Costumes for our title sequence varied. We wanted to keep the look of our characters very near casual so that our target audience would be able relate to them and identify that the actors were portraying characters of the audience’s age group.The director of our group decided the female protagonist of the opening should wear clothes in which she would normally wear to avoid any confusion amongst our viewers as to the age we were representing her as. This would also show her as an average girl, with no special ability ultimately portraying her as a conventionally weak female victim commonly found in horror films.
The male protagonist on the other hand wore a suit. This was to show that he effectively could be older than the female in the scene and is not of the same status (a student). The result of this is that it builds suspense to who the male character could be and why he is following the young female student if in fact they possibly do not know each other.
Above are photographs of the protagonists.
Sunday 28 February 2010
Wednesday 24 February 2010
Tuesday 23 February 2010
Smart Tags
S: specific
M: measurable
A: achievable
R: realistic
T: time
With the influence of these S.M.A.R.T targets, my team and I are hoping to achieve our aims through each bullet point and by the deadlines we set. We will keep account of our progress and discuss it reguarly during group meeting that we arrange so that we can see how far we have come with making our opening film sequence and what we can do to improve. We plan to ensure our deadlines we set ouseles are realistic and achievable to ensure ur project is completed to the best of our ability.
M: measurable
A: achievable
R: realistic
T: time
With the influence of these S.M.A.R.T targets, my team and I are hoping to achieve our aims through each bullet point and by the deadlines we set. We will keep account of our progress and discuss it reguarly during group meeting that we arrange so that we can see how far we have come with making our opening film sequence and what we can do to improve. We plan to ensure our deadlines we set ouseles are realistic and achievable to ensure ur project is completed to the best of our ability.
Monday 22 February 2010
The Change Of Plan...
It came apparent that our initial plan to produce a horror was difficult to put into action. Our footage was too complicated and ultimately gave away too much of the storyline, which is not the goal of a title sequence. However, my team and i discussed this issue in a group meeting and decided to use elements of our horror idea and put them into a new idea to effectively create a thriller.
As these genres are close in relation to eachother there was not much excess filming to be incorporated into our work. Using the new location of the TV studio, we re-shot our footage with a simpliar vision in mind using bluescreen to creatively produce a sillhouette effect of our protagonists. The effect of this is that it would maintain suspence as the audience cannot see the faces of the protagonists and will see this as a reason to stay focused and keep watching to find out the overall story-line. This corrects the mistake we made first as we will not give too much away and the characters identity lies unidentified until the movie progresses. However, the audience do get to see body language of the protagonists and establish a sense of what will be included during the film wich will immediently keep them hooked.
This idea of using blue screen was inspired by the iPod advert which is effectively dependent on the actors body language to sell their product.
Costumes and Props for our new idea have also changed and have proven drastically simpilar.
As the actors are going to be presented as nomore than just sillhouettes, there was no need to fuss about costume. Props that we included were very simple and consisted of only a chair and a paper rolled up as a cigar to fit the conventional idea of the male protaginist being a person of high status and importance.
As these genres are close in relation to eachother there was not much excess filming to be incorporated into our work. Using the new location of the TV studio, we re-shot our footage with a simpliar vision in mind using bluescreen to creatively produce a sillhouette effect of our protagonists. The effect of this is that it would maintain suspence as the audience cannot see the faces of the protagonists and will see this as a reason to stay focused and keep watching to find out the overall story-line. This corrects the mistake we made first as we will not give too much away and the characters identity lies unidentified until the movie progresses. However, the audience do get to see body language of the protagonists and establish a sense of what will be included during the film wich will immediently keep them hooked.
This idea of using blue screen was inspired by the iPod advert which is effectively dependent on the actors body language to sell their product.
Costumes and Props for our new idea have also changed and have proven drastically simpilar.
As the actors are going to be presented as nomore than just sillhouettes, there was no need to fuss about costume. Props that we included were very simple and consisted of only a chair and a paper rolled up as a cigar to fit the conventional idea of the male protaginist being a person of high status and importance.
All in all we believe this new plan will allow us to show off more of our creative side and demonstrate simple yet effective media techniques.
Treatment
Original Storyline
Death on Tuesday was initially intended to be a movie from the horror genre. It was planned to be set during a 6th form detention where students are all sat in silence and boredom (which was to be shown by the use of a panning shot which was to highlight the boredom on each person’s face), until the teacher conducting the detention leaves, however during this time, one boy, (the male protagonist, a young man called Trey) and his girlfriend Elesha are shown sending private notes around the class room. This was going to be highlight by the use of a close up shot of everyone passing the note around the classroom. Once the teacher exits, the class then become socially active, talking, laughing and listening to music amongst each other and some in small groups. Certain division within the class are then noticed, again by the use of a close up shot to emphasise the different groups amongst the class, for example, the ‘Gossip group’.Elesha is then seen sending Trey a note instructing him to meet her in the toilets shortly.The camera then follows her out of the classroom until she enters the toilets and begins fixing herself up and humming, waiting for Trey’s arrival. Trey is then seen following shortly behind her until he too enters the toilets and a scene of intimacy takes place. Due to our target audience and target rating being a 15 we ensured the sex content was kept down to a minimum and the lights cut out before any action of extreme intimacy is noticed. A point of view shot was planned to then be used so that the audience could see that there is one else in the toilets watching them, this idea would’ve aroused suspicion and tension amongst viewers and make them feel as if they are key to the storyline as they know something the protagonists don’t, that someone is watching. Trey and Elesha then pursue into the cubicle adjacent to the one containing the ‘Third-party / person watching’. To maintain the feeling of them being watched we planned to use a high angle shot above Trey and Elesha inside the cubicle.With the lights turned off, nothing but a scream is then heard from Elesha, which is the cue for the lights to turn on. The audience then witness only Trey is standing over Elesha, who appears dead. The door of the toilets then closes, suggesting someone’s exit. The effect of this is that it doesn’t give away who killed Elesha and maintains suspense.
New Idea and Synopsis
Death On Tuesday is now an action-thriller containing elements of mystery and murder however also portraying themes of sexual desire and relationships. The protagonists throughout the film opening are presented as sillhouettes. The effect of this is that it upholds a sence of mysteriousness and arrouses suspence, conventional aspects to the thriller genre. As Death On Tuesday is also combined with the 'Action' genre, it was essential we portrayed this aspect through the opening to ensure the audience caught a grasp of this part of out vision.To do this, we ensured that even the music suggested action by using drums to mimic the sound of a heartbeat.Dialogue is absent from this opening, music is dominant to create and set the atmosphere.Our storyline follows a serial killer, known for trapping his female victims with his charm, leaving them in a vounerable position and in love with him. As the relationships between them progress and gain a sense of seriousness, he then strikes, proposing to her yet leaving each vistim as a cold corpse bride.His newest victim however, doesn't go down as easy, she knows how to put up a fight. She is a female assain who is aware of her 'Lover/Victims' status and movements. She makes herself vounerable, eager to give him what he deserves. This contains much action between the pair, resulting in someone leaving triumphantly?
Death on Tuesday was initially intended to be a movie from the horror genre. It was planned to be set during a 6th form detention where students are all sat in silence and boredom (which was to be shown by the use of a panning shot which was to highlight the boredom on each person’s face), until the teacher conducting the detention leaves, however during this time, one boy, (the male protagonist, a young man called Trey) and his girlfriend Elesha are shown sending private notes around the class room. This was going to be highlight by the use of a close up shot of everyone passing the note around the classroom. Once the teacher exits, the class then become socially active, talking, laughing and listening to music amongst each other and some in small groups. Certain division within the class are then noticed, again by the use of a close up shot to emphasise the different groups amongst the class, for example, the ‘Gossip group’.Elesha is then seen sending Trey a note instructing him to meet her in the toilets shortly.The camera then follows her out of the classroom until she enters the toilets and begins fixing herself up and humming, waiting for Trey’s arrival. Trey is then seen following shortly behind her until he too enters the toilets and a scene of intimacy takes place. Due to our target audience and target rating being a 15 we ensured the sex content was kept down to a minimum and the lights cut out before any action of extreme intimacy is noticed. A point of view shot was planned to then be used so that the audience could see that there is one else in the toilets watching them, this idea would’ve aroused suspicion and tension amongst viewers and make them feel as if they are key to the storyline as they know something the protagonists don’t, that someone is watching. Trey and Elesha then pursue into the cubicle adjacent to the one containing the ‘Third-party / person watching’. To maintain the feeling of them being watched we planned to use a high angle shot above Trey and Elesha inside the cubicle.With the lights turned off, nothing but a scream is then heard from Elesha, which is the cue for the lights to turn on. The audience then witness only Trey is standing over Elesha, who appears dead. The door of the toilets then closes, suggesting someone’s exit. The effect of this is that it doesn’t give away who killed Elesha and maintains suspense.
New Idea and Synopsis
Death On Tuesday is now an action-thriller containing elements of mystery and murder however also portraying themes of sexual desire and relationships. The protagonists throughout the film opening are presented as sillhouettes. The effect of this is that it upholds a sence of mysteriousness and arrouses suspence, conventional aspects to the thriller genre. As Death On Tuesday is also combined with the 'Action' genre, it was essential we portrayed this aspect through the opening to ensure the audience caught a grasp of this part of out vision.To do this, we ensured that even the music suggested action by using drums to mimic the sound of a heartbeat.Dialogue is absent from this opening, music is dominant to create and set the atmosphere.Our storyline follows a serial killer, known for trapping his female victims with his charm, leaving them in a vounerable position and in love with him. As the relationships between them progress and gain a sense of seriousness, he then strikes, proposing to her yet leaving each vistim as a cold corpse bride.His newest victim however, doesn't go down as easy, she knows how to put up a fight. She is a female assain who is aware of her 'Lover/Victims' status and movements. She makes herself vounerable, eager to give him what he deserves. This contains much action between the pair, resulting in someone leaving triumphantly?
Sunday 21 February 2010
Props and Equiptment
The equiptment we used during out project consisted of:
- Video Camera
- Tripod
- A chair
- A piece of paper (rolled up to make a cigar)
- A computer
- Adobe After effects and Premiere Pro
- Reason 3.0
Saturday 20 February 2010
Mood Board
This is a brainstorm of ideas of films from my groups selected film genre (Horror).The effect of creating this mood board is that it outlines some key ideas and conventional aspects of horror movies that could ultimately be included in our final practical project.
During the planning stage of our title sequence we watched many the films included in my mood board for inspiration as many of these films also have teenage protagonists and portray women as the victims.
During the planning stage of our title sequence we watched many the films included in my mood board for inspiration as many of these films also have teenage protagonists and portray women as the victims.
Friday 19 February 2010
Group Roles
Stephnie Mathurin;
Female protagonist
Soundtrack creator
India-hosten Hughes;
Camera hnadling
Nathaniel Prince;
Editor
Male Protagonist
Within our group we have a selection of many different talents which could effectively be used to produce a successful short film.
During the planning stage of our film, we discussed each of our strengths and weaknesses and began to put them into action. We found that Nathaniel has much experience with using the programmes desired for this project (Adobe premiere pro and After effects), and this therefore put him 'in charge' almost of handling editing matters as well as being included as a main character towards our storyline. However, input from myself and India was encouraged and put forward regulary and effects and titles were decided as a group. It was also discovered that India had much past experience with camera work and could use the camera effectively. As this was the case, she became in charge of camera handling and the filming of the entire project.
It was apparent that myself (Stephnie) have had experience with making music. For thsi reason i was elected to create a soundtrack for our movie, as well as also playing the female protagonist for our short film.
Female protagonist
Soundtrack creator
India-hosten Hughes;
Camera hnadling
Nathaniel Prince;
Editor
Male Protagonist
Within our group we have a selection of many different talents which could effectively be used to produce a successful short film.
During the planning stage of our film, we discussed each of our strengths and weaknesses and began to put them into action. We found that Nathaniel has much experience with using the programmes desired for this project (Adobe premiere pro and After effects), and this therefore put him 'in charge' almost of handling editing matters as well as being included as a main character towards our storyline. However, input from myself and India was encouraged and put forward regulary and effects and titles were decided as a group. It was also discovered that India had much past experience with camera work and could use the camera effectively. As this was the case, she became in charge of camera handling and the filming of the entire project.
It was apparent that myself (Stephnie) have had experience with making music. For thsi reason i was elected to create a soundtrack for our movie, as well as also playing the female protagonist for our short film.
Thursday 18 February 2010
Evaluation Of Preliminary Task
For the preliminary exercise we were instructed to form in groups of no more than four people. My group consisted of, myself, India, Nathaniel and Channon. Once our group was decided, we began looking over the criteria necessary for completing the task. The checklist detailing the compulsory criteria stated that we must demonstrate;
- A character opening a door
- A character crossing a room
- A character sitting down in a chair, opposite another character
- Dialogue between characters
- Match on action
- The use of a shot/reverse shot
- Understanding of 180 degree rule
Planning and research.
We began planning the basis of our idea for the preliminary exercise during lesson times. As a group we watched and researched previous AS preliminary task examples, analysing the content against the task criteria. This made it easier for us as a group to see and note how we could demonstrate all aspects of the criteria intended for the task. Once our minds were clear on the task in hand, we began assigning roles within our groups as well as developing our ideas for the exercise through the use of mind maps. It was decided that the protagonists in our story were to be India and Channon, leaving myself as director and Nathaniel in charge of camera work. Although we all assigned each other designated roles, we all kept an open mind, contributing and helping each other improve our performances and adapt on instructional ideas. Keeping in mind the simplicity required for this task, we thought it would be best to use our idea of “a student arriving late to class” taking advantage of our location (as filming was to be completed during school time). Now, that the basis of our planning was complete we began to research more into editing techniques required for after filming the task. As a class, we went through various editing techniques including “Match on action” and the “180 degree rule” which are both key components needed to successfully complete the exercise.
Pre-production planning.
With our new found understanding of the intended editing techniques, we began to incorporate this along with our ideas conducted during the early planning and research stage, into a story board. This was to fully plan and outline our story through the use of both images and texts which followed the narrative of our filming. The images included in our story board, demonstrated the camera shot we were going to use, as well as the characters positions in relation to each other. This aspect of the story board worked well as it helped me (as director) make sure the actors and camera man stuck to the 180 degree rule. It also helped us as a group as it visually outlined which aspects of the criteria we had included, or needed to evolve on. Each member of the group adapted and added to the story board, often making notes of editing techniques we could include in each shot, or camera shots we could demonstrate to make filming seem more effective. For example, close-up shots to show characters reactions and facial expressions. As dialogue was a necessary requirement to include in our filming, we started to form a short script along-side the images and texts already used in our story board. The completion of our story board was mainly conducted in class; however, as a group we arranged a meeting to detail final amendments and ideas we could include in our filming. During our meeting we also discussed back-up possibilities in case of unfortunate incidents; for example, if one of our actors were to be ill, we discussed the idea of having our director fill the position of the absent actor.Deadlines were another aspect discussed during our meeting. Setting ourselves deadlines I believe, helped us work more intensely towards fulfilling the task as well as contributing to helping us manage our time well, not making the mistake to spend too long on one area and subsequently forgetting about another.
Production Process.
Our planning stage had now been completed, which meant we could move on to the filming of our preliminary task. As filming had to be done during school hours, and the theme of our story was based around school, we used our classroom as the dominant location. This worked effectively as we maintained the idea of simplicity. During the process of filming, we all took time to complete a video journal which detailed what we had accomplished through each day of filming. The video journal worked effectively as it helped us keep track of what we had done and what aspects of the story board were left to be filmed. It also provided an outline to contribute towards writing an evaluation of the task as from the notes made in the video journal; we can see whether completing our filming could have been improved by altering our self-applied deadlines to ultimately increase time spent on each aspect of the exercise.
Evaluation.
Overall I am pleased that my team and I, achieved in demonstrating the preliminary criteria, however I believe that a few aspects could have been altered to help us achieve this quicker, for example, I believe that more than one meeting should have been arranged to complete the video journal more effectively and also, to discuss clearer instructions of the roles. By this I mean, although contributing towards each other’s assigned areas worked well in some instances, in some cases it only created unnecessary discussion which wasted some filming time. Instead we could have included written feedback to each other’s performance during the filming process, in the video journal. This would have worked effectively and helped us see what (as individuals) we can improve on to effectively help improve our group performance.Another aspect I believe worked effectively was our deadlines. Setting deadlines towards each of our tasks helped us see how much time we were spending on each aspect of developing the final film product.
AS preliminary task from Jemma Goulds on Vimeo.
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