This is our first draft for our film opening. We have decided to change the name of our film from 'Cat and Mouse' to 'The Absence' as we just did not believe that 'Cat and Mouse' gave the full feel that we wanted to portray in our thriller film. We think that the title 'The Absence' creates more suspense and anticipation for the audience as they will not know what to expect from the thriller but the title will enable them to realise that slight horror and panic in the title.
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Tuesday, 31 January 2017
Thursday, 26 January 2017
Props
In our film, we planned to use missing person posters to create anticipation in the horror and despair of our thriller. We created this poster and printed 10 copies to scatter over the ground in the forest. We stepped on them and made them look ragged and dirty. We made sure the title 'Missing Person' was bold and eye catching so it would be clear on camera for the audience to see and understand our film opening.
Wednesday, 25 January 2017
Editing Showcase
We have just put our film together and we are now currently in the process of editing. We want to make some of our clips slow motion to show the effect of what is happening and emphasize the atmosphere of the moment. This clip below shows the contrast between the normal camera speed and the edit of slow motion over a particular aspect of the film.
Because our film is a thriller, we do not want to overcrowd our film with effects because it will steer away from the idea of a thriller and people will focus on the effects of the film rather than the atmosphere intended to be made. We will use the security camera effect when using certain camera angles to make it look like Nicole (protagonist) is being watched. The clip below is a demonstration of the effect we intend to use.
We will be using a royalty free piece of music which we will place over the top of our film, then we put a voice-over over the whole film narrating the film start to finish. We do not have any dialogue in our film apart from the screaming which we will emphasize and remove narration from those parts so they stand out. In order to add this voice-over making sure it all lines up with the film, we will record the voiceover whilst over watching the film on mute so it all matches up and is easy for the audience to follow. We will also add effects which change the saturation of the colour of the clips to create a dull, gloomy feel. However, we was lucky that the weather was dark and foggy on the day as it would be more difficult for us to add effects to make it dark and gloomy if the weather was bright and sunny. The clip below will show how different effects can be used to create different colourings.
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Because our film is a thriller, we do not want to overcrowd our film with effects because it will steer away from the idea of a thriller and people will focus on the effects of the film rather than the atmosphere intended to be made. We will use the security camera effect when using certain camera angles to make it look like Nicole (protagonist) is being watched. The clip below is a demonstration of the effect we intend to use.
We will be using a royalty free piece of music which we will place over the top of our film, then we put a voice-over over the whole film narrating the film start to finish. We do not have any dialogue in our film apart from the screaming which we will emphasize and remove narration from those parts so they stand out. In order to add this voice-over making sure it all lines up with the film, we will record the voiceover whilst over watching the film on mute so it all matches up and is easy for the audience to follow. We will also add effects which change the saturation of the colour of the clips to create a dull, gloomy feel. However, we was lucky that the weather was dark and foggy on the day as it would be more difficult for us to add effects to make it dark and gloomy if the weather was bright and sunny. The clip below will show how different effects can be used to create different colourings.
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Friday, 20 January 2017
Narration/Script Development 2
Production Company Name (dissolve)
Fade in: Billie (narrating)
This is my story
Rear of car drives in and parks up at Thorndon Country Park.
My name is Nicole Ann Smith. I am a pretty and popular 17 year old. But none of that matters; what matters is; how I am still speaking
Fade to black
Billie Ayres (typography)
Undoing seat belt, looks at herself in the mirror. Checks if she is looking okay. Gets out phone and looks through twitter.
This was my mate Olivia
Jody Cook (typography)
See's tweet urging people to look out for missing girl Olivia. Gets out of car and starts walking her dog.
She was taken from us
Fade to black
Todd Fletcher (typography)
She continues to walk.
By someone... or something
Walks and sees photo on the floor, ahead of her path there is shoe.
No one knew where she was, or what had taken her
Dog runs off in the distance
But I saw something that day
Nicole trips over, looks up and see's Olivia on the floor tied up with the antagonist standing over her.
That was not human..
Nicole:
Oliviaaaaaa!!
Nicole gets up and runs away, antagonist chases her. Gets in car, drops keys by feet and sees antagonist in wind mirror.
Ahhhh!! (Screams)
Monday, 16 January 2017
Test Footage 6 Analysis
Test footage 6 is the corrected version of Test footage 3. By corrected I mean that we filmed the same shot just with the phone camera turned to the side to eliminate the black panels down the side of the video. However, during the few seconds of filming this sun due to the angle of the camera the sun over-exposed the image causing the light to take over the image. Nevertheless, when using this shot in our actual film we will make sure that we eliminate the over exposure by recording the same clip a few times to get the desired and correct one. We also realised that the definition in the extreme close up at the start of the clip was even better than the first time and also allowed the camera to focus on the tree and then on me as we passed the tree.
← Over exposedTest Footage 5 Analysis
Test Footage 5 was a worms eye view 360 degree shot. The shot consisted of the view of the tall trees with the day light beaming through the top. We liked this shot as a group, because you cannot see anything relevant to the film which would make the audience think and challenge their mind why this shot is there. However, as a group we are still unsure whether to use this shot in our real film as we are not sure if it is relevant to the film and we do not know whether it will fit so we will decide when filming and editing our film is this shot will be inputted.
Test Footage 4 Analysis
Test footage 4 is probably our least favoured shot, we thought this because the quality of the camera was quite poor in comparison to the other shots we had filmed. We described how the shot would probably be a lot more effective with the use of a professional camera which is something as a group we will probably consider using so it allows it to create this shot at a higher quality which could then actually work quite well in our film. However, the quality of the iPhone camera was just not creating the desired effect we hoped for. Again, we forgot to turn the phone to the side so the black panels still exist down the side of the video.
Nevertheless, if appropriate equipment used could be a good way of revealing the antagonist. This is because the character is nowhere to be seen behind the tree, then they just appear which is shocking for the audience so we decided as a group it could be a good way of revealing the antagonist to the audience as it would be unexpected.
Nevertheless, if appropriate equipment used could be a good way of revealing the antagonist. This is because the character is nowhere to be seen behind the tree, then they just appear which is shocking for the audience so we decided as a group it could be a good way of revealing the antagonist to the audience as it would be unexpected.
Test Footage 3 Analysis
Test footage 3 consisted of a full length shot however the shot starts of an extreme close up of a tree in the camera, the camera glides to the left of the tree and becomes a full length shot of me standing their on the phone - looking nervous and looking around the forest. We really favoured this shot as a group because the extreme close up of the tree is such a high quality image and it gives the audience the idea that somebody is watching the character from behind a tree which is chilling and nerve filled for the audience. However, in test footage 3 we again forgot to turn the camera to the side to film so we have again got two black panels down the side of the film. Nethertheless, when it comes to the real thing this will not be the case.
Test Footage 2 Analysis
Test Footage 2 was a behind shot of me running through the woods. We thought that this was a good shot to use in our film as it gives the audience the idea that the antagonist is holding the camera and chasing Nicole through the woods. This shot creates suspense and anticipation again for the audience as it will interpret that the antagonist is close to getting her which leaves the audience on the edge of their seat. We have decided to use this shot in our film as it is a good shot to engage the audience and also show a clear understanding of how the protagonist (Nicole) feels. In the test footage, we forgot to turn the camera on its side so their is two black panels beside the shot, however when we test our feel footage we will remember to turn the camera to the side or use a camera.
Test Footage 1 Analysis
Today, Jody, Todd and I went to Shenfield Common which is extremely similar to our desired film location of Thorndon Country Park. We tested various different camera angles and shots that we decided may be difficult when it comes to the real thing. So, to prevent this we used each others different opinions and ideas to discuss the positives and negatives on certain shots we intended to use.
In our first test footage, it was a close up shot of my feet as they walk through the leave concealed ground in the woods. We discussed this shot and we thought that it was a an ideal shot to use in our film as it does not show too much, it leaves room for the audiences imagination to wonder what the higher surroundings are, who's feet they are, what is behind the trees, what is about to happen? This shot creates suspense and anticipation for the audience as it gives so little away, also the fact the camera is low down videoing the feet could insinuate that the person videoing is scared and of lower status than the character. This is a good shot as it also eliminates light issues as it is low down we do not have the problem is light exposing the scene.
In our first test footage, it was a close up shot of my feet as they walk through the leave concealed ground in the woods. We discussed this shot and we thought that it was a an ideal shot to use in our film as it does not show too much, it leaves room for the audiences imagination to wonder what the higher surroundings are, who's feet they are, what is behind the trees, what is about to happen? This shot creates suspense and anticipation for the audience as it gives so little away, also the fact the camera is low down videoing the feet could insinuate that the person videoing is scared and of lower status than the character. This is a good shot as it also eliminates light issues as it is low down we do not have the problem is light exposing the scene.
Why film Test footage?
We filmed test footage to gain a clear idea and create a plan of how we will film the real thing. We filmed our test footage over Shenfield Common as it is a similar location to our decided location - Thorndon country park. It has given us a clear understanding of what will work and what will not in terms of costumes, equipment etc. Originally, the antagonist was going to wear a cape but after analysing a similar location we feel it will move away from the thriller genre and could be reviewed as a horror and give the stereotypical antagonist villain look rather than a mind-interrogating thriller. To prevent this, the antagonist will wear casual attire such as a hoodie, jeans and trainers but we will still use white and black face paint to show the clear contrast between him and the other characters.
We continue to use the desired location of the forest as it shows the antagonist is stalking and following Nicole. This is because the location can hide a lot creating anticipation for the audience as they focus on the objects that the antagonist could be hiding behind. This enhances the atmosphere of the film because of the pre-existing, useful setting. We have also decided to re-writing the script to remove dialogue from the scene and adding narration on top of the backing track. We will use a voice over rather than filming on scene as it will create suspense for the audience and also break the fourth wall.
Friday, 13 January 2017
Test Footage Compilation with Edits
Here is a short clip of our test footage edited using the software Final Cut Pro. The editing that our group performed on the clips allowed us experiment with different effects, transitions, implementing backing tracks etc. These practice edits allow us to play about with different effects that we can add in our final film. it also saves times when it comes to the editing of our real footage. The next blog evidently shows screenshots of our use of editing the test footage on Final Cut pro.
Role Review
In our film opening, my role is to play the main character - Nicole. Nicole is a young cheerful teenage girl who is quite a trendy and cool girl who is much liked by everyone however she has recently experienced the tragedy of one of her best friends going missing. In our film, she experiences some mind-blowing events which consists of seeing her missing friend tied up in the middle of a forest being guarded by a psychotic, demon looking man. This scene allows the audience to challenge whether the viewing of her friend is a real life situation or whether Nicole is just imagining it from the distressed caused by the tragedy.
As the role of Nicole, I demonstrate her stress and traumatic feelings by my use of dull, bother less and nervous body language. I will wear very causal clothes (mismatched tracksuit) which suggests I am feeling careless and not my usual trendy self. My facial expression will show that I have a lot of my mind and I am not concentrating at the start. I will not smile throughout the film and my facial expressions will show my sad and distraught feelings.
In our group there are three of us Todd, Jody and I. As a group we have decided to take turns in the filming of the opening as we are all playing characters in our film. Jody is playing the victim (Olivia, the missing friend) and Todd plays the antagonist as he is the villain in our film. Todd and Jody will alternatively film the opening of me in the car, exiting the car, walking the dog, finding the posters and the dog running off. Then I will film the part when I see Olivia tied up and the antagonist guarding her. However, Todd and Jody will then film my reaction to create a reverse shot to show all the characters reaction. Jody will then film the end scenes of the film where the antagonist is chasing Nicole and Nicole then arrives safely in her care and is revealed to the antagonist standing behind her car.
As the role of Nicole, I demonstrate her stress and traumatic feelings by my use of dull, bother less and nervous body language. I will wear very causal clothes (mismatched tracksuit) which suggests I am feeling careless and not my usual trendy self. My facial expression will show that I have a lot of my mind and I am not concentrating at the start. I will not smile throughout the film and my facial expressions will show my sad and distraught feelings.
In our group there are three of us Todd, Jody and I. As a group we have decided to take turns in the filming of the opening as we are all playing characters in our film. Jody is playing the victim (Olivia, the missing friend) and Todd plays the antagonist as he is the villain in our film. Todd and Jody will alternatively film the opening of me in the car, exiting the car, walking the dog, finding the posters and the dog running off. Then I will film the part when I see Olivia tied up and the antagonist guarding her. However, Todd and Jody will then film my reaction to create a reverse shot to show all the characters reaction. Jody will then film the end scenes of the film where the antagonist is chasing Nicole and Nicole then arrives safely in her care and is revealed to the antagonist standing behind her car.
Use of Sound
Backing Track:
After reviewing many different royalty free sound tracks, we have decided to use the 'Forsaken' trailer music because we feel that it creates suspense in the scene as it has the same tempo throughout so the audience will not know what to expect or know guess what is coming next. It is also relevant throughout our whole film which we feel is more effective then placing numerous tracks on the film within 2 minutes as it will become overcrowded and not create the atmosphere we want.
Sound Effects: Rustling of leaves and other natural sound effects on the scene in the forest location. When we are using the laptop we will have the sound effects of the clicks on the laptop as well as the sound of the character using the laptop breathing to create suspense in the opening.
Dialogue: We have decided to scrap the dialogue on the scene and have the main character (Nicole) narrating the story over the top of the clips (talking in past tense). The only on scene dialogue we will have will be the sound of Nicole screaming, which I (Nicole) will explain in the narration.
After reviewing many different royalty free sound tracks, we have decided to use the 'Forsaken' trailer music because we feel that it creates suspense in the scene as it has the same tempo throughout so the audience will not know what to expect or know guess what is coming next. It is also relevant throughout our whole film which we feel is more effective then placing numerous tracks on the film within 2 minutes as it will become overcrowded and not create the atmosphere we want.
Sound Effects: Rustling of leaves and other natural sound effects on the scene in the forest location. When we are using the laptop we will have the sound effects of the clicks on the laptop as well as the sound of the character using the laptop breathing to create suspense in the opening.
Dialogue: We have decided to scrap the dialogue on the scene and have the main character (Nicole) narrating the story over the top of the clips (talking in past tense). The only on scene dialogue we will have will be the sound of Nicole screaming, which I (Nicole) will explain in the narration.
Thursday, 12 January 2017
Tuesday, 10 January 2017
Monday, 2 January 2017
Official Final Logo Design
This is a official final production company logo design. We have decided on this logo as it is very basic yet effective. The luminosity effect on the text adds character to the logo and the style of font is 'story book' like which could relate to the challenged thinking of a thriller. As a group we liked the basicness of the logo, as it leaves room for the audiences imagination to question what the film is going to present. We liked the idea of the window in the room of the film as it gives a kind of 'light at the end of the tunnel' connotation, purely because in a thriller, after the climax the resolution is always find at the end of the film so this logo allows the audience to see the positives with the negatives which juxtaposes our previous logo ideas which just presents horror instead of weighing out the two.
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