Film Progress Post

What we have done so far 

Within our film so far we have put together our first cut involving a load of variety with the shots we have used and the angles at which we have take them. We have shown match on action and close up shots throughout the film.
We have taken shots from different locations such as two different houses to show the male and female being separate, as well as this we used the sixth form college that i go to, this is represent a place of work where the male messages the female about the relationship problem that they have. This then leads onto us editing these different located scenes together and use different effects from another software in order to create a dream effect so that it looks like the male is having a dream about the last time that he was speaking to her.

We used two different types of software, these we premiere pro CS5.5, This is where we could cut shots out of the from but then replace them with other separate shots so that it we get the same shot but from different angles and positions. The other piece of software that we used was After Effects, This is where we created our opening title sequence, we used a youtube tutorial where it shows us how to create the effects on our opening title. The tutorial that we used was this :

This was however only part one of the tutorial which showed us how to get everything started and how to add the effects. However there was another tutorial being part 2 but this was stuff that we didnt need for our opening title.                                                                                                                        

Feedback - Miss Spencer

First Cut Feedback

The narrative is a little difficult to follow, but once we get into the 'dream' and back out again it becomes clear. You have used some variety on camera shots, movement etc, and built up good sequences with match on action etc. You have also clearly managed to learn a lot about After Effects in a very short time, your logo is particularly impressive.   
The pace of the dream is a little slow, but some sound effects etc. should help this along. Perhaps think of adding flash transitions or some colour correction to make this more obvious.
Nice blur effect on the dream sequence (but reduce it on the reply from the girl, as we can't read her text)
In order to help you improve this you could think about the following:
The logo needs a sound effect under it
create the link into the dream sequence
Sound effects in the dream sequence
sort out the sound under the dream sequence - use effects, not music (this shouldn't have the conventions of a trailer)
Add your titles
possibly re-record the second reply - the light shining on it makes it impossible to read.
Fix the 'all right I'm coming with a sound bridge, this will make it more realistic,

Well done, and keep improving, this cold be a good solid film.

Miss Spencer

Risk Assessment

Risk assessment

Research what a risk assessment is? Who uses them? What do they include? What do they look like?

A risk assessment is a procedure that is enforced by the law, it is an operation where a company for a film will have to go to the area that they shooting the film beforehand and look around the area for any hazards or dangers that could possibly occur whilst shooting the film. If this is not done and someone is injured then this can be taken to court and it can cost the company and considerable amount of money to pay of the charges accused against them.

A risk assessment is used by governing bodies at by the company who will tell the film producers before they film to go and check the scene for any risks however if this is not implemented by the producer and the risk assessment is no complete then he or she themselves will be sued and charged for the hazards that have happened.

In a risk assessment you need to check and consider the other people that are involved with producing and filming the film. We should involve in our risk assessment the consideration of other people, that safety precautions are in place, all risks have been assessed and the remaining risk is at an all-time minimum.

This is what they look like above where you have a hazard or a risk but next o it you have the action or solution in order to either prevent the risk or show them what to do if the risk was to happen to someone on the set that is part of the cast, this includes actors, camera people, director, the runner (directors assistant)

 Why have risk assessments? How important is it when making a film?

It is very important to carry out a risk assessment before going onto set to film your movie. First of all filming is a job and the set of a scene can be called a workplace. This means The Health and Safety At Work Act 1974 covers it. This states that all employers or responsible persons on the workplace must carry out a detailed risk assessment to assess the hazards and risk of the hazard harming any person on that workplace in open hours. This makes it a criminal offence and against the law to not carry out a risk assessment. If a risk assessment is not carried out before going onto to set, if an accident happened to any one on set then you would be liable. This means it would not be the company’s fault and all the responsibility would be put on the management of the set.

Although it seems like a boring task before filming it is mighty important. Different sets have lots of different hazards. For example if you are filming a set from height then there is the hazard of falling. If you are filming a scene underwater there is a hazard of the person drowning. All these hazards might seem very unlikely but they all have to be taken into account. A risk assessment is used so that if something happens you can show the court that you did your risk assessment and looked at the hazard. You can then show them that you decided to go ahead with the filming after doing a risk assessment because you felt the likelihood of the hazard causing harm was very unlikely. By doing a risk assessment you are then also insured under the company. This means if something did happen then they would be liable and have to go to go to court instead of you because you have done your job and carried out a risk assessment.

What types of dangers might you come across during a shoot? How would ensure everyone on site is as safe as possible?

Whilst shooting, you will come across a few health and safety hazards and you will need to assess the risk of the hazard. When shooting outside, there could be major tripping hazards, for example you could see that there is a tree root sticking out of the ground which one of the actors could trip on. To avoid this hazard either move where you are shooting to an area where there are no tree roots coming out of the ground. An example of an inside hazard could be sharp objects, for example you could have a bannister at the top of your stairs which is sharp and to avoid the hazard of hurting yourself on it you could put a foam bumper around it to avoid the risk.  

Feedback - Miss Spencer

I can see that you ahve a lot of draft work - can you please publish so that I can give you feedback,
Thanks
Miss Spencer

Logos and Opening titles

Logos and Opening titles 

Manhatton Title Sequence 

This is the Manhattan title sequence a film that is being released during 2014, I have chose this title sequence because it uses basic colors but they are very effective for the title sequence and images that are used as well.
this shows different planning actions and layouts of building and interiors of them buildings which i think is very good for our film because it is about an abduction of two parents from a gang at their house.

Avengers title sequence 

This is a very good example of a title sequence that I like. this is because it uses very basic shots but they are effective in the way that it sets up the story line and what the Film will be about. This is the title sequence to the action film Avengers.
This title sequence take shot from a load of different angles but they are of different objects. these objects are key to knowing who is involved in the film

Storyboard

Feedback - Miss Spencer

Excellent and detailed thriller genre research Mitchell. You have looked at the details of the genre and discussed why certain elements are conventions. You also talk about the effect on the audience.
Level 3
In order to improve I would like to see some research onto the history of the genre please.

Task 2.2 Thriller genre research

Thriller Genre Research

Conventions of the genre

The thriller genre uses several different key features which are called conventions and they can be found in a variety of different sub-genres, this includes:

·         Dark colour schemes and low key lighting to create the mystery and the suspense

·         Themes of isolation to the character in comparison to the antagonist

·         Props such as guns and knife are used as weapons so that people can feel the tension that is created

·         Distressed appearance

·         Usually have the protagonist vs. the antagonist with the antagonist usually in control then the protagonist rising with power

·         The films usually shoot from the protagonist’s point of view so that people can understand the problem they must overcome and what characteristics they have.

Conventions of the genre trailer

Film trailers are usually specifically designed to take snap shots of the film so that the film reaches out to the target audience. Within the trailer key elements are shown in the film but they don’t reveal too much of the film plot because it will give away the storyline of the film. This then means that it leaves the audience wondering and thinking what will happen during the film so they will be attracted to watch it. Overall conventions of a film trailer consist of:

·         Production and information credits in order to provide the audience with additional information so they know the background of the film.

·         There are sometimes little captions within the trailer so that it makes the film look professional however it an also in a way add suspense and tension.

·         The main characters and actors are shown on the trailer along with the film producer and director so that the audience can see what to expect from the film because of their previous work.

·         A voice over can be use within a trailer as it plays in the background this also adds to the tension and suspense

·         By showing the producing label it instantly allows the audience and public to recognise the producing cast

Technical elements-the camera shots

Thriller films often adapt to the shots that they use throughout the film this is so they can reach out to the audience in order to grab their attention by showing the different situations and scenes that are happening. A good example of a film that uses these different shots is the thriller film Inception. These shots are as shown below:

The canted angle shot

 This shot is to represent a situation that is confused and to show that something has happened previously which is why the shot is taken at a weird angle. This is usually to show distress of some sort which is a key feature in the thriller genre.

The close up shot

This is a close up shot of the character within the film this shot shows us the expression on their face and with these we can then tell the emotion that they are feeling and the audience can feel this emotion as well.

The two-shot

the two – shot allows the audience to see the relationship between the characters at any given point I the film. In this scene it shows the audience the similarity of the situation that they are in. however the scene can also show their differences such as their sex, age and personalities.

The wide angle shot

The wide angle shot shows the audience of the scene that they are in and the situation that is happening in the surrounding area.

The mid-shot 

This is a mid shot and this allows the audience to see the type of character that the person is. This is shown through their facia expression, the clothing that they are wearing and the props that they have such as the gun in this shot.

T

Technical element-editing

Thriller films consistently use the editing technique in order to real capture what us happening in the scene. They show the tension and suspense in the scene, they can do this by showing the reaction time of the character once they are approached by the antagonist. Alternatively they use cut scenes to show different areas and scene in the film, this then emphasises the tension within a single scene. The cut scenes are usually quick and very snappy this then shows the speed of one scene but then the cut scene can then switch to a nice calm area to show the comparison of one place to another.

Technical element-Mise-en-scene

Costumes – usually within a thriller the main character is seen to have a smart and professional appearance, this is to suggest that they are sophisticated and reveals their role in the film. However costumes can be good to see the difference in people and the status that they have. Two different characters can be shown through their costume if someone is older they look like this from the fashion of clothing they are wearing compare to someone who is younger they would wear fashion that is a lot more casual and smart.

Props and setting – thrillers are set is an everyday environment such as a city, a house or the streets etc. this can be helpful to show the disturbance that the antagonist will bring upon them. In thrillers there is usually a chase on some sort such as on foot or in a car, they confine the space available within the chase so that it looks more intensified, as well as this it also relates back to the thought of isolation and seclusion. Props within the film or scenes in the film can identify what a character is like. Guns are a well-known prop within thrillers because they represent the sense of danger and wrong doing.

Lighting – thrillers conventionally use low key lighting. This is to create a dark and disturbed atmosphere. This then creates suspense and unstable awareness within the audience because they do not know what could happen next within the scene. The low key lighting can change the mood of the scene instantly from a happy and cheerful area to a suspicious and worrying environment.

Technical element – sound 

Thrillers involve the use of ambient sounds to increase the level of intensity and suspense within a scene. They can add sound to the titles and captions when they appear on the scene, a film that has done this is the film scream, asynchronous background was included into the title sequence of the girls screaming and this straight away gives the audience a feel of what the film I going o be like throughout.

Thriller films

Thriller films are aimed at a target audience from the age of around 15/16 and above, this is because the content it contains can be disturbing for younger children. However with the sub genres coming into the thriller genre it is possible for older and younger people to watch the genre of film because it has content that is appropriate for their age group. A thriller film usually contains technology because it has to fit In with the modern day world, the genre reaches out to a target audience of both males and females

The sub genres of a thriller

·         Action Thriller - Take any other thriller subgenre, give it’s defining elements a back seat, and focus on the action, and you have an action-thriller. This is more common in movies than novels because of the visual appeal of explosions and violence.

·         Crime Thriller - This subgenre focuses on crime, and is usually from the criminal’s point of view. Physical action and eluding the police take the place of gathering evidence and trying to discover the criminal.

·         Disaster Thriller - In this subgenre a (usually) natural disaster is taking place, and the antagonist is either trying to stop the disaster, the extent of the disaster, or just save themselves before time runs out and the disaster has run its course.

·         Forensic Thriller - In this subgenre the protagonist(s) are forensic scientists whose involvement in an unsolved crime threatens their lives.

·         Psychological Thriller - A personal favourite. In this subgenre a lot of the conflict is mental, rather than physical. The protagonist has become involved in a dangerous situation which literally threatens their sanity. They must use mental prowess to overcome their opponent, whether the battle is inside their own head or it a battle of wits.

·         Romantic Thriller - This is a subgenre of both thrillers and romantic novels. The plot line follows a typical thriller’s tension, suspense, and excitement, but a main element is the growing relationship between two characters.

·         Spy Thriller - It’s hard to call this a genre mash-up when spy novels almost have to be thrillers. At any rate, this subgenre focuses on the high adventures of field agents. It is usually set against the backdrop of some war.

·         Supernatural Thriller - In this subgenre otherworldly elements are introduced, usually as an antagonistic force, but just as in the romantic thriller, the plot line and feel or distinctly that of thrillers. Some characters may have psychic abilities and other supernatural novel elements may be present.

Feedback - Miss Spencer

There is some excellent work here Mitchell, especially in the analysis of the two horror films. You have pointed out the conventions that are present, as well as discussing the meanings behind them, and the way the audience is likely to read the opening.

However I think you need to do a little more work on the Rom-Com analysis. You barely mention conventions, I suspect that is because you are not sure what they are? Can you do some more research into the conventions of Rom-Com and use this to add to your discussion please. For example you could talk about conventions more - e.g the cross cutting of the two main protagonists to imply that they are going to meet - and then not meeting (yet) is a typical convention of Rom-Com. It will improve your work, and your knowledge.

At the moment your work is on a level 2/3 border so does need some more detail adding.

Can you also:

Embed the film clip into the blog post.
Import stills from the film to illustrate your points.
Add a title to the post (otherwise it takes the first line of your work as the title)

Well done and keep up the hard work.

Task 2.1 Friends with Benefits opening analysis / Rom-Com

Film opening - Friends with benefits

Introductory

The introduction of the film shows that the male which is played by Justin Timberlake is a man who spills coffee down his trousers and his to change using his staff’s trousers. This connotes the clumsiness of a stereotypical man, he is also late to his date which is also connotation that he is clumsy and non-committing. The woman is dressed in a white top with heels which shows purity and innocence of the character. The audience think that both Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis are both meeting each other for a date but this is not the case as we watch the opening sequence when he is late in fact they are on two separate dates in different states of the USA. This makes the audience link connections between them already and try to work out what will happen between them next.

Props

The props used in this opening clearly show that the film is set in the modern day. We know this because we see the use of technology several times within the first few minutes of the film, examples of this would be when Dylan (Justin) use his phone when he makes a phone call with his date and even before when he uses the projector to show a presentation and uses his modern laptop o represent the film.

Another prop used in the opening is Dylan’s car which is a convertible, this represents that he is a young but very successful guy that is fun loving and knows what he wants to do with his life.

Lighting

The lighting within the opening scene in both locations of the film where we see Jamie (Mila) and Dylan in another location have both low lighting and the use of the street lights and building is used to shoot the film. This represents romance within the film opening and even though in both scenes it is a break up scene it can suggest that later on in the film it shows that there will be romance again but somewhere else with different people

Setting

In the opening sequence we are introduced to Dylan’s work place, within this building we see all different types of modern technology from a presentation board, smart phones and laptops. This shows that it is a modern setting in the film and as we carry on we get to see the employees that work with Dylan and they are all relatively young. Because of this the room that they are in represents there personality as it is quite colourful and bright and this can show that they are funny and lively people. 

Camera shots

There are many camera shots within the film opening the majority of them  being a shot reverse shot between the two break ups that are occurring. They use this shot though at the start where both Dylan and Jamie are on the phone and this makes the audience think that they are speaking to one another. Because they are discussing a date and where they are going it represents the romantic part of the film but shortly after we see Dylan with another girl that he is meeting and Jamie kisses another man, this highlights the romantic side of the film and this makes the hybrid that is a rom-com.

There is also close up shots of the characters shoulders up, this is so the audience can really catch the emotion from the expressions displayed on the characters face.

Another camera shot is again going back to Dylan’s work place where it is an over the shoulder shot from another work college which can symbolise that Dylan is superior to others around him.

Title

The titles are introduced after Dylan leaves his work place and this is shown on trees and in the windows of shops and other building and this makes the audience think that they might have been there for the whole time of the opening scene.

Music

the music used in the opening scene is very upbeat and has a fast tempo this goes back to both characters being young and joyful living their lives and being happy.  

Task 2.1 Insiduous - Analysis of a Horror Film / Horror

Film opening – Insidious

Conventions of a horror film

·         Dark colours such as red and black to represent darkness

·         Erie music to show the creepiness

·         The location of insidious is in an old house which sets the scene

·         The slow moving shots sets the scene of the horror

·         Camera shots such as zooms and extreme close ups to give us information about the film and possibly the characters.

Introduction

Insidious is a film that was produced in 2010. At the start we see a young child sleeping in their room. We see that the child is then led around the house and sees a shadow in the window, as we focus more into the shadow it turns out to be a ghostly figure of a woman. The camera shot then switches to show us more rooms around the house and each of them have this paranormal feeling. The title is coloured red in a sort of a bloody colour alongside with smoke appearing around the title to represent that it is a horror film as these fit the normal conventions that we associate with the genre. The writing at the start of the film fades away to suggest the paranormal activity such as ghosts and spirits.

Lighting

At the start if the film the lighting is very low with highlights covering only a certain area of each of the rooms. This can symbolise that there is something hidden within the house which is why parts of the rooms are also blacked out. This fits with the horror genre conventions because it is dark and very little light showing.  There is lighting on different props around the house such as the family picture. This again shows that the picture is to have some sort of importance in the film.

Props

The props within the first opening sequence are things such as the grandfather clock, and the family picture. This shows that these might play a part that we need to know about later on in the film. These both also fit in within the horror genre. These props though fit in with the horror genre because they look to be quite old and this adds to the creepy factor of the insidious film because people associate old creepy household ornaments.

Editing

After nearly every shot within the opening there is a fade out from the shot and a fade into the next one. The shots are blurry to start with and then become clear this is to resemble possibly some confusion within the house and set a mysterious thought in the viewer’s head. The shots are black and white and with a little research in this context black are associated with evil and darkness and white suggests purity and goodness. This means that there could be a clash between the both and this may be why we see the light and dark in both rooms to suggest a feud between both sides. They also edited the writing to be a red colour which again is associated with the horror genre and will resemble blood, danger and goriness etc.

Camera shot

At the start we see an establishing shot which shows the scene where the opening is shot and where the rest of the film is based upon.

There is also an aerial shot which is shot down the staircase and at the bottom of the stairs there is a faint shadow that outlines a figure of a person at least that’s what we think it is. This makes people think about what it could be and can make us possibly scared about that thought.

There is also another shot of the grandfather clock but it is tilted to the side and this gives of the image of confusion and unease which can build up the tension of the film at the start of the opening.

Sound

In the opening there is music but it is a disturbing sound like a ringing in your ear. At the start when we first see the shadow a high pitch violin sound which shows a sudden switch in the speed of the film opening.

Task 2.1 Orphan opening analysis / Horror

Film opening - Orphan

Introduction

The first thing we see in the orphan is a child’s black eye. This signifies sorrow and pain as well as sadness. This may also be associated with evil, fitting in with the horror genre of the film.

We know that the main character also known as the protagonist is a girl because she is in the opening sequence and is applying makeup to her face. This fits the connotations of being a girl because in reality we know that it is usually girls that apply makeup to themselves.

This also follows the connotations of being a horror film because we usually associate films with young female girls. They tend to use young girls as the main characters in the horror films because we usually perceive girls and young children to be sweet, innocent and harmless but this goes completely against that perception and this is why most horror films will use a young child.

This is very weird though because the young girl is applying her makeup in a way that she is trying to be older, this means that she might be self-conscious about her body and the way she looks but it doesn’t affect her that much because her face is just smudged with her makeup so we don’t know what to think about her.

Editing

The editing is shown in the sequence when it shows her makeup that she is applying to her face. It switches to a UV shot which shows the different acidic levels in the chemicals of the makeup, red is the highest acidic. As well as this because it is in a UV shot it gives of the affect that she could possibly be hiding something within the makeup and this makes the audience to be drawn into the film and what to watch the rest of the film.

The edit the text to be shown into the opening sequence and it is in a white font with a black background. This is so that the audience can see what the font sees clearly and not struggle to read it. However they keep the font small so that the viewers can keep track of what the girl is still doing in the opening sequence in the background.

They then use a second type of font which is the same font type up but they change the colour to purple, this is so they can still see the font clearly and easily but the connotation of purple is jealousy and this means that later on  the film someone could, become jealous about someone or something.

Props

A prop in the film is that there is a white rose in the opening sequence which suggests purity and innocence, however the rose starts to die or is dying throughout very slowly and this could resemble the plot of the film being that throughout the film purity is lost gradually or it could mean that the girls innocence is lost because something has changed her r took control of her.

Lighting and sound 

Throughout the sequence the lighting is at a very low level so that it hides who the person is and keeps there identity a mystery. This adds to the tension of the opening sequence and can make people think what it is leaving a mystery in their head.

The music fits in with the opening sequence very well because it is a very theatrical sound which fits the connotations of the genre. The music however stays at a similar tempo throughout until the end it builds up slightly and gradually.

All of this slowly draws the audience into the film and creates a cold and chilly atmosphere within the audience. 

Feedback - Miss Spencer

An excellent, detailed evaluation Mitchell. You have noticed what you were asked to do and show understanding of the reasons behind things like the 180 degree rule. However in order to improve I would also like you to mention things that didn't go so well. E.G. why is there a black box around your film? Have you worked out how to fix this yet for your main task?

Preliminary Task

Prelim task evaluation

What is the 180 degree rule?

·         The 180 degree rule is where the camera people do an over the shoulder shot mostly used in a conversation. This is when the cameras do not cross over a line that would mean they are in the shot. When the cameras both switch round to the other side of the conversation completely the actors switch round positions so that they are in the same places.

What is a match on action shot?

·         A match on action is where we take different shots of the same scene and you edit and cut different parts of them together so that it is from different angles and symbolizes different things such as you can take a long shot, then a medium shot and then a close up. This would mean focusing more on the character so that we can see the expression on their face and how they are feeling and feel their emotion. We used this in our film when I was on the phone we cut from seeing my whole body to an extreme close up of the phone and then just a medium shot where you could see my body language and facial expressions over the phone.

What is a match eye line shot?

·         This is where the character is looking towards the camera and is filmed from their front. In our film we tried to do this and experiment with this shot however we were unable to get a clear shot of it and it didn't seem to work with the film as we edited it in the film.

How did the film making process go in terms of filming shots from the storyboard and around the college?

·         I think that filming from the storyboard was good because it gave us clear cut instructions and let us have a bit of structure towards the film we were producing. We could easily show where the camera was meant to be and how we should place it because within the storyboard there were examples of the shot on the people which helped us a lot with positioning.

·         In terms of filming around the college it took longer than what we expected to film the shots this was because we would have people walk in front of the camera, there would be people talking when we were shooting the film and this would then ruin the audio when we cut it all together. To prevent this we would have to either retake the shots so that they were clear and how we wanted them or we would have to edit the audio to make the music in the film louder than the natural sounds like the wind and people speaking etc.

What did we learn about video editing on adobe premiere in terms of using transitions, adding sound and titles?

·         What I learned about adobe premiere was that we cut and edit different shots into the film. This was good because we took multiple shots of different scenes of the film meaning that we could switch to an extreme close up of a certain action or of my face to see facial expressions and feel the emotion. When adding sound I also learned that we could layer different sounds of top of one another and this would make one massive sound. This is good because at the same time as hearing the music we could edit in to hear the natural sound of something else which would build up tension or add more texture to the film. As well as another tool that I was able to learn how to use was the green screen tool. This is good because I was then able to add different features to the film. One green screen that me and Stuart edited into the film was the explosion at the end where the missile strikes the school. This was good because we could fit the missile into proportion with the shot, this then fitted onto the background as we cut out the green screen in the background. Another method that we both learned to use was the adding music to the film. We could layer this to set the scene so that it shows the feelings of the actor and sets the pace of the scene.