The design process can be better described as 'the four D's'; the four essential elements required to properly design a film, a photograph, a story, or anything else you'd like to create. They are:
Discovering
This is where ideas and solutions to problems imposed by those ideas originate. Research into past ideas and solutions, along with analyzing what you found can be very useful, along with a proper understanding of users.
The discovery stage of the design process our group experienced began with us organizing to go away and see what ideas we could come up with for our one shot film. I enjoyed this greatly, as I find myself at my most creative when on my own. My initial idea for a short mockumentary style short about an absurd 'hot-head marketing guru' was put under great scrutiny, after which we thought attempting to do a mockumentary style film would be extremely difficult on a tripod. A few other ideas bounced around before we finally settled on Uri's idea of doing a film about the goings on in a lift. I loved this idea, as did everyone else. It was easy to film so much as we didn't run the risk of looking too amateurish by out-reaching too far, yet was versatile enough an idea that we could be very creative with regards to plot, lighting, shot etc. We found it hard to be critical of eachother's ideas at first, since we had only recently met one another, and didn't wish to sound arrogant or hurtful; and in fact this is a problem I still suffer from. But we did our best, and I feel our criticism filtered through the best idea.
Developing
At this point you have your idea, and it is time to let that idea flower; to clip and prune it. You should draw up a plan for your project, and better define and develop initial concepts and prototypes. Running an acceptance test is also very useful, and analyzing feedback and acting on it.
Once we had the idea, we agreed the next best step would be to each go away and think of a few different small plots. We felt this would better facilitate the creation of this sort-of montage of interweaving storyline and characters that we had discussed would be possible and great to do at the initial meeting at the coffee house. I found it quite difficult to simply come up with small characters and plots, thinking how my ideas for characters would harmonize or conflict with other people's ideas. I decided what I would do would be to write a script for the whole thing, and then the group could either use perhaps a small part of it, all of it, or, maybe, they'd do away with the whole thing. Either way, I didn't want to come to our next meeting empty handed, so I did my best. Over the years me and a few friends from back home would enjoy writing scripts for short, humorous films; sending them to one another. We shared a love of comedy, and so writing the film was quite easy for me. Not necessarily easy to make the students of my class laugh, but I knew I found it funny, as did my friends from back home, so, in that sense, I had done my best. I was surprised and relieved to find the others in the group thought my script was a good idea, and then very pleased to find they wished to use all of it. We then set about trimming and developing certain areas of the script to make the whole film run smoother and become funnier. Certain phrases were cut, and others added to improve the script, and finally we felt confident with the script as a base, and to head on into shoot.
Defining
This stage could be compared to the development stage and often could be found to be not all that much different. However, as I see it, this is the 'hands on' development of the plan for your film. Problems within your film that you encounter you had created, and had to overcome with further development, and rigorous analysis of feedback on the production in progress.
This was, for me, the 'polishing off' of our film. Final refinement of everything we had planned, during the actual physical creation of the film. Certain mannerisms, phrases, storyline routes were curved and altered. For instance, once on set, I was talking through the script with the actress playing the girl in the lift, and she noted that the ending was a little odd. The ending I had originally written was that when she returned to retrieve her forgotten bag, she notices me on the floor, and I decide simply to ask her to go out for a drink with me, to which she agreed. However, she pointed out this was odd, and the we, the cast, all decided a better ending would be for her to simply walk in, see me, then walk off; a much funnier ending that makes a lot more sense. The editing stage of the film was the most exciting, and we were still developing the script. For instance, at the end of the film, I had originally written for it to cut to black, and to roll credits. However, I thought of an idea where I could add an extra sigh after it cuts to credits, by pasting one I did earlier in the film, just to extend the silence and awkwardness of the situation. Me and Ben, on the final day of editing, also added in the sound of the lift closing after it cuts to credits, which had the same effect but strengthened the cringe worthy silence.
Delivery
Here is where you must evaluate the response from your film. This is absolutely essential for anyone wishing to improve at anything that I can think of. You must look at the effectiveness of every area of your film. The techniques you used to create humor, sadness, fear - any effect that you wished to have on your audience, must be scrutinized without fear or embarassment. You must then, through an almost evolutionary process, allow the natural selection of your audience create you and your ideas into a better film maker, photographer, painter or musician. I feel this is the hardest part of the design process. I often find myself dead-set in an almost childish reluctance to change ideas I am convinced are among the best in the world. As a great man once said, "We make our world significant by the courage of our questions and by the depth of our answers".
I have not received very much feedback on the film so far, but what I have has been largely positive. Those who watched it found the film to be enjoyable, funny and easy to follow. The ability for the audience to follow exactly what was happening in the film was something that concerned me throughout the production. Would they just sit there looking baffled as I desperately try to explain how the film plays out in my head? Fortunately, this didn't happen. I have shown the film to a few lecturers in passing, all of which have liked it and even laughed - one of the greatest rewards. I love that they like the plot and things, and feel extremely proud of the film and our group. I am looking forward to more in depth feedback when the lecturers have time.
Discovering
This is where ideas and solutions to problems imposed by those ideas originate. Research into past ideas and solutions, along with analyzing what you found can be very useful, along with a proper understanding of users.
The discovery stage of the design process our group experienced began with us organizing to go away and see what ideas we could come up with for our one shot film. I enjoyed this greatly, as I find myself at my most creative when on my own. My initial idea for a short mockumentary style short about an absurd 'hot-head marketing guru' was put under great scrutiny, after which we thought attempting to do a mockumentary style film would be extremely difficult on a tripod. A few other ideas bounced around before we finally settled on Uri's idea of doing a film about the goings on in a lift. I loved this idea, as did everyone else. It was easy to film so much as we didn't run the risk of looking too amateurish by out-reaching too far, yet was versatile enough an idea that we could be very creative with regards to plot, lighting, shot etc. We found it hard to be critical of eachother's ideas at first, since we had only recently met one another, and didn't wish to sound arrogant or hurtful; and in fact this is a problem I still suffer from. But we did our best, and I feel our criticism filtered through the best idea.
Developing
At this point you have your idea, and it is time to let that idea flower; to clip and prune it. You should draw up a plan for your project, and better define and develop initial concepts and prototypes. Running an acceptance test is also very useful, and analyzing feedback and acting on it.
Once we had the idea, we agreed the next best step would be to each go away and think of a few different small plots. We felt this would better facilitate the creation of this sort-of montage of interweaving storyline and characters that we had discussed would be possible and great to do at the initial meeting at the coffee house. I found it quite difficult to simply come up with small characters and plots, thinking how my ideas for characters would harmonize or conflict with other people's ideas. I decided what I would do would be to write a script for the whole thing, and then the group could either use perhaps a small part of it, all of it, or, maybe, they'd do away with the whole thing. Either way, I didn't want to come to our next meeting empty handed, so I did my best. Over the years me and a few friends from back home would enjoy writing scripts for short, humorous films; sending them to one another. We shared a love of comedy, and so writing the film was quite easy for me. Not necessarily easy to make the students of my class laugh, but I knew I found it funny, as did my friends from back home, so, in that sense, I had done my best. I was surprised and relieved to find the others in the group thought my script was a good idea, and then very pleased to find they wished to use all of it. We then set about trimming and developing certain areas of the script to make the whole film run smoother and become funnier. Certain phrases were cut, and others added to improve the script, and finally we felt confident with the script as a base, and to head on into shoot.
Defining
This stage could be compared to the development stage and often could be found to be not all that much different. However, as I see it, this is the 'hands on' development of the plan for your film. Problems within your film that you encounter you had created, and had to overcome with further development, and rigorous analysis of feedback on the production in progress.
This was, for me, the 'polishing off' of our film. Final refinement of everything we had planned, during the actual physical creation of the film. Certain mannerisms, phrases, storyline routes were curved and altered. For instance, once on set, I was talking through the script with the actress playing the girl in the lift, and she noted that the ending was a little odd. The ending I had originally written was that when she returned to retrieve her forgotten bag, she notices me on the floor, and I decide simply to ask her to go out for a drink with me, to which she agreed. However, she pointed out this was odd, and the we, the cast, all decided a better ending would be for her to simply walk in, see me, then walk off; a much funnier ending that makes a lot more sense. The editing stage of the film was the most exciting, and we were still developing the script. For instance, at the end of the film, I had originally written for it to cut to black, and to roll credits. However, I thought of an idea where I could add an extra sigh after it cuts to credits, by pasting one I did earlier in the film, just to extend the silence and awkwardness of the situation. Me and Ben, on the final day of editing, also added in the sound of the lift closing after it cuts to credits, which had the same effect but strengthened the cringe worthy silence.
Delivery
Here is where you must evaluate the response from your film. This is absolutely essential for anyone wishing to improve at anything that I can think of. You must look at the effectiveness of every area of your film. The techniques you used to create humor, sadness, fear - any effect that you wished to have on your audience, must be scrutinized without fear or embarassment. You must then, through an almost evolutionary process, allow the natural selection of your audience create you and your ideas into a better film maker, photographer, painter or musician. I feel this is the hardest part of the design process. I often find myself dead-set in an almost childish reluctance to change ideas I am convinced are among the best in the world. As a great man once said, "We make our world significant by the courage of our questions and by the depth of our answers".
I have not received very much feedback on the film so far, but what I have has been largely positive. Those who watched it found the film to be enjoyable, funny and easy to follow. The ability for the audience to follow exactly what was happening in the film was something that concerned me throughout the production. Would they just sit there looking baffled as I desperately try to explain how the film plays out in my head? Fortunately, this didn't happen. I have shown the film to a few lecturers in passing, all of which have liked it and even laughed - one of the greatest rewards. I love that they like the plot and things, and feel extremely proud of the film and our group. I am looking forward to more in depth feedback when the lecturers have time.
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