Problems and how they were overcome during making of our final product: 20/03/09

Chosing the styles of shots. We overcame this by experimenting with different shot types and angles to see which were most effective in establishing what was in within the frame and which best suited the film's genre.

Time handling. This was an issue at the very start of filming as we too too much time filiming one particular shot before moving onto the next. We then changed our minds on the content of the shot/shot type and returned to refilm! After having reminded ourselves we didn't have a vast amount of time to complete the task, we allocated ourselves a reasonable amount of time when filming each shot.

Lighting effects. We experienced issues with lighting during the shots of the killer's hand. We originally had the lights switched off and used a torch to shine on the piece of paper which was being written on by the killer. This failed as nothing could be seen very clearly at all and so thus left the lights switched on. The problem with this, we thought, would be that no eerie, morse effect would be created. We then explored the FinalCut software and discovered the light filters. We applied a red/black colour filter to the frame to achieve the effect.

Choice of music. We were rather indecisive as to which sounds were best suited in creating our aimed melancholy mood. We overcame our indecisiveness by asking for a second opinion and by judging how we would feel ourselves if watching the opening sequence as a member of the public (and not someone involved in the production of the film).

Marking in and out when syncing footage to the computer- some footage was cut off / difficult to work with. This problem was experienced during filming the original office scene as we started filming the action too soon. We overcame this problem by starting filming at least four or five seconds before the action within the frame begins and leaving the camera filming for a further four seconds once the action has stopped. In doing this, we were able to edit and shorten clips more easily.

Mise-en-scene did not surfice. The original location for the office scene, being the white coridoor with a photocopying machine in, did not look convincing enough to be an office. We also experienced issues with background noise due to the accoustics of the room. We decided instead to use the Media Office, consisting of typical office features such as folders and computers. The room's accoustics also meant that we didn't have any interfering background noise which would effect the sound quality of what the actors were saying.

Other lists

Equipment List:

• Camera
• Cassette
  
• Tripod
• Something to eat/drink (if the filming time is a long one)
• Microphone

Prop List:

• Newspaper
• Some sort of fake blood
• Regular paper
• Pens
• Photos

Group Jobs:

• Jade - Camera, actress (female detective), sound, editing
• Lucy - Idea for the plot, killer's hand shots, prop organiser, editing and storyboarded.
• Alasdair - Dead man in photo, camera, sound and editing
• Steven - Camera, actor (male detective), sound, editing

Locations:

• Reigate Priory for shot of woods/grassy area just outside the college building
• Reigate town centre.
• Killer's base (Location not yet chosen.)
• The coridoor with photocopier for the detective's office

Shot list

Shot List:

• Low shot looking up at tree canopy.
  
• Tilt down to medium shot of trees.
  
• Pan shot of street.
  
• Static shot of another location in the street x2.
• Close up of photo of dead man in newspaper.
• Close up of name on list, name crossed out.
• Tilt down to close up of other name on list
• Cut back to Photo, zoom out to over shoulder shot of man reading newspaper.
• Medium or close up of man reading newspaper.
• 180 degree reverse to protagonist spinning on chair to face imaginary person and speak one line.

Brief Analysis of a soundtrack-23/01/09

Analysing the sound in an opening sequence will give us an idea of what to include sound-wise in ours.

The sequence begins with a drone sounding like a foghorn which is consistent throughout with different sounds on top of it. The audio fits with what is shown in the shot- when the scroll flashes onto screen, a sudden sharp sound happens before retuning to the drone. Depending on how dramatic the image is on screen, the tension built by the music varies. There is the ambient sound of a heartbeat which comes in a little after the title sequence starts and seems to built up in volume. As the brief story of Leatherface unfolds the music becomes more eerie.

What now needs to be done-23/01/09

Thus far, we have:

-Decided on a genre for our film, being horror

-Analysed some opening sequence as inspiration for ours

-Decided on a plot with the help of a questionnaire and discussion

-Planned out a rough storyboard

-Experimented with the Soundtrack software

We now need to:

-Make an official storyboard

-Decide on locations and when would be the best time to use these locations

-Decide on title style and layout

-Decide who is going to act in our opening sequence and when they would be available to do so.

Possible musical score-23/01/09

We have explored possible background music using Soundtrack. We attempted to create an atmospheric and mood setting tone for the music that will be played during the short opening sequence. The music we composed lasted around 1:10, under the maximum time of the sequence.

We tried using piano and violin sounds to create an atmospheric score. We also used electronic noises such as mono-synths and drums as well as other specific sounds t add texture. This is just an experiment and in no way representative of the final product.

Results to the questionnaire-23/01/09

Which do you think would be most entertaining to watch and why?

-Plot three because it sounds thrilling

-Plot two because I’m interested in social factors

-Plot four because it looks interesting

-Plot two because I’m interested in Jack the Ripper

-Plot two because it sounds exciting

-Plot one because it sounds like the kind of thing I watch

Average answer:Plot Two 

 

Do you prefer a film to be controversial? If so, about anything in particular?

-Yes because it gives you something to talk about afterwards!

-Yes and preferably about situations I can relate to and understand

-Yes and not about anything in particular- certain bits of the film maybe.

-Not particularly, as long as the plot line is good.

-Yes and about whether or not things are accurately shown in the film.

-Don’t really mind.

Average answer: Yes

 

Do you enjoy a typical horror film or one with a completely contradicting subgenre such as romance?

-Yes otherwise it gets boring and samey

-Yes to prevent it getting repetitive

-Yes like comedy

-No because I don’t think that works

-Yes to give another side to it

-Preferably yes

 Average answer: yes

What time period do you like a horror film to be set in?

-Present time

-Any

-The present time makes it a bit dull

-No preference as long as the story’s good

-Now

-One set in the future would be different!

 Average answer: Present time

Do you have a preferred setting for a horror film?

-No

-Somewhere realistic

-Somewhere similar to where I live because then it’ll be more scary!

-Nope

-Woods are always scary, especially at night

-Not really

Average result: No particular setting

The results show that plot two is in favour of and that controversy is preferred. There is no specific setting preferred however most of those who answered like a horror film to be set in the present day, possibly to make the film more reflective of them and the film therefore more effective.

These results, along with discussion, we have decided on plot two, being the Jake the Ripper themed one. In making our decision we thought about how the opening sequence would appear and constructed a brief storyboard illustrating it and we think it would be a thrilling opening sequence. 

21/01/09- Plot ideas to be read by those answering the questionnaire

                                                Potential Plots for horror Film

 

Plot One

After a girl leaves her boyfriend’s house she is killed. Only the killer’s hand concealing the girl’s mouth can be seen to begin with. The boyfriend forgot to lock his back door from when he and his girlfriend were in the garden- he goes to lock the door not knowing the killer is inside the house and he is killed with the same knife- finding the killer is the objective of the film.

Two Plot

A plot based on Jack the Ripper, set in the modern day. A mystery woman, unknown as to who she actually is, stalks about killing men and collecting item of theirs. The significance of her chosen victims is not unveiled until the end of the film. The idea that she is a radical feminist is discussed in the film and current social issues affecting capitalism and women are raised throughout the film.

 

Plot Three

The plot revolves around people who wake up alone and disorientated in a forest and are later stalked by a mysterious hooded man.  The search for this man and way of saving his victims is the main plot.

 

Plot Four

The plot is modelled around a discovery made by a passing by couple of a college full of dead bodies. Finding who or what has caused these murders is the main plot line. 

Questionnaire about plots to be answered by peers 20/01/09

A questionnaire is an effective way of finding out film preferences thus allowing us to shape our idea around what it widely enjoyed.

Which do you think would be most entertaining to watch and why?

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Do you prefer a film to be controversial? If so, about anything in particular?

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Do you enjoy a typical horror film or one with a completely contradicting subgenre such as romance?

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

What time period do you like a horror film to be set in?

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Do you have a preferred setting for a horror film?

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Possible plot discussion-16/01/09

After having discussed potential plots, we have the idea of basing the film on a modernized, female Jack the Ripper style. This would be an interesting plot as it has not been done before and it would require a range of interesting camera shots and angles. 

More Analysis of Opening Sequences 14/1/2009

Today we decided that watching more opening sequences of horror movies would widen our i ideas what to do for our own. The first sequence we analyzed was for "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning".

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The mood is set immediately with the low key lighting and droning music. Instead of showing a constant running clip of something happening, they instead used lots of different clips of different things happening over the years, starting with the pictures of the major character Leatherface as a child. It then progresses on to show him having his face wrapped to hide his genetic illness and then him burning his old photos as if to hide his existence or past. This introduces the film's major theme. It uses a sepia tone in the sequence to give it an oldish look and it is an unnerving and sinister effect. The dreary music, sharp at points where the shots change, also seems fairly sinister or evil. Some of the shot durations are fairly long to emphasize what it is the frame. The shot duration speeds up at points and flashes to the next, giving the sequence an adrenalized effect. It also shows some old memories including some of him in a crop field which could show an important theme to the film. The shot durations are always short and cutting from one to another fairly fast.

The structure of this opening sequence has inspired us to do similar as we think it is effective in establishing the mood and plot of the film.

Below is an opening sequence for the 2004 remake of Dawn of the Dead.



The sequence opens abruptly with a close-up shot of a zombie's mouth before flashing to a bold, red title on a black background, making it more striking. A similar shot as the zombie mouth is used before flashing back to the title as it 'drains' away like blood. Shots of the actor's names on a black background and shots of zombies screaming are switched between with a very short shot duration, showing a state of emergency. The idea of blood and death is maintained by how the titles are shown 'draining' away like blood. A conference is heard faintly in the background, behind the screams, introducing a significant plot line and we also see brief shots of the conference. There is a 'broken TV screen' effect, conveying disruption.

Contrapuntal music is used during the later shots of the massacres as well as microscopic shots of cellular infection showing that the virus is a serious issue raised in the film. The effect of contrapuntal music is to, in this case, reflect the confusing and non-sensical montage of images (which will likely be clearer to viewers after having watched the film).

Overall, the sequences we have analyzed today have given up further an idea of what to include in our own. We are against the idea of using contrapuntal music as this is fairly risky and ...

Target audience

Today we begin the research into the target audience of our sequence. Since our chosen genre is horror it would be thought that the target audience is over a certain age (eg: 18). The movie 'Scream' is rated 18 because with specific violence and gore. According to IMDB.com those who rated 'Scream' the highest were under the age of 18 and most of those who voted were male however this does not define a target audience alone as you can see from the results there were nearly thirty times more vote for those over the age of 18. It would be presumed that the producer of 'Scream' were aiming for a male audience over the age of 18.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0117571/ratings
^Click to view^


The next movie we shall look at is 'The Texas chainsaw massacre: The beginning'. Like Scream this is rated 18 and the average rating was higher for those aged under 18, also the majority were males. But similarly to "Scream" there were a much greater number of votes by those aged over 18. However being a more recent film than "Scream" this is surprising because of the rise in underage exposure to explicit content at a pre-mature age.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0420294/ratings>Click here to view ratings
^Click to view^


Next we look at Dawn of the Dead. Like the previous two the highest number of those who rated were over 18 but the people who rated it highest were under 18. We can see a pattern emerging here. More people over the age of 18 are watching these films, which means the productions are meeting their target audiences, however the ones who rated it the highest were those under 18.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0363547/ratings
^Click to view ^

^_^.. Yay.

Discussions 13/1/2009

We have discussed possible locations for our opening sequence. Which ones are available and suitable and when we would be the best times to use them. So far areas on, around and nearby the college site such as Priory Park and the Castle Grounds we believe would be suitable and easily accessible. Problems with filming on the college site would be levels of noise and disruption from both us and those not involved in our project. We may interfere and cause a nuisance to lessons so, if we need to film a particularly loud part of the sequence near a classroom, we would need to ask that teacher's permission or film outside that lesson time. During break and lunch times, unless we want people in the background, would also need to be thought about.

Any section of the sequence which involves being shot at night would be difficult due to only being able to film during the day. We would need to arrange a time to stay behind college until (at the moment, it gets dark from around four o'clock which is convenient) in which to film.

Final choice of genre 13/1/2009

Despite having previously deciding against the idea of making a horror film, we have realised that this genre is. for us, best suited for an opening sequence. This is due to how we have more ideas of plot for this particular genre than any other. We also have in mind effective ways of filming.

To provide us with a further idea of how a typical horror film's opening sequence looks and sounds like, we have analysed one:



The name of the film (Scream) appears at the very beginning of the sequence, just after the production credits (Dimension Films), in a style that conveys the idea of bleakness and looks
unnerving. As the title compresses from being stretched into the centre, it turns red and this, along with the defined sound of a knife chopping as well as a scream gives audiences a sense of what will be a major theme in the film. The sound bridge of the telephone ringing, which overlays into the first scene, signifies the phone, i.e., suggesting it is significant to the plot.
The frequent use of close-up shots enables us to see detail such as the phone and facial expressions clearly and we may follow this technique when producing our own sequence. The next scene begins with a low-angle shot craning down to a long-shot of a house among its surroundings. This establishes the setting and the idea that the house is being spied on. In this shot, the colours are bleak and dark to create the mood. This is an important factor to consider when creating our opening sequence. We could use colours with specific connotations.

The sequence introduces the plot instead of merely showing titles and establishing the mood of the film. Whether or not we will follow this style of opening sequence will be discussed.

As well as taking a look at an opening sequence, we are looking into target audience.

Genre Discussion 7/1/2009

Today we discussed which genre we would use for our film opening sequence. Comedy seems to be the prime choice but we are worried about how to achieve this. Most seem to be doing horror so we are agreeing on not using this genre. Other potential genres are surrealism, action, thriller and psychological/sociological.

The issue with a comedy is that it is a risky genre to use due to it needing to be clear that it is indeed a comedy and needs a sub-genre, such as romance, along with it otherwise there'd be no plot!

Surrealism is also a tricky genre to achieve successfully as the effects used may merely confuse instead of interest viewers and an appropriate plot is needed.


When analysing a series of opening sequences, we found a few quite inspiring, the sequence for '11:14' in particular.



The graphics, being the actors' names and symbols mimicking cars driving on a road, are enticing and thought-provoking as their meaning is unclear. The sequence opens with the camera ''circle-zooming'' from a close-up of a zebra crossing. The dark colours and misty effect introduces the film as sinister. This shows us that we need to make our opening sequence reflect the overall tone of the film.