Feedback from the whole class!

Negatives:

• music was a bit repetitive 
• titles could've been better/too long (could've been over the clips)
• Didn't understand story-line
• too much dialogue
• unclear plot
• Camera work could've been more sturdy 

Positives: 

• good use of sound effects
• use of dreams worked well
• Really good flash back effects
• Good amount of the shots and variety
• Text really good
• effective editing 
• music suits the genre
• good variety of locations
• music built tension
• Meets conventions of thriller - makes the audience ask question 
• good story-line and transitions
• The black and white effects were good

Screen Shots

Screen Shots

Final version of our thriller opening sequence

Plan for our next two lessons

During the next two lessons, we are going to be working on our sound for our opening sequence and then add it to our clip. We are also going to add the missing voice overs, to the clips. 

We will also combine some of the credits, to make it shorter, due to the length being to long for viewers. 

Response to comments.

Overall, we think the comments made were really good, which has boosted our confidence. especially  the fact that people understood when the dreams were,  which we took a long time over making that effect.

However, we mentioned that we knew we needed to add music, but all the groups still mentioned that we needed to do this.

Many of the groups mentioned that our credits at the start were too long, however we cannot add them to our clips due to the white background. however, to overcome the length, we are going to attach some of the credits together, e.g. Directed by, Lauren Day will be on the same page, instead of being separate. 

Rough Cut For Thriller Film

We know that we have to finish the soundtrack.
We know that we have to add the voice overs on phone calls of the person on the other end.

Our thriller in relation to the crime thriller film Se7en

Editing days

Monday 14^th February.

We as a group uploaded all our footage that we filmed onto the Mac computer, into final cut pro. We then watched all of our footage that we filmed and spoke about what clips are good and how we can edit and use them. As well as deleting any unwanted clips that will not be of any use.

Tuesday 15^th February.

We edited some of our footage together in order, using our storyboard to guide us. The first clip that we edited in was the shot of the detective’s equipment on the table, which we cut. We then added in the clip of the detective and Lauren lying in bed, which we did not need to cut, as the clip was fine as it was. We then added the fade in fade out transitions, between the two clips of the equiptment and then the bed. a dream effect was then created by adding a white flash of light, and changing the clip saturation to black and white, which we then used for all of the other dreams/ flashbacks.

Filming - Saturday 13th February.

On Saturday 12^th, we filmed all the outdoor scenes and the rest of the indoor scenes, as we started filming in the morning.

Our first shot that we filmed was the point of view shot, which would be one of the detectives walking up the stairs. We all, took turns on filming this shot using the hand held technique so we could get the best clip and angel of it and to allow us to have a variety of clips to choose from when editing.

Our next shot that we filmed was all the props around the bath, such as the syringes, which went all to plan. We also added in a few shots of the tap running and shots of a hand getting the needle ready, which will be part of the flash backs. We had to film this many times due to Lauren’s little brothers and sisters making noises in the background, but apart from that it all went to plan.

We then filmed Beth in the bath, who played the part of the Immersed Angel. We got Beth to put on some mascara and eyeliner to make her look more freaky and dead. This was shot 14 and 15, which went to plan and looked really good, especially with the makeup running down her face.

The outdoor scenes were filmed next; we did change this a little bit. Lauren did not have any flowers for Beth to pick, so we firstly filmed Beth walking around the tree and to the planned spot where she will stand. Followed by a shot of her standing in the planned spot and then a close up of her suddenly turning around, which looked really good.

Instead of filming the over the shoulder shot of the detectives talking, (due to not having the other detective) we got the un-professional detective to drive in his car and have a conversation with the other on his phone, saying that they will meet inside. Followed by a shot of the car driving to the house and then a long shot of the detective walking into the house. These were our last shots of filming, which went well.

Overall, despite our disruptions and changes that had to be made, our filming went well and we ended up with some shots, which we are very proud of, such as the close up of the Immersed angel, turning around.

Filming - Saturday 11th February.

On Friday 11^th, Kelly and Beth collected the film camera and tripod from the media office at 4:10 after college and met Lauren at the ping-pong table as planned. Instead of getting the bus to Stretham and then a lift to Wicken, Lauren’s mate Scott who was one of the male detectives gave us a lift to Lauren’s house, which was much easier as it allowed us to get back earlier and start filming earlier. As we were travelling back to Lauren’s we realised that we had forgotten our storyboard, which we had planned to follow when filming. So to overcome this problem, we managed to get up our uploaded version on blogger and look at it from there as well as using our memory.

That evening we filmed most of the indoor scenes because by the time we got home it was too dark to film the outdoor scenes. These consisted of all of the male detectives scenes.

We started off filming shot 2, which was of the detective in the bed sleeping. However, we realised that Lauren’s bed sheets were a little girly for a male detective, so Lauren lay in the bed beside our detective, Scott to make it look more natural. This is also a typical convention in thrillers, as the non-professional detective always has his girlfriend/wife in his bed with him, which works perfectly. We had to film this shot many times, due to Lauren & Scott’s constant giggling and when we realised that we did not have the phone in the shot on the bedside (which would not create continuity) we had to re-film it again.

We then filmed shot 1, which was off all the detectives equipment, such as his penknife, which is a typical prop used in thrillers. This shot went to plan and we shot a few clips of it just in case one did not look so good when editing.

We did not need to film shot 3, due to zooming in on the detectives face when filming the bed scene, which replaced the close up. So we moved onto the shot of the extreme close up of the detective’s eyes opening. This was difficult to film, as we had to get the camera at a high angel, so we used the hand-held technique, which at the time we thought went well. Until it come to editing and we realised it was a bit dark.

The next shot filmed was shot 6, which is a close up of the detectives phone ringing. Beth rang Kelly’s phone so the audience could identify that his phone is ringing. This shot went perfectly fine and we managed to film a few clips of it so we could have a variety to choose from when editing.

Shot 7 was our next shot that we filmed, which was of the detective lying in bed on the phone. However, we could only film one detective talking, as our other planned detective could not come due to personal reasons. Therefore, to overcome this problem, we got our detective, Scott to pause before talking and then say ‘Hello, hello’. Then when it comes to editing our footage, we will put a voice over, where there is a gap between the detective Scott talking, which will be the other detective talking.

Our next shot that we filmed was shot 8, which was a mid shot of the detective getting changed into his work clothes. We got him to put on a shirt and tie around his neck scruffily, so the audience can identify that he is the non-professional detective, which is a typical convention in thrillers. This went to plan and looked really good in our opinion.

The last shot that we filmed that evening was a reaction shot of the detective, when seeing the dead body in the bath, which did not exactly go to plan as Scott found it difficult to act a surprised face, so we had to do with what we got.

Location Recce

This location was the most suitable for our thriller because it was far away from any houses- isolated and had a long drive up to the house, which helped us to create a better atmosphere. the long drive also helped us create a helpless, lonely environment for the character.
However as the location had young children living there, it was harder filming without any background noise.

Test footage

The shots that we think worked well are the panning and close-up shots. However we will try and get a smoother pan. also the point of view shot created a good effect, but we need to make sure the shot doesn't go blurry. 
The long shot of Beth worked really well, however when we are filming the final footage we will add movement into that clip, showing the 'immersed angel' picking flowers, having her back to the camera, then she will swiftly turn around to shock the audience. 

Reflection on childrens film!

The three things we done well for our childrens film were:

1. We were very organised, as we remembered all apropriate props and followed each shot carefully using the right shots angles etc. 
2. We worked well together and had very good team work and split up all tasks evenly. 
3. We created a good film name, which was good for targeting our audience. 

The three things that we did not do so well in our childrens film were: 

1. We did film and create enough shots to fill up the 2 minutes
2. We had to redo a shot, which affected our effect that we were trying to create. 
3. All shots did not create continuity. 

Call sheet

Friday: 

All cast must report to the ping pong tables in long road, at 4:10, where we will travel by bus to Stretham, where we will get a lift to Wicken. 

The scenes that we will be shooting on this day inside Laurens house, therefore we will not encounter whether problems,.

Kelly will be in charge of remembering to bring all props for this day. 

We will be filming in the evening so bring warm clothes, such as a coat. 

Food and drink will be provided by Lauren at her house, which is the location where we will be filming.

All cast is sleeping at Lauren's house so bring sleepover stuff etc. 

We will start filming about 7:00pm until 10:00pm. 

Saturday: 

We will be waking up in Lauren's house, which is the location where we will be filming, so no traveling is needed. 

The scenes that we will be shooting on this day will be located outside.  

Again, food and drink will be provided by Lauren at her house, which is the location where we will be filming. 

We will start filming about 8:00am until 4:00pm 

Kelly will be in charge of taking the props back with her, due to them needing to be disposed of properly. 

If it rains we will use a big umbrella to cover all props etc. 

Shot lists for our thriller

Whilst Beth and Lauren done the storyboard, Kelly wrote out our shot list. this will help us when it comes to the shooting process as we have included all the information that is needed to make our thriller opening sequence flow.

Why thrillers thrive article.

Main points:

'Why do we go to the pictures? To see life reflected on the screen, certaintly - but what kind of life?'

• 'thrills'
• Nature
• Shake ups
• Sluggish & jellified if pictures are not attended
• We are safe, secure, sitting in an armchair and looking at the struggle and turmoil of life through a window, as it were. 
• Death
• grim, tense, horror
• shuddering effect running down audience 
• no harm
• cinema - leaves subconscious assurance of absolute safety, and yet surprise his imagination into playing tricks on him.
• audiences sympathy is involed in danger. 
• impression of grear danger, where no danger is. 
• You see, with own eyes, which cannot lie!
• skillful editing!!
• scenes, which set the blood pounding through the veins 
• thrives on audience
• everybody is happy
• horror
• emotional jolt, exploit sadism, perversion, bestility, and deformity.
• create unnatural excitement

Dates for the camera!

We would like to take the camera out on  the 11th feb, after college. We would also need a tripod and the dolly tracker.

Thank you :)

Amar's presentation

From Amar's presentation the steps we think will be most useful are:

Step 3, which was location Recce. This consists of going to the location before filming and seeing if its a realistic location.  

Another step is step 4, which is the digital storyboard. This is especially important this time, as our storyboard for our childrens was poorly done, as we did not do enough shots and good enough shots. 

The final step is step 1, which is script writing. this is important as we did not use one of these for our childrens film. This affected us when it came to filming our childrens film as we had to think of what to say whilst filming, which wasted a lot of time. Therefore for our thriller, we will have more time to think about other more important stuff such as our shots, which will improve our thriller. 

questions asked

What are you going to do with the music?
We are going to start of with slow mellow music and then it will become more up beat and dramatic.

What kind of thriller is it?
it is a crime thriller, but also an element of a psychological thriller due to the thoughts behind the death.

What house are you going to film at?
This will be located at Lauren's house, inside and outside.

Is it just the detective that sees the ghost, or can everyone else see it as well?
The new and less experienced detective will be the only person who dreams about the angel and sees her.

Part of it is going to be a dream, what effects will you use to show this?
We will use a black and white effect and a white fade sort of thing, so the audience can identify each worlds; dream and normal.

Who's acting in the film?
Beth will be the immersed angel and the two detectives will be Lauren's male friends.