Practice inter titles for Stockholm Syndrome

We practice our titles, to see how we want them to appear on the screen. We are going to make the titles on top of the video whilst its playing, to make the video look more sophisticated. Furthermore we chose red to connote the genre conventions of blood, violence etc; to contrast with the colour white which represents the innocence of how the female protagonist used to be. Alternatively it makes the red stand out more, which draws attention to the first name. The transition of the words are swift and face paced, which relates to how the film is paced.

Animatic Storyboard

Our group we made a animation storyboard, by drawing a rough idea of what the shot will look like. We tried to keep the animatic storyboard as realistic with the timing of the shots, so we could see if we needed more or less shots. However are storyboard was near enough to 2 minutes; which is the time it needs to be. We used iMovie to edit the photos together, this helped with experience to when it comes to the real footage editing. Furthermore by putting the sound onto of the image, helped us gain an understanding to how everything will look by the end.

Preliminary Task

This is my preliminary, it allows me to practice the camera angles, camera techniques (match on action, over the shoulder) and editing. I included the different techniques that I will most likely use in my final opening film. This allows me to practise the editing so the clips were seemless and smooth. Also I practiced with a camera to make sure that there was no camera shake. By practising both of these things, it will make the final film more realistic and professional. Furthermore the most helpful thing I learnt from doing the preliminary task, is how to work iMovie. As there many different ways to improve the footage, with different tools on the software. Now knowing the different software I can use, will be extremely helpful to create a sleek looking opening film. 

Actors/actresses inspiration

For our opening film we only need two character, a male and female. Furthermore the protagonsit is a female, the type of actress we would use for this role is Jennifer Lawrence. This is because she been in films like 'The Hunger Games' which is a similar film genre to the film we are creating. Additionally she represents a strong female, however has a layer of desperation is shown; which is needed for the female character.

For the male character, he has to be creepy however attractive to relate to the meaning of the title of the film. A male actor we would use for the male character, Ian Somerhalder because he has played creepy yet intizing characters. Which would help capture the charcteristics of the villain.

Title of Movie.

Stockholm Syndrome 

The definition for Stockholm Syndrome - is a psychological phenomenon in which hostages express empathy and sympathy and have positive feelings toward their captors, sometimes to the point of defending and identifying with them.

We decided to call the movie this because it will give an insight to what the content of the story line will be. Furthermore it also captures the genre of the film, which is a psychological thriller.

Shot List

Our groups came together, and constructed a shot list which makes it easier for us to know exactly what we are going to do once we are shooting the opening. Furthermore we described everything from angles, sound, visual imagery. By making a clear list, it helps us visualize what we are creating and if we need to add or take away anything. Our opening film will roughly be 2 minutes and we have around about 30 shots. We wrote down the orders of techniques and key elements for the opening film e.g the flashback, different running scenes etc.  We are going to take the shot list whilst filming, therefore we will not miss anything out know exactly what we need to do. We are also aiming to film more than we need so that we have enough footage to experiment with. 

Font research

The third one in my opinion is the best font for are film because  the meaning of the word is strange and the font is distorted. Stockholm syndrome means feelings of trust or affection felt in many cases of kidnapping or hostage-taking by a victim towards a captor. This hints to the audience what the storyline might be about and draw them in. 



The films Seven and Taken both are films of the same genre as ours. The fonts to both films are damaged and distressed, which relates to the content of the film. Furthermore this gives us inspiration to the kind of font that we want on our film.

Location research.

Richmond Park.

Richmond park is the best place to shoot our opening film because it has beautiful scenery and the woods that have have creepy feel; which goes with the genre of our opening. Also Richmond Park is scenic and there is lots of different parts to it, therefore we can experiment with different locations at one place. Richmond Park is a local location, therefore its inexpensive and easy to commute to. The park is also so big, which means that we can find different atmospheres, for example a quiet wood, or a busy cafe. This is extremely useful as we can then experiment with different types of locations and atmosphere; which makes the opening 2 minutes easier to film and edit as we will have a lot of footage to work with. I believe Richmond Park is a suitable location as woods are a common theme that run through horror/ thrillers e.g Cabin In the Woods. 

Institution research.

I looked at the film Taken, which is the same genre of our opening film and i looked at what institution produced the film. Taken was distributed by 20th Century Fox and the production company is... 
EuropaCorp
M6 Films
Grive Productions
Canal+
TPS Star
M6
All Pictures Media
Wintergreen Productions

This could be a potential institution we might use, as they produce films similar to our opening film. 

Furthermore The Hunger Games is distrabuted by Lionsgate, this is mostly known for action and dystopian themes so this could be good for our opening. Additionally Lionsgate is an individual institution, so we may not use it has its not as well known. This institution will be perfect for my film, as the audience knows its a trustworthy production company, therefore they will have good expectations. Additionally it will attract the mainstreamers as they normally produce big budget companies. Furthermore audiences are fimilair with what kind of films Lionsgate bring out, and they will therfore assume that this will be that is worth their money.

Music research

Music is very important has it helps create the atmosphere you want to give. It makes the audience feel like they are there with the character and following the emotions. 


http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1400041
This piece on uncopy righted music, is extremely tense which makes the audience feel uncomfortable. As the majority of the footage is someone running we need to complement it with music like this to build the tension. This music is suitable for our opening film, as it can help create a creepy atmosphere that will make the audience be more on edge. The sound is heavy and builds up tension, which is a convention of a horror/thriller film. However i believe this might not be perfect for our film as the music is a bit to heavy and does not fit in with the timing of footage. 

https://ia600408.us.archive.org/22/items/EerieCreepyAndScaryMusicForYourScoresDvds/DvdThemeMusic-chasePulse.mp3
This music gives off the vibe of something that is coming for someone. The hard jolty music, creates a scary atmosphere. It fairly robotic and makes the audience feel on edge. Furthermore this music might be useful to complement the footage, as it gives extra depth to the film. This is because it intensifies the scariness of the narrative, this is something that a lot of opening thrillers do. However I believe that this music might be too Si-Fi, which gives off the wrong idea to the audience. Furthermore the jolty music, overrides the narrative and doesn't build tension. 

https://ia600408.us.archive.org/22/items/EerieCreepyAndScaryMusicForYourScoresDvds/DvdThemeMusic.eerie.creepy.rightBehindYou.mp3
This music has the content of high and loud sudden noises, which makes the atmosphere jumpy. It's also very high pitched which makes a eerie and creepy. I think this will best complement the footage as it has the combination of being scary, brash and makes the audience on the edge; which helps them engage with the story line. Furthermore this is typical music that is often presented in opening horror films. As it builds tensions and adds more depth to the footage.

Certificate age rating

For our opening film we need to decide what age rating it will be. I have looked at the characteristics for age ratings between U-18 to see what age certificate our opening film fits into. 

       U(universal) films are suitable for any age group as it has no harsh content. Examples are despicable me, The little mermaid. 

  Parental guidance. Permitted for any age, however some scenes may be unsuitable for under 8's. May contain mild language and sex/drugs references and moderate violence. For example Toy Story. 

   12A is unsuitable for children under the age of 12. The cinema can only let 12's and over into see the film. These films may contain mature themes, discrimination, soft drugs, infrequent strong language and moderate violence, sex references and nudity. Examples of 12A are The hobbit, The hunger games. 

 15 age certificate, can only be suitable for age 15 and above. Furthermore the content of the film contains adult themes, hard drugs, regular use of swearing, strong violence and sex references. Sexual activity may be portrayed but without any strong detail.

 These movies can only be for 18's and over. 18's content use hard drugs, sexual activity, swearing and sex references 18's have no limitation to the content and how disturbing it will be. Strong sexual violence is permitted unless it is eroticized or excessively graphic. examples of 18's Wolf of Wall Street. 

I believe that our opening to film will to the 12A, as some footage might be uncomfortable to watch. Furthermore the story line is mature and there will be references of violence. 

G321 blog analysis

I like this blog as everything is set out clearly and has a consistent them of how work is laid out, as well as colour scheme. The screenshots of opening films were ordered in a stylish and sophisticated way, with detailed analysis underneath. I think I can take the way the screenshots are laid out into account whilst doing further film opening analyse. Furthermore all of his blog post were in extreme detail and kept linking back the final opening film. The in depth detail has inspired me to add that to my work. Additionally what i thought worked well, was the different media platformed used. It made the information presented more organised and visually interesting. Additionally what inspired me the most is the way the blogger, organised and presented the work. Each other posts were neat and straight to the point, which allows the audience to see clearly the growth of the opening film. 

http://media.ksgs.cumbria.sch.uk/blog/wiilliamwilson-as1/

Costume Ideas

In our opening of the film, we only have one female character. The costume is very important as it portrays what character might be going through and the personality of the character. Each of the clothing is fairly simplistic which helps the audience just focus on what the content of the film is; not her outfit.

 The female protagonist will wear muddy worn out converse, this suggests the girl might have been running for a while; which creates tension and questions. It also highlights what class the character is from ( lower to middle class) which helps set up a background of the character to the audience. Also converse are something that most teenagers have in their possessions which makes the character relatable, this also creates tension as the character is just like the target audience.





The character will have messy tangled hair, this creates the sense the character as been through a lot and it tired. The messy hair connotes the story line being very twisted and how the protagonist is caught in a knot of tension. The makeup will be minimal with some smudges of dirt to compliment the scene of her running through a muddy forest.  

The teenage girl will also have muddy clothing to fit with her running through muddy forest. Furthermore it will give the audience e.g 'has she escaped?' 'why is she so muddy?'

Audience research

The target  audience for Taken, are males age between 15-24 and the class is mostly middle class. The reason mostly males saw Taken, is because they generally like violent and dramatic films. In addition  I am going include in the opening  scene movie,  lots of action to appeal to males. Also the girl running through the opening of the film, will be pretty so it attracts the male demographic. 

The target audience for Ransom, are mostly males aged between 15-25 and the class is aimed at middle class (c1.) Similarly Taken has almost the exact same audience target as Ransom. This is because the content has the same objective and portrays aggression which appeals to males.

The audience for The hunger games has a high percentage of males, 15-24 mostly went to go see it and middle class. From these three audience research screenshots, I can tell we are going aim the opening at 15-24 and mostly males. By using mysterious music and intense quick shots. 

Moodboard

I did this mood board, to establish what are ideas are and how they all come together. Furthermore it creates a formula on how are opening will look. I have included the location and weather so we can tell this is a dramatic/crime film. Additionally all of these things we can portray in our opening two minutes. Each of these are easy to replicate and all show a convention of a dramatic/crime film. Moodboards are useful as they allow me to see exactly what our film consists of and what we need to achieve it. I have included the location, props, costumes and the main element of the narrative. Furthermore by displaying all of the key elements, it allows our group to fill in the bits in between to make up a perfect opening film. 

The proposal opening analysis- romantic comedy.

The proposal romantic comedy. 

• The genre is introduced by the music, as its uplifting which directs the film into  being a comedy and happy film. The first footage is a forest, which has an interesting camera angle, where it's seen as someone's point of view. The protagonist are then introduced, as its a man and women it gives the idea that it will be romantic film. It's also sterotypically set in New York, which is a common locations if romantic films. 
• They introduce the film with the title of 'touchstone pictures', which automatically shows the type of film it will be. Next follows the institution 'mandevelle films'. After that it's name of actors etc, over the top of the footage. 
• The first character is the woman and is introduced as someone who is active and top of her work, this is because she doing exercise and reading. The view from her window is New York, we can tell by the skyscrapers. The male character is the opposite which is part of the formula of a perfect romance narrative. The man is late and messy, and he swears which shows he is laid back, this already shows the difference between the two protagonist. However the sound of taxi's beeping already shows the audience that he is in the same place to the woman, so they have some relation with each other. 
• The man is running late, as he is running we see the streets of New York ( yellow taxis) which confirms their both in New York. 
• Throughout the opening, we learn that the man is a PA for the opwoman at a publishing company. The woman is cruel and mean, already we have the typical sterotype of the man and woman being opposite and fighting. The man even calls her as "witch on a broomstick."
• As the woman is walking through the office, there is non-digect music that sounds like popping it builds tension however is light hearted.
• This film challenges stereotypes as it's typically the man who is more powerful and in this film it's the other way round. This shows the institution is trying to appeal to girls. 
• Already we can tell the man is going to try and make the woman loosen up and have some fun. 

Audience feedback

In the lesson we received feedback from the whole class, about our opening two minutes of our film. This is some the feedback we got:

• Someone gave us the suggestion that we should pick what time of day we should film the opening. We decided to shoot it on a cloudy dark day, so the atmosphere would be intense. Furthermore they said we should try and shoot in one day so we have the same lighting. 
• We also need to research more action/ drama films, so we can get some techniques on how to build tension.
• Furthermore, we also need to think of a variety of camera angles and pauses, include small hints to why the person is running.

This feedback has helped our group realized what we need to improve and change. Audience feedback is essential when making any film, as we can get fresh eyes to see what needs tweaking and improvement. All of the comments are really helpful. 

 

Initial ideas for film

Survey

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ZCGL2XJ

I created a survey, that allows me to see what my target audience would be, what kind of things they like in a opening film. I also asked what their favorite film is, so that i can look up the opening and gets some inspiration to how my opening should be. I have collected interesting results that helped me realize what the audience want. I found out that a lot of people like really scary films, they also like the characters to me introduced first so they get a glimpse to what the narrative might be based on. Additionally i found out that people go the cinema roughly 2 times a month, also found out the audiences favourite films; which i can then take inspiration from to embed in my opening film. 

Lesson editing

Lesson 2, we edited our short footage on the iMac using iMovie. iMovie was a great way edit to help present techniques e.g match on action. We cut down lots of the footage to make some clips flow nicely. We edited Seth walking down the corridor from different angles, to get the effective that the audience is there with him. We also used a perfect example of match on action by editing two clips together of Seth opening a door from different sides. We also used the technique shot/reserve shot, by filming two people having a conversation, we tried to edit it so it looked smoothly as possible. We added text to the opening to inform our audience that it was a piliminary task. We also cut out the background noise and added tense music, to build up tension and make the audience ask questions. However we needed to film footage for example more takes in Seth walking down the corridor as the clip was too fast paced. As it was my first time editing on iMovie I learnt a lot of new things, for example how to add text, music and how to clip and reorder clips to make better footage. However some of the cuts were too jumpy and could have been smoother, but I think that comes with practise and time. This lesson was useful as it has taught me techniques that i can use when it comes to editing my opening 2 minute film.