New Wave Brief

The French New Wave, began in Paris in the late 50s, the French New Wave is built up of Young Film Makers creating cheaply made footage, The French New Wave is the beginning of breaking of the rules, the film directors burnt the books on the way its how to be done; creating an original alternative that substitutes the original techniques, this also displays the rejection of classical montage-style filmmaking, allowing them to create the best films upon a personal artistic expression, showing their own personal authorship. The film makers within the French New Wave were often referred to as Camera-Stylo which means the director uses their camera, the way a writer uses their pen; these film makers consist of Godard, Truffaut, Cassavetes, Hopper, Reisz, De Sica. The two main film makers I intend to take influences from during the production of my short film is Jean-Luc Godard and François Truffaut.

The techniques within the French New Wave are very alternative and test the original techniques of film making, these techniques consist of:

• Jump Cut: used to show the space and time between two different shots, to match two shots or to mismatch two shots {the audience become more conscious that they are watching a film}
• The audience doesn’t have to see everything, show don't tell {transition shots, just cut to it}
• Pan towards the setting {don’t need to do a full scene, showing off the setting}
• Unconventional camera movements {staple of the new wave, fly on the wall feel}
• Tension can be displayed through editing or movement of the camera {it is testing alternative methods, to create new ones to convey the same message}
• Instead of a close-up altering the frame to enhance your own style, without cutting or even moving the camera {breaking the rules}
• Freeze frames {taking a snap shot, making the scene appear more dramatic, making the audience wonder what was so important about that moment}
• Fourth Wall {achieved when the performance convention of avoiding direct contact with the camera, generally used by actors in a television drama or film, is temporarily suspended}
• Alternative framing
• Making mistakes
• Collaboration with cinematographers
• Natural Lighting {sharp contrast between Black and White}
• Liberation of the camera from the TRIPOD
• Reportage {the HIDDEN camera}
• Self Reference {the appropriation of certain cinematic techniques and director styles}

I intend to shoot a variety of footage during my trip in Bristol, in various tourist places. Due to this being a cheaply made film is allows me to be free with stylistics of my footage, this allows me to not follow any rules and make up some of my own techniques, however I intend to follow the techniques already created within the French New Wave. During this trip, I intended to take influences from Jean-Luc Godard and François Truffaut, using their techniques within my film making. 

The techniques intend to portray through my work is different camera angles and shot types, I also intend to achieve a pan from one setting/subject towards another, I want to attempt altering the frame instead of using a close-up to enhance my own stylistics, this is created without cutting or even moving the camera. I am going to create alternative framing, by moving/placing the camera in unusual places and perspectives. 

The main idea I have is going to mainly be achieved through post production, I intend to create very choppy footage through the use of jump cuts, I don't want to make the footage appear to sinister so I will be mindful of where I apply the jump cuts, however if I make a mistake it will still fit the stylistics of the French New Wave. I also want to add a filter over my footage to emphasise both the natural lighting and the sharp contrast between black and white.

The French New Wave is all about making mistakes and inventing new techniques which think out of the box, it is all about testing alternative methods, in order to create new ones that still convey the same message. So even though I have a plan to what I want to achieve, I am going to be open to ideas along the way.