shot list

Here is a rough shot list of our film.

1. First there is an establishing shot of the antagonist, which uses a tilt, and is an extreme long-shot of this character. This shot lasts approximately 10-15 seconds long.
2. Another shot is of the same character reading through his folder in an Over-the-shoulder shot of him. This shot lasts approximately 7-8 seconds.
3. Next is of the antagonist lying down on the grass, this uses a high angle canted shot, and lasts 8 seconds.
4. The character then receives a text in an over-the-shoulder shot mid-shot, and lasts 4-5 seconds long.
5. Next is the character looking at the text and is an extreme close-up of the text. This lasts approximately 2-3 seconds.
6. Also there is a long-shot of the character standing up which lasts 4-5 seconds.
7. There is then a wide tracking shot of the character walking, long-shot, which lasts 7-8 seconds.
8. Then there is a shot of the character's point-of-view as he approaches a set of stairs. This shot lasts 3-4 seconds.
9. there are then a series of shots which lead to the character's house. One of which is the character receiving another text while he is in the tunnel, this is a long-shot which lasts 5-6 seconds.
10. Then there is another point-of-view shot when the character approaches the door this lasts 3-4 sconds.
11. There are then a series of cuts that last about 1-2 seconds each and are close-ups and 1 long shot of the character's folder and the character.

research on film beginnings

19/03/10

We have minimal budget so we can not make a hollywood standard opening, but several films have influenced our decisions and also our style for our film opening. Such films would include Hancock, the Matrix, and also some previous AS media films. To influence our film on the basis that we have no budget to spend on the film, some AS media students including our group watched a film called "shifty" which also had a very small budget. So this film also had to use technical ability in the camera work and editing to influence the audience rather than pure action which the Matrix and Hancock have. We also watched such films as love actually which had a respectable budget, but they still spent minimal on their opening scenes, and were still effective. this also influenced us because now we were convinced that you can still make a good opening scene despite having little funding.

synopsis

18/03/10

In our film, our antagonist is going to be a student who is relaxing and revising for upcoming exams, this gives the impression that he is an ordinary teenager with a normal life. He will get a text message and will then go home, he will then receive another message, and will then continue walking home. When he gets home he will find the door open, but shut to, he will then open the door wide and look towards the camera which he is apparently horrified or surprised to see. This is when the titles come up at the beginning of the film.

We will be filming by the side of a canal at the beginning, while the character is revising and listening to music, but then he gets the text message and is told to go home by his Mum, he then proceeds to go home, at this time he walks down a set of stairs, under the canal, continues down the street, and then up another set of stairs before approaching his house. After this he will then enter his house by the canal, and that is all of our locations.

storyboard and planning

23/02/10 - (blog was written on 02/03/10)

Last week we were unable to do any of the blog because the servers were disabled, therefore we had to work on paper. During the planning of the main task we were asked to write our primary idea in the form of a storyboard, where we would say what the lighting would be like in each shot, what each shot would consist of, how long each shot would last, what type of shot it was and also give details of what would happen in that shot. This would essentially help us when in production of the film so we do not go off track, and so that we are prepared with a full script, rather than making it up as we go along; below is the planning for the task.

We are going to be filming in Stretford because it has the easiest access for all of our group members. We will also be using a canal, a pathway leading up to that canal, and also a member of our groups house. There will be one character; who starts at the canal and later goes home. The filming is going to take place in the day so our potential lighting is increased. We will be using an ipod, a mobile phone, and also a file full of notes as props in the filming. The filming is going to take place in the day so that we maximise our lighting.

this is our completed Preliminary task.

Evaluation of Preliminary task

9/02/10 -

what we learnt about the cameras and software during the Preliminary task...

During the Preliminary task we, as a group were taught how to use the cameras and tripods i.e. how to put the camera on the tripod, how to use the particular camera (turn on/off, record, rewind/fast forward, put the tape in/take it out, how to put the footage from the camera onto the mac's etcetera), and we were also taught how to use the software that we had available to the mac's, which includes garage band, and the studio on which we edited the film and sound. During the editing we were also able to trim, implement sound, and we also had to render the footage in certain areas where required.

using the necessary shots and cuts...

There are two very clear point of view shots; the first is when the character walking into the room first see's the character in the chair, this point of view shot is of the character walking. The other point of view shot comes when the two character's shake hands, this point of view shot is of the character sitting in the chair. Both point of view shots come towards the end of the film.

There is a shot/reverse shot in the same room as the two point of view shots. This is less obvious than the point of view shots because it is strictly speaking not a shot/reverse shot, this is because different angles are used during the scene, rather than the same shot, but now we know how to use the shot/reverse shot to maximum effect in confrontations.

We have not used a match cut in our preliminary because we believed that the use of one could be unnecessary or confusing given the content of the film. Our main use of shots was mid-shot and long-shot, but towards the end there were no long-shots. We have learnt that we should be including the use of close-ups to greater effect when we start our main task.

The 180 degree rule...

We understand this rule when filming and it is when an imaginary line is drawn which the camera cannot cross. As we have used a moving image we believed that the line could also be moved, which we now know not to be the case. The use of the 180 degree rule is a primary rule in continuity. On two occasions the 180 degree rule is broken, once when the character walking leaves the screen on the left hand side of the camera, and then re-enters walking from left to right; and the other when the two characters are sitting down and both appear to be looking to the right hand side of the camera, despite facing each other in reality.

What we will improve/keep the same in our main task...

In our main task we will try to iron out any creases that we made in the preliminary task, and hopefully there will be none or a minimum amount of mistakes made during the production of the task in order to create the atmosphere, and response from the audience that we would like to generate from the film. Also we need to make sure the film is believable or realistic, such as the 180 degree rule; when the target on screen is travelling in the same direction, if they leave the left side of the camera, therefore they must enter from the right side of the camera.

We will keep the characters on screen the same as everybody in the group is already comfortable with their individual role's, Therefore those working the camera, and also those editing will also keep their role's in the production of the film. We would also like to keep a steady shot rate like we have used in the prliminary task, so that we can still use a variety of shots. For the main task, one main factor that we would like to focus on is the sound, in the main task we would want a more appropriate sound track, and maybe more dialogue so hopefully we can do that.

Completion of Preliminary task

9/02/10 - Today we have completed the sound on garage band by implementing it onto our film, and now the whole preliminary task is complete and ready to be evaluated. We are also continuing our planning for the main task. Ideas have been developed from when we first started the planning on the 2/02/10, and we are now happy with several ideas, but still have to decide which idea to go with.