Friday, 19 March 2010
Post Filming Analysis
Whilst making our thriller we encountered a few problems, regarding our story boarding it became tedious trying to keep to the identical shot types and order. Although our final product does show a lot of similarities to the original storyboards with the use of shot types it does not keep to the same order. This is no real problem as we are content with the way it has worked, but it did teach us that it is not always bad to veer off the story board if the original is not working out to a satisfactory level. Our Soundtrack was one of the most difficult choices as 'Garageband' offered limited loops of the sounds we were looking for. We ended up using a controlled mix of previously made drones and a few sounds from the 'FX' section of Garageband which offered a suitable selection of sounds which maintained the theme of our thriller. If we were to re-do this project or if we had more time then we would plan on perhaps finding more suitable locations for the thriller. However, we do feel that we made the best of the resources we had and capitalised on the surrounding area by filming in locations which were related to our content.
Target Audience/Certificate
For our thriller we have tried to aim for an audience of around 15-30. The film will appeal to people of this age as it contains themes which are associated with this age group (Gangs, violence and psychotic behaviour) Although it is not to say that people above the age will not enjoy the movie but it may be less relevant to them as the content could be considered as popular culture which is associated to young adults and teenagers. Our film would not be suitable for persons below this age as it does contain moderate violence and the narrative may be too difficult for minors to understand and fully comprehend. The film does not deserve a higher rating as it does not contain material deemed inappropriate by the BBFC ( e.g excessive use of drugs, portrayals of sexual or sexualised violence which eroticise or endorses the behaviour).
The following information is taken of the BBFC site (http://www.sbbfc.co.uk/categories_15) :
What sort of issues might I find in a ‘15’ film, DVD or video game?
‘15’ works are stronger than '12' or ‘12A’ rated works and could include any of the following:
• strong violence
• frequent strong language (eg 'f***').
• portrayals of sexual activity
• strong verbal references to sex
• sexual nudity
• brief scenes of sexual violence or verbal references to sexual violence
• discriminatory language or behaviour
• drug taking
Occasionally there may be uses of the strongest terms (eg 'c***'), although continued aggressive use will not normally be passed at ‘15’. For more detailed information on the ‘15’ category click here to read the BBFC guidelines
Evaluation draft deadline mon 22nd 9am, final deadline mon 29th 9am
Thriller Film Opening Sequence Evaluation - 1500-2000 words
PowerPoint uploaded to moodle
1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge conventions of real media products?
What conventions of professional products have you used in your own film? (narrative conventions, character conventions, genre, camerawork, sound, editing, special effects, mise-en-scene? Use screen grabs of your own sequence to illustrate each example where you have followed conventions or gone against (challenged) conventions. Also use images from the films that have influenced you where relevant.
2. How does your media product represent particular social groups? (gender, age, ethnicity etc.)
Compare a character in your sequence to a character in a professional film (use images). If you have included a villain/victim character, does the character follow conventions of characters in professional films. For example, is your villain male? Is your victim female? Therefore how are you representing gender?
3. What kind of media institution would distribute your media product?
Discuss similar professional films and their production companies (use images of the films and logos). Which production Company do you think would distribute your film? (if it was professional and if you had made the full film).
4. Who would be the audience for your media product? (BBFC and target audience) Use images from a similar product with a similar target audience. Remember that target audience is not the same as classification.
5. How did you attract/address your audience?
Refer to Significant moments in your sequence where you have tried to generate a response from the spectator (a close up to encourage identification with a character, music that encourages the spectator to feel suspense, tense, visceral reaction etc.) What techniques have you used to encourage the spectator to want to see the rest of the film? (Clues about narrative, character, etc.) Use screen grabs of your own sequence.
6. What have you learnt about the technologies from the process of constructing your product?
(blog, camera equipment, editing software – Final Cut Express, istopmotion, Garageband etc.) Use screen grabs/photos of all these things. Be very specific about tools/effects/techniques learnt not just ‘I have learnt a lot about the software’
7. Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to your final product?
Discuss your second preliminary task that you did in a week before starting Thriller. Discuss what you have learnt since then about construction of micro elements in order to create meaning, how to use different techniques, practical skills etc. How have you built on your knowledge that you learnt from the prelim task? Use screen grabs of your prelim task and your sequence where relevant.
PowerPoint uploaded to moodle
1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge conventions of real media products?
What conventions of professional products have you used in your own film? (narrative conventions, character conventions, genre, camerawork, sound, editing, special effects, mise-en-scene? Use screen grabs of your own sequence to illustrate each example where you have followed conventions or gone against (challenged) conventions. Also use images from the films that have influenced you where relevant.
2. How does your media product represent particular social groups? (gender, age, ethnicity etc.)
Compare a character in your sequence to a character in a professional film (use images). If you have included a villain/victim character, does the character follow conventions of characters in professional films. For example, is your villain male? Is your victim female? Therefore how are you representing gender?
3. What kind of media institution would distribute your media product?
Discuss similar professional films and their production companies (use images of the films and logos). Which production Company do you think would distribute your film? (if it was professional and if you had made the full film).
4. Who would be the audience for your media product? (BBFC and target audience) Use images from a similar product with a similar target audience. Remember that target audience is not the same as classification.
5. How did you attract/address your audience?
Refer to Significant moments in your sequence where you have tried to generate a response from the spectator (a close up to encourage identification with a character, music that encourages the spectator to feel suspense, tense, visceral reaction etc.) What techniques have you used to encourage the spectator to want to see the rest of the film? (Clues about narrative, character, etc.) Use screen grabs of your own sequence.
6. What have you learnt about the technologies from the process of constructing your product?
(blog, camera equipment, editing software – Final Cut Express, istopmotion, Garageband etc.) Use screen grabs/photos of all these things. Be very specific about tools/effects/techniques learnt not just ‘I have learnt a lot about the software’
7. Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to your final product?
Discuss your second preliminary task that you did in a week before starting Thriller. Discuss what you have learnt since then about construction of micro elements in order to create meaning, how to use different techniques, practical skills etc. How have you built on your knowledge that you learnt from the prelim task? Use screen grabs of your prelim task and your sequence where relevant.
Friday, 12 March 2010
Response to feedback
1) What comments do you agree with/disagree with and why?
In our feedback is mentioned a few times that the scenes do not connect to each other and that it doesn't make sense. We feel that although this is a fair comment, the way we have edited our sequence this is the effect that we wanted. The narrative is not meant to be entirely clear as we believe that a thriller should be something which constantly leaves people guessing. Also, the fragmented structure is meant to convey the state of mind of the protagonist and show how he is 'torn'. One point that was raised was that the opening would benefit from titles, we agree with this and have decided to include titles throughout our sequence otherwise the opening could be mistaken for a trailer (a point also made). Are soundtrack received mixed reviews, some thought it was too simple and some thought it fitted well, we may decide to add some more layers of sounds so that it does not over complicate the soundtrack, but makes it more engaging and interesting.
2) What can you do at this stage to respond to the feedback and make improvements? (Film, effects, sound, filters)
At this stage it is possible to make some changes to our opening relevant to our feedback. Firstly, it was mentioned that the opening would benefit from titles, this will be possible to do through final cut. Also, our soundtrack could possibly sound better with the use of more sounds but with the limited loops available on 'Garageband' it may be hard to find the appropriate sound to consistently keep up the atmosphere that we have worked so hard to create.
In our feedback is mentioned a few times that the scenes do not connect to each other and that it doesn't make sense. We feel that although this is a fair comment, the way we have edited our sequence this is the effect that we wanted. The narrative is not meant to be entirely clear as we believe that a thriller should be something which constantly leaves people guessing. Also, the fragmented structure is meant to convey the state of mind of the protagonist and show how he is 'torn'. One point that was raised was that the opening would benefit from titles, we agree with this and have decided to include titles throughout our sequence otherwise the opening could be mistaken for a trailer (a point also made). Are soundtrack received mixed reviews, some thought it was too simple and some thought it fitted well, we may decide to add some more layers of sounds so that it does not over complicate the soundtrack, but makes it more engaging and interesting.
2) What can you do at this stage to respond to the feedback and make improvements? (Film, effects, sound, filters)
At this stage it is possible to make some changes to our opening relevant to our feedback. Firstly, it was mentioned that the opening would benefit from titles, this will be possible to do through final cut. Also, our soundtrack could possibly sound better with the use of more sounds but with the limited loops available on 'Garageband' it may be hard to find the appropriate sound to consistently keep up the atmosphere that we have worked so hard to create.
Rough Cut Feedback - 12/03/2010
S2 - 52
+ Atmospheric
+ Creates suspense
+ Fluid editing
- When guy is being kicked on floor the rewinding voices sound odd
+ good sound effects.
- Soundtrack is good but may need to vary in certain scenes as its slightly repetitive.
S2-53
It was very good. Edited very well. It feels/looks too much like a trailer. The scenes don't seem connected 2 each other. The use of the flickering light was very chilling. We feel it looked too much like a Horror movie. The rewinding of time was done very well. We felt the main character (Justin) seemed like a schoolboy not a Bad policeman.
S2-54
AMAZING!!!!!!!!!
really good.
the editing is really good, the fast cuts make it build tension so there isn't much more editing you need to do. the soundtrack is good and the simplicity really works. we don't think you need to do much more for the soundtrack because it makes you watch it more intensely. the way it jumps from scene to scene also creates tension so we really like it.
S2-49
We think that your entire sequence is really effective and especially well edited. Although you have included a lot of content we think you should have credits running through the majority of it so that the viewer can see that it is the opening of the film. We think that the storyline is pretty clear. We think that your soundtrack is good and we like the simplicity but maybe you should make it slightly louder towards the end in conjunction with your editing.
Group S2-50
The sequence is well edited and the pace of it is appropriate as it doesn't drag on. We didnt think the plot of the sequence was clear as the scene didn't seem to link in together so it did feel somewhat like a trailer. The light bulb was effective. The soundtrack was also really good but got a bit repetitive. Overall it was really good .
+ Atmospheric
+ Creates suspense
+ Fluid editing
- When guy is being kicked on floor the rewinding voices sound odd
+ good sound effects.
- Soundtrack is good but may need to vary in certain scenes as its slightly repetitive.
S2-53
It was very good. Edited very well. It feels/looks too much like a trailer. The scenes don't seem connected 2 each other. The use of the flickering light was very chilling. We feel it looked too much like a Horror movie. The rewinding of time was done very well. We felt the main character (Justin) seemed like a schoolboy not a Bad policeman.
S2-54
AMAZING!!!!!!!!!
really good.
the editing is really good, the fast cuts make it build tension so there isn't much more editing you need to do. the soundtrack is good and the simplicity really works. we don't think you need to do much more for the soundtrack because it makes you watch it more intensely. the way it jumps from scene to scene also creates tension so we really like it.
S2-49
We think that your entire sequence is really effective and especially well edited. Although you have included a lot of content we think you should have credits running through the majority of it so that the viewer can see that it is the opening of the film. We think that the storyline is pretty clear. We think that your soundtrack is good and we like the simplicity but maybe you should make it slightly louder towards the end in conjunction with your editing.
Group S2-50
The sequence is well edited and the pace of it is appropriate as it doesn't drag on. We didnt think the plot of the sequence was clear as the scene didn't seem to link in together so it did feel somewhat like a trailer. The light bulb was effective. The soundtrack was also really good but got a bit repetitive. Overall it was really good .
Tuesday, 9 March 2010
rough cut
For our feedback we are particularly interested in what people think of the soundtrack and should there be more? The simplicity is intended as it goes with the theme of our film but we don't want it to be to dull. Also, we would like to know peoples view on the storyline and if the content in our video is misleading in anyway towards the story line. Feedback will be much appreciated.
Friday, 5 February 2010
Storyboarding
Storyboarding
Pre-credits:
1. Close up pan of gangsters faces.
2. Mid-long shot of kid being beaten up.
3. Close up pan shows the rest of gang.
4. Long shot of the gang sitting on the wall.
5. Close up of detectives face.
6. Long shot of the hang standing against a wall.
7. Extreme long shot of the gang with the film title above them.
Shots in order post preliminary introduction:
1. Close up shot of light bulb turning on.
2. Medium length shot of the detective sitting at a table in the room.
3. Close up shot of newspaper.
4. side medium shot showing detective at table, face covered up.
5. medium shot slightly tilted upwards behind the detective showing him being fired.
6. Birds eye shot of detective sitting at desk.
7. Long shot of gang walking down a road.
8. Over the shoulder shot of detective sitting at table.
9. Side medium shot of gangster against wall.
10. Close up of light flickering in room.
11. Long shot from slightly above showing gang playing pool.
12. Over the shoulder shot of detective in the room writing on paper.
13. Low shot of detectives feet and legs under the table.
14. Medium long shot of detective sitting down at the table, facing from the front.
15. medium long shot of gangsters walking away down a street.
16. medium close up from the front of detective sitting at the table.
17. Close up of gangsters face, cigarette in mouth.
18. Close up of detectives eye.
19. Medium close up of gangsters face with a cigarette.
20. Medium close up with a slight tilt upwards of detectives face.
21. Shot of light turning off.
5/2/10
Today after college we are planning to film the 'gang' sequence, which are presented in the flashback format. We will be recruiting several of our close companions, so that there will be a natural on screen chemistry. Preferably we will use a setting that contains graffiti on a run down wall to create the atmosphere of a deprived area.
Tuesday, 2 February 2010
Setting - Office Area
We've found a location where we're planning to shoot the office scene of the protagonist frantically working. The setting is located within the college and i currently used as a utility area for the cleaners etc. We believe that it conveys the appropriate and desired atmosphere, as it is dingy and dark.
Title Font
Title Shortlist
We still haven't come to a solid conclusion in reference to the film title. However we have shortlisted the title 'Victus Vir'. This would also act as the name of the protagonist. 'Victus' is a pun of 'Vicus' which translates to 'Street' in latin. 'Vir' is a direct translation to 'Hero' in latin. We believe the term 'Street Hero' would be relevant as the protagonist os of heroic nature, but on a smaller scale - on the streets; as opposed to a Roman war hero, Victus would be the contemporary equivalent.
However there are several problems which have occurred to us. for example, the name 'Victus Vir' appears to be out of context and of some eastern European decent, whereas our character is a British detective.
However there are several problems which have occurred to us. for example, the name 'Victus Vir' appears to be out of context and of some eastern European decent, whereas our character is a British detective.
Monday, 1 February 2010
TImes and Dates we will be filming.
Our plan will be to film on the 6th of February for the whole day. For this me, Justin and Ruaridh will film the section of the opening where the protagonist is in the room. This will involve setting up a room and filming various shots of Justin as the protagonist. Also, if we do have time we will film sections of the flashbacks but we were mainly planning on filming the flashbacks a week later with our fourth member of our group, Will.
List of equipment
Video camera
Tri-pod
Props
Wheelchair for steady filming
Jackets/shirts
Notebook
Chair
Desk
Tri-pod
Props
Wheelchair for steady filming
Jackets/shirts
Notebook
Chair
Desk
Make up/Hair
Make up will not be necessary for any of our characters as the scene will be mostly dark and we do not need any make up to create any specific affect. The person we will be using for our protagonist already has dark medium length hair which is what we will need so we will have to change nothing with him. For the gangsters there will also have to be no significant change as these scenes will be very quick so attention to detail will not be entirely necessary. As long as characters are dressed appropriately this will suffice.
Lighting - effect - equipment
As the atmosphere for our thriller opening will be predominantly dark. The lighting will be low key in the room with the protagonist. If possible, we will want one dim light bulb in the middle of the room above the protagonist so it provides a spotlight on the protagonist as well as dimly lighting the whole room around him. For the flashbacks we will film as it gets dark so it continues with the atmosphere of the credits. If we were to film in the day it would contrast too much with the shots of the man in the room.
Props
Props will be minimalistic as for most of the scene the filming will take place in one room. In the room there will be mostly open space in darkness. In the middle of the room we will put a desk and a chair where the protagonist will sit. Also, we will collect numerous articles to put on the walls so we can pan over these with the camera. A single notebook and pen will be on the desk which the protagonist will be using.
In the flashbacks there will be only limited use of props. Perhaps fake weapons for the gangsters.
In the flashbacks there will be only limited use of props. Perhaps fake weapons for the gangsters.
Costume
As our scene will be in low key lighting then costume is not a vital issue with our protagonist. However, he will be dressed in a dark jacket and all round dark clothing. In the flashbacks when the detective is remembering his assignment we see the Gang that he worked with all own similar jackets (Harrington) to make it obvious that they are all part of a gang. These will also be darkly coloured to go with the whole theme of the opening titles. Below is an example of the costume for the gangsters. These jackets were also used by skin head gangsters in real life so this will add context to the scene.
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