Research & Planning: What We Plan To Do Over Christmas

Over Christmas we plan to:

• Film our handheld scenes,
• Extra Posts,
• Planning for Poster and Magazine Cover,
• Upload Auditions,
• Update Blog,

Research & Planning: Audience feedback

Here is our audience feedback for our rough trailer

Research & Planning: Article Ideas

Research & Planning: Edited trailer

This is the edited version of our trailer which we filmed with hand held cameras, we added an MPAA message at the beginning to show it's a 15 age rating along with a green filter to give a rough night vision effect.  We adjusted the positioning of our production and distribution company logos, however, we are going to adjust the distribution company logo to make it a crisper image.  We added relevant transitions in order to build up tension and create a trailer that flows.

Research & Planning: Unedited Footage

Here is our raw footage we gathered for our trailer,  this is only a rough cut and will most likely be re-filmed for our actual trailer.

Research & Planning: iShowU Editing

Here is an iShowU of me and Abbie editing our footage for a rough cut of our trailer.  We edited in a green filter to create a rough night vision effect,  we also changed the speed of the clip in order to fit our non-diegetic sound effects.

Research & Planning: Editing Ideas

As you can see I have added:

• A black eye to one of the "victims"
• Blood splatters
• A darker layer over the top to give it a thriller-like feel
• A vignet effect

Research & Planning: SLR Test Shots

 

  

 Here are some quick shots I took with the SLR camera of a potential idea that I could use for my film poster / magazine cover.  I will edit some of them to a product I could use and see what I can change and improve.

Research & Planning: Actor Release Forms

Research & Planning: Film Auditions

Here are  some film auditions we have filmed for potential characters that will feature in our film.  Some actors will be unavailable to film due to other commitments but we will add more auditions so that we will be able to progress with the highest possible standard of actors.

Research & Planning: Model Release Forms

Research & Planning: Film Audition Monologue

For our film trailer, we decided to hold some auditions in order to establish who would be suitable for our characters.

Here is the short monologue we found from The Silence of The Lambs that we want people to read for their audition.

You know what you look like to me with your good bag and your cheap shoes? You look like a rube. A well scrubbed, hustling rube with a little taste. Good nutrition has given you some length of bone, but you’re not more than one generation from poor white trash, are you Agent Starling?

Research & Planning: Final Production Company Logo

 

Here is the logo that may feature on my film poster,  I will make sure to add the "Multiply" effect to it so that it blends well into the poster.

 

This is the logo that will feature in my Trailer.  I've decided to make the background black so that it fades in well and suits the genre.  I will drop the brightness of the image so that it fits in with the trailer and doesn't seem as bright.

Research & Planning: Filming Issues

This week, me and Abbie decided to film some footage for a first draft of our film trailer.  However, we have encountered some issues along the way.  First, the weather was too poor to film our outside scene and we adapted by deciding to just film some inside shots.  Then, on the days we offered our actors, we couldnt get a day in which everyone was available.  In order to combat this we filmed some scenes with new actors so we could get some rough footage down and show our idea.

Research & Planning: Distribution Company Logos

After discussing ideas with Abbie, I came up with a few of my own ideas for Distribution company logos:

Research & Planning: Costume and Props List - Film Poster

Costumes:
Ripped / Worn out day to day clothes
Cuts / Bruises

Another idea I had was to use the main four characters before they were attacked to give it a more mysterious feel.

Props:
Hatchet / Hammer
Light source
Table covered in tools
Chairs

Research & Planning: Costume and Props List for Magazine Cover

Costume:
Ripped, dirty clothes
Bruises / Cuts
Dirt
Oil Stains

Props:
Chair / Stool
Hatchet
Light Source

What I need:
Fake Blood

Research & Planning: Music Ideas

Contrapuntal Music

The Last house on the Left - Sweet Child O' Mine, Taken By TreesInsidious - Tip Toe Through The Tulips, Tiny Tim

Synchronous Music

Trailers such as Psycho and The Exorcist have distinctive stings that re synchronous with the genre.

  
Themes and Stings

Disturbia - Drum kit in the background along with various themes and stings

Songs

Marilyn Manson - Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of These)

Research & Planning: Script

Trailer Script

(Light, non-diegetic music in the background)

Character 1: (Holding Camera) Heeeey, smile for the camera.
Character 2: (Hands Over Face) Stop it, get that out my face!
Character 3: Stop being such a tool.
Character 1: Come on, don't be boring.
Character 4: (Waves to the camera)

Mostly improvisation with characters because we want it to come across as a natural atmosphere

We will collect a lot of footage of the teenagers at the beginning and we will cut it down in the editing process.

Character 3: (Collapses on floor)
Character 1: (Close up camera shot of Character 3)
(All Characters Laugh)
Character 1: He's such a lightweight!
Character 2: I don't feel very well
Character 1: (Begins to collapse along with the camera) Oh shhh-

Cuts to black

(Music reaches its peak and plays over faster editing)

Characters 1,2,3 & 4: various screams 

(Heart beat sounds on the last part)

Female character: Crying

Research & Planning: Masthead Font Ideas

Market Deco

Turnpike

Crystal Deco

Couture

Telegrafico

Research & Planning: Shot List

HH = Handheld camera

HD = HD camera

Research & Planning: Audition Posters

Here is our audition poster that we created in order to find characters that will feature in our film trailer.  We made sure to add the appropriate information as well as using some typical conventions of a thriller poster.

Here is our poster situated in the main hall in college.  We picked this spot as it is a space which many students will pass as well as it being on eye level.

Research & Planning: Risk Assessments

Research & Planning: Location Recce

Research & Planning: Publication Plan

Research & Planning: Magazine Cover Analysis

This cover uses a variety of codes and conventions to project the genre of psychological thriller.
     A main focus for this particular cover is the use of colour.  Fluorescent greens and pinks add a psychotic feel, adding to the  yet the cover still sticks to a three colour scheme of red, black and white for the main aspects of the cover (such as the mast head and articles at the bottom of the page).  This projects the brand "Empire" and allows the audience to recognise the magazine as these aspects feature in almost every issue.
     Another factor to consider is the Joker character featured as the main focus of the cover. Notice how he fits in with the pink and green colour scheme of the titles and headings yet is positioned between the masthead and the titles in the foreground.  This ties the page together and adds a feeling of depth to the cover.  The use of a long-shot puts the audience in the image, adding to the depth and creating a three dimensional effect.
     The typefaces shape and colour both match the character and the genre of the film featured.  This links the entire page together adding depth to the cover and creating a visually appealing image that will attract an audience.
     You can tell that this is a magazine front cover because:

• It has a masthead
• It contains articles 
• It has sluglines
• It has a main focus (The Joker)
• It has a barcode 

Sight and Sound Magazine has a slightly different approach to film.  The colour scheme is black, orange and white/grey and, when combined with the typefaces, gives the magazine a much more "art-house" look.  This gives the impression that this magazine appeals to people who are knowledgeable of film and see it more as an art form. 
    The mid-shot of Ewan McGregor out of costume shows how this is a much more personal "about the actor" - like article, rather than just his characters.
     The simplicity of the cover adds to the feel of a personalised magazine that links you directly to the actor him/herself.  Once again adding to the feel of a much more educated magazine, appealing to a much more specific fan base.
     You can tell that this is a magazine front cover because:

• It has a masthead
• It has a positioning statement
• It contains articles
• It has sluglines
• It has a main focus (Ewan McGregor)
• It has a barcode.

Research & Planning: Sinister

Over the weekend I went to see the new horror / thriller "Sinister".  I found it a useful resource for my trailer as its combination of graphic content and stalker induced tension created a good atmosphere that was similar to the one I wanted to create in our trailer.
     However, I wouldn't contain as much blood and gore in my work as I want to stick to the psychological side of thrillers.  I would, however, include the technique in which the camera filmed whilst a torch was shone allowing the audience to see a circle on screen that is surrounded by darkness, allowing us to easily build up tension.

Research & Planning: Animatic storyboard

Research & Planning: Film Poster Analysis's

A long shot shows the main focus of the film which is established due to the way it dominates the entire image.  The brown / golden tinge gives both a natural and a sinister feel which is emphasised with the faded background that's slightly out of focus.  This adds a supernatural feel to the cabin when combined with the irregular shape and position of it.  By the way the cabin is used, we can establish that this is the main threat, or maybe whatever is inside? The use of this mise-en-scene shows that this film would appeal to people aged 15-24 as it is has a modern look to it and it's also a 15 age rating.  This is a typical audience for this genre as well as the mise-en-scene of the woods and the fonts used give an earthy, yet violent feel.  You can tell it's a film poster due to the use of the film name, tagline, release date and production company names in Steel Tongs font.

 A close up of the woman's face on the left hand side shows us that she is the protagonist.  This is shown through the way she is positioned in the foreground, dominating most of the image.  There is a high level of contrast cast over the entire image,  giving the entire poster a darker feel that adds to the genre of thriller.  The use of the house in the background implies the threat that the woman has to face throughout the film.  The use of mise-en-scene shows that this film would appeal to people aged 15-24 as it looks modern and features young characters that appeal to younger generations.

Research & Planning: Film Name Ideas - Solvr

Film Name Ideas

http://www.a.freshbrain.com/solvr/d/33z4lkzms0

Here is a Solvr I did on some film names I liked the sound of.  However, I discovered that two of my ideas have been used previously in other films which means I can use one of the others or come up with some new ones.

Research & Planning: Plan for the Week

This week I plan to:

• Create a Solvr for film name ideas
• Create two film magazine analysis's
• Add a meeting post
• Add film poster drafts
• Create some extra research posts

Research & Planning: My Production Company Logo Ideas

Blackout Productions

Red Raven Productions

Hollow Mind Productions