My opening sequence follows conventions of real film openings in certain ways. An example of this is when the camera cut firstly to an over the shoulder shot of a newspaper headline, and then cut to a close up shot of the character of the Journalist's facial expression to see her reaction. This is common in many real films and TV programmes including 666 Park Avenue, which is also has similar story lines to my own film.
Choosing title sequences for my film was an easy decision; I decided to use a typewriter effect in order to instantly tell the viewer it was about writing/Journalism. For my main title of 'The Story', I used the same font, however stretched it out slightly and made in black (black having connotations of darkness and horror) to show that the film would gradually become more frightening and sinister. You could suggest that this is similar to other thriller/horror films in which the first opening scenes follow people's everyday life, however eventually, there is a twist. This is what I was trying to achieve with my film.
In my sequence, I had two characters - the Journalist and the Boss. I chose to challenge typical conventions with the character of the Boss, due to the fact people in higher positions tend to be male to show gender dominance. I did not give the Boss the costume of wearing a suit, instead, a skirt and formal top, unlike most media productions. However, the Boss was represented as having more dominance in the scene. I shot the Boss and Journalist in an over the shoulder shot in order to juxtapose the two characters superiority in the workplace. The Journalist was represented as being an amateur in the field as the newspaper headline instantly told the audience that she has made a mistake in her work, giving us a negative impression of her. However the character of the Boss was a complete contrast as she was very professional, making her a binary opposite of the Journalist. Age was also a significant factor of my scene, as my Journalist was a young character, the stereotype is that she would be more prone to making mistakes. Whereas as the Boss is much older, the stereotype is that she would take work much more seriously hence her higher position at work. Overall, the effect of my film was that the younger character was more naive and impressionable and doesn't take things seriously, yet the older character was the complete opposite of this.
The target audience for my film would be teenagers and to those in their early twenties. (presumably 14-15+) as the film would maybe be unsuitable for anyone younger. This is because my main character is a young character and I am unsure it would appeal to anyone older, yet does get gradually more sinister so would be inappropriate to a younger audience. The film would probably appear to those in the A-E demographic, more so students however would possibly also appeal to those of a higher professional status due to the role of the characters. Overall, as my film includes a younger character the target audience is for younger people.
If someone was to distribute my film, it would probably be Paramount Pictures. They distributed the film 'Shutter Island' which is slightly similar to my film in places, the film starts with two detectives talking and then gradually turns into a Thriller, which I was hoping to achieve with my film. The budget of the film was $80 million. The company would possibly distribute my film as it has a similar genre of a Mystery/Thriller.
I have learnt very much about technologies from the process of filming this product. When creating my Camera Guide and Preliminary task, I was unsure how to use Premier Pro effectively, however as I have had the time to practice with it and progress, I feel much more confident. I learnt how to create a split screen for my short montage, 5 months ago I would have had no idea how to do this! I also learned how to edit the shots brightness, I lowered the brightness in all shots to achieve a darker feel. I did find the editing process very difficult in terms of ensuring I had eradicated any chance of making continuity errors, which I feel I was nearly very successful on. I also should have filmed more shots of my scenes in different angles as I was unhappy with some of my angles and did not have any more footage to rely on. Therefore if I was to repeat this process in the future, to make the whole experience easier for myself I would make sure I had about five shots in different angles so I always have a broad choice and to make editing easier. I had many camera difficulties throughout the process of making my film, however this problem was solved as I found a Panasonic HD camera to use which was absolutely ideal. With this camera, I learned how to adjust the camera lens to assure I had clear focus throughout the shots.
Looking back at my Camera Guide and Preliminary Task from the start of this academic year, I can see how much I have progressed in the terms of keeping the camera steady and seamless and I have learned just how important precision is when it comes to filming.
To improve my film in the future, I would include an establishing shot at the start of a newspaper publishing house e.g The News to make it completely clear where the characters worked, and then have the titles appearing before my first over the shoulder shot.
Sunday 12 May 2013
Friday 10 May 2013
Sound for my film
I have successfully added sound to the scene towards the end of my film in which my character of the Journalist. I downloaded the music from incompetech.com under the section of 'horror'. The sound fitted in very well to my scene as I had it slowly fading in as the Journalist was approaching the door of the warehouse.
The only trouble I am currently having is looking for appropriate music to fit in with my opening scenes in the office. I have looked through incompetech and haven't been successful due to the sounds either being too dark and deceitful or too soft and chirpy, where I am looking for something exactly in between.
I will continue to look for some music and I will keep you posted when I find something fitting.
The only trouble I am currently having is looking for appropriate music to fit in with my opening scenes in the office. I have looked through incompetech and haven't been successful due to the sounds either being too dark and deceitful or too soft and chirpy, where I am looking for something exactly in between.
I will continue to look for some music and I will keep you posted when I find something fitting.
Wednesday 8 May 2013
Tuesday 7 May 2013
Editing Practice - Split Screens
I have almost finished editing my film together, the only thing I have yet to complete is my montage scene. To achieve a good montage effect I thought I would use a split screen. I was unsure of how to do this on Premier Pro so I practiced with my old footage and discovered how to achieve this.
I feel this is effective as it will enable me to create a good seamless montage.
I feel this is effective as it will enable me to create a good seamless montage.
Sunday 28 April 2013
Editing Process
My filming has now finally been successfully completed and I have now reached the editing process of my task. I have Premier Pro CS6 downloaded onto my computer and home which gives me the chance to edit at all times with no problem. I am finding that my clips are so far creating a seamless flow of action.
I have a plan of how I am going to edit together my sequences, I will be creating a montage in which will show time passing as my character is 'looking for a story.' I will do this by cross dissolving the shots of a clock.
I have a plan of how I am going to edit together my sequences, I will be creating a montage in which will show time passing as my character is 'looking for a story.' I will do this by cross dissolving the shots of a clock.
Thursday 18 April 2013
Location Change
I have experienced some problems with filming, including when I can film and where I can do it. I have also had issues with my actors not being available when I wish to film. Due to these problems, I have decided that for my benefit it would be much easier to film at home where I am guaranteed to have a place to film. Also, I will be acting in my film so I can definitely film when I'd like to.
I have successfully rented out all of the equipment I need from the media department and all of my equipment at home is ready to go for me to film over the weekend.
I will be using a bedroom in my house, and in order to make it look more like an office I will clear out anything you wouldn't find in an office; e.g. drawers etc which will not be a problem. I need to make sure everything I use in the mise-en-scene is relevant to an office scenario.
I will need:
To move a table into the room to use as a desk
A laptop
Pieces of paper scattered around the table
Pens/Pencils etc
I have successfully rented out all of the equipment I need from the media department and all of my equipment at home is ready to go for me to film over the weekend.
Thursday 28 March 2013
Filming Process and Challenges
About two weeks ago, I began filming. My props and setting was almost ideal; I used a classroom in college, the one flaw was the whiteboard in the room which made it look more like a classroom than an office so I needed to try my best to avoid catching it in my shots. Then after filming about half of my overall shots, I uploaded them on to Adobe Premier Pro to begin editing; this is where my first problem occured and it became apparant that I had a problem with my camera. This is because the quality of all of my shots were very low, grainy and very pixelated. Unfortunately, I knew that I could not use this in my main task and that I would have to film it all again.
However, I immediately solved this problem by renting out a Canon DSLR 500D camera from the media department. I practiced shots to ensure that the quality would be good and clear and thankfully it was! The next day I started to film again.
The first time I filmed I did not have a script which was a problem as I had to think as I went along about what my actors would have to say next which was very inefficient for them and myself. In order to ensure this did not happen my second time, I made a script with the shot angles next to them to avoid confusion. Again, I filmed about half of my film and I have found it difficult to find anymore filming time due to the absence of my actors. Despite this, they were very easy to direct and remained very professional- they brought in their own costumes which they thought would be appropriate to their roles including shirts and ties etc. I made sure my actors were in the same positions in each shot I filmed to avoid any continuity errors.
The only problems I found after filming a second time was an issue with framing and mise-en-scene, in some of my shots you could see the whiteboard (mentioned earlier). I used long shots which were not suitable because of this and the room looked very much like a classroom instead of an office which was my main worry. In order to resolve this problem I will need to re-film these shots perhaps from different angles to avoid any of these errors which will not be a problem. On a positive note, the rest of the shots I filmed were clear and of good quality. I imported them onto Premier Pro and editing them together which was successful as the shots were very seamless.
However, I immediately solved this problem by renting out a Canon DSLR 500D camera from the media department. I practiced shots to ensure that the quality would be good and clear and thankfully it was! The next day I started to film again.
The first time I filmed I did not have a script which was a problem as I had to think as I went along about what my actors would have to say next which was very inefficient for them and myself. In order to ensure this did not happen my second time, I made a script with the shot angles next to them to avoid confusion. Again, I filmed about half of my film and I have found it difficult to find anymore filming time due to the absence of my actors. Despite this, they were very easy to direct and remained very professional- they brought in their own costumes which they thought would be appropriate to their roles including shirts and ties etc. I made sure my actors were in the same positions in each shot I filmed to avoid any continuity errors.
The only problems I found after filming a second time was an issue with framing and mise-en-scene, in some of my shots you could see the whiteboard (mentioned earlier). I used long shots which were not suitable because of this and the room looked very much like a classroom instead of an office which was my main worry. In order to resolve this problem I will need to re-film these shots perhaps from different angles to avoid any of these errors which will not be a problem. On a positive note, the rest of the shots I filmed were clear and of good quality. I imported them onto Premier Pro and editing them together which was successful as the shots were very seamless.
Monday 11 March 2013
Costume and Props
For my main task, I will need a selection of different props and costumes for my actors:
Costume:
My female character will need to wear a white shirt and black trousers in order to fully achieve the role of a Journalist.
My male character will need to wear something similar: a shirt and black trousers, for the same reason.
Props:
A newspaper- I have made this newspaper myself. The front page of the newspaper reads: "Journalist admits fake drug gang story", which is about the female character. I will film the character reading the newspaper in despair.
Coffee cups - for the audience to work out that the female Journalist is tired and needs caffeine to keep her going.
Lots of paperwork and pens - to suggest disorganisation of the female.
Costume:
My female character will need to wear a white shirt and black trousers in order to fully achieve the role of a Journalist.
My male character will need to wear something similar: a shirt and black trousers, for the same reason.
Props:
A newspaper- I have made this newspaper myself. The front page of the newspaper reads: "Journalist admits fake drug gang story", which is about the female character. I will film the character reading the newspaper in despair.
Coffee cups - for the audience to work out that the female Journalist is tired and needs caffeine to keep her going.
Lots of paperwork and pens - to suggest disorganisation of the female.
Monday 4 March 2013
Production Meeting
In class, we had a meeting in which we could discuss each other's productions and what we had left to do. We made a list of what we still needed to complete for our coursework.
During this meeting, I thought of some more ideas that I could use in my film. For example, to show that my main character is a journalist, I will take an establishing shot of a news shop in town called 'The News', this is a good idea because I was unsure of how I could show the audience who the characters are supposed to be.
I already have a good idea of what I want my characters to wear (blazers, shirts etc), however I need to check that my actors have these clothes available to them, otherwise I will have to provide them myself.
I need to ensure that my character of the struggling journalist looks tired, I will use make up to get this effect- brown eye shadow under the eyes to make them look baggy.
I also need to create a storyboard for my film with all the shot types so when I come to filming I will not be stuck or confused.
And lastly, I need to make sure I have all of my props together for when I film. I need to print off my newspaper in the size of A3. I will also will need to bring in some things from homes to create the feel of an office, such as a desk lamp, post it notes, folders and paper work and a coffee mug (again to suggest that my journalist is feeling tired)
During this meeting, I thought of some more ideas that I could use in my film. For example, to show that my main character is a journalist, I will take an establishing shot of a news shop in town called 'The News', this is a good idea because I was unsure of how I could show the audience who the characters are supposed to be.
I already have a good idea of what I want my characters to wear (blazers, shirts etc), however I need to check that my actors have these clothes available to them, otherwise I will have to provide them myself.
I need to ensure that my character of the struggling journalist looks tired, I will use make up to get this effect- brown eye shadow under the eyes to make them look baggy.
I also need to create a storyboard for my film with all the shot types so when I come to filming I will not be stuck or confused.
And lastly, I need to make sure I have all of my props together for when I film. I need to print off my newspaper in the size of A3. I will also will need to bring in some things from homes to create the feel of an office, such as a desk lamp, post it notes, folders and paper work and a coffee mug (again to suggest that my journalist is feeling tired)
Monday 25 February 2013
Recce
I will be filming in two different locations and I will have to consider potential issues that come with these locations.
Classroom: (Interior)
-I will need to ensure that the classroom I am using looks like an office. I will only shoot computers/desks to get an office feel, and avoid filming whiteboards etc.
-I will need to make sure that there is no one else using the classroom and consider its availability and if it is perhaps timetabled.
-Ensure that there is enough light, but not too bright.
-Noise from other students outside/next door may be a problem, I will have to consider whether I could control it or not.
-Make sure I have full permission from a teacher to use that specific room.
Old building: (Exterior)
I will only be filming outside briefly but there could be possible problems;
-I will have to film on a day where the weather is quite gloomy, to create tension and to set a darker feel.
-There cannot be any noise from traffic, which could be a potential problem in the location I will be filming.
-I will also need to make sure that I have somebody to take me to the place, which is convenient as it is by my Dad's work, who could take me there/back.
Risks and how I need to deal with them:
-I will need to consider that it may be raining when I film which would be a risk of damage to the camera so in order to eradicate this risk I will just take an umbrella so the camera and tripod are covered.
Classroom: (Interior)
-I will need to ensure that the classroom I am using looks like an office. I will only shoot computers/desks to get an office feel, and avoid filming whiteboards etc.
-I will need to make sure that there is no one else using the classroom and consider its availability and if it is perhaps timetabled.
-Ensure that there is enough light, but not too bright.
-Noise from other students outside/next door may be a problem, I will have to consider whether I could control it or not.
-Make sure I have full permission from a teacher to use that specific room.
Old building: (Exterior)
I will only be filming outside briefly but there could be possible problems;
-I will have to film on a day where the weather is quite gloomy, to create tension and to set a darker feel.
-There cannot be any noise from traffic, which could be a potential problem in the location I will be filming.
-I will also need to make sure that I have somebody to take me to the place, which is convenient as it is by my Dad's work, who could take me there/back.
Risks and how I need to deal with them:
-I will need to consider that it may be raining when I film which would be a risk of damage to the camera so in order to eradicate this risk I will just take an umbrella so the camera and tripod are covered.
Tuesday 19 February 2013
Preliminary Task Evaluation
I really enjoyed creating my preliminary task, yet it was still quite daunting in the sense that I had all control of the camera and the editing, and the directing of my actors that I definitely wasn't used to! Before making my short film, I felt uneasy with the idea of having a camera that was not mine and having to produce something from it; I am not very good with technology, so I thought I was destined for the worst! However, with some practice, I got there and my confidence went from virtually non existent to quite high.
I encountered some problems with making my film. My first problem was the filming time. I had set myself the task of filming during our 1 hour and 30 minutes Media Studies slot and I found that I was rushing myself to quite the extent. If I had allowed myself more time and perhaps filmed outside of college, it would of given me much more time and I would have been able to fully perfect my mistakes. Another problem that arose from this was my actors; I had issues with their attendance so I was unable to film when I planned because they were not in college that day. Also, I had to ensure that my actors wore the same clothes every Media session to avoid all possible continuity errors.
To improve next time, I will definitely make some form of a decent plan to follow. This is because when filming I had a very basic plan and I frequently lost my train of thought and had to rely on my memory to tell me what I should do next, this was not efficient at all.
There were things that went well during filming too. As I filmed at college, it gave me the opportunity to ask my teacher if I had any problems with the camera or any other equipment, which came in very handy and was a huge benefit! I found editing all of my footage together very challenging because it was difficult to ensure it all looked seamless, however it surprisingly did not take me very long to do and I am happy that my film flows well, I cannot spot any continuity errors, which was what I was most afraid of finding.
Overall, I feel I have done very well in making my film and I am feeling much more confident in filming in the future.
I encountered some problems with making my film. My first problem was the filming time. I had set myself the task of filming during our 1 hour and 30 minutes Media Studies slot and I found that I was rushing myself to quite the extent. If I had allowed myself more time and perhaps filmed outside of college, it would of given me much more time and I would have been able to fully perfect my mistakes. Another problem that arose from this was my actors; I had issues with their attendance so I was unable to film when I planned because they were not in college that day. Also, I had to ensure that my actors wore the same clothes every Media session to avoid all possible continuity errors.
To improve next time, I will definitely make some form of a decent plan to follow. This is because when filming I had a very basic plan and I frequently lost my train of thought and had to rely on my memory to tell me what I should do next, this was not efficient at all.
There were things that went well during filming too. As I filmed at college, it gave me the opportunity to ask my teacher if I had any problems with the camera or any other equipment, which came in very handy and was a huge benefit! I found editing all of my footage together very challenging because it was difficult to ensure it all looked seamless, however it surprisingly did not take me very long to do and I am happy that my film flows well, I cannot spot any continuity errors, which was what I was most afraid of finding.
Overall, I feel I have done very well in making my film and I am feeling much more confident in filming in the future.
Premises
One of our early stages of film planning was to create some premises, which is a one sentence summary of my film.
1- A supernatural thriller in which a journalist uncovers the truth of an abandoned factory.
2- A disgraced journalist tries to redeem himself by covering the story of the mysterious abandoned factory.
3- A journalist tries to prove himself as a writer by covering the story of a factory, facing all sorts of danger on the way.
I prefer my second premise as opposed to the other two because it lets out all of the appropriate information without giving too much away which I feel is important. It is also the only one that actually explains the journalist's situation.
Thursday 14 February 2013
Moodboard
To help visualise our own ideas, we were set the task of making a moodboard in which we would include possible things we would include in our own film opening. For example, setting, props and characters. I found this very helpful as before I was unsure of what I would include in my film and how it would actually look, and it gave me the chance to put my ideas into pictures and make it seem much more real.
Below is my own moodboard, I was particularly drawn to the picture of the empty corridor because it emphasised what I would try and achieve in my own film; a sense of unknown and emptiness. I also particularly liked the image of the office desk as I could imagine something similar in my film for my character of the Journalist looking on his computer for a possible story.
Below is my own moodboard, I was particularly drawn to the picture of the empty corridor because it emphasised what I would try and achieve in my own film; a sense of unknown and emptiness. I also particularly liked the image of the office desk as I could imagine something similar in my film for my character of the Journalist looking on his computer for a possible story.
Sunday 10 February 2013
Main task planning!
Before we actually start filming our opening to our film, we were set the task of taking photos of what we'd expect to see within it.
1- This was a rough idea of the kind of abandoned building I could use right at the end of my film opening. The idea would be for my main character to be reading a newspaper/some form of information with a picture of the building on, and then when the character puts the newspaper down the building will be standing in front of him. (preferably in a low angle shot unlike this picture)
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2- This newspaper will appear when the character of the Journalist will be reading an old article about themselves after doing a bad article with faulty information. This will lead on to the character needing to prove themselves as a Journalist.
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Wednesday 16 January 2013
Key Scenes
For our chosen story line, we firstly had to develop six scenes that would potentially take place somewhere in our film, whether it be at the start, middle or end of the film. I had decided to go with my story of the Journalist looking for a story who heads to an abandoned, haunted factory. The six scenes I came up with were:
1- Journalist Edward Taylor is at home/at work with friends/colleagues discussing how he can't find a good story. Feeling the pressure to find a brilliant story because of a bad article he had written in the past where he didn't check facts.
2- Edward's friends join him for a glass of wine one evening and one recommends an old abandoned factory to investigate as there are rumours and unanswered questions about it.
3- Edward is at home researching the factory on his computer and discovers its 'haunted' and that people who used to work there have mysteriously disappeared.
4- Edward is feeling sceptical but decides to take a visit to the factory, he doesn't believe in the paranormal so he's convinced it will be a waste of time.
5- Edward spends an hour or so in the factory, and takes photos of different areas inside. He decides there's no story here, like he thought, and leaves.
6- Edward is sat at home looking through his camera flow of pictures he had taken at factory. One catches his attention- there's a face in the background. Edward realises that maybe he was wrong about the paranormal.
After we had put these scenes together, we had to decide on what scene we should use as our opening scene. I feel I could link the first two scenes into one and include Edward talking about his bad article that was very wrong and that accused people of things they didn't do.
1- Journalist Edward Taylor is at home/at work with friends/colleagues discussing how he can't find a good story. Feeling the pressure to find a brilliant story because of a bad article he had written in the past where he didn't check facts.
2- Edward's friends join him for a glass of wine one evening and one recommends an old abandoned factory to investigate as there are rumours and unanswered questions about it.
3- Edward is at home researching the factory on his computer and discovers its 'haunted' and that people who used to work there have mysteriously disappeared.
4- Edward is feeling sceptical but decides to take a visit to the factory, he doesn't believe in the paranormal so he's convinced it will be a waste of time.
5- Edward spends an hour or so in the factory, and takes photos of different areas inside. He decides there's no story here, like he thought, and leaves.
6- Edward is sat at home looking through his camera flow of pictures he had taken at factory. One catches his attention- there's a face in the background. Edward realises that maybe he was wrong about the paranormal.
After we had put these scenes together, we had to decide on what scene we should use as our opening scene. I feel I could link the first two scenes into one and include Edward talking about his bad article that was very wrong and that accused people of things they didn't do.
Generating Character Ideas
The first task we were set on Thursday's lesson was to think back to our two chosen story lines we had developed from the previous session, pick one out of the two and then out of that story and decide who would be our protagonist, opponent, ally and opponent ally. I chose my story of the Detective with a Cocaine addiction who had been set the task of finding a thief that had stolen something from a royal manor. The protagonist of this story was the Detective. The opponent was the criminal/thief that had stolen from the manor, that eventually the Detective would have to find and confront. The ally I chose was the Detective's new assistant picked by his boss for the case and they get on straight away like a house on fire. Finally, the opponent ally I chose was the Police Chief/Detective's Boss as he starts off as an opponent as he doesn't trust the detective and thinks his addiction will get in the way of his case, but he then discovers he's wrong.
After this was completed, I picked one character from this story line to develop fully and design a character profile for them. I chose the Detective. There were a number of things I had to fill in about my character, which was useful as I was developing my ideas as I went along.
Character Profile no. 1
Name: Howard Fisher
Age: 47
Gender: Male
Education: School, College, University - Criminal Law
Hobbies: Playing the saxophone, drinking rum, his cat, cocaine, going to the bar.
Job: Detective
Parents: Mother died, Father in home
Favourite music: Jazz & Classical music
Dislikes: Small spaces, any type of organisation, paper work.
Characters strong points: Intelligent- never needs to write anything down, pays attention to detail, good drinking buddy.
What people find irritating about this character: Messy, unorganised, shy without alcohol.
What motivates this character to get up in the morning: Saxophone, get new cases from work.
Their dream: To persue Jazz and to find that special someone.
You would hurt this character by: making references to his Mother, pointing out his Cocaine addiction.
We then had to do a second profile and I chose my protagonist of my other storyline.
Character Profile no.2
Name: Edward
Age: 25
Gender: Male
Education: school, college, university - Oxford - English degree.
Hobbies: writing, photography, watching wildlife documentaries, going out with friends.
Job: Journalist
Parents: both very wealthy, live together in a house in Virginia Water.
Favourite music: Classical, Indie.
Dislikes: People being late, procrastinators, people not being realists.
Characters strong points: sets his mind to any story, determined, amazing writing skills.
What people find irritating about this character: takes things to seriously
What motivates this character to get up in the morning: work, the idea of a good story being out there.
Their dream: To pursue photography further and travel the world, to prove himself to be a good journalist despite previous problems
You would hurt this character by: telling him he's not good at his job.
After this was completed, I picked one character from this story line to develop fully and design a character profile for them. I chose the Detective. There were a number of things I had to fill in about my character, which was useful as I was developing my ideas as I went along.
Character Profile no. 1
Name: Howard Fisher
Age: 47
Gender: Male
Education: School, College, University - Criminal Law
Hobbies: Playing the saxophone, drinking rum, his cat, cocaine, going to the bar.
Job: Detective
Parents: Mother died, Father in home
Favourite music: Jazz & Classical music
Dislikes: Small spaces, any type of organisation, paper work.
Characters strong points: Intelligent- never needs to write anything down, pays attention to detail, good drinking buddy.
What people find irritating about this character: Messy, unorganised, shy without alcohol.
What motivates this character to get up in the morning: Saxophone, get new cases from work.
Their dream: To persue Jazz and to find that special someone.
You would hurt this character by: making references to his Mother, pointing out his Cocaine addiction.
We then had to do a second profile and I chose my protagonist of my other storyline.
Character Profile no.2
Name: Edward
Age: 25
Gender: Male
Education: school, college, university - Oxford - English degree.
Hobbies: writing, photography, watching wildlife documentaries, going out with friends.
Job: Journalist
Parents: both very wealthy, live together in a house in Virginia Water.
Favourite music: Classical, Indie.
Dislikes: People being late, procrastinators, people not being realists.
Characters strong points: sets his mind to any story, determined, amazing writing skills.
What people find irritating about this character: takes things to seriously
What motivates this character to get up in the morning: work, the idea of a good story being out there.
Their dream: To pursue photography further and travel the world, to prove himself to be a good journalist despite previous problems
You would hurt this character by: telling him he's not good at his job.
Edward Scissorhands Analysis
Edward Scissorhands- micro elements of opening titles analysis
In the opening titles of the film Edward Scissorhands, there are a range of different features used in the four micro elements - sound, mise-en-scene, camera angles/shots/movement and editing that make the audience feel different things at different times.
Firstly, features of mise-en-scene tell the audience about the film before it has started. For example, snow has been incorporated into the 21’st Century Fox studio logo when it is usually just plain; this gives the audience the feel that the film is going to be quite a jolly Christmas film. This fools the audience as we then move into a setting of low key lighting, instantly insinuating the film is darker than expected. The camera takes us through an old door of what looks like a haunted house, this involves the audience and it acts as though they are being taken through the door into the world of the film. After being taken through the door, we know we are in a haunted house as we are shown a gargoyle and taken up some old fashioned steps- the whole setting is very scary and unexpected. The effect this has on the audience is that it makes them question what the rest of the film may be like, leaving them slightly anxious. Towards the end of the titles, we have been introduced to some machinery, emphasising some sort of project is occuring here, yet we have no idea what; creating a sense of unknown.
Sound is an important indicator of how the viewer should be feeling. The film starts with some soft opera like music in the background, as if we were in a church at Christmas time - linking to the snow on the Fox logo. However, as soon as the logo disappears and we are taken to the door, the opera music comes to a halt and turns into a slow and sinister piece. This makes the audience question what is through the door, making them feel nervous. However, after we have been taken through the door, the sinister music turns into a slow light hearted piece that sounds very magical, this is an example of contrapuntal music as the scene is not a happy, magical place that the sound may suggest. The music then fades out and we are introduced to yet another piece of musical score that is very orchestral with singing in the background which is quite chilling and haunting, very suitable to the setting.
The use of editing makes the viewer feel like they are waiting for something to happen, leading to them feeling uneasy. The shots appear on the screen for a relatively long time and the cuts are very slow towards the start and which matches the slower music. This slow pace draws the audience in, leading them in to expect some sort of action as a result. On the other hand, as soon as the camera has gone through the door, the fasts become much faster. In my opinion, I feel that this emphasises that the audience have just entered a more exciting world that contrasts what world they have just left. Fades have been used at the start of the titles, indicating some sort of change, yet also adds to the suspense.
Camera angles, shots and movement are very important. Firstly, tracking has been used when we are taken through the door. It is done at a slow pace, which would have more of an effect than if it was fast because the slower, the more time we have to question what could be through the door, this sense of unknown is very effective and ensures that the viewer is kept at the edge of their seat, feeling edgy. Also, the names of the cast appear to the screen in a canted shot, which is subtle but adds to that sense of anticipation and edginess the viewer is feeling, even though they may not even be aware it of it, let alone has an effect on them. Another movement type that has been used is the panning through machinery, leading us to question what all of the machinery is, and more importantly that where exactly we are, leaving us confused. The scene then ends in an establishing shot of the house which is quite strange as we usually find establishing shots at the start of the scene. It is effective because the viewer can finally paint a picture of where they were and so they know that this house will become significant later on in the film.
In the opening titles of the film Edward Scissorhands, there are a range of different features used in the four micro elements - sound, mise-en-scene, camera angles/shots/movement and editing that make the audience feel different things at different times.
Firstly, features of mise-en-scene tell the audience about the film before it has started. For example, snow has been incorporated into the 21’st Century Fox studio logo when it is usually just plain; this gives the audience the feel that the film is going to be quite a jolly Christmas film. This fools the audience as we then move into a setting of low key lighting, instantly insinuating the film is darker than expected. The camera takes us through an old door of what looks like a haunted house, this involves the audience and it acts as though they are being taken through the door into the world of the film. After being taken through the door, we know we are in a haunted house as we are shown a gargoyle and taken up some old fashioned steps- the whole setting is very scary and unexpected. The effect this has on the audience is that it makes them question what the rest of the film may be like, leaving them slightly anxious. Towards the end of the titles, we have been introduced to some machinery, emphasising some sort of project is occuring here, yet we have no idea what; creating a sense of unknown.
Sound is an important indicator of how the viewer should be feeling. The film starts with some soft opera like music in the background, as if we were in a church at Christmas time - linking to the snow on the Fox logo. However, as soon as the logo disappears and we are taken to the door, the opera music comes to a halt and turns into a slow and sinister piece. This makes the audience question what is through the door, making them feel nervous. However, after we have been taken through the door, the sinister music turns into a slow light hearted piece that sounds very magical, this is an example of contrapuntal music as the scene is not a happy, magical place that the sound may suggest. The music then fades out and we are introduced to yet another piece of musical score that is very orchestral with singing in the background which is quite chilling and haunting, very suitable to the setting.
The use of editing makes the viewer feel like they are waiting for something to happen, leading to them feeling uneasy. The shots appear on the screen for a relatively long time and the cuts are very slow towards the start and which matches the slower music. This slow pace draws the audience in, leading them in to expect some sort of action as a result. On the other hand, as soon as the camera has gone through the door, the fasts become much faster. In my opinion, I feel that this emphasises that the audience have just entered a more exciting world that contrasts what world they have just left. Fades have been used at the start of the titles, indicating some sort of change, yet also adds to the suspense.
Camera angles, shots and movement are very important. Firstly, tracking has been used when we are taken through the door. It is done at a slow pace, which would have more of an effect than if it was fast because the slower, the more time we have to question what could be through the door, this sense of unknown is very effective and ensures that the viewer is kept at the edge of their seat, feeling edgy. Also, the names of the cast appear to the screen in a canted shot, which is subtle but adds to that sense of anticipation and edginess the viewer is feeling, even though they may not even be aware it of it, let alone has an effect on them. Another movement type that has been used is the panning through machinery, leading us to question what all of the machinery is, and more importantly that where exactly we are, leaving us confused. The scene then ends in an establishing shot of the house which is quite strange as we usually find establishing shots at the start of the scene. It is effective because the viewer can finally paint a picture of where they were and so they know that this house will become significant later on in the film.
Dark Knight Rises Analysis
Analysis of micro elements of Batman opening titles
The micro elements of the opening titles of The Dark Night were all very helpful in creating the feel of the rest of film, which was very tense and suspenseful.
Firstly, sound was an important contribution. There were two different soundtracks used in the sequence, the first was when the studio logos appeared and the music slowly built up into an orchestral piece with added drums to add suspense. However, as soon as the main titles appeared, the soundtrack changed to a piece with a much faster pace. The music started to build up and when introduced to a new piece of information, e.g. pictures of faces, it got much louder, with what sounded like strikes of violins. Overall this had a huge impact on the audience because due to the fast cutting music, we have been introduced to this intense film that’ll have us at the edge of our seat.
Secondly, the use of mise-en-scene instantly told the audience exactly what type of film they were watching. For example, as soon as the Warner Brothers logo appeared. It is usually a happy yellow colour, but not in this film. It was black, which automatically suggested that this film was going to be much darker and sinister. Lighting was hugely responsible for the whole feel of the film, throughout the titles, low key lighting was used which again indicates what the rest of the film will be like: dark and full of suspense. Next was the use of props. We are shown a picture of Bruce Wayne (played by Christian Bale) this, without actually saying anything to the audience, emphasises that someone knows that Wayne is Batman. We understand this to be dangerous and instantly, the feel of edginess is created and a sense of the unknown as we are not aware of who the character is that knows the secret. This automatically shows what the rest of the film has in store. Also in the sequence we can see a number of different objects including newspapers and blueprints, leaving us questioning why exactly they are there and again, who’s using them. The names of the actors have been incorporated into the newspapers, the effect of this is that the feel of the film is never taken away, whereas if the names happily popped up on the screen it would contradict the scene and we would not know what to feel. Lastly within the titles there was a recurring bat which has been used so that the viewer never loses sight of what they’re watching, yet it adds intensity and excitement.
Editing is also important, a fade is used right at the start of the film. I think this has been used to make the audience feel like they have just entered into the world of Batman. The opening titles begin and fast cuts have been used of the shots, fitting with the sound. This intrigues the viewer as the effect of this is the feeling of excitement and unease, which are two feelings that normally contradict each other. Towards the end of the titles, the shot cuts to Batman's mask which tells the viewer that this is where the story begins, however they are already feeling extremely uneased.
Finally, camera angles and movement. A technique used frequently during the clip that has a lasting effect is panning, it is used to act as though someone is looking through files/blueprints that instantly creates excitement and a sense of rushing, even at such an early stage of the film. Also, close up shots have been used throughout. This is to ensure the audience is exposed to a tremendous amount of information that will all become vital later, but at the moment, it seems completely unimportant to them, which I feel is a very clever method. The names of the actors in the film appear to the screen in a canted angle, these angles are used to create tension and unease, hence why they have been used here.
In conclusion, I can see that all the micro elements of The Dark Knight Rises have been used for the audience’s benefit. It was to ensure that they feel tension from the start of the film and to make them feel nervous and feel a sense of unknowing of what the rest of the dark film has in store.
The micro elements of the opening titles of The Dark Night were all very helpful in creating the feel of the rest of film, which was very tense and suspenseful.
Firstly, sound was an important contribution. There were two different soundtracks used in the sequence, the first was when the studio logos appeared and the music slowly built up into an orchestral piece with added drums to add suspense. However, as soon as the main titles appeared, the soundtrack changed to a piece with a much faster pace. The music started to build up and when introduced to a new piece of information, e.g. pictures of faces, it got much louder, with what sounded like strikes of violins. Overall this had a huge impact on the audience because due to the fast cutting music, we have been introduced to this intense film that’ll have us at the edge of our seat.
Secondly, the use of mise-en-scene instantly told the audience exactly what type of film they were watching. For example, as soon as the Warner Brothers logo appeared. It is usually a happy yellow colour, but not in this film. It was black, which automatically suggested that this film was going to be much darker and sinister. Lighting was hugely responsible for the whole feel of the film, throughout the titles, low key lighting was used which again indicates what the rest of the film will be like: dark and full of suspense. Next was the use of props. We are shown a picture of Bruce Wayne (played by Christian Bale) this, without actually saying anything to the audience, emphasises that someone knows that Wayne is Batman. We understand this to be dangerous and instantly, the feel of edginess is created and a sense of the unknown as we are not aware of who the character is that knows the secret. This automatically shows what the rest of the film has in store. Also in the sequence we can see a number of different objects including newspapers and blueprints, leaving us questioning why exactly they are there and again, who’s using them. The names of the actors have been incorporated into the newspapers, the effect of this is that the feel of the film is never taken away, whereas if the names happily popped up on the screen it would contradict the scene and we would not know what to feel. Lastly within the titles there was a recurring bat which has been used so that the viewer never loses sight of what they’re watching, yet it adds intensity and excitement.
Editing is also important, a fade is used right at the start of the film. I think this has been used to make the audience feel like they have just entered into the world of Batman. The opening titles begin and fast cuts have been used of the shots, fitting with the sound. This intrigues the viewer as the effect of this is the feeling of excitement and unease, which are two feelings that normally contradict each other. Towards the end of the titles, the shot cuts to Batman's mask which tells the viewer that this is where the story begins, however they are already feeling extremely uneased.
Finally, camera angles and movement. A technique used frequently during the clip that has a lasting effect is panning, it is used to act as though someone is looking through files/blueprints that instantly creates excitement and a sense of rushing, even at such an early stage of the film. Also, close up shots have been used throughout. This is to ensure the audience is exposed to a tremendous amount of information that will all become vital later, but at the moment, it seems completely unimportant to them, which I feel is a very clever method. The names of the actors in the film appear to the screen in a canted angle, these angles are used to create tension and unease, hence why they have been used here.
In conclusion, I can see that all the micro elements of The Dark Knight Rises have been used for the audience’s benefit. It was to ensure that they feel tension from the start of the film and to make them feel nervous and feel a sense of unknowing of what the rest of the dark film has in store.
Sunday 13 January 2013
Ideas for coursework lesson
On Monday's lesson, the class were firstly told to think about our 'influences' of film and television that could possibly give us ideas for our main task where we will be making an opening to a film.These influences could be from things we had seen as a child or maybe more recently that had stuck in our heads. They could also be things that had made us think 'Wow, I wish I made that.' My film influences included the Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit. I am a huge fan of Lord of the Rings and the first time I watched them I was mesmerised by the whole set up of the film, and then I recently went to watch The Hobbit which I thought was incredible. Alice in Wonderland and Edward Scissorhands are my other influences which were both made by my favourite director Tim Burton. Then we did something similar and had to think about books/magazines that had influenced influenced us and I thought of Woman in Black by Susan Hill and Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Lastly, we had to think about our real life experiences with people to help us develop our ideas for our characters. The only thing I could really think of was my Uncle who is very prone to accidents and seems to have a new accident every time I see him. After thinking about all of these influences, I had a slight idea of what approach I could take for my own film.
Our next task was to each get 12 small pieces of paper. On these pieces of paper we had to write down 4 possible characters, 4 possible locations and 4 possible situations. Once we had done this, we all placed our bits of paper in a tray, shuffled the paper around in the tray and we all had to pick 4 random pieces of paper (apart from the ones we had written). I then opened up the pieces I had chosen. The four characters I had received were: Suit Guy looking for a story, Detective with a Cocaine addiction, smart uneducated Woman and a Ghost who wants redemption. The four situations I had received were: searching for something, running from a stranger, itching their toe and fighting a Sea Witch for freedom. And the four locations I had received were Asda store room, royal manor, abandoned factory and a Zoo.
Then, we had to develop two story lines from what we had received. For my first story line I had chosen the character of the Detective with a Cocaine addiction, the location of a royal manor and the situation of searching for something. I then developed this further and the story line I picked was:
'A mystery film in which a detective with a Cocaine addiction is set the task to search for the thief that has stolen from a royal manor and retrieve what has been taken. During this time he has the mission to get over his Cocaine addiction.'
For my second story line I had chosen the character of Suit Guy looking for a story, the location of an abandoned factory and finally the situation of running from a stranger. The story line I chose was
'A male Journalist in his twenties is looking for a story and heads to an abandoned factory but is very sceptical. Eventually, he realises the factory is more dangerous that he thought, hidden with secrets that he tries to run away from.'
I am happy with the two story lines I have developed. I feel that I will definitely be using one or the other as already to me, they feel thrilling and exciting. Overall, I found this lesson extremely helpful as before I was absolutely clueless of what type of film I could produce.
Our next task was to each get 12 small pieces of paper. On these pieces of paper we had to write down 4 possible characters, 4 possible locations and 4 possible situations. Once we had done this, we all placed our bits of paper in a tray, shuffled the paper around in the tray and we all had to pick 4 random pieces of paper (apart from the ones we had written). I then opened up the pieces I had chosen. The four characters I had received were: Suit Guy looking for a story, Detective with a Cocaine addiction, smart uneducated Woman and a Ghost who wants redemption. The four situations I had received were: searching for something, running from a stranger, itching their toe and fighting a Sea Witch for freedom. And the four locations I had received were Asda store room, royal manor, abandoned factory and a Zoo.
Then, we had to develop two story lines from what we had received. For my first story line I had chosen the character of the Detective with a Cocaine addiction, the location of a royal manor and the situation of searching for something. I then developed this further and the story line I picked was:
'A mystery film in which a detective with a Cocaine addiction is set the task to search for the thief that has stolen from a royal manor and retrieve what has been taken. During this time he has the mission to get over his Cocaine addiction.'
For my second story line I had chosen the character of Suit Guy looking for a story, the location of an abandoned factory and finally the situation of running from a stranger. The story line I chose was
'A male Journalist in his twenties is looking for a story and heads to an abandoned factory but is very sceptical. Eventually, he realises the factory is more dangerous that he thought, hidden with secrets that he tries to run away from.'
I am happy with the two story lines I have developed. I feel that I will definitely be using one or the other as already to me, they feel thrilling and exciting. Overall, I found this lesson extremely helpful as before I was absolutely clueless of what type of film I could produce.
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