Dead Sender (Thriller Opening Sequence)

This is our final cut of our opening thriller sequence. We found that overall we were fairly successful, in both the filming and editing aspect, although we did have to make alterations to the story to allow the story to make sense to the audience.  See previous post for more information.

What we have done so far>...

So far we have storyboarded and discussed what we would do to improve in our official coursework, we will do a intial storyboard which will be simple sketches, but of a higher quality than our drawings in the provisional piece, we may practice shots we want to use, we will also do a final storyboard this will be high quality, high-lighting every section of the film, making it clear to the examiner; we will do this by drawing detailed drawing and taking some pictures of harder to draw sections, we will then explain what is happening in each section and what shot we will use. We will also practice many shots , to make sure they will be practical in our coursework film.

We will also look at more films to get more ideas abut audience and scene settings. For our coursework film we will focus more on mise on scene as in our provisional task we did not, we also had issues with continunity, this is something we will work on.

When we filmed we didn't have many issues we only had one actress so there were not issues with cast, but we would have ideally wanted to add another scene, but we felt this was impractical, the reason for this is that this would require a lot of screen characters and a lot of time. Instead we cut down the time and just did one scene, unfortunately we did have time to add the final part of the scene, but we believe the film still works. If I was to film again with my group we would time keep better, and concentrate on mise on scene.

We chose to start with a comical opening to set the thriller feel, we feel this is effective , and think our audience would appreciate this light hearted beginning. We also didn't concentrate very much on our script, as the actor I found it easier to freelance, we may not focus on the script in our main coursework film.

We think our film suits the thriller theme and follows are storyboard to an extend, in our final film we will make a storyboard more detailed to make it easier to follow, I believe that having a better storyboard will make a better film.


Overall we worked well as a team and would work well together in the final coursework, we kept to deadlines and enjoyed planning and creating the film together. :)

Kelli's Analysis - Source Code Opening

The first shot is of a man waking up as he leans his head against

 a window, as he dodges his eyes around we get the sense of his own confusion that is then passed on to the audience.

He then suddenly moves to a sitting position as we hear the sound

of a horn from a train, this lets us know a little more about where we are and adding a slight urgency to the confusion.

The knowledge that we are on a travelling train is then reinforced 

briefly by the Over-the-shoulder shot looking out of the window. 

We then have an Over-the-shoulder shot of a woman sitting in the 

opposite seat with a sound bridge leading from the previous shot, both of which reinforce the continuity. She talks about him giving her advice, letting the audience know that they have entered into

events already in progress.

As we cut back to looking at the man we see the confusion on his

face, making it clear that we are not the only ones who are

unsure of what is happening. As the woman asks him if he's okay

we begin to become reassured that everything is not as it's should

be.

We then have several shot clips of a women spilling some of her

drink over his shoe, they way this interrupts what the woman is

saying makes it seem far more significant, as if it may foreshadow

future events in some way.

As our attention is brought back to the woman she talks about

plans they previously had, and an ex that keeps calling her,

her willingness to share this with him shows that they most

likesly have quite a close relationship, however he continues to search his surroundings, showing that he's looking for some sign of where he is.

As the tickect collector comes round and asks for the ticket the woman reaches into his pocket to retrieve it as he appears clueless as to its whereabout, this again shows their closeness, and then allows for the sequence to continue so that we learn that the train was stopped for a brief time, and gives a brief introduction to characters that may possibly take on slightly larger role later on.

Returning our attention back to what is clearly our leading character - made obvious by the amount of screen tame reserved for him - he begins to explain to the woman that he is not the person she thinks he is, this both explains the situation to the audience and creates further questions for them. The woman gives a tentative laugh at the explanation showing that she believe it to be some odd joke, it is now that we learn that his real name is Colter Stevens, whilst the name of the man he appears to be to others is Shaun.

Saying that he feels sick he excuses himself just as the train is about to pull up at a station, as he walks along he continues to glance around looking, showing that the audience he is still unsure of what's happening. As this is happening a red haired boy walks past him to return a wallet to it's owner and then proceeds to retrieve his bike and leave the train, aswe see more of these clips they begin to seem more and more important, with the help of the suspenseful music, making it seems as if they will become more imprtant later on. As he steps off the train we find out from the red haired boy that the train is heading to Chicago.

As he returns to his seat, the woman jokingly refers to him

as 'Captain' as he introduced himself earlier, clearly showing

the audience that she thought it was a joke.

As the train continues he sees glimpses of his reflection in the

window, however it doesn't appear to be him, asking the

woman if she saws this, she tells him that he is beginning

to freak her out, telling us that no ones else appears to see

a difference.

Acting far more urgently he gets up and goes into the bathroom

and as he looks in the mirror we see a different person, showing

that this is what the others on the train have been seeing all along.

As he exits the bathroom the woman is there asking if he's okay, as they talk we get a shot of a train heading in the opposite direction of that of the one they are aboard. This implies to the audience that something urgent may be impending. The woman attempts to calm him down, the audience then becomes more aware that something bad is about to happen, when the woman says the opposite as the irony creates the perfect opportunity, which we then witness as the train explodes and derails.

Grainne's Thriller Shots of Batman Begins

 1. The first shot is a Tracking Shot of a child walking through his garden. Due to how much camera time we have the idea that this boy is the main character. Also, due to the effects on the screen, we get the sense of nostalgia.

2. The second shot is of the child falling down a well. The shot is a Tilt Shot, which gives the audience the impression that the child is falling from a great height.

 3. The third shot is an Establishing Shot of the Wayne mansion. We get the feel of the location, and it sets the atmosphere.

4. The fourth shot is an Eyeline Match Shot of who the audience soon come to know as Bruce, looking into at a cave. The Audience get to connect with Bruce and get the sense of the unknown.

 5. We then have the receiving end of the Eye Line Match, which helps the audience again connect emotionally with the main character.

 

6. The last shot is a Close Up Shot of Bruce as an adult. We can tell we have left the dream and are now in the present. This is also due to the darkened effect on the camera which can be seen throughout the film. 

Storyboard

We understand that some pieces of the story board are missing. We intend on adding the extra shots mentioned in the explanations below when either re-creating the storyboard, or when filming.

1. We begin the film with a an Establishing Shot in the form of a Long Shot. There's a possibility that we will gradually get closer to the shot till we are inside the house with a series of Cut Shots 
                                

2. We then cut to a young girls room, aged between 12-16. We will then have a Mid-Shot of the girl on the computer, which will then cut to a Over the Shoulder-Shot with the camera peering at her screen.

3. This will be a Close up-Shot of the girls computer. We may add an Eye line Match shot in order to establish what and who the girl is looking at.

4. We will then cut to a Long-Shot involving the main character and the computer. The power will then go, then we will have a Shot/Reverse Shot of the computer breaking and the main character.

5. The main character will then, after a moment of panic, go to sleep. We will have a Long-Shot of her entering the bed, then, another shot, only this time a Close-up Shot of her face, falling asleep.

6. We then cut to the character entering a dream. We will use certain effects such as colour changing, distorted shots/scenes and music. The initial shot will be a Close-up Shot of the characters face.

7. We will the cut to an Over-shoulder Shot of the computer screen, which will hopefully create the illusion of us going back in time before the computer cuts out.

7. We then will cut to a Close-Up Shot of the computer breaking. Only this time the main character won't fall asleep. 

8. The main character, like before, will panic. We will cut to an Eye line match Shot, between her and the computer screen. 

9. We will then cut to a Long Shot, followed by a Medium Close Up Shot and then a Close Up Shot of the phone ringing. 

10. We will then cut to a Long-Shot of the character with the phone in their hand. Then to a Close-Up Shot of the phone in the characters hand.

11. We will then cut to an Eye-Line Match of the characters eyes, to a Close-Up Shot of the phone screen.

12. Whilst we have a Long-Shot of the character, there will be a sudden bang on the bedroom window. We intend on filming a Shot-Reverse Shot between the character and the window. 

13. We will then cut to a Long Shot of the character freaking out once again. Only this time we shall use a Pan Shot of the character rushing towards the bedroom door. We intend on filming a series of shots of the character making their way down the stairs.

14. We intend on recording a Match on Action Shot of the character leaving the house.

15. We will then record a Birds Eye Shot of a number of trees and Zombies. We intend on recording some of the Zombies via a Long-Shot and a series of Close-Up Shots.

16. We will then have a Tracking Shot of the character fleeing from the Zombies through the trees.

17. We will have a Long Shot of the characters, mainly focusing on the main character.

18. We will then have a Long Shot of the character in reality screaming. We may cut to a Close-Up Shot of the characters face.

19. Then enters another character. We may use a Panning Shot of the character entering the room. We will have a Shot/Reverse Shot of the character looking at the main character.

20. We will then use a series of shots switching back and forth between the reality and the dream. One shot will be of the Character failing to flee from the trees, and another of the character screaming.

21. There will be a Close-Up Shot near the end of the film of the character screaming. 

22. The film will then end on a Close Up Shot of the character dead. 

 IDEAS FOR SHOTS

I AM LEGEND - Movie Trailer

   

'Inception' Trailer 2 HD

Inception

We posted this video because we liked the idea of having the animations/credits of the financial backers/producers.

We also liked the music, and how it set the atmosphere. Similar to I am Legend.

Characters, props/costumes, themes and settings.

The characters we would like to include are the young girl aged between 12-14years old and many extras dressed as zombies. We will use mise-en-scene for the film, especially with the zombies. We also have another character at the end shaking the girl to wake her up, they will be a zombie.


Mise-en-scene will be created by using realistic make -up on zombies, and having real darkness when the storyboards say there is darkness. When certain weather is proposed we will plan for a rainy day, if this is not possible we will create the weather. We will use a house and minimise props saw in the shots. The setting will be simple and effective, we will do this by minimising any distractions, such as un-necssary extras. We will include stero-types such as vulnerable young girl in the woods like red riding hood. We will use soundtracks to create a mood, the mood will be sombre throughout. Music will be similar to that of I AM LEGEND, starring Will Smith, we think this film have a very unsettling feel to it so we feel it would work in our short film. When the girl enter her dream state there will be 'dreamy' music to validate she is dreaming.


The themes will include typical terror of young girls who receive emails like this on a regular basis, this will be effective because many can relate to the worry that chain mails can incur.


Settings will be in a empty house when the power cuts, this is  a typical style of a thriller film, we will also set the woods setting in a red riding hood style.


Overall we are looking to create a short film in the style of inception and in the mood of I am legend.

Hello, welcome to our blog.

Hi we are Holly, Graham, and Rapson.

We are making this blog to showcase our AS media practice work.

Our theme is thriller, as you can see above. We will be making a short film, called dead sender.  It will be about a young girl who receives a chain mail saying if you don't send it to a certain amount of people you will be attacked by zombies. The power goes and she is unable to send the email, she then fall asleep and has nightmare about being attacked and ends up dying within her dream. We also never wake her up so the audience does not know if she will ever escape her dream.

The audience we aimed at is 12-15 year olds, it is a thriller that is like inception, so is psychologically challenging. We look to use simple settings, blurred shots, free-hand shots, third split shots, eye line match shots and match on action shots.

With a 12a certificate, we are able to use moderate language and physical and psychological threats as long as they are infrequent and do not dwell on detail. Mature themes are allowed but must be suitable for a younger audience.