User:LucaO/Project Proposal

DRAFT II

PROJECT PROPOSAL - GRADUATE SEMINAR 22/23 Luca Ottmann

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For my graduate project I want to make a multitude off smaller films/projects, I named them “quick bites”, all roughly 1-4 minutes, with a quite simple storyline, conflict and outcome. These quick bites are then supposed to aid me, in the sense of them being the main substance, in crafting a reel that would show my skill set and ability as a director of photography/cinematographer.

Examples ‘quick bites’

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These ‘quick bites' are supposed to be exactly this, quick. The way I am trying to conceptualise these stories is one where they are all executable in roughly 1-3 weeks, start to finish. They are supposed to be a solution to the problem of me repeatedly getting stuck with projects in a pre production kind of phase without actually working on them, how I would wish to, for months. Therefore the ‘quick bites’ are meant as a set up for me to be able to work with a set of constraints that help me get to a point of finishing a project rather than getting hung up with it. With these projects I want to, on a small scale, investigate what the means and mediums of cinematography and the role of the cinematographer are, in telling a story, introducing a character, channeling and transcribing emotion and so for. It gives me the opportunity to experiment with different methodologies, drawing on what other filmmakers and cinematographers, such as Seamus McGarvey, Roger Deakins, Greig Fraser, Jordan Cronenweth, Christopher Doyle, etc, have done in the past. Therefore I plan to analyse the work of multiple cinematographers, in relation to the different ‘quick bites’, to work out key aspects of their personal work as well as their work with in different genres and working with different directors.

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I am planning to write and finish the first one or two concepts in the next two weeks so I could be able to start shooting as soon as possible. The rest of the concepts are going to be developed further on along the way. The first ‘quick bite’ would be finished roughly around the end of November or beginning of December. The plan right now is to work on these projects simultaneously, since individually they are off a more simpler nature, to be able to have a constant flow of practical and research work going hand in hand. In total I am planning to finish three to four of these ‘quick bites’, throughout the rest of the program, and will therefore be adding and working on the concepts for said ‘quick bites’ along the way. There is still a good amount of pre production work that needs to be done in order to be able to properly realise and execute the ‘quick bites’ in a timely fashion and without losing track of the idea and concept. For this I am looking to find someone to help me with pre production aspects such as casting actors for the multiple roles, finding all the involved locations and scouting them, organising props, outfits and other relevant items, I.E. production design, as well as scheduling shooting days, in other words I am looking to find someone who takes up the role of a producer. Another vital point in creating these short sequences is the directing of the actors/performers involved in them. As I am no director and have no direct aspiration to go into that field I would need to find someone to help me with directing the ‘quick bites’.

4 Why do you want to make it?

Because I feel it could be a good possibility for me to experiment with different aspects of cinematography whilst working on my goal of exiting this program with a viable reel, as well as it being a good way of incorporating practice based research for me.

===== 6 Relation to previous practice

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In my first year of the lens based media program I focused around switching from solely doing photography to working with different forms of filmmaking and I am planning to continue this route. I am also planning on finishing another short film project, I started at the end of last year, throughout this second school year( hey how are you). The way I am developing these ‘quick bites’ is a mixture of my ”scrapbook” approach to filmmaking and practice based research as portrayed within my first project “do humans dream of sheep” and a more Hollywoodesque style of filmmaking consisting of drawing out character descriptions, creating plans for shotlists, blocking, storyboarding and so on. My target is to not get hung up in preproduction for weeks on end and to get shooting with these projects quickly so I can be able to produce and output a solid amount of them. Each consisting a different “experiment” or “restriction” found in the field of cinematography.

I am consciously setting a series of restraints requiring me to work in particular means and doing particular things, relating to cinematography. An idea of restraints and constructivism in the sense of traditional filmmaking.

Single constraints in the medium of cinematography, putting them into simple stories and therefore making more easy to execute and play around with different experiments. Not a script, a situation/scenario. Write scenarios. Be aware of giving myself a list of things I should be doing/ shouldn’t be doing. Create situations where I can realise a potential, not following rabbit holes.

Restraints to introducing a character 1)Water-cooler 2)Accident 3)Formal

Add text on practice

I really want to get hands on with making movies, I have an urge to shoot movies.

DRAFT I

Project proposal draft - graduate seminar 22/23 Luca Ottmann incl. Notes (Steve Rushton)

1 What do you want to make?

I want to make a multitude off smaller films/projects, I named them “quick bites”, all roughly 1-4 minutes, with a quite simple storyline, conflict and outcome. These quick bites are then supposed to aid me, in the sense of them being the main substance, in crafting a reel that would show my skill set and ability as a director of photography/cinematographer.

What could quick bites be? Copy quick bite concepts and visuals into here as descriptions. Copy from milanote.

2 How do you plan to make it?

These quick bites are supposed to be exactly this, quick. The way I am trying to conceptualize these stories is one where they are all executable in roughly 1-3 weeks, start to finish.

I feel the need because of getting hung up with pre production and so for with my last project. Writing, pre production,

Being able to work in constrains that help me get to a point of finishing a Project rather than getting hung up with it.

In microcosm/ on a small scale with these projects I want to investigate the mediums and means of cinematography and the role cinematography telling a story introducing a character, challenging and transcribing emotion. It gives me the opporutiniy to experiment with different methodologies, drawing on filmmakers such as Seamus mcgarvy, Roger deakings.

3 What is your timetable?

I am planning to write and finish the first one or two concepts in the next two weeks so I could be able to start shooting as soon as possible. The rest of the concepts are going to be developed further on along the way. The first ‘quickbite’ would be finished roughly around the end of November or beginning of December. The plan right now is to work on these projects simultaneously, since individually they are off a more simpler nature, to be able to have a constant flow of practical and research work going hand in hand.

What needs to be done on a very practical term, need to get cast, need to find locations, organise time for filming and editing. What does need to be done??? Not a calendar make a list - do it and then try to realistcly map it onto a calendar

4 Why do you want to make it?

Because I feel it could be a good possibility for me to experiment with different aspects of cinematography whilst working on my goal of exiting this program with a viable reel, as well as it being a good way of incorporating practice based research for me.

5 Who can help you and how?

The most vital points in the projects with which I could need help would be directing actors/performers for these short films, sourcing said actors/performers, as well as some other smaller pre production problems like sourcing props, set decoration and location.

Decide what needs to be outsourced, to who and when, early on as possible. Buy a few pizzas. Try to source people that can actually help you.

6 Relation to previous practice

In my first year of the lens based media program I focused around switching from solely doing photography to working with different forms of filmmaking and I am planning to continue this route. I am also planning on finishing another short film project, I started at the end of last year, throughout this second school year( hey how are you). The way I am developing these ‘quick bites’ is a mixture of my ”scrapbook” approach to filmmaking and practice based research as portrayed within my first project “do humans dream of sheep” and a more Hollywoodesque style of filmmaking consisting of drawing out character descriptions, creating plans for shotlists, blocking, storyboarding and so on. My target is to not get hung up in preproduction for weeks on end and to get shooting with these projects quickly so I can be able to produce and output a solid amount of them. Each consisting a different “experiment” or “restriction” found in the field of cinematography.

I am consciously setting a serious of restraints requiring me to work in particular means and doing particualr things, relating to cinematography. An idea of restraints and constructivism in the sense of traditional filmmaking.

Single constraints in the medium of cinematography, putting them into simple stories and therefore making more easy to execute and play around with different experiments. Not a script, a situation/scenario. Write scenarios. Be aware of giving myself a list of things I should be doing/ shouldn’t be doing. Create situations where I can realise a potential, not following rabbit holes.

Restraints to introducing a character 1)Water-cooler 2)Accident 3)Formal

Add text on practice

I really want to get hands on with making movies, I have an urge to shoot movies.