Locations for Blackmail

It was important that we thought about the locations of our film and all agreed on where would be most suitable. We had to take into consideration the times of day would be using certain locations, the availability and using the equipment safely. At first most of our suggestion wouldn’t fit in with the times we would be available to film and we didn’t want to have to rely on other people, so we came to the conclusion that using our own houses would work a lot better as we could film any time we wanted and take as long as we needed. We used three different house for our film, along with an office at school and the main hall for the premiere.

The pictures on the left are where we shot the scenes for Nancy's house. We picked this house in particular for Nancy's house because the front of the house opened up on to vast fields, which allowed us lots of room for film and also creating large establishing shot and deep shots from within the house. The front door had patterned glass which would create an interesting shadow effect on the actor’s faces when placed in a certain position.

 

These pictures in particular show the establishing shot and deep shot we were able to capture while filming. The house had a big drive way which allowed us to film long shots of Clark and Martha walking to Nancy's house. The wall at the front of the was perfect for scene seven, were Martha posts the newspaper draft through Nancy's front door. Having such an open space to work with also allowed us to play around with the camera angles a bit. Some of our tracking shits turned into a canted angle shot - a typical convention of film noir.


We filmed the scene in the living room at Nancy's because it gave us a great opportunity to get a really good depth of field, deep shot through the window. It also meant that the viewer had a clear view of Martha, which would have been difficult if the filming had been in any other room.
We had to make sure the decor of this room was very simplistic. Having modern day furniture would have taking the audience out of the story and made them focus on the unusual props, so when we filmed in this room we had to be very careful where we placed the camera.

This is the house we used for Martha and Clark's house. We decided to use this house in particular because of the kitchen. This was the closest we could get to a '1950's' styled kitchen. On the picture to the left is marked some changes we had to make to the room to make the set more believable. Modern day toasters, dishwasher’s, microwaves and Tesco bag's would have been around during the time in which our film was taking place so we had to remove them from the frame or be very careful where we were filming.

Having a window at the top of the stairs allowed us to experiment with different lightings and shadows. On sunny days the shadows of the venetian blinds would show on the wall, which would work really well and keep in the theme and using the conventions of film noir.

The front door was probably the hardest set of this house as it didn't resemble a typical 1950's door, but as this wasn't a major part in our film it didn't matter so much. However the diamond, frosted glass in black and white created a nice effect once edited.

This set with the venetian blinds was meant to be in Martha's living room. However it isn’t the same house as we used for Martha's original house. We changed the house because venetian blinds are in my eye's the most important convention of film noir and if we hadn't included them in our film the genre wouldn't of been as clear as it could. We had to make sure the editing was perfect at this point in the film so the audience wouldn't know it the scene was taken in a different house, and so the scene flowed nicely from one to another. The venetian blinds create an eerie effect upon a character making you double think your opinion on them.

Clark’s work office is the final set we used. This was used of scenes when Clark was alone working, or with Nancy. The small modern office had quite a transformation, as we couldn’t have any computers, modern telephones, or posters in the shot.
Clark’s work office is the final set we used. This was used of scenes when Clark was alone working, or with Nancy. The small modern office had quite a transformation, as we couldn’t have any computers, modern telephones, or posters in the shot. This space was rather hard to work in as it was very compact and it was often difficult to capture long shots of the action happening. We often used the tripod but for this set in particular we found that holding the camera worked better as we could maneuverer at lot easily.

Character Profiles - Question and Answer Interviews

Here is a short video of a question and answer session on our characters.

Character Profiles

Before we started filming we wanted to familiarise ourselves with our characters. In order to do this we made in depth character profiles on each character. We felt this would be very important for the portrayal of their emotions and how they change over the course of the film.

Martha McCaine: Martha is Clark’s wife. She is a housewife and has been brought up to respect everything she has. She has a very loving personality and puts others before herself. Clark means everything to her and she will do whatever she can to help him. She has an innocent personality which is reflected in the way she dresses.

Clark McCaine: Clark is married to Martha. He is very aspirational and aims for the top, however this often means he forgets about everyone else, not taking their feeling into consideration. He owns a newspaper company which is his main priority. He’s smart and very polite but can often be manipulative.

Nancy Hartley: Nancy is a glamorous celebrity/actress who is having an affair with Clark McCaine. She is very opinionated and puts herself before others. She is well known and like the attention to be on her; often coming across a little snobby. However deep down she wants to settle down with the right man and live a normal life.

Blackmail Screenplay

 

When making our screenplay we had to take in to consideration that despite our film only being five minutes long we still had to include as much detail as possible.

 

Each scene includes the number of the scene, the name of the scene, the location, time of day a brief summary of the characters and the props/set.

We included a key at the top of our screenplay.

Green – Mise-En-Scene

Yellow- Camera Angles

Blue- Editing

Purple- Sound

Having a screenplay during filming proved really helpful because it allowed us to plan in advance before filming. We were able to create a props list to bring to each filming session and each actor had their own screenplay to take away and learn lines from. Having the screenplay on set while film was also really helpful because we could follow it step by step which allowed filming to flow as well as being quick and easy.

Screenplay

Before creating our own screenplay for Blackmail, we thought it would be a good idea to do some research on screenplays beforehand and what we need to include. We analysed the ‘screenplay study guide’ in order to expand our knowledge.

The screenplay of a film (also known as the script) contains much more than the dialogue. It is, in effect, a written description of the film encompassing everything from descriptions of the characters and their actions, through detail of costumes, props and sets to instructions for camera and other technical crew. A screenplay should be drafted and re drafted many times before the film is finished. Who scenes are often cut and added, characters may be eliminated or introduced, and actors may suggest changes to the dialogue. Technical problems during filming may also lead to changes to the screenplay. Each scene should be individually numbered, with directions as to where the action will take place and what time of day. 

 NB INT = interior EXT= exterior

Improved/Final Storyboard

 

This is our final storyboard we made. Cutting out individual frames for our storyboard mad it a lot easier for us to move scenes about and take stuff out if we weren’t happy with it. It also made it much clearer to us on the design of the scene when we came to film because we included camera angles and mise-en-scene with the drawings.

KEY   We decided it would be a good idea to make a key for our main characters. This helped us establish each character within each frame without having to draw them in great detail.

SCENE ONE & TW0

 This scene opens on a medium close up of NANCY, a 28 year old film/celebrity star. She is presented as very confident/glamorous and it leaves the audience with the impression of a diva. CLARK a 41 year old journalist is at the award premier. He is cool and smooth with the ladies hoping to attract NANCY’S attention in order to get a good story for his slowly failing newspaper business.

CLARK approaches NANCY with his notepad and pen. The camera pans and follows CLARK to meet NANCY, we are then presented with a TWO-SHOT, in which they both chat and exchange a seductive gaze. Scene cuts and fades out of NANCY’S eyes and then fades into an extreme close up of CLARK’S wife MARTHA who is in a glaring gaze.


Scene opens carrying on from previous scene, camera zooms out from MARTHA’S eyes into a close up of her face. The camera then cuts from a close up of MARTHA’S face to an over-shoulder shot of CLARK. Over-shoulder shot looking at MARTHA. Camera stays in mid-shot and the camera pans and follows CLARK to the door. The door slams with the loud bang interrupting MARTHA. Mid shot of the kitchen focusing on CLARK picking toast up off of the table, CLARK seems rushed and heads towards the door to head to work.

 

SCENE THREE & FOUR

The office is very professional looking, with dark wood and leather interior. In the centre of the room is his desk and upon this is a telephone, typewriter and scattered newspaper articles about his failing newspaper company. The scene opens with CLARK opening the door of his office. This scene will jump cut straight from the front door of his house to the door of his office showing the passing of time. The camera tracks CLARK to his desk then cuts to over the shoulder shot of him reading the newspaper articles on his desk. Non diegetic music will play over this scene as there is no dialogue. Diegetic sound of a telephone plays after 5 seconds of CLARK looking at the articles. CLARK picks up the phone frantically. Camera pans round to front on mid shot as he is taking the phone call. CLARK picks up a picture of NANCY from the premier. He rushes out of office door (paper flying/falling off desk) Camera zooms into the picture of NANCY on the floor then jump cuts to a long shot of her house. 

Tracking long shot of CLARK suspiciously walking up the drive way of NANCY’S house. Stops at the door and knocks. Over the shoulder shot of NANCY opening the door a few inches and peering out to see who it is knocking. Two shot, close up. NANCY and CLARK facing each other fondly. Scene closes with close up of CLARK and NANCY’S hands as they’re walking up the stairs.

SCENE FIVE &SIX

On screen text saying ‘4 DAYS LATER’. CLARK walks down the stairs and straight out to work in a hurry dropping some papers.

 MARTHA runs to the door to tell CLARK he has dropped his work but he has left. She discovers photographs and a draft of an article about NANCY. MARTHA sits at the kitchen table in shock reading CLARKS plan. MARTHA runs out the door shortly after CLARK to follow him.

Long shot of CLARK walking up the driveway towards NANCY’S house with MARTHA hidden close behind. CLARK suspiciously looks around. CLARK quickly welcomed into NANCY’S house. Meanwhile MARTHA is outside watching through the window and discovers they’re having an affair. CLARK leaves NANCY’S house and heads off to work, meanwhile MARTHA posts the draft of CLARK’S story through NANCY’S letter box.

 

SCENE SEVEN & EIGHT

Tracking shot of NANCY walking past hallway, when she notices a bunch of letters/notes on the doormat. Camera cuts to a close up of the letters/notes and then back to the camera panning, following NANCY walking to pick the letter up. We are then presented with a close up of her face as she discovers what has happened.

NANCY heads over to CLARK’S office to see him. Mid shot of CLARK’S office door as NANCY knocks on the door and walks in without hesitation, camera cuts to a mid shot of CLARK sitting behind his desk, camera cuts back to NANCY and a tracking shot is slowly following NANCY to the office chair. CLARK leaves his office, camera pans following CLARK to the door, to the point where he closes the door. NANCY goes behind CLARK’S desk looking for information about where he lives. NANCY turns around and see’s the handle turn, she quickly rips of CLARK’S address off of the letter, puts it down her top. A mid-shot of NANCY walking out of the office door and CLARK left standing there bewildered. Scene ends with a mid-shot of NANCY snatching the drink from CLARK and downs it. Scene closes

SCENE NINE & TEN

Scene opens with a mid-shot of NANCY’S back to the camera as she knocks on the door to CLARK and MARTHAS house. Camera cuts to an over the shoulder shot of NANCY waiting at the door, when MARTHA opens it. Over the shoulder shot switches to MARTHAS point of view.

MARTHA and NANCY plan to kill CLARK. They both dress up and meet at CLARK’S office. They burst through the office door and they stand in the door way glaring at CLARK. CLARK pulls away from his desk.
Cuts to close up of MARTHA and NANCY’S guns by their side. Close up of CLARK’S face. Cut back to MARTHA and NANCY’S faces. CLARK scrambles frantically into his drawer to find his gun. NANCY and MARTHA split and start shooting. CLARK shoots for NANCY but instead gets MARTHA. MARTHA falls dead to the ground and CLARK falls by her side in shock that he has killed his wife. CLARK still on the floor turns to face NANCY to shoot her, but is too late and NANCY shoots CLARK in the head. CLARK falls face down next to his wife.
NANCY starts to smugly walk out the door after killing both of them. MARTHA then stands up, NANCY hears something and turns to find MARTHA alive facing her with a gun. MARTHA shoots NANCY. MARTHA looks at them in disgust and steps over NANCY’S body and walks out the door.

1st Draft Storyboard

Once we had got the basic plot and storyline of our short film noir we needed to make a storyboard. This needed to show the natural flow of our film, each key stage including camera angles, mise-en-scene, lighting etc. This shows our first attempt at making a storyboard. After finishing we felt the pictures need to be much more clear and the storyboard itself had to be more in depth and detailed.