Learning agreement

School of Art and Design                                                                             2013/14

MA:	Learning Agreement

Name: Changliang Li    

Course:MA Film Practice

Date:26/11/2013

What is your subject of study?

The study of how the directors present suspense by using body language. In our natural world, a face is usually encountered not as an isolated object but as an integrated part of a whole body. The face and the body both normally contribute in conveying the emotional state of the individual. Body language is the external manifestation of human brain activity, and the natural expression of inner feelings. In other words, the role of mental content should be shown from the actor's physical characteristics. Different body language shows different message from human body, and sometimes if we miss the information. we would made some misunderstanding about others' idea. In my context, suspense is fear and hope. Fear can be described as feeling displeasure about the prospect of an undesirable event; hope can be defined as feeling pleasure about the prospect of a desirable event.  Also, the cinematography can help the director present suspense, as a director, he must know the use of Space, Line, Shape, Tone, Color, Movement and Rhythm.

What is your research question?

The effects of body language in suspense film. How a director use body language to present suspense in a film.

Research aim(s):

What are the overall aims of the project?

To learn more about what is suspense.

To take in to practice how does suspense related to narrative.

To explore how director use filming skills to set the suspense and to influence the audiences.(ways of shooting, lighting, editing.)

Research objectives(s):

What are the specific tangible project objectives?

Note: these are separate to what you personally need to learn in terms of skills and knowledge, see learning objectives below.

Do some literature survey about body language.

Do some literature survey about suspense.

Analysis some famous suspense film.

Shoot the film by myself.

Rationale

·       What is the wider context of your project?

For example, a paper from Jonathan (2004) shows that: “We endorse the view, put forth by psychologists Ortony, Clore, and Collins, that suspense is composed of fear, hope, and the "cognitive state of uncertainty”. In real life, we might feel suspense when walking through an unfamiliar, reputedly dangerous neighbourhood at night. I will watch “Se7en” this film. This is an example to find out what skills does the director use to set suspense.

Di Ni (2000)states that film is a visual arts, if the language of the actors in the preliminary hearing to meet the cognitive and role of the audience on the plot. So the actor's body language as an important element in the visual style, carrying more rich content and profound significance.

In "Lust, Caution", Mr. Yi was silence in front of people, smiling muscles sink, when he coped with his wife is like this, trying to protect his own serious and dignity. But his heart is extreme panic, insecurity. Through his expression on his face, we can figure out the use of body language is helpful to describe a character.

Di Ni (2000)also indicates that we can divide body language into four parts, that is face, limb movements, attitude and distance. Firstly, in film acting, slight changes on face can affect the audiences' psychology. For example, we can use eyes to express emotions. In film "Waterloo Bridge" Mara cannot face a loved one, decided to end her own life. Actor through the eyes accurately convey the heroine from the sadness, confusion, despair, commit suicide, to greet the dead heart of a series of waves of panic, people cannot help but be sad, but also put the rhythm to the film's climax.

·       How does the project relate to your previous experience/practice?

I have shoot several short films, however, I could not use skills of direct very well to set suspense in a film. And it also makes I knew the shooting skills is very important for film.

·       How does it relate to relevant current practices, debates and theory?

It relate to director’s way of work. Bruce (2001) says: “In Citizen Kane one conflict is the reporter’s physical search trying to discover the meaning of Kane’s last word: 'rosebud'. In his search, the reporter stumbles in and out of various intellectual conflicts between Kane and his wives, friends, and enemies.” So the director can affect the ending of a story, different directors would use different storytelling skills.

According to Boal (1992), he mentioned two unities in human being. One is physical and psychic apparatuses, the other is five linked senses. If one element of body moved, then the whole body would move.

There is a TV show called "lie to me", it is directed by  and It is a TV series which studies in human's micro emotions. It tells a story about Dr. Cal Lightman teaches a course in body language and makes an honest fortune exploiting it. He's employed by various public authorities in various investigations, doing more when the police etc. fail to go the extra mile. So he can afford to constitute a team of his own, which like clients and others has to put up with his mind-games. I can use these information for display an actor's emotions by using face. It is useful to show emotions by face because there are many emotions and micro actions on face.

It also relates to the skills of shooting and editing, different shooting skills and different editing order will make audiences feel some differences. Cinematography is another important work in suspense film, with use of Space, Line, Shape, Tone, Color, Movement and Rhythm, the director could create any scene he wants to show the suspense. Blain (2002) mentions that "an image should  have meanings, should convey meaning, mode, tone, atmosphere and subtext on its own----without regard to voice-over, dialog, audio or other explanation." Although the principle is created from the silence film, it is still applies to current films. So the cinematography is essential for the film.

·       Why is the intended research significant? (So what?)

Body language is the external manifestation of human brain activity, and the natural expression of inner feelings. Like, in TV shows 'lie to me', it shows people how can you read the expression on human's face, it includes a lot of information. Some expression like scorn, contempt and shame. These emotions are universal. So to study these emotions is helpful for me to present suspense in suspense film.

Suspense is a core in a film. Excellent suspense will influence the audiences, and give them deep impression. According to Jonathan (2001), in most Hollywood films, we want the morally good hero to triumph over the evil villain. So good suspense will attract audience to continue watching the film.

·       How does this project relate to your plans for the future?

I want to shoot a suspense film by myself, and create a impressive suspense.

Methodology

·       Outline the research, creative and intellectual methods you will employ to develop your research project.

Firstly, in terms of research philosophy, I will use positivism and interpretivism to do some comparison and research. This means I need to explain why the audience will feel interesting in suspense film, and make comparison between movies to explore the main feature of the suspense. And then utilize ways of observation, classification and interviews to explore the relationship of emotions to each other, get the changing of inner world’s reason and result.    

Secondly, the research approach chosen is inductive. Through watch and anlayze different films, choose some parts of suspense of representative to compare and generalize.

Thirdly, at the aspect of research strategies, case study would be the first step. Good and bad cases will provide some suggestions and problems. Therefore I can do some surveys on the Internet according to these problems and suggestions. The next step is todo some practice, make several short films by myself, and analyze it as well.

·       Identify ethical considerations where appropriate.

People don’t talk something about the inner world and do not want anybody else knows why they are afraid. So privacy is very important when I analyze.

Learning objectives

·       Link to your personal skills audit and development plan; identify the skills that you will develop and knowledge that you need to acquire. Match the objectives against the MA programme learning outcomes.

1. To learn and understand how to use directing skills

2. To study how to write a good script, and learn some ways of shooting and editing

3. To learn how to use different type cameras to shoot, and how to shoot different style pictures.

4. To practice editing techniques, include Premiere, Final Cut and AE.

Submissions (practical and/or written work)

·       Describe your intended body of work, including your reflective journal and the summative critical review

My reflective journal would focus on analysing some famous films and directing skills. And I would shoot 1-2 films to express how suspense can influence the audiences. I will analyse my own work as well, to find out my shortcomings of my work.

·       Specify the audience and communication context for your project.

The audience of my project could be people who loves suspense. And crew in the group can communicate director’s experiences online.

·       Describe how you intend to evaluate/ test project outcomes with your audience.

I would like to show several short films which made by myself. Meanwhile, I will find out the shortage of my work, analyze it and talk about how to avoid it again

Resource implications

·       List what resources are required within or outside of the University

Camera, lighting, voice recording equipment, tripod and computers.

·       Identify other organisations or individuals involved that you will rely upon and describe what role they will have

I think I will need some actors to act my film. And also need some insurance.

References

Cite material using the Harvard System referenced in the previous sections.

Books:

AUGUSTO, B., 1992. Games for actors and non-actors. British: London and New York

BRUCE, B., 2001. The Visual Story: Seeing the Structure of Film, TV, and New Media. USA:Focal Press.

BLAIN, B., 2002. Cinematography Theory and Practice: Image making for Cinematographers, Directors, and Videographers. UK: Focal Press.

Di N., 2000. Body language in film acting. [online], Available at: http://www.doc88.com/p-438725720015.html.

JONATHAN, F., and AARON, S., 2004. Helpless Spectators: GENERATING SUSPENSE in

VIDEOGAMES and FILM.

MICHAEL, Y., 1999. AAAI Technical Report FS-99-01. Notes on the Use of Plan Structures in the Creation of Interactive Plot, p.166.

TAN, E., S., 1996.  Emotion and the Structure of Narrative Film; Film as Emotion Machine. Trans.Barbara Fasting. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers.

TV shows:

Lie to me, 2009. [TV]  Fox network, 21 January 2009.

Movies:

AN LEE. 2007. Lust, Caution

David Fincher. 1995. Se7en.

Mervyn LeRoy. 1940. Waterloo Bridge

Orson Welles. 1941. Citizen Kane.

Vincenzo Natali. 1997. Cube.

Bibliography

Cite essential background or contextual material using the Harvard System of referencing

HARTZOG, J., 2009. Narration in Film [online], 12/02/2012, Available at: http://home.roadrunner.com/~jhartzog/narrativefilm3.html

Hockley, L., 2001. Cinematic Projections: the Analytical Psychology of C G Jung and Film Theory. Luton, UK: University of Luton Press.

Jennifer, Van S., Cinematic Storytelling: The 100 Most Powerful Film Conventions Every Filmmaker Must Know.  Michael Wiese Productions

RABIGER, M., 2008. Directing: Film Techniques and Aesthetics. 4th ed. Burlington, USA: Elsevier Inc.

STANLEY, J.S., 1972. The Film Idea. New York, USA:Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc.

Movies:

AN LEE. 2007. Lust, Caution

David Fincher. 1995. Se7en.

Mervyn LeRoy. 1940. Waterloo Bridge

Orson Welles. 1941. Citizen Kane.

Vincenzo Natali. 1997. Cube.

Timetable

·       Outline your plan of action; give dates of developmental milestones linked to the PGC / PGD / MA stages; include personal tutorials and your vacations.

·       Identify a programme of events in which you intend to participate: lectures, exhibitions, tutorials, seminars, workshops, research visits, interviews, searches, on-line activities, etc.

Week 21 18/Dec--------------write the screenplay 
19/Dec ---------write slots
20/Dec---------filming
Week 22  and Week 23  -----------Do editing

Week 23  3/Jan ---------Do evaluating

Week 24  5/Jan -------prepare for presentation.

9/Jan ------presentation

Week 25

17/Jan-------- find books about body language.

Week 26 ---- ----------Write the script of the project.23/Jan-----------finish the project of PGD
24/Jan-----------write a script
Week 27 to week 33------make short shot31/Jan---------- make the decision of the place
week 29----------------To finish first shot10/Feb---------begin the first shot.
week 33----------------To get feedback 13/Mar------------ finish shooting and editing. And get feedback.
Week 35 to week 37-------Do some shooting practice, explore how to use body language to affect audience emotions.
1/April ------------do shooting practice about body language.
week 37--------------- Read some books about shooting and editing. Analyze some films and do research on shooting.13/April----------finish the research.
week 40-------------- Do some shooting practice to prove the research.
1/May ------------finish practice.
week 43---------------To cooperate with other directors and actors to shoot my screenplays24/May--------------finish editing.
Week 44-----------To do tutorial and get the feedback. Prepare for final presentation1/June----------------prepare for the presentation
week 45-47-----------To prepare the final project.
20/June ------------prepare final project.
week 48-49---------- To filming and finish it before and finish final presentation and project
30/June------------finish filming.

06/July-------------finish final presentation.
week 50---------------To write summary about my work10/July------------ finish the summary.

Agreed as a viable programme of study

Signature of student:                                 Date:   

Signature supervisor:                           Date:

Include this document within your submission at the end of each stage (PGC / PGD / MA).