Prelim Task Video

Filming

On the 22nd of December we finally got round to re-filming parts of our prelim task and filming our main video. We found it a lot easier this time as we were more organised and had less distractions.
We went round Megan's in the afternoon as it got dark and started to film re-film parts of our prelim. This was considerably easier than filming our main task as we had previously filmed it but decided we didn't like it, therefore we knew what we were doing.
Filming the main task was a lot harder and took quite a long time. Some problems we came across were:

• Shadows of the person holding the camera whilst outside
• Lack of costumes - we couldn't find a mask or a black cape
• The lighting outside was limited and although it added to the scariness it also made what was on screen hard to see
• Lack of props - we couldn't hang the crib we had from a tree as it was too heavy

We tried to deal with these problems as well as we could. The person who was filming (mainly Hannah) moved around and found a position where her shadow couldn't be seen onscreen even if it meant using a different shot to the one we had drawn up on our storyboard. Costume-wise we found a black coat and I wore that over my head instead of a shawl, I also turned my back to the camera so that my face wasn't visible as we wanted the killer's identity to be kept secret during the opening sequence. 

The lighting we couldn't really do much about, we had Megan's garden lights and kept those on throughout shooting. We also tried to use torches for extra light however they didn't make a huge amount of difference. Because we couldn't hand the crib from the tree, in the end we just tied the baby around a rope swing. I think it looked slightly unrealistic however in the limited amount of time we had this was our best idea.

Once we finished filming I took the camera home and I am now editing the shots into our final pieces of iMovie. 

Horror History

The purpose of horror films is to gain a negative emotional reaction from the audience by playing on their fears. They often include scenes where the viewer is startled through the means of macabre or supernatural, meaning that the horror genre often overlaps with the fantasy and science fiction genre. Horrors also frequently overlap with the thriller genre.
The term “horror movie” first appeared when critics and film industry commentators were writing about Universal's Dracula and Frankenstein (1931) but has since been applied in retrospect to similar films from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. 

Prelim filming

On the 28th of October myself, Hannah and Megan went to Megan's to film the prelim task and the opening cradle shot of our movie. However it didn't work out too well.
Whilst we were filming we encountered a few problems. These included; our friends who we had asked to act in the film being disruptive and we also found Megan's brother was too. In the background of a lot of the shots you can either hear or see them. Therefore when we next film we have decided to act in it ourselves to eliminate any distractions.
We managed to film these two shots quicker than anticipated so we then decided to move on to the next shot, however it was raining outside and this is where we needed to shoot so we decided against it.
When we got back to school and watched the footage through, we realised that the fact we had not used a tripod was obvious. The filming was shaky and did not look professional. We have taken this on board and next time we will use a tripod.

Shooting Schedule

Props/settings/costumes for preliminary task and final task

Preliminary task
- Two chairs (from Megan's house)
- Front door (from Megan's house)
- House (Megan's house)

Final task
- Cradle (from Mrs Scales)
- Mobile (from Hannah)
- Baby (from Hannah)
- House phone (from Megan's house)
- White dress (from Sophie)
- Black top, trousers and cloak (from Lucy and Mrs Scales)
- Clown mask (from Lucy)
- Garden (Megan's house)
- House (Megan's house)

Preliminary Task

We have chosen to link our preliminary task to our final film opening as we think this is the best idea to enable our final opening to be the best possible it can be.

The short film will be of the babysitter first entering the house and speaking to the mother of the baby.

The script:
(Knocking sound on door. Door opened from the inside and the baby sitter walks though.)
Tracy: Come in, take a seat. The baby's upstairs asleep.
Dacry: Ah alright.
Tracy: All you need to do is check on her every hour. She should be fine otherwise. If she starts to cry then pick her up and give her the bottle that I've left in the fridge.
Darcy: Alright okay, sounds good to me.
(House phone rings)
Tracy: Excuse me, that's the phone, I'll be back in a minute.

The shots that we need to incorporate into our film are match on action shot, shot/reverse shot and the 180 degree rule.
How will we include match on action in our film?
The match on action shot will take place when the mum opens the door and the babysitter walks through into the house. The action from the previous frame will match the action in the following frame but from a different angle.
How will we include shot/reverse shot in our film?
The shot/reverse shot will take place when the mother and babysitter are exchanging the few lines of dialouge. The shot will cut from one character to the other to indicate that a conversation is occuring between the two of them.
How will we include the 180 degree rule in our film?
The 180 degree rule will be used in our film again whilst the mother and babysitter are having the conversation. The camera will be on the left behind both of the characters so that the person facing the camera will be on the left side of the screen.

Editing: A Worksheet

1. What does editing do?
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications in various media, performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete output.


2. How does it work?
The final cut and what the audience sees is dependent on the editing (which is usually done by the editor, however the editor will take into account what the director and writer's think). The editor will choose the shots that they feel will work the best. For example if they wanted to portray a scary, intimidating character then the editor will select the shots which best reflect this. 


3. Describe each of the following editing terms: 

• Cut - The most common transition from one shot to the next is the simple cut, where one shot is suddenly replaced by another. Within a continuous scene or sequence, shots are usually strung together using cuts.
• Dissolve - A dissolve or mix sees one shot fade out while another fades in. During the dissolve, both shots are on screen at the same time, visible through each other.
• Fade - Another important shot transition is fade to black or fade out, followed by black screen, then fade up or fade in. This provides a definite ‘closure’ to a section of the narrative, a transition even more emphatic than the dissolve, which tends to provide a link.
• Jump cut - A jump cut is a cut in film editing in which two sequential shots of the same subject are taken from camera positions that vary only slightly. This type of edit causes the subject of the shots to appear to "jump" position in a discontinuous way.

4. How does the shot reverse shot help the narrative or generate meaning?

Usually, a shot reverse shot is used to show the view point of a certain character. It will can also be use to show reactions of another character after an something has taken place. This helps the narrative and generates meaning as the audience will know and understand how that character is feeling. 


5. Why is the 180 degree rule important?
The 180-degree rule states that two characters (or other objects) in the same scene, must have the same left/right relationship to each other. For example, if one character is on the left side of the shot they should always face the right and vica versa. It's important so that the audience doesn't get confused or disorientated and understands fully the positions of the characters. 


6. How and why is the point of view shot used?
A point of view shot (POV shot) is used to make the audience feel connected to the character as what they can see is what the audience are being shown. A POV shot is often used in horror movies to increase tension. We usually know that it's a POV shot when the camera is shaky as this gives off the impression of unsteadiness. 


7. What is parallel or cross cut editing?
Parallel editing (cross cutting) is the technique of alternating two or more scenes that often happen simultaneously but in different locations. If the scenes are simultaneous, they occasionally culminate in a single place, where the relevant parties confront each other. 


8. What editing techniques are used to generate suspense?
The length of scenes and shots are key generating suspense. Usually if the editor wants to create suspense then they will use long shots to drag it out and keep the audience on the edge of their seat. 


9. Why is timing important in editing?
Timing is important in editing so that there is a sense of pace for the audience, however the pace should change from scene to scene to keep the attention of the audience. The timing should be dependent on the editing, for example if there is a lot of action then there should be lots of quick, short shots used whereas if the editor wants to create suspense then they should  use longer shots to build the tension. 


10. What is the continuity system?
The continuity system aims to present a scene where the editing is "invisible". So things like props, positions of characters, lighting etc are the same throughout. This is done to achieve a "smooth" and "seamless" style of narrative. 


11. Why does editing strive to be invisible?
It is important that the audience does not consciously acknowledge the editing so that they do not get confused and concentrate on the main item in the frame whether it be a character or an object. If editing is noticeable then this takes away the idea that it's real as the audience will be able to tell that things have been moved around and changed. 

The Dark Knight Opening

The first thing that the audience sees in the opening of The Dark Knight is the institution logo. The main institution associated with this film is Warner Bros. Their name and logo is extremely recognisable. The screen is very dark which suggests to the audience that the film is going to be dark as well. There are some rolls of thunder in the background which again add the element of darkness and fear.

The audience then sees the next institution associated with the film - Legendary Pictures. This institution isn't as well known as Warner Bros is however it is still a reasonably recognisable institution. There is a very low, barely audible sound which creates discomfort and unease for the audience.

As the third institution logo appears a drum beat starts in the background. The drum beat resembles a heart beat and could be used to again create unease and discomfort for the audience, slowly starting to build the tension.

There are then what look like explosions which separate to show the batman logo. The explosions tell the audience immediately that this film is going to be full of action. The batman logo is very easily recognisable by most people. The drum beat stops as this shot starts and a sustained string starts. A sustained string sounds eerie and sets a tone for the opening shot which is going to follow.

The very first shot of the movie is an establishing shot of a city, this immediately sets the scene for the audience. The sustained string is still playing. The drum beat starts again.

The camera slowly then zooms in to one of the buildings. Then suddenly one of the windows smashes. Already this is telling the audience that the movie is going to be quite fast pace as we're only just over a minute in and the action has already started. The sustained string is still playing until the window smashes. The sound of the window smashing is louder and makes the audience jump, putting them on the edge of their seat.

There is then a close up of somebody wearing a clown's mask holding a gun. The gun adds fear and is a stereotypical prop in action films. The clown mask keeps us detached from character as we don't know who they are. However it immediately engages the audience as they will want to know who he is and why is he wearing a mask.

The camera then pans round to a high angle shot. This creates an element of mystery. In the corner there is another person with a clown mask on, raising more questions with the audience. Who are they? Why are they both wearing masks? What are they doing? There are some fast pizzicato strings playing in the background. The music hear reflects the pace of the film.

There is then a long shot of a man at a crossing. The camera zooms in to a close up of the mask he is holding. The mask is similar to those of the ones being worn by the people in the building therefore the audience will link these three people together. The music then starts to crescendo to help create suspense. At the end of this shot a car pulls up and the man climbs in, putting the mask on his face.

We're then back to a mid-shot of the men in the building, however the camera is from behind and the lighting has been done in a way so that their figures are black. These helps to keep the element of mystery previously created by the high angle shot. The music is gradually getting louder and faster to add to the tension and suspense.


The two people from the building them jump out the window and slide across the wire to another building. There is a crane shot that follows them across showing the danger, suggesting that this film is going to include people doing risky things that create adrenaline. Drums are also used hear to create a gun shot sound, foreshadowing later events.

The camera then jumps back to the car where there are three men with the clown masks on. We then get the first piece of dialogue, one of them says "three of a kind. Lets do this." It then becomes apparent to the audience that all these men are working together and are on some kind of mission. The guy in the backseat then loads a gun suggesting that the action is going to happen fairly soon.

The men then start to discuss their 'shares' they they are going to gain from what they are about to do. This allows the audience to presume that they are going to rob something. There is then the first mention of 'The Joker' who is going to be a key character in this film.

The camera then jumps back to the two men on the roof. They too are talking about The Joker, suggesting to the audience that he is going to be an important character to the storyline. However they have a joke at his expense over the fact he wears make-up showing that there's going to be a comedy element to the film. All of the men are dressed in black to suggest evil and mystery.

There is then a low angle shot of the men climbing out the van. The low angle shot is used to make the audience feel dominated by the characters. In this instance they are dominated by them as the audience are still not fully aware of what they are doing. They then look around the street before running up some steps in a building.

Once they have entered the building, one of the men fires off a gun. This indicates to the audience that the action is about to start. Screaming starts which will help to reinforce the element of fear for the audience.

This is followed by a long shot of the men running through the building and it becomes apparent to the audience that they are in a bank which means that we can assume they stealing money. The men start shouting at the workers telling them to put their "hands up and heads down".

One of the men then pulls a worker over the desk and onto the floor. This shows that there is going to be frequent violence throughout the film. There comedy element also returns when he refers to the worker as 'pal'.

Next is a close up of some kind of gadget that the men are using the help break into the bank. The close up shot tells us that it's going something important.

We are then taken back to inside the bank where there is chaos and panic. Having the shots quickly jump between the two scenes helps the pace of the film.

On the roof the men appear to be having a problem with the gadget, however it becomes clear to the audience that this is all part of the plan when one of the men kills the other. This makes the audience wonder why all of a sudden they're turning on each other.

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist Opening

The first thing that the audience sees in the opening of Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist is the main institution logo. This is Columbia. There name and logo is extremely recognisable. Fans of the institution will want to watch this film because it is associated with it. The song Speed of Sound by Chris Bell starts to play.


The next thing the audience sees in the other institution associated with the film - Mandate Pictures. Mandate Pictures is as well known as Columbia, however it is still reasonably recognisable. Speed of Sound is still playing. The music is slow creating a calm mood for the audience.

The screen then goes black for a few seconds before the film starts. This is the first image we see, a long shot of a house. In the corner of the screen we can see a yellow car, it is unknown to the viewer at the moment but this car has been placed in the shot on purpose as it will be an important part of the film. The music is still playing, however there is a telephone ring.

At the start of this shot the music fades and becomes background noise. The close up on the record player suggests that this is something key to film. We can also tell from the film name that music is going to be something important in the film. We hear the telephone ring again.

The camera then goes to a close-up of a wall full of posters, however there is emphasis on this particular one as the camera pans upwards to show the audience the full poster. This again suggests to the audience that the band "Where's Fluffy" will be key to the film.

The audience then meets the first character, Nick. There is a mid-shot of him as he's on the phone leaving a message to a girl called Tris. He then walks over to a window in his bedroom and leans against it. We can tell from the way that he's speaking he's quite an awkward character as there are long pauses when he speaks.

Nick then walks over to a wall full of pictures of him and a girl who we presume is Tris. From the pictures we can tell that she's his girlfriend or ex-girlfriend. He then says "last time we spoke we both said some really nasty thing" which tells the audience that they currently aren't speaking and this may be part of the story line.

Nick then leans his head against the photographs on the wall which shows the comedic side of the film as this is something which will make the audience laugh at how 'pathetic' his character is. He then says "when you broke up with me" which tells the audience that Tris is his ex-girlfriend.

There is then a mid-shot of Nick sat down behind a computer. He starts talking about a mix tape that he has made and how it's the last one, then another one pops out of his laptop again showing the comedic side of the film. The theme of music is constantly being reinforced throughout the opening sequence. Speed of Sound is still playing in the background.

Next is a close-up of Nick's face as he lies on a bed. The close up here is used to show emotion. At the end of this shot as he ends the call a woman's voice says "your message has been deleted".

It then cuts to a long shot of him laying on a bed where he says "fuck" in response to his message being deleted. The use of the word 'fuck' immediately tells the audience that this film isn't suitable for little children as there is going to be swear words. Speed of Sound stops playing at the end of this shot.

An upbeat, fast tempo song then starts to play as the picture pans over more photographs of Tris and Nick. This is when the credits start. The first one is Columbia pictures.

The second credit is Mandate Pictures. The font is cartoony and looks handwriting which is quite quirky, linking with the character Nick. The writing is also in yellow which reinforces the mood that the new song has created - happiness.

Music plays a key part in this film so straight after the institutions are credited, all of the artists featured in the movie are too. Having a good soundtrack is an advantage to a film as fans of the artists will watch the film to hear the songs and then soundtrack can be sold afterwards to create an even larger profit.

The only actor or actresses name to appear in the opening credits is Michael Cera who plays Nick. This tells the audience that the Nick character they have just witnessed in his room is in fact the main character in the film. Having an actor like Michael Cera in the film will generate a lot of teenage interest as fans of him will want to see it.

The last thing in the opening sequence is the name of the film. We already know that Nick is going to be a main character, however we haven't been introduced to Norah yet. This will make the audience want to watch on as they will want to find out who she is and what part she plays in the storyline.

Movie opening notes

Group: Lucy Savage, Megan Mcguiness, Hannah James
Task: Create a 2 minute film opening to a horror movie, including credits to the film.

The film
Film Name: The Cradle
Story Line: A teenage girl is babysitting a baby girl. She goes upstairs to check that the baby is alseep, however she is gone. The phone then starts to ring so she answers, she hears a voice on the other end telling her that if she wants the baby back then she has to go outside into the garden. So she follows the voice on the phone's orders. When she walks outside into the garden, the garden lights come on and she sees the baby in a cradle hanging from a tree in the garden. Underneath the tree is somebody dressed all in black bar the clown mask that they are wearing on their face. This person then tells her that she must do everything he says in order to get the baby back. If she fails to do so then the baby will be dropped from the tree. These tasks will relate to the nursey rhyme rock-a-bye-baby. However, she fails to complete the last task and both her and the baby die. The audience never find out who the villian is.
Opening 2 minutes: The film will start with a long shot of a cot with a mobile above it. The camera then zooms in to the mobile which is slowly spinning around. The nursey rhyme rock-a-bye-baby is playing quietly in the background. The screen then goes black and we hear a scream. This lasts for a few seconds before the audience then sees a close up of a girl's face (she is the babysitter). The phone then starts to ring and she answers it. There is an anonymous mans voice that tells her that if she wants to see the baby again then she'll have to go out into the garden. She hangs up and rushes out into the garden. As she gets out there, the garden lights turn on. The baby is in a cradle hanging from a tree in the garden. Underneath the tree is somebody dressed all in black bar the clown mask that they are wearing on their face. The credits will then begin here.
Credits: The credits will include the institution, the main girl's name, producer, director, scripter and the film name - in that order. The credits will appear on a black background and will be in red text. Rock-a-bye-baby will then start to play again over these credits.

Why did we decide to call our film 'The Cradle'? We decided to call our film The Cradle as we thought it was quite a simple name, however the main reason we choose it was because it links in with the theme of rock-a-bye-baby which will be played at the start of the film and then through the credits after the opening sequence. It will suggest to the audience that the film will have something to do with children or babies.
Choices for the opening sequence: We wanted the opening sequence to open up the storyline and capture the audience, therefore we decided to have a lot of action happening in the first minute and a haf before the credits. The film starts with a long shot of a crib with a mobile hanging above it. We wanted this to be the first shot because it immediately tells the audience that the film is going to be based around a child. Over this we will have the nursey rhyme 'Rock-a-bye-baby' playing. Nursey rhyme's are often used in a creepy way in horror films as they can be quite haunting and eerie. This is the effect that we hope it has.
The screen will then go dark and there will be a piercing scream. We chose to have this in the opening as it will straight away get the audience's interest as they will want to know who is screaming and why are they screaming.
After this we will see a close-up of a young girl's face. However it will be unclear to the audience as to who she is, for now they will just be left to make up their own assumption. The young girl shows vulnerability which is a key convention in horror films. It makes the audience fear for the characters which is one of the main aims of the film - to entice fear.
The house phone will then ring and their will be an anonymous mans voice that tells her that if she wants to see the baby again then she'll have to go out into the garden. This will help to keep the audiences interests as they will want to know who the voice on the other end of the phone is.
After this she will rush out into the garden. When she gets there the lights in the garden will turn on. There will be a long shot of somebody dressed all in black with a clown mask on. Next to them will be a tree where the baby will be hanging from it in a cradle. This will be the last shot before the credits.
The credits will then start. They will include the institution, the main girl's name, producer, director, scripter and the film name - in that order. The credits will appear on a black background as this will symbolise the dark element of the film and the text will be in red as this will be symbolic for the blood and danger included in the film. Rock-a-bye-baby will then start to play again over these credits so that it links in with the very first shot that we see.

Shot Types and Camera Angles

When directors or photographers are filming or taking pictures there are a wide range of shot types and camera angles that they can use. Each shot type and camera angle has a different effect that manipulates the audience to think or feel in a certain way. 

1. Close up - A close up shot is usually used to show emotion or a reaction. It is used so that the audience clearly knows how the character is feeling. 

2. High angle shot - A high angle shot is used to make the audience feel more powerful then the character on the screen or in the picture. It also creates an element of mystery. However this shot can also be used to show difference in status.

3. Two shot - A two shot is used to focus on two important people in the screen. There may be other people in the frame however they are usually out of focus. 

4. POV shot - A POV shot is a shot that shows the audience what the character can see. It is used to make the audience feel connected and closer to the character. 

5. Low angle shot/Worms eye shot - The shot is used to make the audience feel intimidated or dominated by something else. It can also be used to show a sense of scale. 

 

6. Tilt shot - A tilt shot is used a dis-orientation method. It makes the audience feel (literally) thrown sideways. It can also be used to make a character look heroic.

7. Long shot - This kind of shot is used so that more can fit in the frame. It puts the figure into context because the audience can see the background and other objects. 

8. Mid shot - This shot often contains a lot of people in the frame from the waist upwards. It is used to focus on the main characters and surrounding characters. 

9. Extreme close up - An extreme close up is used to focus on an important object or feature so that the audience are aware of it. 

10. Establishing shot - An establishing shot is to make the audience aware of the characters surroundings. These kind of shots can also often be used as quick fillers during programmes. 

11. Pan - This is when the camera pans over an area or setting, however the camera does not move, it stays in one spot and just moves on it's stand.

12. Aerial/Crane shot - This shot is used to show the action beneath down below. 

13. Tracking shot - This is similar to a pan shot, however with a tracking shot the camera moves with the action often along a track. This helps the audience to keep up with action as it is happening.

14. Over the shoulder shot - This shot is when you can see the characters shoulder out of focus and the object or person that they are looking at in focus. This shot gives of a sneaky element and makes the audience feel as if they are prying into the characters life.