Film Opening Edit 4

This edit is only a sharpened version of the previous one. I felt that the video quality wasn't sharp enough and so improved it.

Evaluation: Question 7: Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

Back when I started the Preliminary Task I was unaware and uneducated in filming aspects and techniques. For example, mise en scene, importance of lighting, camera angles, pacing. All I knew was how to point a camera at things and (roughly) edit them.




A piece of mise-en-scene in "SHOT".

I have learnt how mise en scene can be used to foreshadow and communicate things to the audience about characters and places. In "SHOT" I used multiple cases of mise-en-scene, for example, the chess pieces were representitive of one character, Eilif, killing another character, Nicholas.

Using back-lighting, I've created a silhouette
to give Eilif some mystery.
The lower camera angle also makes him
appear bigger and powerful.

The lighting in a scene is important. It can be used to indicate time of day and even to create mysterious silhouettes and shapes to tell the audience things about a character.




Focus/ defocus in use.

Camera angles can make a character seem bigger or smaller, kinder or intimidating.Not to mention techniques like focus/ defocus, which I used at least twice in my opening. A bridging shot is something I also learnt about and used in my opening.

Although match-on-action is something that had to be used in the preliminary task, it is not something I did well. The actions sometimes didn't quite match up in the shots. However, since then, I learnt to make sure the shots matched up well before bringing them to editing. In my project, there are parts where I've used match-on-action well, such as when Nicholas outs a phone up to his head.



The muzzle flash in the dream sequence.

Though the pacing of the preliminary wasn't bad, I didn't do it intentionally. The pacing can be used to give the audience a sense of calmness or panic, depending on the speed of the cuts.

I didn't use any kind of special FX in the preliminary. For "SHOT", I used colour correction, slow motion, muzzle flashes and motion tracking & stabilisation.

The first page of my
drafted script.

There was very little planning for the preliminary task, which lead to a lot of messing around and stopping to think of a shot. For the film opening, I did a LOT of planning, which meant I knew exactly what to do when it came to the production of the project, which meant that I was able to shoot and record scenes quick and effectively.

No non-diagetic sound was used in the prelim, in the final product I used is pretty much all the way through. It was used as background music and sound effects (like the gun).

Evaluation: Question 6: What have you learnt about technologies from the process of construction this product?





I came in with some minimal knowledge on Adobe After Effects, like making shapes and minor animating, as seen in my re-do of Saul Bass' famous intros. Since then, I've gain skills from watching hours of online tutorials and practise. In my ident, and even my first Evaluation Question, I used particles and still 3D images, as well as an inbuilt camera tool to create 3D compositions, that I'm able to "travel" through. The end result is the illusion that you're moving through a space-like zone.



Looking at the top image, which is my
current ident, in comparison to the lower
image, which is one of my first works in
After Effects, you can clearly see how much
I have progressed.

Not only that, I've used pre-keyed footage to create gunshots, like the one in the dream sequence of "SHOT".


A muzzle flash, to make the gun look
like it's firing.
Colour correction has been used to
create a surreal effect.

I colourized this scene to make it red
communicate to the audience that
Eilif is evil.

Colour-correction is something I learnt to used in After Effect (and Premiere Pro too). Extreme examples of this are in the dream sequence and scenes with Eilif.




I didn't realize how demanding programs like Adobe After Effects and Premiere Pro can be on a computer. Frequently I've face crashes and loss of work because of this. When I was editing on my own computer, I found that I had to upgrade the hardware for it to be able to cope with the strenuous task of editing. It's that and I scaled down the quality of some video files so they could be managed by my under adiquate computer.

 



The skull seen in this image and
the one above is representitive of
Eilif.

Adobe Photoshop is another program that I used within the Adobe Creative Suite. I had never used photo shop before but learn how to use layers and filters to create images that I had in the background in "SHOT" as mise-en-scene.









I've learnt about the mass video hosting website which is the famous "YouTube". Obviously, YouTube was nothing too new for me as a viewer, but as an uploader I was new to it. I've learnt that YouTube is a great platform for hosting videos.

Blogger, this website, is a great place for uploading my content to share with the world, as well as a great way to present my work. Though Blogger is a great way to place content, however the video uploader wasn't as good as YouTube's, which is why I opted for that. Plus, as they're both owned by google, they're integrated which makes it a lot easier.

Focus/defocus in the dream sequence.

 Though I've used cameras in the past, I had never used a DSLR. The Nikon D3100 I found to be great. I learnt how to manual focus it to get focus/defocus shots in "SHOT".

Evaluation: Question 5: How did you attract/address your audience?

For any film to be successful, it must have an audience, for it to have an audience, it was interest them and hence attract and address them. The audience research I did (audience interview, typical character interview ect.) gave me a chance to address multiple people and created a sense of the audience I can attract.

I believe that the title of my film, "SHOT", is one of many things that could interest and attract an audience. The name "SHOT" suggests guns, which suggest violence. Because violence is a thing that is scarce in most people's everyday life, a large number of people find it entertaining. And if that's not exciting enough for them, it's all in capital letters. Check that out. It practically screams "HEY YOU! WATCH THIS BECAUSE, IF NOTHING ELSE, SOMEONE IS DEFIANTLY GOING TO GET SHOT!" Crazy, right? No? Okay...

In thrillers, there's typically guns and violence. I feel that i the openinI've clearly addressed this cliche.

In psychological thrillers, the audience must be activly proicessing what's going on, by asking questions. I feel that from the openin, Ive created this enigma. There are alto of questions which attract the audience. For example, why are the colours purple? Why are they in a field? Who are these characters? Why ius this happening?

 

 

Behind the scenes of Tarantino's "Django Unchained".
As you can see, there's a lot of guns, blood and dead bodies.
Also, it's a great film. Just sayin'.

When the people who are interested do further research into the film , they'll find that it's a psychological thriller. This is generally a genre that people like, gets 'em thinking. This genre alone can attract a lot of people, purely from the mystery behind it. Of course, because it's an original story from an unknown director, there's 50% chance that people will either walk away, because they won't see any point in seeing it, or they''ll do the right think and give it a chance. Also i'm totally unbiased in what I think they should do. Trust me, I'm also a psychology student.  The reason they'd see it from an unknown director is because they would like to see something they haven't seen before. For example, if you go to a Tarantino flick, you know you're going to see spectacular violence with lots blood. While, awesome, yes, it's cliche. Some people wish to look for new experiences, which is something that my film can hopefully deliver.

There are numerous way that I have addressed the audience through use of characters and setting. The location of the film supposed to be an urban environment in a time similar to ours. This therefore appeals to people who feel they can relate.  Another way people can relate is through characters, especially if they're having a recurring nightmare about shooting their best friend in a field. But seriously, these characters, especially Riley and Nicholas have exaggerated personality traits that people should be able to relate to. People love characters they can relate to, it creates a sense of familiarization. This makes it feel as though they've been addressed and even makes them feel special. Awww.
Even the character of Eilif can be used for people to relate to their "evil" bosses and the people who they feel are raining down on them.

Evaluation: Question 4: Who would be the audience for your media product?

I feel that the age range of my movie would be from around 15-40. However, it would only aim at certain individuals in that age range.
15-16 year olds in the range would see this film because of the mild violence and slight action scenes within the movie. These type of teenagers would likely be smart, "techy" and ranging from slightly geeky to full on "I've seen every episode of Star Trek twice." Mind you, that can be applied to most people aged 15-40 in this group.

17-30 Year-olds who see this would definitely be the type of people who see films frequently and have lots of film posters on their bedroom walls or a massive collection of films (like the character, Harry, I created to interview). A few of them are probably amateur film makers themselves. Some would own blogs where they post film reviews. A large portion of these people consider themselves to be "hipster" or "alternative" and claiming that they liked this movie before it was cool, or they're seeing it because it too is not-mainstream.
31-40's probably have a huge collection of retro games, as well as some newly released titles. Their movie collection seems never ending. They have some of the original prints of various Marvel and DC comic books. They go to the movies, not just once, but will see it multiple times to critique it and post it to their blog which is popular with other people like them. They will argue for hours with each other in the comment section about meaning of imagery in the film which may or may not be their.

I think that this film would draw in people who enjoy sci-fi, action, thriller and drama, as well as psychological thriller.
The  people who see this are likely to be in the western hemisphere, places like Europe or America, mainly.

Evaluation: Question 3: What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

Evaluation: Question 2: How does your media product represent particular social groups?

Starting with the character of Riley, I believe that his key representation lies somewhere within the youth of today.
This character feels troubled and paranoid, but at the same time feels like he has to do something with his life. Many young people, particularly students, feel like they have to make something big of themselves and succeed, but are paranoid that they won't achieve this which troubles them. This is why I feel, though he's not in the the same situation, Riley is a metaphor or representation for today's struggling youth.



Nicholas, on the other hand, doesn't appear troubled or paranoid, and yet, is the same age as Riley. Nicholas' character focuses less on youth and is generalized more to the working people in society who are quite low on the social ladder that are used, exploited and thrown around by the people who sit on the top of the ladder. Although this isn't suggested too much by the opening, it's more focused upon later in this film's story. However, there is a metaphor in the opening, in which Eilif is using a chess set and knocks over a Pawn with the King.

 Eilif, the mysterious character that the audience never really sees, represents those on top of the social ladder. He's a metaphor for those people who work at the top, controlling everything, except you never see them directly, just their actions.
The red colour scheme, that is linked with his character, gives he impression that he is evil. I wanted him to be seen this way because, in today's world, we in society are giveen an impression of these people that indicates that they are manipulative, money grabbing people who don't care about human lives except their own. This is the kind of person I wanted Eilif to be.


It may be good to mention that there is an absent persence of women currently in this film. Although I have thought about bringing in a female later into the film, there would still be a lack of females overall. This currently gives women a lack of character to relate to, unless there wish to identify with a male character.
Not only women, but other races too. Although, as a student, I was working with essencially what I had and what I was given.

Evaluation: Question 1: In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge conventions of conventional media products?

Film Opening Edit 3

In this edit I've changed the music in the conversation scene and used a 'cleaner' dissolve between idents.

Film Opening Edit 2

In this edit I've added titles, more music & sound and also a second Ident.

Feedback on Film Opening

Film Opening Edit 1

Film Opening Storyboard

This animated  storyboard is a (very) basic idea of what my film will be like. Sadly, it's 4x as fast as it should be.

Shot List

1. Very Wide Shot on Field. Nicholas and Riley each side of screen.
2. Medium Close-Up. Riley's Face
3. Extreme Close-Up. Riley's Mouth.
4. Over-the-Shoulder. Over Nicholas' shoulder to see Riley pointing gun.
5. Cut-In. Gun aimed at Nicholas and then fires.
6. Very Wide Shot. Same as first. Nicholas falls over.
7. Close-Up. Riley's Face
8. Bridging-Shot/ Close-Up
9. Cut-In . Riley reaching for phone.
10. Mid-Shot. Riley sitting on bed.
11. Extreme Close-Up. Eilif' face.
12. Close-up. Riley's face.
13. Wide Shot/ Pull Back. Riley sitting on bed as titles appear.
14. Two Shot. Nicholas and Riley.
15. Medium Close-Up. Nicholas.
16. Cut-In. Riley slams his hand on table.
17. Medium Close-Up. Riley.
18. Medium Close-Up.Nicholas.
19. Medium Close-Up.Riley.
20. Reaction or Noddy Shot. Nicholas.
21. Medium Close-Up.Riley
22. Reverse Tracking Shot. Nicholas walking down street.
23. Close-UpNicholas' face.
24. Cut-In. Eilif's hand knocking over chess piece.
25. Over-the-Shoulder. Nicholas' shoulder to view gunman aiming gun at him.
26. Cut-In. Gun firing.

Though I plan to stick to this list, when filming I may find that certain shots don't work or don't look right and I may feel the need to improvise.

Some of the match-on-action may be slightly out of sync when I come to edit and I may choose to change the shots to keep it smoother and less jumpy.

Mise en Scene - Background Images

Using Adobe Photo shop, I've created the 2 images that I wish to have within the frames with Nicholas and Riley.
The first one is a skull. This appears as a poster on the wall when Riley is on the phone to Nicholas. It foreshadows the appearance of Eilif and also what will happen to Nicholas and Riley later in the film. Because this skull represents Eilif, it tell the audience that he is effectively death and therefore that bad things will happen to the other characters when they're around him.

The second images depicts a Guardian Angel. It will be a picture on the wall that is in-frame behind Nicholas when him and Riley are talking.
This image represents Nicholas as a guardian to Riley, despite not totally appearing as one, he is more so later in the film.
As an angel is also depicted as a messenger or being of great power, it fits Nicholas' persona well and is a good symbol for him.

Both images have slight religious meanings. both "Death" and "Guardian Angels" appear in the bible. Because "SHOT" actually has a strong religious feel about it underneath the base, these images fit in perfectly.

SHOT - Basic Plot

Riley Williams is a 17 year old who, as far as he knows, just seems to have turned up from nowhere. He has little memory of his childhood. Though he has memories of his parents, he can never remember their faces.

For the most part of his life, he's always felt like there was something more to life then what he could see.

Riley suffers from a reoccurring dream in which he shoots and kills his only friend, Nicholas Chance. He has no idea why this dream occurs, which scares him.

One day, after having another episode of this dream, he receives a phone call from an unknown caller, Eilif.

Shortly after this, Nicholas gets a phone call from the same guy and is shot by a masked gunman afterwards. Although his wound is severe, he pulls through and Riley visits him in hospital.

Here, Nicholas explains to Riley that he is part of a big organisation that controls nearly everything and is everywhere.

As a now ex-member of this organisation, Nicholas is now being pursued by Eilif and a number of assassins. But if them organisation controls everything, why didn't they kill him in the hospital? This is because Eilif, despite being a high rank, secretly wants the organisation to crumble. But the only way he sees that this is remotely possible is if Nicholas and Riley can defeat him.

Unknown to everyone but Eilif, Riley is also part of the organisation. As a child he was trained to be an assassin, but was brainwashed so that he wouldn't remember, making his one of the ultimate secret weapons.

Riley must them face himself, as the organisation instructs him to kill Nicholas. Riley now begins to question who can he trust if he can't even trust himself.

Shockingly, Riley kills Nicholas, but then proceeds to try and kill Eilif and fails, dying in the process. this leads to the main conclusion of the film, you can't always get what you want.

Planning Mise En Scene

Dream Sequence
In this sequence there will be hints leading to the direction that the film is going.
The colour will have a slightly purple/ red tint. Showing that it's not only surreal, but menacing.
Riley, while doing everything else in script, will be holding a mask. This is the same mask which the gunman is later wearing (subtle, right?). Though the movie may not lead to him actually being the gunman, I want the audience to have suspicions, just as he does about himself.
In this scene, Nicholas should be wearing the same kind of clothes that Riley usually wears. This should indicate that they share a similar situation, and possibly even inner-state. However, this will also show that in Nicholas' death, a part of Riley will also die.

The Bedroom
Despite this scene not being very long, I want it to show part of Riley's. current mental state. This means the lighting will be dark, to show that he's sad, troubled and lost. On the wall will be a hanging picture or poster of a cracked skull or something similar. This represents his mental instability and how venerable he is.
When on the phone, his shadow should be broad cast onto the wall behind him, as to appear big and hovering over him. The connotation of this is that something powerful is watching over him, something that's a part of him and event controlling him.

The Living Room

The living room is a place of security, where people, such as Riley, should feel safe. In the presence of his best friend, Nicholas, there's no reason for him not to feel secure. In this scene, Riley is telling Nicholas some of the things that are going on in his life and should feel safe in doing so.
This is the first time that the audience meets the reel Nicholas, so I want to communicate something about his relationship with Riley to the audience, other than their obvious friendship. Nicholas is effectively Riley's protector, similar to a guardian angel. Because I think religion should be a big theme in this, I think it would be good to view Nicholas as a guardian angel. I could use lighting to give the appearance of a halo above his head. It's either that or an image of an angel or small figurine. It depends on how easy it is in the filming process.

Street

Here, I want the audience to feel as though something bad is going to happen. To create an uneasy atmosphere, as well as having non-diagetic music that has a build up playing in the background, I'm going to have darker, creepier lighting. Shaky camera work could also help create an unstable atmosphere.
Because Nicholas is getting shot in this scene, I'd like for him to be wearing an article of clothing, ideally a shirt, with pattern on it that resembles a target.

Planning

Actors
I have asked some of my friends if they would like to help, however none have confirmed. I will have to get their confirmation or find different actors who can.

Props & Costume
I either have all the props I need or have been allowed to borrow them from friends, such as fake guns and combat vests.

The costume for Riley has been planned. I have part of it but am still searching for a plain-grey hoodie.
I have a rough idea on what I need for the character Nicholas, but will have to plan and confirm I can get the right clothing.

Set
Everything is covered for set. I plan to film in a street, a nearby field, my living room and my bedroom.

Equipment

• Tripod (Owned)
• Camera (Owned, but may use one from school or friend for better quality)
• Gorilla Pod (Owned)
• Lighting (Owned)
• Camera Dolly (Either use a school one or go free hand with a mono-pod to stabilise shot)

Character Biography: Riley Williams

Name: Riley Williams
Age: 18
Date of birth: February 7th 1994
Place of Birth: Unknown
Relationship to Family: Unknown parents. No known siblings.
Key Friends: Nicholas Chance
Phobia(s): Nightmares, Being Trapped.
Features: Wears plain clothes, specifically hoodies and faded jeans.

Riley Williams's place of birth is unknown. He just seems to have turned up and has little memory of his childhood. Though he has memories of his parents, he can never remember their faces. He has no known relatives, but does have a close friend, Nicholas Chance, who he believes is from his childhood. He has no current work, but has an income from a previous job. He has a poor memory of this job, but never questions it as he never seems to think about it. His phobia of nightmares comes from the recurring dreams he has of him shooting his best friend. He has this dream on a regular basis but doesn't  remember it too well upon recall. His fear of being trapped, similar to claustrophobia, comes from a childhood experience. He can't remember what happened exactly, but remembers being restrained.

Riley's aspiration is to know what's going on in his life. He feels like something is shielding him from the real world and the fact the he can't remember his past very well doesn't help this, however it does intrigue him. With this motive, he's waiting for the first glimpse of reality and plans to seize that opportunity to help him understand himself and everything else.

Reflections on Character

Characterisation and character are two very important aspects of film. Without a believable character, the audience may lose interest, but if a good character isn't characterised well then the audience will feel that there's something wrong with the character and may get the wrong vibe from what the director wanted them to feel.

• "Character" is the state the character is in mentally, and determines what they are doing and what they will do.
• "Characterisation" is  what the character is wearing and how they move and interact with other characters.

Through given situations, how a character reacts will tell us more about a character then anything else.

In order for a story to change, a character must change. For example, Robert Mckee said "If we're introduced to a 'loving husband,' and by the end of the tale he's still what he first appeared to be, a loving husband with no secret, no unfulfilled dreams, no hidden passions, we'll be very disappointed."  This makes the character arc crucial. This means building on an idea. It states that a director must not only reveal a true character, but show deeper changes as the story progresses.

Structure is used as a weapon against a character in order to create difficult dilemmas where a character is forced to maker decisions that become harder and harder as the plot thickens. The choices made will show the characters real intention and not just the ones the character want us to see.
The character must be made believable and have established limits, as to make the audience believe that the character can and would do as they do. If the character is unbelievable, the story falls apart and is unconvincing.

For a film to be great, the final act must be great. "Movies are about their last 20 minutes."  The first moments of a film are to entice the audience and get them deeply involved with the characters  so that the climax of the story shocks us in it's temporal shift. When writing a screenplay, "the story's ultimate event is the writer's ultimate task." In these last minutes, the protagonist must do something that surprises us. This is usually going against something we thought we knew about them, however it must be justified. It could be a grudge, an event or something that happened in their past that causes them to do what they do. Either way, it must be astonishing and terrifying.

Audience Interview

I recently went around with a camera, shoved it people's faces and asked them questions!

The questions asked are as follows:

•  What kind of films do you like to watch?
• What's your favorite film?
• What's your opinion on the psychological thriller genre?

Interview with a Typical Member of my Audience

While researching the importance of target audience, I was set the task of creating a profile for a typical audience member. Above is a fake interview with him, that I created.

The audience member's name is Harry Williams.
Harry lives in a flat in London and has a university degree in media production.
He is employed by various companies to make idents, short films and music videos. Though these are not major companies, he makes enough money to have a decent living.
Currently he is single but seeing someone.
His hobbies include making short films, watching movies (mainstream & non-mainstream), computer gaming and going out with his friend regularly.
The films he watches most are often classed as 'specialized' and 'non-mainstream'. He watches them for deeper reasons than most cinema-goers, often looking at the messages given and filming techniques used. He could be classed as an Aficionado.

The Importance of Establishing Target Audience

In the film industry, as with any media relate industry, establishing a target audience is highly important. Without a specific audience, it's hard to know who will see your film, therefore you will not know if a profit will be made.

Having an age range is also important. Young people (7-34 years old) make up 64% of the audience. Meaning a film is more likely to be watched if targeted towards that age range. However those people only make up 39% of the population, meaning that though there is another 61% of people out there, only 36% of those make up the audience.

Choosing a genre is highly important as studies have shown that cinema-goers strongly identify and need genres to assist in their choice. The main genres are Comedy, Romance, Period, Crime/Gangster, Horror, Action and Sci-Fi. Usually, specialized films are aligned to one of the main genres to make positioning and marketing easier. This makes it easier for the cinema-goers to decide if they want to watch it.

Taking advantage of synergy is an easier (but usually more expensive way) of getting a wider audience for the film. A popular cast of crew will normally attract a bigger audience because people will go to see the film as they have seen their previous work.

A specific type of film-goer is also a good idea. These people can be Mainstream, Mainstream Plus, Aficionados and Buffs.
Mainstream people only tend to see the bigger, mainstream movies and nothing else. At the extreme, they only focus on romantic movies or Hollywood action films. They particularly emphasis on 'big films' or blockbusters.Often for them, films are an escape from their everyday lives. Escapism is one of the main reasons to visit a cinema. It's incredibly rare for a mainstream person to see a foreign film, as these films rarely flow into the mainstream.
Mainstream Plus's tend to be looking for 'good films' (without placing them in categories). They will usually find a mainstream film that meets their demand and fits their 'good film' criteria, generally because their cinema attendance can be as infrequent as once a month. If a non-Hollywood film has earned itself a high status as a 'must-see', it can appeal to them and will often become their first choice as a film to go and see.
Aficionados are more likely than Mainstream Plus to see a 'specialized film' and usually class it as a  category of its own. They will often put effort into seeking these specialized films, more so than Mainstream Plus. They like to portray themselves as more discerning than other film-goers, occasionally to the point where they describe themselves as 'anti-Hollywood', though then still will see mainstream American films.
Film Buffs have an identity that is strongly bound within film. Films that don't fit neatly into any genre are strongly liked by film Buffs. Their love of cinema extends to the point where instead of simply watching the film, they will go out and seek outside knowledge on the subject. The language that Buffs use is normally more sophisticated than and thoughtful and more mainstream people. They typically plan much further in advance than other film-goers, and make trips out specifically to go to the cinema. Sometimes they even prefer to go to the cinema on their own. They use a variety of sources to find out what's going on, like Empire Magazine and various film websites. They will see mainstream films for different reasons, like viewing James Cameron's Avatar for the visual effects. Often they see the same film more than once, generally for analytically reasons. If a film is made for the reasons of making money, it's rare for it to be aimed particularly at the Buffs, as they make up a small part of audiences.

Taking all of this into account is important before entering the production process. Especially if making money is a primary goal, and also to know who would like the film in question. If you know who will watch your film, you can also expect the feedback that will come. If you know they type of feedback and therefore negative feedback, you're able to adjust things to the liking of the audience and hence making a film for the majority to enjoy. Of course, that may not be the goal. The goal may be to send a message to some of the audience, a message that other members may not be able to see. This in turn could please the members who got the message but confuse and anger people who didn't understand. So, it could be a great film in the eyes of some, but a film with no obvious meaning to others.