We felt as though the one long shot of the detectives table worked better than several shorter ones. We feel that it builds up more tension, rather than suspense which would be showed with short durationed, quick-cuts, but we feel that for the opening sequence the tension needed to be built before the suspense.
We also felt as though the music was fitting to the visuals- it might not have fitted the genre, but at the opening sequence we thought that it was more important for our project to fit the visuals, than the genre. We thought that it wasn't contrapuntal in any way, but it does challenge the traditional thriller sounds. We do agree that the sound in the middle of the sequence changes too quickly, and this is a big shame, as it could easily have been fixed but only if we had more time.
Monday 21 March 2011
Friday 18 March 2011
Peer Feedback For Final Piece
1) Describe the type of camerawork which has been used. Do you think it is effective and why?
Good camera shots but are a bit too long.
Good use of pan.
Point of view puts audience into scene.
Close-ups and panning shots sheds light on surroundings.
2) What type of sound has been used and does it work with the visuals? How?
Non-diegetic tension-building soundtrack.
Sound doesn't fit the thriller genre- contrapuntal.
Sound challenges traditional thriller sounds.
Seemed unfitting in some ways.
Soundtrack changed in the middle too suddenly.
3) How has the mise-en-scene been constructed? Does it have an impact on the thriller genre?
Good use of location.
The fire was a good effect, as were the desk with profiles.
Well set, well lit, which fits the genre type.
Both settings worked well.
Good contrast.
Props- white sheet to cover body .
4) What editing techniques have been used?
Jump-cuts used.
Editing of the text being typed was good.
Overdone shot duration.
Transitions were fitting to the genre.
Good continuity.
Good font and typewriter effect.
Fading in and out of music and scenes.
5) Can you think of any constructive critisisms?
Overdone shot duration.
Music is a little unfitting to thriller genre.
Could have been more tense- looking for suspects.
Have a better soundtrack.
6) What was the most effective element of the production?
Lighting.
Scenes set mood.
Location.
Location and credits are good.
Good camera shots but are a bit too long.
Good use of pan.
Point of view puts audience into scene.
Close-ups and panning shots sheds light on surroundings.
2) What type of sound has been used and does it work with the visuals? How?
Non-diegetic tension-building soundtrack.
Sound doesn't fit the thriller genre- contrapuntal.
Sound challenges traditional thriller sounds.
Seemed unfitting in some ways.
Soundtrack changed in the middle too suddenly.
3) How has the mise-en-scene been constructed? Does it have an impact on the thriller genre?
Good use of location.
The fire was a good effect, as were the desk with profiles.
Well set, well lit, which fits the genre type.
Both settings worked well.
Good contrast.
Props- white sheet to cover body .
4) What editing techniques have been used?
Jump-cuts used.
Editing of the text being typed was good.
Overdone shot duration.
Transitions were fitting to the genre.
Good continuity.
Good font and typewriter effect.
Fading in and out of music and scenes.
5) Can you think of any constructive critisisms?
Overdone shot duration.
Music is a little unfitting to thriller genre.
Could have been more tense- looking for suspects.
Have a better soundtrack.
6) What was the most effective element of the production?
Lighting.
Scenes set mood.
Location.
Location and credits are good.
Thursday 17 March 2011
Evaluation Of The Editing Stage
Editing is a very important part of the movie process, especially in thrillers. It proved to be very hard for us, harder than we thought! This was due to our planning changing because of bad organisation, and we had a lot more footage than we originally thought! As we had a lot of footage, there was a lot for us to choose from, and we were able to have a variety of ideas in which we could be able to connect them in different ways. This proved hard to find the best and most effective way, however we came to a conclusion to just have the first scene. This then became a problem, as it was too short, so we cut part of scene 2 into several short clips which we inserted within scene 1, enabling the audience to gain an idea of what has happened before the detective scene, without giving it all away, and letting them imagine and think for themselves (a convention of a thriller).
Our choice of font and style for our credits proved an easier part of the editing stage for us, as we were able to get and use these with ease, and the program we used helped us to find the right style and the right transitions for these credits.
GarageBand, when a amateur user, can be difficult, and it was as it didn't provide us some of the sounds we admired, but we were able to put together a decent soundtrack which went with our theme. From this to our final piece on FinalCut, this process to us was easy.
Our choice of font and style for our credits proved an easier part of the editing stage for us, as we were able to get and use these with ease, and the program we used helped us to find the right style and the right transitions for these credits.
GarageBand, when a amateur user, can be difficult, and it was as it didn't provide us some of the sounds we admired, but we were able to put together a decent soundtrack which went with our theme. From this to our final piece on FinalCut, this process to us was easy.
Wednesday 16 March 2011
Evaluation Of Our Project So Far
So far I think we have done well on this project. We have met the aims we set out to when we planned the project and in most areas done better than most of our objectives.We each took upon ourselves an individual task which all of performed well in and it shows in our final product. Overall I feel like we could have done better with planning however. We were not as ready to film as perhaps we should have been, which was clear with our lack of props where we filmed a body under a sheet. But, we did film it well, the camera angles used and the movement of the camera really gave acroos the atmosphere we wanted the audience to feel. This was also the case with how well we made the location low lit. The editing used slow cutting to build the tense atmosphere which is what we planned and the music also helped to create this. Overall we feel everyone performed well and we are pleased with our final cut, even if there are areas we could have improved if we had other equipment.
Evaluation of Music For Thriller Opening
After viewing the film with the finished piece of music on it, we found that for most of the scene the music fitted well. However, we did need to go back and adjust some small parts, where the timings were a bit out. When we went back to 'Garage Band' we soon sorted this out and it now works really well.
16th March 2010
Today is our last lesson for editing.
This lesson, all we need to do is add the soundtrack to the video and then upload it to youtube ready to blog at the end of the lesson. Our thriller project will then be complete!
This lesson, all we need to do is add the soundtrack to the video and then upload it to youtube ready to blog at the end of the lesson. Our thriller project will then be complete!
Monday 14 March 2011
Monday 14th March- Editing Lesson
After getting the feedback from Cigdem last lesson, we are starting to cut parts of the credits scene and add in parts of the forest scene to break up the shot, as she thought that it was too long and needed a bit more depth.
Thursday 10 March 2011
Thursday 10th March- Editing Lesson
Today we finished all the sound for our opening sequence, but after feedback from Cigdem, we need to change the video a bit by putting in extra clips from a different scene to make the sub-genre more obvious. To do this, we will have to speed up the credits, then cut some of this bit to insert clips from the forest scene using quick cuts. By doing this, we will not effect the length of the sequence, as well as getting more depth into the film through the opening sequence. We will have to carry on this editing next lesson.
Wednesday 9 March 2011
The Software We Have Used
FinalCutThis is the piece of software that we used to edit and put the video all together. This was the main piece of footage that we used.
This piece of software was really good and met all the needs we had for video editing software. The user interface is fairly simple to use and makes editing easy to complete.
This is the piece of software we used to create our soundtrack.
This is fairly easy to use as it is uses a 'drag and drop' function which means you don't need to have very high knowledge of music composition.
Evaluation Of Our Thriller Advertisement Poster
There were several problems whilst creating our thriller film poster which has led to us not being able to produce it to the standard we would have originally wished to. These problems were mainly the software crashing.
However, we did manage to create a product which is effective for our project. We managed to follow some of the main conventions of a thriller poster, as well as including some features which make it individual. We based our poster around a photo from our opening sequence, which is the first scene that is shown in our film. This picture creates a very good impression, portraying the genre through simply the mise-en-scene. We chose to use white as the colour for all the text on our poster, as it contrasts and stands out against the dark background. The film title is in quite large writing, following the tag line which signifies several questionable themes which could occur in the film, as well as being narrative to the film. We also included the main participants to the film, which we left until the bottom of the page as we felt that the audience would engage more with the tag line followed by the title before reading the names, although they can still identify famous people involved in the film. We also included the classification next to the film title, as we felt that the poster itself did not make this obvious enough.
One main feature has been missed off of the poster this is the release date so if we were to do this again it would be something we would include.
If we had got the opportunity to create this poster again, we would have included a few of the actors, maybe as shadows, lightly over the photo, as well as include the release date, or 'coming soon', to give the audience more information on the film itself. We would also try to make the classification more obvious.
However, we did manage to create a product which is effective for our project. We managed to follow some of the main conventions of a thriller poster, as well as including some features which make it individual. We based our poster around a photo from our opening sequence, which is the first scene that is shown in our film. This picture creates a very good impression, portraying the genre through simply the mise-en-scene. We chose to use white as the colour for all the text on our poster, as it contrasts and stands out against the dark background. The film title is in quite large writing, following the tag line which signifies several questionable themes which could occur in the film, as well as being narrative to the film. We also included the main participants to the film, which we left until the bottom of the page as we felt that the audience would engage more with the tag line followed by the title before reading the names, although they can still identify famous people involved in the film. We also included the classification next to the film title, as we felt that the poster itself did not make this obvious enough.
One main feature has been missed off of the poster this is the release date so if we were to do this again it would be something we would include.
If we had got the opportunity to create this poster again, we would have included a few of the actors, maybe as shadows, lightly over the photo, as well as include the release date, or 'coming soon', to give the audience more information on the film itself. We would also try to make the classification more obvious.
Conventions Of A Film Poster
A film poster should include:
The Film Title.
Main Actors/actresses.
Release date (if necessary).
Production company.
Classification.
Tagline.
Directors and production company.
A film poster should also:
Be eye-catching/captivating.
Have a focal picture that should be intriguing.
Have large text that can be easily read.
Suggest the genre of the film.
Be attractive to the target audience.
Crime/thriller posters usually:
Has a dark background.
A single dominant image in the centre of the poster for thrillers.
A small majority of the cast for crime (because there is usually more than one gangster or criminal involved in the plot).
Film title in the largest font on the page.
Additional font to explain the title.
Actors and directors credits in smaller font.
The production company logo.
Release date or 'coming soon' (this creates a sense of anticipation).
The Film Title.
Main Actors/actresses.
Release date (if necessary).
Production company.
Classification.
Tagline.
Directors and production company.
A film poster should also:
Be eye-catching/captivating.
Have a focal picture that should be intriguing.
Have large text that can be easily read.
Suggest the genre of the film.
Be attractive to the target audience.
Crime/thriller posters usually:
Has a dark background.
A single dominant image in the centre of the poster for thrillers.
A small majority of the cast for crime (because there is usually more than one gangster or criminal involved in the plot).
Film title in the largest font on the page.
Additional font to explain the title.
Actors and directors credits in smaller font.
The production company logo.
Release date or 'coming soon' (this creates a sense of anticipation).
Existing Thriller Advertisements
These are all prime examples of crime thriller posters, and even at a glance have similar conventions.
The colours are all either pastel or dark colours, and they all involve one or more images which give a slight insight into the film, without giving too much away. The Departed and The Usual Suspects use the page to show off the actors, and their 'look'. Seven gives more ideas away from the words, and the viewer can tell what the main theme is in this film from the title and these words. The main actors/actresses names are given on these to make the audience aware that these actors/actresses will play a key role in the film. This could also promote the film (especially if they are well-known and famous), and are usually presented to attract the audience to these names (usually shown at the top of the page), especially in Seven and The Usual Suspects.
The titles on all these posters are bold and stand-out, but different effects are used to portray different effects. The Departed and The Usual Suspects have their title in block lettering, creating a sense of seriousness, whereas Resevoir Dogs and Seven have jaggardy lettering, perhaps to create a sense of uneasiness. In these four posters, the titles are either in red or white. These are common colours to use for text as they are contrasting to the background, and can easily be read.
From a movie poster, the audience should be able to identify the genre of the film and its target audience, as well as create an image of what the film will be like, and guess some of the themes within it.
Basic Questions & Answers About Our Project
Q) What classification is your film going to be and why?
A) We chose our film to be a 15 certificate because of the level of violence and mild language. We do not feel that anyone under this age would be comfortable when watching our project.
Q) Who did you use for your actors?
A) Stacey, Sam Brown and Ed all act in scene 2, along with Sam Pudney who we had to use to be able to meet our specification. The only actor in scene 1 will be Ollie Sim (Harriets brother). We tried to use ourselves as much as possible but this was hard to work under current circumstances.
Q) What time of day did you film this and why?
A) Scene 1 will be filmed in the evening, in contrast to scene 2 filmed in the morning- this will give the impression that they are filmed in the same day, but at different times, linked with a transition that will be obvious that they are being taken 'back in time'.
Q) Why did you choose your location?
A) For scene 1, we used Harriets living room. This was chosen as it can easily be made to look like a detectives house, as well as it being very realistic. Scene 2 we filmed in the forest by the college. This was mainly down to accessibility, as well as it being a prime location for something like the murder to happen, so the audience will be able to relate to it and realise what has happened almost instantly.
Q) What do you feel you have improved on from the last project?
A) Personally, I have built experience more than anything. We researched more into every aspect of crime thrillers, and watched more existing films to give us a better impression. I have learnt how to use all the equipment to a higher standard and used this to make us more efficient through all the production stages. We went into more trouble with the mise-en-scene, and spent more time on the editing so that it looked a lot more professional.
Q) Have you used any animation or special effects in the project?
A) In the opening sequence, no, we tried to keep it as realistic as possible, however there would be special effects used later on in the film.
A) We chose our film to be a 15 certificate because of the level of violence and mild language. We do not feel that anyone under this age would be comfortable when watching our project.
Q) Who did you use for your actors?
A) Stacey, Sam Brown and Ed all act in scene 2, along with Sam Pudney who we had to use to be able to meet our specification. The only actor in scene 1 will be Ollie Sim (Harriets brother). We tried to use ourselves as much as possible but this was hard to work under current circumstances.
Q) What time of day did you film this and why?
A) Scene 1 will be filmed in the evening, in contrast to scene 2 filmed in the morning- this will give the impression that they are filmed in the same day, but at different times, linked with a transition that will be obvious that they are being taken 'back in time'.
Q) Why did you choose your location?
A) For scene 1, we used Harriets living room. This was chosen as it can easily be made to look like a detectives house, as well as it being very realistic. Scene 2 we filmed in the forest by the college. This was mainly down to accessibility, as well as it being a prime location for something like the murder to happen, so the audience will be able to relate to it and realise what has happened almost instantly.
Q) What do you feel you have improved on from the last project?
A) Personally, I have built experience more than anything. We researched more into every aspect of crime thrillers, and watched more existing films to give us a better impression. I have learnt how to use all the equipment to a higher standard and used this to make us more efficient through all the production stages. We went into more trouble with the mise-en-scene, and spent more time on the editing so that it looked a lot more professional.
Q) Have you used any animation or special effects in the project?
A) In the opening sequence, no, we tried to keep it as realistic as possible, however there would be special effects used later on in the film.
9th March- Editing Lesson
We felt that we could get our editing finished today, but we spent more time than we thought we needed on the sound, and making sure that it fits in well with the video. We will hopefully get this finished by next lesson and will be able to upload it before the end of the week!
Monday 7 March 2011
7th March - Editing Lesson
Today we carried on from last lesson, which was mainly adding the sound which Ed had created to our film. We had to change a few things to make the sound to fit the visuals to the best possible standard.
Music
The Music For Our Thriller Opening:
For the thriller opening sequence, we thought that we should have slow but intense piece of music to set a tone of mystery and create an uneasy atmosphere. We used the software 'Garage Band' to create this piece of music.
We decided to make the music mysterious and slow paced which matched what was happening on screen, which doesn't make it contrapuntal, this makes the connection between the visual film and the music easy to understand for the viewer. This was instead of choosing to make the music fast paced and sound more upbeat which would confuse the audience.
Initially we looked through the available sounds to find ones that were slow paced, intense and dark. We narrowed down the search by choosing certain instruments we notice in other similar thriller openings, so first we looked into strings especially violins. We found a lot of pieces that worked, so before we discarded all but one, we found a collection of pieces from piano to see which ones matched well.
Soon we realised that we wanted the music to build up, much like the scene does on screen, to build the tension with the visuals. We did this by adding extra samples over a period of time, so at the climax of the film the music is equally as aggressive for the audience. Also, we used the volume fader to increase and decrease the volumes of individual tracks when we wanted them to be louder and softer.
Finally, we took the finally edited piece of film and adjusted the timing for most of the instruments and volume levels, to make the music match the film perfectly.
For the thriller opening sequence, we thought that we should have slow but intense piece of music to set a tone of mystery and create an uneasy atmosphere. We used the software 'Garage Band' to create this piece of music.
We decided to make the music mysterious and slow paced which matched what was happening on screen, which doesn't make it contrapuntal, this makes the connection between the visual film and the music easy to understand for the viewer. This was instead of choosing to make the music fast paced and sound more upbeat which would confuse the audience.
Initially we looked through the available sounds to find ones that were slow paced, intense and dark. We narrowed down the search by choosing certain instruments we notice in other similar thriller openings, so first we looked into strings especially violins. We found a lot of pieces that worked, so before we discarded all but one, we found a collection of pieces from piano to see which ones matched well.
Soon we realised that we wanted the music to build up, much like the scene does on screen, to build the tension with the visuals. We did this by adding extra samples over a period of time, so at the climax of the film the music is equally as aggressive for the audience. Also, we used the volume fader to increase and decrease the volumes of individual tracks when we wanted them to be louder and softer.
Finally, we took the finally edited piece of film and adjusted the timing for most of the instruments and volume levels, to make the music match the film perfectly.
Thursday 3 March 2011
3rd March - Editing Lesson
Today we started by adding transitions between each scene to make it flow better, but, with the added time that this put into the production, we realised that it was ridiculously long for an opening sequence, and thought that it included too much of the storyline. We thought that the first scene was very good, and, by itself, would be an excellent opening sequence. It was the strongest part of our peer feedback, and conveys all the opening scene crime thriller conventions. Because of this, we decided to remove the forest scene. Although this idea was good initially, we don't think that we could have produced this to a good enough standard to compare with the first scene. Also, because we didn't manage to get the transition done, the last scene seemed a bit out of place to jump to, and confusing the audience is what we don't want to achieve!
After finalising this decision, we inserted the credits and the transitions for these, so this has all been done.
Meanwhile, Ed was producing the soundtrack to go over this piece on GarageBand.
Next lesson, we will work on the sound together and add in any effects we may need to include.
After finalising this decision, we inserted the credits and the transitions for these, so this has all been done.
Meanwhile, Ed was producing the soundtrack to go over this piece on GarageBand.
Next lesson, we will work on the sound together and add in any effects we may need to include.
Credits Font
(http://www.dafont.com/uncle-typewriter.font)
This is the internet page we will use to get our fonts for our credits from. We have chosen to use this type as it is designed to look like a typewriter font, and this is perfect for our sequence as they will be shown on the suspects documents (a piece of paper that has been printed). We will also try and edit these credits to make them appear as they are being typed out, letter by letter. We think that this is a good effect as it fits in well with the genre as well as the visuals.
Wednesday 2 March 2011
Peer Feedback For Rough Cut Piece
1. Camerawork - what type of shots were used? Were they useful/ effective?
Only a few camera shots used!
- POV
- Pan
- Medium
2. Mise-en-scene - discuss areas of lighting, props, costumes/ location choice. Does is work with the genre?
- Successful lighting (dark/mysterious/natural).
- Costume smart.
- Props were stereotypical equipment for a detective.
- Location fits genre.
3. Editing - transitions/ pace/ shot duration - how have these ares been constructed so far?
- Shot duration is too long.
- Pace is quite slow.
- Needs more transitions.
4. Sound - diegetic/ non-diegetic?
Naturalistic soundtrack, needs a soundtrack to go and add more atmosphere.
5. Which ares need improvement?
Editing and finalising.
6. Which areas do you think work the best?
Mise-en-scene.
Only a few camera shots used!
- POV
- Pan
- Medium
2. Mise-en-scene - discuss areas of lighting, props, costumes/ location choice. Does is work with the genre?
- Successful lighting (dark/mysterious/natural).
- Costume smart.
- Props were stereotypical equipment for a detective.
- Location fits genre.
3. Editing - transitions/ pace/ shot duration - how have these ares been constructed so far?
- Shot duration is too long.
- Pace is quite slow.
- Needs more transitions.
4. Sound - diegetic/ non-diegetic?
Naturalistic soundtrack, needs a soundtrack to go and add more atmosphere.
5. Which ares need improvement?
Editing and finalising.
6. Which areas do you think work the best?
Mise-en-scene.
Thriller Rough Cut
Here is our thriller rough cut which is a basic outline of what we are going to produce.
Tuesday 22 February 2011
Titles
For any film the title of the film is very important as this is what first captures the audiences attention to it therefore we need to take extra attention to it when we decide upon the title of our film.
As our thriller is within the sub genre of a crime thiller the title will need to protray this in some way so that the audience will know instantly what it is about.
After thinking of some ideas, we came up with a few suggestions;
The Killing
Resolution
The Curious Killings
The Case Of The Killer
We think that the most appropriate one for our project is 'Resolution' because it is catchy and fits well with the genre and our sequence. It will also give the audience a subtle idea of what they can expect to be included in our film.
As our thriller is within the sub genre of a crime thiller the title will need to protray this in some way so that the audience will know instantly what it is about.
After thinking of some ideas, we came up with a few suggestions;
The Killing
Resolution
The Curious Killings
The Case Of The Killer
We think that the most appropriate one for our project is 'Resolution' because it is catchy and fits well with the genre and our sequence. It will also give the audience a subtle idea of what they can expect to be included in our film.
Filming Roles
During filming we will each take on different roles in order to make sure our project is completed in a proffessional manner.
Actors
They will need to make sure their acting seems realistic and not forced. They will be under the control of the director.
In our project, we had to use extra people from outside of our group to allow our plans to work. Harriets brother Ollie Sim is the only actor in scene 1, and in scene 2, there are 3 actors (Sam Brown, Ed Selvey and Sam Pudney).
The Director
Is the person who is charge of over seeing the filming of the production and will have control of making key decisions about the production such as location, filming angles etc. However they will take advice from other member son set in order to make sure the film gets a high quality finish.
In our project, we are all directors in one way or another, although arguably, Harriet is the strongest (maybe due to the bossiness?!?), although her being out of the frame and acting as camera woman may have helped.
Camera Man/Woman
This is the person in charge of operating the camera, they will make sure the camera is steady, placed at the correct angle, and that it is safe and that no equipment is on set or at risk of being broken. They will also be able to advise the direcot on what angles and shots would be best alterntives to those already being used.
In our project, Harriet was the camera woman for scene 1, as she also was for scene 2.
Prop & Costume Manager
This person is in charge of making sure the characters and set looks realistic and that whatever is needed is on set at the appropriate times.
In our project, Harriet managed and kept control of these, although individuals were set to be responsible for different props and costumes.
Actors
They will need to make sure their acting seems realistic and not forced. They will be under the control of the director.
In our project, we had to use extra people from outside of our group to allow our plans to work. Harriets brother Ollie Sim is the only actor in scene 1, and in scene 2, there are 3 actors (Sam Brown, Ed Selvey and Sam Pudney).
The Director
Is the person who is charge of over seeing the filming of the production and will have control of making key decisions about the production such as location, filming angles etc. However they will take advice from other member son set in order to make sure the film gets a high quality finish.
In our project, we are all directors in one way or another, although arguably, Harriet is the strongest (maybe due to the bossiness?!?), although her being out of the frame and acting as camera woman may have helped.
Camera Man/Woman
This is the person in charge of operating the camera, they will make sure the camera is steady, placed at the correct angle, and that it is safe and that no equipment is on set or at risk of being broken. They will also be able to advise the direcot on what angles and shots would be best alterntives to those already being used.
In our project, Harriet was the camera woman for scene 1, as she also was for scene 2.
Prop & Costume Manager
This person is in charge of making sure the characters and set looks realistic and that whatever is needed is on set at the appropriate times.
In our project, Harriet managed and kept control of these, although individuals were set to be responsible for different props and costumes.
Editing Roles
Logo
We have already created the logo for our production (below). We could animate this in some way in the editing process however we can just use a fade in and fade out when it features in the title sequence.
We have already created the logo for our production (below). We could animate this in some way in the editing process however we can just use a fade in and fade out when it features in the title sequence.
Sound
Much of the sound for our production will come from ambient sounds within the detectives room and in the forest however as with the logo we do have the possibility of creating a form of soundtrack to add to the production during the editing process. This will be done using Garageband however the sound that is attached to the footage will be edited within Final Cut.
Video Editor
The role of the editor will be shared between the group, but this person will follow the storyboard and shot list in order to to put the footage in the correct order. They will also be responsible for adding the title sequence, transitions and any other effects that are necessary to complete the editing of the sequence. This will be done using Final Cut.
Equipment
It was important that we knew how to use the equipment needed to film before we started filming and what equipment we would be using.
The Cameras we used were a HD digital video camera which were easy to use and to transport where we needed them to be as they weren't bulky which was important for filming outside fo college as well as on college grounds. As if the camera was too big and bulky to take anywhere it would make filming alot harder. As the this project is the first time we will be using these cameras it was was important that we knew how to use them as we had a very limited time for filming so we couldn't make any mistakes that would lead to us needing to re-film any clips.
The tripod again was easy to use and easy to transport where we needed it to be which like the camera meant filming was a lot easier. As we used these for the Children's Film project we knew how to use them and there wasn't any major problems with using it.
However, we would have liked to have had experience with the dolly, especially as it would have helped in our filming for scene 1, but due to bad organisation we couldn't get hold of one. This was a shame as then we would have used all the equipment we had been offered, and been able to gain experience from them all.
The Cameras we used were a HD digital video camera which were easy to use and to transport where we needed them to be as they weren't bulky which was important for filming outside fo college as well as on college grounds. As if the camera was too big and bulky to take anywhere it would make filming alot harder. As the this project is the first time we will be using these cameras it was was important that we knew how to use them as we had a very limited time for filming so we couldn't make any mistakes that would lead to us needing to re-film any clips.
The tripod again was easy to use and easy to transport where we needed it to be which like the camera meant filming was a lot easier. As we used these for the Children's Film project we knew how to use them and there wasn't any major problems with using it.
However, we would have liked to have had experience with the dolly, especially as it would have helped in our filming for scene 1, but due to bad organisation we couldn't get hold of one. This was a shame as then we would have used all the equipment we had been offered, and been able to gain experience from them all.
Post Production
The following is a list of things that will be completed within the editing stage of our thriller production.
- Finalise the production logo so that it can be used within the sequence
- Sound effects/ Sound Track (make in garageband)
- Rough cut of the sequence - a basic cut of the sequence (make in Fanal Cut)
Friday 18 February 2011
The Title Sequence- Colours
It'll be important that our title sequence has contrasting colours to the footage in order for it to stand and be legible.
Most of the title sequence will appear on a white background, so the titles will have to be dark colours, in quite dull shades. However this is good for us, as we are trying to convey the conventions of the thriller genre. Our most appropriate choices are:
Red
Blue
Black
We found out the 'meanings' of these colours, to help us decide which relates best to our project.
Red is the warmest colour of them all, and closely linked to the love and fortitude. Although it is also known to mean anger or temper, as well as danger and blood, survival and vitality.
Blue supposedly shows faith, immortality, eternity and spirituality. It is known to be one of the more calming colours, as it can be linked to heaven and the sky. However, the different shades of blue can give quite different meanings.
Black can be mistaken in different contexts to mean one of two things; either smart, posh elegant and formal, or, on the other hand, evil, grief, despair, threatening or even death.
We will be more likely to use black as this fits in at the time in which the titles appear; on a document, with black font on it. To make the titles stand out to this background fonts, we will have to make sure that the titles are bold and a lot larger than the other font on the documents within the mise-en-scene.
Most of the title sequence will appear on a white background, so the titles will have to be dark colours, in quite dull shades. However this is good for us, as we are trying to convey the conventions of the thriller genre. Our most appropriate choices are:
Red
Blue
Black
We found out the 'meanings' of these colours, to help us decide which relates best to our project.
Red is the warmest colour of them all, and closely linked to the love and fortitude. Although it is also known to mean anger or temper, as well as danger and blood, survival and vitality.
Blue supposedly shows faith, immortality, eternity and spirituality. It is known to be one of the more calming colours, as it can be linked to heaven and the sky. However, the different shades of blue can give quite different meanings.
Black can be mistaken in different contexts to mean one of two things; either smart, posh elegant and formal, or, on the other hand, evil, grief, despair, threatening or even death.
We will be more likely to use black as this fits in at the time in which the titles appear; on a document, with black font on it. To make the titles stand out to this background fonts, we will have to make sure that the titles are bold and a lot larger than the other font on the documents within the mise-en-scene.
The Title Sequence- Fonts
The font of the title sequence is very important within a film, therefore we want to choose one that fits into our genre and runs alongside our film well. We used dafont.com to help us come up with some ides, and choose the most appropriate one which we would include.
This font is ideal for our project as it is both easy to read and fits well into our credit scene. We will use this as we believe that it is the best font available out of our choices. With our detective scene this is very effective, as it can easily be related with them and it can come across as 'serious'- perfect for a crime thriller.
We felt that this font made a big impression as it looks realistic. It would easily fit with our genre and the visuals during the credits scene, however it is very important for the audience to be able to read it easily, which this font makes it hard to do.
Mark Scheme
We feel that within the research and planning section, we are at a level 3 (12-15 marks).
The level 3 criteria for this section is that:
- There is proficient research into similar products and potential target audience.
- There is proficient organisation of actors, locations, costumers or props.
- There is proficient work on shotlists, layouts, drafting, scripting or storyboarding.
- There is a good level of care in the presentation of the research and planning.
- Time management is good.
We feel that we are at this level because we have done in-depth research into similar films and their opening sequences, looking into their codes and conventions, as well as everything that is important to us as a group, such as the titles and their colours and fonts. After doing this, we decided on our favourite thriller opening sequence (Se7en) and used it as inspiration. This has shown that we have done proficient research into similar products. As well as this, we looked into target audiences and certifications, and which would be the more appropriate for our project. We also developed this research further by including the interests and lifestyle of our potential audience.
Alongside this, we thought that our work on shotlists, drafting, scripting and storyboarding was done to a reasonably good standard.
Rounding these two points together, we have tried our best to ensure that the level of care in the presentation of the research and planning stages were up to an excellent level, by using appropriate images in the appropriate places and using different types of text where needed to give the people reading our blog to understand it easier and to be able to relate to it better.
The weakest points in this level of criteria for us was the organisation and the time management. Although these were not done to level 2, we feel that these points have stopped us getting to level 4.
The level 3 criteria for this section is that:
- There is proficient research into similar products and potential target audience.
- There is proficient organisation of actors, locations, costumers or props.
- There is proficient work on shotlists, layouts, drafting, scripting or storyboarding.
- There is a good level of care in the presentation of the research and planning.
- Time management is good.
We feel that we are at this level because we have done in-depth research into similar films and their opening sequences, looking into their codes and conventions, as well as everything that is important to us as a group, such as the titles and their colours and fonts. After doing this, we decided on our favourite thriller opening sequence (Se7en) and used it as inspiration. This has shown that we have done proficient research into similar products. As well as this, we looked into target audiences and certifications, and which would be the more appropriate for our project. We also developed this research further by including the interests and lifestyle of our potential audience.
Alongside this, we thought that our work on shotlists, drafting, scripting and storyboarding was done to a reasonably good standard.
Rounding these two points together, we have tried our best to ensure that the level of care in the presentation of the research and planning stages were up to an excellent level, by using appropriate images in the appropriate places and using different types of text where needed to give the people reading our blog to understand it easier and to be able to relate to it better.
The weakest points in this level of criteria for us was the organisation and the time management. Although these were not done to level 2, we feel that these points have stopped us getting to level 4.
Target Audience
People of all ages over 15 should enjoy our film, of all shapes, sizes, races and abilities, but we are primarily aiming our project at active, young-middle aged adults, who thrive for thrillers and gain adrenaline from fast-paced, surreal experiences. They will be interested in solving problems, and especially the 'crime' aspects of life. The ages of our target audience can be divided into two groups; 15-25 and 25-35, because they will have different interests. The younger catagory will be teenagers and young adults, who will enjoy things like going out clubbing, taking part in sports activities and shopping. They will aloso like trips to the cinema, either by themselves, or with family or friends. This applies to the older catagories of our target audience, too. However, they will enjoy the more relaxing activities as they may be settling down with a partner creating a family.
Our product would be enjoyed by our target audience mainly because of its genre. Because of our strong insperations from existing crime thrillers, we have aimed to make it similar to other professional thrillers like Se7en, as we know that films like this, and the ones we researched about, have been popular with 15-35 year olds. This is why we have aimed to produce our project similar to these, but with our own unique twist, to help us find an appropriate target audience and ensure that they will enjoy it and be pleased that they chose to watch it over the other several thrillers which will be shown at cinemas around the same time!
Our thriller project conforms to the 15 classification meaning that no-one under the age of 15 can view it, because it may be found inappropriate to these people. We feel that our target audience 15-35 allows both the appropriate teenagers and the older generation to enjoy our film. However, if anyone above the age of 35 wanted to watch it, there are no restrictions that they can not, we just feel that 25-35 year olds would enjoy it the most. Most students and university graduates enjoy the experience of watching thriller films, especially if they have the 'scary' and realistic aspects within it. The majority of 25-35 year olds are employed and may have children, so they might like to go out once in a while and see films at cinemas, which we feel would be an attractive film for them to view.
Our product would be enjoyed by our target audience mainly because of its genre. Because of our strong insperations from existing crime thrillers, we have aimed to make it similar to other professional thrillers like Se7en, as we know that films like this, and the ones we researched about, have been popular with 15-35 year olds. This is why we have aimed to produce our project similar to these, but with our own unique twist, to help us find an appropriate target audience and ensure that they will enjoy it and be pleased that they chose to watch it over the other several thrillers which will be shown at cinemas around the same time!
Classification
The (BBFC) British Board of Film Classification is an independant, non governmental body, that has been classifying cinema films since 1912, and has been setting guidelines for video work. The BBFC watches and classifys films and videoworks, making sure they stick to the quidelines which they have also set up as they feel some things may be unsuitable or inappropriate for certain age groups.
'U' has to make sure it is suitable for age four and over. It has to be set with a positive moral, and ensure that all violence, threat or horror, is counterbalanced. Any discrimination or discriminative behavior is not allowed. No references to any drugs are allowed, and it must contain a anti-drug message towards to target audience. There should be mild scary scenes which are short and the outcome must be reassuring. No behaviour which children may be tempted to copy is permitted. There must be only occasional nudity, with no sexual contact,if any it should be very mild eg. kissing, holding hands, and if needed there should only be references to making love. Its essential that only very mild bad language is used.
'PG' is known for being viewed but some scenes may be unsuitable for young children. A 'PG' should not discomfort or cause any disturbance to any children ages 8 or younger. Although parents are advised that if they feel that any of the content may be unsuitable for their child. Discriminative language or behaviour is extremely unlikely to be unacceptable unless its for an educational purposes. References to illegal drugs or drug misuse must also carry a positive message about anti-drugs. Scary or frightening scenes but be short and not intense. There must not be any potential bad behaviour that children may be likely to copy. There should only be mild bad language, and natural nudity, containing no sexual context, sexual contact may be implied making sure its only moderate, and infrequent. Must contain very moderate violence, without any detail, and no infliction on pain or injury.
'12A'/'12' is a category which is only been made for cinema films. No one younger then 12 is legally allowed to see a '12A' film unless accompanied by an adult. Both '12' and '12A' are classified with the same criteria, which in general is suitable for ages 12 and above. No child that is younger then 12 may but rent or watch a '12' rated video work. The Guidelines make sure that only moderate language is allowed, and any need of the use of strong language must be rarely used. Also any dicrimminative language or behaviour is not accepted unless it is clearly commended. There must also be infrequent misuse of drugs, and physical and psychological threat may be permitted as long as it is kept sustained. Sexual contact must be brief and dicsreet, and nudity is allowed. Sexual activity must be discreet and very briefly portayed within a scene. Sexual refrences must be mild and only what teenagersare suitable for. Only moderate violence allowed, with no real emphasis of, blood, and sexual violence.
'15' no one younger then 15 is allowed to watch, rent or buy a '15' rated video work. The video work must not contain any discrimminatory behaviour or language. Any dangerous behavioir should not have detail that may be copied, and can not endorse any behaviour such as, hanging, suicide, selfharming etc. Only frequent use of bad language, the occasional stronger language may only be allowed if justified by the context, and if repeated its not suitable for a '15'. Nudity is only allowed without any strong detail to sexual context, unless its educational purposes. Sexual activity is allowed to be shown without any real strong detail. Works where the purpose of sexual stimulation or arousal in generally unacceptable. No theme is endorsed unless is appropriate for 15 year olds. Violence should not dwell on the infliction of serious injury or pain, and the stonger images like gore are unlikely to be acceptable.
'18' is only suitable for adults and no one younger than 18 is allowed to see a '18' in a cinema, and they are not allowed to rent or buy any 18' rated video works. Due to the Human Rights Acts 1998 at age 18, the BBFCs quidelines state that adults are free to have thier own opinion on the entertainment they view, althought the BBFC feels that the guideline concerns shouldnt normally override the principle. Exceptions are allowed like, sexual activity images may be allowed, and containing images of real sex, sexual explicit images, and very stong sexual images must be made to 'R18' the content thats unsuitable for 'R18' is also unacceptable for '18'.
'R18' is a special classification mainly because they are only shown to adults in specially licensed cinemas, or supplied in licensed sex shops. No material which is in breach of the law is allowed, and any sexual activity which can encourage abusive sexual behaviour is to be endorsed. Which could incluse adults role-playing as not being adults, also any sexual activity which involves having no consent is not allowed, and any infliction of pain or phyical harm, is forbidden.
These guidelines apply for trailers and advertisements, too. There must not be any adverts or trailers shown in a viewing which aren't suitable for the movie being shown. Although the content in the trailer is suitable for the classified film, it will encourage the audience to watch it (the trailer's purpose), however they will not be able to see it. This is unprofessional.
From looking at these guidelines, we are going to classify our thriller project as a 15 because violence will be roughly used, and strong language will occur in parts. Nudity will be used to a low level, but overall themes have forced us to lift our cerdificate to a 15. If we included the slightest more violence or nudity, it would be pushed to an 18, but we feel that this is not the case.
'U' has to make sure it is suitable for age four and over. It has to be set with a positive moral, and ensure that all violence, threat or horror, is counterbalanced. Any discrimination or discriminative behavior is not allowed. No references to any drugs are allowed, and it must contain a anti-drug message towards to target audience. There should be mild scary scenes which are short and the outcome must be reassuring. No behaviour which children may be tempted to copy is permitted. There must be only occasional nudity, with no sexual contact,if any it should be very mild eg. kissing, holding hands, and if needed there should only be references to making love. Its essential that only very mild bad language is used.
'PG' is known for being viewed but some scenes may be unsuitable for young children. A 'PG' should not discomfort or cause any disturbance to any children ages 8 or younger. Although parents are advised that if they feel that any of the content may be unsuitable for their child. Discriminative language or behaviour is extremely unlikely to be unacceptable unless its for an educational purposes. References to illegal drugs or drug misuse must also carry a positive message about anti-drugs. Scary or frightening scenes but be short and not intense. There must not be any potential bad behaviour that children may be likely to copy. There should only be mild bad language, and natural nudity, containing no sexual context, sexual contact may be implied making sure its only moderate, and infrequent. Must contain very moderate violence, without any detail, and no infliction on pain or injury. 
'12A'/'12' is a category which is only been made for cinema films. No one younger then 12 is legally allowed to see a '12A' film unless accompanied by an adult. Both '12' and '12A' are classified with the same criteria, which in general is suitable for ages 12 and above. No child that is younger then 12 may but rent or watch a '12' rated video work. The Guidelines make sure that only moderate language is allowed, and any need of the use of strong language must be rarely used. Also any dicrimminative language or behaviour is not accepted unless it is clearly commended. There must also be infrequent misuse of drugs, and physical and psychological threat may be permitted as long as it is kept sustained. Sexual contact must be brief and dicsreet, and nudity is allowed. Sexual activity must be discreet and very briefly portayed within a scene. Sexual refrences must be mild and only what teenagersare suitable for. Only moderate violence allowed, with no real emphasis of, blood, and sexual violence. 
'15' no one younger then 15 is allowed to watch, rent or buy a '15' rated video work. The video work must not contain any discrimminatory behaviour or language. Any dangerous behavioir should not have detail that may be copied, and can not endorse any behaviour such as, hanging, suicide, selfharming etc. Only frequent use of bad language, the occasional stronger language may only be allowed if justified by the context, and if repeated its not suitable for a '15'. Nudity is only allowed without any strong detail to sexual context, unless its educational purposes. Sexual activity is allowed to be shown without any real strong detail. Works where the purpose of sexual stimulation or arousal in generally unacceptable. No theme is endorsed unless is appropriate for 15 year olds. Violence should not dwell on the infliction of serious injury or pain, and the stonger images like gore are unlikely to be acceptable.
'18' is only suitable for adults and no one younger than 18 is allowed to see a '18' in a cinema, and they are not allowed to rent or buy any 18' rated video works. Due to the Human Rights Acts 1998 at age 18, the BBFCs quidelines state that adults are free to have thier own opinion on the entertainment they view, althought the BBFC feels that the guideline concerns shouldnt normally override the principle. Exceptions are allowed like, sexual activity images may be allowed, and containing images of real sex, sexual explicit images, and very stong sexual images must be made to 'R18' the content thats unsuitable for 'R18' is also unacceptable for '18'.
'R18' is a special classification mainly because they are only shown to adults in specially licensed cinemas, or supplied in licensed sex shops. No material which is in breach of the law is allowed, and any sexual activity which can encourage abusive sexual behaviour is to be endorsed. Which could incluse adults role-playing as not being adults, also any sexual activity which involves having no consent is not allowed, and any infliction of pain or phyical harm, is forbidden.These guidelines apply for trailers and advertisements, too. There must not be any adverts or trailers shown in a viewing which aren't suitable for the movie being shown. Although the content in the trailer is suitable for the classified film, it will encourage the audience to watch it (the trailer's purpose), however they will not be able to see it. This is unprofessional.
From looking at these guidelines, we are going to classify our thriller project as a 15 because violence will be roughly used, and strong language will occur in parts. Nudity will be used to a low level, but overall themes have forced us to lift our cerdificate to a 15. If we included the slightest more violence or nudity, it would be pushed to an 18, but we feel that this is not the case.
Thriller Music
The music within a thriller film is usually dark and constant, with a big build-up of instruments and various stings in the music, where appropriate with the visuals. This is used to help build up tension and makes the audience think something bad is going to happen because of the ominous tones. Although the sound is usually conjoined with what is happening within the mise-en-scene, there are occasions where the music seems irrelevant. Crescendo's are used a lot in thrillers, to make the audience jump and feel uneasy, especially at awkward times in the film.
Music within a thriller films is usually quite distintive. The film makers generally tend to use the music to create suspense and add tension to the scene this is usually done by having a fast drum beat as this makes the audience think something bad will happen (like in Jaws). The music that is used also generally fits with what is playing on screen as it is a very useful tool to 'play' with the audiences emotions.
Music within a thriller films is usually quite distintive. The film makers generally tend to use the music to create suspense and add tension to the scene this is usually done by having a fast drum beat as this makes the audience think something bad will happen (like in Jaws). The music that is used also generally fits with what is playing on screen as it is a very useful tool to 'play' with the audiences emotions.
Thursday 17 February 2011
Thursday 17th February
Today we did the last few bits of our filming (scene 2), and made sure that all our clips were captured and saved on Final Cut. We also reviewed our blog and gave each other tasks to complete and hopefully extend our grade over half term.
Half Term Tasks
classification- every classification and our classification.
target audience- who our project is aimed at.
mark scheme- what level we think we're at.
title sequence- fonts and colours (with meaning).
target audience- who our project is aimed at.
mark scheme- what level we think we're at.
title sequence- fonts and colours (with meaning).
Filming Evaluation
Scene 1 was filmed on the evening of Saturday the 12th of February by Harriet at her house. Harriet was the camera-man, and her brother the 'unknown' actor. The shooting schedule was used and appeared to be a help, although changes were made which slightly changed the schedule. The props that we used really created the atmosphere that we were hoping for, and the lighting was how we were expecting it to be, although during the rehearsal shot, we realised that shadows were going to be needing more attention, so it would disrupt the piece as little as possible, although some were unavoidable. On the other hand, these shadows added to the anticipated atmosphere. We were also unfortunate to not be able to get hold of a dolly for the opening tracking shot, which would have made it more professional. We tried to overcome this problem by using a office chair (on wheels), but the camera was too low and the shots still came out wobbly, so in the end we were forced to do it hand-held. If we were to film this scene again, that would be a problem that would easily be able to be avoided, and we would have thought about it in more advance. Another problem which we had to adapt to, was that we hadn't got a picture of scene 2 which was going to allow the transition between the two scenes. This was due to bad organisation within the group and which we should have not had a problem with. But it happened, and Harriet filmed as much as she could have, with varieties of endings, as we will have to change our plans about this part of the project in the editing stage, and with many varieties we will have a range of ideas to choose from. Lastly, we thought that the filming would have looked better in one continuous shot, rather than several short ones joined with transitions, which wasn't seen in the shooting schedule. This is where the schedule proved to be unhelpful, and it also proved hard for both the camera-man and the actor to keep focus for such a long period of time, and doing everything as planned in order. This is why we had filmed many shots before we got one sequence that had actually worked, which, if the actor was a group member would have saved a lot of time and effort. However, the final product was close to what we were expecting, and came out surprisingly well for the problems we encountered.
Scene 2 was filmed over two days; Monday the 14th and Thursday the 17th of February, during the daytime in lesson. This was convenient for us as our location for this scene was on the college site, so we didn't have any troubles with transport. However, on the Thursday we came across another group which was recording around the same area as us. Both of the groups worked together to give each other time to film without the other group disturbing them. It was also useful for us as we were missing a character, so one of them kindly stepped in to help us film. The natural light between these two days were slightly different, as were the characters hair(!) which we didn't think about before! This would have affected continuity, but we decided to re-record the filming we did on Monday, again on Thursday, and this went smoothly as we already knew what to film, and how to go about doing this. Another problem we had was the unwanted ambient sound which we picked up. Filming right next to a railway track and a main road meant that we had to try our best to time the shots, at the best possible times. Also, although the rustling of the leaves gave a good effect, it meant that we could hear the cameraman moving which is really unprofessional. However, this was unavoidable and we will have to change this during the editing stage, perhaps by using a soundover. We managed to record background sound if this is the case. Overall, this scene didn't go as well as the first scene, but we managed to get it all filmed and hopefully the editing will allow us to improve it.
Scene 2 was filmed over two days; Monday the 14th and Thursday the 17th of February, during the daytime in lesson. This was convenient for us as our location for this scene was on the college site, so we didn't have any troubles with transport. However, on the Thursday we came across another group which was recording around the same area as us. Both of the groups worked together to give each other time to film without the other group disturbing them. It was also useful for us as we were missing a character, so one of them kindly stepped in to help us film. The natural light between these two days were slightly different, as were the characters hair(!) which we didn't think about before! This would have affected continuity, but we decided to re-record the filming we did on Monday, again on Thursday, and this went smoothly as we already knew what to film, and how to go about doing this. Another problem we had was the unwanted ambient sound which we picked up. Filming right next to a railway track and a main road meant that we had to try our best to time the shots, at the best possible times. Also, although the rustling of the leaves gave a good effect, it meant that we could hear the cameraman moving which is really unprofessional. However, this was unavoidable and we will have to change this during the editing stage, perhaps by using a soundover. We managed to record background sound if this is the case. Overall, this scene didn't go as well as the first scene, but we managed to get it all filmed and hopefully the editing will allow us to improve it.
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