Photo stills from filming session 1.

Filming Update

Yesterday my team member and myself did our first filming session. This shoot took place at my house in Middleton Cheney. We arrived at my house at 9 o clock but didn't start filming till around 9:30 ish. It took us around half an hour to set up the lighting and the tripods we needed to use for these shots. We managed to get around 6 or 7 shots for the trailer. I will edit these shots in friday's lesson so i have a rough cut to go on my blog and Youtube channel. The filming session went quite well and we felt that we made progress in the development and the progression of our trailer.

However in order to improve for the next shoot we need to allow extra time in order to set up the equipment correctly. I also took some on set images in order to replicate the scene correctly for the next shoot.

Using Fake Blood

This video on how to use fake blood is very easy to follow and is achievable. The products that need to be used for this are easy to find at the supermarket. However to improve this further I would water this down slightly so it looks less thick and more realistic. The texture of the blood used in the video is too thick and i think would be unrealistic. The ingredients that we will use to make this make the product edible therefore we won't have any waste if we have any leftovers.

Makeup

I will use this video for inspiration when I am creating fake bruises for the protagonist. This video is easy to follow and the equipment needed is not expensive and are products I already have in my possession. This makeup is realistic which will create the right tone for the trailer. We may not necessarily use this makeup but it is still useful for my companion and myself to have a good reference.

Actor Consent Form

In order to complete our trailer production realistically we need to have our actors permission in order to sow them in our trailer. Below is an actor consent formed that has been signed by the actors themselves and their parent/guardian.

Location Consent Form

As we are filming in my house we need to ask my father permission to use the area.

Production Schedule

Pre-Production

Script= 1 hour

Storyboard= 1 hour

Location Scouting= 1 hour

Risk Assessment= 1 hour

Photo Stills (use in ancillary products)= 30 mins

Costume Prep= 30mins

Logistics = 15 mins 

Production

Equipment List and check everything is there= 30 mins

Actor List and Shot List= 30mins

Transport =30 mins

Lighting= 30mins

Script Run Through= 15 mins

Production Run Through= 45 mins

Costume and Props= 20 mins

Actual Filming= 4 sundays- around 3 hours per session

Editing=  2 weeks

Sound= 1 week

Titles/Transitions= 3 hours

Tester Shots

My partner and myself went to the location of our film and did a few tester shots. The shots that we completed were ones we thought would be a challenge whilst filming. Therefore we needed to practise these shots so they are an success when it come to filming the final product.

Storyboard

Equipment List

The equipment that we will use is important to how the outcome of our film will turn. Below is the equipment we will use post and pre production.

Camera.

The camera that i will be using to film is a Nikon D3200. This camera is an DSLR. We have decided to use this camera as it belongs to myself and therefore we will have access whenever we need to film. The camera films in HD and has a resolution of 1080p which means the quality of a film will be very high. As our camera is of a high quality this will enable us to shoot a high quality and have an overall more professional looking product. This camera also has settings that can allow a black and white filter and some other effects that will make our product look of a high quality.

 

Tripod.

The tripod we are using is a Hama. We have decided to use this tripod because I have one in my possession. As I own one of these it will be convenient for me to use whenever I need to. I will not have to worry about borrowing it from school when someone may be using it. The Hama tripod is of a high quality and will enable me to film a high quality product without any shaky shots in my trailer. The tripod that we are using has the ability to pan which will create more interesting shots for our trailer. The tripod that we will use will enable us to create high and low angle shots with ease.

Dolly.

In order to create a smooth running film when tracking a character I would like to use a Dolly. However I do not own a Dolly therefore I will need to borrow one from school. The negative of using this is that there could be a possibility that someone is already using it- this would add various hours to our filming schedule and make us stress about time. To avoid this I will try to lend out the Dolly as soon as possible. However if it is not available to me I will get the mobile shots done- the ones that don't need movement included.

Chosen actors for our trailer

The Secondary Protagonist.

For our trailer we have decided to use Katherine. We have chosen Katherine because she has previously acted in some of our media projects previously. Katherine lives locally so she would be able to attend the planned filming sessions. Katherine currently does not have a job so therefore she will not have as many commitments and will be available for us to use in our film. We have chosen Katherine because we feel that she is the correct age for a secondary protagonist in the Thriller genre. As Katherine is female and she is being targeted it will follow the thriller conventions more. Katherine is also a quite jumpy person therefore she will be able to portray fear easily. Katherine is also the right age for our target audience and will therefore know what appeals to this age range and could give us ideas on what would appeal.

Antagonist.

For our antagonist we have decided to use Alfie. As our Antagonist's identity will be concealed we don't need to worry and be concerned that Alfie is typically quite young for an antagonist. Alfie loves locally therefore he will find it easy to attend our filming sessions. As Alfie is also a media student there may be clashes when it comes to finding a time when he is not filming himself. The role of the antagonist will be easy to portray therefore Alfie does not need to be a very skilled in acting. As Alfie is a male he follows the conventions and stereotypes of an antagonist.

Protagonist.

For our film we have decided to use Natasha. We have chosen Natasha because she lives locally therefore it will be easier for her to travel to location. We have a similar class schedule therefore we will be able to film during frees. Natasha fits the conventions of a female protagonist in Thriller films. As she is a female we will be able to show the archetypes and stereotypes of females and how they
are supported or subverted by elements like mise en scene.

Synopsis

When a teenage girl's phone rings everything seems normal and as it seems. But when a vicious antagonist seems to be watching her every move and sending various threats, everything is not as it seems. But when she disappears and is presumed dead its up to her friend to solve the mystery of the killer and who they are and why they are doing it. But at the same time she could be putting herself in more danger than intended.

One phone call goes horribly wrong and its up to (insert name here) to solve the mystery that may be putting her life in danger.

Risk Assessment

Conventions of mise en scene and narrative in Thrillers.

Mise en scene in media includes the use and representation of costume, lighting, location and props. Depending on the genre and sub genre of the film, the mise en scene will also relate back to the said genre. For example in a horror film the costumes for the antagonist are usually dark colours such as black which show strong connotations of death and mystery and the lighting is usually low key in order to create a ominous and eerie atmosphere.

My chosen genre for my trailer will be thriller. I decided to pick thriller as I thought it was the most approachable way to create a good trailer. This genre is also easier to film and to create a strong understandable narrative. Thrillers is also a good genre to shown representation of characters and how they are portrayed through these genres.

Costumes

Costumes is worn by the characters in these films generally follow the conventions of costumes in thrillers. However this also depends on the gender and age of this character. Stereotypically females characters are portrayed as ones that need to be reduced by the protagonist who is usually a male. However in some films the female characters are portrayed as strong character and their outfits support this. Typically in thriller films the female character is wearing dark clothing which suggests masculinity. These characters also don't wear very much makeup which subverts the archetype that women always wear makeup and look feminine.

Typically male characters are portrayed as strong and powerful characters, therefore their costumes need to reflect this. In films like Taken the male characters are seen wearing black- black shows strong connotations of strength and power which is how men in thriller films are usually portrayed. This is usually paired with jeans. By wearing jeans it makes the character seem more casual more like everyone else.

Props and costume

In order to follow the conventions of thriller films we need to think carefully about what props and costumes that we should use. Costume is an important element in films. Costume allows different meanings to be conveyed from said costume. The colour of costume is also important as it allows the audience to connote the colour of the outfit and see how it transmits through the narrative. Props used in films can be a technique to show meaning and relation to the narrative. Props in the media industry can also be used as a form of iconography.

Prop used by Protagonist.

As we have based our trailer on the Scream opening the use of a mobile phone is key to link the narrative together and enable the viewer to form an understanding and entrancement. As in Scream the character used a landline phone, in order to modernise the narrative we will use a smartphone such as an iPhone. The use of a smart phone creates a link and understanding with the audience and relates back to our target audience- typically smart phones are used more with teenagers.

Costume by Protagonist.

The costume worn by our protagonist will be casual clothing for example jeans, T-shirt or dress. By having the protagonist wearing casual clothing makes the character more relatable to the audience and shows normality. We will have the character wearing a dress as this follows the stereotypes of what women wear e.g. dress or skirt. The colour of the costumes will probably bright colours in order to connote happiness. This will act as irony because typically in thrillers there isn't a lot of happiness.
 

Costume worn by Antagonist.

In order to follow the conventions in thriller films the antagonist character will be wearing a costume that is black. Our character will be wearing black jeans and a hooded sweatshirt, the colour black shows connotations of death and power- features you would usually see in an antagonist. To make our antagonist look more scary and intimidating we may include a mask that the antagonist will wear. This mask will be a balaclava therefore the identity will be concealed. 

Lighting

As the genre for our trailer is Thriller we need to therefore follow the lighting conventions in these films. In order to complete this I researched and looked at some thriller films in order to see the lighting that the industry has used. We saw in films such as Taken and Salt had incorporated the use of high key lighting in order to recreate a realistic and everyday scenario. This made the audience think that everything is normal. The use of high key lighting at the beginning of the trailer shows an introduction to the narrative and sets the narrative for the audience. In order to recreate a high key lighting effect we will film in the day and possible use studio lighting in order to enhance the natural lighting.
In many thriller/horror films low key lighting is used to create a dangerous and scary atmosphere, the darkness is an icon of thriller and creates a dangerous tone to the narrative. The low key lighting that has been used in trailers follows the conventions of stereotypical thriller genre films. In order to recreate lighting like this we will film at night or as the sun is beginning to set this will replicate the scary and eerie effect showcased in thriller films.

Call Sheet

This is the layout for the call sheet that we will use. These call sheets exhibit what/ who we will need and what we will be filming and where this will be. We will fill these in for each filming session that is attended.

Communication

In order to keep in contact with my partner we will use social media sites like Facebook in order to discuss our ideas concerning the filming of our trailer. By using the social media site Facebook this will be a quick and effective way to keep in contact and discuss our ideas. The social media site will enable us to send images therefore we can discuss our ideas visually as well as through text.
We will create a group chat which the cast and crew will be members of. This will enable my partner and myself to be in contact with our cast at all times. By having a group chat this will mean we can notify our cast if any changes or problems occur concerning filming.

Titles ideas and moodboard

I have found these fonts on online font generator. The fonts I have selected are ones that follow the conventions of thriller films.