Shot List

These our original shot list ideas however throughtout our filming process these have changed due to trying alot more ideas just so we could make sure we had the shot. This meant that our originial ideas havn't been used however at the end of filming we will evaluate why we chose these shot and not the others.However we have chose a variety of diferent shots which add different effects to the film.

The reason we chose to set out our screeen shot ideas in excel was because we found it easy to work with and much neater than any other way.

Planning Targets

Well done. Very organised. You need to upload a storyboard and an animatic and comment on your choices. Video-diaries of the filming process (edit some montages to rteally impress) will make your research and planning really special. I would like to see a schedule of events and key dates. A very organised blog - keep going!

Audience profiling

The movie we’re planning to film is a Crime/Action/Thriller; we made some research and found a couple of films which are in the same genre of ours then found out their audience types. Inception has a sense of thriller in the film and there most popular audience age is 15-24.Taken 2 which is also very similar to our film is an action/thriller and again their most popular audience is 15-24.This suggests that our target audience should be the same as theirs due to plots being similar.

From other research we have established that boys enjoy these genres more than girls however they were surprisingly incredibly close with 50%-50% for inceptions with the ratio of boys to girls and 54%-46% for Taken 2 this suggests that both of these films have used the perfect amount of crime, action and thriller to keep both audiences content. However other variables such as the use of very famous actors and good looking men will help the Female audience to increase. The use of female character in an action or thriller makes wil help the female audience to increase because they may be able to relate to the character.It especially helps when the women character subverts the stereo-type of women being Damsel-in-distress and becomes the hero.

The last thing that effects the type of audience is different type of class’s, from our research we found out that that the high-middle class was the highest percentage of audience watching Inception however in Taken 2 low to middle was the highest. This could be down to the use of science fiction in Inception which may of been more popular with the higher class because it’s obvious a lot of money has been put into the film ($160 million) however Taken 2 is more realistic and the budget would of been much lower ($40 million) this may mean the lower class’s could relate more to Taken 2.

 Knowing what our target audience is going to be is very important
 because we need to know what is suitable and appropriate, for example if our target audience was between the ages of 8 and 12 it wouldnt be suitable to swear because it would be out of place to the story line . However Knowing that our target audeince should be between the ages of 15 and 24 means we can be more free with what we choose , if anything the most important thing  to do is to make sure its matture enough and realistic to the real danger s of society otherwise people will get bored if its too un-realistic.

Specific Genre Font Research

 

As research for our film, we looked at a number of different style fonts, in the hope to give us inspiration for our own. After looking through hundreds of different types of typography, we came to the conclusion we wanted to narrow our searches to a more simplistic, classy but not unnoticeable type of font. We decided with our film having elements of the crime, action, thriller genre, it would be best to gage both information and inspiration from titles of these genres. Here are just a few examples of titles we have looked at.

From this, we have learnt that titles do not need to be overly showy or flamboyant to stand out and look effective. Although all of these titles are from our particular genres, there and some we like and some we don’t for certain reasons. The film GONE is only four letters, making it inevitable that the spacing is as large as it is for the title to fit, however in our opinion, we think the typography and spacing is better suited to the horror genre as it makes it look less sophisticated and slightly amateurish – a look we want to avoid. Although disliking the font and spacing, the colouring and effects used are quite successful and fit well with the background, helping to make the film suit the genre and look slightly mysterious. The film SIDE EFFECTS is effective as it stands out against the background and is very clear, however the font is slightly too harsh and plain for our film, but we think it works well for its particular plot. It gives the impression not a lot of thought has gone into it as it is so simple, and we want ours to look well thought out and fitting for our film.
As a group, we had different opinions on the titling for PRISONERS. Having seen the film myself, I really like the font and think it is well suited to the film, and I also think the emblem/symbol in the O is a very clever element, added to fit with the plot and to create enigmas for the audience before they have even seen the film. I think the font stands out effectively and catches your attention without being too showy, however the other two members of my group – Charlotte and Laura are not so keen. They think the font is a bit too much and slightly unnecessary. We all liked the font for WASTELAND and thought it was clever how it fitted with the background and faded out in certain areas, an effect we may experiment with for ours, however we do think it is slightly too thick. This could be beneficial as it certainly draws the audience’s attention to it, however we believe it would have too much attention and slightly take over the full image which is behind it.

TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY was the font we all agreed we liked the most. Although it is still very plain, it is very effective and stands out against the background well, catching the audience’s attention. It gives the film a sophisticated and classy look, fitting well with both the genre and the plot, as well as attracting its target audience – the older, middle/upper class. We particularly like the way the font subtly grows in size, putting more emphasis on the last 2 words. This is certainly an effect we are going to take into consideration, however we are unsure if it would be as effectively as we haven’t yet decided on a name, and don’t know if it would be as successful with a shorter title. This title also inspired us to use more than one type of font in our title, something which we have already experimented with, and we believe it works well having different fonts and sizes in a title, as long as they are not too over the top and complement each other rather than making the film look childish and unprofessional.

INUMBER NUMBER is the first title we have come across in these genres where the lettering is in different cases. Having not seen the film and as we are unaware of the plot, we are unsure if this fits well with the film, however we all agree it gives it a more futuristic/sci-fi feel, which is something we do not want. We want our film to be as realistic and believable as possible, so from our research we have come to the conclusion that different cases are something to avoid, and think we will just stick with all upper case as lower case would make it childish and easily dismissible. Despite the different cases, we like the font style, and think the colour scheme used for the background and title has both benefits and weak points. The similar colouring used makes it slightly difficult to read as it doesn’t stand out very clearly against the background making it less eye catching, however this could be done purposely as it may fit with the genre and plot, making it more mysterious and secretive, creating enigmas for the audience. Initially, TAKEN was the film we were basing our plot around as it was such a successful film and a similar genre to ours. The titling used in TAKEN is very iconic to both the film and the action genre, which is something we are going to try and avoid as our film is not solely action so we don’t want to advertise it misleadingly. Despite not thinking the font is appropriate for us, we think it works very effectively in displaying the genre, and stands out, catching the audience’s attention which is something we aim to do.

Protagonist Costume

The type of costume you choose for a character is very important because it can help the audience to get to know the character, for example their class, where they live, age or even gender. The choice of costume we have picked I think represents our character and the conventions that go with her.

 

Lily, the protagonist, is the first character which the audience are introduced to; this is when she is just about to go on a run. With the use of her appearance we are trying to make sure the audience realise that she is a stereo-typical victim .Stereo-typically victims in this type of film have blonde hair which has an association with being beautiful and a bit dim-witted. Not only does the colour of her hair help with the stereo-typical look but she will also be wearing a running outfit which is pink and black also with purple trainers which comes across as quite girly and may cause un-needed attention when only going on a run. This shows that the character is oblivious to the dangers around her, which in her case does become a problem when she is abducted. The costume is very uniformed and smart which also helps the audience to understand that Lily is from a higher class, which maybe the reason behind the antagonist attacking her due to his jealousy.

 

The trainers that Christie, our actor, is going to wear have clearly been used a lot this makes it more realistic and shows that she goes on a run regularly. The trainers we are using are from Nike, this is an expensive sports brand which also shows that she is from a higher class family where they can spend a lot of money on small thing like trainers.

Lilies hair will be tied up in a slicked back, tidy pony tail this makes the audience think she cares about her appearance which is very stereo-typical for a women victim. She will also be wearing a full face of mak-eup which isn't needed when going on a run this will make Lily look vain but a lot of the time this is normal for her type of character

Atangonist costume

Not much of the antagonist’s costume will be on display, due to the minimalistic shots of him, this is because we want to reduce the prevalence in order to create enigmas and display that he is the main antagonist to the audience. Even though he is an important character the less prevalence means the larger increase in tension.

These are the ideal boots we would want the antagonist to wear; this is because they are big and clumpy and conform to the stereotypes of a criminal’s mise-en-scene as they suggest some sort of dangerous activity, making the audience feel slightly uncomfortable. They will also help out with the dietetic sound because they have a large surface area so the sound would be greater against the gravel and stones when walking to the car, providing a larger depth of sound, making it more effective at building suspense. They are also practical for the type of locations we will be filming at, and they fit in with the other locations which the protagonist will be filmed at, adding more realism. The clump of the boot works well with the profile of the antagonist because we want him to walk with purpose and the action of stomping on the ground will help us achieve this.

Fingerless gloves will be ideal to creating a criminalistic image of the antagonist because the dirty fingernails will be shown which helps fit in with what he is about to do in the woods, it also portrays a dirty and careless attitude of a working class male which is one of the stereotypes which revolve around villains. The fingerless gloves fit in with the poor representation because stereotypically they are associated with homeless people, so it proceeds with an effective image. The fingers will be shown through close up shots, which is why the nails have to be dirty.

A black beanie hat is another part of the costume because it helps keep the disguise undercover so nothing is revealed while filming as well as producing dark tones by the colour. This helps keep the tension high because the audience don’t know who or what the man looks like. The black beanie fits in with the black clothing because it also helps to create a concealing outfit. The reasoning behind our lack of costume research is due to the type of camera work we intend to use. We are planning to cover the antagonist's identity as much as possible so we do not think it is necessary to research any other types of clothing as we do not plan to show them on film, helping to creates enigmas and build suspense and tension.

Media Institution

Film institutions are fundamental as they provide the money for films to be made, and without them, no one would ever get enough money to make a film decent with the available budget. These companies, also own studios, are useful as they are reusable and efficient, and are dedicated to film making. The major problem with film institutions funding a film is that they like to have complete control over the project, and this reduces the amount of creative input. They are all about making money, and this stops film advancing as an art form. The Big Six consist of 20^th Century Fox, Warner Bros, Paramount Pictures, Columbia, Universal and Walt Disney. They are all based in or around Hollywood and are also all centred in film studios which were active during Hollywood’s Golden Age in the 1930s and 40s.

Warner Bros.

 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. was founded in 1903 by Albert, Sam, Harry and Jack Warner – the four Warner brothers, and are an American motion picture studio that introduced the first genuine talking picture in 1927. The brothers began their careers showing moving pictures in Ohio and Pennsylvania on a travelling basis. In 1903, they began acquiring movie theatres and then moved into film distribution. Over the years, Warner Bros. have supported and distributed many world renowned films, such as Harry Potter, The Exorcist and Looney Tunes. Warner Bros don't really have a speciality in regard to what they do; they have a very wide range of films. They tend to make high budget movies that get a lot of money, which are released around the world. Figures from 2007 show that Warner Bros. comprise a massive 19.7% of the US/Canadian market share, and is the biggest player in the film industry due to the secured rights to so many popular films, making them the No. 1 name in the business.

 

Paramount Pictures Corporation

Paramount Pictures Corporation (commonly known as Paramount Pictures or simply Paramount) is a film and television production/distribution studio, consistently ranked as one of the largest (top-grossing) film studios. It is a subsidiary of U.S. media conglomerate Viacom, and is a member of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). Founded in 1912 as the Famous Players Film Company, it is the fifth oldest surviving film company. Paramount Pictures is famous for its distribution of successful film series, such as Star Trek, Transformers and Paranormal Activity. Paramount has 15.5% percent of the US/Canadian market share and continues to be one of the most successful film production companies in the world.

Walt Disney

The Walt Disney Company started in 1923 in the rear of a small office occupied by Holly-Vermont Realty in Los Angeles. It was there that Walt Disney, and his brother Roy, produced a series of short live-action/animated films collectively called the ALICE COMEDIES. The rent was a mere $10 a month. Within four months, the ever-growing staff moved next door to larger facilities, where the sign on the window read "Disney Bros. Studio."  Walt Disney traditionally specialises in family movies and animation, but in recent years it has been expanding more into live action. They also own an incredible amount of film institutions: Touchstone Pictures, Pixar, Marvel, and most recently Lucasfilm. Disney specialises on making films for the art from, rather than the money, and they don't make films as often, making every film special. Their films are enjoyable for both children and their parents, giving them an enormous turnover. They are one of the most renowned film production companies in the history of the business; Walt Disney now holds 15.3 percent of the US/Canadian market share. With highly successful movies like Pirates of the Caribbean, National Treasure, Meet the Robinsons and Enchanted, there's no doubt that Disney will continue to play a key role in the industry for years to come.

Columbia Pictures

Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. (CPII) is an American film production and distribution studio that is part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. It is one of the leading film studios in the world, a member of the so-called Big Six. It was one of the so-called Little Three among the eight major film studios of Hollywood's Golden Age. It was founded in 1918 as Cohn-Brandt-Cohn Film Sales by brothers Jack and Harry Cohn and Joe Brandt, released its first feature film in August 1922. It adopted the Columbia Pictures name in 1924 and went public two years later. The name is derived from "Columbia”, a national personification of the United States, which is used as the company's logo. They have a good partnership with Steven Spielberg - the leading film director in Hollywood, and this is a major reason for their success. They are consistently ranked as one of the highest-grossing film studios in the world. As with Warner Bros, they make a very wide range of films, and will make anything that will sell. It comprises 12.9% of the US/Canadian market share but still remains a big player in the business. Some of this company's recent successes include Casino Royale, The Da Vinci Code, the Spider-Man series and Step Brothers.

Universal

Universal Pictures is another of the very well known film institution, mainly due to the fact that they have a big theme park in America. They were founded in 1912 by by Carl Laemmle, Mark Dintenfass, Charles Baumann, Adam Kessel, Pat Powers, William Swanson, David Horsley, and Jules Brulatour and were one of the first film institutions. It seems that only the film institutions that were around at the genesis of film making have made it to being the most successful, which makes sense as they've had time to grow. They make very high-budget movies, and have been highly successful across the years. They also own Illumination Films and Working Title films, which are key companies in their film making machine. Working Title acts as Universal's attempt to get money out of the British, by giving them about $40-$50m to make a high quality product. This has worked well over the years, producing classics such as 'Love Actually' and 'Notting Hill'. The films tend to include a mostly British cast, but with a few American actors in, in order to appeal more widely to an American audience. Steven Spielberg also uses Universal a lot. 12.2 % of the US/Canadian market share belongs to Universal Studios, which continues to make millions for the film industry. With major hits like the Bourne series (Bourne Identity, Bourne Supremacy and Bourne Ultimatum), The American Pie series, Knocked Up, American Gangster and The Incredible Hulk, it's very clear that Universal Studios knows what it takes to make money in this industry.

20^th Century Fox

The company was founded on May 31^st, 1935, as the result of the merge of Fox Film Corporation, founded by William Fox in 1915, and Twentieth Century Pictures, founded in 1933 by Darryl F. Zanuck and Joseph M. Schenck. 20^th Century Fox has distributed various commercially successful film series, including Star Wars, Ice Age, X-men, Die Hard, Planet of the Apes and Fantastic Four. Television series produced by Fox include The Simpsons, M*A*S*H, The X-files, Family Guy, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, How I Met Your Mother, Glee, Modern Family and 24. Among the famous actresses to come out of this studio were Shirley Temple, who was the their first film star, Betty Grable, Gene Tierney, Marilyn Monroe and Jayne Mansfield. The studio is also contracted the first African-American cinema star, Dorothy Dandridge. 20^th Century Fox is a member of the Motion Picture Association (MPAA) and is owned by News Corporation as they also own the Fox Television channel. It is a highly successful film company which makes up 11.9% of the US/Canadian market share.

Age Certificate

All newly released films undergo a process called film classification in order to protect children from unsuitable and harmful content. The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) examines each film before it is released, enabling information to be provided to consumers, allowing them to help decide if films are suitable. Each film is individually and independently scrutinised prior to release to ensure the highest possible level of protection and empowerment. The BBFC works by applying the standards and criteria contained in the Classification Guidelines to each new release, helping them come to a decision. Every 4-5 years the BBFC carries out a major public consultation exercise, ensuring they find out the public’s opinion on the age ratings of films and whether their classification standards meet the public’s concerns – the BBFC adjusts its standards and criteria in response to any changes in public opinion. There are 5 different age ratings – U, PG, 12/12A, 15 and 18.

U

The U symbol stands for Universal, and it is the lowest film classification as it is for a universal audience. The BBFC states that a U film should be suitable for audience’s aged 4 and over, however U rated films are typically thought to be suitable for everyone. Generally, U films are aimed at a very young audience, however this means there is also a large proportion of the target audience directed towards parents too, meaning many of these films often have hidden morals/meanings. The majority of U films are animation; however there are exceptions such as the Star Wars films, but this is probably done purposely so not to limit their audience range. In universal films, actions such as sexual activity or violence are scarce or considerably diluted in order to keep the audience happy. Universal films are very much aimed at family viewing and so we do not think this would be suitable for our opening two minutes as it contains scenes/suggests violence and we believe that the U rating would lower our audience as they may dismiss it or consider it childish.

PG

The PG symbol stands for parental guidance, and is the second lowest film classification. The BBFC state that any film with the PG rating is suitable for general viewing, but some may be found unsuitable for younger children. Typically, they are aimed at age 8 or over, however it is difficult to determine what may upset younger or more sensitive children which is why it is suggested the parents give consent. PG viewers usually range from 4 to 12 as they are a slight step up f rom U films. This is shown by the slight increase of bad language, sexual activity and violence. No theme is prohibited at PG as long as it is treated in a manner appropriate to the category. For PG films it is important that potentially dangerous behaviour is not included as the children are usually at an age vulnerable to influences, and so they are strictly scrutinised prior to release to ensure that all aspects to the film are appropriate. Despite the step up in majority, PG films are still not very explicit and are still aimed at a young audience which we would not consider suitable for our opening two minutes.

12/12A

A 12/A rating is the middle age rating of the film classification, and it permits that anyone 12 or over is suitable for the viewing, and permits that anyone of the correct age, can see the film unaccompanied. This classification states that anyone under the age of 12 must be accompanied or have consent from an adult over the age of 18, who must watch the film with them. There are two types of certificated in this age bracket – 12 and 12A. The difference between the two is that the 12 certificate is just for videos, DVD’s and Blu0rays, whereas 12A is for films shown by the cinema only. This classification is a significant step up from the classification below it –PG as they can include for more violence, danger, sexual activity and bad language, however the terms still apply and they must fit the Classification Guidelines. These types of films are the borderline of adult films as they take into consideration more serious topics that would be seen as inappropriate for anyone younger the 12, however parents may still deem some of the films inappropriate depending on their content although it is still mild. These types of film appeal to the younger teenage audience – particularly below 15 which is the next classification level, however there is still a wide audience range above the age of 15, but some may be reluctant due to the more childish nature the certificate suggests. This is a certificate we will take into consideration for our film as it may be appropriate, however we will need to discuss it in further detail as it may limit our audience.

15

Any film with a 15 age rating for the audience aged 15 and above – no one younger than 15 is permitted to see a film of this rating unless accompanied by an adult over the age of 18. This film classification states that unless 15 of over, it is illegal to buy/rent a 15 rated DVD without permission as it contains content unacceptable for children under 15 years of age. In 15 rated films, no theme is prohibited; again providing it means the Classification Guidelines and has the appropriate treatment. 15 certificates are stronger than 12 or 12A due to the increased violence, strong language, sexual activity and discriminatory language or drug taking. These types of films tend to be taken more seriously than the lower classifications, as they are primarily aimed at an adult audience, with no attempts to please anyone younger. 15 rated films have a wide audience range and appeal to a larger audience than films such as U’s or PG’s, meaning they typically do well in the industry. This is an age certificate we will definitely be taking into consideration for our opening two minutes as it comes with a large target audience and would be suitable for our content.

18

Films with the film classification 18 are for adults, and no one under the age of 18 is permitted to see an 18 at the cinema or buy/rent an 18 DVD. No 18 rated films are suitable for children as no theme is prohibited. Adults are free to pick their own entertainment within the law, so it is possible that 18 rated films may tackle offensive issues. Strong issues are also included in this age certificate with very strong violence and bad language, real sex, strong horror and gore as is some circumstances discriminatory language or behaviour. 18 rated films are the highest rated films on general theatrical release. There is one higher rating – the 18R however these films are not widely shown and are reserved for sex shops and specialised theatres. The boundaries of 18 rated films are continually being stretched, shown by the different conceptions of what is permitted as acceptable throughout history, showing the development of the film industry and the acceptance of some topics being shown on film. There is a large audience range for 18 films considering they are aimed at the entire population, only excluding those below the age of 18. For our opening two minutes, we do not think an 18 age rating would be appropriate as it does not include enough of the aspects needed in order to meet the guidelines. In our case, it would probably limit the audience range and is not really necessary as the content is not explicit enough.

location research

Location Research - 1st Location
 

The choice of location is a key aspect in a film where some or all of the film is produced. Directors choose their locations specific to their film because they believe it creates the most realism for the audience. Verisimilitude is the biggest feature a director has to take into consideration, because their role is too make sure the film is as believable and realistic as possible, and this is what the choice of location can provide. The locations can often be iconic to the actors or directors personal life which can deliver an undermining message for the audience. The location needs to be picked carefully so that it coincides with the mise-en-scene and the plot of the film, evidently! We have taken a visit to a minimal amount of our locations which we may decide to shoot at, they have given us a rough idea of what to expect if we choose to film there, and have also helped us adapt to our film brief to make sure the maximum amount of realism is portrayed. Our choice of locations consist of landscape and rural areas so far, which don’t portray much urban locations, this links in with our plot ideas because of the expectations and realism the audience would want to experience.

 First Location the Film begins with:

House of the Protagonist:

 

The first location we visited was the potential house of the protagonist. We would use this house as an establishing shot in the background, with the main focus being on the characters, meaning it wouldn't be displayed as much as other locations. However it is still important to the film, because it is where the journey begins, and gives the audience a rough interpretation into the vulnerable protagonists’ life, portraying a wider image and view of her. We chose this location as a possibility because it is a reasonably large property, conforming to the stereotypes of missing girls.
It also looks like an American-style house which adds to the depiction of the film because it looks like a hierarchy house which corresponds with the main character. The house is very picturesque due to the bright outlay and the greenery surrounding it. The way the drive splits off is effective because it displays wealth due to the larger acres of land.

We also agree that the positioning of the trees neighbouring the entrance of the driveway adds to they mystical and crime of the film because it shadows over the entrance, so it is very secretive. We are also hoping that the weather will be similar to the day we took these pictures because the dull and dreary weather allows the leaves and trees to add to the effectiveness of the suspension we wish to create.
This is a close up shot of the front of the house which could possibly be featured in our film, the old-fashioned style door adds to the prosperity of the house as it is surrounded by the sophisticated environment and pillars. The way the car is parked also conforms to the stereotypical conventions of a crime film because it suggests that people are in the house, creating more realism for the audience. Our plans to use this shot is when the protagonist leaves the house, the stone driveway will help us make the dietetic sound effective due to the loud noises created when running or walking on them.

 

Location Research - 2nd Location
 

These are shots from both sides of the road surrounding the establishing house, the large trees continuing down the road is conventional with our film and the choice of house. The leaf on either side of the pavement adds to the winter vibes which creates mixed emotions for the audience, helping to increase the tension. The big house displayed on the other side of the road is also effective because it fits in with the house we have chosen and the scary factor for the film as there aren't many people around due to the large separated houses, spread down the road.

Our plot of the main character going for a run would be situated in this second location. It is a very stereotypical running location due to the narrow footpath and the greenery surrounding it. It also limits the area the focus of the audience has to be on, making the film easier to follow and the framing not being too cramped or busy. The narrow footpath suggests an ally which conforms to the stereotypical views of crimes occurring down there, this fits in with our plot of the protagonist being taken. The leaves scattered on the floor helps add to the wintry vibes being presented, suggesting a warmer feeling, which is controversial to the plot, making the film more exciting and unexpected. The path is just straight, so the direction helps increase the tension because the audience won’t know what’s round the corner.

The pathway is situated off of a main road, so it helps add to the audience least expecting what may occur. However if we choose this location for one of the scenes then we could surprise the audience by not creating any enigmas in this situation due to the main road being nearby, making it unrealistic if anything was too happen. However filming the runner running up this pathway from the main road helps the scenes locations differentiate from one another so more is understood and it is clear she is in a secluded location.

Despite this location being incredibly scenic and picturesque, I think it is too open for our plot due to the pathway being too wide; this decreases the scare factor and tension we wish to create. The gaps in between the trees disperse the light, making it a brighter and warmer place to be. Even though there are still plenty of trees covering the edges, I don’t believe it would be suitable for our film. I think it would work well in a romantic film.

 

Location Research - Remaining Potential Locations

 

Large areas for the abduction:

The large green area isn't a vital part of the film because the audience will only see green grass; however this location we found was seen as iconic and suitable due to the drooping trees and the wooden gate. The grass still fits in with confined areas, creating larger pressure. The shot over the gate would work really well when filming because it allows the audience to view what is happening in the background over the daunting but traditional gate, which could allow the audience to watch the action from a different perspective. It also helps us too vary the shot types and angles, making it more interesting to watch.

Here are our other shots of locations which we took. They are ones which we though may be suitable however the other locations outweigh the pros to the cons. They are still a possibility and still fight in with our plot.

We are still going to consider these locations as they all fit in with the criteria, however we think that the other locations are more scenic and have a greater film value feel towards them.

 

Font/Title research

The colour of the font shows that their target audience is teen aged girls due to the choice of colour, pink. We know also that the target audience is teenagers because the use of colour is quite childish

rather than the use of black and white which is more sophisticated.

The word Mean is bolder than Girl, this is done to emphasise what the film is about. Even though the colour comes across as immature the actual font is very simplistic which makes it look more relevant to the target audience because it’s very contemporary looking. The fade of colour from purple to pink also makes it look modern due to trends in fashion.

The Harry Potter Titles look like a lightning bolts which reflect the themes of the film, danger, magic and good vs. evil. The use of the colour gold is bright and uplifting making it stand out. The letter P also looks like Harry’s scar which shows that they made their font relate to the story line. Due to the font being quiet detailed it shows that their target audience is young because it’s not very sophisticated. Due to the font being very unique it means that it is very recognisable which makes it great for advertising .

The nightmare in elm street titles uses the stereo-typical use of red which is a connotation of horror films due to blood and gore. This makes it clear to the audience that the film is a horror film. The font looks quite childish due it’s messy, bold print. The word Nightmare is much bigger and bolder to the rest of the title this helps the audience to realise what the plot of the film is. The font is on a black background which is used a lot because black connotes the unknown and mystery.

The ring which is also a horror film has a much different font type to a nightmare in Elm Street. The font looks like hand writing of a young child, this is done to scare the audience because a lot of the time haunted children are used in horror films. The use of the colour white looks quiet ghostly due to the translucent font. Connotations of the colour white include innocence and purity which are normal features of young children.

Nightmare in Elm Street was made in 1984 and the ring was made in 2002, the difference in font is due to the time period, nowadays the use of red in a horror film is very unlikely because it’s become very cliché making it less trendy. Also now the target audience for horror films are older now which means fonts are going to be much more mature looking.

The font used in this titles is very basic and plain which tells us that their target audience is around the ages of 15+.The word love is in red and the connotations which go with that colour is love, passion and Christmas. And all three of these are themes of the film. It also makes the title look a bit girlier for the target audience. The word love is also much bolder than the rest of titles this is done so the audience know straight away what the film is about, it also makes the whole title stand out more. The word love is normally associated with romance films which would attract a large audience mainly women.

The James Bond font is very famous and prominent due to it being very distinct. Using numbers rather than words is very good because it makes the title shorter making it easier to remember. The number 7 looks like a gun which is a convention of action films. The use of black is very sophisticated and makes it suitable to both genders. The word Skyfall has a distorted look to it which shows the conventions of danger and hazards. Also the use of capital letter makes it stand out more and important. 

The lettering is very plain however having the red lettering inside makes it more interesting and makes it stand out more. Due to its plainness it makes it sophisticated making it valid to all ages, this is done by having red in the font to make it more suitable for the younger audience. The target audience for this film isn’t so obvious by the font however it’s more likely to be boys because girls normally go for prettier fonts with the use of pink and purple. However from the picture behind the title we can tell the film is more based for boys because stereo-typically boys prefer dinosaurs rather than girls who don’t normally go for that type of thing. It also makes it clear that the genre is adventure which isn’t very popular with the girl side of the audience.

Actor Interview: Tony Grant

This is our interview with Tony Grant, Laura’s dad. In our film he is going to be part of the investigation scene in the police station. We thought he would be a good candidate because we know that he would be responsible and reliable because he's Laura’s father. He has also had history in the police department so he will understand what to expect in this situation meaning we are able to create a realistic interpretation of an investigation.

This interview gives us some information about him and why he would be good as an actor in our opening 2 minutes. 

Actor Interview: Christie Bagley

Christie Bagley who is a very good friend of all of us has volunteered to be in our opening two minutes, we think she will be a good person for the job because we are very close friends with her so we won't feel too bad giving her constructive criticism because we know she won't take it the wrong way. She also acted in her elder sister's media opening two minutes too which means she knows what to expect.She is perfect for our character because she looks like a stereo-typical victim with her appearance,she is perfect for the role .As well as this she is very normal looking so it creates realism for the audience making it easier for our audience to relate to our protagonist. We asked her a few questions so everyone could get to know her and show  you why we chose her.

Questions and her answers:

Q)who's your favourite actors or actresses?

A) Sandra Bullock and Liam (Laughs) Neeson.

Q)Why's that?

A) (laughs) Because they've been in a variety of different genre films that I really enjoy.

Q)What's your favourite film?

A)The blind side.

Q)Why?

A)Because it's based on a true story and it's quite inspirational.

Q)What's your preferred genre?

A)Romantic comedy.

Q)Why's that?

A)Because I'm quite soppy (laughs).

Q)What are your influences ?

A)Celebrities and the way they are portrayed throughout the media , and also my friends (smiles).

Q)What was the last film you saw?

A) (laughs)Captain Phillips.

Q)Why did you go and see that film?

A)Because I knew it was a true story and their the one I'm interested in.

Q)Lastly are you excited about being in our film?

A)Yeah because it will be my claim to fame (laughs) and keep my social life busy.

Questionaire Analysis

This questionnaire we designed was done to help us see what people like and dislike about films. We asked 5 boys and 5 girls but asked them to answer the questionnaire on 2 different pieces of paper, this was done so we could analyse the difference between a male and female audience. We asked boys and girls between the ages of 16 and 17 which now

 we have realised wasn't such a good idea, we should of asked people between the ages of 15-24 which is our target audience for our film, however we think the majority of our audience would be 16-17 years because there more of a similar age to us than 24 year old. I think another problem with our questionnaire is the use of ‘other’ being used as an answer because it meant that our answers weren't very specific which meant it was harder to analyse.

From some of the answers we have received we can tell that the female audience is much more varied for example Question 1 and 7 were the answers are rather mixed, this shows that females like more of a variety of film genres or types to the male audience. Females are more likely to become fans of certain actors, normally men because they are attracted to them, and this is demonstrated in our answers from Question 4 were 20% of our participants said they think actors are the most important aspect of a film, whereas this didn't occur in our answers with the male participants, they mainly thought the plot was the most important part. Again the female participants had more of mixed response in Question 3 than the male participants; this shows that they are less fussy which also backs up my theory that women like a larger variety of film genres. This is down to female and males having different interests which are shown in question 6.

Final idea for opening 2 minutes

Film Brief
A producer’s pitch, what will happen in your film? Beginning, middle and end.
For our own opening two minutes, we have decided to create a crime action thriller. Our opening revolves around one centre character and a team of investigators, with the editing focusing on cuts to shots in order to expose the villain.

Plot: Crime thriller action revolving around a case of abduction – main character is shown leaving house, saying bye to parents and informing them of what she is doing before taking her dog on a run. Camera work starts with a long shot of the main character leaving the house before zooming out to an establishing shot, determining the setting and introducing the audience to the main character and her surroundings. Editing cuts to a male hand which the audience later assume belongs to the abductor. Hand is shown picking out main character from a group and circling around her face from a newspaper. Shot then cuts to men walking into an office, stereotypically dressed in suits with briefcases – audience later learn that this is an investigating team, investigating cases of several abductions in the area. Cuts continue to switch between main character innocently running with her dog and the investigating team at work. Team of investigators are shown again still discussing the cases and what actions should be put in pace. Cuts continue to switch between main character on her run and investigating team growing increasingly worried in order to highlight the main character’s danger, before main character is shown to be missing and dog is shown owner-less Opening scene ends with cut to an abandoned house – audience assume this is where the man was circling around picture, with a camera panning around a room with pictures of previously abducted girls stuck to the walls. Camera zooms into a close up shot of the man pinning the picture onto the pin board. Last shot is of main character held hostage, unconscious in centre of the room before screen goes black.

Beginning

Mise-en-scene: Lighting is natural from daylight outside of house - gets noticeably darker as character begins running down footpath due to tree overhang however it is all very realistic. Main character is dressed in typical running clothes with her dog on a lead. Abductor’s hand is shown with dirty nails, clearly a male. Props consist of headphones and a dog – limited props in order to enforce realism. Different locations will be used – scene is set at main character’s house before running through footpaths, Ashtead common and ‘the Splash’. Dark room is shown with abductors hand, however audience are unaware of the setting at the time. Little dialogue is used as main character is jogging, listening to music however a few words are light heartedly muttered to dog and character informs parents of what she is doing before she leaves.

Sound: Diegetic sound of front door closing and dialogue. Diegetic sound of headphones is emphasised making it the centre of attention as character puts them in. Footsteps are heard walking over gravel and sounds of road are played in background. Non -diegetic at first but turns to diegetic when character comes to cross road. Diegetic sound of abductor circling around main character’s face in newspaper is emphasised. Non - diegetic sound of haunting sound motif plays in background whenever abductor is in shot.

Editing: Slow pace editing in order to follow main character out of her house. Fast editing to switch to abductor – main character given more prevalence – builds tension as more you don’t see much of the abductor. Camera cuts from the scene of the main character running to the man circling the picture (cross cutting)Editing slows as he picks her out of the group and circles her face

Camera work: Starts with a close up shot of the front door, then zooming out to display an establishing shot of the house. 180 degree rule is used at different points of the film. Match on action is used when the main character is running. Tracking show is used when following the main character running up the footpath. Close up of the abductors hand when circling the image.

Middle

Mise-en-scene: Lighting stays natural in daylight in order to show surroundings, costume is the same in order to show continuity. Investigating team dressed in stereotypical suit and briefcases. Minimal props however dog is shown ownerless with lead dragging behind and a dirty running trainer left behind after signs of a struggle. Location for main character stays the same in outdoor environment, investigating team are shown walking into a building before cutting men in an office. Dialogue is played of men discussing recent cases of abduction in the area.

Sound: Diegetic sound of main character panting and her footsteps is played, diegetic sound of people and cars outside office before more diegetic sound of people talking and general work environment inside the office. Sound bridge crossing between office scene and ownerless dog of distressed dog barking.

Editing: Slow editing showing workers entering the office. Cross cutting is then used between the office and the main character running; this is used to highlight the danger of our character which the character doesn’t know of.

Camera work: An establishing shot is used to show the workers walking into the office to set the scene and give the audience an idea of what’s going on. While main character is running we use a tracking close-up shot to show her emotions and surrounding, this is also used for the dog. Medium shot of men talking about the 7 abductions also using match on action. A close up shot is used on the abandoned shoe which then zooms out to a long shot of the ownerless dog.

End

Mise-en-scene: The lighting which is used is dark and gloomy which is very typical of an abandoned house to scare the audience- However a Spotlight may be used to highlight the photos of the 7 girls on the wall. The costume of the main character will looked distressed and dirty to give the idea of a struggle. There will also be tape over the characters mouth to give the idea that she is not supposed to be found. The prop used in this scene which is set in the abounded house is chair which the main character is strapped to.

Sound: The only sound used in this scene is a non-diegetic sound of the sound-motif we used earlier in the opening scene which will be slow and low-however this time the music will be louder to add more emphasis to what’s happened. When the title of the film comes up the music may change a little.

Editing: Slow editing of the images so its gives the audience more detail and time. Fast editing is then used to give a flash of the main character’s body language-this will be done by using a deep focus on her and a blurred background-to draw the audience’s attention away from the surroundings.

Camera work: Panning shot on abandoned house to display the outside. A panning shot is then used to show the pictures of girls. Along shot is used to show that the main character is tied to a chair in the house close-up is lastly used to show the main character facial expression.