Weekly update: Week ending 18th November

Since last week, we have in depth wrote and posted a post on the skills we have accquired since the start of the year. For instance we all have used different platforms of media to promote and advertise our teaser trailer

Snippet of our skills development

Skills development

Research

Audience research method

Before we were able to complete or even begin planning our final products we had to undergo quite in-depth research. This began with the work we were given to complete in the summer that required us to develop our Internet research skills to a higher level as we weren't only looking at the horror genre as a whole but the different aspects, conventions and elements that make up the horror movie genre.

This academic year we have also conducted our audience research using different platforms such as social networking sites and Blackberry Messenger which is a good way to reach members of our target audience and find out what it is exactly that they do and do not like.

Planning

Our planning skills too have come a long way, as for this task the planning of our final products played a major role in how successful the end result would be. The main steps of planning we went through were creating a storyboard, shooting script, and trailer treatment. This shows that we are now able to effectively able to plan our ideas through images as well as writing. Not one element of our planning process was more important than the other as eventually they all work together to convey the ideas of the group.

Production

Canon DSLR EOS 7D camera

Over this past year we have all developed several skills that are associated with and will help with the production stages of our teaser trailer. We were first introduced to the DSLR cameras that we will be using and have practiced using them to film different shots and angles. Whilst practicing this we also came across  the different difficulties that are involved with filming, for example keeping the shot in focus whilst both the camera and subject are moving. Where the DSLRs are involved, we also discovered how to set them safely upon a tripod to give a variety of different heights and effects.

Example of the rule of thirds

Another aspect of production that we recently learnt was the rule of thirds, which is an important rule for the composition of photography and images. In this, the picture should be divided into nine separate sections (two equally spaced horizontal lines, and two equally spaced vertical lines) with the main compositional elements falling on these lines or their intersections. The difficulty with this technique is keeping a moving image within the rule of thirds.

Lighting is another major element of production that must be taken into consideration as it can have a immense impact on the finished product. For this particular task we will have the choice of using two different types of lights - LED lights, and Kino flo lights. LED lights are smaller and more easily manageable whereas Kino flo lights are bigger and are able to create the effect of daylight indoors.

From our AS coursework we have seen the importance of taking more shots than needed so we then have a larger selection to pick from as well as back-up shots to use just in case others don't go to plan.

Post-production

Final Cut Pro, a work-in progress

Although we are yet to complete our final products we are still aware of the importance of interpreting editing especially when the footage being edited is a compilation and merger of different people's creative ideas coming together. We will use Final Cut Pro to construct our teaser trailer which will give it the most professional end result.

Below is the complete order of production that we must go through to complete our products:

Digitization / capturing > rough cut > effects and sounds are added > captions are added > final cut


Gabrielle

Poster draft

This is our initial draft of our poster for the film.

Cyprian

Weekly Update: week ending 11th November

This week we have come together and discussed ideas for our logos and made draft sketches about our ideal logo. We have also come together and discussed what our poster should consist of. Furthermore we have posted a blog about what props we will need

What rating would we give our film?

 

After attending a talk from a member of the BBFC, we were able to understand and analyse the different conventions of each film rating. We came to the conclusion that we would give our trailer a 15 rating. One of the reasons for it being a 15 is because, it will contain a horrific image in the trailer, which could disturb viewers of a younger age. The threat in our trailer is not sadistic nor is it sexualised. In addition the behaviour in the film is very difficult to imitate due to the fact that humans cannot act in the same way "spirits" would. However, another justification for why we would give the trailer a 15 certificate, is that it is likely that some viewers below the age of 15 could imitate what is  going on in the trailer. Also it may cause harm to others by doing so. 


Cyprian & Christina

Programs we used to construct our media products

Microsoft Word icon

We will use Microsoft Word for publications such as our textual analyses, shooting scripts, treatment and Skills Development blog post. 

Adobe Photoshop icon



We will also largely use Adobe Photoshop for the creation of our movie poster, production logo and the transferring of storyboards via scanner. 



Final Cut Pro icon



A huge percentage of our A2 coursework will be centred on final cut pro as this is where we will edit our animatic, our sound tutorial, our equipment tutorial, our practise teaser trailer and of course our final teaser trailer. 

Adobe After Effects icon

We may use Adobe After Effects to add a touch of professional special effects to our psychological-Horror teaser trailer.

Cyprian

Props and costumes we will need

Below is a list of the props and costumes that will be needed to film our teaser trailer:

Wardrobe




Table / desk

Black cape

Chairs (x2)

Gabrielle

Logo sketches

Our group came up with several different sketches for what we believed our group logo should look like, the designs for these are shown below.

 

Below is what the end product of one of our designs looked like. 



Cyprian

Weekly update: Week ending 4th November

Hi guys and welcome to our fourth weekly update. Since the last weekly update, we have changed our idea a bit as we felt that the original idea had a bit too much detail for a weekly update. Instead we are looking at having only one protagonist and one antagonist. This has led to us into changing our treatment.

Teaser trailer treatment 2

 The working title for our teaser trailer is Subdued.  Reason being, the name ‘Subdued’ fits so well with the general idea and theme of our film. The film itself is a psychological horror film about an evil demon which preys on people in the dark. This idea is very unique and can be likened to the j horror and supernatural sub genres of horror due to the fact that they have similar characteristics in terms of the evil spirits and the idea of darkness conveying uncertainty.

We hope to construct a trailer around 30 to 50 seconds in length which will create the right amount of suspense and not give away the story or the plot.

SYNOPSIS:
When a young man working late, goes missing at work without a trace of evidence left behind, watch as this horrific crime becomes the least of the town’s problem.

 Example of some main Characters:       
Mike:  Aged 23, recently graduated out of a city university, now in a dead end job in his hometown,
Ashley: Aged 21, pretty young woman who got on well with Mike at their workplace until his untimely disappearance.
Mayor Windsor: Corrupt official who wants nothing more than to stay in power by any means necessary
Bruce: Aged 32, Cassandra figure who knows about the sudden dark change in the town and tries to warn others about it.
Demon: Aged???, Evil force which randomly comes to a small town and vividly attacks the sanity of the towns people


 Main Teaser Trailer Scenes

Scene 1
(2 to 3 seconds in length)

Begin with a slow 180 degree crab of a man working at a desk

Scene 2
(3 to 4 seconds in length)

Fade to black with an extreme close up of a mobile vibrating because of a text message.  The text message will say ‘I want your soul’

Scene 3
(3 to 4 seconds in length)

Cut to a reaction shot of the mans facial expression. Then the camera follows him as he hears a loud sound from the cupboard and sees it shaking.

Scene 4
(3 to 4 seconds in length)

Cut to a slow dollying movement as the man moves towards the cupboard

Scene 5
(2 to 3 seconds in length)  

Cut to the male character opening up the cupboard and finding that nothing is there.

Scene 6
(2 to 3 seconds in length)

Cut to the man closing the cupboard and then the audience seeing part of the antagonist on the mans left hand side before a blackout

Intended audience
The intended audience for the film is people in their mid-teens to people in their late twenties. The reason for this age range is because the rating for horror films starts at 15 and the theme of the film is not too graphic. Many people within the age range particularly in their late twenties can relate to the struggle of the protagonist, Mike in terms of being in an unfulfilled job after graduating from University. By mostly having characters similar in age to those of the intended audience, it helps in some sense to allow the audience to connect with the characters in a deeper personal level as they may are more likely to understand the characters personal turmoil’s.


Michael