Show for RMITV, airing live on Channel 31. A weekly one-hour studio based variety show, featuring performances, interviews, celebrity guests and comedy.

For this years first season of Studio A, I was the Graphics Operator.  My responsibilities included creating and sourcing relevant graphics/photos in limited time-frames, using Inscriber software to manage imagery and following director and producer’s instructions.

For the second season of Studio A I was the Online Producer. My role included managing several social media presences, analysing and collating audience responses and communicating feedback to cast and crew, proactively advertising for viewers and studio audience members, photographing cast, talent and guests for archive. One of my biggest achievements was increasing the social media following by approximately 35% (over 19% on Facebook and nearly 80% on Twitter).

Follow @studioamelb

Newsline:

Newsline is a News and Current Affairs program created by RMIT Journalism students, with the help of RMITV, for Channel 31.

I was a Motion Graphics Designer for Newsline. I contributing to the visual style of the show by creating, sourcing and animating effective motion graphics for opening and closing titles and imagery for show segments.

Online Producer was another role I undertook. It involved creating and maintaining website with Content Management Systems (CMS), Photoshop and HTML, regularly advertising and marketing the show, video editing and photography for online presence, and community management of social media presences on Twitter, Facebook, IMDB and YouTube.

Follow @newslinermitv

Voices In My Head:

I contributed some audio sketches to the radio program Voices In My Head. Voices is  comedy radio show, hosted by Dean Watson that was heard on SYN 90.7FM.

Here are some of my sketches:

That awkward moment when… Number 1

That awkward moment when… Number 2

More information on the show can be found here: Voices In My Head on SYN

Social Media:

From the count on Saturday, 31st December, 2011 I currently manage accounts on Twitter with a total of 3,366 followers, and Facebook fan pages with a total  of 1,137 likes. I have sent out over 2,500 tweets from my personal account.

Follow @pamsmultimedia

2012?

Already have a few projects in the works…

Stay tuned. Spoilers!

Review: How to Train your Dragon

Release: 25 March 2010
Duration: 98 minutes
Rating: PG (for sequences of intense action and some scary images, and brief mild language)

Directors: Dean DeBlois, Chris Sanders

Writers: Cressida Cowell (novel), William Davies (screenplay), Dean DeBlois (screenplay), Chris Sanders (screenplay)

Stars: Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler and Christopher Mintz-Plasse

Although DreamWorks’ How to Train Your Dragon retains author Cressida Cowell’s original title, perhaps ‘Feeding Fish to Your Dragon to go Flying and Gain Your Father’s Respect’ would have been more appropriate for this exceedingly ‘meh’ film.

Unconvinced by the previous directors’ output, DreamWorks offered the adaptation to the writer/director team of Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders (who debut feature was Disney’s Lilo & Stitch) who overhauled the production in its final year. Their previous work is evident in this film as the plot is tired and predictable for the genre, however young-ens may be seeing this story for the first time.

How to Train Your Dragon is the adventure of a boy and his dog. Except, the boy is a Viking, called Hiccup, and the dog is a dragon, called Toothless. Hiccup (voiced by Jay Baruchel) is the unfortunate son of the Viking Chief (Gerard Butler). Viewed as something of a bumbling-fool by the town people, Hiccup is designated the role of black-smith assistant.

One night Hiccup finally has success in taking down a dragon with a net-catapult. It just happens to be a Night Fury dragon; the scariest of them all, as we are told. Hiccup discovers the dragon injured, but alive. Using raw fish, he befriends Toothless. He uses his black-smithing skills to help his pet reptile. Hiccup learns that the Vikings long hate-hate relationship with dragons was built on misconceptions. But, will the Vikings ever listen to the town fool?

Of course, there is also the requisite love interest (courtesy of a mighty blonde Viking) and the hero’s yearning for his father’s acceptance, but that’s pretty much it for the plot. The film’s entertainment value is increased if seen with a child as they can help you to accept the film for what it is: a modestly involving parable about friendship and acceptance.

Although Happy Feet composer John Powell’s stirring orchestral score helps build the film’s sense of fantasy and scope, the film’s 3D effects are unnecessary and the Odeon Digital 3D technology adds nothing to the experience (DreamWorks’ 3D-animated logo and the film’s flying montages are the effect’s high points).

A touching ending will make How to Train your Dragon worth sitting through; if you’re filling in time as part of The Babysitters Club.

The Australian Writers’ Guild President, Jan Sardi, said:  “The AWGIE Awards are all about excellence in performance writing and tonight we have celebrated the craft and unique talent of those writers responsible for the best scripts of the past year.  While some of our winners have built their careers doing it, we’ve also uncovered some bright new talents whose stellar careers are only just beginning. ”

Congratulations and well done to all those nominated.

Below is a list of the winners of the 2011 44th Annual Australian Writers’ Guild AWGIE Awards:

Children’s Television – P
Bananas in Pyjamas: Morgan’s Cloud
John Armstrong

Children’s Television – C
My Place: 1868 Minna
Nicholas Parsons

Music Theatre
The Musical Child
Cathryn Strickland

Children’s Theatre
Dr Egg and the Man with No Ear
Catherine Fargher

Community and Youth Theatre
Yet to Ascertain the Nature of the Crime
Roanna Gonsalves with Raimondo Cortese, Damien Millar, Görkem Acaroglu and the company

Theatre for Young Audiences
Moth
Declan Greene

Stage
Do Not Go Gentle
Patricia Cornelius

Interactive Media
Bluebird AR
Marissa Cooke, Sam Doust and Amy Nelson

Radio – Original Broadcast
The Clerk Ascending
Gina Schien

Radio – Adaptation
King Tide
Katherine Thomson

Documentary – Public Broadcast
The Tall Man
Tony Krawitz

Documentary – Corporate and Training
Ouch! That’s Not Good!
Charles Hamlyn-Harris

Short Film
Heck
Lisa Hoppe and Bobbie Waterman

Comedy – Sketch or Light Entertainment
Good News Week: Australia Decides 2010
Dave Bloustien, Simon Dodd, Bruce Griffiths, Warwick Holt, Paul Livingston and Ian Simmons

Comedy – Situation or Narrative
Laid: Episode 4
Marieke Hardy

Television – Serial
Home and Away:  Episode 5215
Cameron Welsh

Television – Series
Rake – Episode 5: R v. Chandler
Peter Duncan

Television Mini Series – Original
Small Time Gangster
Gareth Calverley and Joss King

Telemovie – Original
Underbelly Files: Tell Them Lucifer Was Here
Peter Gawler

Feature Film – Adaptation
Snowtown
Shaun Grant

Feature Film – Original
Burning Man
Jonathan Teplitzky

Major Award
Do Not Go Gentle
Patricia Cornelius

2011 MONTE MILLER AWARD – LONG FORM
Diving for Poland – Andrea Rogers

2011 MONTE MILLER AWARD – SHORT FORM
Space – Jill Moylan

2011 JOHN HINDE AWARD
For Excellence in Science Fiction Writing
Matt Ford for Panic at Rock Island

2011 KIT DENTON FELLOWSHIP
For Courage and Excellence in Performance Writing
Kate McCartney and Kate McLennan

2011 FOXTEL FELLOWSHIP
Fellowship awarded in recognition of a significant body of work in television.
Kris Mrska

2011 RICHARD LANE AWARD
For Outstanding Service and Dedication to the Australian Writers’ Guild
Ian David

2011 DOROTHY CRAWFORD AWARD
For Outstanding Contribution to the Profession
Currency Press

2011 FRED PARSONS AWARD
For Outstanding Contribution to Australian Comedy
Chris Lilley

2011 HECTOR CRAWFORD AWARD
Outstanding Contribution to the Craft in the Field of Script Editing
Denise Morgan (awarded posthumously)

More information on the AWGIE Awards can be found at: http://www.awg.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=82&Itemid=109

Films title: Away from her

Writer(s): Sarah Polly, Alice Munro (short story “The Bear Came Over the Mountain”)
Genre: drama, romance
Time and setting: current, Canada

Protagonist: Grant Anderson

Antagonist: Fiona Anderson

Other main characters: Aubrey, Madeline, Marian, nurse Kristy, other patients

Initiating event: Alzheimer’s diagnosis, getting put in home.

Protagonist’s Goal: Grant wants her to remember him always.

Back Story:

• Grant has had affairs with past students, but stayed with his wife. They have been married since they were 19 years old, she proposed.
• Fiona goes for a walk in the snow, she gets lost and ends up on a bridge, Grant finds her.

Complications:

• Fiona decides she must go to the home. Grant doesn’t want to leave her. Gets told he cannot visit for 3 weeks; he is worried she will forget who he is.
• Grant is allowed to visit. She has forgotten who he is, and taken to looking after another patient – Albury, a wheelchair bound mute.
• Grant tries to get Fiona to remember him on many occasions, bringing books etc, she has completely transferred her affections to Albury.
• Albury gets taken away from home by his wife – Marian. This upsets Fiona who becomes withdrawn from life all together.
• Fiona’s muscles are disappearing. In an effort to save her Grant takes her back home, where she vaguely remembers growing up in the house but not her life with him. She wants to go back to the home.

Turning point(s):

• Although he wants Fiona to remember him and their life, he wants her happiness more. In an act of redemption he plans to bring the thing that makes Fiona happy back. Grant asks Marion to bring Albury back to the home.

Climax:

• Marian and Grant go on a few dates. Albury goes back to the home, making Fiona happy.

Resolution:

• Fiona doe not even remember Albury. She hugs Grant and says that he could have driven away and forsaken her but didn’t.
• Everyone is left wondering if she does remember – if just for a moment.

Cover of Nineteen Eighty-Four

George Orwell penned the novel ‘1984’, in 1948, as a warning on the possible outcome of the world, in the future. He created both the fictional dictator Big Brother and the segmented world. The protagonist is Winston Smith, an unlikely hero in this corrupt world. Winston values old items, such as the useless paperweight he finds in the proles store. Music accompanies the story and provides insight into the protagonist and the world. Chocolate, one of the few luxuries, is a commodity rationed out only when the Party wants. The paperweight, the music and the chocolate are all key elements to understanding the symbolism Orwell laid out for the reader.

Winston is fascinated with the paperweight, as it is a useless item, in a world were everything serves as a controlling mechanism, or at least a functional purpose. He views it as a “piece of history that they’ve forgotten to alter”. The mere act of owning it defies Big Brother, and contradicts Winston’s role in society, as someone who fabricates history itself. It materializes Winston’s wishes to change Oceania. Although useless to proles, he places values on it instantaneously.

Winston willingly pays well over the asking price for his coveted item. The paperweight was his original inspiration to rent the room. The word choice of “hemisphere” on the first viewing of the item suggests his willingness to encapsulate his secret idealistic glassy world in this particular object. The paperweight, with its gleaming surface, “was the room” he shares with Julia.

The coral represents the love shared between Winston and Julia, it was “Julia’s life and his own”. On first sighting of the paperweight, he embodies the value of the coral through the description: “At the heart of it…a strange, pink, convoluted object that recalled a rose”. The words “heart” and “rose” are both romantic terms. As though it were a bunch of 12 red long stem roses, a gift from one lover to another, placed in a crystal vase; the gleaming paperweight is positioned on the gateleg table, in their love nest.

Winston gazes into the paperweight, conjuring his idealistic world to remain safe and permanent. His and Julia’s glass world is ultimately destroyed by the iron voice that informs them “you are the dead”. His hope is smashed when a uniformed officer destroys the paperweight, and it is then he realises how small and insignificant his envisaged world is compared to the world of Big Brother. This particular moment is paired with his earlier act of journal writing where the singing woman on the telescreen voice stuck “into his brain like jagged splinters of glass”.

Image via Wikipedia

Winston’s first journal entry, an act of a lone individual, is composed while Oceania’s song plays. The conflicting “brassy female voice…squalling a patriotic song” on the telescreen represents everything he resents about his world. The music acts as a comparison of his act of rebellion.

In Oceania individualism is striped away, through devices such as uniforms and rations. In addition, thought, fiction, and history are all manipulated to suit Big Brothers objective. Any partakers in forms of creativity, or any act that contributes to self-expression, are vaporized. Accordingly, music is conceptualised by a machine. Versificators create music that re-enforces Big Brothers message.

Other enforcers of the Party’s message are the young Spies. The Parsons’ children are among the first born under Big Brothers regime, their pop-music is the military music, which they are perpetually exposed to through the telescreen. They mindlessly adore the newest song, the Hate Song, “playing it all hours of the night and day”. They are commended when supporting the Party, through impersonation of the thought police to emulating the music with combs as makeshift instruments.

In the Golden Country the thrush uses its own voice as its instrument for its impulsive song. The bird is not impersonating anything; it is free and never repeats itself. Winston has never heard members of “the party sing alone and spontaneous”. It creates its own music, for itself, not for Big Brother. It provides hope for Winston feels they too can go unwatched, uncensored, un-ruled. Their time in the country consummates their romance, with their chirped happy tune, marks itself in history.

In the love nest, the couple listen to “a monstrous woman, solid as a Norman pillar”, who sings while pegging diapers. While Julia is perturbed, Winston is in awe of her, as “if there was hope, it must lie in the proles”. For him, she is the mascot of the possibility overthrowing of Big Brother. Winston makes the observation that people “near the starvation level” feel they have something to sing about. Her well defined female features and association with diapers indicates she repopulates the proles.

The woman’s song marks another important passage in Winston’s life. As the couple watch the woman spontaneously bursting into machine conceptualised “lusty song”. The moment is shared by the couple, as they acknowledge that they are “the dead”, everything changes for them. The sound of the uniformed guards marching in replace the woman’s song.

Image by Abode of Chaos via Flickr

When Winston saw Jones, Aaronson, and Rutherford, the “corpses waiting to be sent back to the grave”, the song ‘Under the spreading chestnut tree’ was playing. The lyrics “I sold you and you sold me” prompt Rutherford to cry, they have all betrayed each other. Once again, music provides accompaniment to Winston’s final chapter. The same song plays, in the Chestnut Tree Café, after Julia and Winston have admitted to betraying each other. Big Brother lets his all knowing song, “cracked, braying, jeering”, assert his control. Music serves as one of Big Brothers controlling mechanisms when and where needed, earlier it was used to “drown the memory of the lost chocolate”.

Winston understands that the ration quotas have been fabricated; it is his job to do so. He substitutes the original promise of no chocolate reductions with a warning that the rations will be reduced. He observes how there is an increase since last year in many items, but knows it is all fictitious. It shows him how conditions are declining, not getting better, as the Party would have them believe. Others have a “furious desire to track down” people who disagree with Big Brother with the intent to report the offenders to the thought police. He is more aware of the rations fluctuating, perhaps it is his job that makes him more conscious, or perhaps it is the memory that chocolate awakens in him.

Winston reminisces when he was growing up with his mother and sister. He feels he is “alone in the possession of a memory”, alone in his quest for improved conditions. Memories of the past show him how Big Brother has taken control over every aspect of the sense of individual self. He remembers his mother as noble and pure, as “the standards she obeyed were private ones”. This is where his notion, that the proles can overthrow Big Brother, is derived from. His mother truly loved his sister and him.

The last remembrance of his sister and mother Winston has is his mother holding his sister begging him to return. The “gesture told him that his sister was dying”, she had no will to live. The world encourages survival of the fittest, the willingness to snatch chocolate and devour it. Adapting this to Big Brothers system is necessary to survive. Only the ones willing to accept anything, from fabricated ration information to substandard chocolate, will survive the threat of vaporization.

Image via Wikipedia

Winston’s sister given chocolate “looked at it dully, perhaps not knowing what it was”, this is reflected in the society. Chocolate, as one of the few luxuries in his world, is carefully monitored by Winston. The ration amounts varies over twenty-four hours and society accepts it, ignorant to knowing otherwise. When Julia shares real chocolate with him, in their room, he understands that the proles do not know the difference between the “dullbrown crumbly stuff”.

Julia brings the chocolate, to their room, which demonstrates her true nature. She is willing to go to the “black market” without guilt or worry. Yet Winston, as an adult, feels “ashamed” for stealing from his sister many years ago. Julia is an exemplary member of all the societies, only as it provides a cover. This is all so she can get away with being corrupt: contradicting the Anti-Sex League and buying valuable items from the black market. She believes she is invincible by appearing pleasant, “it’s the only way to be safe” from Big Brother.

Image via Wikipedia

Julia and Winston are not safe from Big Brother. Orwell uses symbols to show Winston is doomed. The glass paperweight, their world, is smashed. The music morphed from personal music, to generated harsh tones. And chocolate ration figures are invented and must not be questioned. Winston had set his life’s course to vaporisation. All symbols are indicative of the termination of their relationship and eventual vaporisation of Winston.

Bibliography

Class notes from lectures delivered by Marlene Roberts

Orwell, G. (novel), Radford, M. (written by), ‘1984’, 1984

Orwell, G., ‘1984’, 1948

Wikipedia, ‘Nineteen Eighty-Four (TV programme)’, 4th March 2008, viewed on 15th August 2008, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nineteen_Eighty-Four_(TV_programme)

Wikipedia, ‘Nineteen Eighty-Four’, 4th March 2008, viewed on 15th August 2008, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nineteen_Eighty-Four

WikiSummaries, ‘1984’, 3rd June 2008, viewed on 14th August 2008, http://wikisummaries.org/1984

Screenplays are often referred to as the blue prints of a film; they undergo several developmental stages before hand over to directors, art departments and actors. These development stages can be anything from a single line of dialogue to a full restructuring of a script. The script development of Allan Ball’s American Beauty will be analysed in this assignment. The original and the final drafts will be compared.

Structurally the drafts have the same elements. There is some reordering and deletion of scenes. This is seen with the reordering of the Carolyn’s cleaning house scene and the high school scene, but the plot points remain sound. The fist draft has stage directions Ball puts his “own personal performance choices in as stage direction“¹ and removed them in the final so the actors can interpret the screenplay and put their own performance choices. The dialogue retains its meaning but undergoes some changes, like in the shower the irrelevant comments about country music, are removed. Details that carry no significance to moving the story forward, such as the garbage truck, have been removed in the final draft. Music cues have been reduced (like the overused of Beatles songs) to generalised versions of songs, like ‘easy-listening music’, unless specific songs are needed, like ‘Don’t Rain On My Parade’. This is probably due to the high cost of the pre-chosen music and the music director found more affordable choices. Locations, such as the Smiley’s (Mr. Smiley’s), have been renamed in the final draft. Actual character names were changed also.

Ball changes the real estate king’s name of Leonard Kane to Buddy Kane, which is more of a superficial successful sounding name and starts with a different letter to avoid confusion with Lester. Another name change is for the gay neighbours. Their names change from Jim and Jim known as ‘J.B’ in the original to just Jim and Jim. This could be to simplify things and to show in this American Beauty world you have to “look closer” for meaning. One of the Jim’s also underwent an employment change from entertainment lawyer to a tax lawyer; this could be to avoid the stereotyped image of homosexuals in the entertainment industry. The couples’s house location also changes from across the road from the Burnham’s to next door. The house across the road may have been unavailable as a location or cost too much to hire for one scene. To provide footage of a conversation conducted across a road would provide the director with problems. These are easily solved by relocating them. It is logical that they are a one house away when welcoming Fitts, and not diagonally across the road.

Exposition of Colonel Fitts is included in the original screenplay, however are excluded from the final. The demonstration of anger against his son is not due to the Nazi memorabilia, but to the secrets his own past holds. A homophobic, gay man is the personification of inner conflict. In the first draft the scandalous moment occurs earlier, not at the pivotal moment to do so, thus looses shock value in the later scene. The first draft contains scenes where he reminisces using Vietnam photos stashed behind the Nazi plate. Ball said he ‘wrote the scene to know his back story’.² In the later draft his homosexual tenancies are not revealed to the audience until necessary, the audience retains the prospective of Lester. His attempt to come out of the closet is a turning point in the film. Lester turns Colonel Fitts down, causing him to revert to his homophobic ways and in turn take action against the enemy who has perforated his walls. Audiences of the final screenplay witness the Colonel as a homophobic, army man who beats his son – they get a shock when he reveals he himself is gay. They have been permitted to “look closer” at his character. Character development is more thoroughly explored in the final draft.

The extent of the sexual interactions and evolution Ball permits between Angela and Lester varies between script versions. Lester’s cause for stopping is the same – the announcement of Angela’s virginity. The timing of the deceleration changes from during the act, to before the act in different versions of the American Beauty screenplays. The earlier admission allows for Lester’s character growth, he realises Angela is not a sexual object, but a human, like himself and his family – his daughter. Angela’s confession before sex, in the final draft, shows she comprehends what she is about to embark upon. This shows character maturation that she does value it, regardless of her previous fictitious boasting. Paedophilia is looked down upon in society; to include the definite act diminishes the potential commercial value of the film. The potential emotional return for audiences is increased in the final draft also.

Ball utilises framing book ends of the original version of the court room, these do not make the final screenplay. Resolution is not the message of the film; it is the journey of Lester. His discovery of feeling “gratitude for every single moment of my stupid little life,” rather than the ‘who done it?’ and ‘who takes the fall?’ aspects in the first draft. The final script still provides enough information at the beginning and end of the film to conclude the possible outcome will be the prosecution of Jane and Ricky. These shots were filmed, however not included in the final film. It was the director, Sam Mendes, choice not to answer every question, to not berate the audience with saturation of closure. Ball felt the court case would be “cynical”³ and would be “negate the moments of beauty in the film.”⁴ The main protagonist dyeing is the climax of the film, everything else is irrelevant after that point and becomes an anti-climax. The final draft retains it’s tone by excluding other scenes.

American Beauty’s first draft contains Lester flying like superman, in the final draft it does not appear. The thematic nature of the film does not include poking fun at the afterlife; the film is a celebration of Lester’s life. Retaining this scene would devalue the fantasy scenes about Angela. The scene was filmed; however it looked amateur without the necessary funding for the “effects needed to make it work.”⁵ The final draft flows in a realistic manner, as one can fantasise in real life, however we do not know what the after life consists of.

American Beauty, based on the final draft, is a film that has subtle messages and becomes increasingly gratifying with every screening. This is because of the extensive changes the script, the foundation of the film, has gone through. Lester and other characters are fully formed and Lester’s journey is fully explored and reaches the beautiful moment he was searching for. The final draft of the script is a succinct, fully developed product in which the final film should have and was based on.

Biography

Ball, A., American Beauty script, 1999

Ball, A., American Beauty Final Draft script, 1999

Ball, A., Excerpts from Alan Ball’s talk, http://www.insidefilm.com/alan_ball.html IFP/West presented its annual screenwriting conference at the Writers Guild in Los Angeles on March 18 -19

Ellis, H., On the Ball – A Talk with the Screenwriter of American Beauty, located at http://www.reel.com/reel.asp?node=features/interviews/ball

IMDB page, American Beauty, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0169547

Linklater, R., … Mendes, S., My first film, take two : ten celebrated directors talk about their first film, edited by Lowenstein, S., 2008, USA

Wolk, J., Screenwriter Alan Ball and director Sam Mendes clashed but made up

Air date: 22 September 2004 (Season 1, Episode 1)

Show’s premise

Cover of Veronica Mars

Who hasn’t gone through high school without a few problems? Veronica Mars’s problem’s outrank your fashion blunders and fumbles in front of crushes. The worst thing that could happen to you is becoming a social outcast, right? Wrong. Try that and: your best friend dead, your mum departed leaving a crappy music box, you were raped (by who you do not know) and your dad was fired from his job… That is the worst that could happen. That’s Veronica Mars.

Enter the kid duck taped to the flag poll– the new BFF. Wallace is the new kid in town, he manages to piss off the local biker gang – the PCHers – and the local sheriff, in one night. Veronica sets out to fix his mess… and find out how to fix her life. Her private detective work involves tracking killers, rapists, and other bad do-ers.

Writer:

Rob Thomas (1965- ).

Taught journalism at high school. Guitar, bass and lyricist in his band. Wrote five novels. 1996 wrote his first television episode. Worked on Dawson’s Creek. Created his own show, Cupid. Worked with David E. Kelley. His second show – Veronica Mars!

Show’s life:

Veronica Mars screened in America from 2004 to 2007. In total 64 hour long episodes, over three seasons. Ratings went from 2.5 million in first series to 2.3 million in it’s second. Network merging demanded a new format and ratings went back to 2.5 million only, subsequently the show was canceled. There is still talk of a DVD-release movie with creator, producer and actors still expressing the desire.

Genre:

Veronica Mars genre is a mix of drama, crime and mystery, with touches of romance and comedy. It was marketed as a film-noir style television show, at high school. Noir elements in the first scene, the teaser, are:¹

• crime cases
• unstable alliances and allegiances
• voice over narration
• non-linear time
• high contrast lighting/shadows
• night scenes
• wet streets and neon lighting

Elements throughout series are:

• corrupt authority system
• femme fatale – male equivalent

Brick is the another related noir-at-high-school project. Veronica Mars approaches the murder of a friend over a longer time period and the murder victim is not the romantic interest, unlike the movie.

Time and setting:

Based around 2003-5 in the fictitious town “Neptune” located in America.

Budget

Thomas revealed a three million budget for the pilot episode with 12 days shooting. Following episodes had one and a half million with eight days shooting.² The pilot had practical sets/locations, real places, by paying a location fees.³ Economic decisions such as using shooting location Ocean Side School’s colours -green and yellow- as “Neptune High” colours reduced the budget.⁴

Style

The cinematography incorporates neon signs and night scenes of noir. It also permits bright, cheery scenes. It utilises flashbacks with a dream-like, fog quality.

Demographics

The intended audience of this show was young teenagers of the female variety. However, according to imbd.com ratings an almost equal number of male fans to female. The 18-29 year old generation prevailed.

Dialogue:

This shows dialogue is snarky, full of subtext and quick witted. “Well, this can’t be good,” shows her cynicism. The PCH leader asking: “Car trouble, Miss?” is a clear example of subtext, well, if you don’t have trouble, we’ll be sure to give you some!

The use of voice overs to provide insight into her thoughts. “Sooner or later, the people you love betray you.” – her past life’s damage in quick exposition.

Characters:

Mars - Keith Mars, Abbie Mars, Veronica Mars, Backup (dog) Caine - Celeste Caine, Jake Caine, Duncan Caine, Lilly Caine Law structure -Sheriff Don Lamb, Cliff McCormack, Inga, Deputy Sacks, Able Koontz School – Vice Principal Van Clemmons, Mrs. Murphy, Mrs. White, Wallace Fennel, Corny, Logan Echolls, Duncan Caine, Lilly Caine, Monica Rivers PCHer gang - Eli "Weevil" Navarro, Jesus, Hector

Veronica – in depth characterisation:

“Veronica Mars, spinster…old maid.”A cynical, intelligent, resourceful person who had isolated herself, yet she needs to be loved/accepted.

True character emerges from hardship – extremely true for Veronica. Best friend murdered, she was raped, mother abandoned her, father lost his job – and that’s just in the exposition/flashbacks. She is a fighter, a recluse at school and get money-shots of cheating spouses after dark. We cheer her on through the series.

Story and series structure:

Veronica Mars screened in the US from 2004 to 2007. All up it had a run of 64 hour long episodes, over three seasons.

The first two seasons had season long plot archs and smaller cases over one or two episodes as the A stories. UPN, it’s original network, combined with another forming The CW. The ratings went from 2.5 million to 2.3 million. The last series was driven by smaller plot archs by network request, as an attempt to boost ratings. This resulted in a plot driven show, deviating from the fan’s character driven format. Ratings went back to 2.5 million only, subsequently the show was cancelled.

There is still talk of a DVD-release movie with creator, producer and lead actor still expressing the desire.

Success?

In my opinion the show Veronica Mars is a show have-to-stay-home-for. It’s plot drew me in, the raising of questions such as ‘who raped Veronica?’, ‘who killed Lilly?’, and ‘will Veronica end up with Logan or Duncan?’. The level of conflict of the show is consistently high. She deals with struggles, such as rape, murder and infidelity. It really exemplifies the worst things that could happen to the protagonist. I want to see her succeed, solve the mystery’s, prosecute the villains, find peace in love.

Other fans of the show include Kevin Smith, Steven King⁷ and Joss Whedon.⁸ Smith and Whedon made guest appearances. After cancellation fans hired a plane to fly over the CW offices with a ‘Renew Veronica Mars’ banner, distributed 30,000 fliers and raised $50,000 in donations. Fans also sent more than 10,000 Mars Bars to the CW.⁹ Sadly these attempts failed. The show was a ‘critical darling,’¹⁰ but not with the rating system. The show was nominated for several awards and won quite a few. Thomas was nominated for two Writers Guild of America Awards.

Veronica Mars has snappy dialogue, strong characters, series long plot archs, pop culture references, inspired visual settings, structured moral dilemmas, strong role models and combined genres. I would love to create, or at least be part of a show that embodies these qualities.

Biography

‘Ace of Case’, EW.com, Whedon, J., http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,1114734,00.html

‘Just Askin’’, EW.com, King, S, http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,1148634,00.html

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McFarland, Melanie (September 28, 2004). “It’ll be a crime to miss sleuthing Veronica Mars”. Seattle Post-Intelligencer. http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/tv/192651_tv28.html.

Thomas, R., Veronica Mars Pilot audio commentary, Rob Thomas website, http://www.slaverats.com/

Thomas, R., Veronica Mars Pilot project notes, Rob Thomas website, http://www.slaverats.com/

Thomas, R., Veronica Mars Pilot script, Rob Thomas website, http://www.slaverats.com/

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Veronica Mars viewer stats http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0412253/ratings

Veronica Mars IMDB page, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0412253/

a celluloid reflection

By Pamela Alison Meagher (10/11/2009)

At 24 frames an hour ‘The Seventh Art’ brings one of the legendary creatures-of-the-night to life. Vampires were first seen on the big screen in The Vampire made in 1913. Robert G. Vignola co-wrote and directed it.

Cover of Dracula

Another key vampire film is Nosferatu made in 1979. Dracula is one of the main protagonists in vampire films. In 1922 Dracula first came to the screen, putting a lust component into vampires. Since then Dracula has been the key vampire in over 250 films. Since 1913 there has been a vampire film released every couple of years. This essay will focus on the more recent vampire genre films, from the 1985 to the current time-period.

This one genre allows for cross genre and rich sub-plots. The vampire genre provides the audience to experience romance (Let the Right One In, Twilight), revenge (Blade), anime (Vampire Hunter D, Blood) parody (Fearless Vampire Killers, Lesbian Vampire Killers), violence (Blade) and horror (Let the Right One In) in any combination in the one film.

The protagonist can be a vampire (Blade, Queen of the Damned, Vampire D) or from the point of view of a human (Let the Right One In, Lesbian Vampire Killers). Protagonists are generally male, except for rare cases like Blood: the last vampire, Ultraviolet and Twilight.

In general vampires have the physical appearance of humans, except for above average beauty. In addition, they are also paler in appearance, dark clothing, have fangs when prompted and can have an air of mysterious, powerful and sexual presence.

Image via Wikipedia

Over the years, with improved technology, production elements have increased in possibilities. Single film cells are no longer being hand painted. Generated imagery and expressive stunts allow for the final film to be closer to the screenwriter’s original vision. Dracula (1931) had only a trickle of blood, whereas Twilight vampires ‘shimmer’ in sunlight. Special effects allow for the vampire fantasy to come to life. Vampires can show their powers, such as super speed or teeth extension to realistic bleeding.

Traditionally the location where vampire films took place was the vampire’s dark castles, like in Dracula. In more modern day versions such as Queen of the Damned, Twilight and Underworld the setting is in their expensive mansions and in the surrounding areas. Let the right one in primarily uses a school and apartment building

The time structure of mostly linear fashion, however non-linear flashbacks can be inter-cut with back-story flashbacks. Interview with the Vampire uses extensive flashbacks, providing the audience with the history required for the story.

A form of exposition of the immortal’s past life takes the form of flashbacks and voice overs. Queen of the Damned and Blade: Trinity use voice over to provide information that has happened over any time-frame from months to decades.

There has been a trend of using novels translated to the big screen. Perhaps they get green-lit due to the assuming transference of the success of the written form. Recently we have seen Queen of the Damned, Twilight, and Interview With the Vampire make the big screen medium shape-shift.

Cover via Amazon

It is interesting to note television is following the same trend with True Blood and Vampire Diaries. Other shows with vampires are Moonlight, Blood Ties, Forever Night, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and even Sesame Street has Count Von Count.

The audience demographic was originally aimed at adults, however audiences are getting younger. Queen of the Damned appealed to young adults, whereas Twilight appeals to teenagers, and films like Littlest Vampire and Mom’s Dating a Vampire aimed at young children.

The causes of vampirism changed from folklore stories to more scientific based logic. Underworld uses a structured idea of a man carrying a virus, passed on to his children which are bitten by animals in which they take on characteristics from. Supernatural based vampires are still popular seen in Interview With The Vampire.

Vampires and humans have the struggle with the mortal and immortal. Conflict erupts when vampires existence is revealed to humans. In most cases the vampires are dependent on humans, for their blood, but usually remaining apart from them. They are outsiders assimilating with humanity. Essentially ‘vampires are killers. Predators, who’s all seeing eyes were meant to give them detachment’ (Lestat, Interview with the Vampire).

Image via Wikipedia

Humans become vampires by drinking the vampire’s blood. Most victims are simply killed and do not become vampires. It is possible for cross-breads to exist. Films to do this are Twilight 4 (yet to be made), Blade , Vampire Hunter D or new Israeli television series Split. In Twilight it is revealed that Edward is created as his mortal life is coming to an end, it was out of sympathy he was turned into a vampire.

Temptation often leads to a choice between good and evil, vampires have the eternal choice between killing for their own life. Interview with the Vampire, Twilight, Underworld and Queen of the Damned all show examples of the modern vampires with a soul. Even in Dracula (1979) melancholy was addressed ‘Listen to them – children of the night. What sad music they make!’

In older vampire films there is a professor or knowledgeable person. In Fearless Vampire Killers there was a character like this. In Blade there is a character who invents technology to help fight against vampires. Lesbian Vampire Killers uses a group of people, who are studying vampires.

Vampires are traditionally the one who is hunting the humans. They mostly do this to live, for the human’s blood. Sometimes the hunter becomes the hunted, mortal takes on the immortal. Blade reinvented the genre with vampire against vampire.

Image via Wikipedia

Each vampire film creates its own version of vampiric truth. Vampire powers vary greatly film to film. Some of the powers they may have are:

• recovers immediately from most wounds
• thought manipulation or mind control ability
• shape-shifting into animal or other peoples form
• telekinesis
• flying
• physical powers: immense strength, speed, ability to fight, acute senses, move silently
• immortality

 

Most vampires films do use immortality. For mortals, life is short. For vampires ‘the idea of eternity becomes momentarily unbearable.’ (Lestat. Queen of the Damned) Vampires allow for the fantasy that dead-loved ones can rise from their graves can still be with us. It is the ingrained inability to not face our own mortality. It is a metaphor for eternity; creatures from beyond dead hold the seduction of eternity.

Image via Wikipedia

The timing of vampire films is important to note. With The Lost Boys it could be viewed as a metaphor for STDs, as AIDs were prevalent at the time. Momentary pleasure of a sexual encounter can bring pleasure to the recipient, but can bring the sinister side after-effect of things like syphilis or HIV.

The presumed benefits of internal life are balanced with blood lust, the continuous internal fight between good and evil. Hunger motivates many vampires. In Queen of the Damned Jesse is enthralled with the possibility with being a vampire; however Lestat shows her that it is not all superpowers.

Image via Wikipedia

Romanian folklore established many ways to destroy a vampire. Along with powers, the vampiric truths are also individual to each film. Weaknesses they may have are:

• wooden stake through the heart
• exposing the vampire to sunlight
• crucifix
• beheading
• garlic
• running water
• silver bullets
• invitation inside needed to enter
• coffins to sleep

In conclusion, the next rounds of vampire films are always ready to come out of the coffin. Soon Daybreakers and The Vampire’s Assistant will be out. As long as vampires are associated with sexuality, mystical, eternity, strength, and apart from the rules of man there will always be a fan base for vampire films.

Books/reading material

Filmography

St Kilda Film Festival celebrates the spectacular  triumphs of our local film industry with a cavalcade of pictures everyone must see. The festival is in it’s 28th year!

This year’s festival will feature Australia’s Top 100 Shorts, exhibiting short films by some of the nation’s most promising directors. Screening of the festival happens  at the magnificent Astor Theatre.

This year I was lucky enough to be part of this amazing festival. I was a Script Editor and Crew for one of the films in the “Under the Radar” session, last Wednesday night.  “Under the Radar was a chance for young filmmakers to show their work at an internationally recognised film festival. This event was presented by The City of Port Phillip Youth Services and The FReeZa Collective.

Waiting for the films to start at the Astor!

The film that I was part of was called “Stalker”. It is a comedic short about problematic friendships. Jan, sick of her frumpalicious friend Prue, sets her sights on music store employee Charli, and stalks her way into her life.

The short was filmed on Canon EOS 7D, with Nikon Lenses. The great writer/director duo team are Jack Savige and Jonathan Trakas.  The short stars Maria Angelico (We Can Be Heroes, Hating Alison Ashley), Caitlin O’Connor (It Came from Yesterday, Painful Bliss) and Bethany Edwards (With Tim Ferguson).

The short’s IMDB page can be found at: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1808496

It was a great project to be a part of, well done to all involved.