Location Requirements

We are going to be shooting the entire sequence within the school campus as we are not using any extravagant, panoramic scenery. The main area where we will be filming is the studio space. The reason for this choice is that the studio is a plain, neutral room (black) so therefore is versatile and easy to work in. We will be filming the shots that include the use of bricks (wall building) in this area as it is practical. The shot of the baby being given from hand to hand will be filmed outside The Lodge or Hurtwood House which are buildings in my school and are quite grand looking which would create a sinister effect in dark light. I thought it would be effective if we filmed these shots in the evening, again as it would create an air of mystery.

Institution

Our sequence would probably be a British Independent film production as our budget is not particularly high. Because our piece is the opening to a psychological thriller, our main emphasis is on the message that we are trying to convey rather than creating fantastic visual effects.

Target Audience

I think the target audience for our film sequence could be anybody who is the age of 15 and older. This is owing to the fact that I don’t think young children would be able to cope with or understand some of the difficult and disturbing concepts featured in the piece. I think that the sequence could be watched by both male and female audiences as certain aspects of our idea appeal to both genders. For example, the fast pace camera movements would probably appeal to a male audience, whereas the psychological element of the sequence is more appealing to a female audience.

Storyboard 3

Storyboard 2

Storyboard 1

Sound

Costumes

I'm going to produce a bowler hat. Sarah will take responsibility for the white dress and the trench coat. Bella will bring in the baby costume and the black trousers. These costumes are essential in generating realism!

Props List and Set

Cast List

We came together as a group to discuss the sort of people we wanted to cast. For the role of the girl we cast somebody who is skinny with long dark hair and is able to act convincingly. We chose a brunette girl rather than a blonde as there is something slightly more mysterious about someone with dark hair. The girl who we chose, Storm, also has quite an original look that makes her stand out from other people. This is ideal because we wanted to cast somebody different in order to convey the idea that she is different and isolated by those around her. Another reason why we chose Storm is because she has interesting eyes which would look good in the close up shots of the girl's eyes. The man playing the part of the shadow just needs to be very tall in order to intimidate the girl. It is not important what the baby looks like at all as most people do not still look like they did when they were a baby.

Sound

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFHTQDPeqI4

I thought that this dripping sound may be useful in our sequence in order to build tension as the girl walks down the corridor.

The process of storyboarding

A storyboard is an account showing the series of individual shots that come together to make up the film sequence. There is an image of what each shot will roughly look like, accompanied by text which explains concisely what is going on in the mise en scene each time. The text should also tell us what sort of sound and light is used and the editing involved.

In order to develop our storyboards, we came together as a group to make a list of the shot types we are going to use in our sequence as well as the editing transition from one shot to another.
We were then given storyboard templates as seperate documents which we typed the details into before printing off so we could draw in the pictures of each shot.

When doing my section of the storyboard sequence, I sometimes found it difficult filling in the details of the location as we are still not completely sure as to where exactly our sequence is going to be filmed.

Research-Witches

This is a picture taken from the 17th century. It is an image of a woman being accused of being a witch during the time of the Salem Witch hunt. This gave our group inspiration for our synopsis.

Initial Research

The Shining





This is clip which we looked at when doing our initial research. The idea of the maze gave us inspiration for the corridor idea and the concept of being trapped.

We came acroos this image on google and came to the conclusion that it is a vague idea of what we invisaged the corridor to look like, although we would probably have a bright light at the end.

It is filmed in a point of view shot and creates a sense of perspective

Synopsis of our thriller idea

After establishing a definite idea for the opening sequence, we were asked to come up with a synopsis. We came up with a possible back story or given circumstance which gives the audience a reason as to why the main protagonist is the way she is.

The story is set in 17th century England, a time when Catholicism ruled. The main protagonist is a girl between the ages of 16 and 20. She is of Irish nationality living in England and is very beautiful with red hair and bright green eyes. Intimidated and frightened by her beauty and intelligence and the fact that her father mysteriously dissappeared, leaving her alone, the other villagers accuse her of being a witch and abuse her, throwing rocks at her when she walks down the street. Tormented by this cruel treatment, the girl decides to isolate herself from the rest of the world, building a metaphorical wall around herself.

This is not necessarily our definite idea for our synopsis. It is work in progress and just one way in which the audience can interpret the sequence.

First group meeting

We were put into groups and came together to discuss and develop our chosen idea.


My Idea

The scene starts with a close up of a girl's hands building a wall in the dark
Voice over in the background: 'good fences make good neighbours' (repeated over & over)
Jump cuts to a girl about age 16-18 waking up in a white room
Camera tracks out to wide shot, revealing that the girl is strapped to her bed, in a mental institution
Camera tracks forward into the girl's eye, as if going into her mind
We see a shot of her trapped in a long white corridor
She opens doors along the corridor but behind each door is just a wall
She is screaming-runs through a bright light at the end of the corridor
Jump cuts to another shot of her in bed, screaming again

Symbolism

We had the idea that the corridor is a metaphor of the girl feeling trapped within herself-it is all in her mind
The fact that the girl is building her own walls at the beginning suggests that she has trapped herself
The phrase: 'good fences make good neighbours' is taken from a poem by Robert Frost & means that people get along better when there is division & separation between them-perhaps the girl conviced herself that she is better off with walls around her

Set & props

We will need to use a narrow corridor which we can paint white
Bricks and cement
White paint

Tension

Tension is generated through sound:-
Repetition of 'good fences make good neighbours' -gradually getting louder and louder
Girl screaming as she runs along the corridor-sound of doors opening and slamming shut-creates a sense of panic
Visual:-
Filming corridor part in a point of view shot-helps the audience empathise with the character and feel their fear
Building walls-only being able to see the hands-creates an air of mystery
Sudden jump cuts from scene to scene-shocks audience

Why is it a good idea?

It is original

It appeals to a common fear that a lot of people have-being trapped and claustrophobia

Presentation of thriller movie idea

We were asked to come up with an idea for a possible thriller movie and then present this idea to the rest of the class that could form the basis of one of the production group's projects.

My initial idea

My initial thriller idea for a film sequence began with a close up of hands building a wall at night. The camera then moved to a sequence of 3 people waking up; these 3 people belonging to 3 specific groups according to race, sexuality and religion. The scene would progress, cutting in a montage style between each person opening the door to go outside and finding that they are trapped in a maze with no way out. There is some symbolism in this as a black person would be trapped in a maze of white walls (representing the skin colour that they ''should have'') a gay person trapped in red walls (representing lust etc) and a religious person surronded by black walls (takes away the light-God is light)
This sequence was designed to generate tension and enigma by capturing the viewer's interest, making them want to know more.

Props & Locations

I wasn't completely sure about where I wanted the sequence to be filmed, but I thought about using the studio space. For our props we would need bricks or fake bricks and paint.

horror 4

This is a poster for 'One Missed Call.' It shows a close up of a very distorted face. If you look closely at the face you can see that the eyes are in fact actually images of somebody's mouth screaming, suggesting fear and horror. Again, the background to the poster is black, creating darkness and mystery.

horror poster 3

This is a poster for 'Vacancy.' Dark colours give the image a dank, dingy look. The people looking in through the window appear to be hiding from something as the expressions on their faces are fearful, suggesting a scary movie

horror 2

This second horror poster is for the movie 'Saw.' It is clearly horror due to the grotesque imagery of somebody's teeth covered in blood. The image is shot as an extreme close up so you can see it clearly & be hit by the full horror of what you are seeing. The caption 'opening wide this halloween' is a play on what is happening in the picture, someone's mouth being opened.

horror poster 1

this is a poster for the horror movie Halloween 2. We can tell straight away that the genre is horror as it is a mid-shot of a man raising a big knife, so it is clear he is about to kill someone. Again, the colour of the poster is very dark, creating an austere atmosphere. Bold orange is used for the text to make the poster stand out.

thriller poster 4

this is a poster for the thriller movie 'The Unborn.' The camera angle is a straight on shot of the back of the girl, creating a sense of mystery-you can only see a bit of her reflection. The dark, dull colours add to the atmosphere of gloom. The most scary thing about this poster is that if you look closely, you can see that there is also another figure reflected in the mirror, alongside the caption (which isn't very clear) that says 'Evil will do anything to live.' From this we can predict that something creepy is about to happen.

Thriller poster 3

This is a poster for the film 'Orphan.' I think the thing which makes this image shocking & haunting is the fact that it is a picture of a child. If you looked from far away you would probably think it was an imgage of an innocent girl. However, if you look more closely you can see that there is a sinsister look in her eyes & shadows on her face. The poster is a close up straight on head & shoulders shot so you can see this clearly. Her face & hair is completely symetrical which is somehow unnatural & eerie.

2nd generic thriller poster

This is a poster for the thriller 'The Dark Knight.' This poster gives an illusion of mystery and enigma as the man's face is behind quite blurry glass so his features are faded & we cannot see him very clearly. The dark hand pressed against the glass suggests that maybe he is trying to break through. This is quite frightening for the audience to look at as we feel as if the hand is about to grab us. The text 'why so serious?' appears to be written in blood, adding to the sinister imagery.

What is a Thriller?

The original meaning of the word 'thriller' is to pierce
The creator of a thriller's main objective is to pierce through the audience's layer of security and safeness, making them feel as scared or uncomfortable as possible. Thrillers rely on fear, apprehension and suspense, and usually play upon your basic childhood worries by including things that could have frightened you as a young child. Thrillers create tension by raising questions and presenting egnima codes to the audience, which leaves us wanting more. Tension is also created through the use of delay, so that there is a sense of relief when something finally happens.

There are a variety of different types of thriller. One of the most commonly used in movies are phycological thrillers which explore people's minds, dealing with issues such as schitzophrenia, getting inside the mind of the killer. At the end of these movies, the secrets are usually revealed.
Another very common type of thriller is horror. This type of movie involves a great deal of blood and gore, making the audience feel shocked and repulsed by something that they are not supposed to see.
Supernatural thrillers are also used. These play on the audience's fear of ghosts and things of the paranormal. They sometimes deal with the concept of demons and the devil. A typical example of a supernatural thriller is 'The Exorcist.'

We also learnt that a key theme of many successful thrillers is voyeurism. The word voyeurism derives from the French word 'voyeur' which translates as 'someone who watches.' (usually without their object of interest knowing that they are being watched) As you can imagine, people who make thrillers could use the idea of voyeurism to create rather a creepy storyline. The voyeur in these films is usually a stalker, watching the person or people he is about to kill or torture. There is a lot of irony in this as we (the audience) know the killer is there, yet the killer's victim does not.
In some cases, the style of filming forces us as an audience to become the voyeur. This is when we are made to watch a character being killed, tortured or placed in an equally terrible situation. This makes us feel slightly uncomfortable as, again, we are seeing something we shouldn't be seeing.

Thrillers can also be very sadomastic as it usually involves the audience taking pleasure in the character's horrible misfortune. It also helps if the audience are able to empathise with the character, so that they can feel the pain they are going through to a greater effect.

Introduction to Final Cut Pro

The latest media programme we learnt how to use was Final Cut Pro. Final Cut Pro is an application which allows a sequence of shots to be cut together in order to create a narrative or a montage.

We began by using the Final Cut Server. The function of this technology is to store projects and stop work being lost. It also enables you to access your work easily as you can check work in and out.

We then moved on to use Final Cut Pro, which is the actual editing software. Within, Final Cut Pro we created a Log Bin, which allowed us to select the shots within our sequence that we didn't want to use as they were flawed (e.g lacked continuity or clear focus etc). We did this by selecting the best shots in our piece and placing them in the Log Bin ready for use on the timeline.

We then arranged our selected shots on the chronological timeline which helps to create continuity within the seqquence so that the each shot in the scene seemed to flow into each other.

This versatile programme enables the user to be creative by editing and trimming shots, making a more polished and finalised sequence.

Preliminary Task

Preliminary Task Evaluation

We decided to shoot our piece in the studio because it is a good open space which was ideal for filming our particular extract. The studio also contains a set which suited the context of our drama. The set was a plastic construction, made to look like a wall of bricks and a window, so it looked like we were filming in a house. There was also a door which was useful for dramatic purposes so character A could storm out, slamming the door behind her. During our filming process, I checked the continuity, making sure that our actresses were doing the same thing each take. I also came up with some ideas on how the extract could be shot, such as suggesting that character B should be sitting against the wall as supposed to the other character who was standing up, in order to perhaps signify lower status. I also came up with the idea to shoot the scene in a different style by changing the motivation. My idea was that character A could be trying to persuade B to do something she shouldn't be doing, so acting in a more devious bullying way rather than angry or irritated. However, we did not have much time so in the end we did not use this idea.We shot the scene in a naturalistic manner, as if character A was persuading B to do something, rather than bullying them into it.

We did not use particularly bright lighting, which was emphasised by the fact that the studio space was very dark due to the black painted walls. This gave the piece a rather eerie, ominous atmosphere, setting the tone for the scene. Although we did not use bright camera light, we did use one artificial bulb light, which hung in the centre of the mise-en-scene. This was so that the actresses could be clearly seen and it also added to the atmosphere of austerity, everything being dark with only one light. However, we did have a large apature, in order to let in more light, seeing as we were in a dark room, otherwise the audience would not be able to see anything at all. We also made sure that there was no gain (dBs) on our screen so there was not too much exposure.

We filmed the shoot well, making sure that the camera was set up correctly and that the mise-en-scene was straight.The tripod was always level although we did change the height of the camera for various different shots. For example, for the over the shoulder shots we used, the tripod was positioned slightly higher. We used over the shoulder shots in order to show the point of view of each character.(the person whose shoulder we were looking over)to try and place ourselves in both their shoes.
We started by filming the whole scene in wide shot, in order to get a simple base for the piece that we could edit later. I think this technique was quite effective as everything in the mise-en-scene could be seen. As I explained earlier, we then moved on to over the shoulder shots in order to capture the scene from different perspectives. We then decided to take more of a risk, taking the camera off the tripod and filming the entire sequence on the ground so that all you could see was the actresses' feet and hear their voices. This provided the scene with an air of mystery.

We conformed to the 180 degree rule in all shots. In the over the shoulder shots we made sure that we only filmed one side of the person's shoulders in order not to break the rule. We were also careful to use the correct terminology on set,saying 'standby', 'rolling' and 'action'when going into the shot.

practical media production

Introduction to studio

we began our studio work in the first lesson, when we used the space to simulate an interview. Several people took on the roles of camera person, lighting and interviewer. The rest of us were being interviewed. We were given specific questions and we had some time to think about our answers. The studio space was dark and fairly small, making it more intimate so that the viewers would feel more involved. A three light set-up was used, with two lights shining on from behind the interviewer and person being interviewed and one bright light at the front, shining in their faces. The purpose of this lighting was so that the focus (the people) could be seen clearly. A BB170 camera was used and the film was taken in wide-shot, so that the viewer could see everything in the mise-en-scene. The chairs of the people were positioned slightly tilting towards each other. This excercise gave us a flavour of what it would be like to be a celebrity.

Introduction to photoshop

Our first photoshop lesson was rather challenging as we learnt many different skills which we were asked to put into practice. The first fundamental lesson we learnt was how to copy and paste using the lassoo tool. In order to do this, we outlined the object we wanted to paste with the lassoo and then pressed Copy-Edit-Edit-Paste and then using the move tool to move it. This enables you to copy and move the image you selected.

Another tool which we learnt how to use was the Dodge, Burn and Sponge tool. With the Dodge tool, you can make your image darker; with the burn tool you can make the image lighter. This includes the use of highlights which can be used to give the image a glowing or burning effect. Another useful tool which we learned how to use was the Spot Healing Brush. This takes away any unpleasant spots, marks or any part of an image you do not want in the picture. You can use the history brush to undo any mistakes you have made. There are other tools such as the Smudge tool and the Liquifier which distort and elongate images.

Introduction to camera & tripod

We were also taught how to use a camera and tripod, which is one of the most important aspects of media. After assembling our camera on the tripod and making sure that the microphone was correctly inserted, we learnt how to bubble the camera, which is when you have to make sure that the small circle/bubble by the head of the tripod is within it's larger circle. This is important because if the camera is not bubbled, the image on the mise-en-scene will be slightly slanted at an angle, instead of straight. Once we had switched on the camera (by pressing the small red button and twisting upwards to unlock) we learnt about the Time Code, which is displayed in the top corner of the camera. This shows the duration of the shot. You can find the width of the camera in the middle left of the camera, which (for a PD170 camera) is 16:9 cm.

the shutterspeed controls the speed at which the images move. For example, the lower the shutterspeed, the slower and more blurry the imagery would be. The higher you set the shutterspeed, the faster and sharper the movements of the images become. The normal shutterspeed on a PD170 camera is 50. You can also change the exposure of the camera by pressing a black button on the side of the camera. The ideal focus for this camera is F.56. The higher the focus number, the darker the screen will be.

We also learnt about the gain on a camera, which is something which you don't need. Gain is unnecessary synthetic light which reduces the quality. It is represented by the symbol dB. The aim is to have 0 dBs. You can do this by pressing the gain button repeatedly.

Another important aspect of the camera is the white balance. You can choose between artificial light and natural sunlight.

<-white balance bubble->

Introduction to Blogs

Something else which we learnt how to do in media was to set up our own hurtwood blogs.In order to do this we accessed the blog website (www.blogger.com) typed in username (hurtwoodhousemedia09) and the password (hollywood) and clicked on our name on the dashboard. The first thing we did was to choose a new template/background for our blog, in order to make it look more attractive to the reader. To do this, you click on Customize (top right hand corner), then New Template, where you can choose from a variety of backgrounds.

After doing this, we learnt how to post things onto our blog, simply by clicking on New Post. The first post that we did was a written introduction about ourselves. We were encouraged to try and make these entertaining and I experimented with different fonts and colours. You post a blog by pressing Save Now and then Publish Post. We learnt how to upload images onto our blogs by clicking on the small picture next to the ABC sign and choosing the image you want.

You can also access other people's blogs by clicking on their names which are displayed on the dash board. The idea of this blogging is to display our media work at Hurtwood.

blade poster

After watching the begining extract of the horror movie, Blade, we were asked to design a poster for it. To begin with, I searched the internet for an image of knife. I placed this in the centre of the poster, in order to make it the focus. From looking at this, we immediatly get an idea of what the movie is about. I then decided to use strong bold text for the title (Blade) to get the viewer's attention. I used red to represent blood. I put the slogan (prepare to be shocked and afraid) at the bottom of the picture, so the audience's eyes are drawn to it after reading the title. I used the dodge and burn tool to create areas of light & dark, representing the difference between good & evil, which is one the main themes of the movie.

my horror movie poster-split

Our task was to create a poster for an imaginary horror movie, using photo shop. I chose the theme of schizophrenia for my movie, entitled ‘Split’, so therefore, I wanted my poster to display someone with a split-personality.
I decided to use a close up, head and shoulders shot of a person as the main focus of my photo. The photo which was the most suitable was a straight on mid-shot of me. I wanted the audience’s attention to go immediately to the picture of me. In order to do this, I selected a photo where I was in the middle of the mise en scene.
Seeing as the theme of my movie is schizophrenia, I decided to use each side of my head and shoulders to represent a different side of the character’s personality. The left side represented my good side. Therefore, I did not make many alterations to it as the picture is a shot of me smiling, which makes me look fairly angelic. To enhance the effect of goodness and innocence, I used the dodge tool and highlights to create a halo effect around the left side of my head.
My right side represented my evil side. I made a clear distinction between each side by using the dodge tool to colour the evil side of my face bright white. I also used highlights made my skin look as if it is on fire, which links to hell, perhaps suggesting that this character is possessed by the devil. I then used the burn tool to create a dark shadow around my eye and colour the background of that side and my hair pitch black, to represent evil and darkness.
I used the liquefying tool to create a sinister effect. I turned the corner of my mouth on the evil side. This created a strong contrast between the happiness of the good side and the anger of the evil side. If you look very closely at the poster, you can also see that I stretched out the ends of my hair with the liquefying tool on the evil side, making my hair look slightly crazy, symbolising the madness of the evil personality.
I placed my title (Split) at the top of the page. I arranged the letters in an arch shape around the top of my head. I used a sharp, spiky font which I thought would be appropriate for a horror movie as it has a rough jagged edge which creates a feeling of austerity. For my title and my slogan (there’s 2 sides, I decided to use pink font for the lettering on the good side and white for the lettering on the bad side. I did this because pink symbolises sweetness and innocence. I chose white for the evil side, because it is a neutral colour that can be interpreted in any way and shows up clearly against the black background. I wrote ‘starring Hermione Cameron’ in red for blood.

photo 3

This photo is a contrast in mood to my last picture. It represents moving forwards in the world rather than feeling trapped. I used the sunset as my background because I think it is a beautiful image, & in the same way, life can be beautiful if you choose to make it that way. I used a wide shot so that you can see everything clearly in the picture. I used the magnetic lassoo to copy & paste myself onto this background. In contrast to the other photo, there is a happy expression on my face. The words 'Are you ready?!' signifies the start of a journey. The fact that I appear to be walking on water symbolises that you can do anything you set your mind to.

photo 2-trapped

this photo is a represents the feeling of being trapped. This is similar to the way I feel at certain points in my life. It symbolises the frustration of not being allowed to do what it is you really want to do & perhaps not always being able to completely be yourself. I used a close up shot so that you can see the expression in my eyes, which (I think!) is one of sadness & frustration.

photo 1

this is my first picture that I have added of me! I took it in the school dining room, using the frame of the clock to create a halo. I used photoshop to brighten up the photo so it looks as if I am shining bright light-hope you like it!!!

My Introduction

Hey I'm Hermione! Welcome to my blog!!!
I'm 16 years old & I consider myself to be very very lucky because I have just started media at hurtwood house!!! I decided to take media studies for AS partly because it is a subject I have never taken before, & who doesn't like a challenge?!?
I am very interested in the idea of studying something that I see on the TV, the computer, read in magazines & listen to on my i-pod. I have always loved being able to do these things so I think it would be really amazing to take part in creating media. My favourite film is 'Save the Last Dance' and my favourite genre of music is R&B.(artists like beyonce, rihanna & ne-yo) I have always felt really connected to this type of music (even though I can't really sing!) I enjoy writing & it is my dream to write the lyrics to songs, which I have been doing a bit with some of my friends here at hurtwood :)
I have always thought of myself as quite a strange person! (but in a good way-I hope!!! :S) So one of the main reasons I have for taking media is because I want to end up doing something crazy & different from other people!!! :D

See you around!!! xXx