Narrative and camera angles :

Beginning:

To begin we thought of using a long shot to capture the environment in an establishing shot for a few seconds 3-5 max just to create the Mise-en-scène having the ships torn sails blowing in the wind with the sea / waves crashing onto the shore and receding to create a current with  a ship beached on the sand in between jagged rocks. This would then transition to a mid /close up shot to capture the detail of the shipwreck  including the toppled masts and the holes in the hull this would be shorter than the previous shot and would last 3-4 seconds max.

 

Christo give me some advice and suggested i blur out or distort the corners/ peripheral vision of the camera.  This would make it gritter and apply another layer of realism while also heightening the importance of the focal point in the eye line for perspective or the point of focus that the eye will be drawn to in each of the scene be it an object  or a certain area in a scene. 

 

My Ideas which we decided not to use:

 

After agreeing on the first  two shots we disagreed on how to proceed for the next camera shot and how to present  it and we decided to think of alternative ways to progress the story in a logical and cinematic manner for the video. This is where we devised our own ideas for what the scene should be like, for both organisation and what we would be featuring in each scene along with the shot duration. We also had different opinions on what camera angles to use for for recording the action or events  and what these would be or what would happen in the scene along with the order in which they appear.

We then came up with our own alternative  camera angles with  varying points of focus and aspects we each wanted to explore, include or convey. For the  next  step we couldn't decide if it would be  several shots or a single camera sequence  being a continuing shot. We as a group had concluded that we would finish the short when we would explore the interior of the captain's cabin and we would explore the room to discover a map and focus in on it as it is placed on the table this would be the end the narrative as it would be left open ended in the credits and it would suggest travel towards this treasure mark on the map like the montage clips in Indiana Jones Films of him travelling around the

world. While this happens the end credits appear on the map. 

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My idea for the next shot after the establishing shots was for a graphics style like a motion comic to move from several camera angles while staying in camera ratio. It would first be a pan from the bottom of the ship to the top where the camera rests on the torn and worn masts that are blowing in the wind. It would be in the 16:9 aspect ratio and then would shrink and move to become static at the top left hand corner of the screen and it would be dulled with the use of an overlay of tinting slightly as not to take focus from the other slides that would follow and show development for the narrative conveying either story or movement of the camera in a sequence from one shot to the next , This would be 3-4 seconds max.

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Motion comic style:

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Interactive comic style for presenting video

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It would then be followed with a climbing sequence from the ground up a ladder or a series of footholds or up the loose rigging that is draped to the ground or lying in the sea or shallows. It would be a climbing shot to show a Pov movement so there would be shaking of the camera and perhaps condensation of  heavy breathing to show exertion of a weary character.  The camera is to emerge from the the barrier of the deck in a Pov camera angle. This would be 2-3 seconds max and this shot would highlight and come to the foreground after the previous shot had been played.

There would then be a camera movement of someone jumping down from the barrier/ side of the ship or the rigging onto the deck of the shipwreck.  This would be 3 seconds max.

The ship has been deteriorating for some time as there is a lot of old wood that will creak and crack.  in the floor there are some holes that lead down to the hull  this is because a lot of time has passed since the shipwreck, this will convey both the duration it has been there and the state the ship is in as it is old and decayed. When we step on to the deck as a camera sequence parts of the ship could start  to fall apart or break leaving a hole down to the hold.  There is still some cargo objects like the cannons etc. that is briefly visible when the camera passes by. This would mean we would have to create the different layers of the ship which would be a lot more work to do but would giving us  additional elements to add to the scene, if we have the time. This would create a more immersive sense of  realism and we could make it more realistic when it comes to post production by adding different sounds. This would convey part of our narrative so that anyone will know that the ship is old and falling apart . The ship is only being discovered after a very long period of time hence the reason why the ship is in such disarray. The ship that will remain intact for the length of the short, but to  have the ship look like a wreck while seeming aged , damaged and yet untouched heights the scene and will only help to aid the narrative  and visuals of the short and the story of searching and discovering a long lost treasure or a map to lead us to something of greater value or more treasure. 

The shot will still remain as a Pov , as a group we had said we needed to wait until we where on the deck and moving towards the captain's cabin, this was because using a Pov shot too soon would require the rest of the scene to be shot in same way.  If we did jump from different camera angles and perspective the orientation of the shots would be disjointed and disorientating  to watch and it would break the immersion. 

Moving on from this thought i planned that the next shot would be a quick pan from left to right of the whole deck establishing the new area of the deck of the ship, while having  some holes in the floor with areas of the hull visible. It would finish by looking up towards the back of the boat where it would transition to the next shot. This would be 2-4 seconds max and would be just to have a very quick glance of the deck and the state it is in. This would help join into the next shot.

 

Middle :

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This was where the group decided we would continue on from the establishing shots set to be a sequences of jump cuts in the video going from one point to another rather than a continuous shot. It would start from a distance, being a long shot to close up/ Mid shot of the ship and then a shot on the deck in the middle of the ship and would look back in the direction of the helm and the point of focus  being the a locked door to the captain's cabin. The things outside the point of focus will be blurred or distorted to reinforce the area to pay attention to and also replicate the effect the lighting would have on the eyes.

 

This would be 2-3 seconds Pov shot and would then start to move towards the doors before zooming in for a close up of the of the helm where there would be a skeleton impaled on the wheel . This sets the tone for a sense of fear and curiosity as to why and how a crew member of the ship died in a gruesome way. The reason for his death was not fully decided as there was plot holes if we had went with starvation so we decided on having a staged mutiny for some of the crew which would result on everyone on board being killed. With this reason we would need to add more weapons  to the scene and create a story where he was stabbed or killed and left on the wheel where he is now no more than bones and rags holding the skeleton together.  This would be 2-3 seconds max and would then return to the previous camera and would continue moving towards the doors to the captains cabin for another 2-3 seconds there is then we will find another skeleton that will become visible the closer to the door  we get and will be hidden under the stairs and will have a pistol layed down beside him where he died. From being shot by another crew member or by himself as his situation was hopeless but the groups plan was to leave it ambiguous and unknown on the circumstances to create some  aspect of mystery for the crews mysterious circumstances  surrounding their deaths. This will generate  tension and a  heightening sense of fear moving forward towards the finale.

 

There could also be a stack of crates or barrels or a table and chairs with cups and dice on the table for gambling with a bottle or a ceramic wine jug with some cups or an old worn candle with old brazers in torch holders that are not lit but are extinguished. By adding subtle details like this to the scene we hope to create immersive atmosphere for the final video so that it will be the best we can achieve in the timescale. We as a group want to showcase all the time and effort we have invested and  to hopefully have a very high quality outcome that is impactful and enjoyable.  

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End:

The next shot would transition from the exterior of the door and would go to the interior and would take a second for the Pov shot to adjust to the new lighting like a real person would this could be a single shot that will explore the interior environment and will last about 20-30 seconds max including the credits at the end. In this time frame a lot will happen and it will follow a sequence.

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Setting the scene:

As we enter through the doors the lighting changes as it adapts from the dark of the night sky from the outside of the ship to a gradual fading in illuminating the room and points of interest this will be done with candles and other alternative light sources that will start to illuminate our pathway and focus points for which to follow in the scene and it will highlight points of interest or detail. To start the camera will focus on the captains table and a chair with a body sitting, facing with its back to the camera. On the table there will be candles, a map with a knife pinning it to the table and a compass resting on a corner of the map preventing it from curling up. There will also be some coins and some gems on the other corners or something else to weigh the paper down or it will be the captains skeleton hands and face that flatten the map out. Behind the table there will be broken windows that have holes and broken shards protruding from the frames allowing the exterior lighting to coming in from outside from the moon and stars and if we can get the lighting to work and if we have enough time to explore the options of add the reflection and refraction from the waves for both scenes. To the right of the captain there will be an old wooden cot pinned up against the wall there could also be curtains on either side of the room that are ripped and torn to frame the scene this will only if we have time towards the end. These concepts and assets and ideas are to provide further depth in the shot and by adding scene fillers like crates or barrels or a cupboard or wardrobe that is now face down on the ground next to the bed. At the feet of table there will be another skeleton spread out on the floor with a old pistol lying next to him and a bottle in it's hand or on the floor. We may not have the bottle here but instead on the captains table or somewhere else on the floor, we would need to animate the bottle by having it roll around with the fluid inside moving also or we may not have a bottle in the scene but a message in the bottle for the shot exterior where it would be place on the beach or would roll with the tide as an alternative. To make up the scene we thought of alternative things to animate like flames from candles or lamps swaying from a windy draft emitting from a hole in the side of the captains cabins to the left as you walk in where there is a gaping hole in the wall otherwise the scene will be to static, the wooden floors will have some holes in the wood down to the hull conveying the length of time the ship has been wrecked along with the skeletons suggest that it has been a very long time like years since it crashed and is only now being rediscovered from the perspective of the viewer as to create a tale of discovery, danger and excitement and creating a platform to experience a pirates life for the length of the short leaving the audience wanting more so we as a group plan on revisiting the work after the deadline if we have time after the projects are complete to improve it to a higher standard. In the left corner of the room closest to the door there is another skeleton dead and lying in the corner. There would also be two chest one would be knocked over and the contents of coins and jewels and gems would be spewed onto the floor. There was a discussion about lighting and the group thought of using either chandeliers or oil lamps hanging from the ceiling , i thought we should have had several candles lit and also oil lamps to the sides of the room emitting light across the whole room creating interesting shadows and highlighting the detail, working the lighting to optimise the scenes effectiveness. There would also be a chest under the window that is locked up or open with nothing inside or perhaps just some blank scrolls.

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Camera sequencing order for final scene:

Once the camera enters the room the focus is straight ahead towards the table and the chair with the remains of the captain in his chair and the windows behind him with a open chest with blank scrolls.

To the camera  leading to the door of the captain's cabin  we then  then transition to a first person or point of view shot.  Then the camera will move around the room, looking from left to right then moving towards the dead captain in his chair and circling him and the table  and going towards the window but focusing on his desk and the treasure map that is pinned to the table with a knife and a few objects lying on it like coins and a compass etc.  We then focus on the map and then it will change from 3D to 2D and have the Indian Jones style red marks for travelling move from several points and this will be the end credits  with our names appearing if we have the time and if it can work.

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