Initial Ideas for Horror Opening Sequence

Preliminary Shoot and Edit Review

The idea of our film is to make it look as if we are filming a film where an actor says the wrong lines but then the director comes in and with the 'prop' gun kills the director. We wanted to produce a film with a little humour in it. The only thing that we are concerned about is whether our audience will understand the plot we have come up with. For my preliminary task, I was in a group with Fern Barlow, Shani Casey and Joel Piner. I think that we worked well as a group as we all took on our separate tasks and distributed the work well.

I think our planning was very successful as we were able to film and edit in the time available and we finished all of our filming a week before the deadline. One issue we did encounter for the filming was being able to get the whole group available at the same time and also we found it difficult to get the tri pod on a flat surface as it was in Weston woods which is a very hilly area and therefore for some of the filming the camera had to be held to be able to get the right angles. However the filming process was also successful as we got it done all in the same day and fairly quickly so we were able to start editing it quickly. Although we all took part and had a go at everything, Shani and Joel took the lead of the filming process.

The editing process also went well. Again we all helped in the editing process but me and Fern were the ones that took lead. I think  the biggest issue with the editing was to try and get the right sound for the gunshot. It took quite a few attempts to one get it in the right position in the film and two to get a sound that sounded like a gun shot. On final cut pro the nearest we could find to what we were looking for was the sound of thunder. However we had time to spare and I found a sound which was part of a song that was the best gun shot sound available.

I think the final outcome was quite successful and I am happy with most of what we produced. All of the filming was good apart from one of the clips at the start at 0.06 seconds was slightly blurry but I don't think that it had a great affect on the whole piece. Another thing to improve on is ensuring we didn't catch the actors looking at the camera because I think it makes it seem more unrealistic however this has helped to make sure this is something to look out for in my film opening.

The thing I am most impressed with in our film is the way we edited some of the shots and the angles used. My favourite shot is the tracking shot where it shows the actor walking through the woods. I think it looks really effective when it pans past the trees. Something that I think could be improved is the relevance of the music because it 'unbuilds' the suspense. Another thing that I didn't fully like was the plot because I think it will be quite difficult for the audience to understand and is unrealistic. Also I think the ending is too sudden and we should have thought about a better way to end it. Other than this I think our group worked very well together and the final film has turned out quite successful.

Preliminary task-The Death

Drew Goddard-film producer analysis

Camera Angles

Anamatic for Preliminary task

Storyboard for Preliminary task

 

 

Roles, location and cast for Preliminary task

Shot list for Preliminary task

SHOT LIST

1. Extreme close up of actor ones feet walking on a pathway
2. Wide shot of actor one walking through a gate
3. Establishing shot of location and actor one walking through gate to pathway to show
4. Mid shot of the back of actor one
5. Tracking shot, following actor one through the trees.
6. Over the shoulder shot to show actor two sitting on a bench and actor one walking towards her
7. Wide shot of actor two on bench
8. Two shot of both actors
9. Close up of actor two when speaking
10. Close up of actor one
11. Two shot of both actors again
12. Wide shot of director and actor two
13. Close up of director
14. Pan down from directors head to middle
15. Pan up from directors middle to head
16. Extreme close up of actor two
17. Low angle of director laying on the floor
18. Slight pan down
19. Close up of actor one.

Script for Preliminary task

Actor One: Hey!

Actor Two: Hello...

Actor One: ... Are you okay?

Actor Two: No, I'm not actually.

Actor One: W-What's wrong?

Actor Two (sighs): I'm sorry it had to come to this (pulls out firearm) but you've left me with no choice!

Actor Three enters.

Actor Three: Cut! No, no, Shakira that line was completely wrong!

Actor Two: Oh for God's sake this is the fifth time you've stopped me! I can't work in these conditions!

Actor Three: Stop being such a drama queen!

Actor Two: I'M AN ACTRESS? THAT'S WHAT I DO!

Actor Three: Well if you're such a good actress why can't you get your lines-

Actor Two fires firearm on Actor Three. Actor Three falls dead.

Actor One: What have you done?

Plot for our Preliminary task

We were given a preliminary task to gain experience of filming and editing. We were asked to make a short, 30 second film where a character opens a door, enters and crosses the room, sits opposite another character with whom she/he exchanges at least four lines of dialogue. It could be on a topic of our small groups choice.

 

Me and my group have decided to adapt the idea slightly and make a 30 second film where a character opens a gate (instead of a door), crosses a path (instead of a room) and sits next to another character (instead of opposite). We will still have a conversation between the two characters.

 

The story behind our idea is to a film within a film, where one character, acting as an 'actor' will open a gate in the woods, walk across the path until they reach the second character, also acting as an 'actor' sat on a bench. They will carry out a conversation with at least four lines of dialogue. Then the third character, acting as the director comes into the conversation and tells the actors off because they are not getting the lines correct. The second character, the actor then becomes angry and accidently pulls the trigger of the gun they are using for the 'film' and kills character three, the director. We will show the reactions from character one and two.

Conventions of Horror and what is suspense?