First Cut - Feed Back

I'm content with the first cut of our film, I feel as if we need to add some more dialogue other than constantly calling for 'Max'. We're going to add a part to the film when I'm on the phone and add a second end to the phone call. We also need to make sure all sound levels are equal so there are no irrelevant background sounds. When we come to adding sound effects we're going to add some dramatic pieces of music to show the tension of the scene, and to show that I'm being watched.

Feedback - Miss Spencer

First Cut Feedback - Miss Spencer


Reasonably good variety of shots, angles and movement.
A clear sequence is built up through the use of dialogue, match on action and movement of the main character.

Overall this is a little weak, I feel there could be more elements to this, the actual action is limited, with a heavy reliance on opening cinematics. However does look like a film opening and not a trailer!

There are some conventions of horror/thriller, especially the location, the subject etc. But some more tension would help improve this.
In order to improve:

• Think about adding another element to the film (e.g. a person at the other end of the phone, another location etc)
• Add Titles and institutional logo
• Fix sound problems
• Possibly remove some of the 'Max' calls
• Add SFX to increase tension, but do not add music throughout as this is a convention of trailers not film openings.
• Get some more feedback from peers and parents etc and add that to your own post.
• embed the first cut onto your blog.

Task 3.1: Audience Research

Horror Definition : An overwhelming and painful experience, caused by something frightfully shocking, terrifying or generally revolting; a shuddering fear.

When making a horror movie, you need to look for the incentive of watching them, for example;
People watch different genres because they enjoy different content which is in each of them, for example people would watch a comedy for a laugh, but for horrors, people like a scare or a shock horrors are made to shock, and people enjoy the tension building up to different climaxes of a horror film.

The UK Film Council constructed research, and discovered that the typical horror film viewer is a male aged from 15-24. Males usually enjoy the thrill, but they said that Females tended to prefer lighter movies like comedies, and romantic-comedies. Although the ratio of the target audience for Horrors is still almost 1:1 as females also enjoy horrors, around 55% of men watch horrors and 45% of women.

Film trailers, or film openings are extremely important since they often reveal the plot of the film and which would tell the audience whether they want to watch the film or not.

After reviewing this information I would say my film is directed to the age range of 15-24 and the focus gender is males as our films main character are male.

The conclusion is Realism is key, actors must be convincing, production value must also be present, a way to achieve this is filming in relevant locations, places that give off a scare looking just looking them.

Filming Schedule

Filming Schedule

When 

Date - 28th October 2014

Time- 10:00 am

Who

Oliver Watson (me)

Harry Whitehead - 07*********

What

We will film all of the scenes in that one day.

How

We will use angles and shots such as: 

POVs

Backwards tracking shots

Mid shots

Long shots

Pan

Which

The equipment that we will need to use is:

A HD Sony Handycam

A tripod

School uniform

(As we are only filming the intro, we aren't going to need any props)

Role allocation

Role Allocation and Casting

Cast: 
Harry Whitehead - playing Harry
Barbara Whitehead - playing Harry's Mother


Director: Oliver Watson
The directors job is to be the person who directs the making of a film. Generally, a film director controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects, and visualizes the script while having control over the technical crew and actors in the making of the film. Like I said in my pitch, the director that I look up to is David Cameron because he is a great director and has directed films such as 'Titanic' and 'Avatar'.


Producer: Harry Whitehead
The producers job is to be responsible for raising funding, hiring key personnel, and arranging for distributors. They are meant to prepare and then supervise the making of a film before presenting the product, without a producer there would be no film. An example of a film producer would be George Lucas who produced the Star Wars franchise and the Indiana Jones franchise.


Cameraman: Oliver Watson
The cameraman is the person behind the camera who films everything that the director tells him to, he has to have a good use of different camera angles and movement.

Production Schedule

Production Schedule – (A Boy Named Billy)

Date	Task	Complete Y/N
3/11/14	Creating/sourcing sound and music	Yes
10/11/14	Blogging and start editing	Yes
17/11/14	Editing and creating graphics and titles	Yes
24/11/14	Finish editing	Yes
01/12/14	Uploading all elements from foundation portfolio onto your blog	Yes
08/12/14	Blogging all stages of the filming/editing process	Yes
15/12/14	Film to be handed in to be marked over the Christmas Break.	Yes

Tasks that must be completed:

·         - Filming

·         - Creating/sourcing sound/music

·         - Editing

·         - Creating graphics/titles

·         - Uploading all elements from Foundation Portfolio onto your blog

·        Blogging all stages of the filming/editing process

Script

A young boy, dressed in school uniform, strolling through the field.

(Phone rings)

Harry: Hello?

Harry's mother in her house

(Nervously)

Barbara: Harry, where are you are you okay?

Harry: Yeah, I'm on the field I'm just taking the dog for a walk.

(Whilst cleaning surface)

Barbara: Alright then, hurry up because your dinner is ready.

Harry: Alright, I'll be home in twenty minutes. Alright bye.

Carries on walking in the field. 

Dog runs off.

(In tired emotion)

Harry: Max, Max come on.

(Worried)

Harry: Max... Max... Max!

(Nervously and quickly turns around)

Harry: Max?

Starts to run through the bushes

(Angry)

Harry: Max!

Starting to run quicker

(Angry)

Harry: Max... Max! 

Harry hears noise and is worried

(Worried and confused)

Harry: Max... Max is that you?

Hand from behind is quickly placed on Harry's shoulder.

Scene End.

Opening Titles and Logos

This is the opening titles to the TV show 'Dexter'. The font is dark red with the odd blood splatter at the end of the word 'Dexter' kind of acting as a full-stop. This particular title tells the audience the theme of the show as soon as they watch it. It also looks like the word has dripped onto the floor or is on a piece of paper as it drips like actual blood as if it was fresh blood and potentially someone was just killed.

This is a part of the intro to the film 'True Blood'. As the audience know what type of film it is, the use of the boy eating the blackberries makes it look like blood and makes the innocent young boy look evil which fits in with the genre of the movie.

Storyboard

'A boy named Billy'

Billy is a sixteen year old school boy who has been suffering from bullying since he was the age of eight. He hated going to school everyday and just couldn't wait to get home, he never told anyone, not even his parents. Billy was starting his GCSE's in the next upcoming months and was struggling coping with the stress, the stress of his exams, and the upset of him being bullied was too overwhelming and he lost his mind.

0 - Production company logo - 7 seconds

1 - Harry walking alone in a field 
Shot - tracking shot 
Movement - backwards
Sound - non
Dialogue - non
Duration - 10 sec


2 - Harry talking on the phone to his mother 
Shot - mid/long shot 
Movement - non 
Sound - non
Dialogue - "hello"
Duration - 2 sec 


3 - Barbara on the phone to Harry 
Shot - mid shot
Movement - slight pan to the right 
Sound - non
Dialogue - "Harry where are you? Are you okay?"
Duration - 4 sec 


4 - Harry on the phone again
Shot - close up
Movement - non 
Sound - non
Dialogue - "Yeah, I'm on the field, I'm just taking the dog for a walk" 
Duration - 3 sec


5 - Barbara on phone again 
Shot - mid shot
Movement - non 
Sound - non
Dialogue - "Okay then hurry up because your dinner is ready"
Duration - 4 sec


6 - Harry on phone 
Shot - mid/long shot 
Movement - non 
Sound - non
Dialogue - "Alright I'll be home in 20 minutes"
Duration - 4 sec 


7 - Harry realises his dog has gone and runs after it
Shot - long shot
Movement - non 
Sound - non
Dialogue - "Max! Max come on"
Duration - 6 sec 


8 - POV from killer in the bushes 
Shot - POV 
Movement - camera held movements 
Sound - non
Dialogue - "Max, Max!"
Duration - 7 sec


9 - Sound of a branch snapping behind Harry and he turns around
Shot - mid/long shot
Movement - non
Sound - non
Dialogue - "Max! Max?"
Duration - 8 sec


10 - Harry running through trees and bushes
Shot - long shot
Movement - non
Sound - slow build up of scary music
Dialogue - "Max!"
Duration - 8 sec


11 - Harry running through field
Shot - mid/long shot
Movement - non
Sound - music is getting louder and faster
Dialogue - "Max where are you?"
Duration - 3 sec


12 - POV shot from killer sneaking up behind Harry
Shot - POV
Movement - hand held camera movement
Sound - Loud scary music, then turns into screeching T.V sound and then the sound of a lightning strike
Dialogue - "Max is that you?"
Duration - 8 sec

Representation

Representation

Representation is what people are presented like in films and media in general. This can be the types of characters in the film for example what ethnicity they are, their sexuality, their class and status, if they have a disability or not, where they are from, their age and their gender. It can also be the location of where the film is set.

Horror

There is huge representation in horror films, for example men in horror films are usually addressed as either the villain or the hero, but most of the time a male will represent both of those roles. They will represent power and control over the female characters and mostly be the ones that save the day at the end.

Female characters in horror films are represented much differently than the males, they are usually never the hero or the villain and have a much weaker role in the film. In most horror films there is always the stereotypical blonde stupid girl, who will most likely get killed near the beginning. This character along with the other female characters will be scared characters who will scream a lot throughout the film. They will most likely be victims who show no power and are Scantily clad (Naked, provocative) characters.

Pitch

Media presentation by Harry Whitehead + Oli Watson

Feedback - Miss Spencer

Genre research feedback - There is a good use of DISTINCT, which means you have thought about a variety of different areas of the genre from characterisation to iconography.
I would like to see a short history of the genre, from the early days through to today, and more screen shots or film clips to illustrate your points.
Level 2/3 border.


I would also like to see you making more progress in general with your blog, you are starting to slip behind in your work. Please come and talk to me and we can work out a schedule to catch up.

Thanks

Feedback - Miss Spencer

·      You are making real progress with your blog now Harry - well done! 

  The research into similar products shows promise. You are using plenty of media language and discussing the effect on the audience of various shots, camera angles and movement. However you ned a little more detail. Go back and ensure you have discussed the following.

  

    In terms of editing how have the separate images been put together - Think in terms of frequency of cuts, fades in/out, jump cuts, dissolves etc. you haven't mentioned editing in anyof your analysis) 

·       Use the technical terms for the sound e.g. diegetic/non-diegetic/incidental/ambient etc. 

·       

    How and what titles are being displayed during the sequence and in what order.

What kind of characterisation is evident? - Age, gender, relationships etc. 

This will take your work from a level2/3 border into a much firmer level 3

Task 2.2: Genre Research

Different Horror Films:

•  Orphan - About a young girl who was 'different' to everyone else her age, as she was a very mature little girl, we then find out later that the only thing 'different' about her is that she's a devil child.

• The Devils Child - About a young boy who believes his parents don't love him and is very mentally ill, he tries to kill his whole family along with other people and has supernatural demonic powers.

• Let Me In - A young bullied boy who befriends a young female vampire who lives in secrecy with her guardian.

• Home Movie - Documents one family's descent into darkness, using a compilation of found home-made footage. In the remote woods of upstate New York, the Poe family lives a Norman Rockwell life. Perfect house. Perfect marriage. If only the children stopped stapling frogs to trees. Something is very wrong with Jack and Emily Poe, the ten-year old twins.

Don't

Ignore

Setting

Technical

Iconography

Narrative

Characterization

Themes

Character Types

• The Main Protagonist - Often the 'Victim Hero' of the movie.
• The Villain - Often a monster, alien or serial killer.
• Non Believer - Never thinks there is a chance for anything.
• Hysterical Character - Tends to be a female, over reacts to everything.
• Loved up couple - A couple that show too much affection to each other.
• Female Victim - Tends to be the one that dies, portrayed as vulnerable and needs protection.

Iconography
Visual Style: Often dark colours like red and black (Links to evil, blood and danger).
Common Objects: Weapons, Masks, Items of Supernatural, child's toys etc.
Props: Props can help us to further identify the horror genre. Specific props can be identified with a certain villain or character (Chainsaws, machetes, knifes etc).
The Iconography of monsters help to connote fear, disgust and terror, like wear-wolves, vampires, ghosts etc.

Themes of Horrors

• Good Versus Evil
• Depression
• Religion
• Childhood Issues
• Revenge 
• Supernatural
• Beyond Death
• Science Gone Bad
• Zombie Apocalypse
• Nightmares 
• Insanity etc.

Kind of shots and sounds used in Horrors 

• High and Low angle shots and connote fear.
• POV shots from the monsters or ghosts are important because it allows the audience to see from the monsters eye.
• Handheld shots are good in a situation if the victim is running away, it shows the audience the panic and distress.
• Footsteps often show panic.
• Creaking doors.
• Moans from the monster.
• If it's a ghost kind of film, little girl laughs are frightening. 

Task 2.1: Horror Analysis (Halloween)

The opening scene of 'Halloween' opens with a POV shot as the Michael walks around the outside of the house as he waits for his Sister and her boyfriend to turn the lights off and continue upstairs. This gives the audience the impression that he's going to do something he is not meant too.

The second shot is again a POV shot as Michael walks back to the front of the house and watches the upstairs light turn off, a scary sound plays as the lights turn off which imply that he's about to do something horrible and let's the audience the impression that something bad is possibly about to happen.




In the next shot Michael goes into the kitchen and opens the draw, the audience see his arm which shows he is wearing some sort of clown suit as he draws a knife and begins to head upstairs. Of course the audience does not yet know that it is Michael's POV and could have the impression that it could be a plain joke, or a possible murder about to happen.

The next shot is a medium close up of Michael's sisters boyfriend, as we watch him walk down the stairs straight past Michael and out the house, this is where the audience becomes aware that he is about to murder his sister. With the scary music still playing in the background the audience becomes aware that it isn't a joke, and something bad is about to happen.

As Michael get's to the top of the stairs, he see's his clown mask that his sisters boyfriend had and puts it on, again showing his arm the audience see his clown costume as Michael puts on the mask to cover his face as he goes to murder his sister.




In the next shot we see Michael's point of view through the clown mask as his sister notice's him and cries 'Michael' this is when the audience are told that it is Michael behind the costume. With his sister sitting on a stool, he look down on her (high angle shot) as he draws the knife and begins to stab his sister. She cries and screams as some more intense and impacting music plays showing the audience the horror of the situation.

He then walks downstairs to the door to find his parents arriving at the house, as they take off his mask and find out it's him, they see the blood on the knife and instantaneously are told that he has just murdered someone or something. The shot then pans away and get's higher implying the fear and horror of what Michael has just done.

Task 2.1: Horror Analysis (The Woman In Black)

The opening scene of 'The Woman In Black' opens with a close up of a small child's tea cups, when the girl is pouring the pretend tea, her actions are all very slow and smooth representing ghost like movement on top of the slow spooky music in the back ground. Also when the teapot reaches the teacup it makes a clash sound which tells the audience that possibly something bad is about to happen.

The second shot is an extreme close up of a dolls face, as the little girl force feeds the pretend tea to it showing power and control over the dolls. Also in a horror film dolls and children's toys always represent ghost and paranormal activity which already tells the audience the type of horror they will be watching.

 The third shot is a wide shot of the 3 girls and there play set, this shows the innocence and helplessness of the girls. There clothes are very old fashioned which is a convention of horror, there are other horrors set in the more Victorian times like the Women in White and these are the types of clothes that a ghost would most likely wear showing the audience that these girls might about to be possessed.

In this mid-shot, we are given the impression of two little girls enjoying their time playing 'dolls' however this is shortly contradicted by possession from the Woman In Black, furthermore, the facial expressions of the two little girls imply that nothing can come in-between their enjoyment; however this is not the case.

 In this long-shot, we are now given the impression that the little girls have spotted something and look as if they are losing there self control, the audience now probably know that the girls have seen the Women In Black and now may know what will happen if they have read the film description.

This long-shot of the girls looking at the window implies that the girls have begun to lose control of themselves and that The Woman In Black is controlling them like the girls were controlling the dolls back in the second shot. Also the music has started to increase its pace which implies something bad is about to happen.

This close-up shows the possession or the girls, as they have gone from playing with there tea-set to mindlessly walking over it whilst still keeping the slow ghost like movement and breaking it which they wouldn't do if they was in their own self control. Again the music tempo has increased showing conventions of horror.

By the time of this long-shot of the girls the audience knows exactly what is about to happen that they have been possessed and are about to commit suicide by jumping out of the window because they clearly have no self control and the possession is making it happen. The music on top of this has added some high pitch screeches which makes it less comforting for the audience. Shortly after we hear a scream from the mother of the children and the words 'No my babies' which makes the audience feel sympathy.

 This over the shoulder shot of the Woman In Black works well as it scares the audience as it shows them her power and that nothing can really out-power her.