screen shots

'Out of the Loop' Final cut. Upload version.

Use of non standard filters/titles.

For our production we chose to make our own titles and some of our filters through image editing/creation software in order to make it to our specification. We used photoshop to make the sniper scope image with a transparent background to overlay the shots requiring it. We used fireworks on Max M's laptop to make the titles to size in a similar way to the scope (transparent background) and because fireworks has more options.

Evaluatuion Draft deadline 22nd mon 9am, final deadline mon 29th 9am

Thriller Film Opening Sequence Evaluation - 1500-2000 words
PowerPoint uploaded to moodle

1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge conventions of real media products?
What conventions of professional products have you used in your own film? (narrative conventions, character conventions, genre, camerawork, sound, editing, special effects, mise-en-scene? Use screen grabs of your own sequence to illustrate each example where you have followed conventions or gone against (challenged) conventions. Also use images from the films that have influenced you where relevant.

2. How does your media product represent particular social groups? (gender, age, ethnicity etc.)
Compare a character in your sequence to a character in a professional film (use images). If you have included a villain/victim character, does the character follow conventions of characters in professional films. For example, is your villain male? Is your victim female? Therefore how are you representing gender?

3. What kind of media institution would distribute your media product?

Discuss similar professional films and their production companies (use images of the films and logos). Which production Company do you think would distribute your film? (if it was professional and if you had made the full film).

4. Who would be the audience for your media product? (BBFC and target audience) Use images from a similar product with a similar target audience. Remember that target audience is not the same as classification.

5. How did you attract/address your audience?

Refer to Significant moments in your sequence where you have tried to generate a response from the spectator (a close up to encourage identification with a character, music that encourages the spectator to feel suspense, tense, visceral reaction etc.) What techniques have you used to encourage the spectator to want to see the rest of the film? (Clues about narrative, character, etc.) Use screen grabs of your own sequence.

6. What have you learnt about the technologies from the process of constructing your product?

(blog, camera equipment, editing software – Final Cut Express, istopmotion, Garageband etc.) Use screen grabs/photos of all these things. Be very specific about tools/effects/techniques learnt not just ‘I have learnt a lot about the software’

7. Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to your final product?
Discuss your second preliminary task that you did in a week before starting Thriller. Discuss what you have learnt since then about construction of micro elements in order to create meaning, how to use different techniques, practical skills etc. How have you built on your knowledge that you learnt from the prelim task? Use screen grabs of your prelim task and your sequence where relevant.

roughcut feeback

P1-o4: The use of the colour changes in the freeze frames works well with the genre of the opening as red is associated with danger. The sound fits with the action on the screen and contributes to the scene. There is a huge range of different shot types and angles which help to add to the tension and suspense which is created. The scene where the camera is following max goes on for a long time, although this creates suspense it could be shortend.

P1-05: We thought that the gunshot was not effective. We thought that Max was not a believable character and the blue man takes the focus of the sequence.


P1 01
-Use of shots that were sped up added pace and built up tension as an effect. There were some slight flaws, for example when he went up in the lift he pressed down then went up. Also I thought the colour changes were effective. And the soundtrack was perfectly in keeping with the titles and what was happening in the scene. The idea was clever and witty and the acting was top notch. When Max shot the gun there was no gunshot or anything. This needs to be rectified. Otherwise top notch.

p1-02: we thought that the film was good. however, there are several points that need to be addressed. one thing would be that we feel that cotume, especially the white trainers did no fit the scene. We also feel that the props were humerous, and did not emphasise the 'thriller' ans serious of the situation. We found there were too many 'odd' sound effects in the wrong places which distracted us from the sequence. We also feel there could have been more variation in shot types and the shakey camera made it look slightly too ameteur-ish. overall it was ok

rough cut

Feedback-
Colour changes at the freeze frames
Titles
Music and sound effects
The man in blue (papa smurf)
"It's done"
speed changes

Deadlines

Wed 10th - Rough cut Deadline (Allow 1/2 hour for quicktime upload)

Friday 12th - Feedback lesson and 1/2 hour editing

Weds 17th - Editing 1 1/2 hours
Friday 19th - Final cut Deadline (allow 1/2 hour for quicktime upload)
Monday 22nd - Evaluation draft deadline - 9am moodle/email

*Lessons this week spent on putting finishing touches to evaluation.

Monday 29th - Final evaluation deadline - 9am moodle/email

Evaluation of second lesson of editing

A good start overall making the title sequences and credits using a transparent file on photoshop so we had more options for fonts and use of colour.

Followed shortly by a software error in final cut pro. This was soon fixed and we continued on with the editing, what should have taken 5 minutes took an hour due to inadequate computers, a really really really really bad rendering system and lack of other group members.

filming completed

with filming completed, we are now editing it all together. We have a very stylized feel to it with increasing and decreasing the speed of some clips, to add a sense of distortion, we even have two stills in a red filter before and after a very long tracking which goes from the dead politician to the assassin (as inspired by Ichi: the Killer (Miike 2001). We now have a rough cut of where we want all the shots, so now all that needs completing is the soundtrack and sound effects

Evaluation of Blog of the Week

Blog P1-04 has been done well due to the detail the group have gone into in all aspects of their filming planning. They have included pictures of all costumes, props and methods they are going to use and included details of what they are and why they are going to be used. This will influence us to include more detail in our planning for our film opening and to include details of why we are using things, not just what we are using.
They have included research into BBFC ratings and their target audience which may affect how their project. The target audience includes who the film is aimed at which they have concluded at 12-25. Therefore creating a 15R or 18R would limit the audience able to see the film. Research into the BBFC ratings shows the group what they are able to do within their film before pushing the rating up.
They have also included test shots of characters to be included in the project. This is a good idea as they can get a feel of how the actors will look on camera and what they can do to improve the look on screen. They have then manipulated these in photoshop to better fit into their genre and included both copies on the blog.
They have then followed with details of everything that is going to be included in the project such as soundtrack in which they have confirmed that they will be including no dialogue, using a narrator and what kind of music they have decided on.
From early on they have established roles for each group member, explaining their decisions with suitability of each group member to each role. They have also considered equipment, locations, lighting and makeup, followed with examples of each.

Test Shots

We have done some test shots with the dolly, tracking shots following max.
There is also a long duration, hand held shot which has been sped up to show the route between the two characters.

these are a few images from testing out camera techniques for our sequence

this is our story board. From here and our shot list, we can easily film our piece, which we will hopefully do all on Tuesday, considering everything works out and they don't arrest me for looking suspiciously foreign

Script for Film

EXT. OUTSIDE SCHOOL, ROUND MAIN ENTRANCE

ESTABLISHING SHOT, MEDIUM RANGE

Normal day, people hanging around, suddenly A MAN DRESSED IN BLACK walks in carrying A BRIEFCASE. He walks at a fast but steady pace.

CUT TO

CLOSE UP, TRACKING SHOT IN FRONT OF MAN

Sees his feet, wearing VERY STYLISH SHOES

CUT TO

CLOSE UP, TRACKING SHOT FROM SIDE

Sees his waist including hand carrying briefcase, he is wearing GLOVES

CUT TO

CLOSE UP, TRACKING SHOT IN FRONT OF MAN

Shoulder height, you can see he is wearing A SUIT with white shirt, black tie and black coat

CUT TO

CLOSE UP, TRACKING SHOT FROM SIDE

Level with man so you see his face, he is wearing SHADES and has a solemn look on his face

CUT TO

LONG SHOT, LOW ANGLE, PAN

Camera follows man as he walks past people through to behind the refectory

CUT TO

MEDIUM CLOSE UP, TRACKING SHOT BEHIND MAN

Man walks past people, at the same pace. a title appears at bottom of the screen saying 'Warner Brothers Pictures presents' in capitals, white font, it fades out and the second title appears in the same font saying 'In association with Legendary Pictures' and fades out, then finally the last title appears saying 'an MJMJ production' the man turns left and walks into the building

CUT TO

INT. UPSTAIRS IN STAIRWAY

HIGH ANGLE, PAN

The man comes through the doorways and walks up the stairs, the camera follows him with a panning shot

CUT TO

INT. HALLWAY UPSTAIRS

LONG SHOT

The man enters from the stairs and walk towards the camera, stopping just in front of it to put the suitcase down

CUT TO

CLOSE UP

Suitcase, man opens it to reveal the compartments for a SNIPER GUN OR SOME FORM OF GUN RELATED TO A SNIPER

INSERT: 1 second cuts of man putting gun together, finally shot being putting on the SILENCER

CUT TO

EXT. BALCONY

MEDIUM SHOT

Man walks onto balcony with gun, and checks watch

INSERT CLOSE UP OF WATCH

He then looks over to the other side of the QUAD to see A BUSINESSMAN walking across the quad

INSERT MEDIUM TRACKING SHOT OF BUSINESSMAN WALKING DOWN QUAD TALKING ON MOBILE

The man takes ready to aim

EXTREME CLOSE UP

You see man's eye and crosshair, as he lines up the shot

POV THROUGH SNIPER

Man follow businessman with sniper

EXTREME CLOSE UP FROM SIDE

Mans face, he squints as he pulls the trigger, a noise of a silenced gun goes off

CUT TO

EXT. QUAD

MEDIUM SHOT

Businessman is shot, he falls over dropping his phone

EXTREME CLOSE UP

Dead businessman's face, eyes wide open in terror

MEDIUM SHOT TO TRACKING WHICH GOES INTO THE BUILDING AND FINDS THE MAN ON THE BALCONY WITH A CLOSE UP, ALL SPED UP

MEDIUM CLOSE UP

The man eases his gun, gets out a phone and calls someone

CLOSE UP FROM THE SIDE

Man puts phone to ear and waits for someone to pick up, someone does

THE MAN

It's done

The man hangs up

CUT TO BLACK

TITLE APPEARS IN SAME FONT AS BEFORE ON THE BLACK SCREEN

"OUT OF THE LOOP"

Props

• Replica Rifle
• Phone
• Empty Cartridges
• News paper
  

Costume

• Politician; presentable suit with tie and formal shoes.
• Assassin; slightly less presentable suit without tie and casual shoes.
• Random Extras; everyday wear. (casual/formal)

Lighting

• Daylight

Makeup/Hair

• Blood (Politician)
• Scarring (Assassin)
  
• Grazing? (Politician)

Equipment

• Camera
• Boomer? Mic
• Tripod
• Macintosh
• Final Cut
• Garage Band

Time and Date (Filming)

• 18th - 22nd February
• 12:00 - 16:00

Location

• Grande Arcade (Cambridge)

Actors

• Maxim Thompson
• 
• James Amey
• 
• Random Extras (TBC)

Production Roles

• Jess Rudwick (Camera Man)
• Max Macauley - Leak (Director/Sound Man)

Sound/Music/Dialogue/Narrator

• Coming soon

Test Shots

• Coming soon
  

film analysis, opening scene analysis and feedback

Film Title: Out of the Loop
Analysis: After many politicians who are against the proposed war get killed, an undercover agent goes rogue to uncover the conspiracy. After being spotted snooping around, the higher powers decide to frame him for the murders of the politicians, so now our protagonist has to keep one step ahead of the law in order to uncover the truth

genre: political action thriller

Opening Scene Analysis: showcases an assasin taking down one of the anti-war politicians. At first, when he is walking towards his destination, it will be mainly medium to long shots to show him blending in to the crowd, then when he is at his destination alone, it will be mostly shakey cam with close up. except for when the politician is in shot. Once the assasin kills the politician, he goes down to pretend to be concerned about the politician.

feedback: the feedback was mainly positive, the only concern was bringing a weapon onto college site, as we'd be filming mostly around the quad area. Overall though, the scene should prove to be quite successful, we'll just have to be considerate about how we handle the weapon. We will now sort out shot types, costume and props, hopefully do all the filming within one session.

Lucky Number Slevin is a crime thriller released in 2006.
We have chosen the featured scene as it contains most of the features of a generic thriller. It shows examples of a non linear narrative, common in thrillers. It is used here to reveal previous events and inner details to the audience at the climax of the film.

Student Thriller Opening Analysis - 36

This thriller opening has some quite distinctive pros and cons. One strong point is the very enigmatic feel it keeps throughout, making you want to see the rest of the film to see if it will explain it, however, it is quite average in it's delivery, using unnecessary sound effects, such as the zip opening and the weak and inaccurate gunshots which distract from the story line. A good thing about it is the way it doesn't appear as a thriller at first, until the red filter appears and the mood drastically changes, this is good because it delivers a sense of confusion to the viewer. One thing that didn't do them any favors was the overuse of the special effect for the title, which took up over a quarter of the time meaning the sequence was longer and more arduous than it should have been. Overall, we'd give this film a medium or high Level 3. We will make we follow it as a guide, such as selecting mise-en-scene that creates appropriate meaning (I.E costume, setting etc.)

We have decided that this thriller opening should be graded at a level 4 as it shows an excellent level of ability. A variety of shot types has been used well including a POV shot from inside the van as it drives, a convention of thriller films which helps the viewer to become more involved in the story.
The non linear narrative works well, creating tension by juxtaposing the shots of preparation with the action shots.
They have made a good use of mise-en-scene especially with their props. The shots of the whiskey glass, gun prep and inside of the van work well within the sequence, building tension.
They have set up the shots well, making good use of a tripod for steady, well framed shots including detailed backgrounds.
When filming our own sequence we will try to make use of some of the techniques used in this sequence for a better effect, remembering the variety of shots and well used props.

What is genre and why is it useful for you as producers of a film?

- An easy way to categorize films (type of film)
- Starting point - conventions - iconography
- Symbol associated with genre
- Narrative/Theme/Character
- Visual/Oral/Style

For the industry.

- Existence of Genre makes it easy to target your audience
- Based on previous box office ratings film makers can make judgments about who the audience is.
- Trailers/posters include:
-Iconography (visual)
-Title
-Clues to narrative, character.etc

- Benefits to audience, influences your decision to see a film. Audience exceptions, familiar, recognizable.

"Genre is in a constant state of flux" Steve Neale -1981

Flux - Movement, Change.

Reasons:
- Changing attitudes/Ideologies(beliefs)
- Improving technology (Action, Sci Fi, Horror)
- CGI - Computer Generated Imagery
- Fashions/Popular trends.
- Reflect current times e.g. Global Disaster
- To provide variation for audiences - Hybrid - Attracts a wider audience.
- Ideas of repetition and variation makes genre successful

Dark Knight

-Part of comic book action trend/Hybrid

-How does it follow generic conventions?
-Micro/Macro

-How does it make x(can't read own handwriting) - how does it achieve this?
-Techniques.

-Hybrid of Action, Thriller.

Dark Knight Opening

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OYBEquZ_j0

The Dark Knight is classed as a action/crime/thriller. It Therefore follows some useful conventions for a thrillers opening sequence. Firstly the music is a simplistic, tense and slightly jumpy at relevant parts of the sequence.
There is also a level of mystery, frequently used in the opening of many thrillers. This is done by no names being used and all the characters involved in the robbery wearing masks.
The characters are also discussing the antagonist "The Joker" about which nothing seems to be sure. The sequence is made tense also with the idea that everyone is expendable. Despite the fact that the robbers enter as a group, no key character is identified until the end of the sequence where one of the robbers reveals himself to be the joker.
The rumours surrounding the joker aside, elements of his character are revealed through his ability to manipulate people to his own end and willingness to dispose of them.
Like many thrillers, the film is set in Gotham, a New York style city that 'never sleeps'. This increases the level of danger as many more citizens are at risk.
There is also an important deterrent from conforming to a stereotype that all criminals have a motive and a code of honour, by showing a criminal that has neither.
"Criminals in this town used to believe in things; honour, respect. Look at you, what do you believe in?" (To Joker) This also comments on the jokers extreme ideals and sets up an unconventional character generally unknown to the genre.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-rkpgchJOA

title sequence analysis - Sparticus - Max Thompson

the title sequence for Sparticus sets the general mood and scope for the rest of the film. The music is very dramatic and ominous giving the sense of an epic story. The hands in chains hint at the fact that this may involve slaves, plus when you see the first hand in chains the words 'Kirk Douglas as Sparticus' appear, implying to the fact Sparticus frees the slaves. An stone owl appears with the words 'Lawrence Olivier as Crassuss' suggesting he could be in some senses an omniscient figure, and then 'Jean Simmons as Varinia' appears with a feminate hand holding a jug, implying she is or will be a mother or provider. The fact that all the images are stone sculptures and there is latin writing suggests this is an historical epic and the imagery of swords suggests war or a battle. The final shot is of a stone statue of a man's face crumbles away to leave a bit of cracked face and a eye hole. This could resemble the fall of the Roman empire, which is what Sparticus tries to do. The opening title sequence is simple, yet it purely represents the battle between the iron fist of oppression and the desire for freedom.

Cape Fear evaluation

this is how the opening sequence links to the rest of the film with Cape Fear
water - the climax of the film is set on a houseboat on a river
bird - one of Max Cady's tattoos (the antagonist) is of a bird of this nature
silhouette - Max Cady (the antagonist)
eyes - belong to 15 year old Danielle

Cape Fear Notes

We watched the opening sequence of some thriller films to find the conventions of thrillers etc.
The film we are focusing on is 'Cape Fear'
- Water - distorted images, reflections, drowning connotations
- Links with 'cape' water, lake
- Could be linked to the narrative (danger)
- Bird - predator from low angle. suggests being hunted, victim
- Silhouette of man - mysterious, villain, hidden identity
- Extreme close up of eyes - danger, victim
- Eyes - vulnerability, fear shows in the eyes
- Water droplet, red filter, could refer to blood, danger
- Tense orchestral music, louder with credits, uncomfortable atmosphere
- Negative view on face
- Bold, white capital font
- Distorted images, layered, confusion, merges ideas

Sub Genres

Examples of sub genres.

Psychological thriller - the conflict between the main characters is mental and emotional, rather than physical. Examples: The Machinist, Memento, Oldboy

Erotic thriller - Based around sexual desires. Examples: Basic Instinct

Techno thriller - In which technology is described in detail and made essential to the reader's/viewer's understanding of the plot. Examples: Minority Report, Blade Runner, Gojira, The Hurt Locker

Disaster Thriller - The main conflict is due to some sort of natural or artificial disaster. Examples: The Day After Tomorrow, The Towering Inferno

Religious Thriller -Tthe plot is closely connected to religious objects, institutions and questions. Examples: The Da Vinci Code, The Devil's Advocate

Conventions of a Thriller

- crime at the core of the narrative
- Enigmas (mystery) for spectator
- mystery usually solved at the en
- suspense - key to thriller
- micro elements - musical score, suspense and tension
- low key lighting, adds to mystery/suspense
- often oblique/canted angles, distorts image
- often POV shots, fast action shots and close ups
- protagonist (main character) and antagonist (villain or force e.g. paranormal)
- main characters often accustomed to danger e.g. law enforcer, spies, soldiers etc. or normal civilians drawn into danger
- hero usually beats the villain

prelim

Welcome