Production

The following is a report on how each scene was constructed. As my role was Directing I will focus on the directorial aspects in each scene .

Scene 1:

In this scene Amelia wakes up in bed with make up smeared down her face. It is not clear if she looks that way because she has been out all night (perhaps at a party) or if she has been crying. It was Mise En Scene job to make the make-up look natural and effective. This was done by doing the stresses make-up normally then applying water in order to smear the make up.

Amelia's room had to look as though it was a teenage girls room. We did this by having posters on the wall (of teen oriented films, bands etc) and having books strewn across the floor.

It was lighting and sound's job to make Amelia's room look as though it was early morning (as Amelia was getting up for school) . The effect was created by placing a blue gel in front of a Lowell Pro Light, and having the light face the wall (so it was not unnaturally bright)

Camera started with a close up on Amelia waking up. When Amelia sits up it becomes a medium long shot. Camera then tracks Amelia's feet as she gets out of bed, it then jibs up her body to an over-the-shoulder shot of her looking in the mirror and wiping her make up.

As Director I had to make sure the actress playing Amelia knew exactly what she had to do, how quickly, and that she knew where her marks were. I told the actress that she had to rise from the bed slowly, as if awakening from a much needed sleep. Then to place her feet directly on to the 6th form guide book "looking into the future" so the audience concentration of reading the title of the guide would be broken suddenly. When the actress is looking into the mirror I explained that her look couldn't be to specific, the audience couldn't know why her make-up was smeared , the look needed to be vague.

Scene 2:

In this scene Amelia' mum Hilary is making breakfast. Mise en scene tried to make Hilary look like a together and capable mother, by having her hair clipped up, bright make-up (like the kind american sitcom mums would wear) and a blue fitted dress. The kitchen did not need any changes as we needed a typical "lived in" kitchen, the only requirement was that it was clean to suit Hilary's tidy organised attitude.

Sound used the boom overhead of Amelia and Hilary so that she would be able to follow them and pick up their conversation.

Camera starts by focussing on Hilary buttering the toast and then follows her to the table as she places the toast on the table, when Amelia comes through the door the camera pans to her. The camera then follows her as she picks up her work from underneath the toast on the table. Camera goes into an extreme close up of her removing the toast from underneath the toast. Then re-focuses to Amelia walking out of the kitchen.

As Director I had to tell the actress playing Hilary to be extremely happy, I used the example of a typical overly cheerful mum in a breakfast advert . I then directed the actress who plays Amelia to be the opposite , sad and sunken.

Scene 3:

In this scene Amelia walks done a busy school corridor. Mise En Scene had Amelia's fellow students wear typical student clothing, either smart clothing (suits and ties) or typical teenage clothes (hoods and beanies) while Amelia wore a long black coat with black trousers. The corridor didn't need dressing as it looked like a typical school corridor.

Camera starts with a close up on the school bell, then pulls out at the sound of the bell ringing. The camera then changes to a shot of Amelia walking down the corridor, staying static as she walks out of shot.

Sound used the microphone on the boom to capture all the extras dialogue. There was no need for lighting equipment as the corridor was well lit by the light already in place.

As Director I asked all the extras to improvise their dialogue, talk to each other as if the camera wasn't rolling, i did this in order to make the dialogue as naturalistic as possible. I directed the actress playing Amelia to look tired and over worked.