Video Diary Part 3

Here is the next link to part 3 of our video diary!

http://kennytmedia.blogspot.com/2010/01/pre-production-video-discussion-part.html

Again thanks to Kenny

Filming Schedules!

I have uploaded our original filming schedule, although it is no longer correct. Due to the errors of the weather. However we thought we should show you our orginal schedule, to show you how we were planning on keeping our time etc. As time management is important, having to re-schedule for many people often became difficult. However the following documents show our original filming schedule, and our new one.

Original Filming Survey

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Filming schedule

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Survey Results 2 - Analysed!

Here i have embeded the first survey results again, but with an analysis. Hopefull the ananlysis will show you and help you to understand the thinking and production behind these surveys!

Survey Results - Analysed

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Enjoy!

Script!

The script is one of the most important parts of pre production. Getting the exact correct script is almost impossible, as so much changes throughout filming etc.

Unfortunately our initial script was lost on the computer, so Kennet re-wrote it. At the time of it being Re-written we had partly filmed, so a small piece of editing has been done to our justice. I hope you enjoy it! and appreciate how often things change in filming!

Creed

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Character profiles!

The character profiles were created by Kennet Tanner, pictures drawn by Mattis Wiedman.

The character profiles back up our own ideas in which we think our characters should look like. They also explain to the audience conventions we have used to support our characters effectively. E.g Hood up to show naivety and innocence.

Here i have embedded the character profiles from Kennets blogger. An awesome piece of work from him once again!

Character Profiles(2)

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Finally casted for these roles were Grace Birchall and William Durham, we are excited to see the finished result!

Music!

For our music we had two idea, one more complicated than the other.

firstly we wanted to use a piece of music written by bo bruce, called Fighting Arizona. Kennet showed this piece to me, and i instantly found a bond between it and our idea for our thriller opening. Looking at the lyrics of the song, and the way it was written, it seemed to fit perfectly. But permission was needed! so after Kennet emailing Bo Bruce and finding more information, it seemed to be that the music was unavailable to us. Following is a video of 'Fighting Arizona' and the lyrics too.

Here's to people slowly walking by,

Here's to you, you're back on the inside.

Fighting Arizona, all alone with just one arm

on your own.

Dance with the dragon, you chased him away.

You wrote me a letter, here's to all you say.

This is the end,

You can't climb further down,

Arizona's final round.

If you make it out alone,

I promise I will be there still.

I'll tell the world that my friend's coming home.

If you be my lost, my found,

Reject your door, reject your crown,

I swear, you'll never go back down,

You'll never go back down.

I write to this day, I will find you again,

The shame of your number, you are still my friend.

If you make it out alone,

I promise I will be there still.

I'll tell the world that my friend's coming home.

If you be my lost, my found,

Reject your door, reject your crown,

I swear, you'll never go back down,

You'll never go back down.

This is the last time,

He're's the last time,

For the last time you'll be on your own.

If you make it out alone,

I promise I will be there still.

I'll tell the world that my friend's coming home.

If you be my lost, my found,

Reject your door, reject your crown,

I swear, you'll never go back down,

You'll never go back down.

After unfortunately not being able to use 'fighting arizona' we started to look at websites that allowed you tow download, free music, that was not copyrighted. Usually from educational websites. We chose a piece called 'Rain Window' which can be found under this link.

http://www.freeplaymusic.com/search/category_search.php?t=v&i=1422

It is a very in depth piece of music, which supports our opening in every possible status. Its eery feel is suitable for our opening and its almost perfect in terms of a piece of scored music (mainly piano) that shows the loneliness and neglection of our character.

Pre Production video diaries

As i do not have the videos available to me, nor does there seem to be an embed button. I can only give you a link to another group members blogger, who has uploaded the videos. I hope this is ok. Thanks Kenny!

http://kennytmedia.blogspot.com/2010/01/pre-production-video-discussion.html

http://kennytmedia.blogspot.com/2010/01/pre-pro.html

Part 3 of the video diary did not complete its load! it will be uploaded asap!

The next video is a link to information about our Animatic Storyboard, due to my absence, my part in the creation of this was simply down to a very small voice over. But as it was not complete by my return i got to see the ins and outs of its creation. Using Imovie and Photoshop definitely worked. And you can see such difference in an animatic storyboard compared to one on paper. With animation you can see more depth in our ideas, and get a feel for the atmosphere.

http://kennytmedia.blogspot.com/2010/01/animatic-storyboard.html

All my Pre-Production thriller research

After collecting all my information together, with my two other group members. I am finally able to upload all my work, mine and others! to show you ALL of our pre -production work. I would like to thank Kennet Tanner for helping me get all my information together!

Surveys - completed by myself (one more version to come, but unfortunately i am un able to upload these until monday afternoon)

Survey Results

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Thriller Research Survey 2 Results

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After completing my first survey online, i decided for more research to complete another survey, on a person to person basis. My second survey is looking more into conventions, and what parts of thrillers audiences notice the most.

Case Studies - Half Light - Audiences

Audiences

Half light is a Drama, Mystery, Thriller, attracting thriller lovers in a beat. But its location and main character have added a new attraction to the film. Its location filmed in Cornwall, but known as Scotland in the film, has a particular spooky attraction to it, if well thought out. But the main character is what struck me the most. A strong and successful independent woman, and an assumed single woman. An interesting technique, a device you would expect to build you up for a highly dramatic event – most likely anyway. Watching the opening of this film, it is very easy to believe you have put the wrong disc in the DVD player, but the bright colours, happiness and atmosphere of the opening 5 minutes mixes nicely with the strength of the woman. This led me to be suspicious about what I had in store, but at the same time it pulled me in, leaving me wanting more! Overall the dramatic side of it has appealed to another audience all together.
User Reviews – IMDB
This movie is good, well acted, well scripted, well directed, and above all, it will keep you guessing to the end, I do not know enough about "The Technical Side" of movie making to comment, all i know is, if i see a film i like, or for that matter dislike, then i will make a comment on it, after all its only entertainment. Too many times you read about the, ins and outs of film making, and all the back stage stuff, when really all you want to know is, will i enjoy this film, and the answer to Half Light is yes, no swearing, very little sex content,just a nice put together thriller, enough twists and turns to keep the momentum going. i am trying to find something to moan about in this movie, and to be quite honest there is nothing, Demi Moore is very good in the lead role, and the mainly British cast is excellent Go see it, judge for yourself, i do not think you will be disappointed.
Beyond Hollywood -
Although billed as a thriller, “Half Light” is very much a supernatural ghost movie. It’s not “horror” in the genre sense, although there are ghosts and thrills aplenty. Written and directed by Aussie Craig Rosenberg (“After the Sunset”), there is a very noticeable European sensibility to the film’s pacing. Another oddity is that whenever ghosts aren’t involved, Rosenberg directs like he’s making a traveling brochure for Scotland’s Tourism Board. Which might not be such a bad idea if Scotland was ever in need of some good P.R., because the “Scotland” shown here (in actuality the LLandwyn Island of Isle of Anglesey in Wales), with its wide open beaches and tall grass bristling in the cool evening wind, is simply gorgeous to behold.
The beautiful scenery also makes for a stark contrast against the supernatural elements of the film. The cabin by the beach becomes the hub of ghost activity, as what seems like the spirit of Rachel’s dead son returns to haunt mom with a vengeance. And while Angus seems like a savior, he, too, turns out to be more than what he seems, making Rachel’s already fragile circumstance even less tenable. What’s a broken hearted novelist, already suffering from terrible guilt, to do when the one rock she thought she could lean on suddenly turns into mist?
“Half Light” doesn’t terrify as much as it creeps you out, especially the early scenes with Rachel’s dead son. Here, Rosenberg methodically introduces the film’s supernatural element a bit at a time, never offering up too much. It’s a tease, but an effective one. Rosenberg’s choice regarding the aesthetics of the Scottish locale makes the fear all the more intense when the scene shifts from the pleasant countryside to Rachel’s lonely and constricted cabin, or the towering, skeletal lighthouse nearby.
Of course the film is far from perfect. For one, an intelligent woman like Rachel seems a bit clueless as to the right course of action to take, even if she is currently locked in a haze of grief and mental confusion. Despite suffering from one ghostly encounter after another at the cabin, she continues to remain there, defying all logic and common sense. Later, when warned that if she should return to the cabin she will surely die, Rachel decides to return for her things anyway. The film also has a plot twist in its last act that threatens to torpedo most of what’s come before, not to mention lowering the scare factor tremendously. As well, the twist relies on a plot contrivance involving an elusive photo that is a little hard to swallow, especially in this day and age.
5 Star Reviews
Moviesyahoo – 3.5 Stars Time out (user reviews) – 5stars
Flixters – 3 Stars View London – 3 stars

Thriller Openings

VACANCY - horror thriller

Fact File:

• Made in 2007
• Acting by Luke Wilson and Kate Beckinsale
• Distributed by Screen Gems and Sony Pictures
• Budget - $19,000,000
• Gross Revenue - $35,300,645
• DVD release - 14th august 2007
• Prequel - Vacancy 2: The first cut

Music and Sound

• Tense music at the beginning to symbolise Danger.
• Diegetic sound (radio and car, also outside noises, natural)
• eery/spooky music to make us sense tension and an approaching moment.

Setting

• red/black titles give a dark and 'dangerous' atmosphere.
• falling and lengthening of letters give a bleeding effect.
• Maze effect gives a trapped sense/feeling.
• low lighting, not allowing full profile of characters.
• Mirror shot
• cliche car breakdown in the middle of nowhere, at night.
• motel
• jumpy

Characters

• 1st character not full profile
• 2nd character also in low lighting
• a couple, not happy together
• hidden characters, building tension

The Departed - gangster thriller

Fact File:

• Made in 2006
• Acting - Jack Nicholson and Matt Damon
• Distributed by Warner Bros pictures and Entertainment Film Distributors
• Budget - $90,000,000
• Gross revenue - $290,000,000 (worldwide)
• The film appeared on many critics top ten 2006 films.

Music/Sound

• Diegetic - narrative.
• Non diegetic - soundtrack music.
• Voice over
• Large alternate of diegetic and non diegetic
• typical gunshot sequence and sounds

Setting

• Boston - rough area
• Fighting
• Near sea
• Suburban parts
• Fighting throughout gang area.

Characters

• 1st character profile not revealed as they are in shadow.
• 2nd - young, innocent, being moulded
• 2nd - looks up to 1 as a role model.