Producing the Short Film: First Filming Session

Our first filming session took part in Abigails garage, one of our planned settings for the film. We decided to film the second narrative shots first as the setting was easily accessible and we only needed one actress for these shots. Also it was during a school week in mid winter, and as we wanted to film some other shots in day time it would be too dark to portray this after school hours, therefore waiting and doing this instead.

As planned we used the make-up and paint to create a bruise on her face, messed up her hair and ripped her tights to make it look like she had been in a struggle and got her to wear the decided costume. We also decided to film some of our Ident in this filming session, as we had the suitable equipment and setting.

Below are some images of production from this filming session.

After researching into films of the 'thriller' genre, one of the conventional techniques we came across was that a 'reaction shot'-close up of a characters face to portray their expression- is usually used at the start of a scene when something has suddenly changed within the plot. As this was a whole new narrative we wanted to use this technique in our work, opening on a reaction shot, to express the fear and surprise from the character to the situation. Below is an image of the production of the shot and some a take of it:

                                       

 Below are some video clips of what we recorded in this filming session. Some of which we plan to use in our film, and others that were 'takes' or practices, or generally not suitable.

Overall this was a sucessful filming session. We experimented with different types of lighting to ensure we had clear and atmospheric shots when we come to upload them into the editing package.

Time Management

Within this post I am going to keep a record of our filming sessions. I will keep going back into it and adding all our filming sessions as we do them. This will help us with our time management to understand and layout the development of our filming. By visualising how long it takes us to organise one filming session to another, we can watch for any longer distances etc to see if there is anything we can improve on to be more efficient with our time to ensure we meet the deadline. Also I will record any props or equipment used.

First filming session
Date: 18/12/11 
What we filmed: Pulse Ident and all Kidnap scenes
Crew/Cast: Myself, Abigail and Miranda
Props: Candles, Paint, Clapperboard, Rope, Chair, Gag(cloth), Make-up (bruised face), Saw and mask (obscure setting-mise en scene)
Equipment: Tripod, Batteries, Charger, Laptop (for sound), Torch (extra lighting), Video Camera, Digital Camera

Second filming session
Date: 09/01/12
What we filmed: Bedroom scene, Train scenes, Stalker following girl scenes
Cast/Crew: Myself, Abigail, Miranda, Kieran
Props: Hairbrush, Bag, Laptop
Equipment: Money for train, Tripod, Batteries, Charger, Video Camera, Digital Camera, Clapperboard, Umbrella

Third filming session
Date: 20/01/12
What we filmed: Establishing shot of the houses and shot of the train leaving (from the bridge)
Cast/Crew: Myself and Abigail
Props: None
Equipment: Video Camera, Tripod

Fourth filming session
Date: 03/02/12
What we filmed: Chase scene
Cast/Crew: Myself, Abigail and Miranda
Props: Same costume for continuity
Equipment: Video Camera, Tripod, Torch (extra lighting), Digital Camera

After filling in all our filming sessions, and looking back on it I feel both myself and Abigail kept to good time with our filming. We enabled enough time for use to edit aswell as re-film if there were any problems. Also by recording our props and equipment it is easier to plan ahead for what we might have needed for the next one by looking at what we used in the one before.

Planning For Filming

Before starting any filming for our final Short film, myself and Abigail had to plan all area's and aspects before hand to ensure; we knew what we were doing and could work together efficiently to fulfil our planned targets, to ensure we save time and decrease any risks of error or problems during filming time and finally, to check that what we are going to do is reflecting our plans within the storyboarding. We were both aware that to make our film successful it would take time and preparation.

Storyboard

This means to start we had to analyse our storyboard and check all shots we wanted to do were possible. Obviously we knew when we were filming in the settings we would become more creative and experiment more within shots and angles therefore not every single shot in our film would've been planned, or ones that were planned may not have been as effective when attempting them. As we have decided on no dialog in our short film, we have had to go into a lot more detail when planning the other sounds; both diegetic and non-diegetic. Knowing we plan to emphasise all diegetic sounds dramatically, and include non-diegetic where necessary.

Cast

Next came thinking about who we wanted to cast as our actor and actress for the two roles. We knew we didn't want to establish the characters too much, in the typical way done in our film, to add to the mysterious atmosphere we want to create. However it is still essential the actors fit into their role, and really express themselves through it to the audience. As again with no dialog, the actors need to be skilled in speaking to the viewer through emotion and expression.

The main character (female), was  the victim in our plot. Therefore the actress had to have qualities such as vulnerability yet still reflecting a normal teenage girl.

The stalker character (male), had to have qualities such as being mysterious, with also a eree/spooky ora.

We had many options in our minds for the characters (including Sarah Mauremootoo, who features in our practise shots, however when filming this realised she didn't suit the role as how we would want, and Lucy Hunt a close friend who does drama at our school). We both strongly agreed on Miranda Burns and Kieran Forbes, as both suited perfectly to our characters and had experience performing in school shows and drama club shows. As both are close friends of Abigail and I, we were able to ask them about it in person, explain a little about what we had in mind and both were immediately enthusiastic with the idea. Both Kieran and Miranda are also good friends so the chemistry within their work we knew would be achieved and would be happy to work together.

Wardrobe

 After establishing our cast, we had to consider wardrobe. The story is supposed to be set in real life, following a normal teenage girl, therefore the wardrobe for this didn't need too much thought. A simple blouse, shorts and cardigan didn't over power the role, yet still showed a slight fashionable side to the teenage character. However we knew for continuity we had to use the same wardrobe for every filming session. Including the second narrative side of the Victim being held. However to give a more effective edgy look on what is supposed to be a girl that has had some sort of struggle and is now being held against her will we had to look more into how we could portray this through her clothes and appearance.

After planning to do this we experimented with this and concluded on ripping her tights on both her legs and feet (for the close up shot of her feet). (Production photos of our plan developing and doing it in our film below)

We also planned to use paint and make-up to create a bruise and cut on her face, subtle enough to not look fake or gory but enough to show she has been in some sort of struggle adding to the mystery of the plot myself and Abigail wanted to create. (Images again of this plan being used in our production shown below)

Other simple thing such as making her hair more messy and smudging her make-up, helped contribute to the effect of the victim being held against their will.

As we wanted the Stalker character to be mysterious and spooky we therefore wanted to use the technique of the 'unknown' by doing so. This means we didn't want to fully reveal the person at all, to engage the viewer and make them want to keep watching to essentially find out who this person is. We also considered their wardrobe options, and decided on dark colours, for a spooky effect and a normal coat which doesn't give away any signs of fashion or correlation to the age of the person. This also meant the hood could be used to create even more mystery and spooky-ness.

Setting 

 The setting of our film was another essential aspect we had to carefully plan and agree on to ensure it fulfilled what we had both envisioned and planned. Also to suit and compliment each shot and our overall plot. The first setting shown in our film is the bedroom of the character and their house. For this we actually decided to use the actress', Miranda, house. This was because we felt her bedroom was ideal for portraying the typical teenage girl bedroom, her house was three story enabling us to achieve our planned stairs shot (shown in our storyboard) and it was at a prime location of being right next to a train station, another planned location shown in our storyboard. 

Our third location would be for the 'chase' scenes. For this we wanted to use an open area, making it easy to film in and to look secluded to a viewer making the girl seem more vulnerable. For this we decided on a local park, this was to fulfil the eree atmosphere we were trying to create, with also the dramatic situation contrasting to the calm quiet area.

The final setting we had to decide upon was the kidnap scene. For this we wanted an obscure and weird setting that built the spooky atmosphere of the scene. Yet still looking realistic of to what a person being held against their will would be like. We had many idea's for this scene such as a storage garage, our school caretakers cupboard and a dark empty room. However we decided on Abigail's garage. This was because we felt it was perfect for what we were trying to do, having an eree and weird atmosphere. Also being easily assessable if any re-filming is necessary. The realistic setting adds to the obscurity for the viewer. Below are images of our final setting decision.

Props

Abigail and I realise that props enhance the drama and help the actors do their jobs. More specifically, they can be invaluable components in the overall story ymbolising the plot itself. We want to plan ahead what props we need to have for when we are filming, to ensure we have everything we need before we get there so we have it for shooting. There are many props we will need to fulfil our shots, such as props we need to help us create something else, for example candles to help give an effective lighting for the 'Pulse' ident. Also a laptop, to play the music off in the bedroom scene yet also contributing to the stereo-typical setting of a teenager.

Then going on for Props that will help contribute to setting the scene within a shot. For example a saw, goggles and mask to add to the obscurity of the situation and to create the weird setting surroundings in the garage scenes. Also rope, and cloth (gag) to create realistic components of a kidnap. Using a Clapperboard, and labelling each scene number every time, will make it easier for us to see what order we filmed in when we come to editing essentially saving time. Below is an image of the props we plan to use within our film.

Time Scale

 The time scale of our film had to show continuity and be an accurate show of time to make it look realistic. A minor detail within the planning, however if not done correct could ruin the whole continuity of the film. Even though our narratives cut between each other we still had to ensure it all flowed. This means that as we plan to film the bedroom shots at day time, with her leaving to go to the station around mid-evening. This meant that we couldn't film at day time again at any point in our film as it is over the time scale of just one day, so had to be later than this. Therefore the character will get off the train with the surrounding beings slightly darker, to show the night becoming later each time. And finally filming the 'chase' scene at the latest time, as it has followed the girl through the whole day and has now reached night time point. Also due to night time being more spooky and making the victim more vulnerable.

Equipment

Getting all the cast, myself and Abigail together at one time to film meant we had to be as efficient as possible, ensuring we didn't waste any filming time with problems that could occur. Therefore we had to ensure we brought all the correct equipment with us every time for any situation. This included a Tripod; to do effective pan shots, and do ensure the camera wouldn't shake. A spare memory card incase we used up our current one. A charger incase the camera runs out of battery. Our storyboard, to revert back to and check we are doing each shot and so we know what we are doing next. A torch, to create extra lighting when needed. A digital camera to record our production for our blog. Money to pay for train tickets for cast and crew.

Organising Filming Sessions

Now we have planned and organised all aspects of our film before starting to record any footage, we are now ready to organise when we can start filming. This became down purely to when our Cast were free, and when fits into the time of when it would be in the film (time scale plan). Also when we would be assessable to all the equipment we need.

Initial Practice Shots

Before we started any filming for our short film, we decided to take some initial practice shots. This was to develop our initial skills with the use of the camera, and what shots we wanted to use within our film, ensuring we discovered any problems before hand within the effectiveness of the shots or how we would achieve them, due to actual filming time being precious so trying to avoid any human errors at that point.

As I had little experience with using a Video Camera before, this was a great insight for me personally on how it works, how to use it to its best, and also any other equipment or environment/setting needs, for example lighting, and the use of the tripod.

In this practice shot we experimented with using our hands to hold the camera and take shots, it worked OK with little shaking, however to avoid any slight moves within our final film, using the tripod in all the necessary shots will ensure we don't have this as a problem. Also using a close up shot of the character, shows evidence here of the best shot for showing emotions, in this case going from seriousness to a sudden laugh, being captured through a straight, eye-level angle, close-up. This proves to be effective and will definitely be used within our final film, in essential portrayals of emotion.

In this shot, we used the tripod, and took the initiative to give an even higher high angle shot by putting the tripod on a bench. This was to replicate the 'CCTV' shot we want to create within our film. As all CCTV camera's are commonly used at high angles from above we decided to add too the versimilitude within the film by doing this too. On the planned shot we want to also add effects such as black and white to distinguish this shot from the others, and again adding to the realism of an actual CCTV camera. The character would be sat on a train so again trying to as much as we can make it similar to familiarise ourselves with how to do it when we come to film.

Here we have attempted to make a 'Point of view shot', this was to create a point of view from the 'stalker, which creates a eree atmosphere, and growing tention of which in this case is a character being followed or stalked by another. To add to the realism of this, and give clear evidence of it being a point of view shot from this character, we decided to film slightly behind a bush. The leaves in the shot are an effective way of revealing the position of the character, and for emphasis on it being a point of view shot.

This was our second attempt at the point of view shot. We purposely moved the camera to create a realistic view through someones eyes watching the character. Again using the bushes adds to the iconography of it being a 'stalker' of some sort, hiding and watching from afar. Both myself and Abigail think this shot has the potential to be a really good one within our short film, adding masses of tension and ere atmospheres, through the suspense of who this persons view is. More practises on film day and taking a few cuts of this will ensure we have the best suited shot.

This was one of the shorter shots we took for our practise. This was because we wanted the shot to focus on not just walking etc but the look back and paranoid expressions of the character. We plan to include a few of these shots within our shot film, again creating suspension into the characters unknown, and there worried looks. For this the actress we plan to use for a short film will be guided to ensure we get the best possible skills are used t o create a believable fear within the person.

This is one of my personal favourite shots. After having the idea of attempting to use the mirror to create an illusion to the audience for an effective shot, we as a group developed this and then evidently practised how we could do it in our short  film. The idea was to fool the audience into creating what they thought was just a close up, to then reveal it being a reflection. We also include a pan into revealing this.

This shot was a practise of either a point of view from the character or their own video recorder, which was yet to be decided. It is showing the character run away from what would be the 'stalker'. We purposely wanted the camera to move dramatically on purpose with the person running, to show the frantic urgency within the scene, and to flow with the character, showing flashes of their feet and where they are running from.

As we want to film the character getting ready within our film, in there natural safe enviroment, which would be refering back to 'Todorov's Theory' as the equilibrium, to build up to the distruption. So for this we though a having a shot of the character coming down the stairs at a low angle would be a nice composition within a frame. Showing natural states of just following the person, to the build of of the other scenes. In this shot we accidentally cut out the characters head, showing flaws within this of which we know for next time to check the angles properly when properly filming.

Charity Film Task

Both myself and Abigail were asked to be apart of a Charity Christmas concert at our school. We were approached by a teacher to help them create a short introductory video for their band. This meant both myself and Abigail could gain even more experience before we went on to film our Short film, with things such as working the camera, and equipment etc.
We also got to use the editing package for the first time. This was a major benefit for us as anything we needed to learn, and any mistakes we were going to make on the system would be done with this. Meaning we could learn how to use it properly and to the best standard. We also got to experiment with effects such as slow and fast motion, transitions and inserting music into film.
It also allowed us to develop our skills as a group. As we are already close friends, we got to learn more about each other by being put in this situation, for example how we both deal with any problems that occur and what skills we are best at. For example, organising when to film and the types of camera shots soon became Abigails' strong points. Where as using the editing package and working the camera became mine, of which when working together created a perfect match of skills. We are both very creative and work efficiently together to get our work complete.
Below is the film we created.

Animation Task

To develop our skills within making films and using the equipment we would for filming our Short film, myself and Abigail created a few animations. As we are following conventions and also creating Idents, this will essentially help us for when we come to create them also, and may even choose to create an animation as the Ident.

Our first animation enabled us to quickly pick up the basic skills of using a camera and how they work, introduced elements such as continuity into our filming, meaning we had to plan each step before we did it, and constantly ensure each shot lead on to the next (background stays in the same position and each part of the snowman melting fits onto the next). Showing we had to think about more than one aspect of the film at once, something we will need to be good at before filming our final film, to avoid any errors when making it and essentially saving time.

Our second animation is my personal favourite. Before making this animation we had to plan before filming it, another aspect we will have to do for our final film. Continuity had to be kept within the animation also to make sure each shot lead onto the next. We also added music to this Animation, learning not only about how to include music onto films but what sort of music you should choose to reflect the genre, in this case a playful happy song.

Storyboarding

The next step we took towards research and planning, to work up to the point of ready to film was to story board the shots, and include brief notes on sound, shots, misce on scene etc. This is an essential thing to do before starting film, as without planning ahead it can cause problems and mistakes when filming, confusion with what you will be doing and time wasting of precious time on set, with actors, correct settings, resources etc.
Especially working within a group, to story board our ideas firstly means we can agree on what we will be doing, and ensure both people within the group have the same clear image of what the film will be like and what it portrays, giving clarity on the film for both makers.

Within our work, to show our abilty and variety of knowledge on camera angles is another essential to ensure we get the best marks for our abilty. However not only that but to create the best effective film, portraying each shot correctly means the correcrt camera angles/shots need to be carefully analysed to suit the scene. Story boarding gives you the time to experiment and do this, therefore improving your film and making it more enjoyable and effective for a viewer.

Below shows scans of our story boarding, showing a simple yet clear pictures, not going into too much detail with costume or props just yet, however establishing the essential basics, within important reaction shots, what camera shot/angle's are being used to their advantage with each scene, what sound we want in each scene and whether its over lapping the diagetic sounds or just subtly in the background.

Final Synopsis

After researching into thriller short films, Abigail and I feel very confident with our choice. We feel it is something we can really be creative with and enjoy. We now have the knowledge we need to manipulate conventions of thriller short films, into ours to make it more realistic and professional. We therefore feel ready to create out final synopsis for our short film.

Above is a picture of our final synopsis. It was important to make the synopsis to summarise our final plot for the short film. Also going into brief detail of any shot ideas, edits etc. This allows us to start doing in-depth plans of what we will need to plan before filming. Also as we are working in a group, we need to have an agreed plan of what we want to do, and the synopsis allows us to combine our ideas into one and build around it.

As you can see on the image, I layed out the time scale of our film, and created a diagram of how the viewer would see the plot and in what order. Obviously we wouldn't need to film in this specific order, however recording the two narratives and organising where they will go now will make it easier for when we come to the editing stage. I also did a time prediction, to get an understanding of how our limit of 5 minutes will pan out. And have colour coded the different narratives to be more clear.

This is also the stage were we decided to not include dialogue into our Short film. Many of the thriller short films we researched into didn't consist of large amounts of dialogue. They were all very brief to create the mysterious atmosphere. Also we felt the plot was so strong we wanted it to essentially speak for itself, the silence engages the audience as a technique making them want to be told more and know what is going on. The emphasis on diagetic sound such as breathing and footsteps will built tension, with any speech being spontaneous for the actors making it more realistic, and a good representation of real life.

We wanted to create a parallel narrative to create that intriguing and captivating story for the viewer. This can determin for a viewer to think and feel a wider range of responses by providing differing views or perspectives in experiencing and viewing the action. There are many aspects of the final narrative we have chosen. As it is considered a 'complex narrative structure',  conventions such as (shown below), will be considered and studied by myself and Abigail to develop our work:

• Repetition
• Flashbacks
• different character' point of view
• different time frames
• flash forwards
• multiple plot lines converging at the end
• pre-figuring of events that are yet to occur
• backwards story telling, where the outcome is shown first and explained through the plot

 As our decision of challenging Todorov's narrative theory, it sways to linking towards Claude Levi Strauss's. His theory reflects the binary oppositions. This means that Strauss looked at opposite values which reveal the strudture of media texts. For example 'Good' and 'Evil'. He did not look at the order in which the events occurred but the deeper meanings of themes. Conventional and common binary oppositions used in today's media include:

Earth                Space

Good                    Evil

Humans             Aliens

Past                 Present

Normal            Strange

Known         Unknown

Research Into Thriller Short Films

After researching into short films and trailers, and recording our initial ideas of what we want to do we have established we want to make a short film in the genre 'Thriller'. This therefore lead us onto research further into existing thriller short films.

                                                        Research Into The Thriller Genre

Thriller (also Suspense) is a broad genre of ,literature, film, and television programming that uses suspense, tension and excitement as the main elements. Thrillers heavily stimulate the viewer's moods giving them a high level of anticipation, ultra-heightened expectation, uncertainty, surprise, anxiety and/or terror. Thriller films tend to be adrenaline-rushing, gritty, rousing and fast-paced. Literary devices such as red herrings, plot twists and cliffhangers are used extensively. A thriller is villain-driven plot, whereby he or she presents obstacles that the hero must overcome. The aim for thrillers is to keep the audience alert and on the edge of their seats. Common methods and themes in crime thrillers are mainly ransoms, captivities, heists, revenge, kidnappings. - Wikipedia.

Above I have took some initial research into 'Thriller' and underlined the key terms and conventions. A key point I found when watching thriller short films, is that they all have a twist to the storyline, this is most likely because the films are so short, that without a twist in the story, it would simply not be interesting.

Existing Thriller Short Films

Table 7- By Marko Slavic

 

Summary

I really like this short film. I like how it challenges Todorovs theory slightly as it introduces the 'distruption' almost at the very start of the film. I like the dual narrative effect, and the simplicity of it adding more suspense and mystery as to who is it is listening. I think that angles are done cleverly in creating a effect of obscurity in the second setting, and a sense of observing the couple on the table as if you were there. I think the use of dialogue is balanced perfectly to allow the viewer to think and take in what is going on. The ending is also very good, with a clever twist.

Scene 26 - By Rob Hardy

Summary

 Scene 26 is defiantly the most obscure short film I have researched into so far. Having no dialogue makes it even more enjoyable as it leaves you on the edge of your seat, in suspense to what the man might find. Again it disrupts todorovs theory, by starting at the 'disruption' stage as straight away we see a man some what in danger. The film kept me engaged the whole time as I didn't want to miss anything that may have happened. The reality based plot makes it even more tense.

The Sandman- By Paul Berry

Summary

This is a truly fantastic animation. I love the style of it and how the simplicity of not having any fancy effects puts even more focus on the story and the tension being built. The innocence and fear of the young boy is portrayed very well, and includes great use of music. Again, it disrupts Todorovs theory by not going back to the 'equilibrium'. A what seems to be common technique for the 'thriller' genre.

Nought- By Jonathan Beamish

Summary

This film is the most obscure of the ones I have researched. I found the film on the Internet as I was researching into successful 'thriller' short films. It creates an incredible eerie effect and tells the story of a troubled young girl who seems to re-live an abusive past in a dream of her own making. The edits in the film really create a surreal effect, reminding me of a dark, scary version of Alice in Wonderland. The plot is very good and having no dialogue is very effective allowing the viewer to focus on the story. I feel this would link to both thriller and slight areas of 'horror', especially when the man appears from under the bed. There are also some very effective shots, including the long shots which are very scenic, and the transition shot as it goes up to the sky then back down.

Target Audience

After researching into thriller short films it has enabled me to gain more knowledge on the target audience of 'thriller', something I need to be aware of before making my short film. Like many genres, thriller has many sub-genres, which split the genre up depending on the type of film. For example some films are just normal thriller, with a twisting plot, obscure story and constant builds of tension and suspense. However others could borderline 'horror', being both. Or even be linked into children's stories for a children's audience but still a thriller, e.g The Sandman.

The type of person who would appeal more towards a film of the thriller genre would be into intrigue and mystery, with a twist. Or an interesting plot, where they can get involved and try and work out what is going on for themselves, keeping them constantly thinking, yet still enjoying the element of surprise. 

There are many options for myself an Abigail, however we want to create a 'thriller' short film, that is mysterious, obscure and sinister. Appealing to the thrill seekers and allowing them to work out what is going on for themselves. Also as we are both 17/18 we feel the best age group to aim at is 16-25 years old.

Also a clear convention of most thriller films is to disrupt Todorovs theory in some way, therefore allowing the viewer to try and predict what will happen next, without it being predictable.

Initial Ideas

For the making of the film, I am going to be working alongside a peer, Abigail Stafford. We agreed to work together as we have similar styles and techniques within media and feel it appropriate to combine our individual skills to create a great piece of work. We work extremely well together and will both contribute personal ideas to create one short film.

To begin the process into the planning of our own film, we made initial Mind Map diagrams. This was to just both put down any ideas or relevant knowledge that we had. After researching into existing short films and film trailers, it gave me a wider opinion on genre's for example, showing the ways in which different genres are portrayed within film and how this effects the type of target audience.

On out first mind map, shown above, we briefly put down our main ideas and options we had to make before moving further within the making. Our first option was whether to create a short film or film trailer, after researching both. Also what audience we wanted our short film to aim at. This is a crucial decision within the making, as it effects how we would decide other things within it further on. Our narrative ideas/plot were also recorded. These were just options we were drawn to and feel what we could work best on to develop it into a good story. Genre's were also noted, giving the options we would essentially again want to work on, or feel we would do best. After analysing existing film's, and focusing in depth on the use of camera angles and shots which create a good frame and work effectively to help portray an event or situation, we also put down some techniques that we were influenced by and definitely wanted to try and use within our work and  try and fit them in where suitable within filming.

Our second mind map, was a recording of the development of our initial idea's. After looking at the options we had from our first mind map, we unanimously decided on what we wanted to do and then developed these into more in-depth idea's. We decided that we wanted to create a Short film. This was a joint decision, in which we both felt more confident in portraying, and had more ideas for. We wanted to create and intriguing and engaging story line and to do this we felt a Short film would be a more appropriate decision to do this. The second diagram shows how we started to establish a Narrative story/plot. We wanted to take a risk within our film and chose to 'distrupt' Todorov's Narrative theory (briefly mentions in research into short films).

Above is our third and final mind map we created. This was a more in-depth brief summary of our initial plans. It shows we have established a clear idea of what we want to do, the plot, and the genre. We have also starting to look into what we want to name the film. The dual narrative idea is something we definitely wanted to keep with and working more into each side of the plot is also referenced.

Research Into Trailers

Initial Knowledge on Trailers

A trailer is an advertisement or a commercial for a feature film or short film that will be exhibited in the future. The term 'trailer' comes from their having originally been shown at the end of a feature film screening. That practice did not last long, because patrons tended to leave the theatre after the films ended, but the name has stuck. Trailers are now shown before the film begins.
Movie trailers have now become popular on DVDs and Blu-ray Discs, as well as on the Internet.
I believe there is a clear correlation between the amount of views from a trailer to how many people go and watch a film. Therefore emphasising the importance of how a trailer is essentially selling the film to an audience, needed to include major persuasive techniques, to make a viewer want to see what happens next.

Initial Research Into Trailers

Mission Impossible

Super 8

                                    

School of Rock

 

                                   

Here are some key points I have established from researching into trailers of a range of genres:

- Fades and cross dissolves are used in transitions alot to create engaging and exciting effects.
- Close ups and mid shots are used to establish the connection between characters, this also doesn't reveal too much of what is going on on the screen.
- The name of the film usually comes at the end of the film, to leave it in a viewers memory.
- The editing of a trailer shows a conventional pattern of - Slow - quick - slow. This keeps the audience interested as they follow the trailer.

- Non diegetic music sets the tone of the film, making it more exciting for the audience, also enhancing the sound of the trailer.

-Key scenes of dialogue shown to establish the main parts of the plot.

Reviews and responses to existing trailers

''Like a ton of bricks!”  When this trailer comes crashing through the theater for the first time every moviegoer gets rocked.  The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo preview breaks the mold by giving you almost nothing to work with in the usual sense of plot, dialogue, or spectacle.  What it does give you is a provocative assault on the senses and heart-pounding sense of mood and tone.  Watching it gives you a rush.  The kind of rush you’ll want again, but will have to wait until December to get.''

''When you make a trailer you have to stay aware of how the public perceives product. No one takes those'Dammed dirty apes!' seriously anymore. So when a serious trailer like this one for Rise of the Planet of the Apes (Did Hemingway choose the title?) is greeted by audible chuckles most theaters you only need a mirror to see who is to blame. This preview was close to working, but in two distinct areas the trailer-makers dropped the ball.

1. It’s called… “The Cure.”  Are you actually trying to get laughed at? At least unobtanium had awe-inspiring special effects to mask the stank of its stupid name.If you’re making a preview it’s your job to hide bad screenwriting like that.
2. Three words. Sinister. Ape. Face.  Audiences could handle most of the super-ape actions, but the lack of a good reputation for the franchise prevented most people from suspending their disbelief when the leering monkeys came on screen.''

 

''Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol has plenty of issues to deal with. Namely being the fourth installment of a middle-of-the-road action franchise, and having a star who is more of a laughingstock than a ticket draw at this point in his career.

The people behind this trailer did a fantastic job of minimizing Tom Cruise’s role outside of quick action cuts. His face and dialogue are almost exclusively seen to set up the currently more popular Jeremy Renner and Simon Pegg. The trailer also keeps the focus simple (action), and plays down the Mission Impossible name outside of the iconic tagline. Even the thumping theme has been moved to the end; a dramatic shift from its traditional place as the lead in where it used to scream, “This is MISSION IMPOSSIBLE!  We could show you Teletubbies for the next two minutes and you’d still want to see our movie.”  All of these subtle changes had a big impact.''

Research Into Short Films

Initial Knowledge on Short films

The Academy of of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines a short film as, ''An original motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes or less, including all credits.'' Elements included within most short films, include a development on a character or characters features. Also, development of a narrative structure, either following Todorovs Narrative Theory or disrupting this. Todorovs Narrative theory:

Here I have created a clear image, using Microsoft Publisher, to display in a simple and easy way of what Todorovs theory is. This is the basis for any short film. Either disrupting the theory or following through it. Todorov's theory implies that a story starts with an equilibrium, which means all is as it should be within the scene and at a 'normal' state. A disruption then occurs, evidently disrupting the equilibrium. In between disruption and resolution, a recognition of the disruption is made which can also be considered as another stage within the theory when going into more depth. Followed by a restored order, with the disruption being resolved therefore returning back to the narratives equilibrium.

Research Into Existing Short films

Dipper- By P.J. HarlingBait - By Tom Shankland 

Summary

The short film is about the dipper who essentially makes a fatal mistake. Throughout it shows development of character and narrative structure. I really like this short film and as a viewer you really become engaged into the male character and his witty personality yet with a hint of sinister. It has a good twist with a good range of camera angles. The edits also make it more interesting to watch. It is a real life take on a 'goody' catching a 'bady'.

Bait- Directed by Tom Shankland

 

(No link as we watched the film on a dvd in lesson)

 

Summary

Todorovs Theory:Equilibrium- establishes characters and initial situation; interior, no money. Disruption- Cafe, street shop with interview-Exterior. Hope and emphasis on importance of the job. Drunk man takes the bait (given to him). Next/Resolution- Long wait for the father, doesn't get the job, starts to fight the man then realises he is less fortunate (possibly how low he has got). Resolution- Back to the two characters, shown walking past the motorway to show hey couldn't even afford any transport. The short film is very emotional and powerful for a short film. It has effective shots that reflect the story very well.

 Directors Intentions For Bait:Watching the directors video after watching the short film, was a good way of learning more about the meanings within the film portrayed in effective ways to show this. The director wanted to create '' A hopeful film about relationships.. and the goodness of humanity'' showing ''love will win''.
This also is beneficial, for learning more basic skills in which I will need when going on the plan, organise and film my own short film for the media product. The director briefly speaks about the first steps within making a short film, elaborating on how you need to think about what you want to say within the film being a large importance when planning.

Gravity- By Colin Hutton

Summary

The film is really effective to what the moral is. I like how the title of the film isn't shown till the end, to emphasise why it is called 'Gravity'. The shots in the film are very good with a large variety, following the youths in what is like a documentary style capturing their every move, making you feel more involved within the story. However it doesn't follow Todorov's theory as it starts as an 'equilibrium', goes into the 'distruption', however doesnt go back to any resolution.