Looking back at my preliminary task I feel that I have picked up many skills in order to create a good film. I've learned about the camera and how to use it properly, as well as where to position it in order to not confuse the audience (180 degree line). As well as this I have learnt how to make a film look professional, for example paying attention to the head space so there is not too much, using the spirit level to make sure that the shot is straight, and keeping space in front of the character as they're walking so it looks like they're walking into something. I've also learnt a variety of different shots, e.g worms eye, pan, and how to do the perfect over the shoulder shot. I've learned how to position the camera to use the zoom to perfect a shot. I have the basic skills to make the right shots to use in an opening sequence.
As well as learning to use the camera I've learnt how to work successfully in a team in order to produce a good piece of work, I've learned how to direct and position props, and how to use the correct software in order to piece together a film and add effects and titles, as well as music and make cuts (editing).
Personally I am proud of what I have learnt and the skills I have gained, I'm happy with my progression and proud of my end product, however if I had the opportunity to go back I would have done things differently, e.g. I'd have used a better setting in order to make it look more realistic, better props and costume, and a more detailed story board to earn more time when it came to editing and getting the most out of our shots.
The fully black clothing which my protagonist is wearing creates an eerie and mysterious feel around the character, as well as representing her as being dark and gloomy. As she looks like a young pretty girl, you would expect her to be happy and quirky in bright girls clothing. However dressing her like a boy suggests she's not your typical young girl, but she has something different about her, a bad side. This determines the genre of the film as people can easily tell that its not a romantic comedy or sci-fi from their first impression of the character. Also using the black and white effect makes the protagonist stand out against the grey and white which are lighter, suggesting she is different, representing her as being evil and disturbed as the colours are opposites.
The credits fade in and out to create a feeling of suspense, and also to break up the routine which the character is performing, they all fade to black which again represents that their is a twisted feel to the character and the acts in which she is performing in her routine. You never know what she's going to be doing next which keeps the audience interested as they want to see what she is doing with the photographs in the small room, and also makes them want to understand what's going on. Also black is a code and convention of my thriller genre, I'd expect my audience to be aware of this.
Other than the few close ups used, the camera is usually quite far away from the protagonist, its usually behind her watching her, this is a subtle warning to not get too close to the character, using the camera as a discrete way to inform the audience that they and the character in the film should stay well away, which foreshadows the upcoming events in the film. The camera usually watches from afar keeping its distance, e.g. when she is drinking and smoking, also when she is writing on the picture its behind her.
The whiskey and smoking tells us that the protagonist has had a troubled past and so she numbs the pain by resorting to these things, this is a code and convention which we would expect the audience to know as she is psychologically disturbed, hence the thriller being psychological. This intrigues the audience as it makes them want to know what else she does in order to forget and avenge her past, and what actually happened to make her the way she is.
The music is a typical code and convention of a psychological thriller as it represents what is going on inside the protagonists head. Its slow and makes you feel uncomfortable. I'd expect my audience to already know this and so would associate the music with what's going to happen in the film, also it helps the audience put the film into the genre it belongs in.
The chosen theme of our film was revenge, we found that the audience would find it difficult whether to agree or disagree with the protagonist as she is trying to avenge her parents but is doing something abnormal, which would keep their attention as they would want to see how it ends. It gets the audience thinking about their families and what they would do in order to avenge them, and so would be close to the audiences heart because they could relate to it because everyone has a family.
A successful film that's similar to mine is Colombiana.
Columbiana - A young woman, after witnessing her parents' murder as a child in Bogota, grows up to be a stone-cold assassin.
This film opening is similar to ours because it has a similar storyline and the theme is revenge, which is the same as our film. However this is an Action Thriller. In the film opening there is a chase, which is a code and convention of an action film, this kicks off the action nearly instantaneously from the beginning of the film and pulls the audience in as they're on the edge of their seats wondering if she will get away. During this scene there are a lot of fast cuts used to show all the different things happening at the same time. The fast cuts keep the audience updated on the whereabouts of the characters and build up suspense. The fast cuts imply energy and keep the audience in anticipation. The cuts bring our attention to the antagonists getting closer to the little girl, so from the beginning we want to see her get away. The chase is a code and convention of an action movie because it determines who are the good and bad characters, also it captures the audience’s attention and keeps them guessing throughout the whole scene.
Props such as weapons are usually seen in action movies. Knives and guns are codes and conventions of action films, so the use of them here will be similar to our idea. They show the danger the main character has to face in order to complete a task or quest and makes the experience more scary for the audience, making them feel fear for the protagonist. As well as this they help the protagonist defeat the enemy, however many good characters don’t use violent weapons that hurt people. This is done to distinguish the bad from the good and help the audience understand the characters and their purpose.
As well as this the setting is typical for an action movie because it provides lots of obstacles for the protagonist to overcome in order for them to get away. For example running on roofs and falling though wooden shed roof tops, they usually provide some kind of injury but the protagonist has lots of spirit and has to continue to get away. You become attached to the protagonist and want them to get away for their own safety. You feel sad if they're sad and worried when they're worried.
At first someone will have an idea for a film, and then they create an outline and use it to promote interest in that idea. If the film appeals to a studio or independent investor they will decide whether or not to purchase the rights to the film. If they purchase it, then people are brought together in order to make the film (producer, director, cast, crew, screenwriter). After this the film is completed and sent to the studio, where the studio makes a licensing agreement with a distribution company. The distribution company will then determine how many copies (prints) of the film they will make. After this, the distribution company shows the movie (screening) to prospective buyers representing theatres. In addition to this, the buyers negotiate with the distribution company on which movies they wish to lease and the terms of the lease agreement. The prints are sent to the theatres a few days before the opening day, and the theatre shows the movie for a specified number of weeks (engagement). The result of this is you buying a ticket to watch the movie. Finally, at the end of the engagement, the theatre sends the print back to the distribution company and makes payment for the lease agreement.
The distribution of a film or movie is the process through which a movie is make available to watch for an audience by a film distributor.
A film distributor is a company or individual responsible for the marketing of a film.
A major film studio is a production and distribution company that releases a substantial number of film annually and consistently commands a significant share of box-office revenues in a given market.
The "Big Six" majors, are all centred in film studios active during Hollywood's Golden Age of the 1930's and 1940's. These are 20th Century Fox, Warner Bros, Paramount, Columbia, Universal and Walt Disney Studios. Walt Disney Studios was an independent production company during the Golden Age, it was an important Hollywood entity, but not a major.
The company was founded in 1904 in New York City by William Fox, a 25 year-old Jewish Hungarian immigrant, who sold his cloth processing business and with the profits earned bought a lowly "common show." At that time, "common show" was the legal phrase for the exhibition of motion pictures in a store remodelled for that purpose and containing fewer than 299 seats. These primitive movie theatres charged five cents admission and therefore became known as "nickelodeons."
Mr. Fox, a born showman, bolstered attendance by hiring a magician to perform in front of his store to attract customers. His growing number of patrons sat closely together onfolding chairs (which were rented from a neighbourhood undertaker's parlour) and enjoyed simple short films. These early movie audiences viewed films that were hand-cranked through a lighted box which caused images to be magnified and projected against a white wall at the opposite end of the store.
In June 2008, they won ‘Retail Distributor of the Year’, ‘Rental Distributor of the Year’ and ‘Overall Distributor of the Year’. Home Entertainment also won a Marketing Award for ‘Best Film Marketing (Blockbuster)’ for The Simpsons Movie.
Warner Bros Entertainment, a fully integrated, broad-based entertainment company, is a global leader in all forms of entertainment and their related businesses across all current and emerging media and platforms.
Warner Bros. Studios began when the brothers Warner (Albert, Sam, Harry and Jack L.) incorporated their fledgling movie company on April 4, 1923. In 1927, the release of the world’s first “talkie,” (synchronized-sound feature film), The Jazz Singer, set a character and tone of innovation and influence that would become synonymous with the name Warner Bros. And--as Al Jolson foretold in this milestone movie--“you ain’t heard nothin’ yet!”
In 2012, the Warner Bros. Pictures Group grossed $4.3 billion at the worldwide box office ($1.66 billion domestic, $2.67 international) with both its domestic and international divisions crossing the billion-dollar mark for a 12th consecutive year, a feat unmatched by any other studio. The Pictures Group has exceeded $4 billion globally for four consecutive years, also a milestone no other studio has ever achieved.
If my film were to become published it would be by an independent film distributor.
An independent film is a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system. They are sometimes distinguishable by their content, style and the way in which the film makers' personal artistic vision is realised. Usually, independent films are made with considerably lower film budgets than major studio films. They are often screened at local, national, or international film festivals before distribution. An independent film production can rival a mainstream film production if it has the necessary funding and distribution.
Scenario films is an example of an independent film.
They say "Finding the right local producer to provide and manage production services can prove to be key to a successful shoot."
They have long experience of working with co-producers from around the world and can assist those who wish to shoot in London or elsewhere in the UK. They work with clients in several European languages,in German, French and Italian, easing the communication process with UK crews. They also have a trusted pool of creative colleagues and strong relationships with most of the talent agencies in London and abroad. Plus besides casting they can provide top directors, designers and composers, as well as highly skilled creative technical staff, among the best in the world.
The 3 films on their website are named; Desire, Denial and Delight. They are a trilogy & you can purchase desire on DVD.
They develop and produce film and television projects for the British and international markets, in co-production with partners at home and abroad.
They are also an award-winning team with a long track record of television and film creation: Gareth Jones (writer/director/consultant) and Fiona Howe (writer/producer/consultant/composer).
Entertainment Independent Film Distributor
Entertainment is the UK's leading independent film distributor. It was founded in 1978 and has shown continuous growth and success since, distributing a wide range of products and building a significant film library. It released The Lord of The Rings Trilogy which was one of the most thrilling epic adventures in motion picture history which resulted in them receiving 17 Academy Awards. Over all it has got 38 Oscar wins and 22 BAFTA's.
It released Traffic, Million Dollar Baby, Hairspray, 17 Again, Sex in the City, Saw, The Final Destination Franchise, Run Fat Boy Run and more.
They operate in the UK and The Republic of Ireland and distribute in theatrical, DVD rental, and retail fields as well as licensing substantial catalogue in both Free-TV and Pay-TV sectors.
To make
my opening sequence, the hardware I had to use was; a Canon XHAI camera, a
tripod and a tape. The software I had to use was Adobe Premiere to put my shots
together, as well as make my titles and edit my film by using the effects and
adding music to it.
To learn
how to use the camera, my class and I were put into small groups and given a
tripod, a camera, a battery and a tape. We were then given a demonstration of
how to set up the camera properly, and attach it to the tripod. Firstly, we
were taught how to hold the camera while handling it to avoid damage and also
to be professional. We then had to pull the legs out of the tripod and make
sure that the base was flat and the legs were kept in place by turning the
knobs so that it stayed at a particular length. After this we had to take the
tray off of the top of the tripod by pushing a button and twisting a lever, and
screw it on to the bottom of the camera tightly to ensure that it was secure
and the camera wouldn’t fall off. Holding the camera correctly we had to slide
the bottom of it which was attached to the tray on to the top of the tripod,
and lock it into place to make sure the camera was secure. We were told that we
had to put in the battery first and switch the camera on before putting the
tape inside. We were then shown the spirit level, this makes sure our shots are
straight and not diagonal when we play it back, we were shown how to make it
level, by using a round disk underneath the camera attached to the tripod, we
had to unscrew it while holding the top of the camera and check that the silver
ball was in the middle of the circle. We learned that moving the round disc under
the camera would make the camera move, so when the silver ball was in the
centre of the circle it meant that the camera was level. We had to adjust the
spirit level every time we moved the camera as the ground was uneven, and our
shots were at risk of being wonky. Plus, while moving the camera we had to
detach the camera and reattach it when at the right location to ensure the
camera was kept safe, this meant constantly checking the spirit level too. As well as this we were shown how to use the screen on the side of the camera, how to zoom and to use the cross to line our shots up and increase accuracy. After learning how to use the camera, we were set a task in threes to take a variety of different shots that were listed in order to test our understanding after watching videos of camera shots, we were then able to watch them and be given feedback on head space and position in the frame.
Some of the shots we had to take were: long shot, close up, extreme close up, mid shot, mid long shot, worms eye, birds eye, eye level, and over the shoulder. We learned where to place the camera, how much we needed to zoom, where to place our actors, and at which length we needed to adjust our tripod to get the perfect shots.
We were educated on the 180 degree barrier, where you can not have the camera past a certain point otherwise the audience will get confused, the camera angles will be wrong and this is unprofessional. Also, we were told to be aware of the importance of safety shots, so we took many at the beginning of our film of our environment and surroundings. We also learned the rule of thirds as well as continuity, this was demonstrated to us, we filmed a short scene and were shown how to angle our camera and what to do in order to ensure continuity.
After this we were taught how to use software (Adobe Premiere) which enabled us to put our opening sequence together. To get used to using the software we firstly had to start by editing a piece of film that wasn't our own, to become familiar with how it worked. We were then taught how to put on effects like black and white and transitions such as; fades, dissolves etc. This led to us being able to make our films look professional and fit more into our thriller genre. We were taught how to use the time line on the software, how to cut the shots we wanted, delete ripples, piece our film together, extend the length of shots that we'd cut and delete shots that we didn't need. Plus we learned how to place shots so that we could layer them and make our film look more realistic. In our film we used lots of fades to take us to the next shots for more of a gloomy effect, we faded to black to make it dark and mysterious which matched our film. Another thing we was taught was how to add text onto our shots and edit it to our preferences. When our actor was sticking the black card up to get rid of the light we overlapped our shots to make it speed up and to also make our film more interesting to watch. We faded to black fast to speed up the pace.
While making the ident for our film, we learned how to make photos zoom in, as well as using sound effects to make it more dramatic. When we made our ident 'Maiden Name' we used a sound effect of a gun shot when the gun is fired to make it different and give it a sense of realism. When we made the title of the name of our film 'An eye for an eye' we learned how to move the photo in the background around the screen, and make our music fade out. We also learned how to add music to our film, we had to use copy right music and add it onto our time line, we also had to fade it out at the end and fade it in at the beginning of our opening sequence. All of the content of our films was saved on a 'LaCie' hard drive. We chose music named 'Cellar Door' because it fit the genre and opening sequence very well. Also the footsteps coincided with the movements made by our actor in the sequence. You hear the sound of the actor writing on the photo to give a more disturbing feeling to the audience, many people dislike the noise so it would make them feel uncomfortable. It also gives an idea of our characters personality.
Overall, I feel as though I have gained very useful experience in making the film and using the equipment, I am proud of my end result, however now I have used the equipment properly I believe I could make my film a lot better if given the opportunity. I would like to do it again and maybe change my location to make it look more realistic. I would also like to use an actor who has lot's of experience to help me put forward the mental state they're in. The task has also benefited me in the sense that I can lead a group better than before and my negotiating skills have gotten a lot better.
My opening sequence would appeal to people who have an interest in psychological thrillers because it creates lots of tension and confuses the audience from the beginning. The start is quite disturbing and sets up the main theme of the film which is revenge. This kind of film is not for a younger audience as it requires a more complex mind and therefore would appeal to someone who enjoys problem solving and can understand the story line. Trying to grasp a member of a younger audience’s attention from the beginning of my film would be difficult as they're more interested in comedies and romances. My opening sequence grabs the audience’s attention quickly as it is setting up the story, it leaves them in anticipation wanting to know more. However from my audience feedback I learned that "the story line could have been clearer", because of this it was hard to grab the attention of the audience as it was too confusing.
The cliff hanger at the end of our opening sequence leaves the audience on the edge of their seats waiting to find out what happens next. As I previously found out in my research, thrillers have a huge audience, ranging from teenagers to as old as 50+, this means that my opening sequence would appeal to a number of people especially those who enjoy my particular sub-genre.
The key characters in my film are; a female protagonist, who wants to avenge her parents but is psychologically disturbed from witnessing her parents death, and the group of men who murdered her parents when she was younger which she plans to kill one by one. A suggestion made after carrying out our audience feedback was to add some flash backs of Anna with her parents, and also of their death as this would make the story line more clear.
In the opening sequence one of the men from the group which killed the protagonists' parents faces will be shown in a close up shot when Anna writes 'you're next' on it. My audience feedback suggested that we make the story line more obvious and dramatic as "a serial killer wouldn't just write you're next on the photo", so to add effect we "could rip up the picture" or burn it. Our female protagonist will be wearing all black to make her look dark and mysterious; when she is on camera she will be in the centre of the frame so that all of the attention is on her. The victim will also be in the centre of the frame as he too is relevant to the film. The victim will be wearing smart clothes to give the impression that he can deceive people into thinking he is a smart and decent man, he will have good posture and a straight face to show he means business. My main character reminds me of Cataleya from Columbiana because she was my inspiration to make the film and turn it from an action thriller to a psychological thriller. The villain reminds me of Byran Mills from taken because he looks quite scary and rough.
Who would be the audience for your specific thriller?
The subgenre I have chosen is a psychological thriller.The audience for my specific thriller would be from 15-40+. I think this because this kind of film is appropriate for people of these ages and people would enjoy the thrill, elder people would enjoy the thrill and would have lots of questions, plus younger people enjoy movies with their friends and scaring each other. As well as this from my research I found that thrillers cover a large age group as lot's of people enjoy them, and they appeal to elder and younger generations. Audience Profile:
Age: 15 – 35+ Interests: going to the cinema, spending time with friends, nights in, learning, watching television, reading books, especially thrillers.
Gender: mainly males but females too, especially because the protagonist if a female Ethnicity: any
I didn’t specifically chose this age group because thrillers have a large audience anyway, however because the film isn’t a romance which stereotypically stands out to females or a fantasy which is more of a family film, the genre will genuinely have a large audience. It’s for people who enjoy challenging themselves and who have the time to watch a film or enjoy a film with their partner or teenage child, normally a daughter. Also this age group is independent and can pay to be able to watch the film or buy it, as well as this they’re active and enjoy going out to places like the cinema.
My target audience would expect my film to be intriguing and disturbing, with a twist or surprise ending. They would expect it to be tense and full of anticipation, maybe a little jumpy, with eerie music and very interesting. They would like to be fully focused on the film and enjoy watching it as it would entertain them, keeping them guessing right up until the end.
The sub-genre would attract them to the film as it would make them curious, the fact that the protagonist is a female is different and makes women seem more strong and independent, so the film would appeal to women more than a different type of thriller.
If I were designing a poster for my film I would include dark colours mainly red black green grey and white to make it look dark mysterious and gloomy. I would use a jagged font to make it look slightly gothic and to fit the genre. I would possibly use a really thin font to make it look slightly odd and contrast with the dark colours which stand out. I would also use question marks and shadows, maybe some mirrors and weapons, also some disturbing pictures of mentally ill people, splatters of blood, and maybe a clock to show it’s only a matter of time, I’d also write revenge on it to show the main theme. I’d use a young good looking female to look attractive and to use encourage males to watch it.
To attract the audience to my film by using their prior knowledge of the genre I would make my trailer very eerie and use tension building music, I would add this into my opening sequence to make it more effective and to keep the audience entertained. The music would let the audience know that something is about to happen and tell them the mood and mind set of the character. The audience would relate this music to the character throughout the film and it would mirror their emotions.
In our audience feedback we found that editing was our strongest point which attracted the audience the most, the editing flowed well and we had a good use of shots which we blended in.
Another film that my target audience may be interested in is Columbiana, or Kill Bill. These films are similar about female main characters, which switches the roles around and has similar story lines of revenge.
The theme of revenge will relate to the audience because it would get their adrenaline pumping and make them think of themselves in the situation of the main character is in, it will create a sense of escapism and give them a topic to speak about after the film. The themes would attract the audience because it’s not your typical film about rescuing someone or falling in love, an eye for an eye it biblical and it shows the extent people will go to to avenge their families. Columbiana is a film based on the same theme which my audience may also find entertaining and relatable.
From my audience feedback I found that the idea of revenge for a theme was a good idea as many people can relate to it, but that my storyline wasn't clear because we didn't give enough away in the opening sequence and that we should have been more clear. An idea of using a flashback of Anna's parents was proposed, which was originally our idea, however we were unable to do this in time, so in the future if I were able to do my film again I would use a flashback to help the audience understand what my film is about.
1) What is your opinion on our title sequence? Did you enjoy it? Do you understand the storyline?
2) What would you change if you had made it and why?
3) What do you think about the music? How does it make you feel?
4) Does the film fit the psychological thriller genre and how does/doesn't it?
5) What do you think about the editing? Were the shots continuous throughout the whole sequence? How could we improve?
6) How did you find the acting? Did you think it was professional? What improvements could be made?
7) What are your opinions on the lighting? Did it fit the codes and conventions of the psychological thriller genre? Were you able to see clearly? How did it make you feel?
