My edited footage so far

Generating Further Ideas

Update

10/12/12

Most of the filming has been done and is on the editing suite. I have approximately about 2 minutes left to film. I am waiting for my actress to be free due to work and other commitments time management has been a struggle but we have managed to arrange dates for filming, so we plan to film the last 2 minutes on Tuesday 11th December and Thursday 13th December.

 

Changes

As you can see from my anamatic my film had planned out to be 2:06 this length of the anamatic would not meet the requiremts for a short film. I made changes to my story boars and added another 12 shots in order to make the length of my film sequence fit the appropriate requirements. I have made changes to the opening scene.  I have added another scene which establishes the mission set to the attacker. The scene is a phone call between the two using shot-reverse-shot to show the conversation and to engage the audience into the conversation. The conversation intoduces the narrative more effectively helping the audience understand the attackers situation he has to face. Tomorrow i will add the finished complete storyboard to my blog.

Images Of Props For My Film

Here are images of a presentation that i made to film. My idea is that i will show the attacker planning the attack and it will show articles and news on the attack. Thye camera will slowly pan around all the different maps and images illustrating to the audience where the attack will take place. I plan to have filmed these parts by tonight.

My task for this weekend is to find non-diagetic sounds to add over my film. I also want to record the news reporter speaking on the radio so that i can have my first complete draft in before christmas.

Film Anamatic

My film studies anamatic. I am aware that the anamatic is only 2:06 long but this is from my first draft of the storyboard as i have gone further into the coursework more ideas and techniques i want to use have been added along with more scenes and shots.

Filming

Tonight i am going to film some more of my short sequence, i will be filming the antagonist listening to the radio whilst pouring shots of vodka the audience then see his anger building up and the outburst of it when he smashes the bottle.

Anamatic (withoutsound)

Images Of Production

This image shows how much light we managed to provide. It was important that the scene was dark as dark big fields (following the conventions) means that it portrays a horror setting. However if i didnt get hold of the lights then the scene would of been to dark and you wouldn't be able to capture the protagonists face which is essential for the audience because they experience emotions through her facial expressions.

This image shows me stting up the tracking system with help from a friend. I wanted to use a steady smooth tracking shot i had tried to create this before by holding the tripod however i was not able to do this effectively and the tracking system helped me produce the shot i wanted.
 

These images are taken as I was setting up the ‘attack’ sequences. It was important that the lighting was perfect due to the lack of natural light so dependency on artificial light was very high. The images show me changing light directions and distances to capture the right shot and it shows me preparing up the tracking system in order to create the perfect shot. Overall the sequence went well and no re-shoots need to be taken. 

Progress

My filming timetable was scheduled to start Oct 29th however there was a slight delay in the filming due to actors not being available therefore filming had to start a week later so i am now due to finish all filming by 3rd December. Photos of my set ups are to follow.

Costume

Health And Saftey

Audience on Prezi

Cause And Effect

Here is a presentation on the cause and effect of my scenes. I have done this so that i can see what i want to achieve and present it instead of just having the idea in my head.

Scene Breakdown

Scene Breakdown on Prezi

 

 

 

Screenplay To Left Dead

By Harriet Harrison

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scene 1: OPENING SCENE

Phone Rings. The boss gives orders to his worker. Only seen in extreme close ups of the mouths to keep their identity hidden. The attacker is moving shifty his mouth trembling as he speaks. The boss shows no expression through his mouth he just uses a stern voice which emphasis he is in control.

Attacker (Craig): Hello

Boss (Dene): It’s me

Attacker (Craig): What can I do for you?

Boss (Dene): You know. Mission 10.

Attacker (Craig): I just don’t think I..i..can do it.

Boss (Dene): It’s your order, you are the only person I trust for this job, it’s what you get paid for. Good Luck.

 

Scene 2: No speech, just the radio. See a different side to the attacker. He sits on his stool pouring shots of vodka and holding his head in his hands. The audience see he is afraid as he moves shifty across the kitchen side.

The Radio (News Report) Hello, and good evening you are listening to the BBC radio news report at 8:00pm. Police have joined in the search of Rosie Panton after she has been reported missing 48 hours ago, police they will do everything possible to find the loved girl and return her to her family. Local village shop owner Silvia has been the last one to see her but is not a suspect:

Silvia: “Rosie is such a lovely girl her mother is sick and she looks after her, she always comes into my shop every night, we all miss her and do hope she returns back home safely”

PC Walker also has something to put forward on the case:

PC Walker: “We will do everything we can to help get the Panton’s family girl back, we have the best forces and people on the case, the family just need to rest”

That’s it for news tonight we will return at 9:00pm for a 5 minute update, to see more on the Rosie Panton case please visit our website www.bbcnews.co.uk/RosiePanton. Goodnight and thankyou.

Scene 3: Camera pans the attacker’s plans and we see him circle the victim makes the audience feel emotionally involved with his plans.

Scene 4: Dark and silent. The camera tracks the victims movements every step of the way the camera lingers on her and no sound makes the scene feel as though it is moving very slowly this engages the audience with the scene as they expect fear.

Scene 5: The attacker moves fast and is on edge. The victim is chained to the table. Builds up the fear. The attacker’s movements show that he is not comfortable.

Rosie: Why me? Why? Please help me

Attacker: Just be quiet, I told you to be quiet.

Scene 6: Camera pans the articles slowly whilst these voices are put over the top. Also see flashbacks of the previous events emphasising that we are seeing from the attackers POV and he feels guilty. His thoughts are haunting.

Mother: Please just bring our girl home.

Radio: Mum pleads for her missing girl.

Brother: Our family is lost without her.

Police: We will do everything we can to get her back.

Silvia: She is such a lovely girl.

Mum: why would somebody be so cruel?

Radio: Further news on the Rosie Panton case.

Police: It’s hard to know is she is either dead or alive.

Scene 7: Rosie quickly jumps up from her bed and looks around panicky we see that it was just a dream.

Scene 8: Extreme close up of the attackers eyes emphasises he is still out there and that she needs to solve the murder.

 

 

Finished

By Harriet Harrison

 

Cast

My sequence out of my film only involved three charcters which i have already got all three people for.

Boss: Dene Harrison
Attacker: Craig Seeley
Rosie (innocent): Rosie Panton

I have chosen these people to be in my film because they are reliable, all the members of the film cast are family or very close friends which means i  know they wont let me down.

I have chosen Dene Harrison (my dad) to be the boss in the film this is because he is a fairly big man with a stern voice and stubble around his face which creates the representation of age and steryotypes. The older man is always in control as the media emphasis on stereotypes rather than challenging them. The age difference is exaggerated in shot-reverse-shot of a phone conversation. You can see a contrast in tone of voice and the way they both look and are represented. The boss is represented as the powerful man which gives him authority over the younger man and this is reflected in the younger mas's (Craig) voice as he struggles to answer him back firmly he stutters showing fear of this man.

I have chosen Rosie to act the part of the innocent girl who becomes the parget. I chose Rosie because i thought she would prtray the charcter well and suit the representation of the charcter. Rosie has sandy brown hair with blonde in it which connotes her innocence. The most common stereotype for a blonde young woman is 'dumb blonde' who cannot look after herself and is always the one who end up in trouble. She fits this representation well and is also comfortable infront of the camera which is essential.

Scrpit

 

 

 

 

Script To Left Dead

By Harriet Harrison

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scene 1: OPENING SCENE

                Phone Rings

Attacker (Craig): Hello

Boss (Dene): It’s me

Attacker (Craig): What can I do for you?

Boss (Dene): You know. Mission 10.

Attacker (Craig): I just don’t think I..i..can do it.

Boss (Dene): It’s your order, you are the only person I trust for this job, it’s what you get paid for. Good Luck.

 

Scene 2: No speech, just the radio.

The Radio (News Report) Hello, and good evening you are listening to the BBC radio news report at 8:00pm. Police have joined in the search of Rosie Panton after she has been reported missing 48 hours ago, police they will do everything possible to find the loved girl and return her to her family. Local village shop owner Silvia has been the last one to see her but is not a suspect:

Silvia: “Rosie is such a lovely girl her mother is sick and she looks after her, she always comes into my shop every night, we all miss her and do hope she returns back home safely”

PC Walker also has something to put forward on the case:

PC Walker: “We will do everything we can to help get the Panton’s family girl back, we have the best forces and people on the case, the family just need to rest”

That’s it for news tonight we will return at 9:00pm for a 5 minute update, to see more on the Rosie Panton case please visit our website www.bbcnews.co.uk/RosiePanton. Goodnight and thankyou.

Scene 3: N/A

Scene 4: N/A

Scene 5:

Rosie: Why me? Why? Please help me

Attacker: Just be quiet, I told you to be quiet.

Scene 6:

Mother: Please just bring our girl home.

Radio: Mum pleads for her missing girl.

Brother: Our family is lost without her.

Police: We will do everything we can to get her back.

Silvia: She is such a lovely girl.

Mum: why would somebody be so cruel?

Radio: Further news on the Rosie Panton case.

Police: It’s hard to know is she is either dead or alive.

Scene 7: N/A

Scene 8: N/A

 

 

Finished

By Harriet Harrison

 

Description Of My Table

Here is my shooting timetable. It is important that I schedule times for shooting so that I can stay on top of my work and organise it around other subjects and commitments. The table will be sent out to all of my actors and helpers so that they know when we are shooting and what time we need to meet. As you can see the times on the table are late, this is because I want my scenes to be shot in the dark as they will enhance the real thriller experience. Other shoots shot during the day like the collages for example can be done in a studio or dark room with lights projected onto it to create the perfect shot.  

Week	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Commencing
29th Oct	Working On The kitchen scene: scene 1	Look through footage see if any amendments need making. Make adjustments!	Travel to location and begin shooting scene 3.	Travel to Location finish shooting scene 3.	Prepare Location For Scene 5.		Begin shooting for scene 5
	Time: 5:00pm-8:00pm	Time: 10am-11:30am	Time:	Time:	Time:		Time:
		Time: 5:00pm-8:00pm	5:00pm-9:00pm	5:00pm-8:00pm	10am-2pm		9:00pm-11:00pm
5th Nov	Shoot Scene 5		Shoot Scene 5/7	Look Through Footage and see if amendments need making.			Adjust any scenes from 5/7 that need a re-take.
	Time:		Time:	Time: 9.00am-11am			Time
	9:00pm-11:00pm		8:00pm-11:00pm				9:00pm-11:00pm
12th Nov	More re-shoots of scene 5/7	Make Sure all collages are ready to be filmed. Organise lighting.	Filming Collages	Look through collage filming see if adjustments need making. Make the adjustments.
	8:00pm-11:00pm		Time: 12:40-4:00pm	Time 10:10am-11:30
				Time 12:40pm-3:50pm
19th Nov	Film Final Scene.		Check for any adjustments. Time 12:40-1:40 Make adjustments 5:00pm-8:00pm	Put all footage onto editing suite.
	Time 5:00pm-8:00pm			Time 10:10am-11:30am
26th Nov	Check through all footage check for any FINAL re-shoots		Re-take If needed	Re-take if needed			Retake if needed
	11:30am-4:00pm		5:00pm-8:00pm	8:00pm-11:00pm			9:00pm-11:00pm
3rd Dec	Put all re-take work together.				FILMING COMPLETE
	11:30am-4:00pm
10th Dec	EDITING STARTS

Visual Audience Profile

Evaluation Of Maltese Falcon

The project was to re-create a sequence from Maltese Falcon. To do this we had to form a group of 4 and organise ourselves to prepare for the re-shoot. In my group there was me, Chloe, Jasmin and Hollie. Here are our allocated roles which we all decided on.

Script - Props - Costume - Harriet Harrison
StoryBoarding - Hollie Andrews
Director - Chloe
Producer -Jasmine
Editor - Hollie, Harriet, Jasmine, Chloe.

The planning of the production went very well we were all organised and happy with our roles. I organised the costumes and props whilst Hollie storyboarded the sequence. The first issue we reached was that we needed male actors since as though a lot of the clip was two males. To resolve this we teamed up with a group of boys that needed female actors so we decided that we would work together and help each other out. I was Mrs Wonderly in their film whilst Josh was spade in our film. The group worked really well together and we were all able to get along. It was a good experience for all of us to act as we all got different roles and a chance to understand these roles. Playing different roles all the time meant that we had a greater understanding of directing, using the camera and editing; which is all good practise for when it comes to making our own films.

Something we found very difficult was managing our time. During the planning stage we thought everything was going well until we actually began filming. We allocated different times to different scenes which we thought was going to work really well, however it became difficult because it took longer than we expected. It is important that you get the composition and lighting correct which in reality takes a lot longer than you expect.  Due to our time difficulty it meant that not all our shots got completed. However to us it was a good point it made us realise that our creative project is going to take longer than we expected. It made us realise that we may have to dedicate two days to get maybe the first 5 shots correct. Dealing with time difficulty has really effected my planning of my creative project so I have decided to make a table with dedicated times and hours to the correct places. Planning effectively is one of the main focuses of the project without great planning you can’t make a great film as we experienced.

The continuity editing in our piece isn’t great the costume changes along with the lighting and props. This is because we felt very rushed and it was getting closer to the deadline so we felt the most important part was to understand the camera angles and get the composition and lighting correct, I think we did this well the composition of the shots look correct and the lighting improves the shot.

Matt from the other group had his own camera and we thought it would be a great opportunity to share the camera gets them set up in correct positions so that it could save time; we agreed at the end we would figure out who’s is who’s footage and then transfer it to the correct editing suite. Once we got it to the editing suite we realised it was a mistake as the camera we shot on was widescreen and Matt’s wasn’t. This caused our footage to be different screen sizes and you can tell when you play the footage which camera is which. This was a mistake however it taught us that we shouldn’t use two different cameras if we are not 100% sure how it will affect our footage.

Once it came to the editing stage and we turned the footage into black and white it looked a lot better. We added fades to the beginning and end and shortened all the footage to the correct position and put them together to create the continuity sequence. Everybody had a chance to edit and it helped us understand how to use the machines correctly to achieve the best from our work.

Overall this task has really helped me. It has given me the chance to be able to experience filming. One thing I did want to understand is how to use lighting in the appropriate way and this has really helped me understand that and have a change to explore different techniques before using my own lighting equipment. I would say that if we were to do it again the most important thing is to plan more effectively which I have really focused on for my film. Time management is the real issue I need to focus on.

Problems.

The problem is that we do not have enough time to shoot the sequence. Time is running out and we know that our film will not be fully finished like others. Something I need to take in mind when I create my own film is that I need to plan more effectively and organise myself and others so that this doesn’t happen again. However using the lights and the camera has helped me gain experience and I am now more confident with handling the camera  and understanding how to use it appropriately. 

Update On Our Project.

So far we have shot the first few sequences or filming is coming along well and the group is working well together as we can share ideas and props. We have also discovered that using the lights provides us with a better scene, it has a better impact on the shot. The light helps create shadows especially on Miss Wonderly’s face as she is feeling guilty and we create one side of her face to be shadowed which expresses that. The lights are something to consider using in our short film.

Essential Shooting Material

Props List And Locations.

Desk and desk appliances.
Suits
Long sleeved dress
Scarf
Handbag
Blazer
Old Fashioned Phone
Black Card (to create spade and archer)

We sorted out what props we needed and decided who would take what.
Chloe: dress and handbag
Me: suits and scarf
Jasmine: Blazer.
The other props where available in the props room that is used for drama.

Location
 Oak 38 is our location, here we can use the classroom desks to form a bigger desk the window composition also helps as it provides us a space to put spade and archer. We studied the classroom timetable to make sure that no lessons clashed when we wanted to film.

Planning

The cast for the sequence is Spade, Archer, miss Wonderly and Ethiee. This means four characters in total 2 male and 2 female. Our problem hit when searching for two male characters to solve the problem we joined up with a team of boys so they could use some of us for their acting and we could use them. The idea worked well however it meant we all had to act and direct and editing. In my film Chloe plays Miss Wonderly , Jasmine plays Eithee, Josh plays Spade and Callum plays Archer.

Task Set 01/10/12

Start Filming 03/10/12

Finish Filming 10/10/12

Start Editing 5/10/12

Finish Editing 12/10/12

Our Task

We have been set a task to reconstruct a 6 minute clip from Maltese Falcon. We have 2 weeks to finish filming and editing then they have to be presented to the class. In our group there is me, Holly, Chloe and Jasmine. We have decided that Jasmine is the director, I'm the producer and Chloe and Holly are editing. However we all need to be in the clip so these are alternative roles. This way everybody gets the chance to play every role and can get experience for their real short film.

Taken Trailer [HD]

Here is another film trailer of the movie Taken which I have also studied for my FM3 Creative Project. Again I couldn't find the clip I wanted to show but the trailer does focus on the particular part I wanted to use. The sequence I have studied is the one where the girl gets taken from under the bed. I have used this sequence as it is where i got my idea from; this film is what inspired me to do a thriller. The film itself is a thriller/action genre it falls into both categories whereas I have just stuck to the thriller genre. Cinematography has been used really well in the sequence the camera focuses at a close up from under the bed of the girl her face is almost trapped in the frame like she is trapped under the bed. Like the other trailer i like the way editing is used to create suspense and fear through the quick cuts which have been put together to act as a flashback of all the sequences then a loud bang at the end which makes the audience jump, this is something i want to create and it has gave me great inspiration to take my ideas further.

 

Cinematography:

In the terms of cinematography Taken uses a selective range of camera materials and techniques. More commonly than ever close ups and medium shots. The use of close ups is exaggerated to show the emotions of the characters which is important because in order for us to feel frightened we need to feel the emotion from the characters, close ups also build tension the longer they linger; however this isn't apparent in all situations as they can be become to long and boring. They build up tension in situations like Taken when Liam Nesson explains to his daughter that she has to be taken. The long shot shows the thought and the hesitation he has because he has to find his daughter but the close up allows the audience to read his facial expressions and understand the emotion of letting his daughter into danger. Close-ups also trap the audiences head in the frame emphasising that they are trapped themselves, it connotes how there is no escape. Close ups in thrillers are also used on the attacker however they are used to disguise their identity the close ups usually focus on their body parts for example feet hands and mouth this gives us clues to who the attacker could be but doesn't give it away which makes the audience feel part of the detective team which they want to be involved in the film so this allows them to feel like that. Establishing shots are frequently used to allow the audience to establish where they are because in the film there are a number of locations and the characters don't want to be confused from the cross-cutting backwards and forwards. However this will not be essential in my film because cross-cutting won't be needed.

 

Editing:

In terms of editing in the actual film it is not as extreme as the trailer. The film trailer uses editing to fascinate the audience and makes the film look exciting and full of special effects to create an impact on the audience. For example the shots flash from black and white into colour this is effective because it works with the rhythmic editing and the flashes make the shots more distressed emphasising the thriller genre and the feeling of the thriller happening to you. The flashes act as a symbol connoting hoe life flashes before your eyes which is ironic because it is being used as his daughter is explain how scared she is and how her friend was taken this results to the audience feeling the impact of the situation how they would feel if it was their daughter. Taking the colour away is also important as it signifies how all the colour and happiness has been drained from the holiday, and how all their emotions have drained out of them as they don't know what to do.

 

Performance:

The performance in the thriller genre is particularly important the characters have to be strong and comfortable with being dominant in the frame. The characters a lot of the time have to express their emotions and feeling through tight framing. The attacker is quick and forceful and never looks directly in the camera at the same time as looking strong they have to be weak in order to be defended and for the audience to take Liam Nessons characters side.

 

 

Mise-en-scene:

The lighting is an important element of mise-en-scene in the clip. When his daughter steps into the holiday home we see how the house is big and empty everything is white which creates cold lighting, there is no sense of belonging or wanting in the house the scene looks cold, the cross-cutting between this scene and Liam Nesson at home scene contrasts on a huge scale. The lighting on him is very orange creating a warm sense of belonging which connotes that it’s the location where the girl should be, where he wanted her to be, the lighting dims off him and creates one side of the frame to be black which connotes how he knew in himself that the holiday was bad idea and he feels guilty. The costume is important his daughter is a very child-like dresser she wears long ‘pretty’ dresses which flow down to her knees and a denim jacket with little pink jewels on which shows the audience that she is a very girly girl and very vulnerable which connotes that she is an easy target. Liam Nesson wears more or less the same in each of his scenes he wears either a suit or very dark long sleeved t-shirts and trousers. He looks like any ordinary person; which is done deliberately, as he tries to hide what he does as his job, however it makes him stand out particularly in other countries as they all wear shorts and he walks around in his suit pushing past people connoting to the audience that he is a powerful strong man.

 

Overall:

Overall the analysis of Taken has helped me develop ideas for my short film especially in terms of editing. Even though I am doing a short sequence I am interested in using some of the trailer conventions to make my work look better. It may be breaking the codes and conventions of thriller scenes but in order to make my piece look good these elements need to be added. I like the idea of draining the colour away and using flashbacks. The draining of colour will particularly work in the tracking shot as her life is flashing before her eyes yet she doesn’t know it and it will also help add tension to the sequence as the camera lingers and tracks her to the vehicle.