15th Dec Filming

Today we filmed scenes of Mia at home receiving a call from her stalker.

We filmed at Jacob's house as there was a lot of space and his house was available so it made sense for us to film.

Here are some shots of us filming. The shot through the shutters is our favourite as it appears as if the stalker is watching MIA through the window, it is also an audience perspective which allows the audience to connect with MIA.

Footage review

Thursday 1st December

Although, the filming went well it took a long time to do and we had to film the scenes numerous times until we were happy with the result. If we were to film again we would change the stalkers outfit to make it more believable as the schoolbag didn't suit the role nor did the jacket. We liked the variation in our shots especially the close ups which included a change in focus which hinted to the audience the relationship between the stalker and the victim.

Monday 5th December 

We filmed for the 3 hours during this lesson. The weather was really nice on this day and this made it the perfect day to film. We filmed a lot of the walking scenes of MIA (the protagonist) as we were missing an actor but we worked around it. As a group, we wanted our shots to have a purpose so we made sure that we knew what we was shooting and also why we were shooting it. 

Editing our Film

Editing Our film shots

Dec 5th Filming

Today was our second day of filming.  We chose to film outside on this day because the lighting was really good, it also is a juxtaposition for the situation as the audience later learn that it isn't a nice day as she (MIA) is being stalked.

We filmed shots of Mia walking up to college. These shots were good as it shows to the audience how the normal routine for the character Mia, however later on we see that it has been affected by the stalker following her.

Dec 1st Filming

Today our group started the filming process for our title sequence. We filmed the classroom scene where the stalker comes into Mia's lesson in a college classroom.

We also had shots of Mia using her phone as well as the stalker using his phone behind Mia in the background. 

We decided that we want the stalker's face to be hidden to add a sense of mystery to the character, so that not only is the character unknown to Mia but to the audience as well.

So for example, when it came to filming the stalker walking inside, the camera was directly behind the stalker the entirety of him walking in so that his face couldn't be seen by the camera.

This in turn makes the audience want to watch more to find out his real identity and his relation to Mia.

The use of the fig rig helped incredibly to film this shot as it helped the camera to stay steady whilst in motion, resulting in a smooth clean shot of the stalker walking in.

(blog) pitch task 28

Sound Design

Diegetic: 

• An RnB song will play in the background as Mia gets ready for the day. As it's the daily routine it's pivotal it has an element of realism iconic to thrillers; typical of teenagers. 
• A Facebook notification will go off notifying Mia and the audience that someone she doesn't know has made contact with her . 
• There will also be sound effects like footsteps, rain patter, wind and knife sharpening to make it dramatic as well as creating isolation and fear amongst the audience. 

Non-Diegetic:

• Within the title sequence we're going to have an air raid siren and the track 'Twisted Nerve' playing; both these sounds are unique and add an element of mystery to feel of the film. 

What title sequences have influenced our sound design? 

Stanley Kubrick's 'The Shining' title sequence is very chilling and sets a tone for the remainder of the film. This exact effect and feeling for 'The Shining' we wanted to create in our film. The track in the title sequence is particularly grand but creepy so that is why we chose the song 'Twisted Nerve'. To add to this the song in the title sequence of 'The Shining' focuses on the trumpet and much like it 'Twisted Nerve' is very central to the piano. 

25-31 storyboard- Ellie

Made with Storyboard That

19-24 storyboard -Ellie

Made with Storyboard That

13-18 story board- Ellie

Made with Storyboard That

7-12 story board

Made with Storyboard That

1-6 story board- ellie

Made with Storyboard That

Storyboard draft

risk assessment- Ellie

Activity of Hazard	Person who may be at risk	Property in risk damage	Preventive Measures	Risk Assessment
Camera Theft	-	Camera equipment	keep the equipment safe, always watch it.	Low
Bad weather	-	Electronic equipment (camera etc)	Make sure we have precautions ready (umbrellas)	High
Attendance	-	-	Make sure everyone agrees on the set time and days	Low
Our surroundings	-	-	Ensure that we are allowed to film at these places	Medium
Individuals Health	The individual	-	Ensure everyone is comfortable and well enough, if not then make it your objective to let the group know in advance.	Medium

Audience detail- (pitch) task 25

Audience detail

Our film is aimed at anyone that has an interest in horror/ thriller movies, perhaps a young or middle aged audience because they need to have an awareness and understanding about what will be going on in the film. We will attract them to our film by making the genre visible to them and we will also make a good title sequence which will get their attention and keep them interested. We will achieve this by combining the use of tense music/ sound, flashing images/ shadows and good lighting.

One of the key setting areas are at college which is why it can be relatable to a younger aged group. However, it could also be aimed at an older aged audience because the situation of the film can happen to anyone wherever they are. Furthermore, the film will involve film blood and a household weapon which is why it may be not be targeted towards a sensitive audience because it may be too much for them to handle: viewer discretion is advised. There may also be the use of flashing images or bright lighting so people that are sensitive to bright light may not want to watch.

Institutional detail- blog task 30- Ellie

Will our film be a mainstream or independent production?
We would like to aim for our film to be independent as we feel that the rawness of the film will connect more with the audience. We want our film to feel natural and we believe that if it is a independent production, the locations will feel more personal.

Who will distribute your film?
Our film will be distributed by hammer films as they are known for distributing films such as 'The Woman In Black', which is a very well known thriller/horror. It is also modern which is the approach we wish to take for our title sequence.

What other distribution companies are similar to yours?
Another film distributor that is similar is Warner Bros. The reason is because of the films they have produced such as Inception and The Shining. Although Warner Bros distributes good films, it is very well known and not as independent as we want it to be.

How would the ownership affect the type of titles and credits you have?
The ownership will affect the type of titles and credits as different elements of the film will be affected, such as music. The reason we say this is because if the music from the ident is high pitched and happy sounding, then it wont set the correct mood for the title sequence, whereas if it is a lower pitch, the mood will be set correctly.

Title Design (pitch task 10)

Title Design:

Our film is called 'MIA' and we're going to use the font Helvetica as it delivers a sinister touch in the title sequence and builds to the stigma of a thriller. 

Order of the credits:

Ident 

Ellie Benmore 

Aniqa Ali 

James Dowling 

Ralph Evans  

and Jacob O'Donnell 

Crew:

Mise en scene (Aniqa)

Music Supervisor (Jacob)

Music by (Alfie)

Editors (Group 7)

Production designer (Aniqa)

Executive Producer ( Ellie)

Director of Photography (James) 

Written by (Ellie) 

Directors (James) 

pitch task 7- mise-en-scene; Aniqa

Props, costume, location

The props that we will use are a laptop, a phone, a steady camera, a household weapon, film blood and some resource books or equipments.

We will use a laptop because messages will be shown through social media in the first location- her bedroom, and then we will use a phone as Mia receives unknown calls and texts from the stalker and it will be shown on her phone. Her phone is key to her association with the communicating with her friend, boyfriend and the stalker.

We will use a steady camera to film because it is crucial as you cannot film without a camera. Film blood and a household weapon such as a kitchen knife may be used to complete the genre of our film- horror. This symbolises danger and bloodshed which will heighten the experience of our film.

Finally, we may be using some basic school equipments or resources such as text book, pen/ pencil and bag- just as any typical student would carry with them in their bag. We will include these props because our second location is in college therefore, the main character has to act and be engaged and involved in college.

We have't created any costumes but we have decided that the characters should dress normally just as any typical student would. But we have decided that the Stalker should be dressed in dark clothing, perhaps a hoodie or a trench coat to symbolise his strange and unstable behaviour. And Mia's boyfriend should wear either a hoodie or a leather jacket and a cap or beanie to project his character, as he does bully the stalker. 

Task 29- The film/what type of sequence is it?

The Film
We have chosen to name our film 'Mia'. We wanted to keep the name simple but effective and we believe that 'Mia' is not only memorable, but it also adds suspense as the genre isn't clear.

Mia is about a teenage girl who is yet to find out that one of her class friends is completely obsessed with her which leads him to stalk her. She receives anonymous messages which leads her boyfriend to break up with her as he believes she is cheating on him which makes her world fall apart. Mia is left in a sticky situation when the stalker eventually breaks into her house.
The reason we have chosen a stalker story is because we wanted to connect with the audience and we feel as though this was the best way as a lot of people have experienced anonymous messages. 


What type of sequence is it?
For our title sequence, we intend it to be stylized as we believe that type suits it best. There are a lot of examples of good title sequences for the genre 'Thriller'. Whilst watching previous students examples, we have seen many different examples of thrillers, but one main thriller that has inspired us was by Group 3- Lara, Denya, Marina and Hiba. The reason we have been inspired by them is because the techniques that they used really grab the attention of the audience. For our title sequence, we want to connect with the audience and make them feel as if our sequence is real. 



   

Task 30- costume ideas

Planning costume ideas:

The name of the film is Mia as because the main characters name is and the film mainly revolves around her. It also gives a weird vibe to the film as it makes you wonder if it's the name of a person or a place which may be isolated and dangerous, as Mia later on is isolated by her boyfriend and close friend and then is in danger with the stalker.

Character 1- Mia

She will be dressed in normal everyday clothing as she it will also be set in college.

Her makeup will be subtle and normal.

Character 2- Stalker

He will wear dark clothing, maybe a hoodie or a trench coat to symbolise his devious characteristics.

His makeup or costumes will be dark which portrays his character.

Character 3- Mia's friend

She will be dressed in normal everyday clothing as she is with Mia in college.

Her makeup will also be subtle and normal.

Character 4- Mia's boyfriend

He will also wear normal everyday wear, maybe a leather jacket and a beanie/hat or such, as he does bully the stalker. His makeup will be subtle and normal looking.

T29 - What Genre (or sub-genre) of Film is it? + Representation

We have chosen our genre to be Thriller because Thriller is a genre that's good at displaying tension which entices the audience to keep them watching. As well as this, our group really like Thriller movies, so it's easier for us to draw up plans for our title sequence.

One title sequence/opening scene that helped inspire us to do a thriller was "Scream". 

We liked the element of psychological torment with the killer phoning the victim whilst she is unaware of his presence, which we think would be good to implement into our title sequence.




The characters that we are introducing in the title sequence are:

• Mia - The victim & Protagonist (female)
• Chris - The victim's boyfriend (male)
• Penny - The victim's friend (female)
• Neville - The stalker & Antagonist (male)

The main characters are typical stereotypes of popular college students, ranging from 16-18 years old. The reason for this is to connect to an audience who can also relate to the characters issues and personalities that are portrayed in this title sequence. Also, the audience will relate as they are key users of social media, which will be an important key factor within the plot of the film.

Blog Task 37- planning film ideas

Planning Film Ideas- mise en scene  

The main film idea:

The genre of the film is horror and is it is about a stalker that ha heres been bullied by the main characters (Mia) boyfriend and he then goes after Mia to seek revenge. 

Key props:

-Laptop

-Bag

-Stationary 

-Weapons

-Household tools

-Film blood

-Steady camera

-Phone

A phone is one of the main props that will be used as Mia is stalked on social media- which will be shown on her phone or laptop. She also receives unknown calls and texts from the stalker without her knowledge.

A steady camera is also crucial because you cannot film without a camera. We will be filming in college and Mia's home, and we will also present the other characters and the stalkers plots and ideas.

Film blood will also be used as it is crucial to the genre of our film- horror. We will be getting this from ebay.

Weapons and household tools will also be used and shown to emphasise the genre and tense dangerous moments. This will be taken from Mia's home.

target audience of thrillers

Like all genres, there are sub-genres and to notify the target audience of thrillers you would have to specify what kind of thriller film.

Silence of the Lambs and No Country for Old Men are considered the two best thrillers in recent memory... and they're rated R. Their target audience was probably for the young male adults. 

Meanwhile, there are those thrillers that are borderline horror films, such as M. Night Shyamalan films The Sixth Sense, Signs, The Village. Since they're close to horror (and horror films target teenage girls), the demographic would be slightly different... probably younger and more female based. 

And then there are legal thrillers (Fracture, Runaway Jury) and crime thrillers (Memento, Se7en) that target a more mature audience... and classic thrillers (any Alfred Hitchcock film) that are rated PG, but are intended for adults.

Overall if a demographic was needed then the target audience would be 18-25 or above.

codes and conventions of thrillers

Most thrillers are set in inner city areas while some are set in the woods. The films set in the shady inner city areas are usually have more variations of background sound such as: cars, people shouting, normal dialogue and sometimes heavy rainfall and violence. The films set in the woods usually have less background sounds but have sound that may include: crickets, trees swaying and other wildlife. The setting and sound is important because they create the overall atmosphere for the film and draw the attention of the viewer.
SETTING & SOUND
LOW KEY LIGHTING
low key lighting is used in thriller films to create a tense atmosphere for the particular scene. when low key lighting is used, the audience can sense that something bad may happen
Mirrors
Mirrors in thriller films are used to show the reflection of the protagonist. The reflection in the mirror is often the darker side of the character which is hidden from the other characters in the film.
ICONOGRAPHY
SHADOWS and SILHOUETTES
WEAPONS
DRUGS
DARK URBAN SETTINGS
CARS
Shadows and silhouettes create mystery and a dark atmosphere for the audience. They are often used to hide the identity of someone or something and leave the audience guessing. Silhouettes give a clearer look of the outline of the the hidden object or person while the shadow distorts the object or person causing it to look awkward and confuse the audience.
Weapons are used a lot in thriller films, especially in action thrillers. These are usually used to assert authority in the films and create tension at certain points.
Drugs also play a apart in many thriller movies and in some cases they are the main focus of the film. An example could be the protagonist having to take down a drug kingpin.
A dark urban setting is used in thriller movies as well. Dark urban settings are often associated with criminal activity. The dark atmosphere bring a sense of discomfort to the audience.
Cars are in pretty much in every movie and is the focus of some of the films. They are the main source of transport in films and can be characterized in many ways. Often, characters have signature cars that fits their character.
Extreme long shot
Extreme long shot also known as an 
establishing shot
is used to capture a large landscape. This is usually used at the beginning of a film or scene to show the general location
This type of shot is similar to an extreme long shot but shows less landscape. This camera shot gives a more specific idea of the location.
Long shot
In conspiracy thriller films, the protagonist usually encounters a person or an organization who is more powerful than them. the protagonist is the person who usually senses the threat first and is the main person to fight the threat. An example of a conspiracy thriller is the film "Arlington Road"
CAMERA ANGLES AND ANGLES
Medium shot
This camera shot shows the character with the lower part of the body cut off leaving the upper part to be seen. this shot can show a bit of the setting in the background while showing the facial expressions of the characters.
Close up
A close up of shot usually emphasizes the emotional state of a character by filming up close to a characters face. The viewer is drawn into the subject's personal space and shares their feelings.
Over the shoulder shot
This camera shot shows a character over the shoulder of another character. This is often used when two characters are having a conversation.
High angle shot
The camera is usually is placed at a higher level above a character looking downward towards the character. This shot can show the character to be smaller or weaker.
Low angle shot
The camera is usually placed below the character looking upward to the character. This camera shot can make the a character look bigger, stronger or have authority.
CHARACTERS
Just like many other genre of films, thrillers have a variation of characters that viewers get to experience with the protagonist or may be the protagonist itself. Here is a list of the type of characters you may see:
A convict is someone who has been found guilty of a criminal offence. Convicts appear in thriller films but most often in crime and mystery thrillers. An example of a convict in a thriller film is "Hartigan" from the crime thriller "Sin City".
CONVICT
PSYCHOTIC CHARACTERS
A psychotic character usually suffers from psychosis which has extreme affects on the mind. This usually means that the characters thoughts and emotions are affected so badly that they begin to lose touch with reality and begin to act in a manner that means that members of the public are not safe around them. These characters often appear in crime and mystery thrillers and an example of a psychotic character is The Joker from the Batman series. This type of character is usually the antagonist
STALKER
A stalker is a person who develops an obsession with someone and dedicates time into repeatedly watching or following a person without their permission. Stalkers tend to appear in mostly crime and mystery thrillers. They are similar to psychotic characters as they tend to be mentally unstable in most cases while some stalkers are mentally stable. An example of a stalker is "Seymour Parrish" from the film "One Hour Photo".
INNOCENT PEOPLE BROUGHT INTO DANGER
A lot of the time in thriller films, innocent characters are brought into danger or crime. These characters often appear in crime thrillers and an example of this is "Jason" from the film "Snitch". His friend was a drug dealer but his friend framed him and during a police raid Jason was arrested and given 10 years in prison.
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Since most thriller movies contain crime, it is natural that law enforcement should be involved and they usually play a big role in the storyline. Law enforcement is usually portrayed as being helpful or as being corrupt. An example of helpful police is "Jack Travern" from the film "Speed". Jack Travern was a young cop that had to prevent a bomb exploding on a city bus by keeping its

Blog task 34- Planning titles and credits for opening title sequence

Font/Typeface
As a group, we have decided that we want to use a bold font so that our title sequence matches the genre of the film. We liked the font 'Helvetica' as it is simple but effective. The font can be on either a black background or a background with pictures on it.

Transitions/effects
As we are doing a Thriller, we thought it would be a good idea to incorporate shadows into our sequence to create a tense atmosphere. Also, we might add shapes and strobe images into our sequence so that the audience are aware of what is going to happen. Our plan is to also add an under layer of tense music/sound which also adds to the atmosphere.

Colour of font
A lot of thriller openings vary with their font. For example, they mostly use Black/White/Red font which is useful as it symbolises danger and a presence of evil. These colours will also be integrated into our film so that everything connects and the audience wont be confused.

Pace and movement of the titles
The title sequence will be fast paced so that the audience have to concentrate more, it will also allow them to digest the information and it will heighten the tense experience.

How will our titles integrate or contrast with the action behind them
We want our title sequence to simultaneously blend with the film. We think that a black screen before the opening starts will allow the audience to focus and prepare them for what is going to happen next.


The conventional order of the credits
-Production ident
-Distribution ident
-Distribution in title sequence
-production in title sequence
-actor 1=Ellie
-actor 2=James
-film title
-actor 3=Ralph
-actor 4=Aniqa
-actor 5=Jacob
-casting
-costume
-music superviser
-music by
-edited by
-production designer
-director of photography
-executive producer
-written by
-directors

blog task 23

blog post 26- ident creation

I created this ident with adobe effects. I used this template because i thought it would attract the audience, making it memorable as well as aesthetically pleasing. The name 'Basic Productions' is not only memorable but its simple as well.

Distribution

Genre investigating= thriller

A likely distributer for our title sequence would either be paramount pictures or fox searchlight

Examples of films that have been released on these distributers are black swan(fox searchlight) and shutter island(paramount pictures).

These distributers produce big budget films but not hollywood standard. The large budget reflects on the distributers as the introductions are quite glamouros and refined.

blog task 32

The company Lionsgate is more likely to distribute thriller movies.

Examples of films they have distributed:

- The cabin in the woods 

- Saw

- The last exorcism

- Texas Chainsaw 3D

Task 32- Distribution

Warner Bros
Warner Bros is one of the largest film distributers in the world. It was created in America and they usually produce high budget films. The genre that they predominantly produce are thrillers/action films. This relates to the genre that myself and my group are looking at as we hope to create a thriller which could potentially be quite like the films that Warner Bros distribute.

Some films that they distribute are:
-Inception
-The Conjuring 2
-Harry Potter franchise
-Batman

T32 - Distribution

Hammer would be a likely company to distribute the film we are creating a title sequence for, as we have chosen our genres to be Horror/Thriller, and Hammer is known for producing many famous Horrors as well as Thrillers, for example The Woman in Black and Frankenstein.

Another likely distributor that would be appropriate for our film would be Warner Bros., having produced films such as Inception and The Shining.

T23 - Final Ideas

Task 12

BFI statistics yearbook- UK

Task 13

A target audience is a particular group a film or advertisement is aimed at.

For example: the film Wizard of Oz is aimed at young children therefore, they have to think about ways to attract their audience, what their plot and design/ scenery/ setting/ characters will be and look like, what will keep them watching the entire film and most importantly, how it will engage and entertain them from start to finish - something they can understand or relate to.

Genre shortlist

The three genres that i would choose to produce my own title sequence is horror, comedy and teen film.

Task 8

Conclusions of titles in used in title sequences.

The conclusions that can be made on titles in title sequences are that each film has its own font appealing to its type of audience. This suggests the intentions of the film(genre), the characters and the location/ setting of the film. This way one could instantly spot what the film will be about.


From analysing many title sequences, I've learnt that the name of the production is presented at the start and then follows the credits. The credits include cast members, the directors, editors and the people in charge of music/ sound. The text size is usually medium in comparison to the background size and presented in a motion effect manner. 

post 18 our ideas

Task 17

Analysis of sound in the film opening- The Avengers: Age of Ultron.

It starts of with the sound of gun shots which get louder and louder. There is intense music in the background which adds to the action. The sound of motorbikes and explosives adds to the fast pace of the opening. Also, the characters voices are being heard whilst flashing images are being shown, adding to the genre of the movie- action, adventure and sci-fi.

Task 7

The title sequence in the movie mission impossible Rogue nation (2015)

The opening sequence acts as both trailer and primer, intreguing the audience in style and rhythm while giving glimpses of the film to come — just enough to make you want to look foward to the movie, but not exposing to much of the film. The use of graphic context and flashing images were used more in this sequence than any other mission impossible movie.

The title sequence in the movie fight club:

The sequence is very intensifying as there is harsh music in the background, flashing images, and a fast motion of movement. It starts off in the protagonist's brain, moving through various cerebral micro-landscapes and exiting a skin pore, gracefully ending with a gun in his mouth. This way it gets the audience excited and looking foward to the movie. It starts off in the protagonist's brain