Wednesday 17 March 2010
Feedback
FEEDBACK – Before the final changes
- The shots look confusing
- The music doesn’t flow in exact time with some of the shots
- A sound bridge is needed at the very beginning to split up your production name and the start of the actual opening
- Each shot needs to be cleaned up so it all runs nicely together
FEEDBACK – After the final changes
- It works better when it’s simplistic
- All you need is a title and then it will be perfect
- The house looks really good down the street you chose as it stands out from the others
- Really detailed shots made the whole thing look like it wasn’t even shot in this school
- The shots look confusing
- The music doesn’t flow in exact time with some of the shots
- A sound bridge is needed at the very beginning to split up your production name and the start of the actual opening
- Each shot needs to be cleaned up so it all runs nicely together
FEEDBACK – After the final changes
- It works better when it’s simplistic
- All you need is a title and then it will be perfect
- The house looks really good down the street you chose as it stands out from the others
- Really detailed shots made the whole thing look like it wasn’t even shot in this school
Question Seven
7) Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you’ve learned in the PROGRESSION from it to the full product?
Preliminary Brief: Film and edit a character opening a door, crossing a room and sitting down in a chair opposite another character. A couple of lines of dialogue must then exchange between characters & match on action, shot/reverse shot and the 180-degree rule should be demonstrated.
Main Task: The titles and opening of a new fiction film, to last a maximum of two minutes (all video and audio material must be original, produced by candidates, with the exception of music or audio effects from a copyright-free source)
PRELIMINARY TASK COMPARED TO MAIN TASK
Pre productionWhere the preliminary task was the first real task of the year we hadn’t worked together in groups yet and personally, I wasn’t too sure how well I was going to work with whoever it was I ended up being paired with. So when I was partnered with Sharon I didn’t know what to expect! I didn’t see it as much of a problem more just a worry prior to the project. I didn’t let it bother me though as everyone else in the class was in the exact same boat so I soon got over it. This differs to my first worries of the main task because due to special circumstances, i knew who my group was before others in the class. Yasmin, Matthew and i all took part in a foreign exchange program that meant us missing a lot of media lessons. Our teacher felt it most fair and practical that we be put together as while we are away we can still work on the project so we are up to date more or less when we return. This made me feel a lot more relaxed about the project because Matthew and Yasmin have been in my media class since day 1 of Year nine GCSE and we are all very aware of each others working capability.
For the duration of planning (pre production) Sharon and I thought we had covered everything we needed to efficiently however it turned out that what we thought to be quick and useful, really just left us under prepared and missing shots that we originally wanted. We managed to work it out and improvise with what we had but if we had planned with more detail, we could have successfully transferred the shots drawn from the storyboard onto the shooting schedule. From this I have learned you can never plan too much! The more you cover when planning the less stress you will have later. So, i applied this new found knowledge to the main task! We had to do a lot of research on fairy/folk tales in order to have a variety to choose from, considering an adaptation. I looked at ones from other cultures as well as the typical “little red riding hood” story.
However, when we were assigned groups I was put with Yasmin and Matthew and they had studied completely different ones so we had an advantage. The only problem was that we couldn’t decide what story to go for. We had one revolving around a little girl going missing as this was similar to little red riding hood and more similar to the recent media hype concerning Madeline McCann. We also had an idea about swapping a child for a troll as this was a very popular folk’s tale that Yasmin had researched. So to make things even better, we all agreed to fuse both ideas together. Resulting in a fictional story about a girl that is taken from her home and goes missing but she is swapped for a doll. From this I have learned the more resources you have at the beginning the more you have to work with. This will prove to be beneficial as it did for us. This proves the progress we made as the prelim task consisted of one or two five minute meetings deciding what we would do and everything was left very vague. The main task however, consisted of countless folk stories and fairy tales and that was just for ideas! We hadn’t even begun to adapt any further yet!
During the prelim task, another problem we came across was the location. We chose to film in the leisure centre but we did not take out a location recce to make sure it was possible. We both felt confident that it would just “work out.” Additionally, we met one afternoon after school and decided on a location as well as drawing the storyboard. When we left that afternoon we agreed that I would complete the script and Sharon will do the shooting schedule. However, it only came to my attention when I got home that I had the storyboard? So how could Sharon do the shooting schedule? We recovered from this slight set back by updating the schedule the next day in lesson but in hindsight, I really think if we had planned more we wouldn’t have had so many problems. Personally, I had learned from the preliminary task that planning is the key to a successful day on set, and the more you think about what could go wrong; the less likely it is for something to go wrong. This is why we had the storyboard, shooting schedule and script completed before we had even found actors. The biggest problem throughout the entire project, was finding cast. We needed to find a little girl aged between 4 and 6 years old and we needed to film her fending for herself one morning. She would pour a cup of milk and sit on the stairs before her Father came down stairs and walked out the front door to go to work. When we thought of every single little girl who would be suitable to play the part, something came up where she could not play the part. Reasons such as interfering with school, living to far away or because her parents were not happy with her being filmed. Either way it was proving impossible to find someone to play our protagonist. This is where we decided to change the meaning behind our opening. We wanted the audience to feel uncomfortable watching our opening sequence because after all it is a psychological thriller. This is why we went back to the drawing board and thought about what else we had to work with. We wanted to keep our story the same so we tried to think of a way we could show something else to introduce the film. We also knew that the unique part of our film was the use of dolls; and this is why the doll was our main focus for the beginning of our film. From this I learned that making a film is a lot more complicated then I originally thought however there is ALWAYS an alternative. To be honest I thought we were helpless when the first idea fell through; but in hindsight it made us more creative to make a better opening than we had first planned. Originally the entire sequence was to be shot at Matthews’s house but when all of our ideas had to be thought out due to some problems with casting, we changed the idea behind our opening sequence. Meaning the location could be changed and so we decided to make up the studio to suit our new opening. We got as many pictures as we could with newspaper cuttings all relevant to our genre and we posted these around the workstation of our set. We met at every chance we had to make sure all points were covered and we had done the best we could to avoid any problems.
After the problems concerning casting, we had to draw a whole new storyboard resulting in a completely new shooting schedule as well. This was time consuming but we were determined to succeed and especially because we had a fresh idea, the creativity soon came out. We watched the opening of the film Se7en and really fell in love for the way the camera illustrated the eerie actions of a man making something? We wanted to capture this feeling between our target audience and the film and so we focused on detailed shots and extreme close ups of a doll being made by a Toymaker. I learned that by making the sequence simpler we made it better all round. Going back to the roots of psychological thrillers we focused on what was important, and for us that was the feeling our film would have on the audience. We wanted them to shiver and tense as they watched the opening.
Production
During filming of the prelim task we didn’t have as many problems as I expected but obviously it wouldn’t be a worthwhile experience if I couldn’t learn from it. I learned that a location recce is vital to do before filming because you can prepare yourself for problems or even find a new location to film. Seeing as we didn’t, when we filmed we were constantly interrupted by strangers walking in and out of the background of our shots. At first we made it work to our advantage as it fitted well with what was happening in our sequence but some shots had passers by and others didn’t so it ruined our continuity. We learned from this by ensuring our main task location was full proof! So the final location was the media room and we didn’t have any problems. Sound wasn’t an issue as we used a soundtrack anyway, and when others came into the room, they were only other media students so they were aware of us filming. Another problem we faced during the production process was costume. The cast consisted of one male character (played by my brother) however he turned up straight from work with a white T-shirt on. We needed plain black clothing but thankfully this was quickly solved and we borrowed a black coat form the drama department and he wore that as well. So for future references, even though it seemed like the least important thing, it would have ruined the whole effect of our film if we didn’t have him all in black; so costume/hair/make up needs to be taken into account well in advance.
Another problem that we came across (during prelim) was keeping up with the continuity. Where there were only two of us we had to make sure one person controlled the camera (Sharon) whilst I directed the cast and due to the fact it was our first time filming, we didn’t bother too much with writing down what takes were good and what were not; so obviously when it came to editing, we had to look at every single shot which was time consuming! I learned from this by writing a simple tick or cross next to each take so we can avoid wasting time when digitising our rushes later.
The biggest problem we faced when filming our preliminary task was how much time we had. Initially we had an hour to get all the shots we needed seeing as it was only going to produce a thirty second clip that should have been enough time.
Although, when we packed up all of the equipment we realised we needed just one close up of a clock to incorporate in the final sequence. So we rushed back to the classroom really quickly set up and got the take we needed. Now though I have learned with a shooting schedule a lot of the problems we faced we could have easily avoided! However, our progression for the main task didn’t come through when it came to not rushing. This is because we had spent too much time filming interior shots and didn’t realise we would need more time for the final takes. I learned that timing is an essential factor of filming and we considered the time of day when shooting exterior shots in the main task. The final problem I can recall whilst filming our opening sequence was at the very end of the day when we had to film outside, we rushed the shots as we were afraid of the lighting getting too dark and it ruining our continuity. Due to the rushed takes, I feel that some of the shots do not look as good as they could have, although they do still work very well with the rest of the opening. I now know that referring to the shooting schedule is vital and I have learned that the time of day in which we film is equally as important as it would look silly having a shot of the Toymaker walking in the light but then walking away in the darkness?
Post productionDuring post production/editing for the prelim task we were new to the software and so both of us were nervous in case we cut something we would never get back. Thankfully though, you can undo work on Adobe Premier! I think that we were both just familiarising ourselves with the software and getting used to digitising rushes. From this I have learned that modern technology is not the most reliable resource as when we first attempted to edit everything ran smoothly, yet when we tried for the second and third time the software didn’t want to work for us. The capture window would not open on several computers that were working fine earlier on in the day! So I have learned technology will not always agree with you but it’s an everyday problem you can only overcome with some patience. However, for our main task our luck was not as apparent. The first time we came to edit the software simply would not work for us! It was just an unlucky day but we overcome this minor problem by re-grouping after school and starting editing then.
Additionally, due to the reliability of the technology we were using, we had to keep saving our work as we went along. Although, one day typically we were not saving as we worked and the software froze and shut down. The changes we previously made were lost and we had to do them over again which wasted time and was rather boring because it got repetitive. I learned from this by saving the work after every change I made with the main task; especially because there were a lot more effects added in the main task which had to continuously be saved just in case!
Another problem Sharon and I faced whilst editing is realising we hadn’t filmed enough. There was one particular take that had speech towards the end and we had cut without letting the speech finish naturally. We hadn’t realised this on set and there wasn’t time to re-shoot so we just had to take it as a learning curve and try to make it work by slowing down the shot and adding a transition that stops the shot before it’s meant to anyway. I have learned to allow a few seconds between shouting “action” and “cut” so that we have the time and space during editing.
Editing for the main task wasn’t as stressful as I first anticipated however I think a part of this was due to the fact I was in a group with my friends. They both know me well, and they know how to calm me down which definitely came in handy! However, at the very start I feel we wasted time getting shots in the dark room of our school instead of quickly getting that done and concentrating on the main set and main opening. I have learned that on the day you must not panic but you have got to keep track of time and prioritise! I have learned that there is no point wasting time with shots that may not even work well in the end; we should have filmed all that we could have as quickly as we could. Additionally, we shot every take at least twice to make sure we had decent rushes when it came to post production.
Editing for me was the stage of production where i learned the most and i feel i really excelled compared to how unconfident i was prior to the main task. I realised that other members in my group had just the same amount of experience as me and this made me more determined to have the ability to edit at the same level as them. If not, better. We all experimented a lot with different effects and we came to a unanimous decision to have detailed shots instead of quickly cut, sharp takes.
The biggest problem for me was choosing a film title that we still didn’t have even when we were editing! We thought of everything! Right from, “Toymaker” to “Blood Buttons” and nothing seemed right for our film. The only way we could overcome this was to get a fresh pair of eyes to watch our opening and then they say words that automatically spring to mind afterward. From this we managed to get a whole array of words to throw back and forth until we got the combination that sounded right. This is where we had names such as “redemption” and “missing” but they seemed too predictable. We finally decided on “silent play” because the main character plays sick mind games with the parents in order for them to get their daughter back, and the parents do not go to the police; they deal with it themselves in the fear of the Toymaker hurting their daughter! Looking back now I wish we hadn’t left it so late to come up with a name however if we had, i probably would have been sick of the sound of it and wanted to change it anyway. So i am happy with the process of picking a film name.
Furthermore, our film genre is a psychological thriller and we originally wanted to edit the film in a way that made it jumpy and confusing and made the audience think. This was our first plan. Although when cutting and editing certain shots it somehow seemed like we had just made a lot of mistakes whilst filming. Additionally, we had taken so much time and care getting very detailed shots, that it seemed a waste to just cut them carelessly. We all agreed it would work a whole lot better if we stuck to the usual shots and stop trying to add lots of effects that really just brought the whole production value down.
Preliminary Brief: Film and edit a character opening a door, crossing a room and sitting down in a chair opposite another character. A couple of lines of dialogue must then exchange between characters & match on action, shot/reverse shot and the 180-degree rule should be demonstrated.
Main Task: The titles and opening of a new fiction film, to last a maximum of two minutes (all video and audio material must be original, produced by candidates, with the exception of music or audio effects from a copyright-free source)
PRELIMINARY TASK COMPARED TO MAIN TASK
Pre productionWhere the preliminary task was the first real task of the year we hadn’t worked together in groups yet and personally, I wasn’t too sure how well I was going to work with whoever it was I ended up being paired with. So when I was partnered with Sharon I didn’t know what to expect! I didn’t see it as much of a problem more just a worry prior to the project. I didn’t let it bother me though as everyone else in the class was in the exact same boat so I soon got over it. This differs to my first worries of the main task because due to special circumstances, i knew who my group was before others in the class. Yasmin, Matthew and i all took part in a foreign exchange program that meant us missing a lot of media lessons. Our teacher felt it most fair and practical that we be put together as while we are away we can still work on the project so we are up to date more or less when we return. This made me feel a lot more relaxed about the project because Matthew and Yasmin have been in my media class since day 1 of Year nine GCSE and we are all very aware of each others working capability.
For the duration of planning (pre production) Sharon and I thought we had covered everything we needed to efficiently however it turned out that what we thought to be quick and useful, really just left us under prepared and missing shots that we originally wanted. We managed to work it out and improvise with what we had but if we had planned with more detail, we could have successfully transferred the shots drawn from the storyboard onto the shooting schedule. From this I have learned you can never plan too much! The more you cover when planning the less stress you will have later. So, i applied this new found knowledge to the main task! We had to do a lot of research on fairy/folk tales in order to have a variety to choose from, considering an adaptation. I looked at ones from other cultures as well as the typical “little red riding hood” story.
However, when we were assigned groups I was put with Yasmin and Matthew and they had studied completely different ones so we had an advantage. The only problem was that we couldn’t decide what story to go for. We had one revolving around a little girl going missing as this was similar to little red riding hood and more similar to the recent media hype concerning Madeline McCann. We also had an idea about swapping a child for a troll as this was a very popular folk’s tale that Yasmin had researched. So to make things even better, we all agreed to fuse both ideas together. Resulting in a fictional story about a girl that is taken from her home and goes missing but she is swapped for a doll. From this I have learned the more resources you have at the beginning the more you have to work with. This will prove to be beneficial as it did for us. This proves the progress we made as the prelim task consisted of one or two five minute meetings deciding what we would do and everything was left very vague. The main task however, consisted of countless folk stories and fairy tales and that was just for ideas! We hadn’t even begun to adapt any further yet!During the prelim task, another problem we came across was the location. We chose to film in the leisure centre but we did not take out a location recce to make sure it was possible. We both felt confident that it would just “work out.” Additionally, we met one afternoon after school and decided on a location as well as drawing the storyboard. When we left that afternoon we agreed that I would complete the script and Sharon will do the shooting schedule. However, it only came to my attention when I got home that I had the storyboard? So how could Sharon do the shooting schedule? We recovered from this slight set back by updating the schedule the next day in lesson but in hindsight, I really think if we had planned more we wouldn’t have had so many problems. Personally, I had learned from the preliminary task that planning is the key to a successful day on set, and the more you think about what could go wrong; the less likely it is for something to go wrong. This is why we had the storyboard, shooting schedule and script completed before we had even found actors. The biggest problem throughout the entire project, was finding cast. We needed to find a little girl aged between 4 and 6 years old and we needed to film her fending for herself one morning. She would pour a cup of milk and sit on the stairs before her Father came down stairs and walked out the front door to go to work. When we thought of every single little girl who would be suitable to play the part, something came up where she could not play the part. Reasons such as interfering with school, living to far away or because her parents were not happy with her being filmed. Either way it was proving impossible to find someone to play our protagonist. This is where we decided to change the meaning behind our opening. We wanted the audience to feel uncomfortable watching our opening sequence because after all it is a psychological thriller. This is why we went back to the drawing board and thought about what else we had to work with. We wanted to keep our story the same so we tried to think of a way we could show something else to introduce the film. We also knew that the unique part of our film was the use of dolls; and this is why the doll was our main focus for the beginning of our film. From this I learned that making a film is a lot more complicated then I originally thought however there is ALWAYS an alternative. To be honest I thought we were helpless when the first idea fell through; but in hindsight it made us more creative to make a better opening than we had first planned. Originally the entire sequence was to be shot at Matthews’s house but when all of our ideas had to be thought out due to some problems with casting, we changed the idea behind our opening sequence. Meaning the location could be changed and so we decided to make up the studio to suit our new opening. We got as many pictures as we could with newspaper cuttings all relevant to our genre and we posted these around the workstation of our set. We met at every chance we had to make sure all points were covered and we had done the best we could to avoid any problems.
After the problems concerning casting, we had to draw a whole new storyboard resulting in a completely new shooting schedule as well. This was time consuming but we were determined to succeed and especially because we had a fresh idea, the creativity soon came out. We watched the opening of the film Se7en and really fell in love for the way the camera illustrated the eerie actions of a man making something? We wanted to capture this feeling between our target audience and the film and so we focused on detailed shots and extreme close ups of a doll being made by a Toymaker. I learned that by making the sequence simpler we made it better all round. Going back to the roots of psychological thrillers we focused on what was important, and for us that was the feeling our film would have on the audience. We wanted them to shiver and tense as they watched the opening.
Production
During filming of the prelim task we didn’t have as many problems as I expected but obviously it wouldn’t be a worthwhile experience if I couldn’t learn from it. I learned that a location recce is vital to do before filming because you can prepare yourself for problems or even find a new location to film. Seeing as we didn’t, when we filmed we were constantly interrupted by strangers walking in and out of the background of our shots. At first we made it work to our advantage as it fitted well with what was happening in our sequence but some shots had passers by and others didn’t so it ruined our continuity. We learned from this by ensuring our main task location was full proof! So the final location was the media room and we didn’t have any problems. Sound wasn’t an issue as we used a soundtrack anyway, and when others came into the room, they were only other media students so they were aware of us filming. Another problem we faced during the production process was costume. The cast consisted of one male character (played by my brother) however he turned up straight from work with a white T-shirt on. We needed plain black clothing but thankfully this was quickly solved and we borrowed a black coat form the drama department and he wore that as well. So for future references, even though it seemed like the least important thing, it would have ruined the whole effect of our film if we didn’t have him all in black; so costume/hair/make up needs to be taken into account well in advance.
Another problem that we came across (during prelim) was keeping up with the continuity. Where there were only two of us we had to make sure one person controlled the camera (Sharon) whilst I directed the cast and due to the fact it was our first time filming, we didn’t bother too much with writing down what takes were good and what were not; so obviously when it came to editing, we had to look at every single shot which was time consuming! I learned from this by writing a simple tick or cross next to each take so we can avoid wasting time when digitising our rushes later.
The biggest problem we faced when filming our preliminary task was how much time we had. Initially we had an hour to get all the shots we needed seeing as it was only going to produce a thirty second clip that should have been enough time.
Although, when we packed up all of the equipment we realised we needed just one close up of a clock to incorporate in the final sequence. So we rushed back to the classroom really quickly set up and got the take we needed. Now though I have learned with a shooting schedule a lot of the problems we faced we could have easily avoided! However, our progression for the main task didn’t come through when it came to not rushing. This is because we had spent too much time filming interior shots and didn’t realise we would need more time for the final takes. I learned that timing is an essential factor of filming and we considered the time of day when shooting exterior shots in the main task. The final problem I can recall whilst filming our opening sequence was at the very end of the day when we had to film outside, we rushed the shots as we were afraid of the lighting getting too dark and it ruining our continuity. Due to the rushed takes, I feel that some of the shots do not look as good as they could have, although they do still work very well with the rest of the opening. I now know that referring to the shooting schedule is vital and I have learned that the time of day in which we film is equally as important as it would look silly having a shot of the Toymaker walking in the light but then walking away in the darkness?Post productionDuring post production/editing for the prelim task we were new to the software and so both of us were nervous in case we cut something we would never get back. Thankfully though, you can undo work on Adobe Premier! I think that we were both just familiarising ourselves with the software and getting used to digitising rushes. From this I have learned that modern technology is not the most reliable resource as when we first attempted to edit everything ran smoothly, yet when we tried for the second and third time the software didn’t want to work for us. The capture window would not open on several computers that were working fine earlier on in the day! So I have learned technology will not always agree with you but it’s an everyday problem you can only overcome with some patience. However, for our main task our luck was not as apparent. The first time we came to edit the software simply would not work for us! It was just an unlucky day but we overcome this minor problem by re-grouping after school and starting editing then.
Additionally, due to the reliability of the technology we were using, we had to keep saving our work as we went along. Although, one day typically we were not saving as we worked and the software froze and shut down. The changes we previously made were lost and we had to do them over again which wasted time and was rather boring because it got repetitive. I learned from this by saving the work after every change I made with the main task; especially because there were a lot more effects added in the main task which had to continuously be saved just in case!
Another problem Sharon and I faced whilst editing is realising we hadn’t filmed enough. There was one particular take that had speech towards the end and we had cut without letting the speech finish naturally. We hadn’t realised this on set and there wasn’t time to re-shoot so we just had to take it as a learning curve and try to make it work by slowing down the shot and adding a transition that stops the shot before it’s meant to anyway. I have learned to allow a few seconds between shouting “action” and “cut” so that we have the time and space during editing.
Editing for the main task wasn’t as stressful as I first anticipated however I think a part of this was due to the fact I was in a group with my friends. They both know me well, and they know how to calm me down which definitely came in handy! However, at the very start I feel we wasted time getting shots in the dark room of our school instead of quickly getting that done and concentrating on the main set and main opening. I have learned that on the day you must not panic but you have got to keep track of time and prioritise! I have learned that there is no point wasting time with shots that may not even work well in the end; we should have filmed all that we could have as quickly as we could. Additionally, we shot every take at least twice to make sure we had decent rushes when it came to post production.Editing for me was the stage of production where i learned the most and i feel i really excelled compared to how unconfident i was prior to the main task. I realised that other members in my group had just the same amount of experience as me and this made me more determined to have the ability to edit at the same level as them. If not, better. We all experimented a lot with different effects and we came to a unanimous decision to have detailed shots instead of quickly cut, sharp takes.
The biggest problem for me was choosing a film title that we still didn’t have even when we were editing! We thought of everything! Right from, “Toymaker” to “Blood Buttons” and nothing seemed right for our film. The only way we could overcome this was to get a fresh pair of eyes to watch our opening and then they say words that automatically spring to mind afterward. From this we managed to get a whole array of words to throw back and forth until we got the combination that sounded right. This is where we had names such as “redemption” and “missing” but they seemed too predictable. We finally decided on “silent play” because the main character plays sick mind games with the parents in order for them to get their daughter back, and the parents do not go to the police; they deal with it themselves in the fear of the Toymaker hurting their daughter! Looking back now I wish we hadn’t left it so late to come up with a name however if we had, i probably would have been sick of the sound of it and wanted to change it anyway. So i am happy with the process of picking a film name.
Furthermore, our film genre is a psychological thriller and we originally wanted to edit the film in a way that made it jumpy and confusing and made the audience think. This was our first plan. Although when cutting and editing certain shots it somehow seemed like we had just made a lot of mistakes whilst filming. Additionally, we had taken so much time and care getting very detailed shots, that it seemed a waste to just cut them carelessly. We all agreed it would work a whole lot better if we stuck to the usual shots and stop trying to add lots of effects that really just brought the whole production value down.
Question Six
6) What have you learned about the technologies from the process of constructing this product?
PRODUCTION
Since the start of AS Media I have only had a few experiences using the Canon XHAI
camera and i am not as confident with it as I would like to be, however i do enjoy lining up shots and positioning the frame in an interesting way. Before the magic could happen though we set up the camera correctly by first adjusting the tripod to Yasmin's height as she was assigned the camera operator. Using the tripod enabled us to get a variety of shots such as high angle, low angle, tracking shots and panning as well. We then secured the camera to the tripod making sure it was steady and couldn't fall. Yasmin then set the spirit level so that even if we shot on rocky flooring the camera was always level and the shot always came out straight, and if for some reason it didn't we would re-adjust the spirit level. Once the camera was set to go we needed a battery along with the charging pack in case we ran out of battery at one point in the day, as well as a tape! I learned that once the tape is in you must rewind it to the very beginning, record as much footage as possible and NEVER play it back until you digitise later. This is because if you watch your takes and then begin filming more, you increase the chance of recording over some shots.
With the sound equipment, Matthew was in charge however we didn't see it necessary to use due to the fact we were going to use a soundtrack over the entire sequence. We had the equipment on set just in case but we didn't actually need it and this gave us a fresh pair of eyes for opinions on shots instead of using the sound equipment and wasting time moving it with the camera when we re-positioned for another shot.
For the exterior shots of our Toymaker near the house, we needed to use the tracks to follow him walking. We learned that you must always do a practice shot before recording because you need to determine the speed of which you will be tracking. As well as this, we learned that surrounding elements must be taken into account as we were filming down a road; we had to time the shot perfectly so a car did not drive past and ruin the take!
POST PRODUCTION
The first thing you do before you even begin editing is make sure you have the Lacie drive (usb) and the fire wire lead to link the camera to the computer. Once they are both connected and you have opened up a new program in Adobe Premier Pro you have to start capturing shots in a window that basically enables you to cut the bits of a take you need and allows you to see clearer how much useful footage you have. This process is called digitising. I have learned that this, personally, is the simplest stage of post production however so much can go wrong! If you have picked to use the wrong computer on the wrong day it can set you back an hour’s work! Unfortunately, my group had the unlucky pick of technology when we wished to digitise and this meant we had to come after school to hope that we could start editing then. Once you have digitised all of you rushes you then have to assort them onto the timeline and put them in order. In relation to the shooting schedule you would have shot some takes in non-chronological order and this is where you arrange them so the sequence makes sense. We learned from this that it was best to number the digitised shots as they were on the shooting schedule so that they were easily accessible once we had all of our completed rushes. After that you can begin cutting and extending shots, adding effects and titles too. We played around with our editing styles a lot. At first we wanted a fast pace editing with choppy shots that would jump from one to the other, as this could represent the disorientation of the Toymaker’s thoughts. However, once we added the soundtrack (which is a SLOW version of twinkle little star) the editing worked a lot better at a slower pace. We added cross fades in between shots as this slowed the pace of the on screen actions and allowed each shot to gradually flow into the next. All of the editing ideas worked well with the on screen actions proving the sound, editing and content to be parallel. The shots were very detailed and we wanted to reflect this in the editing.
In all honesty, before this main project post production had always been a weakness of mine. I feel that I have progressed a lot since the prelim task and have become a lot more confident in editing shots. Matthew and Yasmin had the exact same amount of experience as I had with editing and they were very confident using the software, and in a way this made me more determined to get more involved. So, I did! I cut shots and lengthened the time of some to give a more detailed impact, as well as adding cross fades and experimenting with other film transitions too. As a group we all kept each other well informed of the stages of our production so we knew, before editing again, how much had already been done.
With all points considered I have learned that every part of editing contributes a great deal to the final product. From something as little as the font you use for your titles could throw the whole sequence off balance and so editing needs to be done with care and detail.
IN HINDSIGHT
Now that I can look back and see all that went right and wrong I have learned that everything works out as long as you do not panic. Every problem we came across, we managed to find an alternative so now looking back there was no reason to panic in the first place. As well I have learned no matter how much you plan, things will be different when on location! For example, we originally planned to be finished in the studio at half past 3 so we can have at least a full hour to work on our exterior shots. However, due to our love and for filming and sheer determination to get the best quality shots, we continued inside for longer than planned. Additionally, because we had the knowledge of tracking shots we made our shot better than what it would have been if the camera was stationary. I have learned that you'll change your mind on a shot and find a way that works better, maybe from a different angle, but in the end it is for your benefit. The more you have to work with the easier post production will be.
PRODUCTION
Since the start of AS Media I have only had a few experiences using the Canon XHAI
camera and i am not as confident with it as I would like to be, however i do enjoy lining up shots and positioning the frame in an interesting way. Before the magic could happen though we set up the camera correctly by first adjusting the tripod to Yasmin's height as she was assigned the camera operator. Using the tripod enabled us to get a variety of shots such as high angle, low angle, tracking shots and panning as well. We then secured the camera to the tripod making sure it was steady and couldn't fall. Yasmin then set the spirit level so that even if we shot on rocky flooring the camera was always level and the shot always came out straight, and if for some reason it didn't we would re-adjust the spirit level. Once the camera was set to go we needed a battery along with the charging pack in case we ran out of battery at one point in the day, as well as a tape! I learned that once the tape is in you must rewind it to the very beginning, record as much footage as possible and NEVER play it back until you digitise later. This is because if you watch your takes and then begin filming more, you increase the chance of recording over some shots.
With the sound equipment, Matthew was in charge however we didn't see it necessary to use due to the fact we were going to use a soundtrack over the entire sequence. We had the equipment on set just in case but we didn't actually need it and this gave us a fresh pair of eyes for opinions on shots instead of using the sound equipment and wasting time moving it with the camera when we re-positioned for another shot.
For the exterior shots of our Toymaker near the house, we needed to use the tracks to follow him walking. We learned that you must always do a practice shot before recording because you need to determine the speed of which you will be tracking. As well as this, we learned that surrounding elements must be taken into account as we were filming down a road; we had to time the shot perfectly so a car did not drive past and ruin the take!
POST PRODUCTION
The first thing you do before you even begin editing is make sure you have the Lacie drive (usb) and the fire wire lead to link the camera to the computer. Once they are both connected and you have opened up a new program in Adobe Premier Pro you have to start capturing shots in a window that basically enables you to cut the bits of a take you need and allows you to see clearer how much useful footage you have. This process is called digitising. I have learned that this, personally, is the simplest stage of post production however so much can go wrong! If you have picked to use the wrong computer on the wrong day it can set you back an hour’s work! Unfortunately, my group had the unlucky pick of technology when we wished to digitise and this meant we had to come after school to hope that we could start editing then. Once you have digitised all of you rushes you then have to assort them onto the timeline and put them in order. In relation to the shooting schedule you would have shot some takes in non-chronological order and this is where you arrange them so the sequence makes sense. We learned from this that it was best to number the digitised shots as they were on the shooting schedule so that they were easily accessible once we had all of our completed rushes. After that you can begin cutting and extending shots, adding effects and titles too. We played around with our editing styles a lot. At first we wanted a fast pace editing with choppy shots that would jump from one to the other, as this could represent the disorientation of the Toymaker’s thoughts. However, once we added the soundtrack (which is a SLOW version of twinkle little star) the editing worked a lot better at a slower pace. We added cross fades in between shots as this slowed the pace of the on screen actions and allowed each shot to gradually flow into the next. All of the editing ideas worked well with the on screen actions proving the sound, editing and content to be parallel. The shots were very detailed and we wanted to reflect this in the editing.
In all honesty, before this main project post production had always been a weakness of mine. I feel that I have progressed a lot since the prelim task and have become a lot more confident in editing shots. Matthew and Yasmin had the exact same amount of experience as I had with editing and they were very confident using the software, and in a way this made me more determined to get more involved. So, I did! I cut shots and lengthened the time of some to give a more detailed impact, as well as adding cross fades and experimenting with other film transitions too. As a group we all kept each other well informed of the stages of our production so we knew, before editing again, how much had already been done.
With all points considered I have learned that every part of editing contributes a great deal to the final product. From something as little as the font you use for your titles could throw the whole sequence off balance and so editing needs to be done with care and detail.
IN HINDSIGHT
Now that I can look back and see all that went right and wrong I have learned that everything works out as long as you do not panic. Every problem we came across, we managed to find an alternative so now looking back there was no reason to panic in the first place. As well I have learned no matter how much you plan, things will be different when on location! For example, we originally planned to be finished in the studio at half past 3 so we can have at least a full hour to work on our exterior shots. However, due to our love and for filming and sheer determination to get the best quality shots, we continued inside for longer than planned. Additionally, because we had the knowledge of tracking shots we made our shot better than what it would have been if the camera was stationary. I have learned that you'll change your mind on a shot and find a way that works better, maybe from a different angle, but in the end it is for your benefit. The more you have to work with the easier post production will be.
Question Five
5) How did you attract/address your target audience?
At the very beginning when we were put into groups, all three of us agreed we were going to create an opening sequence of a horror/thriller/mystery. We decided this immediately because after looking at the work form previous years that was the most successful. Additionally, this seemed to be the genre we could be most imaginative with. We kept a number of conventions typically from the genre in order to please our target audience: a villain who kills for a reason clear to him, insane to others. As well as this, obviously suspense and the build up of a story line is a convention of any film, not just of the psychological thriller, however due to the fact our film is planned to make you think the build up of the mind games is a vital convention.
Analysing our opening sequence in more detail every aspect of it included the expectations of a psychological thriller. We used a soundtrack of twinkle little star and distorted it so just hearing it made every muscle in your body tense; not your typical soundtrack to a thriller but it still had the same effect if not a better one. By not showing the face of our Toymaker we kept to the conventions of a psychological thriller because at the start of the film you can't give everything away and this is a key element that adds to the suspense.
We also had a lot of close up shots of buttons and sewing utensils to illustrate clearly what was happening. This is similar to the film Coraline (2009) which is an animated film that has an entire opening sequence practically the same as ours.
The detail in each shot is exactly what we were aiming for. The difference is Coraline is a children's fantasy and we switched the convention to suit a psychological thriller. The fact we did not animate makes it a lot more realistic and shocking to the eye.
Every prop we used we thought about the impact it would have on our sequence. We pinned up countless images, negatives, drawn pictures etc to make the set look busy reflecting the Toymaker's twisted and confused mind. We also used an old table top and scratched it up as well as tea staining it. When arriving on location the day of filming we literally scattered buttons all over the table along with thread, measuring tape and we even got a sewing machine on the table. This set up the perfect Toymaker's work station and so set the scene for our audience to cringe and squirm uncomfortably the whole way through the first few minutes. That is the effect we wanted and that is how we attracted the audience because our target audience enjoy watching films that can control your emotions in this way.
Furthermore, the different shots and camera angles we used attracted our audience because they were well thought out and fit the position in the frame so that it portrayed what we wanted it to. For example, one particular panning shot of the work station showed a glass of wine illustrating a possible drinking problem, a picture of a little girl who is the subject of the entire doll making process, a tape measure that is being fiddled through the Toymaker's fingers drawing attention to the touch of the psycho. We had all of this information in just one shot and this would appeal to our audience as it would give them a lot to think about.
Over recent years a lot of abduction films have been made such as Along came a spider (2001)
and Taken (2009) so the idea behind someone being abducted is in the eye of the media a lot more. Even without the production of films, cases such as Madeline McCann in the media raises the social awareness of the sadness that it does happen. Having considered that other films have been made we needed to make our original. So instead of having the typical police chase finding the killer we have the Toymaker playing direct mind games with the parents of the girl he has snatched. Additionally, the fact that dolls are used as a theme and a prop for a thriller is an original idea.
To summarise, our film has successfully addressed our target audience as it has a perfect balance of typical code and conventions of psychological thrillers, as well as incorporating our own original ideas to embrace the audience and appeal to them.
At the very beginning when we were put into groups, all three of us agreed we were going to create an opening sequence of a horror/thriller/mystery. We decided this immediately because after looking at the work form previous years that was the most successful. Additionally, this seemed to be the genre we could be most imaginative with. We kept a number of conventions typically from the genre in order to please our target audience: a villain who kills for a reason clear to him, insane to others. As well as this, obviously suspense and the build up of a story line is a convention of any film, not just of the psychological thriller, however due to the fact our film is planned to make you think the build up of the mind games is a vital convention.
Analysing our opening sequence in more detail every aspect of it included the expectations of a psychological thriller. We used a soundtrack of twinkle little star and distorted it so just hearing it made every muscle in your body tense; not your typical soundtrack to a thriller but it still had the same effect if not a better one. By not showing the face of our Toymaker we kept to the conventions of a psychological thriller because at the start of the film you can't give everything away and this is a key element that adds to the suspense.
We also had a lot of close up shots of buttons and sewing utensils to illustrate clearly what was happening. This is similar to the film Coraline (2009) which is an animated film that has an entire opening sequence practically the same as ours.
The detail in each shot is exactly what we were aiming for. The difference is Coraline is a children's fantasy and we switched the convention to suit a psychological thriller. The fact we did not animate makes it a lot more realistic and shocking to the eye.
Every prop we used we thought about the impact it would have on our sequence. We pinned up countless images, negatives, drawn pictures etc to make the set look busy reflecting the Toymaker's twisted and confused mind. We also used an old table top and scratched it up as well as tea staining it. When arriving on location the day of filming we literally scattered buttons all over the table along with thread, measuring tape and we even got a sewing machine on the table. This set up the perfect Toymaker's work station and so set the scene for our audience to cringe and squirm uncomfortably the whole way through the first few minutes. That is the effect we wanted and that is how we attracted the audience because our target audience enjoy watching films that can control your emotions in this way.
Furthermore, the different shots and camera angles we used attracted our audience because they were well thought out and fit the position in the frame so that it portrayed what we wanted it to. For example, one particular panning shot of the work station showed a glass of wine illustrating a possible drinking problem, a picture of a little girl who is the subject of the entire doll making process, a tape measure that is being fiddled through the Toymaker's fingers drawing attention to the touch of the psycho. We had all of this information in just one shot and this would appeal to our audience as it would give them a lot to think about.
Over recent years a lot of abduction films have been made such as Along came a spider (2001)
and Taken (2009) so the idea behind someone being abducted is in the eye of the media a lot more. Even without the production of films, cases such as Madeline McCann in the media raises the social awareness of the sadness that it does happen. Having considered that other films have been made we needed to make our original. So instead of having the typical police chase finding the killer we have the Toymaker playing direct mind games with the parents of the girl he has snatched. Additionally, the fact that dolls are used as a theme and a prop for a thriller is an original idea.
To summarise, our film has successfully addressed our target audience as it has a perfect balance of typical code and conventions of psychological thrillers, as well as incorporating our own original ideas to embrace the audience and appeal to them.
Question Four
4) Who would be the audience for your media product and why?
The PRIMARY AUDIENCE profile:
Male
Aged 18-35
Any ethnic background but English language is necessary in order to understand the film
Idealistic lifestyle includes having children/planning to have children or a family based routine, enjoy riddles and mystery, smart and interested in psychological thrillers
All of the above information contributes to our target audience's likes and expectations of a psychological thriller. The reason males are the main focus is because in general they appreciate and enjoy the genre a lot more than women. The plot of our film involves a little girl being taken and her parents fighting against time and twisted games to win her back. Therefore, men could relate to this as they can put themselves in the shoes of the characters within our film. Additionally, because our film is one where the audience will be guessing the whole way through our audience will be intrigued and will therefore have to be eager to know the end of the film.
The SECONDARY AUDIENCE profile:
Females
Aged 18-40
Ethnic background irrelevant as long as English is one of their languages
Lifestyle includes reading and solving puzzles/riddles, they will enjoy thinking of the ending of a film when it's only just begun etc. Females would be able to relate to the mother character and become more self involved in the film.
Films both audiences would have seen in recent months...
*Hannibal
*silence of the lambs
*Hide and seek
*One hour photo
*Saw 1-5
*Dead silence
*The night listener
*Changeling
The PRIMARY AUDIENCE profile:
Male
Aged 18-35
Any ethnic background but English language is necessary in order to understand the film
Idealistic lifestyle includes having children/planning to have children or a family based routine, enjoy riddles and mystery, smart and interested in psychological thrillers
All of the above information contributes to our target audience's likes and expectations of a psychological thriller. The reason males are the main focus is because in general they appreciate and enjoy the genre a lot more than women. The plot of our film involves a little girl being taken and her parents fighting against time and twisted games to win her back. Therefore, men could relate to this as they can put themselves in the shoes of the characters within our film. Additionally, because our film is one where the audience will be guessing the whole way through our audience will be intrigued and will therefore have to be eager to know the end of the film.
The SECONDARY AUDIENCE profile:
Females
Aged 18-40
Ethnic background irrelevant as long as English is one of their languages
Lifestyle includes reading and solving puzzles/riddles, they will enjoy thinking of the ending of a film when it's only just begun etc. Females would be able to relate to the mother character and become more self involved in the film.
Films both audiences would have seen in recent months...
*Hannibal
*silence of the lambs
*Hide and seek
*One hour photo
*Saw 1-5
*Dead silence
*The night listener
*Changeling
Question Three
3) What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?
I have taken out a lot of research into the distribution on films not only in the United Kingdom but also in the USA and even France. I have learned that there are countless ways to get your product out to be exhibited, whether it be by the Internet or make it to a screening somewhere. Firstly, the most accessible way to get your audience is to publish it onto a broadcasting site such as YouTube.
This would be suitable to our media product because where it is only the opening of a film that we would screen; we could get a lot of audience feedback on how well the sequence has been put together. Additionally, we would have a wider range of feedback and comments that will help us to improve our opening sequence. You can post videos and get hits or comments on how good it is. This is the cheapest on quickest way to distribute your film however probably not the most rewarding as your film won't hit every single audience. More ways of distributing a film include sites such as dogwoof.com which is a UK based film distributor that focuses on supporting film makers with their productions in a way that's different to other distribution companies. They offer services for your film while still reserving you the right to all profits, costs and control of your film.
Then there is the BFI - BRITISH FILM INSTITUTE which is a huge institution where British films are kept to promote understanding and appreciation of British culture and heritage. Whilst on the BFI website i came across a passage concerning distribution that read "Distribution is the most important part of the film industry; it brings the film to life through the connection to an audience."
Distribution is more the releasing and sustaining the film's greatness within the market place. I think that this would be an appropriate institution for our film to be distributed to seeing as the production team behind it are all British, and at the time of production certain events in the media of children being taken form their families (Madeline McCann) were reported in Britain. It shows history and not so much culture but a stimulus for our film.
The independent film sector is a different process in itself - no matter what country the film is going to be distributed in. For indie films there is a much more "pig-in-the-middle" relationship to market the film. The three stages differ, now becoming Licensing, marketing and logistics. In other words, making the film look presentable and promoting it in the best way possible. Having said this when i typed in Google "Independent Film Distribution" countless addresses and phone numbers came up for venues all across the country. The website is http://www.independentfilmdistribution.com/directoryuk.html
there are so many different routes that can be taken when it comes to distributing a film, it depends more on who you want to see it and how successful you wish for it to be. For our film in particular, I think the best way to get recognition would be to release our film to a festival. London Independent Film Festival 2010 would be suitable for our product as they show short films as well as feature lengths. Additionally, they are open to UK applicants and worldwide so there will be a very wide range of audiences all in one place who can treat our media product, as if it was real.
I have taken out a lot of research into the distribution on films not only in the United Kingdom but also in the USA and even France. I have learned that there are countless ways to get your product out to be exhibited, whether it be by the Internet or make it to a screening somewhere. Firstly, the most accessible way to get your audience is to publish it onto a broadcasting site such as YouTube.
This would be suitable to our media product because where it is only the opening of a film that we would screen; we could get a lot of audience feedback on how well the sequence has been put together. Additionally, we would have a wider range of feedback and comments that will help us to improve our opening sequence. You can post videos and get hits or comments on how good it is. This is the cheapest on quickest way to distribute your film however probably not the most rewarding as your film won't hit every single audience. More ways of distributing a film include sites such as dogwoof.com which is a UK based film distributor that focuses on supporting film makers with their productions in a way that's different to other distribution companies. They offer services for your film while still reserving you the right to all profits, costs and control of your film.
Then there is the BFI - BRITISH FILM INSTITUTE which is a huge institution where British films are kept to promote understanding and appreciation of British culture and heritage. Whilst on the BFI website i came across a passage concerning distribution that read "Distribution is the most important part of the film industry; it brings the film to life through the connection to an audience."
Distribution is more the releasing and sustaining the film's greatness within the market place. I think that this would be an appropriate institution for our film to be distributed to seeing as the production team behind it are all British, and at the time of production certain events in the media of children being taken form their families (Madeline McCann) were reported in Britain. It shows history and not so much culture but a stimulus for our film.
The independent film sector is a different process in itself - no matter what country the film is going to be distributed in. For indie films there is a much more "pig-in-the-middle" relationship to market the film. The three stages differ, now becoming Licensing, marketing and logistics. In other words, making the film look presentable and promoting it in the best way possible. Having said this when i typed in Google "Independent Film Distribution" countless addresses and phone numbers came up for venues all across the country. The website is http://www.independentfilmdistribution.com/directoryuk.html
there are so many different routes that can be taken when it comes to distributing a film, it depends more on who you want to see it and how successful you wish for it to be. For our film in particular, I think the best way to get recognition would be to release our film to a festival. London Independent Film Festival 2010 would be suitable for our product as they show short films as well as feature lengths. Additionally, they are open to UK applicants and worldwide so there will be a very wide range of audiences all in one place who can treat our media product, as if it was real.
Question Two
2) How does your opening sequence represent particular social groups and settings?
Our opening sequence represents a social group that are typically associated with the psychological thriller genre and these are males aged in their late 40's who have reasons and motives for their behaviour; they are mentally disturbed. Another social group we haven't shown in the opening sequence but is incorporated in the entire film are the busy, career driven parents who are too focused on their work to worry about their daughter. We felt this is a very relatable social group as due to society today, men and women are working more to provide a better lifestyle for their families; their children in particular.
An influential character that already exists within this genre is "Jigsaw" the killer from the films Saw 1-6. He is old like our character and his motivation for killing people comes down to giving them the one final choice between life and death, as they have abused their life in the past. This is very similar to our Toymaker who gives the parents one last chance to prove their love for their daughters. The actual person we used for our Toymaker character was my brother who is aged 21 but we managed to make him look a lot older through the use of different camera angles and movements. This proved to be incredibly useful because my individual role within the group was the director and having my brother as the only character he communicated well with me; giving his own opinions as well as taking our directions. I feel that if it had been anyone else they may have been a bit more rigid to work with.
CHARACTER PROFILE - Toymaker
- White British male, aged 47-50
- Very simple features nothing too distinctive, dark hair and eyes
- Clothing consists of a plain and simple black coat with black jogging bottoms and a peculiar pair of white trainers. This represents his unclear thinking as he doesn't want to draw attention to himself yet he wears white shoes with all black clothing.
- His movements are very slow, precise and detailed to create an eerie effect. It represents and illustrates his care for the doll he is making during the opening sequence, relating to his care for little girls. Even as he walks to the house at the end of the opening he walks with a dazed essence to him like he cannot see what is wrong with what he is doing. In his disturbed mind he's teaching the parents a lesson.
- The lighting throughout is very subtle and dim. The workshop scenes are supposed to be staged within a cellar/basement atmosphere and we achieved this by putting up blackout boards for walls and tapping/pinning newspaper cut outs, pictures, drawn images all relevant to little girls and the death of innocent children. Pictures of dolls were also put up in order to represent his mental issues.
- The only real interaction we have in our opening is between our psychotic Toymaker and his beloved doll. We aimed for creepy and quite frankly, spine shivering shots/angles by having our actor caress the doll and stroke it as if it were a pet. Through these directions we managed to feel a sense of obsession and portray this to the audience. Similarly to Hannibal Lector who is obsessed with eating human flesh. Additionally, the image "Hannibal" shows the representation for our character is definitely suitable for the psychological thriller genre.
CHARACTER PROFILE – Amy
-White British, female aged 6-7
-She is represented as a sweet and innocent school girl through her costume and hair. She is wearing a red and white checked dress that is her Primary School uniform, and she has her hair in plaits. This is in the photograph we use and on the doll we have as her replacement within the film.
-She is very independent because of the lifestyles her parents lead and this is represented through her walking to and from school everyday. Obviously we haven’t shown this in the opening as it is not relevant to this part of the film, but we would represent Amy as a shy and quiet girl who is used to fending for herself and being on her own is like second nature to her. The idea of her thinking nobody knows she exists makes her the perfect victim for our Toymaker as he is also lonely.
-Her character would know not to talk to or approach strangers and this is represented in the way she walks head down and staring at her feet. Even at school she avoids eye contact with people because through the ignorance of her parents, she is not accustomed to communication and interaction with even the people she does know. This is similar to the character of Vincent in House of Wax. He has a deformity on his face that since birth has left his mother ashamed and determined to let him know he is “different.”
So similarly to our film, the parents have an involvement in the characters personality. However, Amy hasn’t got any actual abnormality about her but her parents ignore her so much, it leaves her unconfident and unable to speak for herself. This is represented through her body language and facial expressions.
CHARACTER PROFILE – Parents
-The mother and father are obviously, female and male and both are aged in their early 40s.
-The mother is a stern and hard working woman and this is represented through her costume, hair and make up. She always has her hair pulled back tight into a formal bun, and wears smart suits and blouses for work. She is represented as a successful business woman however when the key plotline changes and her daughter is snatched in the film, her hair is always messy and matted due to the stress of losing her daughter. Similar to her costume she goes from a pencil skirt and a blazer to sweatpants and a jumper. This represents her as a caring mother after the turning point of the film because her true colours are shown. Her make up also changes as she used to have natural make up that made her presentable within the workplace. However, following the absence of Amy she has bags under her eyes illustrating the lack of sleep she has had, and her face has altogether dropped its fixed serious look and has turned into one of depression and despair. Altogether representing her as a worried mother, desperate to have her daughter back.
-The father is very similar to the mother in the way that he is always formally dressed in suits with his hair combed and gelled but as the film persists and Amy is still missing, his appearance becomes messy and unorganised. This represents him as a father who loves his children and wants to do all in his power to keep Amy safe. He also has bags under his eyes and he grows a beard to represent him as a man losing will to get up in the morning. He slowly loses the hope and faith that his daughter will one day be returned to him.
Concerning directing, we literally showed our actor how we wanted the shot to turn out. We were very clear on how we wanted it and why, and by telling him this he could have an understanding himself and on a few occasions give his own input. For example, there is an extreme close up of the Toymaker’s mouth licking the thread to put it through a needle. We showed him how we wanted it to look so the actor would know what to do. However, he also suggested how if we took the shot from a different angle getting the pictures in the background on screen we could enforce a hidden meaning. So the words “DEAD BABY” were on full view of the shot which represented the Toymaker as a sick minded character.
Our opening sequence represents a social group that are typically associated with the psychological thriller genre and these are males aged in their late 40's who have reasons and motives for their behaviour; they are mentally disturbed. Another social group we haven't shown in the opening sequence but is incorporated in the entire film are the busy, career driven parents who are too focused on their work to worry about their daughter. We felt this is a very relatable social group as due to society today, men and women are working more to provide a better lifestyle for their families; their children in particular.
An influential character that already exists within this genre is "Jigsaw" the killer from the films Saw 1-6. He is old like our character and his motivation for killing people comes down to giving them the one final choice between life and death, as they have abused their life in the past. This is very similar to our Toymaker who gives the parents one last chance to prove their love for their daughters. The actual person we used for our Toymaker character was my brother who is aged 21 but we managed to make him look a lot older through the use of different camera angles and movements. This proved to be incredibly useful because my individual role within the group was the director and having my brother as the only character he communicated well with me; giving his own opinions as well as taking our directions. I feel that if it had been anyone else they may have been a bit more rigid to work with.
CHARACTER PROFILE - Toymaker
- White British male, aged 47-50
- Very simple features nothing too distinctive, dark hair and eyes
- Clothing consists of a plain and simple black coat with black jogging bottoms and a peculiar pair of white trainers. This represents his unclear thinking as he doesn't want to draw attention to himself yet he wears white shoes with all black clothing.
- His movements are very slow, precise and detailed to create an eerie effect. It represents and illustrates his care for the doll he is making during the opening sequence, relating to his care for little girls. Even as he walks to the house at the end of the opening he walks with a dazed essence to him like he cannot see what is wrong with what he is doing. In his disturbed mind he's teaching the parents a lesson.
- The lighting throughout is very subtle and dim. The workshop scenes are supposed to be staged within a cellar/basement atmosphere and we achieved this by putting up blackout boards for walls and tapping/pinning newspaper cut outs, pictures, drawn images all relevant to little girls and the death of innocent children. Pictures of dolls were also put up in order to represent his mental issues.
- The only real interaction we have in our opening is between our psychotic Toymaker and his beloved doll. We aimed for creepy and quite frankly, spine shivering shots/angles by having our actor caress the doll and stroke it as if it were a pet. Through these directions we managed to feel a sense of obsession and portray this to the audience. Similarly to Hannibal Lector who is obsessed with eating human flesh. Additionally, the image "Hannibal" shows the representation for our character is definitely suitable for the psychological thriller genre.
CHARACTER PROFILE – Amy
-White British, female aged 6-7
-She is represented as a sweet and innocent school girl through her costume and hair. She is wearing a red and white checked dress that is her Primary School uniform, and she has her hair in plaits. This is in the photograph we use and on the doll we have as her replacement within the film.
-She is very independent because of the lifestyles her parents lead and this is represented through her walking to and from school everyday. Obviously we haven’t shown this in the opening as it is not relevant to this part of the film, but we would represent Amy as a shy and quiet girl who is used to fending for herself and being on her own is like second nature to her. The idea of her thinking nobody knows she exists makes her the perfect victim for our Toymaker as he is also lonely.
-Her character would know not to talk to or approach strangers and this is represented in the way she walks head down and staring at her feet. Even at school she avoids eye contact with people because through the ignorance of her parents, she is not accustomed to communication and interaction with even the people she does know. This is similar to the character of Vincent in House of Wax. He has a deformity on his face that since birth has left his mother ashamed and determined to let him know he is “different.”
So similarly to our film, the parents have an involvement in the characters personality. However, Amy hasn’t got any actual abnormality about her but her parents ignore her so much, it leaves her unconfident and unable to speak for herself. This is represented through her body language and facial expressions.
CHARACTER PROFILE – Parents
-The mother and father are obviously, female and male and both are aged in their early 40s.
-The mother is a stern and hard working woman and this is represented through her costume, hair and make up. She always has her hair pulled back tight into a formal bun, and wears smart suits and blouses for work. She is represented as a successful business woman however when the key plotline changes and her daughter is snatched in the film, her hair is always messy and matted due to the stress of losing her daughter. Similar to her costume she goes from a pencil skirt and a blazer to sweatpants and a jumper. This represents her as a caring mother after the turning point of the film because her true colours are shown. Her make up also changes as she used to have natural make up that made her presentable within the workplace. However, following the absence of Amy she has bags under her eyes illustrating the lack of sleep she has had, and her face has altogether dropped its fixed serious look and has turned into one of depression and despair. Altogether representing her as a worried mother, desperate to have her daughter back.
-The father is very similar to the mother in the way that he is always formally dressed in suits with his hair combed and gelled but as the film persists and Amy is still missing, his appearance becomes messy and unorganised. This represents him as a father who loves his children and wants to do all in his power to keep Amy safe. He also has bags under his eyes and he grows a beard to represent him as a man losing will to get up in the morning. He slowly loses the hope and faith that his daughter will one day be returned to him.
Concerning directing, we literally showed our actor how we wanted the shot to turn out. We were very clear on how we wanted it and why, and by telling him this he could have an understanding himself and on a few occasions give his own input. For example, there is an extreme close up of the Toymaker’s mouth licking the thread to put it through a needle. We showed him how we wanted it to look so the actor would know what to do. However, he also suggested how if we took the shot from a different angle getting the pictures in the background on screen we could enforce a hidden meaning. So the words “DEAD BABY” were on full view of the shot which represented the Toymaker as a sick minded character.
Question One
1) In what ways does your media product USE, DEVELOP or CHALLENGE forms and conventions of real media products?
Our opening sequence follows similar forms and conventions of already made media products, however, in many ways we have adapted ideas and made them our own as well as confront the normalities of the genre to make our film original. The film is a psychological thriller and we hoped to communicate this through the opening without giving away too much of the plot as we obviously want the audience to be intrigued enough to want to continue watching. In order to analyse what elements of a psychological thriller we have incorporated, I needed to have a broad understanding of the genre and what themes to include. As a group, we decided on numerous themes to flow throughout the film:
- Neglect
- Redemption & resolution
- Obsession
- Revenge
- Lack of mental stability
We used the idea of a creepy Toymaker as one of the protagonists and we presented him in the opening sequence taking care of the doll he is making. We felt that by showing he truly cares for his work, we could give the audience an insight into his obsession with dolls and the fact that it has extremely close characteristics to a little girl who he has been stalking. This is similar to the male character in the film One Hour Photo (2002).
The character, played by Robin Williams, works at a photo development booth and over the years has stalked a family who always get their pictures developed by him. The character felt so much love and kindness for the family his actions seemed acceptable to him and this is what we used in our own film. Someone who thinks his actions are beneficial for everyone but in reality he is very mentally disturbed.
Our original idea for our opening sequence consisted of the main focus being neglect. We decided to use a little girl fending for herself one morning, making her own breakfast as well as walking down the street by herself; her parents barely even realising her existence. To create the most sympathy for the girl we wanted her to be aged around 6 or 7 years old but obviously it was going to be a challenge in itself to find a girl available for filming. When we had thought of every possible way around this problem we went back to the drawing board and devised a new storyboard and script, basically changing the entire opening although this, in hindsight, worked better then we could have ever hoped. A major inspiration for our film opening was from the opening of the film Se7en (1995). We used a lot of similar shots from this opening in ours however we developed it into our own by incorporating the doll, and making this the priority of most shots. Another development we significantly used was the narrative from our inspiration. One of our many researched folk tales was about a Troll switching their offspring for a human child so the troll baby can be cleaned, fed and taught well as a human would. As a group we elaborated on this idea and decided that in order to make our film more chilling and not so fairytale; we would use a doll as a replacement for the kidnapped girl. This is similar to the idea of the actual film Changeling (2008) which is about a woman who's son goes missing and another child is returned to her - her biological son has actually been murdered.
Another theme we wished to enforce in our film was redemption. This is relevant because one of the main messages we want our film to carry is the idea of trying to prove or redeem yourself of the wrong doings that have been committed. In relation to our film, the parents of "Amy" realise that they did not pay enough attention to their daughter and the phrase "you don't know what you've got till it's gone" certainly applies. This is a very significant theme in the film Saw (2004) as the key message is to cherish your life because you have it better than many others.
As far as i can see, there were not many points in planning, producing or editing where i can pin point a challenge to the genre. However, the idea of making a doll the priority of the film didn't remind me of any other film i have seen. The only film i can compare it to is Dead Silence (2007) where a woman makes her ventriloquist dummies her own adopted children.
Even considering this film, we have still developed the idea because the meaning behind the doll is different.
We used sound in our opening sequence to make the feel of it a lot more interesting and we challenged the typical kind of diegetic sound from the psychological thriller films i have studied. We used twinkle twinkle little star but played it higher than it's meant to be and slowed it down so it sounds eerie and parallel to the on screen images. The actual sound itself contrasts to films i have studied due to the fact that a nursery rhyme isn't a typical soundtrack to use for a thriller yet it worked very well as children plays a big part of our movie. So we used the idea that the soundtrack had to be eerie however we challenged it by adapting a well known nursery rhyme.
The setting of our opening sequence used the forms and conventions of a thriller film perfectly because we made a set to look like a work station for a doll maker. This used the typical setting because even though it was clear to see what was happening and that the shots were filmed at some kind of workshop; the actual location of the work station remained unknown. I find this to develop what some films have already done but at the same time challenge certain forms. For example, the film Se7en (1995) keeps the location completely secret and obscure which adds to the suspense that this genre promises. Although, other psychological thrillers such as Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho (1960) makes it very clear in the opening that the film is set in Chicago and the characters are in some sort of apartment or hotel. Both openings are appropriate to the genre however they are still very different; so we used the same ideas as Se7en and challenged those of Psycho. We definitely challenged the lighting of most psychological thriller opening sequences due to the fact that even though we wanted to keep a creepy essence to it, we had to have a well lit set to be able to capture the detail of the shots! This was tricky because we had to make a decision whether to have a dark room with just one desk lamp, or to have further lighting to make our shots clearer. We decided that seeing as the content of our shots were focused on detail the more lighting we had the better our final sequence would look. Also, for our main prop (the doll) we used the idea from Coraline that the doll should have button eyes and should look as much like the real character as possible. Even though we used this idea, we still managed to develop it into our own as we are focusing on older audiences with different lifestyles. As opposed to Coraline that was made for children.
Our opening sequence follows similar forms and conventions of already made media products, however, in many ways we have adapted ideas and made them our own as well as confront the normalities of the genre to make our film original. The film is a psychological thriller and we hoped to communicate this through the opening without giving away too much of the plot as we obviously want the audience to be intrigued enough to want to continue watching. In order to analyse what elements of a psychological thriller we have incorporated, I needed to have a broad understanding of the genre and what themes to include. As a group, we decided on numerous themes to flow throughout the film:
- Neglect
- Redemption & resolution
- Obsession
- Revenge
- Lack of mental stability
We used the idea of a creepy Toymaker as one of the protagonists and we presented him in the opening sequence taking care of the doll he is making. We felt that by showing he truly cares for his work, we could give the audience an insight into his obsession with dolls and the fact that it has extremely close characteristics to a little girl who he has been stalking. This is similar to the male character in the film One Hour Photo (2002).
The character, played by Robin Williams, works at a photo development booth and over the years has stalked a family who always get their pictures developed by him. The character felt so much love and kindness for the family his actions seemed acceptable to him and this is what we used in our own film. Someone who thinks his actions are beneficial for everyone but in reality he is very mentally disturbed.
Our original idea for our opening sequence consisted of the main focus being neglect. We decided to use a little girl fending for herself one morning, making her own breakfast as well as walking down the street by herself; her parents barely even realising her existence. To create the most sympathy for the girl we wanted her to be aged around 6 or 7 years old but obviously it was going to be a challenge in itself to find a girl available for filming. When we had thought of every possible way around this problem we went back to the drawing board and devised a new storyboard and script, basically changing the entire opening although this, in hindsight, worked better then we could have ever hoped. A major inspiration for our film opening was from the opening of the film Se7en (1995). We used a lot of similar shots from this opening in ours however we developed it into our own by incorporating the doll, and making this the priority of most shots. Another development we significantly used was the narrative from our inspiration. One of our many researched folk tales was about a Troll switching their offspring for a human child so the troll baby can be cleaned, fed and taught well as a human would. As a group we elaborated on this idea and decided that in order to make our film more chilling and not so fairytale; we would use a doll as a replacement for the kidnapped girl. This is similar to the idea of the actual film Changeling (2008) which is about a woman who's son goes missing and another child is returned to her - her biological son has actually been murdered.
Another theme we wished to enforce in our film was redemption. This is relevant because one of the main messages we want our film to carry is the idea of trying to prove or redeem yourself of the wrong doings that have been committed. In relation to our film, the parents of "Amy" realise that they did not pay enough attention to their daughter and the phrase "you don't know what you've got till it's gone" certainly applies. This is a very significant theme in the film Saw (2004) as the key message is to cherish your life because you have it better than many others.
As far as i can see, there were not many points in planning, producing or editing where i can pin point a challenge to the genre. However, the idea of making a doll the priority of the film didn't remind me of any other film i have seen. The only film i can compare it to is Dead Silence (2007) where a woman makes her ventriloquist dummies her own adopted children.
Even considering this film, we have still developed the idea because the meaning behind the doll is different.
We used sound in our opening sequence to make the feel of it a lot more interesting and we challenged the typical kind of diegetic sound from the psychological thriller films i have studied. We used twinkle twinkle little star but played it higher than it's meant to be and slowed it down so it sounds eerie and parallel to the on screen images. The actual sound itself contrasts to films i have studied due to the fact that a nursery rhyme isn't a typical soundtrack to use for a thriller yet it worked very well as children plays a big part of our movie. So we used the idea that the soundtrack had to be eerie however we challenged it by adapting a well known nursery rhyme.
The setting of our opening sequence used the forms and conventions of a thriller film perfectly because we made a set to look like a work station for a doll maker. This used the typical setting because even though it was clear to see what was happening and that the shots were filmed at some kind of workshop; the actual location of the work station remained unknown. I find this to develop what some films have already done but at the same time challenge certain forms. For example, the film Se7en (1995) keeps the location completely secret and obscure which adds to the suspense that this genre promises. Although, other psychological thrillers such as Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho (1960) makes it very clear in the opening that the film is set in Chicago and the characters are in some sort of apartment or hotel. Both openings are appropriate to the genre however they are still very different; so we used the same ideas as Se7en and challenged those of Psycho. We definitely challenged the lighting of most psychological thriller opening sequences due to the fact that even though we wanted to keep a creepy essence to it, we had to have a well lit set to be able to capture the detail of the shots! This was tricky because we had to make a decision whether to have a dark room with just one desk lamp, or to have further lighting to make our shots clearer. We decided that seeing as the content of our shots were focused on detail the more lighting we had the better our final sequence would look. Also, for our main prop (the doll) we used the idea from Coraline that the doll should have button eyes and should look as much like the real character as possible. Even though we used this idea, we still managed to develop it into our own as we are focusing on older audiences with different lifestyles. As opposed to Coraline that was made for children.
Props List
4 Black cloth sheets
4 back-slats
Old table top
Desk lamp
Buttons (box)
Scissors
Images of children
Bottle of Red wine
Wine glass
Black marker
Sewing machine
Rag doll
Randsom note
Sewing needle
Thread (red)
4 back-slats
Old table top
Desk lamp
Buttons (box)
Scissors
Images of children
Bottle of Red wine
Wine glass
Black marker
Sewing machine
Rag doll
Randsom note
Sewing needle
Thread (red)
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