Acting on our Targets

Acting on our Targets: 

Special Effects:
We decided that we wanted to act upon our targets for next year early, by researching into our targets. One of our targets was to develop our use of special effects. Below is a link to the website that we tried out. The videos were really useful in describing how to add special effects and we now feel confident that we will be able to use this technique next year.

https://helpx.adobe.com/after-effects/how-to/add-video-special-effects.html?playlist=/ccx/v1/collection/product/after-effects/segment/designer/explevel/beginner/applaunch/orientation/collection.ccx.js

Dialogue:
We realised that the quality of our dialogue wasn't clear so for next year we are going to use a microphone to make our quality better. Having read lots of reviews, we decided that the most affordable, still with good quality was:

http://www.gear4music.com/Recording-and-Computers/Tie-Studio-Broadcast-Microphone-with-35mm-Mini-Jack-Plug/1S7T?origin=product-ads&utm_campaign=*PLA+Shop+-+All+Products&utm_medium=vertical_search&network=google&adgroup=**All+Products&merchant_id=1279443&product_id=83225d1&product_country=GB&product_partition_id=41477300408&gclid=CPiHkvbdxNMCFcIp0wod_qoBhg

Cinematography:
We will experiment with more camera angles and shots between now and next year to make sure our work is unique and our style is identifiable.

Target audience Member Discussing Their Interests

Target audience Member Discussing Their Interests

For one of our evaluation tasks we interviewed people who would be within the age range of our target audience. As a group we composed some questions we wanted to ask, we filmed us asking the questions and them answering. All the interviewees had been shown our opening two minutes therefore as one of our questions we asked them what they thought of our opening. All of their answers we very positive and we also gained feedback.

The main reason for this evaluation task was to find out what our target markets interests are. From this we could gain information on what the target audiences look for. Therefore this would help if we were to extend our project and create a longer opening or create a trailer. 

Changes to the Script

Changes to the Script

As a group, we decided that we should explain the slight change in our script and the lack of dialogue that we had in our final film. Essentially, we felt as a team that our film linked more to the horror genre when it didn't have the subjectively 'cringey' dialogue that we had included. Although this may have created a slight disconnection from the audience due to their being no conversation, we feel that it reinforced the horror genre.

This therefore means that our final changes to the script include no dialogue and a change to the shots, which can be seen in the uploaded shot list.

Evaluation: Storyboard vs. Final Opening 2 minutes

Evaluation Storyboard vs. Final Opening 2 minutes

Over the duration that we produced our film, many changes took place for a variety of reasons from our original plans. During the days of shooting we discovered a number of things that could work

differently or had to be changed due to any problems we may have encountered. In this post, I will be detailing the changes from the storyboard animatic with the final product.

Shot 1: Our establishing shot went exactly to plan, as we had the train pulling into the station.

Shot 2: This shot of the girl on the train was very ambitious for us when we first started with our storyline and cinematography ideas. However, when we got the shot on the first attempt it was a dream come true.

Shot 3: This shot had some slight changes as we realised it was quite risky to take a knife to a public area and have fake blood on it before dropping it on the floor. Instead, we just had the feet of the murderer walking so that there was still some action in the shot.

Shot 4: This shot was slightly different and did not include the shoulder of the murderer. This is because on the day we decided to use a point of view shot of the murderer so didn’t find it essential to capture the murderer looking at the girl. It also introduced the convention of loneliness that is commonly seen in the horror genre.

Shot 5: This shot, along with a combination of other surrounding it in the editing, merged to make our original image as seen in our animated storyboard.

Shot 6:  This shot did not go exactly as planned, however it was still a success in telling our story.

Shot 7: As mentioned in many other posts, we decided to change the watches to an on screen timer instead as it was easier for the audience to understand and gave a more modern eerie feel.

Shot 8: This shot was very similar of the group of friends on the platform, the only difference being there being one less person as they meet them later in London.

Evaluation of Credits Ordering

Evaluation of credits ordering

This is the order the opening credits are written in, we decided to put most of the credits in the very beginning of our opening.

Cloud 9 Productions:

We put our big production company and distributor first. This is because this was the company ‘behind’ the film. In all films the production company is shown first, therefore it makes the film look more professional.

Everlasting Journey:

We then put on the title of the film in an effect. We showed the title before the actors as we wanted the audience to know the name of the film first.

Directors:

After, we put the list of directors all together. There was no ‘one’ director, therefore we decided to put all our names in but in no particular order.

• Gemma Gosden
• Eloise Williams
• Katie O’Rourke

Starring:

We then had our actors names come up on screen. We had the order that you saw the actors so that there was an order to the names.

• Grace Sullivan
• Eloise Williams
• Prassanna Uthayanan
• Gemma Flower
• Connor Bassett

Shot List for ‘EVERLASTING JOURNEY'

Shot List for ‘EVERLASTING JOURNEY'

1.       XXXXX Timer XXXXX

2.       Medium shot of train going past on diagonal

3.       Another medium shot of train going past from straight on view (added title)

4.       Medium close up from behind murderers ankles as train is continuing to move past

5.       Wide angle long shot of train doors opening to reveal main character inside

6.       Extreme close up of forehead wound

7.       Wide angle medium shot of girl on train continued

8.       Extreme close up of girls eye bruise

9.       Wide angle medium shot of train doors closing to hide the girl

10.   Close up of girls mouth and nose as she mouths the words ‘help me’

11.   XXXXX Timer XXXXX

12.   High angle/birds eye view shot of murderers feet as they are walking along platform

13.   Medium shot (from behind) from waist down of murderer walking

14.   Cut back to high angle/birds eye view shot of murderers feet as they are walking along platform

15.   Medium shot of girl struggling

16.   Back to shot of murderers feet walking which pans up to reveal the girl attached to the sign

17.   Close up profile shot of girl breathing

18.   Close up of wrists and wounds

19.   Long shot of girls position on platform

20.   Medium profile shot of girl screaming (part 1)

21.   Close up of girls forehead wound

22.   Medium profile shot of girl screaming (part 2)

23.   XXXXX Timer XXXXX

24.   High angle medium shot of murderer walking

25.   Extreme close up shot blood on hands holding petrol can (Murderer)

26.   Repeat high angle medium shot of murderer walking

27.   Extreme close up shot blood on hands holding black rope (Murderer)

28.   Repeat high angle medium shot of murderer walking

29.   Medium tracking shot over the shoulder of murderer

30.    Repeat high angle medium shot of murderer walking

31.   Panning shot of murderers feet close to the edge of tracks

32.   Match on action shot of murderer dropping petrol can

33.   XXXXX Timer XXXXX

34.   Eye level shot looking through at victim lying on the floor

35.   Medium shot with shallow focus on victims phone

36.   Repeat distorted window shot showing victim

37.   Short cut of blurred phone

38.   Extreme close up of victims phone showing message

39.   Medium to close up shot of the legs of the victim

40.   Close up of victims corner of shoes and petrol hitting floor

41.   High angle shot of victims legs and petrol can

42.   Similar High angle, medium shot of victims legs covered in petrol

43.   Repeat high angle shot of victims legs and petrol can

44.   Canted angle of victims feet and the petrol can to show imbalance

45.   Match on action shot  of murderer lighting flame

46.   Medium, canted angle shot as the match hits the floor

47.   Wide angle of flames

48.   XXXXX Timer XXXXX

49.   Tracking shot of victim boy running

50.   Match on action of victim hitting sign as he runs past

51.   Extreme close up of blood on sign

52.   Tracking shot of boy running down the platform

53.   Close up of victim panting (profile)

54.   Medium tracking shot as victim runs up stairs

55.   Close up of victim panting again and shows bruises

56.   Low angle of victim running up the stairs

57.   High angle looking down on victim running up the stairs

58.   Close up of feet running past (tracking)

59.   Medium shot as boy runs down stairs

60.   Medium shot of legs as boy continues running down the stairs

61.   Low angle shot looking up at boy running down the stairs

62.   XXXXX Timer XXXXX

63.   Another medium shot of train going past from straight on view

64.   XXXXX Timer XXXXX

65.   Close up of boys face as he is looking out (get surroundings in)

66.   Medium shot tracking girls from behind

67.   Medium shot of boys face as he is looking out (get surroundings in)

68.   Medium shot tracking girls from behind

69.   Medium close up tracking shot of girls shoulders up walking

70.   Medium shot with shallow focus on boy then dee focus on girls walking towards them

71.   Match on action medium shot of hug taking place

72.   Train pulling in establishing shot

73.   Long shot of characters getting on train

74.   High angle shot capturing seating arrangements

75.   Over the shoulder shot (in-between chairs) onto main victim girl

Evaluation Task: How well did our opening set up the rest of the story

How well did our opening set up the rest of the story?

The most important aspect of an opening is how successfully it sets up the rest of the story and how well it grips the audience in doing so. Our main aim was to make an opening two minutes that looked professional and enticed the audience to carry on watching with undivided attention.

One of our most successful tactics that we hoped would make the audience carry on watching is the use of enigma codes that dragged the audience into our plot and made them question what was going on so they felt that they had to continue watching until they found out the answer. Audiences hate unanswered questions and if the enigma is strong enough, then they'll sit through an entire film just to get the answer to their question. This tactic worked incredibly well for us as we began the film with the ending of our narrative, so the audience are introduced instantly to the drama of the situation, and rather than being baffled by the relevance of certain characters, are immediately wanting to know how they got into the dramatic situation that they are in. Although we were worried that our audience may become confused because of our multiple enigma codes and jumping of storylines, we quickly agreed with Alfred Hitchcock who said that 'an audience would rather be confused than bored'. The enigma codes that we created included: Who is the murderer? What has happened to the girl on the train? How did the characters end up in this situation?

We also used a mixture of fast paced action and intense graphics to create a gripping storyline. The section of our victim boy trying to escape gave the audience some of the drama that they would be interested in seeing. Furthermore, the dramatic use of thrilling screams and chilling music added to the action by giving it something to be coincided with. By making our film like this we made sure that the film was enjoyable for a wide audience, and no matter what style they prefer - chilling or thrilling - they should be dragged in by our opening two minutes.