Unit 11

Im a dedicated and creative person. I have experience on professional sets working many roles ranging from runner to camera operator to cinematographer. I’ve worked on documentary features and shorts along with narrative shorts working with dslr cameras and cinema cameras along with a wide range of grip and lighting equipment. Still in film school I’m looking to expand my knowledge with part time work gaining experience from industry.

Fact file

The subject of my fact file is Cinematography, a job within film. The cinematographer is in charge of the visuals of a film. The role has mostly stuck with tradition but more recently with the introduction of cheaper digital cinema cameras there has been more independent cinematographers working with much smaller crews.

Two examples of major production companies would be Focus Features and film4. They both would hire crew to work on the films that they produce. Focus Features was founded in 1992 as Gramerct Features but was bought by Universal Studios and renamed, its most successful film was ‘Burn After Reading’ which earned $163.7 million worldwide. Film4 was know before 1998 as Chanel 4 films but was rebranded. Its first film was ‘Walter’ and released in 1982, its produced some very successful films such as ‘Trainspotting’ and ‘This Is England’.

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Job Description – Cinematographer

A Cinematographers job is to be in control of the picture of the film. They will be in charge of the camera, lighting and assist the grip department, they will also be responsible with most of the creative decisions. The skills required required by a cinematographer is creativity, this is because their job is primarily creative, they have to set up the shots and are ultimately responsive for the visual aspect of a film. Along side creativity they also need to have good people skills and directing skills, this is so that they are able to get their vision for the shots across to the rest of the team.

Working pattern- They will begin working with the director in the pre-production stages to come up with the storyboard for the film and figure out the style for the film. They will then stay on set with the rest of the crew for the entire day whilst shooting is taking place. In post production they will then assist the editor and colourist to get the style right for the film. A cinematographer’s day varies depending on at what point they are in in the project. They will start the project by working with the director to develop the story, discuss ideas for the overall look and feel of the film that storyboard and plan for locations equipment and lighting. The next stage for there job is location recce, they will visit every location the crew plan to film in to asses the site for factors including power accessibility and scenery. They will then work on set with the camera operator, 1^st ac, 2^nd ac, lighting crew and grip crew and the director to get the shots required for the film. They then work with the editor and colourist to get the final feel and look for the film to what they and the director decided on.

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Job advert 

Skill: cinematography , videography , director of photography; Exp: 2-5 years; Due to the large number of entries received, only the entries with a cover letter and a link to the work would be shortlisted for providing more information about the job and selection process.This job is open for people with HDSLRs (canon 6D, 7D mark II, 5d Mark III, Sony a7) and TripodPeople should be extremely good with camera handling (including non shaky hands for hand-held DSLR operation)and shot definitionMust be able to create shot list based on the brief provided by the directors.Must be a people person, presentable and well versed with the city areas and must be a travel loverShould be street smartThis job is focussed on quality where the cinematographer has to work independently – based on the provided brief – for a project that is getting launched throughout India.

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Skills Audit

The skills I have to do job this job well are; I have experience in using the cameras I would use, I can handle a camera well to produce the required shot, I am presentable and I can be very focussed on the quality of the cinematography. I have a knowledge of how different lenses render an image differently meaning I can make the right choice of lens for the shot. I know that I have these skills because I have completed4 short films and one feature documentary along with working as director of photography on 3 other documentaries and 2 short dramas.

The skills that I need to develop for the job are; shot framing (giving meaning to the shot and creating mention), using more advanced grip equipment and more experience working on a set. Other skills I need are on-set discipline which is learned through experience on-set. Also an understanding on roles within a film crew and what there duties are. Im going too gain these skills required by taking part in work experience on professional sets.

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Action Plan

Career choice – Cinematographer/Director of Photography

Target Grade for my course – Merit

My course – Film Practice at London Southbank University – requires a Pass at Level 3/112 UCAS points.

Film Production at Falmouth University – requires a Pass at Level 3, between 105 and 120 UCAS points depending on the interview.

Film Production at University for the creative arts – requires a pass at Level 3/112 UCAS points.

Filmmaking at Leeds Beckett University – requires a Pass at Level 3 with 125 UCAS points.

Film and Media Production at Sheffield Hallam University – requires a Pass at Level 3 with 112 UCAS points.

Work experience – I worked as a photographer for Sheffield Doc Fest providing promotional and documentation material for the film festival.

I’ve worked shooting footage for a Sheffield Sharks basketball game for Sheffield Live TV.

I’ve done freelance film and Photography for 3 company’s and 2 events.

I have worked as a kitchen porter which is a fast paced job that requires teamwork and communication, skills key for a job in film.

To get a job as a Cinematographer/ Director of Photography I will need to have more work experience on set working as a 1^st ac, 2^nd ac and camera operator on several films before I can work my way up to my desired position.

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CV:  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oqGeaJ0SunU4EsSUYXdUzeDEmRIneyV4JpTQVleYGeU/edit

Henry Rees

4 Greystones Crescent, Sheffield, S11 7JN

0114 4388061•07950953779•

henryrees2@gmail.com

Date of Birth: 02/04/1998  

I’m a highly motivated, hard working individual who strives for perfection in everything I do. I recently hiked across Corsica on Europe’s hardest trail, the GR20 and made a feature documentary following our group’s experience.

Key skills

• Problem solving – Whilst Hiking across Corsica we realised we wouldnt complete the trail intime so I organised a bus to take us further along the trail.
• Ability to work under own initiative – In 2014, 2015 and 2016 I organised a volunteer work experience to Ffestiniog Narrow Gauge Railway to be an engine cleaner on the steam locomotive.
• Effective time management as demonstrated in my Weekend paper round starting sharp at 6am.
• Team work – I work as a team working as a kitchen Assistant to ensure the food is prepared and the kitchen is cleaned in a timely manner.
• Proficiency in all areas of Microsoft Office, editing suites such as Final Cut Pro X and Adobe premiere pro. Im also have allot of experience with Some of the other Adobe CC programs such as Lightroom, Photoshop and Muse.
• Im proficient in using all cameras weather it be a DSLR or a Canon, Blackmagic or RED cinema camera.

Education

High Storrs School (2009-2015), Hillsborough College (2015-present) studying Film and TV Production

• Maths GCSE – B
• English GCSE – C
• Core Science GCSE- C
• Additional Science GCSE – B
• Further Additional Science GCSE – B
• Product Design GCSE – B
• Fine Art GCSE – B
• History GCSE – D
• AS Design & Technology GCSE – C

 

Work Experience

Baldwin’s Omega Restaurant

(November 2015-present)

Job description: Kitchen Assistant

Key skills-

• Teamwork, working closely with the chefs ensuring all food prep is done in a timely manner.
• A good insight into working long shifts under pressure.

Rounds Newsagents, Greystones Road, Sheffield

(August 2011-2016)

Job description: organise the papers at 6am ready for the paperboys to do the round at 7am. I also did a paper round afterwards.

Key skills

• Improved punctuality and ability to work early in the morning.
• Helped with my organisation skills

The Edge Climbing Centre (now closed)

(1 week in July 2013)

Job description: Helped with instructing climbing in the children’s sessions, manned the front desk and signed people in.

Key results:

• Improved people skills
• Learnt how to use a chip and pin reader and other money transactions.

Mr potato, Ecclesall Road, Sheffield (now closed)

(August 2014-October 2014)

Job description: Temporary work to cover holidays at Mr Potato. Duties include serving customers, money transactions and cleaning.

Key results:

• Improved social skills from speaking to customers.

 

Volunteering

Sheffield Doc Fest

(June 2016)

I volunteered as an event photographer at Sheffield Documentary Festival. From this I improved my photography skills and gained experience of working to a busy schedule for long working hours.

Ffestiniog Narrow Gauge Railway

(October 2014, October 2015 and March 2016)

I volunteered with a group for friends on the vintage narrow gauge steam railway as locomotive cleaner. My responsibilities included very early starts to prepare the trains for their departure at 9:30AM. From this I gained experience organising the logistics a group’s travel plans.

 

Hobbies and interests

• I am a keen cyclist, both Mountain and road, and have become proficient in the maintenance of my bikes.
• I love Photography and Video Production –I taught myself Photography and then transferred the skills to video, now I have made several films and have completed my first feature documentary that’s been entered into several festivals.
• Another one of my interests is Physics – I had a proposal for an experiment read by CERN last year. Need to expand on this
• I also enjoy hiking, climbing and camping.

References

Lee Mills – Lecturer at Hillsborough College – 0114 260 2600 – lee.mills@sheffcoll.ac.uk

Sam – Previous employer at Baldwins Omega – 0114 255 1818 – sam@baldwinsomega.com

Job Advert: https://www.myfirstjobinfilm.co.uk/jobs/detail?job_id=5097

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Cover Letter:  https://docs.google.com/document/d/116WTS_ToCrOdr8DBMoqrr7DC6lxPpxaXNkGub42sAcw/edit

Henry Rees

4 Greystones Crescent

Sheffield

United Kingdom

S11 7JN

Mobile:	07950953779
Email:	henryrees2@gmail.com

DOCUMENTARY ASSISTANT WORK EXPERIENCE

Dear Sirs / Madam,

I am writing to outline my academic background and experience and the skills I have gained as a result. I believe that these make me an ideal candidate for a documentary assistant.

I currently in my second and final year of studying Film and TV production at Hillsborough College in Sheffield. I hope to come away from the course with a distinction and go to The Northern Film School to read Film Production. The key skill I learnt from college is how to work professionally on set which I believe is a skill that’s imperative for working as a documentary assistant.

Earlier this year I completed my first feature documentary, Ukulele. The documentary follows a team of hikers across Europe’s hardest trail in Corsica. I learned how to work on a large project, having to film a lot of footage over three weeks and then organising the edit to allow us to complete the project efficiently. I have also worked on several other short films. I’ve worked as director of photography on four short films (drama and documentary), I’ve directed three short drama films and I’ve worked as production assistant on two short films, one drama and one a documentary.

I am now looking to secure a challenging and rewarding role to further my experience in the field of documentary filmmaking. I believe that with my skills and expertise I would be an asset to the production. Please do not hesitate to call me on 07950953779 so we can discuss in further depth.

Yours Faithfully,

Henry Rees

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Show-reel: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B5ENqjh-xfHqQlplT0hWdjltQUk

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UCAS Personal Statement: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RGENNWQg9Ct3wssIGnao8cc24s3930RsCZngK_wwR4A/edit

I am applying for this course as I want to make films for a living. In particular I find cinematography and the meaning behind film very interesting. I think I’m suitable for this course because I am a hardworking, dedicated student who strives to produce the best work possible.

At college I studied Film and TV production which taught me the correct way to make a film. I learnt about the pre-production process of film and how to work on set. What I’ve also taken from it, is the value of narrative in a film and how to convey emotion through cinematography and editing, to assist the story development.

I became interested in film production through photography. Two years ago I bought my first DSLR and taught myself photography. I improved, learning about composition and exposure. Once I had created a portfolio of work I started doing some freelance photography, most of which was paid work. I then decided to start making films using the transferable skills I had gained from photography. I learnt more through working with friends who made films, and using internet resources, such as the YouTube channels Film Riot, Cooke Optics TV and DSLR Guide.

I am very adventurous and determined to succeed. In the summer of 2016 I hiked across Corsica on Europe’s hardest trail (the GR20). Whilst hiking, I was co-director on the documentary we filmed, following our team’s experience. The expedition was challenging and made me more resilient to setbacks and taught me to persevere even when I knew the challenge would get harder. The skills I gained from making the film was run-and-gun filmmaking and organising a large edit. The project was completed in October and has been entered it into several film festivals, some of them include Sheffield Adventure Film Festival (Shaff), Sheffield Doc Fest and Edinburgh Mountain Festival. I’ve had very positive feedback from the test screenings and hope to get the same responses from the festivals. 

For the past few years in the summer I have volunteered on the Ffestiniog Narrow Gauge Steam Railway in Portmadog in North Wales. I organised the trips for a group of friends to volunteer. In April 2016 I also went there and worked as Director of Photography for a friend who made a documentary about the railway. In June 2016 I secured a volunteering role as a photographer for Sheffield Doc Fest, I had visited the festival a few times and decided that it would be a good opportunity to develop my skills with a camera. I’ve been asked to volunteer again in the 2017 festival and I plan to do it.

I also work in a restaurant as a kitchen porter to fund my film trips and equipment. This job has transferable skills including, being on time, working as a team to get the job done and using my own initiative to overcome problems. I feel the course you offer will help me to develop my skills further, allowing me to succeed in the media industry. I like the idea of specialising in the field of cinematography as telling a story through composition, colour and light interests me greatly. After working as a runner and working up from the bottom I would either like to be the director of photography on feature dramas or take a completely different route to be the camera operator on adventure documentaries.

Professional social media links

Website – http://www.hreesmedia.com/

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/henry.rees/?hl=en

Flickr – https://www.flickr.com/photos/henryrees/

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtfKXlaAz1W5g0slK1oN2Hw

Digital networking platform

A digital networking platform is like a social media site but for industry professionals to network online to have more contacts for future projects. The most famous of these platforms is Linkedin. It has over a 100 million monthly active users, its free and its very easy to use. Because its widely used so you could find allot of people they may need to connect with. Its very easy to set up, you can link your email and it will link all your email contacts and other people you may know hen you set the page up.

Work and Volunteering Experience

I have Worked on 4 short documentary films as camera operator, director and assistant. I’ve worked on 4 short drama films with roles of; cinematographer, director, 2nd assistant camera and production assistant. I have also co-directed one feature documentary. For other work I have worked in a letting agents as a photographer, I’ve done freelance photography for 5 companies, I have worked as a pot washer for 3 years at 2 different places.

I have volunteered at the Ffestiniog narrow gauge railway for the past 3 years now. I help clean and maintain the vintage steam engines every day for a week in in the holidays. Last June I also volunteered as a photographer for a week Sheffield Documentary festival. I took promotional and documentation shots for them

 

Social Media Campaigns Crowdfunding 10.2.1, 10.2.2

Research social media campaigns – What is out there? What is working? Look at existing campaigns that fit the genre of your product – pull these apart and detail what you have gathered from them.

Research crowdfunding sites – what is out there? What is working? Look at existing campaigns that it the genre of your product – pull these apart and detail what you have gathered from them. Gather stats to show how successful these are/have been. -look at a range of sites.

Social Media Campaigns

Social media is being used more recently to promote a film before its release. It creates excitement surrounding the film so on its release more people will flock to the cinema to watch it. The most common form of social media used is Facebook, this is because information, photos and even videos can be shared on this platform. This image shows the statistics of active users on different social media platforms. Facebook has 1,590 million active users whilst Twiter only has 320 active users.

Statistics found at http://www.smartinsights.com/social-media-marketing/social-media-strategy/new-global-social-media-research/ . Accessed on 14/11/2016

 

Here are three Successful social media campaigns for coming-of-age films.

The first is a feature film that came out in September 2015 called Me and Earl and the Dying Girl.

Here is a link to the films Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/MeAndEarlAndTheDyingGirlUK/?brand_redir=1008278145852563

What made this campaign so successful was that they posted fairly regularly, about every 10 days. This is a good rate for a long social media campaign because you don’t want to overwhelm your followers because otherwise they will follow the page. They also only posted things that they thought that there audience would actually care about so they they will pay attention too it. The content they posted included, trailers, teasers, posters, news articles, red carpet photos, quotes and days-to-go images. All this content showing up on peoples news-feed made people excited about the movie meaning that they went to go and see it when it was released.

As evidenced by the number of likes, shares and views, people really liked the red carpet photos of the actors and the trailers. I think that this made the audience most excited about seeing the film.

Another coming-of-age feature which had a strong social media presence is God help The Girl. It was a crowdfunded so needed to have a way of connecting with its backers and did so through Facebook. They posted almost every day about production, release dates and special screenings in different cities. God Help The Girl Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/GodHelpTheGirlFilm/

One more successful social media Facebook page was for Perks Of Being A Wallflower. This film is a bit different to the other two because this had a large budget but still needed to have a good social media presence to promote the film. It had just under 1.4 million likes which makes it a very successful campaign. Two things that people really liked on this page was the quotes and images from the film and the updates on the cast and festival screenings.

From looking at these three Facebook page campaigns I can see that regularly posting but not overwhelming the audience seems to be the trend with popular pages. I can also see that including excitement surrounding the release of a trailer or the film brings more likes to the page and the content. What doesn’t seem to be working for the audience is content posted that inst related directly to the film. For my Social media campaign I will stick to posting related content such as updates on the principle photography and editing, Images from the film and updates on releases for the trailer and finished film. I will post this kind of content as it appears to be what draws in and keeps the audiences attention which makes them excited about the film.

Crowdfunding

I started doing some research into the best sites for crowdfunding as a filmmaker and I found a web page called The balance and they have a list of the top 4 sites for filmmakers to raise money for a film. There number one is an investment platform for independent filmmakers, its a really effective way of funding films with a budget of around £20,000 so its not suitable for me. There next best site is Indigogo. Its good because its crowdfunded by the public, its well known, loads of films have been funded via this site and if you don’t reach your goal you still get to keep the money you raised. There third favourite site is called Seed & Spark which is very similar to Indigogo but dedicated to filmmakers. One of its benefits is that it allows you to allocate different funding pots for different arias of the films budget, this allows people to fund different parts of the film like the insurance or equipment rental or cast. There fourth favourite was a site called Slated. This site seems to be very popular with industry professionals as many large budget films have been funded through this site, for this reason I don’t think that this site will be suitable for my film.

Other sites that seem to be popular for funding films are Kickstarter and Go Fund Me. The problem with those sites are that Kickstarter doesn’t allow you to keep any money if you don’t reach your goal and Go Fund Me isn’t only for film and art projects its also for peoples trips and other fund raising needs so films don’t tend to be as successful on this site.

From what I’ve found out about the different crowdfunding sites, my best choices are Indigogo and Seed & Spark. I’m going to use Indigogo to fund my film as it more popular than Seed & Spark so I’m more likely to get some funding from a site with more traffic.

Crowdfunding examples

One of the most famous Crowdfunded films was called Wish I was Here, directed by Zach Braff. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1869987317/wish-i-was-here-1. It raised $3,105,473 from 46,520 backers. Its ran for 28 days, and posted 48 updates over 14 months, the updates included 10 videos of stuff like behind the scenes and 14 photos of behind the scenes, concept art and planing. The incentives ranged depending on price pledged. They offered; thank you credits, framable art, the directors chair, t-shirts, the soundtrack download, advanced film screening tickets in LA, Q&A screenings, copy of the soundtrack on vinyl, signed posters and dvd’s, voice video and personal meetings, premiere tickets, after party tickets, set visits, parts as and extra, naming a character ($7000), be a featured extra ($7500), film making symposium and special thanks ($8000), special thanks ($9000), be a cast member ($10000), the film slate ($10000). I think one of the really big selling tactics for the backers was the use of a very well produced video explaining why they needed the money.

 

Another successful crowdfunding campaign was for a film called The Best Friend. Its a romantic coming-of-age film following the underdog in a relationship between two best friends. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/637195670/the-best-friend-a-short-film?ref=category_most_backed. It raised $19,171 from 269 backers in 30 days. They didn’t have any links to social media or websites which I thought was one let down of the campaign. There incentives for backers are; a thank you message on IMDb, a twitter follow, a coffee mug, digital copy of the score and the short film, DVD copy of the film and score, printed t-shirt, invitation to a screening party, 2 tickets to the screening party, executive producer credit on IMDb. On the campaign page they posted loads of photos of crew and cast and also a video describing the project and why they need the money.

One other famous successfully crowdfunded film was God Help The Girl. It was funded through backers on Kickstarter. They needed $100,000 and got $121,084 from 1334 backers and the campaign ran for 60 days. Here is the Kickstarter campaign – https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/godhelpthegirl/god-help-the-girl-musical-film/description

Its incentives range from a thank you on the website to a one off signed vinyl record for $5000. The other incentives include, posters, t-shirts and as its a musical, the score on CD/Digital download/Vinyl. This campaign also didn’t have any links to social media pages, it also lacked photos (only one posted) and the only video was an interview with the creator.

 

My Crowdfunding campaign

From looking at the successful campaigns I know that I need to include a video, a large range of desirable incentives at a range of prices, link to the social media campaign and plenty of photos with regular updates.

The campaign:

• the 100 character tagline

A short coming-of-age film about a young photographer with a classic boy-meets-girl story line.

• The Campaign card image

 The same image used on the social media site.

• The Goal

I’m going to set £500 as the goal for my campaign as I think that this will just about cover, transport, set design, catering, cast/crew hire and location costs, all without asking for too much.

• Campaign Duration

Looking at other successful campaigns like Wish You Were Here and The Best Friend they tend to go for a 28/30 day length so i’m going to have my campaign run for 30 days because it seems like a length successful for other projects.

• The header Video

All the successful campaigns have good videos that explain; the project, the story, why the money is needed and what it will be spent on. I made a script for my film and then shot it, thinking carefully about the lighting and editing to make it look as professional as possible. The script;

Hi, my names Henry. I’m the writer and Director of the short film portrait. Portrait follows the story of a photographer who meets and falls for a girl but the story’s told in the traditional method. First we see the break up and then the film shows there relationship developing and finally goes on to show the events leading up to them meeting for the first time. I wanted to show you the film in this way because I believe it’s a much more interesting way to tell the age old story of boy meets girl.

The story is a follow up to the award winning short film Viewfinder which I’ll link somewhere below. It’s by a good friend a brilliant director Charles power. Portrait will follow the story from the male characters perspective whilst viewfinder from the female characters.

I’m raising the money to help pay for costly expenses such as actors, locations and equipment hire. All these are necessary to the film’s production so any donations are greatly appreciated. I can’t wait to produce this film and for you to see it so thank you for your time and donations.

• 500 character campaign overview

Short film – I’m an 18 year old film student and Portrait is my final major project. The film is about a young photographer (a hobby of mine) who meets a girl and begins a relationship with her.  The film will take some inspiration from the 1960’s French New Wave style along with having a non-linear story line.

• The campaign pitch

Me and the film

Hi my name is Henry. I’m an 18 year old filmmaking student from the UK. I’ve made 4 short films and 1 feature. My latest project Portrait is my final major project for my course. It’s a short about a young photographer who meets a girl and begins a relationship with her. This project means allot to me as I’ve always wanted to make a coming-of-age film ever since I first watched Wes Andersons Moonrise Kingdom and Stephen Chbosky’s Perks Of Being A Wallflower. Your contributions will help me achieve this dream by helping me pay for actors, transportation, costume etc. To see more about the project so far please see the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/PortraitShortFilm/.

The proof of concept

The Proof of concept is complete. It’s a short example of one of the scenes planed for the film. It takes place in a photography developing darkroom and shows an argument between the two main characters. I shot the scene in one day using darkroom at my college and asking friends to be the cast and crew. This is just an example of what the film could be like.

What I need

I need £500 to complete the film. It will be approximately four days of shooting and the money will cover all cast and crew transportation and catering costs. The money will also help cover hire cost for additional equipment, such as lenses and a field monitor. One of the main arias the money will go to is the actors, the acting is key to expressing the emotion in a scene so I want to be able to afford the right actors for the parts. If the goal is not met the project will still go ahead but with an even more limited budget so any money I do get will be helpful to the production.

What you get

I’m going to assume that anyone who is reading this and is willing to donate money to the project is passionate about either films or film making so I thought that I might make some of the incentives film related. For the smaller donations a thank you on out Facebook page or at the end of the credits. For slightly bigger donations, photography prints from my photography portfolio that can be found at http://www.hreesmedia.com/photography, some of these photos will appear in the film. I thought this to be appropriate as the films main character is a photographer and the storyline surround photography and portraiture. Some of the other incentives include a LUT package of the grading used on the film and other useful cinematic looks. Also five hand typed (on a typewrigter) scripts are available.For the larger donations executive producer credits are available along with two of the camera props that will be used in the film (possibly a Minolta and a Canon 35mm film cameras, but this could change depending on what I find). For the biggest donation I will be giving away the clapper board used on the film (this will ship to all over the world).

There are other ways you can help.

Even if you can’t donate anything you can still help the project by sharing the Indigogo campaign and the Facebook page and help spread the word. https://www.facebook.com/PortraitShortFilm/. To contact me with any questions, please message me through the Facebook page.

• The incentives

1- Thank you on the Facebook page (£2) costs nothing

2- Thank you in the credits (£5) costs nothing

3- Thank you in the credits + digital download (£10) cost nothing

4- LUT package (£15) costs nothing

5- Hand typed script on typewriter (£20) costs £2 postage

6- 1 Photography print A4 (£25) Costs £5

7- 1 Photography print A3 (£30) Costs £10

8- 3 Photography prints A4 (35) Costs £9)

9- Executive producer credit + 3x A4 prints (£45) Costs £9

10- 3 Photography prints A3 (£50) Costs £21)

11- Film camera prop x2 (£60) Costs £24

12- Executive producer + 3x A3 prints (£60) Costs £21

13- The clapper board + Executive producer (£120) Costs £50

I’ve worked all these incentives out to be cost and time effective and I think that they will appeal to the potential backers.

 

Here is the link to the crowdfunding campaign – https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/portrait-short-film-drama/x/15461006#/

My social media campaign 

For my social media account i’m going to use Facebook because from my research i have found that its to most used social media platform so I will have a greater chance of reaching a larger audience if I use it over other platforms. I will begin by posting a cover photo and profile picture to make the site more appealing to look at. Next I will add a description so people know what the page is and what the film is about. The description I will put will be (Portrait is a short coming of age film by Henry Rees. The film starts with an argument between the two main characters and then goes on to show the events leading up to there first meeting and there time together as a couple.
Portrait is a follow up to the award winning short film Viewfinder by Charles Power. Veiwfinder tells the story of the events leading up to the characters first meeting from the female characters (Leah’s) perspective whilst Portrait will tell a version of the story from the male characters (Harry’s) Perspective.).

The post that will follow will start with an introduction to the cast and crew, a post about the release of the proof of concept and then the release of the proof of concept. I will then post the second french new wave version and then conduct a poll and see which version is preferred.

Ive now published the account. Here is the link too the site – https://www.facebook.com/PortraitShortFilm/

Posts

1. The first post was the cover photo for the page. I decided to use a screenshot of the best shot out of the film as it includes both the characters and its a good shot so it will catch a viewers eye and get them to read the description.

2. The second post was a profile picture for the page. I decided on a clapper board screenshot from one of the rushes. I decided to use this because it shows people quickly that its a film and it says the name on the clapper board so it tells the viewer alot of information about the film quickly.

3. For the third post I introduced the cast and crew to the viewers with a post of the wrap photo from set.

4. Too keep the audience updated the next day I posted a screenshot of the edit to show that I was working on the project and that it would be coming out soon.

5. Two days later I posted a picture of the actors on set learning lines to keep the audience interested whilst they wait for me to finish the edit.

6.  Five days later I needed something else to give the audience because I hadn’t posted in a few days so I made a little graphic in Photoshop on 35mm film with the name of the film (Portrait) on it. The post was to give a release date for the film, I said it would be posted on the following Thursday.

7. Two days later (the day before the release of the proof of concept film) I posted a teaser/gag reel to get people excited for the film release the following day. The post was well received and got the most likes out of any post (14 likes).

8. The next day I actually released the film. It reached allot of people (1,138) but only got 12 likes.

9. Five days after I released the proof of concept I shared the film that influenced my film. It tells the same story as Portrait but my film is told from the other characters perspective.

10. I then shared an alternative edit to the proof of concept film. I shot and edited it in French New Wave style, I will see which style people prefer.

11. To find out which style of proof of concept people prefer I posted asking them to like for the original version and love for the French New Wave style.

 

Distribution

 

For the distribution of the film there aren’t many paths to go down with a low budget short film. The main pathway to go with is the YouTube and Vimeo way. Its free its easy and it has the possibility of getting to a large audience. Another pathway is through competitions to get the film out too people who actually care about film. The two main issues with this method of distribution is firstly cost, it costs money to enter most festivals, and the second issue is a question of quality. I will need to decide whether my film is up to standard to enter into some of the festivals and when they cost money I will need to really consider if its worth spending the money on the entrance fee.

If I do decide that my film is good enough to warrant spending money on entrance fees, the two main websites for distributing the films to and finding festivals on is Filmfreeway and Withoutabox. These distribution platforms allow you to find festivals based on price, entry requirements and location. They also allow you to select a list of festivals to enter and enter them all at once from the same platform, this makes entering lots of festivals allot easier. One of the issues with the festivals is the length of the film. Some festivals will only take feature length films but some only take short films, these ones tend to be the cheaper ones and I will enter these.

On withoutabox I found that some of the competitions and festivals I could enter are Edinburgh international film festival, After Hours student film festival in Illinois USA, Pine River student film festival in Michigan USA. For most of the competitions on withoutabox and filmfreeway the entry fee will be around £10-20 I also found that I could submit to Aestetica film festival and Falmouth film festival.