Rough cuts

The first cut we decided not to use as the lighting was different to all the other shots so there was no continuity between this and the next shot.

The next one we decided not to use as the lighting isn't bright enough so it isn't as good quality as it could be, the quality is abit grainy and doesn't work effectively.

This is another shot that is very dark, which makes it bad quality. And the centering of the characters isn't correct, it also moves uneffectively when the mum comes in, it would have been a better shot if the mum could have walked in with the frame still, so that the second girl wasn't cut out of the frame.We decided not to use this shot as it goes alot blurrier than we originally wanted it to, and it was hard to do the hand scene as the girl character was still walking, it was also very dark and hard to see what is going on, so we decided to film that shot again under the street light.

We decided not to use this shot as we didn't feel it was dramatic enough, to create tension. Or perhaps people wouldn't understand what was going on.

We also thought this shot wouldn't work as it went very blurry, and wasn't as effective as other shots similar which were better quality.

The group

We used red as the main colour for the poster, as it is a signifier of blood and horror. Although we could have used blue which is also a common convention in horror films to use the colour blue.













We chose a number of three as in our preliminary task there was five of us and we found difficulties in getting the work done as everyone had a different opinion and it was extremely hard to get everyone to have a go with the camera. We all get on very well and find it easy to discuss new ideas or sort out work that has to be done.

Cinematography & Editing

1--
The first shot we used was a canted angle(to show something bad is going to happen)from the front of the house, with a zoom towards the window of the house, giving a preffered reading, that the killer is watching and waiting for the girl to leave the house, which all creats tension within a few seconds.
2--
The next shot is then a high angle from behind the girls watching a film, to make them look vulnerable. Especially when the scary bit of the film comes on screen, the build up to it creates tension and when it happens you see the vulnerability in the killers first victim.
3--
This shot is then a medium shot showing the reactions of the girls, it clearly shows there is one vulnerable one, and the final girl, who is laughing, and blatantly not scared by the horror film, showing she is clearly a strong, powerful character.
The mother then walks through the door with cake and a knife, which is juxtaposed with the main girl saying she wasn't scared, as she then screams when she hears her mum walking through the door in shock. The knife is also a signifier of death and horror, and we got the idea from scream, where drew barrymore the actress picks up a knife, signifying death is soon.
4--
This shot is then an over the shoulder shot of the mother, the knife is also pointed slightly at the killers first victim, only noticeable to some who are watching carefully.
5--
This next shot is then of the main girl running out of the room, away from the screen, showing she is slightly vulnerable.
6--
We then use shot-reverse shot with the mother and main girl, also using the 180 degree rule.
7--
It then moves on to a shot of the girl rushing, putting her coat and shoes on.
8--
we then use match on action with the opening of the door.
9--
The girl then rushes out of the house, the camera is on a slight canted angle showing something bad is about to happen.
10--
The girl then walks away from the screen again, showing vulnerability.
11--
This is then a point of view shot of the killer, from behind a tree, creating tension for the audience.
12--
This is another point of view shot, this time the killer is following the girl, the blurry effect throughout the outside scenes is to signify to the audience that this is a dream, not reality. The girl is 'out of focus' at this point. This is also shot at a slight high angle, suggesting the killer is a male, and to make the girl look in danger, and powerless at this point. The hand then slowly comes into the shot, creating dramatic effect.
13--
This is then a medium shot of the front of the girl, showing her reaction, she turns round to see if anything is there...but it is completely silent, with no-one around.
14--
It then quickly cuts into the girl jolting up in her bed, after the nightmare she had of herself getting stalked. But what she and the audience don't know at this point is that all her dreams then turn into reality later on (linking slightly to nightmare on elm street theme)



The clip of the hand reaching out to the girl we re-shot from a high angle to make her look in danger.
We also edited out a shot of the mum telling the girl to get home safely, as we tried to edit it to make it flow easily but didn't manage to make it effective so cut it out altogether and put a fade in transition to the next shot of the girl leaving the house to show she got from there to the door without us showing it on film.
We also decided to edit the bit of the mum walking through the living room door and add an over the shoulder shot to create a wider range of camera shots used.
We heavily used invisible editing throughout, to make it more realistic, and for the fast pace young audience.

Software

Our group used Imovie 6.0 where we uploaded our clips to, and will now used to edit it, add transitions, sound effects etc.

We had used this software before for our preliminary task, and narrative theory task. Which means we had already had much practice on it, and i knew how to add sound and everything already, as we had also watched some tutorials online to help us out with the basics, and moving on to more complicated aspects. Which makes the process of the final cut much easier and quicker process.

Equipment

We used a Cannon MV920 Digital Video Camera. 
Powerful Canon 25x zoom lens
High resolution 800k pixel CCD and DiG!C DV for outstanding image quality
Stylish and compact, designed for simple operation
2.7" Widescreen LCD and Real Widescreen recording for breathtaking playback
Microphone input connection
It had many different settings, the one we mainly used was nightvision- as the character was outside for a large majority of the opening. 


We also had to use a tripod called 'Fujifilm Finepix A900' Which helped for the shots we wanted to keep steady, it was easily adjustable for if we wanted high angle/low angle shots quickly and easily.


And we also used a Cannon IXUS 8015 digital camera to take pictures of the location to see if it was a suitable setting.

Location, Mise en Scene, Props

We have two locations to choose from, both similar locations although one is much darker and more enclosed, whereas the other option is slightly more open with lighting, which may look better on camera.

The aim of both locations though is for a dark effect, scary and realistic effect, we just need to find the location which looks good without any expensive equipment having to be used.

We are also using the main sitting room of a house, which will be made to look dark, and slightly scary to signify the genre and as they are watching a scary film.

The location we ended up choosing after alot of discussion over the 2, was the one which had more streetlights, as the although the other one was a more claustraphobic, dark rural area to film, it would have been much harder to get the lighting right as there were no streetlights around, and we wouldn't have had the right equipment to create a dark yet good quality clip.

The bedroom used in the last clip is fairly simple and girly, reflecting the personality of the main girl.

Casting

Our main girl, is a similar character to the actress in donkey punch Nichola Burley. Who is the final girl, she is the quiet innocent one, who doesn't want to get involved in anything that could lead to something bad happening. She was cautious on the film of going on the boat.
Our 'final girl' is still used for male gaze, but is the more conserved character, which is why we decided to dress her in jeans and a simple top, and put her hair up. This will help make the film appeal to girls as she is an inspiration to women, not embarassing them with the stereotypical nature they are perceiving most females to be.
The other actress in our film, the more flirty girly one would be seen as the scream queen, the one who dies first. As she is dressed in a pink dress, with a little cleavage and make up on, showing she is sexually available, and therefore seen as a sin. So should be the one who dies.
Both our girls are brunettes, which is challenging the usual stereotype of horror film girls, especially the scream queen who dies first.
The mother in the beginning is also a very stereotypical mum, walking in with cake, asking if she wanted a lift home etc. She will appeal to an older audience.

Production schedule

We have given enough time to discuss ideas between us, and thought shots through, and gone into detail with the character types, for example if they are stereotypical or counter types etc.

We have now sorted out the day we will be filming, and thought through how long it should take, we have then left ourselves with around 2 weeks to then cut etc.

Production Plan

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Screenplay

d a r e t o d r e a m

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Storyboard

Storyboard 1

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Storyboard 2

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Prelim task

Prelim Task Evaluation

The beginning introduces stereotypes and music sets the genre and target audience. We had a German exchange student who was one of our stereotypes, and at first we planned to put her in German clothes and playing stereotypical music, but we soon realised we didn't have the time which we have now learnt from, to plan further in advance and not to leave making the media text too late. We also had another stereotypical northern cleaner.

Planning the scenes before hand through storyboarding helped us a lot, although when it came to producing the match on action it didn't make much sense. So we had to go back and add a clip in so it flowed. We needed the transactions to be clear but subtle.

We also learnt that working in a group of 4 people wasn't as easy as we would have expected because there were so many different ideas and opinions it took double the time, also everyone getting a go at filming was difficult as there wasn't even much to film.

Also we hadn't taken into account the lighting because it put shadows on peoples faces which made it unclear on screen, so now we know to plan out before hand from what angle we film from

Initial group idea

Initial Group Idea -

It begins with an over the shoulder shot of two stereotypical girls, watching a horror film. There are also a few close ups to show how scared they are. After they have watched the film the main protagonist girl has to get home to look after her sister, the mum of the girls house she is at offers to give her a lift home(two shot), but she declines saying it is only 2 minutes away, and she has walked this way many times before in the dark.
She then gets a call from her boyfriend as leaving the house,(there is also blue tinted lighting to signify the genre) but the phone shortly goes dead. She carries on walking home, when someone then starts to watch her. The person then starts following closely behind her (point of view shot of the antagonist following the protagonist) when they then reach out for her shoulder, when she begins to get paranoid and can hear something, quickly turns round and nothing is there.
It then sharply goes to a black screen, where a heartbeat comes in and quickly gets faster. It then cuts to the girl in bed, who then jolts up after a bad dream.

My initial group idea

My Initial Idea-

It opens with a blank screen, where a hearbeat then comes in and gets faster, and then a teenage blonde girl jolts up out of bed from a nightmare, with a close up of her face. She then gets out of bed and goes downstairs for a drink, while calling her friend, saying that the horror film they had watched that night had creeped her out, and her friend tells her that nothing like what happens in horror films happens in real life, she then turns the light off and starts going back to bed, as she exits the screen, the focus is then on a dark figure standing at the window. It then sharply cuts, with a sound effect to create tension.

Codes and conventions of film openings

I have looked at a wide variety of film openings, which all vary significantly.

The first film i analysed was 'Leprichaun', directed by Mark Jones.
Blue tinted lighting is used to signify coldness and mysterious/magical elements.
The font used is celtic style which links to the irish myth.
A canted angle is also used in the beginning of this film, which signifies somethings not right/ something bads going to happen.

'Scream' is also a film i analysed in great detail, as it is one of the horror films we used to get ideas from.
It begins with non-diegetic music, with long continuous notes to make you feel tense. A heartbeat then comes in which creates more tension-your heart starts to beat faster.
There is then more non-diegetic sound of a creeking door which signifies old fashioned horror.
The blue colour tint in the lighting is used again in this film, signifying the supernatural- Since Halloween 1978 and its extensive use of blue tint its become a key convention of horror, and used in most films.
There are sharp serif edges of font- also often used in horrors as it signifies death etc.
It then starts to flash red over screen, going with the hearbeat. So far its only 13 seconds into the film and in great detail signified a horror film.
There is then diegetic sound of a girl screaming, and lettering turns red signifying blood, violence and threat.
The very first shot is of a blonde female, which shows she will most probably die.
There is a slow zoom and slightly shaking, conveying threat.
Again there is a tilted dutch angle, another thing commonly used in horrors.
The image of the house with trees around it adds to the effect of claustrophobia.
Use of postmodernism with the popcorn- the actress is eating it whereas most of the cinema audience will be aswell.
Tracking is then used, replicating stalking and her being followed by someone.
Wobble of camera- making audience feel nervous.
The actress picks up a knife, signifying the genre. Strong anchorage. The knife is like a phalic representation.
It then goes onto an image of the popcorn rising, which is a visual metaphor for sexual tension.
Nightmare on elm street is mentioned, as this film is made by the same director - "first one was good, but the rest sucked"
The camera then pulls in when there is a threat.
It takes 12 mins 23 seconds for the first death to take place.
After the blonde girl dies it goes onto a shot of a brown haired girl, teddy in shot, girly clothing- contrasting to other girl, signifying innocence and purity. Which could mean she ends up being the final girl.

Initial analysis of a film opening

Love Actually

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Coursework Task

The Brief set for our AS coursework production is as follows:

Preliminary exercise: Continuity task involving filming and editing a character opening a door, crossing a room and sitting down in a chair opposite another character, with whom she/he then exchanges a couple of lines of dialogue. This task should demonstrate match on action, shot/reverse shot and the 180-degree rule.

Main task: the titles and opening of a new fiction film, to last a maximum of two minutes.

All video and audio material must be original, produced by the candidate(s), with the exception of music or audio effects from a copyright-free source.