Mood Board

Our production group concluded collaboration, and began doing independent research. As a part of this, we were asked to construct a mood board. That displayed themes, genre, location, character and a sense of narrative elements. I enjoyed this process & found it rewarding whilst complex. 

My Mood Board)

Independent Research 2

Exploration of Psychology / True Crime)

I am fascinated in understanding what makes people kill? I felt it would be appropriate to delve into the topic, through my independent research. To help gage an understanding of why the two 'hunters' within our sequence, are driven to kill. 

I studied the case of Jennifer Pan, a Vietnamese Canadian woman who was convicted of a 2010 kill-for-hire attack targeting both her parents, killing her mother and seriously injuring her father. She alleged the crime was response to their 'tiger-parenting'. Her parents always had high expectations of Jennifer, that she didn't feel she could uphold any longer. This relates to our sequence, as the two 'hunters' are driven to do this due to complications within their family dynamic. Taking heavy inspiration from 'Ready or Not'. 

I studied the 991 call. To gage an understanding of the perspective of a coldblooded killer. When listening to the call, it is genuinely terrifying how impeccable her lying is. It seems as if she believes everything she's saying. She acts distressed & unknowing of what's happening. 

During the interrogation, is where Jennifer makes her first mistake. Initially, she mentions that the assailants she hired. Tied her up to the bannister of her home, in which she then made the 991 call. But how could've she made the call, if her hands were tied? The interrogator asks her this questions & we see a moment of genuine panic. She is not acting anymore. She then changes her story, and this gives police the evidence they need to officially charged her. 

The reason this case interests me, is the motive behind why she did what she did. What drives a killer, to kill? In this case, Jennifer had always upheld high expectations from her successful family. Similar to our sequence, where the 'hunters' family are very wealthy and pressure them to kill. You could argue that Jennifer was pushed to kill, but does upholding expectation justify murder? That's for you to answer.   

I began research into renowned successful families within TV / film, that obtain similar themes to real life. Jennifer's family, as well as Fallon's family in 'Dynasty' have high expectations of the lead girl. In this case, Jennifer is playing the lead. However, Fallon can cope with the weight of the pressure. Jennifer could not. I find this dynamic interesting to study and think this understanding of 'motive' within film & real life will benefit to our realism within our sequence. 

Independent Research 1

SFX Makeup Exploration)

For my independent research, I wanted to explore how to create SFX makeup. As this prospect, is something that will be applied to our sequence heavily. As we don't have any makeup artists, we will have to substitute & learn how to devise and apply SFX makeup. 

The Process)

The model begins by applying a thin layer of red eyeshadow to her skin, around where the abrasion will be placed. This creates the effect of sensitive / tender skin, creating the illusion of distress and convincing audiences that the actress is genuinely hurt. 

The model then creates scrape marks, that create the appearance of injury and further enhances the illusion. She uses a thin brush & a darker shade of red / scarlett eyeshadow to further embellish this effect. 

The model then applies a thin layer of latex, to act as the texture of the skin that is damaged / withered from the injury. This adds to the overall 'realistic' effect and helps audiences grasp the subtlety of the affliction. 

The model then uses a 'mascara brush' to apply brown colour in the direction of the scrapes. This further adds to the texture of the skin, creating a lifelike appeal that convinces audiences. The brown shade is a similar colour to the model's face, helping add to this illusion. 

The model then applies more red colour to the abrasion, further adding depth to the scrape and creating the appearance of sensitive skin that has recently been injured. 

This concludes the tutorial, a minor detail I would add, would be using a stipple brush to apply small areas of fake blood. To create a more 'alarming' feel, that shocks audiences. It also appears more realistic with that subtle touch, that would benefit the makeup highly.  

Further Development

Me and my production group decided to separately produce a short storyboard. To help outline our sequence in grave detail.

The storyboard)

  

Developing Our Idea 1

Before Development)

Here is a short synopsis of our initial concept idea, for acknowledgement of development. 

Our genre resided in 'thriller'. A young woman is walking along the street, listening to upbeat music with the sound coming through her earphones. She is singing along, oblivious to her surroundings. It appears a figure is following her. The young woman turns a corner as he follows, he is then met at gunpoint by the woman who was aware of his plans. She shoots him, walking away as the music becomes non-diegetic soundtrack. The screen then cuts to black, as the title of the film appears. 

After Development) 

Here is our production group's new outline, including a full breakdown of the opening sequence.

The opening sequence begins, the audience are promptly immersed as we see a young woman's throat being slit within the opening frame. Swiftly after, we establish our female protagonist running through the woods with an expression of sheer determination. She is wearing a 'cocktail' style dress, having previously been invited to an evening brunch which ended in apparent destruction due to the evident damage of the dress.  

We see our protagonist, running through the woods from right to left. We then see her supposed attackers, running left to right. Audiences note that she is running towards them. However, what they don't know, is that she's running towards them intentionally. This shot acquires long shot duration, helping arise tension. Eventually, we receive a shot of these two men. Dressed in posh, traditional / stereotypical 'hunting' attire, draped in tweed. These two men then split, in attempt to find our protagonist. Unfortunately for them, she's one step ahead. One of the men is attacked by the female protagonist, she is able to attain his gun. She kills him, then takes his gun and walks away into the open woods. Contrapuntal soundtrack plays, the titles appear and the screen cuts to black. 

Further Advancement) 

We concluded that we'd change the genre, as the opening frame adheres to the genre of 'horror'. After discussing with Luke, we ensured the woman was running right to left, as the hunters ran left to right. We changed the location / costume drastically, the woman is now wearing a cocktail dress as it followed the previous components of narrative. We've also now officially established the costume of the men, being dressed in posh, traditional / stereotypical 'hunting attire', as it contributed to previous narrative. We also established her motive to kill these hunters, as they've murdered her boyfriend. 

Feedback

After discussing with our Head of Production, Luke, we established some useful feedback that benefited our main idea profoundly. We received positive reception from him and solidified new conceptions, that we all felt were sustainable. 

Luke stated that it would be valuable to our sequence to establish that our female protagonist, who is being hunted, becomes the hunter earlier within the sequence. This would evoke a chaotic tone from the opening, furthermore, letting the audience digest the themes from the beginning to astound audiences. This also highlights the subversion within our stereotypes, pronouncing our sequence & further demanding attention from viewers. 

Luke stated that we should begin considering soundtrack and the elements that follow the principal. Since we'd be shooting in the woods, he suggested a naturalistic soundscape that captivated a sense of realism. We began foreseeing the prospect of creating these audible sounds ourselves, via snapping twigs, trampling on leaves, rustling bushes, etcetera. This technique would be devised within the editing suite. 

Luke constructed the concept of establishing our genre within the opening frame, to startle audiences and additionally create an immediate sense of apprehension and tension that grips audiences. We then took this feedback and applied it to our opening sequence, ensuring the opening frame consists of a woman who's throat appears slit. Our production group decided we appreciated Luke's concept and remained with the idea. 

With Luke, we also discussed a concept that our entire production group instantaneously adored. Luke mentioned the perception of having the male 'hunters' be running through the woods from left to right. Then, having the female protagonist being running right to left. In order to display that she is running towards them. This illustrates the general impression of the fearless female character, we wanted to demonstrate to audiences. Creating this subversion of normal horror genre conventions. 

Luke helped us invision the overall appearance & attitude of our female protagonist. Our production group began researching powerful female leads featured within the horror movie spectrum. A character that embodied a sense of 'diva', as well as themes of courageousness and bravery. We collectively favoured the concept of Jennifer, played by Megan Fox in 'Jennifer's Body'. As we felt she encompassed the quality of our character. 

In conclusion, we felt our feedback from Luke was beyond beneficial to devising our concept and constructing further thoughts & feelings towards the opening sequence. He opened up new perceptions and thoughts within the development of our sequence, and we look forward to receiving his comments and opinions within the future stages of creation. 

Group Presentation (Backup Idea)

Our production group devised a short presentation, to display our backup idea. 

The Presentation) 

Group Presentation

My production group, consisting of; Bea Hemsley, Daisy Katesmark and Will Norstrand. Constructed a presentation, communicating and relaying our idea for further development, as well as feedback from our class & teachers. 

The Presentation)

Camera Workshop 2

 On Tuesday the 18th, our second camera workshop commenced. Matt continued teaching us helpful key tips & methods to enhance our filmmaking, such as the '180 degree rule' and the 'rule of thirds' and many more that will be covered shortly. 

Matt taught us what is referred to as the '180 degree rule' within filmmaking. It helps establish spacial relationships between on-screen characters. It profoundly helps the audience maintain a sense of visual consistency. This was a very helpful principal, that I will be remembering when comes time to film within our production groups. 

Another principal of cinematography that Matt taught us was the 'rule of thirds'. This applies more to the
photography aspect of film making & helps enhance the visual spectacle onscreen engaging audiences further. The four circles outline the four hotspots that will make your camera composition exquisite. Referring to this image, the filmmaker has clearly been focusing on capturing the symmetry within this image. Both the characters foreheads, hit or are surrounded by the hotspots which help achieve this symmetry. 

Matt then taught us as to why we should always shoot a wide shot first. We do this so that the audience can establish the location and the overall atmosphere of the scene. We can also see the entire character, so the audience receive a subtle briefing of what they are about to witness. It creates better understanding, so that the audience doesn't become confused as to what's happening. We shoot a wide shot first, then a mid shot, then a close up so that all angles are covered, and the audience are then enabled to comprehend the current scene. 

When shooting Matt taught us the importance of continuity. Continuity is the principal of making sure that all details in a film or TV show are consistent from shot to shot and from scene to scene. I have inserted an image of a clear continuity mistake found in film and TV, as an example. 

We were then taught of the importance of 'marks' in film. Commonly, working on a TV / film set or even onstage, you'll hear directors shout 'Find your mark!' As an actor, your mark is an indication of where you should be stood to proclaim your dialogue. Traditionally, depending on the conditions of the location you're working in, there will be a mark on the floor labelled 'X' which is where you should be standing in order for the camera to capture you correctly. 

Matt then went on to tell us the importance of 'call outs'. It is crucial that the film crew / staff follow the strict protocol of call outs to maintain flow & capability whilst on set. The call outs are relayed in the following order; 'Stand by', 'Standing by', 'Role camera', 'Camera rolling', 'Action', 'Cut'. When the director is ready for filming and the actors are prepared and waiting the director will call, 'Stand by'. Once the crew, including the camera operator, producers etcetera are prepared, they will call 'Standing by'. The director will then call, 'Role camera' to which the camera operator will respond by calling, 'Camera rolling'. Then the director will call 'Action', the action will then play out and when the director is happy with the standard of said action, they will call 'Cut'. Without this system of call outs, production wouldn't ever be easy flowing and mistakes / errors would constantly be made. 

 

We were then taught the significance of filming before saying action, and keeping the camera rolling before saying cut. Directors often film before saying action, as it often helps continuity and keeps the flow alive onscreen. So that when it comes to editing, the continuity is crisp and clean and enables audience's perspective to be clear and easy to follow. The exact same principal applies to keeping the camera rolling before cutting, as it saves editors time in the editing suite when comes time to  edit. 

Matt then told us we should never watch the footage back on set. Often, the actors will want to judge / evaluate their performance alongside their co-workers to see if anything needs improving. However, in most incidences, the actors will start judging themselves negatively, so the next time you do a take, the actors will act unnatural, creating an un-authentic performance that appears poorly onscreen. Matt used an analogy to help us remember, he stated, 'Actors may start nitpicking the way they walk, therefore, they'll start walking unnaturally as a result of rewatching the footage'. Another reason, is that the production company may be renting the studio they are using, and don't want to waste time rewatching footage when they must be ensuring that all takes are used purposefully and with intention / drive. 

In conclusion, I enjoyed our sessions with Matt. As I felt I learnt a lot from this experience, that I will certainly be taking into my filmmaking at Hurtwood and perhaps later in life. 

 

Camera Workshop 1

We had our first practical workshop on Monday 17th of January. Matt taught us the fundamentals of preparing to shoot standard film. Personally, I learnt a lot from Matt's tips & techniques, and I think this will benefit me profoundly within my future of film. 

We were shown crucial equipment, in order to prepare for a shoot. This equipment included a tripod, a camera, a camera battery and Matt showed us settings that contributed to artificial light and outdoor light. I found working with my group comfortable, as we all corresponded to individual critique nicely. We were then asked to place the tripod correctly, to ensure the camera was accessible to it. A key tip for using a tripod correctly: open the tripod, then using your foot, hold down on the surface whilst adjusting the height to maintain stability. 

We were then asked to place the camera on the tripod, the camera we were using was a black magic 4K mini URSA, which is described as 'the world's first high end digital film camera designed to revolutionise workflow on set.' 

We were then asked to insert the camera battery onto the camera, to ensure durability when filming. We were taught the method of sliding the battery onto the camera & were taught to use minimal force. 

Then, we were asked to check the spirit level, this is to balance the tripod and enables stability when filming. Once all the equipment was set up correctly, Matt moved on to teaching us the methods and skills when actually filming. One rule he mentioned, was the 'mine' & 'yours' rule. You use this rule when sharing the camera with a co-worker / member of your assigned production group. When you're giving the camera you say, 'yours' and when you're receiving the camera you say 'mine'. This solidifies that you are taking primary responsibility for the camera and it is now yours.

Matt then discussed the methodology behind 'focusing' and 'zooming'. On this particular camera, the zoom control is located closest to the lens. The focus control is located closest to the camera itself. You zoom by turning the control that glides easily in whatever direction desired until you are pleased with your shot. The exact same method applies to focusing. 

When you are filming a subject matter, (e.g. a person) you should always ensure to zoom in to focus & then zoom out. The reason for doing this, is that when you are filming a human-being. You must ensure that their eyes should be the focal point, in order for the audience to capture the character. 

Matt then showed us the 'white balance' settings within a camera, that contribute to artificial light & outdoor light heavily. If you are filming indoors, naturally an amber ambience will appear on your screen. Purely from the effect the artificiality of the lighting is having on your camera. So, perhaps select a white balance feature that benefits the tones of your location. I would chose the 'fluorescent' feature. 

If I was filming a sequence outside and it was cloudy, I would use the 'cloudy' feature on my white balance settings. So that there is an established tone / ambience within the colour palette of my sequence. Matt taught us how every 6 features of the white balance setting can improve our filmmaking substantially. 

We were then told to 'strike the kit' a term commonly used as a part of filmmaking regulations for years. The term means that you take all the equipment that you've used during the day of filming, and put it back into it's protective covers and boxes where it remains safe for future usage. Mike described striking the kit with a great analogy that helped me remember the meaning, he stated, 'Once the famous actresses withdraw from a day of filming for cocktails and a fancy brunch. The crew remain at the studio, striking the kit as instructed to do so.' 

 

Comparing Title Sequences

 'American Horror Story'

We begin with the opening title sequence of 'American Horror Story: Murder House'. The very first season of the infamous series. The series follows a particular horror story each season, within historic context or within an alternate reality unrelated to humanity. The series is directed by Ryan Murphy, a horror fanatic. Who claims this series produced some of his best work. 

How is genre conveyed? 

The genre of 'horror' is presented clearly, by use of non-diegetic soundtrack that appears malicious and deviant, heavily juxtaposed by pictures of seemingly happy children. This contrast makes audiences uncomfortable, furthermore, helping Murphy achieve his goal of successfully portraying 'horror'. 

What key titles appear?

To begin with, the names of the key actors appear. Such as 'Evan Peters' a successful American actor and film producer who featured heavily within Murphy's series.

 

Production Groups

On Friday 14th, we were put into production groups. I was very pleased with the outcome of my group and believe we'll all contribute successfully to the development of our ideas.

We understood immediately that early organisation was key to our success.  Therefore, we made a 'Whatsapp' group chat and deciphered all our free periods to discover when we could all work together. We then sent each other all of our ideas, to find which ones we enjoyed the most. 

Feedback on Ideas

In class, we were asked to present 1 or more ideas to the class, in order to receive constructive criticism to benefit the development of our ideas. 

The idea I presented, was my first idea. In  a short summary, the sequence would include a series of frames explaining the narrative of a suburban household where tragedy has struck. The narrative would be uncovering the truth behind the disappearance of a family member. 

The Feedback)

Most of my classmates were very pleased with the idea and felt the concept would work nicely. The most commonly asked question included 'what location?'. To which I replied with the studio. My teacher's biggest concern, was collecting all the images and having endless shoots in order to create a realistic interpretation of a modern-day suburban household. 

I have taken the feedback into consideration and now have been put into production groups, where we will begin the development of our ideas thoroughly. 

Opening Sequence 3

 

Opening Sequence 2

 

Opening Sequence 1

 

What is Genre?

Genre! 

Genre in film are categories that define a movie, based on its narrative elements. Genre is used to categorise films particular audiences may enjoy, as most individuals have a preference of genre in context of film. It is used in other circumstances such as 'Shudder', to help the audiences depict from a selection of films that are of the same genre. The benefits of genre in summary, would be that it enables effortless selling and conveys the general experience of a film to the audience. 

A hybrid genre is a genre that blends elements from two or more different genres, to create a greater appeal to a variety of audiences internationally. A personal favourite film of mine, that is of a hybrid genre is, 'Wild Child'. It is a fusion of comedy, romance and drama. This is profoundly more beneficial, as this film will attract audiences with the preference of romantic comedies, comedies and dramas. Creating a wider appeal enables larger & increasing revenue for the institution profiting off the film, as well as engaging a spectrum of international audiences, furthermore, evoking a substantial increase in revenue. As money will ALWAYS take priority within the film industry. 

Conventions are an element of media highly associated with genre, here are some examples. In a stereotypical horror film, you would be introduced to your archetypal blonde bombshell wearing pink, connoting to femininity killed off immediately within the opening sequence. In a  comedy, you would expect to see A-list celebrities such as Kevin Hart. As you can tell, these are components that we would typically associate with genres of film. 

Research Into a Small Institution

 Belstone!

Belstone Pictures was founded in 2012, an independent British film company. The headquarters is located in Chelsea, UK. The company is owned by Finn Cardigan Bruce. They do not own any other studios. Belstone has been running for 9 years now. 

Belstone's biggest successes consist of the following, Paul Dood's Dead Lunch Break in 2021. Swede Caroline, post-production and Tucked in 2018. Belstone spent £100,000 on Tucked with national distribution due to horizontal integration done by 'Shudder' and it was a success to the extent of a small independently led film company. 

Belstone don't tend to work with the same actors, however after some research I found that an actress that features in a lot of Bruce's film is actress April Pearson, best known for her portrayal of Michelle on 'Skins'. Belstone does work with the same directors. Having conducted research, Belstone do not appear to have anything in pre-production, production or post-production. 

The advantages of a small institution would be an intricate bond with crew and staff working on set, as they spend an increased amount of time together. 

Research Into a Big Institution

Walt Disney!

The 'Walt Disney' company commenced in 1923 in the rear of a small office occupied by Holly-Vermont Realty in Los Angeles. It was there that Walt Disney as well as his brother Roy, produced a series of short-live-action / animated films collectively called the 'Alice Comedies'. 

In 1937, Walt Disney Animation Studios released its first fully animated feature film, 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs', pioneering a new form of family entertainment. 

Disney is not owned by one singular individual, as it is a publicly traded company. As previously stated, Disney is 'one of the world's largest media conglomerates', they have purchased studios such as the following. ABC, ESPN, Marvel, National Geographic. This could be beneficial to the company as it effortlessly generates revenue that helps the company overall, as money is an inevitable contributing factor to Disney's success. 

Here is an image of all companies owned by Disney: 

The institutions biggest box office successes have been the following. Avatar, at the lifetime gross of 2.8B. Avengers: Endgame, at the lifetime gross of 2.7B and Titanic, at the lifetime gross of 2.2B. The budget of the studios top 3 highest grossing films last year was, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, with a 275M budget. Onward, with a 200M budget and Frozen II, with a 150M budget. You could argue that Disney are using the tent-pole strategy. They were aware that these films would do profoundly well, furthermore investing substantial profits into their production, as they can rely on the considerable revenue they know will be received. 

The advantage of a large institution within the circumstance of Disney, would be production costs being easily manageable. Disney specifically is vertically integrated, as they distribute as well as produce films. Disney can do this, due to their generous funds, furthermore, being at an advantage when speaking of distribution. Disney's revenue primarily generates from the company being a conglomerate, enabling funding for international distribution. 

Drama - 'Call Me by Your Name'

 Drama - 'Call Me by Your Name' 

Today, I'll be elaborating upon the opening sequence of Call Me by Your Name. Directed by Luca Guadagnino, an Italian film director, producer and screenwriter. The production companies for this film include; 'RT Features', 'Lacinefacture' and 'Frenesy Film'. 

How are the audience engaged? 

Audiences are instantaneously informed that it is the summer of 1983. Capturing their attention and therefore engaging them rapidly before the scene has even began. We are then told due to text on the screen, that the film is set 'somewhere in northern Italy'. Establishing the context. There is no soundtrack within this scene, just the diegetic sound effect of the birds faintly chirping within the beautiful appeal of northern Italy. 

We are introduced to two initial characters, a boy who appears to be dressing himself and a girl. They appear comfortable around each other. The dynamic of their relationship, may intrigue audiences helping engage them further. 

We are then introduced to two new characters, the man wearing the blue t-shirt costume introduces himself as 'Oliver' with use of diegetic dialogue. We understand that the first male character introduced's name is Elio. As the woman who joins the man on the right, shouts his name. We can understand that they are a family. The audience are engaged in the apprehension of new introductions. 

Elio and Oliver are then introduced, the audience remains engaged considering what the dynamic of their relationship will be. Elio then shows Oliver up to where he'll be staying. Oliver takes a much needed rest after travelling, therefore easy to assume that the family are allowing him to stay for unknown reasons as of now. 

It is clearly later in the day, due to the lighting change. The atmosphere seems more moody, due to the cool tones exhibited through the window. Furthermore, engaging audiences within the aspects of ambience. Then, we hear the pleonastic sound effect of the bell. Informing Elio that it is time for the family meal, which he attends.

What tone / genre is set? 

The tone appears vibrant, as the colour palette within this opening sequence exudes an array of positive colours. Such as yellows, connoting to happiness and bliss. Then greens, connoting to nature in its purest form. These colours help set the tone of vibrancy, this also helps adhere to the summer atmosphere director Guadagnino is trying to implement. Which he's done successfully. It isn't apparent that the genre is drama yet, however this genre may distinguished further on within the movie. 

Setting / Where & When? 

It is clear due to the text, that the film is set 'somewhere in northern Italy' and within the 'summer of 1983'. 

What do you think the narrative will be?

I think the narrative will be about exploring the beauty of nature and northern Italy, featuring a gorgeous holiday with many events and circumstances that arise. Following conventions of a standard drama film / movie. 

What is the dynamic of the characters in this sequence? 

It is hard to gage a sense of dynamic within this opening sequence, but we can see that the first two characters introduced are fairly close with each other. We can tell that Elio and his parents have a normal relationship, as they parent him via calling his name. We cannot tell the relationship between Elio and Oliver as of now. 

The opening sequence itself)