Planning: Pre-Production Paperwork - Miss Begum

Introduction

The pre-production paperwork is what is needed to do certain things during recording and organizes the information and schedule for our group to follow. It covers liability and legal bounding needed to record in certain areas. Location release form for the group to know where they are recording, risk assessment is always needed to make sure everything and everyone is kept safe from every possible risk. And the pre-production paperwork ends with the schedule of recording which keeps both parties up to date on what will be going on.

Location Recce

Location Release Form

Client Release Form

Production Schedule

Shot List

Risk Assessment

Production Schedule

This document is here to show what will happen in our filming schedule. It will be given to everyone in my group, (Tyler, Abass). With my team having information about the schedule we can organize when and where we will be recording. It has been made easy to follow and understood.

Location Recce

This is a summary of the location and is also given to everyone in the team. It is also visual information to discuss reasons. This helps the team understand visually where recording will take place if they do not know and is very important as it prevents confusion and aids in the organisation of things.

Risk Assessment

This is analysis of the location, identity risk and gives ways of how to overcome them. This is also given to everyone in the team as it is a very important legal document. It will show analysis of location and we can use it to calculate risks. This is a very important paperwork as if anyone gets injured or something happens we will have a basic idea on how to diagnose it.

Client Release Form 

This is the legal document that discusses terms and agreement to the cast members and is an important legal document that should be given to the cast members. Shows analysis of the location and calculates the risks. This is good as it ties down cast to production works as it is like a contract and can also be used as an information guide into what they are doing.

Location Release Form

This is a legal document that discusses the terms and agreements for the company/council/people that are allowing us to film in their location if it private. This a very important document as it prevents us from getting into trouble with the owners of the land or council over the recording on their property. Somewhere like a park could belong to someone and this document will allow us to use it with their permission to their conditions.

Conclusion
Creating this paperwork will help our group with organizing what we need during the process of our production. Also it helps keep us safe and protected with the Client Release Form and Risk Assessment due to the fact it identifies possible problems and diagnoses them. The Location Recce helps also as it informs the group on where recording will take place and why it will take place there, the Location Release Form is the legal side of shooting in certain areas because of permission and possible private lands.

Planning: Planning mise en scene - Mrs. Quinlan

Introduction

Mise En Scene is made up of body language & facial expression, costume hair and makeup, settings & iconography and lighting and colour. These four groups are very important in a film as they support other elements placed within a film such as micro-elements and themes as they show the audience that each group plays a large factor in the film, e.g. lighting and colour can be used to create an effect in a scene that wouldn’t be created if it wasn’t there. It is important to think about the Mise En Scene in thriller films as it can help a producer, lighting operator or sound technician think about what to include and not to include in their film and allows them to see their film in a different perspective than how it would be without these extra additives.

Key Areas

Spotlight – Will be used to isolate and introduce the main character to the opening scene, we chose this type of lighting because it is the best possible way of just showing the audience this character and helps cancel any other unwanted things and objects in a room. Spotlight is a common convention in thrillers as they are used in criminal themed thrillers where one character may be interrogating another character, or a scene where we are introduced to a main character. This type of lighting can also be used to show the character as they are, they can’t hide their identity and instead they are stripped off their hidden energy and shown to the audience as this character on a chair or somewhere in the glow of light.

Low-key – This will help us as low-key lighting is a good way to support a characters role as an antagonist or anti-hero. This type of lighting is normally used in very dark scenes to further explain the themes behind a film. Low-key lighting is common in thrillers as it is used to show the dominance of a character(s) and the power they may have in the film, when used it is important to understand the effect it has on a scene. Low-key lighting is used in many thriller films to show the effect of this one character most commonly an antagonist in dark superhero movies the superhero such as Batman they show him in low-key lighting for the audience to acknowledge their physical strength as well as the influence in the film.

Under-lighting – Is when the source of light is placed directly below the character. This usually allows the audience to understand who this character is and how demented and alone he is, also under-light is a good way to promote the character. Under-lighting is used to create dark reflections of a character which is another way to hide their identity and create silhouettes of that character, in other thriller films under-lighting may be used to show the audience that there is about to be a death or murder or the arrival of an assassinator to conclude their job. Under-lighting can also be used to show a much slow and calm scene in a thriller and the romantic bond between the main character and his love interest if there is one and confuses the audience as it can be used in many ways to produce different effects for a film, scene or opening.

Conclusion

I have identified the specific lighting I will use and how it is used so that I can look back on it and decide what to use and why I should use it. It also furthers my understanding in the way that I now know what lighting to use and with this I can help my partner in adding it to my thriller. From my analysis of lighting I can sit back and further my study to aid in the knowledge of what lighting to use for the opening to make it better. The use of good lighting can help in stepping away from the common use of editing a scene and into the making the scene effective from scratch which will help us look at the scenes we create and see where we went wrong and then fix it as easily as we created it.

Planning: Planning cinematography, sound and editing - Mrs. Quinlan

Introduction

I have considered using different sound for my thriller opening using common conventions and my own analysis. It is very important to consider the sound to be used in a thriller, why to use and the effectiveness of this sound and what it may do to the audience. Sound is a very important micro-element in thrillers as it does justice to the theme and the current scene, it adds to it and furthers the audience understanding of what is happening. Different types of sounds are noted in thrillers and they have been identified and categorized because of what they imply and how they affect the scene and film, this is good for the film as it draws the audience in using just sound, a thriller opening can have no dialogue and just sound and an audience can be able to draw something from that.

The sound(s) I plan to use in my thriller opening are the following –

Off-Screen 

Off-screen sound will be used when the audience is introduced to the main character as the antagonist to show the mental torture they are going through. 

Using Logic Pro X I will create sound to ensure the audience understand it is not coming from anything on screen and it is not in the line of sight of the naked eye. I have chosen this specifically as I can use LP to ensure the sounds are of the highest quality and match the mood of the scene. This is common in thrillers to show the rising tension in a scene that something is about to happen.

On Screen

On screen sound will be used for when the main character is training and practicing with his entrepreneur for what he wants to do with him and is a very important scene in the opening and the prop used for training will be highlighted when being used to single out the specific action as if to make the prop an iconography in the opening allowing the audience to see where the sound is coming from. This is a common convention using on screen sound to show the audience where a noise may be coming from such as in Watchmen an on screen sound was the TV that the victim was watching.

Contrapuntal

Contrapuntal sound will be used when the two characters are seen walking away from the crime scene near the end of the scene, this will be used to make the audience think ‘oh this seems like nothing is wrong here’ but really the sound will be used to hide their actions and cover up the fact that they had just committed an act of some sort. This is a good way to give the audience an idea of what type of characters they are, the main characters physical and intimidating mixed with the entrepreneurs’ cheekiness to show that there is definitely something wrong there.

Non-Diegetic

Non-diegetic sound will also be used and is the key sound in the opening as it is not part of the film world and consists of things such as sound effects, soundtracks and voiceovers, which is good for the opening as it draws away from using the sound in a recording. Muting the irrelevant sounds from the recording and creating my own sound is a good way to experience the different effects I can add to the scene using sounds and also add my own theme behind the sound and if I wanted I could add a voice-over as if to depict the life of the character in third person.

Conclusion

From what I have learnt and researched I have thought about the sound to be used in the opening thriller carefully and have looked at other thrillers to see how they used it and added different themed effects to their scenes and if they used it at all. I didn’t put it but diegetic sound could also be used for the opening as a way to give off the creepy effect the character has shown and by playing music from an old radio or CD player to maybe show the audience that this guy is a weirdo and very weird serial killer adds to the common conventions seen in other thriller movies.

Planning: Production Roles - Miss Begum

Introduction
Between me and my group members we have decided to share out different production roles between us to balance out the workload and use our expert skills for the identified areas. I have taken the roles that i will be taking control of with my other member taking control of the other 4.

Sound - I have decided to take on this role largely down to the fact that one of my other AS subjects is Music Technology in which you are taught deeper into the details and specifications of the technology side of the music industry and things such as drowning out the sound of unnecessary noise just to hear the footstep of the antagonist can be done with such ease. 


Location - I decided to take this role as since between the two of us i travel the most in terms of range. Because of that i could know areas on my way to school or so and so that can be the location for different scenes in the thriller.


Lighting Operator - With the help of Music Tech info i can be able to use my knowledge of the equipment to be able to control lighting to suit the type of lighting needed in different scenes. Also as i know the type of lighting i need i will be able to picture it in my head and get a better idea of what i will do as operator of the lights.


Costume, Hair & Makeup - Because neither of us know how to apply makeup i find it best fit to seek help or advice into applying the face paint needed for the clown effect on both antagonist and victim. With costume i can sort that as with Dance (other AS subject) i have access to props and costumes for the themes needed as a clown hair and everything else is already in my hands.


Director - I have given myself director and not producer because they are both the top two jobs and my partner is better at producing than i am whereas due to my experience of watching thriller and non-thriller films i feel as if i would be a better director to create the effect my antagonist will need to show his intimidating posture. 

Planning: Storyboard - Miss Begum

Introduction:

In the media lesson me and my group went through our final idea and drew up a storyboard of basic 

features within each scene that would help us when it comes to editing and recording.

Storyboard 1:

Storyboard 2:

Storyboard 3:

Storyboard 4:

Planning: Opening scene narration - Miss Begum

Introduction:

From the idea me and my group have pieced together the start would be the introduction of this character, possible antagonist sat on a chair with the spotlight clear on them just showing him as a good clown then reverted back to him as a bad clown and so forth. Then the middle of that scene will be him noticing a young one or girl to use as his sidekick and then persuading them to join him, then the last scene will be them getting ready to leave and then the finale is them walking away, a shortened version of the narration, but with more detail this is the opening narration.

Scene Narration:

At the start the camera will be focused on an empty chair with spot lighting used to show the audience that this specific chair plays a key role in the opening scene, then the audience will be introduced to this antagonist or character of which the audience will be shown his bad side then his good side and so forth.

The clown will then look at the camera using manual focus just to add that extra effect on the opening scene and the audience, during this scene the camera will show the clown taking part in activities linking to what a clown will normally be doing such as riding a tricycle or shuffling cards or trying to juggle then switch to his bad side to him cleaning a blunt weapon, checking himself in the mirror and holding a body bag or a sack to show he is planning something.

The first part of the middle scenes will be an establishing shot used to show the audience the clear location of this park and a young teen by themselves maybe listening to music and on their phones chilling or shown as a distressed youth possibly a rebel after running away from home, which will allow for a reaction shot from the clown as they notice this young person. A panning shot will be used to show the antagonist enter the park and greet this young child and then persuade them to join him with open arms. Not too much dialogue will be shown in this scene, maybe the young person feeling a bit worried for their safety but then realize they are “not wanted anyway so who cares what happens”. This scene will then be followed by the young person following this antagonist off into the distance with the camera panning from them sitting on the bench to being set on the ground to visibly show their cold icy footsteps walking away into the distance.

The second part of the middle scene will be of this young person in the process of being turned to the antagonist’s sidekick through the process of training and not the cliché ritual that seems common in mediocre films these days like ‘The Conjuring’. The young person will then be seen putting on a clown mask as an indication they have finished their transformation to this humble and newborn antagonist the original antagonist wants them to be.

The last scene for this opening will be the main antagonist clown donning his mask with an extreme close up of his eyes but not revealing his face to show emotion as he prepares for his next mysterious outing with his new trusty sidekick, he will then briefly say, “Are You Ready?” with the camera then switching to an extreme close up of his new sidekicks eyes replying “Yes” then donning the mask also.

Then the camera will be set up to show these two new antagonists walking away from a scene with red liquid splattered over them to indicate they have done their deed and to show that they are covered in blood to the audience (but obviously not going to cover them in real blood). While they walk away the camera will go the back of them when they are walking allowing for the young person to turn their head and smile at the camera in a daunting manner as if to show off, then the camera will fade to black quickly to cut off the scene there.

Conclusion:

This opening scene is good as it shows in detail various common conventions from other thrillers and reintroduces elements of the horror genre into this as to kind of steer away from typical thrillers and lead into its own pathway. Also deciding this narration with the group was drawn using ideas from our initial ideas and that seen in other thrillers to piece together an amateur masterpiece. 

Planning: Final Idea - Mrs. Quinlan

Narrative/Plot:

The final idea will be changed from the narrative of this main male character running away from his troubles, who are shown to the audience as grown men with no face or identity, to the narrative of a contrapuntal clown that commits manslaughter due to his own past just to get over it, like a much crazy Joker and with more instruments to help in his attacks, finding a young girl on the streets and then converting her into his sidekick to aid in his motives and actions so that he isn't by himself. 

Narrative structure:

In terms of narrative, Todorov’s structure which consists of a clear start, middle and end is what we are most likely to go for due to the basic and simplicity of it and the fact that we only have two minutes and in those two minutes we don’t want to give away too much or give too little. The structure makes it easy for us to also make an opening without too much confusion and make unnecessary complications.

Characters:

There will initially be only two characters just to keep the dialogue at a minimum level. Firstly the antagonist, which is a clown with two sides to him maybe because of that his name can be Yin Yang but that is another topic. Then another character, victim turned antagonist due to her conversion by this clown to do his dirty work. After seeing things like Mikey banned for allowing such a young child to commit really savage work like murder with blunt weapons we will make sure the child is not too young may be use someone in their teens but remain young so that they seem young enough to not have any idea whether what they are doing is wrong or right.

Mise En Scene:

This is something we haven’t yet discussed and will dwell on later during our planning, and leave this blank till we come to a conclusion on Mise En Scene because of the possibility we may change our minds after a while and go for another idea on Mise En Scene.

Location:

First scene will be a dark unknown room to reveal to the audience the first character as a happy and sad clown, then the next scene will be a dark and distorted park to show his transformation of this victim from happy and joyful to dark and gloom, then the last scene where the New Equilibrium begins will be a house as the two clowns get ready to walk down a lonely ghostly street which will be the fourth location.

Lighting:

By primarily putting the spotlight on him when the clown is sat down on the chair in the room at the start just to show the audience he is clearly the main character in this opening, then with the effect on the flooring from the moonlight the lighting in the park will be something special and specific, however the lighting for the remainder of the film will be low key.

Costume:

Realistically a clown outfit for both characters is what we discussed and settled on due to the fact that it adds that effect that they are devoted and we have actually put in effort to make it look authentic. We have the intention of making the clown look scary so the makeup or mask will have to be a psychological bonus if we want to create that element from the costume.

Iconography:

The clown mask will be something of an iconography due to what it symbolizes and also it is a way of hiding the identity of this antagonist from the audience. The clown suit is also something as to say that this is what the antagonist wears when committing all this mischief.

Body Language and Facial Expressions:

This will depend on the mood of the antagonist just to add a little twist to scenes recorded. We also want to show the audience a mixture of body languages and facial expressions to indicate the personality and actions of the clown are unpredictable.

Film Influence:

The influences of this film come from Halloween and the fact that the personality and depictions of clowns can vary.

Audience response:
The audience response of this will hopefully be that of one who is scared of clowns as opposed to someone who isn’t affected by this type of material. Our aim is to have a psychological effect on the audience and allow for them to feel as if our opening has gotten to them or atleast scared them a little.

What makes this conventional?:

What makes this conventional is down to the fact that the motive of the antagonist are distorted and become a bit clear when he receives help from someone else. As the child imitates him and becomes like him, the audience will be able to question what may be going on in this opening 2 minutes which is what will make them have the urge to watch the rest of the film.

Themes present:

The themes that may be present in this will be clowns due to the fact both characters are clowns, imitations as the young victim will become the mature clown and copy what he has done or what he wants to do and friendship because with this new sidekick he has found someone to share this passion with and is no more lonely.

Conclusion:

We want them to initially feel really scared of the antagonist as they do not know anything about his personality because of the drastic change. This narrative along with the added features and planning ideas will be able to make this happen and allow for the opening to be as good as we planned and hopefully even better.