Last minute research before shoot – After Arcadia

Today Joe planned on going through some rehearsals with our actor, so decided that I should also keep myself busy and do some last minute research to get more prepared for the shoot in a couple of days; I found this book on composition in the library called Picture Composition by Peter Ward and I found a couple of really hopefully quotes.

In summary, good composition is the best arrangement of the subject matter in sympathy with the function of the shot. It should have simplicity and intensity and achieve its objective with clarity, precision and economy. (Ward, 2002:7)

This I believe applies really well to one of the shots that we plan to shoot; where a simple shot of our character is the centre piece of the composition of the shot, but he’s talking to something just out of shot implying an importance to whatever it is just out of shot whilst concentrating on his character that is in the shot. Hopefully this composition will make the audience sympathize more with our character whilst still being aware that something just out of shot will play a huge importance to our characters situation and feelings.

Colour not only has a profound influence on composition, in many forms of image making, it is the subject of the composition. (Ward, 2002:84)

I feel that if I can get the right stylistic look for this film within my own personal camera settings during the filming of the footage for ‘After Arcadia’ then I believe the visual style and the colour palette of the film itself will create this environment that will have it’s very own atmosphere and give the film some substance through the visuals alone; I hope to find the balance of style and realism that will leave an imprint of the films cinematography in the minds of the audience.