Final Cut

Everything is on the line today. I mean that literally with every clip being on the FCP timeline and figuratively as today is our final submission date for the film. I spent 6 hours adding the finishing touches to the clips last night and attempting to fix that bloody sound problem but at 2am, I decided enough was enough and I’d just have to see whether everyone else could come up with some ideas.

Unfortunately, it appears that out of the 4 of us, I was the one with the most experience in Final Cut Pro so if there was anybody who would know how to fix the sound, it would be me. The others were helpful however in pointing out little parts that as a person who has been staring at a screen for hours on end watching the same clip over and over again would not have noticed. These included some of the timing on the synced audio from THAT scene between Luke and Lara, the start times for the music during the film, as well as choosing the last song to be played during the credits.

We decided earlier that it would be best to remove the opening scene in order to shorten the whole film a little more in line with the 5 minute limit and the rest of the film really does have a nice flow to it. We have still maintained the slow progression at the beginning of the film with the opening shots of Luke on the couch which develop nicely into the frantic final seconds when time is running out for Stacey to be released. The ending too works really well with it circling back to that slow, lazy pace that was featured at the beginning of the film, retreating the fact that whilst we don’t know what has happened or will happen to Stacey, Grant will go right back into his old life only slightly affected by his actions, not really knowing whether or not they actually happened.

I want to discuss now the film’s final shot. In pre-production, we decided that the end shot of the film should be of Luke raising the remote to the camera and pressing the off button. The idea for this was that in post, we would add the “TV Turn Off” effect over the top so that it looked like Grant was switching off a TV, our TV to be exact. The “TV Turn Off” effect is what you get with old CRT TV’s when the off button is pressed and the light from the bulb behind the screen goes out. As a result, the image compresses in on itself to the center with the black screen replacing the light. This effect is really hard to describe verbally as I discovered but watch the end of the film to get an idea of what I’m talking about. The reason we chose this ending was for two reasons: firstly, we thought it added a nice reflexive touch to the film with this being the only time Grant acknowledges the audience’s presence. Secondly, it almost reiterates the recurring theme of a screen within a screen which begins with Stacey on the TV. By Grant turning our screens off, the assumption is made on our part that he too is on a screen and yet he has the power to control his screen where Stacey didn’t.

These are all highly embedded meanings that many people will not gather from this final shot but when thinking about why the film should end this way, at least I have a reason to give people.

All in all, I wouldn’t say I’m completely pleased with the film but I am proud that we survived it. After changes in scripts, broken knees, stolen laptops, decisions about crew members and bad sound, I think at the end of the day, we came out on top for this film and I will stand up and say I’m proud to call this my film. I just hope to hell that it won’t be completely shot down at Friday’s screening.