Malevolent Phantom
Production Team
Thursday 26 March 2015
Evaluation: Activity 8
Malevolent Phantom
Targets
What targets will you set yourself for G324 next year - when you will make a trailer?
One of the main issue was timing, we weren't able to spend much time on the title which was a important factor to our film. We spent a large amount of time editing that the outcome for our title didn't satisfy what we imagined it to be so the production of the titles was rushed. Apart from our production titles we also researched horror opening texts which gave us more information and knowledge on what the font should be and where it would be placed but it was time consuming. The text we chose form the opening was a mistake because it connoted a rom-com vibe rather than a sister feel. I learnt that research is a huge part to make sure that it follow the horror cliche and conventions to make it realistic.
Personally I though that our choice of out non diegetic music was great because it was suitable for the situation and events that occurred in the opening, it created tension and suspicions which grabs the audiences attention. I was also extremely pleased with the diegetic sound such as the rustling of the trees, footstep and the squelching of the mud which gave it a realistic effect however the drawbacks of the diegetic sounds were the dialogue in the beginning with the girls wasn't clear. To improve this I that we should of used a voice over so the audience can hear and they may sense a connection with the character from the beginning.
The problem with making our opening film was the weather especially the low temperatures and the light changes, it got dark very quickly which interrupted our filming schedule that we planned for so I think next year we should plan ahead and get there early to be able to gain more footage. The weather was very cold so we did shoot scene quickly as we were losing our patience so we ended up with decent footage.We had to re-film some of the parts due to the light changes however the weather also changed so the surrounding had some changes which is evident in some areas of the opening scene. We decided to film after school so we didn't have to gather during the weekends as our free time wouldn't match however we did rush on some of the filming because of the weather so our filming didn't have a unique factors but I believe that we did well due to the variety of shots used. When we made our way to the location we would plan on what we were going to film which was a good idea but the sun would set very early because it would take us at least 40 minutes which meant that we had less filming time. We wanted the lighting to be sinister and dark but it would only last for 20 minutes before the camera couldn't pick up the characters. As the lighting was a huge problem we did decided that we had to film in the mornings on the weekends. If we decide to a horror genre for our trailer then I think that we need to use a higher quality camera especially due to the fact that we need low key lighting because our opening was a horror opening - the camera couldn't pick up the character so it caused many problems whilst we were filming.
Even though we thought that we had a reasonable amount of planning we didn't have enough in the end as our planning looked disorganised. I think next year we should make use of the story board and plan the exact shot we want to use for the scene so we don't end up with various ideas and end up using the wrong camera shots. The storyboard should include details such as how long each shot should last because when we edited our opening scene we had to cut some scene as the daft was 4 minutes long which exceeded the time limit set. The script should also be planned ahead so we don't improvise in the set. I believe that we should have extra shot planned beforehand which may be useful and less time consuming.
The result of the completed opening scene was good but there was many flaw which can be improved next year. I feel that our group worked very well together to achieve the final opening because we filmed and edited the opening on time and we were able to re shoot certain areas. We all put our effort on attending the location when the temperature were low. Personally next year I want to do more experimenting with the shot type and try to stretch ourself to be able to produce a extraordinary trailer. Some of the targets I would set for next year:
1) Always plan (include a lot of detail) before you film
2) Schedule for the right days and visit the set before we start filming
3) Invest on a high quality camera
4) Research to expand our knowledge on specific areas
5) Timing, make sure we focus on the aspect to the trailer e.g. titles
One of the main issue was timing, we weren't able to spend much time on the title which was a important factor to our film. We spent a large amount of time editing that the outcome for our title didn't satisfy what we imagined it to be so the production of the titles was rushed. Apart from our production titles we also researched horror opening texts which gave us more information and knowledge on what the font should be and where it would be placed but it was time consuming. The text we chose form the opening was a mistake because it connoted a rom-com vibe rather than a sister feel. I learnt that research is a huge part to make sure that it follow the horror cliche and conventions to make it realistic.
Personally I though that our choice of out non diegetic music was great because it was suitable for the situation and events that occurred in the opening, it created tension and suspicions which grabs the audiences attention. I was also extremely pleased with the diegetic sound such as the rustling of the trees, footstep and the squelching of the mud which gave it a realistic effect however the drawbacks of the diegetic sounds were the dialogue in the beginning with the girls wasn't clear. To improve this I that we should of used a voice over so the audience can hear and they may sense a connection with the character from the beginning.
The problem with making our opening film was the weather especially the low temperatures and the light changes, it got dark very quickly which interrupted our filming schedule that we planned for so I think next year we should plan ahead and get there early to be able to gain more footage. The weather was very cold so we did shoot scene quickly as we were losing our patience so we ended up with decent footage.We had to re-film some of the parts due to the light changes however the weather also changed so the surrounding had some changes which is evident in some areas of the opening scene. We decided to film after school so we didn't have to gather during the weekends as our free time wouldn't match however we did rush on some of the filming because of the weather so our filming didn't have a unique factors but I believe that we did well due to the variety of shots used. When we made our way to the location we would plan on what we were going to film which was a good idea but the sun would set very early because it would take us at least 40 minutes which meant that we had less filming time. We wanted the lighting to be sinister and dark but it would only last for 20 minutes before the camera couldn't pick up the characters. As the lighting was a huge problem we did decided that we had to film in the mornings on the weekends. If we decide to a horror genre for our trailer then I think that we need to use a higher quality camera especially due to the fact that we need low key lighting because our opening was a horror opening - the camera couldn't pick up the character so it caused many problems whilst we were filming.
Even though we thought that we had a reasonable amount of planning we didn't have enough in the end as our planning looked disorganised. I think next year we should make use of the story board and plan the exact shot we want to use for the scene so we don't end up with various ideas and end up using the wrong camera shots. The storyboard should include details such as how long each shot should last because when we edited our opening scene we had to cut some scene as the daft was 4 minutes long which exceeded the time limit set. The script should also be planned ahead so we don't improvise in the set. I believe that we should have extra shot planned beforehand which may be useful and less time consuming.
The result of the completed opening scene was good but there was many flaw which can be improved next year. I feel that our group worked very well together to achieve the final opening because we filmed and edited the opening on time and we were able to re shoot certain areas. We all put our effort on attending the location when the temperature were low. Personally next year I want to do more experimenting with the shot type and try to stretch ourself to be able to produce a extraordinary trailer. Some of the targets I would set for next year:
1) Always plan (include a lot of detail) before you film
2) Schedule for the right days and visit the set before we start filming
3) Invest on a high quality camera
4) Research to expand our knowledge on specific areas
5) Timing, make sure we focus on the aspect to the trailer e.g. titles
Evaluation: Activity 7
Malevolent Phantom
Looking back at your preliminary task (the continuity editing task), what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to fill product?
When we did our preliminary task we experimented as it was our first practical task. We knew about the rules for filming such as 180 degree rule and other shot types so we practiced and included it for our preliminary task. We mostly focused on the continuity because we felt that it was a important part of making a film good so the audience doesn't feel that it reflects real life so therefore they aren't able to engage with the story completely so continuity was thought during the making of our horror opening. From our preliminary task we identified areas which our preliminary lacked so we were able to improve our skills and apply it to our opening and we also practiced the shot reversed shot. The preliminary task also helped us with the editing process because we tried out new features such as cropping, transition etc. We learnt so much from our preliminary task and analysing the horror genre opening scene such as Scream, The Ring and Women in Black. The match on action was used for our preliminary and final opening scene because we thought that it was very effective camera use and our technique had improved, during our editing process our skills had massively improved so we were easily able to cut scenes with the software we were using. We used the phone ringing although we improved it for our final opening scene because we added a non-diegetic ringing and vibration which made it clear to the audience that the phone was ringing. We found that a script was very useful as we had to re-film some of our preliminary scene because we were unable to remember our dialogue once the camera started without hesitating.
The production titles for our preliminary task looked very simple and basic due to our lack of knowledge in editing therefore we used the editing program Sony Vegas because it was simple to work with however there wasn't may features which made the footage plain. During our preliminary task everyone was involved however for our final opening scene we were organised and had specific roles we had to focus on which made our official titles professional. Compared to our final opening scene the titles for the preliminary task has a cloudy background which does conform the horror genre as it's dark but it may cause the audience to lose focus from the beginning. While the titles for the our official opening is combined with the beginning of the film so they audience are likely to focus on the characters.
As we've done more editing and gained more skills we had more knowledge to use the Adobe Premier Elements editing software that allowed us to play around with the features we were satisfied with the opening titles. We also put the titles in different part of the screen to see which placement and font/size suits the overall look. As a group we made different production titles "KSNH Films" and "Aspire Production" which is included in the beginning of the opening scene.
For our preliminary task we had extremely low ranges of shots, most of the shots were medium shot, there was a brief high angled shot in the beginning and shot reverse shot. We focused on the filming techniques such as the 180 degree rule which continued through the filming and applied it to every scene. As weeks progressed we had improved our filming skills and the knowledge of how each techniques worked and applied it to our final opening e.g extreme long shots. By analysing films we knew what shots were suitable for a horror genre opening so it has a impact on our audience such as the extreme close up. Once the preliminary task was finished we reviewed it so we would improve our mistakes e.g shot reversed shot so when we were making our opening, the process was quicker as did alot of planning.
The preliminary task was planned very briefly so we had to improvise with our dialogue because we had a short amount of time to plan and as a group we all decided that we would focus on the shot types and camera technique instead on the content. However of our official opening we had a longer time to plan so we were able to write up a script and add more detail. We also practices how we would voice out the dialogue so it has an effect to the audience. The script for our official opening is published in our blog post to show that we added detail to it.
Evaluation: Activity 6
Malevolent Phantom
What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
This is the camera we borrowed from the school because we could get an alternative one. The camera is extremely basic and doesn't capture high quality footage but on the other hand the outcome of the opening scene for our film was decent so i was pleased with the final product. We were able to film for quite a while so it had a good battery life however this camera wasn't able to record once the lighting was dark, we wanted to create suspense however we weren't able to film later in the evening.
To edit all the footage we decided to use the Adobe premier elements software to edit the opening scene, the program include different features such as cropping, cutting, transitions and effects which allowed us to create a good quality opening scene. To create our titles for the film we used more basic programs such as windows movie maker to create and used professional fonts. In the beginning using the program was difficult to use however with the help from Youtube video we achieved a good opening scene.
YouTube is a video sharing website, the site allows individuals to upload, view and share videos. We uploaded our opening 2 minutes and with annotation, preliminary tasks, video diaries, etc. This has expanded our knowledge on what features YouTube includes e.g video annotations and i learnt about different technology.
We used blogger to post our blog pages, this was very easy to work with and it allowed me to produce a high quality and detailed page. I was able to change the layout of the page and it also enabled me to make my own preference on the theme such as the background, font colour etc. I was also able to add features so i could find my post easily and schedule my post so it looked organised.
Evaluation: Activity 4
Malevolent Phantom
Who would be the audience for your media product?
Our audience would watch supernatural and post-apocalyptic TV
dramas which has an unrealistic and suspenseful plot which gives them thrill
and excitement; they may watch these series because of the attractive
characters. Depending on the audience’s taste they may listen to various music
genres however majority of them will listen to different types of rock genres. They may
like how it’s musically diverse and the loud vocals. Our target audience would
have dark clothing or the merchandise from their favourite horror film/drama. Our
target audience would watch our film because it’s mysterious and it grabs their
attention as soon as the opening begins. It features techniques used in the
horror films and includes intense music creating a thrilling atmosphere.
Wednesday 25 March 2015
Evaluation: Activity 3
Malevolent Phantom
Director's Commentary (Script)
Why the various people are named in the titles - which jobs appear in the titles and in what order and how have you reflected this?
The first name that appears is the main character “Chloe Hicks” then “Conor Nelson” as the supporting lead character. Then the extra characters are introduced “Amy Knight & Rashmi Sen” The directors and producers names appears as they have filmed it. We researched some titles and found that the important roles of the films e.g. main characters are introduced first and the least important roles appears later on.
What does the production company do?
A production company basically helps create the film by assisting with the budgeting, scripting, casting the characters and scheduling. They’re responsible for finding the right director and the characters with the talent required for the film however they’re also accountable if there are problems that affects the film e.g. the injuring of the main character. The production is involved with the film from the start until it’s fully completed.
The idea of a distribution and who that might be and why?
A film distributor is responsible for marketing our film, they usually set the release date and where the film will be exhibited and viewed. They can make it public by releasing the film in the cinema or it can be viewed at home by releasing DVD. We decided that we wanted Warner Bros as the distributor for our film as it distributes worldwide and had financial success. They have had partnerships with independent horror film companies e.g. Hammer Films Production. We chose Warner Bro Distribution Company because we believe that it would fit our film requirements than other institution and it has handled a lot of low budget films in the past.
Where the money might have come from for a film such as yours?
The UK Film Council will invest £20.2 million of public funds from the United Kingdom lottery into our film.
What is your film similar to institutionally? (name some films which would be released in a similar way)
Institutionally our film is similar to Hammer Films Production because they are a British Film Company and specialised in the horror genre. This institution has a distribution partnership with successful studio such as the Warner Bro. Their success was due to the partnership which different distribution company which lead to the Film Production with the financial success.
Woman in Black is similarly released as Hammer Films produced it then the film was distributed by Momentum Pictures which is an independent distribution company in the UK and Ireland.
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