Friday 18 March 2011

Peer Feedback from group P2-32

1) Close ups and medium shots. Close up of dead girl - effective because shocking.

2) Mad World soundtrack. It fitted well with the visuals - Lyrics worked well and gave it an atmosphere

Peer Feedback from group P2-34

1) A variety of establishing shots, close ups and mid shots. Showing the facial expressions and other detail. This was effective as it portrayed continuity and flowed really well.

2) Soundtrack of Mad World by Gary Jules. No diegetic sound which gave it mystery and an emotional feel towards the character and shows the genre very well.

3) You couldn't see the character's face, making it a mystery and keeping the audience at the edge of their seats.

4) The use of masking showed the character in a lot of different situations. Including masking over close ups and mid shots.

5) Too much masking, scenes dragged on for too long.

6) Editing - masking was extremely effective. It was eye catching and brought the audience's attention in.

P2-31 Class Feedback Group 33

1) stationry camera throughout, medium shot. Yes it is effective because it allowed to show the effectiveness of overlay shots.

2) The sound used 'Mad World'. Yes it does fit with the visuals because it was trippy. Non-diegetic sound used.

3) Paper/pictures/writing on the walls surrounding the character. Location unknown, adding to the wonderment and eerie atmosphire. Conventions of a thriller.

4) Overlay, black and white. transition - fuzzy.

5) Narrative hard to understand.

6) The overlay effective.

P2-31 Class Feedback Questions

1) Describe the type of camerawork which has been used. Do you think it was effective? Why?

2) What type of sound has been used? Does it work with the visuals? How?

3) How has the mise-en-scene been constructed? Does it have an impact on the thriller genre?

4) What editing techniques have been used?

5) Can you think of any constructive criticisms?

6) What was the most effective element of the production?

Wednesday 16 March 2011

Shot list

The shot used here is a medium shot.














 The shot used here is a Close Up













The shot used here is a medium two shot












The shot used here is a medium shot














The shot used here is a medium shot












The shot used here is a medium two shot












The shot used here is a close up












The shot used here is a lower medium close up












The shot used here is a medium shot












The shot used here is a low angle medium close up












The shot used here is a close up












The shot used here is a medium shot












The shot used here is a side close up












The shot used here is a medium shot












The shot used here is a close up












The shot used here is a side close up












The shot used here is a medium shot

12-P2 31 How and Why it is Different to our Storyboard?

We filmed some of our scenes different to how we planned to our storyboard, because once we came to filming our project we felt that some of the shots we used on our storyboard were more difficult to shoot than we thought they would be. We also changed some scenes because we felt that they were not necessary to the sequence. Another factor that affected the outcome of our prodouction, was the two minute limit for our opening sequence, the reason we cut scenes was to allow us to fit the more important clips into the production.

By Joe, Tom, Lily, Esther and Laura

distribution and exhibition

We feel a distributor such as lionsgate would suit our production well, it has a history of thriller films and productions and is highly well known in the world of film this should ensure our production reaches a mass audience, this could be because fans of existing lionsgate films will be interested in seeing similar productions, examples of there distributed works include, the saw series And my bloody Valentine

Joe, esther, Laura, tom, lily

Soundtrack

We decided to use only non-diegetic music for our opening. We decided to do this as there would be no dialogue within the scene anyway. We used the song "Mad World" by Gary Jules.









We attempted to give the scene a contradictory effect. This directly contradicts the narrative, as stated in one of our earlier blogs.
It is a contrapuntal mix. This is when the theme of the music diverges from what is going on in the film.  Other films that do this, for example, are:
- Resevoir dogs
Resevoir Dogs: Torture Scene

- Goodfellas
Goodfellas Opening (Skip to 2:01)

-A Clockwork Orange
A Clockwork Orange: Singing in the Rain Rape Scene  

12-P2 31 Thriller Project Final Video

12-p2 31 Change of Logo Design

When we started editing our thriller opening, we decided that our original logo design was unsuitable for our production and did not convey the style we wished for.

We then set about re-designing our logo and changed it to one we were happier with.








We changed the logo to one we felt more sutible for the project, and had a more professional design that also remained simple. We also feel that this logo also looks more like a logo you would use for a movie production company, whereas we felt that the previous logo didn't.

By Joe, Tom, Lily, Esther and Laura

Tuesday 15 March 2011

Character Analysis

Our opening sequence only consists of one character. It is unclear whether he is a major or minor character, a protagonist or an antagonist. Even though we were only asked to film an opening sequence, we gave some thought as to what the narrative of the film would be.

For example, in our sequence, when the character sticks a picture of a man on the wall which says "target" on it, it would turn out that that man was, in actual fact, the protagonist.


















The character in our opening sequence is sitting in a small room. The way that there are lots of newspapers, post-it notes, maps etc. shows that he devotes his time to whatever it i talking about. This causes questions to arise, such as, is this a crime investigation, or a shrine of some sort? We wanted to keep it unclear and mysterious, and it seems that we have kept this effect, as stated by our peer feedback "It doesn't reveal too much"

The costume for our character consists of only dark clothes, and a hoodie. The hood is up, so that it covers his face. His state of mind determines the state of the mise-en scene and others around him. For example, his face is mostly hidden, thus so is the narrative. His mind is a mess, thus so is the room he is in.

Lily, Esther, Laura, Joe and Tom

Deadlines

Deadlines:


Monday 21st March: Shooting deadline     Completed

Friday 25th March: Rough cut deadline     Completed

Friday 1st April: Final cut deadline    Completed - finished 15th March

Monday 4th April: Draft evaluation     Have not started

Friday 8th April: Final evaluation     Have not started

Laura, Esther, Joe, Lily and Tom

Programmes used throughout our project


Our most used project was Final Cut. This is where we edited our video.
 
 
Another programme we used was Photoshop. We used this when we were making our logo. It is really difficult to master and is very complicated. 
 

Friday 11 March 2011

External Peer Feedback

Advantages / Pros:
Good Editing
Music fits well with the music

Disadvantage / Cons:
Bit repetitive
One shot

We did not find this feedback in any way helpful as they have only written 4 things out of a possible 10.
We have gathered that maybe parts of our opening may be a bit too long, but apart from that, not much else. We will continue to edit ut opening, but we may not use this feedback as much as the other feedback we recieved.

Wednesday 9 March 2011

Peer feedback for our thriller opening

Group 12-P2 32 watched out video and gave us some feedback from it.

Camera work:
Medium shots to show the character sitting down. This is good bcause it creates questions each time.

Mise - en-scene
Props: Paper, pictures etc. This creates mystery ands ets the scene
Costume & location: Dark clothing to be mysterious.
Location: A small room decorated with newspapers etc. You can tell right away that it is an important location.

Editing
Best thing about the editing is the fuzzy transitions. It looks like CCTV? Or something like that. Black & white works really well as it is a hard effect to make work. The layering time shows time passing and emotions. Credits on post-it notes is a good idea as it is something different.

Group comments:
Doesn't give too much away!

______________

Overall, our group found this feedback quite useful, as we understand what an audience would like to see in our video.

Thriller opening rough cut

Friday 11 February 2011

12-P2-31 Font and Title Reasearch

This title is found in a film similar to ours, and one of which we based around our own production, it plays on the production of film and camera recordings, making it suitable to the films narrative.

We feel a simple style which plays to the narrative of the film will be ideal for our production, and intend on using a similar style.

Above: Selection of fonts considered for our film titles, these are all eroded and fragmented to suit the theme of our production.

Joe,Tom,Laura,Esther,Lily

Tuesday 8 February 2011

12P2-31 Shooting Schedule

We have decided to shoot our thriller sequence during college hours, we will start shooting our sequence next lesson, Friday 11th February, and will carry on filming the lesson after which is, Tuesday 15th February and will continue the next two lessons if we need to.

We have decided to shoot the sequence in college hours because most of our footage, if not all, is being filmed in and around the college, so therefore we will be able to shoot within class hours.

12-P2 31 Why Thrillers Thrive?

People go to the cinema to see a life they don't experience reflected on the screen, or to see the same life but consists of emotional disturbances or "Thrills" It is nature that if we don't have these "Shakeouts" we grow sluggish and jellified, People are so sheltered that they do not experience these thrills at first hand, we have to experience them artificially, so we go see them in a cinema to fulfill this. We can see things happening safely and securely, sitting comfortably, through a window, in order to appreciate what the characters going through, we have to receive our thrills vicariously which is not the most effective method.

When watching a well made film we participate in the narrative, For example the scene in "Hells Angels" in which a pilot decides to crash his plain into the envelope of the zeppelin to destroy it, even though it leads to his inevitable death, when you see his face as his plane swoops down, we see him tense and horror stricken, then we are transferred into the pilots seat and it is as if the viewer is the one hurtling to their demise at 100mph. And then at the moment of impact there is a blackout, which leaves the audience shuddering.

There is no harm in this because the audience is aware that they are safe, sitting in an armchair, watching a screen. When audiences go to the cinema they are assured that they are completely safe, and yet imagination plays tricks on them.

Another type of thrill the audience involves themselves in is when a character who the audience is sympathetic towards becomes in danger, and in this cinema is becomes more effective than stage, because cinema can produce the effect of danger without there actually being some, for example, if your 'hero' is to throw themselves into danger, on stage you'll hear the other characters say there's danger, and you'll see the hero jump upstage and disappear from sight. on the screen the hero would be in no greater actual danger, yet the audience will see how big the hero's danger is.

A thriller must be whole hearted and exiting. And that is why the authentic thriller will thrive.


Joe, Lily, Esther, Laura,Tom

12-P2 31 Location Research and pictures.

We made a pre-production visit to our location to work out its suitability for shooting, including access to necessary facilities and assessment of any potential lighting or sound issues. The room we are intending on using is the green room on the Long Road college grounds. This would have easy access to food and toilets as it is right next to both. The acoustics are good as the only real diegetic sound we are using is the phone ringing (which occurs in the last frame.) There is non-diegetic sound, the background music, where we will add in the editing process, so the acoustics would not affect it anyway.

The size of the room is adequate for filming as we only want a small room. However, there is a chance where we would have to film at a certain angle as the room is very small.

Below are some shots of rooms we found suitable or equally unsuitable:

This rooms size is adequate and the shape is correct for our production, however it is cluttered and is often in use making filming hard.

This room is similar in size and shape to the previous, however it is also under a lot of use and filming will be interrupted, finally there is too many door ways and posters in order for us to achieve the desired imagery.

This scene is of a possible backdrop to one of our flashbacks, it has good lighting and is naturalistic.

This room is plain and suitable for our desired imagery, however it is often locked and inaccessible making filming hard, it is also too cluttered to film in.
 
This is a second possible backdrop to one of our flashbacks, it has a suitable background and raised curb which we require.

This is the green room from college, this where we intend on filming, we are able to book the sole usage of this room and the large door allows us to film wider shots from outside and reduces the problems regarding room for the camera and actor.

Joe, Lily, Tom, Esther, Laura

Friday 4 February 2011