Film Feedback From Other Groups.

During one of the lessons in Media, other groups in our class that was doing the same task were given a sheet of paper that had to be filled out with feedback. Here are some examples of the feedback and comments that we received:

1. "Difficult to tell what it's about"
2. "Good use of camera shots an editing between shots in some places"
3. "Zoom was nice at the start, but perhaps don't overuse zoom?"
4. "Loved the POV shot with the knife"
5. "Bad lighting at times - can't see what's going on"
6. "Don't really understand the storyline"
7. "Can't hear the dialogue at the start"
8. "Needs sound and credits"

As a part of the feedback, us as group are going to take the comments into account and improve on our work and make the necessary changes. Also, we now understand where our weak points in our group, when it comes to filming and editing and where we can make improvements to our opening sequence.

~Posted by Daniel and Lauren

Editing Meeting #7

Editing our sequence we found was probably the hardest part of it all. Whilst editing we found that a few shots were way too long and that our scenes had to be cut down a huge amount. After editing, our sequence was 5 minutes long, this was absolutely no good so therefore we had to take away a scene to make it shorter. The scene we decided to cut out of our opening sequence was the daytime forest scene where the detectives investigate the missing girl and find her dead body.



The reason why we cut out the forest scene is because it was the least important part of our main story, and the only scene that would make sense not
putting into the opening. We also decided to speed some shots of the killer's house scene up, as we wanted that to be the fastest scene, using fast cuts into the action.

When editing we have had to move shots around god knows how many times just to make it look ten times better. We learnt how rearranging can really make a good impact while editing.

We used a cross fade, and a fade to black effect to show time has passed between certain shots so the audience don't get confused.

We also found a way to edit the lighting in certain areas that were too dark or too light, by using the colour balance wheel and adjusting it until it was just right and matched well.

We also had to mute certain shots because of unwanted background noises: such as wind, talking,breathing,dogs barking etc.

After our editing I think our opening sequence looks much different to what we thought the outcome would be. It was tough, but it really is amazing the difference
editing can make to a film.    

~Posted by Lauren

Our final Idea- Everything

Genre: Horror/Thriller

Title: The Slayer

Narrative:

Starts off with a sound bridge of the train(tracking) and then there's the shot of the typical "dumb blonde" partying girl, who wakes up uncomfortably on a bench after falling asleep. She looks around very slowly, taking her time to realise that she had fallen asleep,and now is alone in the dark. She then quite a while after "realising" the time, and that she should be home, reaches into her pocket to find a text from her mother (close-up of phone), the text from her mother worries her, and she rushes to her feet instantly to get "home". What she doesn't know is that someone has been watching this attractive girl for quite some time.

As she walks across the pathway, she hears the sound of the swings moving, so decides to turn back to see what it could back to see what it could be. As she turns forward the killer appears in front of her , charging instantly at her with a knife, so she screams and runs off into the dark forest, when she could have just rushed down the local pathway in front of her. The killer manages to catch up with her and stab her brutally in the stomach multiple times. He then places her against the tree, but we don't see this happen, we just see the shot of the girl dead against the tree.

Then it changes to the detectives in the office, where the detective chief takes off his hat and walks in to sit at the computer desk, at the same time the detective assistant is there printing out the article of the missing girl. Where he then highlights her name, and then the phone rings telling them they've found a location for them to go to, so the detective chief puts down the phone fast, and they begin to get ready fast. Detective assistant then places the article on the board by pinning it up, before walking out the door, and you hear the sound bridge of the door close.

Then it goes to the killer entering his house, switching off the light, and then rushing up the stairs.




Costumes:
Suits
Black hoody for the killer
Articles
Knife – for the killer
Black leather boots
Balaclava
Victim – white top,shorts – makes the blood stand out and the darkness contrasts
Blood make up
Black gloves – for the killers/the detectives

Props:
Knife
Balaclava
shoulder-bag
gloves
article
map
phone
computer
mobile
wig
pin board
printer
hat

Language/Accents:
Detectives use British Accents
- although the Asian detective has another accent, but he doesn't speak in the opening.

Sound:
Scary/ eerie music for the start before lauren gets kidnapped
When it change to the detectives, the motion of the music speeds up like action
The music suddenly stops and thumps when lauren is found
And then it changes back to slow when the killer gets ready again, DEFINITELY get sound of the killer breathing.
When watching the victim from the killers pov, use breathing noise.
a bang at the end with the title
The music from garageband rises with the fast bits of action

Camera movement:
Pov – point of view
Closeup of lauren against the tree – camera facing the torch light
Slow-mo of some cuts, of the stabbing
Tracking the train, and the girl's footsteps. POV of the girl dying
Pov of the killer taking out the knife.
close ups of facebook convo, the light switch, and killer walking up stairs.
Mid shots of the detectives. Long shots of victim and killer
so on.

Locations:
Forest – where the victim is brutally stabbed
Office-This belongs to the detectives, and it is where they will work.
House – where the killer is getting ready/lives.

• Themes: 
• Death
• Murder
• Crime
• Violence
• Danger
• Sadness
• Fear
• Mystery

Genre: 
Crime/horror

Cast:
Killer – Daniel
Detective 1Chief – Alex
Detective 2 - Daniel
Victim – Lauren


Audience:
Our target audience 15-30 year olds, this is because all the product placement that are placed in there for the advertisment which is aimed for that age range. From our research we found out that horror/crime genres are aimed at teenagers and adults, because the story plot may appeal more around that age range, as well as some materials might be inapropriate and too complex. Younger audiences may also be encouraged to do bad things and this would be because of their lack of understanding. On the other hand, adults are more trustworthy and sensible, aswell as older teenagers.

Shooting Schedule Forest scene detectives

~Posted by Lauren

Meeting #6 Filming in the forest; Detective Scene

Alex walking over the bridge practising the shot that was
going to be taken on the bridge.

Daniel walking through the underground getting his
bearings for another shot that was going to be taken.

~Posted by Lauren and Daniel

Daniel again looking for areas in the forest where shots can
be taken.

Here is Daniel and Alex looking for shot locations within the
forest that could relate to the story board that we created.

An image of Daniel attaching the camcorder to the tripod, 

getting ready to shoot another scene for the opening sequence.

Shooting Schedule

~Posted by Lauren

Our map for our film that we made.

A video of the map :)

Here is an image of the map that we've created for our opening sequence. It was made from maps from a atlas and tape that stuck more than one page together. This map is going to be used in the office scene where Daniel and Alex will be investigating further into the case that is in our opening sequence.

~Posted by Lauren and Daniel

First practice with Final cut meeting #5

In our first first final cut meeting we were creating a title text for our opening sequence, it was only just a practice and we are not yet familiar with the software.

~Posted by all

Top 5 Horror Movies

1. “Paranormal Activity” (2007). This low budget “mockumentary” broke box office records while scaring the pants off people. It's subtle scares build as the movie goes on, requiring that you keep the rewind button close. It might seem like there's little going on but the ending is sure to leave you guessing.
2. “Saw” (2004). From the opening till the very end this horror movie keeps you on the edge of your seat. Claustrophobic and clever, it is one of the most original horror movies of the digital age. You know a movie is popular when it spawns five sequels in as many years and gives rise to "Jigsaw," the popular culture killer from the franchise.
3. “Scream” (1996). Made during the heyday of the pop teen renaissance and packed with a who's who of then TV stars, Scream reinvigorated a sagging horror movie genre. Both scary and fun, the film uses every great horror film before it for reference. The killer’s mask from this movie remains a popular Halloween favorite.  
4. “Halloween” (1978). John Carpenter’s masterpiece about a masked killer stalking small town babysitters has become a modern classic. Michael Myers is a pop culture icon. The movies haunting score is infamous in its own right.  This popular horror movie was once the highest-grossing independent movie of all time.
5. “Friday the Thirteenth” (1980).  With over twelve sequels and a Freddy Kruger mash-up flick, this is clearly one of the most popular horror movies ever.  Jason Voorhees has immortalized the hockey mask as a symbol of intimidation.

~Posted by Lauren

Top 5 Crime Movies

The Godfather (1972)
Language: English Genre: Drama/Crime MPAA rating: R Director: Francis Ford Coppola Goodfellas (1990) Language: English Genre: Crime/Drama MPAA rating: R Director: Martin Scorsese Pulp Fiction (1994) Language: English Genre: Crime/Drama MPAA rating: R Director: Quentin Tarantino The Departed (2006) Language: English Genre: Crime/Drama MPAA rating: R Director: Martin Scorsese Actors: Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson Reservoir Dogs (1992) Language: English Genre: Crime/Drama MPAA rating: R Director: Quentin Tarantino Actors: Harvey Keitel, Michael Madsen, Steve Buscemi ~Posted by Lauren

Our article for the film.

~Posted by Lauren

Location #4 House

 

 

~Posted by Lauren and Daniel

Analysis of our Sound/Credits for our opening.

Initial storyboard on post it notes. Meeting #4

Detailed Storyboard for Scribd[1]

~Posted by all

Group meeting #3 Detailed initial storyboarding on post it notes

Alex drawing out the story board

Putting the story board in order and planning it out,

Daniel sorting out the storyboard order.

Drawing for the storyboard.

~Posted by Lauren and Daniel