Critical Evaluation

As Art Director for ‘A Matter of Life and Rent’ I was trying to create a perception of a very grimy, dull unpleasant world within the aesthetics of the story. Even though the story is set in modern day I wanted to create a very industrial eighties appearance, a setting of filthy factories, dull grey smoke clouds, dirty bricked terrace houses, colours that reflect rust, grittiness and gloominess. This is because I believed this look for the film would work well with the dark storyline and tone along with its dry and bleak humour used from the characters.

The location used for the kitchen scenes in many ways helped me achieve this task as it had features that fit in with my plans for the set design. The house had a bland decoration design with no defining features or characteristics. It had plain dark cream walls, unpainted, unvarnished wooden doors, a wooden stable door as a backdoor and a fireplace wall with original brick walls painted over in white. All this helped me plan the location around my art design rather than have to set-up my art direction around the house. However the kitchen did contain modern cupboards but I do feel that it didn’t ruin the tone I was trying to achieve.

I used a number retro, unattractive clay pots, mugs and kitchen accessories with different shades of grey and brown to clutter the kitchen counters to make the impression of a dirty untidy appearance. There were student notice boards on the walls which I covered with dull coloured rugs, I thought this would help along with the props to defend the grimy design. However watching the film back I believe the rugs don’t create this effect at all but it does however I feel create an effect of a student ‘hippy’ house which also works well with the dirty student house look without looking like unaesthetically appealing student house.

I planned the costumes of the characters Adam, Max and Tony the landlord from their personality and characteristics portrayed in the script. Adam, who is very nerdy, guarded and shy I planned his costume to be very over hanging (wearing clothes to big) washed out bland colours. I created Max’s costume for him to be wearing a smart black shirt and tie to reflect his confidence, coldness and selfishness and his actions towards the dark dilemma within the storyline.  Tony’s costume was straightforward to create as the film was a follow on from the 2min film exercise earlier in the year that focused on Tony only giving him more story and emotion to Tonys character, who is killed at the very beginning of the ten minute film. I used his costume used in the 2min film to work with his character that is dark, cruel and idle.

Bus Shoot: Production Stills

Car Shoot: Production Stills

All Set up and ready to shoot.

Body double of Landlord going into boot. 

Lighting giving dim 'gringy' glow inside of car.

Make-up to make Mark look as though he getting more sick as the story  goes on.

House Shoot: Production Stills

Set Design

Industrial colours - browns and greys.

Brick work and paint work along with the props and costumes for bleak 'feel'.

Arrangement of Magnets on fridge.

80's & 70's dull coloured props.

Booked piled on top of each other but flipped around showing only pages to add  colour  and fill space  in the filming area.

Rugs hanging on wall to hide student notice boards that don't work with the set design.

Production

Setting up camera & lighting equipment.

Ruby on sound.

Poppy setting up the track.

Mark taking direction from Lucy.

Camera and Lights all set.

Kino placed outside to add to lighting effect.

Sebastian and Mark's costumes

Joelee and Charlotte looking through shot list and production folder.

Sam the body double for Tony the Landlord.

Art Direction - Wrapping pork belly underneath body double costume ready for cutting.

Special Effects Practice

I practiced creating effects of fresh wounds on volunteers to make sure I found out the best practice of creating the most realistic wounds when it came to shooting for our drama.
I used modelling wax and basic body paints for colouring adding to the effect.
Firstly using little wax into a rolled a ball you then with the help of water spread the wax along the actors skin where you want the wound to be, then with a plastic knife you press down the middle of the wax creating what looks like a wound. Once the wax is dry and you have moulded the cut to your desire I then added black and red body paint to add to the effect of a fresh wound.

First Practices
As you can see in these first practices it didn't go to well. That is because I used too much paint to go over and around the wound, so the colour of the paint on the wound did not match the skin tone of the volunteers so therefore looked unrealistic and childish.

LESS IS MORE

My final practices were more successful and looked more like real wounds, that is because I discovered with  paint and make-up less can actually be more. I only included very little blood and make-up paint on the wound as I thought they looked more realistic and effective.

With more practices I will be more confident in the special effects when it comes to the shooting day.