Feedback from Miss Dughan (23/03/09.)

My group and I got our feedback from Miss Dughan and she had given us a D.
She also gave us ideas to improve it and get a better grade overall.
These are some of the ideas that Miss Dughan suggested:
Add speech to the production.
Remember the 180 degrees rule.
To match the audio to the scenes better.
To rethink our ending.
When we re-film it might work better, with only one girl being chased because the girls running together seems to take something away from the tension you might otherwise bulid.
We have decided that we are going to re-film everything and only have Holly running away from Dan to add tension and also my group and I are going to shot it at night to add more tension and danger.
My group and Iare also planning to re-edit it on Wednesday.

Editing the Main Task (Week beginning the 16th...)

In this week my group and I edited our project. On Mondays lesson my goup and I made the credits for our film, for example the actors and the production team. On Wednesday my group and I played around with dissolving and making the scenes a bit slower to add tension. This took my group and Imost of Wednesday's lesson therefore on Thursday my group and I fitted the music around the film which my group and I found to add a lot of tension, also my group and I made a draft of it and put it on a DVD to give into Miss Dughan. My group and Iwill be able to redit or refilm when we have our feedback from Miss Dughan.

Editing the Main task (11/03/09)

My group and I decided to edit the shots we took on the 9th. So my group and I captured the tape and then start on working on putting it together staright away. My group and I then decided as My group and Iwas editing the opening sequence that we should see what it looked like in black and white. My group and I did and my group and I decided to keep it because it suited the thriller genre alot more. An example of this being used is in the film 'Control'. I think it will add suspence and make it seem a bit more like a thriller. My group and I have also decided to make the credits red so they stand out on the picture. My group and I have not finished the making of the credits yet but my goup and I are planning to do this in Mondays lesson. My group and I also need to add the sound to the sequence which my group and I are also hoping to do next lesson. My group and I have also thought about doing some close up shots on our faces when we are running to add to the tension and the unknown.

Fliming the Main task (09/03/2009.)

In this 2 hour lesson my group and I went to the location of filming, my group and I then filmed most of our opening sequence. My group and I did have the problem of it being a public walk-thorough so we had different people in the background of different shots.
In Wednesday's lesson my group and I are planning to do our editing and then if there are still some shots left to do my group and I will re shoot them on Monday the 16th.

Editing of the Main task (04/03/09.)

On Wednesday the 4th of March my group and I uploaded the shots we had done to see how they would work together.
However we worked out that there is alot more shots we need to do because we didn't take all the right shots and they weren't as staright as Miss Dughan might of liked. Therefore we decided to do some more filming on the 9th of March if the weather is nice.

AS Practical:First day of filming 02/03/09.

My group and I completed our planning over the weekend therefore, today my group and I went to our location of filming to film some shots.
Some of the shots we shot were; the pan of Holly and me running past, the pan of Dan walking past, etc.
My group and I used Dan's camera to shoot these shots because it is easier to use and get use of. Therefore the shots will be in MP4. This may not work on Abobe Premiere Pro which we have considered. Therefore my group and I got Mr Wheatly to convert it into the right material.
My group and I agreed that we worked well today but we still have a few shots to do which we will do at a later date.

AS Practical Task: Location...

By Dan Walker.

It will be in and around the two alley ways running alongside Queen Elizabeth's Park in Toton/Stapleford. Here are some location shots.


My group and I chose this location because my group and I thought it would go well with our plot. The covered up grafitti on the alley way makes it look like a rough area and also a alley way is isolated from everywhere else and gives a scarier feel because theres no where to go but straight on.

AS Practical Task: Risk Assessment...

By Dan Walker.

For the course of our filming there will be minimal risk of danger, however it is essential we take maximum precautions anyway.

Location- Because we are not in college, we must ensure that we return at the times negotiated to ensure the teachers are aware of where we are. Also, we must not cause nuisance or damage to any other pubic citizens we may meet in the process of filming. The only other risks about our location is the common sense risks like coming into contact with strangers, or prevent getting lost. We will ensure this by not filming out of day light hours.
Equipment- We must ensure the filming equipment is looked after correctly, and not damaged or exposed to water, fire or too much sunlight. All equipment borrowed must be returned in the same condition.

AS Practical Task: Props...

Holly Costema was assigned the props:


This is the handbag both of the girls will be wearing.

Dan is going to hold a picture of us to show the audience that he is following us and some how know us this also creates an enigma.

AS Practical Task: Actors...

My group and I decided we should all take part in our filming production as the actors and the Filmer's, etc. Holly Costema was assigned this task.

This is Holly Costema & Amy Selby, they play the two girls who are getting chased by the unknown man (Dan).
My group and I felt that is was more easy to use people in the group for the characters because my group and I feel we know what we are going for.

This is Daniel Walker, he plays the unknown man chasing the girls (Holly & Amy).
My group and I also felt that is was more easy to use people in the group for the characters because my group and I feel we know what we are going for.

AS Practical Task: filming schedule...

My group and I organised time to do filming and editing. we formed a table of this:
Date Task
2nd of March Filming
3rd of March Filming
4th of March Editing
5th of March Editing
9th of March Editing
11th of March Editing
12th of March Editing
16th of March Editing

AS Practical Task: Costume brainstorm...

My group and I brainstormed some ideas for the costume in our final product. For example:







I was assigned to blog our progress about the costume ideas.
These are the final pictures of our character's costumes:
My group and I chose casual because it would give the impression that it is just a normal day.For Dans costume, my group and I chose a hoody and jeans because he can put his hood up to give a more scary feel because you can't really see his face.
Dan's costume...





Amy's costume...




Holly's costume...

Research for AS Practical task...

For our AS Practical task we was told to research 4 topics:

A) Films

B) The genre.

C) The industry.

D) The conventions of opening scenes.

I have chosen to do the genre, therefore I am researching the thriller (genre).

Thrillers are characterized by fast pacing, frequent action, and resourceful heroes who must thwart the plans of more-powerful and better-equipped villains.

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thriller_(genre)

The thriller genre can include some of the following sub-genres, which may include elements of other genres: Action thriller, Crime thriller,Disaster thriller,Drama thriller, Horror thriller & Supernatural thriller.

source:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thriller_(genre)#Sub-genres

Most thrillers are formed in some combination of the above, with horror, conspiracy, and psychological tricks used most commonly to heighten tension. Combinations are highly diverse, including:
Science Fiction thrillers: The Terminator, I Am Legend, Blade Runner
Science Fiction/Horror thrillers: Jurassic Park, Alien, Predator
Techno/Political/Conspiracy/Military/Horror Thriller: Predator, Robocop, S.M. Stirling's Draka novels
Legal/Forensic/Psychological/Horror thriller: Thomas Harris' The Silence of the Lambs, novel, Seven.

source:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thriller_(genre)#Sub-genres

All of this research gave me and my group a lot more ideas about making our thriller for example making the opening scene very fast pass but still make some of the scenes long to add suspence.
This is Holly Costema's research on Thriller Films:
Films
According to www.imdb.com/chart/thriller The Godfather is the number one thriller of all time with The Godfather 2 coming in second and The Dark Knight in third place. The Godfather won 3 Oscars including Best Actor, Best Picture and Best Writing, Screenplay. It also had another 19 wins and 17 nominations. On the opening weekend the gross at the box office was $302,393 and it opened in 6 screens in the USA.
Examples of films:
• Phone Booth is a thriller about a selfish man trapped in a phone booth by a deranged sniper. Framed for the murder of a pimp, he finds himself surrounded by police who have no idea of the sniper's presence.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thriller_(genre)#Film
• The Bourne Identity was adapted into a movie starring Matt Damon which used many of the thriller conventions of the plot. Though its sequels, The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum, depart significantly from Robert Ludlum's storyline, the conspiracy-thriller genre is still well-preserved.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thriller_(genre)#Film

Also here is Dan's research into the Thriller industry:
I researched into industry and looked at the best thrillers of all time

1. The Godfather (1972)
2. The Godfather Part II (1974)
3. The Dark Knight
4. Star Wars Episode V- The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
5. Rear Window (1954)
6. Cidade de Deus (2002)
7. Fight Club (1999)
8. The Usual Suspects (1995)
9. Psycho (1960)
10. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

AS Practical Task: Storyboard.

My group and I made a storyboard so we could think of camera angles and shots. This also made us think about better ideas by using different camera angles, etc.

This is our animatic:

My preliminary task...

Preliminary task: Storyboard.

This is the storyboard that me and my group constructed for planning of the camera angles, shots and were we would like to place our actors, etc.

Practical AS task: Research, Planning & Brainstorm

The class and I choose our groups in today's lesson mine is Holly Costema & Daniel Walker. My group and I then thought about some ideas for our Thriller, and brainstorm them as a group.
For example: Costumes, camera shots, sound, etc, mise en scene, e.g. Dark room to create tension, location, e.g. park, empty room, house, etc, characters, e.g. portagonist and antagonist. Also we thought of the antagonist could be an Stalker or an Paedophile.

My group and I then discussed the final ideas for our thriller and also brainstormed theses as a group. After this my group and I formed a questionnaire, which we formed to hand out and collect information from. This is the questionnaire:

1. Whats your favourite thriller? ________________________

2. What do you think a good name for a thriller would be?
· The Unknown
· Kidnapped
· Gone
· Dead and Gone
· Other, Please state__________________________
3. What do you like to see in a thriller?
· Murder
· Action
· Kidnapping
· Cliff Hangers
· Other, Please state_______________________
4. Who are your favourite characters in thrillers?
· Good guys
· Bad Guys
· Femme Fetale’s
· Other, Please state____________________
5. Who is your favourite character in thrillers?
· Alfred Hitchcock
· James Bond
· Batman
· Other, Please state_____________________
6. How often do you watch thrillers?
· 0-2 weeks
· 2 weeks- 1 month
· 1-4 months
· 4-6 months
· 6 months-1 year
· 1 year+
· Never
7. Do you prefer to watch films in..?
· Colour
· Black and White
· Sepia
· No Preference
8. Where do you like to see thrillers?
· Cinema
· At home
· Internet
· Phone
· Other, Please state_______________
9. How long do you expect the opening to thrillers to last?
· 0-2 minutes
· 2-5 minutes
· 5-10 minutes
· 10+ minutes
· Other, Please state____________________
10. What do you expect from a thriller?

My group and I gave out 10 of these questionnaires around our college. My group and I learnt a lot about thriller for example a good name for a thriller was voted dead and gone. Also people like thrillers to involve a lot of action.

North by NorthWest (1959).

Information on North by Northwest:

Director: Alfred Hitchcock.

Writer:Ernest Lehmam.

Genres: Adventure, mystery, thriller, etc.

Plot: New York advertising executive Roger Thornhill is kidnapped by a gang of spies led by Philip Vandamm, who believe Thornhill is CIA agent George Kaplan. Thornhill escapes, but must find Kaplan in order to clear himself of a murder it is believed he committed. Following Kaplan to Chicago as a fugitive from justice, Thornhill is helped by beautiful Eve Kendall. In Chicago, she delivers a message to Kaplan that almost costs Thornhill his life when he is chased across a cornfield by a crop-dusting plane. Written by filmfactsman

source:http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0053125/

North by Northwest (1959) is a suspense film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, starring Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint and James Mason, and featuring Leo G. Carroll and Martin Landau. The screenplay was written by Ernest Lehman, who wanted to write "the Hitchcock picture to end all Hitchcock pictures". The film is one of several Hitchcock movies with a film score by Bernard Herrmann and features a famous title sequence by the graphic designer Saul Bass.

source:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_by_Northwest_(film)

In class we watched North by Northwest and took notes on the thriller techniques used, for example:

• 
  
  In the scene where Roger is taken to the mystery house, the room he is taken into the curtains are closed and the lights are turned on this gives a sense of mystery.


• 
  
  In the scene where the men are trying to kill Roger but no-one knows why there is music used for suspense.


• 
  
  Also Eve, the seductive femme fatale draws Roger into the drama. Femme fatales are used a lot in thrillers to draw the hero/heroine in, sometimes there is also a girl who needs to be saved which is the romance figure. This gives the audience more to think about.


• 
  
  Also Roger always gets away from the trouble just in time. This is very typcial of a thriller something that is used for all heros/heroines this makes them seem superior for the audience. However it still makes the audience worry for them by them only getting away in the last few minutes.

Costumes for the preliminary task:

Amy: dark black top, black jeans and black boots. hair tyed back, every day make-up.
Hannah: dark black top, black jeans and black shoes. hair down, also every day make-up.
i choose the costume to be very dark to go with the location of the dark room.

Preliminary task:

Planning:

• never see faces.


• someone late (running).


• Running outside.


• sitting down in a room with just a table and chair.

Dialogue ideas:

• 'where is she?'


• 'Where have you been?'


• 'can we get this over with?'


• 'sorry I'm late'

Final ideas:

Location: dark room with a table and chair.

Actors: Amy the girl who is late. Hannah the girl already sitting in the room.