Directions - Pre-Production

Pre Production

What am I filming?

I've decided to do a scene from Robert Zemeckis' Oscar-winning film Forrest Gump. The scene is when Forrest visits Jenny at her University Dorm, I decided to choose this scene because it really underrated as people don't look into it in depth. Audiences would see it as a comedic scene because Forrest orgasms for what we could assume as the first time, but also it's the very first time we see the two characters change their love for each other. I feel that this would be a really good challenge because I need to get across serious emotion when there are comedic elements that the audience can take the wrong way.

Schedule:
I'm looking to film on Monday the 11th and Tuesday the 12th of February in the evening. The reason why I've decided to use two evenings for filming, this is so when we wrap on Monday I can look through the footage to see if anything needs re-shooting. Another reason is that for two days filming that gives my actors and crew enough time to really learn what they have to do, but my crew should have a rough guess at what's happening because of the shot list I've provided.

On the Days:
Both days will have the same plan.

2:30pm - Crew should arrive and we'll have a final discussion to see if everything is all good

3:00pm - Actors should be arriving around this time to give us an hour to get ready and block and rehearse all the scenes.

4:30pm - break.

4:45pm - Start moving some of the equipment outside to start the outside scene.

4:30p - Begin Filming of the outside scene as this will take most of the filming duration.
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6:30pm - Finish scene 1 and break for 15 minutes.

6:45pm - Carry equipment to the second set and begins filming the second scene.

8:30pm - Wrap.


Cast:
Ashley Tyler - I didn't get a lot of good responses for the role of Forrest, so I decided to ask an old friend from my previous college to act for me. I can trust Ashley when it comes to acting because he's worked on a lot of my old work.









Lauren Tracey - I stumbled across Lauren because she seems keen when she applied to be Jenny. Her enthusiasm for the role made me look through her previous acting jobs and I was very impressed. So I emailed her a copy of my script and requested for her to send over a self-tape of her reading through the script, which she replied with a self-tape that was not the best, but at this time I'm quite desperate for someone to play the role.

Aodhan Dunnican - I've chosen Aodhan to play the character, Billy, the reason why is because I've seen him whilst doing the workshop and when he does actually try he can pull off a lot of different characters. Also, he suits the lad look I want from him even though he's not in it for long.

Emily Sawyer -  I asked Emily to be in my last production, however, I cut her out of my script for the final product. As she will be playing Jenny's flatmate who has no line and is not a major character I said she could be in this one.

Crew:
Emanuel Leggett - I will be directing this production of Robert Zemeckis' Forrest Gump, but I will be doing it with my own directorial view.

Ewan Nimmons - I've asked Ewan to be my Cameraman/ Director of Photography because I've watched a lot of his old work and know that he is very capable with getting the camera movements that I want in my version. Also, this is a very simple scene so there isn't any need for very complex shots.

Vincent Lange - Vincent is my flatmate at the UCA halls of residence and was interested in seeing what it was like behind the scene of a student film. So, I asked him if he would like to help be our Boom operator. This shouldn't be a difficult job to explain how the job works. This is another reason I'm booking the kit out early so it then gives an opportunity to show him how the equipment works and where he should be pointing the mic.

Location:
The script says that they're at a University Dorm so this made it easy for me to find a location to film because I'm currently living at the UCA halls of residence so I emailed Debby, she then said it was fine to film there as long as I've done a risk assessment, which I have done. I've also emailed her about filming in the car park at halls, but with this location, I need a more detailed risk assessment for filming outside due to it being dark when I want to film so the cast and crew will be wearing high-viz jackets so they will be seen.

A high view of UCA Halls in Rochester

Not the actual room, but the layout is roughly the same.

Production Design:
Props:

• Car (Toyota Yaris)
• Box of Chocolate
• Towel/Bathrobe 
• Joan Baez Poster
• Radio
• Note Pads 
• Books

Costume Design:

Forrest - I want Forrest to look smart in the scene outside because he's trying to be nice and romantic for Jenny so I want him to be wearing a smart jacket, Black trousers, and black shoes for the 1st scene.

Jenny - With Jenny's look I wanted to show the audience that she attends a different college to Forrest so I wanted Jenny's to be wearing a uniform in a way. With a white shirt, black skirt, black tights and shoes.





In the second scene with Jenny, I want her to be wearing a red night robe rather than just being her in her underwear, due to it being a student film I wouldn't think it is appropriate and there doesn't need to be nudity.




Shot List For the Outside scene in Car park:

1. Establishing wide shot of the building. 
2. medium shot track towards Forrest standing there waiting for Jenny and when the car arrives track out to see Forrest run towards the car.
3. Close up of a box of chocolates in Forrest's hands
4. Forrest Pov with pan as he watches the car arrive and drive into a parking space.
5. Long wide of Car moving around as the two characters get comfortable, that's when Forrest runs overs.
6. Low angle of as Forrest tries to recognize who's in the car then track out to see Jenny get out of the car.

Shot list for Inside the University Dorm:

1. On the dolly and track start with a close up of them opening the door and follow them as jenny opens one room for Forrest and then goes into her flat mate's room to get a towel (Hold outside the room until Jenny comes back out with a towel and then follow her to her room.
2. Establishing shot of Jenny's room as she walks around trying to sort things out.
3. As Jenny sits down on her bed next to Forrest track into an over the shoulder focusing on Forrest
4. A reverse medium of Jenny as she sits on the bed
5. Wide on the track then as Jenny grabs Forrest's hand track in behind jenny but camera facing forrest to see his reaction. When you see his reaction slowly track out to wide.