Christmas Break

It’s the Christmas Holidays so this Blog is closed for two weeks!
19th Dec – 5th Jan

My Opinion on our Fonts and Sound

We have chosen our final font which I am really happy with. It looks like something that would relate to war with the imperfect looking letters. They look old and scratched with gaps in them which could signify gun shots or knife wounds that our main character uses to kill his victims. We have decided to use this font for our title of our film, as well as the titles and credits that will appear throughout the opening sequence. We have therefore chosen the colour black for practical reasons; so that it stands out in front of the action that will be going on in the foreground. We also chose this colour as when we tested a colour such as red, it looked to amateur and unprofessional.

The music that we have chosen for our soundtrack is Dark Wastelands by Tillman Sillescu. This was chosen as we believe it fits our sequence well. Some parts of it resemble the sound of marching soldiers which again relates to the prominent theme of war. The start of the sequence is also perfect for the beginning of our opening sequence as it’s quite subtle and we are going to have non-diegetic sounds of gun shots, screaming and bombs over the soundtrack while the protagonist is having his nightmare. It is also possible to increase the volume in parts where it is more important such as when the main character opens the draw in the kitchen and reveals the knife and poppies. This builds the tension. We can also decrease the volume where it needs to be less obvious such as when there is dialogue taking place, for example during the news broadcasting and when the protagonist is on the phone to his mother.

Overall I’m really happy with our chosen font and soundtrack and I think it fits really well with our idea.

Re-Shoot

We have decided to have a re-shoot which will be done in the Christmas holidays. This was done after we put the whole sequence together and realised that a few shots didn’t work well once in the sequence. We also had a few problems with lighting in the last few shots of the sequence because we ran out of time and it had got dark by the time we shot these.

We also had other problems such as the bed covers being too prominent and feminine. So as have decided to re-shoot the nightmare sequence with plain white covers so as not to distract the eye of the viewer and fit with the masculine view of the main character.

As a group, we have decided to change the shot of the character going down the stairs to make it shorter and therefore less boring. We chose to shoot the last few steps of the stairs and let the character walk into the shot and then pan across to the door of the bedroom. This takes out unnecessary footage that isn’t needed. The other shots that we have to re-shoot are the shots of the news broadcasting on the television and the reaction to this of the main character.

We have arranged 2 shooting days just in case we don’t finish in time on the first day. Hopefully this should be our last re-shoot and then we can just concentrate on editing.

Editing

We have managed to put our sequence together but have decided to reshoot some parts to improve the shots. We’ve still got quite a bit to do but we’ve added a soundtrack which I think works really well and ties in with the sequence. Once we’ve reshot in the holidays and replaced some shots with better versions, I think the sequence will look a lot better. We still have to add in all our titles, record the news broadcasting and design and put in the newspaper and image clips into the sequence. This will all be done when we return from our break. So far though it’s going well and I’m looking forward to seeing the finished piece.

Second Shoot

We had our second shoot on Saturday which went really well. We arrived at 12 and began filming straight away. This gave us loads of time to shoot every shot in our opening sequence, and also meant that the shots filmed last week could be re-shot, giving us more choice. We had planned already to re-shoot many shots, such as the waking up scene and the rummaging in the wardrobe, therefore it was very useful.

We started by recording the dialogue that Ben will say while he is on the phone to his mother. This means that if the dialogue is unclear in the shots we film, we can add this in after.

During filming, we managed to get more successful shots in less takes due to more organisation such as a shot list that we followed well, which meant we had more time to finish and spend longer on other shots. This also meant that we could film some shots that weren’t planned, such as from different angles and distances. This gives us a lot more variety and makes it much easier when editing.

We also filmed other types of shots such as altering the first few shots to the man having a nightmare and we see this while he’s sleeping as he’s twisting and turning. Then as he wakes up and sits up abruptly, it cuts to a shot directly in front of him and he’s breathing heavily. We also thought of an idea to have sound such as bombs and gun shots while he’s having a nightmare and this also stops suddenly when he wakes up. The soundtrack would then gradually fade in. This was just an idea that we thought of on the day, therefore we will see how it turned out during editing, and make a decision of whether to include it in or not.

Lighting in the house was a lot brighter than last week. This means the shots we film will be lighter, clearer and of better quality. Then if we want to darken any shots, we can do this on the computer whilst editing to get the effect that we are aiming for.

Shots that we couldn’t do last week due to not having the props were done today, such as the pan of the war photos and medal.

After receiving feedback yesterday from Mrs B about the poppies in the draw, we decided to line the draw with black material, and have five poppies lined up extremely neatly in a line under the knife, signifying that he has five more to kill. This would match the five men not crossed out in the photo, but circled in red.

Overall the shoot went really well, just hope its all ok when we edit. [There are a few photos on the group blog]

Next Week:
-Shot of the news on the television.
-Any re-shoots.
-Lots of editing.

Script

Below, is the final draft of our script; which takes place between the protagonist and his mother, over the phone. We will only be able to hear his side of the conversation, therefore we didn't write out a script for the mother.

[phone rings]

Killer:
[picks up the phone]
Hello...? Oh hi mum, yeah I'm fine.

The camera pans across the window-sill to show the blacked out photograph of his battalion, and a war medallion.

It then cuts to the killer again, tracking him as he heads towards the kitchen

I just saw it now; [ironically] it's awful how they keep finding more bodies...

[Pauses in wait for his mother's response]

I'm not a soldier anymore mum...[shows slight sign of distress] I left that behind years ago.

[Assertively; almost resentfully] Look, I'll be fine; if there's one thing I learnt out there, it was how to look after myself

[Turns to look at the drawer]

I'm just on my way out, can I call you back later?

Okay, take care, bye mum.

As he puts the phone down, he moves towards the drawer. On opening it, we see a close up of several poppies and a knife inside. He places the knife in his back pocket, picks up a poppy, and leaves the house.

Anticipation of Problems Summary

In the lesson today, our group came up with a list of things that we have identified as our strengths and weaknesses so far in the project. In summary, we found that:

• We thought our organisational skills were pretty good. We had one incident involving equipment, where Selina forgot to hand in the Group Folder along with the camera. However, in general we tend to plan things out beforehand, therefore we are very well organised on shoots; so as to assure that no time is wasted etc.
• Initially, we had a slight problem with communication. For example we had made plans without getting the teacher's approval. Also one of us was absent without informing the rest of the group therefore it was difficult to organise things. Nevertheless, we have all learnt from these errors and have improved our communication. Now we are extremely good at communicating with each other - we say how we feel, we update our blogs with thoughts and reflections and we all have each other's phone numbers, in case of emergencies. We feel that communication is now really one of our strongest points.
• We are particularly good when it comes to the technical side of things. Whoever is in charge of returning the equipment always knows to fully charge the batteries and lights, ready for the next shoot. We all know how to use the equipment we were given and we all have a very decent knowledge of camera techniques (i.e. framing, shot types, continuity etc). This makes the shoots run smoother and more efficiently as we all know how to use the equipment.
• Finally, and probably our strongest area, is the group dynamics. Because there are only three of us, it would be difficult for us to form 'divisions' within the group etc. Also because there are always so many tasks to be carried out, we all make sure we contribute as best we can; be it with the planning, shooting, editing or blogging. Whenever there is a problem, we usually all see it and try to tackle it together, respecting each other's opinions without being rude or getting personal. We have had no fights so far and we are really pleased with our progress.

The Real Shoot

We had our real shoot yesterday which went really well. We all arrived at 12 to finish paperwork for an hour or so. This was really helpful as it meant we could finish a script for Ben, with his dialogue on the phone to his mother. We tried to make it as realistic as possible and avoided the comical effect that we got when we did it during the test shoot.

We did manage to shoot quite a few shots, however we didn’t shoot all the shots for the opening sequence. This was firstly down to time, something as simple as a feet shot (when he got out of bed) took nearly 20 takes to get it perfect. Also the shot of the character going down the stairs was quite difficult as Ben is so tall, he kept banging his head on the ceiling above the stairs, this took another 12 takes. The lighting was also different to the test shoot, it was darker, therefore we had to use the lighting equipment which took quite long to get looking perfect in the shot. Apart from this though, we did take some good shots that will hopefully work, looking forward to watching it properly next week.

Another reason that we couldn’t shoot all the shots was that we didn’t have all the props necessary, such as all the poppies for the draw and the photo of the battalion and war medal for the pan across the shelf. However we plan to do these all next week.

Overall the shoot went really well and we know exactly what shots we have left to film, and hoping the shots that we took yesterday turn out good. There are also a few photos on the group blog.

Meeting Before Shoot

In our lesson today, we were preparing for our real shoot tomorrow.
A rough idea of what we did:
-Ben managed to complete a rough storyboard that we can follow for the shoot.
-We started our script, which we plan to finish and finalise before we shoot tomorrow.
-In the lesson, we also developed the war idea further, by thinking of props that we could add in, especially relating to war.
-We’ve decided to add in shots such as, a track along a shelf, showing a war medal, a photo of a battalion with certain faces marked out with a cross on the photo. Also a shot of the character opening the wardrobe to get changed and the audience seeing a solider uniform. This is right at the start so it will immediately give a slight clue to the audience.
-We’ve decided to film slightly later in the day, to get less bright daylight into the shots, in order to create the right atmosphere.
-Changed the shot of where he picks up the knife, to a shot of him taking it out of a draw in the kitchen.

I feel prepared for the shoot tommorrow, I think we have done everything that we need and that is urgent, we just have to complete the script for dialogue and finalise our shooting script, and we'll be ready to go.

Props

Props List:
-Knife
-Photos (of a battalion with marked crosses through some faces)
-War Medal
-Solider Uniform (hanging in wardrobe)
-Dog Tags
-Poppies
-Phone
-Mug of Tea
-Newspapers (added in on the computer)
-Ben’s Costume – white t-shirt, jeans (a normal daily outfit, again emphasising the fact that he is an average guy, therefore becoming more shocking when we discover that he is the killer. The colour white also means the dog tags stand out.)

The war signifiers are what the audience see glimpses of throughout the sequence, which shows them who he is and also makes them aware that he is the killer, after hearing the news broadcast on the television and seeing the newspaper headlines.

Images in Jarhead, typical images that represent war:

Test Shoot Sequence

After watching the test shoot sequence, it gave me a chance to see what our final sequence will look similar to, what worked well and what didn’t work so well. It was quite simple to edit together as it is a continuity sequence. There were parts that I was very happy with, but I also noticed quite a few problems with it.

Problems we came across were:
-A few issues with continuity – some parts of the sequence don’t flow so well and it therefore looks unrealistic. The shots in the real opening sequence can be cut up with the shots of the flashes of newspapers and headlines; this could avoid any continuity problems that make the sequence look odd. We also need to watch for other continuity errors, such as the kitchen light was off in one shot, and the next shot it was suddenly on.
-The time of day - we shot the sequence during the day, which meant it was very bright. Despite the fact that we want to make the guy seem quite normal, with a normal day and starting off with him waking up, and then a shock at the end, we thought the sequence was slightly too bright, which didn’t fit the atmosphere that we wanted to create. For the real shoot, we can film it later in the day, to make it slightly darker.
-The script – for the test shoot, we didn’t have a proper script ready for Ben to read off of. Therefore it was made up on the spot, for the shots of him on the phone to his mother. This made it come across as quite comical and cheesy. For the real shoot, we will have to write a real script for him to learn and read off of.

Main Character Profile

This is the protagonist in our opening sequence - the infamous "Poppy Killer". He is an ex-soldier; having served in the Iraq War, where he was stranded by his battalion and had to fight his way out of the war zone alone. On returning back home, he makes it his mission to track down those who betrayed him, and seek his revenge...

We have decided to leave his name unknown, possibly throughout the whole film, but definitely in the opening sequence to emphasise his mystery. He will be referred to as The Poppy Killer, in the news broadcasting and in the newspapers. This is the only information that people know about this murderer as after killing his victims, he leaves a poppy by their side (a signifier of death and related to war.)We thought that Ben would play the role of him well because on the surface our character needs to represent a normal man but on the inside lays his dark secret.

This photo shows that this character will be wearing a green shirt over a white top which resembles the sort of clothing worn by soldiers whilst off-duty. His dog tags are a reminder of the war he was in and he is wearing a poppy in honour of those who were killed, and those who will be killed...

Test Shoot

We had our Test Shoot today, we shot both original ideas that we had and have made a decision to go ahead with the idea about a killer getting up, getting ready and off to kill another. We made this choice because we came across many problems with the other idea. I’m happy with this decision and think this opening sequence could work really well.
On the Test Shoot, me and Selina shared the roles of camera person, director, sound and production assistant. This was because Ben was in all the shots. We shared the roles fairly equally, and managed to shoot roughly the same amount of shots, giving us both practice for the real shoot.

The problems with my idea were:
-Location. The garage was too cluttered to get to the corner and we couldn’t find another one to film in.

-Acting. During our test shoot acting was a struggle and we thought it would be difficult to find someone who was suitable and wouldn’t mind acting in it.

However, whilst filming the other idea, we didn’t really come across many problems and discovered that it was fairly easy to film. We also timed what he had filmed and it came to 1min 45secs, therefore with credits, titles and other shots added in, such as newspaper articles, it should be close to the 2mins. We have also developed the idea further and made decisions of things that we could add in, such as the man having a conversation on the phone with his mother, in order to add in some dialogue. It will also make it quite creepy as the man will come across as a ‘mummy’s boy,’ having a larger impact on the audience when they discover he is in fact the murderer. Also the shot of where he picks up the knife, we decided to change to him taking it out of a draw, whilst in the kitchen. We thought this would look more effective, as it shows him opening the draw, and he audience are unsure what for, them see the knife.
We have also had an idea to develop the plot, about maybe something to do with the Iraq War. The killer could have been involved in the war, and now he is out on revenge to the other soldiers who gave up.
This gives us potential to add in slight hints related to the war, such as a solider uniform, dog tags, poppies, photos of a battalion (marked crosses though them to signify who has been killed). Then the clips and flashes of newspapers and headlines will make the audience completely aware of who he is. The newspapers will be in black and white, therefore we could add the red poppies to make them stand out.

Before the real shoot we had to have:
-Storyboarded our final idea with all the detail and changes, this will help us visualise it on the real shoot and therefore help with the shots.
-Decide on an icon that will signify the murders and be left with the victims (possibly a poppy)
-Research into newspaper things – headlines.
-Write the script for the conversation on the phone.
-Think about the overall idea and develop it a little.
-Decide on all the props needed for the real shoot.
-Maybe start thinking about possible soundtracks.

My Responsibilities

Tomorrow is going to be our first shoot as a group and I’m looking forward to testing out both of our ideas. Hopefully, from this we can make a final decision about which idea we shall go ahead with.

Tomorrow we will be arriving at 10am to Selina’s house and it’s my responsibility to bring the tripod and the mic. As Ben will be acting, it is mine and Selina’s role to direct, film and check sound during shooting.

Meeting

Next Meeting
During this meeting, we still couldn't make a decision on what idea to go ahead with. We gathered feedback from different people but they all had different opinions. We agreed with the positives and negatives that they put towards the ideas.
We have therefore decided to Test Shoot both ideas on Monday. From this we will see what types of shots work and which ones don't work so well. We can also test lighting and the location ideas for both openings.
From this Test Shoot, we hope to make our decision based mainly on what we found.
After we have made our decision, we will work towards finalising the location and sorting out the shots that we will do. We will also finalise our actors. If we choose the idea with just one character, we will just use Ben. However if we choose the other idea with the two main characters (the boy and the girl) we will also use Ben but will have to find a girl that will fit the role and can also act. She'd have to look like a typical, innocent female, that has got caught up in this situation that she doesn't want to be in. We would then test out the actor/s, take pictures and make them act scenes out. If we use the boy and girl, we would have to make sure they work well together and fit the idea.

Idea For Film Opening

I had an original idea which is slightly similar to the idea below, but changed bits after talking to Miss and realising that something simpler and easier to shoot would be more suitable, and also effective as an opening. It has the same overall concept and themes, but the idea that would be shown in the sequence is different. My original idea involved the same start, but had a different flashback that was all one sequence. It involved the killer following and stalking the girl and killing her. There was also another character involved (the girl’s boyfriend.) However we decided that this idea was too complicated to shoot and difficult with a lot of camera movement, point of view shots etc. It also seemed extremely time consuming, especially as we only have a limited amount of time to complete it. We therefore came up with another idea which I like more and think is a lot better.

The idea:
It's based around an obsessive killer, whose fixation causes him to do something he may regret. The scene would open on a male character sitting in the corner of a dark, empty room (however we just need to show the corner and could have a prop like a tray of food.) He seems quite disturbed and is therefore rocking back and forth, shivering, mumbling to himself and generally acting like he’s not quite right in the head. Then there can be a close-up of his feet (bare foot, dirty etc.) and it tilts up to introduce him properly as a character. He’s looking down at first but then looks up, straight into the camera. We will then enter his thoughts (zoom into eyes?) and see what he is thinking about. It will cut to him and this girl together, hugging, seeming happy but there is something going on. During this it will cut back to him in the corner. From the shots of the boy and girl, it will gradually begin to show them arguing, (she’s dumping him, but it’s completely unexpected to the boy). The boy is so in love that it has turned into an obsession and he can’t accept or understand why she is doing this. It then starts to get increasingly violent between the boy and girl, where the boy starts to get frustrated. Example of a shot could be she touches his arm saying “I’m sorry,” and in return he grabs her arm violently. There can be dialogue added in such as, Girl – “you’re hurting me,” “what’s wrong with you?!” “get off!” He’s silent. Throughout these shots, we will inter-cut with the shots of him in the corner, getting more and more uncomfortable, upset, distressed, seems like he’s suffering a lot. Eventually he kills the girl, and it abruptly cuts back to him in the corner, where he is sweating, breathing heavily. The final shot will be of the sound of the door opening and a woman (nurse?) entering and saying something like “here’s your medication,” and then it shows how the man is reluctant to take it.

The shots of the boy and girl could be shot in one sequence and then cut up into different shots that we will flash back to in the opening sequence. The shots of the boy in the corner can also be shot as one sequence, or a few and then cut up. For location, we would just need one room for the boy and girl and just a dark corner for the boy.

“If I can’t have her…no one can”

Possible Titles:
Obsession
Fixation
Love Obsession

Meetings

Second Meeting:
Our second group meeting didn’t have Selina; therefore we didn’t have her idea to compare. However, Ben and I went into more detail with the other idea and researched certain aspects of the opening sequence. We decided on parts we could add to the sequence to make it even more effective and planned some shots that we could test on our test shoot. We mainly concentrated on the shots that could be used in detail, and used the storyboard as a basic outline. We also thought about dialogue and sound effects. For the next meeting, we plan to make the choice of idea final and start going into more detail with that idea, for example different shots. This will then prepare us for shots that we could test on the approaching test shoot.

Group Meetings

First Meeting:
During our first group meeting for this project, Ben, Selina and I were concentrating on ideas that could be used for the opening sequence and whether it would fit our chosen genre of thriller/horror.
We had a few ideas that would work and managed to cut them down to my idea and Selina’s idea. However, we could not make a decision on which idea to go ahead with. We therefore decided to go off and consider our ideas in more detail and roughly storyboard them to make it more visual. We did this to make the process of choosing an idea easier.

Group Discussion – Initial Ideas

During our first lesson as a group today, we brainstormed some possible ideas and storylines that we could use for our film opening. As we were all interested in the thriller/horror genre and thought this could be the most effective as an opening, we developed ideas based around this. It has very specific generic signifiers so we thought we could produce something effective and recognisable for this genre.

As a group, we started by identifying and listing significant conventions generally seen in thriller and horror movies. This included:
-Typical themes – revenge, obsession, murder, stalking, being watched, fear
-Characters – male villain, woman victim
-Locations – ordinary home, abandoned buildings, alleyways, dark isolated places
-Key iconography – weapons (knives), blood, shadows, candles
-Lighting – dark, low key, unnatural light
-Camera movement - canted angles, zooms and jump cuts to create sense of disorientation, fear, paranoia
-Editing – alternating the pace of cuts to create and build tension
-Sound – screams, heartbeat, breathing, creaks, weather, creepy music

By the end of our discussion, we had produced a few ideas. The two that we most liked and thought would be the most practical are:
''Rose Killer'' idea - day in the life of the notorious killer, except we don't know it is him until the end
''Obsession'' idea - based on an obsessive man who killed his girlfriend out of his love-fueled fixation on her

We will develop these ideas further in a group meeting later.

Preliminary Task - Evaluation

1. Who did you work with and how did you manage the task between you?
My group consisted of me, Aarti, Nick and Simon. We split the tasks between us and mainly stuck to those specific roles. Planning and shooting jobs were shared quite equally. During shooting, Nick and Simon were the main actors, and Aarti and I split roles in the production process. We tried to split the roles of Director, Production Assistant, Camera Person and Sound Technician equally between us. During shots where one actor was not needed, they usually contributed to the shooting aspect by becoming a camera person. During editing, we also shared the jobs equally, with each of us spending the same amount of time on it each. We’d spend about 10 minutes editing and then rotate, so the next person could try.

2. How did you plan your sequence? What processes did you use?
During planning, we all made contributions to the ideas for the short clip and techniques to use when shooting and editing. We decided on a location and then we all created the shot list between us and placed them in the order they would appear in. We did this with the help of a basic diagram of the location. We then shared the storyboarding of the shots, each drawing a specific amount of shots (4 each as the total was 16). Nick and Simon then created the script for dialogue. We then had a walkthrough of the action and dialogue to make sure it worked and looked right. The planning process meant it was a lot clearer and we were very prepared when it came to filming it.

3. What technology did you use to complete the task, and how did you use it?
During shooting we used a digital, mini-dv camera, tripod and a microphone with headphones. The camera was attached to the tripod in order to manipulate it into different positions, angles and distances. A microphone and headphones were attached to the camera and the mic was pointed in the direction of the action. This gave us clearer sound and helped mainly with dialogue in the scene. During editing, we used the programme Adobe Premier Pro to do non-linear editing. It was fairly simple to use as we just used cuts and had prepared the order of the shots beforehand. The shots were based on a timeline that we could zoom into and cut up the clips. We added a title to the start and also added a fade effect at the end to make it less abrupt.

4. What factors did you have to take into account when planning, shooting and editing?
When planning, shooting and editing our sequence, there were many factors that we had to consider. Firstly we had to think about the brief and plan something around this basic outline. We also had to think about our limits on time and therefore we needed action that would be able to be shot in the allocated time, and we also needed simple editing. With the location, we had to consider its suitability and whether it would fit with our sequence. With this, we had to take into consideration any background noise and how we would control it, this also includes keeping the area we needed clear so that no one walked into our shot whilst we were filming, that weren’t actors. We also had to consider whether lighting would be a problem; however it wasn’t as we chose to film in the media block which was brightly lit anyway, and this also meant weather wasn’t an issue. During planning, we had to produce a shot list and therefore consider angles, distances, camera movement and continuity techniques such as the 180 degree rule. During editing, we cut up the shots with about 1 second free either side, to make sure we didn’t cut off too much. This technique was also used in shooting, where after ‘Action’ and ‘Cut’ we would leave a couple of seconds.

5. How successful was your sequence? Please identify what worked well, and with hindsight, what would you improve/do differently?
The main aim for this task was to present good continuity, and I think we did this quite well with our clip. I thought our match on actions in the sequence were very successful and flowed well. This happens when Nick is entering the room, from pushing the door handle, we see his hand, entering the room, placing the bag on the table, opening the book, Simon looking over his shoulder, and then showing Simon’s POV of the book. The acting by the two actors comes accross as quite natural, which we wanted to show. There is also no issues with lighting. There is a bit of camera sound, however this is extremely difficult to avoid. Also I thought the dialogue was clear enough anyway, so the extra sound didn’t really affect the sequence much. In hindsight, I would make the initial pan slightly smoother, however I don’t believe there were any obvious continuity errors that we could have changed.

6. What have you learnt from completing this task? Looking ahead, how will this learning be significant when completing the rest of your foundation coursework, do you think?
From completing this task, I have learnt that continuity is an extremely vital part of any piece of film. We tried to keep the sequence simple as we had to follow the brief, whilst still expressing the use of good continuity techniques, however it has shown that planning and preparation for this before shooting is very important. I noticed that if you plan all shots; the types of shots, the order to shoot them and where they will be edited together, it results in clearer and smooth shooting and editing. When I come to do the rest of my coursework I think this learning will be significant, as it has shown me what sort of planning I should do, techniques I can use during shooting and has reminded me of editing techniques.

Horror Film Posters

These ‘Saw’ posters definitely represent a horror movie. The main focus of them is the body parts displayed; part of an arm and part of a leg and foot. Both posters anchor the title and therefore give an idea to the audience as to what the film is about. The title of the film is pretty self explanatory; however the body parts anchor the meaning further. The arm and leg are also very repulsive and disgusting, showing people the genre. At the top of each poster, there are also parts of an image of a saw, again representing the title. The use of blood which is associated with death also shows what may take place in the film. Despite the fact that the main colour used in the background didn’t really follow the conventions of other horror posters I looked at which mainly used black to make it a dark background, it is still effective in representing a horror movie.
Every puzzle has its pieces...

This poster for the horror movie ‘The Hills Have Eyes’ represents the film well. The main image shows one of the main characters with their mouth covered up by an odd looking hand. This immediately alerts the audience that the characters will be in danger and there will be enemies to fight. She has blood on her face which emphasises the fear further as this colour is related to death and danger. The woman’s expression also shows extreme fright, and this can especially be seen clearly in her eyes. The background helps set the scene and this is related to the title as it is hills. This shows the audience where the film will be based and an area like this seems quite isolated. Overall, I think the poster represents the film well and the feelings/themes that will be conveyed, especially fear by the characters and audience.

The lucky ones die first...

This horror poster of ‘The Ring 2’ is different to the previous ones as it doesn’t really reveal much to the audience. It features a young girl sitting on a seat and looking down towards the floor. Her face is concealed by long black hair, leaving the audience unaware of what she looks like, possibly ready to shock them in the film. She seems quite isolated in a deserted room, leaving the audience feeling quite sorry for her as she is highlighted in this dark, empty room, but seems trapped. This use of lighting creates mystery and the use of black was a common convention that I saw associated with horror films. This sinister and mysterious atmosphere created by the poster all creates enigma as the audience are unaware as to what will happen. The use of the ring above the girls hard relates to the actual title, and the font relates to a child’s handwriting. The overall feeling of the poster created is quite mysterious, setting up a feeling within the audience that will make them want to watch the film.

Fear comes full circle...

Film Scriptwriting

Things to think about when Scriptwriting:

1. Every scene should have a purpose and move the story forward
You should be looking to achieve something with every scene. Every scene should also move the story forward in terms of both the plot and character and each scene should connect and develop to the last scene.
2. Don’t tell when you can show
Movies are a visual medium, so be as visual as possible. There are times when it is more appropriate to tell. If you’re reaching the climax of an action packed scene then telling the reader makes events seem more sudden and gives them an instant impact.
3. Walk and talk
Wherever you have dialogue the characters should also be thrust into action. The audience's attention should be kept throughout the short time available to tell the story.
4. A scene should have a beginning, middle and end
A good scene should stand alone as dramatic while tying into the previous scene and leading to the next. Have a character with a goal, setback and some sort of conclusion while leaving a loose end for the next scene to take up.
5. Avoid unnecessary scenes
Don’t have any unnecessary dialogue or action scenes. The best way to achieve this is to start each scene as close to the end as possible.
6. Pace your scenes
“Never blow the world up in the beginning of the scene or you’ll have nowhere to go.”
While it’s perfectly acceptable and even advisable to start a scene with a big event to grip the reader/viewer you want to save the biggest and best until last. The closer to the story climax the quicker the pace should be. Keep throwing obstacle after obstacle at your main character.
7. Finish the scene dramatically
When you reach the end of the scene you should always aim to leave the main character with some sort of decision. Make the viewer want to know what is going to happen next. Use a cliff-hanger, a reversal or a revelation to raise their interest level. This adds twists and makes a story captivating.
8. Transition smoothly between scenes
The best way of creating a smooth transition between scenes is to finish on a certain image and then start the new scene with a similar image. A good transition allows the story to flow smoothly and can add a certain level of cohesion.
9. Define an emotion or mood
In a screenplay every main character should have some sort of ultimate goal. Each scene should work towards that character achieving their goal. Sometimes the attempt will fail or not work as planned, leaving the character frustrated and angry. Other times they will succeed and be driven on to push towards their goal even harder.
10. Have a motivated conflict
Conflict drives a story forward, no matter how big or small.


A good script has the following:
· A main character who is driven towards achieving a goal
· An opposition to your main character who will hold your main character back from achieving their goal
· A fight (literal or metaphorical) between your main character and their opposition
· An ending which answers the questions "Can the main character achieve his goal?"
Scripts should present such a story, along with a well thought out main character who the audience can relate to.


The opening of a film is extremely important and should setup the rest of the script, capture the mood of the story and hook the reader right away.
Here are several types of opening that you can use to start your film, which can also be combined:
The Blatant Opening - Within a few moments you know exactly who the hero is and what the movie will be about. For example The James Bond series use this type of opening. The blatant opening works particular well for action films, a fast, intense opening will hook the reader and keep them flicking through the script.
A Regular Day - In this opening you will put over the pace of life in a regular day for your main character. Then an event will happen which breaks the normality of your character’s life, one which they will need to rectify for their life to return to the way it was.
True Beginning - The script starts right along with the start of the story for the main character.
Dramatic Irony - This is the only beginning that won’t contain your main character. Instead you give the audience some information that your main character won’t know and will soon affect his/her life greatly. Dramatic irony allows the audience to be in a superior position and sets up both tension and anticipation.
Foreshadowing - This opening takes place before your main story begins and anticipates what is going to happen later in the story. Like the dramatic irony opening the audience is placed in a position to predict what is going to happen. This is often used for doomsday and horror movies.
Narrator - The narrator can be the hero, a secondary character or just a stand alone narrator. The narrator tells the story of the events which happened to the main character at an important time in their life.
Flash forward - The flash forward has two stories running side by side simultaneously. The A story is the main story; the B story is of the narrator looking back. The B story has a narrator who tells the main story, which has already happened. At certain points in the story there’s a flash forward to the narrator who continues with his tail.
Montage - This is a useful type of opening if you have a lot of information to get across before the main story begins. Also known as a shotgun, a collection of short clips that accelerate through the information until the story properly begins. Then the speed of the story can slow down to a regular pace. In a matter of minutes you can explain years of your main characters life.

More info on Scriptwriting: http://www.filmscriptwriting.com/

Film Budgeting

Budgeting is an important aspect of film production.

During script development, filmmakers produce a rough budget to convince film producers and film studios to give them a greenlight for production. During pre-production, a more detailed film budget is produced.

A budget is typically divided into four sections:
Above-the-line (creative talent)
Below-the-line (direct production costs)
Post-production (editing, visual effects, etc)
Other (insurance, completion bond, etc).

Elements of the Budget:
Story rights: The right to produce a film based on a play, novel, or new story. Can be paid on average £15000-£100000.
Screenplay: An A-list screenwriter can be paid roughly £25000-£50000 to write the first three drafts of a script.
Dialog writer: Can be paid £25000-£50000.
Director: The minimum they can usually be paid is £250000 for one movie up to 1st release, for a minimum of ten weeks' work. Traditionally, a director's salary is about 7 percent of the final budget.
Cast: An A-list actor can ask for hundreds of thousands of pounds, but this usually moves into the millions if they are very successful. The rest of the cast, often come out much worse with many being paid the Screen Actors Guild minimum. Sometimes an actor will accept a minimal fee in exchange for a lucrative share of the profits.
Production costs: The cost of shooting the film including sets, wardrobe, location filming, hotels and transportation. The most prestigious productions will often employ the most successful, and therefore most expensive crew.
Visual effects: If required can cost hundreds of thousands of pounds.
Music: The top film composers can ask for a six-figure salary, so if the music is original in the film it can be very expensive, with all the expanses, rights etc.

The budget can also be used as an advertising tool. For blockbuster movies, high budgets are advertised to imply that the film will be worth watching. People would trust in watching the film more if they knew it was very expensive.

Going over budget:
In the US film production system, producers are not allowed to exceed the budget. Exceptions have of course been made, one of the most notable examples being Titanic.
In other countries, producers who exceed their budget tend to eat the cost by receiving less of their producer's fees. While the US system is profitable and can afford to go over budget, other countries' film industries tend to be financed through government subsidies.


For our project of filming an opening sequence, we do not have a large budget to contribute to producing it. Therefore we have to rely on other methods to keep our sequence looking as professional as possible.We will not be spending any money on people involved in making it, as we will be the main crew, and we will choose some people to help as the cast. Choice of locations are also limited, therefore we have to use places where we do not have to pay, but are still suitable for our shots. Special effects does not really need to be taken into consideration as we will not really be using them as our budget will not reach this. A small amount of money may be spent on costume, make-up, backgrounds and props but this will be kept to a minimum and in most cases it will be borrowed.

Beginning Of 'The Descent'

The opening sequence begins with titles introducing the production company. This text is displayed using a wipe effect against a dark background and flashes of lights are seen occasionally. This sets the tone of the whole movie, where the girls are eventually stuck in the dark in a cave, have slight glimmer of hopes, but can’t seem to find an escape route and encounter dangerous situations. It is accompanied with quite creepy music, which seems to show an approaching disaster.

The film begins with a family and their friends on a trip doing white water rafting. There is screaming and laughter, but the audience still seems to get a feeling that an accident and tragedy will take place now. This is down to the camera techniques used, for example the hand-held, jerky movements of close-ups in the boat. There is also a use of wider shots to set the scene.

As we are introduced to the characters, we are also shown that the man and little girl standing on the rock are related to one of the women, as the little girl shouts “mummy!” at 0:36. They are shown again at 1:15 clapping and waving. This shows that the women in the boat are out of danger, for now, as the audience are unaware as to what will happen next, but are relieved for the moment.

The use of slow motion at 1:02 builds tension as it shows they are falling clearly and keeps the audience, as well as the occupants of the boat anxious. This also shows that they are heading for disaster.

The next few seconds of conversation and laughter shows the strong bond between the people, but as it reaches 2 minutes, the audience are made aware that something is not quite right, and possibly, one of the friends likes the other’s husband or is having an affair with him, this is shown at 1:55, 2:01, 2:10 and 2:17. The third friend notices this at 2:12, but as the man returns to his family at 2:14, the disappointment is shown on the woman’s face. This all begins to show the breakdown of friendships that will occur as a main theme throughout the film, due to the situation that they find themselves in.

At 2:33 the scene changes to the family returning home in their car. There is no music, just the background sound of the car and conversation between them. The conversation between the mother and daughter portrays happy family life, but this soon changes as the woman turns to her husband who replies quite bluntly and seems distant. This is to be their last words, as the man isn’t watching the road, we hear the breaks of a car and there is a car accident, where the poles go through the car killing the man and daughter. There is then a crane shot which moves out to show the disaster of the accident and the shot fades to black. This portrays the death of the characters.

The next scene then enters the dream of the woman, who is currently in hospital. The music used is very eerie; the shot begins out of focus, showing just the candles on the birthday cake of the daughter. This again symbolises the darkness they will enter. As the camera tracks in towards the cake, it becomes in focus and we are able to read the writing ‘Happy Birthday Jessica’ on the cake and are made aware that it would have been her fifth birthday. We then hear the little girl blowing out the candles, and this sound is enhanced and exaggerated, making the shot seem unnatural, and therefore a dream. It then cuts to the woman lying in the hospital bed who is shown to be disturbed at this memory, but the audience are made aware that it is still part of her dream due to the use of low key lighting that doesn’t look very natural. It is then cut back to the little girl who is shown fully in this shot and all the candles are blown out, moving straight to a black shot, again signifying the darkness that surrounds the woman at the moment, and what she is going to encounter in the future.

At 3:43, it cuts back to the woman at a medium close-up, who we believe is beginning to wake up, as she looks around the hospital room. The audience hears the sound of hospital the machine beeping, which becomes a consistent sound as the woman removes the wires and we feel the sense of her urgency.

At 4:11, it cuts to a deserted and dark hospital corridor, as the character moves into the shot at a medium shot and calls for her daughter. It then cuts to an extreme long shot, and we are shown just how isolated the woman is. This signifies the people she has lost (her family) and how she now feels alone. The corridor frames the shot as a tunnel, and in the distance, we see darkness approaching and closing in on her as each light goes out. As she turns and realises this, it cuts to a medium close-up at 4:22 and we see the character’s expression of shock and horror. This shot is quite strange as the camera doesn’t seem to move, but the background seems to be moving, this gives the effect that escape is further away.

At 4:25 it cuts to the woman looking back into darkness and realising that she has to run to avoid this darkness. As she runs and passes under each light, they turn off and it turns black, giving the feeling that she can’t escape the darkness and it feels very claustrophobic. It seems the faster she runs, the faster it closes in on her.

At 4:38 however, it cuts to the back of her and begins to give a bit of hope. The camera stays in the darkness, but shows the woman heading for light. However the darkness catches up and the screen goes pitch black again.

At 4:45 it then cuts to the woman running into the arms of her friend and the audience are made aware that it was a dream. This next scene is very emotional, as the woman grieves for her lost loved ones. She completely breaks down in tears and falls to the floor. The camera then circles her, showing that she is in this nightmare that never seems to end. This is shown when the film ends in a cliff-hanger, and she is still stuck in the cave.

At 5:07, it then cuts to a close-up of her friend also crying, this really conveys the emotion felt by the characters. At 5:09, it then cuts back to the woman crying on the floor and reverse tracks. This shows the same corridor as before, one of the friends leaving, and the woman distraught on the floor with her friend.

It then fades to black and at 5:20, it introduces the title of the film ‘The Descent.’ This is in white font, but is wiped off the screen, leaving the screen black again. This again conveys the darkness, and we see a torch light effect again as before with the credits, signifying the whole theme of the film.

At 5:29, it cuts to a helicopter shot of a forest, which sets the scene and the audience is told that is in the mountains in the USA. The music hear is eerie again, which alerts us that another disaster might strike. We are also told that it is one year later, therefore we know time has passed since the accident. The area is shown to be deserted, emphasising their isolation when they are alone in the cave, or so they believed.

We then see the car they are travelling in, as the music changes to a slightly happier tone from the radio, and the woman talking. Then they turn off the radio and we are shown bullet holes through a road sign. The music changes back to the eerie type and we are shown their destination, ‘Chatooga National Park.’ However the fact that this sign has bullet holes through it, already signifies the danger they are entering.

As they approach the house they are staying in, the music changes to more adventurous music, to seem as if they are going on a journey. The rest of the scenes are just of the women meeting again and having conversations, seeming in a good mood, but unaware of what is going to happen.

The feelings sensed in the opening sequence are also conveyed in the trailer, as it states

Claustrophobia, Disorientation, Hallucination and Fear.

The Trailer:

Costume & Make-up in Horror Films

Costume, hair and make-up are often a huge part of horror movies. They are part of what makes the films successful and as scary and shocking as possible.

An example of good costume and make-up is in the horror movie, ‘The Descent,’ (2005).

Plot Synopsis:
After a tragic accident, six friends reunite for a caving expedition. Their adventure soon goes horribly wrong when a collapse traps them deep underground and they find themselves pursued by strange, bloodthirsty creatures. As their friendships deteriorate, they find themselves in a desperate struggle to survive the creatures and each other. With a lack of supply, they fight for survival and they face the hunger and savage breed of predators.

SCREAM YOUR LAST BREATH!

Characters:
The whole construction of characters and their appearance is used to heighten the shock and fear in the film. The villains in the film are created as strange, unrecognizable creatures, and the dark cave adds to the mystery as to what they exactly are.

As well as these villains, the make-up of the main characters (the six friends) is essential, as their situation is shown to gradually deteriorate and a lot of make-up such as blood and slime is used to add to the fear.

Another example is in ‘The Hills Have Eyes’ (2006)

Plot Synopsis:
The Carters, an idyllic American family are travelling through the great American southwest, but their trip takes a detour into an area closed off from the public, but more importantly from society, due to being misled to a shortcut going to nowhere by the owner of an isolated gas station. An area originally used by the U.S. Government for nuclear testing that was intended to be empty...or so they thought? When the Carter's car breaks down at the old site, they're stranded...or are they? As the Carters may soon realize that what seemed like a car casually breaking down, might actually be a trap. This trap might be perpetrated by the inhabitants of the site who aren't pulling a prank, but are out to set up a gruesome massacre. Absolutely trapped by the psychotics, they have to fight to survive.

THE LUCKY ONES DIE FIRST…

Characters:
The group of deformed cannibals that begin to attack this family were created well using skilfully designed costumes and make-up. They are made to appear very savage and threatening, frightening the audience who are watching. This adds to the experience of watching a horror movie. As the audience feel for the main characters (the family), they realise that they are in danger as the creatures are unwilling to give up and determined to kill them. The villains’ appearance emphasises this feeling and the family find themselves in numerous dangerous situations.

The family member’s costumes are originally normal holiday makers clothes, but are also adapted as time passes. Time, attacks by the villains and injuries all affect the costumes, therefore they have to be changed to fit the storyline. For example there is use of a lot of blood and dirt added to garments.

Below is the trailer, which shows some of the costumes and make-up of the characters:

Sound

Diegesis means the ‘world of film.’

Diegetic Sound: Sound that is part of the action is called diegetic sound and whose source is visible on the screen or whose source is implied to be present by the action of the film. If something seems to be part of the world of film, it is called diegetic (what we’d hear if it was in the film world.). eg. wind noise, screeching cars etc. They may also be added in after filming, or may be exaggerated for effect, eg. louder footsteps. The audience are aware that there are things taking place in the diegetic world around the edges of what we actually see on the screen.

Non-Diegetic Sound: It's not part of the film world and is added on. Sound whose source is neither visible on the screen nor has been implied to be present in the action. For example a narrator's commentary, sound effects which are added on for the dramatic effect, mood music etc.
Sound is often added to create mood or atmosphere.

Sound Bridge: This is when the sound from one scene continues into or over the next scene. The images we see change but the sound is still from the previous scenes. A film will be very disjointed if there were no sound bridges. They create a wider, more coherent diegetic world. Gives the film a sense of linking and joining together – part of a film’s continuity.

On Screen: You can hear it and see it at the same time.

Off Screen: You can't see it, but can hear it, often in a sound bridge. Sometimes used to give us clues as to what is going on around us that we cannot see.

The use of on screen and off screen diegetic sound helps to create the sense of our viewing a three dimensional world, rather than a flat screen.

Contrapuntal Sound: This is when we hear sound that doesn’t really match what we are seeing.

Parallel Sound: The music tone and mood matches the action on screen.

Foley Track: Sound effects track. Some sounds need to be made from scratch and others enhanced. Foley artists enhance and create sounds to be added after filming.

Film Crew

During my time when working on the ‘Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince’ film set, I also worked as a set runner where I worked under the direction of the 3rd AD. This gave me a chance to watch how the film was made behind the scenes and who was mainly involved.

A film crew is a group of people hired by a production company for the purpose of producing a film. Crew is distinguished from cast, the actors who appear in front of the camera and is also divided into different departments, each of which specializes in a specific aspect of the production.

There are many people on a film set, however I have just summarized below the main Film Crew involved when making a film:

Producer:
A film producer creates the conditions for making movies. The producer initiates, coordinates, supervises and controls matters such as raising funding, hiring key personnel, and arranging for distributors. The producer is involved throughout all phases of the filmmaking process from development to completion of a project.

Production Manager:
The production manager supervises the physical aspects of the production (not the creative aspects) including personnel, technology, budget, and scheduling. It is the production manager's responsibility to make sure the filming stays on schedule and within its budget. The PM also helps manage the day-to-day budget by managing operating costs such as salaries, production costs, and everyday equipment rental costs.

Director:
The director is responsible for overseeing the creative aspects of a film, including controlling the content and flow of the film's plot, directing the performances of actors, organizing and selecting the locations in which the film will be shot, and managing technical details such as the positioning of cameras, the use of lighting, and the timing and content of the film's soundtrack.

First Assistant Director:
The first assistant director (1st AD) assists the production manager and director. The ultimate aim of any 1st AD is to ensure the film comes in on schedule while maintaining a working environment in which the director, principal artists (actors) and crew can be focused on their work. He or she is in charge of overseeing the day-to-day management of the cast and crew scheduling, equipment, script, and set. A 1st AD may also be responsible for directing background action for major shots or the entirety of relatively minor shots, at the director's discretion.

Second Assistant Director:
The second assistant director (2nd AD) is the chief assistant of the 1st AD and helps carry out those tasks delegated to the 1st AD. The 2nd AD may also direct background action and extras in addition to helping the 1st AD with scheduling, booking, etc. The 2nd AD is responsible for creating Call Sheets that let the crew know the schedule and important details about the shooting day.

Production Assistant:
A production assistant assists the first assistant director with set operations. Production assistants, almost always referred to as PAs, also assist in the production office with general tasks.

Script Supervisor:
Also known as the "continuity person", the script supervisor keeps track of what parts of the script have been filmed and makes notes of any deviations between what was actually filmed and what appeared in the script. He or she makes notes on every shot, also keeping track of props, blocking, and other details to ensure that continuity is maintained from shot to shot, and from scene to scene. The Script Supervisor's notes are given to the Editor to expedite the editing process. The script supervisor works very closely with the director on set.

Stunt Coordinator:
Where the film requires a stunt, and involves the use of stunt performers, the stunt coordinator will arrange the casting and performance of the stunt, working closely with the director.

Director of Photography:
The director of photography is the chief of the camera and lighting crew of the film. The DP makes decisions on lighting and framing of scenes in conjunction with the film's director. Typically, the director tells the DP how he or she wants a shot to look, and the DP then chooses the correct aperture, filter, and lighting to achieve the desired effect.

Camera Operator:
The camera operator uses the camera at the direction of the cinematographer, director of photography, or the film director to capture the scenes on film.

Production Sound Mixer:
The production sound mixer is head of the sound department on set, responsible for recording all sound during filming. This involves the choice and deployment of microphones, operation of a sound recording device, and sometimes the mixing of audio signals in real time.

Hair and Make-Up:

Make-up artists are beauticians that apply makeup to anyone appearing on screen. Their role is to manipulate an actor’s on screen appearance whether it makes them look more youthful, larger, older, or in some cases monstrous. The hair stylist is responsible for maintaining and styling the hair of anyone appearing on screen. He or she works in conjunction with the makeup artist.

Costume

Costume is a vital part in any film and the types of costume used can make a huge difference to a film.

During my work experience, I managed to work in the costume department and as a set runner on the ‘Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince’ film set. I mainly worked with Set Costume who stay on set at all times. This gave me a chance to see how a film is made behind the scenes.

Whilst working in costume, I saw the process of making garments, the different effects that could be added, the process of breaking it down and how they were changed to fit the storyline. The main effect that they used was the process of making the clothes look quite old and worn, in order to look as realistic as possible. Also, during a scene such as a fight, the clothes would gradually be torn, ripped and dirty, therefore many copies of the same garments are made, and the clothes are broken down in different stages, to also add realism.

I also saw other aspects of costume such as continuity, where they had to concentrate on making the costume identical if the same scene was shot at different times. This was vital, in order to not incur continuity errors.

An example of costume in a different Harry Potter film is in ‘Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,’ where the director has given a brief and direction to the costume designer to place Dolores Umbridge (Senior Under-Secretary to Minister for Magic) in pink constantly. The garments change, but the colour is consistent throughout the film. This could be seen as ironic as pink generally represents girly, fluffy, soft etc. but Umbridge is not seen to be this type of character, in fact the opposite. Therefore this colour could be used to fool the audience into a false sense of security and add a twist.


People involved in Wardrobe:

Costume Designer :
The costume designer is responsible for all the clothing and costumes worn by all the actors that appear on screen. He or she is also responsible for designing, planning, and organizing the construction of the garments down to the fabric, colors, and sizes. The costume designer works closely with the director to understand and interpret "character", and counsels with the production designer to achieve an overall tone of the film.

Costume Supervisor:
The Costume Supervisor works closely with the designer. In addition to helping with the design of the costumes, he or she manages the wardrobe workspace. He or she is responsible for supervising the construction or sourcing of garments, the hiring and firing of support staff, the budget, paperwork, and department logistics.

Key Costumer:
The Key Costumer is employed on larger productions to manage the set costumers, and to handle the Star's wardrobe needs.

Costume Standby:
The Costume Standby is present on set at all times. It is his/her responsibility to monitor the quality and continuity of the actors and actresses costumes before and during takes. They will also assist the actors and actresses with dressing. This person is also known as a 'set costumer'.

Art Finisher:
An Art Finisher may be employed during the pre-production stage to "break down" garments. This specialised job includes making new clothing appear dirty, faded and worn. They are also known as breakdown artists.

Buyer:
On large productions a Buyer may be employed to source and purchase fabrics and garments. A buyer might also be referred to as a shopper. This distinction is often made when the lead actor in a production has control over their wardrobe, and they may personally hire this person.

Cutter/Fitter:
A costume technician who fits or tailors costumes, usually on-set. They can also be called cutters, seamstresses or tailors. Some celebrity actors have favorite cutters, and larger productions may hire several and have them on set at the same time, particularly in period film projects that might have complicated or extremely expensive extras wardrobe.