Reflective Analysis

Reflective analysis for Work Ethic

The first main point is the change of film. I was originally making an action film in the style of the films from the Grindhouse Double Feature by Robert Rodriguez and Quinten Tarantino called Armageddon Pain. I shot the majority of it and got most of it edited but I uploaded some of the shots as images and the previous location being used was no longer available to re-shoot the missing shots. This is where I moved from that original project to Work Ethic, a film about struggling hiphop artists.

There were several problems I encountered while making Work Ethic. Firstly, I had to change the location from a friends house to an abandoned hospital. At first I saw this as a negative change but when I saw the new location it seemed perfect. It had graffiti over the walls which is suitable for the hiphop theme, and it gave it a more “underground” feel, which is the current status of the characters in the film.

Another problem due to the change in location was that one of my actors couldn't make it as the new location was quite far away so I had to step in as an actor. The original actor was a friend of mine who is a talented freestyle rapper so I had to step in for quite a hard role but I feel I achieved the best I could, considering that the location change wasn't until two days before shooting.

The choice of locations for the opening sequence was also due to graffiti as it is a big part of hiphop culture so I felt I had to include as many local location I knew which fitted the criteria. This opening sequence is the sequence I am most happy with as I feel it was cut really well and the music and mise-en-scene really express the feel of the film and convey the hiphop theme.

Overall I am happy with Work Ethic considering the switch from making Armageddon Pain, the last minute location swap and the last minute actor swap. I feel I could of done better with more time but considering the circumstances I feel that it has gone very well and I am pleased with the overall outcome.

Storyboards

Here are the storyboards for the film

Treatment

Treatment for Work Ethic.

The film starts with the quote "its that half the fanbase are rappers in the
same damn ratrace" from the songhFlying to the Moon by UK Hiphop artist
Sonny Jim. As the quote is on screen, the song "Manimals" by Jehst featuring Usman
and Sun Dragon begins to play.

The music carries on from the quote to a montage title sequence showing the film's
protagonists making his way to a house belonging to one of the other two
characters. In this sequence, the protagonist is seen walking past areas which have
graffiti on the walls to fit in with the hiphop theme. the credits will come up as the
sequence goes on. At the end of the sequence, he sticks a sticker on the wall with the name
of the film, Work Ethic, written in a graffiti-esque style. The camera stops on the sticker on
the wall.

The next sequence shows the protagonist entering a house. In the house, the other two characters
are freestyling over the instrumental to "Underground" by Necro. The Protagonist enters and gets
joins in. This sequence will last roughly two minutes and will possibly include some dialogue
at the begining or end.

The following sequence is set the next morining. They awake after a night of smoking, drinking and
freestyling, to a mainstream,"poppy" hiphop music video on the television. The protagonist rants
about how that mainstream "hiphop" is what is holding artists like himself from "rising from the
underground" and becoming comercially sucessful without them changing their style to fit what
is wanted from the general public.  

Proposal

Proposal for Work Ethic.

Work Ethic is a film about three underground Hiphop artists who
are trying to become comercially successfull without changing
their style and "selling out". The opeinig sequence we will be making
will show the three artists freestyling, showing their talent and
their very uncomercial style. The other sequence will show them watching
a music video to a comercial "hiphop" song, and the films protagonist
explains about how it is the mainstreams idea of hiphop is what is
holding them back. The film will be made in a similar style to 8 Mile and
Get Rich or Die Trying but without the "ghetto" settings. It could be
considered as social realism as it shows the realness of trying to
become comercially sucessful as a hiphop artist.

To make this film we will require:
                  .a camera
                  .sound recording equiptment
                  .suitable locations
                  .props such as hiphop cds, turntables, a mixer.
                   a MPC beat machine etc.
                 

This film is aimed mainly at hiphop fans who are into the music but also to
people who may have been fans of films like 8 Mile, who are unaware of hiphop
outside of the mainstream, and could even possibly open more people up to
hihop as a thoughtful and clever music, as opposed to the "gangsta" image frequently
seen in the press.

Welcome

Welcome to the Work Ethic Blog.
This Blog will include a proposal, treatment, shot list, story board and reflective analysis, as well as the final film.