Post- Preliminary task film production

Filming on Wednesday and Thursday the 11th and 12th January went quite smoothly. Through the mise en scene and props we managed to convey the codes and conventions of thriller films.We also experimented with a variety of different shots which would provide more options to choose from when it comes to editing and adding sound. We have found the soundtrack and by Tuesday the animatic should be completed.In the mean time I will be looking for pictures to go on my website. What was good about our preliminary production was that we managed to take in turns the responsibility of filming different angles and we did not restrict ourselves to just using the tripod.

Editing training

Today our teacher took us for Adobe Premiere Pro training I have previously worked on Imovie but this was a different experience. Once we got taught how the programme works, we then edited a pre-filmed 'tutorial' where we cropped and added transitions and effects. Following that we got into groups and were given two mini-prescribed tasks and which had to consist of shot reverse and the 180 degree rule,this was so that we had practice experimenting with the shots. After today I feel confident to film tomorrow and because we have been able to have the practice of the prescribed camera techniques before doing it properly.

Saturday 7th November 2009

Recently I have been analysing the plot to make sure that our film shows exactly what it is that we are trying to represent.We needed to check whether it addresses our primary and secondary audience and if not how to address them. As well as thinking of those things, we have been trying to find an appropriate location and suitable actors. We organized with an Art teacher to use our Sixth Form's Photography room after school from Wednesday onwards this room is suitable because it is dark and connotes the frightening mise en scene we are looking for. It also contrasts with the child who at first seems innocent; innocence is a typical characteristic passive viewers associate with children. Our teacher has planned for us to get editing training on the Adobe premiere Software and after the session on Tuesday 10th November we will be able to start filming from then on. This week Opal and I have been planning our production so far I have written out the script for our two actors who are drama students so that they can prepare their lines; and I have given them a brief summary about the narrative and what we are trying to represent in the film. Opal and I have found the soundtrack although we might change it later on before we come to edit. I have done the storyboards so that as we are filming we can tick the scenes we have done and highlight the ones we need to do.

Opal is providing the props and wardrobe for the actors. I got the idea for our film from a film I had seen called The Orphan. The narrative basically consists of a child who is not who she seems and ends up trying to kill her mother. I find this ideology very intriguing. It is connoting the loss of innocence within the child the child is here shown to be manipulative and vindictive. So for our film I decided that I wanted not show a revengeful child, showing binary opposites within the child between innocence and subtle bitterness, with the mother character I wanted to show through her talking to the painting her unconscious frustration with the child and also at the end when she sees her painting at it says 'You killed me mummy' you see that she is unconsciously guilty.

The first shot of our film is a slightly ajar door with a little bit of light piercing we are showing binary opposition which creates an element of mystery and wonder within the viewer. Although we have a prescribed task we are going to try and use as much as interesting shot types to sustain suspense within the viewer also through the different shot types we want a particular emotion to be captured.

Also in yesterday's lesson I took pictures of our storyboards with a digital camera and I uploaded them onto Windows Movie Maker, we then found a potential soundtrack and downloaded it and edited over our animatic.

Preliminary task - Mise en scene costume

We used Red hair ribbons in order to portray the innocence of the child character. As red commonly signifies danger, and this reflects the subtle vengefulness seen in our child character

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We used talcum powder for the child character, played by Kayda Ismajli. To accurately project the idea that she is dead.


We used eye liner for Kayda to match the codes and conventions of how ghosts are represented in thriller films.

We used a apron to the further define the mother character as an art teacher.We also used White plimsolls, with paint splattered on them so that the audience can infer that the female actor works on her art for long periods of time

Preliminary Preparations

My teacher also helped us by printing sheets to help divide responsibility between Opal and I, We used these sheets whilst filming to ensure all props etc. Below is a clear summary of who is responsible for different types of planning :


Scripting:
Date: 4/10/09
Resources: Storyline and storyboards
Choose Responsibility: Mine

Research(Finding information,locations Etc):
Date should be done by: 06/11/09 - 09/11/09
Resources: Props, Make-up, wardrobe, Aprons, Plimsolls, talcum powder, eyeliner and red ribbons
Whose Responsibility: Both

Shooting/Recording:
Date and time: 11th-12th November 09
Resources: Filming Equipment would be required and storyboards
Responsibility: Both

Editing scripts:
Date and time: 08 November 09
Resources: I added more dialogue in order to form a good storyline.
Responsibility: Mine


Soundtrack:
Date and time: 10th November 09
Resources: I tested a crossover between conventional thriller sounds and more subtle spooky sounds
Responsibility: Mine

Final preparations for my preliminary task

In today's lesson, me and Opal have been making final preparations for our film; because we have been informed by our teacher the date we will be filming so we decided that Opal would organize our props and let our actors know when we will be filming and it has been decided for the 13-15 of November 2009. I am going to make alterations to our storyboards so that we both have a copy of it, giving us clear instructions to ensure smooth filming I will also be uploading my shot list after this post. This will be done by me by this Friday coming.

Shot list of preliminary task

Shot no. 1:
Low-angle mid-shot of an opening door.
Date and time: 11th November,4.00 pm
(The location for all the shots would be the Art room in my sixth form.)
Special information: Shot must show binary opposition.

Shot no.2: Door opens medium long shot of character walking past the camera.
Date and time: 11th November, 4.10 pm
Special information: Must take 5 different takes.

Shot no. 3: Low angle tracking of character walking past the camera
Date and time: 4.30 pm
Special information: Must be a low angle.

Shot no. 4: Tilt to midshot.
Date and time: 11th November 4.50 pm
Special information: Tilt must take place after she has sat down.

Shot no.5: Over the shoulder shot of character (from child to adult)
Date and time: 11th November 5.00 pm
Special information: Actor must appear frustrated.

Shot no.6: 180 degree rule to shot reverse of the two characters
Date and time: 12th November 4.10 pm
Special information: None

Shot no.7: High angle from the Childs point of view
Date and time: 12th November 4.45 pm
Special information: None

Shot no. 8: Low angle of child character
Date and time: 12 th November 5.00 pm

Shot no.9: Over the shoulder, mother dropping paint brush
Date and time: 12 th November 5.15pm

Shot no. 10: Midshot of the vanished child
Date and time:12th November 5.45 pm