I Did Some Things

The planning process for filming is going really well! Since I'm doing the trailers, I didn't have to write a full script, which was almost harder. I didn't get to through a fluid process; I had to think in fragments. I thought up balance of important scenes and little shots to be in the trailers, and wrote out the dialogue for those. For sound in the artsy trailer, I want it to be one song (possibly classical/score/instrumental) and dialogue; therefore, the dialogue in these few scenes is crucial. I ended up writing more than I will probably need but hey it's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it haha am I right?!

Here is the whole script! But to you give a lil' taste before clicking that link, here's my favorite line (which was actually inspired by one of the Bible verses I quoted in one of my previous posts.) :

GABE

I feel like a leaf, a dead leaf. I’m disconnected and all shriveled up. I'm scared I’m going to get swept away in the wind.

Quickly while I'm on the topic of sound, I plan to record all of my characters saying the Our Father prayer. For the artsy trailer, I want it to open with a black screen and only the the prayer being said out loud, in unison. The Our Father is too long to use the whole thing but the idea is to have the audio in pieces the coincide with the varying shots. I realize that I didn't explain that well so let me try again:

• BLACK SCREEN, "Our Father,"
• CU pan of stain glass in church *only music*
• MS from back of boys sitting in the pews "who art heaven"
• CU of bibles *only music*
• LS tilt up to priest at alter with cross in the background (symmetry), "hallowed be thy name"

Things Are Happening

I walked into class with the beautiful news that we have an additional week to complete our projects. I was hardcore stressing that I was behind but I feel a little more comfortable now. Especially since the additional week we have is spring break so I can fully devote my time and energy to finishing my project!

Now things are going into high gear! Vroom vroom! I'm going after school tomorrow to my own church to confirm that I can film some scenes there. A classmate of mine said she asked them previously and they let her, so it should be fine. At church, I want to film little shots that I could use as potential fillers if I need them. I envision CU pans of stain-glass windows, murals, and flowers to show the beauty of the environment. I also want to bring in my actors at some point, probably just my main character and their closet friend, for a scene between them.

I also just spoke to Adrian, and he can film any day this week so I am planning on story boarding Monday and Tuesday, gathering my supplies on Wednesday, and then filming Thursday-Sunday. I also wrote up some lines for specific scenes and sent them to Adrian so he could familiarize himself with Gabe.

I'm very excited to get things going!

One Down, Five (probably four) To Go!

After much stress and way too much complaining, I have found my leader actor! My friend Adrian Macchatio is doing me the honor of portraying my main character, Gabriel (Gabe). Adrian has extensive experience in acting, he has had lead roles in all of our school's theater productions; his most recent role was Woof in the musical Hair.

I wanted Adrian specifically because he has a very unique look: a structured face, long hair, facial hair, and a slim physique. I imagined my main character as a slightly awkward young man who isn't completely comfortable within himself, and I feel confident in Adrian's acting that he can deliver this beautifully. Adrian also has gone through his own journey to finding himself so through this role parts of himself can come out, making the performance more genuine.

I'm so excited to work with Adrian! I also just now realized I've never worked with a legitimate actor before, I usual make my friends act for me. Acting is a crucial element to any film, even the trailers, because they bring everything to life, and I can't wait to see what Adrian does with this role.

In terms of my other actors, I am contacting a few other people. In my English class, we recently read a play (The Importance of Being Ernest to be exact) in class and two of my classmates' performances were spot on so I'm going to see if they are interested. So stay tuned to see if I can yet again bully my friends into acting for me!

Holy Moly

Now that I have completed my beautiful interview with Dr. Lyons, I can now fully construct my narrative and trailer. As mentioned, I want to create two different types of trailers, and the one my mind is latching onto first is the artsy one. I want dialogue, rather than voice-over, to provide context. Considering the characters are priests-in-training (let's call hem PITs because that's funny), their lives are very much so driven by their religion. Therefore, I want the way the speak to reflect that. I'm not going to have the PITs speaking like they are constantly preaching, I still want them to seem like normal young adults. So the content of the dialogue will have infleuence from their bible studies, though the way they deliver it will make them seem normal.

To get inspiration for dialogue, I looked to the best source of information I could think of- The Bible. I found some versuses that I will consider and potential weave into my trailer.

• Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsaken you. Deuteronomy 31:6
• He heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147:3
• Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immortality, impurity, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath is coming. Colossians 3:5-6
• All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all of our righteous cts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. Isaiah 64:6

The Interview

A very happy Dr. Lyons, photographed during his first year in the order.

As mentioned before, I sent my teacher, Dr. Lyons, questions to answer so I could better understand his experience in the order, which would help me fully develop my trailers. I'm so excited with his response because he is so passionate when he talks about his past, which has become one of my favorite things about him.

Q: At what age did you enter the order? How many other men were in the order with you?

A: I entered the Franciscan Order of Ireland (OFM) September 9^th, 1979 just after graduating from High School at the age of almost 18. I joined the Order of St. Francis of Assisi with twelve other Novices (beginners) to start our Novitiate in Killarney, Co. Kerry for one year. By the end of the year, eight of us survived the lifestyle. It was one of the happiest years of my life since I had always wanted to be a Franciscan priest all through my childhood. We had attended a Franciscan church when we lived in Dublin until I was almost 15 and we loved the Franciscans for their spirituality and gentleness of spirit following the example of St. Francis, the founder of the order in 1215 C.E.

 

Q: What were the other men like? Is there someone in particular that you remember the most/had an impact on you?

A: My closest friends in the order are still there, Fr. Caoimhin O’Laoide, Fr. Hugh McKenna and Br. Niall O’Connell. Fr. Caoimhin (Kevin) is now one of the leaders of the world-wide order of Franciscans OFM at the Curia in Rome having been elected by their General Election to that high office a few years ago. Hugh is in charge of the Irish Province of Franciscans since a few years ago.  Both these men are exceptionally intelligent and very talented in many ways, Physics graduates, musically gifted as well as brilliant in conversation. I can say honestly that I have rarely met people more intelligent or informed about the world. 

Q: What made you want to join the order?

A: I did so because that is all I ever wanted to do from a very early age. I don’t know why but that is how I was.  It was my nature, my vocation!

 

Q:What is your favorite memory from that time in your life?

A:In terms of memories of those years, I could write a book. So many wonderful people, so many great scholars, so many books, so much exposure to people of the highest education that I have ever met. People who studied all their lives in deep scholarship of Sacred Scripture, or Philosophy, or Classical Studies or Irish Literature. I felt very banal and mediocre in comparison to many of these great scholars. They inspired me to want to pursue an academic life of scholarship.  

My favorite memory of the order is multifarious. Where to start? They are beyond count. Could it be the Christmas day I spent with my brother in front of a burning fire in a darkened room enjoying the joy of the peace of Yuletide and a nice cocktail. Could it be the time I cycled around the Ring of Kerry with my Brother David Hayden, a sincere Franciscan, who like me, only lasted six years in the order. He finished a degree in Italian and Philosophy before he left. Both his uncles were priests of the order. He was just too sensitive to survive in a small community, maybe too spiritual. He went on to be married and have a family.

Q: Did you ever feel uncomfortable or out of place? 

A: As time passed I felt more alienated and left out especially in my last year there in Rome. While studying Theology for a degree at the Pontificia Universita’ Gregoriana (the Jesuit university in Italy), I found myself more alone and abandoned for no obvious reason. On a number of occasions, I found that I was excluded from group activities that were extracurricular, so to speak. For example, on Christmas day, after dinner in the early afternoon, most of my peers disappeared with their visiting friends from Ireland and I found myself alone and abandoned and I have rarely felt so alone in my life that day in 1984. I remember walking around the cloister of St. Isidoro in Rome wondering why I was so unwelcome to my peers, why they would intentionally exclude me from their festivities. I can never forget that feeling of abandonment, but it was not the last. It was repeated the following year during my month of preparation for my Solemn Vows to become a Franciscan for life. These vows were like a marriage to the life of Chastity, Poverty and Obedience accordance with the Rule of St. Francis. Before taking these vows one would spend a month in a spiritual retreat preparing to make vows. Hugh and Niall were participating in this retreat with me and they happened to exclude me on many occasions from their afternoon walks or outings.

Q: Was there a specific moment when you realized you wanted to leave? If so, what was it?

A: It can to my last day of Retreat, while analyzing our solemn vows to live the life of St. Francis, Hugh, to his credit, clarified, that we cannot live this life without the support of our brothers. As he spoke, I realized that I was not called to the life after that. God was calling me elsewhere. So that evening I told our Director of Formation that I could not continue and I left the order the next morning. My lifelong friend, Ann Lalor picked me up at 9AM. It was one of the best days in my life because I was following God’s mysterious call to leave. That following year, I worked with street children of Dublin at St. Vincent De Paul’s Center for Children. Most of these teenagers were homeless and illiterate. It was a pleasure to be able to help them learn to read despite their personal hardships. I remember Ma Brown, the mother-figure who helped Sister Vincent manage the day center in central Dublin.  
 

Q: Looking back, do you regret leaving the order? How did you benefit from your time there?

A: In retrospect, the order was an incredible experience that few people would ever have in life. So many people of quality, so many people of deep faith who lived the life of God’s call all while desiring to do His will in the world. I cannot explain in a few pages how profound and simply good these people were. I just didn’t fit in for whatever reason. Maybe I was too naïve, underexposed, not yet ready for the long haul of religious life. Since I felt so lonely and suffered from a level of depression that was just beneath the surface. Since I left, I have not felt that level of loneliness since. I was fortunate to be called to a better calling ultimately, to work with young folk at the Franciscan University at Steubenville as a Professor of Classics before my future husband and I decided to move to South Florida where I am now happily ensconced in Cypress Bay High School family of wonderful teachers, administrators and students. A dream come true, after a long road of discovery!

 

Yes, I Know I Make a Lot of Dramas

My usual way of creating a film-based project is starting with a genre. Last year, I expressed that my favorite and choice genre is drama. Saying that off of the bat makes it easy for me to seem like a basic, teenage girl who only watches werewolf love stories (which I am, but only part-time). Though,  I believe that there is true value in the genre of drama; with the intent of emotionally affecting audiences, dramas must be able to connect to them in a very deep way. Dramas have multi-faceted characters, who you love to hate and hate to love. The most common misconception of dramas (that I have encountered, at least) is that people assume dramas to just be romance-based, like The Titanic or The Notebook. Love does exist within the genre of drama but it's not just one type of love; dramas explore love within families, friends, communities, romantic relationship, and self.

Working with dramas for many years I have complied a short list of conventions that I deem crucial to create a good drama:

• Realistic characters and relationships 
• Clearly defined locations
• Involves major conflict involving main character(s)
• Pivots around the "equilibrium" (i.e. how the conflict throws off the equilibrium, and the attempts to get it back)

Okay so now that I went on a rant let me get to the actual point of this post. Since I began with my narrative rather than a genre, I had to invert my process a bit. I researched historical fiction, but my priest adventure didn't quite fit in. After searching for the perfect genre, I resulted back to my good ol' pal, Drama. With deep, character-driven dialogue, conflict, and love my narrative is very much so a drama (I swear this was an accident I guess I just naturally make dramas, oops), I then looked into the conventions of drama trailers so I could create my own trailers in the best possible way. Some conventions include:

• Range between 1.5-2.5 minutes
• Non-diegetic background music and stings to convey desired tone
• Shift from upbeat asynchronous background music to dramatic, emotional music as the major conflict is introduced
• Use either voice-over or dialogue to provide context
• Textual graphics 
• The scenes included include themes of despair and/or anger
• The main character(s)'s conflict is hinted out 

My plan is to implement typical conventions in one trailer, which will act as the universal trailer. By using conventions, it will resonate well with audiences because they are familiar with those types of drama trailers. Though, for the second trailer, I want to stray from the norms and make something more artsy, like the Moonlight trailer, as I mentioned in my previous post. This trailer will be aimed at a smaller, niche audience. I believe that the duality of trailers will strengthen the marketing campaign by appealing to both holistic and specific target audiences.

Inspiration, Research, and Thoughts

My ideal plot would consist of six main characters, all young men who are in the order, so I wanted to find other films that have of a group relationships. I looked into the British film, The Riot Club (Lone Scherfig, 2014). In the film, there are ten college students in an elite society though it focuses on one character and his role in the group dynamic. I want to take on a similar technique, choosing one of the six boys to be the main character and explore his development more than the others.

After watching The Riot Club trailer, I was especially interested in the audio techniques. The trailer begins by establishing context and characters, which is aided by textual graphics. Synchronous background music is used to establish tone, shifting from lighthearted to intense. I want to use a similar method to convey my intended purpose and allows grab potential consumers. The synchronous music is purely instrumental, so it doesn't take away from the action of the trailer. I have tried to look for some musical inspiration like I did last year, though I haven't heard anything special yet. Though, I met with my teacher, Mrs. Stoklosa, who recommended I look into Gregorian chants, and I intend to do so.

With the main character, I plan to take inspiration from Dr. Lyons; I want the main character's struggle to be with his sexuality and how that effects his relationship with religion. I also recently decided that I want the main character's self-discovery to be main the focus; I believe it can be more powerful if it is character-driven, coming of age film. Catholicism will play a role in the film but the religion itself won't be the main focus. I want to stay true to my original intention of choosing this idea: to simply tell the story of these people because it is not a story that is usually explored. For this reason, I want to try and convey the most genuine dialogue and relationships.

In terms of marketing, I'm not sure if I want to make the main character's sexuality the key point. If I did, I could target the LGBT community and Generation Z, which will clearly define my target audience and I am already familiar with conventions of these groups. Though, I could go a route similar to Barry Jenkins' Moonlight (2016) and be more subtle about the main storyline in the trailers. The Moonlight trailer hints at the main character, Chiron's, relationship with his friend Kevin. The extent of that relationship isn't clear in the trailer, it is just a facet of Chiron's life. I also liked how all of the audio was dialogue from the film, there was no non-diegetic voice-overs. I think it would be interesting to take a similar route for one of my trailers: allowing the visuals and audio to speak louder than any voice-over could. This will also leave some aspects up in the air, leaving consumers intrigued and thus creating a stronger marketing campaign.

Focusing the spotlight

When considering what films to research and take inspiration from, my first thought was Spotlight (2015). I chose this particular film because it also involves the Catholic church. The intention behind Spotlight is obviously different than mine but I was curious how they approached an expose of religion and how the Catholic church felt. I found a Washington Post article  from which I got the

sense that the church couldn't be completely offended by the film because it was based on true events. Other critics support the film because it brought an important issue to the surface in order to promote better protection of the youth.

I was also interested in the marketing in Spotlight. In its opening weekend, the film was one of the highest grossing films in 2015 so the marketing must have been successful. One of the biggest appeals to the film was the all-star cast, included Rachel McAdams and Mark Ruffalo. By getting actors that audiences are familiar with was a very smart decision because priests sexually abusing children may not have raked in as many viewers as it did. 

Let's pray this works out

Last year my major problem was that I was having problems thinking of an idea. This year I have an idea in my head, and who knows if I'll actually go through with it but hey let's give it a shot am I right? Inspiration hit me in room 321 during my AICE Classical Studies class. The teacher, Dr. Lyons, is by far the most interesting person I will ever meet. I met him four years ago in Latin 1 and have had the privilege of getting to learn about the Latin language, ancient civilizations, and life in general from him.

Before moving to New York to get his masters at the University of Buffalo, Dr. Lyons grew up in Ireland. When he finished high school, he chose to join the Franciscan Order to become a priest. In the past four years he has told us some crazy, sad, and heartbreaking stories about his time in the order.

I want to take inspiration from his stories to create a realistic film about the lives of young men in the priesthood. One of my main concerns is that I don't want the film to be offensive or disrespect the Catholic Church in anyway. To ensure that I am courteous, I'm going to do research on other films, books, and other forms of media that involve religion. I also plan on interviewing Dr. Lyons so I can a deeper understanding of his life in the order.

Let the researching begin!