PAUL

Interviews with the cast notes...

 

Simon Pegg: (Graeme Willy)
Simon Pegg wanted to play a shy character, because of previous films.
he enjoys comics and science fiction so he knows what it’s like to obsess with ‘aliens’
he didn’t have to research much just not to be himself so much.
Seth Rogen is on his wave length, he’s very good at interpretation, valuable asset.
Everyone in some respect is an alien, people learning to live where they don’t belong and so on.

Nick Frost: (Clive gollings)
writing it off and on for 41/2 years.
It’s important to research because of the road trip and such; day by day miles per day and where we would stay
working title gave them a brand new RV to ‘play’ with.

Seth Rogen: (PAUL)
Tried to make it casual, ‘drunk and stoned’ all the time, wanted the characters to move like him move like a human, chilled out ‘dude’
Director he worked with is a dream director, he loves how laid back he is and how he finishes on time etc.
people were given images of aliens so that is an alien encounter happened people wouldn’t be too shook up, it’s that every alien you’ve seen is PAUL, you will know he’s an alien.
PAUL would be not too obnoxious but fun, ‘cool’ funny idea of the movie, the geeks’ dream come true.
Totally different way to represent an alien

Production (CGI) Notes – PAUL.When Mottola was first approached about directing Paul, he admits he was nervous to helm a project in which the main character was wholly CGI.

“Now that I’m done with the animation,” he admits candidly, “I didn’t know how scared I should be. It’s hard to pull off full-on, complete animation.
“We had to create an alien that for all intents and purposes is a human being in his behaviour and just happens to look like an alien with certain abilities,”
“But for 90 percent of the screen time, he’s just a guy in a car hanging out. We wanted to try and make a guy that the audience cared about who was still irritating at times—human, surprising, emotional and difficult.”
“We designed a CG version of Paul that was not completely satisfying, so we brought in a practical effects company that has this talented sculptor who sculpted Paul out of clay first. He created a miniature size of Paul until we got a rough design we thought was good, and then he did a life-size version.”
they built a puppet incarnation that would be used for close-ups. They knew they needed this version because every time Mottola and cinematographer Lawrence Sher would physically be shooting a scene in which the character was included, they had to have a practical double for eye line reference and movement purpose.

He ran each of the scenes multiple times in rehearsal to ensure the animators had all the physical references they needed to craft Paul. To ensure that the follow-up movements during production were flush, the stand-ins that were used based their actions, mannerisms and inflections on the filmed references of Rogen. Then, Rogen returned for days of ADR.

The lion’s share of Double Negative’s efforts would be the team’s translation of Paul to the screen putting this CG character in a real environment so that he would be completely convincing throughout the film. “It required lighting Paul in a very naturalistic way so he would be integrated with everyone else’s performance,” “This is a film that can’t look like a visual effects film. It has to look like a film with three guys in it and supporting cast and characters.”

Film4

Film 4 Fact File

Film4 productions are a British film production company owned by channel 4.The Company has been responsible for backing a large number of films made in the UK. The company’s first production was Walter, directed by Stephen Frears in 1982. Film4 is a free digital television channel available in the UK again owned by channel 4.

Film4 did not originally focus on broadcasting blockbusters, but nowadays broadcasts many mainstream Hollywood movies. The channel frequently has themed nights or seasons in which a number of films centered around one genre, director or actor are shown. As Channel 4 also owns a film production company, Film4 Productions, it shows many of its in-house productions. Film4, Channel 4 Television's feature film division, has announced the appointment of Anna Higgs (a digital media producer and consultant), to spearhead its digital initiatives under the brand banner of Film4.0.As part of its increased funding, Film4 is set to take a pioneering role in exploring the digital, online arena through Film4.0. Its aim will be to find new talent and discover new ways of making, marketing and distributing films and engaging new audiences online in a multi-platform environment.Tessa Ross said: ‘We are thrilled to have found in Anna the perfect person with whom to launch our new digital venture, Film4.0. She combines a passion for innovation with a clear expertise in delivering it to audience and she will be a wonderful addition to the team.'

 

In 2004, Tessa Ross became controller of both film 4 and channel 4 drama, film4 was launched in November 1998.Before 1998 the company was identified as channel four films or film four international, later it was named film. In 2002 the company cut its staff and budgets significantly due to mounting losses.Film4 was originally known as Film Four and became Channel 4's second channel when it launched on 1 November 1998. It was a subscription-only service available on satellite television via the Sky platform, digital terrestrial via ITV Digital and most UK cable services. It cost £5.99 or £6.00 a month (depending on platform), eventually rising to up to £7. The launch night, which was also broadcast on Channel 4, was hosted by Johnny Vaughan and the first film to be shown was What's Eating Gilbert Grape.

The subscription service ended on 19 July 2006 and the channel re-launched as a free-to-air service a few days later on 23 July.
When the channel became free, it also returned to digital terrestrial as part of the Free view brand, and became completely free-to-air on satellite television. Due to the change, the channel's availability increased from 300,000 to 18 million households. It also changed its broadcasting hours to 12:45 - 08:45, and commercial breaks were included during films for the first time.
The first film broadcast under the new format was the British non-subscription television premiere of Lost in Translation. With the exception of Movies4Men available on a local multiplex in Greater Manchester only, Film4 remains the only free film channel available on digital terrestrial television.

To alert the public to it going free-to-air, Film4 launched a massive campaign directed by Kevin Spacey featuring major celebrities advertising Film4 in odd ways. The slogan of the campaign was "FILMS FOR FREE". Examples include:

·         Judi Dench in a lobster costume, operatically singing the words "Film Four!"

·         Lucy Liu in a banner plane, insulting Ray Winstone and Christian Slater who have incorrectly erected a 'Film4 is free' sign, whilst her own banner is displayed upside-down.

·         Ewan McGregor in a tomato costume, talking to Judi Dench about whether he is a fruit or a vegetable.

·         Gael García Bernal putting leaflets, advertising Film4, onto cars and setting off their alarms. To which he then throws the remaining leaflets in the air.

·         Willem Dafoe saying to one of the advertising campaigners (played by Mackenzie Crook), "First day? It'll get better."

·         Rhys Ifans advertising the channel door-to-door, but often having a door slammed in his face.

Film4 is “committed to enhancing the British film making industry by nurturing and funding new talent.”  It also offers a distinctive range of mainstream and independent films “encouraging audiences to broaden their horizons” and by making and showing alternative and challenging films.

Budget…
Channel 4 budget rises of 50% from 2011 to £15m per year, guaranteed for the next five years. The increased budget will provide the domestic film industry with a financial boost following the government's decision to close the UK Film Council. "At a time when funding is increasingly difficult to access it will allow us to extend our reach further towards new voices and new audiences.”
Film4 makes around 6 films a year. Set up a low-budget studio with the Film Council and distributors Optimum: Warp X (digital production house) Working across TV and film drama also allows for economies of scale and cross-fertilisation. Ross sees Film4 as part of a wider creative community with, for e.g., ‘Working Title’, the BBC and BBC Film and partnerships with Distribution companies as essential.

Film4 have had some success over the years such as Won 5 Oscars in 4 years and 3 BAFTAs in 2007 alone. Reaches 8.3 million ABC1s a month, with an upmarket (42%) and male (55%) profile.

Film4 uses key directors such as Danny Boyle's, Martin McDonagh, Steve McQueen, Mike Leigh, Mark Romanek, Chris Morris and Peter Mullan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C514EoLnnWA&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZxLDxIwDWA&feature=related

Skins....

Skins Mise-En-Scene

The mise en scene of the protagonist’s bedroom challenges and conforms to stereotypical views about youth culture. The establishing shot suggests that the series targets a teenage audience and it will follow the life and experiences of a teenager. The duvet cover shown is of a double bed with a naked man and woman, suggesting that this age group is sexually charged. The protagonist is positioned in the middle of the two bodies suggesting that he is sexually inexperienced. It could also be suggesting that he is alone and confused about his sexuality, which conforms to teenage stereotypes. In this shot natural lighting is used to give a sense of realism so the teenage audience identifies with the life of the protagonist.

Skins Mise-En-Scene 2

The mise en scene of the protagonist’s bedroom also challenges the stereotypical view of a teenager in this section. When the protagonists goes to his draw is it very neat and tidy also nothing in his room seems out of place, most people would think that teenagers rooms are a mess. We see this mainly when he opens his draws and everything is colour co-ordinated and folded perfectly. This shows how the brother to the girl is very different in comparison to her, she goes out all scruffy as he stays home and covers for her being out on a school night. In this shot natural lighting is used to give a sense of realism so the teenage audience identifies with the life of the protagonist.

Skins Camera Angles

The idea that teenagers are curious about sex is reinforced through the over the shoulder shot used when he is looking at the older woman getting dressed through the window over the road. The shot is hand held so that the audience can have the same experience as the teenage main character. The following close up shot shows a lack of expression suggesting that this is routine and he has become disaffected by the image. This conforms to the stereotype that teenagers' lives are surrounded by sex and it plays a big part of their life.

Skins Camera Angles 2

The idea that teenagers go out a lot and get wasted is reinforced through the track shot that comes out of the driveway onto the protagonist walking home after a night out. The track shot is used so that the audience can see the whole of her and can start to imagine the things she’s gotten up to due to the state of her. The close up shot then shows her facial expressions this shows her expression as she tries to get her brothers attention who is still staring at the naked women over the road, he here has the power in the situation and she is now venerable as she needs the help to sneak in. You also see her make up all smeared over her face and her hair very messy. This conforms to the stereotype that most teenagers feel the need to go out and this plays an important part of teenage life and growing up.

Skins Sound
The dialogue between the father and the son shows a reversal in audience expectations. We see the father shouting and swearing at the teenager, which is normally something we would expect to hear from the teenager. The father's aggressive reaction to the diegetic rock music plays to the stereotype that teenagers play loud music and are inconsiderate to older people. His reaction also plays to the stereotype that teenagers frustrate their parents.

Skins Sound 2The sound form the protagonists watch is diegetic sound. The watch goes off to remind the protagonist of a certain task/time, this challenges the stereotype of all teenagers being lazy, not taking control and not having routines, he has a routine because its a daily thing. The protagonist uses the personal alarm to remind him of a certain time when his neighbour gets up and gets changed in front of his window, this conforms with the stereotype that all teenagers/teenage boys have a sex drive because of the way he reacts to the naked women you also see this through the close ups shown of his face.

Skins Editing

Parallel editing is used to show that the boy and girl are related and have a strong relationship. We can see through the parallel editing that they lead very different teenage lives, showing binary opposite characters. She is coming home; rebelling against house rules and he has been in his own bed. This conforms to Levi Strauss' idea that all narratives have opposites. The two narrative threads come together as she reaches the window and the cut a ways show that she relies on him to cover up.

Skins Editing 2

Short takes are used to show the protagonist doing weights, all these short takes of the actions he does speed up the pace, this then creates a montage which shows that teenagers have a hectic lifestyle and everything is sped up in a typical teenage world, this also shows how a lot of teenagers are body conscious as he does a lot of different things in his workout to make himself feel better about his body. This shows again how he keeps to a specific routine which challenges teenage stereotypes. The workout is shown in compressed time; you don't see the whole of the workout because he takes too long on it because of how body conscious he is.