ASSESSMENTS 

Our first assessment is an individually written script for the Twilight Zone. Each student will individually write a 5-7 page script for a portal chase short inspired by the themes and characteristics of the Twilight Zone. The script may or may not include dialogue. The script will be evaluated based on creative thinking as evident in:

1. The script's structure (for example, use or subversion of the three-act structure);
2. The correct layout and formatting of a script;
3. The use of Twilight Zone themes and characteristics;
4. The inclusion of at least 3 'portal' transitions;
5. Feasible, coherent and imaginative artistic intentions for the film.

In order to properly complete this task, I will try to show excellent understanding of how to structure a script, show excellent understanding of the correct layout and format of a scrip, show excellent creative use of the themes and characteristics of the Twilight Zone, develop an excellent artistic intention, which is often feasible, clear, imaginative and coherent, and show an excellent use subject specific terminology.

Our second assessment is the Twilight Zone Production Portfolio. Each student will individually create a research portfolio in preparation for making a 5-7 minute Twilight Zone chase film. My dossier must be divided into 2 sections: 1) An annotated script (see Criterion A); and 2) Storyboards – This includes the following elements for the entire film: - a shot list; - a set of storyboards; and - overhead diagrams. 

In order to properly complete this task, I will try to show excellent creativity in the creation of a shot list, show excellent creativity in the creation of a storyboard, show excellent creativity in the creation of an overhead diagram, shows excellent creativity in the use of the themes and characteristics of the twilight zone, create a portfolio that reveals excellent understanding, and perform a well-prepared and convincingly presented pitch, and show good use subject specific terminology,

THE HITCH-HIKER

Opening Narration

“

Her name is Nan Adams. She's twenty-seven years old. Her occupation: buyer at a New York department store. At present on vacation, driving cross-country to Los Angeles, California from Manhattan.

”

The story begins with Nan Adams, whose vehicle gets a flat tire and has an accident on a cross-country road trip from New York City to Los Angeles. A mechanic puts a spare tire on her car, comments that he's surprised she survived the accident, saying "you shouldn't've called for a mechanic, somebody shoulda called for a hearse" and directs her to the nearest town to fix it properly. Just before she leaves, Nan notices a strange-looking man hitchhiking. Unnerved, she drives away quickly. As she continues her trip, Nan sees the same hitchhiker thumbing for a ride at several other points on her journey. She becomes increasingly frightened of him, and when she is stuck on a railroad crossing and nearly hit by a train, she becomes convinced that the hitchhiker is trying to kill her by beckoning her into danger. She continues to drive, becoming more and more afraid, stopping only when necessary; but every time she does, the same hitchhiker is there. When she ends up stranded in New Mexico, she meets a sailor on his way back to San Diego from leave. Eager for protection from the hitchhiker she's been seeing, she offers to drive the sailor to San Diego herself. However, she is still paranoid about the hitchhiker, and when she sees him on the road she tries to run him over. The sailor, who can't see him, begins to fear for her sanity and leaves her. In Arizona, Nan stops to call her mother. The woman who answers the phone says that Mrs. Adams is in the hospital; she had a nervous breakdown after finding out that her daughter, Nan, was killed in a car accident in Pennsylvania six days ago when the car she was driving blew a tire and overturned. At this point, Nan realises the truth: she did not survive the accident at the beginning of the episode, and the hitchhiker is not a man who wants her to die, but is rather the personification of death, patiently and persistently waiting for her to realise that she has been dead all along. Nan returns to the car and sees the hitchhiker sitting in the back seat through the reflection of the vanity mirror on the visor. "I believe you're going...my way?", he inquires.

Closing Narration

“

Nan Adams, age twenty-seven. She was driving to California—to Los Angeles. She didn't make it. There was a detour…through The Twilight Zone.

”

This episode was adapted from the original radio play by Lucille Fletcher, first presented on the November 17, 1941. This was a new concept to me, as I discovered radio dramas were an important part of American storytelling culture: dramatised, purely acoustic performances broadcasted on radio, entirely told through the medium of sound and music.

This episode was ground-breaking at the time for implementing a famous plot twist, the "main character was dead all along!" rigamarole. Additionally, I noticed this was subtly hinted at several times in the episode. For example, the mechanic fixing her tire after a near-death car accident (that was later revealed as her actual death) during the beginning of the episode, he says, in a great dual meaning, she “must be on the side of the angels.” As she drives away, she spots for the first time a mysterious hitchhiker who she’ll see all across the country, begging a ride just from her.

Nan, the independent working woman driving across country for nothing more than fun, is given no backstory, no man she’s chasing down or fleeing from, no tortured or angelic past. She shares her name with one of series creator Rod Serling’s daughters, and maybe this has something to do with the refreshing absence of the typical moralistic or misogynistic structure of a story of a woman alone on the road. Nan’s internal monologue, in the voiceover of actress Inger Stevens, carries the episode along, as it would in a radio play. However, this is accompanied by abundant shots from within the car of America flying by — unusual at a time when so many driving scenes were done in studios with stock footage playing in the background — and Nan’s face registering her anxiety about the hitch-hiker’s reappearances.

The cinematographer of this episode, Alvin Ganzer, uses a great deal of natural light, also unusual for the period; this, too, adds to the vague or hard-to-define tone of the episode. There are a number of terrific closeups of Steven’s face that exhibit the kind of subtlety that was never the trademark of TZ overall, ranging from perplexity to an occasional, unexpected, eerie calm and peace.

This screenshot is a tight shot from the episode. It demonstrates how the episode is almost perfectly divided between sunlight (natural light) and darkness.

Additionally, later on in the episode after Nan desperately picks up a sailor returning to the docks after coming home for a break, while the sailor makes some mild comments about her looks and, after she veers wildly in an attempt to hit the hitchhiker, she tries to get him to stay with intimations that she wanted him to “take her out,” the encounter is of a piece with the gentle, humane tone of the entire episode: there’s always a threat of sexual violence that comes with the fictional presentation of any encounter between a woman and a stranger at night, but in the end, it’s the sailor that ironically flees, scared off by Nan’s intensity and confusion.

The major plot twist of the episode arrives when Nan phones home and is told her mother is mourning from her daughter's sudden death on an accident a few days prior on the motorway. Nan resignedly succumbs to her fate and looks into her rearview mirror to finally acknowledge the hitchhiker. Here, the counterpoint of Nan’s look of exhausted acceptance and the hitchhiker’s wry smile is exquisite. the ending makes clear that Nan’s death is not a punishment; it’s just the way of us all, a fact that must be accepted eventually. 

This episode, especially the deathly plot twist, was commenting on the historical and cultural social factors of the fatalistic and paranoid view of American society of the time. It really epitomised the McCarthyism of the time. Nan, the figurative symbol for petrified American society, self-creates a fantastical horrific tale of the hitchhiker by her own doing, while the hitchhiker, the symbol of communist allegiances or sympathies, quietly unsettles her, never overtly attempting to assault her, but inhumanely following and almost haunting her until the point when she finally accept her demised fate. The message of the episode really encapsulated the attitude of America at the time– death was inevitable and although we might try to prolong the chase, ultimately, death isn't a punishment, but merely the end of a very long day.

The final scene, in which the plain-faced hitch-hiker sinisterly says with a smile: "I believe you're going... my way?"

THE TWILIGHT ZONE

“You unlock this door with the key of imagination. Beyond it is another dimension: a dimension of sound, a dimension of sight, a dimension of mind. You’re moving into a land of both shadow and substance, of things and ideas. You’ve just crossed over into… the Twilight Zone.”

This quote is from the hit TV show The Twilight Zone. Each episode is a mixture of self-contained fantasy, science fiction, suspense or horror. It often concludes a macabre or unexpected twist. It also introduced many Americans to the genre of science fiction.

During the 1950's, the genre of film noir started to decline because of the invention of the television. People started to stay home and watch TV for free rather than go out to the movies. At the forefront The Twilight Zone.

The term "twilight zone" predates the television program, and originally meant simply a "gray area". Rod Serling himself chose the title of the series; and said that only after the series aired did he discover that the twilight zone was also a term applied by the US Air Force to the terminator, the border between night and day on a planetary body. It applies to a collision of two things, the gap in between things, not one or the other.

Alfred Hitchcock criticized the medium's limitations. His most vocal complaints concerned the censorship frequently practiced by sponsors and networks. "I was not permitted to have my Senators discuss any current or pressing problem," he said of his 1957 production The Arena, intended to be an involving look at world politics.

Thus, The Twilight Zone frequently used science fiction as a vehicle for social comment. Networks and sponsors infamously censored all potentially "inflammatory" material, but remained ignorant of the methods developed by writers such as Ray Bradbury for dealing with important issues through seemingly innocuous fantasy.

The characteristics of science fiction are advanced technological gadgets, special effects, extra-terrestrials, futuristic technology, and non-human beings, such as monsters.

The themes of science fiction are the dangerous and sinister side of knowledge, vital issues about humankind, loss of personal individuality, good versus evil, prophetic nature, and anxiety about technological progress. This was very true for America that had just gone through World War 2, witnessing the invention and dropping of the atomic bomb, so these science fiction movies really tapped into every American's feeling of existentialism.

Frequent themes of The Twilight Zone include nuclear war, mass hysteria, and McCarthyism. McCarthyism is a vociferous campaign against alleged communists in the US government and other institutions carried out under Senator Joseph McCarthy in the period 1950–54. Many of the accused were blacklisted or lost their jobs, although most did not belong to the Communist Party.

During The Twilight Zone's run, episodes such as "The Shelter" or "The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street" offered specific commentary on current events. Other stories, such as "The Masks" or "The Howling Man" operated around a central allegory, parable, or fable that reflected the characters moral or philosophical choices.

CONTINUITY EDITING

Continuity editing is a way of breaking down a scene into a series of shots. The way shots are edited must permit the viewer to piece them together like a puzzle, and the techniques of continuity editing enable the viewer to create a continuous picture from the shots presented on screen. The key techniques of continuity Editing are: observing the 180-degree rule, the eyeline match, point-of-view cutting, the match on action cut, directional continuity, the establishing shot, parallel/cross-cutting, transitions and rhythm.

The 180-degree rule attempts to imitate, on screen, the space of Renaissance painting and proscenium space of the theater of the 19th-century. A film needs to remain consistent with the same axis of 180 degrees to retain continuity.

The eyeline match is another film editing technique associated with the continuity editing system. It is based on the premise that an audience will want to see what the character on-screen is seeing.

The POV cutting is a variant of the eyeline match. The first shot shows a person looking at an object, usually offscreen. The second shot shows the object of the person's gaze, from their point of view.

The match on action refers to film editing and video editing techniques where the editor cuts from one shot to another view that matches the first shot's action. The continuity of the same action across the shot creates coherence.

Directional continuity refers to the technique where if a person exits through the right of a screen, he should enter through the left.

The establishing shot is used to make transitions smooth, used at the beginning of stories of beginning of a new scene within the narrative. A re-establishing shot may be used after many scenes shot in the same location to help the audience keep up. It helps set the tone and pacing of a scene as well.

Parallel cutting or cross-cutting is the technique of alternating two or more scenes that often happen simultaneously but in different locations. If the scenes are simultaneous, they occasionally culminate in a single place, where the relevant parties confront each other. Alternatively, the cut could be used in the same location but occurring at different times (in history).

Jump cuts is a cut in film editing in which two sequential shots of the same subject are taken from camera positions that vary only slightly if at all. This type of edit gives the effect of jumping forwards in time or gives a disorienting feel to the scene.

Transitions are traditionally used to be as seamless and possible, but they can be more creative. For example, the dissolve can be used as a straightforward editing device to link any two scenes, or in more creative ways, as a use for a hallucinatory effect.

We edit because it gives directors complete control over events and actors. It also gives the viewer optimal access to the unfolding events and helps to prolong the suspense. It allows viewers to be more involved in action rather than focus on character psychology or the actor's performance; and eliminates unnecessary time and space.

In terms of how we treat time, the length of a shot is usually determined by the complexity of the images onscreen. Long shots that are saturated with information than close-ups may need more time. Scenes should only last as long as the audience is required to watch in order to gather sufficient information.

When we edit, here are some questions we ask: How much cutting is there and why? Are the shots highly fragmented or relatively lengthy? What is the point of the cutting in each scene? To clarify? To lyricize? To create suspense? Is the editing manipulative? What is the rhythm of the editing? Does the personality of the filmmakers come through? Or is the editing purely functional? Is the editing a major language system in the film or does it play a minor role?

ARTISTIC RESPONSES

Overall (+ Sound) - 传家之宝

Here are my observations, commentary and artistic response to the Chinese film 传家之宝 by Chih-Ning, Juliette, Ocean and Trystin. I noticed there were lots of handheld shots. During the introduction, there was a nice vignette and shadows to indicate the main character's dejected mood from being fired. The shots in the auditorium were really ominous and used shadows really cleverly, especially featuring the woman's silhouette in shadow. During the opening, the music was a bit distorted and tinny, but it seemed almost intentionally imitating a German film, and the authentic sound was good and the voiceovers were smooth. I really enjoyed the use of the clock ticking during the sofa scene. During the same scene, there was also a nice use of framing with the candles in the foreground and sofa in the background. Then the tinny music transitioned to a traditional noir jazz when Linda Lee came on screen. In the office scene, the highlighter on the page stood out really nicely, even with black and white. However, the foley when the main male protagonist stepped in the foyer was a bit out of sync. There were really smooth and interesting transitions, especially with one across the screen that showed the room number and their heads moving across. The plot twist was really awesome, and the Chinese aspect of it was really admirable; I really applaud their English subtitles and having a Chinese teacher cast. The variety of shots and mise en scene was really varied and intriguing, and you can tell the amount of effort that went into the film.

Overall (+ Sound) - Twenty Sixteen

Here are my observations, commentary and artistic response to the political film Twenty Sixteen by Jamie, Karuna, David and Gio. During the opening scene, there was patriotic music, which set the ambiance for the ensuing political scene. However, he mise en scene during the introduction slightly confused me as the patriotic music didn't really match with the natural foliage shot, and the foliage shot didn't really link to the plot, but the shot was undoubtedly nicely framed. The sound levels were relatively stable all throughout. The high contrast table shot had good cinematography and depicted him in shadow while the good woman was illuminated in light. The low-key noir lighting was nice during a tight shot of this face talking for the first ten or so seconds, but the longer it went the more I thought they could have spiced up the shot, maybe with the sound or by changing the shot. I thought the inspirational music fitted the mood during his press conference. Additionally, the office shot with mirrored lights in the background was very visually interesting, but I wasn't sure how it enhanced the mood or imagery of the film. Sometimes I could tell the mic was too far away so the sound changed from scene to scene, but overall it was relatively consistent. I liked how the dark shadows and gloomy lighting in the home alluded to the mundane relationship between the politician and his wife. Cinematography going up the stairs was really nice, however, the exposure was a bit unpredictable during bits in sunlight. The sound with the wife slapping was slightly louder than necessary, there was a bit of lack of music and the static levels varied from the voiceover to sound on site. The mise en scene in the crowd scene was really good, choosing a small room with a crowd of people to make it seem more packed rather than a half-hearted auditorium scene. The editing seemed to find its way as the film progressed, especially during the montage of the protagonist and femme fatale.

SELF-EVALUATION

Criterion A - Film Noir Essay

In the Criterion A Film Noir Essay, I chose to write an in-depth study of a Film Noir luminary’s work using examples from at least 2 films. I analysed the films The Maltese Falcon and The Asphalt Jungle in my in-depth analysis of director John Huston's noir world. I feel proud of this essay, as I managed my time and put a lot of effort to develop it into a clearly-structured and insightful essay. I think I incorporated film language and terminology to analyse each film and each technique's effects on the viewer, and each one's historical context. I researched thoroughly, using different sources, cited everything in my bibliography, and used authentic screenshots from the films discussed to prove my coherent thesis. I tried to write to convey not only knowledge but also about my understanding of film noir, about its characteristics and effects and analysis of its effects. If I were to do it again, perhaps during my second paragraph I would improve on maybe strengthen the relation between my visual analysis of The Maltese Falcon to film noir. However, on a whole, I think I tried my best to produce a well-written essay and I'm very satisfied with the results.

Criterion C - Film Noir Production Plan

My film noir production plan was written from the perspective of my role, which is the Sound Designer. It was also made to fit the mold of our four-person team, so some of the details had to be changed or adjusted in lieu of the original plan. For example, we changed almost all our locations and shooting dates to accommodate for our new cast and limitations. I put a lot of effort into my production plan, and tried to make it as aesthetically pleasing and easy to understand, but chock full of information. I'm glad with how it turned out.

Criterion B - Film Noir Production

Our film was called "No Evil" (which when flipped backwards spells "Live On"). My role in the film was Sound Designer, however because we all chipped in to fill the role of director, I was responsible for the screenplay, so I basically wrote the script from scratch, as the original script was extremely overcomplicated, featured full minutes of exposition, and was fourteen pages long. Sound is undoubtedly an integral part of the production process, so there was a lot of responsibility on my shoulders. Pre-production, after I finished my production plan (so I had a list of foley to record, music needed, examples of sound and music and inspiration to draw upon), my role was primarily adapting the script from the fifteen page long original script. I cut it down to seven pages while still trying to maintain the same plot, condensing the seven pages with as much of our original concept, taking new spins on noir archetypes. I take pride in our film's visual, its experimentalism and visuals. Additionally, although some of the foley was out of sync, I think it added to the jilted, disoriented feeling of the film. Although we encountered some setbacks along the way (detailed in my other blog posts), I'm proud of our film.

VOICEOVERS

Today during lunch we booked a soundproof music room to record voiceovers. We took the feedback from Ms. Wong last lesson, and decided to incorporate more of Lenny's character (which we decided against before due to the actor being away during midterm break), as he's intriguing and has more opportunity for development. So, we organised to record some lines to edit in during the film to give him more presence and influence over the main character. Then, we also recorded voiceovers for two actors. We recorded lines that originally we included in the first version of the script, and for some new additions, and for some scenes in which the sound wasn't good or the sound levels were too low or too high, we recorded some dialogue again. We had to record around the background noise of people playing instruments in the adjacent classrooms and screaming kids, and but we did our best to work around it. I think it went relatively well, the raw sound that I heard through the headphones sounded good. All that's left now to do is to edit in the voiceovers; and Ryan has four days to edit (including the weekend), so I'm optimistic!